Megumi Fushiguro and Noritoshi Kamo immediately sensed the disturbance coming from the direction of the Storage facility. Considering that the Storage was connected to the Tombs of the Star Corridor where Master Tengen resided, Megumi proposed that they move to the perimeter and use a shikigami from the Ten Shadows Technique to obtain a preliminary assessment of the situation.
However, Kamo remained cautious. The Cursed Energy fluctuations they had just sensed were far from weak, which meant that both sides involved in the clash were formidable. Approaching without confirming whether Jujutsu High personnel were involved, or knowing the outcome of the battle, carried significant risk.
After a brief discussion, they ultimately decided to proceed with Megumi's plan.
The distance was not great, and they quickly arrived near the Storage facility. Megumi immediately summoned Divine Dog: Totality to conduct reconnaissance.
Since Mahito had already infiltrated the Storage in search of Sukuna's Fingers and the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings, Divine Dog: Totality completed its sweep swiftly and returned to Megumi's side. Megumi questioned it at once.
"Are there casualties over there?"
Divine Dog: Totality nodded in confirmation.
"You came back alone. Does that mean the person is dead?"
Megumi pressed further and received another affirmative nod.
Kamo seized the opportunity to ask his own question.
"Was the person male?"
This time, Divine Dog: Totality shook its head.
"A woman? Logically, it should not be Utahime-sensei. She is not known for direct combat strength. Could it be Mei Mei-senpai?" Kamo speculated, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Megumi was already considering their next move. Should they enter the Storage and confront the intruder?
It was not that Megumi was overconfident or underestimating the enemy. Rather, he reasoned that if the opponent had killed at least one Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, then even such a powerful individual could not have emerged entirely unscathed. That meant he and Kamo might still stand a reasonable chance of subduing them.
Another factor weighed on his mind. While on the way, he had attempted to contact his companions by phone, but every attempt had failed.
Due to the urgency of the situation, Megumi first tried contacting the upperclassmen. Unfortunately, Panda, Toge Inumaki, and Maki Zenin were already down. By the time he finished attempting to reach the three of them, they had arrived at their current location. Concerned about alerting the enemy, he temporarily refrained from contacting Nobara Kugisaki.
As for Kamo, his attempts to reach the Kyoto students yielded similar results. Mai Zenin did not answer, Ultimate Mechamaru was likely outside the Veil and unreachable, and Aoi Todo could not be contacted because he was inside a Domain.
Both Megumi and Kamo had assumed that everyone would cease fighting once the Veil appeared. Without information about ongoing battles and unable to contact their allies, gathering reinforcements would take time.
If they created too much commotion while trying to regroup, the first to locate them might not be their allies, but the intruder.
In truth, while they were still hesitating, someone else had already made the decision for them.
Both Megumi and Kamo spotted a dog in the distance that looked identical to Divine Dog: Totality, sprinting toward them at full speed.
Although Mahito concealed his Cursed Energy as much as possible, and despite lacking a complete understanding of the situation, Megumi instantly recognized the creature as the intruder after sensing the mixed traces of foreign Cursed Residue clinging to its body.
"Totality!"
Megumi roared, and the real Divine Dog: Totality, which had been snarling at Mahito, immediately lunged forward.
As Divine Dog: Totality's claw descended, Mahito partially transformed one of his forelimbs using Idle Transfiguration and met the strike head-on.
The moment their claws collided, a sharp metallic screech rang out.
Although Divine Dog: Totality possessed claws capable of injuring a Special Grade, they were ultimately inferior to Mahito's Idle Transfiguration, an offensive technique of the highest caliber even among Special Grades.
With a single strike, Mahito cleaved Divine Dog: Totality in half. Blood and viscera scattered through the air.
"In one blow?"
Kamo could clearly sense the strength of Divine Dog: Totality. Mahito's effortless kill was profoundly shocking.
Megumi, however, had faced Sukuna before. Being utterly outmatched was not unfamiliar to him. Compared to Kamo, he remained far calmer.
Especially after witnessing Mahito's power, retreat was no longer a realistic option.
At this moment, the true potential of the Ten Shadows Technique became evident. As long as Megumi had sufficient Cursed Energy, his shikigami could continue to evolve and grow stronger through inheritance.
"Nue."
Megumi immediately summoned Nue, which had inherited the combined power of Divine Dog: Totality. Though it retained the name Nue, its appearance had changed drastically.
Unlike its original owl-like form, the new Nue resembled a Tengu soaring through the sky.
As Nue charged toward Mahito, still in his Divine Dog form, Megumi spoke quickly to Kamo.
"Based on his previous attack, a direct clash is meaningless. Nue can only delay him at best. Find a way to restrict his movement."
Now that their lives were intertwined, Kamo nodded without hesitation.
Yet Nue met the same fate as Totality. Mahito leaped high into the air and struck it down in a single motion, tearing it apart before it could mount an effective offense.
Nue's lightning and Totality's claws were ultimately attacks aimed at the physical body. Without the ability to damage Mahito's soul, such attacks were meaningless.
Unfortunately, at this point in time, Jujutsu High knew nothing of this weakness. They were entirely unaware of the true nature of Mahito's Cursed Technique.
After two shikigami were destroyed in succession, and given the strain from his earlier fight with Kamo, Megumi's Cursed Energy consumption had become excessive. Although he sensed which remaining shikigami had inherited the powers of Nue and Totality, he needed a brief moment to recover.
Seizing that opening, Kamo hurled three blood bags he carried toward the location where Mahito had just landed.
"Blood Manipulation: Crimson Binding."
The blood bags burst open simultaneously, their contents surging outward and weaving into a massive net composed of countless blood chains. The moment the net enveloped Mahito, it tightened instantly.
"Ah! Damn it, you actually had something like this?"
Mahito exclaimed in feigned alarm.
Just as Megumi and Kamo were about to exhale in relief, Mahito's expression shifted into a mocking grin.
"Just kidding."
His body liquefied and slipped through the gaps in the blood net with ease, completely ignoring the restraints of Crimson Binding.
"How is that possible?"
Kamo's face turned pale.
Megumi was less shaken. Combined with Mahito's earlier shapeshifting display, such a maneuver was not entirely inconceivable.
Megumi drew in a steady breath and spoke quietly to Kamo.
"I'm sorry."
The sudden apology left Kamo momentarily stunned.
"What do you mean?"
Megumi slowly extended both hands forward as he spoke.
"In a moment, you need to run. As far as you can."
His voice remained calm.
"Furube Yurayura."
...
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