Thump.
The gavel collided with the top of Piercing Ox's head, crushing its head and body together.
The massive clash of Cursed Energy shook the entire barrier.
The remnants of the Cursed Energy that formed Piercing Ox scattered like blasted flesh.
Hiromi Higuruma slowly rose from the splattered Cursed Energy remnants. The gavel in his hand abruptly transformed from a giant mallet into a two-handed hammer, which he then swung in a violent horizontal sweep.
Thump!
The face of the hammer slammed into the nearby Great Serpent.
A visible shockwave of Cursed Energy shattered the Great Serpent's body.
The Great Serpent let out a silent roar, violently thrashing its body and tail, but before its death throes could hit Hiromi Higuruma, its entire body had already crumbled into Cursed Energy remnants.
"...Are you kidding me?!"
Fushiguro Megumi shouted in disbelief.
Hiromi Higuruma's eyes shifted to the left, reflecting Max Elephant.
Fushiguro Megumi snapped back to his senses and roared:
"Max Elephant!"
This seemed to be the trigger.
In an instant, Max Elephant's movements became agile.
It took a step back—not in retreat, but to find the right position.
Then, it raised its trunk, but instead of slamming it down, it aimed its nostrils at Hiromi Higuruma.
Max Elephant: Water Spray!
A torrent erupted from Max Elephant's nostrils!
Hiromi Higuruma was about to move, but his footsteps faltered for a second.
He looked down.
At some point, Toads had emerged from the black shadow tide one after another.
These Toads extended their tongues, pinning Hiromi Higuruma's feet firmly to the spot.
Ten Shadows Technique: Toad!
This Toad shikigami wasn't powerful, but its tongue was tough and could stick to opponents.
In the original work's Yasohachi Bridge incident, Fushiguro Megumi had used this trick against a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, and now, it proved effective once again.
The torrent rushed toward him.
Hiromi Higuruma held his breath and held the gavel in front of his eyes.
The hammer suddenly grew larger, acting like an umbrella to block the initial impact of the flood.
Only then did Fushiguro Megumi belatedly realize that this gavel wasn't a Cursed Tool at all—it was a special shikigami!
This gavel-style shikigami could transform at Hiromi Higuruma's will—growing larger, smaller, turning into a two-handed hammer or a giant mallet, and even bending its handle.
Disappearing and reappearing were no problem either.
It was practically a custom all-purpose weapon and Hiromi Higuruma's most lethal tool.
Snap.
Fushiguro Megumi formed a seal.
—Nue!
Ten Shadows Technique: Nue.
This was an owl-like shikigami.
Besides its bird-like attack patterns, it had a hidden ability:
It could discharge electricity!
Fushiguro Megumi leaped up and grabbed Nue's ankles, using that momentum to climb higher.
Nue coordinated with its master's strength to hurl Fushiguro Megumi into the air.
Then, with a sudden crackle, a massive electrical current was funneled into the torrent sprayed by Max Elephant.
Lightning-like currents flashed through the entire torrent!
The shikigami summoned by the Ten Shadows Technique each had unique characteristics, but their greatest strength lay in their coordination.
Now, Fushiguro Megumi could easily execute shikigami combinations, especially since he was currently within his Domain Expansion: Chimera Shadow Garden.
Although the sure-hit effect couldn't be perfectly utilized due to the Domain struggle between both sides, the sure-kill aspect still functioned.
Fushiguro Megumi did not hesitate to consume a large amount of Cursed Energy to summon high-power shikigami, each possessing genuine sure-kill lethality.
To a mere amateur in the Jujutsu World, even if their attack power was truly at a Special Grade level, deficiencies in defense and mobility would be enough to kill them!
Suddenly, a grand, echoing voice rang out.
It was the voice of the lonely, floating black shikigami.
"The defendant has not made a confession or denial."
Fushiguro Megumi's pupils shook with shock.
Within the torrent, Hiromi Higuruma emerged from the water.
He held one hand out, still gripping that small gavel.
He was soaked, and electricity flickered across his body, yet he appeared completely unharmed!
His spine was ramrod straight, his expression neutral, and his solemnity made him look like an inorganic robot.
His flesh-and-blood body radiated a stillness like mountain stone.
As soon as Hiromi Higuruma understood the principle of the Innate Domain within his Cursed Technique, he grasped the basics of Barrier Techniques.
By reverse-engineering Barrier Techniques, he mastered the "side path" of Cursed Energy reinforcement through Cursed Energy manipulation.
In the original work, within just twelve days of obtaining his technique, he had grown to a level no less than that of a Grade 1 Sorcerer.
Now, upon entering the Dream Walk Migration, he immediately began hunting Cursed Spirits, using the points he gained to fuel his growth as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
He had even killed a Jujutsu Sorcerer in battle, confirming his own strength.
Then, he proactively sought out Jogo and fought him—
—and Jogo died.
He thoroughly understood the rules of the Dream Walk Migration.
Here, death was not the end.
On the contrary, death was the most insignificant part.
Once he realized this, he knew exactly how to maximize his growth.
Fighting to the death against the truly strong—
—that was the answer he reached.
That was why he made his information public.
He didn't save his points.
Instead, he used all the points from his battle with Jogo as nourishment to grow once more.
Fushiguro Megumi had once scoffed at Hiromi Higuruma for daring to call himself Special Grade, but Fushiguro Megumi didn't know—
He didn't "claim" it.
His current evaluation was clearly written in Kogane's introduction.
His strength rating was:
Special Grade.
(T/N: Horrry Shii!)
Fushiguro Megumi muttered in disbelief,
"What's with your Cursed Energy reinforcement?"
"How can you withstand the erosion of water and electricity?"
"No, considering I have my Domain Expansion active, you should have taken the full brunt of the direct Cursed Energy attack."
"Aside from Gojo Satoru, this is the first time I've seen someone tank the direct damage of a Domain Expansion using nothing but Cursed Energy reinforcement."
Fushiguro Megumi's current state of mind was identical to Jogo's when he faced Gojo Satoru after activating his Domain.
At the time, Jogo had thought in disbelief:
"A normal Jujutsu Sorcerer should have been turned to ash in an instant."
Back then, Gojo Satoru hadn't even used his own Domain to counter.
He simply used Cursed Energy reinforcement to tank Jogo's Domain, and even after a direct hit, only the edge of his sleeve was scorched.
Just like Hiromi Higuruma now, who was unharmed despite the occasional sparks of electricity!
"I suppose it's quite impressive," Hiromi Higuruma said calmly.
"My rating states that my Cursed Energy control is on the level of Ryomen Sukuna."
Fushiguro Megumi's breath hitched.
Hiromi Higuruma stared at Fushiguro Megumi and said expressionlessly,
"Regrettably, time is up."
Fushiguro Megumi's instincts suddenly screamed a massive warning.
Even though his blood was warm, he felt as if ice had frozen his veins, leaving only coldness behind.
Without hesitation, he formed hand signs and roared:
"—Furube Yurayura!"
Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga—
A hand reached out from Fushiguro Megumi's shadow.
"It's useless," Hiromi Higuruma said calmly.
The lonely, floating black shikigami's terrifying face suddenly opened its eyes.
There were no eyeballs, only pitch-black voids.
The stitched threads were pulled apart to their limit.
Looking through the hollow sockets, they resembled prison bars.
The black shikigami's mouth hung wide open, and from the hollow maw came a banshee-like shriek:
"Guilty! Confiscation! Death Penalty!"
Snap.
Before Mahoraga could even emerge from Fushiguro Megumi's shadow, it vanished.
Simultaneously, Max Elephant and the airborne Nue also disappeared.
Fushiguro Megumi immediately understood:
His Cursed Technique could no longer be used.
"This is 'Confiscation' and 'Death Penalty.'"
Hiromi Higuruma pulled out the gavel as if drawing a sword.
The hammer indeed transformed into a slender blade—
—the Executioner's Sword.
"We continue," he said.
Fushiguro Megumi took a deep breath.
With the disappearance of his technique, his Domain Expansion: Chimera Shadow Garden gradually faded, and the Domain Expansion: Deadly Sentencing also vanished simultaneously.
They returned to where they started:
The screening room inside the supermarket building.
"Confiscation" had made his technique vanish, while "Death Penalty" formed a sword.
Fushiguro Megumi wasn't clear on what the sword's ability was.
But since it was the most severe Death Penalty, its power must be extraordinary.
The attack power that defeated the Key Holder was likely thanks to that sword.
I cannot let that sword hit me!
Fushiguro Megumi thought.
I haven't lost yet.
He's just an amateur in the Jujutsu World who had never received combat training until twelve days ago.
I'm different.
I'm battle-hardened and recently received training from Tengen.
My combat experience far exceeds his.
Even if his Cursed Energy control is truly at the level of Ryomen Sukuna, his martial arts skills must be poor.
(T/N: Sorry Megumi. Just accept death this time Mahito will resurrect you.)
The ability confiscation of this Cursed Technique shouldn't be permanent either.
I don't need to actually fight him; I just need to stall for enough time.
As long as I don't get hit by that sword during this period, I can turn the tables.
And for someone professionally trained like me, that should be very easy.
In other words—
—The advantage is mine!
"Bring it on, Hiromi Higuruma!" Fushiguro Megumi roared.
"As you wish, Fushiguro Megumi."
Hiromi Higuruma took a step forward his eyes calm as if they had swallowed the darkness.
About ten seconds later:
Fushiguro Megumi, dead.
(T/N: Hah! Called it)
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