Looking out from the villa corridor, the world outside was submerged in rain.
"Hey, Miss Mei."
Iori Utahime, dressed in red and white Miko Robes, turned her head and asked Mei Mei, hands clasped behind her back,
"Isn't Isayama-kun's performance outstanding?"
Kenmyo was already the youngest Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer in the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association, equivalent to a rising star.
Iori Utahime was very curious why he was already so powerful despite being younger than her.
The person who assessed Kenmyo for his Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer certification was Iori Utahime's current teammate, Mei Mei.
Therefore, Miss Mei must have witnessed Kenmyo's strength.
After he passed the assessment, Mei Mei reported it to the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association, which ultimately confirmed Kenmyo's successful passage of the Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer assessment.
"Yes, very outstanding, no worse than the graduates from our school."
Mei Mei was actually being modest; Kenmyo's power far surpassed even several active, high-power Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers.
If even he couldn't pass the Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer assessment, then perhaps the only person who could truly be called a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer would be the current Special Grade Sorcerer, Yuki Tsukumo; everyone else, including Mei Mei, would be unqualified.
Simply because, at such a young age, he already possessed a Domain with a guaranteed hit effect—an absolutely overwhelming power, no questions asked.
"That's great. I want to become a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer too."
Not only is he strong, but he's also handsome. Alas, there truly are differences between people.
Iori Utahime muttered softly, kicking an empty water bottle into a corner.
Comparing yourself to others is infuriating.
She was about to graduate yet had only just been promoted to Second-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, and she didn't even have a referrer to advance to Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer."
In the filthy corridor before them, discarded water bottles and food scraps were scattered everywhere. The once luxurious large villa had completely turned into a garbage dump.
As Iori Utahime stood there, she felt like she could see the end of her life, just like this place.
"This garbage life."
"Snap out of it."
Mei Mei, still sporting her sharp silver high ponytail, lightly tapped Iori Utahime on the head with the umbrella she was holding, gently rousing the idiot who had inexplicably fallen into a state of despair.
"Why are you comparing yourself to a monster?"
The world of Jujutsu Sorcerer inherently operates on the 'Theory of Innate Talent'; if you are born with it, you have it; if you aren't, you never will.
To put it bluntly, even if an ordinary Jujutsu Sorcerer practiced for a thousand years, they couldn't catch up to Gojo Satoru.
Mei Mei knew that Kenmyo, Suguru Geto, and Gojo Satoru were all darlings of this era, and it was the tragedy of the other Jujutsu Sorcerer to live in the same time as them.
"Negative emotions can nurture Cursed Spirits."
"Your attitude will only make our situation, already inside its stomach, even worse."
Mei Mei looked at the mark she had made on the ground; this thing had reset four times already.
This meant the problem she faced was the same as last time: being trapped in an unknown location.
"Ah!!!"
Hearing Miss Mei say this, Iori Utahime, who had thought it was a simple mission, instantly changed expression, her face turning pale.
The "it" Miss Mei referred to was undoubtedly a Cursed Spirit. Being inside its stomach meant they were about to be eaten, didn't it?
A small corridor, half an hour, and they had walked four kilometers.
Mei Mei calculated in her mind, completely failing to notice that her teammate was starting to waver again.
The familiar scene reminded Mei Mei of that young man. The previous situation was even worse than this—a Special Grade Cursed Spirit capable of a Domain—but this time it wasn't.
An Innate Domain is the manifestation of one's inner landscape. This trash is Barrier Technique.
"Hey, can you use a Domain?"
This Cursed Spirit must be incredibly weak, a world of difference from the last time. So Mei Mei was completely unhurried and even had the leisure to let her mind wander.
"Who? Me..."
Iori Utahime thought she had misheard, but since it was only her and Miss Mei there, the question must have been directed at her.
"A Domain, Miss Mei? What are you talking about?"
Iori Utahime spread her hands, forcing a smile, and spoke with a strained tone.
"I'm just a Second-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, not even a First Grade. How could I possibly have the ability to deploy a Domain?"
She chuckled awkwardly to ease the tense atmosphere.
"Speaking of which, there shouldn't be anyone among the Second-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerers capable of deploying a Domain, right?"
"There's no one among the Second-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerers who can deploy a Domain, huh?"
Mei Mei repeated Iori Utahime's words, shook her head, and recalled the terrifying power of the Domain that froze everything—the Domain within the blizzard. Just remembering that shocking scene made her blood feel like it was freezing.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the power of a god.
"There is, actually. There is someone among the Second-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerers who can use a Domain."
"Right before my eyes."
When Mei Mei snapped back to reality and saw Iori Utahime looking at her in surprise, she suddenly realized she had misspoke.
"My apologies. Just pretend I didn't say that."
"Mhm."
Iori Utahime also felt it was time to stop dwelling on Mei Mei's startling revelation. The urgent matter now was getting out of here, so she suggested to Miss Mei:
"Since this is a Barrier Technique, if we just break the pattern here, won't we be able to leave?"
"What's the method?"
Mei Mei asked with interest.
As a senior and an assistant for Jujutsu High, she primarily encouraged students when they actively thought about countermeasures against Cursed Spirits.
Furthermore, this mission was at most a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit incident. Sending Iori Utahime with Mei Mei as support, besides hoping to quickly quell the "Supernatural Fever," also inherently carried an element of assessment.
Jujutsu High has few students, so gaining more experience in non-lethal missions is beneficial.
Promotion speeds like Kenmyo's, which were like riding a rocket, were absolutely unprecedented in the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association. Who else could kill a Special Grade Cursed Spirit while not even being a Jujutsu Sorcerer?
His dazzling military record instantly soared from Grade 4 to Second-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, reaching the level where he could even participate in the Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer assessment.
To advance from Second-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer to Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, besides needing two Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer recommenders, the applicant also has a required number of Grade 2 Cursed Spirit incidents to complete.
Therefore, Iori Utahime, who only had a shrine in her family and was otherwise indistinguishable from an ordinary person, was destined to have a difficult path to promotion.
Unless she seized the opportunity in time.
"The distance covered each time we pass through the corridor is different, meaning the scope of the loop isn't fixed."
Iori Utahime had just walked to the end of the corridor and back to the restart point, a total of 270 steps, but the time before that was 320 steps, and the time before that was 290 steps.
"This proves that the Barrier is being pieced together haphazardly every time."
Iori Utahime revealed a confident smile.
"If we run at full speed to the end of the corridor, the Barrier will completely collapse because it won't have time to construct itself."
"That sounds pretty good."
A faint smile appeared on Mei Mei's face.
"But, ninety points."
Iori Utahime had expected to get full marks from Miss Mei, but she was confused why ten points were still deducted.
"Why?"
Meanwhile, outside the large villa in the forest, an enormous White Giant Dragon slowly descended from the sky into the forest. Accompanying the descent was a massive hurricane that swept through the area, causing the trees to sway violently. The closer it got to the ground, the thicker the layer of frost that covered the surrounding trees and grass.
"What the heck is that?"
Shoko Ieiri hadn't expected this thing to be what she was waiting for, and her eyes widened.
She stared in disbelief at the majestic White Ice Dragon, close enough to touch and resembling a god or a mountain. It roared at Shoko, exhaling bone-chilling cold air.
If she took one step forward, it could swallow her whole in a single gulp.
The large house looked like a powerless toy in front of the White Giant Dragon. This kind of mental shock, that inexpressible awe, could only be felt by those who truly witnessed something transcendent. Since it was her first time seeing it, she was inevitably startled.
Then, darkness engulfed Shoko's vision, and she knew nothing more. If one looked closely, they would see a thin layer of frost had appeared on her school uniform.
Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto, having hitched rides a few times, were not so shocked.
Instead, they were quite proficient. The two impolitely grabbed a mane hair (or whisker) near the corner of the White Ice Dragon's mouth and deftly slid down, looking like repeat offenders.
As soon as the two reached the ground and saw Shoko looking stunned and motionless, they still had the presence of mind to joke around.
"Geto, look! Shoko is completely terrified by Kenmyo's Cursed Technique. It looks hilarious."
Gojo Satoru patted Geto Suguru on the shoulder, saying cheerfully.
"Gojo, this is all your fault. Didn't you suggest that Kenmyo fly the dragon close to Shoko's face to scare her?"
Although Suguru Geto spoke to Gojo Satoru in an accusatory tone, the faint smile on his face showed that he was only saying it for show.
Suguru Geto was essentially a Prankster, just like Gojo Satoru, never missing a chance to watch the fun.
"What if Shoko had been so scared she wet her pants?"
Gojo Satoru had been acting like a child while they were in the sky. When he saw Shoko below, he immediately got an idea. He instantly patted Kenmyo's shoulder and suggested showing her their magnificent giant dragon to broaden Shoko's horizons.
"Wow, you two really..."
Kenmyo slid down from the giant dragon transformed by Ryu. When he saw Shoko Ieiri's condition, his heart immediately sank.
Good heavens, the person is almost dead, and you two are still grinning happily.
"I've actually been made an accomplice in bullying a girl."
"Also, Gojo, do you have a grudge against her? Why play such a potentially fatal prank?"
Kenmyo felt at the time that he shouldn't have gone along with their nonsense. Well, great, an accident happened.
"She's currently in a state of Hypothermia. She might just die like this."
Kenmyo immediately recognized Shoko's current state. Due to Ryu's powerful freezing ability, Shoko Ieiri had been forcibly put into a state of Hypothermia.
This refers to a medical condition where the human core body temperature drops below 35°C, characterized by lowered body temperature, pale complexion, shivering, and slowed heart rate. The longer the condition persists, the more fatal it becomes.
"That fragile?"
Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto heard Kenmyo's explanation, and the smiles on their faces froze, replaced by utter astonishment.
Especially for Gojo Satoru, this was an unimaginable situation, as he had been at the top since birth and lacked understanding of the weak.
"You think everyone is like you, Young Master Gojo, and you, Suguru Geto, born with such high jujutsu talent?"
The terrifying Cursed Energy within their bodies spontaneously formed a protective shield, preventing the invasion of the cold.
But Shoko Ieiri was different; her offensive power was essentially zero. Her role was purely that of a healer, only capable of the Reverse Cursed Technique for recovery.
Coupled with Jujutsu High's protection of her, she rarely went out alone. And when she did, it wasn't to perform dangerous Cursed Spirit exorcism missions, but as logistical support personnel.
Kenmyo initially couldn't control the power within Ryu, but wearing the Power Armor provided protection, isolating him from the fatal low temperature.
It is said that when Kenmyo's Cursed Technique, Fimbulwinter, is developed to its extreme coldest, it can freeze time and space together. Even its unconscious overflow is lethal.
Shoko was too close to the giant dragon at first, which led to frostbite, and all her organs were frozen and disordered, making her unable to move.
As soon as Kenmyo placed his hand on Shoko Ieiri's small head, he felt ice crystals on her hair, and the temperature was extremely low; she had almost no body heat left.
He suddenly felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. "You really are incredibly weak. If Kenmyo had found her any later, she would have been frozen solid into an ice sculpture."
Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto instantly became very tense, not knowing what to do.
Fortunately, Kenmyo was very calm.
He first placed his hand on her head, drawing out all the cold air from her body. Her previously stiff body instantly went limp.
Kenmyo caught her, then, as if by magic, pulled out another bottle of healing potion from his pocket, twisted open the cap, and poured the liquid into her mouth.
The miraculous medicine, worth 1.8 million US dollars, immediately showed its effect upon consumption, already beginning to repair her frostbitten organs.
Kenmyo placed his hand on Shoko's forehead, feeling her body temperature steadily recovering. It was good, but wasn't it rising a bit too fast?
Shoko's face, which had been pale, was now gradually turning rosy, and was about to become flushed.
Given this abnormality and the trembling he felt in his hand, if Kenmyo still didn't realize the person in his arms had woken up, he would be an idiot.
It was just that the current situation was too awkward; she was thin-skinned and embarrassed to wake up.
Kenmyo understood tacitly. He thought for a moment and said,
"Geto, take off your jacket and make a pillow for her."
Then she could wake up whenever she wanted, all up to Shoko herself.
"Oh, alright."
Gojo Satoru, feeling guilty, certainly wouldn't refuse. He neatly folded his jacket into a square, convenient for use as a pillow.
But unexpectedly, Shoko was displeased. She suddenly opened her eyes.
"I don't want it, never, not even if I die! I won't rest my head on a scumbag's clothes!"
"Absolutely not!"
Suguru Geto patted Gojo Satoru's shoulder and sighed helplessly.
"We've been rejected."
"Looks like you've recovered well. Can you stand up, Shoko-san?"
Hearing Shoko's vigorous statement, Kenmyo knew she was fine.
But still, out of politeness, he asked.
"If you feel any discomfort, I still have more healing medicine."
The healing medicine Kenmyo drank himself didn't have those strange effects, like a 50% chance of dying with the second cup.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Shoko said softly.
"It's nothing. Besides, this whole thing was my fault for not controlling it properly."
Kenmyo slowly helped her up, and when he found Shoko could stand completely, he then let go of her hand.
Afterward, Kenmyo turned to Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto and said,
"Why are you two just standing there? Hurry up and rescue those two inside!"
Suddenly, the two of them snapped out of their daze. It turned out Iori Utahime and Miss Mei were still inside, waiting for them to be rescued.
They could have rescued those two while Kenmyo was treating Shoko, thus not wasting any time.
They had already been missing for 48 hours; every minute was critical for rescue.
Why were these two idiots so foolish?
Gojo Satoru stared at the villa for a moment, deep in thought. Not knowing what he had thought of, he seemed to suddenly have an idea.
His entire Cursed Energy boiled, especially his Six Eyes, which shone with a blue light against the backdrop of the Cursed Energy.
"Cursed Technique Reversal."
Gojo Satoru held his hands together, and a blue orb of light slowly appeared in the center of his palms.
"Absolute Attraction," its effect is to create powerful suction, making the distance between multiple objects "negative infinity."
It was a black hole constructed with a Cursed Technique, possessing immense attractive force.
"Blue."
Finally, with a chance to show off, Gojo Satoru's expanded Cursed Technique had an astonishing momentum. A strong gale, force 10, suddenly swept across the area. The surrounding land began to crumble, getting pulled into the air and then shattering. The air was filled with a chilling aura.
"Idiot, are you trying to kill those two?!"
Kenmyo's mouth twitched, then he punched Gojo Satoru hard on the head.
"Ow, that hurt, Kenmyo."
"It's supposed to hurt."
As Gojo Satoru squatted down, clutching his head, the terrifying Cursed Technique effect of the unformed "Blue" in his hand vanished at the same moment.
If Gojo Satoru's incredibly powerful Cursed Technique had actually been unleashed, the problem would have been huge. Kenmyo had no doubt that the Cursed Spirit's Barrier Technique would collapse, but the people inside might not have been spared.
He could still save Shoko with healing potions just now, but how could Kenmyo save someone who had been reduced to ashes?
"Sigh, you two really are..."
Kenmyo shook his head helplessly.
"What would you do without me?"
He disdained to act against such a low-level Barrier Technique. But these two unfortunate brothers were like Adou, who couldn't be helped up the wall. What else could he do?
With a thought, Kenmyo decided to let Ryu act. Since there was already the example of the whistle just now, he didn't let Ryu output at full power, but rather let her work a little more gently.
The two inside were still in the garbage-strewn corridor.
"Miss Mei, if we get out, please promote me."
Iori Utahime struck a starting pose, meaning she wanted Mei Mei to be her recommender for Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Mei Mei merely chuckled in response, asking a rhetorical question,
"How much do you have in savings?"
"What?"
Iori Utahime thought she misheard.
"Nothing. Well, I'll consider it."
"Okay, then I'll start."
Having received Mei Mei's consent, Iori Utahime was instantly invigorated, like she'd been given a shot of adrenaline.
"Mm."
"Ready,"
Just as Iori Utahime looked straight ahead, her entire body about to shoot forward like an arrow from a bow, she shouted loudly,
"Run!"
But before Iori Utahime could run three steps, her back collar was grabbed by a strong hand.
It was Mei Mei. With one hand, she lifted the agile Iori Utahime, whose two short legs were still flailing in the air.
"Miss Mei?"
"No need to run."
Mei Mei looked up.
"The people who are saving us are here."
Iori Utahime was puzzled. Following Mei Mei's gaze, she saw an incredible sight.
The two of them were clearly on the ground floor, with five floors above, but the top four floors seemed to have been instantly wiped away by some terrifying force, vanishing without a trace.
In short, the roof had been blown off.
"Fingers?"
Iori Utahime, still being held up, stared at the scene, slightly stunned.
Mei Mei felt a familiar Cursed Energy from above, so she wasn't alarmed. Instead, the corners of her mouth curved slightly upwards.
Soon, the dragon claws disappeared, replaced by a golden vertical pupil emanating an unimaginable pressure. The huge eye made Iori Utahime's heart pound with cold sweat.
"Which big shot is this, coming to save us?"
Iori Utahime swallowed hard.
This Cursed Technique wasn't Suguru Geto's Cursed Spirit Manipulation, nor Gojo Satoru's Limitless. Who could possess such terrifying power?
Mei Mei released Iori Utahime, and the scared girl's legs gave out, causing her to collapse onto the ground.
"Didn't you just discuss him with me earlier?"
Mei Mei, without any fear, met the gaze of the golden vertical pupil and slowly answered Iori Utahime's question.
"How could you forget?"
"Miss Mei, are you saying that's—"
With Mei Mei's hint, Iori Utahime also had an answer in her mind.
"Isayama-kun?"
Earlier, Mei Mei had called Kenmyo a monster and told her not to compare herself to him, which Iori Utahime had somewhat disbelieved.
Now she finally believed it. With such terrifying Cursed Energy, what else could he be but a monster?
"That's right, that's Kenmyo's Rin Winter Frost Heart."
Mei Mei continued, following Iori Utahime's words,
"Evaluated by the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association as an ultimate annihilation Cursed Technique capable of freezing all things in the world."
"Come on, we should go out."
Mei Mei saw that, having located them, the pure White Giant Dragon directly extended its hand, seemingly wanting them to stand in its palm to leave.
Mei Mei grabbed Iori Utahime by the back collar of her miko outfit, threw her up first, then leaped up herself.
As they gradually left, a thick layer of ice began to form on the ground below. Soon, the entire corridor was completely covered in ice.
By the time they completely left the Barrier, they saw that the entire outer layer of the villa complex had been frozen into a gigantic block of ice.
At the same time, this was also the first time Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto had seen Kenmyo's true Fimbulwinter power unleashed.
Suguru Geto looked at the solidly frozen block of ice, a bitter smile on his face.
"It's frozen solid like this, how am I supposed to absorb it?"