Special cameras were set up throughout the forest to monitor the students' movements during the exchange event.
"Hahahaha! Did you see that? Did you see that?"
In the viewing room, the giant display screen was divided into over a dozen windows, broadcasting real-time footage from various areas. Satoru Gojo sat on the front row sofa with his legs crossed, holding a glass of sparkling water he'd gotten from who knows where.
"My student isn't bad, right? A mere young master of the Zenin Clan—piece of cake."
Damn! Piece of cake? Is that what Yuji, an ordinary sports student, would say?!
Sitting next to him, the principal of the Kyoto school, Yoshinobu Gakuganji, leaned on his cane expressionlessly. Satoru Gojo's smug voice reached his ears, making his face darken. A crack inexplicably appeared on his cane where he gripped it.
"Thanks to the Kyoto school sending so many students to gang up on Yuji, it gave me a clearer understanding of his talent and strength."
Satoru Gojo crossed his legs and spread his hands.
Not just Yuji—the Junpei Yoshino he brought along is quite talented too. Being able to utilize his shikigami's functions in just one day.
The future is promising.
"However, with things turning out this way, I think some people representing the higher-ups of the Kyoto school... are going to lose face~"
Satoru Gojo had long known about the higher-ups' intentions toward Yuji, so he deliberately spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"Gojo." Gakuganji finally spoke, his voice hoarse and deep. "The exchange event is not over yet."
"Not over? I wouldn't be so sure."
"Although your Todo is still around—Naoya Zenin is down. Noritoshi Kamo is tied up by Megumi Fushiguro. Mechamaru is getting pinned to the ground and beaten by Panda. Momo Nishimiya is being chased all over the forest by Kugisaki. Mai Zenin has no weapon and probably can't beat Maki. As for the last one, Kasumi Miwa..."
Satoru Gojo paused, then used a polite phrase.
"She's quite good at parkour."
Hearing Satoru Gojo's mockery, the Kyoto school teacher beside him, Utahime Iori, finally couldn't hold back. "...Gojo, that's enough from you!"
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore..."
While the few of them were talking animatedly, Satoru Gojo suddenly paused mid-sentence. The smile on his face vanished.
This aura...
"Everyone, did you sense it?"
"?"
"Unfamiliar cursed energy..."
"Someone invaded the barrier?" Utahime reacted.
The teachers quickly rushed out of the viewing room—but just as they arrived near the exchange event grounds, the Curtain completely enclosed the area.
Satoru Gojo arrived at the barrier and reached out to touch the pitch-black surface—
BOOM—!
He was bounced back as if electrocuted. Satoru Gojo turned his head and found that the other teachers could enter and exit freely.
Except for him.
"..."
"This Curtain... I see. It only restricts my entry and exit—using that as a Binding Vow to greatly increase the barrier's precision. Someone deliberately planned this for the exchange event."
"Principal Gakuganji, Utahime—you two go ahead and protect the students."
"Of course I know that! I don't need you to remind me!"
Utahime and Gakuganji entered the barrier one after the other, intending to support the students.
However, the moment they stepped into the Curtain, they found five Grade 2 curse users waiting for them.
Back to Aoi Todo and Yuji Itadori.
"...Wait, Todo. Did you sense it?"
Yuji called out to stop Aoi Todo, who was about to rush forward for another round of hand-to-hand combat, then looked up at the sky.
The sunlight shifted from normal golden yellow to a deep orange-red, as if someone had poured a whole bucket of maple syrup across the sky—soaking the entire forest in dusk.
The effect of the Curtain.
Aoi Todo clearly noticed it too. The smile on his face slowly disappeared.
"It seems the exchange event is going to end early."
Yuji had anticipated this. He cracked his wrists, then spoke up.
"End? No—the real battle is just beginning." Aoi Todo shook his head. "Unfamiliar cursed energy... someone's coming."
As soon as he finished speaking, two figures walked out from the shadows of the forest.
"Oh my, have we been discovered?"
"It's quite lively here."
One was the curse user who had just set up the Curtain at the edge of the event grounds—a dark-skinned, bald, burly man wearing a black naked apron and holding two axes.
Grade 1 curse user. Cursed tool maker. Juzo Kumiya.
The other had a chonmage hairstyle, thick eyebrows, a handlebar mustache, wore a white T-shirt and black shorts with a black haramaki around his waist. No shoes—only white socks.
Grade 1 curse user. Bounty hunter. Jiro Awasaka.
"Sukuna's vessel, huh?"
Juzo Kumiya stepped forward, aiming the axe in his hand at Yuji.
"It seems you'll make a fine coat rack."
He narrowed his eyes, revealing a sinister smile.
Yuji looked at the two people who'd appeared out of nowhere. He remained silent for two seconds, then turned to look at Aoi Todo, his expression a bit strange.
"Todo."
"Hm?"
"Is that guy not wearing underwear?"
"..."
Hearing this, Todo immediately looked at Juzo Kumiya's lower half. The guy was only wearing shoes and an apron... His butt seemed to be bare. As if he really wasn't wearing any.
"Are curse users this open nowadays?"
"His taste is so weird... No, not weird. Perverted."
Yuji complained.
Thunderous fashion sense?!
Even for an evil curse user, a naked apron was a bit too open.
This guy was as tall and flamboyant-looking as Satoru Gojo, which made Yuji feel uncomfortable.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
Veins popped on Juzo Kumiya's forehead.
Jiro Awasaka stood in place, his sinister, sharp eyes sizing up Todo and Yuji like a vulture hunting prey. He'd originally wanted to wait for an opening before attacking—but instead of an opening, he got a sentence that made his blood pressure soar.
"Why is that guy not wearing shoes?"
Yuji leaned close to Aoi Todo's ear and whispered.
"Is it really okay to just wear socks? Doesn't it hurt stepping on the ground..."
Aoi Todo fell into deep thought. "Look at his sock. There seems to be a hole in the left toe."
"Seriously... Wow, it's true."
"...Hey, you two."
Jiro Awasaka's face darkened.
"White socks... A seasoned athlete? Is this kind of outfit popular nowadays?"
Yuji rested his hand on his chin, showing a thoughtful expression.
"It's not popular." Aoi Todo said decisively. "And an athlete wouldn't go without shoes, right?"
"True. I'm just an ordinary sports student too, but I feel like I'm much better than white socks and a haramaki."
Yuji nodded to himself.
"You're much better than him."
Todo replied.
The two echoed each other as if performing a manzai comedy routine. Jiro Awasaka's face turned from black to green, from green to purple, from purple to white... and finally back to black.
"Are you two done yet!"
Jiro Awasaka scolded them in exasperation.
They were curse users who'd come to take their lives! How could these two be doing stand-up comedy with straight faces? Weren't they afraid of a sneak attack?
What's with this relaxed attitude?!
"Not yet. Um... I have a question."
Yuji scratched his cheek.
"...?"
"Is your chonmage real or a wig?"
A chonmage—simply put, a balding samurai hairstyle. In ancient Japan, samurai would shave the front-middle part of their hair for combat convenience. But that kind of thing had long been obsolete.
"Although it looks real, why would he keep a chonmage? It's the Heisei era now. The Edo period ended hundreds of years ago."
Yuji was puzzled.
"He's seasoned." Aoi Todo nodded seriously. "Maybe it's also a kind of athletic seasoning."
"Seasoned?"
"A seasoned sense of history."
"Then why not wear straw sandals? Not seasoned enough?"
"If he were seasoned enough, his socks wouldn't have holes."
"You two bastards!"
While Jiro Awasaka cursed angrily, Juzo Kumiya beside him raised his axes and charged at Yuji and Aoi Todo.
"Your nagging is annoying! Watch me capture you two, take you back to base, and turn you into coat racks! Then I'll peel your lips off! Let's see how glib you are then!"
"Die!"
The two sharp axes in Juzo Kumiya's hands were infused with cursed energy, whistling sharply as they slashed down toward Aoi Todo's skull.
However, Aoi Todo merely raised his hands unhurriedly, and then—
CLAP!
The moment he clapped, Juzo Kumiya's axes fell, slightly sinking into flesh. But when he looked closely—the one attacked wasn't Aoi Todo, but Jiro Awasaka, who had stayed in his original spot!
"?!"
Aoi Todo's innate technique, Boogie Woogie, could forcibly swap the positions of any targets with cursed energy nearby through a clap.
Both curse users were startled. Aoi Todo's voice came from not far away.
"I'm counting on you, brother."
The moment his words fell, the two curse users reacted. They both turned simultaneously, trying to make a defensive move—but Yuji's fists were already right in front of them.
"Black Flash!"
Pitch-black lightning exploded! Yuji had completed gathering cursed energy into his fists before Todo swapped their positions. The two were left completely unable to react.
BANG!
The fist landed solidly on Juzo Kumiya's face, sending him flying.
"You bastard!"
Seeing this, Jiro Awasaka pulled out a small knife, wanting to counterattack—but at that moment.
CLAP!
Aoi Todo clapped again, swapping himself with Yuji. At the same time, he'd already gathered cursed energy into his right leg.
Although Yuji and Aoi Todo were meeting for the first time, their coordination was remarkably seamless. Before Jiro Awasaka could stab him, Aoi Todo's attack connected with the opponent's lower abdomen.
BANG!
Jiro Awasaka's torso arched. He flew into the distance just like Juzo Kumiya.
BOOM—!
The impact caused trees to collapse and kicked up a cloud of dust. Aoi Todo turned his head and caught sight of Yuji giving him a thumbs-up not far away.
"Beautifully done, Todo."
However, Yuji quickly changed the subject. "You noticed, right? There are more than just these two intruders."
"Yeah, I know." Todo replied.
"Then let's finish this quickly."
"Alright! Let's take them down in one breath!"
Aoi Todo clasped his hands together, knuckles cracking from the friction.
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