Shibuya, Eve

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"You monster!"

In his final, heart-rending struggle, Mechamaru drew out every bit of cursed energy he had stored inside his body.

Seventeen years, five months, and six days.

Blue tides of cursed energy surged behind him.

He still wanted to return to his friends with this complete body.

He still wanted to quietly watch over Kasumi Miwa as she grew.

"New Shadow Style: Simple Domain!"

Breaking Itsuki's intangibility.

Damaging Mahito's soul.

Kokichi Muta, who had prepared for this moment, squeezed out the greatest potential his body could produce.

His ferocious face was filled with the desperate desire to live.

Itsuki looked back calmly. There was no sadness in his eyes, and no joy.

In his previous life, even Itsuki had once felt regret over Mechamaru's unfulfilled feelings.

But in this life...

Itsuki shifted slightly and avoided Kokichi's final burst with effortless ease.

Bang.

His intangible hand passed through the cursed-energy-covered chest.

Then he crushed the heart in one grip.

This was the law of a world where the strong devoured the weak.

The strong took everything. The defeated swallowed dust.

That was the truth of this world.

Warm blood spilled from Kokichi's mouth, and the light in his eyes slowly dimmed.

...

Shinjuku, House of the Children of the Star.

The second underground floor was covered in the remains of cursed spirits.

Mechamaru's real body lay soaked in dense liquid, its exterior undamaged.

The fist-sized hole in his chest had been filled by a pure-white flower.

The trembling blossom seemed to be made of countless fine plant roots, yet it also resembled the meridian-like pattern of human blood vessels.

It was white, a color meant to symbolize purity, but every moment it existed, it released an eerie aura.

"If you can't fully control this body, don't take part in the show ten days from now."

On a black throne formed from shadow, Itsuki supported his forehead with one hand and spoke coldly.

"The boost this body gives you will not be worse than Number One."

"No. It should be stronger."

"Exactly!"

White Zetsu stepped to the edge of the bath. His greedy gaze swept over the cold body.

"A Heavenly Restriction with no defects. This really is a vessel custom-made for Uncle Zetsu."

Kokichi Muta needed years of accumulation to store cursed energy.

But White Zetsu did not.

The void opened beside Itsuki's shoulder.

Through the flower woven from God Tree branches, the nearly endless cursed energy of the Gedo Statue poured continuously into the vessel.

Just as Itsuki said, without the divine cursed tool that could forcibly cancel techniques, the Inverted Spear of Heaven, the strength Toji's body could display was indeed inferior to the vessel before them.

After all, in this world...

Even cursed spirits could use Domain Expansion.

...

October 31, 2018.

Tokyo, Shibuya.

7:00 p.m.

Steel towers reflected brilliant neon light. Crowds in all kinds of costumes packed the streets.

Drunken haze, violent music, voices surging over one another.

Halloween.

A night of revelry.

And the day the jujutsu world changed.

Centered on the busiest shopping complex, a Curtain quietly fell over a radius of roughly four hundred meters.

Bang!

"Hey, you seriously wiped out on flat ground?"

A man holding a drink laughed loudly at his fallen companion.

"You got drunk off that little? You're pathetic."

The man staggered back to his feet in a daze.

He pushed a hand into the air in front of him, then felt the obstruction of an invisible wall again.

...

8:20 p.m.

Large numbers of police officers, unaware of the truth, followed orders from above and set up long cordons at the designated locations.

Jujutsu High assistant managers who could see the shell of the barrier stood nearby to assist.

With the lives of over ten thousand civilians at stake, every available Jujutsu High sorcerer was deployed.

Kento Nanami led Maki, Nobara, and Megumi, who had recently been promoted to semi-Grade 1.

The second-year group under Kusakabe consisted of Panda and Inumaki.

Grade 1 sorcerer Mei Mei led Ui Ui, who was not affiliated with Jujutsu High, and Yuji.

Each team began moving from a different part of the Curtain.

Outside the enormous barrier, Ijichi held a report and analyzed the situation for the people in front of him.

"Sorcerers can enter and leave the barrier. Assistant managers can as well. It only restricts ordinary civilians."

"The trapped crowd has been shouting Mr. Gojo's name."

Nanami looked toward the black shell of the Curtain.

"Ordinary people would not know the name Satoru Gojo. The enemy is sending us a message."

Then he turned slightly toward Nobara and Maki beside him.

"What about White Zetsu? Did you get any information out of him?"

The White Zetsu under house arrest at Jujutsu High was still occupying Haruta's body.

Because it was not his main body, threats of interrogation or even exorcism were useless.

Aside from preventing him from escaping, Jujutsu High had been trying every possible way to get him to talk.

Maki shook her head.

"Around ten days ago, that body of White Zetsu's fell asleep. It still hasn't woken up."

Since the day she had been stopped at the gate of the House of the Children of the Star, Maki had not seen Itsuki again.

She had not left Jujutsu High's side either.

"Could Itsuki Zenin be behind this?" Nobara asked in a low voice. "I don't know. A big shot at that level feels like he wouldn't use something this cheap even if he made a move."

Maybe she simply believed powerful people would not stoop to schemes.

Or maybe Nobara truly did not want Itsuki Zenin...

And White Zetsu...

To become enemies.

While the assistant managers explained the barrier information to each team, Satoru Gojo had already strode into the first Curtain.

...

Shibuya Station, fifth basement level.

The crowd trapped on the platform had not yet realized danger was approaching.

They chatted while waiting for official rescue.

"Geto, can that guy really hold Gojo by himself?"

Confusion flickered in Jogo's single eye.

"I hate to admit it, but isn't it pointless for Choso and me to stay here with him involved?"

With this much time, Jogo felt he could go upstairs first and slaughter more human sorcerers.

Fake Geto leaned against one side of the platform, both hands tucked into his sleeves.

"We prepared two plans. There is no harm in taking precautions."

As he spoke, his cold gaze swept across the people on the platform.

"Satoru Gojo will be restrained by these monkeys. As for Itsuki Zenin..."

"I do not believe he is a merciful monster, but testing it while we are here is useful."

"After all, seeing is believing."

Fake Geto narrowed his eyes at the two beside him and smiled lightly.

"If Gojo and Itsuki both suffer heavy damage, we seal one and join forces to kill the other."

"Wouldn't that be even better?"

Jogo's expression seemed tempted.

If they could remove both mountains at once, the age ruled by cursed spirits would no longer be only a fantasy.

Choso, however, frowned.

"What do we do if Itsuki Zenin still has strength left after Gojo is sealed?"

"His attitude toward curses does not seem friendly."

The Zenin Clan had captured cursed spirits alive for ten years without pause.

During the Goodwill Event, Itsuki had casually crushed the special grade Hanami to death.

Choso's words pulled Jogo back to reality. A barely perceptible trace of fear passed through his eye.

"Right, Geto."

"That guy's eyes don't look like the kind that would be restrained by ordinary humans."

"If he attacks us at this distance..."

"Relax, Jogo."

Fake Geto gave him a gentle smile.

"Itsuki Zenin and I have already signed a contract."

"Before Sukuna controls the body, he will not kill us."

Kenjaku spoke with confidence.

Then, quietly, in his own mind, he crossed out one word.

Us.

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