"Hahahaha! Bestie! My bestie!"
Wild and powerful laughter echoed in another compartment of the air-raid shelter.
Unlike the peacefulness of a survivor in Kento Nanami's ward, this place was like the site of a wild heavy metal rock concert.
Just as Yoru pushed open the door, a massive and oppressive figure charged toward him like a cannonball!
"Stop!"
Yoru's eyelids twitched; he didn't even draw his sword.
He simply tilted his body slightly and casually extended his right hand, pressing two fingers against the chest of the massive figure.
*Thud!*
A dull impact followed.
That muscular giant, standing nearly 1.9 meters tall with knotty muscles, was actually held firmly in place by Yoru's seemingly weightless fingers, unable to advance another inch.
"Oh ho! As expected of my bestie!"
Though Aoi Todo was held back, the fervor on his face didn't diminish in the slightest.
He was bare-chested, and his hands—which should have been severely damaged by the backlash of overusing his technique—were currently wrapped in thick white bandages.
However, this didn't stop him from striking an extremely exaggerated bodybuilding pose.
"Bestie! The strength coming from your fingertips is still so intoxicating!"
"This is youth! This is passion!"
Tears of excitement even welled in Aoi Todo's eyes as he looked at Yoru as if he were the most perfect piece of art in the world.
"I knew that as long as you were there, that piece of crap Mahito wouldn't even be able to touch my noble soul!"
Looking at the muscle-head in front of him who had zero self-awareness of being a patient, Yoru sighed helplessly.
In the original Shibuya Incident, Aoi Todo had decisively severed his own arm the moment his palm was touched by Mahito's Idle Transfiguration to protect Yuji.
From then on, the Boogie Woogie that had resonated through the jujutsu world became a thing of the past.
The man who always had 'bestie' on his lips and pulled Yuji up countless times in desperate situations could only exit the core battlefield with regrets.
But in this life, because of Yoru's forceful intervention!
With an extremely domineering posture, in the final second before Mahito touched Todo, he used the Bright Red Nichirin Sword of Sun Breathing to slash Mahito's arm and soul into nothingness.
Although Todo's hands suffered severe backlash from overloading his cursed energy, at least his hands were saved!
"How are your hands feeling?"
Yoru withdrew his fingers, his gaze landing on Todo's bandage-wrapped hands.
"Feeling?"
Aoi Todo froze for a moment, then let out an earth-shattering laugh.
"They feel better than ever!"
He suddenly raised his hands and, under Yoru's surprised gaze, actually tore the tightly wrapped bandages to shreds!
*Rip!*
Along with the sound of the bandages tearing, a pair of hands—scarred with some small marks but filled with explosive power—were re-exposed to the air.
"Dr. Shoko's Reverse Cursed Technique is a miracle!"
Aoi Todo flexed his fingers, his bones making crisp cracking sounds.
"Although I can't activate my technique at a high frequency like before in the short term, as long as I have these hands..."
Aoi Todo's gaze instantly became incredibly sharp.
He slammed his hands together in front of his chest!
*Clap!*
A crisp sound of a palm strike echoed in the ward.
Next second.
Yoru and Aoi Todo's positions were instantly swapped!
"My Boogie Woogie will never end!"
Standing in Yoru's original spot, Aoi Todo looked at his intact hands, and two lines of hot tears actually flowed from his eyes.
For a sorcerer who viewed combat as life and Boogie Woogie as his soul.
Being able to regain his technique—this joy of finding what was once lost—was beyond words.
"Great! This is great!"
Aoi Todo hopped and skipped like a child.
"I can once again sweat on the battlefield with you, bestie, and beat up those weird-looking cursed spirits together!"
He turned around suddenly and grabbed Yoru's hand, his eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity and gratitude.
"Bestie."
Aoi Todo's voice shed its usual flippancy and fervor, becoming deep.
"I know that in the battle at Shibuya, if you hadn't forced your hand at the risk of exhaustion..."
"I, Aoi Todo, would be a useless person who couldn't even activate a technique now, even if I didn't die."
He stared intensely into Yoru's eyes as if he wanted to pull his soul out.
"Words cannot express my gratitude."
"From now on, this life of mine belongs to you!"
"Just say the word, and even if there's a mountain of blades, a sea of fire, or the Avici Hell ahead!"
"I will follow you down without hesitation!"
Looking at the man who, despite his abrasive personality, valued loyalty more than life, a smile couldn't help but curl on Yoru's lips.
He gripped Todo's rough, large hand back and patted his shoulder hard.
"Don't say such foolish things."
Yoru's voice was calm and gentle.
"We are companions, and more importantly, brothers-in-arms who fight side by side."
"On the battlefield, isn't it only natural to trust each other with our backs?"
Hearing the words 'brothers-in-arms,' Aoi Todo's eyes lit up again.
He sniffled hard, holding back his tears.
"Exactly! We are brothers-in-arms! Soul-linked besties!"
Aoi Todo let go of his hand and assumed a highly aggressive combat stance.
"So, bestie!"
"Who are we going to beat up next?"
"Is it that disgusting guy with the stitches on his forehead? Or those ancient fossils hopping around in the Culling Game?"
An unquenchable fighting spirit burned in Aoi Todo's eyes.
"My hands are already itching for action!"
Looking at the high-spirited Aoi Todo, a sharp edge also flashed in Yoru's eyes.
"Both."
Yoru walked to the window and looked at the dim sky outside.
"The Culling Game's barrier has completely formed. All of Japan has turned into a massive slaughterhouse."
"Kenjaku wants to use this carnage to complete his mad evolution plan."
"And what we need to do..."
Yoru's hand slowly rested on Shiranui's hilt, and a suffocating, terrifying sword intent rose from his body.
"...is to completely flip over his chessboard!"
"But before that."
Yoru turned his head and looked at Aoi Todo.
"We need to solve an internal trouble first."
"Internal trouble?" Aoi Todo was stunned for a moment.
"Correct."
Yoru's eyes became icy.
"Those rotten oranges at the General Headquarters not only sentenced Principal Yaga to death but also sent people to hunt Yuji."
"Now, that so-called 'God of Pure Love' Yuta Okkotsu should already be on his way to find Yuji."
"Although this is a play we've arranged in advance, a play must be acted realistically."
A bloodthirsty, cold smile curled on the corner of Yoru's mouth.
"Todo, are you interested in coming with me to see the Special Grade sorcerer who is said to be second only to Satoru Gojo?"
Hearing the names 'Yuta Okkotsu' and 'Special Grade sorcerer,' the fervor in Aoi Todo's eyes instantly reached its peak!
"Hahahaha! I couldn't ask for more!"
Aoi Todo suddenly smashed the wall next to him, letting out an earth-shattering roar.
"Let my Boogie Woogie meet that legendary God of Pure Love!"
Aoi Todo laughed wildly, his palms slamming together heavily once more. The crisp sound of the clap was like the starting gun for this grand play.
Yoru looked at the battle-hungry Todo, his deep gaze turning toward the distance. That deceptive 'Best Actor' duel had already begun on the ruins of Tokyo.