Tokyo Colony 2
Takeru stood quietly for a moment.
Then his expression changed.
"…Wait."
Hakari looked over.
"What?"
Takeru smiled.
"I have another copy."
Everyone stared.
Akari blinked.
"…Another?"
"Yep."
Raiden raised an eyebrow.
"Where?"
Takeru pointed vaguely.
"Jujutsu High."
Hakari laughed.
"You've got a secret copy just sitting around at school?"
"Basically."
Takeru closed his eyes.
The connection shifted.
FLASH.
His consciousness moved.
Tokyo Jujutsu High
Deep beneath the school.
Far below the normal corridors.
Below the classrooms.
Below the training grounds.
Below even the familiar barriers.
The Tombs of the Star Corridor.
Takeru's eyes opened.
"…There we go."
The underground chamber was ancient.
Stone corridors stretched into darkness.
The air was heavy with cursed energy.
Takeru walked silently.
He knew exactly why he was here.
Kenjaku.
And unfortunately—
Kenjaku knew about this possibility.
Takeru stopped at a corner.
"…He probably predicted I'd use this copy."
He looked down the corridor.
"So…"
A grin.
"…I just have to sneak past him."
Takeru lowered his cursed energy output until it was almost impossible to detect.
Then he started walking.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Step.
Step.
Step.
He reached another corridor.
Stopped.
Listened.
Nothing.
"…Good."
He moved again.
The Tombs seemed almost endless.
Every hallway twisted into another.
Every chamber had another barrier.
Every barrier carried traces of Kenjaku's presence.
Takeru carefully avoided them.
Then—
a voice echoed from somewhere ahead.
"…I knew you'd eventually come here."
Takeru froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Of course."
Kenjaku had predicted him.
Takeru smiled.
"…Guess sneaking isn't going to be as easy as I thought."
He slowly stepped toward the voice.
The underground chambers fell silent again.