Chapter 61: A Deviated Path!
"Panda, Inumaki!"
Maki and her group, watching their comrades being chased by a wave of trees, immediately moved to assist.
At the same time—
The Kyoto Jujutsu High team, busy exorcising curses, was also thrown into chaos by the sudden turn of events.
"An unregistered Special Grade Cursed Spirit is pursuing the Tokyo Jujutsu High team," reported Nishimiya Momo, who was soaring through the skies on her broomstick, relaying the message to the team below.
"This year's exchange event is turning out to be quite interesting!"
Todo grinned widely, his eyes gleaming as he looked at the towering twisted trees in the distance. "My dear friend, it's showtime for us!"
Yuji nodded, his pink hair now streaked with crimson. "Yeah!"
…
"White Zetsu?!"
Panda and Inumaki were dodging the relentless assault of the tree waves while constantly glancing back.
Their worried eyes turned toward the collapsed mansion. White Zetsu's figure hadn't emerged yet.
The form of a human body, with twisted branches growing out of its eyes, was treading atop the waves of trees. The Special Grade Cursed Spirit was advancing, leaving the duo unable to turn back for a rescue.
"Inumaki!"
Panda roared, his muscles swelling and his body growing larger!
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Panda didn't hesitate to activate his Second Form!
Inumaki understood immediately, tugging at his collar, surging with Cursed Energy.
"Don't move!!"
Cursed Speech reverberated, and the Special Grade Cursed Spirit, Hanami, froze in place!
Panda charged forward, his arm muscles bulging as he swung with all his might!
A full-powered, Cursed Energy-enhanced punch smashed into Hanami's face!
Boom!
But seeing the untouched Special Grade Spirit, Panda's heart sank.
"Run!"
Sensing that Inumaki's Cursed Speech was wearing off, Inumaki shouted a warning.
Yet, instead of retreating, Panda swung another fierce punch the moment Hanami moved again!
Because Panda could already sense it—reinforcements had arrived!
Arrogant, aren't you…
Hanami silently muttered, clenching her fist as Cursed Energy surged.
"Red Blood Manipulation: Piercing Blood!"
"Triple Cursed Cannon!"
"Crimson Lotus!"
A hyper-compressed bloodline, a blazing torrent of heat, and lotus-shaped bullets infused with immense Cursed Energy!
The three-tiered attack shot through the air, aiming straight for Hanami's back!
Boom!!
Together with Panda's Cursed Energy-fueled punch, an explosion of flames burst into the sky!
The first to arrive at the battlefield were Kamo Noritoshi, Nishimiya Momo, and Mai Zenin!
Before the smoke could clear—
A pitch-black barrier descended from the sky, enveloping the entire competition area!
At the same time—
Inside the collapsed ruins, White Zetsu, wearing a smug grin, clapped his hands.
"Mission accomplished!"
…
Three minutes earlier.
In the control room, Future Zenin narrowed his eyes as he observed the surveillance footage, finding something increasingly odd.
Had he not known the details of the future, he might not have noticed the strangeness.
After all, Gojo Satoru's sarcastic attitude was always a constant.
But the conservative elder, Yoshinobu Gakuganji…
That old geezer's behavior was quite different from the original story.
He seemed strangely calm when he saw Itadori, showing none of the hostility expected.
And even though the exchange event had been going on for a while, the Kyoto students hadn't made a single move against Itadori.
Apart from Todo, the others were focused solely on the competition to exorcise curses.
It wouldn't even be surprising if they targeted White Zetsu instead.
But the fact that none of them had been assigned the decapitation mission made the entire situation feel off.
It was this unusual calm that aroused Future's suspicion.
The next moment—
Boom!
Talismans hanging on the walls, designed to monitor the presence of cursed spirits, suddenly burst into crimson flames.
On the big screen, a brief flash of towering trees sent clouds of dust billowing into the sky!
Immediately after, all the surveillance footage from the competition area went dark!
A flicker of surprise crossed Utahime's eyes as she said, "A barrier has disrupted my technique."
"Someone has infiltrated Jujutsu High!"
Principal Yaga stood up swiftly. "I'll go protect Master Tengen. The rest of you, secure the students' safety."
Odd.
Yaga usually didn't react this fast, did he?
And Nanami, showing up here—was it really just to watch the event?
As Yaga quickly left, Future frowned slightly.
"Fake smile, aren't you going to check on White Zetsu's situation?"
Gojo Satoru stood up and looked at Future, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
Future didn't respond, his cold gaze sweeping past Gojo before he stepped into the void.
Gojo chuckled coldly, then pressed his hands together and disappeared on the spot.
"Utahime, come with me."
Gakuganji stood up, carrying a black briefcase, and hurried toward the door.
"Ms. Mei Mei, I'll have to trouble you to join me," Nanami said quietly, loosening his tie.
"Understood."
Mei Mei stood with a knowing smile. "Looks like this year's exchange event…"
"…is anything but ordinary."
…
Reacting to each move as it came.
Before the unexpected events unfolded, they continued to follow the original plan.
Standing before the black curtain, Future didn't hesitate to step inside.
His first priority was to erase the lingering Cursed Energy that White Zetsu left behind when he activated the barrier.
Step!
Without any obstruction, Future easily crossed into the barrier.
But the moment he entered, his expression darkened!
Sizzle—Boom!
Smoke rose from his hand, and Future's eyes gleamed crimson!
This isn't a barrier to block Gojo Satoru!
It's a restrictive barrier designed solely to trap me—Zenin Future!
The kind of barrier where anyone else could freely enter or leave, except for him!
A barrier so advanced, it could even affect spatial manipulation…
"An old fossil who's lived for a thousand years… truly not to be underestimated."
Future murmured softly, his eyes flashing with a savage bloodlust.
The long nail that Kenjaku gave him, wrapped tightly in cursed seals, had hidden its true nature until now.
Breaking this barrier wouldn't take long, but combined with the series of strange events today…
Jujutsu High had been used as a pawn by Kenjaku, Future realized.
Gojo Satoru, Gakuganji, and a few others must have known part of the truth in advance.
"Interesting!"
Ignoring the barrier, Future turned and walked in the direction of the students and Hanami.
Gone was the gentle smile from his face; the aura he now exuded was like that of his days at the Zenin estate.
His cold gaze, filled with disdain, seemed to look down on everyone!
…
In the heart of the dense forest—
Hanami revealed her pitch-black left hand and the blood-red flower bud on her left shoulder.
Facing the combined assault of twelve Jujutsu High students, Hanami showed no sign of underestimating them!
And at some point, White Zetsu, who had been buried in the rubble, appeared at the rear of the Jujutsu High team.
As the hidden thirteenth person, White Zetsu leisurely sipped tea, watching the chaos unfold.
"Ah, my dear friend, such a pity."
Todo and Itadori, fists landing hard on Hanami's chest, were in perfect sync.
"This delicacy before us... what a shame we brothers can't enjoy it alone."
Boom!
A sharp wooden spike suddenly erupted from the ground, narrowly missing Todo's legs!
"Watch out, Todo!"
Kamo shouted, hands clasped together as he aimed at Hanami.
"Red Blood Manipulation: Slicing Exorcism!"
A blade of blood shot toward Hanami's throat with deadly precision!
Clang!
But the unbreakable body of the Special Grade Spirit rendered Kamo's attack futile once again!
Hanami, feeling the pressure, nonetheless maintained her formation despite the relentless attacks.
It wasn't that she didn't know how to divide the battlefield and take them down one by one!
This was all deliberate.
If it were just these students, she could end the battle in an instant by expanding her domain.
Keeping the students close was her way of preserving her own life.
According to Kenjaku's plan…
Whether Gojo Satoru or Zenin Future entered the barrier first—
Hanami's only chance of surviving would be to rely on the students in front of her.
As she pondered this, the next moment—
A figure suddenly appeared before her, accompanied by a chilling sensation at her throat.
Zenin Future!
Meeting his blood-red gaze, Hanami's pupils shrank in shock!
A life-threatening danger unlike any she'd ever felt before exploded in her mind!
"Have you decided how you want to die?"