To Whom It May Concern,
I'm addressing this directly to you, the individual who thought it acceptable to plagiarize my work. Let me make this crystal clear: I will not tolerate the theft of my intellectual property, fanfiction or otherwise.
If I discover that any of my stories have been used without my explicit consent on platforms such as YouTube, Wattpad, or elsewhere, I will immediately file a DMCA report. Rest assured, I have already taken action where necessary and will continue to do so. There will be no permissions granted, no exceptions made.
To the individual who has already overstepped: I've already reported your video, and you can expect a warning shortly. I strongly advise you to remove my content before your channel is permanently taken down. I've noticed that you've also stolen work from other writers. Whether or not they care is irrelevant—I do.
Your excuses about "credits" or "people preferring to listen rather than read" are irrelevant. If you lack the creativity to produce your own content, then this is not the platform for you.
Consider this your final warning: if I see my work misused again, I will not hesitate to report your entire channel. I will protect my work.
Take this seriously.
Chapter Six: Catalyst
Yuuji stood in the soft glow of the morning sun, the light reflecting off her long pink hair that shimmered like the edge of a blade under the sun. Her golden eyes, sharp yet serene, swept over the team from Kyoto with a gaze that carried the weight of two lifetimes—one as Yuuji and another, far more distant, as Nagato Uzumaki.
She stood calmly, wrapped in a flowing white kimono, the fabric swishing softly with each movement. Her expression was unreadable, but the aura she radiated was one of power, a dormant storm just waiting for the right moment to unleash its fury. She couldn't help but notice how the blonde girl with the broom—Momo, her name was Momo, right?—stared at her like she was a killer. The look in her eyes was sharp, suspicious, as if Yuuji had just massacred an entire village.
To be fair, it wasn't too far off from her previous life.
Yuuji shrugged the thought away. Momo didn't understand. None of them did. How could they? She'd lived lifetimes they could never fathom.
The girl with light blue hair seemed nice…Konan, no she wasn't Konan
'Keep it together, Yuuji.'
Just a few feet away, Maki and Mai were locked in a silent battle of glares, as usual. Their tension could cut through steel. Maki's jaw was clenched tight, fists balled up at her sides, and Mai's lips were curled into a smirk that seemed to say, "Bring it on."
"You really think you're better than me, don't you?" Mai sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. "All high and mighty, like you're so special because you left the clan. Newsflash, Maki—you're still nothing to them."
Maki's fingers twitched as she turned towards Mai. The muscles in her arms flexed with barely controlled rage. "You don't get it, Mai. I left because I refused to live under their thumb. I'm not a tool for the clan to use and toss aside when I'm no longer useful. Unlike you."
Mai's eyes narrowed, and for a brief second, her smirk faltered. Her voice dropped to a venomous whisper, barely audible but dripping with contempt. "I'm not the one pretending to be something I'm not. You're not strong, Maki. You'll never be strong."
The tension between them seemed to weigh down the air, suffocating anyone who was close enough to feel it.
Yuuji, who had been watching the entire exchange, sighed and stepped between them, her voice calm but commanding. "Enough." Her golden eyes flickered from Maki to Mai. "Whatever this is, it ends now. We're here for a reason. You can fight each other after we win."
Maki glared at Mai for another second, then finally sighed, rolling her shoulders as though shaking off the tension. She shot Mai one last look, then nodded. "Fine. But this isn't over."
Mai's smirk returned, though it was a little less smug now. "Oh, it never is."
Just then, a figure appeared at the edge of the courtyard, striding towards them with an air of authority, though her face showed clear irritation. It was Utahime Iori, the teacher from Kyoto, looking as though she had been pulled into this tournament against her will.
"Kyoto team," she called out, her voice sharp. "Focus. This isn't some playground squabble. We're here to win."
But before Utahime could get any further, a tall, familiar figure suddenly materialized next to her, leaning casually on her shoulder as if he had known her for decades—which he had. His white hair was spiked as usual, his blindfold covering those piercing eyes that saw far more than most people realized.
Satoru Gojo grinned from ear to ear. "Hey, Utahime," he drawled in that playful, teasing tone of his. "You're looking as grumpy as ever. Are you nervous? Because it kinda looks like you're freaking out."
Utahime stiffened immediately, her face flushing in irritation. She shoved Gojo's arm off her shoulder, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. "Gojo!" she snapped. "Don't you have anything better to do than annoy me?"
Gojo pretended to think for a moment, tapping his chin dramatically before laughing. "Nope, not really. Annoying you is my favorite pastime."
Yuuji watched the exchange with a small smile playing on her lips, reminded of Tobi and Deidara from her previous life. Tobi had always been a little ridiculous, annoying Deidara to no end with his antics, while Deidara would explode—quite literally—into a rage every time.
But that smile faded quickly, a flash of pain cutting through her mind.
Tobi.
Tobi wasn't Tobi. He was Madara. A monster that she once wanted nothing more than to destroy with her own hands. Maybe Naruto had done it by now. She could only hope.
Just as Yuuji's mind wandered back to the past, the arrival of two more figures snapped her back to the present. Principal Gakuganji and Yaga strode into the courtyard, their presence immediately commanding the attention of everyone there.
"Alright," Yaga began, his voice booming. "This is the Goodwill Exchange Event. The first event is the team battle. Both teams will enter the designated area filled with cursed spirits. Your objective is to exorcize as many as possible while preventing the other team from doing the same. The team with the most exorcized spirits wins. Simple enough."
Gakuganji, his eyes cold and calculating, added, "But remember, this isn't just about the curses. You're free to eliminate the other team in any way necessary. After all, this is a competition."
There was a brief silence as the weight of his words sunk in. Everyone understood what he meant. This wasn't just a test of exorcism skills. It was a test of strength, strategy, and survival.
Yuuji noticed Todo stealing glances at her. 'Why?'
That boy— Kamo, she could sense great pain from him.
Pain.
She shook her head.
After the briefing, the students were given a few minutes to strategize before the event began. The Tokyo team huddled together, their expressions focused.
Maki crossed her arms, her face serious. "We have a plan. Yuuji, Toge, you two are the strongest among us. You'll focus on the curses. The rest of us will keep Kyoto busy."
Nobara cracked her knuckles, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Busy? I'm going to send them running. Just watch."
Megumi nodded, his expression thoughtful as he glanced towards the forest where the battle would take place. "We'll need to move fast. Kyoto won't hesitate to come after us the moment we're inside."
Panda chuckled, his voice rumbling with excitement. "Good. Let them come. We'll handle it."
Yuuji nodded, her mind already running through a thousand scenarios. "We stick together as long as possible, then split up when necessary. Toge and I will take care of the curses. You guys just keep them off our backs."
With the plan set, they fell into a tense silence, each one preparing themselves for what was to come. The sound of the siren suddenly echoed through the courtyard, signaling the start of the event.
Everyone was ready to rock.
Ū—Ū
Yuuji stepped quietly through the dense forest, her feet sinking softly into the damp earth. The thick canopy of trees overhead filtered the sunlight into thin, dappled beams that danced across her white kimono. Her long pink hair trailed behind her, swaying with each step, almost brushing the forest floor. The air was cool and still, with the faint scent of pine and wet soil filling her nostrils. But beneath the calm exterior, she could feel it—the low hum of cursed energy. It lingered in the air like a faint stench, growing stronger the deeper she ventured into the forest.
It had been days since she'd last felt any sort of thrill, any sense of danger. Ever since she had awakened her past memories, her perspective on the world around her had shifted dramatically. This new world, with its cursed spirits and sorcerers, was nothing compared to the brutal, chakra-filled battles of her past life as Nagato Uzumaki. Every fight since then felt… insignificant. She was starting to get bored.
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly as she felt the presence of a cursed spirit nearby. She stopped in her tracks, listening to the faint rustling of leaves in the distance. The spirit was lurking just beyond a thick cluster of trees, its twisted energy pulsing weakly, almost pathetically. With a soft sigh, Yuuji lifted her hand, palm facing outward.
A low growl echoed through the trees as the cursed spirit emerged, its grotesque form barely visible in the dim light. Its body was misshapen, with jagged limbs protruding at odd angles and a mouth full of broken, needle-like teeth. It snarled, its black eyes glowing with malevolence as it lunged toward her.
Yuuji barely moved. Her fingers twitched slightly, and with a single, casual thought, she manipulated the gravity around the spirit. It stopped mid-air, frozen as though caught in an invisible trap. A slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Crush.
The cursed spirit's body crumpled inward with a sickening crunch, its bones shattering under the weight of her power. It let out a final, pitiful wail before it disintegrated into black dust, disappearing into the forest floor. Yuuji let out a small breath, watching the remains drift away on the breeze.
"Too easy," she muttered under her breath, her tone laced with disappointment.
She continued walking, pushing through the thick foliage as the faint sound of rustling leaves filled the air. The forest around her was dense and humid, the trees towering high above, their branches intertwined to form a nearly impenetrable canopy. The ground beneath her was soft, damp from recent rain, and her white kimono picked up flecks of mud as she walked. She didn't care. It wasn't like anyone was here to see her. Not that she was trying to impress anyone anyway.
Another cursed spirit appeared ahead of her, this one larger than the last, its body covered in pulsating veins and bulbous growths. Its mouth opened wide, letting out a deafening roar that reverberated through the trees. Birds scattered from the branches, their wings flapping in a chaotic burst of sound.
Yuuji paused, staring at the creature with mild interest. It was uglier than the others, sure, but she could feel its cursed energy—it was weak, barely worth her time. She raised her hand again, the air around her seeming to ripple with an unseen force.
Slam.
The ground shook as a heavy, crushing force descended on the cursed spirit, flattening it into the earth with a loud, bone-cracking thud. The creature let out a gurgled scream before it was silenced forever, its body dissolving into nothingness. The earth beneath it was left scorched and broken, a crater where the spirit had once stood.
Yuuji stared at the crater for a moment, her expression blank. She wasn't even trying anymore. These creatures were no challenge at all. Compared to the battles she'd faced in her previous life, these cursed spirits were barely a nuisance.
She sighed heavily, her breath escaping in a visible puff of air in the cool forest. "Well, that's two down," she said to herself, her voice flat. "Maybe the next one will at least try to put up a fight."
But she knew the truth. The power scales in this world were too low. The cursed spirits, even the stronger ones, were nothing compared to the beasts and warriors of the Shinobi world. She thought back to her previous battles—facing Naruto, the legendary fight that had left her breathless and on the brink of death. That was a true fight, a clash of titans. The raw power they had unleashed on each other had been earth-shattering, a memory that still left her heart pounding.
"Naruto…" she whispered to herself, her voice soft with a mixture of admiration and longing. "That was the only fight that ever mattered."
The memory of him flashed in her mind—his fierce determination, the unyielding strength in his eyes, the way he never gave up, no matter how hopeless the situation seemed. That battle had been the pinnacle of her existence as Nagato. Nothing since then had even come close.
She shook her head, forcing the memory aside. "Well, I guess you can't have everything," she muttered with a shrug, trying to push the lingering feeling of nostalgia away.
She continued her path through the forest, her senses tuned in to the cursed energy that pulsed faintly around her. Another spirit lurked nearby, and she turned her gaze in its direction, barely interested. She could feel it—this one was just as weak as the others. Her fingers flexed at her side, ready to crush it into oblivion without a second thought.
But then she heard it—a faint, low sound carried on the wind. Her ears perked up, her senses sharpening. It was a strange noise, almost like a hum.
Yuuji stopped in her tracks, her head tilting slightly to the side as she listened. She knew that sound. Even though it was faint, distorted by the distance. A small smile crept onto her lips. "Perhaps this one will ont be so boring after all," her golden eyes sparkling with a hint of excitement.
Far off in another part of the forest, Inumaki Toge was standing still, his gaze focused intently on a group of cursed spirits that circled him like predators. They snarled and snapped at him, their grotesque forms shifting and writhing in the shadows. But Toge remained calm, his face emotionless, his cursed speech ready to strike.
With a quiet breath, he lifted his hand to his mouth. His voice was calm, measured, and
His voice was calm, measured, and deceptively soft as he whispered the single word that would seal their fate.
"Fall."
The cursed spirits dropped instantly, their bodies collapsing to the ground with a sickening thud. Their limbs twitched for a moment before going completely still, the life draining out of them like water from a broken cup.
Ū—Ū
Hanami moved silently through the forest, his heavy steps barely disturbing the underbrush beneath him. The towering trees around him seemed to bend and sway in his presence, their branches rustling faintly as though whispering secrets only they could hear. The dark canopy overhead filtered the sunlight, casting strange patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. Hanami was tall and imposing, his body a grotesque mix of humanoid and plant-like features, with long, twisted vines and roots wrapping around his limbs like armor. His face was partially obscured by the wooden mask that covered most of his features, save for the single exposed eye that gleamed with a malevolent light.
His mission was clear: distract the sorcerers while Mahito infiltrated the Star Corridor. Mahito was cunning, dangerous, and ambitious—exactly the type of cursed spirit that could pull off something as delicate as stealing from under the nose of the sorcerers. But Hanami's role was just as crucial. He wasn't only there to create chaos—Geto had made it very clear that they needed to assess the power of Yuuji Itadori, the girl with the golden eyes. She was to be the vessel for Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses.
'She will eat Sukuna's fingers, whether she wants to or not,' Hanami thought coldly as he pushed deeper into the forest.
His mental link with Mahito buzzed faintly in his mind, their silent communication ever-present.
'Are you in?' Hanami asked mentally, his thoughts directed at Mahito.
'Almost there,' Mahito responded with a hint of amusement in his tone. 'Keep them busy. I'll do the rest.'
Hanami grunted in response and continued his search for Yuuji. He could feel the presence of sorcerers nearby, their cursed energy flickering like faint embers in the distance. But none of them mattered. Only Yuuji. She was the key. He moved with a deliberate slowness, his mind calm and focused.
Then, suddenly, something changed. The air around him grew thick, the very atmosphere seeming to pulse with a strange, suffocating energy. Hanami's instincts flared, and he stopped in his tracks. He knew this feeling—it was the presence of an overwhelming force, one that made even the cursed energy inside him stir uneasily.
'She's close.'
Just as he turned to face the source of this power, a voice rang out, cutting through the stillness of the forest like a knife.
"So, you're supposed to be harder to kill?" The voice was casual, even a bit teasing, but there was a deadly edge to it.
Hanami slowly turned around and found himself face to face with Yuuji Itadori. She stood a few feet away, her stance relaxed, almost lazy, but her golden eyes burned with a fierce intensity. Her long pink hair flowed over her shoulders, glimmering faintly in the dim light. She wore a white kimono that contrasted sharply with the dark forest around her, the fabric shifting slightly in the gentle breeze. Her presence was overwhelming—Hanami could feel the sheer weight of her power pressing down on him like a storm bearing down on the horizon.
Yuuji tilted her head slightly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I was expecting someone… stronger."
Hanami didn't respond verbally—he couldn't. Instead, he communicated mentally, his deep, resonant thoughts reaching out to her.
'You underestimate me, girl,' Hanami's voice echoed in her mind. 'But I am not the one you should fear.'
Yuuji shrugged, her smile growing a bit wider. "We'll see about that."
Without warning, Yuuji launched forward, closing the distance between them in a split second. Her hand shot out toward Hanami, her cursed energy rippling through the air like a wave of pressure. Hanami raised his arm, blocking her attack with a thick vine that sprouted from his body, but the force behind her blow sent him skidding back several feet, his feet digging deep furrows into the ground.
Yuuji's golden eyes gleamed with a hint of excitement. "Not bad," she said with a chuckle, "but you're gonna have to do better than that."
Hanami responded by summoning more vines, twisting and writhing as they snaked toward Yuuji with terrifying speed. The vines were thick and sharp, tipped with thorns that gleamed menacingly in the faint light. Yuuji's eyes flickered with anticipation, and with a quick, graceful movement, she dodged to the side, avoiding the vines with ease.
She wasn't done, though. With a flick of her wrist, she manipulated the gravity around them, creating a powerful gravitational field that pulled the vines downward, slamming them into the ground with incredible force. Hanami staggered slightly, feeling the immense pressure around him, but he quickly recovered, using his cursed energy to resist the gravitational pull.
'You're strong,' Hanami acknowledged through their mental link, his tone grudgingly respectful. 'But you are still human. You will fall like the others.'
Yuuji snorted, crossing her arms as she floated a few inches above the ground, her power keeping her effortlessly aloft. "Yeah? I've heard that before. You all talk a big game, but you never deliver."
Hanami's eye gleamed with determination as he summoned more of his cursed energy, the ground beneath him rumbling as thick, twisted roots erupted from the earth. The roots surged toward Yuuji, encircling her in a deadly spiral. Yuuji's golden eyes narrowed slightly as she floated higher, avoiding the roots with ease.
"Getting serious now, huh?" she said with a smirk. "Alright, let's see what you've got."
She raised her hand, and the air around her seemed to shimmer as she manipulated gravity once more. The roots that had been twisting toward her were suddenly yanked upward by an invisible force, suspended in the air like puppets on strings. Yuuji clenched her fist, and the roots were crushed into splinters, raining down around her in a shower of broken wood and debris.
Hanami, undeterred, continued his assault. He summoned his cursed technique, 'Disaster Plant', and the ground began to tremble violently. Giant trees sprouted from the earth, their branches growing at an unnatural rate, twisting and turning into deadly weapons. The trees swung toward Yuuji with crushing force, their branches sharp and jagged like spears.
Yuuji's eyes widened slightly in surprise as she dodged the first swing, narrowly avoiding the sharp branches. She landed on the ground, her feet sliding across the dirt as she steadied herself.
"Okay," she muttered under her breath, "maybe I underestimated you a little."
But she wasn't one to back down. With a determined glint in her eyes, she focused her cursed energy, manipulating the gravity around the trees. She concentrated hard, forcing the trees to bend and contort under the immense gravitational pressure. The trees groaned in protest as they were pulled toward the ground, their branches snapping and splintering under the strain.
But Hanami wasn't done yet. He extended his arm, and a massive vine, thick as a tree trunk, shot out toward Yuuji. She barely had time to react before the vine wrapped around her, constricting her tightly. The pressure was immense, and Yuuji could feel her ribs creaking under the force.
Hanami's voice echoed in her mind once more. 'You're strong, but not strong enough to stop me.'
Yuuji gritted her teeth, her golden eyes blazing with fury. She wasn't about to let this cursed spirit beat her. She summoned her strength, focusing her cursed energy into a single, concentrated blast of gravity. With a loud roar, she unleashed the energy, sending a shockwave rippling through the forest.
The vine that had been wrapped around her exploded into pieces, and Yuuji fell to the ground, breathing heavily. She wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth and stood up slowly, her eyes fixed on Hanami.
"You're tougher than I thought," she admitted, her voice low and dangerous. "But I'm just getting started."
From a hidden vantage point, Todo Aoi watched the fight with intense interest. His large frame was tucked behind a thick tree, his eyes gleaming with curiosity as he observed the battle. He had been following Yuuji for a while now, intrigued by her strength, her grace, and her confidence.
"She's strong," he muttered to himself, a small grin spreading across his face. "And not bad to look at either."
He watched as Yuuji squared off against Hanami, her golden eyes filled with determination, her long pink hair flowing behind her like a banner. Her presence was electrifying, her cursed energy a force to be reckoned with. Todo's grin widened.
"This girl's got guts," he said softly, impressed by the sheer force of her will. "I like her."
The forest was thick with tension, the air heavy with the scent of damp earth and the faint metallic tang of cursed energy. The trees around them groaned as roots twisted and coiled through the ground, ripping through the soil like hungry serpents. Hanami loomed in the clearing, his twisted form radiating malice as the fight continued, the earth itself seeming to rebel at his command.
Yuuji stood a few paces from him, her golden eyes narrowed in concentration. Her breathing was steady, despite the intensity of the battle. She could feel her power thrumming just beneath the surface of her skin, waiting for her to unleash it. The fight had been going on for what felt like hours, but neither side was willing to back down. She clenched her fists, her knuckles glowing faintly with cursed energy as she prepared for her next move.
Just then, a rustling sound came from behind her. She didn't need to look to know who it was. The aura was unmistakable.
"I told you to stay back," Yuuji said sharply, glancing over her shoulder.
But Todo Aoi, as large and imposing as ever, simply grinned as he stepped into the clearing. He stood tall, his broad frame cutting a striking figure against the backdrop of the dense forest. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he cracked his knuckles, his cursed energy flaring up around him like a fire ready to burn. The ground beneath him trembled slightly, responding to the sheer weight of his presence.
"Can't let a beautiful girl like you do the dirty work all by yourself," he said with a grin, his deep voice filled with amusement.
Yuuji blinked at him, caught off guard by the comment. Beautiful? She had been so caught up in the fight—and the memories of her past life as Nagato—that she had almost forgotten.
"Oh," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else, "I am a girl, aren't I?"
But there was no time for reflection. Hanami surged forward again, his twisted roots rising like a wall of death, aiming straight for them. The sharp thorns and barbed vines hissed through the air, snapping like the jaws of a wild beast.
Todo stepped up beside Yuuji, his expression turning serious. "Let's take this thing down together," he said, his voice low and focused. He raised his hand, preparing to use his Boogie Woogie technique. "I'll back you up."
Yuuji nodded, her eyes sharpening as her focus returned to the battle at hand. She could feel the raw power coursing through her body, her gravity manipulation itching to be let loose. She raised her hand, and the air around her seemed to thicken, the pull of gravity bending to her will.
As Hanami's roots shot toward them, Todo clapped his hands together. In an instant, Yuuji and Todo switched places, Todo now in front of the oncoming attack. With a roar, he raised his fist and smashed through the roots with raw power, his cursed energy crackling in the air as he delivered blow after blow.
Yuuji was already in motion, darting around Hanami with incredible speed. She swung her leg in a wide arc, her heel connecting with Hanami's side with a bone-crunching impact. The cursed spirit grunted but quickly retaliated, lashing out with more vines. Yuuji raised her hand, and the gravity around the vines shifted, pulling them downward into the ground before they could reach her.
"Nice one!" Todo shouted as he slammed his fist into Hanami's torso, the impact sending a shockwave through the air. But Hanami wasn't done. He summoned more roots from the ground, twisting and curling them around his body like a fortress of thorns.
"Stay sharp!" Yuuji called out as she launched herself into the air. She raised her hand above her head, focusing her energy into her palm. Gravity around her seemed to ripple, bending and warping as she prepared her next attack. With a shout, she brought her hand down, releasing a concentrated burst of gravity that slammed into Hanami's barrier of roots, shattering them into splinters.
Todo seized the opening, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He clapped his hands again, switching places with Yuuji mid-air, then launched himself toward Hanami with a fierce battle cry. His fist collided with Hanami's chest, sending the cursed spirit crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact.
Hanami groaned as he struggled to stand, his roots twitching and writhing around him. He could feel the strain of the battle weighing on him, his energy draining faster than he anticipated. But he wasn't ready to give up. Not yet.
With a low growl, Hanami summoned his ultimate technique. The ground beneath them trembled violently as enormous, twisted trees erupted from the earth, their branches growing at a rapid rate, each one tipped with jagged thorns. The trees swung toward them with deadly precision, their branches slicing through the air like giant spears.
Yuuji's eyes widened as she saw the oncoming attack. She raised her hand, manipulating the gravity around the trees, but the sheer number of them made it difficult to hold them all at once. She gritted her teeth, sweat beading on her forehead as she struggled to maintain control.
"Don't worry," Todo said, clapping his hands together once more. In an instant, they switched places again, and Todo took the brunt of the attack. His massive frame absorbed the impact of the branches, his muscles bulging with the effort of holding them back. "I've got your back!"
Yuuji nodded, her golden eyes flashing with determination. She clenched her fists, gathering her cursed energy once more. With a deep breath, she charged forward, her body moving with lightning speed. She closed the distance between herself and Hanami in an instant, her fist crackling with scarlet-black energy.
With a shout, Yuuji drove her fist into Hanami's chest, the impact sending a shockwave through the air. Scarlet-black light crackled from the point of impact, swirling around her fist like an ominous storm.
Todo's eyes widened in awe as he saw the energy swirling around Yuuji's fist. "A Black Flash…" he muttered under his breath, his voice filled with wonder.
Yuuji blinked, pulling her fist back as she landed lightly on her feet. "What?" she asked, glancing at Todo in confusion.
Todo grinned, his eyes still wide with excitement. "A Black Flash is a phenomenon where cursed energy is applied within 0.000001 seconds of a physical hit. It amplifies the power of the blow by a crazy amount!" He chuckled, clearly impressed. "Not many people can pull that off. But you… you did it without even trying."
Yuuji raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. She glanced down at her fist, watching as the last remnants of the scarlet-black energy faded into the air. "Huh," she said with a small smile. "Not bad."
But Hanami, battered and bruised, wasn't about to let them have the last word. He could feel his strength waning, the fight dragging on longer than he had expected. He needed to retreat—Mahito had likely finished his mission by now, and there was no point in staying any longer. Hanami's eye gleamed with frustration as he pulled back, his roots retracting into the ground as he prepared to escape.
Just as Hanami began to sink into the earth, the veil that had covered the forest lifted, the oppressive energy that had surrounded them suddenly vanishing. Hanami froze in place, his body half-submerged in the ground as a new presence made itself known.
The air around them shimmered, and a powerful aura filled the clearing. It was suffocating, but not in the way Hanami's energy had been. This was different—this was pure, overwhelming power. Hanami's eye darted upward, and there, floating in the air like some kind of celestial being, was Satoru Gojo.
Gojo hovered above them, his white hair glowing faintly in the sunlight, his piercing blue eyes locked onto Hanami with a gaze that was both amused and utterly indifferent. His presence was magnetic, the very air around him seeming to vibrate with his immense cursed energy.
"Leaving so soon?" Gojo asked with a playful smile, his voice light and almost mocking. He raised a hand, and the air around him began to distort, a faint purple glow forming around his fingers.
Hanami's eye widened in horror as he realized what was coming. He tried to move, to retreat further into the ground, but it was too late.
"Hollow Purple," Gojo said calmly, his voice commanding.
In an instant, a massive sphere of purple energy erupted from Gojo's hand, cutting through the air with terrifying speed. The energy slammed into Hanami, engulfing him in a blinding explosion of light and sound. The ground shook violently, and the air was filled with the deafening roar of cursed energy clashing against nature itself.
Yuuji and Todo shielded their eyes from the blast, the sheer force of the attack nearly knocking them off their feet. The explosion sent debris flying in all directions, trees splintering and the earth itself tearing apart from the impact.
When the dust and smoke finally cleared, there was nothing left of Hanami. The cursed spirit was gone, obliterated by Gojo's attack. The forest around them was silent, the only sound being the faint crackle of residual energy fading into the air.
Yuuji lowered her arm, her golden eyes narrowing as she gazed at the spot where Hanami had stood moments ago. 'This man…he is insanely strong. Too strong for this world. I wonder how hard it would be to win a fight against him.'
TBC