"Kenjaku!" a guy I had never seen before called out. "You won't be getting away this time. I'll put my life on the line to save my little brother!"

Kenjaku? Is this not Geto? Who's this guy's brother?

My empty eyes watched as he tried to use his technique against Geto, barely making any kind of mark with his blood manipulation. So he's a Kamo?

"Itadori, are you two related? Is he really your older brother?" Panda asked.

"N-no," Yuuji huffed out. "He almost killed me earlier."

I was so confused, but I tried to stay focused. I needed more information before I went forward. Geto was busy for the moment, but I knew I would only have just a moment.

I looked at Yuuji, "I need to speak with Sukuna."

"Huh?" he furrowed his brows at me. "Why?"

"Yes my dear?" a strange mouth appeared on the side of Yuuji's face, causing the smallest smile to curl up on my lips.

"Sukuna, who's Kenjaku? Why do I somehow know him?"

His voice was ice cold as he spoke, "He's the one who led the attack against Chikyoko."

My eyes widened as I glanced back over to Geto, "And that's him? It isn't Geto?"

"It's Kenjaku who has used his technique for a thousand years to transfer bodies and live. He was the only one who escaped that day."

"How do I kill it?" I looked at Yuuji, so badly wanting to just see Sukuna one last time but instead staring into the eyes of a lost, exhausted child who I could no longer protect.

"Y/n..." Sukuna huffed out my name.

"I have to end this."

A soft sigh escaped his lips, "Then you already know how."

I closed my eyes as a few tears escaped, realizing what was to come.

"Sukuna. As the last Sato, will you please keep your promise?"

"So you've chosen."

"Sukuna—"

"He isn't worth it," he cut me off.

"It's not just him, Sukuna. It's all of them."

"And your clan?"

"I just need you to keep your promise."

He sighed softly, "I cannot deceive a Sato. Once I say yes, it is a binding contract, one that will cost my life."

My eyes widened as he revealed that. That was why he protected Megumi. That's why he switched back with Yuuji when he was on the verge of overrunning his body. He is incapable of putting any of them in danger now.

"Thank you," I breathed out before returning my gaze to Geto who was eyeing me with a devious smirk.

"Y/n-sensei..." Yuuji called out. "What's the plan?"

••••

Geto, or Noritoshi or Kenjaku or whoever this asshole was, brought the realm out of his pocket, holding it in front of him.

He had just finished revealing his plan to Y/n, and now that the prison realm had opened its eyes, I could finally see her.

Her face was dark and shadowed, void of any emotion as she stared at Geto. Her clothes were tattered, showing bits and pieces of her scarred skin.

Blood covered her, but I couldn't see any visible wounds, making my heart ache that she was a canvas of the people who she killed tonight.

No wonder she seemed so calloused... I couldn't even imagine the horrors she experienced tonight.

Yet, there was a fiery aura around her, something I had never seen before and something I couldn't even begin to explain. She stood front and center of the sorcerers, and the sight was terrifying and awe inspiring all at once.

I love her so much. I couldn't believe all the pain I had put her through as I was trapped here helpless.

I listened carefully as she began to speak with Sukuna, trying to focus in on her voice as Geto was attacked by Choso who, for some reason, decided to switch sides.

Who's Chiyoko? Why the hell was Sukuna tell her I wasn't worth it? What wasn't I worth? Why did he even care?

And what did he promise her? Why was he bound to her?

What the fuck is going on, and what is she planning? I hated this cluelessness. Nothing was making sense.

My eyes went wide as she grabbed Yuuji's hand, looking straight into his eyes, "You'll all be safe, I promise. Make sure Satoru knows how much I love him."

"Y/n-sensei!!" Yuuji yelled out, a few of the others around crying out for her too.

I instantly got to my feet, slamming my fists against the walls of the prison realm as she shot forward. "Y/n!! Y/n, no!!" I cried at the top of my lungs, sobbing through the tears as I watched her.

She was killing him the only way she knew how. Ending it for good just as she promised.

And in a matter of moments, everything around me went black.

••••

I knew exactly what needed to be done. I knew exactly how to have both Satoru safe and my clan restored.

I couldn't let the world go on to suffer anymore, not when I was perfectly capable of ensuring it wouldn't. Geto's plan, his new world, it would be the end of peace and the end of safety. For everyone.

This man, Kenjaku, had tormented the world long enough. I had to make sure he didn't escape this time.

And after having seen Chiyoko, and learning about my clan, I realized what our truest virtue was... sacrifice.

I turned to Yuuji and grabbed his hand to comfort him, "You'll all be safe, I promise. Make sure Satoru knows how much I love him."

I quickly used my darkness technique to pull Yuuji's wannabe brother out of my way since he was still putting up a fight, and I tossed him to the side.

Once the pathway was clear, I launched myself forward, wrapping Geto and I close together in a layer of my technique so he'd be unable to break apart from me.

"Y/n-sensei!!!" Yuuji yelled after me.

But it was too late. I had exhausted every option. This was the only way.

"Cursed Technique: Reverse Hurricane."

A bright beam of black cursed energy shot upwards, crushing through the ceiling above us. This technique, unlike Black Hurricane where those in the center of its eye were safe, took on the reverse role.

Only the people within its small radius would be impacted, those on the outside remaining completely unharmed.

And as I focused, I concentrated every last drop of power and energy I had left on this attack. It was my own trump card. My own way of reassuring I would win no matter what, even if it cost me my life.

Being the last of the Sato clan, I knew our bloodline would end here. But as I thought it over throughout the night, I realized that everyone has their own version of the truth.

And for me, restoration didn't mean bringing new heirs to this world. It meant restoring my clan back to its original glory.

It meant the Sato's being remembered not as bloodthirsty killers who sided with evil and had to be exterminated, but as saviors. As protectors of the innocent and of peace and of family.

Because just as Chikyoko risked it all for her own family, I was risking it all for mine. I hoped she would be proud. I hoped that history would finally remember us the right way.

The way we deserved— with glory and honor.

As for Satoru, he'd be safe. His capture wouldn't lead to the downfall of humanity. He wouldn't have to carry that burden on his shoulders. He'd finally be free.

If only I could've just seen him one last time, held him one last time, even just heard his voice one last time.

Even if our journey in this world was cut short, I knew we'd find each other again in the next one. He really was my forever, and forever can't be stifled by death.

I closed my eyes as I gripped tighter onto Geto, ensuring he felt the full force of my technique rip through his very core, ending every chance he had of resurrection.

His body began to disintegrate, leaving my arms empty. I did it. It was finally over, and I ended it. Everyone I loved would be safe.

My eyes began to roll back as my cursed technique carefully subsided. I dropped to the ground as my life slowly left my body, my consciousness slipping away.

I thought maybe I'd fight it, but my body was exhausted, my heart and soul completely shattered, and I didn't have it in me to push back.

So I didn't... I embraced the abyss of darkness waiting for me, feeling my lungs let out one last sigh of relief.

••••

The prison realm tumbled out onto the ground once Y/n's cursed technique dispersed.

I was set free as the cursed user who sealed me was killed, and as I was finally back in the real world, my eyes focused in on Y/n's unconscious body.

Everyone was completely silent. You could hear a pen drop as we all stared in complete shock at the scene before us.

Y/n laid on the cold ground, her eyes closed and her mouth open just slightly as blood pooled at the corner of her lips.

I sprinted over to her body, ripping off my blindfold as I kneeled next to her. I frantically scanned my eyes over her, desperate to find any flicker of life.

I grabbed her in my arms, resting her sweet head in my lap. The sound of my cries shattering the thick silence that had engulfed us.

"Y/n, please," I whimpered out. "Please, you have to wake up."

A few seconds of silence passed as I waited for her to respond or move or breathe or give me any ounce of hope that my life wasn't ending and purposeless tonight.

"Y/n!" I cried out. "Y/n! You can't leave me!! Please!"

I was sobbing loudly now, making a mess of myself. But I didn't care. She was gone. The only person I had ever truly loved.

The woman I wanted to spend my entire life with. The one who I had let slip away so many times... But we were finally getting it right this time. We were finally going to be together.

We had finally figured it out.

I let out another loud yell before dropping my forehead onto hers, letting the soft but fading warmth of her body encompass me for the last time.

My tears dropped onto her face as I whispered, "Y/n, I can't lose you."

No one dared to move or approach me. They all just continued to watch, crying their own mournful tears.

She always had been the most selfless person. Of course she would sacrifice herself for the sake of everyone else.

But why, why would she leave me like this? Didn't she know I wouldn't ever be able to move on from this? Didn't she know I could never live without her?

"How am I supposed to go on without you?" I muttered as I stroked her face gently. I couldn't bring myself to let go of her.

"Toge, w-what are you doing?" Itardoi whispered, breaking my attention from her for just a moment.

I glanced behind me and saw the second year slowly approaching, getting much closer than anyone else dared to.

My entire body trembled as I watched him. Could it really work? Wasn't she already gone?

Even as his arm was mostly missing, even as he held the open gash on the side of his body, even has blood poured out of his mouth, he looked at Y/n, uttering one last commandment.

"Live."