Barrier Covering the Campus

It was soon deep into the night, and Suguru Geto and Eiji had long since prepared to exorcise the Cursed Spirit.

"The time is almost here."

Watching the hands of the clock circle around its face, Suguru Geto rose and walked over to Eiji.

Knowing they would be exorcising a Cursed Spirit late at night, Suguru Geto had informed his parents beforehand that he would be staying at Eiji's house. Having long grown used to such things, his parents readily agreed to his request.

"Yeah."

Eiji placed the Tang Dao-shaped cursed tool in his shadow and began watching their surroundings warily.

"What do you think that Cursed Spirit will use to take us to the school?"

"It'll probably come here and grab us directly."

Suguru Geto stroked his chin as he gave his answer.

"But then the timing doesn't add up. Every midnight, the Crimson Figure appears in Ise Takahiro and the others' rooms, then takes them to the school."

"But there's something strange about it. They're taken at the same time, and they wake up at the same time too."

Eiji voiced his doubt.

"So, the Crimson Figure has some method like cloning herself or teleporting instantly?"

"Yeah. That girl named Asuka said the Crimson Figure seemed to have a Technique that allowed her to teleport once certain conditions were met."

Suddenly, the bright lights in the room turned dim and yellowish.

"Is it here?"

The two rose and looked toward the door.

"Eiji, have you ever bought a stuffed toy?"

"No. Why?"

"Look at this."

Following Suguru Geto's gaze, Eiji saw an ugly-cute Rabbit Doll sitting on the table.

"Looks like the Cursed Spirit is already inside the room."

The moment Eiji saw the Rabbit Doll, he recognized its true identity. It was precisely the doll the Crimson Figure had held, as described by Ise Takahiro and the others.

Click.

The sound of the doorknob turning rang out.

The two watched the doorway while remaining alert to the doll on the table.

A girl appeared through the crack in the door, her entire body blood-red, her eyes black at the bottom, and an eerie smile hanging on her face.

The bizarre sight made Eiji's scalp crawl.

"Jade Dog."

One Jade Dog watched the Rabbit Doll, while the other pounced straight at the Crimson Figure.

Geto did not hesitate either. A pitch-black crack opened behind him, and a small squid-like Cursed Spirit shot out like a bullet.

Smack.

The Crimson Figure, having dodged the Jade Dog's pounce, was struck in the head.

The impact of the Cursed Spirit bullet snapped the Crimson Figure's forehead backward. Then, looking utterly confused, she removed the Squid Cursed Spirit from her forehead and stared at it curiously for a while before suddenly tossing it into her mouth.

As the Crimson Figure slowly savored the Squid Cursed Spirit's flavor, a tall figure appeared behind her.

It was an armored Cursed Spirit over two meters tall—an Oni Warrior.

The Oni Warrior immediately swung its blade. The slow-reacting Crimson Figure gained a massive wound across her body.

The Crimson Figure had no choice but to retreat into the room to avoid the Katana's slash.

The Jade Dog seized the chance and clamped down on the Crimson Figure.

"Ah!"

Unable to break free from the Jade Dog's bite, the Crimson Figure took several more slashes.

Just as the Crimson Figure prepared to retaliate, an immense suction force came from behind her.

Suguru Geto aimed his right hand at the Crimson Figure and activated his Cursed Spirit Manipulation.

The Crimson Figure ran forward desperately. She started by straining with both legs, then eventually dropped to all fours in an attempt to break free of Suguru Geto's Technique.

Within mere seconds, the Crimson Figure was captured by Suguru Geto—but then something unexpected happened.

Just as the Crimson Figure was drawn into Suguru Geto's hand, a tremendous force knocked his hand away.

"Hm?"

Rubbing his right hand, Suguru Geto looked strangely at the Crimson Figure.

Just then, Suguru Geto confirmed something: the Crimson Figure was a Cursed Spirit with an owner.

Eiji, standing nearby, understood that as well.

The Crimson Figure, having been thrown back, lost the mocking look in her eyes. The red color fell from her body and spread through the entire room like blood in an instant.

"Round Deer, Toad."

Though he did not know what was happening, it was certainly nothing good.

Eiji immediately summoned the Round Deer. Geto, who already shared a tacit understanding with Eiji, also immediately summoned two clam-like Cursed Spirits to protect them.

The moment the Toad appeared, it shot its tongue at the Crimson Figure, while Suguru Geto prepared to attack as well.

Just as the Toad's tongue wrapped around the Crimson Figure, the room was completely filled with blood-red light.

The two felt their minds lapse for an instant. Then they found themselves at the school gate.

"A Domain? The Crimson Figure's Domain manifests as the school?"

Suguru Geto looked around in confusion.

"No, something's off."

The sensation was strange. It did not feel like the Domain he had encountered years ago, belonging to the Special Grade Imaginary Curse Spirit, the Half-Body Vengeful Spirit.

Eiji clenched both fists, ready to summon Mahoraga immediately if the situation turned critical.

"If this were a Domain, Ise Takahiro and the others couldn't have remained unharmed for several days in a row, unless this Domain has some special condition."

After saying that, Eiji turned to look behind him. The road was still there, brightly lit as ever.

After pondering for a moment, Eiji made his move.

"Jade Dog."

The Jade Dog emerged from Eiji's shadow and ran outside the school.

Soon, it seemed to crash into an invisible wall.

"Just as I thought. We're back at the school."

"Asuka, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Ise-kun."

As Eiji thought, the people lying on the ground also woke up.

"Who's that?"

Eiji swept his gaze over them and discovered that, besides the four people from the Infirmary during the day, there was one more person with a gloomy expression.

In a horror movie setting, that extra person would definitely be suspicious.

"Ah, his name is Kenji. He's usually very introverted. I invited him to join us before, but he refused."

"Are you sure he's not a problem?"

Eiji was still uneasy.

"Um... he should be fine, right?"

Ise Takahiro was not very confident either. After all, he was not actually familiar with Kenji.

Seeing that, Eiji maintained a degree of vigilance toward the boy named Kenji.

"Geto, have your Cursed Spirits scout the way."

After saying that, Eiji continued examining the transparent wall before him.

"Got it."

As soon as he spoke, hundreds of Cursed Spirits of all kinds spread out through the school.

"I've been meaning to ask, what are those?"

Asuka pointed first at the Round Deer and Jade Dog, then at the dense mass of Cursed Spirits entering the campus.

"In terms you can understand, they're our Shikigami. Geto and I are both Jujutsu Sorcerers who specialize in commanding Shikigami."

"Is that so?"

Though they did not know the two men's exact circumstances, the scene before them reassured Asuka, Ise Takahiro, and the others considerably.

After all, these two truly had real abilities.

"The range is huge. The entire school has been sealed off."

"The entire school? What about the air above us?"

"That's sealed off too. The height is roughly thirty meters. We're like we're inside a box right now."

"I see. It's a Barrier."

"A Barrier?"

Suguru Geto fell into thought. Having not yet entered Tokyo Jujutsu High, he did not know much about Barriers.

"Yeah. Ever since I entered the High School Division during the day, I'd felt that something was off, but I couldn't find the source of that feeling. Now I can finally confirm it—someone set up a Barrier around the school."

"So the Crimson Figure's actions are being controlled by someone behind the scenes? No wonder my Cursed Spirit Manipulation couldn't capture her. But what does the person behind this want? They can't just be trying to scare these people, can they?"

Suguru Geto turned to look at Ise Takahiro and the others.

"Their purpose? We can just drag them out and ask."

Once Eiji confirmed that they had fallen into a Barrier rather than a Domain, he relaxed inwardly as well.

"The Crimson Figure has appeared in the gymnasium."

The sudden announcement interrupted their thoughts.

"In that case, let's deal with that Cursed Spirit first."

"Yeah. You all stay close behind us."

After speaking, Suguru Geto turned to Eiji.

Compared to his own frightening Cursed Spirits, Eiji's Shikigami were better suited to protecting people.

Eiji nodded in understanding. Then the two Jade Dogs came behind the group to protect the ordinary people.

Sure enough, once they saw the two fluffy dogs wagging their tails beside them, everyone's tense nerves eased considerably.