Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Times

"Gojo Satoru! That has to be the Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit! I warned you that letting a Curse recipient join the exchange event was a disaster waiting to happen!"

Gakuganji's furious voice echoed through the monitoring room as he pointed to the screen—Rika's monstrous form pulsing with dread.

The atmosphere grew tense. Even through the screens, the immense pressure of Rika's presence was suffocating. The grotesque creature hung midair, her pale body rippling with boundless Cursed Energy. Her silhouette alone caused many of the onlookers to instinctively hold their breath.

Gojo, unconcerned, leaned back and stretched, a smirk still playing on his lips.

"Relax," he said lightly. "Rika may look out of control… but she hasn't attacked anything yet."

The others leaned closer. He was right. Though Rika howled and twisted violently in the air, she hadn't actually struck anything or anyone. Her aggression remained unexpressed.

Thanks to Mei Mei's crows, additional feeds showed that several students nearby were still unharmed.

Gojo gave a lazy wave. "Alright then, I'll go."

Ieiri Shoko, folding her arms beside him, added calmly, "I'm coming too. In case someone's actually injured."

Without waiting for protest, the two vanished from the control room.

---

Outside, the air split with oppressive Cursed Energy. Rika's form loomed above the trees—massive, unstable, nightmarish.

Her torso was partially skeletal, with exposed ribs; long, gnarled claws twitched at her sides. Her legs were an undefined mist, and her mouth—a grotesque vertical maw—hung open in a silent scream.

Gojo and Ieiri stood at a distance, their eyes locked on the sky.

"What a beauty," Gojo joked. "Yuta's been training hard… clearly too hard. He lost the reins for a second."

He lowered his sunglasses, revealing his piercing azure Six Eyes, focused squarely on Rika. "Let's tone her down."

Snap.

A click of his fingers. Cursed Energy warped instantly.

Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue🔵

Cursed Technique Reversal: Red🔴

—Hollow Technique: Purple🟣

A small orb of blazing violet light appeared at his fingertip. The air around it convulsed, sucked in by the sheer intensity.

With a flick, Gojo released the sphere. It flew in a perfect arc, leaving a trail of destruction behind it—an erasure of existence itself.

Rika shrieked as the Hollow Purple tore through her side, vaporizing her outer layer and puncturing the earth behind her in a massive crater.

Still, Rika didn't collapse.

Her Cursed Energy began knitting her form back together, but she visibly weakened.

Gojo exhaled. "She'll live."

Then, smiling as casually as ever, he vanished from the sky.

---

When Shingen Genichi arrived, the battlefield was in chaos.

Rika still floated midair, moaning Yuta's name distortedly. Nearby, Yuta, Panda, Shirone, and Aoi Todo were recovering—bruised and exhausted. Shirone trotted anxiously toward Genichi.

Yuta rushed over. "Genichi! Where's Gojo?! Rika's completely out of control—I can't stop her anymore!"

Genichi narrowed his eyes at Rika, then at the group. Todo was limping. Panda's arm was crushed. The pieces fell into place quickly.

Todo had found them. The battle escalated. Rika—fiercely protective—manifested fully. Yuta's control slipped in the heat of the moment.

That Rika hadn't ripped Todo apart was a testament to Yuta's will.

But the damage was clear. Genichi placed a hand on Panda's shoulder and began channeling Reverse Cursed Technique.

The technique worked—not perfectly, but enough to dull the pain and stabilize their injuries.

Yuta watched in awe. "This… is this your Technique?"

"This," Genichi sighed, "is Reverse Cursed Technique, genius. Didn't Gojo teach you? Unbelievable… I'll explain it later."

And just as he finished, a bolt of energy split the air.

Gojo appeared midair once again, waved, and then—

BOOM!

A second strike landed cleanly, sending Rika spiraling across the sky in a tangle of limbs and shrieks.

"Rika!!"

Yuta called out, panicked. Genichi caught his shoulder.

"She'll be fine," he said firmly. "Her regeneration is strong. That didn't kill her. Just weakened her."

As they watched, Rika's form recoalesced, but sluggishly. Her energy now visibly drained.

Seconds later, Gojo reappeared beside them.

"Heya~ Everyone alright?"

"Gojo-sensei! I—I lost control. I tried to hold her back but…".Yuta voice is filled with guilt and self blame.

Gojo smiled kindly. "You did great. She didn't hurt anyone. If you hadn't bought time, we'd be cleaning up more than broken trees."

Then he turned to Genichi, voice cheerful:

"Genichi! I softened her up. Your turn. Give her a little more smackdown, and Yuta should be able to rein her in again!"

Genichi's face darkened. "…Didn't you say you'd handle it?"

Gojo winked. "Come on~ What's a disciple for if not to share the burden? I believe in you."

Before Genichi could retort, Gojo waved his hand and said, "I'll take these three to Shoko. You and Yuta finish things here. Bai-bai~!"

He gone, just like that.(TL: lol😂)

"Seriously…" Genichi exhaled, stepping toward the charging Rika. "Always dumping the hard part on me."

"Genichi, wait!" Yuta called.

He turned, raised a hand, and smiled. "Let me calm your girlfriend first."

---

Rika descended, her claws raised, screaming Yuta's name in agony.

Genichi activated [Time Wheel: Spin].

The world slowed. His figure blurred.

In a blink, he was gone—and Rika's momentum violently reversed.

CRACK—BOOM!

A thunderclap rippled through the clearing. Dust and leaves erupted into the air.

Genichi stood in the center, Cursed Energy surging, fists clenched, hair tousled by the wind.

His breathing steadied. "This power… It really is intoxicating."

Rika lunged again. Her claws gleamed with unstable Cursed Energy.

"Too slow."

Time warped again.

Fist, after fist.Puch after punch. Numerous combination launched by Genichi and Finally....

"Kokusen" (Black Flash)

The blows landed with bone-crushing force.Suspended in air until Genichi released the stored kinetic energy.

Then—

Everything detonated at once.

The ground shattered, air distorted, and Rika's body launched like a meteor, tearing through multiple trees and carving a canyon into the earth. Her body crumpled in the distance, half-dissolved.

Genichi lowered his fists, eyes glowing faintly.

A deep breath.

Technique Reversal activated—he restored his own stamina.

"…She's still recovering."

"One more shot."

Raising two fingers, Genichi aimed toward Rika's location. Cursed Energy bloomed at his fingertip like a radiant core. (TL: Bro using Fuga(◼️)💀)

When the sphere reached the size of a human head, he activated Time Wheel again—

—and vanished.

BOOM—

A gouge opened through the forest, a clean line of devastation, ending where Rika lay slumped and gasping.

Now, her regeneration had slowed. Her limbs trembled. Her body barely held together.

Shingen Genichi lowered his hand, sighed, and turned to the almost-crying Yuta.

"She's fine. Just resting. Give her a day and she'll be as terrifying as ever."

"…That sounds wrong," he muttered.

Yuta, sword in hand, stepped forward—and Rika stirred.

She whimpered, shrank down, and returned into the cursed sword at Yuta's side, the aura vanishing as she was sealed.

The storm was over.

Yuta knelt, gripping the blade, eyes downcast.

"I'm sorry… again. And thank you. I was so close to hurting everyone again…"

Genichi helped him up.

"None of that," he said firmly. "You held out. You did great. Everyone's fine."

Yuta nodded, voice soft.

"…Thank you, Genichi."

Genichi smirked. "Let's go. Time to visit Shoko-san. You'll love it—reverse technique crash course included."

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Word Count:1,203