As Gojo and his crew walked through the streets of this infamous island, the eyes of the pirates never ceased to follow them with a mix of fear and admiration. The island was a den of living legends - every face one crossed belonged either to a feared captain or to a crew member with a well-established reputation. The crew of the Infinite especially drew attention since their captain had dared to do the unthinkable: openly challenge Mary Geoise.
Unfazed by this attention, they delved into the seedy quarters of the island, where violence was a common language. The atmosphere grew heavier as they progressed through these dark alleys, where even the daylight struggled to penetrate.
*****
A dilapidated building finally stood before them, its walls blackened by time bearing witness to its abandonment. Inside, darkness prevailed, pierced only by a few shafts of light filtering through the rotting planks. In one corner of the room, a figure stood out: a man sitting nonchalantly, eyes closed, exuding a suffocating aura of contained power.
Ryumen Sukuna, the infamous demon with two faces. His reputation for cruelty was only matched by his arrogance, and the fact that he sailed alone only added to his mystique.
"Sukuna." Gojo's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "I have a proposal that might interest you."
Sukuna's eyelids flickered slightly. "I know who you are, Gojo. And your proposal does not interest me." His voice carried a mix of disinterest and disdain.
"In that case..." A dangerous smile lit up Gojo's face. "How about settling this through a fight?"
At these words, Sukuna's eyes opened fully, a manic gleam illuminating them. "Now that's an interesting proposition from the one who dared to defy Mary Geoise for mere amusement."
"My reputation precedes me, I see," replied Gojo, his smile widening further.
As the two continued their conversation, Toji and the others were already preparing for what was to come. After all, even though they were smiling, the air around them was filled with combat intentions. Then suddenly, there was a sound, and Sukuna, who was sitting, had disappeared and was now standing with his fist just inches from Gojo's face. After a few seconds, he stepped back and said:
"I hit you, even though I didn't put all my strength into it, but I don't feel like I touched you," Sukuna noted, clenching and unclenching his fist in frustration.
"The opposite would have been surprising," Gojo retorted, his hands still nonchalantly in his pockets. "My devil fruit allows me to create an impenetrable barrier. But today..." He slowly removed his hands from his pockets. "I will make an exception."
"You underestimate me, Gojo," growled Sukuna, his irritation palpable.
"Perhaps." Gojo cracked his knuckles. "Why not find out now?"
The next moment, Sukuna rushed at Gojo and launched a series of punches that Gojo easily blocked.
Gojo then countered with a punch that sliced through the air towards Sukuna. The latter dodged, but the wall behind him exploded under the impact of the punch's force.
*************
The clash between Gojo and Sukuna was short-lived, but the walls of the building groaned under the shockwave before finally collapsing with a deafening crash. The two fighters emerged from the debris, facing each other in the middle of the cobbled street. The pirates present, recognizing the magnitude of the danger, began to retreat hastily.
"Not bad at all..." Sukuna articulated, a smirk on his lips revealing his fangs.
"I'll return the compliment," Gojo replied, adjusting his headband. "But the warm-up is over. Let's get serious."
The air suddenly thickened as the two fighters simultaneously unleashed their Conqueror's Haki. The collision of their wills created an invisible shockwave that swept through the area.
As they were focused, various reactions occurred among the crowd. Those with weak minds lost consciousness, others complained, as these two monsters ignored their existence, but those who were able to remain unshaken found the situation truly interesting. After all, it's not every day you see two Conqueror's Haki users facing off, let alone two celebrities from the world of piracy.
Without warning, Sukuna broke off the Haki confrontation and charged at Gojo. His movements were so swift that they left trails of light in their wake. Gojo deployed "Immensity," creating a barrier of pure force, but Sukuna shattered it with a Haki-infused strike.
"Cleavage!" roared Sukuna, unleashing a wave of cursed energy that cut through the very air. Instantly following up, he invoked "Curse of a Thousand Hands," summoning a myriad of fists converging towards Gojo.
Gojo activated his "Infinite Displacement," his body distorting like an illusion as he dodged each attack. Simultaneously, he countered with his red technique, an explosion of energy so dense that it warped space-time.
Sukuna sensed the danger and clenched his fist with Armament Haki, but the force of the red technique was such that it propelled him until he was expelled from the city.
"These guys... they're not human," murmured a pirate, his voice trembling.
Ignoring the terrified looks, Gojo teleported to pursue his prey, an ecstatic smile lighting up his face.
*****
After being expelled from the city, Sukuna looked at where he had landed. His breath was slightly raspy, with a few scratches from the devastating assault of the red technique. With a wave of his hand, he brushed off the dust, then lifted his gaze to inspect the extent of the damage. His skin, once immaculately white, was now speckled with black and red, swollen from the intense heat, but that was all as he had protected himself.
Considered arrogant, scorning everything, but at this moment, he was filled with a sense of exhilaration. It had been over a week since he had been on this island, apart from the two members of his crew who had managed to entertain him, he was the only one who had stirred his blood like never before. Unknowingly, a smile crept onto his face. This smile was filled with madness and excitement.
Suddenly, the air began to tremble and distort, immediately drawing Sukuna's attention. Barely had he turned around when Gojo appeared. He floated for a moment in the air, scanning the surroundings, a smirk on his face. Then, he locked eyes with Sukuna and spoke to him:
"Ohhh!!... You were even able to counter my red technique. All the more reason for me to take you into my crew," he said with a smile.
Before Sukuna could react, Gojo launched a new attack. A torrent of energy surged towards him, hurling him violently against a stone wall.
Getting up, Sukuna gritted his teeth in annoyance. He didn't like being dominated, he couldn't afford to lose to this man, and decided to strike back. Using his monstrous strength, he propelled himself towards Gojo, leaving behind a small crater.
He arrived in front of Gojo in an instant and delivered a vertical kick that Gojo managed to parry, but his body was thrown and crashed to the ground. At the same time, Sukuna used "Curse of a Thousand Hands," immobilizing Gojo and preventing him from teleporting, then he unleashed powerful electric shocks that ran through Gojo's body, paralyzing him with pain. For Sukuna, a seasoned fighter, these few seconds of immobilization were an opportunity to strike. In a flash, he appeared in front of Gojo and dealt him a punch that Gojo managed to parry, but his body was thrown, hitting several trees before crashing into a rock.
Gojo lay there for a few seconds, stunned by the power of the blow. His hands were numb, but he paid no attention to it. As he contemplated, he heard Sukuna approaching him, casually stepping forward, then stopping in front of him, staring at him and saying:
"You're really strong, Gojo. You've truly lived up to your reputation."
Spitting blood, Gojo stood up and replied with a smile: "You haven't seen anything yet."
Sukuna smiled with his predatory grin. He was eager to continue this fight because he could tell: Gojo was just as thrilled as he was in this battle.
The confrontation resumed with even greater intensity, the two engaging in a macabre dance of destruction. Sukuna, despite the injuries beginning to show, fought with increased ferocity, his thirst for battle fueling his power. Gojo, on the other hand, was not indifferent. He too was driven by his thirst for battle, receiving Sukuna's attacks without flinching.