Boom
When a thunderous crash rang out from the center of the exchange event grounds, the first to move was not the school on the conservative side.
“Looks like Hanami is running wild. Let’s get started too.”
“Gojo Satoru was, what, 190 centimeters? We can make a nice clothes rack stand out of him.”
“Quit talking nonsense and set up the Curtain already.”
“Tch. As expected, curses don’t understand artistic sensibilities. You humans die and leave nothing behind. That makes you useless.”
For a moment, Mahito seriously considered killing the man in front of him for spouting nonsense.
His name was Kumiya Juzo.
A bald human with facial tattoos, dressed in a bizarre outfit with only a work apron over his bare upper body.
Among the curse users Geto had gathered as allies, this guy was in the worst shape by far.
Listening to him drone on about making a clothes rack out of Gojo Satoru, or how old men smelled weird and wouldn’t do, had been enough to make Mahito’s killing intent boil over.
The idea of making furniture out of humans was actually pretty novel, and Mahito was interested in it too, but there was still such a thing as limits. If he kept being made to wait, he might really kill this guy, cooperation or not.
Fortunately, Juzo seemed to understand at least a little. He shut up and started installing the devices for the prepared Curtain here and there.
“Come out of the darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that impurity.”
As the incantation was spoken, a black Curtain instantly spread across the entire arena.
Unlike ordinary Curtains, which completed their barrier and visual effect at the same time, this prepared Curtain sacrificed the visual effect in exchange for much faster deployment.
And Geto Suguru’s specially prepared bonus effect was an added perk.
“Ohhh, it worked, it worked. This is pretty exciting, huh? A clothes rack stand.”
------------------------
Hanami’s intrusion.
The Curtain was set.
At the same time, every talisman in the control room that signaled the end of the team battle burst into red flames.
“The team battle ended...? And they’re all red!”
“That’s strange. The crows didn’t see anything.”
“I’d like to believe GTG’s students took out the curse spirits, but...”
“A talisman will burn red even if the outside force is cursed energy.”
At Yaga’s words, the entire teaching staff sucked in a breath.
An unauthorized someone had invaded the exchange event.
“An outsider... an intruder?”
“Does that mean Lord Tengen’s barrier isn’t functioning properly?”
“Whether it was an outsider or someone inside, it’s still an emergency.”
Principal Gakuganji’s gaze shifted to the talisman for the boss curse spirit stuck at the very top.
Before the match began, instead of the originally planned second-grade curse spirit, he had released a semi-first-grade-level curse spirit in preparation for any possible mishap.
And he had handed Kamo both Itadori Yuji’s blood and the flute used to control curse spirits.
It was insurance to make sure Sukuna’s vessel would be killed for certain if the Kyoto students failed.
But that too had been slaughtered in a single stroke.
“If they exorcised that, they’re the real deal. Who the hell is it?”
“I’m going to see Lord Tengen, so Satoru, go to the site with Principal Gakuganji and protect the students. Mei, stay here, gather information on the students inside each section, and relay it to Satoru.”
“Understood. I’m looking forward to the bonus.”
“Now then, old man! Time for a walk! What, we already had lunch?”
“Let’s hurry.”
As the faculty all moved at once under Yaga’s orders, the students also sensed that something was wrong.
“This is... a Curtain?!”
“Why now, of all times!”
The battle between Mechamaru, Miwa, and Mai versus Maki, Megumi, and Toge had already been settled.
Mai had surrendered. Mechamaru was combat-incapacitated. Miwa had also fainted.
Those who had won their fights and were about to regroup with Itadori’s team to hunt the curse spirit were thrown into confusion by the ominous change in the air.
“Who put up the Curtain?”
“It couldn’t have been the teachers... an outside intruder?”
“Hurry and call Gojo-sensei...”
Just as Megumi pulled out his phone and called Gojo,
“Agh!”
Massive tree roots suddenly surged in from somewhere and sent three more people flying.
It was Yuji, Nobara, and Panda, who had been in charge of exorcising the curse spirit.
“Itadori? Kugisaki?”
“Panda, what the hell happened!”
“Are you okay?”
Yuji was more or less fine, but strange sprouts had taken root and grown across Nobara and Panda’s bodies.
Every time they twitched, their expressions darkened, making it obvious they’d been injured.
“Ughhh...”
“We have to run! A special-grade curse spirit has invaded!”
With Panda’s shout, the culprit behind the ambush finally appeared before them.
[So you were all gathered here.]
Unfamiliar words flowed from Hanami’s mouth, but they all understood the meaning perfectly.
It felt like someone had forcibly jammed a translator into their heads.
“An independent language system...!”
“That’s an absurd amount of cursed energy.”
“I’ve seen that one before. It’s the curse spirit that attacked Gojo-sensei. This Curtain was probably put up by a curse user working with it.”
“Call Gojo-sensei right now!”
[I can’t just stand by and watch.]
Seeds fired from Hanami’s arm like bullets, aiming for Megumi’s hand as he held the phone.
Yuji blocked the unexpected attack before Megumi could react.
Pop!
“Ghk!”
“Itadori!”
“I’m fine!”
His hand was cut by the block with no cursed energy behind it, but considering the effect of those seeds, this was still better.
Before Hanami could launch another attack, Toge quickly unzipped the collar at his neck.
“Don’t move.”
Freeze
While Hanami’s movement stopped for a moment, the students fled while carrying the injured.
As the effect of the cursed speech wore off and Hanami chased after them, they finally got through to Gojo.
[Oh, Megumi?]
“Gojo-sensei! A special-grade curse spirit has invaded the arena! Panda-senpai and Kugisaki are badly injured right now! Hurry!”
[Sorry I can’t come help. This Curtain is allowing almost everyone in and out freely, but it’s keeping only me from entering.]
“What...?”
At the devastating news that their strongest asset couldn’t come, Megumi’s face twisted.
The enemy had been thorough.
They had exploited the gap in security and played their hidden card: excluding Gojo Satoru.
[Utahime and Principal Gakuganji are heading there now. Avoid the fight and find them, then hand the injured over to them. I’ll handle things on my end somehow.]
“...Understood.”
[Don’t die.]
With that, the call ended.
Unlike his usual flippant self, Gojo’s voice had been low and flat, and it made clear just how furious he was about the situation.
“What did sensei say, Fushiguro?”
“The Curtain is blocking only Gojo-sensei from coming in. We have to hold out until the barrier is lifted!”
“Damn it!”
Maki ground her teeth.
Even so, Hanami was steadily closing the distance.
Toge kept stopping Hanami’s movement with cursed speech whenever things got dangerous, but that would reach its limit soon enough.
“Stop.”
“Inumaki-senpai, is your throat okay?”
“Bonito flakes... no.”
The medicine they’d had was long gone.
Blood was starting to seep from his mouth, and it looked genuinely dangerous.
With Panda and Nobara on their backs, Maki and Yuji couldn’t move at full speed either.
“If we’re carrying the injured, they’ll catch up to us fast. Someone has to stay behind and buy time while the others escort them. Utahime-sensei is on her way here now.”
“I’ll stay.”
“I’ll stay too. Inumaki’s in bad shape.”
It was Yuji who volunteered.
Unlike Panda and Nobara, who had been taken out by the first attack because they didn’t understand the technique, he hadn’t had his cursed energy drained, so he was still in good condition.
Maki also volunteered for this dangerous role.
“You sure?”
“I’m fine.”
“If you die again, I’ll kill you!”
“Salmon.”
“Senpai, be careful too. We’ll be back soon.”
Megumi and Toge, carrying Panda and Nobara, disappeared between the trees.
After sending them off, Yuji and Maki raised their spirits and faced Hanami.
[Sorcerers are sensitive about their comrades getting hurt. That’s easy to understand, and nice.]
“I’ll exorcise you, curse.”
“Do curses like you even have comrades?”
[We do. They’re just a little different from humans’.]
“What a ridiculous load of curse nonsense. Come on, Yuji!”
“Yes!”
Maki’s spear and Yuji’s fist, wrapped in cursed energy, slammed into the tree roots.
[May you die and become a sage.]
Through the split opening, Hanami’s face could be seen, and somehow, it looked like it was smiling.
------------------------
It felt familiar.
Just like that time at Satozakura High School.
But even darker, even more ominous than that.
Sensing the start of battle as the Curtain came down, Junpei had tried to call Gojo, but his phone had been smashed in the aftermath of the fight just now.
Of all things, the part Kamo had hit was the pocket where his phone was.
Even when he pressed the power button, nothing lit up. It seemed completely busted.
“Damn it, this is useless!”
Junpei kicked the unlucky Kamo a few times, then summoned the jellyfish and prepared to join the others.
The exchange event had all the students gathered together. An intruder had slipped in among them.
Hadn’t he seen this kind of situation before?
If this were a horror movie, the first people to die were always the ones acting alone.
People say trope-breaking is trendy these days, but since those clichés are built on basic human instincts, the classics always have a basis in reality.
Junpei had become a first-grade jujutsushi, gained another shikigami, and built up a fair bit of confidence, but he still didn’t have the guts to wander around alone in a situation like this.
“Would this guy die if I just left him here too...?”
He didn’t forget to carry Kamo Noritoshi, who was still unconscious.
Even if they’d just been enemies a moment ago, he didn’t hate him enough to let him die because of an outside intruder.
“Is it Mahito again? No. The nature of the cursed energy feels different. Probably that accomplice of his...”
Junpei’s eyes, riding the jellyfish through the air, gleamed coldly.
Mahito had definitely said he had three companions.
Earth, forest, sea.
He didn’t know which one this was, but since it had come to this, he intended to show them some pain.
How long had he been flying when a voice calling for him came from below?
“Yoshino!”
“Fushiguro?”
Megumi had Nobara on his back, and Toge had Panda on his, though Panda seemed to have shrunk a little.
The sight of the injured made Junpei’s heart drop.
“What happened?”
“No time to explain. First, get the injured somewhere safe.”
“Got it. And I’ll get Gojo-sensei as fast as I can...”
“Gojo-sensei can’t come. It looks like the Curtain is blocking only Gojo-sensei from entering.”
“No way...”
“A special-grade curse spirit has invaded. Itadori and Maki-senpai are buying time right now, so hurry.”
“I-I’ll come back too!”
After setting Nobara and Panda down, the two of them ran back into the forest.
Before Junpei could even make sense of what was happening, he was suddenly flying through the sky with three injured people.
The jellyfish bearing the weight of four people looked a little strained, but it seemed like it could still hold on somehow.
“Yoshino...?”
“Kugisaki. Are you awake?”
Panda, a cursed corpse powered by cursed energy, was too badly hit by Hanami to move at all, but Nobara, whose injuries were comparatively lighter, had come to.
“Itadori... that idiot...”
“I know. Fushiguro and Inumaki-senpai are heading back there now. I’ll take you to safety, then I’m going back too.”
“We can’t... let him die again...”
It was a small murmur, but Junpei heard it clearly.
“That’s not happening. I’m going.”
“Heh... what a cursed bastard...”
“Could you say that a little more nicely?”
“You too... don’t die...”
With a weak snort, Nobara’s head dropped again.
Junpei adjusted her posture so she could rest more comfortably, then muttered without thinking, “She’d be a beauty if she just kept her mouth shut.”
“I’m... not asleep yet...”
“Wah!”
Her eyes snapped open in a surprise attack, and Junpei’s emotions and cursed energy surged, making the jellyfish lurch.
He barely managed to catch Kamo before he lost his balance and fell, then took a deep breath to calm his pounding chest.
This time, Nobara really did seem to have passed out, and she said nothing more.
Junpei let out a sigh and clamped his mouth shut, focusing quietly on flying so he wouldn’t get picked on for no reason.
Within a few minutes, he met Utahime.
“Yoshino-kun?”
“You’re Utahime-sensei, right? I brought the injured.”
“Good work. For now, you should avoid fighting, head back outside the Curtain, and regroup with the faculty.”
After checking the students’ condition, Utahime advised Junpei to return.
The thing here was a special-grade curse spirit. It was almost impossible for students to handle.
No matter how much of a first-grade sorcerer he was, Junpei was still just a kid. He couldn’t take this on.
But Junpei’s resolve was firm.
“No, I’m going to fight.”
“You really...!”
“Ever since I became a sorcerer, I made up my mind. I’d save as many people as I could.”
“I don’t know how strong you are, but I can’t send you into a dangerous place...”
Just as Utahime moved to stop Junpei,
“Ah~♡ So many injured people here~♡”
A man in a bizarre outfit, with his upper body half-exposed, appeared.
There was a tattoo-like mark under his eyes, and the hilt of the sword he carried was bizarrely shaped like a human hand.
A curse user like Kumiya Juzo: Shigemo Haruta.
The reason he was only showing himself now was simple.
Shigemo Haruta was a pleasure killer who liked bullying and killing the weak. He enjoyed murder, but not actual fighting.
While Hanami was working hard, he had been loafing around outside the Curtain, and now that he’d spotted the injured Junpei had brought, he’d popped out in delight.
“I’m going to kill you all~!!”
Three people who were so badly hurt they couldn’t even move.
One female sorcerer who didn’t look like much of a fighter.
One frail-looking boy who seemed weak.
He’d charged in, thinking they were perfect prey, but the world did not go the way he wanted.
“What is this guy?”
Thud
“Huh...?”
He was the same type as Mahito, someone who liked to toy with people.
Junpei’s eyes went cold as he watched Shigemo move toward the injured.
“Ow, that hurts~”
Shigemo Haruta’s technique stored everyday miracles and used them in moments of crisis.
He himself didn’t know what his technique was, but he always thought that whenever he survived by sheer luck, it was thanks to his technique.
And just as that said, the poison that had “luckily” entered his body was neutralized, protecting him.
But his opponent was the wrong one.
Thud
“Hah, that won’t wor...”
Thud
“Uh...”
Thud
“S-stop...”
Thud thud thud thud
“Kyaaaagh...”
Each time the poison was neutralized, the jellyfish’s venomous spines stabbed into Shigemo’s body, and each time, the tattoo under his eyes was erased.
In the end, Shigemo burned through all his miracles and collapsed with a ridiculous cry, his whole body covered in black spots.
“Uh...”
“I’m going on ahead. That guy won’t die.”
“Wait, Yoshino!”
Junpei subdued Shigemo in an instant, climbed onto the jellyfish, and shot off at the speed of light.
Utahime tried to stop him, but by then he was already long gone from sight.
“Ha... teacher and student, both the same.”
Utahime let out a sigh, tied Shigemo up well enough, and began checking the injured students’ condition.
-----------------------
“Huff, huff...”
“How is he that tough!”
Maki and Yuji, who were facing Hanami, were in rough shape.
Maki’s spear had already broken from the hard outer shell, and Yuji’s fists were covered in cuts.
“Our attacks aren’t doing anything at all!”
Compared to Junpei’s Moon, this was the complete opposite in terms of defense.
Unlike Moon, whose jelly-like body absorbed impacts and reduced damage almost to zero, Hanami’s body was simply absurdly hard.
Even with Maki, a physical gifted, and Yuji, whose body was even more monstrous, hammering away nonstop, they couldn’t land a single proper hit.
Maki, with holes punched through her body here and there, was effectively combat-incapacitated.
The situation was clearly against them.
“I can’t use Black Flash. I need a more precise, more delicate timing...!”
Even then, Yuji was unconsciously stepping onto the path of growth.
The future changed by Junpei.
Originally, Todo’s advice should have been there, but he was still unconscious from Junpei’s poison, having a fan meeting with his favorite idol in his imagination.
But according to Gojo, he was a talent who might appear once in a thousand years.
Natural combat sense.
A superhuman who could smash concrete with his bare hands.
Before trials like a wall of iron, he always advanced one step further.
Just when he was starting to feel like he was getting the hang of it,
“Itadori, substitution!”
Megumi, who had gone to deliver the injured, came back.
“Megumi...”
“Senpai, please rest.”
With a sense of relief, Maki stepped back and sat down.
“Itadori, you recover your stamina too. I’ll handle this.”
“Fushiguro.”
“Yeah?”
“Not yet.”
At the astonishingly calm voice, Megumi checked Yuji’s condition.
His clothes were torn in places and he was bleeding from the fierce battle, but he was more focused than ever.
His burning eyes glared at Hanami as if they would pierce straight through it.
“Talent blooms even in a situation like this, huh.”
[I don’t know what you’re planning, but it’s meaningless. It’s time for you to return to the earth.]
As Hanami loaded its sharp tree roots, Megumi formed hand signs and summoned a shikigami while also pulling a cursed tool from the shadows.
“Divine Dogs - Totality.”
“There’s no shikigami I have that can withstand that defense. So I have to dodge as much as possible and land the most penetrating attack I can!”
The battle was about to begin, but the stars of this stage were not only them.
“Bullet.”
The tree roots suspended in the air were smashed apart by spikes shot with tremendous speed.
“Yoshino!”
“Glad I wasn’t too late.”
The gong for Round 2 rang out.
------------------------
Near the area where the Tokyo students had started out.
The massive body of a man who had been lying on the ground twitched.
“Takada-chan... thanks for giving me strength.”
The poison’s effective time had finally run out.
“Revival!”
The first day team battle of the sister school exchange event.
Todo Aoi, revived.
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