A while ago.
'Am I going to die?'
Lying in the ruins, Satoru could clearly feel his life ebbing away.
Excruciating pain, unbearable and piercing, radiated from his body, legs, neck, and forehead.
His strength was draining little by little, and his limbs were gradually growing cold.
It felt like his body had reached a certain threshold. Either his self-protection instinct had activated, or perhaps he had simply reached his physical limit.
The pain and exhaustion gradually faded from his body.
What remained was an overwhelming sense of calm and tranquility.
'I can't feel the weight of my body at all. It's like I'm floating in mid-air.'
Satoru could distinctly sense the Fly Heads flying around him.
It felt as though his body was being pulled by something, as if a beam of light was guiding him.
If he followed that light, it seemed like he could ascend to Heaven.
A carousel of memories began playing in his mind. The tedious Gojo Family. Eichi, who was the first to dare lay a hand on him. Suguru, who liked to preach but surprisingly got along with him. Shoko, who smoked and drank but was a good person. And Artoria, whose appetite completely contradicted her petite frame.
Scene after scene flashed through Satoru's mind.
Finally, three figures froze in his memories.
His best friend Suguru, Amanai Riko who bore a cruel fate, and that scoundrel who had laughed maniacally after ambushing him.
'Heaven? I can go there whenever I want. Right now, I just want to crush that bastard and this damn fate.'
A searing flame of rage ignited in his chest.
Yet Satoru's mind was calm, like it had fallen into an icy cave.
'Reverse Cursed Technique.'
In that moment, Satoru found a way to break the deadlock.
Cursed Energy originates from negative emotions. This kind of negative energy is inherently unsuitable for healing.
But just like how multiplying two negatives results in a positive, by combining negative energy with more negative energy, it's possible to miraculously produce positive energy.
This positive energy, which can be used for healing, is the Cursed Energy utilized in the Reverse Cursed Technique.
His vision gradually darkened, sound faded from his ears, and his sense of touch dulled. The only thing still functioning at full capacity was his mind.
Satoru concentrated fully on understanding the Reverse Cursed Technique.
Due to the protection of Limitless, Satoru rarely got injured, so Shoko and Eichi seldom used Reverse Cursed Technique on him.
Now, Satoru was trying to comprehend Reverse Cursed Technique from the few times it had been used.
Just then,
A warm energy flowed into his body.
'This feeling...'
The sudden healing gave Satoru an immense reference point for grasping the Reverse Cursed Technique.
Emiya's temporary intervention drastically accelerated Satoru's understanding.
'Is this Reverse Cursed Technique?'
Cursed Energy collided with more Cursed Energy, producing an explosively hot reaction.
From this, strands of positive energy began forming. The Reverse Cursed Technique started operating, and Satoru's injuries began to heal bit by bit.
The first thing to return was his sense of touch. The cold, jagged ground and the searing pain gradually transformed into a tingling itch under the healing energy.
His injuries began to recover. Sight, hearing, touch... as Satoru opened his eyes, the world had changed.
The rubble, earth, trees—everything looked more vibrant.
It was like someone who had been severely nearsighted suddenly regaining perfect vision.
Everything became crystal clear.
'Has the perception of Six Eyes strengthened?'
Satoru lifted his head.
What entered his eyes was the glass-like barrier of Tokyo Jujutsu High and the clear blue sky with scattered white clouds beyond it.
"Annoying."
The moment the words left his mouth,
The positive energy sustaining the Reverse Cursed Technique was injected into the freshly restored Limitless.
Cursed Technique Reversal: Red.
By injecting positive energy generated through Reverse Cursed Technique into Limitless, a massive repulsive force is created centered on Red. Its minimum output is twice that of Blue, and its maximum power can approach positive infinity, producing an effect akin to a miniature supernova.
The Fly Heads swarming around Satoru were instantly obliterated.
Satoru's body slowly floated upward into the sky.
Immediately, all surrounding Cursed Energy flows were clearly captured by Six Eyes.
'So, Eichi and Artoria have returned?'
Looking in the direction with the most intense Cursed Energy reaction, Satoru saw Yamata no Orochi battling Mahoraga, with Eichi, Artoria, and Bone Woman also in the fray.
'And in the other direction... Emiya and Suguru?'
Satoru's brain calmly processed all the data and quickly reached a conclusion.
'No need to worry about that side. More importantly...'
'Amanai is gone. Suguru wouldn't hand Amanai over to Tengen, so the only possibility is...'
In the next instant, Satoru vanished from midair.
Time Vessel Association headquarters.
The representative director of the Time Vessel Association, with a swollen forehead, was staring excitedly at Amanai Riko's "corpse."
After the Curse User group Q was casually wiped out, he had given up all hope.
But Toji had given him a stunning surprise.
The representative director, completely out of character, had even given Toji a significant bonus.
What had seemed like total failure had taken a shocking turn.
At this point, he no longer cared about money.
"If Tengen goes berserk and loses control, in the worst case, human society might collapse."
Kong Shiu looked at the representative director's back and asked.
"If fate dictates that we perish with the stars, then there's nothing that can be done, is there?"
After speaking, the representative director walked down the corridor without turning back.
Once his figure had completely disappeared, Kong Shiu and Toji exchanged glances and smiled.
Kong Shiu: The commission is finally complete, the money's in hand, I should hurry back to Korea and lie low.
Toji pointed to his head and drew a circle: This guy's got screws loose, but I like him.
"It's about time to go."
Kong Shiu looked at Toji.
"You go first. I've still got something to take care of."
Toji's refusal surprised him.
Based on what he knew, Toji should've been out celebrating by now, maybe even trying to make him pay for a meal.
"Forget it, I'm leaving first."
That was fine too. After all, Kong Shiu had long since decided that his relationship with this guy would either stay professional or end in Hell.
With a wave, he turned and left the Time Vessel Association headquarters.
"It's over."
"Yeah, time to clean up the trash."
Medea's figure appeared from the shadows.
"Hey, don't forget to pay up."
Toji drew his Split Soul Katana and walked deeper into the headquarters.
Soon after, a massive fire engulfed the building.
Later reports claimed that the Time Vessel Association headquarters had suffered a gas explosion caused by illegal activities.
All high-ranking members were killed in the blaze, and ordinary followers were arrested for participating in cult rituals and engaging in dangerous acts.
(To be continued.)