Chapter 134 – A Welcome Gift
"Is exorcising curses really that profitable?"
Yuki Tsukumo looked at Zen'in Shinsuke with disbelief after seeing him casually bet ten billion.
She couldn't help feeling a trace of regret for never cashing in herself over the years.
As a special-grade sorcerer, even with just one high-level job a year, she shouldn't have been this broke, right?
"Eh, it's not that bad."
Shinsuke shrugged.
"Most of that ten billion came from the higher-ups.
Didn't Gojo wipe them out a few days ago?
I just… picked up some of their spare change."
He said it completely straight-faced.
In truth, he could have taken more.
But Gojo insisted the remaining funds be kept to cultivate new generation talent, instead of lining private pockets.
Shinsuke didn't argue.
One hundred billion was enough.
And after tonight…
It would probably multiply.
"No wonder those old fossils stopped showing up and throwing their weight around,"
Yuki mused.
"So you guys just… killed them all?"
"That was Gojo."
Shinsuke corrected.
"I didn't get my hands dirty."
"Doesn't matter. Dead is dead."
---
Time passed.
The air grew heavier.
And finally—
The day of the final battle arrived.
Everyone converged on Shinjuku.
The fighters fought.
The spectators watched.
The gamblers gambled.
The broadcasters streamed.
No one was absent.
---
"Why are you here?"
Maki frowned when she spotted Naobito Zen'in leading several core members of the Zen'in clan onto the scene.
"You're not actually here to help, are you?"
There was no way the Zen'in clan would act out of kindness.
In Maki's mind, they were far more likely to sit back, let both sides bleed, and then swoop in to harvest the leftovers.
"So?"
Naoya sneered at her.
"Not allowed to watch in person?
Do we need your approval?"
He'd come for one reason—
To see Brother Shinsuke crush Sukuna in front of Gojo.
Two days ago, he'd even dumped his entire ten-billion savings on Shinsuke.
As for Naobito—
His reason was simple.
He just wanted to see how strong Megumi had become.
And Zen'in Ōgi and Jinichi?
They were just tagging along.
If the clan head was here, so were they.
"...Tch."
Maki turned away coldly.
She turned her head away and stopped paying them any attention.
No matter how arrogant those people were back in the Zen'in clan—
here, they had better behave.
After all, there were several special-grade sorcerers present.
---
BOOM!
A monstrous, utterly malignant presence suddenly flooded all of Shinjuku.
It slammed directly into the souls of every sorcerer—
raw, undisguised wickedness.
Faces pale, everyone felt it.
This aura was in a completely different league from what Sukuna had shown in Shibuya.
"So this is… Sukuna at full power?" someone murmured.
The weight of it caused hearts to sink.
His strength… far exceeded what they had imagined.
"Looks like it's about time,"
Gojo Satoru spoke calmly.
"Time to begin."
"Tch… what an unpleasant presence."
Even Gojo was slightly surprised—the difference between expectation and reality was bigger than he'd thought.
But he wasn't afraid.
This time…
He didn't stand alone.
"This kind of opponent… if I can challenge him once in my lifetime, I have no regrets!"
Kashimo's eyes burned with excitement.
He knew he couldn't win.
But as a born warrior, to clash with a godlike enemy—even dying for it would be worth it.
"…That's odd."
Zen'in Shinsuke stroked his chin.
Sukuna, even at his peak, shouldn't radiate this level of pressure.
Then again…
So many things had already diverged from the original course of events.
And Sukuna wasn't even using Megumi's body anymore.
Of course something had changed.
"What is it?"
Yuki asked cautiously.
"Nothing."
Shinsuke shook his head.
"Let's go.
Let's see what gives Sukuna the confidence to challenge all of us."
He stepped forward first.
With a flash, he landed atop a ruined skyscraper.
The surroundings were reduced to rubble.
Shibuya wasn't far from Shinjuku.
He could even see the meteor Jogo had summoned earlier lying silently in the wreckage.
A moment later—
Gojo landed beside him, followed by Utahime, Gakuganji, and Ijichi.
Then Yuki, Yuta, Kashimo…
And finally—
Tsumiki.
Or rather—
Yorozu, now in control.
She wanted to fight Sukuna alone.
But there was no way anyone would agree to that.
She had begged, argued, even sworn promises to Tsumiki—
Only then did Shinsuke relent and allow her into the battle.
Not that her opinion mattered much.
Still, she wasn't weak.
Though far inferior to Sukuna, this was a team fight.
So she was permitted.
---
"Who goes first?"
Kashimo's eyes burned as he stared across the ruined city—
At the source of the sinister pressure.
Lightning already crackled across his body, eager to strike.
In response…
Gojo removed his coat.
Revealing black compression wear beneath and white trousers—
The same outfit he'd worn the night Toji had almost killed him.
An ocean of cursed energy erupted from his body—
Unrestrained.
"Let me give Sukuna a proper welcome gift,"
Gojo said softly.
"This will be our first real meeting."
He rolled his shoulders, loosening up.
Ijichi slammed both hands onto the ground, face dead serious, and deployed a barrier technique he'd never used before.
At the same time—
Utahime began to dance.
Her cursed technique activated: Solo Forbidden Zone.
Within its range, a sorcerer's output could be massively amplified.
To reach the pinnacle of cursed energy—
Was to reduce waste to absolute zero.
Chants.
Hand seals.
Footwork.
How much of these a sorcerer omitted determined their mastery.
This time…
Utahime skipped nothing.
Chant.
Gestures.
Dance.
Combined with Gakuganji's music—
The ritual elevated her technique to its limit.
A full 120% amplification.
In short—
Every possible buff was stacked.
The instant their techniques activated—
A terrifying torrent of cursed energy exploded from Gojo Satoru.
Kashimo's pupils shrank violently.
So this was the so-called strongest of the modern age…
This was terrifying.
He turned—
Only to realize everyone else had already backed away.
A second later…
Gojo drew his arms back.
For the first time in front of them all—
He began chanting.
"Nine ropes…"
"Polarized light…"
"Crow and Shimyo…"
"The Gap Between Within and Without…"
Cursed energy roared together.
Space itself warped.
Kashimo immediately sensed something was wrong—
And leaped backward.
Far away from Gojo.