The broken-down arcade echoed with the sounds of fists colliding and cursed energy surging through the air. Sparks burst from cracked floor tiles as Itadori and Hakari clashed in close quarters.
Hakari moved with reckless grace, like a man who knew the odds always favored him. He smirked as he ducked under a left hook and retaliated with a solid elbow to Itadori's ribs.
"Come on," Hakari taunted. "You're supposed to be Gojo's pick?"
Itadori didn't respond. He just rushed in again. His fists blurred, forcing Hakari to take the battle seriously.
Then, Hakari's cursed technique activated.
A golden pachinko wheel formed in midair behind him, its reels spinning at lightning speed. "Let's see if luck's on my side today," he muttered.
The reels clicked—JACKPOT.
A wave of cursed energy exploded around Hakari as his body regenerated instantly, muscles tightening, damage disappearing, and his eyes lighting up with invincible resolve.
Itadori's punch landed—only for Hakari to take it without flinching.
"You've got five seconds before I go full throttle," Hakari warned. "Make them count."
Itadori grit his teeth. He rushed forward again.
The fight escalated rapidly. Hakari's punches now cracked the concrete floor with every step. He slammed Itadori into a wall, sending him crashing through a support pillar.
Megumi had seen enough.
He stepped forward. "You said 2 vs 1 is fair game?"
Hakari chuckled. "Sure, why not? I love it when the odds are messed up."
Megumi's shadow curled under his feet as he summoned Divine Dogs: Totality beside him.
With renewed fury, Itadori and Megumi charged together.
Hakari laughed joyfully. "Now we're talkin'!"
Itadori feinted left while Megumi came in from the right, unleashing a shadow spike from beneath Hakari. Hakari jumped midair and landed a flying knee straight into Itadori's chest, but before he could follow through, one of the Divine Dogs sank its teeth into his arm.
He flung the shikigami away and spun, catching a boot from Megumi to the face.
The three collided again in a blurred flurry of movement, shadows, and pure muscle force.
A brawl of this magnitude wasn't just a recruitment trial anymore—this was a clash of beliefs, instincts, and pure battle joy.