Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Times

"Let me think... how about this? You all come at me one by one and show me your full strength. Remember, I mean full strength!"

Gojo Satoru stood at the center of the training field, arms relaxed, sleeves rolled up, a casual grin on his face that was somehow equal parts lazy and aggravating. Opposite him stood five students, all watching with a mix of readiness and dread.

"I'll go first!" Maki announced, stepping forward with fire in her eyes.

She didn't hesitate. Holding her wooden staff tight, Maki burst forward. As she neared Gojo, she suddenly changed direction, her body twisting mid-stride. The staff she wielded cut through the air with a tearing sound, aiming directly for Gojo's upper body.

The blur of her strikes stopped in an instant—gripped firmly by Gojo Satoru's hand.

"Maki," Gojo said lightly, his tone borderline condescending, "did you burn yourself out in training earlier? Didn't I just say to use your full strength?"

His voice dropped slightly, and though still teasing, his next words carried weight. "This isn't just prep for the exchange event. This is for your future missions too. It's real combat, real stakes."

He lowered his sunglasses just enough to reveal those piercing cerulean Six Eyes. His usual carefree aura gave way to something deeper, more grounded.

"So... treat me like a real enemy," he said with a slow, deliberate smile. "Don't worry about me. I am the strongest after all"

A moment of silence passed—then Gojo's footwork shifted. The very next moment, Maki attacked again with a sudden sweep, her staff aiming low.

Gojo leaned back almost effortlessly, narrowly avoiding the sweep. One hand touched the ground, and with that as his base, he launched into a powerful spinning kick that forced Maki backward. In a blur, he rose and followed with a rapid series of palm strikes and feints.

Maki gritted her teeth. The flow of strikes came fast—too fast. It felt like facing multiple opponents. Her instincts took over as her body moved on autopilot, reacting, countering, pressing in.

But it wasn't enough.

Gojo never stood still long enough for her attacks to land. His positioning seemed impossibly precise, as if he were teleporting between points she almost predicted.

Even worse, Maki knew full well—even if she did land a hit, it wouldn't connect. The Limitless Technique was always active, passively untouchable.

Still, she kept fighting. Strike, twist, sweep, lunge. Gojo disarmed every offensive rhythm she tried to build. He even commentated while doing it, offering unsolicited advice between counters. And his own blows, while casual in appearance, hit with the weight of a truck.

Dozens of exchanges later, Maki stumbled from a palm thrust to the forehead, landing hard.

"Out," Gojo said nonchalantly. "Next!"

Shingen Genichi, watching from the side, sighed. "He even used his Technique. How are we supposed to play?"

Panda stretched and stepped forward. "Perfect! My turn!"

He activated Gorilla Mode and charged forward—but it didn't help. Before long, Panda was spinning through the air like a pinwheel, slamming into the grass with a thud. Gojo was still stretching, looking like he hadn't warmed up.

Despite Panda's three cores—Balance (default), Power (Gorilla Mode), and Speed (his elusive "sister" persona)—nothing landed. Even his "Drumming Beat" was useless.

Gojo smiled cheerfully. "Next!"

Shingen Genichi groaned and stepped forward, picking up a wooden sword.

"I'm saying it now—this is just a one-sided beating. There's no way I can break your Limitless Technique."

Gojo waved it off. "Come now, Genichi. Let me see your real strength—"

Boom.

An explosion of air broke through the field. Gojo blinked—Shingen Genichi had vanished and reappeared in front of him in the blink of an eye. The wooden sword shattered on impact.

Genichi flew backward—then disappeared again, reappearing mid-fall.

Rubbing his wrist, Genichi muttered, "Too much, Sensei."

Gojo chuckled. "That was Reversal, wasn't it? Not bad at all…"

Genichi grinned slyly. "How about a deal? I won't use my Technique to accelerate. You don't use Limitless. Just pure close-quarters combat. Fair?"

Gojo arched a brow. "Trying to bait me, are you?" Then smirked. "Alright. Deal."

The atmosphere shifted.

Genichi approached slowly. Even without his Technique, his movements were clean and fast, powered purely by well-refined Cursed Energy control.

The others watched, stunned. Genichi's earlier burst had come out of nowhere, and now, without speed boosts, he still looked deadly.

Maki, arms crossed, watched in silence.

'That speed… If that's what he can do without acceleration, then with it…'

Genichi and Gojo began to trade blows.

Though clearly outmatched, Genichi kept the pressure on, anticipating Gojo's flickers, adjusting quickly to his micro-teleports. Each of his attacks had purpose. Gojo, amused, was deliberately holding back—guiding Genichi rather than demolishing him.

Genichi dodged, redirected, and countered. Behind every movement was one singular goal: Black Flash.

Gojo sensed it and teased him. "Oh? Keeping something in reserve? Afraid you'll run out of time before I floor you?"

Genichi blocked a sweep, then stepped in and punched hard.

The familiar crackle of Black Cursed Energy lit the air.

"Black Flash!" Maki shouted.

Beside her, Yuta blinked. "Black what?"

As Maki began explaining the phenomenon, Gojo caught the Black Flash in his palm—completely nullifying it.

Then with a grin, he slammed a fist into Genichi's midsection, sending him airborne.

"Careful up there!" he called cheerfully—and disappeared.

A second later, Gojo was right beside airborne Genichi, ready to follow up.

Now!

Genichi smiled mid-air. "Technique Reversal! Time Wheel – Reverse!"

The world blurred.

One moment: airborne, vulnerable.

The next: standing on the ground again—Gojo behind him this time.

His body had returned to the moment before the first Black Flash—charged, primed, ready. He twisted and threw the punch, reversing the moment to deliver a second Black Flash from behind.

A pseudo Black Flash double strike—perfect in timing, terrifying in impact.

And it landed.

Or so he thought.

Gojo… caught it. Again.

That same grinning face. That same glowing palm. Black Cursed Energy cracked and flared—and collapsed into his grip.

Then Gojo retaliated. A clean shot to the abdomen.

Thud.

Genichi crumpled to the grass, gasping.

"How… how did you see that!?"

Gojo leaned over, smirking. "Six Eyes, remember? 360-degree awareness, zero blind spots. I watched you prepare your Reversal—figured you'd save it for this. Nice trick, though."

Shingen Genichi pounded the turf. "That's not fair! You've got map hacks!"

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