Talking curses?

The soft hum of conversation and the clinking of cups filled the air in the dimly lit café. Despite the mundane setting, the tension at the corner table was palpable. Kenjaku sat with his fingers intertwined, his expression calm yet calculating. Across from him sat Jogo, his volcanic head simmering slightly, while Hanami and Dagon listened in silence.

Kenjaku leaned back, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Sealing Satoru Gojo is essential. Without him, the balance of power shifts dramatically in our favor. With the Prison Realm, he will no longer be a threat."

Jogo's fiery eyes narrowed. "And what about the other one? Renji Kurogane. You can't ignore him."

Kenjaku's smile faded slightly, replaced with a contemplative look. "Renji... is a more complicated matter. The Prison Realm can only seal one person at a time. That makes dealing with him problematic."

Jogo scoffed, the embers around his mouth sparking. "Problematic? He's just a child. I'll crush him and Gojo both."

Kenjaku chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Jogo, I admire your confidence, but it's misplaced here. If you try to fight either of them, you'll be exorcized. Gojo may toy with you or keep you alive for his amusement or schemes, but Renji doesn't have that kind of restraint. He won't hesitate—he'll crush you without a second thought."

Hanami glanced at Kenjaku, their gravelly voice laced with concern. "Then how do we proceed? If Renji is as dangerous as you claim, he could disrupt our plans entirely."

Kenjaku raised a hand, his tone steady. "Renji is unpredictable. Unlike Gojo, his motivations aren't clear. He's not tethered to any ideal—he simply acts. That makes him harder to manipulate. For now, it's best to avoid provoking him."

Jogo slammed a fiery fist onto the table, his pride clearly wounded. "Avoid him? No! I'll kill him myself. I'll prove I'm stronger than either of them!"

Kenjaku sighed, a faint hint of amusement returning to his expression. "You're welcome to try, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Jogo rose from his seat, his flames intensifying as his resolve burned brightly. "Mark my words, I'll reduce Renji Kurogane to ash."

Kenjaku watched him go, a knowing smirk lingering on his face. "Do as you wish, Jogo. It will be... interesting to see how this plays out."

Hanami and Dagon exchanged uneasy glances, but neither said a word. The game was in motion, and each piece would play its role, whether willingly or not.

That night, Ichiji was driving Satoru and Renji back to Jujutsu High after they went out to McDonald's to eat. The quiet hum of the car filled the air, but tension hung between the passengers as Gojo glanced at Renji. Renji, catching the look, returned it with a subtle nod, his expression calm yet knowing.

"Kiyotaka," Gojo finally said, his tone casual but firm. "Stop the car."

Ichiji blinked, confused. "Stop the car? But we're in the middle of nowhere. There's nothing but forest here. What could you possibly—"

"Just stop the car," Gojo interrupted, leaving no room for further discussion.

With a reluctant sigh, Ichiji slowed the vehicle to a halt on the side of the road. "Alright, we're stopped. Now what?"

To his disbelief, Gojo opened his door and stepped out into the moonlit forest. Renji followed, unbuckling his seatbelt and exiting the car with a quiet, deliberate air.

"Renji too?" Ichiji called after him.

Renji leaned down to the car window. "Go on ahead without us," he said calmly, his tone brooking no argument.

Ichiji hesitated, his hand gripping the wheel tightly. "Are you sure—"

"Just go," Gojo interjected, waving him off dismissively. "We'll catch up later."

Reluctantly, Ichiji drove off, the car's headlights fading into the distance.

As soon as the sound of the engine disappeared, a loud crash echoed through the forest. The ground trembled slightly as something—or someone—plummeted from the sky. Dust and debris flew up in a fiery explosion, splitting the earth beneath.

When the dust settled, Jogo stood there, his cursed energy radiating like molten heat. His jagged, volcanic features twisted into a sinister grin as he surveyed the two sorcerers. "Well, well," he rumbled, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Just the two people I was looking for."

Gojo tilted his head, his blindfold catching the faint moonlight. "Oh? Lucky us," he said, his tone light and teasing. "Renji, what do you think? Feel like stretching your legs?"

Renji smirked, stepping forward as his glasses caught the glint of Jogo's flames. "It would be my pleasure," he said, his voice calm yet charged with anticipation.

Jogo's grin widened as he shifted into a battle stance, flames crackling and sparking around him. "Good," he growled. "Let's see if you live up to the hype, Renji Kurogane."

Renji didn't reply. He simply adjusted his glasses, cursed energy flaring faintly around him like a cold, violet mist. The storm that always seemed to follow him began to gather in the skies above, the wind whispering promises of destruction.

Gojo leaned against a nearby tree, his hands casually in his pockets. "Try not to burn the forest down," he quipped lazily. "I just had this suit cleaned."

Renji chuckled softly, his eyes locking onto Jogo. "No promises."

Jogo snarled, his jagged teeth glinting as he raised both hands, channeling his cursed energy into the ground. From the mouth of a nearby cave, a mini volcano erupted, spewing a torrent of molten magma toward Satoru and Renji.

The magma surged forward, scorching the earth in its path. As it approached Renji, it slowed unnaturally, as if time itself hesitated in his presence. The molten wave rippled harmlessly, its heat dissipating before it could touch him.

Satoru, on the other hand, seemed to let the magma consume him entirely. The fiery torrent engulfed his form, its searing light obscuring him from view.

When the attack subsided, Satoru stood completely unscathed, his suit immaculate. He dusted off his shoulders with an annoyed expression. "I just said I had this suit cleaned," he muttered.

Jogo's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible!" he growled. "You should've been reduced to ash!"

Renji adjusted his glasses, his violet eyes glowing faintly. "That attack would've melted anyone else on the spot," he said calmly, his tone cool and measured. "But you're dealing with the wrong kind of sorcerers."

Jogo roared in frustration and thrust his hands forward again. Another eruption of magma surged from the cave, hotter and more ferocious than before. Yet as it neared Renji, it slowed to a crawl, the heat dissipating harmlessly around him.

Satoru, meanwhile, stood still as the wave engulfed him once more. When it receded, he remained unscathed, his posture relaxed and composed.

Jogo's fury boiled over as he clenched his fists. "Damn it! Why won't you die?"

Satoru sighed, shaking his head with mock disappointment. "You're wasting your cursed energy," he said, his tone almost bored. "You can't touch either of us. No matter how hard you try."

Renji took a step forward, his eyes locking onto Jogo. "Give it up," he said coldly. "You're completely outmatched."

Jogo growled, flames erupting from his body as he prepared another attack. But doubt flickered in his gaze, his confidence beginning to waver.

Satoru smirked, folding his arms. "Renji," he said casually, "why don't you show him why this was a terrible idea?"

Renji's lips curled into a faint smirk of his own. He raised a hand, his cursed energy beginning to pulse with an ominous rhythm. "With pleasure," he said, his voice calm but brimming with restrained power.

Jogo's frustration boiled over as he glared at them. "Why can't I touch you? What kind of tricks are you using?"

Renji adjusted his stance, his violet eyes glowing faintly. "It's not a trick," he said coolly. "Anything that approaches me gets slowed down before it can reach me. Almost as if time itself doesn't want me to be hurt."

Satoru chuckled, folding his arms. "My technique works in a similar way," he added casually. "But the difference is, the objects or attacks coming toward me aren't completely stopped. They're still moving—just so slow that you wouldn't notice unless you were me."

Jogo snarled, flames crackling around his body. "So you hide behind your defenses, huh? Probably because you're both—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Renji closed the distance in a flash. His leg shot out in a powerful kick, connecting with Jogo's torso. The impact was devastating, sending the cursed spirit hurtling through the forest. Trees splintered and toppled in his wake, the ground trembling from the force of the blow.

Renji lowered his leg, his expression calm and unbothered. "Weak?" he said, finishing Jogo's sentence with a smirk. "That what you were going to say?"

Satoru laughed, clapping his hands once. "Nice one, Renji. Guess he learned the hard way."

From the distance, Jogo's roar of anger echoed through the forest as he pulled himself up from the wreckage. Flames erupted around him, his rage palpable. "You little—"

Renji stepped forward, his cursed energy beginning to pulse menacingly. "Ready for round two?" he asked, his tone icy.

Satoru grinned, his eyes sparkling beneath his blindfold. "This is getting interesting."

Renji smirked as Jogo's body hurtled through the forest. Before the cursed spirit could recover, Renji raised his hand and the air shimmered. In an instant, he vanished and reappeared in front of Jogo's new position. Almost simultaneously, Gojo blinked into place beside him, arms crossed casually.

Renji raised a single finger, a small black orb forming at its tip, pulsating with unnatural energy. "This right here," Renji began, his violet eyes gleaming, "is a singularity."

Jogo's gaze locked onto the orb, his unease mounting.

Renji continued, his tone calm and precise. "A singularity is a point in space where gravitational forces become so intense that not even light can escape. It pulls everything toward it, collapsing matter into oblivion." He tilted his head, his expression cold yet analytical. "You could say it's the ultimate form of attraction."

Jogo's lone eye widened in alarm as the pull of the black orb grew stronger. His body began to shift involuntarily, the force dragging him violently toward Renji. No matter how much he resisted, it was futile. "What the—"

Before he could finish his thought, Renji clenched his fist, dissipating the orb, and drove a brutal punch into Jogo's midsection, sending him hurtling through the air. The cursed spirit's body crashed into a distant lake with a thunderous splash. The water rippled violently as Jogo struggled to his feet, standing on the surface.

As he caught his breath, he glanced around, startled to see Renji already standing on the water in front of him, hands in his pockets. Jogo growled, frustration and confusion etched into his features. "Where did that other one go? The white-haired freak?"

Renji gave a nonchalant shrug. "Gojo went to get a student. Said it wouldn't take long."

Instantly, Gojo reappeared, holding Yuji by the back of his shirt like a misbehaving kitten. Renji turned toward him, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Our little friend here missed you," he said, his tone light but teasing.

Gojo feigned flattery, placing a hand on his chest. "Oh, how sweet. You shouldn't have," he replied dramatically. Renji let out a small laugh.

Yuji, dangling from Gojo's grip, flailed slightly. "What's going on here?" he asked, glancing between the two sorcerers and the smoldering Jogo.

Renji looked at Yuji and shrugged. "Nothing much. Just a little fight."

Yuji's eyes moved to Jogo, who was emanating heat and malice. "That guy doesn't look like 'nothing.'"

Before Renji could answer, Gojo spoke up, pointing lazily at Jogo. "Yuji, meet our friend over there. I call him Volcano Head."

Jogo's eye twitched at the insult, his molten body bubbling ominously. "Do you think this is some kind of joke?" he growled.

"Not really," Gojo said casually, as if discussing the weather. "But I mean, come on, look at you."

Jogo snarled, turning his gaze to Yuji. "Isn't bringing the brat here a bit of a burden?"

Gojo tilted his head, pretending to consider the question. "Hmm... not really. After all, you're kind of weak, so I'm not too worried."

Lava began to pour from every opening in Jogo's body, save for his mouth, which drooled molten rock. His rage was palpable as the ground beneath them began to heat up. "I'll show you weak!" he roared, his hands moving into a precise formation. The air grew heavier as his cursed energy spiked dangerously high.

"Uh-oh," Renji said mockingly, taking a step back. "Looks like someone's mad."

Jogo slammed his hands together, shouting, "Domain Expansion: Coffin of the Iron Mountain!"

The world around them shifted violently as the domain unfolded, its oppressive heat and molten rivers trapping the trio in a fiery inferno. The ground was molten rock, jagged cliffs oozed lava, and an immense pressure weighed down on everything. Jogo stood at the center, his single eye blazing with triumph.

Renji glanced at Gojo, unimpressed. "Think he's compensating for something?"

"Definitely," Gojo replied with a smirk, his demeanor as calm as ever. "Alright, Volcano Head. Show us what you've got."

Jogo mused in disbelief, his molten body trembling with restrained fury. "You should've melted out of existence just now," he snarled, glaring at the trio standing unharmed within his infernal domain. The sheer heat and pressure should have obliterated them.

Gojo ignored Jogo's grumbling and glanced at Yuji, who was still dangling in his grip. "Hey, Yuji," he said casually, "do you remember what a domain expansion is?"

Yuji nodded, his voice steady despite the intensity of the moment. "Yeah. It's when a sorcerer imposes their innate domain onto reality, giving them an overwhelming advantage."

Gojo smiled faintly. "Good answer. Someone's been paying attention."

Renji chimed in with a nod of approval. "Not bad, Yuji. Now, tell me this: do you know what happens when two domains clash?"

Yuji thought for a moment before replying, "The bigger one always wins, right?"

"Exactly," Renji confirmed, his tone carrying a hint of pride. Gojo chuckled and added, "Well, since you've got that part down, I think it's time Renji gets this show started."

Yuji turned to look at Renji just as he removed his glasses, the violet glow of his eyes pulsing like a heartbeat, radiating power. The molten rock surged toward them, its heat searing, but Renji remained calm. The air shimmered unnaturally, and in the next instant, reality unraveled. The ground dissolved into a swirling void of stars and shattered space, the molten rock consumed effortlessly by the abyss.

The world shifted. They stood in an infinite expanse of black, silver, and violet, a celestial tapestry of starlight and glowing fractures. Gravity fractured and became chaotic—objects floated aimlessly, spiraled into unseen depths, or sank into the void, where they disappeared entirely. Time faltered, flickering inconsistently; glimpses of the past, present, and future rippled through the air like distorted mirages.

Yuji staggered, his balance thrown off by the disorienting environment. "What... is this?" he murmured, his voice barely audible against the hum of distorted space.

Renji stepped forward, his silhouette framed by the swirling cosmos. The space around him bent and folded in submission, his presence commanding absolute authority within the domain. He turned his gaze to Jogo, the cursed spirit now frozen in hesitation, his molten confidence faltering under the oppressive gravity of the realm.

"This," Renji said, his tone calm but carrying a weight that seemed to echo endlessly, "is my domain expansion: Event Horizon."

The fractured light of collapsing stars and spiraling voids reflected in his glowing eyes as the domain responded to his will. Behind him, gravity wells churned, each threatening to crush or consume anything in their reach. Time stuttered and bent around Renji, making it impossible to discern whether he was moving in slow motion or faster than the eye could follow. The air vibrated with tension as the cosmic abyss pulsed, a living extension of his cursed energy.

Renji raised a hand, and with a mere gesture, the swirling void around Jogo began to constrict. "In here," he continued, his voice unwavering, "your movements, your energy, even your thoughts are mine to control. Struggle all you want—it only hastens your end."

Jogo growled, his molten form flaring as he attempted to fight back, but the domain's gravity twisted his attacks, dragging them into the void before they could reach Renji or Yuji. The cursed spirit's defiance crumbled as he realized the true nature of the space: a battlefield where only one force held sway.

Renji's eyes glinted with determination as he stepped forward, the domain intensifying with every stride. "Let's see if you can survive the collapse."