Chapter 44

The Ultimate Whirlpool of Cursed Spirit Technique

This was the most devastating spell in the arsenal of the man in the cassock.

It fused every cursed spirit he had ever absorbed into a single entity, compressing their power into an ultra-high-density blast of pure cursed energy.

In the original incident known as "Hundred Ghosts at Night," he merged all 4,461 cursed spirits under his control into one monstrous attack.

"Why are you pushing me this far?!"

"What's wrong with erasing weaklings like me in the name of so-called 'righteousness'?!"

Xia Youjie's expression twisted in rage as he raised a trembling finger toward the sky.

In the next moment, a terrifying wave of cursed energy surged into the air like a dark tsunami.

Buzzzzz—

Kurosawa Ren's face grew serious as he turned to look at the swirling, black vortex that had torn open in the sky. It spun violently, sucking in light itself.

It was so deep, so dark—it felt like the entire world was being warped by its gravitational pull.

With thousands of cursed spirits feeding it simultaneously, the Ultimate Whirlpool of Cursed Spirit Technique now carried the destructive force of a city-level Noble Phantasm.

Kurosawa Ren stepped forward calmly, unshaken by the immense pressure.

"If you call yourself 'righteousness,' then I am 'truth.' This has nothing to do with emotion—you're simply standing in my way."

There was no reasoning with the man in the cassock anymore. No debate would change anything now.

He was twisted beyond saving.

So Ren decided to finish it. No more holding back. He summoned one of his most precious artifacts—his divine weapon.

"Sword in the Tree."

A massive sword, gnarled and uneven like an ancient tree branch, appeared in his grip. It pulsed with primordial energy.

This legendary weapon, painstakingly forged over seven days, was now ready to unleash its true power.

"It's over."

"Noble Phantasm Release—Victory Sword: Gram!"

An eruption of magical energy burst from the blade as spiritual light twisted around it like a vortex. The golden brilliance condensed, then exploded outward in a torrent of divine force, crashing head-on into the cursed energy vortex in the sky.

BOOOOOOOM—!

The clash of powers triggered a shockwave that shattered the air like glass. Violent turbulence rippled outward, thundering like a hundred-foot tsunami.

The very fabric of space twisted and cracked under the strain. The impact wave ripped across the land, carving a path that reached hundreds—no, thousands—of meters in every direction.

From the sky, a tall man with white hair and cold black eyes watched the chaos unfold.

His expression turned grim.

"...That's Jujutsu High?"

He was suspended midair, surveying the apocalyptic collision in the distance.

"If what Yuta said over the phone is true, and a mysterious boy is fighting Jie at Jujutsu High… to force Jie into a corner like this… someone is going to die."

His chest felt heavy.

Gojo Satoru knew he couldn't afford to waste another second. He activated his spatial manipulation technique, Jutsushun Cang, and vanished in a flash toward the battlefield.

Back on the ground, Xia Youjie leaned against the shattered remains of a stone wall. Blood soaked through the torn threads of his cassock, his body cracked and broken like a shattered statue.

A bitter smile tugged at his lips.

"Heh… Guess I lost after all."

His injuries were beyond repair. His body was riddled with deep fissures, blood gushing from him like a fountain. Even if the legendary doctor Hua Tuo were reincarnated, he wouldn't be able to save him.

"Any last words?" Ren descended calmly, eyes fixed on the dying man.

"...No."

Xia Youjie let out a dry, broken laugh. It sounded more like weeping than amusement.

There was still so much confusion in his heart.

But as the end loomed closer, the ideals he had once cherished—even more than life itself—suddenly seemed… hollow.

Still, he didn't regret anything.

He was Xia Youjie. And he had never believed he was wrong.

The smile on his face froze as life slipped away.

This notorious cursed-user, who had lived 27 years and taken hundreds of lives—including those of his own parents—had finally fallen.

[Ding. Urban Monster Storyline – Chapter 2 "ac-a": Objective Complete – Before the end of the Hundred Ghost Night Parade, eliminate 'The Worst Curse-User,' Xia Youjie. Reward: 30 Saint Crystals.]

"Now to burn the body. Can't risk letting the curse drug take effect."

Ren gathered his magic.

Spiritual particles flickered and converged, forming 287 flame spirits in his palm, ready to consume the corpse.

Just as he raised his hand to throw—

"Wait, young man."

A deep, hoarse voice interrupted him.

Ren turned sharply to see a white-haired man descending from the sky—Gojo Satoru.

"...Jie."

He took in the scene silently. The sight of his former friend—bleeding out, lifeless—cut deep.

There was pain. But also relief.

A man who had walked the darkest paths had finally reached his end.

But what truly stunned Gojo was the boy standing before him.

This teenager had defeated Xia Youjie.

No tricks. No backup. Just raw strength and terrifying skill.

"You're Gojo Satoru?"

Ren studied him with narrowed eyes. The man was surrounded by a quiet but oppressive force. As Gojo removed the black cloth from his eyes, those legendary six blue orbs locked onto Ren's with chilling clarity.

The cursed energy radiating from his body was monstrous.

He was truly the man they called "The Strongest."

"What's your name, kid?" Gojo asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Kurosawa Ren."

"...I see. So it was you."

Gojo nodded slowly. "I figured it had to be. No one else could've killed Jie."

"You know me?" Ren raised an eyebrow, surprised.

Gojo gave a crooked smile. "You've taken down two Special Grades. Hard not to notice."

He didn't say where he got his intel. At his level, keeping tabs on potential threats—or allies—was second nature.

"Ren, thank you for stopping him. But… can I ask you to leave Jie's body with me, instead of cremating it?"

"He made terrible mistakes. But not everything about him deserves to be erased."

"...No."

Ren's voice was calm but firm.

"I will reduce him to ash."

Gojo flinched at the answer.

A pang of grief ignited into frustration.

"Why?! Jie is dead! He was my friend. He paid for his crimes. Why won't you let me bury him?!"

The sorrow of losing a close friend twisted into sharp indignation.

Ren frowned.

"If I told you a curse-user was targeting his body to possess it, would you believe me?"

He didn't want to explain further. It sounded ridiculous, even to him. But he couldn't risk it either.

Gojo's jaw tightened. The excuse was weak, and he wasn't convinced.

57. "Only One Will Stand."

"Ren, don't be unreasonable."

Gojo's tone dropped, the edge returning to his voice.

"You've done well. You saved people. But that doesn't give you the right to act like the world is yours."

The faint respect he'd felt toward Ren was beginning to fade into quiet disappointment.

To Gojo, the boy had strength—but lacked restraint. He was too headstrong, too self-righteous. Too much like Gojo himself at that age.

"If that's how it's going to be," Gojo said softly, "then let's settle this another way."

"If you defeat me—Jie's body is yours. But if I win, you'll follow my decision."

It wasn't a threat.

It was a challenge.

Gojo wanted to teach this boy a lesson—a lesson he once learned the hard way when Fushiguro Toji nearly killed him.

Back then, Gojo had been just like Ren: untouchable, arrogant, blind to his own limits.

That defeat had changed him forever.

Now he saw the same burning fire in Ren's eyes—the same defiance. The same illusion of invincibility.

"Being strong is good," Gojo said, sliding the black cloth back into his pocket. His blue eyes shone like twin stars.

"But the world doesn't revolve around you, Kurosawa Ren."

He smiled calmly.

"Let's fight."

Ren sighed.

He hadn't even finished explaining before Gojo leaped to conclusions and drew his own battle lines.

"Fine. I'll fight you."

"But I'm keeping Xia Youjie's body with me until the end of this."