Chapter 54 – Zen'in Shinsuke vs. Gojo Satoru
"Maki, don't lose your cool."
Shinsuke turned his gaze on Gojo, lips curling into a faint smile. "So… how do you plan to handle this?"
This guy would never let such a chance slip.
Gojo tugged off the bandage covering his eyes, grin spreading wider. "The higher-ups didn't dare announce your execution in public. That just proves they're scared you'll retaliate."
He knew exactly what those geezers were thinking — using him to deal with Shinsuke.
"They've lived too long," Gojo went on, voice light but edged. "Can't even tell right from wrong anymore. Honestly? I agree with how you handled things. But… I did take their job, so I at least have to act like I'm following orders."
He shrugged with mock helplessness.
If not for that smug grin stretching to his ears, Shinsuke might almost have believed him.
"Maki, move back. Far back. Watch closely — I'll show you how to wield our power."
He knew Gojo wouldn't back off. The man was dead set on this fight. Fine then — perfect chance to see where he stood now.
"Yes, Master!"
Eyes shining, Maki sprinted a few hundred meters away despite her injuries, eager to witness what pure body training could unleash against the so-called strongest sorcerer.
With her out of the way, the two men squared off.
"At last," Gojo said, cracking his knuckles. "I've been waiting years for this. Don't you dare run this time." His eyes gleamed with boyish glee — not hunger for battle, just the thrill of finally beating up this hated rival.
"Relax. Today, you're the one eating dirt." Shinsuke grinned back.
Then he vanished.
"Boom!"
A massive fist slammed into Gojo's Infinity defense, forcing him back several meters.
Arms crossed before his chest, Gojo sneered, "Already on guard!"
Pure hand-to-hand? He couldn't match Shinsuke's speed or raw force — not even close. But he wasn't dumb enough to rely on brute strength.
He expanded Infinity's passive defense, enhanced his movements with refined control, and used Six Eyes to track every twitch of Shinsuke's body.
"C'mon! Take your beating!"
Gojo blurred into a streak of motion, colliding with Shinsuke in a shockwave that flattened the trees around them.
From her hiding spot, Maki gawked. Their movements blurred beyond sight — so this was the level of true monsters. One day, she vowed, she'd stand there too.
"Boom!"
Gojo laughed wildly. "Your power's brutal — stronger than cursed energy in its way! But still not enough to breach my defense. Stop struggling and just get pummeled!"
He poured more cursed energy into Infinity, pushing his speed close to teleportation. Every instinct screamed at him to keep going until Shinsuke was nothing but a battered mess.
"Not bad. You live up to 'strongest sorcerer.' As I am now, I can't match you head-on." Shinsuke admitted it openly — Infinity plus Six Eyes was absurd. A body path alone wasn't enough to overwhelm it.
"But Gojo… ready yourself. I'm done holding back."
His grin twisted, and his body roared.
Five gates — open!
"BOOM!!"
Steam erupted around him, muscles flushed crimson, veins bulging like writhing cords. The sheer aura blasted Gojo back.
"What the hell is this?!" Gojo's eyes widened — he'd never seen Shinsuke like this. His energy spiked several times over in an instant.
"That… that's the power Master promised to show me?" Maki trembled in awe, hands tightening into fists. The pressure alone screamed overwhelming might.
"Hahahaha! Now it makes sense — no wonder you could slay special grades so easily!" Gojo roared in exhilaration, unfazed. "But this still isn't enough!"
He spread his arms, preparing higher-level techniques.
"You think this is all?" Shinsuke barked, veins bulging as he forced his body further.
Gate of View — open!
"BOOM!!!"
His aura spiked again, steam hissing off his skin. Pain wracked every muscle fiber, but the surge was intoxicating. Worth every second of torment.
"Stay sharp, brat!"
His voice thundered in Gojo's ear. The Six Eyes could see him, but his body lagged behind.
A fist like a cannon smashed through layers of Infinity, slamming Gojo square in the face.
"BAM!!!"
Gojo became a blur, skidding through the earth and gouging a trench before catching himself midair.
Wiping blood from his lip, his pupils narrowed. "He… actually broke through?"
"You've been hiding deep, haven't you," he muttered, grinning despite himself.
Gojo floated high above, his expression cooling as the rush of excitement gave way to calculation.
At first, all he'd wanted was to rough the guy up a little — but Zen'in Shinsuke's strength was proving far beyond what he'd estimated.
"Fine then… don't blame me for playing dirty. Today, you're getting your beating no matter what."
If Shinsuke was going to hide his full power, then Gojo would drop the pretense of "fair play" entirely.
He raised his hands like pistols, aiming down at Shinsuke. Cursed energy coalesced at his fingertips into a blazing crimson sphere.
"Reverse Cursed Technique — Red!"
The orb of repulsive force fired downward like an artillery shell, detonating with an earth-shaking blast.
"Boom—!!"
Gojo didn't stop, chaining one Red after another, peppering the ground below in a barrage. It was a wide-area bombardment, pure map-clearing firepower. After all… Shinsuke couldn't fly.
Or so he thought.
Each shot slammed into the earth with terrifying force, tearing apart chunks of the battlefield — yet none landed on Shinsuke, who wove through the bombardment with impossible speed.
Gojo frowned. Red is fast, but not fast enough to tag him… Unless I use Hollow Purple…
"Just to beat me up, you're really tossing away all dignity, huh?"
Shinsuke bent his knees and launched upward with a thunderous crack, his figure blurring into the sky until he was level with Gojo.
"What can I say?" Gojo smirked. "I'm a sorcerer — of course I'll use my strengths. I'm not stupid enough to fight you at close range."
Now, with Shinsuke in the air, there was nowhere left to run.
Gojo leveled his finger-gun at him once more, crimson light swirling into existence.
"Give it up already. Losing to me isn't shameful. Just take your beating."