"This place feels familiar."
Within a vast, boundless expanse of white space, Aomori spoke with a contemplative air.
Back in the Jujutsu Kaisen world, when Mahito activated his Domain Expansion, Aomori had visited a place like this. However, back then, his consciousness hadn't been nearly as lucid as it was now.
"Could this be my Soul Space, and am I currently here in the form of my soul?"
Having spent a considerable amount of time as a spiritual entity in his last world, he was naturally no stranger to this state.
He felt his soul, which seemed as solid as a physical body, and felt a wave of confusion. When did my soul become this strong? I don't recall ever specifically strengthening it. Could it be related to my Spirit attribute? Perhaps daily meditation actually increases my soul's density?
It seemed plausible, yet something felt off. No one was around to explain the mechanics of the soul to him; he had to rely on his own exploration, which left him with only a superficial understanding.
Aomori looked at the unchanging scenery and a new question arose: How do I return to the outside world and regain control of my body? And is that enemy still inside me?
"If this is my Soul Space, it stands to reason that I should be able to control everything here at will," Aomori mused, deciding to put his theory to the test.
He focused intensely on a specific scene and snapped his fingers. Immediately, the surrounding environment underwent a massive transformation.
Lush green grass spread out beneath his feet, while the void above turned into a clear blue sky featuring a brilliant red sun.
"As expected, here, thoughts become reality." Aomori conjured a chair and sat down, his fingers tapping on a phantom table.
"Now then, would my 'guest' care to step forward?"
The moment he spoke, a sleazy-looking middle-aged man materialized on the tabletop. However, his size was minuscule; compared to Aomori, he wasn't even as large as an ant.
"It works." Aomori stared at the dazed man and conjured a cage to imprison him.
It was only then that the middle-aged man snapped out of it, his face twisted in bewilderment. "Where is this? I should have snatched that brat Aomori's body and been on my way to capturing Tatsumaki! Why am I suddenly here? And why am I back in my original form?"
Aomori tapped the cage with a fingertip, drawing the man's attention.
"W-w-w-what kind of monster are you?!" The man looked up and collapsed in terror. In his memory, only that Lord possessed such a towering stature. Moreover, the pressure radiating from this giant surpassed even that of his master.
"Which Lord are you? This lowly one entered your domain by mistake, please show mercy!" Due to the perspective, he didn't recognize Aomori. Or perhaps, he simply couldn't believe Aomori could become so immense.
Believing Aomori to be a being on the same level as his master, he knelt and trembled, not daring to raise his head.
Aomori raised an eyebrow, surprised by this development. His mind raced, replaying the man's actions since his appearance. He then spoke in a voice thick with authority: "I sense the aura of an old friend on you. Out of curiosity, I brought you here. Fret not; I only wish to ask a few questions. It won't take much of your time."
'An old friend?' The man's heart pounded, and his tone became even more subservient. "Please, Great Lord, ask whatever you wish. If I know the answer, I shall hold nothing back."
"Very well," Aomori began. "First question: What is your name?"
"I have long forgotten my original name. Currently, I am ranked 18th among the Apostles, so I am called No. 18."
'Apostles?' Aomori mentally noted the term. "How many of you are there in total?"
"There were originally 22, but now there are only 18."
"Heh, so you're at the very bottom."
"Er, I've just had a bit of bad luck. In terms of strength, I am certainly not the weakest," the man scrambled to explain.
"That is of no concern to me. There is no need for excuses. Now, what is the current status of your Lord? Is He able to descend again?"
The "He" Aomori referred to was, of course, God. Who else could command such Dragon-level (or higher) powerhouses? Since he didn't know if God was sealed or merely absent, he used the ambiguous term "descend."
The man realized who was being discussed and hesitated. He wasn't sure if this giant was a friend or foe; if he accidentally betrayed his boss, he was finished.
"What? You refuse to answer?"
The calm voice struck his ears like a thunderclap. The man shivered and kowtowed. "I truly do not know His current condition. I only receive occasional commands. My mission on Earth is to complete the tasks necessary to allow Him to descend once more."
"I see." Aomori asked as if as an afterthought, "Did He send you alone?"
"No, there is also No. 17. The two of us came together."
"No. 17? What are his abilities? Is he stronger than you?"
"He can manipulate soil at will. He's like a loach, very hard to catch. Of course, he can't do anything to me either. We're about evenly matched."
"Where is he now? What is he planning?"
'Strange... why is such a noble Lord so interested in No. 17?' No. 18 felt a hint of suspicion but didn't dare remain silent. He peeked up, trying to glimpse Aomori's face, while answering: "He went to gather sacrifices to offer to our Lord, to help Him break the seal."
"Sacrifices?" Aomori immediately recalled the mural in the Monster Association. Could Orochi be the sacrifice?
At that moment, taking advantage of Aomori's distraction, No. 18 looked up fully. He matched the face against his memories several times before finally confirming it was indeed Aomori.
"You bastard! You dare play me?!" Enraged and humiliated, No. 18 erupted. Violent flames exploded from his body, instantly shattering the cage.
The dancing sparks caught Aomori's attention. He smiled. "So you figured it out. No matter. Thanks to you, I've learned almost everything I wanted to know."
"Damn you!" No. 18 was so angry his lungs felt ready to burst. Even his hair turned into living flames. "This is your Soul Space, isn't it? I clearly destroyed your soul earlier. Was this all a trick? You lured me here to steal my information!"
'Destroyed my soul once? He's probably talking about my body's original owner...' Aomori mentally applauded No. 18's imagination and played along. "Exactly. Everything is within my grasp."
"Heh, I was careless before. But now that I've seen your true face, your plan has failed utterly!" No. 18 laughed sinisterly. "You look huge, but it's just an illusion, isn't it? Just like before. Your true self is hiding somewhere in a corner here. Once I find you, I swear I will torture you so badly you'll beg for the Yellow Springs!"
"First, I'll smash this eyesore of an illusion!" He launched himself like a rocket, a thin red line cutting through the air.
Slap!
Aomori didn't indulge him. He raised his right hand and swatted him directly back onto the table.
When he withdrew his hand, No. 18 was bleeding from every orifice, pinned flat against the tabletop.
"Impossible... impossible! This isn't real!" He roared like a madman, struggling to stand again.
"Perish! All of you, perish!" His body glowed with blinding intensity. Endless light and fire erupted once more as he unleashed his ultimate move without regard for the cost.
"Ultimate... Helium Flash!"
The move that had annihilated the Hero's Starting Ground in the vision now looked like a negligible spark to Aomori, hardly stronger than a candle flame.
Aomori sighed and pressed his palms together, trapping No. 18 and the fireball between them like a mosquito. He rubbed his palms together vigorously until he was certain No. 18's aura had completely vanished.
This was his Soul Space; he couldn't afford to let such a terrifying enemy linger.
After destroying No. 18, Aomori waited, but no memory-laden soul fragments appeared.
"I guess the novels lied. Luckily, I already squeezed most of his secrets out of him."
As for the idea of consuming a soul to gain memories, Aomori found it far too disgusting to contemplate.
"Time to head out." Aomori closed his eyes and willed himself to leave.
Seconds later, the soul-Aomori opened his eyes again, but the light within them had faded.
…
In the physical world, Tatsumaki stood before Aomori's body with a look of intense wariness, using her esper powers to layer countless barriers around him.
Minutes ago, "he" had been shouting about kidnapping Tatsumaki, only to suddenly fall unconscious.
Tatsumaki didn't know what was happening, so she had opted to bind him.
"Dammit! How do you even deal with souls?! Do I have to crack his head open and pull that guy out?" Tatsumaki bit her thumb, agitated. "Argh, so annoying! It's all that idiot Aomori's fault for falling for the enemy's trap so easily!"
Absol floated beside her. It had been ejected from Aomori's body shortly after he was possessed.
Absol watched Aomori with concern. The tragedy it had seen through Future Sight was still vivid; this was the most powerful enemy they had ever faced. If it hadn't just finished a Bond Evolution and run out of strength, it would have used Future Sight again to check the situation.
Just then, Tatsumaki saw Aomori's eyes slowly open. She immediately backed away and asked cautiously, "Who are you?"
"I am Aomori, of course." His consciousness having returned from the Soul Space, Aomori opened his eyes to see Tatsumaki's guarded expression and his own body tightly bound.
"Sol!" Absol tilted its head, confirming Aomori's identity through their familiar bond, and barked at Tatsumaki.
"Don't get in the way, you dumb dog! Are you the fake or the real one?" Tatsumaki snapped at Absol before staring down Aomori. She remembered the imposter saying he would even steal Aomori's name.
"The real one, obviously."
"Prove it."
"Prove I'm me?" Aomori thought for a moment. "How about I mention a few of our little secrets? Like the day I touched your—"
"Stop!" A flush, whether from embarrassment or rage, crept up Tatsumaki's face. She immediately cut him off. "That doesn't count! If the imposter got that idiot Aomori's memories, he would know about that too!"
"Then what do you suggest?"
"How should I know? I'm not the one who has to prove it!"
"..." Aomori was speechless. He sighed. "In that case, go get Bang-sensei. He can verify my identity."
Even with borrowed memories, a person's will cannot be mimicked. If he performed the Thunder-Light Duality Fist with its true Fist Intent before Bang, his identity would be proven.
"No!"
To Aomori's surprise, Tatsumaki refused flatly. "Who knows what ulterior motives you have? If I bring more people here, I might just be handing you more hostages. And besides..."
Besides, she felt a tiny bit responsible for this mess. Asking for help was something her pride simply wouldn't allow.
'Tatsumaki and her damn pride... in that case, don't blame me for being blunt.' Aomori's eyes flashed. The energy he had been quietly accumulating erupted, shattering most of Tatsumaki's barriers. He lunged toward Absol, withdrew it into its ball, and then faced Tatsumaki.
"See? You've shown your true colors!" Tatsumaki smiled triumphantly, ignoring Absol's disappearance as she launched an attack. "Fake, drop dead!"
She had decided to beat him within an inch of his life. If he were an imposter, he would surely use those strange skills from before and reveal himself; if he weren't, she could use this chance to vent her frustration over his earlier behavior.
Either way, Tatsumaki couldn't lose.
Aomori noticed the shattered barriers were repairing instantly while a massive force began to crush him, as if a giant's hand were squeezing him to a pulp. He didn't hesitate and unleashed his ultimate 1-on-1 technique…
'100% Princess Carry, activate!'
"This feeling is..." Tatsumaki immediately felt her body behaving strangely. She sneered. "This trick again. I already set up a mental barrier in my brain; you can't hypnotize me!"
However, her body still flew toward Aomori uncontrollably, as if drawn by a powerful magnetic field. No matter how she used her esper powers to resist, it was useless.
"Eh? Why? This is unscientific!"
Finally, Aomori pulled Tatsumaki into his arms again. His restless right hand automatically found that familiar, jelly-soft spot and gave it a firm squeeze.
"It seems my 'hypnosis' is stronger. Hmm, that familiar texture... quite nice."
Tatsumaki froze. Her face turned red, then white, then purple, then green, like a shifting palette, before finally settling on a deep crimson. Steam billowed from her head once more.
"You... you... you... Aomori, I'm going to kill you!"
On that day, nearby residents noticed that every single cloud in the sky had vanished. It was another day of perfectly clear blue skies.