Chapter 21:
Chapter 21: The Night Parade Begins
The Crimson Eyes of the Zenin
December 24th. Sunset.
Tokyo, Shinjuku.
The last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by a massive black barrier—a Veil.
From the sky and the shadows, thousands of Cursed Spirits descended upon the city. The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons had begun.
"Protect the civilians! Minimize damage to public facilities! Move!"
Masamichi Yaga shouted orders, his voice booming over the chaos. Sorcerers from all over Japan, including the Grade 1s like Nanami and Mei Mei, rushed to intercept the horde.
Amidst the screaming and the fighting, Satoru Gojo stood in the center of the street. He sensed something amiss. Suguru isn't here, he realized. He sent his army, but where is the general?
"Oh! Isn't this old man Naobito?"
A mocking voice came from behind Gojo.
Gojo turned. Standing there, holding a sake gourd, was the former Zenin Clan Head, Naobito Zenin.
"Did you need something?" Gojo asked, annoyed.
Naobito stiffened. He hated Gojo’s attitude. But he cut straight to the chase.
"Toji's son," Naobito said, stroking his mustache. "Shouldn't you return him to us?"
"That is Zenin blood. We even received a transfer of 1 Billion Yen from you back then to buy his freedom. But the deal was never finalized."
"Tch. Troublesome old man."
Gojo scowled.
Megumi Fushiguro. The son of Toji Fushiguro.
Years ago, Gojo had intercepted the deal between the Zenin Clan and Toji, taking custody of Megumi to protect him from the toxic clan politics. Now, Megumi was about to enter Jujutsu High.
"Old man, name your price," Gojo said, raising an eyebrow. "How much to make you go away? Megumi is my student now."
"Besides," Gojo sneered. "Didn't your new Clan Head awaken the Ten Shadows long ago? You already have one. Don't be greedy."
Naobito’s expression darkened.
"You brat... this isn't something you can resolve with money or tantrums."
"For the sake of stability in the Jujutsu world... and for the sake of that child's life... hand him over."
"Stability?" Gojo laughed. "Are you threatening me?"
"I'm stating facts!" Naobito snapped. "I was surprised Toji's kid awakened the Ten Shadows too. But a mere Ten Shadows user can't compare to our Clan Head."
"I don't care about the boy," Naobito lowered his voice. "The only reason I'm here is because... it was an order from the Clan Head."
"He ordered us to retrieve Megumi Fushiguro. At all costs."
Gojo pursed his lips. Mirai...
"Listen to me, Satoru Gojo!" Naobito stepped closer, his voice urgent. "If you refuse... the Clan Head will take action."
"He will attack the Gojo Clan. He will attack Jujutsu High. He will kill the boy rather than let you keep him."
"He is crazy enough to sacrifice every sorcerer in the Zenin Clan just to make a point!"
Gojo looked at Naobito’s trembling hands. His Six Eyes analyzed the old man's Cursed Energy. He's terrified. He's telling the truth.
Mirai would start a civil war over a middle schooler.
"Trouble," Gojo muttered.
SIZZLE!
A thunderous roar echoed through the sky. Lightning tore the night apart.
Everyone looked up.
A massive, owl-like shikigami—Nue—descended, its wingspan covering the steel buildings. Lightning crackled around it.
Standing atop the shikigami’s head, looking down at the chaos like a god, was Zenin Mirai.
"That's quite the entrance," Gojo murmured.
...
On the Edge of the Barrier.
Miguel, a foreign sorcerer recruited by Geto, watched Mirai arrive. He adjusted his white beret.
"Zenin Mirai... and Gojo Satoru," Miguel muttered in broken Japanese. "Suguru said to be careful of them."
He gripped his Special Grade Cursed Tool—the Black Rope. His job was to stall Gojo.
...
Meanwhile. Jujutsu High.
Maki, Yuta, and White Zetsu were in the classroom.
White Zetsu was mid-sentence, teaching Yuta "advanced pickup lines," when the sky outside turned dark.
"A Veil?" Maki stood up, grabbing her spear. "They're here."
"White Zetsu, stay here. Yuta, let's go!"
"Yes, Maki-san!" Yuta grabbed his katana bag.
They ran out.
White Zetsu leaned back in his chair, putting his feet on the desk. He grinned at the window.
"Just as Mirai-boy predicted," Zetsu chuckled. "Geto lured the heavy hitters to Shinjuku... so he could attack the school."
"I feel sorry for Maki in advance... three... two seconds is enough."
...
Shinjuku. Inside the Veil.
Mirai sat on the edge of a skyscraper, legs dangling over the battle.
Below him, sorcerers and curses tore each other apart.
The Kamui Dimension behind his shoulder was open, invisible to the naked eye. It was acting like a vacuum, sucking in the Cursed Energy released by the dying spirits.
It's a buffet, Mirai thought, watching the carnage.
The Gedo Mazo inside his dimension purred with delight.
He glanced down. Gojo was being engaged by Miguel. Mei Mei was slaughtering curses with her axe, earning her paycheck.
"It's almost time," Mirai checked his watch. "Panda and Inumaki were sent back to the school ten minutes ago."
"Geto should be arriving at Jujutsu High right about now."
Mirai stood up.
"Let's have one last bite... and then go crash the real party."
Tokyo, Shinjuku.
The last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by a massive black barrier—a Veil.
From the sky and the shadows, thousands of Cursed Spirits descended upon the city. The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons had begun.
"Protect the civilians! Minimize damage to public facilities! Move!"
Masamichi Yaga shouted orders, his voice booming over the chaos. Sorcerers from all over Japan, including the Grade 1s like Nanami and Mei Mei, rushed to intercept the horde.
Amidst the screaming and the fighting, Satoru Gojo stood in the center of the street. He sensed something amiss. Suguru isn't here, he realized. He sent his army, but where is the general?
"Oh! Isn't this old man Naobito?"
A mocking voice came from behind Gojo.
Gojo turned. Standing there, holding a sake gourd, was the former Zenin Clan Head, Naobito Zenin.
"Did you need something?" Gojo asked, annoyed.
Naobito stiffened. He hated Gojo’s attitude. But he cut straight to the chase.
"Toji's son," Naobito said, stroking his mustache. "Shouldn't you return him to us?"
"That is Zenin blood. We even received a transfer of 1 Billion Yen from you back then to buy his freedom. But the deal was never finalized."
"Tch. Troublesome old man."
Gojo scowled.
Megumi Fushiguro. The son of Toji Fushiguro.
Years ago, Gojo had intercepted the deal between the Zenin Clan and Toji, taking custody of Megumi to protect him from the toxic clan politics. Now, Megumi was about to enter Jujutsu High.
"Old man, name your price," Gojo said, raising an eyebrow. "How much to make you go away? Megumi is my student now."
"Besides," Gojo sneered. "Didn't your new Clan Head awaken the Ten Shadows long ago? You already have one. Don't be greedy."
Naobito’s expression darkened.
"You brat... this isn't something you can resolve with money or tantrums."
"For the sake of stability in the Jujutsu world... and for the sake of that child's life... hand him over."
"Stability?" Gojo laughed. "Are you threatening me?"
"I'm stating facts!" Naobito snapped. "I was surprised Toji's kid awakened the Ten Shadows too. But a mere Ten Shadows user can't compare to our Clan Head."
"I don't care about the boy," Naobito lowered his voice. "The only reason I'm here is because... it was an order from the Clan Head."
"He ordered us to retrieve Megumi Fushiguro. At all costs."
Gojo pursed his lips. Mirai...
"Listen to me, Satoru Gojo!" Naobito stepped closer, his voice urgent. "If you refuse... the Clan Head will take action."
"He will attack the Gojo Clan. He will attack Jujutsu High. He will kill the boy rather than let you keep him."
"He is crazy enough to sacrifice every sorcerer in the Zenin Clan just to make a point!"
Gojo looked at Naobito’s trembling hands. His Six Eyes analyzed the old man's Cursed Energy. He's terrified. He's telling the truth.
Mirai would start a civil war over a middle schooler.
"Trouble," Gojo muttered.
SIZZLE!
A thunderous roar echoed through the sky. Lightning tore the night apart.
Everyone looked up.
A massive, owl-like shikigami—Nue—descended, its wingspan covering the steel buildings. Lightning crackled around it.
Standing atop the shikigami’s head, looking down at the chaos like a god, was Zenin Mirai.
"That's quite the entrance," Gojo murmured.
...
On the Edge of the Barrier.
Miguel, a foreign sorcerer recruited by Geto, watched Mirai arrive. He adjusted his white beret.
"Zenin Mirai... and Gojo Satoru," Miguel muttered in broken Japanese. "Suguru said to be careful of them."
He gripped his Special Grade Cursed Tool—the Black Rope. His job was to stall Gojo.
...
Meanwhile. Jujutsu High.
Maki, Yuta, and White Zetsu were in the classroom.
White Zetsu was mid-sentence, teaching Yuta "advanced pickup lines," when the sky outside turned dark.
"A Veil?" Maki stood up, grabbing her spear. "They're here."
"White Zetsu, stay here. Yuta, let's go!"
"Yes, Maki-san!" Yuta grabbed his katana bag.
They ran out.
White Zetsu leaned back in his chair, putting his feet on the desk. He grinned at the window.
"Just as Mirai-boy predicted," Zetsu chuckled. "Geto lured the heavy hitters to Shinjuku... so he could attack the school."
"I feel sorry for Maki in advance... three... two seconds is enough."
...
Shinjuku. Inside the Veil.
Mirai sat on the edge of a skyscraper, legs dangling over the battle.
Below him, sorcerers and curses tore each other apart.
The Kamui Dimension behind his shoulder was open, invisible to the naked eye. It was acting like a vacuum, sucking in the Cursed Energy released by the dying spirits.
It's a buffet, Mirai thought, watching the carnage.
The Gedo Mazo inside his dimension purred with delight.
He glanced down. Gojo was being engaged by Miguel. Mei Mei was slaughtering curses with her axe, earning her paycheck.
"It's almost time," Mirai checked his watch. "Panda and Inumaki were sent back to the school ten minutes ago."
"Geto should be arriving at Jujutsu High right about now."
Mirai stood up.
"Let's have one last bite... and then go crash the real party."
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