December 29, 2018. Tokyo Jujutsu High.
After learning the method of deicide from Ryomen Sukuna, Yuji Itadori sought out Satoru Gojo first thing in the morning. He eventually found Gojo at the academy's training grounds.
Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto were engaged in a restricted sparring session, with Yuta Okkotsu observing from the sidelines.
Because Tengen was no longer present, the maintenance of Japan's massive barriers had entirely fallen under the jurisdiction of the King of Cursed Spirits' faction. This meant the Tombs of the Star were inaccessible, and the incredibly convenient Sunyata Barriers—the perfect training environments—were no longer functional. They had no choice but to use the academy's standard training grounds for their daily regimens.
Of course, there was a vastly superior alternative: the Dream Migration.
Within the Dream Migration, Jujutsu Sorcerers could unleash their full power without any fear of actual death. Even if they directed genuine, lethal murderous intent at their opponents and secured a 'fatal' blow, they would simply earn points. It was, objectively, the ultimate training facility.
But while the Dream Migration offered every advantage imaginable, it possessed one fatal flaw: all information within the colonies was collected and monitored by the Lord of Cursed Spirits.
Gojo had correctly deduced that absolutely everything that transpired within the Dream Migration would inevitably be observed by the King of Cursed Spirits. For most sorcerers, this was irrelevant. Regardless of what the King of Cursed Spirits saw, he acted as an impartial background administrator who treated all gathered intelligence neutrally.
But for a sorcerer whose explicit goal was to defeat the King of Cursed Spirits and claim the 'Finite Infinity' wish, this was the absolute most critical rule to remember: a battle between Jujutsu Sorcerers is, at its core, a battle of information. When facing an opponent as close to godhood as the King of Cursed Spirits, fiercely guarding one's own combat data was paramount.
This was exactly why Gojo and Geto preferred to train here, refusing to set foot in the Dream Migration just to spar.
Yuji watched from the sidelines for a few minutes, his brow furrowing in confusion.
He turned to his upperclassman, Yuta Okkotsu, and asked, "Okkotsu-senpai, why is Gojo-sensei dodging Geto's attacks? He has the Limitless active. He shouldn't need to dodge any of that."
The scene playing out on the plaza was exactly as Yuji described. Suguru Geto had unleashed a hyper-dense barrage of Cursed Spirit projectiles, practically saturating every square inch of the plaza. The attacks that struck the ground triggered massive explosions, but the vast majority were concentrated in the sky, where Gojo was freely teleporting, using the air itself as his foothold.
Normally, Gojo wouldn't even bother dodging a barrage like this. He would simply let the projectiles crash harmlessly against his Infinity. But right now, he was using continuous Limitless teleportation to evade the densest clusters of the barrage, while using his monk's staff to deflect the stray shots.
Yuta watched the bout between Gojo and Geto with rapt attention, unable to tear his eyes away. Without breaking his gaze, he explained, "The Tool Manipulation of the King of Cursed Spirits possesses the ability to bypass the Limitless. Gojo-sensei suspects that, now that the King of Cursed Spirits possesses the Six Eyes, he'll be able to thoroughly analyze the mechanics of his Tool Manipulation and engrave that bypass ability directly into his own Limitless technique. If he does that, *every single attack* the Lord of Cursed Spirits unleashes will carry the property of bypassing the Limitless. Therefore, Gojo-sensei has to train himself to be hyper-vigilant against every single attack."
Yuji frowned. "Is that even possible? A cursed tool's structure is completely different from a human's. A cursed tool's ability shouldn't be able to function as a simulated soul for the Lord of Cursed Spirits to manipulate."
By now, everyone knew the mechanics behind Mahito's Soul Creation. Even Yuji could recite the theory flawlessly.
"It's hard to say," Yuta murmured. "Did you hear about Megumi's fight with his father, Toji Fushiguro? Toji used the Innate Technique of the intelligent Cursed Spirit, Hanami. Intelligent Curses aren't human either, but Toji Fushiguro still managed to engrave the Curse's technique into his own brain and perfectly inherit Hanami's stealth capabilities."
Yuji nodded thoughtfully, understanding Yuta's point.
This proved that after acquiring the Six Eyes, the King of Cursed Spirits had achieved yet another breakthrough in his Cursed Technique Reversal. He could now engrave the abilities of Cursed Spirits into the flesh of others. If he could do it with Cursed Spirits, then whether he could do it with cursed tools was a massive, terrifying question mark.
Gojo wasn't willing to gamble his life on whether the King of Cursed Spirits possessed that capability. He had decisively concluded: *Assume he can.*
Right now, Gojo was training under the absolute worst-case scenario: assuming that every single attack from the Lord of Cursed Spirits would carry the 'Cleaving Line' effect. And when it came to sheer volume and density of attacks—at least in terms of projectile barrages—Suguru Geto far surpassed Yuta Okkotsu. That was why Gojo had roped Geto into this specific training regime.
Yuji reaffirmed what he had always known: Gojo-sensei had never once surrendered.
Even knowing the crushing weight of 'Fate', he refused to admit defeat. He was preparing with everything he had, actively anticipating every horrific scenario that could arise during his battle with the King of Cursed Spirits, and rigorously training to counter them.
Yuji felt a profound sense of relief. *Asking Sukuna how to kill a god was definitely the right call.*
Yuta suddenly spoke up. "Itadori... what do you plan to do in the future, after this phase of the Dream Migration ends?"
Yuji blinked, taken aback. *Is this really the time to be thinking about that?*
Yuta sat down on the plaza steps, his eyes still fixed on Gojo and Geto's spar. It was as if he could read Yuji's mind. He spoke slowly, "Gojo-sensei and the King of Cursed Spirits formed an incredibly strict Binding Vow. You should know the terms: once a victor is decided, whoever wins will fully absorb the surviving members of the losing faction. And the absorbed members will absolutely not be mistreated."
Yuji knew about this Vow. He gave a small nod.
"Even though Gojo-sensei is training like a demon right now, he doesn't want us students to feel any unnecessary pressure. After all, whether he wins or loses, none of us will be purged for belonging to his faction. We'll still have our own lives to live... That's why I'm asking. What are your plans for the future?" Yuta asked.
Yuji's sharp instincts flared. He instantly realized that this wasn't a question Yuta was asking of his own volition.
He furrowed his brow and asked slowly, "Okkotsu-senpai... Gojo-sensei asked you to ask me this, didn't he?"
Yuta remained silent.
Despite his intense preparations, Satoru Gojo knew better than anyone just how abysmally low his chances of victory were. Unlike the original timeline, where he was brimming with absolute confidence that he could handle Ryomen Sukuna and thus never bothered discussing the future with his students, the situation here was entirely different. 'Fate' itself was bearing down on his shoulders, and having experienced its power firsthand, he knew exactly how likely he was to fail. With his students standing right beside him, he couldn't just say nothing.
But because of his incredibly messy, hypocritical pride, he couldn't bring himself to ask them directly. So, he had delegated the task to Yuta Okkotsu.
Seeing Yuji's silence, Yuta continued in a slow, measured tone, "America has already sent over an invitation. Master Tengen has successfully deployed the Great American Barrier over there, and the Lord of Cursed Spirits has agreed to launch the next phase of the Dream Migration simultaneously in the US. If... and I mean *if*... you don't want to stay in Japan, you can consider going to America. They are in desperate need of Jujutsu Sorcerers right now, and they'll welcome you with open arms. Master Yuki is also stationed there, so you won't have to worry about how the Americans will treat you." (Referencing Vol. 31)
Yuji couldn't hold it in any longer. "Is Gojo-sensei making arrangements for his funeral?!"
Yuta remained strictly silent.
Yuji took two or three deep, ragged breaths to calm his racing heart. "What about everyone else?"
"Maki isn't planning on going to America. She wants to stay here and bear witness to the future the Lord of Cursed Spirits creates. Regardless of whether Gojo-sensei wins or loses, she intends to fight the King of Cursed Spirits to the bitter end," Yuta revealed. "Principal Yaga and Panda plan to stay and continue running Tokyo Jujutsu High. In the foreseeable future, Tokyo Jujutsu High will inevitably see an massive influx of newly awakened civilian sorcerers. They want to elevate the school's reputation to new heights."
"As for Inumaki... he's already considering the move to America." Yuta let out a long exhale. "That just leaves you first-years... You're the first one I've asked."
Even without asking the others, Yuji could vaguely sense the shape of the future unfolding before them.
The advent of the Dream Migration had fundamentally shattered the world's status quo. A tsunami of jujutsu prosperity was about to crash over the entire globe. And right at the epicenter of this storm, everyone would be forced to ride the waves. Just as Principal Yaga and Panda predicted, the demand for orthodox knowledge and training would trigger an explosive surge in enrollment at Tokyo Jujutsu High. And the students who had reaped the early benefits of this chaotic era were destined to shine brilliantly in the coming age.
In fact, Yuji was already shining brilliantly.
With Ryomen Sukuna holding down Tokyo No. 1 Colony, and Yuji fearlessly challenging him time and time again, his reputation had long since spread like wildfire throughout the jujutsu world. Was there a single sorcerer alive who didn't know the name of 'Sukuna's Vessel', Yuji Itadori—the boy who fought, lost, and endlessly rose to fight again?
It was true for him, and it was true for the others.
The upperclassmen of Tokyo Jujutsu High had already braced themselves for the arrival of a new era. And whether Satoru Gojo existed in that new era didn't actually matter. The only things that mattered were the Dream Migration and the Lord of Cursed Spirits. Everyone knew that the King of Cursed Spirits was virtually immortal; regardless of whether Satoru Gojo won or lost, it wouldn't fundamentally alter the trajectory of the future.
Yuji felt an overwhelming sensation—the crushing, inexorable grinding of the 'Wheel of Fate'. Never before had he felt so viscerally aware that he was standing in the dead center of history in the making. In the future, his name would undoubtedly be etched into the history books.
But his first reaction wasn't pride. It was sorrow. Sorrow for Satoru Gojo.
Because Satoru Gojo... was the man destined to be crushed beneath that very 'Wheel of Fate'!
"What about you, Okkotsu-senpai?" Yuji's voice was low, his spirit heavy.
"If Gojo-sensei wins, I will continue to follow him." Yuta's voice was unnervingly flat, utterly devoid of emotion. "If Gojo-sensei loses, I plan to defect to the Lord of Cursed Spirits' faction and serve under him. I imagine that, thanks to the Binding Vow, a Special Grade Sorcerer like me will be treated quite favorably."
Yuji stared at Yuta in utter disbelief. "Are you serious, Senpai?"
"If the King of Cursed Spirits wins, he will undeniably ascend to godhood. Becoming a warrior under a god... no matter how you look at it, it's the most promising career path, isn't it?"
Yuji stared hard at the side of Yuta's face. His expression was completely blank, stripped of any micro-expression. Yuji wasn't a complicated thinker, but even he could detect the glaring anomaly in Yuta's words. He looked deeply at Yuta before turning his gaze back to the clash between Gojo and Geto.
He said quietly, "Whatever you're plotting, I'm pretty sure the King of Cursed Spirits is smarter than you are."
Yuji suspected Yuta was planning an assassination.
Because out of all of them, Yuta Okkotsu respected Satoru Gojo the most. Yuji absolutely refused to believe that Yuta would ever betray Gojo, especially not with such a blatant, unapologetic declaration. It completely contradicted everything Yuta stood for.
Yuta rested his hands on his knees, his voice eerily calm. "You misunderstand. If Gojo-sensei loses, I genuinely intend to defect to the King of Cursed Spirits."
"Why?"
"Because I want to see it with my own eyes... I want to see exactly what kind of future will bloom from soil watered by Gojo-sensei's blood," Yuta said slowly. "And the absolute best vantage point to witness that future... is right by the Lord of Cursed Spirits' side. That is why I must go there."
Yuta Okkotsu may have been the one who respected Satoru Gojo the most, but he was simultaneously the most ruthlessly pragmatic among them. In the original timeline, *he* was the one who proposed using Kenjaku's brain-hopping technique to hijack Satoru Gojo's corpse! When everyone else recoiled in horror, Yuta had screamed that if no one else was willing to step into the darkness and become a monster, then he would do it himself!
He was a profound pessimist, and his worst-case scenarios almost always came true. It was true in the original timeline... and it was true now.
When a situation deteriorated beyond the point of salvation, Yuta Okkotsu didn't focus on miraculously increasing their odds of victory; he focused entirely on securing the absolute baseline for survival. That was how his mind operated.
Consistent to the bitter end.
Yuji fell silent for the third time. He suddenly realized he couldn't muster a single word to argue against Yuta. This man had clinically analyzed every horrific possibility, and had even meticulously planned out his exact course of action for when reality inevitably plunged into the worst-case scenario.
Yuji finally understood the true nature of the man named Yuta Okkotsu. They were fundamentally different people. Their thought processes were diametric opposites. When faced with an absolute dead end, Yuji would grit his teeth and violently smash his way forward. When Yuta faced a dead end, he would calculate how to bypass it, or dismantle it from an entirely different angle.
As a Jujutsu Sorcerer, Yuji couldn't say whose approach was 'correct'. For a brief moment, he actually felt a wave of nausea. He didn't find Yuta's logic disgusting; he found it sickening that two people fighting for the exact same cause could possess such radically irreconcilable worldviews.
"As for me..." Yuji clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. "I'll keep actively participating in the Dream Migration. I don't care how long it takes; I'm going to win a round. And when I do... I'm going to use my 'Finite Infinity' wish and tell the Lord of Cursed Spirits: *Resurrect Gojo-sensei!*"
Yuta whipped his head around, staring at Yuji.
Yuji kept his head down, glaring at the tips of his shoes, a fierce determination igniting in his chest. "I know it's incredibly selfish. I know Gojo-sensei has positioned himself as the absolute nemesis of the King of Cursed Spirits. If the Lord of Cursed Spirits wins, even if he has the power, he would never voluntarily resurrect Gojo-sensei. But... since the Lord of Cursed Spirits boasted that the Dream Migration will run for multiple seasons, and that there are absolutely no restrictions on the 'Finite Infinity' wish... then demanding Gojo-sensei's resurrection should be entirely within the rules, right?"
"If a future without Gojo-sensei brings happiness to the vast majority of the world, then resurrecting him would become a sin," Yuta stated coldly.
"I don't care," Yuji fired back.
Yuta stared at Yuji for a long moment, then slowly averted his gaze.
"You probably won't have any friends left," Yuta noted.
"I don't care," Yuji repeated.
Both of them fell silent.
This heavy silence persisted until Gojo and Geto finally concluded their sparring session.
Yuji immediately rushed over to relay the intelligence he had extracted from Sukuna. As Gojo wiped the sweat from his brow, listening intently to the report, a grin spread across his face. "I see. Now I get it."
"Huh?" Yuji blinked, thoroughly confused. "What do you get? Sukuna's a twisted bastard. He told me the theory behind deicide, but he completely omitted the actual practical application. How did you figure it out so fast?"
"To perfectly and precisely partition the circulation of positive and negative energy... out of all the cursed techniques in existence, only one can achieve that seamlessly." Gojo looked at Yuji, his grin widening into something feral. "And that is Sukuna's own technique: Shrine. The rules of the Dream Migration state that a human brain can safely engrave a limited number of Innate Techniques. Three is the absolute safe limit; a fourth risks severe, catastrophic side effects—something even Kenjaku wouldn't dare attempt. My brain currently houses two techniques: the Limitless and Tool Manipulation. I have room to engrave exactly one more."
Yuji's eyes widened in sudden, horrifying realization. "The final technique you chose to engrave... is Sukuna's Shrine! If you engrave his technique, the one who benefits the most is Sukuna himself! He's the true master of that technique; he knows how to exploit it better than anyone! He totally set you up, Gojo-sensei!"
"It's a trap, yes. But it's an absolutely necessary one." Gojo flashed a maniacal, arrogant smile. "But isn't this perfect? Ryomen Sukuna is hailed as the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer in history, and I am hailed as the strongest of the modern era. I've been itching... to test my mettle against this guy's absolute prime!"
*Bring it on,* Gojo thought, his blood boiling with anticipation.
*Whether it's 'Fate', 'Gods', or the title of 'The Strongest'—I will shatter them all!*