Hasegumo's move was, in essence, an extension of the same principles used for walking on water or climbing trees. By circulating Cursed Energy outside his body to create a pull, he generated a tethering force between himself and his target. Because it was a loop, the attraction affected both parties equally.
Hasegumo had set his stance in advance specifically to counteract the inertia generated when his Cursed Energy began its external cycle. Caught off guard, Toji Fushiguro was naturally hauled toward him by the sheer force of the energy.
Now, some might ask: this sounds suspiciously like Pain's "Universal Pull" or Gojo's "Blue." If it's just a basic application of Cursed Energy, why doesn't everyone do it?
To be blunt, this move isn't even fit to carry the shoes of "Blue" or "Universal Pull." It only works on objects or people without Cursed Energy, and even after nearly two years of relentless training, Hasegumo's effective range was a mere three meters.
First, as mentioned before, very few sorcerers can actually control Cursed Energy once it leaves their body. Sorcerers like Satoru Gojo or Suguru Geto certainly can, but for the same energy cost, it's far more efficient to convert that energy into a Cursed Technique—like "Blue" or "Red"—or simply blast it out as a high-output kinetic discharge like Ishigori Ryu.
Secondly, while controlling external Cursed Energy isn't impossible, maintaining a continuous, stable loop over a distance of three meters without a dedicated technique is an immense mental burden. For Hasegumo, whose Innate Technique is Cursed Energy manipulation, controlling the flow within his body is as natural as breathing. Yet, it took years of practice to extend his external reach from half a meter to three.
Finally, and most importantly, this only worked because Toji Fushiguro possessed zero Cursed Energy. He couldn't see Cursed Spirits; he only perceived them through his sharpened five senses. Similarly, he couldn't see Cursed Energy itself. If Hasegumo tried this on any other sorcerer, they would see the energy coming, and their own non-aligned Cursed Energy would clash with the loop, rendering the attraction moot.
In any other situation, this "technique" was really only good for parkour or performing cool magic tricks.
However, as Hasegumo said: Think a little, and you'll be stronger.
The moment they had stopped to talk, Hasegumo had already mapped out a complete strategy for victory—or rather, a complete strategy for a surprise attack.
Step one: Increase the distance while talking to lower the enemy's guard. Three meters was the exact limit of his external reach. Even without a formal "Revealing One's Hand," Toji knew Hasegumo lacked long-range attacks. At Toji's speed, three meters was basically point-blank range, so he never suspected Hasegumo was trying to flee.
Step two: Engage the target's interest. He needed to throw out some light mockery—enough to keep Toji's attention fixed, but not so much that he'd charge in blindly. It's called "temperature control." Having spent so much time with the "Scum Duo," Hasegumo might not have surpassed his teachers yet, but he knew the routine by heart.
Step three: Strike the moment the target's attention wavered.
After their brief exchange, Hasegumo realized Toji was reluctant to trade injuries. This confirmed Toji likely lacked a healing-type Cursed Tool or Reverse Cursed Technique. Therefore, a single Steel Fist combined with a Black Flash should be enough to take him down if it landed cleanly.
As Hasegumo hauled Toji toward him, his right fist surged with a massive concentration of Cursed Energy. He stood his ground, waiting to end the fight with one decisive blow.
Toji Fushiguro—formerly Toji Zen'in—was born into the Zen'in clan, one of the "Big Three" sorcerer families. Despised and abused for his lack of Cursed Energy, he had been thrown into a pit of Cursed Spirits as a child; the scar on his lip was a permanent souvenir of that day.
That childhood trauma had forged a rebellious, anti-social personality. As an adult, he chose the life of a professional assassin, earning his keep by taking contracts. Over the years, he had slaughtered countless sorcerers, including high-level Grade 1s, earning him the title "The Sorcerer Killer."
He might have let out a surprised, "mob-like" yelp when the invisible force yanked him, but he was no mere mob.
The attraction was powerful enough to lift him off his feet, and the speed at which he flew toward Hasegumo was staggering. In the time it would take a normal person to blink, the gap was closed. Yet, relying on pure predatory instinct, Toji found a counter.
His right hand flashed to the storage curse on his left shoulder. In a heartbeat, the Inverted Spear of Heaven was in his palm. He adjusted his mid-air posture, turning the pull into momentum and lunging forward to meet Hasegumo's right fist with the dagger's point.
Hasegumo didn't know the dagger was a Special Grade tool designed to nullify techniques. Even if he had, he wouldn't have cared. He had absolute faith that his fist wouldn't lose.
Vrummm—!
The fist met the blade. A Black Flash erupted at the point of impact, creating a sound like a mountain of iron colliding with a cliff of stone.
Toji felt as though he had tried to stab a solid block of... no, with the Inverted Spear's sharpness, even stone was like tofu. It felt as though he had struck a super-alloy of impossible density.
CRACK—!
Hasegumo was grounded, and as he threw his full weight into his right arm, the combined destructive force of his reinforced musculature and the Black Flash converged. The Inverted Spear of Heaven—the tool that had just carved through Satoru Gojo like a fish—shattered.
The Spear's magnificent, blood-soaked history came to an abrupt end. As its wielder, Toji felt the full brunt of Hasegumo's peerless punch. However, because the point of impact was the dagger itself, the Spear acted as a final shield, absorbing the majority of the Black Flash's lethality for its master.
"Gah..." Toji was sent skidding back more than ten meters. He stood up, spitting out a mouthful of blood and clutching his chest. "I think a rib is snapped. Right wrist feels like it's fractured."
As the saying goes: Strike while the iron is hot. Hasegumo was no longer a greenhorn. He wasn't about to stand around gloating just because he'd landed a hit, giving the enemy time to recover and pull a miracle out of their ass.
Until the enemy was neutralized, his only directive was: attack, attack, and attack.
Hasegumo blurred toward him, and the two entered a frantic, close-quarters exchange once more. Hasegumo threw a straight right; Toji met it with his own right while his left fist arced toward Hasegumo's shoulder.
Based on their previous exchange, Toji expected Hasegumo to use his superior speed to retract his fist and use a leg to interrupt the combo, or perhaps take a quick step back.
So the next move is... The fight had been brief, but Toji had already acknowledged that Hasegumo's raw strength was on par with his own. For the first time in years, he actually started using his brain to calculate in the middle of a fight.
But the reality on the ground defied his expectations. As Hasegumo's right fist clashed with his, Hasegumo didn't dodge the incoming left hook. He stood his ground and took the hit full in the shoulder.
Zap—! The spark of a Black Flash flickered on Hasegumo's shoulder for a split second. Hasegumo was knocked back by the impact, but as he stood up, though he winced in pain, his fighting spirit didn't waver.
Toji's punch had landed on the left shoulder—the side where Hasegumo had no arm. The "Defensive Black Flash" had triggered perfectly.
"What did this guy do?" Toji stared at his own left hand. It was a bloody mess, with bone visible through the shredded flesh. He was experiencing the same confusion Satoru Gojo once had. He'd landed a hit, yet he was the one who was crippled. One more trade like that, and his left hand would be useless.
"You're a real piece of work... you're a cripple, so you want to drag everyone down with you?!" Toji growled. He reached into the storage curse again and pulled out the Split Soul Katana—the blade that had ended the Rainbow Dragon.
I can't trade punches with him anymore. I'll use the blade. I might not be able to land a lethal hit with him being this fast, but it'll be enough to keep him back.
Despite his internal mockery, Toji was already looking for the exit. He had rationalized the situation to protect his ego: I just wanted to beat the kid up. I've done that. He can't outrun me. I'll force a path through him and get out of here.
Having resolved to retreat, Toji lunged forward, swinging the Split Soul Katana in wide, sweeping arcs. Hasegumo, wary of the unknown properties of the blade, chose to dodge rather than tank. Unlike their earlier exchange, he didn't feel the need to gamble.
I have the advantage now, Hasegumo thought. I just need to stay steady. I shouldn't ignore the power gap just because I landed a lucky shot.
Hasegumo's goal was to stall for time. Seeing that the enemy was getting desperate, he slowed his pace, focusing on evasion. He figured if he waited a bit longer, the blood loss would do the work for him.
However, Toji's combat experience was superior. Even as he planned his escape, he maintained an aura of absolute rage, hacking away with everything he had. This "all-out" posture successfully deceived Hasegumo. Blinded by the prospect of a safe victory, Hasegumo never imagined his opponent would actually choose to run.
In the flurry of strikes and dodges, their positions reversed. Hasegumo was pushed further toward the interior of the school, while Toji moved closer to the barrier's edge.
"We're done here. Next time I see you, I'm definitely killing you," Toji spat. He shoved the katana back into the worm and turned to make a strategic retreat.
"Yo. Long time no see."
A man stood in his path. He was covered in blood, his clothes were tattered, and his eyes were wide and unsettling. Satoru Gojo had appeared out of nowhere.
Toji's expression became incredibly complicated. "...Are you for real?"
"As real as it gets," Gojo replied, a manic grin stretching across his face. "I'm feeling great."