20:45, Tokyo Metro, Meiji-jingumae Station.
"So, Itadori-kun."
"A single powerful cursed spirit or a massive horde of weak transfigured humans—which do you choose?"
Mei Mei was dressed in a black bodysuit, a massive axe in hand, with her younger brother Ui Ui standing beside her.
Itadori and Junpei stood opposite them.
"I'm choosing the strong cursed spirit, obviously."
Before Itadori could reply, Mei Mei had already made the decision for him.
Junpei nodded and smiled at Itadori. "Let's go, Itadori-kun."
Mei Mei's sharp eyes swept over Junpei, mentally assessing him.
'Is this an employee from Hayashi En's exchange? His total cursed energy isn't particularly staggering, but that level of composure on the battlefield... He's been "polished" well.'
...
B2F, in front of the ticket gates.
The sound of bones being gnawed echoed through the cavernous underground space.
A massive cursed spirit with fly-like compound eyes and powerful arthropod limbs stood guard before a pillar wrapped in layers of talismans.
Sensing their presence, it stopped eating. Its massive compound eyes swiveled, locking onto Itadori and Junpei as they descended.
"What are you looking at?"
The cursed spirit's voice had an unsettling metallic ring as it tilted its oversized head.
"Are you looking at me? You're a sorcerer, right?"
"Hey, you think I'm smart too, don't you?"
Itadori took a fighting stance, his brow furrowing. "Huh?"
"Not talking?" The cursed spirit seemed disappointed. It pointed to its own head. "I am the Locust Curse. Because I am very smart, I was told to stand guard here."
Beside him, Junpei was about to summon his shikigami when Itadori reached out to stop him.
"Wait a sec, Junpei. This guy seems like he wants to say something."
Encouraged, the cursed spirit grew even more animated.
It stood up, brandishing its four spine-covered arms with a bizarre sense of confidence.
"It seems you don't understand. Listen well. I have four arms, while you humans only have two."
It swung its arms, causing the air to whistle.
"That means I can use two arms for defense, and the remaining two can keep punching you. It's an absolute advantage."
Having finished its explanation, it asked again, sounding like it was fishing for a compliment.
"Well? Isn't that logic flawless? Am I smart?"
The air froze for half a second.
Junpei facepalmed, just about to point out that there were two of them as well, when he heard Itadori nod earnestly beside him.
"Yeah, that's actually pretty smart."
"Eh?" Junpei stared in disbelief.
"!!"
The cursed spirit hadn't expected an affirmative answer either.
Its hideous hands instinctively covered its mouth, and its massive compound eyes welled with an emotion that could only be described as "shyness." Its body even squirmed slightly.
'(This guy... he actually admitted it!)'
But the heartwarming moment lasted only an instant.
In the next second, the shyness in the curse's eyes vanished, replaced by an explosion of violent killing intent.
"Since you acknowledge my intellect, then witness... the despair known as the locust plague!"
BOOM!
The powerful muscles in the curse's hind legs contracted suddenly, shattering the ground.
Using its terrifying jumping power, it lunged forward, raining down its four fists on Itadori like a torrential storm!
However...
Facing this airtight assault, Itadori didn't take a single step back.
"Four arms really are impressive."
Itadori's pupils constricted. Instead of retreating, he lunged forward, weaving through the dense blur of fists like a phantom.
"But as long as I'm faster and stronger than you, it doesn't matter how many arms you have!"
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Itadori parried two arms with his own, sidestepped another, and tanked one last hit to deliver a vicious hook directly into the curse's abdomen!
The massive impact made the curse's eyeballs bulge as black blood sprayed.
"Wh... at?!"
The curse's brain couldn't process this information.
Why? I have four arms... I have an exoskeleton... Why am I being overwhelmed in a fistfight?!
"Damn you! I'll eat you!"
Seized by fear, the curse instinctively tried to open up some distance.
Its hind legs flexed again, preparing to use its unparalleled jumping ability to leap toward the ceiling.
"Once I put some distance between us, I'll use my stinger—"
It had barely risen a meter off the ground.
"Hook, line, and sinker."
Junpei, who had been silent until now, was suddenly standing on the flank of the battlefield.
"Boss really is a clairvoyant."
Junpei's fingers, clad in tactical gloves, tightened suddenly.
[SHIKIGAMI: MOON DREGS]
"Screee?!"
To its horror, the cursed spirit discovered that a web of translucent tentacles had already spread out above its head.
This was a new shikigami ability developed under Hayashi En's training.
Its leap was like a moth to a flame, plunging straight into the trap.
Even worse, those tentacles were laced with a potent toxin.
That toxin was... insecticide!
An insecticide reinforced by shikigami power!
Thinking back on the Boss's instructions, Junpei still found it somewhat unbelievable.
While Junpei could generate different toxins by manipulating cursed energy, it usually took time.
Yet the Boss had told him to prepare an insecticidal toxin yesterday, and it actually turned out to be useful now.
The Locust Curse's muscles seized up instantly. Its proud jumping ability became a joke.
Its entire body grew weak and limp.
"When did you set this trap?!" the curse shrieked.
"Right when you were asking Itadori if you were 'smart,'" Junpei replied coldly.
Seeing the stationary target hanging in mid-air, Itadori broke into a bright grin.
"Nice job, Junpei!"
He took a deep breath, cursed energy compressing violently around his knuckles.
"Since you're so smart, you should be able to calculate how much this punch is going to hurt."
Itadori leaped high into the air, his fist slamming heavily into the curse's terrified face.
"Divergent Fist: Critical Hit!"
BOOM!!!
That single strike reduced the cursed spirit and its "intellect" to a pulp.
Green fluids splattered everywhere. Without even a chance for a final word, the curse dissolved into drifting ash.
"I am... sma..."
Splat.
The final piece of debris hit the floor.
The battle was over.
Itadori landed and shook the foul blood from his hand. He turned to Junpei and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Perfect teamwork! That guy didn't know what hit him until the very end."
Junpei raised his hand and severed the pillar in one blow.
With the anchor destroyed, the Curtain over Meiji-jingumae Station slowly dissipated.
...
The fourth basement level.
The group had just regrouped and were about to head to B4F.
Just then, a sharp burst of static hissed from the communicator in Itadori's ear.
Zzt— Zzt—
"Can you hear me? Can everyone hear me?"
Though the voice was mechanically processed, everyone recognized it as Mechamaru.
His voice was no longer calm as usual.
"This is Mechamaru. I am reporting a Special Grade emergency."
"Just now, at 21:15."
"Gojo Satoru... has been sealed."
Itadori's steps ground to a halt, his eyes widening in shock.
Junpei froze as well. Although he had heard about this plan from the Boss earlier, seeing it actually happen was still surreal.
"You're saying... Sensei was...?" Itadori's voice trembled.
"That right. Gojo Satoru has been sealed within the Prison Realm. Shibuya has lost its strongest fighter."
Mechamaru's voice continued.
"All sorcerers affiliated with Jujutsu High in Shibuya must now prioritize 'Reclaiming Gojo Satoru' as their top objective!"
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