The world folded like origami.
Before Tenkai could blink, the bustling street of Tokyo dissolved into a sudden mountain breeze. One blink ago, he was sipping green tea; the next, his shoes crunched against gravel on a hill overlooking Sakura-machi.
"Teleportation?" he murmured.
Gojo Satoru stretched lazily, hands in his pockets, his white blindfold fluttering like a banner in the wind. "More like... spatial manipulation. But yes, if you want to sound cool, call it teleportation."
Before Tenkai could question further, Gojo clapped his hands together. A faint blue glow rippled across the air, forming a dome that shimmered like distorted glass.
"Curtain's up," Gojo said, tone suddenly more serious. "Standard procedure. Don't want civilians seeing two handsome men fighting a chicken demon in the woods."
"Chicken demon?"
"Technically a hawk-type curse, but details, details." Gojo winked.
The moment they stepped inside, the world dimmed. The air thickened, humming with invisible malice. Dead leaves trembled as faint whispers echoed around the abandoned building.
Aion's voice resonated faintly in Tenkai's mind:
"Energy field detected. Cursed concentration—high. Recommend defensive posture."
Tenkai kept silent, glancing at Gojo, who casually strolled forward like he was on a nature walk.
"You feel that?" Gojo asked. "Incomplete domain. The curse isn't special grade yet, but it's trying to form its own space. Baby steps."
Tenkai nodded, observing the walls pulsing like breathing lungs. "So it's… learning?"
Gojo smirked. "Learning, evolving, craving. Curses mimic humanity's worst habits."
A sound like tearing fabric split the air. From the ceiling burst a dark shape — a hawk with four distorted wings, each lined with eyes blinking independently. Its body shimmered with oily black energy.
The creature shrieked and lunged at Gojo at blinding speed, beak aimed straight for his skull.
Tenkai tensed — but Gojo didn't move.
The air shimmered. The curse froze mid-dive, its beak stopping an inch from Gojo's forehead as if caught by invisible glass.
Gojo tilted his head, grinning. "Lesson one: infinity isn't just math."
"See this?" he said, as if giving a class presentation. "This is my Limitless. Infinite space between me and everything else. The poor birdie here—" he tapped the air, "—can't touch me. Physics just says no."
With a grin, Gojo casually grabbed one of the hawk's wings and tore it clean off. The curse screamed, thrashing violently, black blood spraying across the ruined floor and walls.
Tenkai's eyes widened. "That's… excessive."
Gojo shrugged. "Demonstration purposes."
The hawk-cursed spirit staggered back, its wound bubbling. In seconds, the missing wing regenerated, feathers reforming like shadowy flames.
"See that?" Gojo said, pointing like a tour guide. "Curses use cursed energy to heal themselves. Pretty neat, huh?"
Tenkai observed carefully, noting the regenerative rate and residual CE flow. "Efficient, but wasteful long-term."
Gojo chuckled. "You talk like a scientist. You'd get along with Yaga."
Before Tenkai could ask who that was, the spirit shrieked again. Its four wings flared outward, generating a cyclone of wind that shredded trees and sent debris flying.
"Wind-type technique," Gojo said, shielding Tenkai effortlessly behind his Limitless barrier. "Higher-level curses develop innate techniques too. Think of them as bad habits with superpowers."
The hurricane howled. Dust and feathers swirled.
Gojo sighed. "Alright, enough show and tell."
He raised his right hand, his tone suddenly calm, his grin fading into precision.
"Cursed Technique: Lapse — Blue."
The air imploded. A deep blue orb materialized, pulling everything toward it. The hawk barely screeched before its body was crushed into nothingness, feathers disintegrating into cursed mist.
The incomplete domain shattered like glass, vanishing in a sigh.
Gojo dusted his hands, smiling. "And that, young genius, is how you clean up supernatural bird poop."
Tenkai gave him a look halfway between amusement and pity. "A most educational demonstration."
Gojo laughed, slinging an arm around Tenkai's shoulder as they walked out of the curtain."Come on, don't be so serious. You're fourteen, not forty."
"I'm fifteen," Tenkai corrected. "And someone has to balance your… eccentricity."
"Ouch, harsh. I prefer 'charismatic anomaly.'"
"Delusional works too."
....
They stepped out onto the hill again. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky gold and violet.
Gojo deactivated the curtain with a flick. The world shimmered back to normal, birds chirping as if nothing had happened.
He stretched, hands behind his head. "Man, I'm starving again. Cursed birds always make me crave fried chicken. Or sushi. Definitely sushi."
Tenkai sighed softly. "You're remarkably unfazed by battle."
"Occupational hazard. Also, you get used to it after exorcising your first dozen curses before breakfast."
Gojo suddenly turned, eyes glinting mischievously behind his shades."Hey, kid. That super-cool phone of yours—can I get one? Maybe something that plays my theme music when I enter a room?"
Tenkai blinked. "That would be… concerning."
"Come on, make it say 'The Great Gojo Satoru has arrived!'"
"Absolutely not."
Gojo pouted like a child. "You're no fun."
Tenkai smirked. "I'm pragmatic."