It felt as though the world had been placed on mute at this moment.
Satoru Gojo was trapped within the Prison Realm, facing a void of absolute darkness.
Outside the Prison Realm, that crimson light, capable of severing all things, finally struck the ground.
*BOOM!*
A terrifying explosion of energy erupted.
The entire fifth-floor underground platform was instantly engulfed in crimson flames.
The earth cracked and rock melted.
The cursed spirits that had intended to attack amidst the chaos didn't even have time to scream before being vaporized by the extreme heat.
Within the swirling dust and fire, a figure slowly emerged.
Black hair, crimson eyes, and swaying earrings.
Flames coiled like dragons around the Special Grade Cursed Tool Shiranui in his hand, radiating a suffocating pressure.
Yoru.
He had arrived at the very last second, but...
...it was still a step too late.
*Clack.*
A pitch-black box, shaped like a cube, lay quietly on the ground.
The eyes upon it were all closed, emitting an eerie and heavy aura.
Satoru Gojo's presence had completely vanished.
"Hahahaha!"
Kenjaku (the Brain) clutched his severed arm, letting out a manic laugh.
Even though that last slash had nearly killed him and half of his body was scorched...
...he had won!
The strongest, Satoru Gojo, was finally sealed!
"It's useless! What can you do even if you're here?"
"Once the Prison Realm closes, not even a god can open it!"
"This world..."
"...will finally descend into chaos!"
Yoru said nothing.
He simply stared at the Prison Realm on the floor. Within those crimson pupils, there was no anger, no sorrow.
Only a heart-stopping...
...calm.
Like the surface of the sea before a storm, it was so oppressive it made breathing difficult.
"Is that so?"
Yoru slowly raised his head, looking at the laughing Kenjaku.
"You seem quite happy."
In that instant.
Kenjaku's laughter came to an abrupt halt.
An unprecedented fear rose from the depths of his soul.
He felt like prey being targeted by a lion; every cell in his body was screaming at him to run.
"Sun Breathing."
Yoru's voice was very soft, as if he were merely whispering.
But to Kenjaku, it sounded like a death sentence.
"Seventh Form."
"Beneficent Radiance."
There were no flashy movements; it was merely a simple thrust.
Yet the moment Yoru lunged, the surrounding space seemed to warp under the force of the strike.
It was fast—too fast, exceeding the very perception of time.
Kenjaku saw only a flash of crimson.
"Cursed Spirit Manipulation—"
At the critical moment, Kenjaku tried to summon a cursed spirit as a shield.
But before that dark-red blade, the cursed spirit that had only just poked its head out was instantly melted along with Kenjaku's defensive cursed energy.
*Squeltch!*
A soft sound followed.
It was the sound of flesh being pierced. Kenjaku looked down in disbelief.
A charred hole had appeared in his chest at some point.
Yoru was already standing behind him, his blade not even stained with a drop of blood.
Because all the blood had been instantly evaporated by the high heat.
"How... is this... possible..."
Kenjaku's eyes widened.
He had clearly prepared his defenses and reinforced his entire body with cursed energy.
Why...
...had he been unable to even react?
"You said just now that the Prison Realm cannot be opened?"
Yoru turned around.
Shiranui burst into raging flames once more.
"Then, along with you and this godforsaken plan..."
"...it shall be severed."
*Swish!*
Another slash.
This strike came from an incredibly tricky angle, carrying a searing current of air that tore through space.
Kenjaku didn't even have time to force Suguru Geto's body into a dodge. He could only watch as the crimson light flashed by.
It cleanly severed Kenjaku's only remaining arm.
It was the very hand he was reaching out with to grab the Prison Realm.
The severed arm flew into the air; no blood spilled from the wound, only charred marks where the extreme heat had carbonized the flesh.
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
Kenjaku let out a shrill scream, rolling on the ground in agony.
Having lost both arms, he looked like a stray dog with broken legs, devoid of any resemblance to a mastermind.
Yoru stepped forward and bent down to pick up the Prison Realm.
The cube that sealed the strongest jujutsu sorcerer felt exceptionally heavy in his hand.
But he could feel that the person inside was in a stable condition.
"Gojo-sensei."
Yoru gently brushed the surface of the Prison Realm.
"Sleep for a little while."
"By the time you wake up..."
"...this world will be a lot cleaner."
With that, he tucked the Prison Realm away and walked toward the collapsed Kenjaku step by step.
"Now, return that body."
"Or..."
"Die."
Looking at the approaching Yoru, the fear in Kenjaku's eyes finally overcame his reason.
This boy...
...was a monster!
A monster even more unreasonable than Satoru Gojo!
At least Gojo followed the rules of jujutsu, but this guy...
...was simply using brute force to crush everything!
"Move... Move, damn it!"
Kenjaku desperately tried to activate his cursed energy to flee or launch a counter-technique.
But right then.
The will that had been awakened by Satoru Gojo in front of the Prison Realm erupted once more!
*Voom!*
The half of the body still under Kenjaku's control suddenly stiffened.
Then, his left hand—though his right was gone, the left remained—defied his will and grabbed a nearby rebar, pinning the body firmly in place!
"What?!"
Kenjaku's pupils dilated in shock.
"Is it you again, Suguru Geto?!"
"You're already dead! Why are you still getting in my way?!"
He roared madly in his mind, trying to wash away that will with a massive surge of cursed energy.
But that will was like a rock rooted deep within the soul; it stood firm regardless of the storm.
In fact.
He even faintly heard a familiar voice echoing in his mind:
'I won't allow it...'
It was this momentary paralysis.
That cost Kenjaku any remaining chance of escape.
"It seems even this body is rejecting you," Yoru's cold voice drifted over.
He saw Kenjaku's predicament; his transparent eyes seemed to see right through to the ugly soul beneath the skin.
"Don't come any closer!"
"You can't kill me!"
"If you kill me, Suguru Geto's body will be destroyed too!"
Kenjaku tried to use Suguru Geto's body as a hostage, but Yoru's pace didn't falter for a second.
"Destroyed?"
"That's still better than it being occupied by something as disgusting as you."
*Schwing!*
Shiranui was raised high.
The crimson light of the blade illuminated Kenjaku's despair-filled face.
At that very moment, the Prison Realm emitted a faint pulse. Despite the absolute seal, Satoru Gojo seemed to sense the changes occurring outside.
It wasn't a signal for help, but an expression of absolute trust in his student.
'He knew you would come, and he believed you could handle everything.'
Feeling the pulse, Yoru's killing intent became even more refined.
"So, just die."
And just as the fatal blow was about to land,
an extreme chill suddenly lunged at Yoru from behind.
[ Author's Note : If you're loving the story, a power_stone, review or comment means the world!
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