Itadori prepared for another onslaught.

He felt quite satisfied with his power increase after executing the Black Flash. He could never have expected such a leap.

Now, he understood why Todo said that the difference between a sorcerer who hadn't experienced the Black Flash and one who had was like heaven and earth.

Even his cursed energy reserves had grown, and his control became more refined.

At that moment, he was feeling very confident.

Maybe this was a side effect of using the Black Flash, but who cared?

What mattered now was that he was able to exorcise this curse.

"Alright, my friend! I've seen enough!" Todo approached Itadori, standing by his side with a proud smile. "You've become much stronger! The cursed energy of the curse has weakened."

"It's the perfect time for us to exorcise it."

Itadori nodded, raising his palm at the same time as Todo, mimicking a pose well known to the first-grade sorcerer, used by his favorite idol.

"Alright, let's do this!"

Hanami gritted her teeth. Tearing off the cloth that covered her left arm, she revealed a black arm.

"It seems that against you, I'll have to get serious," Hanami declared, though no words were actually vocalized. "Let's continue!"

Itadori and Todo jumped instinctively as giant roots emerged from the ground. Itadori, carefully observing the cursed energy signatures around him, immediately turned when Hanami appeared from among the roots, attempting to attack them stealthily.

Boom!

Hitting her with a precise punch, he pushed her back to the ground, the roots disappearing instantly, revealing they were a manifestation of the curse's energy.

"Todo, throw me toward her!"

As they both fell, Itadori asked his friend, who promptly reacted by grabbing him by the legs and spinning him in the air, launching him toward the curse. Hanami had just landed firmly on the ground, only to look up and see the boy flying toward her like a bullet.

"Damn!"

She cursed, unable to escape fast enough, and was hit squarely in the face with a punch.

"Black Flash!"

Black rays spread, and Hanami was pushed back, blood gushing from a wound on her face.

But as she concentrated cursed energy to heal herself, she immediately jumped back when Itadori lunged from the cloud of dust.

"Even though I'm taking damage..."

Hanami raised her guard, but upon seeing that fist coming, she immediately realized it wouldn't be enough.

"Why am I enjoying this so much?"

Boom!

"Black Flash!"

The punch exploded the curse's left arm, piercing through her defense and hitting her solar plexus with precision.

"Idiot..." Spitting blood, Hanami channeled cursed energy and caused numerous sharp roots to emerge from the ground, attempting to impale Itadori. "Know your place!"

*Clap!

But before the roots could reach him, Hanami was shocked when the boy simply disappeared, her instincts screaming for her to turn immediately.

"Black..."

But it was already too late.

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"Flash!"

The punch hit her ribs accurately, her mouth opening as blood was expelled from her throat.

"Cursed!" Hanami growled, turning around to counterattack Itadori.

"Don't forget about me!"

But before she could, Todo appeared with a precise punch to her jaw, pushing her head upwards.

Hanami gritted her teeth. Pushing her head down, she intercepted a punch from Itadori, grabbing his wrist while immediately attacking Todo with her other fist.

*Clap!

But to her surprise, instead of Todo, she suddenly found herself facing Sukuna's vessel once again.

"Again?!"

"Black Flash!"

And when her fist connected with Itadori's face, he counterattacked with a powerful punch that hit her chest, sending her flying backwards.

"I understand now." Hanami spat blood, her legs trembling as she quickly regained her posture. "This isn't Sukuna's vessel's technique, but this man's."

Referring to Todo, Hanami looked at the two cautiously.

"I've taken enough damage already. I can't prolong this much longer, or I may truly be exorcised."

Hanami wiped the blood from her lips, her teeth clenching as she became more determined.

"No... I have to endure, or Mahito won't have enough time to complete our plan."

Hanami positioned herself, while Itadori and Todo did the same.

"Come, Jujutsu Sorcerers!"

!

Hanami promptly blocked their punches, but before she could counter, she was confused when her position was suddenly swapped, a fist hitting her chest accurately.

"He switched my position?!"

*Clap!

As she recovered from the blow, a kick hit her shoulder, bending her legs slightly and allowing another fist to connect with her face.

"Hey, curse!" Todo called, pushing her back with a kick and bringing his palms together. "My technique involves swapping places with a target!"

*Clap!

Receiving a precise kick, Hanami staggered.

"And it activates..."

*Clap!

"Every time I clap!"

Boom!

"Black Flash!"

Itadori broke through Hanami's defense with his fist, hitting her face and making her stumble backwards.

But the boy didn't stop there. He closed the distance in a second, his fist slamming into the curse's stomach.

"Black Flash!"

Hanami choked but didn't have time to recover before a spinning kick struck her jaw with enough force to knock her to the ground.

"Black Flash!"

"Three in a row?!" Todo watched in amazement.

"Black..."

Hanami, struggling to get up, urgently used her forearm to defend against another kick.

"Flash!"

Boom!

Being kicked like a soccer ball, Hanami flew into a tree.

Seeing this, Todo felt tears welling up in his eyes.

It was true that the Black Flash was not a phenomenon that could be controlled. It was extremely rare, even for elite sorcerers.

Few sorcerers had performed consecutive Black Flashes, and when they did, it was often due to sheer luck.

But sometimes, the phenomenon seemed to bless certain individuals, allowing them to use the technique more frequently than others.

Of course, the phenomenon had no sentience and couldn't choose whom to bless.

But regarding Yuji Itadori, Todo sensed something different. Something that set him apart.

It felt as if the phenomenon had chosen Itadori carefully.

!

Hanami stood up, her arms trembling after enduring so many attacks.

She was reaching her limit, and the two sorcerers noticed it.

They didn't need to speak to each other to decide their next move.

'Here they come!'

Hanami immediately turned as Itadori and Todo advanced, her attention fixed on the boy, who was undeniably the most dangerous at that moment.

*Clap!

Expecting the swap, Hanami turned just in time to see Itadori drawing a blade, raising it to strike her arm.

"What's this? Are you underestimating me?"

Watching the blade descend closer, Hanami prepared a wooden ball in her other hand.

"A blade will never cut me!"

*Slice!

But with those confident thoughts, Hanami was unable to react when the blade sliced through her arm like butter.

Shock ran through her body. Seeing Itadori smirk, she tried to jump back and escape.

"Gotcha!"

But before she could, Todo intercepted her, holding her by the waist.

"Let go of me!" Hanami hit Todo's face with an elbow, but he remained determined to hold her.

While she struggled, her attention was drawn forward as she saw Itadori advancing, Sukuna's vessel pulling his fist back.

"Bye-bye!"

*Clap!

As the boy reached her, Hanami felt Todo disappear, her arms lowering to block the attack. But it was too late.

"Black Flash!!!"

Boom!

The punch shattered both of her arms, the ground cracking beneath her as the blow connected with her stomach, sending Hanami flying like a shot.

"Nice one, brother!" Todo stood beside Itadori, a smile on his face. "But it's still not enough."

"This curse is extremely resilient." Itadori sighed, watching Hanami struggle to rise from the debris. "But at this point, she's out of breath. Even escaping seems impossible now."

"She has only one option."

Hanami, unfurling the flower on her shoulder, surprised the two sorcerers by crouching down and placing her palm on the ground. Nature around her began to wither at a frightening pace.

"My technique steals the energy from plants and converts it into cursed energy, but the energy doesn't come to me. It all goes to this flower."

Itadori's eyes narrowed as he stepped in front of Todo, understanding the situation.

"But with your technique, avoiding it would be too easy. So, I'm left with only one thing..."

The curse spread her arms, cursed energy dancing around her body, ready to explode at any moment.

"Todo!"

Todo turned to Itadori.

"Trust me!"

Todo didn't fully understand, but he didn't need to wait long to find out.

As the cursed energy reached a critical point, Itadori clasped his hands together, concentrating all his cursed energy into them.

Assuming a combat stance, Itadori grinned.

"Domain Expansion..."

"Domain Expansion..."

Todo's eyes widened in shock at what he was witnessing.

"Ceremonial Sea of Light!"

'I haven't fully mastered it yet, but it'll be enough!'

"Hunting Territory!"

The howl of a wolf was the last sound Hanami heard.