No matter how many times he examined him with the Six Eyes, the person standing before Satoru Gojo was undeniably Nanami. Yet the aura radiating from him unmistakably confirmed his identity as a Cursed Spirit.
That Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, Kento Nanami, no matter how difficult it was for Gojo to accept, had now completely transformed into a Cursed Spirit.
Because of this transformation, even if Nanami retained his original will, the very foundation of his thinking would inevitably change.
To the current Nanami, ordinary humans would naturally appear as nothing more than food. He would not perceive any essential difference between consuming them and eating beef, lamb, or pork back when he was human.
This was the fundamental influence brought about by a change in existence.
Gojo remained silent.
Nanami continued walking toward him and spoke calmly.
"I came to inform you that the one who killed me back then was an unregistered Special Grade Cursed Spirit. His body was covered in stitches, and his strength was overwhelmingly powerful."
But Gojo was conflicted.
For him, exorcising Cursed Spirits had always been second nature, as instinctive as eating or breathing.
But what if the Cursed Spirit before him was once a junior he deeply valued?
And what if that junior had become a Cursed Spirit because of his own negligence?
Could he still exorcise him as he always had, without hesitation?
At that moment, Gojo recalled the day he killed Suguru Geto with his own hands.
It was not that he had never wondered what might have been different if he had not been so resolute in killing Geto that day.
He had also wondered how everything might have changed if he had chosen to stand beside Geto instead of opposing him.
But regardless of the hypothesis, Gojo never allowed himself to dwell on it. He did not dare to think too deeply, because he feared he might regret his choice.
Now, a similar dilemma stood before him once again, forcing him to make another decision.
Was he truly going to kill the reborn Nanami while burdened with guilt?
Gojo himself could not clearly distinguish whether his guilt was directed toward the former Jujutsu Sorcerer Nanami, or toward the will named Kento Nanami that still existed within this Cursed Spirit.
He could keep Nanami around under the pretext of gathering information.
But what then?
Nanami had undeniably become a Cursed Spirit. There was no way the higher-ups would permit such a thing.
As the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer, was it truly acceptable for him to openly protect a Cursed Spirit?
If a comrade became a Cursed Spirit, did that mean they were no longer a comrade?
Were not comrades precisely what he wished to protect?
Gojo's thoughts were in turmoil. Countless conflicting ideas and stances clashed within him. With so many concerns weighing on him, he could no longer easily choose between exorcising Nanami or sparing him.
He was lost.
He did not even know whether Nanami could be saved, even if he sought help.
Meanwhile, at the Exchange Event, the one facing Aoi Todo was Maki Zenin. Although her Heavenly Restriction was incomplete, she was currently the only student at Tokyo Jujutsu High whose physical prowess and martial skill could somewhat contend with Todo.
Maki struggled to parry Todo's relentless attacks while speaking.
"Have you not noticed something is wrong? There is likely an intruder. Why are you still fighting me?"
Todo drove a heavy kick into her abdomen and replied arrogantly.
"After I deal with you, I will naturally handle the rest."
Maki was sent crashing into a nearby tree. Blood spilled from her mouth as she forced herself upright.
"What a lunatic."
From a distance, Hanami sensed the battle. He could feel the intensity of the clash, yet the fluctuation of Cursed Energy was minimal.
Recalling Mahito's earlier explanation, Hanami quickly deduced who was fighting. When he saw Maki, Mahito's analysis echoed in his mind.
"That girl with glasses has extremely faint Cursed Energy. Her Heavenly Restriction converted her Cursed Energy into physical strength. Techniques that rely on sensing Cursed Energy can easily lose track of her, even within a Domain. Use other objects as anchors for targeting. And make sure to kill her. She does not die easily. In the manga, she survived even after being burned once by Jogo."
Hanami then shifted his attention to Aoi Todo, remembering Mahito's prior briefing.
"The muscular one from Kyoto Jujutsu High is the only Grade 1 among the students at this Exchange Event. His Cursed Technique is Boogie Woogie. Every time he claps, he can swap the positions of targets infused with Cursed Energy. The targets can be objects or living beings, including himself. To counter him, either create a battlefield devoid of Cursed Energy and maintain distance, or resolve it immediately with Domain Expansion."
Hanami had not expected that despite the Curtain already being deployed, the two were still fighting.
But that did not matter.
He extended his perception through the surrounding vegetation, using the plants as his medium to pinpoint their positions. Locking onto Maki, he activated his Cursed Technique.
Wooden spikes erupted violently from the ground beneath her.
The spikes pierced through her limbs instantly.
"Wha…"
Before Maki could finish speaking, even larger spikes surged upward, aiming to skewer her body entirely.
At that moment, Todo finally reacted.
There were few suitable targets nearby for Boogie Woogie, and he had no intention of swapping places to shield her himself. Instead, he exchanged Maki's position with the Cursed Tool in her hand.
Because of the short distance, the swap was incomplete. She avoided a fatal strike, but serious injuries were unavoidable.
Todo glanced at Maki, her body impaled by wood, barely clinging to life.
"Still breathing?"
Before he finished speaking, a second wave of spikes erupted.
This time, they did not miss.
Maki's head was crushed apart in an instant.
Silence followed.
Only then did Todo fully register Hanami's presence. From experience alone, he could tell that this was far from the Grade 2 Cursed Spirit designated for the Exchange Event. The oppressive aura alone was at least Grade 1, if not higher.
He immediately associated the recently deployed Curtain with this presence.
As Todo rushed toward Hanami, Hanami spoke softly.
"Domain Expansion: Shining Sea of Flowers."
...
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