"What a pain," Gaio muttered, listening to the roars of the cursed spirits. He let out a small sigh. "How did I never notice these so-called cursed spirits before?"
It had been a few years since Gaio awakened his memories, but he'd never encountered anything like these cursed spirit creatures.
Part of the reason was the transformation his body underwent due to the Enma Blade and Ryūjin Jakka. Regular people might not sense it, but cursed spirits could clearly feel the immense power radiating from Gaio's body. It was enough to make even the mindless ones instinctively steer clear of him.
Gaio stood at the edge of the rooftop, closing his eyes.
In his perception, countless tiny lights appeared: black for cursed spirits, red for curse users, blue for sorcerers, and a half-blue, half-red light for Yuji Itadori.
With his eyes still closed, Gaio rested his hand on the Enma Blade.
Then, in one fluid motion, he drew the blade, swung it, and sheathed it again.
No flashy effects, no earth-shattering spectacle like when he shattered a barrier. Just a simple swing of the blade.
But in that seemingly ordinary moment, the entire city of Higashitsu seemed to be stirred by an invisible giant hand.
With Gaio at the center, an imperceptible wave rapidly spread outward.
The cursed spirits wreaking havoc in the ruins—whether lowly ghosts or powerful special-grade spirits—froze as if gripped by an unseen force.
Cracks began to form on their bodies, thin and precise.
From those cracks, black cursed energy surged like boiling lava.
Then, with a faint pop, like balloons bursting, the cursed spirits exploded on the spot, turning into piles of mush before dissolving into black mist.
On the city streets, a massive cursed spirit about to devour a passerby was suddenly severed, its head and body split cleanly as if sliced by the sharpest scalpel.
It didn't even have time to roar before it collapsed and vanished into nothing.
The red lights representing curse users weren't spared either.
They were mid-attack, manipulating cursed tools to strike fatal blows against sorcerers, when a chilling sensation shot from their feet to their heads.
Before they could react, their bodies were sliced into pieces, blood spraying across the pavement.
Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro stood on a rooftop, discussing what to do now that the barrier was broken and how to find the Angel.
Suddenly, both froze, then rushed to the edge of the rooftop.
Below, on the streets, the players and cursed spirits still fighting were torn apart—some split into pieces, others sliced cleanly in half from head to toe.
The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
"Is it… Nero?" Yuji asked, barely able to believe it. He could sense that the curse users and spirits had been cleaved apart by something.
He knew that feeling well. Back in Shibuya, he'd witnessed Gaio shatter Sukuna's technique and domain from within.
"Probably," Megumi said, taking a deep breath. He, too, had seen Gaio's strength firsthand.
"The barrier… he broke it too, didn't he?" Yuji asked, uncertain.
Megumi nodded. "Who else could it be?"
Yuji sighed. "Megumi, if we'd gone to him for help before we came here, do you think we could've avoided all this fighting?"
Megumi paused, then after a moment, gave a small, "Yeah."
Yuji's eyes lit up. "Then why don't we skip looking for the Angel? Can't Nero just slice open the Prison Realm?"
Megumi shot him a look. "It's not that simple. The Prison Realm is a special-grade cursed object with a unique internal structure. Rumor has it, it's been imbued with a special technique. Forcing it open from the outside could trigger unpredictable consequences.
"Someone once tried using cursed techniques to break into the Prison Realm's 'interior.' It caused chaos inside the seal, splitting the Prison Realm into countless identical spaces, with the real exit hidden among them. Finding it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack."
Yuji scratched his head. "That's such a hassle… But Nero's so strong, maybe he's got a way?"
Megumi frowned, thinking for a moment. "Even if Nero was willing to help, forcing it open might cause a new crisis, just like it did for the others who tried.
"Plus, we don't even know where he is right now or if he'd bother getting involved in jujutsu world business."
Yuji pouted. "It's such a shame to let someone that powerful slip away."
Megumi clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Let's stick to the original plan and find the Angel. According to Tengen, her technique can nullify any cursed technique. She might be able to break the Prison Realm's seal and help us counter Kenjaku's schemes."
Yuji nodded reluctantly. "Fine, I guess that's the plan. But after this is over, I'm definitely tracking down Nero to ask him how to get stronger."
Megumi shook his head slightly at Yuji's enthusiasm. "Let's deal with what's in front of us first."
By now, the chaos on the streets below was calming. After Gaio's purge of the cursed spirits and curse users, the surviving sorcerers began organizing rescue and cleanup efforts.
Inside the Star Corridor.
The once-grand dome was now split open with a massive gash, the shattered fragments of the barrier scattered across the cold floor like dying stars.
Yuki Tsukumo slumped on the ground, the white glow of her reverse cursed technique fading as her external wounds healed. But the shock in her heart was far from settled. She stared blankly at the torn sky above, murmuring, "The Culling Game's barrier… just… gone? Was it that guy?"
She turned to Tengen, who stood beside her in an otherworldly form.
Tengen's strange face showed a rare mix of solemnity and confusion. After a long silence, they spoke in a near-dreamlike tone, "It… should be. His power… I've never seen anything like it. It's almost…"
Tengen trailed off, struggling to find the right words.
"Like a god."
Choso, who had been silent as a stone, suddenly spoke, his voice cold and certain.
Yuki and Tengen turned to him, their expressions complex, but they eventually nodded in silent agreement.
The description felt strangely fitting.
"What's next?" Yuki asked, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.
Tengen's gaze pierced through the broken dome, looking toward the scarred, now-quiet distance. "Release Satoru Gojo. The seal is broken, but Sukuna… still remains."
Yuki grinned, a wild edge to her smile. "Ha! What's there to worry about? Even if Sukuna's back at full strength, in front of that 'god,' he's just one swing of the blade away, right?"
Her tone was matter-of-fact, almost cocky.
"Gods don't bother interfering," Choso said, his voice carrying a harsh truth.
He met Yuki's confused gaze and continued, "Unless Kenjaku messed with something he cares about—like his house, maybe—he'd probably just watch the world burn."
Yuki's grin froze.
Tengen closed their ancient, all-seeing eyes, saying nothing. Choso's words cut through the surface, exposing a cold reality.
Great power doesn't always mean salvation.
Especially not in the eyes of a "god."
In the Star Corridor, the only sounds were the occasional clatter of falling barrier fragments and a deeper, heavier silence.
In the jujutsu world's high council meeting room.
The room was dim, lined with paper screens, with only a faint yellow light illuminating the center.
The air felt as heavy as lead, the oppressive silence making it seem as though the room was empty.
Finally, an old, raspy voice broke the stillness. "Nanami Kento, who made contact with Nero… what did he report about the encounter?"
Another voice, dry and strained, answered immediately. "Not interested." The speaker paused, as if recalling the absurdity of the report. "That's all Nero said about our invitation. Four words."
"…"
A suffocating silence followed, the invisible pressure threatening to crush the paper screens. No one dared breathe too loudly.
"What…" a hesitant voice finally spoke, tinged with confusion and buried fear, "are we supposed to do about Nero?"
"Do?" The sharp, mocking voice from earlier cut in, now laced with bitter sarcasm. "You're joking, right? The real question is how Nero sees us."
The speaker's shadow shifted, as if shaking their head. "We're lucky if he doesn't see us as rotting garbage he'd rather wipe out, like Gojo does."
"You!" the rebuked voice snapped, but no further words came.
How could they argue? Argue with what? With the power they'd just witnessed—something beyond comprehension, like divine punishment that erased barriers and cursed spirits in an instant?
The oldest, most authoritative voice at the head of the table finally spoke, heavy with weary finality. "Treat him with respect." Four words echoed clearly in the silence. "If he makes any requests… agree without question."
This time, there was no opposition.
Not even a whisper of doubt.
Behind the paper screens, there was only silent agreement.
Power? Dignity? In the face of a force that could rewrite the rules and erase everything in an instant, they were as light as feathers.
That apocalyptic blade light, which had swept across all of Japan, was enough to crush any lingering hopes.
After all… sometimes, survival matters more than power.
Especially when facing a "god" who swings his blade on a whim, unbound by rules.
The heavy silence in the council room was broken by a new topic.
"What about Satoru Gojo and Yuji Itadori?" an old woman's voice cut through sharply. "The moment Yuji Itadori showed up in Higashitsu, it proved Yuta Okkotsu lied to us! He's been protecting that dangerous kid!"
"Exactly," a cold voice chimed in. "Yuji Itadori must be executed immediately! As Sukuna's vessel, he's an unforgivable curse! We can't let him live!"
"Agreed."
"He must be eliminated!"
Voices piled on, one after another. With Kenjaku's threat barely neutralized, a new "danger" was quickly thrust onto the table—a target to redirect their internal pressure and fear.
The oldest voice at the head spoke again, issuing a command with emotionless authority. "Execute him immediately. Send Yuki Tsukumo and Nanami Kento to lead the team, along with any available sorcerers, to hunt down Yuji Itadori."
The order was given, and a brief pause hung in the air behind the paper screens.
Every cunning elder in the room knew the absurdity of this choice. Sending Yuki Tsukumo, who practically wore her defiance of authority like a badge, to lead this mission? It reeked of mistrust.
And Nanami Kento, with his rigid sense of justice and principles, wasn't exactly hostile toward Itadori.
More importantly, everyone understood the real goal behind hunting Yuji Itadori went beyond simply "managing the risk of Sukuna's vessel."
The deeper, more troubling concern was the "Angel" that Itadori and Fushiguro were searching for.
Finding the Angel meant the next step: releasing Satoru Gojo, sealed in the Prison Realm.
The "strongest" sorcerer, who had long been a thorn in their side, threatening their authority.
Assigning these two rebellious figures to lead the mission wasn't about trust—it was a test, or perhaps even a way to force them to pick a side.
The council wanted results: Yuji Itadori dead, the Angel's trail gone cold, and Satoru Gojo sealed forever.
What the executors thought or felt didn't matter. In the face of absolute authority, personal opinions were irrelevant.
"Understood," a messenger's voice rang out from the corner, breaking the brief silence, followed by the soft sound of retreating footsteps.
The order was final, unchangeable.
Behind the paper screens, only deeper shadows and silent calculations remained.
Meanwhile…
Yuki Tsukumo, having just ended a call, casually slipped her phone back into her pocket, a playful smirk on her face.
"Oh? Hunt down the kid?" she said, glancing at Choso and Tengen. "And they want me to lead? That's rich."
"What are you going to do? Yuji's my brother," Choso said, his crimson eyes unreadable.
Yuki cracked her neck, the sound echoing lightly, and her grin took on a wild edge. "Do? I'm gonna go 'hunt' him, of course! This'll be fun!" Her laughter echoed through the ruined Star Corridor, brimming with chaotic excitement.
Tengen watched her silently, offering no comment.
Choso looked away, understanding her intent.
The council's intentions were clear, but the one carrying out the order… well, the variables in play were likely far beyond what those scheming old men in the shadows could predict.
The hunt had been ordered, but the line between hunter and prey was growing dangerously blurry.
Elsewhere…
Nanami Kento adjusted his glasses, staring at the classified order from the higher-ups. His eyes, sharp as a blade behind the lenses, betrayed no emotion.
Hunt down Yuji Itadori? Led by him and Yuki Tsukumo?
He pocketed his phone without a word, his expression blank, and turned to walk steadily in a certain direction.