Shinjuku, one of Tokyo's most popular and densely populated districts, now lay in ruins.
Buildings and streets were completely devastated, with no signs of human life anywhere across the entire city.
The strongest sorcerer of the Modern Era had clashed with the mightiest in all of history, in a desperate attempt to stop the spread of his evil — and to prevent an even greater calamity from descending upon Japan and the rest of the world.
Satoru Gojo's final, desperate attack to end Sukuna — and his strongest shadow, Mahoraga — had unleashed devastation on an unimaginable scale, a Hollow Purple so powerful it had turned the sky itself violet.
Slowly, the dust of destruction began to settle, revealing a scene never before witnessed by the students of Jujutsu High, who could only watch and pray for Gojo's victory.
The King of Curses stood in a wretched state, his body torn apart, scorched by burns, the left side of his face obliterated, and his right hand missing. He leaned heavily against the crumbling remains of a building, using what little strength he had left to stay on his feet.
From the skies above, the strongest sorcerer of the Modern Era descended, landing just a few meters in front of him
"You know," Gojo said, his voice cutting through the heavy silence, "I thought the result might be a little better."
His lips curled into a slight, tired smile — not mocking, but edged with a bitter satisfaction.
"Still," he continued, taking a slow step forward, "seeing you like this... it's enough."
The air around him trembled faintly, heavy with the remnants of cursed energy and dust.
"Did you enjoy my maximum output of Hollow Purple?" he asked, tilting his head just slightly, his tone calm but tinged with a quiet sharpness.
"Judging by your face," he added, a faint smirk flickering across his features, "I'd say you did."
A soft, dry chuckle escaped him — almost more self-deprecating than mocking.
"First time I ever blew myself up too," he mused aloud. "But... guess it was worth it."
Gojo spoke with the ease of a man who believed the battle to be over — not from arrogance, but from conviction.
And truth be told, it wasn't only Gojo who thought so.
Every student, every sorcerer who had witnessed Shinjuku's devastation shared the same belief:
"Gojo has won!"
But reality — cold and merciless — had other plans.
Slowly, deliberately, Satoru began walking toward Sukuna, his figure a lone shadow moving through the swirling remnants of destruction.
"I'll figure out what to do with Megumi..." he muttered under his breath, "after I kill you."
Sukuna stirred.
He raised his head, blood dripping from his ruined face, and locked his burning eyes onto Gojo's.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.
A smile that wasn't born of madness — but of acknowledgment.
Something about that grin made Gojo freeze mid-stride, instincts screaming in the back of his mind.
"You were magnificent, Satoru Gojo," Sukuna rasped, voice low and reverent, like a king honoring a fallen rival.
"Never before have I encountered an opponent like you."
"I never even dreamed such a one could exist."
His words lingered in the air, heavy with finality.
"You are strong," he admitted. "I must grant you that."
Gojo's expression darkened.
(What the hell is he talking about?)
(Is he bluffing?)
(No way he still has something left...)
The thought barely finished forming when the world shattered.
Without warning, Sukuna unleashed it — a Dismantle unlike any before.
The cursed slash twisted in mid-air, warping unnaturally, defying the very laws of physics — and, more horrifyingly, bypassing the invisible barrier of Gojo's Infinity.
It came from behind.
Faster than thought.
Faster than instinct.
A sound — wet, sharp, brutal — split the silence as the slash carved through Gojo's abdomen, cleaving his body mercilessly in two.
Blood erupted like a fountain, painting the ground.
Gojo staggered, his legs locking in place as if refusing to collapse, even as his torso twisted, beginning its inevitable fall backward.
A thousand thoughts stormed through his mind in the frozen instant between life and death:
(What?)
(He bypassed Infinity?!)
(How?!)
(Was it Mahoraga's adaptation?)
(He learned it?!)
(But... how?!)
(No... it doesn't matter anymore...)
(I've... lost.)
His mind, so sharp, so invincible until now, was flooded by a single, cold truth.
His blood soaked the shattered earth as his upper body finally hit the ground with a sickening thud.
The Strongest Sorcerer of the Modern Era had fallen.
---
When the sorcerer opened his eyes again, he found himself in a completely unexpected place. He was sitting in a chair inside a large yet empty airport.
His body had reverted to his 16-year-old appearance — messy hair, pitch-black sunglasses, and the old uniform from when he was still a student at Jujutsu High.
He glanced around, trying to make sense of what had happened, until a faint smile curled on his lips, followed by a quiet chuckle.
"Well, one thing's for sure... I definitely died," he muttered, glancing down at his abdomen where the cut had been.
"I can't feel any cursed energy flowing through me anymore, and I feel... light," he said, touching his chin thoughtfully. "So, is this what the afterlife looks like?"
He scanned the surroundings again, letting out a small laugh. "Weird, but I guess there's nothing to do about it... I expected at least some sort of welcome, like in those movies I showed Yuuji."
His smile faded into something more bitter, his voice tinged with sadness. "But... I didn't really expect anything, did I?"
His eyes lowered to the floor, and his hands clenched with slight force, the tightness in his fists matching the frustration gnawing at his chest.
"Damn it... I really wanted to win," he murmured. "Sorry, guys... I couldn't keep the promise I made."
The weight of failure settled heavily on him, but a small, almost comforting thought followed. "But I know you'll make it. You're my students, after all." He managed another small smile, though it was fleeting, like a ghost. "I don't have to worry about you."
He slumped back in the chair, letting out a long, heavy sigh, as if releasing the tension that had built up throughout his life.
"But seeing Sukuna's face when he realized he lost would have been... amazing," he mused. "I wonder if he's laughing at me right now?"
He paused, thinking of the final blow. "Cutting me in half was a victory... cruel, but it fits his style. But laughing? Nah…"
The memory of Sukuna's words lingered in his mind. "He said I was splendid in the end. And honestly, our fight... it was incredible. I've never felt anything so... electrifying, so pure."
Gojo leaned back in the chair, a relaxed expression on his face as he sighed once more.
"I guess you guys better not die, Yuuji, Megumi, and Nobara. I'll drag you all here if that happens," he said with a dry chuckle, though it was tinged with bitterness. "But leaving that aside... since there's nothing more I can do for them…"
He looked around, his gaze drifting down the empty halls of the airport, still no explanation for this strange place.
"How does this work?" he wondered aloud. "Am I supposed to wait for some sort of entity to come and take me to heaven?"
He stared ahead, unsure of what was to come next. "I mean... I'll go to heaven, right? I don't remember doing anything wrong to anyone...maybe I went a little too far teasing Utahime... but it was worth it."
Suddenly, a large digital screen materialized in front of him — glitching, humming with a strange, almost unnatural energy.
A robotic voice echoed coldly in his ears:
[Congratulations. You meet the requirements to become a Player.]
[Transferring to System Area…]
Gojo stared at it, utterly baffled.
"...So... I really am dead, huh?"
"Player?"
"I must be hallucinating," he muttered with a dry laugh.
"Don't tell me this is one of those cliché manga setups where the protagonist dies and reincarnates?"
"I'd honestly rather rest"
Before he could finish complaining, the screen expanded rapidly, swallowing him whole and dragging him into the unknown.
When Gojo opened his eyes again, he found himself in a new place — lying on the bed of a large, dimly lit bedroom.
The unfamiliar room oozed luxury; it was obvious that it belonged to someone with serious money. Large, high-end properties weren't exactly cheap in Tokyo, after all.
Gojo sat up slowly, blinking a few times before letting out a long sigh.
"Reincarnation? Seriously?"
He glanced around the shadowy room, then muttered, "Well... I'm definitely not in the afterlife anymore."
His body stiffened suddenly.
"Wait a second!"
Gojo's eyes widened as he felt something — something he hadn't sensed back at the airport.
The flow of cursed energy had returned to his body.
And more importantly, his Six Eyes were still with him.
He instinctively focused on his core.
The cursed energy of a sorcerer originated from the navel region — and after Sukuna had severed him, he had still, for a few fleeting seconds, felt the flow draining from his body, slipping away beyond his reach.
But now... something was wrong.
It wasn't normal.
"Something's off... my energy flow is unstable."
He raised both hands and pointed two fingers ahead, focusing his will:
"Red."
Nothing.
"Blue."
Again, nothing.
A heavy silence filled the room.
It confirmed what Gojo had already begun to suspect: his current power was... pitiful.
"My maximum output is pathetic... and I can't use any of my cursed techniques."
He clenched his fists, frowning deeper.
"I can't even feel my innate technique — Limitless."
A scowl crossed his face, but there was a familiar glint of humor buried in his frustration.
"Yeah, that's annoying" he muttered dryly.
"Bringing me back is one thing... but bringing me back weak? That's just cruel."
Once again, the screen materialized in front of him.
[Welcome, Player.]
[This is your status screen.]
Strength: 25
Intelligence: 40
Stamina: 20
Endurance: 25
Agility: 30
Sense: 30
Gojo squinted at the numbers, raising an eyebrow.
"...Okay, this definitely feels like a video game. One of those RPGs," he muttered."But seriously? These stats?"
He gave a short, amused laugh.
"They're way too low. Honestly, I'm offended."
The lightness in his voice faded a little as he tapped his chin thoughtfully, his expression growing more serious.
Relaxed or not, Gojo had never been the type to ignore a situation just because it was strange — especially now, when the reality he found himself in defied everything he thought possible.
Up until yesterday, he had been the strongest, the undisputed pinnacle of Jujutsu sorcerers.Now, here he was: stuck in an unfamiliar place, stripped of most of his power, facing a situation that — under any normal circumstance — would have sounded like the plot of a bad manga.
He stared at the floating screen for several long moments, letting the weight of everything sink in.
Questions circled in his mind, persistent and sharp.
Why did he still have the same appearance from his previous life?Why had his cursed energy returned — yet no other traces of energy, not even the faintest hint, could be detected for kilometers, even with the Six Eyes active?Where exactly was he?And most importantly... what was this "system" that had dragged him here?
Gojo let out a long breath and flopped back down onto the bed, his arms stretched out loosely.
"So many questions..." he sighed."And almost no answers."
He stared up at the ceiling, the soft glow of the status screen still hovering above him.
For the first time in a long while, Gojo Satoru wasn't sure what would come next.
He snapped his fingers and immediately sat up straight.
"That's it!" he said, his voice brightening."If this feels like a video game... then it should have the same features, right?""Time to test it."
Clearing his throat in mock embarrassment, he muttered, "Ugh, this is so lame... Open Daily Quests."
BzztThe screen flickered again, responding instantly.
[Daily Quest Available]
Push-ups: 0/100
Sit-ups: 0/100
Squats: 0/100
Run: 0/10km
Reward: 3 Stat PointsPenalty if not completed within the time limit.
Gojo grinned.
"Perfect!" he said with a chuckle."But seriously, a little heads-up would've been nice. Sloppy system, huh?" he teased, shaking his head in amusement.
He leaned back again, resting his arms behind his head as he stared thoughtfully at the screen.
"Okay, time to piece everything together."
"So far, this so-called 'System' brought me back to life...Apparently, I met some mysterious requirement to become a 'Player' here...And if I complete these quests, I should be able to raise my stats — and maybe, just maybe, recover my techniques."
A flicker of excitement lighting up in his bright blue eyes.
"I really hope my deduction's right."
Pausing, he furrowed his brows slightly, allowing a rare moment of serious thought to take over.
"Thinking about it more carefully... something like this wouldn't happen unless there's some kind of threat in this world, right?""Doesn't make sense to revive me just so I can take a vacation."
He laughed dryly at the thought.
"No way it's gonna be that easy."
The idea that a real threat might be out there — something big enough to require him — sent a shiver of excitement down his spine.
"Since there's a modern TV here... there must be cell phones too," Gojo muttered."And nothing beats a phone for quick answers."
He checked his pockets and pulled out a sleek smartphone."Bingo."
Unlocking it with a fingerprint, he opened one of the pre-installed social media apps — though none of the names were familiar.
"What the hell…?"
A flashing headline immediately popped up:
[Breaking News: Draw Sword Guild successfully clears Rank A Gate in central Sapporo. Guild Leader Goto Ryuji, alongside three Rank S Hunters, completed the dungeon without difficulty. However, two Rank B Hunters were confirmed dead during the operation.]
Gojo blinked once, then let out a dry laugh.
"Dungeon?Pfft — hahaha! Are you serious?This system really dumped me into a full-on video game world."
He shook his head in disbelief but quickly refocused, scrolling faster through news articles, forums, and random posts.
Thanks to his natural talent for absorbing information quickly — something that had always made him a nightmare for his teachers at Jujutsu High — Gojo managed to piece together the essentials in just a few minutes:
"So... ten years ago, portals started popping up, monsters started crawling out...Some humans awakened special powers and were ranked — E being the weakest, S the strongest.And this Goto guy is apparently Japan's top Hunter."
He laughed casually, tossing the phone onto the bed.
"Someone else with the title of 'strongest,' huh?Not 'strongest of the world' like me, though. Must be a bit boring."
For a moment he lay there, staring at the ceiling, before sitting up again.
"That said... I'm probably a Hunter too, right?They said everyone awakened gets some kind of license."
He thought for a second.
"If I had something important like that, I'd hide it behind my phone case."
Sliding the cover off, he found exactly what he expected:An official Hunter License.
Pulling it free, Gojo flipped it over — and instantly froze.
"...Rank D??"
There was a heavy silence.
Gojo dropped flat onto the bed with a loud groan.
"Unbelievable..." he muttered into the mattress."Brought back to life, stripped of my techniques... and now I'm a nobody?"
He stared blankly at the ceiling, expression deadpan.
"Yep. Should've just stayed dead."
"But… if Hunters can't grow stronger—if their awakened rank defines them permanently..."
He glanced at the glowing screen still hovering in front of him.
"Then how does this even exist?"
"If I assign my points right, I can literally get stronger…"
"I just died, and I already have to get back to work…Now I really understand what Nanami meant.""What a pain."
Gojo groaned
"I highly doubt doing a few push-ups and squats is gonna give me enough XP to level up...""So… killing monsters?"He chuckled."Man, I sound like I'm seventeen again just saying that."
"But at this level, with zero skills, fighting anything might actually be a challenge… I think?""Wow. Never thought I'd live to see the day I'd call something 'difficult.'"
He let out a long breath and sat up, cracking his knuckles lazily.
"Well, whatever…Let's get to work, shall we?"
Before he could stand, the room door slammed open with enough force to make even him blink in surprise.
Standing in the doorway was a girl — probably around sixteen or seventeen — with snowy white hair and piercing blue eyes that felt... oddly familiar.So familiar, in fact, that for a second Gojo thought he was staring into a mirror from another lifetime.
The girl narrowed her eyes at him, her presence sharp and unrelenting.
Gojo's lips curled into a lazy smile.
"Well, well...Looks like I've got a visitor already."