Shadows of the Past

Chapter 9: Shadows of the Past

Satoru's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. "Ryota..." he breathed, disbelief etched into his features. His brother stood before him, alive and radiating a sinister energy. The shock quickly gave way to anger as Satoru's mind raced. "What have they done to you?!"

Satoru's voice rang out, commanding and desperate. "Step away from him!" he shouted at Ophelia. But instead of complying, she stepped behind Ryota, her eyes filled with a mix of defiance and resignation.

The tension was suffocating. Satoru's six eyes, capable of seeing cursed techniques, confirmed that Ryota was not under any external control. No one could hypnotize his brother, especially given Ryota's negate ability.

Ryota's smirk grew as he pointed at Satoru. "Your family did this to me," he said, his voice dark and filled with venom. "You and the rest of the Gojo clan are the reason for my suffering. While you basked in the glory and adoration, I was cast aside, left to rot."

Satoru's heart clenched. He took a tentative step forward, his hand reaching out. "Ryota, please, come back. We can fix this. We can-"

"Fix this?" Ryota's laugh was cold, devoid of any warmth. "There is nothing to fix. This world is rotten, and your family is at the core of it. I will destroy everything they hold dear, starting with you."

A sinister aura, dark and oppressive, emanated from Ryota. It was akin to that of a cursed spirit, a testament to the depth of his hatred. Before Satoru could react, Ryota's hand shot out, grabbing Satoru's wrist with a vice-like grip. In a swift, brutal motion, Ryota's elbow connected with Satoru's nose, the impact sending him crashing into Geto and Shoko.

"Dammit!" Geto yelled, rushing to help Satoru as Shoko began healing him. "We lost good men trying to find you, Ryota! What have you become?"

Ryota's eyes were cold, unfeeling. "No one asked you to come looking for me. Their deaths are on your hands, not mine."

Geto's fury flared, and he started towards Ryota, but Satoru stopped him, still reeling from the shock of his brother's transformation. He had hoped to save Ryota, but the truth was undeniable now. Ryota was gone, replaced by a vengeful force that could rival, or even surpass, Satoru's own power.

"Satoru, let me at him!" Geto demanded, but Satoru shook his head, stepping forward to confront his brother.

"Ryota," Satoru began, his voice heavy with sorrow, "I never wanted this. You were my brother, my responsibility. I failed you, and for that, I am deeply sorry. But I cannot let you destroy everything. If it means protecting those I care about, I will stop you, no matter the cost."

For a moment, the two brothers simply stared at each other, the weight of their shared past and the impending clash heavy in the air. Then, as if by some unspoken signal, they both dashed forward, their movements a blur to the onlookers.

Satoru infused his fist with Limitless Blue, a technique he had honed in his battles against special grade curses. The energy crackled around his hand,

ready to unleash its devastating power.

But as his fist met Ryota's, infused with his negate ability, the technique was instantly nullified. They clashed again and again, each strike and counterstrike perfectly matched.

"Is this all the great Satoru Gojo can muster?" Ryota taunted. "You're nothing without your cursed techniques. Just a pampered brat."

Satoru parried a low punch aimed at his stomach, countering with a left hook that Ryota deftly blocked. Their battle was a whirlwind of motion, each brother anticipating and countering the other's moves with an almost preternatural precision.

"You talk too much," Satoru retorted, though he could feel the truth in Ryota's words. Without his techniques, the fight was far more even than he had anticipated.

Ryota's eyes gleamed with malicious delight. "I'll enjoy tearing down everything you stand for."

With a sudden feint, Ryota caught Satoru off guard, his grip like iron as he seized Satoru's neck. Satoru's Infinity technique faltered under the sheer hatred pouring from Ryota, and for a moment, Satoru felt genuine fear. Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at his brother, now a stranger filled with such intense loathing.

Before Ryota could deliver a fatal blow, a radiant, rainbow-hued dragon materialized, blitzing between the brothers. Geto and Shoko, atop the dragon, swooped in and retrieved Satoru, breaking through the building and escaping to safety. In the confusion, Ryota's arm was severed, and he bore deep slashes across his chest and abdomen.

Clutching his wounds, Ryota fell, darkness encroaching on his vision. He closed his eyes, bracing for death.

---

In the present timeline, Yuji Itadori's voice broke through Satoru's trance.

"Satoru-sensei? Are you okay?"

Satoru smiled, ruffling Yuji's hair. "I'm fine, Yuji. Just lost in thought." But deep down, the memory of that day haunted him. The day he believed his brother had died.

Satoru's smile faltered for a moment, the weight of his past ever present. He could never truly shake the feeling that he had failed Ryota, a burden that would stay with him forever.