Those who play with fire will burn themselves

[What followed was no different from the previous simulation.]

[Masamichi Yaga called on Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto to take part in the mission to protect the Star Plasma Vessel.]

[Then, considering the danger of this mission and the fact that an ordinary assistant could not accompany them, Masamichi Yaga specifically assigned you to go with them.]

[But before Masamichi Yaga could finish speaking, you had already risen from your classroom seat.]

[Masamichi Yaga looked at you and asked in surprise.]

["What's wrong?"]

["Isn't this mission pretty important? In fact, you could say it's already started. Of course we should get to the Star Plasma Vessel's side as early as possible to protect her, shouldn't we?"]

[You paused, then added.]

["After all, neither Q nor the Time Vessel Association has any reason to sit around waiting for us to start the three-day countdown, right?"]

["Well, you're not wrong..."]

[Masamichi Yaga folded his arms across his chest and, after a moment's thought, found nothing wrong with what you had said.]

["So if there's anything else, fill us in over the phone."]

[As you spoke, you pulled Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto along, hurrying them out.]

["Hey, Shunchen, why are you so eager to play babysitter?"]

[Satoru Gojo complained, looking thoroughly annoyed.]

[Because you acted early, you arrived at the hotel a full half hour earlier than in the previous simulation.]

[After rushing over and finding the hotel calm, with nothing out of the ordinary, Satoru Gojo glanced up at the room on an upper floor and waved a hand at Suguru Geto.]

["You're just bringing that Star Plasma Vessel brat down. You guys can go. Don't bother me with little errands like that."]

[With that, Satoru Gojo yawned and turned toward the vending machine in the corner of the lobby.]

[Watching the utterly untroubled figure of the strongest walk away, Suguru Geto shook his head helplessly.]

["There's no dealing with Satoru... Forget it. Li, let's head up."]

[You and Suguru Geto soon took the elevator to the floor where Riko Amanai was staying.]

[After Suguru Geto checked the room number and was about to open the door, a woman's voice came from inside.]

["Coming."]

[You knew that voice belonged to Misato Kuroi.]

[Immediately afterward, an extremely dangerous surge of Cursed Energy erupted from behind the tightly closed door!]

["Watch out!"]

[Suguru Geto instinctively summoned a spherical Cursed Spirit for defense, intending to wrap it around you both to protect you.]

["No need to panic, Geto."]

[Your voice was frighteningly calm. After all, you had rehearsed this situation countless times.]

[Knowing what would happen next, you activated your Cursed Technique first.]

["Directional Blast Boundary."]

[The violent explosion that should have erupted in the corridor and entryway did not arrive as expected.]

[A tremendous roar did sound, but it seemed somewhat muffled and distant.]

[Suguru Geto discovered to his astonishment that the explosive Cursed Energy that should have engulfed you both had inexplicably changed direction in midair.]

[A massive fireball appeared in the air outside the building, rattling the hotel's reinforced glass as it bloomed uselessly in the sky like a festive firework.]

["What...?"]

[Suguru Geto froze.]

["I've already dealt with the trap inside."]

[As you said this to Suguru Geto, your gaze passed him and locked firmly onto the figure that had just emerged from the shadows at the end of the corridor.]

["Go check on the Star Plasma Vessel and her companion. Leave that bomb-setting rat to me."]

[Suguru Geto gave your back a long look.]

[Though his mind was still full of questions, such as how you had instantly analyzed the opponent's Cursed Technique and altered the explosion's effects, this clearly was not the time to ask.]

["I'll leave him to you."]

[Suguru Geto acted decisively, kicking open Riko Amanai's door.]

[Before Kekun could finish speaking, a girl's scream came flying out along with the door.]

["Aaaah! You with the weird bangs! Are you trying to murder me?!"]

[Next came the sound of something heavy striking a face.]

["Ow... Wait, I'm from Jujutsu High..."]

["Die! You despicable scoundrel!"]

[Judging by the chaotic commotion inside the room, that spirited young lady was completely unharmed.]

[Pulling your thoughts back, you turned your gaze ahead.]

[Standing there was a man in a white military uniform and a black mask: Kekun, one of Q's strongest fighters, and someone you had already dealt with in the previous simulation.]

[At that moment, Kekun was utterly bewildered.]

[He had clearly set up a perfect chain explosion. As soon as someone from Jujutsu High opened the door, or the Star Plasma Vessel tried to escape, that room would become an inferno.]

[But just now... how had the explosion ended up outside the window?]

["That uniform... You're a sorcerer from Jujutsu High, aren't you?"]

[Although his plan had gone awry, Kekun's confidence as a Curse User kept him from choosing to retreat.]

[He looked at you standing before him, a trace of contempt flashing in his eyes.]

["Pretty quick reactions, but it's already too late. If you want someone to hate, hate Tengen..."]

[As Kekun spoke, he quietly reached toward the detonator at his waist.]

[But before he could finish, the vigorous female voice from the room interrupted him.]

["I'm not dying! You insolent wretches!"]

[Kekun's exposed eyes instantly went wide, as though he had heard something utterly absurd.]

["She's not dead?! Impossible... Under a directional blast like that..."]

[He whipped his gaze toward you, an unbelievable thought flashing through his mind.]

[Could you have been responsible for that bizarre redirection of the explosion?]

[But he quickly rejected the thought. Directional Blast Boundary was his unique Innate Cursed Technique, requiring extremely complex Cursed Energy markings and coordinate settings. How could a brat he had met less than ten seconds ago have cracked it?]

["Where are you looking?"]

[Your voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.]

[Kekun paled in shock. The boy who had been more than ten meters away had rushed right up to him while he was distracted!]

[So fast!]

[But this was also an opportunity!]

[A vicious gleam flashed in Kekun's eyes. Since you're delivering yourself right to me, don't blame me for showing no mercy!]

["Die!"]

[Without the slightest hesitation, Kekun slammed his thumb down on the spark wheel of the lighter-shaped Cursed Tool in his hand.]

[That was his killing move. By activating Directional Blast Boundary at close range, he could compress the force of the explosion into an extremely small area and blow the ignorant brat before him-you-to pieces!]

[The crisp scrape of the spark wheel echoed through the corridor. A savage grin had already risen on Kekun's lips, as though he could already see Li Shunchen's flesh and blood flying everywhere.]

[Yet a second passed.]

[The expected explosion aimed at your face did not appear.]

[You still stood before him. In your eyes behind the lenses was the sort of pity one might show a clown, along with a trace of indifference that had long since seen through everything.]

[The next instant, an exceedingly muffled blast suddenly rang out.]

[But it did not come from your body. It came from Kekun's raised right hand, which held the detonator!]

[The instant you charged over, you had already activated Directional Blast Boundary again, a technique you had become extremely proficient with in the simulations.]

[You had not stopped the explosion. Instead, once again, you changed the explosion coordinates Kekun had set from one meter ahead to zero distance-in other words, the palm of Kekun's own hand.]

["Uh... huh?"]

[Kekun stared blankly at his right hand. It was no longer a hand, but a lump of charcoal blasted beyond recognition by the instantaneous heat and impact.]

[Two severed fingers fell onto the carpet with dull thuds.]

[Only then did the excruciating pain finally reach his cerebral cortex.]

["AAAAAAAAAAAH-!!!"]

[His agonized scream instantly rang throughout the entire floor. Blood gushed out, and the sickening smell of scorched flesh rapidly filled the air.]

["Those who play with fire will burn themselves."]