Chapter 8 (Patreon)

Splat!

The Cursed Tool pierced straight into Gojo Satoru’s chest.

But at the instant of impact, Gojo forcibly shifted his internal organs and vital points out of the way.

At the same moment, Fushiguro Toji forced an exchange. One of Ragnar Kagenou’s Noble Phantasms drove through his own collarbone, yet despite how dangerous it looked, the damage was not fatal.

Thanks to the compression of his muscles, none of his vital areas had been struck.

Toji narrowed his eyes.

“You’re impressive. You noticed my presence before the Six Eyes did.”

Just as he was about to pull the Noble Phantasm out of his body, it dissolved into golden particles and vanished on its own.

“Hm? That’s a technique I’ve never seen before.”

“Satoru!”

Geto Suguru, having finally reacted, immediately summoned a Cursed Spirit and sent it lunging at Toji.

Gojo raised a hand, signaling that he was still alright.

“It’s fine. Thanks to Ragnar... I managed to shift my organs in time.”

Then his gaze sharpened.

“Prioritize protecting Riko. Leave this guy to me.”

He glanced once toward Ragnar.

“Thanks.”

Ragnar answered calmly, “It was nothing.”

Then he looked toward the path ahead.

“You two should go on to Tengen-sama first.”

Ragnar cast one more glance at Gojo Satoru.

There was no need to interfere here.

This was the moment.

The best possible moment for Gojo Satoru to awaken.

So Ragnar, Geto Suguru, and Amanai Riko headed toward the place where Tengen-sama resided, while the battle between Gojo and Toji stood on the edge of erupting in full.

After a fierce clash—

The Inverted Spear of Heaven sliced halfway through Gojo Satoru’s neck before he managed to stop it, but Toji’s power was overwhelming. The blade still carved down from his neck to his lower abdomen.

Immediately after that, Gojo’s thigh was pierced through.

Then, finally, Toji drove a dagger straight into his forehead.

“A special-grade Cursed Tool,” Toji said coldly. “Its effect is the forced cancellation of any active Cursed Technique... I’ve finally got a proper feel for you now.”

After that relentless barrage, Gojo Satoru collapsed into a pool of blood.

Just as expected—

Toji Fushiguro had “killed” Gojo Satoru.

Without stopping, Toji entered the deepest level beneath Jujutsu High.

The Tombs of the Star Corridor.

The third path.

Kuroi Misato remained outside near the elevator.

She did not want to watch Amanai Riko’s assimilation.

Ragnar Kagenou also stayed behind.

After all—

He had no intention of allowing her to die here.

Geto Suguru and Amanai Riko continued deeper inside.

Kuroi Misato hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Is this really alright? Aren’t you going to see her off one last time?”

Ragnar answered without looking away.

“I believe she’ll come back.”

“So waiting here is enough.”

Kuroi seemed as though she wanted to say something else—

But before she could, a voice rang out from ahead.

“Yo. Waiting here for me?”

Toji Fushiguro stepped forward leisurely.

“Then let me give you some good news. Gojo Satoru is dead.”

Ragnar’s expression did not change in the slightest.

“Is that so?”

His eyes turned cold.

“So you think that means... you can kill this King?”

Toji’s gaze sharpened.

“Hm? You don’t seem surprised that I killed Gojo Satoru.”

He drew the Soul Split Katana, the blade glinting coldly in his hand.

“You really are something,” Ragnar said. “To be able to fight Gojo Satoru without any Cursed Energy at all...”

At once, twenty golden ripples expanded behind him.

This time, every single one of them was loaded with C-rank Noble Phantasms.

“But don’t be in such a hurry.”

Ragnar’s voice dropped, majestic and contemptuous.

“This King will now pass judgment on you.”

The gates of the Gate of Babylon radiated golden light, illuminating the entire area around them.

Toji tightened his grip on the Soul Split Katana.

“A sorcerer who can’t fight at close range... and you still dare stand in front of me like this?”

He lowered his stance.

Ready to strike.

Ready to kill.

“Go to hell!”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The twenty golden ripples began firing Noble Phantasms one after another without pause.

Clang!

Toji, caught at the center of the Gate of Babylon’s full bombardment, widened his eyes.

What is this?

A technique on this scale should have been burning through Ragnar’s energy at a terrifying rate.

And yet—

There was no sign of slowing down.

It was as though the cost meant nothing.

As though he possessed limitless reserves.

“The barrage is too dense,” Toji thought grimly. “There’s no room to dodge.”

Ragnar stood where he was, not moving a single step, calmly watching Toji struggle inside the storm of Noble Phantasms.

“Yes. Struggle.”

His tone carried cold amusement.

“Writhe all you like in your final death throes.”

Toji fought with everything he had, knocking away one Noble Phantasm after another.

He needed only one opening.

Just one moment of weakness.

The instant Ragnar faltered, he would close the distance and use the Inverted Spear of Heaven to nullify his technique completely.

Against a sorcerer who relied on ranged techniques and lacked close-combat ability, it was a naturally decisive weapon.

At least—

That was how Toji saw it.

In his eyes, Ragnar Kagenou was still just another Jujutsu Sorcerer who leaned too heavily on his technique and lacked the body to survive once that advantage was taken away.

But that was his mistake.

Ragnar was no ordinary Jujutsu Sorcerer.

Against him, ordinary combat logic meant nothing.

“This can’t continue...”

Even someone like Toji Fushiguro was gradually being pushed back under Ragnar’s relentless blanket of firepower.

One by one, the Noble Phantasms began piercing through him.

Blood streamed down the hard lines of Toji’s body and splashed onto the floor.

Toji gritted his teeth.

“I’ll kill you!”

After batting away another wave of incoming Noble Phantasms, he suddenly pulled out the Chain of a Thousand Miles and forced it into motion, using it to carve out a narrow safe zone for himself.

Then he began closing the distance.

Ragnar watched him calmly.

“Oh?”

There was faint approval in his tone.

“So you do have some skill.”

Using the chain, Toji steadily pushed forward, drawing closer and closer.

And yet—

From beginning to end, Ragnar had not moved a single step.

“But if you think that alone is enough to defeat this King... then you are hopelessly naive.”

Two massive lances emerged from newly opened golden ripples.

In an instant, they struck.

One knocked the weapon from Toji’s hand.

The other two pinned his arms down to the ground.

“It’s over.”

Ragnar lifted his chin slightly, looking down at him with absolute arrogance.

Then—

Splat!

A storm of Noble Phantasms pierced through Toji’s body.

His tall frame was instantly riddled through, like a hedgehog covered in steel.

“In the end,” Ragnar said coldly, “this is all you amounted to.”

He closed the Gate of Babylon and turned to leave.

Then—

Suddenly, Toji moved.

The Cursed Spirit clinging to his back acted with him, and from it appeared the special-grade Cursed Tool—

The Inverted Spear of Heaven.

A vicious grin spread across Toji Fushiguro’s face.

It was the smile of a man convinced he had already won.

“No,” he said. “You’re the one who’s finished.”

The Inverted Spear of Heaven could forcibly nullify techniques.

Against a sorcerer who depended on technique alone, victory should have been certain.

And yet—

Ragnar did not retreat.

Even with the blade about to reach him, he remained completely still.

Then golden ripples unfolded around Toji once more.

Toji’s face twisted in total disbelief.

“Why...?”

His pupils shrank.

“Did the Inverted Spear of Heaven fail?”

No.

That was impossible.

The weapon was undamaged, and its power to nullify techniques was still active.

Then there was only one explanation.

The Gate of Babylon was not a Jujutsu Sorcerer’s Cursed Technique.

Toji’s voice turned hoarse.

“So... that’s what it is...”

From the golden ripples burst forth the Chains of Heaven, instantly binding Toji Fushiguro tightly in midair.

He coughed up blood.

“Y-You... aren’t a Jujutsu Sorcerer.”

Ragnar gave him no answer.

Instead, another heavy lance emerged from the golden ripple behind him and leveled itself at Toji’s chest.

Then—

Splat!

The golden lance punched straight through Toji Fushiguro’s chest.

A massive spray of blood splattered against the wall behind him.

Silence followed.

Only after a long pause did Kuroi Misato finally speak from where she had been hiding.

“...Is it over?”

Ragnar did not even turn around.

“It’s been over for a while.”

Then he added flatly,

“And what exactly were you doing hiding behind that rock this whole time?”

Kuroi stiffened on the spot.

She wanted to say that she had been genuinely terrified.

If she had gotten caught in the crossfire of that battle, she might really have died.

“Come out,” Ragnar said. “Since when did you become this timid?”

“M-Mm.”

Even then, Kuroi still moved cautiously.

Watching her, Ragnar let out a small laugh.

Kuroi thought about saying something back—

Then decided against it.

After all, Ragnar had just saved her life.

If he wanted to laugh, then fine.

That was far better than ending up dead.