I had no dreams...

A long while passed.

Tsukasa Hatayama put away the parting gift and looked over at Suguru Geto, who was fooling around with Riko Amanai, feeling utterly at ease.

Seeing Geto smile from the heart, Tsukasa finally let go of his lingering worry.

Surely, without Riko Amanai's death or the Time Vessel Association's ugly display, Geto would no longer follow his original descent into darkness.

Next, he needed to shut Yuki Tsukumo's damn mouth and stop Geto from developing that notion about monkeys. After that came Yu Haibara and those two sisters.

Wasn't changing the original story's tragedies the whole point of coming to this world? If he wasn't going to change the outcome, what was he here for-playing house?

If these changes bring karmic consequences, then let them all fall on me. I'll crush them with my Mystic Eyes and my strength!

At that thought, Tsukasa's lips curved slightly. He waved to the three of them. "Let's go, you three. Time to welcome your new lives."

"Yeah!"

The three nodded eagerly and caught up with Tsukasa ahead of them, their steps far lighter than when they had arrived.

Amid thanks, laughter, and cheerful chatter, the four left the Tombs of the Star Corridor.

When the four returned outside, devastation greeted them. The surrounding grounds and residences were a desolate mess.

In the distance, Satoru Gojo slowly descended from the air before Toji Fushiguro, whose breathing was fading.

Compared to his earlier madness, Satoru was now unusually composed. He asked calmly, "Any last words?"

"No."

Toji forced the word out and struggled to lower his head, looking at the left shoulder Hollow Purple had blasted away. Crimson blood spilled uncontrollably from the scarred corner of his mouth.

With such a grievous wound, his failed life flashed through his mind, finally settling on a prickly little boy with spiky hair.

After a moment's distraction, Toji spoke with the calm of a man accepting death. "In two or three years, my kid will be sold to the Zenin Clan. Do whatever you want with him."

With that, Toji slowly closed his eyes and lowered his head. Standing ramrod straight like a warrior who held up the heavens, he slipped into eternal sleep. The Heavenly Restriction Tyrant had officially retired.

The inventory cursed spirit he had kept on his shoulder struggled to crawl to Suguru Geto's feet on its severed wormlike body. "Mama... hold me."

"Uh..."

Suguru's face reddened. Unable to explain himself under Riko Amanai's strange gaze, he helplessly absorbed it with Cursed Spirit Manipulation.

Just then, Satoru Gojo approached the four with the Chain of a Thousand Miles and the Inverted Spear of Heaven.

Seeing Riko Amanai alive and full of energy left Satoru stunned, but fortunately, Suguru explained what had happened.

After learning everything that had happened in the Tombs of the Star Corridor, Satoru wordlessly thumped Tsukasa's chest in gratitude.

While guarding the star plasma vessel, he had worried about ending up on the opposite side from Tsukasa. Now, though, it seemed Tsukasa was another Jujutsu High rebel.

Just as I thought, the bond between the three of us is unbreakable!

"Stop looking at me with those lovesick eyes!" Goosebumps rose all over Tsukasa, and he lost his composure, pushing the hand off his chest.

Satoru pouted pitifully, pitching his voice higher and daintily curling his fingers. "You're so mean~ You insensitive jerk~"

"Your little Satoru is every bit as good as your senior Mei Mei. Let me wash your underwear for the next two years, okay?"

Tsukasa's mouth twitched violently. He wondered whether Toji had stabbed something loose in Satoru's brain. Unable to bear the sight, he kicked him away.

Just as he was about to pin Satoru down and teach him a lesson, the phone in his pocket rang.

Tsukasa had to shelve that idea and step aside to answer.

"Hello?"

"Tsukasa, are Geto and Satoru with you? Neither of them is answering my calls. I'm worried something happened while they were guarding the star plasma vessel." Masamichi Yaga's stern voice came through the phone.

Tsukasa glanced back at the four lively figures and said gravely, "They're both with me. They suffered serious injuries. If I hadn't gotten back in time, they might have died on Mount Enzan."

"And the star plasma vessel... was already dead when I arrived!"

The moment he said that, a furious slam against a desk sounded on the other end.

"Those bastards think they're above the law! The Time Vessel Association went too far this time. They actually hired the sorcerer killer, the Heavenly Restriction Tyrant!"

"They even dared to break into Mount Enzan to assassinate the star plasma vessel! The higher-ups have decided to restructure the Time Vessel Association. Everyone involved will be executed!"

Tsukasa uncovered the ear he had shielded beforehand and gathered his words. "Who will carry out the executions? Don't tell me it's still Geto and Satoru?"

Masamichi Yaga considered for a moment. "Tsukasa, you know neither school has anyone to spare right now. Everyone's away dealing with the surge in curses."

"Even I'm in Saitama exorcising curses..."

"Leave it to me. I'll carry out the executions," Tsukasa interrupted, his voice remarkably calm.

"All right."

Once he had that approval, Tsukasa hung up and returned to the four as if nothing had happened, leaving with them amid laughter and conversation.

Unbeknownst to them, shortly after they left, a woman with an eerie beauty emerged from the shadows. With an unfathomable look in her eyes, she picked up Suguru Geto's arm.

6:00 p.m.

The House of the Star Child, the Time Vessel Association's headquarters in Kyoto.

A pitch-black Curtain slowly descended. Holding Kitetsu, Tsukasa walked calmly along an entirely red-brick path lined with stone pillars.

Tsukasa climbed the steps as though ascending a stairway to heaven. His thumb slowly pushed Kitetsu from its sheath, and crimson killing intent engulfed the ship-shaped residence before him.

After passing through a corridor suffused with red light, Tsukasa pushed open the closed doors, his heart utterly still.

The first thing he heard was applause in unison, coming from a group of middle-aged men and women wearing bizarre smiles and feigning benevolence.

Dressed in spotless white as though they were innocents, they maliciously applauded, mocking Tsukasa as he entered.

"Who are you?"

"Where are Shiu Kong and Toji Fushiguro?"

"Did they finish the assassination I hired them for?"

A middle-aged man with a lump on his forehead stepped forward, arrogantly firing three fatal questions at the expressionless Tsukasa.

Whoosh!

Red light flashed, and Kitetsu sliced Shigeru Sonoda's head in two. The blade greedily drank in the blood clinging to it.

"Aah!!!"

Countless screams of terror echoed through the hall, which resembled a place of worship.

They frantically fled deeper inside, some even trying to climb out the windows in their panic, but the Dark Matter spikes spreading outside blocked every escape!

Tsukasa watched impassively with his red eyes and said quietly, "I have no dreams, but I can protect other people's dreams. I can even make them come true with my own hands."

"I don't care how fanatically you worship Tengen. But for your own selfish desires, you nearly destroyed the light in the eyes of my two closest friends."

"To preserve that light in both of them, I chose to shoulder everything alone. Now... it's time you paid for that selfishness."

Tsukasa advanced with his sword, reaping every life like death itself. Behind the endless wails lay nothing but splashes of scalding blood.

Like a flower at dawn, he bloomed amid the slaughter.

One minute later.

The metallic tang of blood rose through the old-fashioned hall. Apart from Shigeru Sonoda, whose head had been sliced apart, the other ninety-nine had each had their throats cut with a single stroke.

"Mission complete."

Tsukasa twirled his sword and sheathed it, his heart as still as water. As relaxed as though he had killed a few cursed spirits on an ordinary day, he left the hall without the slightest guilt.

As he drew a breath of fresh air, the short-haired woman who had been waiting nearby made him freeze.

"Hi~"

Kaori Itadori waved seductively in greeting, acting as though they were already close. She made no attempt to hide the affection in her eyes.

Tsukasa slowly recovered. His red eyes fixed intently on the stitched scar across Kaori Itadori's forehead before he drew the newly sheathed Kitetsu again.

"Don't be like that. I just want to have a nice, quiet chat with you~" Kaori protested, looking utterly pitiful.

Tsukasa's brows knitted tightly. Without indulging her flirtation, he said, "Disgusting."

"Only for you~" Kaori flushed with excitement, looking bashful, as though the person standing before her were her greatest love.

"Shameless!"

Thoroughly disgusted, Tsukasa cursed without a care for his image.

Kaori shyly covered her face and said as though embarrassed, "Ooh~ I'm only shameless for you. I've missed you so much my breasts are full of milk~"

"Why don't you come have a taste? It's my first time being a mommy~"

"You have a death wish!"

Furious, Tsukasa was determined to charge over with his sword and cut down this lewd woman.

"You're so mean~ You men are so rough, always fighting and killing. Why don't we sit down and talk? We could even have a secret affair."

Kaori continued her frivolous teasing, plainly ready to offer herself the moment he agreed.

Her eagerness made Tsukasa's brows twitch. This female version of Kenjaku had left him speechless. He wanted so badly to cut her down!