"Panda! Inumaki!"
Seeing their friends chased by the tide of trees, Maki and her team immediately changed course to provide support.
High in the sky, Momo Nishimiya rode her broom, scouting the area.
"Emergency! An unregistered Special Grade Cursed Spirit has engaged the Tokyo Team!"
"Interesting!"
Aoi Todo looked at the towering, twisted trees and grinned.
"My Best Friend! It's time for our performance!"
Yuji Itadori—his pink hair half-stained crimson with blood—nodded firmly. "Osu!"
...
Panda vs. Hanami.
"White Zetsu?!"
Panda and Inumaki dodged the roots, looking back at the collapsed ruins where Zetsu had disappeared.
The Special Grade Cursed Spirit (Hanami) pressed closer, preventing a rescue.
"TOGE!" Panda roared.
His muscles swelled. His fur bristled.
Panda Core: Gorilla Mode!
Toge Inumaki understood instantly. He pulled down his collar.
"DON'T MOVE!"
The heavy Cursed Speech slammed into Hanami, freezing the Special Grade in place.
BOOM!
Panda lunged forward, delivering a full-force Drumming Beat to Hanami's face.
But Hanami didn't flinch. The punch didn't even leave a scratch.
Panda's heart sank. "Run!"
"Too late."
Hanami raised a fist, preparing to crush them.
WHOOSH!
Three attacks whistled through the air from behind.
"Piercing Blood!" (Noritoshi Kamo)
"Ultra Cannon!" (Mechamaru)
"Snipe!" (Mai Zenin)
A beam of compressed blood, a blast of heat, and a Cursed bullet slammed into Hanami's back.
BOOM!
Flames erupted into the sky.
Before the smoke cleared, a pitch-black Curtain (Barrier) descended from the sky, enveloping the entire arena.
Amidst the ruins, White Zetsu (unharmed) clapped his hands with a smug expression.
"Done!"
Mission accomplished.
...
The Control Room (3 Minutes Ago).
Mirai squinted at the monitors. Something was wrong.
If he didn't know the plot, he might not have noticed.
But Principal Gakuganji was too calm.
He saw Yuji alive, yet he gave no order to execute him. The Kyoto students were focused on exorcising Curses, not killing Yuji.
Why?
In the original timeline, they hunt Yuji immediately.
Unless... the target isn't Yuji.
BOOM!
The talismans on the wall burst into flames. The screens went black.
"The barrier is interfering with my crows," Mei Mei said, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"Intruders," Principal Yaga stood up. "I will go protect Master Tengen. The rest of you, protect the students."
He left quickly.
Mirai frowned. Yaga reacted too fast. And why is Nanami here just to watch?
"Fake Smile," Gojo Satoru stood up, grinning. "Aren't you going to check on White Zetsu?"
Mirai didn't respond. He stepped into his Kamui Dimension and vanished.
Gojo chuckled coldly, then teleported away.
"Utahime, come with me," Gakuganji picked up his briefcase (electric guitar case).
"Mei Mei, Nanami," he ordered. "You group up."
"Understood," Nanami loosened his tie.
Mei Mei smiled meaningfully. "It seems this year's Exchange Event... is unusual."
...
Mirai appeared at the edge of the black curtain.
His plan: Enter the barrier, destroy the residuals Zetsu left behind, and act ignorant.
He stepped forward.
SIZZLE!
Smoke rose from his hand.
Mirai froze.
His eyes narrowed. His Sharingan glowed crimson.
This isn't a barrier to stop Gojo Satoru.
It's a barrier that forbids Zenin Mirai from exiting.
It allows everyone else to move freely... but traps ME inside.
"Kenjaku..." Mirai murmured, a flash of bloodthirsty savagery in his eyes.
"You underestimated me."
It was a trap. The Higher-ups and Kenjaku had colluded. They knew he was coming. They set this up to isolate him.
"Interesting!"
Mirai stopped smiling. The gentle teacher mask shattered.
He returned to his true self: The Ruthless Head of the Zenin Clan.
He walked through the barrier (ignoring the burn) and headed toward the students.
...
Hanami stood in the clearing, revealing the flower on his left shoulder.
He was surrounded by 12 students (Tokyo + Kyoto).
White Zetsu sat in the back, sipping tea and watching the show as the "hidden 13th member."
"My Best Friend! Together!" Todo shouted.
He and Yuji launched a synchronized assault on Hanami.
BOOM!
Roots erupted from the ground, nearly piercing Todo.
"Watch out!" Kamo fired another Piercing Blood at Hanami's throat.
CLANG!
It bounced off Hanami's tough skin.
Hanami held his ground. He wasn't trying to win; he was stalling.
According to Kenjaku's plan, he needed to keep the students hostage.
Whether Gojo or Mirai entered first... he needed leverage to escape.
Suddenly, a cold hand touched Hanami's throat.
Hanami froze.
He looked up.
Into a pair of glowing, scarlet eyes.
Zenin Mirai.
Hanami's pupils dilated violently. An unprecedented alarm rang in his head.
DEATH.
Mirai tightened his grip, his voice a whisper of pure terror.
"Have you decided... how you want to die?"
....
.....
.....
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