The countdown to the catastrophe known as the "Night Parade of a Hundred Demons" had reached its final three days.
At this critical juncture that should have been stifling with tension...
The open-air training ground of Tokyo Jujutsu High, now heavily fortified with various defensive barriers, erupted with a roar more violent than ever before!
!!!
With a heavy impact, a figure was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing brutally into the protective wall at the edge of the field.
The hard concrete surface was instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks.
"Cough, cough..."
Maki Zenin crawled up from the ground in a pathetic state, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth as she gasped for air.
Beside her...
Toge Inumaki was already down on one knee. Due to the excessive use of Cursed Speech, blood was trickling from the corners of his mouth and nose, and even his usually determined eyes were beginning to lose focus.
As for Yuta Okkotsu, who stood at the very front...
He was gripping the custom katana Yoru had given him with both hands, his body covered in bruises and gashes deep enough to see bone.
That originally handsome face was now completely distorted by extreme pain and frustration!
This was the final, life-threatening challenge Yoru had left for these three first-year students before leaving Jujutsu High to find Kenjaku—
"As long as the three of you can work together to last ten minutes on this field without me using a single drop of cursed energy."
"You will pass the assessment."
"Otherwise, if you can't even beat me, going up against Suguru Geto's Special Grade Cursed Spirits would be nothing more than a death sentence."
And now...
Less than thirty seconds remained of the ten-minute limit!
But in these nine and a half minutes that felt like a century, the three of them hadn't managed to graze even the hem of Yoru's clothes!
"I can't... keep this up..."
Maki grit her teeth, trying to raise her naginata once more.
But her arms, which usually possessed the terrifying strength of Heavenly Restriction, felt as heavy as lead, and she couldn't even maintain a steady grip on the handle.
'This guy is a complete monster!'
During this assessment...
Maki took the lead, relying on her superhuman speed and strength to constantly look for openings.
Toge Inumaki stayed on the sidelines, using Cursed Speech for forced control and interference.
And Yuta Okkotsu acted as the main powerhouse, attempting to use the gargantuan Special Grade cursed energy within him, combined with the bursts from basic Breathing Styles, to deal Yoru a finishing blow!
Yet, facing this nearly perfect tactical coordination, Yoru hadn't even drawn the standard-issue steel katana at his waist used for appearances.
He had simply plucked a branch with a few green leaves from the side of the field!
That very branch, which even an ordinary person could easily snap...
In Yoru's hands, it had become a divine weapon capable of driving any Special Grade Sorcerer to despair!
Swish!
Yoru's figure flickered like an incorporeal ghost, instantly crossing the ten-meter distance to appear right in front of Toge Inumaki.
"Dried boni—"
Toge Inumaki tried to desperately unleash one last Cursed Speech, but his vision blurred.
That seemingly fragile branch had already struck his throat at an impossible angle.
Thwack!
A crisp sound echoed.
Toge Inumaki's world went black, and he fell completely unconscious.
"Toge!"
Seeing her comrade fall, Maki's eyes filled with rage as she charged forward, swinging her naginata recklessly.
"Too slow."
Yoru didn't even spare her a glance, merely flicking his wrist.
The branch traced a graceful arc through the air, accurately striking the pressure point on Maki's wrist.
Clang!
The naginata fell from her hand, and Maki groaned as her legs gave out, forcing her to her knees.
Total defeat!
Before the crushing weight of absolute power and skill, these three genius freshmen—the pride of Jujutsu High—didn't even have the chance to resist.
"Ten seconds left."
Yoru turned around, casually tossing the branch—which hadn't lost a single leaf—onto the ground. He looked at Yuta Okkotsu, who was standing still, trembling.
"If your companions were truly dying before your eyes right now, and all you could do was stand there shaking like a piece of trash..."
Yoru's gaze instantly became cold as ice.
"Then don't bother showing up for this war."
"Because if you go, you'll only end up getting more people killed."
Trash!
Coward!
Getting more people killed!
Those words, sharp as daggers, stabbed deep into Yuta Okkotsu's soul!
"No... I'm not..."
Yuta Okkotsu hung his head, his eyes bloodshot as tears and sweat mingled, dripping frantically down his cheeks.
He looked at Maki and Toge lying in pools of blood, and his mind replayed the scenes of them training and laughing together over the past few months.
'If I can't even protect the friends who accepted me and took me in...'
'Then what is the point of having this cursed power?!'
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
Following Yuta Okkotsu's piercing, maddening roar...
A literal storm of black cursed energy erupted from his body, surging into the sky!
At the center of this terrifying storm, a pale monster—so massive it blotted out the sun and radiated a suffocating aura of malice and curses...
Tore through the void with a deafening screech, fully descending upon the world!
Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit—Rika Orimoto!
She had gone berserk!
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
Yuta Okkotsu's eyes had turned a frantic blood-red. He pointed at Yoru, letting out a beast-like howl.
Sensing its host's world-shattering rage, a terrifying orb of cursed energy—powerful enough to instantly vaporize the entire school—began to condense within Rika's fanged maw!
The sickening Special Grade pressure caused the surrounding air to crackle under the strain!
Yet, facing a strike that could kill any Grade 1 Sorcerer instantly and would even make Satoru Gojo take things somewhat seriously...
Yoru didn't retreat an inch.
Instead, he took a step forward, heading straight into the heart of that apocalyptic storm of cursed energy!
Hum—!
In that instant, a brilliant, deep crimson light erupted from Yoru's profound red eyes!
[Transparent World]!
Under Yoru's ultimate gaze that could see through everything, Rika's massive, chaotic cursed energy shell became transparent.
The flow of blood, the contraction of muscles, and even the fragile light that was Rika's soul core, hidden beneath layers of black cursed energy...
Everything was laid bare before Yoru!
Boom!
Yoru stomped hard, shattering the stone floor beneath him as he launched himself forward like a cannonball, straight toward the imminent blast of the cursed energy cannon!
He didn't draw his sword.
He didn't even touch the standard-issue steel katana at his waist.
He simply pushed his Total Concentration Breathing to its absolute limit, his lungs roaring like thunder.
Then.
He reached out with his right hand—a hand that looked ordinary but contained physical strength enough to cleave mountains and seas.
In a single moment, he pierced through the violent storm and pressed his hand with pinpoint accuracy against a certain vital core on Rika's massive body!
"Get..."
"BACK!!!"
Accompanied by Yoru's icy command...
A surge of pure physical force—so violent it caused space itself to ripple—poured from his palm like a collapsing mountain.
It slammed down, suppressing Rika's soul core!
GAAHHH—!
Under this illogical, overwhelming suppression, even the berserk Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit...
Let out a scream of terror and pain!
The condensing cursed energy cannon instantly dissipated, and Rika's massive form began to tremble uncontrollably under the weight of Yoru's single hand!
Finally.
Under the gaze of Yoru's cold red eyes, Rika was like a snake pinned by its vitals. With endless resentment and frustration, she was forcibly driven back into Yuta Okkotsu's body by that terrifying physical power!
The storm ceased.
The training ground returned to a dead silence once more.
Only the debris scattered everywhere and the shattered walls remained to silently bear witness to the world-shaking event that had just occurred.
Thud.
His physical and mental strength completely depleted, Yuta Okkotsu's legs gave out, and he collapsed heavily to his knees.
He gasped for air, looking at the black-haired youth in front of him who remained unscathed, his breathing not even slightly disturbed.
His eyes were filled with a deep sense of despair and defeat.
He had lost again.
Even with Rika fully berserk, he still couldn't even nudge one of Instructor Yoru's fingers.
"Remember this feeling of rage, Yuta."
Yoru walked up to Yuta and looked down at him.
"Don't let anger consume your reason."
"Learn to control it instead. Let it become the strongest driving force behind your blade."
Yoru turned, glancing at Maki and Toge Inumaki, who had regained consciousness and were helping each other up.
Finally, a faint, satisfied smile touched the corner of his mouth.
"Though the three of you are still pathetically weak..."
"At least you didn't choose to back down when faced with certain death."
"Assessment over."
"You've passed—barely."
Hearing those words...
The three battered students finally relaxed. Even Maki, who usually kept a stiff face, couldn't help but let out a faint, weak smile.
But before their joy could last too long...
Yoru's calm voice rang in their ears once more.
"However."
"Before the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons officially begins, I have a secret order for you."
A deep meaning flashed in Yoru's red eyes.
"This is a massive gamble."
"An ultimate gamble that concerns the future of the entire jujutsu world—one that even Satoru Gojo doesn't know about."
"Are you three..."
"...ready to put your lives on the line?"
In that moment, the countdown to the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons hit zero!