Almost at the same time Satoru and Jogo were fighting, on the other side of Jujutsu High, the barrier warning system let out a sharp shrill.
A group of Curse Users was invading!
The number was unknown, but anyone who could break through the outer barrier of Jujutsu High was certainly no ordinary person.
Masamichi's face was grim, his burly frame emitting a terrifying aura.
First Sukuna, then a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, and now an organized invasion by Curse Users.
Jujutsu High had become a target for everyone tonight!
He immediately issued orders through a Communication Talisman.
"All non-combat personnel enter the designated evacuation areas! The Barrier Squad is to put all effort into maintaining the main barrier! First-years, stand by where you are, do not move!"
He looked at the three figures who had already assembled and were standing by—Zenin Maki, Inumaki Toge, and Panda. They were the elites of the second year at Tokyo Jujutsu High and the most capable combat group here at the moment, other than Satoru.
"Maki, Inumaki, Panda." Masamichi said in a deep voice.
"I'll leave the invading Curse Users to you. Mission objective: repel them, or delay them as much as possible until Satoru finishes with the Cursed Spirit over there and can provide support. Above all, ensure your own safety, understood?"
"Understood!"
Maki pushed up her glasses, her long-handled Cursed Tool "Naginata" already unsheathed, her eyes sharp. She longed to prove herself, especially after what happened at the Goodwill Event.
"Salmon."
Inumaki Toge pulled up his collar, covering the lower half of his face, revealing only a pair of eyes. The power of Cursed Speech was silently gathering.
"Leave it to us, Principal!" Panda patted his furry chest, full of momentum.
The three of them didn't hesitate, immediately racing toward the direction where the signal of the Curse User invasion was strongest.
Masamichi watched their departing backs and then glanced toward the direction of the earth-shattering explosions from Satoru and Jogo's fight, his brow furrowed.
Staying at the command post, he had to coordinate the overall situation, while the ominous feeling in his heart grew heavier.
Tonight's chain of attacks was too coincidental, there was likely a larger mastermind behind it all.
...
In the special medical room of Jujutsu High, Utaha was lying on a hospital bed, undergoing preliminary examinations and Cursed Energy stabilization treatment.
The brief "symbiosis" and high-intensity battle with Sukuna had placed a huge burden on her ordinary human body. Although Sukuna had used Reverse Cursed Technique to roughly repair the damage, the mental exhaustion and the disorder of her Cursed Energy circuits still needed time to settle.
Kiyotaka waited outside the door, his face full of worry.
Inside the room, there was only the rhythmic ticking of the equipment and Utaha's slightly rapid breathing.
However, just as Utaha's consciousness was fading and she was about to fall asleep, a sudden change occurred.
The space in front of the hospital bed rippled without warning, like water. Then, a figure emerged silently in the center of the room as if passing through a curtain.
It was a young "monk" wearing white monastic robes, with short white hair and a refined, almost androgynous beauty. Their expression was indifferent, eyes calm and rippleless. Most peculiar was their skin, which was so pale it was almost transparent, yet their lips were a vivid red.
On their back, they carried an ancient wooden box that was nearly half their height and looked exceptionally heavy, tightly sealed with complex Cursed Talisman strips.
After the white-clad monk appeared, they ignored the modern medical equipment and their gaze fell directly on Utaha on the bed. Then, as Utaha's eyes suddenly widened in horror, they took a step forward and knelt on one knee in a respectful and devout posture.
Their cold voice rang out in the silent room. "Sukuna-sama, it has been a long time. Uraume has come to pay respects."
Utaha's heart almost jumped out of her chest.
Who was this person?! How did they get in?
They called her... Sukuna-san? They knew Sukuna?
And this way of appearing, this aura...
Just as Utaha's mind went blank and fear seized her, she felt a heat on her left cheek. Those two familiar scars split open uncontrollably, and Sukuna's mouth appeared, letting out a lazy hum tinged with a hint of satisfaction, as if seeing an old subordinate.
"Hmm... it's Uraume. You've concealed your presence well to be able to sneak in here. A thousand years have passed, and you're still the same."
The white-haired monk named Uraume lowered their head even further.
(Note: Uraume's current body is a female but their original body was a male.)
Their tone remained steady, but there was a trace of undetectable excitement. "It is my supreme honor to once again sense your awakening and summons. You seem to have... changed to an interesting vessel."
They looked up, their ice-blue eyes calmly scanning Utaha's terrified face as if evaluating an object.
"Just a temporary stay." Sukuna said casually, controlling the mouth.
"As for that box on your back... it's my fingers, right? I smell more than one."
"Your insight is keen, Sukuna-sama." Uraume replied respectfully.
"Following your instructions before your slumber, and having sensed your revival, I have been secretly collecting the scattered fingers. There are currently three in the box. Additionally, there is some information about this era, as well as... Kenjaku's recent movements, that I need to report to you."
Three fingers!
Adding those to what Sukuna had already recovered and the power he had currently restored...
Utaha felt dizzy as she listened to this conversation.
This terrifying person named Uraume who suddenly appeared was actually Sukuna's subordinate from a thousand years ago? And they brought even more Sukuna fingers?
Sukuna seemed quite satisfied with Uraume's arrival and the gifts, but his tone remained indifferent. "Well done. However, this is not the place for talking. It's quite lively outside... that Six Eyes brat is dealing with an interesting volcano-head, and the rats of Jujutsu High have come out to play. You leave first, meet at the old place. As for me... I still have some family business to attend to."