"What do you mean? How am I getting worse by using my threads like this?" Ren's voice was sharp, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. "And how do I not understand how cursed energy works? I do understand it!"
One of the few things Ren was absolutely certain of was his own understanding. It was the foundation that allowed him to develop complex techniques and intricate binding vows. His confidence wasn't just arrogance; it was built on a unique combination of meta-knowledge from the JJK manga and the visceral experience of his Copy technique.
If what Gojo said was true—if his fundamental understanding was faulty—then everything Ren had built up to this point was a house of cards...
Gojo just stood there, a playful grin stretched across his face. "Well, if you want proof, try to use your cursed energy without your threads helping you. Your control is fundamentally flawed, Ren."
"No, you're wrong!" Ren snapped back. "Even if my control is weaker without the threads right now, that doesn't mean I don't understand the concept! And on what basis are you saying I have worst control because of my threads? You've never seen me fight without the threads supporting me! You can't compare the two because you don't have a baseline for my output without them!"
Ren's tone was defensive, his posture tense. Gojo paused, looking genuinely stunned for a second.
'Wow, that's the first time I've seen him get defensive,' Gojo thought, a giggle bubbling up in his throat. 'I guess that's a normal reaction from a kid who's so talented he can't believe he messed up the basics. He's actually acting his age for once! This is hilarious.'
"Well, it's simple," Gojo said, his voice dripping with amusement. "I don't have to compare your outputs because you already showed me exactly what I needed to see."
Ren blinked. "What?"
"See, when you were blocking my punches just now, your cursed energy reinforcement was stuck," Gojo explained, his voice becoming calm and instructional. "You couldn't output more energy to reinforce your body until you used that 'Overdrive' thing, which only boosted you for a few seconds. That right there is the proof that your threads are a problem."
Gojo began to pace, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. "Think of it like this. A normal jujutsu sorcerer has a reinforcement level of '2'. With training, they push that to a 3 or 4. The elites can push it to a 6 or even a 7, but that takes time and conscious effort.
You, on the other hand?
Because your threads handle the flow, it's like a tap with a fixed pressure. You're always stuck at level '4'. With 'Overdrive', you can hit level '6' cursed energy reinforcement for a moment, but that's your ceiling."
Gojo stopped and looked Ren in the eye. "The threads are effective—you don't leak energy, and your flow is smooth. But at the cost of that effectiveness, you've lost the ability to adjust your output on the fly. Cursed energy reinforcement mainly comes down to output control, but yours is automated. Do you understand now?"
Ren didn't just sit down; he practically fell onto his butt, his back hitting the wooden floor. His face was a mask of awe and horror.
'No... why does he make so much sense? 'Ren thought, his mind racing through his past fights. 'It's true. I can't shift my reinforcement levels the way he's describing. When I was blocking his attacks, I was always pushed back—even when I timed the block perfectly—because Gojo was simply increasing his output to overpower mine. I could only match him by using Overdrive....'
He stared at his hands. 'I never thought there would be a flaw like this in my "perfected" circuit. It explains everything. The reason I get beat up in hand-to-hand isn't just about technique—it's because I can't match my opponent's intensity on the fly! When I fought Todo, his hits felt different because he was varying his output. He was throwing feints with his energy, not just his body. How did I miss something so simple?'
Ren looked up at Gojo.
'And the concept of "levels" for output... it's genius. Why didn't I think of it that way? Was that in the manga? I don't remember... but holy shit, Gojo really is a genius.'
Gojo watched Ren's shifting expressions and smirked. 'Hmm, how does it feel? You're a genius, no doubt, Ren... but your sensei is a genius too! Also, oh my god, this reaction is even better than the last one!'
Gojo closed his eyes and yawned, expecting Ren to be angry or discouraged. Instead, Ren began to smile. It wasn't a small smile; he looked almost... happy.
"Yes! You're right!"
Ren said, his eyes shining with excitement. "There is a massive flaw in using the threads for control! But don't worry, I already have a solution for that, Sensei! Now, tell me more. How is my fundamental understanding of cursed energy itself flawed? Tell me!"
Gojo blinked, his smugness evaporating into confusion. 'What? Why is he happy? Shouldn't he be throwing a tantrum like a normal kid? And what does he mean he "already has a solution" for a problem he just learnt about five seconds ago?'
Gojo looked down at Ren, who was now staring at him like an overeager puppy waiting for a treat. 'This is almost scary,' Gojo thought. 'What if he actually starts liking me a lot more? 'HA, who am I kidding? He's still Ren, but who knew talking about jujutsu would make him this happy?'
Gojo cleared his throat, trying to regain his momentum. "Okay... I don't know how you have a 'solution' already, but fine, now to your next problem. You're fundamentally wrong about controlling cursed energy because I don't think you actually understand what it is."
Ren put a hand on his chin, looking thoughtful. "No, I understand it. Cursed energy is born from negative emotions, right? Controlling it should be easy—all you need to do is control those emotions, let them flow through you, and direct them. Right?"
Gojo stared at him, genuinely stunned by the answer.