I'm so glad you're okay

A deafening boom suddenly erupted from the direction Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto had gone!

Flames shot skyward, and billowing black smoke instantly swept across half the street. Violent explosions rang out one after another, plunging the entire Shopping Street into chaos.

The shops lining the street exploded and collapsed in succession, sending shards of glass, rubble, and splintered wood flying everywhere. Several exquisitely decorated dessert shops suffered particularly powerful blasts and were instantly swallowed by flames and thick smoke.

It was a weekday afternoon, and Shopping Street had not been crowded to begin with. After the relentless, terrifying explosions swept through it, the entire street fell deathly silent. Almost no living passersby could be seen amid the wreckage, and the devastation was horrific.

Thick smoke billowed, obscuring their vision. No one knew how much danger lay beneath the ruins.

Qingxiao immediately put aside all his embarrassment. His expression turned cold and grave, the air around him abruptly tensing as he stared warily into the smoke ahead.

"Something's wrong," Qingxiao said quietly, his tone grave.

The smile vanished completely from Shoko's face as well. Intense unease welled up within her, and she pressed her lips together, instinctively moving closer to Qingxiao. "Satoru and Geto just went that way... Will they be okay?"

Her voice carried a barely perceptible tremor, her heart filled with concern for her companions.

Qingxiao clenched his jaw slightly, his gaze fixed on the depths of the smoke. Just as he was about to reassure Shoko, a sharp rush of air suddenly pierced the heavy black smoke, hurtling straight toward them!

It was a massive chunk of concrete, its broken rebar jutting out viciously. Carrying the lingering force of the explosion and a terrifying impact, it flew at tremendous speed. It was only a few meters away and would reach them in an instant!

There was no time to react. The concrete chunk was headed straight for the entire area where they stood side by side. Neither retreating nor dodging sideways was possible in time.

Qingxiao was closer, his eyes already locked on the incoming danger. In that critical instant between life and death, he did not hesitate, instinctively shielding the defenseless Shoko beside him.

He stepped halfway across, shielding Shoko completely behind him. At the same time, he drew his arms in and pulled her tightly into his embrace, spreading his broad, straight back fully in the path of the deadly impact.

The next second, bang!!!

The heavy concrete chunk slammed into Qingxiao's broad back!

The hard edges of the rebar tore through his skin and flesh. With the ripping sound of fabric, the brand-new shirt he had just changed into was instantly shredded. His back split open, and scarlet blood immediately soaked through the dark fabric in an alarming sight.

Held tightly in his arms, Shoko's mind went completely blank, her whole body going rigid.

Since childhood, she had served in rear-line Cursed Technique support, spending her years safely behind the front lines, responsible for healing and assistance. She had never directly faced such a perilous, imminent threat to her life.

Only when Qingxiao held her firmly in his arms, when she felt his solid embrace and the sudden, crushing impact, did she fully snap out of the relaxed mood of their shopping trip and confront this unexpected life-or-death crisis.

Qingxiao's distinctively clean, crisp, youthful scent lingered around her nose, mingling with a faint fragrance of soap and making her feel utterly safe.

He held her so tightly, his arms locked around her, afraid that even the slightest shock wave might hurt her. His broad back completely shielded her from danger.

This was the first time anyone had protected her so heedless of their own life-not because she was Jujutsu Society's medical treasure, but simply because she was herself.

The instant the impact struck, Shoko distinctly felt the young man's body shudder in front of her. A low, stifled grunt escaped him, restrained as he endured the intense pain, making her heart suddenly clench.

"Qingxiao!"

Shoko instantly came to her senses. In a panic, she reached up to steady his shoulders and hurriedly struggled to lift her head to check his injuries, her eyes filled with distress for him.

Smoke still drifted everywhere, and danger remained all around them, but at that moment, she could see only the injured young man before her.

"Don't move. I'll heal you!" Shoko suppressed her panic and lingering fear, immediately activating Reverse Cursed Technique. Soft, gentle cursed energy instantly enveloped Qingxiao's back.

Qingxiao drew a deep breath, his voice slightly hoarse. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Looking at the young man before her, whose wounds were gruesome yet whose first thought had been of her, Shoko felt the aching distress she had just suppressed surge back up, mingling with a flutter she could hardly conceal.

Shoko could no longer maintain her usual calm composure. She averted her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze directly, her voice trembling slightly. "You... You're hurt this badly. Could you look after yourself first?"

Reverse Cursed Technique slowly soothed the tearing pain, and the wounds healed at a visible pace. Although the injuries looked frightening, they were not very deep. They had only broken the skin, with even the deepest cut no more than a centimeter.

In just a few seconds, the injuries had mostly healed, and the pain had diminished considerably.

Feeling the pain in his back gradually fade, Qingxiao looked down at his tattered, bloodstained shirt. He simply raised a hand, ripped apart the remaining fabric, then pulled it off and tossed it aside.

He took a slight breath, his tone urgent and grave. "Shoko, I'm taking you out of this danger zone right now, somewhere safe."

He paused, his eyes fixed on the billowing smoke ahead, and his tone grew heavier. "Then I have to go back immediately to help Satoru and Geto."

"This explosion definitely wasn't an accident. It was far too targeted. It was most likely aimed at Satoru."

"I know. You don't need to worry about me. I can protect myself."

Shoko paused, her tone carrying unmistakable concern. "But you were just injured. Even though the wounds have healed, your body must still be affected. You have to be careful. And Satoru and Geto... Will they be okay?"

Qingxiao lowered his head to look at the girl in his arms. Some of the gravity faded from his eyes, and his tone was certain. "Don't worry. They're both strong. They'll be fine for now.

"But the longer we delay, the more dangerous it'll get. I have to reach them as soon as possible."

Without further hesitation, he bent down and scooped Shoko up. Pushing off with his feet, he shot forward, weaving through the ruined streets at tremendous speed. Intending to leave the dangerous streets at the heart of the explosions quickly, he raced toward a safe area in the distance.