The medical wing became chaos.
Not loud chaos.
Desperate chaos.
Every healer.
Every technique.
Every possibility.
Used.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Takeru lay on the bed motionless.
Bandages wrapped around his head.
Blood cleaned away.
Too still.
Older Shoko worked without stopping.
Reverse cursed technique flowing constantly through her hands.
Young Shoko assisted beside her silently.
Sweat forming despite the cold room.
"…Come on…" young Shoko muttered.
Nothing.
Yuta tried next.
Then Hana with Angel.
Then Yuki.
Then anyone with even the slightest healing capability.
Nothing.
No reaction.
No pulse.
No cursed energy response.
Yuji stood near the wall shaking slightly.
Trying not to break down again.
Choso looked worse.
Like he physically could not understand a world where one of his brothers stayed dead.
Megumi stayed silent.
Too silent.
Panda sat beside the bed quietly.
Even Sukuna lingered in manifested form near the doorway.
Arms crossed.
Watching.
Older Gojo hadn't moved far from Takeru once.
Not once.
Young Gojo finally looked toward him.
"…There has to be something."
Older Geto's eyes shifted slightly.
Thinking.
Remembering.
Then—
he spoke quietly.
"…The slap."
Older Gojo looked up.
Young Geto blinked.
"…What?"
Older Geto glanced toward Takeru.
"When Kenjaku possessed me…"
A pause.
"…Takeru hit me so hard my soul returned to my body."
Silence.
Young Gojo stared.
"…You're kidding."
"…I wish I was."
Everyone slowly looked toward Takeru.
Then toward Gojo.
Hakari blinked once.
"…So your plan is…"
Takaba pointed dramatically.
"…Beat life back into him!"
Higuruma pinched the bridge of his nose.
"…That is not medically recognized."
"…Do we HAVE medically recognized options!?" Yuji snapped.
Silence.
Because they didn't.
Older Gojo looked at Takeru for a long time.
Then slowly stood.
"…Sorry, little brother."
He raised his hand.
And—
SMACK.
The sound echoed through the room.
Everyone stared.
Waiting.
Nothing.
No movement.
Young Gojo immediately stepped forward.
"…Too weak."
WHAM.
Nothing.
Hakari cracked his knuckles.
"…Move."
SMACK.
Still nothing.
Takaba went next for some reason.
"…COMEDY REVIVAL TECHNIQUE!"
SLAP.
Nothing.
Even Panda tried.
Carefully.
Then less carefully.
Still nothing.
Yuji finally stepped forward.
Hands trembling.
"…Come on…"
He slapped Takeru hard.
"…Wake up already…"
Nothing.
Yuji lowered his head immediately after.
Shoulders shaking.
Choso walked over next.
Placed a hand gently against Takeru's shoulder.
Didn't slap him.
Couldn't.
"…Brother…"
Still nothing.
The room slowly lost hope.
One by one people stepped back.
The reality settling in heavier every second.
And through it all—
Takeru remained completely still.
Older Gojo finally sat back down beside the bed.
Exhausted.
Broken.
"…Why isn't it working…"
he whispered.
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew.
Outside—
rain began to fall softly over Jujutsu High.
And inside the medical room—
for the first time since all of this began—
it truly felt like they might have lost him.