Looking exhausted from his rigorous training, Gojo collapsed to his knees, sweat streaming down his temples as he erupted into laughter.
The thought of mastering his cursed energy had been exhilarating, but now, achieving Limitless? He realized it hadn't been impossible—merely that the path had eluded him until now.
He'd likely been progressing for some time, yet he remained just one step away from his ultimate goal. Through the power of his Six Eyes, he had already attained both cursed energy manipulation and Limitless.
The sole obstacle hindering him now was his technique activation. At this point, he knew activating it wouldn't be as arduous as the trials he'd endured with Limitless.
All he needed was to focus, channel his cursed energy, and meticulously execute the process. The mere thought of unleashing his Domain Expansion caused a sinister smile to creep across his face.
By employing reversal, he had managed to activate his domain multiple times during his battle against Sukuna.
However, reversal generates positive energy by multiplying negative energy with negative energy. While negative energy is unsuitable for recovery, positive energy can heal physical wounds.
Yet, achieving this demands an extraordinarily sophisticated manipulation of cursed energy, rendering the ability exceedingly rare.
During his near-fatal confrontation with Toji Fushiguro, Gojo—teetering on the brink of death—finally comprehended the prerequisites for reversal. In that critical moment, he succeeded, simultaneously healing his injuries and replenishing his cursed energy, jolting himself back to life.
Now, it was time to finish what he'd started. The only thing left to master was the intricacies of this world's power system. But first, he had work to do.
"This is really exhausting," he snorted, digging his pinky finger into his ear.
His entire body became engulfed in blue flames, a manifestation of his overwhelming cursed energy. Despite his fatigue, he sighed, closed his eyes, and visualized the technique in his mind.
The cursed energy radiating from him dissipated abruptly as Gojo activated it, channeling amplified energy into Limitless.
The technique infinitely converges space into a singular point, creating a void-like effect and generating fields of attraction.
Gojo extended his hand forward, maintaining razor-sharp concentration to prevent the technique from spiraling out of control.
'Blue'—an advanced application of Limitless—is fueled by amplified cursed energy. Functioning similarly to Infinity, it compresses existing space, compelling everything within its range to fill the resulting void.
Gojo likened this spatial distortion to materializing the concepts of "negative numbers" and "negative distance," forcing reality to compensate by drawing all matter toward the anomaly.
The effect of Blue mimics a black hole's pull, with the attraction field's scale determined by the amount of cursed energy invested.
At minimal output, Blue can draw distant targets together or obliterate structures in seconds. At maximum output, its gravitational force can devastate entire landscapes.
Yet, Gojo exhaled deeply as he extended his hands outward, cursed energy crackling like electricity around his fingertips.
A violent gust erupted from the forming technique, forcing Gojo to slide backward several feet before the energy coalesced into a swirling blue orb, rotating at terrifying velocity.
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the orb toward the forest. It moved with deceptive grace, its path deceptively slow until impact—where it detonated with catastrophic force, reducing everything in its wake to smoldering ash.
Simultaneously, he activated Infinity, creating an impervious barrier around himself as Lapse Blue completed its devastation.
The aftermath was apocalyptic—the entire landscape had been erased, save for the precise circle where Gojo stood. Through masterful manipulation of space via Limitless, he had carved himself a perfect sanctuary amidst the destruction.
The resulting shockwave rippled outward with seismic intensity, rattling nearby villages and sending panicked civilians stumbling.
"What the hell was that?"
"Was that an earthquake? Or cannon fire?"
"Pirates attacking?!"
Villagers exchanged bewildered glances as their eyes traced the ominous plume of black smoke now staining the horizon.
Meanwhile, Gojo doubled over in exhilarated laughter, his body trembling from the massive expenditure of cursed energy. The familiar burn of overexertion crept through his limbs—a sensation he hadn't felt since his days as a sorcerer.
The realization struck him: he'd just created an undeniable spectacle. Marine reconnaissance teams would undoubtedly swarm the area within minutes.
"Shit." The curse slipped through his teeth as he surveyed the wasteland he'd created. "My apologies to the local ecosystem."
His muscles screamed in protest as adrenaline faded. "Need to disappear—now."
A reckless grin split his face. Teleportation—the perfect exit strategy, especially in his depleted state.
Theoretically, a master of Limitless could traverse vast distances instantaneously by folding space itself, compressing the void between origin and destination into nothingness.
Snapping his fingers, reality warped around him. The ground beneath his feet fractured violently from the spatial recoil as he vanished—
—Boom!—
—reappearing in his hotel room with a thunderous crack, the sudden pressure differential shattering the window panes.
He collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as dim lamplight danced across the walls. The implications thrilled him: full restoration of his cursed energy, complete access to his techniques, and absolute mastery of Limitless.
Visions of uncharted potential flooded his mind—the techniques of this world waiting to be learned, his existing abilities yearning to be pushed beyond their previous limits.
"How strong can I become here?"
Room service arrived with a mountain of food. He devoured it mechanically, his body demanding fuel to replenish what Lapse Blue had consumed.
Reflecting on his journey since awakening in this foreign world months ago, pride swelled in his chest. Through sheer willpower, he had reclaimed everything—every iota of power that once made him the strongest.
Now, only one question remained: how would the legendary Satoru Gojo etch his name into the fabric of this new world?
For weeks, he had frequented the library, immersing himself in tales of ancient times and maritime lore. His research focused intently on pirates—particularly the legendary King of Pirates who met his end two decades prior in the very town himself had been born and raised.
"Pirate King Gol D. Roger—born in Loguetown, executed in Loguetown."
He hummed the words like a mantra, his fist tightening unconsciously. A restless curiosity gnawed at him—what secrets did that fabled hometown hold?
…
[One Month Later]
The sun melted into the horizon as a balmy breeze swept through the village, carrying with it the melodic chirping of evening birds.
Perched atop a rooftop, blindfold secured firmly over his eyes, Gojo reflected on the month since reclaiming his techniques. He had become a shadowy benefactor to the village—hunting down mountain bandits and petty pirates under cover of darkness, leaving them bound and relieved of their ill-gotten treasures for the authorities to find.
Meticulously, he had ensured no villager could identify him, maintaining his anonymity while playing the vigilante.
With a practiced flick of his wrist, he unwrapped a lollipop and slipped it between his lips. Just then, the distinctive cry of a News Coo echoed overhead. The hat-wearing bird circled once before dropping its cargo—a fresh newspaper—that fluttered down toward him.
"Now what's this?" Gojo plucked the lollipop from his mouth and caught the descending paper.
His fingers unfolded the front page, eyes immediately drawn to the latest bounty postings—specifically one that labeled its subject a "rookie" pirate.
"Monkey D. Luffy... 30 million berries?"
The grinning visage on the "Dead or Alive" poster sent an unexpected pang through his chest. For a fleeting moment, he saw Yuji's smile superimposed over the image. His vision blurred slightly before he blinked the moisture away.
"Pirates, huh?" A slow smile spread across his face. "So the one who conquers these seas and claims the One Piece becomes the next Pirate King? Now that's intriguing."
The idea of piracy called to him—a far cry from the endless cycle of exorcising curses. It promised freedom, adventure, and perhaps... redemption.
Will my poster say 'Dead or Alive' too?
The thought sent him into peals of laughter, imagining what force in this world could possibly breach Infinity upon the open ocean.
"If I joined the Marines and climbed the ranks to Admiral, it'd be relentless work... but piracy has its own challenges," he mused, crumpling the newspaper slightly in his grip. "A pirate needs a crew. Sailing alone means constant battles against the World Government—that's no way to reach the top."
The reality crystallized: to pursue this path, he would need loyal comrades. A Jolly Roger to inspire fear and respect. A ship worthy of legend. And most crucially—a name that would echo across the Grand Line.
But where does one find worthy crewmates?
They couldn't be mere thugs or opportunists. He needed individuals of strength and conviction—those who would stand beside him as they carved their names into history.
"Gives me chills just thinking about it," Gojo admitted, his grin widening. "The strongest sorcerer becoming the strongest pirate? Claiming the world's greatest treasure? Now that's a story worth telling."
With a soft exhale, he gazed once more at the bounty poster.
"I'll be a pirate to seek adventure and freedom to do what I like," he clenched his fist. "Not just any pirate—I'll assemble a crew of monsters. Together, we'll dominate these waters, topple the Emperors, and claim the title..." His voice dropped to a whisper, thick with promise.
"I'll become the next King of the Pirates…"