Chapter 13. The Divine One

A chorus of ragged breaths filled the air as Jamal struggled on the cold, unforgiving ground. Each breath he took felt like shards of glass scraping against his throat. His muscles screamed in protest, burning with the intensity of a thousand wildfires. His vision blurred and danced, the edges of his sight fading in and out like a flickering candle about to extinguish.

The fall had been brutal, only augmenting to the toll of his already exhausted frame. As he lay there, the cold seeped into his bones, sapping what negligible strength he had left. Every inch of his body felt like it was being slowly crushed by an invisible weight, a suffocating pressure that made each gasp of air feel like his last.

Jamal's mind raced with confusion as he tried to make sense of the figure coming out of the cursed womb. From the basic details he had captured, he knew who it was, but his battered body didn't have the energy to say his name. He wondered how that particular curse was connected to all of this.

Around him, Gojo's battle was alive with the sounds of clashing forces. Gojo was a beacon of hope to Jamal, especially in this dying moment. Jamal found himself forcing his eyes against all odds to look towards his Sensei.

Jamal could hear the distant roars of curses and the sharp, distinct sounds of Gojo's techniques slicing through the air. But even these sounds seemed to come from a great distance, muffled and distorted by his pain-ridden haze.

He forced his eyes open, blinking sluggishly to clear his vision. The scene that greeted him was one of utter devastation. The chamber was broken and crumbling from the destructive force, turning it into a war zone. The ground was scorched and scarred. The air was thick and dense, making each breath an ordeal.

Through the haze, Jamal's eyes fixed on Gojo. The usually invincible sorcerer was in the midst of a brutal battle, his movements a blur of precision and power. But something was different. For the first time, Gojo seemed...very vulnerable and in a tough spot. His usual aura of effortless dominance was marred by visible fatigue and injury. Blood trickled down from a gash above his eye, staining his white hair a ghastly crimson. His breaths were labored from the immense strain he was under.

Gojo was taking a beating, and it was unlike anything Jamal had ever seen. Grandpa Kwashiorkor was swinging his rather large mace at Gojo and Swarm of Locusts was swarming around Gojo like vultures, chipping away Gojo's defenses. Because of condensing his cursed energy, Gojo found his Infinite techniques straining to keep up as he felt his cursed energy coming to a point of exhaustion - something that had never happened to him.

Jamal's heart sank, a cold, heavy feeling settling in his chest. A creeping dread took hold of him, wrapping around his mind like a suffocating shroud. He had always believed in Gojo's invincibility, his ability to overcome any obstacle. But now, watching him struggle, the cracks in that belief began to widen, spreading like fractures in a pane of glass.

"Is this it?" Jamal thought, his mind racing as panic set in. "Are we really going to lose?"

Every fiber of his being screamed in protest as he tried to move, but his body refused to obey. The exhaustion was overwhelming, a deep, bone-weary fatigue that sapped his strength and dulled his senses. He could feel his consciousness slipping, darkness creeping in at the edges of his vision.

Not far from where he had fallen, the curse that had emerged from the womb was furiously strangling a struggling Monsieur Withering while claiming of ridding of impunity.

"Your foolish desires... led you to betray our cause... even if it was just slightly..., Withering," the curse's voice thundered, each word dripping with contempt. "The Chosen One can forgive many things..., but a lack of loyalty in its subordinates is not one of them..."

"I will rid the world of all forms of impunity... starting with the likes of you..." the voice added with zeal and authority.

Jamal's mind struggled to comprehend the sight. "When did he become so powerful?" he wondered, recognizing the identity of the curse that had emerged from the womb.

However, when all seemed lost, Jamal heard suspicious sounds cutting through the air from varied angles toward the chamber. His muddled thoughts tried to make sense of the sudden, sharp noises.

"Are those... gunshots?" Jamal wondered, his heart pounding with a flicker of renewed hope as he strained to discern the source of the sounds.

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Elsewhere in the World Hunger Dungeon, Amanda adjusted her earpiece, a serious expression crossing her face. She glanced at her team, the SORCERERS, each member armed and ready for the mission ahead. Their guns, designed to shoot beams infused with cursed energy, glinted under the dim light of the domain.

"We've lost another sector," Amanda's voice was steady and authoritative despite the grim news.

The SORCERERS behind her grunted with frustration, clutching their weapons tighter.

"We entered the dungeon from various points to avoid a scenario where all of us would die," Amanda continued, aiming to bolster their resolve. "We know how dangerous this curse is, but we have to take it down, by any means necessary."

Speaking into her earpiece, she added, "Remember, our objective is to support Gojo and eliminate any remaining threats. Stick to your assigned routes and stay alert."

"Those who won't make it out today, may our souls rest in peace," she concluded with a brave tone.

The sector behind her nodded, their faces set with determination. They knew the risks involved in this line of work. Along the way, they had encountered curses of varying strengths and lost good comrades. But they also knew the stakes. Failure was not an option.

The SORCERERS had been split into smaller teams, or sectors, each taking a different path into the dungeon. The entry points were chosen based on intelligence gathered from strategic observation points outside. The hope was that by spreading out, they could minimize casualties while proceeding to the core.

Each domain they entered was unique in design and curses, but the atmosphere was the same: oppressive and filled with intense energy. Survival largely depended on luck.

Sectors that entered domains where Gojo had killed the generals faced a grim yet manageable environment. Their main challenge was reaching the core before the domains collapsed.

"Clear," one of Amanda's lieutenants reported through the earpiece, his voice calm. "We've taken down another group of first-grade curses. Moving forward."

"Good," Amanda replied. "Keep pushing. Reach the core before the domains collapse."

However, not all teams were as fortunate. Sectors entering domains of generals who escaped Gojo faced a much grimmer fate. Before reaching the core, they had to confront the respective general, often leading to the death of the entire sector.

Amanda listened helplessly to the frantic, desperate cries of her teammates through her earpiece. The sounds of intense battle, clashing cursed energy, and dying screams echoed through the cavernous halls.

"Sector Three, we need backup!" a voice shouted, panic lacing every word. "We're being overwhelmed-"

The line went dead, replaced by chilling silence. Amanda's heart sank. She knew what that silence meant. Another team lost. She forced herself to push on, knowing that pausing to mourn would only endanger more lives.

Despite the losses, some teams managed to press forward, navigating the treacherous corridors and battling through hordes of curses. Amanda's team, entering through a relatively safer route, encountered fewer threats but moved with equal caution. The dungeon's core was their goal, and they couldn't afford to falter.

They moved in a tight formation, Amanda leading the charge. Her cursed technique created a defensive barrier around them, deflecting stray attacks and mitigating the dungeon's oppressive energy. Her gun was ready in her other hand, artificial cursed energy primed for any threat.

"Eyes open," she reminded her team, her voice a steady anchor. "We're getting close."

The sounds of battle grew louder as they neared the dungeon's core. The surviving teams converged, drawn by the gravitational pull of the final conflict. The ground trembled with the force of clashes, the air filled with the stench of blood and cursed energy.

Finally, Amanda and her remaining teammates reached the core. The scene before them was one of utter devastation. Gojo was locked in combat with multiple generals, his once-imposing figure now marked by exhaustion and injury. Jamal lay on the ground, struggling to breathe, his body barely flinching

Amanda's heart pounded as she assessed the chaotic scene before her. Gojo was the top priority in all of this.

"Form up!" Amanda commanded. "Support Gojo and take down those generals!"

Her team sprang into action, beams of cursed energy from their guns mingling with the oppressive atmosphere. The four generals, now forced to divide their efforts, began targeting the SORCERERS, which gave Gojo a chance to catch his breath and Amanda the opportunity to get closer to him.

The curse that had emerged from the cursed womb looked at the growing number of operatives with contempt. "Weapons... humanity will never change.... I will spare no one..."

"Here," Amanda said urgently, pulling Gojo from another clash with Grandpa Kwashiorkor and taking out a small needle from her utility belt. She was ready to inject Gojo, while her sector covered her, their bodies absorbing hits from Grandpa Kwashiorkor's mace. The impacts disheveled them, their muscles weakening from a lack of protein.

"It's a dose of positive energy," Amanda continued urgently. "It's not much or as potent as what you'd produce, but you don't look in a position to multiply your cursed energy."

Gojo caught Amanda's hand before she could inject him. He shook his head and nodded towards Jamal's location.

"What?" Amanda tried to understand. What was he trying to tell her?

With a smile on his face, Gojo managed to say clearly, despite his strained breaths, "Use it on him."

Amanda nearly shouted at Gojo. Her mind raced with the statistics of how many operatives she had lost just to support Gojo. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes, betraying her authoritative and confident demeanor. She believed that only Gojo could kill this curse, yet here he was, grinning as if he didn't need help, prioritizing someone else over himself.

"Trust me." After a heated, intense moment, Gojo finally convinced her, giving her a few more instructions.

Without another moment of hesitation, Amanda moved to inject Jamal. Gojo jumped back into the fight against Grandpa Kwashiorkor, his hyperactive mind finding something more intriguing about the Divine Energy clashing against him. "It's not just highly condensed. It's also driven by a strong, negative desire."

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I lay there, breathing heavily, the taste of blood lingering on my lips. My vision was now hazed in darkness, and I was sure this was my dying moment. I had heard the sounds of gunshots mixed with the chaos of the chamber, but as quickly as they had come, they were dying out.

Any false sense of hope I had felt from those sounds was now dead and buried. Forgotten.

I had never experienced a near-death moment before, but looking back on everything that had transpired, I had no regrets. I had gotten my chance to hang out with one of my favorite anime characters, even if it was during an intense moment.

I had achieved a dream, and that made my life feel satisfactory. I would have wanted to meet others - Megumi, Nobara... Yuuji. But I understood losing as much as winning. This was it for me. But it had been interesting while it lasted.

Through the haze of lost hope, I felt a figure moving my body. The figure shook me, jolting the little hormones I had left to clear my vision a bit. The figure was a female who looked familiar, yet distant.

It took a moment for recognition to set in, but when it did, a sense of relief flooded through me like a rushing tide.

It was 'heartless' Amanda from earlier, and she looked more determined than I could have imagined. Her eyes reflected a fierceness that encouraged me to keep my vision clear. She was kneeling beside me, shaking me vigorously, my body already too numb to care.

"Wake up!" she shouted, her frustration mounting.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp prick against my skin. Instinctively, I flinched as the sensation spread across my face, fading almost as quickly as it came. Before it could fully dissolve, I felt another sharp sting as Amanda landed another slap on my cheek.

This time, the sensation mixed with a wave of warmth spreading through my veins at a snail's pace. With the slap acting as a catalyst, the sensation intensified, spreading through my veins like wildfire, and I jolted back to life.

It was as if I had been injected with pure energy, a potent concoction of adrenaline and all the world's hope. I raised my upper body with such intensity that it sent Amanda flying back. My eyes instantly locked onto the location of the cursed womb and the curse that was still there.

Putting too much energy into my words, I shouted, releasing the shock I had experienced, "IT WAS HANAMI!"

My mind locked on the curse, wondering why that particular special-grade curse was at the heart of this chaos. "It was Hanami," I repeated in a lower voice, my shock having dissipated with my previous shout.

Eventually, I stopped and breathed properly, realizing that the shock wasn't because I was afraid of Hanami, a curse of natural disaster that I had seen easily scared by Gojo from the canon. It was the shock of not expecting him to be here that had made me shout.

"I don't know what you are shouting about," Amanda said urgently, "but my barrier won't last long, and I just used the only dose of positive energy we had on you."

I felt the prickling sensation in my cheek and rubbed it. "You slapped me," I said solemnly.

"What?!" She sounded frustrated, but I sensed she was holding back. "I also injected you, but it didn't seem like you were feeling it."

"Look, Jamal," Amanda said, suppressing her urgency. "You'll have time to demand an apology later, and I'll have my chance to strangle Gojo for bringing a kid into this mess without consulting me first."

"But right now, Gojo seems to think you can solve our problem," she continued, letting me take in the chaos and death around us. "All our hope is somehow on you."

Men and women in suits of various colors were blasting light-blue beams from their guns at the remaining generals in the chamber, including the newest addition - Hanami.

'Cool weapons,' I marveled inwardly, but the sight of so many people lying dead on the ground saddened me. Despite the sorcerers' efforts, it looked like they were fighting a futile battle against the four curses.

'Four curses?' I wondered if my math was off.

"Gojo seems to trust you completely, given the circumstances," Amanda continued. "Are you some kind of whiz kid I don't know about?"

"Uh-" I couldn't give her the answer she wanted. Instead, I chose to explain my mission. "All I have to do is punch that cursed womb, and all this will end. That's what Gojo said."

"Punch it?!" Amanda sounded shocked. "The energy coming from that womb is enough to blow you into pieces-"

"I already did once, and I survived... barely, but-" I cut her off, hoping to ease her mind. My words seemed to give her something to think about. "If you don't mind, I have a mission to complete."

I shot up to a standing position, eyes locked on the cursed womb. I felt energetic and replenished.

"Right!" I dashed toward the cursed womb with the energy of a thousand kids on a sugar rush.

"Wait!" she called out as I stumbled on an invisible force, then fell back to the ground. "You are still in my barrier."

"Ow." First my cheek, now I was rubbing my nose.

"Gojo has also instructed me to tell you something," Amanda said calmly.

"The first step to throwing the 'Perfect Punch' is mastering the flow," she recited. "The second is pressurizing the water in your tank to condense your cursed energy."

"The third and final step depends on you and what you have learned after observing the Generals," she finished.

"I don't know exactly what all of that means, so I hope you do," she said, her voice filled with hope and a good amount of confidence in me. "The barrier is down."

"I do... mostly," I said, stepping out with the vigor of someone injected with a suspicious dose of positive energy.

My sights were locked on the cursed womb, where Hanami was still revolved, turning guns into flowers while visibly mumbling his frustrations with weapons and humanity. Most people who got close enough to him died from mysterious explosions, but it didn't deter my advance.

To the side, Gojo was still battling the three curses, now seeming to gain more footing and control. A quick scan revealed that Monsieur Withering was nowhere in sight, and a flicker of hope burned within me.

'Is it too much to ask if he's already dead?' I smiled slightly, hoping Withering's disappearance meant his death would nullify our pact.

As I reached closer to the cursed womb, I slowed to a walk, gathering Gojo's message. For some reason, I felt calmer and more confident than ever.

"You are special," Gojo's words echoed in my mind, and considering the warmth currently flowing through my body, I had no doubt. I felt heavenly special, like an angel soaring high above.

"Amanda said she injected me with positive energy," I recalled. "But it feels like the cursed energy in my 'tank' has increased too."

I knew positive energy had a healing effect, but I didn't know it could replenish cursed energy.

"Food for thought." I sidelined the thought, my mind free of worry. Despite the terror around me, I knew this was the calmest I could ever be.

"Flowing cursed energy," I muttered as I moved closer, channeling cursed energy into both fists. I felt it move at a steady pace with occasional jolts as it tried to flow smoother.

'Even the images in my mind are clearer,' I noticed, my heightened brain activity bringing vivid mental images of what I was visualizing, and quicker too.

"Condensing cursed energy," I continued, stretching out my fists as a visible blue aura surrounded them. This step was new to me, but I believed visualizing it would help.

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Inspired by the guns shooting blue beams, I imagined a futuristic 'Compressor' with pulsing blue lights and a low hum. The Compressor's mechanical arms extended toward the 'tank' containing my cursed energy, encircling it and exerting pressure. As the pressure increased, I visualized the tank's structure strengthening, the molecules compacting. I felt traces of denser cursed energy flow to my fists, my aura now hinting at traces of purple.

The third and final step was cryptic, and I didn't know how to approach it. However, the feeling of my cursed energy growing denser propelled me toward the cursed womb, believing what I had was enough.

"Hanami," I called out calmly but audibly, my heightened awareness bolstering my strength. It felt like throwing a punch could propel me to outer space, but I'd still survive. "Do you still want to stand in my way?"

"Hm?.. You should have died... Such impunity..." Hanami spat as he turned his attention to me, transforming another pair of guns.

'I am special,' I reaffirmed, remembering Gojo's words. "Gojo said it, and now I can feel it. I can do this."

Hanami glared at me intensely, his horn-like protrusions and feminine voice unmistakable. Despite some differences, there was no mistaking him. But what business did he have with this World Hunger cabal?

Hanami moved to attack, and I slowed down, recognizing the pores he unleashed. Knowledge of his cursed technique from my favorite fight scene with 'the Brothers' came in handy.

"Cursed buds," I observed, noting the teeth-like streaks. I stopped in my tracks, releasing the condensed cursed energy to lower its flow through my body.

"Defending against cursed buds with cursed energy only makes them more effective," I reminded myself with a smile, dodging them. Only two or three hit me, gnawing at my shoulders, but I overrode the pain and removed them.

"Your energy was potent when you were coming to attack...," Hanami's feminine voice was curious, "but you cleverly diminished its flow once you saw my pores... How did you know how my cursed technique works?"

"Mh!" I smiled joyfully and answered loudly enough for Gojo and the others to hear. "Your cursed buds become more effective if defended against with more cursed energy."

"But that's not all I know about you, Hanami," I added.

"You also speak my name... Is that your cursed technique?" Hanami inquired.

"I would never expect you to be arrogant enough to create a fighting scenario that would involve Gojo," I continued, ignoring his question. "Or is this the part where you learned that lesson?"

"Before, I would never..." Hanami replied. "But now, I have the blessing of the Divine, and once that energy is fully birthed in me, I will be the strongest, with the power to extinguish all of humanity and its errors."

"World Hunger is just one of the calamities humanity fears. As a curse born of fear of natural disasters, I was chosen by this Divine energy to end all causes of such disasters. Humanity is the biggest cause," Hanami explained. "However, the curses elevated to be my fellow generals have proved useless to this cause. Their fervent desires may be necessary for commanding this power, but they only stand in the way of the greater good."

Hanami paused, pondering, without making a move to harm me.

'Fervent desires?' I considered the implication, quickly analyzing his words. 'Drool was greedy, Withering savored blood, and Kwashiorkor had a grudge against Gojo...'

I ran a quick check on the other generals before Hanami continued.

"After looking at you deeply, I understand why a child like you survived an attack from Divine energy," Hanami said. "I don't know how, but you have it... lying dormant within you, waiting to be unleashed."

"I should have expected a counterbalance," Hanami seemed to be thinking aloud. "Maybe I should have listened."

My brows relaxed as I tried to comprehend his words.

"What do you desire the most, child?" Hanami asked.

Since he was stalling, I saw no harm in answering while digesting the information.

"I desire to hang out more with Gojo and his students," I said, listing them in my mind. "And frankly, it feels like you are the one obstacle I have to pass to achieve that dream."

'Gojo wants me to throw a punch, then I'll throw it with all I've got and the strongest of wills,' I noted in my mind.

"That's not it," Hanami said resolutely. "That's not what you desire, but it's no matter. I have to eliminate you either way."

"Here goes everything," I braced myself, my mind racing with thoughts of terror, but my body didn't betray even a shudder. I felt calm and determined.

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"He-he," Gojo grinned, his face shining despite the blood marks. "Is that all you've got, Grandpa?"

Grandpa Kwashiorkor faced him furiously, his dark mace heavy on his shoulders, ready for another swing.

"Normally, I don't need a reason to kill curses, but for the sake of my ancestor, I can't allow you to continue existing," Gojo declared, his tone serious.

Gojo was suspended in the air, surrounded by Infinity at a level of Infinite Reflection. The three generals had learned their lesson when they tried to bypass it with Divine, but they had found a way around it. While Gojo naturally had unlimited reserves of cursed energy and could keep Infinity up at all times, it wasn't the same case with Infinite Reflection.

By condensing his cursed energy, Gojo was limiting his cursed reservoirs, thereby creating a limit for how long he could use Infinite Reflection. Swarm of Locusts, Saurorath, and Grandpa just had to wait for that limit to be met.

However, there was something they hadn't experienced yet, and Gojo felt it was time to go god mode on them. He had spotted the curse that had come out from the cursed womb, and now that all the cards were laid out, he felt it was time to take some reasonable risks. No matter what happened, Jamal would survive long enough to exorcise the womb.

"Domain Expansion..." Gojo began, executing a seal. He was about to unleash his Infinite Void on the World Hunger Generals. "Infi-"

"Gojo, wait!" a voice shouted, blasting a swarm of locusts with guns and curses to stop Gojo. "It's not desperate enough yet."

Still determined, Gojo continued with his plan, despite the interruption by one of Amanda's operatives. However, before he could finish, the same operative jumped in quicker.

"Domain Expansion: Grim Harvest!" The operative's invocation was quick but effective, pulling in Grandpa Kwashiorkor and removing him from the battle.

"Scarecrow, no!" Amanda shouted, knowing that was it for that operative. But before she knew it, some of her other operatives were invoking their domains to pull in the other generals. Not all were successful, but eventually, two managed to pull in Swarm of Locusts and Saurorath, leaving only Hanami at the center of the battle, with the expectation of dead bodies to come back falling.

No one expected any of those operatives to return alive. Not even Amanda.

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On my first day, I would never have imagined that I would be in a position where I would have to fistfight something like Hanami. But now, as Hanami unveiled his left hand, it was clear I didn't have much of a choice. My invulnerability to his cursed buds meant he would likely resort to brute force, and perhaps even a Domain Expansion if things got desperate.

"Figure out that third step yet?" The golden voice came, a song to my ears. It was only after hearing the familiar tone that I realized just how tense I had grown despite my calm. I nearly jumped with joy.

"You should have figured out by now that the only reason I want you to throw that punch is because you have the same energy lying dormant in your core, as with that womb" Gojo said, standing by my side, facing Hanami.

"Hana- that curse also told me the same thing," I replied, refusing to call Hanami by his name before Gojo.

"Well, I'm glad I was right all along," Gojo said with a smile, though I sensed a hint of sorrow in his eyes and tone. "But this is where it all matters, Jamal."

"Whether you can harness that Divine Energy to finish the 'perfect punch' depends entirely on you," Gojo said.

"I have managed to condense my cursed energy, I think. Is that enough?" I asked.

"No," Gojo replied.

"But I'm sure you'll figure it out as we cover you," he added, his expression shifting entirely.

"We don't have much time, kid," Amanda interjected with urgency, she and her remaining team members surrounding Hanami and the cursed womb. "Those other curses will be back in no time. Do what you gotta do, and quick!"

Feeling the pressure, I did the only thing someone in my position would do - find answers. I pulled out my smartphone and started navigating the 'TTCM' app, my fingers shaking with urgency. Unfortunately, my shaking intensified and I couldn't handle the phone properly while energy was exploding all around me.

Unresolved, I put the phone back in my pocket and started breathing slowly.

"There's no need to overthink this," I affirmed inwardly, calming myself down. "The only thing I need to do is throw a punch. If I'm meant to throw a perfect one, then so be it."

Resolved, I staggered about the operatives trying to make my way as they covered me, their bodies sprawling on the ground or turning into buds. Their collective efforts and sacrifices empowered me to push past any sense of doubt. I moved with all gears that I could afford.

However, Hanami was levels stronger than I could ever imagine, and his cursed buds provided for the numbers he needed to counter the multitude, forcing us into tight spots further away from the cursed womb. Death was starting to become a very natural occurrence to me as people got gobbled up by cursed buds in my place.

I wanted to get closer to the cursed womb, but Hanami unleashed waves of cursed energy that even managed to push Gojo back. Even from his aura, I could tell that something was making him levels stronger - the Divine Energy that he was faithfully guarding against.

Then, in a moment of desperation or perhaps sheer determination, Gojo unleashed his ultimate technique.

"Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void!" His voice echoed with power, and suddenly, reality came to a standstill. An infinite stream of information assaulted my senses, and my mind struggled to process the overwhelming deluge of data pouring from Gojo's Unlimited Void.

'How can someone's soul and mind exist within such boundless information?' I found myself wondering.

'It's beautiful,' I marveled.

"I can still think!" I realized that despite my mind feeling like it had stopped, it was still intact, and I could do more. "I can move."

"How's this-" I wondered, but then remembered something I was coming to believe. "I am special."

I watched as Gojo moved in what appeared to be in slow motion. In reality, I knew that that movement often came off as blurry and a streak, but it was too slow in this current state.

Gojo was moving to attack Hanami, and I saw it as my chance to exorcise the cursed womb. Moving within the infinite void felt strange - like drifting in space while also feeling the potential to swim or fly, and from the influx of information, it also felt like there was a potential to change the future, past, present, or even warp the entire reality.

As I tried to process everything my senses were bombarding me with, a blaring headache seized hold of me. The pain spread rapidly, from my head to my stomach, and then deep into my core. I cried out in agony, instinctively clutching at my head and stomach.

Moving my body only intensified the discomfort, sending prickling sensations across my skin and pulsations through my veins that threatened to burst. The burning sensation grew, engulfing me in a fiery torment that rendered me momentarily unable to think straight.

Just as the pain reached its peak, it abruptly ceased, almost in sync with Gojo's voice addressing me. "There was no better way to bring you close enough to the cursed womb."

I wanted to cry and yell, the memory of the pain I had just suffered too vivid and real in my mind. Being in the unlimited void had blinded me in pain, such that I didn't notice Hanami crashing and struggling to stand a distance away.

However, the warmth I felt as Gojo placed his hands around my head eased the memory, and the fearful thoughts racing through my mind, until it all fleeted away and I was back to thinking straight.

"I don't want to ever experience Infinity ever again," That's all I could manage to say as I calmed down.

"I didn't know you could resist it," Gojo said with a hint of apology. But now that my mind had calmed, I had a peculiar understanding of why his Domain chose to hurt and burn me instead of freezing my mind like the others.

"It's because of my technique," I said with a shuddering calm. "I now know what it's called, and why I will forever be afraid of domains."

"I'll be waiting to hear all about it when you've finished the mission," Gojo said, his calm betraying his sense of urgency.

"Flowing Cursed Energy," I started, my mind and body having reverted to the strange sense of calm. "Condensing Cursed Energy."

"From: Vital Essence," the final step was very clear after having experienced Infinity.

"Catalyst!" The word came out with a breath. My body had already taken a stance, and all that remained was to throw that punch straight at the cursed womb. Hanami was literally flying to stop me, but Gojo had his sights on him.

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The sensation of channeling my cursed energy and applying a catalyst was completely new and exhilarating, yet it also carried a sense of danger.

Flowing cursed energy felt like a smooth stream flowing from my core, its intensity increasing as I discovered the ability to access my entire reserve all at once, without any barriers. Condensing it was more challenging, but achievable. Unlike flowing, condensing required control from the brain rather than the core.

This intense focus on condensing cursed energy almost halted other brain functions, including those necessary for the heart to pump blood efficiently. Purely condensing cursed energy was perilous and could result in instant death.

The final step, however, was controlled neither by the brain nor the core, but by the stomach.

After absorbing a flood of information, I finally grasped the significance of the Level Up I attained after banishing ten curses:

- XP: 11

- Level 2 - Vital Essence: Milk enhances your jujutsu abilities as long as it's in your system.

The milk I consumed while battling Drool was still being digested in my stomach. To utilize Divine Energy, a specific Eccentric was required, as demonstrated by the Generals. Drool fixated on food, Withering craved blood, and I - well, milk had always been my obsession.

Eccentricity served as the catalyst for activating Divine Energy. In my case, it surged from my stomach, meeting the condensed cursed energy to generate a highly concentrated, superior form of cursed energy now pulsating within my fists.

The lingering question remained: was this power sufficient to exorcise a divine cursed womb?

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Jamal's fist felt like a massive weight, pulsing with energy. Even clenching it required immense effort, his whole body straining to maintain control. To unleash it, he summoned the strengthened resolve he'd cultivated through hours of focus on his goal.

But it still wasn't sufficient. Jamal tapped into his vocal cords, adding the energy needed for the 'Perfect Punch'.

"Aaarrhhhhhhhhh..." He screamed, his face contorting with frustration and determination, yet it wasn't enough. He needed more to deliver the punch and strike the cursed womb.

The more he yelled and strained, the more elusive the 'Perfect Punch' seemed. Then, he remembered a fundamental principle of Jujutsu - the impact of emotions.

Emotions could disrupt a sorcerer's effectiveness. To master jujutsu, one needed to maintain calm and composure. So Jamal conjured the image of the calmest person he knew - Megumi Fushiguro, who always seemed unbothered by life, Yuuji or Nobara.

With this image in mind, Jamal finally released his pent-up Divine Fist, a moment that felt both glorious and liberating.

Surrounded by a swirling aura of blue, purple, and white, the Divine Fist struck the cursed womb before Hanami could intervene. The collision was nothing short of spectacular and sensational. The power of Divine Energy clashing against Divine Energy reverberated around the entire Dungeon, each struggling to overpower the other.

The impact lingered, sending waves of vibrating energy rippling out in all directions, causing even Gojo's hair and cheeks to be pushed back by the force.

"Such power," Gojo mused, attempting a curious grin despite his cheeks flapping in the turbulence. "I wasn't mistaken about this kid. He could become the ultimate sorcerer if he learns to wield it."

The clash of Divine energies persisted, but eventually, a victor emerged as the dungeon collapsed and rapidly dissipated, its energy diminishing until it could no longer sustain the illusion of a hyper-realistic domain. As sunlight streamed in to replace the dim glow that once filled the space, the rays seemed to avoid the epicenter of the clash, as if wary of its immense power and potential consequences.

Jamal battled overwhelming exhaustion as his body grew increasingly numb, blood failing to reach vital areas. Maintaining a composed exterior proved challenging, but deep within, he vowed not to waver until the cursed womb was completely exorcised. He fought on, resisting even the encroaching shadows of unconsciousness.

Finally, the cursed womb yielded, dissipating with a stretched buzz as its energy reverted to simple cursed energy, leaving scant trace behind.

For a brief moment, Jamal gazed at his fists in a mix of awe, wonder, and exhaustion. He longed to blink and witness the scene once more, but as his eyelids closed, his weary mind welcomed the darkness that enveloped him, and he crumpled to the pavement below.

---patreon.com/cursedmillennial---

'The One' is a trilogy of chapters:

1. The Honored One ✓

2. The Chosen One ✓

3. The Divine One ✓

This trilogy marks the end of this arc and transitions the story to Jujutsu High. Did you love it?

Early Access to 10 chapters. Currently working on Ryomen Sukuna. Patreon.com/cursedmillennial