Night fell again, the Okinawan sea breeze carrying a hint of sticky humidity.
Riko Amanai and Misato Kuroi were already fast asleep in the hotel suite; the day's relaxation had allowed them to briefly forget the shadow of death looming over them.
But for the jujutsu sorcerers responsible for their protection, the real test was only just beginning.
Yoru stood alone on the edge of the hotel rooftop, letting the sea breeze ruffle his short black hair.
He looked down at the brightly lit streets below, but his eyes were like a cold, bottomless abyss.
"Hiss..."
Yoru suddenly raised his hand and rubbed his brow firmly; a sharp, needle-like pain throbbed in his eyes.
To guard against an assassination attempt by that man, he had kept Transparent World active at high intensity for a prolonged period.
Even with the boost from the Yoriichi Tsugikuni template, such an extreme drain on his mental energy left him feeling a hint of overwhelming exhaustion.
'It seems... my current synchronization rate isn't high enough to keep Transparent World active as naturally as breathing.'
Yoru thought to himself.
If he could reach that legendary Selfless State where even fighting spirit and killing intent were completely hidden, or turn Transparent World into a permanent passive ability, perhaps he wouldn't be in such a sorry state.
But that required a higher synchronization rate to unlock.
For now, Transparent World remained active, yet no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find a single trace of that man.
"Toji Fushiguro..."
Yoru whispered the name to himself.
As a transmigrator, he knew all too well how terrifying this man was.
He was the pinnacle of Heavenly Restriction, having traded all his cursed energy for a body that had reached the absolute peak of physical perfection.
No cursed energy meant he couldn't be sensed; a peak physical body meant his speed and strength were enough to crush most Special Grade sorcerers.
In the original story, the reason Toji could push Satoru Gojo to the brink wasn't just raw power.
It was his tactical prowess—patient and cunning, like a venomous snake.
He had intentionally put out a thirty-million-yen bounty, using the constant attacks from bottom-tier curse users to wear down Gojo's stamina and Limitless technique.
He waited until the moment Gojo and Suguru Geto escorted the Star Plasma Vessel inside the barrier of the Tombs of the Star Corridor—the very moment they thought the mission was over and completely let down their guard.
Only then would he deliver the fatal blow.
"He must still be in Tokyo right now, or somewhere safe, coldly watching those small-fry go to their deaths."
A sharp glint flashed in Yoru's eyes.
If he stayed here and waited, he would not only fall into Toji's rhythm, but his mental energy would also be completely drained by this endless vigilance.
He had to break this deadlock!
"I'll solve the problem at the source."
Yoru's hand rested on the hilt of Shiranui at his waist; his decision was made.
He would take the initiative and find Toji before the final assassination attempt began, and then...
He would stop him.
Yoru turned and walked off the rooftop, heading to the room where Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto were staying.
Neither of them was asleep. Satoru was sitting on the sofa playing video games with his sunglasses on, while Suguru was polishing several Cursed Spirit Orbs.
"Yo, Instructor Yoru. Is the breeze outside nice?"
Without looking back, Satoru pressed the buttons on his controller, causing brilliant combo effects to explode across the screen.
"I have something to tell you."
Yoru walked up to them, his tone extremely serious.
"I'm leaving the group temporarily."
""
A red prompt flashed on the screen. Satoru's hands froze instantly.
He turned his head, his sunglasses sliding down his nose to reveal a pair of startled, azure eyes.
"Huh?"
"You're clocking out now?"
Satoru's voice spiked an octave, looking at Yoru as if he were an alien.
"Hey, hey, are you kidding me? We're heading back to Tokyo for the merger tomorrow, and you're leaving now?!"
Suguru also stopped what he was doing and stood up with a deep frown.
"Instructor Yoru, did something happen?"
"Did you find some extremely dangerous enemy?"
Suguru's intuition was sharp; he knew Yoru wasn't the type to desert his post.
"Something like that," Yoru said plainly, offering little explanation.
"I have a private matter I must handle. It concerns the final success or failure of this mission."
"I'm leaving Riko and Kuroi to the two of you."
"Tch!"
Satoru clicked his tongue in annoyance and pushed his sunglasses back up.
"Acting all mysterious. Fine, go ahead. Since the strongest is right here, it doesn't matter how many of those small-fry show up; they're all dead anyway."
"I can get them back to Jujutsu High safely on my own!"
Though Satoru complained, his voice was filled with absolute confidence.
He was Satoru Gojo; he had the right to be confident. But Yoru didn't feel any easier because of it.
He took a long look at Satoru, then at Suguru.
In the original timeline, it was precisely this arrogance and confidence that led to an irreversible tragedy.
Riko's brutal death, Gojo's throat being pierced, and Suguru falling into deep despair.
Yoru walked up to Satoru and patted his shoulder with great solemnity.
"Satoru. Suguru."
"Remember my words. No matter what happens, no matter how safe you think you are..."
"Until you get Riko inside the barrier of the Tombs of the Star Corridor, absolutely do not deactivate your techniques."
"Not even for a second."
Satoru was stunned.
He had rarely seen Yoru with such an almost stern expression; those crimson eyes even held a trace of heart-pounding pressure.
"I get it, I get it. You're so naggy, just like an old lady."
Satoru waved his hand, trying to hide his inner discomfort.
"Don't worry, Instructor Yoru."
Suguru nodded solemnly.
"We'll protect Riko-chan even if it costs us our lives."
Yoru didn't say anything more. He turned and left the room.
He had to move fast.
Based on his memories of his past life, there was only one place Toji Fushiguro was likely to be at this time.
It was either the underground black-market casinos in Tokyo or some foul-smelling horse racing track.
That man squandered all his money on gambling and women.
Under the cover of night.
Yoru left the Okinawan hotel alone and boarded a private plane back to Tokyo.
Looking out at the endless night through the window, Yoru's gaze grew colder.
Though he had forcibly changed part of fate's trajectory, the core knot was still tightly wound around the necks of Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto.
"Toji Fushiguro..."
"You venomous snake hiding in the gutter, it's time you came out to see the sun."
Meanwhile, in an underground horse racing track far away in Tokyo.
A massive man with a jagged scar on the corner of his mouth was looking at the live horse racing broadcast on the big screen with an expression of utter boredom.
He held several discarded betting tickets in his hand, casually crumpling them and tossing them onto the floor.
"Lost again..."
The man yawned, his eyes filled with a pure sense of indifference and world-weariness.
Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated.
It was a text from Shiu Kong, the Star Religious Group's contact.
[The eyes and ears in Okinawa have been wiped out. That monster with the black blade is too troublesome; more than half of the bounty has been withdrawn.]
Seeing the message, the man didn't panic at all. Instead, a bloodthirsty curve formed at the corner of his mouth.
"Wiped out? How interesting."
"It seems that freak named Yoru is a bit more perceptive than I imagined."
Toji Fushiguro stood up, cracking his thick neck with a sound of grating bone.
"But it doesn't matter."
"Since you've taken the initiative to leave their side..."
"Then those two overprotected young masters are mine to slaughter as I please."
He turned his head toward the entrance of the racing track, a dangerous predatory light flashing in his eyes.
Because he knew.
That monster with the crimson eyes would find his way here very soon.
Was Yoru's departure a masterstroke that would break the stalemate, or a fatal mistake that played right into Toji's hands?
The line between hunter and prey became blurred.
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