Cutting loose

"What is..."

Kamo Sheng stared dumbstruck at the white monster before him. Terrifying cursed energy howled against his face, shaking him to his core.

"Mahoraga?!"

The older, more knowledgeable Gakuganji finally remembered.

The Dharma Wheel above Ze Zenin's head was no ornament...

It belonged to the ultimate shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique, passed down through generations of the Zenin Clan-

Otherworldly Divine General: Mahoraga!

"Convergence-Piercing Blood!"

Kamo Sheng still had no idea what shikigami Ze Zenin had summoned.

Nor did he know that it was already immune to his cursed technique. He continued attacking Mahoraga with Blood Manipulation.

"What do you think?"

Mahoraga sent his voice to Ze Zenin in the shadows. "Should I finish him off or play around some more?"

"Whatever you like. Just don't kill him. One hit from you could end him," Ze Zenin calmly instructed Mahoraga.

Though Mahoraga had no lips, the corners of his mouth still twitched. "You're pretty demanding, aren't you?!"

"Quit whining."

While the two "people" were talking, Piercing Blood had already struck Mahoraga.

To Kamo Sheng's shock, his Piercing Blood hadn't left a single wound on Mahoraga's body!

"How could..." Kamo Sheng muttered, then raised both hands again. "Supernova!"

"Blood Binding!"

"Blood Meteorite!"

Kamo Sheng's Blood Manipulation kept changing form, sending countless streams of blood stabbing toward the white shikigami.

Yet Mahoraga remained completely unscathed and kept striding forward.

"Why?! Why?!"

Kamo Sheng looked as though his entire faith had crumbled. Only when Mahoraga carried him out of the arena did realization strike.

"It's Mahoraga?!"

The inherited cursed techniques of the Three Great Families were essentially public knowledge. For instance, the other two families had figured out every ability of the Gojo Clan's Limitless.

The reason Kamo Sheng hadn't thought of it at first was that he knew Mahoraga was a shikigami that could never be tamed!

"So that's it..." Kamo Sheng gave a bitter laugh. He understood now.

He knew his cursed technique had already been adapted to. He would probably never be able to defeat Ze Zenin for the rest of his life.

To think someone capable of taming Mahoraga actually existed in this world...

Kamo Sheng took a long look at Mahoraga in the arena, then raised his hand in surrender and silently returned to Kyoto Jujutsu High's team.

Ze Zenin emerged from the shadows, glanced at the people below the arena, then walked toward Tokyo Jujutsu High's team.

Seeing Satoru Gojo looking so dejected, he couldn't help asking, "Why do you look like you lost money?"

"He actually did lose money."

Suguru Geto had regained his usual expression. In front of his two closest friends, he was still putting on an act, behaving just as he always had.

He looked mockingly at Satoru Gojo. "He lost a month's worth of meal money to me."

"Serves you right!"

"It's all your fault! You brought out Mahoraga to stomp a weakling in a low-level match. Have you no shame?!"

"Want me to beat you up too?"

"Like I'm scared of you!"

Satoru Gojo refused to back down. He had just learned Hollow Purple and was feeling full of himself.

"Forget it."

After glancing at Satoru Gojo, Ze Zenin walked over to Shoko and asked, "How was that?"

Shoko smiled playfully. "Not that impressive!

You even brought out a weapon of mass destruction like Mahoraga, after all..."

"How mean. No more free stories for you next time." Ze Zenin looked off to the side, as though he didn't care at all.

"I hope someone can keep talking tough when the time comes." Shoko winked. She knew very well how Ze Zenin hid his feelings behind a prickly attitude.

Meanwhile, among the Kyoto team, Gakuganji was sneaking grave looks at Ze Zenin.

He hadn't expected the Zenin Clan to produce someone like this...

"Naoya." Gakuganji turned to the proud-looking Naoya. "Is he your cousin?"

"Yes, Principal."

Naoya answered coolly. In front of outsiders, he showed none of the warmth he did around Ze Zenin.

Naoya Zenin smiled proudly. "He's not just my cousin. He's also the Zenin Clan's next Clan Head!"

"..."

Gakuganji fell silent for a moment before saying, "Naoya, you draw the next lot."

"All right."

Naoya Zenin stretched his limbs and casually picked up a tag. His expression immediately grew grave.

"Satoru Gojo?!"

With a strained expression, Naoya looked toward Satoru Gojo, who was standing beside Suguru Geto. He had thought he would get the guy with the weird bangs...

"Looks like it's my turn."

Satoru Gojo gave an amused smile as he looked at Naoya.

I hear he's Ze's younger cousin. Too bad he doesn't look much like Ze. Otherwise, beating him up would feel incredibly satisfying.

Satoru Gojo kept that thought to himself, his face betraying nothing.

He stepped into the arena, met Naoya's eyes, and said with interest:

"Oh? Projection Sorcery?"

"The same cursed technique as old man Naobito Zenin..."

"That's right."

Naoya Zenin had certainly seen his share of tense situations. After a brief spell of nerves, he now faced Satoru Gojo without a trace of panic.

"I use my field of vision as the frame, divide one second into twenty-four segments, then replicate the movements. Anyone I touch will..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Satoru Gojo waved dismissively, interrupting his explanation of his cursed technique.

He chuckled at Naoya. "That still depends on who's faster, doesn't it?"

With that, Satoru Gojo teleported behind Naoya. Powerful attraction surged in his hand. "Blue!"

So fast... Before Naoya could even turn around, the immense attraction in Satoru Gojo's hand sent him flying.

"But when it comes to speed, I won't admit defeat!"

Naoya stood back up, cursed energy surging through his entire body-the precursor to activating his cursed technique.

"Projection Sorcery!"

As Naoya activated his cursed technique, his speed kept climbing, and he darted around Satoru Gojo.

"Naoya's speed must already be at least on the level of a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, right?"

Gakuganji looked at the silent Kamo Sheng and said gravely, "Sheng, don't let him outshine you..."

"I won't, Principal."

Bang-

Satoru Gojo caught Naoya's trajectory and deployed Limitless, blocking his fist.

Then blue light surged in Satoru Gojo's hand. He strengthened his punch with Blue and counterattacked.

Naoya quickly blocked, but the tremendous force still hurt, and he retreated three steps.

He planned his movements for the next second again, his speed continuing to increase as he repeatedly used his cursed technique.

Naoya kept completing his predetermined movements. Satoru Gojo moved as well; he knew the rules of this cursed technique.

He had to move during the final twenty-fourth of a second. But since this kid couldn't touch him, all he had to do was make the required movement at the end.

If I can touch Satoru Gojo before he has time to deploy Limitless, I'll have a chance to win!

As he darted around, Naoya kept thinking about how to defeat Satoru Gojo.

By now, his speed had reached a point where the naked eye could barely track him. Naoya flashed behind Satoru Gojo and reached out with his dominant hand.

Satoru Gojo dodged sideways and laughed:

"With all that cursed energy pouring off you, do you really think I can't detect you as I am now?"

"Cursed Technique Reversal-Red!"

A small red sphere of repulsive force formed between Satoru Gojo's fingers. He reduced Red's power to ninety percent of its original strength, but even so...

The tremendous force instantly poured into Naoya, hurling him to the edge of the arena.

"Damn it... I haven't touched him even once!"

Naoya shot Satoru Gojo a resentful look and stood back up, restarting Projection Sorcery.

Satoru Gojo, however, brought his hands together.

"Let me cut loose a little..."

"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue!"

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"

Purple energy shone brilliantly in Satoru Gojo's hands.

"Hollow Technique: Hollow Purple!"