"We must be more cautious," said Choso at last. "We can't be as reckless as we were against the Zenin and Kamo families. Facing the Gojo family, especially Satoshi, if we make a mistake, there will be no second chance."
Uraume nodded slightly, the ice crystals on her arms sparkling in the moonlight:
Yes, that man will not give us a second chance. Because he has seen through everything, including our purpose and the upcoming battle. And in his eyes, perhaps we are just pawns from beginning to end.
A night owl in the distance let out a long cry, as if it were some kind of foreshadowing of the upcoming showdown. The two powerful Curse Users knew that the real challenge had just begun. This time, they would face an existence powerful enough to change the entire world of jujutsu.
The night grew darker, but the tense atmosphere in the temple did not diminish in the slightest.
The moonlight shone through the broken roof, casting the shadows of the two on the ground like some kind of ominous omen.
This abandoned temple silently witnessed the great changes about to come in an era.
...
As time went by, autumn grew deeper. It had been two weeks since the attacks by Choso and Uraume, and the entire jujutsu world seemed to have fallen into an eerie calm.
In the courtyard of the Gojo residence, the maple leaves had begun to turn red, and the morning dew had condensed into crystal drops on the leaves. The autumn sun shone through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadow on the ground.
Gojo Shunichi stood under the corridor, looking at the distant sky.
This abnormal calm is probably just the calm before the storm. The Curse Users will not stop here, they must be planning a bigger conspiracy.
"Master Shunichi," a servant walked over quickly, "the patrol team this morning did not find anything unusual."
Shunichi nodded slightly. "Stay alert, and don't let your guard down." This kind of calm is even more dangerous, like a beast lurking before the hunt.
Shoko was teaching Riko the essentials of swordsmanship in the Dojo, but her keen perception also detected this abnormality.
While correcting Riko's posture, she thought to herself: The Curse Users suddenly disappeared, and the attacks on the Zenin and Kamo families seemed to have never happened. What on earth are they planning? Even the frequent curse incidents on weekdays have become much less frequent.
At this moment, Satoru walked past the dojo. He leaned against an old wooden pillar, a gleam in his Six Eyes.
This is really interesting. It seems those guys are planning some big move. But...
He glanced at Riko, who was practicing seriously, and a confident smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "With us here, they can't cause any trouble."
"Satoru," Suguru came over from the training ground, "are you ready to start today's sparring?"
Satoru stretched. "Ah, of course. I also want to try out your recent progress."
Suguru looked at his friend's nonchalant expression, but his heart was extremely solemn. This kind of calm makes people more worried. The last attack proved that even a famous family can be breached. We must be better prepared.
Kumaen stood in the attic of the main house, his old face full of deep thought.
As the patriarch of the Gojo family, he knew better than anyone the severity of the current situation. The silence of the Curse Users is not necessarily a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it probably means that they are accumulating more powerful strength.
The entire Gojo family mansion was shrouded in an eerie silence, but everyone knew that this silence would not last long.
Like the dead calm before a storm, there was a suffocating sense of oppression in the air. The real challenge had only just begun.
...
The autumn sunshine shone on the training ground of the Gojo family, bringing a slightly lazy warmth. The ancient bluestone floor still bore traces of countless sparring sessions, and every crack told of the fierce battles that took place here.
Satoru stood in the center of the venue, his long white hair fluttering gently in the morning breeze, his Six Eyes flashing with a faint blue light. His posture seemed casual, but he exuded an indescribable sense of oppression.
Suguru stood opposite, his long black hair neatly tied behind his head, his expression solemn.
"Are you ready, Suguru?" Satoru smiled. "Don't give up too early today."
Suguru shook his head slightly. "Stop talking nonsense, Satoru. I made new preparations this time."
Although I know the chances of winning are slim, I still have to do my best. Only at this level of battle can you truly improve yourself.
Around the training ground, many disciples of the Gojo family stopped training and gathered quietly. Every showdown between the strongest duo was a rare learning opportunity.
"Let's start." Satoru put his hands in his pockets, looking nonchalant, but the light in his Six Eyes grew brighter.
In an instant, tremendous Cursed Energy burst out from Satoru's body, and blue light condensed in the air like a substance.
The air in the entire training ground trembled, and the gravel on the ground began to shake slightly.
This was only the preparatory state of Limitless, yet it already demonstrated astonishing power.
As expected of Limitless, Shunichi, who was standing on the sidelines, nodded to himself. This level of control over Cursed Energy is probably something only Satoru can do.
"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue!"
Following Satoru's light call, a dazzling blue beam of light whizzed out. Wherever the beam passed, the air was compressed into ripples visible to the naked eye, and even the sunlight seemed distorted.
This attack not only contained powerful force, it also carried an unstoppable momentum.
Suguru's eyes focused, and he immediately began to chant. His voice was steady and powerful, and each syllable carried a special rhythm:
"The pride of heaven, the iron walls, the march of dragons, the roar of lions, the howling of tigers, the running of wolves, cut off the heaven and earth before they collapse!"
"Bakudō #81, Dankū!"
As the spell was completed, a crystal-clear barrier unfolded in front of Suguru. It was one of the strongest defensive spells in Kidō, capable of resisting most attacks. The surface of the barrier glowed slightly, as if responding to the power of Dankū.
The next moment, the two forces collided violently in mid-air.
The blue light beam continuously impacted the transparent barrier, and the turbulent energy fluctuations transformed into circles of air waves visible to the naked eye that spread in all directions.
The entire training ground was shrouded in dazzling light, and the disciples watching had to squint their eyes.
As expected of Limitless. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Suguru's forehead. Even Dankū would find it difficult to completely block it. But now is the chance.
(To be continued.)
***
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