Meanwhile, in the Jujutsu High dormitories. Aoi Todo's room.
"Thank you to all the friends of the Takada-chan Legion for watching today! Every single gift and comment is Takada-chan's motivation to keep moving forward! Well then, that's it for today. Make sure to come watch Takada-chan's next stream too! Bye-bye Mwah~!"
The twin-tailed woman in a uniform blew a kiss to the camera, and the stream immediately switched to the ending screen.
Aoi Todo, sitting cross-legged on the floor, slowly closed his eyes.
"Little Takada-chan... thank you for your hard work today too."
He pressed his palms together, face full of satisfaction. This gentle demeanor was a stark contrast to his behavior when he'd defied the principal earlier.
Buzz—buzz—buzz—
His phone rang. The caller was Satoru Gojo.
"Todo—! Where are you? The exchange event already started!"
"Exchange event?"
"Yes! Where are you?"
Aoi Todo slowly looked up at the clock on the wall.
10:15 AM.
He turned to look at the darkened "Stream Ended" prompt on the TV.
"Todo? Hello? Are you listening?"
"I'm listening."
"Then hurry up and get over here!"
"Gojo-san, I apologize. I didn't mean to be late, but... Little Takada-chan's stream was extended by fifteen minutes today."
"...You were watching a livestream?"
Satoru Gojo's voice came through the phone.
"That's right. Gojo-san, next time there's an exchange event, could you schedule it around Little Takada-chan's stream time?"
"..."
Satoru Gojo was silent for a moment. It was the first time he'd met someone who could leave him speechless.
"Anyway, hurry up and get over here."
"I understand. I heard the Tokyo school has a student named Yuji Itadori recently?"
Aoi Todo stood and put on his school uniform.
"Yeah, that's right."
"The other guys are dead weak, the Big Three Families sent an annoying guy, and Okkotsu isn't coming either. This exchange event is really too boring, but..."
"Yuji Itadori. Let me see if you have the value to replace Okkotsu and fight me."
The forest of the Tokyo school campus.
"Let's stick to the plan. Fushiguro—you, Panda, Inumaki, and Kugisaki form a scouting team and head deep into the forest to find the curses released by the school."
Yuji stood at the front of the group, speaking without looking back.
"Maki-senpai, Junpei, and the support from the Gojo Clan will intercept the other Kyoto school members. I'll stay behind to deal with Naoya Zenin."
"Leave this guy to me. Time's tight. Go."
"Itadori, be careful alone."
The Tokyo school members formed their teams and departed according to plan. Megumi ran a few steps, then stopped and looked back at Yuji's back.
The black-haired boy knew the Zenin Clan young master's terrible personality well. He shouted: "Itadori, don't lose!"
Yuji didn't turn his head—but he turned sideways and gave his companions a thumbs-up.
"Don't worry."
"I will win."
The sound of their footsteps gradually faded. Naoya lifted his leg disdainfully, then landed gracefully from the air about five or six meters from Yuji.
"You let them all leave?" Naoya tilted his head. "Are you that confident you can handle me alone?"
"I'm not confident."
Yuji began cracking his knuckles and rolling his wrists. The blood armor Naoya had shattered earlier began to gradually recover, fresh blood filling the gaps between the clotted pieces.
"You alone aren't enough for me. It would be a waste to leave more sorcerers here."
"Heh. You're really confident, Sukuna's vessel. I'm curious—where does your confidence come from?"
Naoya put his hands in his pockets.
"My confidence comes from that ticklish punch you landed on me just now."
"Ticklish? You got pushed back three or four meters."
"What? If you've got the guts, take a punch from me head-on. Let's see if you'll fall into a baby-like sleep—or if you'll just slide back three or four meters like me."
Yuji mocked.
"Listen well, brat. This is how you talk trash..."
Late last night, inside Sukuna's Innate Domain, Sukuna had been lecturing Yuji on the topic of trash talk.
"Don't you dare embarrass me by not knowing how to insult someone when the time comes. Did you hear me?"
"Oh..."
Naoya sighed. "It seems you do have some skills. You're quite sharp-tongued."
"That blood armor of yours is truly peculiar. Normally, Blood Manipulation users can only control blood. If they solidify it too much, they risk sudden thrombosis."
Blood Manipulation was an inherited technique of the Big Three Families. As a member of the Zenin Clan, Naoya naturally knew its weaknesses.
However, with the precision of Yuji's cursed energy manipulation, he could completely avoid that risk.
"Clearly, my Projection Sorcery is stronger than Blood Manipulation. Usually, Blood Manipulation users can't do anything against me."
"That shell of yours is made of blood, right? Drawn from your own body? If I break a layer, you have to draw another. Your blood isn't infinite. Neither is your cursed energy."
Naoya stepped forward, assuming a fighting stance. His tone turned aggressive.
"If one punch can't kill you, what about fifty? A hundred? A thousand? How long can your blood armor last? How long can your body last?"
"You should know—I can throw twenty-four punches in one second."
"..."
Yuji narrowed his eyes.
Naoya Zenin was different from Mahito. As the legitimate son of the Zenin Clan, he was currently twenty-seven years old—a full cycle older than the current Yuji.
His strength as a Grade 1 sorcerer wasn't for show. Compared to the recently born Mahito, he was clearly much smarter and more astute.
Naoya had indeed seen through Yuji's weakness. The blood armor consumed blood and cursed energy. Every time it shattered, Yuji needed to expend cursed energy to condense it again. With Naoya's speed, he could inflict damage before the armor reformed.
However, by Yuji's estimation, he believed Naoya absolutely couldn't withstand three of his punches either.
"I wasn't even warmed up with that punch just now."
"What a coincidence. Neither was I."
Yuji took a half step back, assuming a fighting stance.
Flowing Red Scale: Stack.
He concentrated cursed energy in his extraocular muscles to enhance his dynamic vision, allowing him to clearly track Naoya's movements.
The two faced off. The tension was almost explosive.
Neither would yield verbally. But after their brief clash yesterday, both knew the gap in their strength was probably fifty-fifty. Extreme speed versus terrifying burst power. Who would win and who would lose—no one would know until they fought to the end.
"Come on! Yuji Itadori!"
Whoosh—!
The moment his words fell, Naoya's figure vanished.
Projection Sorcery divided one second into twenty-four frames, pre-designing movements and then executing the technique.
The flaw was that if the caster didn't follow the originally set trajectory, they'd be frozen for one second.
However, any object Naoya touched with his palm would also be subjected to Projection Sorcery's effect. If they didn't move according to the preset movements, the person he touched would be forcibly frozen for one second as well.
Yuji looked around. Naoya's afterimages continuously wove through the forest. The blonde man's speed grew faster and faster, fallen leaves swept up by the strong wind his running generated.
Sixty-eight years of combat experience told Yuji that since he couldn't track the opponent's movements, he could only try to predict his intentions.
The blind spot on his side?
A surprise attack from above?
"..."
No—behind.
Yuji twisted sideways, body leaning left. Simultaneously, a strong gust scraped the back of his head, the wind from the punch blowing his hair wild.
Naoya's palm brushed past Yuji's ear.
"Tch."
Yuji took several steps back, creating distance. Naoya snorted coldly.
If he was forcibly controlled by Projection Sorcery for one second, he'd fall into Naoya's rhythm—continuously bombarded at a frequency of twenty-four movements per second. Yuji wouldn't give him that chance.
"You dodged? Not bad reaction."
Naoya's tone remained flippant, but his eyes grew more serious.
"..."
Yuji was about to reply—but at that moment—
BANG!
A gunshot rang out from nowhere. A bullet wrapped in cyan cursed energy shot from the depths of the forest, accurately targeting Yuji.
An ambush?
Yuji leaned back to dodge. But simultaneously, a sharp whistling sound came from above.
Several arrows infused with cursed energy descended from the sky. Yuji used the momentum of his backward lean to fall, then supported himself with his hands, smoothly dodging the arrows with a series of back handsprings.
However, as he retreated, a blue-haired girl was crouched in the bushes directly behind him—gripping a sheathed katana, holding her breath.
"New Shadow Style..."
This strike—I've practiced it thousands of times. My teacher said one strike is enough to kill a Grade 1 curse. I don't know if it's true because I've never had the chance to draw my sword against one.
But now I'm drawing against a Grade 1 sorcerer.
"Batto!"
The blade flashed, aimed straight at the back of Yuji's neck. But the pink-haired boy stabilized his posture in time.
CLANG—!
The expected sound of blade cutting flesh didn't occur. Instead—a crisp ring like steel striking steel.
"...?"
Kasumi Miwa's eyes went wide.
No way?
Yuji stood before her. His body was leaning back slightly, maintaining an awkward posture after losing balance—but his right hand firmly gripped her blade.
So strong... He caught it with one hand? This is too damaging to my pride!
"You..."
Kasumi's lips trembled. Her pupils reflected the calm face of the pink-haired boy.
"Nice sword."
After speaking, Yuji gently twisted the hand gripping the blade.
CRACK—
The finely forged katana snapped in half. Yuji held the broken piece and casually tossed it aside.
"I advise you to step back a bit, Senpai."
"Y-Y-You..."
Kasumi was terrified by the scene. She stumbled back several steps, nearly falling flat.
"Step back, Miwa. Leave him to me."
A mechanical voice came from above.
BOOM—!
A figure descending from the sky crashed onto the ground not far from Yuji, sending dirt and rubble flying. The mechanical cursed corpse covered in brown iron plating raised its arm, aiming at Yuji.
Mechamaru.
The metal plates on his palm flipped open, revealing a pitch-black cannon barrel.
"Target confirmed. Grade 1 sorcerer Yuji Itadori. Commencing annihilation mission."
Simultaneously, the other Kyoto school members arrived.
Noritoshi Kamo and Mai Zenin appeared, crouching on thick branches surrounding Yuji—one holding a bow and arrow, the other a revolver.
Yuji looked up and saw Momo Nishimiya, the student sitting on a cursed tool broom flying overhead to scout.
Including Kasumi from earlier—six people total. One Grade 1 sorcerer and two Semi-Grade 1 sorcerers.
Yuji took in everyone's position.
"I see. Your Kyoto school principal sent you to kill me, right?"
Yuji had always understood the higher-ups' attitude toward him. Seeing this lineup, he understood their intentions.
Noritoshi Kamo spoke. "So you knew."
"After all, it would be too unreasonable for Naoya Zenin to come here to die alone. Although he's an idiot, he shouldn't be that much of an idiot."
"Hey, who are you calling an idiot?"
Naoya spoke up in dissatisfaction.
"Whoever answers is the idiot."
"..."
The corners of Naoya's mouth twitched. He didn't reply.
"Since you know our goal, you should understand we won't let you go back alive."
Noritoshi Kamo took several arrows from the quiver on his back, fingers resting on the bowstring.
"Is that so?"
Yuji chuckled lightly.
Six people.
Six different angles of attack.
Five different innate techniques.
Projection Sorcery. Blood Manipulation. Puppet Manipulation. Tool Manipulation. Construction.
In other words, Yuji had to defeat them one by one while surrounded by six people.
He raised his right hand, palm facing up.
The blood armor solidified on his arm gradually melted, transforming into flowing blood. A wisp of white steam rose. The blood compressed entirely above his palm, finally condensing into a blood orb.
Clap!
Just this blood wasn't enough.
"Blood Manipulation: Convergence."
Yuji clapped his hands together, veins bulging on his arms. The cyan cursed energy within his body continuously transformed into fresh blood. Controlled by his will, this blood gushed from behind him, swirling around him, finally gathering entirely into his palms.
"...?!"
"...Blood Manipulation?"
Noritoshi Kamo's normally squinted eyes went wide. A drop of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
This formidable cursed energy... What an oppressive feeling...
Even more than me—the legitimate son of the Kamo Clan...
"Watch closely. This is how Blood Manipulation is used."
Perhaps affected by the oppressive force, everyone present failed to interrupt Yuji's casting in time.
As he spoke, the blood orb in his palms compressed to the limit. White steam rose from it.
"Get back quickly! He's going to—!"
Noritoshi Kamo shouted hastily. Even though he was also a Blood Manipulation user, his mastery wasn't even half of Yuji's. However, he was the only one present who could understand the terrifying nature of this move.
"Piercing Blood."
WHOOSH—!
The blood orb in the pink-haired boy's hands exploded.
However, unlike the usual Piercing Blood—known for its speed and burst power, forming a blood arrow to pierce the opponent—the blood orb in Yuji's hands bloomed.
With the orb as the center, countless slender blood arrows shot out from his palms in all directions.
Their speed was almost impossible to distinguish. Five identical blood arrows adjusted their angles mid-air as if manipulated by an invisible hand, finally shooting toward different targets simultaneously. Except for Kasumi behind Yuji, everyone present felt the arrows approaching.
"Firing multiple Piercing Bloods at once?!"
Noritoshi Kamo's eyes filled with disbelief.
"A homing Piercing Blood whose direction can be freely controlled? Impossible! I've never seen this before—and it's not recorded in the clan's secret texts!"
Of course the Kamo Clan's secret texts wouldn't record this move.
Because it was an original technique created by Yuji Itadori.
Although doing so consumed enormous cursed energy, he had to clear out these irrelevant grunts.
CRACK—!
WHOOSH—!
So fast!
Mechamaru's arm—the one he used to fire his palm cannon—was forcibly severed by Piercing Blood. The bow and arrow in Noritoshi Kamo's hands shattered. Mai Zenin's revolver was completely destroyed. The broom in Momo Nishimiya's hands was snapped in half. The blonde girl fell directly from the sky.
Only Naoya agilely dodged the continuously tracking Piercing Blood until the blood arrow's power gradually weakened and dissipated.
"Monster... This guy... No wonder he can suppress Sukuna..."
Although Noritoshi Kamo had sensed the approaching Piercing Blood, he couldn't react in time at all. He dropped the useless bow and muttered to himself.
But he clearly had the chance to heavily injure us just now—yet he deliberately only aimed at the weapons in our hands?
A Piercing Blood that instantly incapacitated two Semi-Grade 1 sorcerers and two Grade 2 sorcerers. The Kyoto school members showed difficult expressions.
Clearly, they realized the Yuji Itadori before them was not on the same level.
"Is this guy... really human?" No expression could be seen on Mechamaru's cursed corpse face, but his voice still conveyed shock.
"Can someone who enrolled four days ago really do this? Are you kidding me... Maki really found a strong backer..." Mai Zenin's face was covered in cold sweat.
"It hurts..." Momo Nishimiya, having fallen from the sky, finally crashed into a bush.
"Monster..." Noritoshi Kamo felt the urge to retreat.
A sorcerer of this level was not someone they could deal with.
"That's enough."
Yuji dusted off his palms.
"Now you have no weapons."
"Can this farce end now? Unrelated personnel—step back."
<><><><><<><><><><<><><><><<><><><>
Read advane Chapters on : patreon.com/Kaizo246
~ Evrey 150 PS = Bonus Chapter
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]