100 meters

"Heh..."

Kasumi Miwa couldn't help chuckling as she looked at Mai, who clearly didn't mean what she said.

She had younger siblings herself and knew very well how hard it was to put the bond between sisters into words!

"What are you laughing at?"

Seeing Kasumi Miwa snickering, Mai shouted at her in irritation.

"Nothing, I just thought of something nice. Maki, tell me more about that handsome guy from earlier!"

Seeing that Mai was angry, Kasumi Miwa immediately changed the subject.

Faced with Kasumi Miwa's enthusiasm, Maki held nothing back and told her about Yuanfang.

Mai seemed to be keeping watch nearby, but she was actually listening intently too.

Meanwhile, the man they were talking about was continuously reaping the lives of Cursed Spirits.

"Twenty-five meters isn't enough. I need to move faster!"

With that, Yuanfang abruptly picked up his pace.

It wasn't that he didn't want to take his time fighting. The problem was that if he went too slowly and everyone else finished off the spirits, he wouldn't even have anywhere to cry.

He couldn't help wishing his domain covered a kilometer. He wouldn't even have to lift a finger; he could simply stay there and absorb an endless supply of cursed energy.

Whether someone else exorcised a Cursed Spirit or he did it himself, he could absorb all of its cursed energy just the same.

Time passed, second by second, and the number of Cursed Spirits steadily dwindled. Only when night was about to fall did they finally finish exorcising them all!

In a corner somewhere, Yuanfang was grinning almost from ear to ear.

"A hundred meters. Who would've thought!"

Looking at his domain, with its fifty-meter radius and hundred-meter diameter, Yuanfang couldn't help marveling!

This far exceeded his expectations.

It was all thanks to his decision not to strengthen his body, instead pouring all the cursed energy he absorbed into expanding his domain.

At that thought, tears of regret threatened to fill his eyes. He should have expanded his domain first from the start and taken his time improving his physique.

Then his domain might have reached around a hundred and thirty or forty meters this time.

Of course, he was only grumbling. If his physique wasn't strong enough, even killing a Cursed Spirit would be a struggle. How the hell would he absorb any cursed energy then?

Yuanfang stopped dwelling on it and went to find Maki and the others.

He found them shortly afterward, with Mai standing off to the side wearing a sour expression.

Kasumi Miwa and Maki were chatting and laughing, seemingly having a great time.

"Sorry for the trouble!"

"It was no trouble!"

When Yuanfang appeared, he was still in high spirits as he thanked them.

Kasumi Miwa immediately waved it off.

"We're leaving. Maki, stop holding your teammates back!"

Mai didn't want to stay any longer. She called to Kasumi Miwa, making sure to take a jab at Maki as well.

Maki didn't get angry and maintained a calm expression.

Inside, however, those words had struck a nerve. She was already planning how to train properly and grow stronger.

"Let's head back!"

Yuanfang didn't say anything else and called for Maki to return to Jujutsu High with him.

He wanted to see whether his presence had changed the plot at all.

Yuanfang would prefer things to follow the original plot, with Suguru Geto dying at Jujutsu High and Kenjaku eventually taking over his body.

Otherwise, his knowledge of the original plot wouldn't be much use.

That would seriously hinder his plans.

Japan's land area was small, so the trip back was quick.

They soon returned to the school. Seeing the now more cheerful Yuta Okkotsu, Yuanfang figured the plot probably hadn't changed much.

Then, after hearing what had happened from Yuta Okkotsu, he became even more certain that his arrival hadn't altered the plot.

"I can't believe you became a Special Grade and went straight to graduating in just one night! Now you're our senior. I'm a little jealous!"

Panda slapped Yuta Okkotsu hard on the shoulder, his little eyes brimming with envy!

"Salmon!"

Toge Inumaki was wrapped in bandages, but there was no jealousy on his face, only congratulations!

A flash of envy passed through Maki's eyes.

She really hadn't expected this gentle, timid boy to defeat someone as powerful as Suguru Geto.

She had to put in effort just to kill a few Cursed Spirits. There was simply no comparison.

"Haha!"

Yuta Okkotsu scratched his head bashfully, unsure what to say!

Now that Rika had passed on, the knot in his heart had finally unraveled, leaving him a bright, cheerful young man.

"Congratulations!"

Yuanfang congratulated him with a smile.

He liked seeing Yuta this way too. Of course, the most important thing was that he finally had a reason to openly absorb Yuta Okkotsu's cursed energy.

The next morning.

Yuanfang and the others had free time around the school. Satoru Gojo wasn't there.

Yuanfang suspected he was hiding in some corner, quietly grieving over Suguru Geto!

"Come on, Yuta. Let me see what you can do now that you're a Special Grade!"

Since Satoru Gojo was absent, Yuta Okkotsu would be staying at the school for a few more days before leaving and officially graduating.

That gave Yuanfang a perfect chance to absorb his cursed energy.

"I look forward to learning from you!"

Although he was now officially a Special Grade, Yuta Okkotsu didn't dare underestimate Yuanfang.

After all, even Satoru Gojo could be countered by Yuanfang. Yuta felt his own chances were uncertain too.

"Come on!"

Yuanfang held a Tang-style saber, ready to match swordsmanship with him.

Of course, that was just an excuse. The real issue was that punches and kicks wouldn't let him absorb much cursed energy!

Maki, Panda, and Toge Inumaki watched from the side, a little nervous. This was a Special Grade battle, after all.

Yuta Okkotsu drew his katana and prepared to attack Yuanfang!

"Wait!"

"What's wrong?"

Yuta Okkotsu stopped halfway through his charge, thoroughly puzzled. The three spectators were just as confused.

None of them understood why Yuanfang had suddenly called a halt.

"You have even more cursed energy than Gojo-sensei. Why not try using it inside my Cursed Technique?"

Yuanfang was rather exasperated. What the hell was the point of fighting without using cursed energy?

All he cared about was cursed energy. What did sparring matter?

"Wouldn't that be a bit unfair?"

Despite saying that, Yuta Okkotsu actually wanted to try it too. What was a Cursed Technique capable of suppressing Satoru Gojo really like?

"Don't worry. Go ahead!"

"All right, I won't hold back!"

As he spoke, Yuta Okkotsu rapidly channeled the cursed energy in his body into his katana.

A layer of purple cursed energy instantly enveloped the entire blade.

But it vanished before even a second had passed!

"What?"

He hadn't put much cursed energy into the blade just now, but it had still been roughly equivalent to that of a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit.

For that much cursed energy to disappear instantly was simply unbelievable!

"Keep going. Let me see the limits of your cursed energy-and the limits of my Cursed Technique!"

"All right!"

Since Yuanfang had said so, Yuta Okkotsu went all out this time, pouring out his cursed energy without interruption!