Chapter 10

Chapter 10

***

Augus stood there, his gaze fixed on Gojo, malice burning in his red eyes that sent shivers down anyone's spine who dared to look. Inside his head, a whirlwind of panic raged. This was unlike anything he had ever experienced—the overwhelming urge to kill, to maim, to unleash the darkness within him. Something was wrong.

"I... I can't control it," Augus muttered to himself, his voice gruff and strained. "This isn't how it's supposed to be."

His intention for this spar had been clear—to manipulate them and make them believe that he and his human form were separate entities. But now, it felt as if his curse form had a mind of its own, acting based on his intentions. And that intention was screaming for blood.

Every fiber of his being wanted to fight the strongest sorcerer, Gojo. It was a complete 180-degree turn from his original plan. 

As the adrenaline surged through him, Augus realized the truth. His curse form was akin to the Hulk, a beast with a mind of its own, acting on the basis of his intentions. Unfortunately, this form couldn't distinguish between a friendly spar and a life-or-death match. It was a 'kill on sight' transformation if he approached it with the intent to fight. Undoing the transformation was a viable option, but he hesitated. Gojo was already in fight mode, and Augus wasn't sure if retracting now was a wise decision.

Augus grumbled inwardly, cursing his predicament. Meanwhile, Gojo maintained his guard, awaiting Spirit's (Augus's) next move. The revelation that Spirit could bypass his infinity by tearing apart its very concept baffled him. He couldn't help but consider it an unfair advantage. He might have understood if Spirit had simply disabled his Infinity forcefully, but no, it had torn apart the very notion of Infinity with its iron saw blades just to reach him.

Gojo couldn't deny that he was excited about this confrontation. He was starting to believe Augus's claims about the strength of this spirit. Regrettably, he was now dealing with it firsthand.

Without waiting for further words, Gojo leaped into action, weaving intricate jujutsu curses in the air with precise hand movements. He unleashed a barrage of energy beams toward Augus's curse form, who deftly evaded them, his iron saw blades spinning in a deadly dance.

Gojo responded with a smirk, "Oh, I'm counting on it. It wouldn't be a real fight if it were easy."

The battle raged on, a clash of power, agility, and strategy. Augus's curse form was a relentless force, attacking with brutal efficiency, while Gojo countered with his clan's jujutsu techniques. 

Amidst the combat, Augus couldn't help but reflect on the irony of the situation. He had wanted to keep his curse form. But now, it was out in the open, tearing through Infinity and battling Gojo with a passion he couldn't fully control.

Gojo's voice cut through the chaos "Augus, if you're still in there, give me a sign!"

No response, only growls and huffs.

Gojo's expression shifted—a mix of concern and determination. "Then I'll have to beat the shit out of you, Augus, if you're in there, sorry kid."

The battle intensified, and both Augus and Gojo poured their strength into the confrontation. Augus struggled to maintain control, his curse form's hunger for violence threatening to consume him. 

"Augus, you've got to regain control!" Gojo shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos of battle.

Augus grunted as Gojo dominated the fight, delivering a relentless barrage of punches. Five jabs, a cross, left-right hooks, and an uppercut sent Augus reeling before Gojo kicked him away.

Augus growled in frustration, a guttural sound that reverberated through the arena, but then something unexpected happened. He started to giggle, a laugh that echoed like a hyena's. It was a chilling sight—the contrast between the malevolence in his eyes and the unsettling laughter that filled the air.

With manic energy, Augus swung his sawblades, aiming to shred Gojo to pieces. However, Gojo, ever the agile sorcerer, wasted no time evading Augus's deadly attacks. He moved with grace and precision, dodging each swing effortlessly.

As Augus's final strike came crashing down, Gojo countered with a lightning-fast three-punch combo to Augus's head. Augus felt a slight sting and glanced down to see two cuts on his chest. Surprised by the small injury, Gojo couldn't help but feel slightly miffed.

"Hey," Gojo began, addressing Augus. "That's my favorite jacket, you know."

Augus's response was a toothy grin, its red eyes glinting with madness. It seemed that Gojo's words held little meaning for the spirit engulfed in the chaos of battle. But before he could launch another attack, Gojo conjured a red orb on his index finger, channeling his cursed energy into it. He muttered the enchantment, "Reverse Curse Technique: Red."

The red orb streaked through the air, striking Augus squarely in the chest. The impact triggered a massive explosion that echoed through the forest, destroying a significant portion of it. Augus was sent hurtling into the air, his form engulfed in the fiery blast.

Gojo didn't waste a moment. He appeared beside Augus, his face determined. With his remaining arm, he threw a powerful punch infused with the same reverse curse technique: red. However, before the attack could connect, Augus reacted with astonishing speed. One of his retractable saw blades sliced through Gojo's arm, severing it cleanly.

But Gojo's resilience shone through. Despite the loss of his arm, he wasn't deterred. Augus grabbed his face, attempting to slam him into the ground, but Gojo wasn't one to be defeated so easily. He channeled his cursed energy once more, the red glow illuminating his face as he unleashed another reverse curse technique: red.

The point-blank attack sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield as both Augus and Gojo were sent flying in opposite directions. The force of the explosion shattered trees and rearranged the landscape, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

Gojo landed some distance away, panting heavily, his expression marked by an insane grin. He had pushed himself to the limit and beyond, embracing the chaos of the battle. He eyed the stump where his arm had once been.

With a determined glint in his eye, Gojo focused his cursed energy once more, this time on the severed limb. The Reverse Curse Technique worked its magic, and within moments, Gojo's lost arm began to regrow, the flesh and bone reforming before his eyes.

Now with both arms intact, Gojo turned his attention towards the spirit.

A sudden beam of energy tore through the air, narrowly missing Gojo's head as he dodged with lightning reflexes. The strongest sorcerer sinisterly grinned at the cursed spirit from the opposite side, his Rikugan providing him with a glimpse into the supernatural mechanics of this strange entity.

Gojo's eyes widened with a mix of awe and curiosity as he analyzed Augus's curse form. Behind those empty sockets were two mini-portals condensed to turn light into devastating lasers. It was a revelation that left Gojo both impressed and intrigued.

Augus, realizing the peril he was in, let out a ferocious roar as he raised his head, forcing the laser to follow his line of sight. The damage had already been done. The laser's intense heat had carved the ground into two, incinerating trees and melting rocks in its path.

Gojo's excitement soared. This spirit wasn't just strong; it was on an entirely different level. Even with his Rikugan, Gojo couldn't fully grasp the intricacies of how the portal functioned, but he could sense the immense curse energy behind it. It was a puzzle that both thrilled and perplexed him.

"This is getting interesting," Gojo muttered to himself as he maintained a sinister grin. The spirit may have lacked fighting experience, but the raw power he possessed was nothing short of alarming. The ability to manipulate space and open portals made this spirit an unpredictable and formidable opponent. 

He wondered how Augus had managed to control and fight against this entity. It was a question that added another layer of complexity to their battle.

With a defiant roar, Augus unleashed two spatial slashes, ripping through the air with devastating force. Gojo's instincts kicked in, and he teleported away in the blink of an eye, reappearing in front of the cursed spirit.

Gojo's eyes glinted with determination as he summoned the power of 'Blue.' A blue orb materialized, immediately pulling Augus along with the surrounding debris into its gravitational field. Directed by Gojo's hand, the blue orb began to move erratically, dragging Augus with it.

Augus, fueled by sheer determination, lunged at the blue orb, his blade plunging into the pulsating sphere of energy. With a burst of energy, the orb dissipated, leaving Augus to land on his feet, his eyes locked on Gojo with a hiss of frustration.

Gojo couldn't help but smile, his demeanor exuding confidence and a touch of arrogance. He extended a middle finger toward Augus.

Augus's annoyance was palpable as he crouched down, his skeletal form resembling a predatory cat ready to pounce on its prey. Gojo couldn't help but be reminded of that image as he watched Augus's every move. Drool dripped from Augus's jaw, a grotesque sight that added to the eerie atmosphere of the battle. Gojo braced himself, sensing the intense concentration emanating from the cursed spirit.

In an instant, Gojo's eyes widened, and he felt a presence behind him. Before he could react, a fit of violent coughing overtook him, and he tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. His gaze dropped to his chest, where a nasty diagonal gash marred his body.

But then, in a bewildering turn of events, the injury vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Gojo blinked in disbelief, his mind struggling to process what had just occurred. "Wait, what?"

Before he could grasp the nature of the strange occurrence, Augus lunged, his chainsaw arm swinging toward Gojo's body. Gojo's instincts kicked in just in time as he jumped back, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike. However, the following pain was real as Augus's chainsaw arm grazed him, leaving a deep cut on his side, just as he had seen in his vision.

Gojo's mind raced as he realized the eerie truth behind these visions. He had experienced something similar when Maki had sparred with Augus before. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he put the pieces together.

"You tricky bastard," Gojo mockingly praised Augus, his voice laced with amusement. "Hallucinations right before the attack to delay my reaction, huh? Clever move."

Augus, now recovered and glaring at Gojo, growled in response. The albino sorcerer's smile widened as he admired the cunning strategy. Augus had attempted to disrupt Gojo's perception and induce hesitation, a tactic that could have been lethal if Gojo hadn't been at the peak of his abilities or his pre-awakened self.

Gojo's grin widened, and he couldn't help but admire Augus's unyielding resolve. "You've got guts, I'll give you that," he quipped, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But I'm not that easy to fool."

The two combatants resumed their tense standoff, the air crackling with anticipation. Augus's chainsaw arm whirred menacingly as he prepared for another assault, while Gojo's cursed energy swirled around him, ready to counter any move.

Suddenly, Augus lunged forward, his saw blades spinning with deadly intent. Gojo sidestepped the attack gracefully, narrowly avoiding the serrated blades. Augus roared in frustration, his movements were erratic as he continued his relentless assault.

Gojo countered with a barrage of punches and kicks, each strike precise and powerful. Augus, undeterred, dodged and parried, his skeletal frame moving with uncanny agility. The clash of their abilities created shockwaves that reverberated through the forest, upending trees and sending debris flying.

"Is this all you've got?" Gojo taunted, his voice ringing out as he maintained his relentless assault. "I expected more from someone who can tear through the concept of infinity."

Augus responded with a fierce swing of his chainsaw arm, aiming for Gojo's head. The albino sorcerer ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as the deadly blade whizzed past him. He countered with a swift uppercut, his fist connecting with Augus's jaw.

The curse spirit staggered back but quickly recovered, his red eyes smoldering with rage. He unleashed a series of spatial slashes, creating shockwaves that threatened to tear reality itself. Gojo teleported away, narrowly evading the destructive force of the attacks.

As both fighters jumped back, Gojo swiftly made a hand sign, one that Augus recognized all too well. He uttered the dreaded words, "Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void."

Augus roared and lunged toward Gojo, but it was too late. The barrier of Unlimited Void enveloped them, trapping them both within its boundless abyss. Augus could only stand still, his skeletal form frozen in place as raw information flooded his mind, overwhelming him to the point where he was completely immobilized. He could see and feel everything, yet at the same time, he could not move a muscle.

Gojo, within the Domain Expansion, ruffled his white hair with a conflicted expression. He apologized quietly for what he was about to do next. It was a desperate move, a slim chance, but perhaps killing Augus might also eliminate the curse spirit that lurked within him. Yet, the gamble could just as easily backfire.

As Gojo prepared to execute his plan, he noticed a twitch in the spirit's finger. A sense of foreboding washed over him, and just in the nick of time, he halted his actions. Portals began appearing inside the domain, accompanied by an ominous black ooze. It was as if the spirit was attempting to perform its domain expansion.

Right as Gojo completed that thought, the cursed spirit roared to life, its form transforming into an awakened state. The chainsaw blades grew longer, and two additional arms sprouted from its shoulders. Gojo smirked as he started counting down from three to one.

Three...

Two...

One...

In an instant, Augus reverted to his human form, the cursed spirit receding. Augus wore a mischievous smile as he teased Gojo, "You look like crap, Sensei."

As Gojo smiled, he couldn't help but ask the burning question, "Why didn't you undo the transformation?"

Augus, ever the cheeky character, replied, "Well, you wanted one minute of fighting the spirit. I thought I'd give it to you."

Gojo couldn't help but bonk Augus on the head for his reckless behavior and lack of caution. He realized that dealing with Augus's shenanigans must be similar to how Principal Yaga felt with him, and he mused that karma was indeed real.

After a moment of reflection, Gojo turned more serious and asked, "Did you learn anything from the spirit?"

Augus hesitated for a moment, then decided to be slightly truthful. "I need to have a clear goal before transforming, or the spirit takes over," he explained, his gaze reflecting the weight of his revelation. 

While he couldn't control his other form's actions, he could influence it based on his goal. His original goal was to trick Gojo into believing his human and fiend forms were separate beings, but that backfired and almost made him a bigger target than he already was. 

It was strange; he knew what he was doing, yet he had no control. None of those movements were his. So he had to switch tactics and try to influence it, where instead of his fiend form wanting to kill Gojo, it was trying to beat Gojo. However, the domain expansion had caused him to panic a bit. He was just lucky that the I-frame glitch in the game still existed, or else Gojo would have killed him. 

The game had a bug he had discovered that was useful when players were stuck in combos or under an enemy's final blow. As long as you have the awaken gauge, you have a chance to become immune to damage and regenerate your HP. You can even bypass an enemy's final attack. Granted, in the game, you couldn't deactivate the awakening mode until it ran out, but in this reality, it was now possible as long as he switched back to human form. Though refilling the gauge is going to be a pain.