The battlefield ruins were desolate.
In the center of the dark earth, an ancient tree connecting heaven and earth stood tall.
White Zetsu lay half-reclined on a crooked branch, exhaling cigar smoke.
Maki, Nobara, and Megumi were tightly bound together with pale white ribbons. Only their heads were visible, allowing them to breathe.
Zetsu wanted to stop the three of them without killing them. The scope of his Domain was perfect for this.
For other Sorcerers, Domain Expansion was an ultimate move that required a massive amount of Cursed Energy. In the hands of White Zetsu—with his 4,500 years of reserves—it could be used as a basic attack.
"Hey! What on earth are you up to, you Mama's Boy?!"
After struggling for a while, Nobara and her two companions had no choice but to give up and accept their fate.
With their hands bound, and Megumi having completely drained his Cursed Energy earlier, there was no way to break out.
"Don't be so irritable, Thirteenth Sister."
Zetsu took a puff of his cigar and said calmly, "The three of you just stay here for a while. I'll let you out later."
Zetsu turned to look at Maki. His tone shifted, losing its usual mockery.
"Leave Jujutsu High, niece. If you continue down this path... I'm really afraid that one day you'll suddenly die at his hands."
Zetsu knew the truth. Mirai treated the Zenin sisters well only on the premise that they did not interfere with his ultimate goal. If Maki stood in his way, Mirai would not hesitate to kill her.
Maki paused, looking at the genuine emotion revealed on Zetsu's face.
"Even if you want me to leave the school, at least give me a reason," she asked in a deep voice. "Why is Mirai targeting that idiot Gojo? What is your real purpose?"
After a long silence, Zetsu shook his head. He didn't give her a satisfactory answer.
"You'll find out soon enough."
...
High above Shibuya, Mirai coldly looked down at the ruined city. He had relinquished his external surveillance, allowing the final pieces to move into place.
23:07.
The Kyoto group, having arrived late and received complete information from the Assistant Supervisors, entered the barrier. Aoi Todo led the charge.
23:17.
Panda dug Atsuya Kusakabe out of a pile of ruins.
Kusakabe had been feigning death to avoid fighting the Special Grades. Feigning a limp, Kusakabe tried to drag his slow steps toward the medical plaza at the rear. Instead, the cunning Panda grabbed him and dragged him directly toward the epicenter of the Cursed Energy eruptions.
23:23.
Inside a relatively intact public telephone booth on a desolate street.
Choso curled up, tears streaming down his face.
In the previous fight on the subway platform, he had knocked Yuji Itadori unconscious. Just as Choso was about to deliver the killing blow, a throbbing sensation deep within his bloodline awakened memories that had never existed before.
Memories of a dinner party meant exclusively for his brothers... where Yuji Itadori sat smiling among them.
As the eldest brother of the Death Painting Wombs, Choso's Blood Manipulation technique allowed him to sense whether his blood-relatives were alive or dead, no matter the distance.
The bodily signals from Yuji's near-death state at the hands of Mahito had instilled a deep, visceral panic in Choso.
"Yuji Itadori... who exactly is he?"
Choso muttered to himself. He stood up, wiping his tears, and walked toward the direction where he felt his brother's bloodline calling.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Local Time: 22:33.
In a suite in a local five-star hotel.
Having just finished showering, Mei Mei put on a bathrobe, walked to the French windows, and dialed a phone. Ui Ui lay on the big bed with a blush on his face, staring intently at his sister's back.
The distance from Japan to Kuala Lumpur was nearly 4,000 kilometers.
Ui Ui had exhausted almost all of his Cursed Energy using his teleportation technique. After Mei Mei's crow had discovered Kenjaku holding the Prison Realm, the Fake Geto had nearly killed the siblings on B5F. Mei Mei had decided her life was worth more than her bank account and fled the country entirely.
…
Fleeing in panic through the streets of Shibuya.
Mahito tossed out the few remaining transfigured humans in his hands, desperately trying to delay Yuji Itadori's relentless pursuit.
The trauma inflicted on Mahito's soul had been terrifying, but the Curse had gained something from it.
Landing a Black Flash had allowed him to experience the true core of Cursed Energy. And touching White Zetsu's soul had made him feel the crushing, astronomical weight of a higher dimension!
At this moment, Mahito entered a wondrous state.
The essence of his soul was sublimating. That fleeting glance at Zetsu's soul allowed Mahito to grasp the true direction of evolution!
Mahito grinned at Yuji with a strange smile, his hands gently stroking his stitched face.
"Idle Transfiguration: Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing!"
Exposed blood vessels and hardened, armor-like muscle enveloped Mahito's body! Sharp, meter-long barbs extended from both elbows. His stitched face was concealed by a terrifying, writhing mask of flesh and bone! A long, heavy tail swayed behind him, stirring up gusts of wind.
"Come and congratulate me on my rebirth, Yuji Itadori!"
Maniacal laughter echoed throughout the street.
Aside from the physical changes, Mahito's soul and Cursed Energy had undergone a massive leap in power. He had achieved his perfect form.
Yuji's expression was solemn. There was no trace of fear or panic on his face. His murderous gaze remained unwavering.
The Cursed Energy surging between Yuji's fists was his silent answer. Right now, Yuji had no other thoughts besides killing Mahito.
The next second, the two clashed!
BOOM!
Fists crackling with black and red lightning collided violently! Double Black Flash!
Seeing Yuji spit blood and fly backward, Mahito was extremely excited.
"Let's continue! Let's—"
Squelch.
The words stuck in his throat. The smile on Mahito's flesh-mask froze.
Without warning, Mahito's entire lower body mysteriously vanished. He collapsed into a massive pool of his own purple blood.
"What... happened?"
The shock and damage instantly shattered his evolved state. Mahito regressed directly back to his original, patchwork appearance, his face blank with shock.
Yuji, rising from the ruins, was equally confused.
"Is this enough? Let's hurry up."
Cold words coming from high above suddenly jolted Mahito awake!
Looking up, Mahito saw a figure in a spotless white robe floating in the night sky.
Zenin Mirai.
The monster who ruled everything. The invincible stage manager. He had casually obliterated Mahito's lower half with a spatial tear just to speed up the script.
Just as Mahito fell into absolute despair, Kenjaku (Pseudo-Geto) slowly emerged from the shadows of the alleyway.
Mahito looked up hopefully. "Suguru!!"
But when Mahito saw the cold, mocking smile on the man's face, his heart sank to the bottom. He realized the truth.
"Are you in such a hurry, my old friend?" Kenjaku called up to Mirai. "I was planning to watch this stage play a little longer."
"Idle Transfiguration!"
Realizing he had been a pawn all along, Mahito launched a desperate, deadly attack at Kenjaku!
"As expected... you never considered us your companions!" Mahito screamed. "Humans are such disgusting creatures!"
Kenjaku easily dodged the half-dead Curse's strike.
Without a word, Kenjaku raised his hand. Cursed Spirit Manipulation.
The Special Grade Mahito screamed as his body twisted, compressed, and folded into a dense, black orb the size of a palm.
Kenjaku lifted the orb and swallowed it in one gulp.
"Companions?" Kenjaku chuckled, wiping his mouth. "A mere Cursed Spirit... how dare you boast so arrogantly."
.....
.....
.....
Support me and read advance chapters on patreon.com/ImmortalDaoWriter