Chapter 18
Clash for the strongest :
Everyone all watched as the fist of Yuki was clasped in the open palm of Mizuki, and they all wondered why she couldn't overpower her at all, as if Star Rage was not active, as if the very concept behind her overwhelming force had simply been muted or denied without explanation.
The ground beneath them trembled lightly, yet the expected shockwave never fully formed, leaving an unsettling silence in the wake of that collision.
Curse technique Star Rage:
The user adds imaginary mass to themselves or their shikigami Garuda without increasing their physical size.
The technique artificially increases mass, not weight or volume. Because of this:
Punches gain astronomical force.
Kinetic impact becomes devastating.
The user's body remains the same size and speed.
Only for what looked like a normal block to actually reveal something far deeper happening beneath the surface, something that could not be perceived by ordinary sight, and Gojo Satoru could see it clearly, his Six Eyes dissecting every layer of cursed energy interaction in real time.
And another… that was a young kid with long black hair and a blindfold, but currently the blindfold was no longer there and his eyes had shifted in an unnatural manner, almost as if something ancient was peering through them.
Satoru's thoughts:
"Her curse technique is active right now and she is warping space to counteract Star Rage."
And what happened beyond the sight of all, in the dimension of cursed energy and the natural laws governing jujutsu, Star Rage was pushing constantly to break the concept of space around it, forcing its mass into reality, attempting to dominate the battlefield through sheer overwhelming force.
But it was being subjected… to an endless wormhole of space.
A looping distortion.
A tunnel with no exit.
Every ounce of cursed energy from Yuki was being redirected, stretched, and folded into itself, endlessly cycling without ever reaching its intended target.
Yuki:
"And the Gojo Clan calls your curse technique useless, honestly it pisses me off."
The right fist of Mizuki appeared in front of Yuki and struck her gut, the impact compressing the air itself before releasing it in a violent burst, sending her flying as in the next instant Mizuki appeared behind Yuki and struck her back again with even greater precision.
The force carried Yuki forward as she quickly moved positive energy around her body, Reverse Curse Technique flowing continuously as she stabilized her internal damage while bracing for the next strike.
Only to see Mizuki taking light steps toward her direction, calm, controlled, almost effortless, as Yuki walked out of the forest that now stood destroyed with uprooted trees scattered like debris.
Yuki's thoughts:
"I need to hold out so I can find a way to beat her curse technique somehow, or else it will have to end in a clash of domains… but for now I should be able to reduce the damage even slightly if I use my curse technique in this way."
Yuki launched herself forward, rushing to strike Mizuki again, only for her fist to meet with light particles and distorted space around the arm of Mizuki.
The moment her attack entered that space, it was slowed, redirected, and weakened.
Mizuki parried her fist effortlessly.
Following after was an elbow to the jaw, sharp and precise.
But fortunately Yuki, knowing the fighting style of Mizuki, was able to predict the strike and cover her face with her forearms as a shield.
Positive cursed energy surged through her arms to reinforce them, while negative cursed energy layered beneath, creating a dual reinforcement.
This time she was not sent flying despite taking the full strike from Mizuki.
Mizuki:
"I expected nothing less Yuki, you are finally able to use your curse technique to enhance your durability."
Only a light smile filled the face of Mizuki as she stared at her only friend, a mixture of pride and excitement hidden beneath her calm expression.
Yuki:
"Well it was almost impossible but… in the years you were gone I finally got the right inspiration from my son."
Extension technique – Mass Manifesto
Normally, Star Rage adds imaginary mass to the user or Garuda.
This mass only affects force and impact, not the user's actual weight.
Mass Manifesto changes that rule.
Instead of keeping the mass virtual, the user materializes the mass inside their own body, turning it into real physical mass. This creates a vessel where the mass truly exists.
When Mass Manifesto is activated:
The user's body becomes a container for real manifested mass.
Their physical density increases drastically.
Their body becomes extremely resistant to force.
Because the mass is now real, the user gains extraordinary durability through pure physics. Attacks that normally rely on momentum or impact lose effectiveness, because moving or damaging something with extreme mass becomes incredibly difficult.
The body of Yuki was only pushed back by 5 meters, her feet carving deep trails into the ground, cracks spreading beneath each step.
Then she followed up with another strike as her body moved fast, but at the last second slowed down as her fist was caught by Mizuki again.
But this time…
Her fingers broke.
Her arm was forced back unnaturally as Yuki smiled through the pain.
Mizuki:
"She used both manifested mass and virtual mass at the same time, by only using manifested mass at the last second allowing her to not decrease her own speed… now with the extra reinforcement her curse technique is far more dangerous than before."
Mizuki only had a bright smile bloom on her face.
Mizuki:
"I was afraid that I had caught up to you… but now I'm glad that my doubts were for nothing."
Yuki:
"What do you take me for, no way I could let you surpass me… not willingly at least."
The image of Mizuki appeared in front of Yuki again, and she had her arms crossed to block.
But Mizuki grinned as her cursed energy shifted again, becoming heavier, deeper, more oppressive.
Amplification technique: Space Expanse
The user projects space into their target through physical contact, using the infinite momentum of space on the target, and that can be on the environment, object, or cursed energy that target can be set by the user.
Her fist warped space as it hit the blocking arms of Yuki.
And with that…
Yuki was being pushed by an increasing force.
An endless force.
Despite her increasing her own mass and weight continuously.
The debris around them began to float, then get pulled into orbit, spinning violently around Yuki as her own mass continued to increase through her extension technique.
Yuki:
"My weight is equivalent to a small moon right now… how are you still overpowering me."
Then Mizuki moved again.
A kick to the back.
Clean.
Precise.
Devastating.
It sent Yuki flying, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater upon landing.
The earth split.
The air trembled.
Yuki stood up slowly with blood dripping from her nose, her breathing heavier now, but her eyes still sharp.
Then she rushed at Mizuki again and threw Garuda toward her with full force.
Mizuki:
"That used 5% of my reserves, it's not sustainable… but now I can finally shut her up with brute strength alone."
The grin on Mizuki was clearly visible as she looked up to see the incoming fist of Yuki.
Yuki:
"Hey!! You're not taking me down that easily, now stand still so I can beat you up."
Mizuki lifted her hands to block the punches and kicks of Yuki, each collision sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Neutral amplification: Void
Each attack was still stopped despite Mizuki being pushed around, but she only focused on blocking each hit with precise timing, her arms moving just enough to intercept without wasting motion, her breathing steady even as the ground beneath her feet cracked and shifted from the sheer pressure of Yuki's strikes.
Only for Yuki to feint a punch and hit the shoulder of Mizuki with an elbow, the shift in rhythm almost impossible to read as the blow landed clean, this made an explosion that tore through the air like thunder, and after it cleared the shoulder bone of Mizuki was visible for a split second before Reverse Curse Technique surged through her body and healed it, flesh weaving back together as if time itself had reversed for that single moment.
Mizuki:
"Honestly if I did not use my reversal technique in that moment your strike would have reduced me to blood mist, and not even the smallest fragment of me would have remained to regenerate."
Yuki:
"Sorry, I had to test out my theory and it was correct.. you can reverse your curse technique, and not just at a basic level but at a level where you can sustain continuous high output regeneration mid combat."
Mizuki:
"Well then we should end this don't you think, because dragging this out any longer will only make things more destructive for everyone watching."
Yuki:
"Yes this gives us a chance to show off on the first year students, and maybe teach them something they will never forget for the rest of their lives."
Both moved their hands into two handed signs as they spoke at the same time, their voices overlapping yet perfectly clear, carrying across the battlefield with authority and weight.
Domain expansion..
Unbound Void passage/ universe constellation map
Space shifted as two orbs folded into each other in reality, as they intertwined together locked in place, distorting the environment as if the world itself had been layered twice over, while everyone else had shocked expressions not expecting the fight to reach this point so quickly, the air becoming heavy as if reality itself struggled to contain what was unfolding.
Mizuki only raised her arms and dropped them down afterwards, and in that simple motion Yuki was hit brutally with a tremendous amount of force across her body, her form ragdolling through the vast constructed space to a distance of 300 meters, only for Mizuki to already be there waiting, as if distance had no meaning to her anymore.
And in that moment Yuki was violently beaten around at world breaking speed, each strike landing before the last could even fully register, with Yuki only being able to perceive the rise and fall of Mizuki's posture like fragmented frames of motion rather than a continuous sequence.
Yuki:
"Agh!! How are you this fast , it's like all physics have lost sense of meaning, like I'm fighting something that exists outside the rules of the world."
Mizuki:
" in the beginning this feeling was other worldly, infinity accelerating while cutting distance in half at the same time, it felt unnatural even to me."
Yuki:
"The merging of physical movement and teleportation as one, you really have improved a lot huh, this isn't the same Mizuki I remember anymore."
Mizuki:
"Japanese sorcerers truly do not know what the peak truly is, always constantly seeing the mountains without being aware of the clouds and the stars above them, limiting themselves to what they can understand."
Mizuki:
"And I know that now, it's a level of strength I simply don't have the will power to achieve, not yet at least, because beyond this… something else exists."
Yuki:
" there is nothing wrong with costing Mizuki, sometimes knowing your limits is what allows you to surpass them later."
Mizuki:
" being satisfied, in all my life I never thought I would be the one to say those words, yet here I am acknowledging it."
Yuki:
"But you still want the title of the strongest sorcerer in Japan right, you wouldn't be here otherwise."
Mizuki:
"I guess I haven't changed that much, some desires don't fade no matter how much you grow."
All the moons and distant planets began to shake, trembling violently as cracks of energy spread across their surfaces, then in an instant they exploded inwards forming miniature black holes that began to destabilise the space itself, their gravitational pull dragging Mizuki in multiple directions at once, tearing at her position from every angle.
Mizuki:
"You found a way huh, turning my own domain against me by overloading its spatial constants."
Yuki:
" yes to neutralise your speed , and really isn't that speed just totally unfair, it feels like trying to catch something that doesn't exist."
Mizuki:
" I know right!, I thought the same when I figured out I can do that with a simple binding vow made in my domain with my curse technique, now I am the fastest sorcerer in all of Japan's history, at least within this space."
Yuki:
" don't be too quick to say that , you know jinxing the world is not a good thing, especially in jujutsu where fate loves to prove people wrong."
Mizuki:
" oh come on, even Zenin Naoya at most would reach sub-hypersonic speed , and Satoru would at most barely reach hypersonic speed because his body is not durable enough to handle the folding and pressure of space unlike me, my body has a higher resistance to space mostly because of my curse technique, I could theoretically survive the passage through a wormhole or even approach the distance to a black hole's singularity without being torn apart instantly."
Yuki:
" unfair is an understatement then, these old people talk so much about your weak curse technique but all they want is control and what they know, and they fear the uncontrollable unknown that you represent."
Mizuki:
" let's not talk about the past Yuki, it doesn't matter here and now."
With a burst of speed Mizuki closed the distance instantly, appearing before Yuki as if she had always been there, only for Yuki to increase her mass to an extreme level, even approaching that of a star, and punched outward with overwhelming force.
Only for Mizuki to use her technique and block with her palm, but this time the energy of Yuki could not fully be contained as the hand and forearm bone of Mizuki shattered instantly, the crack echoing through the domain, only to be covered in white energy and healed back in the next moment.
But in that brief opening Yuki continued to strike at the body of Mizuki, crushing bones and organs with relentless precision, as chunks of flesh were torn apart and scattered before being pulled back together through Reverse Curse Technique, the battle turning into a brutal exchange of destruction and regeneration.
Mizuki:
" having Reverse Curse Technique is truly a game changer in battle isn't it, it turns fatal mistakes into temporary setbacks."
Yuki:
" it allows me to have a perfect crash test dummy, someone who won't break no matter how hard I hit."
Mizuki:
" you know , you really don't know when to not cross the line, even in a fight like this."
Technique Reversal: motion steal
The fist of Mizuki began to change and shift the very space around it, distorting the flow of movement itself as she counter punched Yuki, their fists colliding in a moment that seemed to freeze everything.
Boom..
This time a different result happened, Yuki's body, her curse energy, even the force behind it began to slow down unnaturally, as if time itself had been dragged through resistance.
Yuki:
" what the hell is this, why does everything feel like it's being pulled back."
Mizuki:
"Think of the Limitless curse technique's neutral amplification Infinity, but mine is more offensive than defensive, instead of stopping things it steals their motion entirely."
Mizuki:
" and here's the kicker, I can place its effects not only on your body but your curse energy and the effects of your curse technique as well, by extension everything you output becomes subject to it, all until you become completely still, and only then will you return to normal again… if you can even reach that point."
Yuki:
" this is so annoying, you can just spam this over and over again every reset, like there is no real opening against you no matter how many times I adapt."
Mizuki:
" yes , you understand the evil genius of my curse technique.. I can abuse it like a game glitch because of the simple binding vow I made that allows you to reset back to normal, but I also can use it again instantly, and in the long battle of jujutsu ..and domain clashes all it takes is a millisecond for a life and death action to happen, so that window becomes everything."
Yuki:
" you really are a binding vow merchant huh, squeezing every advantage out of the system like that."
Mizuki:
" well that's what happens to those of us that are told we have a weak curse technique and can never reach special grade, you either evolve or get left behind."
Yuki:
" what do you mean!!! Weak curse technique!! You can ignore effects to an extreme level of motion and friction on your body, that alone breaks most fundamental combat rules."
Mizuki:
" it's only so so, I'm just an average sorcerer with a good head on her shoulders.. and years of hard work layered on top of that."
Yuki:
" are you serious right now!!, how shameless!!!, saying that with a straight face after everything you've shown."
Meanwhile 2 minutes before….
Aoi:
"You really don't know when to give up huh, but I guess you wouldn't be you ..if you did, stubborn to the very end."
Shoko:
"At least I don't have to heal either of them, but damn .. are they really third year and fourth year students, this level is ridiculous."
Geto:
"Yes I know right, already with domain expansions.. the peak of jujutsu at beyond the age of 25 for most, yet they stand there like it's natural."
Satoru:
"Mizuki is only 19 , her birthday is in a week from now .. but all this fuss for a domain expansion, it's not something unreachable."
Utahime:
"Do you not understand that most sorcerers will never achieve it even despite all having an innate domain, it's the pinnacle for a reason."
Satoru:
" so what !, I'm not like most sorcerers .. when I perfect neutral limitless and learn Reverse Curse Technique, then I will achieve Domain expansion last .. I can feel it already, I will surpass Mizuki."
Mei Mei:
" do you think you could reach their level at their age, because if so, that's quite the investment opportunity."
Kusakabe:
"I already know where this is going, and I'm not getting dragged into that bet."
Naoya:
" I would like in on that bet , I will surely achieve domain expansion first, unlike some people here."
Satoru Gojo stepped forward in front of Naoya Zenin with a wide grin on his face, his confidence almost overflowing into arrogance.
Satoru:
" oh you're on, this time it's the effort of the individual.. no one to hold your hand this time."
Naoya:
" don't worry, since your looks is the only thing you have that's worth mentioning.. compared to your comprehension as a sorcerer."
Emi:
" ouch.. that one definitely landed."
Kai:
" well we can't see that battle anymore, so do we wait or just sit here guessing what's happening."
Gojo:
"Who said I can't see."
He grinned while lowering his sunglasses and I felt something sting in my eyes, a sharp pressure like needles pressing inward, as I began to lower my black blindfold as well.. with my bright crimson eyes in his place, then my vision began to shift as well only seeing a crimson world, but when looking around myself I could see red pulsing veins, many of them intertwined, and red lumps and I realised it was flesh and muscles then organs, not just the people around me, but the ants as well as the curse spirit fly-heads.. everything reduced to its biological structure, raw and exposed.
Then I locked eyes towards the barrier as my vision pierced through, tearing past the surface like it wasn't even there.
Inside was a split between endless stars and the endless warping of space, and light from both domains battling it out for dominance.. but it's clear that they are evenly matched, being tied in complexity of curse technique, tied in curse energy output and barrier refinement, like two perfect systems colliding.
Yuki:
"Haven't been pushed like this in a year now, it's almost nostalgic."
Mizuki:
"Don't worry, it's the last time that you will .. since I will be taking your title."
Yuki:
" I swear all Gojo's are arrogant, it must run in the blood at this point."
They both charged forward as large moons were launched towards Mizuki by Yuki, their mass distorting everything around them as they moved.
Yuki:
"Take that!!!, let's see you deal with this head on."
Mizuki:
" let's end this quick, I'm getting tired of dragging this out."
Mizuki:
" empty Outpance"
" sink and fill"
"Freeze the law"
" Maximum technique: Dead Zone"
Everyone within a 50 meter radius all began to fade and stop, from all the light now no longer there even motion and time and space itself froze, as if existence had been paused entirely, as the rushing moons moved into the dead zone and became full then vanished slowly like they never existed, erased without resistance, and Yuki herself was now currently falling inside the dead zone her body slowly fading, her form losing definition.
Yuki:
" no no !! Not like this I can still , I'm not done yet."
" Non existence "
"True origin point"
"Metaphysical distortion "
Amplified Extension technique: meta dimension
Yuki:
" zero mass technique: Blackhole "
An energy of primordial law of mass and gravity broke through, as it surrounded Yuki with the energy fading as well but fighting back, clashing against the stillness imposed on it, while her body glowed purple and her body and eyes changed to match the colours of a nebula, then cracks began to spread covering the whole space with the inner layer of their domain barriers breaking, fracturing under the strain.
As Yuki had become a black hole that sucked everything inwards to break out of the dead zone of space she was trapped in, forcing movement into a place where movement was denied.
In a loud sound that was heard by all it shattered into pieces, the domains collapsing violently, with Yuki down on one knee bleeding out through her nose and ears.. while Mizuki looked completely fine on the surface, though the tension in her posture said otherwise.
Yuki:
"Ugh!! You actually predicted that, even that outcome was within your calculations."
Mizuki:
"I grasped the outcome through endless time , since you were completely frozen in my perspective only moving slowly.. giving me enough time to act and choose the best path forward."
Kai:
" she is a monster, she shut off her domain at the critical moment her domain was about to shatter to minimise the backlash of curse technique burnout after, that level of control is insane."
Gojo Mizuki only had a condescending smile as she moved her hands to make another domain expansion hand sign, her confidence unshaken.
Mizuki:
" I could end it here with anoth—
Drip..
A trail of blood rolled from her nose as she stopped mid action without even saying the same, already knowing the part of her brain that controlled barrier techniques was damaged from Yuki's super black hole, the cost finally catching up.
Yuki:
" at least this is a defeat I can stomach down, knowing I pushed you that far."
Mizuki:
"0.00000001 second too slow, in my action to disperse my own domain… that was the difference."
Far somewhere else in Japan..
Flames ,ashes ,screams…
All that is visible in a courtyard of a minor clan, the Koshira clan known to have abnormal bodies that can store up malevolent curse energy, normally working as the cleaners of jujutsu society by absorbing the curse energy left behind by curse spirits to prevent more curse spirits from being born.
But currently their clan is being massacred by figures in white, as they burn down the estate killing servants and taking children, the night sky painted in fire and smoke.
And in a room hiding under a cabinet is a boy with black hair and brown eyes, with a thin frame trying his best to hold his breath, his body trembling uncontrollably.. the boy's name is Koshira Yujiro.
Yujiro:
"They killed aunt Yuma, are they doing this because of the useless clan head, is this all his fault."
Bang..
The door was split in half as two figures destroyed the room and turned to the cabinet without hesitation.
Q member:
"It seems like the brat is over here, hiding won't save him."
Q member:
" I'm sure the doctor will find good use for him, with their family's unique restricted curse technique."
They moved over and ripped off the wooden cabinet, splinters flying everywhere, and grabbed the screaming boy by his neck, lifting him like he weighed nothing.
Yujiro:
" No!! let me go!!, who sent you .. are you doing this because of the clan head, tell me!"
Q member:
" shut up kid, it's best you be obedient, it'll hurt less that way."
They dragged him out and from the eyes of the boy Yujiro only saw the dead bodies of his clan, many he has disliked or looked up to and gotten acts of kindness from or only hatred, all lay as mangled corpses in the courtyard with the flames burning everywhere, matching the crimson-orange hue of the sky.. tears flowed without pause from his eyes as everything he had ever known, his only home, was reduced to this.
They tied Koshira Yujiro up with other young girls and boys at the back of a truck and blindfolded them, with gags in their mouths, before slamming the large doors shut.
Q member:
" our group is successful, but we should tell the next few groups to wait and continue on different months and different methods of kidnapping, since it won't be long before the jujutsu higher ups find out."
Q member:
" relax , don't worry so much.. the leader has a vision for everything, and in the end we will be able to restore the great Tengen to her true form."
In a few other locations across Japan many sorcerer children and non sorcerers are being kidnapped by the Time Vessel Association by order of the leader, later to be trafficked on the black market across the world.. and the young boy Yujiro Koshira already had a special arrangement set for him.
The blindfold around his eyes was pulled off, only for him to be blinded by bright lights as his vision adjusted slowly, perceiving himself in a room.. a lab with many instruments and a smell like something had died for weeks, thick and suffocating.
Only to see corpses with all having the same thing done to them.. their chests sliced open and all no longer having hearts.
Yujiro:
" where am I, who are you… what is this place."
Curse user:
" oh little one, I'm the doctor okay.. and I will need your help to save humanity, isn't that a noble thing."
Curse user:
" well more like non sorcerers, I don't understand why the world governments don't just take you sorcerers for research, you're far more useful like this."
Yujiro:
" No okay, just don't kill me , I'll do anything please."
Curse user:
"Ohh you misunderstand, as a medical expert.. I can't make promises like that, not when progress is involved."
Yujiro's thoughts:
" am I really going to die here, without anyone even knowing what happened to me."
Authors note:
I took a break from everything JJK related in my actual life , but now I am back and will continue this story and don't worry the peak is yet to come with many of my own Characters and characters inspired or given to me by others to add and as a little spoiler the MC will have his own group of friends….. hope you enjoy and one last thing I will be Releasing a New Blue Lock Fic so please check it out when it drops .