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Shockwaves gradually subsided, leaving behind only a dull rumble and a shiver in the air. Dust settled on the glass-covered asphalt, creating a sinister shroud over the devastated city.At that moment, a few kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion, as if by fate, the majority of Sorcerers in Shibuya had gathered."These guys are having fun," Kenjaku remarked with a slight smile, shifting his gaze from the distant scene to the group of Sorcerers assembled before him.There was something strange in his eyes—an odd mix of curiosity and enjoyment at the situation. Honestly, he felt a bit flattered by the attention.Before him stood Sorcerers from the Kyoto and Tokyo schools. The future of the Sorcerer society! And they were all gathered here, looking at him with worry and tension. Surveying each of them, Kenjaku couldn't help but smile wider. In the front rows were first-rank Sorcerers Atsuya Kusakabe, Kento Nanami, and Aoi Todo, three men with tense faces who were the first to recover from the explosion, glancing between "Suguru Geto" and the battle site with Sukuna. Behind them were students, both seniors and juniors, all except Kokichi Muta, Yuji Itadori, Yuta Okkotsu, and Sukehiro Yami."Mechamaru, what the hell happened?" Maki asked, her voice surprisingly calm and devoid of emotion, causing a chill to run down the spines of those around her.Previously hot-tempered and openly expressive, the girl now seemed balanced and indifferent to the situation. Her calmness was eerie, especially considering who stood before her. But those who knew her well understood that beneath this calm exterior lay deep concern for a certain dark-haired boy who was constantly on her mind."I don't know," Mechamaru replied humbly."Repeat that," Maki said even more emotionlessly, her voice sounding dead calm."All my surveillance and communication devices were destroyed the moment Sukehiro, Sukuna, and the cursed spirit attacked," Muta explained, feeling the tension in the group rise."I can still sense my brother's cursed energy," Todo said, frowning. "And Sukuna… He's still nearby."A single thought flashed through everyone's mind: "Monsters!" Even after the explosion, the shockwave of which reached them despite being a couple of kilometers away, Sukuna and Sukehiro were still alive! What was even more terrifying was that even a couple of kilometers from the explosion, the air temperature had risen so much that on this autumn night, they were no longer cold; on the contrary, sweat was pouring down their bodies.At that moment, Nanami, always calm and composed, felt his heart start to race, for the umpteenth time today. Honestly, the man was incredibly tired. The whole situation with the altered humans was already giving him a headache, and then he had to face a special-grade curse, Dagon... But the hardest challenge of the day, during which he nearly died, was the battle with Mahito. Fortunately, luck smiled upon him at that moment, and he ran into Aoi Todo. However, even working with Todo and later receiving support from some students, he still couldn't exorcise the cursed spirit. Then Suguru Geto appeared and absorbed the curse...
"If Sukehiro and Sukuna are still alive, there's no point in worrying about them. We can't help him in this situation anyway," Nanami said, his voice firm and confident. "After all, we have another opponent in front of us."
"How selfless," Kenjaku remarked, clapping his hands. "Just like a Sorcerer should be… However, in your current state, it's generous of me that I haven't yet…"
Kenjaku swallowed the last word, shifting his attention slightly away from the group, towards where an immense and ominous mass of cursed energy was felt. The bearer of this energy, comparable in volume to the current Sukuna, was approaching the battlefield at incredible speed. Within seconds, a figure landed between Kenjaku and the Sorcerers, leaving behind a dazzling trail of energy.
Enter another special-grade Sorcerer — Yuta Okkotsu!
Not skimping on grandeur and coolness, the young man "descended from the heavens" like a falling star, wrapped in cursed energy with a katana in hand, its blade sparkling and shimmering in the moonlight. Around him, small debris and dust scattered, rising into the air from the powerful impact of his landing. If Sukehiro were here, he would definitely shout something like, "Superhero landing!"
"Sorry for being late," Yuta spoke first, addressing his comrades behind him. "I had to clean up a bit after senpai."
"And I was just waiting for you to show up," Kusakabe greeted him, relief written on his face.
Unlike the man with the rough stubble and katana at the ready, neither Nanami nor Todo were as optimistic and relaxed. As an "elder," Nanami was a responsible figure among the Sorcerers, especially towards the students, and thus he remained serious and vigilant, even in Yuta's presence. As for Todo... This guy simply didn't want to rely on anyone, unless it was a battle side by side with his two "brothers."
On the other hand, nearly all the students from the Tokyo and Kyoto schools let out a breath they had been holding in from the intense tension. Again, if Sukehiro were here, he would have undoubtedly shaken his head in disapproval, realizing that with one "strongest" Sorcerer gone, the others decided to rely on another "monster," which filled the atmosphere with relief and hope. However, looking at Maki, her face remained unchanged, still cold and calm.
Yuta shifted his gaze to Kenjaku, his brows furrowing in tension. Staring at "Suguru Geto," Yuta couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The cursed energy, the residual traces of his technique—all pointed to this person's identity, but for some reason, deep down, Yuta couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
"Who are you?" Yuta asked Kenjaku, his voice filled with suspicion.
However, Kenjaku simply ignored the young man, turning away and staring at yet another newcomer.
"Hello, Choso," Kenjaku smiled. "Who would have thought we would all gather in this place… It's so poetic."
"You!" growled the newcomer, a man with disheveled hair and a rectangular tattoo crossing the bridge of his nose.
"Oh. It seems you've figured it out, huh?" Kenjaku chuckled, as if he had foreseen this outcome.
"Noritoshi Kamo!" Choso shouted, his voice full of hatred, resentment, and a thirst for revenge.
The Sorcerers from the Tokyo and Kyoto schools all turned their gazes to the young man standing among them.
"Me?" the tired and battered heir of the Kamo clan exclaimed in surprise.
"What does all this mean?" Momo blurted out.
"Disgrace of the Kamo clan! The vilest Sorcerer in history!" Utahime Iori exclaimed, recalling that cursed name. "But how is that possible?"
"If this is true, then the one who took over Suguru Geto's body is a Sorcerer over one hundred and fifty years old," Nanami's already stern and serious expression became even more severe… If that was even possible.
"Noritoshi Kamo is just one of my names," Kenjaku replied with a contemptuous smile on his face. "Call me whatever you like."
"How... How dare you make me kill my own brother Itadori!" Choso had never felt such rage in his life as he did now, at the sight of the man who had tormented his mother and nearly inspired the death of the last member of his family.
But before the enraged "older brother" could do anything, a short monk with white hair appeared next to Kenjaku, as if out of nowhere.
"Step aside, trash," came the cold voice of the androgynous-looking monk.
His appearance was sudden and chilling, like a winter wind. The monk stood between Kenjaku and Choso, looking at the latter with contempt and indifference, his presence instantly silencing everyone.
"Step aside, trash," Choso angrily repeated the monk's words. "Don't stand in the way of an older brother's wrath!"