"Clatter—!"
Broken stones scattered across the ground from above.
Yuji, who had been lying on the ground, was also pulled out of the cursed technique's range.
Jujutsu High reinforcements had arrived—Panda, Toge Inumaki, and Kusakabe.
From Kyoto Jujutsu High, Utahime Iori led a group of students, arriving just in time.
"Thank you, Todo-senpai."
Kasumi Miwa looked at the towering figure beside her, letting out a breath of relief after narrowly surviving.
"Everyone…"
Covered in wounds, Yuji was dragged out of the technique's range by Kusakabe, who maintained a Simple Domain.
As Yuji stood up and saw his teammates one by one—
A glimmer of hope lit in his eyes…
only to quickly fade.
Someone like me… a murderer…
Do I still deserve to be their comrade…?
Kenjaku's indifferent gaze swept across the group.
Strongest: Grade 1. Weakest: Grade 3.
To him, it was like watching a swarm of insects gathering together—
only mildly troublesome.
"Everyone, the cursed tool sealing Gojo-sensei is in that guy's hands!"
Yuji wiped the blood from his forehead and warned seriously:
"He's strong—and the cursed spirits he controls can each use their own techniques!"
No reminder was needed.
All the sorcerers present had already received the intel through various channels.
Before the Kyoto group entered, Principal Yaga had already relayed the latest information.
"Looks like this'll be a tough fight."
Todo tore off the upper half of his uniform, his expression grave.
"My brother—coordinate with my technique."
Todo's ability: Boogie Woogie.
Activated by clapping, it swaps the positions of two targets containing cursed energy.
It works on both living beings and objects.
Its weakness: limited range, making large-scale movement impossible.
Yuji had briefly experienced it before during their fight against Hanami.
So Todo specifically called on him to cooperate.
"Yeah!"
Yuji responded in a low voice as cursed energy surged.
"Nishimiya?"
Utahime and Noritoshi Kamo frowned at the silent girl descending beside them.
The sky was supposed to be her domain—so why…
As the Kyoto group looked up—
They froze instantly.
A figure hovered in the sky without any attempt to hide.
Those cold, blood-red eyes—
Just meeting them for a moment felt like their souls were plunged into an icy abyss.
When had he appeared?
Though not far away, no one had sensed even a trace of cursed energy.
This was a level of spatial control far beyond what he had shown against Satoru Gojo.
He seemed present in reality—
yet his body and aura existed in another dimension entirely.
"No wonder we can't sense anything…"
"They're in completely different worlds."
Todo's expression darkened.
His technique required sensing cursed energy—but against Mirai…
Not only could he not touch him,
he couldn't even swap positions.
"What a… monster."
"What do you think, old friend?"
Kenjaku stepped forward, pointing toward Mai Zenin in the crowd.
"Can she be killed?"
Relentless probing.
From hinting at Sukuna earlier… to now testing Mirai's weaknesses.
Mirai slowly descended into the battlefield.
Facing Kenjaku's question, his expression didn't change.
Footsteps approached.
Maki, Nobara, and Megumi arrived.
And finally, White Zetsu walked leisurely to Mirai's side.
The battlefield fell into a strange silence.
Against Kenjaku, there was still hope.
But against Zenin Mirai—
the man who had defeated Satoru Gojo head-on—
No one dared act.
They didn't even dare to run.
Standing beside Utahime, Kusakabe broke into a cold sweat.
At this moment, saving Gojo no longer mattered to him.
All he could think about was how to survive Shibuya.
Kenjaku made no move, instead studying White Zetsu with interest.
An enormous cursed energy reserve beyond special grade—
and a strange possession-like technique.
"Hello, White Zetsu."
A highly valuable research specimen.
Kenjaku suppressed the urge to absorb him and waved with a smile.
"Hello your ass."
White Zetsu pointed at him and started ranting.
"Your grandpa here has sharp senses, got it?"
"Don't stare at my back with those creepy eyes."
"I'm not into that kind of crap."
"Pah—brainless idiot!"
He spat at Kenjaku's feet in disgust.
Then immediately continued:
"Oh wait—you're not brainless, you've got too many brains!"
"You walking brain freak!"
"I swear I—"
The spot where White Zetsu had been—
was suddenly empty.
Kenjaku blinked.
"Brain freak…?"
In a thousand years,
this was the first time he'd been cursed out so viciously by a cursed spirit.
Mirai, who had stored White Zetsu in Kamui space, twitched slightly.
That mouth… was truly lethal.
Even the Jujutsu High group was stunned.
A moment later—
Kenjaku acted as if nothing had happened, smiling at Mirai.
His gaze was full of calculation.
"Mai. Come here."
Mirai's tone was calm—yet absolute.
"Mirai… brother…"
Mai stood among the Kyoto group.
Short dark-green hair, school uniform—
and in her hand, the same "Crimson Lotus" weapon White Zetsu had given her.
She instinctively stepped forward—
then stopped.
In the corner of her vision were her companions.
For the past two years—
They didn't stop her.
Didn't persuade her.
They simply waited for her decision.
Her fingers clenched tightly.
Hesitation and struggle filled her face.
Since childhood, her mother had drilled one command into her:
Obey Mirai absolutely.
She had never once imagined disobeying.
She took another step.
Her face grew pale.
Unlike her sister, she wasn't brave.
She knew exactly what happened to those who defied Mirai.
Eyes shut tight—
She stepped forward again.
But even in darkness—
Memories flooded in.
Training together.
Late-night meals.
Laughing.
Fighting for their lives.
They had saved each other.
Not just companions—
But comrades who shared life and death.
Drip.
Her nails pierced her flesh—
but that pain was nothing.
The tearing in her heart was unbearable.
She didn't dare refuse.
She opened her eyes, looking at Mirai—
Her gaze filled with pleading.
Tears fell one by one.
"Mai…"
Utahime.
Nishimiya.
Miwa.
Even Maki in the distance—
They couldn't help but call out—
But suddenly—
Everything turned blood-red.
Splurt!
Roots from the Demonic Statue pierced straight through Mai's body!
Before the blood even hit the ground—
She was dragged into Kamui space.
"MAI!!!"
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