"The... the executors are..."
The two assistant supervisors were paralyzed on the ground, shaking like sieves from the terrifying killing intent Yoru unleashed when he kicked the door open.
They stared at the dark red blade in Yoru's hand, radiating intense heat as if it would claim their heads at any moment, their teeth chattering uncontrollably.
"It's... it's the first-years... Yu Haibara and Kento Nanami!"
Yu Haibara.
Kento Nanami.
The moment those two names left the supervisor's mouth, the fire in Yoru's eyes peaked!
He had guessed right!
To weaken the forces around Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, and to test their bottom line, those old rotten oranges in the higher-ups...
...actually targeted these two first-year freshmen!
In the original story, it was this Grade 2 mission—where the higher-ups deliberately withheld true intel—that caused Yu Haibara, the boy who always wore a sunny smile, to close his eyes forever.
It also caused Kento Nanami, who was once full of passion, to lose all hope in the jujutsu world and become a numb corporate slave who only cared about clocking out on time!
And most fatal of all...
The failure of this mission and the death of his companion became the final straw that broke Suguru Geto, pushing him completely into the bottomless abyss!
Although Yoru had already forcibly changed Suguru Geto's mindset through spoilers...
But if Yu Haibara really died here...
The despair of watching a junior die a tragic death to protect 'monkeys' would still cause irreparable psychological trauma to Suguru Geto, and even the teachers and students of Jujutsu High!
"How long ago did they leave?!"
Yoru grabbed one of the assistant supervisors by the collar, hoisting him up like a chick. His voice was so cold it seemed to drop ice shards.
"They... they just left less than half an hour ago!"
The assistant supervisor was scared to tears, pointing frantically out the window.
"The location is... in a remote mountain area about two hundred kilometers from Tokyo!"
"The mission brief says... to exorcise a Grade 2 Land Deity Cursed Spirit..."
"Bullshit!"
Yoru slammed him against the wall with a dull thud.
"That's no damn Grade 2 Land Deity!"
"That's a terrifying entity that has absorbed enough faith and fear to evolve into a Grade 1, or even a Semi-Special Grade!"
"You old rotten oranges actually dare to use students' lives to test your boundaries!"
Yoru smashed his fist into the nearby desk.
Boom!
Under Yoru's monstrous strength, the solid wood desk instantly exploded into a pile of splinters!
Ignoring the two terrified assistant supervisors, he turned and transformed into a black blur, rushing out of the staff room.
Time!
Time was what he lacked most right now!
A distance of two hundred kilometers... even for Satoru Gojo with his teleportation abilities, it would take time to locate without exact coordinates.
For Yoru, who could only rely on physical speed, this was an extreme marathon against the Reaper!
Meanwhile.
In a remote mountainous area two hundred kilometers away from Tokyo.
Dense primeval forests blocked out the sunlight entirely, and the air was thick with the damp, putrid smell of a place that never saw the sun.
Yu Haibara and Kento Nanami were trudging along moss-covered stone steps.
"Nanami, cheer up!"
Yu Haibara walked ahead, holding a standard-issue katana. He turned back to flash a brilliant smile at his companion.
"This is our first time doing a Grade 2 mission alone! When we finish, I'll treat you to the most expensive yakiniku in Ginza!"
"I sent a text to Geto-senpai before we left. He must be waiting for our good news!"
Compared to Yu Haibara's optimism, Kento Nanami followed with a furrowed brow and an impatient expression.
He carried his cloth-wrapped blunt sword, warily scanning the surroundings.
'Jujutsu sorcery is a shit profession.'
Nanami pushed up his goggles, his tone full of disdain.
'Running into the deep mountains in this heat where there's no cell signal, all to deal with some random Grade 2 curse?'
'I just want to get this over with and get back to Jujutsu High for a hot bath before dark.'
"Haha, don't be so pessimistic!"
Yu Haibara patted Nanami's shoulder and pointed to a dilapidated shrine not far ahead.
"Look, the target is right there! Let's make it quick!"
The two quickened their pace and reached the ruins of the shrine.
It was a dilapidated shrine dedicated to the local 'Land Deity'.
However, the moment they stepped into the area...
Nanami's face changed drastically!
"Haibara! Stop!"
Nanami grabbed Haibara, who was about to go further in. For the first time, sheer terror appeared in the eyes hidden behind his goggles.
"What is it?"
Yu Haibara turned back, confused.
"Something's wrong... this cursed energy residue..."
Nanami stared intensely at the thick black miasma deep within the shrine—energy so dense it had practically solidified.
His body began to tremble instinctively. It was the physiological response of the weak when facing an absolute superior!
"This isn't a Grade 2 curse at all..."
"This crushing despair, this stench that feels like it's corroding the air..."
Nanami grit his teeth, forcing out words that could sink anyone into an abyss.
"It's a Grade 1! Or even... a Semi-Special Grade!"
Boom!
As if to prove Nanami's words...
A shrill, terrifying roar—like the cries of hundreds of babies mixed together—erupted from deep within the shrine!
Then...
A monster as massive as a small hill, covered in countless twisted human faces and sharp bone spurs, crashed through the shrine's roof and landed before them!
It was a Land Deity cursed spirit that had mutated from absorbing centuries of local villagers' fear of landslides and their blind faith in a so-called god!
Its massive eyes, glowing with an eerie green light, locked onto the two boys below, who looked like mere ants.
Drip.
A drop of cold sweat slid down Nanami's chin and hit the moss.
Despair.
Pure, unadulterated despair instantly enveloped the two of them!
"Run!!!"
Nanami let out a heart-wrenching roar, shoving Haibara aside while drawing his blunt sword.
"Ratio Technique: Collapse!"
Forcing himself to overcome his physical terror, he poured cursed energy into the blade and swung it at the mountain of flesh pressing down on them!
Bang!
The blunt sword struck the curse's hard, horny skin, leaving only a faint white mark. It didn't even break the defense!
Instead, the massive recoil split Nanami's webbing between his thumb and index finger, causing blood to spray.
Roar!
The mutated Land Deity let out a mocking low growl. It swung a massive tentacle covered in bone spurs.
It was so fast it created a sonic boom in the air!
Boom!
"Pwah!"
Nanami had no time to dodge. He was hit like a man struck by a speeding train. He coughed up a huge mouthful of blood and flew backward like a kite with a broken string!
Several crisp cracks rang out.
He didn't know how many ribs were broken. He slammed heavily into a thick tree trunk and slid down powerlessly.
"Nanami!!!"
Haibara's eyes nearly split from rage.
He looked at his companion lying in a pool of blood, life or death unknown, and then at the terrifying curse slowly approaching to enjoy its prey.
Run?
There was nowhere to run.
In the face of such an absolute power gap, they didn't even have the chance to turn around.
"Unforgivable..."
Yu Haibara grit his teeth. He didn't choose to run away alone.
The boy who always wore a sunny smile gripped his katana and stood in front of Nanami without hesitation.
Even though his legs were shaking violently from fear, even though he knew rushing in meant certain death.
"I will absolutely... not let you hurt my companion!"
Haibara roared, raising his blade and launching a suicidal charge toward the invincible monster!
A cruel glint flashed in the mutated Land Deity's eyes.
It opened its bloody maw, and countless bone spurs, sharp as spears, began to coalesce inside.
Next second.
Swish, swish, swish!
Dense bone spurs rained down like a storm, whistling with the sound of death, blanketing the area where Yu Haibara stood!
As the bone spurs closed in, the Reaper had already raised his scythe high!
In this almost certain death trap, could the man who swore to sever all regrets cross two hundred kilometers of space and time in this final second to descend upon this place?