"It's over."
Yoru's voice was cold as iron.
As his wrist flicked, the lightning crackling around the Special Grade Cursed Tool, Shiranui, surged once more.
Although that last strike of Honoikazuchi no Kami had severed Mahito's hands and broken the domain's sure-hit effect, it hadn't completely killed the Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
The vitality of a cursed spirit—especially a Special Grade like Mahito, born from human malice—was horrifyingly resilient.
As long as the soul's core remained intact, physical damage was meaningless to him.
But Yoru could sever the soul itself.
"With the next strike, I'm taking your head."
Yoru didn't waste words; the ground beneath him shattered as he lunged toward Mahito like an arrow released from a bow.
Strike while he was down!
For the first time, a look of fear appeared in Mahito's eyes.
He could feel it; this boy with zero cursed energy truly possessed the means to kill him!
That shivering sensation from the depths of his soul even caused his regeneration speed to slow.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Mahito tried desperately to retreat, but having lost both hands, even manifesting his technique to block was extremely difficult.
Just as the pitch-black blade was about to reach Mahito's neck...
An anomaly occurred.
"My, what a pathetic sight you are, Mahito."
A gentle yet mocking voice suddenly echoed through the empty sewers.
Immediately after, a massive pelican-like cursed spirit appeared out of thin air, opening its giant maw to swallow the heavily injured Mahito whole.
Clang!
Yoru's blade struck the hard wings of the pelican curse, triggering a shower of brilliant sparks.
The massive recoil made his hand go slightly numb.
"Who's there?!"
Yoru used the momentum to leap back, landing steadily in front of Kento Nanami, his blade leveled forward with vigilant golden-red eyes.
A man wearing a five-colored cassock slowly walked out from the depths of the shadows.
There was a prominent stitched seam across his forehead.
"Nice to meet you, Yoru-kun."
The man wore a smile as warm as a spring breeze, as if he were meeting a long-lost friend.
"I am Suguru Geto."
Upon hearing that name, Kento Nanami's pupils contracted in disbelief.
"Geto-senpai?! That's impossible... You were supposed to have been killed by Satoru-san's own hands..."
"Hehe, in this world filled with cursed energy, the resurrection of the dead isn't exactly impossible, is it?"
Suguru Geto narrowed his eyes, his gaze passing over Nanami to study Yoru with great interest.
That look was as if he were appraising a rare treasure.
"No cursed energy, yet able to shatter a domain with such a marvelous technique..."
"Truly astonishing physical strength. To think you can handle that level of instantaneous explosive power without your body breaking down."
He seemed to have seen through the price Yoru paid for using Honoikazuchi no Kami just now.
Yoru frowned slightly.
He knew very well the true identity of the man before him.
That wasn't Suguru Geto at all, but the thousand-year-old curse user who had stolen the corpse—Kenjaku.
Although the opponent claimed to be Suguru Geto, that brain of his was currently radiating a nauseating malice.
'Why isn't he absorbing him right now?'
Yoru sneered inwardly.
He knew Kenjaku's plan.
The reason he saved Mahito now was because Mahito was still too 'green'; he needed him to grow to his soul's peak before harvesting the fruit.
"Hand over Mahito."
Yoru ignored the pleasantries, his tone remaining ice-cold.
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
Kenjaku waved his hand as if seeing through Yoru's thoughts; the pelican curse flapped its wings and flew into the air.
"He's still just a child. A bit mischievous, perhaps, but he has great potential. I can't let him fall here."
"Furthermore..."
Kenjaku looked up toward the ceiling of the sewer, his gaze tightening as he sensed something.
"That troublesome Six Eyes is about to arrive."
"Since I've achieved my goal for today, I won't stay to play with you anymore."
He gave Yoru a meaningful look, the corners of his mouth curling into a strange arc.
"Yoru-kun, your performance exceeded my expectations."
"As a variable, you are quite interesting. I hope to see you again in the future's new world."
With that, his shadow boiled, and several massive cursed spirits erupted to block Yoru and Nanami's path.
He himself grabbed onto the pelican curse's legs and ascended quickly, disappearing into the distance.
"Don't chase him!"
Kento Nanami stopped Yoru from rushing forward.
"That's the Special Grade Curse User, Suguru Geto... I don't know why he's still alive, but we aren't a match for him as we are now."
His voice was unusually calm, even carrying a hint of dread.
"That man... exists in a different dimension from us."
"Besides, he wasn't lying."
"Satoru-san should be arriving any moment."
Yoru sheathed his blade and looked toward the ceiling.
Nanami clutched his bleeding abdomen, his face pale, but he looked at Yoru with a complex expression.
Although the clash just now had been brief, he had seen clearly that Yoru had forced back a Special Grade and compelled that man to appear.
This combat power...
"Yoru-kun."
Nanami took a deep breath, his tone carrying an unprecedented solemnity.
"I hate to admit it, but in that moment just now..."
"You have already surpassed the realm of a Grade 1 Sorcerer."
Yoru sheathed his blade completely, his sharp aura vanishing as he returned to his usual calm self.
He turned around and looked at Junpei Yoshino, who was shivering in the corner.
Junpei was currently in a total daze.
He had witnessed the 'Mr. Mahito' who had manipulated him get mutilated and carted away like a dog.
He also saw his mother lying unconscious on the ground nearby.
If Yoru hadn't arrived in time to interrupt Mahito's technique...
The consequences would have been unthinkable.
"Junpei."
Yoru walked over to the boy and knelt so their eyes were level.
There was no condescending lecture or hollow comfort; he simply reached out a hand.
"There are some paths that, once taken, can never be undone."
"But as long as you haven't taken that final step, there's still a chance to turn back."
"Come to Jujutsu High."
"There are a lot of weirdos there, but at least no one will exploit your kindness."
Junpei looked at the calloused hand in front of him—the same hand that had just gripped a blade to sever a Special Grade.
Finally, tears burst from his eyes.
"Big Brother Yoru... I... I..."
He sobbed uncontrollably, tightly grasping Yoru's hand.
At that moment, the aura of death and despair that had shrouded him finally dissipated.
[SYSTEM: CRITICAL PLOT INTERFERENCE DETECTED: SAVED JUNPEI YOSHINO AND HIS MOTHER.]
[SYSTEM: THE ORIGINAL FATAL TRAGEDY HAS BEEN REWRITTEN. THE HOST'S ACTIONS DEEPLY ALIGN WITH YORIICHI'S PHILOSOPHY OF PROTECTING LIFE!]
[SYSTEM: SYNCHRONIZATION RATE HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY!]
[SYSTEM: CURRENT SYNCHRONIZATION RATE: 18%]
[SYSTEM: UNLOCKED: WATER BREATHING: FIRST THROUGH TENTH FORMS!]
Hearing the system notification in his mind and seeing that Junpei and his mother were safe, a heartfelt smile finally appeared on Yoru's face.
This was the result he wanted.
Not for some mission, and not for the synchronization rate.
Simply because...
He didn't want to see kind people crying because of this cruel world.
Just then, the phone in Yoru's pocket vibrated.
He took it out to see a text from Satoru Gojo.
It was just a short line:
"The Goodwill Event is about to start. Get back here fast."
Yoru put away his phone and looked up at the dark sewer ceiling.
The real battle was only just beginning.
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