Anyone who had a quarter of their body erased in a single attack would likely lose control from the pain. The Scorpio was no exception.
It let out a furious roar, swinging the remaining tentacles on its body wildly as it slammed them into the ground again and again. Every strike caused the earth to tremble violently, leaving behind enormous craters while the surrounding ruins were reduced to rubble, sending countless fragments flying through the air.
"Tsk, being huge really does have its advantages."
Floating high in the sky with both hands in his pockets, Satoru Gojo looked down at the enraged Scorpio and chuckled. His voice carried a hint of amusement, along with the completely undisguised confidence of someone who had never doubted the outcome.
"Most other creatures would have been dead already, not even leaving behind scraps."
In Gojo's eyes, although that attack had failed to kill Scorpio instantly, it had still dealt a devastating blow. If the target had been another Gastrea or even another Cursed Spirit, the battle would have already ended.
However, while he was speaking, the enormous wound on Scorpio's body had already begun rapidly regenerating.
The speed was astonishing.
The massive hole, which was over a hundred meters wide, slowly closed before Gojo's eyes. Flesh and tissue rapidly grew back, filling the terrifying gap until the wound was completely restored.
The regeneration speed was almost comparable to his Reverse Cursed Technique.
Of course, his Reverse Cursed Technique could heal all of his injuries within a short period of time, and its speed was already considered terrifying. Yet Scorpio's regeneration was still shocking.
The enormous wound disappeared completely under Gojo's gaze.
The once horrifying gap gradually became smooth again. The strange bodily fluids stopped pouring out, leaving only the traces covering the ground as proof that the devastating attack had ever happened.
Inside the Holy Residence, Seitenshi stared tightly at the screen displaying the battlefield.
Her heart tightened as she watched the scene unfold. Her hands were clenched together so tightly that her fingers had turned slightly pale, and worry filled her expression.
The strength Gojo had displayed was far beyond anything she had imagined.
A casual attack from him had been enough to cause such a massive injury to Scorpio. It was something she had never expected to see.
However, even that was still not enough.
Those attacks were powerful, but they were not enough to completely kill Scorpio.
Seitenshi understood this clearly.
Even if Gojo's previous attack had struck Scorpio's vital point, it probably would not have achieved much. For Gastrea, unless their core organs were destroyed by a Varanium Weapon, they were practically immortal.
To truly kill one, every trace of its body tissue had to be completely erased, leaving it with no chance to regenerate.
Otherwise, even if Gojo used that same attack again, even if he struck Scorpio directly in the head, the Stage 5 Gastrea would still recover.
It might even become more violent and dangerous afterward.
"Teacher Gojo..."
Seitenshi stared at the screen, looking at Gojo's calm expression and then at Scorpio, whose body had already returned to normal. Her voice was filled with worry and helplessness.
She did not know whether Gojo would be able to withstand Scorpio's counterattack.
Meanwhile, inside Kikunojou Tendo's office, the atmosphere was even more oppressive.
Kazumitsu Tendo stared nervously at the screen. His hands were tightly clenched, his palms covered in cold sweat, and his eyes were filled with shock and unease.
He was waiting for Kikunojou's order to execute the plan they had prepared long ago.
Kazumitsu had never personally witnessed Gojo's battles before. But after seeing the scene displayed on the screen, he could no longer suppress his shock.
That overwhelming power.
That effortless dominance over everything.
It was something far beyond his understanding.
Is this really something a human can accomplish?
Once that thought appeared in his mind, it refused to disappear.
No matter how hard Kazumitsu tried, he could not push it away.
He began to doubt whether the methods he had prepared, those weapons that appeared incredibly powerful, were actually enough to restrain Gojo.
If the plan failed, the consequences waiting for him would be horrifying.
Kazumitsu knew Kikunojou's methods better than anyone.
If the plan failed, he would likely die without even leaving behind a corpse.
He slowly raised his eyes and cautiously glanced at Kikunojou beside him. His gaze was filled with fear and respect.
If they truly failed, there was nothing else he could do.
With their current capabilities, he had already deployed the most powerful weapons available aside from nuclear weapons and created the most thorough plan possible.
If even this failed, there was no other option.
They could not possibly detonate a nuclear bomb this close to Tokyo.
Kazumitsu knew exactly what would happen if that occurred.
He did not know whether Gojo and Scorpio would survive, but Tokyo certainly would not.
The entire city would be destroyed by the nuclear blast, reduced to a wasteland, and he himself would never escape the consequences.
"Don't be impatient."
Just as Kazumitsu's heart was filled with uncertainty, Kikunojou's calm voice slowly echoed through the office.
His tone was steady, yet it carried an undeniable authority that eased the oppressive atmosphere slightly.
His stern, aged face remained expressionless as he stared at the screen. There was no trace of panic in his eyes, only absolute confidence.
"Yes, Chairman."
Kazumitsu immediately withdrew his gaze and respectfully answered.
His anxiety eased slightly, but the uneasiness in his heart remained.
"Scorpio is not an opponent that can be dealt with easily..."
Kikunojou muttered quietly, his eyes filled with certainty as if everything happening before him had already been predicted.
"Its regeneration ability far exceeds our expectations. Although Gojo's attacks are powerful, they are still not enough to completely destroy it. The real show has only just begun."
He understood the true terror of Scorpio.
Its strength and defense were only part of the reason it was frightening.
The true nightmare was its terrifying regeneration ability.
Completely eliminating it was far from easy.
And what Kikunojou was waiting for was the moment when Scorpio became completely enraged and both sides suffered severe injuries.
When that happened, he would be able to reap the benefits effortlessly and take control of everything.
Meanwhile, high above the battlefield, Gojo looked at Scorpio's rapidly healing wound.
The smile on his face did not fade. Instead, it became even more playful.
"In that case, let's try another method. I want to see just how many times you can regenerate."
After saying that, Gojo stopped hesitating.
He flew directly toward Scorpio.
His speed was incredible. In an instant, he arrived before the massive creature, stopping only several dozen meters away from its enormous body.
Facing the creature that had just dealt itself a devastating blow and then recovered completely, Scorpio let out a low growl.
Its eyes were filled with rage and killing intent.
It could feel Gojo's provocation.
It could feel its own pride being trampled beneath his feet.
Without hesitation, Scorpio swung its remaining massive tentacles toward Gojo.
The enormous limbs tore through the air with terrifying speed and power, as if they intended to smash him into nothing but flesh and blood.
The force behind the attack created a sharp whistling sound that pierced the ears.
Wherever the tentacles passed, violent winds erupted. Loose stones and pieces of ruined buildings were swept up and scattered in every direction.
Gojo watched the approaching attack with the same calm expression.
There was no panic.
No attempt to dodge.
He simply continued flying forward at a relaxed pace.
His gaze remained peaceful, as if the terrifying tentacle before him was nothing more than a passing breeze that could not harm him.
As the distance closed, the tentacle finally arrived before him.
Compared to Gojo's body, it was unimaginably massive.
Its shadow completely covered him, making it appear as though he would be crushed into pieces in the next second.
Yet the expected impact never came.
Gojo's body did not move at all.
He remained floating in the air with a faint smile on his face.
The tentacle, thick enough to resemble a small mountain, stopped just before reaching him, as if it had struck an invisible barrier.
No matter how hard Scorpio pushed.
No matter how much strength it used.
No matter how furiously it roared.
The enormous tentacle could not advance even a single inch.
It could not approach Gojo at all.
Between them existed an invisible distance that could never be crossed, an unseen barrier that blocked every attack.
Until Scorpio could cross that gap and break through that barrier, no matter what method it used or how much power it unleashed, it would never be able to harm Gojo.
"Alright, alright."
Gojo waved his hand lightly, his tone relaxed and teasing.
"I know you've tried your best, but this isn't something you can accomplish just by putting in effort. The difference between us is simply too great."
There was no arrogance in his voice.
Only absolute certainty.
To him, Scorpio's attacks were no different from a child's prank, childish and laughable.
Scorpio seemed to understand his mockery.
Its roar became even more furious.
It poured all its strength into its attacks, repeatedly swinging its tentacles toward Gojo, but every strike was stopped by that invisible barrier without causing even the slightest damage.
Gojo remained floating calmly in the air, watching Scorpio's rage with a faint smile.
His eyes held no emotion.
It was as if he were watching an insignificant performance.
He knew it was time to end this.
He still had many things to deal with, and he had no reason to waste more time here with Scorpio.
The next attack would end this problem completely.
Inside the Holy Residence, Seitenshi watched the scene on the screen.
The tension in her body finally relaxed slightly.
The worry on her face faded as well.
She understood now that Gojo's strength was far beyond what she had imagined.
Perhaps he really could defeat Scorpio with ease.
Meanwhile, inside Kikunojou's office, Kazumitsu stared at the screen in disbelief.
His shock had already reached its limit.
Looking at Gojo's relaxed expression and the invisible barrier that completely negated Scorpio's attacks, the doubts in his heart grew stronger.
He even began to feel that his entire plan had been a mistake from the beginning.
Kikunojou's expression also darkened slightly.
He stared at the screen, a trace of surprise and seriousness flashing through his eyes.
Although he knew Gojo was powerful, he had never expected him to reach this level.
Even Scorpio's attacks could not touch him.
However, Kikunojou did not give up.
His eyes remained filled with calculation and coldness.
The battle was not over yet.
Scorpio had not been pushed to its limit, and Gojo had not revealed his full strength.
The real opportunity he was waiting for might still appear.
Above the battlefield, Gojo looked at Scorpio, which continued wildly swinging its tentacles, and sighed softly.
"You're really troublesome."
He shook his head slightly.
"If you refuse to behave yourself, then don't blame me for being rude."
After saying that, Gojo slowly raised his right hand.
Power gathered once again at his fingertip.
This time, the energy was far stronger than before.
The surrounding air currents became chaotic, and an even more terrifying pressure spread outward from his fingertip toward Scorpio.
This time, Gojo had no intention of testing anything.
He had no intention of holding back.
He would eliminate Scorpio completely in a single attack and return to handle his own affairs.
Scorpio seemed to sense the terrifying power gathering before it.
Its roar became more desperate.
Its tentacles moved wildly, and its enormous body trembled slightly.
For the first time, a trace of fear appeared in its eyes.
It wanted to escape.
It wanted to avoid this terrifying force.
But its body seemed to have been restrained by an invisible power, leaving it unable to move even slightly.
All it could do was watch as that overwhelming aura continued to rise and sweep toward it.
"So just behave yourself and don't resist."
Gojo's tone was light and careless, the end of his sentence carrying a playful hint of amusement.
To him, the four-hundred-meter-tall monster before him was nothing more than an ant that could be crushed with a casual gesture.
He tilted his head slightly.
Behind his sunglasses, his relaxed gaze fell onto Scorpio below.
At the same time, a brilliant red glow began gathering at his fingertip.
At first, it was only a faint spark, like a flickering ember.
But in the blink of an eye, the light spread outward, wrapping around his fingertip and staining half of his palm a dazzling crimson.
Even the surrounding air seemed to distort beneath the intense heat.