Chapter 11

The rooftop crackled with tension as Seijuro and Toji locked eyes, their postures ready, each waiting for the other to make the first move. 

Without warning, Toji dashed forward, the Inverted Spear of Heaven gleaming in his hand. His speed was blinding, his movements fluid as he closed the distance in the blink of an eye, aiming the spear directly at Seijuro's chest.

Seijuro's instincts flared, and he sidestepped at the last moment, redirecting Toji's momentum with a deft Aikido maneuver. His movements were precise, flowing like water, as he twisted Toji's wrist just enough to throw the spear off its deadly trajectory.

Using the opening, Seijuro extended his hand toward Toji's face, and instantly, a glowing blue orb materialized in front of his palm.

Toji's eyes widened in recognition. He shifted his weight, wrenching his arm free as the blue orb pulsed dangerously close to his face. With a quick backflip, he created some distance between them.

Seijuro pressed the advantage, releasing the orb, which spiraled outward like a mini starburst.

Toji twisted midair, dodging the attack by mere inches, the crackling energy grazing his shoulder.

The battle escalated.

Toji lunged again, this time feinting with his spear before vanishing entirely from Seijuro's sight. He moved like a shadow, silent and swift, leaving no trace of his direction.

Seijuro tensed, his glowing crimson eyes scanning the area. His vision darted across the rooftops, tracking the faintest movement. His senses screamed a warning, and he focused, predicting Toji's next move.

'Right there!'

Seijuro whirled around, firing a massive blue laser beam toward the spot where he anticipated Toji would land.

—BLING!

Toji's instincts kicked in as the beam streaked toward him. His eyes widened, and he brought the Inverted Spear of Heaven up in front of him, hoping the cursed tool's nullifying properties would counter the overwhelming force.

The beam collided with the spear, the energy crackling and surging as the two forces clashed. Toji gritted his teeth, his arms straining against the sheer power of the beam. But the force was too great.

—BOOM!

The impact sent Toji flying backward, crashing into a nearby construction site. The sound of shattering beams and falling debris echoed through the air as dust and smoke engulfed the area. Fortunately, the site was abandoned, and no one was caught in the destruction.

Seijuro felt a strange shift in the air. Everything around him seemed to slow, the world moving at half its normal pace.

His body, however, felt light, almost weightless. I feel... fast.

He bolted forward, sprinting across the rooftops with an agility he hadn't known he possessed. Each leap carried him farther than the last, and in moments, he landed on the edge of the construction site.

As the smoke cleared, Seijuro's glowing crimson eyes scanned the wreckage.

The beams had collapsed, and dust still hung in the air. But there was no sign of Toji. He was gone.

Seijuro stood still, his heart pounding in his chest. His grip tightened as he surveyed the area, his instincts on high alert.

"Where are you, Toji...?" he muttered.

The air was heavy with tension as Seijuro scanned the wreckage of the construction site. His glowing crimson eyes darted through the thick smoke, every fiber of his being on edge.

A sudden, faint shift in the air behind him made his instincts flare.

He's here!

Without hesitation, Seijuro spun around just as Toji emerged from the shadows, his movements eerily silent despite the debris surrounding them.

Blood trickled down Toji's forehead, staining his sharp green eyes with an almost feral intensity. Despite the injury, a grin split his face, wide and manic, his teeth glinting in the faint light.

"You're a lot more fun than I thought, Gojo," Toji said, his voice low and dangerous.

His grip on the Inverted Spear of Heaven was firm, and his stance was predatory, like a wolf ready to pounce.

Seijuro's hands twitched, and a strange warmth began to build around them. He glanced down, noticing a faint glow radiating from his palms.

The energy felt alive, pulsating in rhythm with his growing adrenaline. He wasn't consciously summoning it—it was as if his instincts were taking over, driving him to fight, to destroy.

Toji lunged, the spear slicing through the air like a viper's fang. Seijuro parried with an upward swipe of his glowing hand, redirecting the strike with a precision that startled even him. Blue sparks erupted from the collision, illuminating their faces in the smoky darkness.

The fight exploded into a flurry of movement.

Toji's strikes were relentless, each one faster and more aggressive than the last. Seijuro countered with fluid motions, redirecting and deflecting using a combination of instinct, Aikido techniques, and the energy swirling around his hands. Every clash sent shockwaves through the air, the sound of metal and energy ringing out like thunder.

Seijuro ducked under a sweeping strike, countering with a quick blast of blue energy that forced Toji to retreat a few steps. The mercenary grinned wider, wiping the blood dripping into his eye.

"You're finally showing me something worth my time," Toji said, his voice rough but exhilarated.

Seijuro didn't respond. He felt something stirring deep within him—a primal urge, a voice in the back of his mind whispering one word: Destroy.

The energy around him surged, and his instincts screamed for release.

Acting impulsively, Seijuro spread his hands wide, summoning dozens of glowing blue orbs around the construction site. Each orb pulsated with a rhythmic, star-like pattern, radiating an ominous hum that filled the air.

Toji's eyes widened as he realized the danger. "What the hell is this...?"

Seijuro's voice was low, almost guttural, as the word slipped from his lips. "Destruction."

—BOOM!

One by one, the orbs erupted in blinding explosions, their combined force tearing through the construction site. Beams of steel and concrete shattered into fragments, and the ground shook violently with each detonation.

Toji moved like lightning, dodging the blasts with an almost inhuman agility. He vaulted over debris, ducked under falling beams, and used the environment to shield himself from the worst explosions.

Smoke and dust filled the air, turning the battlefield into a chaotic haze. Seijuro strained to see through the thick veil, his instincts on high alert. His ears picked up the faintest sound—a shift in the rubble, a whisper of movement.

'Behind me!'

Before he could fully react, a sharp pain exploded in his side. Toji had closed the gap, driving the Inverted Spear of Heaven into Seijuro's ribs.

"Gah!" Seijuro gasped, blood spilling from his lips as the spear dug deep.

But even as pain wracked his body, the energy inside him flared again, stronger and angrier. With a roar, he unleashed a massive blue beam from his free hand, blasting Toji at point-blank range.

—BOOM!

Toji was hurled through the air like a ragdoll, colliding with a wall on the far end of the construction site. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the structure as rubble rained down around him.

Seijuro staggered back, clutching his side as blood seeped through his fingers. His breaths were ragged.

As the smoke cleared, Toji came into view and slumped against a broken section of the wall. His body was bloodied, cuts and bruises littering his frame, and his breath came in ragged gasps. The once-mighty Inverted Spear of Heaven lay shattered beside him, its fragments glinting faintly in the debris.

Despite his injuries, Toji remained composed, his expression stoic, though the toll of the battle was evident.

Compared to the devastation he had suffered when Satoru unleashed Purple on from the manga, this damage was manageable, though it was clear the fight had pushed him to his limits.

"Ma...ma..." A faint, high-pitched sound echoed through the ruins.

Seijuro turned toward the noise, his crimson eyes narrowing as he spotted a pink worm-like cursed spirit crawling toward the wreckage.

It was the cursed tool carrier—a cursed spirit that stored Toji's arsenal of weapons.

"Why did you only appear now?" Seijuro muttered under his breath, his gaze flicking between the spirit and Toji.

With cautious steps, he approached the spirit and picked it up, its slimy form wriggling slightly in his grasp.

He turned his attention back to Toji, whose blurry vision locked onto the approaching figure. Seijuro knelt down, placing the spirit gently on Toji's shoulder, where it began to climb back onto its master.

"Hey, you still there?" Seijuro asked, his tone steady, though tinged with curiosity.

Toji's cracked lips curled into a faint grin despite his state. "Still breathing," he rasped, his voice hoarse but laced with dry humor. "You'll... need more than that to finish me off."

Seijuro raised an eyebrow, impressed by the man's resilience. He watched as the cursed spirit slithered up Toji's arm, taking its place back on its master's body. Slowly, Toji leaned back against the wall, his green eyes dim but still sharp, refusing to show weakness.

Seeing Toji's vulnerable state, Seijuro decided to seize the moment. He leaned forward, his crimson eyes locking onto Toji's.

"I'm going to ask you again," he said firmly. "Who sent you?"

Toji exhaled a sharp breath, the grin fading slightly. "Not... telling," he muttered, his tone defiant. "A job's a job. Doesn't matter who gave it to me."

Seijuro sighed, shaking his head slightly. "I should've expected that." He paused, considering his next words carefully. He had another idea—one that might change the course of their encounter entirely.

"Alright, how about this," Seijuro began, his tone shifting to something more thoughtful. "What if I hire you instead? As a guard for the Gojo clan. I'll pay you five billion yen every four months."

Toji's eyes flickered with surprise, though his expression remained guarded. He wasn't sure if he'd heard that number correctly.

"In exchange," Seijuro continued, "you quit your job as an assassin and eliminate the person who gave you the job to kill me. I'll also let you live at the Gojo compound, with free food, clothing, shelter, and support. You'll have a home—a real home—for your future... family."

For a moment, silence hung in the air. Toji's grin faltered completely, replaced by something unreadable. His green eyes searched Seijuro's face, as though trying to gauge the sincerity of the offer.

"A home... huh?" Toji's voice was softer now, almost contemplative.

The words seemed foreign on his tongue, a concept he hadn't allowed himself to think about in years. His thoughts wandered back to his past—to the Zenin clan that had discarded him, to a childhood of being treated as less than human. No one had ever offered him anything beyond a fight or a paycheck.

And now, here was the head of the Gojo clan, a man he'd been paid to kill, offering him not just money but stability, respect, and something he'd never truly had: a place to belong.

"You're serious?" Toji asked finally, his tone a mix of skepticism and something deeper—something almost vulnerable.

Seijuro nodded, his expression calm but resolute. "Completely serious. You've proven your strength, Toji. You've survived what most wouldn't. I'd rather have someone like you on my side than against me. And honestly..." He hesitated, then added with a faint smile, "You deserve better than being a tool for people who don't care if you live or die."

Toji's lips parted as if to reply, but no words came. His mind was reeling. He thought back to his years as a mercenary, every job he'd taken for survival, every fight he'd endured just to prove his worth.

And now, the head of the Gojo clan—a man whose very existence should have been an enemy to him—was offering him a way out.

The grin returned, but this time it lacked its usual malice. Instead, it was faint, almost rueful.

"You're a strange one, Seijuro Gojo," he said, his voice low. "I'll think about it."

Seijuro stood, extending a hand toward Toji. "Good. That's all I'm asking for."

Seijuro then walked away, leaving Toji behind. Despite the injuries, he knew Toji would be fine.

For the first time in a long while, Toji felt the faint stirrings of something he thought he'd buried long ago: hope.

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Seijuro stumbled back to the dark alleyway, his footsteps uneven. The adrenaline that had kept him upright during the fight was fading, and the sharp, searing pain in his side was now impossible to ignore. He dropped down to sit against the cold wall, his body slumping as he let out a pained groan.

"Ugh..." Seijuro winced, pressing a hand against the stab wound on his chest.

Blood still trickled through his fingers, warm and sticky. He leaned his head back against the wall, staring up at the dark sky.

During the fight, everything had been a blur.

His instincts had screamed at him to destroy, act, and unleash the overwhelming power that had surged through him. It was as if his body had moved on its own, executing techniques he didn't fully understand. The memory of the blue orbs, the massive beams, and the explosions replayed in his mind. None of it made sense, yet it had worked.

"What even was that?" he muttered, his voice low and strained. "Instincts alone aren't supposed to do that..."

Still, the fact remained—he had won. Toji had been defeated, albeit barely. Seijuro couldn't afford to underestimate him in the future.

'I just hope he reconsiders my offer...'

The five billion yen wasn't a bluff. The Gojo clan's immense wealth could handle it without a problem. Their net worth was astronomical—ten trillion yen—more than enough to accommodate even the most outrageous expenditures.

But if Toji refused the offer, Seijuro knew what would happen. He would take responsibility and eliminate the mercenary before he became an even bigger threat.

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Father!"

Seijuro's eyes flicked up, and relief washed over him as he saw Satoru running toward him. Behind the boy were three Gojo clan servants, their expressions shifting from concern to alarm as they saw Seijuro's bloodied state.

"Satoru..." Seijuro exhaled, trying to muster a reassuring smile as his son rushed to his side.

"Father, are you hurt?!"

Satoru's voice trembled slightly as he stopped before him, his wide blue eyes darting to the wound on Seijuro's side. He crouched down, his small hands hovering uncertainly.

"It's... nothing too serious," Seijuro lied, forcing a grin. He didn't want to worry the boy. "Just a scratch."

"That's not a scratch!" Satoru argued, his tone sharp and worried. "We need to get you back to the compound."

One of the servants stepped forward, bowing slightly.

"Seijuro-sama, please allow us to assist you. We'll ensure your wound is treated immediately."

Seijuro nodded weakly, allowing the servants to help him stand. He kept his gaze on Satoru, whose expression was a mix of concern and guilt.

"I'm fine, Satoru," Seijuro said softly, reassuringly touching his son's shoulder. "You did the right thing by getting help."

Satoru nodded slowly, though his worry didn't fade. "But... you're hurt because of me..."

Seijuro shook his head, his voice firm despite the pain. "No, Satoru. I'm hurt because I chose to protect you. And I would do it again, no matter what."

His words seemed to ease Satoru's guilt slightly, though the boy's hands still clenched into small fists.

"Let's go home," Seijuro said, his tone lighter. "I could use some of that shortcake you mentioned earlier."

Satoru blinked, surprised by the sudden shift, but he nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips as the servants guided his father back toward the compound.