Chapter 92: Finally Meeting
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"
Gojo Satoru opened with his most frequently used single-target explosive technique. Amidst red lightning and the expansion of black-red cursed energy, the attack directly swallowed the incredibly hard ice. As the red sphere of light dissipated, it blasted a massive breach into the exterior of Kurofune Prison.
While Hikigaya Hachiman had broken the [Curtain] without much fanfare, Gojo's [Red] caused a terrifying tremor that could be felt even in the deepest parts of the prison. Chandeliers on the ceilings began to sway violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
While things were lively above, the atmosphere below was equally heated—intense and anxious.
To satisfy the slaughter demanded by that "high-maintenance" deity, Hagoromo Gitsune opted for the most direct form of killing, refraining from using complex jujutsu. Consequently, while the large-scale barrier still affected the prison's overall climate, the temperature near her had risen to near zero. Compared to the previous -30°C or -40°C, it felt like spring.
"AH!"
A man built like the Hulk, thumping his chest like an enraged gorilla, lunged at Yukinoshita Yukino, who looked like a child by comparison. Every step he took left a crater in the ground; his momentum was terrifying. This was a curse user who specialized in physical reinforcement and muscle density. Originally of normal size, his technique allowed him to swell into a small giant, multiplying his durability and destructive power.
To capture him, the Association had deployed ordinary soldiers alongside Grade 1 sorcerers; his body was tough enough to crush a rocket with his bare hands. Despite his size, he moved with startling speed, sprinting with the intent to smash the woman who had provoked them into a pulp!
In a flash, the monster, shimmering with green light, reached Yukino (possessed by Hagoromo Gitsune). His fist glowed green—a super-destructive punch powered by sheer cursed energy mass. He couldn't land a Black Flash, but the raw power was comparable.
Facing such a colossus, even Yukino, watching from her mental world, felt her heart skip a beat.
However, the Yukino controlled by Hagoromo Gitsune neither dodged nor moved. She met the tank-like beast head-on. Seven or eight thick ice pillars rose behind her to act as braces, keeping her center of gravity perfectly stable. To the surprise of the onlookers, the "crazy woman" simply opened her hand to catch the punch—a strike capable of obliterating even the most defensive cursed spirits.
"Is she insane?"
But the expected result—her arm being crushed—didn't happen. Someone was indeed badly injured, and flesh splattered the floor, but it wasn't who they expected. The cursed energy on the monster's fist was twisted, torn, and annihilated in a continuous, eerie fashion. The explosive force of the technique being forcibly dispelled turned into a shockwave that swept the surroundings.
This unknown, terrifying twisting force even affected the monster's body. Starting from where Hagoromo Gitsune gripped his knuckles, his skin and flesh began to explode. With every twist, a spray of blood erupted. Massive open wounds revealed pulverized bone, and the bloody, spiraling muscle tissue showed that this twisting power was utterly irresistible.
It immediately spread to his entire right arm. The monster let out a shrill scream of agony. Even though his arm was as thick as Yukino herself, the muscles were twisted together and squeezed into a useless mass. It was a jarring sight: a girl of such small stature disabling a behemoth seven times her size in a single move.
But Hagoromo Gitsune wasn't finished. Cold and ruthless, she moved for the kill. Before the monster could process the reality, or use his remaining arm to strike, she pressed her finger against his forehead. That same weird twisting power surged.
After a series of sounds like popping corn, she literally plucked the giant's head from his neck. The skin and meat at the neck were completely twisted; the sound of tearing flesh and snapping vertebrae was bone-chilling. Hot blood drenched the mask she had fashioned from cursed energy. This long-lost feeling of a bloody massacre made her heart race.
Tossing the head into the Ghost Post Office wasn't enough; she swung her blade in a dance of ice, moving with lightness and elegance. Yet these elegant movements were brutal, dismembering the giant and spilling hot organs onto the floor.
Standing amidst the blood mist and shattered remains, the white-haired witch laughed maniacally.
"God, are you watching?"
Yukino's golden vertical pupils were filled with an unbridled desire for slaughter.
"This is the blood you want! This is the carnage you desire!"
In her mental world, Yukino felt nauseous, but her gaze remained firm. She forced herself not to look away. Ever since she was forced to become a messenger for the blood-hungry God, this cruel slaughter was her destiny. Not just for herself, but for her family, she couldn't always rely on a "substitute" to fight for her; one day, she would have to do this herself.
She had a premonition that eventually, Hagoromo Gitsune's consciousness would be completely erased by the Post Office.
The surrounding curse users were pale with fear; many were on the verge of collapse. Those who didn't submit were already lying dead at her feet.
"Damn it, Gojo Satoru is above us!
And this crazy woman is below us!"
Many recognized the explosions from above as the work of the "Strongest Sorcerer." Some had been imprisoned by Gojo personally and knew his power all too well. For these sorcerers, Gojo's birth had broken the balance of the jujutsu world, forcing them into hiding. After nearly freezing to death and then being mysteriously released, they felt they had traded one hell for another. They had hoped a kind soul was staging a prison break, only to realize they had walked into a death trap.
The woman who brought the frozen hell didn't intend to let them go; she intended to slaughter them all. They considered fighting back, but her strength was too terrifying. She was efficient—decapitating targets with every strike. They felt hopeless. The Association sent Gojo to clean them up, and the white-haired witch was butchering them from the front. Some even thought about putting their shackles back on and returning to their cells. Better to live as a prisoner than die here.
After the slaughter, Hagoromo Gitsune stopped to recover.
Using Yukino's body meant her stamina was surprisingly low despite the cursed energy boost. Using the [Heavenly Fox Hand] just once had exhausted her.
That twisting, tearing power wasn't a technique, but pure physical skill—modeled after a fox leaping five or six meters into the air to catch a bird.
"Damn it. Did I waste too much time earlier?" Her face behind the mask grew grim. The [Curtain] had been broken in only forty minutes, twenty minutes earlier than expected. Furthermore, her second line of defense had been breached.
Though the overall strength of modern sorcerers was lower than a thousand years ago, there were still outliers who equaled the strongest of her era.
What worried her most was the "little man" of this girl.
Even at her peak a millennium ago, he was a terrifying existence she wouldn't want to encounter.
His unrestrained, tyrannical aura made her break into a sweat before they even met.
This was a terrifying power suppressed for a thousand years—not the version she saw at school who didn't dare show his face for fear of being sniped. Seeing him, she felt as if an "old monster" had lived into a second life; otherwise, no one that age could possess such power.
But her observations showed he was "natural." She felt envious of this little girl; most people could never even hope to stand in the shadow of such a powerhouse, yet their relationship was so close.
"Time is even tighter now."
She checked the data: forty-one more skulls needed. In ten minutes, she had killed fifty-nine curse users using close-quarters combat. The survivors, realizing they couldn't resist, began to scatter and flee. These were survivors who had crawled out of piles of corpses; only the ones whose brains had rotted from long imprisonment had thrown their lives away early on.
Hagoromo Gitsune was at a loss. If they wouldn't fight her and she just slaughtered them, would that count as "Glory" for the [God of Courage and Strength]?
But she couldn't worry about that now; the opportunity was fleeting.
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Gojo Satoru had removed his blindfold upon entering Kurofune Prison because the opponent was troublesome. The entire prison being covered in the [Frost Moon] was the second layer of security.
"No mistake, that's the Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit that escaped two days ago—Hagoromo Gitsune."
He recognized the "Mistress of the Moon" from a thousand years ago.
"They're called 'Special Grade' because they're special. For one to just pop out like this is a headache." He scratched his head. If it involved her, it involved the unknown entity of the Ghost Post Office, meaning the No. 1 Messenger was likely there too. "The old men's order is to kill. This looks difficult."
Compared to her, the released prisoners weren't that important. Gojo felt that if he reported this to the Association, the higher-ups would probably call their "daddies" and ask for a tactical nuke. To the old men, the Post Office and the No. 1 Messenger had to be eradicated at any cost. He was glad it was his group that came. If the Association had realized the [Frost Moon] power was present, they would have wiped this area off the map regardless of the guards still alive inside.
Hikigaya ignored Gojo's muttering and turned to Nanami.
"Nanami, the enemy's technique uses ice and snow curses. This will help."
He handed Nanami a red crystal concentrated from psychic power.
The -30°C temperature inside was direct and brutal; any sorcerer below Grade 1 would succumb instantly. Hikigaya and Gojo were unfazed. Hikigaya's psychic power automatically insulated him, and Gojo's [Limitless] worked on a similar principle. But Nanami, though a Grade 1, was still flesh and blood. His cursed energy was limited and needed for combat, not for maintaining body temperature.
"This will maintain your temperature for four hours."
"I'm sorry," Nanami said, clenching his fists, feeling like the weak link.
He had almost been caught off guard entering the [Curtain]. The enemy had placed lethal curses at the entrance that could freeze a body into ice chips on contact.
For Gojo and Hikigaya, the effect was negligible, but Nanami had almost lost his feet. Hikigaya had been quick enough to exorcise the curse before it took hold.
Knowing how dire the situation was, the other sorcerers hadn't followed them in. It was better to minimize meaningless casualties.
Nanami finally realized why there were so many fragments of black cloth and human tissue on the ground—they were the ordinary soldiers the Association had sent in, who had been pulverized by the subsequent demolition attempts.
He realized the minimum requirement for this battlefield was someone of his level.
He gripped his blunt knife wrapped in spotted cloth.
"Small problem, Nanami. You just haven't been on a mission like this in a while. Just be careful. With more of us, we can look out for each other." Hikigaya patted his shoulder.
He couldn't let Nanami die here; where else would he find someone to manage his funds with an 8% monthly return?
"The technique is still repairing itself." Hikigaya noted that the hole Gojo had made was already closing with thick ice.
At this rate, it would be fully covered in two minutes. The opponent was skilled, and their total cursed energy was the second highest Hikigaya had ever encountered, after the spirit Fujiwara no Yoshifusa had evolved into.
The enemy was also smart and cautious. Sensing the three intruders, the opponent had hidden their cursed energy signature. Now that the prisoners were free and using their own techniques, they acted as cover for the target's identity.
"I guess being locked up makes you crazy." Hikigaya shook his head. He didn't understand why any curse user would dare attack the three of them together. A faint "buzzing" sound, nearly lost in the tremors of the combat below, blended into the background. The attacker likely thought they were being stealthy, but to three experienced sorcerers, it was a parlor trick.
"I'll take this," Nanami volunteered, recognizing the technique. He burst with green cursed energy and swung his blunt blade—not at the direction the sound suggested, but at the opposite side. With a flash, a crimson arrow snapped. The "arrow" flying on the other side vanished; it had been an illusion.
"The Phase Arrow." Nanami proved his reliability. He had spent the flight reviewing the files of every inmate in Kurofune Prison.
"His technique disrupts sight and hearing. The intercepted arrow doesn't explode."
The Association kept detailed records of every prisoner's technique and weakness. Though normally classified, they were released once the breach occurred. The "whistling" sound was just a diversionary technique. By attacking the opposite direction, the strike was neutralized.
The file noted the man was a perfect assassin, but he had lost his mind and tried to kill the head of the Zen'in family, Zen'in Naobito, the fastest man alive. He was promptly beaten and shipped to prison.
"As an assassin, the most important thing is knowing the gap between you and your target. It takes a lot of nerve to attack us." Hikigaya shook his head. As Nanami intercepted the arrow, Hikigaya retaliated. A sound even quieter than the assassin's technique precisely struck the curse user's heart. Although his [Blood Manipulation] was hampered by the -30°C temperature, he could still find a rat hiding in the dark. Water freezes at 0°C, and while blood has a lower freezing point, -30°C turns boiling water into ice instantly. His "detection" via fine blood vessels was limited, but his counterattack was lethal. With a thud, a flower of blood bloomed on the unknown curse user's chest. He was killed instantly.
If the curse user had just wanted to "throw a shuriken from 800 miles away," he might have lived. But Gojo was the man who kept all curse users' heads down; to successfully assassinate him—or even just survive the attempt—would bring fame. So he couldn't resist. He tried to fire from a distance but was sniped instantly. Gojo's cursed energy was like a bright lantern in the dark; it inspired fear, but also hatred. Many here blamed him for their imprisonment. Hikigaya and Nanami were just caught in the crossfire of Gojo's "stardom."
"Here comes another." Hikigaya detected the next target before they even fired. This one was ten times faster than the last. Nanami hadn't even reacted before Hikigaya pulled him back.
A flash of electricity shattered the wall. A sound like a thousand birds chirping—skreeeee—erupted, and the spot where they had been standing was covered in bright blue lightning. The violent bolts curved like living snakes. Gojo, however, hadn't moved. When the lightning cleared, he was unscathed.
"Gojo Satoru!"
With a roar, a dark-skinned, muscular curse user with a lightning-shaped beard appeared: Gongping Yilong. Thick bolts of lightning circled him like a god of thunder. His punches moved at the speed of light, carrying high voltage and scorching heat. His cursed energy volume made Nanami's heart race.
He was a famous curse user who had paralyzed many Grade 1 sorcerers; he reportedly trained by absorbing electricity from substations.
His hatred for Gojo was deep; he had vanished ten years ago, presumably due to Gojo.
"Sorry, who are you?" Gojo stopped the man's charge with a single finger, wearing a punchable grin.
"You bastard! You forgot me?!" The lightning giant's face darkened further.
"Ten years ago, you locked me in here for ten years! Ten years! Do you know how I've lived for these ten years?!"
Hikigaya didn't expect what came next. The man's fierce attitude didn't match his words.
"The past is in the past. There's no hurdle a man can't overcome. I forgive you. Now, arrest me immediately. I won't resist."
To show his sincerity, he stopped his technique and held his fists together in front of Gojo.
"Hahaha!" Gojo was amused. He remembered now—ten years ago, after just one exchange, the man had cautiously said he couldn't win and stopped fighting.
"What's wrong with you?"
"There's a little girl down there. She's hacking everyone she sees, killing without blinking. Taking heads is as easy for her as eating or drinking." If it weren't for Gojo being here, the lightning giant might have tried to fight his way out. But Gojo was stronger than ten years ago, and he could feel an unprecedented pressure from the masked boy beside him.
His cells were screaming that he would die. That's why he surrendered so fast.
"I've been here ten years; I've lived quite comfortably."
With this explanation, they realized the person below wasn't there to free the prisoners, but to butcher them.
Many had already lost the will to fight. Gojo stroked his chin.
"Cursed spirits eating people is normal. They need to eat to maintain their power."
He judged that Hagoromo Gitsune was hunting powerful curse users to restore her body to its peak from a thousand years ago.
"Can you find her exact location?" Gojo asked Hikigaya. He knew Hikigaya had detection techniques. Though the building was massive, it shouldn't be a problem.
Hikigaya rolled his eyes.
"Look at this -40°C temperature. Can I even use my [Blood Manipulation]?"
"Then what? She's hiding from us." Gojo shrugged. He noticed that ever since he blasted the hole in the wall, she had hidden her cursed energy signature.
Ordinarily, an "old monster" from a thousand years ago should be proud.
"Mister, which floor did you come from?" Hikigaya couldn't use his detection, but he had the prison layout memorized. This man had been scared witless, meaning he had seen her fight.
"Are you going to find her?" Gongping Yilong hesitated, gauging their combat power. He concluded that no matter how heaven-defying the witch was, she couldn't beat these people combined. So, he sold her out.
"My current tells me she's in sector C8."
Natural ice isn't pure, and neither is ice made from cursed energy, which means it conducts electricity. While Hikigaya's blood was limited by the cold, electricity could travel through the ice with some loss. Thus, the giant could sense the enemy.
"Sector C8. Got it." Hikigaya pulled his chainsword from his spatial ring and pointed it at the lightning giant.
"You know the price of lying to me, right?"
The man felt a sudden chill from the masked man's sword.
"I swear on my life... I have no ulterior motives..."
Before he could finish, a crimson slash expanded in his vision. He swallowed his words.
Below, Hagoromo Gitsune plunged her blade into a cornered curse user and ripped upward, cleanly bisecting him. Hot blood sprayed the wall. "Ninety-seven."
Just as she relaxed, she felt a terrifying power locking onto her. Even she couldn't help but swear.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"What is it?" Yukino asked, puzzled. The mission was almost done, yet Hagoromo Gitsune looked anything but happy.
Hagoromo Gitsune had no time to explain. Usually, she'd joke, "Your boyfriend is coming to kill us both." But now, she was paralyzed by the fear of imminent death.
She had been so careful to keep her cursed energy low, yet she was somehow targeted.
In reality, Hikigaya just thought it was a hassle and decided to destroy the entire area.
Hagoromo Gitsune clasped her hands, her cursed energy surging wildly.
A holy, snow-white fox manifested around her. Nine tails twitched uneasily, and a massive amount of white ice crystals formed on her skin.
She was using her very essence to defend.
The ice expanded rapidly, crushing the surrounding space; this ice would be the "expendable material" to tank the incoming attack. Curse users who couldn't escape were crushed into pulp by the expanding ice.
The area including Gongping Yilong's location and the surrounding dozens of meters of prison was engulfed by a devastating slash. The sword light tore through Kurofune Prison; from the outside, it looked like a crimson beam had split the area in two. As the destruction spread, the affected area crumbled and was burned to ash. The light of that destructive power was so intense it seemed to burn the very space itself—unmerciful annihilation.
"Divine punishment has arrived..." was the only thought of the curse users in that torrent.
A brilliant blood-red cross stood among the mountains. When the light faded, a third of Kurofune Prison had evaporated. The snow had melted, revealing scorched earth like cooling lava, emitting thick black smoke—a wasteland.
Behind Hikigaya, the area he occupied was completely untouched; the "cut line" on the walls was perfectly smooth, showing his incredible control. Nanami and the others, who had been in a stifling prison, now had a clear view. The -40°C cold was replaced by a wave of intense heat—a literal clash of fire and ice.
Hikigaya looked down. In the center of the hottest zone, a battered beast lay prostrate. Its fur had been singed off by the intense heat, leaving it bald and glowing with the charred light of coal.
"I finally found you."