Winding back the clock two years: once Hasegumo's physical body finally caught up to his mental state, he began to refine his jujutsu through meditation...
"The unity of body and spirit... so this is what it feels like."
Hasegumo sat cross-legged on the ground. His cursed energy extended outward according to his will, stretching from its original two-meter radius to five meters, ten, and beyond. As the distance grew, he felt a sensation akin to godhood—as if every atom within his reach was under his absolute control.
Suddenly, a light drizzle began to fall from the gloomy sky. As a raindrop hit his face, Hasegumo snapped awake. I can't let this go to my head.
He remembered the purpose of his meditation: to seize this opportunity and construct his own Domain.
"But my technique only manipulates cursed energy. How do I imbue that into a barrier?" Hasegumo was no longer a novice in barrier techniques. Precisely because of his knowledge, he understood the immense difficulty of constructing a Domain with a technique as broad as his.
"Speaking of which, that guy's Domain doesn't even seem to have a border..."
Unconsciously, he began to reference the only "Open Domain" he had ever truly experienced. While he mused, he retracted his cursed energy. Golden Reverse Cursed Energy coated his body like a film; the drizzle was gently brushed aside by an invisible hand, falling around him in a perfect circle.
"Is it finally coming? The legendary Domain Clash."
Atsuya Kusakabe, watching Hasegumo fully manifest his Domain, felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "This is..."
Panda scratched his furry head and asked, "What's wrong, Kusakabe-sensei?"
"Why isn't the barrier closing?"
As a man of vast experience, Kusakabe was a master of the Simple Domain—essentially the "lite version" of a Domain Expansion. Because he understood the mechanics so well, seeing something that defied the fundamental laws of jujutsu left him more bewildered than the novices.
"So what? If there's no border, he can't trap his enemy, right?" Maki Zen'in was still a bit of a jujutsu amateur. To her, things like Domains were still far out of reach.
"A Domain is built on the foundation of a barrier technique," Kusakabe explained. "A Domain without a barrier is like trying to paint a masterpiece without a canvas."
"Oh, I get it." Maki said the words, but her vacant stare suggested she was still completely lost.
"Got any water?" Kusakabe's teaching instinct was fully ignited.
"Lay off the old man's supply," Maki said, snatching the sake gourd from Naobito's hand and tossing it to Kusakabe. "You thirsty, sensei?"
"This is booze... forget it. My point was, I wanted the liquid, not the container." Kusakabe tossed the gourd back, secretly proud of his brilliant metaphor.
A second later, Maki splashed the remaining sake directly into his face. "There. You're welcome."
"You brat..."
"Unleashing Purple by boosting the Limitless to its absolute maximum output puts a massive strain on the body, much like anaerobic exercise. I wanted to save it for the end to finish the fight early."
Satoru Gojo stood up, using Reverse Cursed Technique to heal his battered frame. He gazed at the figure sitting high atop the clouds like a deity and began to walk forward. "But against this man, I have to give it everything I've got!"
Bathed in golden light, the Guanyin statue loomed majestic and tall, its countless arms fanning out behind it. Only one pair of palms remained clasped in front, and Hasegumo sat cross-legged within them. The gentle radiance reflecting in the eyes of the spectators announced the absolute power of the man before them.
Satoru still didn't understand how Hasegumo had dodged his Purple, but it didn't matter. Since the Domain was active, then he would—
In the next instant, a golden blur flashed. Satoru Gojo was slammed into the ground by a single palm. His upper body from the right shoulder down was reduced to a pulp.
"I spent a long time thinking about how a technique that purely manipulates cursed energy could form a Domain."
Hasegumo wasn't one for keeping secrets; he spoke as if he were performing a "Revealing One's Hand" binding vow. He had worked hard on this Domain, and he was damned if he was going to let Gojo interrupt his high-light reel. He slowly retracted the Guanyin's arm. "Please, take a little nap for a second."
...
"His technique is just 'Cursed Energy Manipulation'?" Naobito Zen'in realized for the first time that the "fast-forward" movements he had seen earlier weren't the result of a specific technique, but pure physical prowess.
Because of this, he understood the terrifying nature of Hasegumo's strength better than anyone else present. Even with his decades of battle-hardened resolve, he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with the world. Surpassing techniques through raw flesh... is that really something a human can do?
"Normally, cursed energy is the fuel for a technique. For me, it's the opposite."
Hasegumo ignored Naobito's internal crisis and continued explaining his process: "Cursed Energy Liberation doesn't consume energy; it just gives me absolute control over it."
As Hasegumo spoke, a solemn, majestic sound began to echo through the arena, like the chanting of ten thousand pilgrims.
"Where is that sound coming from? Am I hallucinating?" Kusakabe adjusted his glasses, looking around in confusion. "Is the holiness of this Guanyin statue making me hear things?"
"No, it's not a hallucination. I hear it too..." Haibara and Nanami traded a glance, looking up at the man atop the golden statue. "It's coming from Gumo-senpai."
...
"So for me, cursed energy is the only thing that matters. The most basic manipulation is everything I need for battle... A blank canvas offers infinite possibilities."
"By imbuing a binding vow into the construction of the Domain, I am forcibly teleported into the Guanyin's palms the moment the Domain activates." This was how he had evaded Satoru's Purple.
"An open barrier can't trap an enemy, but it means I will never lose in a clash of Domains."
"I referenced ancient barrier techniques. I don't need a 'sure-hit' effect imbued by a technique; the sheer power of the Guanyin's strikes is enough to crush anything."
Hasegumo looked like he was giving a serious lecture, but he was actually reaching into his pocket to fiddle with a volume dial on a hidden speaker. Turn it down a bit, don't let them catch on.
"You're shameless! You brought your own speakers?" Satoru had finally finished healing. Growing back half a body wasn't exactly a walk in the park, even for him.
However, his eyesight was peerless. He caught Hasegumo's sneaky movement instantly and called him out. "And your Domain is a total ripoff of Netero!"
"Shut it." Hasegumo rested his arms at his sides, pretending nothing had happened. Then, he uttered his final line of the fight.
"Omae wa mou... shindeiru."
"Nani?!"
Hearing the iconic line, Satoru immediately crossed his middle and index fingers. A terrifying surge of cursed energy erupted from his body as he unleashed his own Domain.
"Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void!"
This time, Hasegumo didn't interrupt the casting. He wanted to see exactly what his own Domain was capable of.
The distance between them was vast, but for Hasegumo, the limit of his reach was simply the maximum wingspan of the Guanyin's arms.
As his hands clasped together again, his fingers formed a mudra at a speed invisible to the human eye. Ninety-Nine Palms.
The black spherical barrier of Unlimited Void flashed for a fraction of a second before it was shattered like glass against a diamond drill. The 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva used absolute power and speed to crush the Domain before it could even finish closing.
Slowly deactivating his Domain, Hasegumo looked at the two halves of Satoru Gojo—"Satoru" and "Gojo"—sliced apart by a final vertical palm strike. He pieced them back together and flooded them with Reverse Cursed Energy. "If you wanted, I could just grow you a new lower half right now."
"Try it and I'll kill myself," Satoru snapped. His body was in pieces, but his mouth was as stubborn as ever. "Don't get cocky. I still have a few trump cards left."
"Sure, sure." Hasegumo laughed and pulled Satoru up. "I'm sorry, Lord Gojo. I didn't give you the chance to go all out."
"Stop being so sarcastic," Satoru grumbled. "But... fine. You've earned the title of 'The Strongest.'"
The first to approach them was Naobito Zen'in.
"Mind if I give it a try?" He spoke to Hasegumo, but didn't wait for an answer. The moment the words left his mouth, Naobito activated Projection Sorcery.
In a 24th of a second, Naobito's fist was inches from Hasegumo's face. But that final sliver of distance felt like a vast chasm he could not cross.
"Want to experience the limit of speed?" Hasegumo understood the old man's intent. He clasped his hands and offered a single, grateful punch.
BOOM!
As Naobito was sent hurtling into the stands, Mei Mei and Gakuganji stood at a distance, looking awkward. They didn't know whether to come over or leave. Why did he just punch Naobito? Is he mad at us for being the evaluators?
The others were also hesitant. If they went over to congratulate Hasegumo on becoming a Special Grade, would Satoru take it as a personal insult?
With Satoru's personality, if he put you in his "little black book," your life would be a living hell from then on.
Just as the atmosphere hit a stalemate, Naobito climbed out of the rubble.
"Impressive." He took a swig of sake and let out a burp. "My vote is a 'Pass,' without question."
"Agreed." "I concur."
The other two evaluators had no objections. Since Hasegumo had beaten the "Strongest," he more than deserved the rank of Special Grade.
"Cloudy, congrats on joining the Special Grade club." Satoru slung an arm around Hasegumo's shoulder. He didn't seem to care about the loss; after all, he was only twenty-seven, and Hasegumo was a "thirty-something-year-old uncle." He'd find a way to win later. If all else failed, he'd just outlive the guy. "You hit me so hard I almost bled out. You owe me at least ten rounds of Kikufuku to make up for it."
"I don't have the money for that. I'll buy you beef noodles instead. I know a famous place in Osaka—Iron Bull Beef Noodles. You have to try it."
"I don't eat beef."