Chapter-271
Mei Mei didn't ask why Zenin Kiyoshi was here. Up until now, she still believed that she was dead. Otherwise, what reason could explain Zenin Kiyoshi appearing in front of her now?
She remembered very clearly that Zenin Kiyoshi had died ten years ago, and it was she who buried him herself.
But... none of that matters anymore. So what if the Zenin Kiyoshi in front of me is a ghost?
She had been searching for him for ten whole years, and whether or not the person appearing before her now was the real Zenin Kiyoshi, it didn't matter to her.
Just being able to hear that familiar voice again, feel his warmth again, and talk to him again is enough.
But when Mei Mei felt the warmth and touch of the other person's body, when Mei Mei heard Ui Ui's heart-wrenching wail behind her, and when Mei Mei felt a slight stinging sensation in her body, she suddenly realized that she was not dead!
She is still alive. It was Zenin Kiyoshi who protected her. It was Zenin Kiyoshi, who had been dead for ten years, who protected her.
At that moment, her brain seemed to freeze.
Looking at the man before her, countless possibilities flashed through her mind. Could it be that Zenin Kiyoshi had been faking his death all along? Had this guy been deceiving her for ten years? Or was it some kind of magic? A spirit summoning technique?
No, that's not right!
The Zenin Kiyoshi in front of him clearly did not have the eerie aura unique to spirit summoning techniques. His pupils were a normal color, and his aura was no different from ten years ago.
Moreover, compared to so-called perception and judgment, Mei Mei is more willing to believe in her own soul.
The moment she saw the man before her, she knew in her heart that he was Zenin Kiyoshi; her soul had already given the affirmative answer.
But why did he come back to life?!
A flood of doubts brewed in Mei Mei's heart. She wanted to ask something, but found that she couldn't say anything.
Zenin Kiyoshi gently squeezed Mei Mei's hand and whispered:
"I'm sorry, I know you must have a lot of questions right now, but this is not the time to explain those things. That guy hasn't been dealt with yet, and Satoru has been imprisoned in the prison. I still have a lot to do."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Mei Mei simply shook her head, then said:
"I know those things, you don't need to tell me. I just want to ask you, will you leave here again? How long will you stay away from us? To be honest, I don't want to hear any more words that might give me false hope."
Mei Mei's words caused Zenin Kiyoshi to fall silent for a moment, then he said:
"I don't know. Maybe I'll leave after tonight, but maybe not. I'm not sure. Even why I'm here is a mystery. I can't give you a definite answer."
"Is that so...? That's very much in line with your personality all along. You always handle things quietly by yourself and then leave on your own. You're such an infuriating guy!"
At this point, Mei Mei let out a deep breath and then said:
"However, this is your own decision, and there's nothing I can do to change it. But before that, you need to finish everything and give us an explanation before you leave! Otherwise, no matter where you hide, I will definitely find you!"
Now, the most important thing you should do is kill that bastard who's controlling Geto's corpse!
After saying that, Mei Mei swung her giant axe once more. With the sound of flesh being cleaved, the writhing Cursed Spirit that was tightly protecting the rope was cut in two by Mei Mei.
Warm blood and Cursed Energy splattered everywhere. Kenjaku stared at all of this, his eyes filled with indescribable astonishment.
"Zenin Kiyoshi?! You?! Didn't you die ten years ago? Why are you still alive? Did you also master that kind of technique? Or did you obtain something from Master Tengen?!"
The moment Kenjaku saw Zenin Kiyoshi, he was shocked by the familiar magical power emanating from Zenin Kiyoshi.
While it's rare for people in this world to have extremely similar appearances and techniques, it's not unheard of.
But Cursed Energy is different. It's like a human fingerprint; you can't find another Cursed Energy in the whole world that looks exactly the same.
The "texture" of magical power is unique; each sorcerer's magical power has a unique fluctuation.
The Zenin Kiyoshi standing before him at this moment possessed the same quality of Cursed Energy as the boy who should have died under the [Balance] mechanism ten years ago!
Zenin Kiyoshi did not answer Kenjaku's question.
He simply shielded Mei Mei behind him, then his muscles bulged slightly as he simultaneously activated the projection spell and the Limitless technique. Under the combined effect of the two, the magical power flowing through Zenin Kiyoshi's body caused the surrounding air to tremble.
Answer me!
For the first time, Kenjaku's voice revealed a hint of almost demanding curiosity:
"How on earth did you get back from that place?!"
Zenin Kiyoshi gazed at the rope controlling Geto Suguru's corpse, his anger rising. Although he knew perfectly well that everything was fake, he still couldn't maintain his composure when he saw his friend's body being desecrated in such a way.
Seeing that Zenin Kiyoshi did not answer his question or say anything more, Kenjaku directly activated his spell, summoning the top-level spirit he had mastered using Geto Suguru's body.
"Special Grade Imaginary Cursed Spirit - Smallpox Deity!"
As a Cursed Spirit exuding a strong, rotten stench emerged from beside Geto Suguru, the figures of Zenin Kiyoshi and Mei Mei were instantly trapped inside the Simple Domain of the Smallpox Deity.
But the next moment, Zenin Kiyoshi had already torn apart the head of the Smallpox Deity with his hands, and directly pushed the Smallpox Deity's domain out through his own Simple Domain.
"Get out of Geto's body."
Zenin Kiyoshi's voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling and murderous intent that sent shivers down one's spine.
Seeing this, Kenjaku's smile deepened. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, as if she wanted to learn the most secret in the world from him.
However, after Zenin Kiyoshi displayed his almost abnormal strength, Kenjaku did not rush to make a move. She had not forgotten the fundamental purpose of this Shibuya operation.
The ultimate goal is to [activate the Culling Game]!
As for Zenin Kiyoshi's appearance, although it was far beyond his expectations, compared to the "Culling Game" which had been planned for thousands of years, Zenin Kiyoshi's reappearance absolutely could not be a reason to prevent the Culling Game from proceeding smoothly.
Chapter-272
His strength has hardly changed since he died ten years ago... His appearance, body structure, and physique are exactly the same as I remember.
Kenjaku squinted at the Zenin Kiyoshi in front of him, his mind racing with thoughts.
Kenjaku could say that he knows the most secrets about this world.
After death, spirits, humans, and sorcerers all go to a certain space.
That space was hard to describe.
It was a completely enclosed, black space with no up, down, left, or right directions, and no light source.
But there you can see things without any vision, and you can walk smoothly without stepping on anything.
Kenjaku had been to that place during his first brain transplant due to an operational error.
There he saw many people who had long since died, and they remained there as if waiting for him to pass by.
In that space, Kenjaku spoke with those who had long since died, but for some reason, after leaving, Kenjaku couldn't remember anything. She only forgot the content of the conversation; she still remembered the process of the conversation.
It was because of that near-death experience that Kenjaku fully realized that things like heaven and hell might really exist.
However, after successfully undergoing the brain transplant, Kenjaku did not attempt to do it again, as the experience was far too dangerous, and if he was not careful, he would very likely die.
But now Zenin Kiyoshi, who should have been dead for ten years, has appeared before her, and he appeared right after she used the spirit summoning technique. Could it be that Zenin Kiyoshi really knows some kind of secret that she doesn't know about?
Did the spirit summoning technique really have some strange effect?
Kenjaku felt her mind was in a mess, but looking at Zenin Kiyoshi, whose strength was completely unaffected, she chose not to confront him directly. For her, dealing with a top-tier combatant like Zenin Kiyoshi would leave her severely weakened, even if she won in the end.
The cunning Cursed Spirit of Mahito is now very wary of him. If his condition deteriorates, he may not be able to devour the other party.
[Idle Transfiguration] But the main goal of my plan this time is not to waste so much effort on a dead person.
Zenin Kiyoshi's current state cannot be maintained for long; I should avoid confrontation for now.
After figuring out his next course of action, Kenjaku didn't hesitate to use the kung fu created by the Smallpox Deity to escape directly behind him.
Furthermore, while fleeing, they released a large number of Grade 1 and Grade 2 Cursed Spirits, causing these spirits to indiscriminately kill ordinary people on the roadside in order to delay Zenin Kiyoshi's time.
Geto Suguru's health is still very important; how could he possibly be handed over here?
Watching Kenjaku's fleeing figure, Zenin Kiyoshi didn't rush to chase after him. Looking at the Cursed Spirits released by Kenjaku, he knew what his primary objective was now.
First, deal with those Cursed Spirits. Then, see if we can kill Mahito before Kenjaku devours him.
If it's truly impossible to kill Mahito, then set up a Barrier to confine Kenjaku's plan within a certain area, minimizing the disaster that is about to sweep across most of the region.
"Chase after them!"
Mei Mei's voice rang out, but was pulled back by Zenin Kiyoshi. He looked at Mei Mei's puzzled gaze and patiently explained:
"Our primary objective is to protect the lives of ordinary people. We are fighting to protect ordinary people, not to kill those Curse Users. Moreover, that guy is very strong, and the aftershocks of the battle alone could kill many ordinary people."
Therefore, all things considered, he is not a good target. First, kill the released Cursed Spirits, then go help the other members of the advanced class.
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Mei Mei smiled faintly. She looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, sighed slowly, and said:
"You're still the same as before, always prioritizing everyone's safety. But we've all been prepared to die for this for a long time. Didn't you say yourself that there's no such thing as a death without regrets for a sorcerer? But sometimes, even though there may be regrets, we're not afraid when we make those choices."
Zenin Kiyoshi smiled upon hearing this, then stretched out his hand, and vines sprouted from the ground, completely sealing off the surrounding space. The released Cursed Spirits were also sealed off at this moment.
"So a lot of the time you guys are very selfish. You always like to use some of the things I said to do things, even though that's not what I meant. But you always like to put the blame on me."
I can say that I have no regrets about dying, but no one is an island. After you die, you should also consider the feelings of others. After all, for me, the death of any one of you would make me very sad, wouldn't it?
Mei Mei didn't answer, but instead hugged Zenin Kiyoshi tightly and whispered:
"To hear you say these words after so long, I have nothing to regret..."
As she spoke, Mei Mei's voice trembled slightly with tears.
Zenin Kiyoshi felt the faint trembling in his arms; he seemed to be able to sense the trembling in the other's soul.
He gently patted Mei Mei's back, and just then, Ui Ui's voice came over, carrying an undisguised mix of jealousy and worry:
"Big sister! Are you alright?! Hey! I don't care who you are, let go of big sister right now!"
Hearing Ui Ui's words, Zenin Kiyoshi subconsciously loosened his arm, but was pulled back by Mei Mei the next moment.
Ui Ui naturally noticed this scene, but the intense jealousy in his heart made it impossible for him to remain calm at this moment. He rushed forward, trying to pull Mei Mei out of the Zenin's embrace.
Just as Zenin Kiyoshi was at a loss, Itadori hugged Ui Ui from behind, then looked at Zenin Kiyoshi in front of him, took a deep breath and said:
"I don't know if you're the Zenin Kiyoshi that Gojo-sensei keeps talking about, but I can sense that you're very strong, so... could you please rescue Gojo-sensei?! Please!"
After saying that, Itadori picked up Ui Ui and sat down on the ground.
Zenin Kiyoshi smiled and nodded at Itadori's straightforward request, then said:
"It's something I should do anyway. Although we've never met, I'm practically your teacher. If you encounter any danger tonight, be sure to call my name."
Also... I'm truly sorry that as an adult I've made you risk your life here."
Chapter-273
The moment the Zenin Kiyoshi finished speaking, Itadori felt his face turn slightly red.
It wasn't the kind of blushing that comes from romantic love, but rather the excitement and thrill of receiving unconditional appreciation from someone in a superior's position.
He took a deep breath, then stood up with Ui Ui in his arms. Looking at the gradually closing in of the Cursed Spirits, Itadori swallowed hard. Although the Cursed Spirits around him were generally not high-level, Itadori still felt extremely dangerous given their large numbers.
It was at this moment that Mei Mei finally left Zenin Kiyoshi's embrace, but she still clung tightly to Zenin Kiyoshi's sleeve, as if afraid that he would disappear again.
After calming herself down a bit, she turned to Ui Ui and said:
"Ui Ui, I'm sorry to have worried you. Also, he is..."
Before Mei Mei could finish speaking, Ui Ui's reply came through:
"I know who he is, sister!"
Ui Ui bit her lip, looking at Zenin Kiyoshi with a complicated expression, her voice carrying a hint of jealousy and unspoken envy:
"The person in the photo in your room, sister… that's him, right? I know you often cry when you look at his photo, and I've already looked into it. He's Zenin Kiyoshi, a college student who was a year younger than you ten years ago."
Zenin Kiyoshi knelt down, looking the boy in the eye, his voice gentle and kind:
"You must be called Ui Ui, right? When Mei Mei was in danger just now, you kept trying to rush over to save her. Just for that, you are a very excellent and qualified younger brother. I think Mei Mei must be very proud to have a younger brother like you."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Ui Ui's face flushed red, but when he saw that Mei Mei's hand was still being held by Zenin Kiyoshi, his expression immediately turned serious again.
"Don't think I'll approve of you just because you said those things! You've made my sister cry so many times... Even if you wanted to be my brother-in-law, I would never agree. A real man doesn't make the woman who loves him cry..."
However, just before Ui Ui was about to make some even more shocking remarks, Mei Mei calmly interrupted him.
"long."
Mei Mei interrupted him softly, her voice neither hurried nor slow. But Ui Ui, who knew her older sister's personality well, knew that this was Mei Mei's most stern and serious warning. If she continued, she might face her sister's coldness when she got back.
"Some things can be discussed later. Right now, the most important thing is to deal with those Cursed Spirits that are closing in. You are also a sorcerer, so you need to understand the priorities of things."
Hearing Mei Mei's teachings, Ui Ui's expression immediately changed, and she said to Mei Mei with almost excitement:
"Yes, big sister! I will take good care of these things!"
While the group was talking, the surrounding Cursed Spirits launched an attack on them.
Seeing this, Zenin Kiyoshi simply raised his hand, and countless vines pierced the ground, tearing and piercing the bodies of those Cursed Spirits.
As he dealt with the surrounding Cursed Spirits, he spoke to the people around him:
"Mei Mei, you and Ui Ui will take each other and, relying on your high mobility, do your best to rescue the remaining members of the Advanced Specialist Team here."
Pink-haired boy, you are very strong, and you also have the aura of Sukuna within you. You will most likely be the main target of those guys. You will leave here alone later and report the news of the five seals. Then I will follow you all the way, protect your safety, and take down those guys who want to kill you.
As for these Cursed Spirits here, they aren't very strong. I could wipe them all out by myself!
After saying that, Zenin Kiyoshi didn't wait for their reply. Instead, he manipulated the surrounding vine cage, creating a hole, and threw Mei Mei and Ui Ui out.
Just before being thrown out by the Zenin, Mei Mei said in a hoarse, almost pleading voice:
"This time, please don't leave without saying goodbye again, okay? No matter what, at least let me know where you've gone, or I will never let you off the hook!"
Mei Mei's words stirred a slightly complex feeling in Zenin Kiyoshi's heart. He nodded heavily and then replied:
"I will tell you exactly where I am, no matter what, I swear on my life!"
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi say this, Mei Mei felt relieved and left the subway station with Ui Ui.
The moment Ui Ui left the Zenin, she spoke directly to Mei Mei:
"Sister! I knew you were lying to that guy. Let's go back to the hotel we marked earlier! I've already ordered red wine and steak there. If we go back now, it should still be warm!"
However, just when Ui Ui thought Mei Mei would definitely agree to her request, Mei Mei directly and decisively rejected her.
"Ui Ui, after he left, many things became meaningless to me, which is why I made that choice. But this time is different. Even if I die here, I will not choose to escape."
There are always some things that come above all else.
Her ethereal white hair fluttered in the surging magical energy as she gripped her brother's wrist, her gaze sharp as an eagle's.
"Sometimes I want to be willful, Ui Ui."
"But it's my sister!"
Ui Ui's eyes were red with anxiety, and his voice was filled with anger and confusion:
"That man abandoned you ten years ago, and he might do the same thing again now!"
"Then let him leave."
The voice of the underworld suddenly calmed down, carrying a resolute meaning that even Ui Ui felt a little scared.
"But before he abandons me, before he makes his own choice, I must fulfill my promise!"
She gazed into the ever-expanding darkness in the distance, where the aura of the Cursed Spirit grew stronger.
Mei Mei's intuition, as a Grade 1 sorcerer, was frantically telling her that a large number of Cursed Spirits must be gathering ahead.
Listen...
Just as they were about to leave the tunnel, Mei Mei suddenly crouched down and placed her hands on Ui Ui's shoulders:
"Ui Ui, go find Principal Yaga now and tell him everything that happened here, especially the news of Xiaoqing's appearance. You must convey this to him; it is extremely important."
Ui Ui's lips trembled as he looked anxiously at Mei Mei before him:
"But sister, if you encounter any danger here all by yourself and I'm not by your side, it might be too late!"
"I will complete the task he gave me."
Mei Mei stood up, twirling the axe in his hand:
"This is the sorcerer's duty, and also… something he entrusted to me."
She glanced one last time in the direction of Zenin Kiyoshi, a complex smile playing on her lips.
"If he dares to leave without saying goodbye again this time..."
Mei Mei whispered, as if making a vow or talking to herself:
"No matter where he goes, we must find him and give him a good beating!"
Chapter-274
Ui Ui stared blankly at Mei Mei. At this moment, her older sister was both unfamiliar and familiar to her.
The person in front of him was still his doting older sister, but she had a kind of ruthlessness he had never seen before. In his memory, his sister always adhered to the principle of putting her own interests first and measured everything by money.
This has almost never happened before!
What kind of charm does that man named Zenin Kiyoshi possess that would make even her sister go to such lengths for him?!
While Ui Ui didn't understand, her heart was also filled with an indescribable envy and longing.
Just as Ui Ui was lost in thought, Mei Mei raised the somewhat broken axe in her hand again. She took a deep breath, and her magical power surged slightly.
"Go do what I asked you to do. Don't worry about me. Just take care of yourself."
Mei Mei gave Ui Ui a push, then instructed her:
"Remember, if you encounter danger, run away immediately. You are still very young, and these things have nothing to do with you right now. Don't get involved. Your safety is always the top priority, understand?"
Ui Ui gritted her teeth, nodded, took one last look at Mei Mei, and then turned and rushed towards the exit.
The moment he stepped out of the subway station, he heard the sound of an axe blade cutting through the air behind him, as well as the unique electronic roar of the Cursed Spirit.
Mei Mei stood surrounded by Cursed Spirits, her silver-white hair stained with traces of their blood. Despite the perilous scene, she smiled with unusual ease and pleasure. She casually cleaved one of the Cursed Spirits in two and whispered into the air:
"Watch closely, Xiaoqing... This time I won't let you face those things alone again in secret. Always excluding others from the plan, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call you a willful jerk."
For Mei Mei now, being able to fight alongside Zenin Kiyoshi is like facing the bitterness of life with a loved one. It is painful materially, but the spiritual satisfaction is something no one else can give.
After Mei Mei and Ui Ui left, Zenin Kiyoshi also cleaned up all the Cursed Spirits that Kenjaku had released earlier.
Staring at the mountain of corpses piled on the ground, Itadori was completely stunned. He looked at Zenin Kiyoshi before him, his voice tinged with disbelief:
"Wow, so strong! It's like a monster!"
Hearing Itadori's praise, Zenin Kiyoshi stepped forward, patted Itadori on the shoulder, and then said somewhat helplessly:
"I don't know where you learned this way of praising others, but it's definitely a bit too blunt. Once I figure it out, I'll have him teach you properly, but for now..."
At this point, Zenin Kiyoshi paused slightly, then looked at Itadori with a smile on his face:
"You should have Sukuna's fingers inside you, right? How many are there in your body now?"
Hearing Zenin's words, Itadori paused for a moment, then honestly replied:
"There are already four, but how do you know about these things, Zenin Kiyoshi?"
Zenin Kiyoshi didn't keep Itadori in suspense. Instead, he reached out and grabbed Itadori's wrist. With a surge of incantation power flowing into Itadori's body, Zenin Kiyoshi instantly entered Itadori's inner world.
Before he could even open his eyes, several invisible slashes flew over, but for Zenin Kiyoshi, this level of attack was completely meaningless.
The [Malevolent Shrine] spell was activated, and almost simultaneously, Zenin Kiyoshi had already neutralized Sukuna's attack. He looked in Sukuna's direction, a hint of curiosity on his face, and said with a smile:
"Is this how you welcome friends you haven't seen in so many years?"
A blood-red world appeared at this moment. Sukuna sat on a pile of corpses. He now had the face of Itadori and was wearing a white women's kimono.
"I've never met a guy like you before, but those dead fingers might have heard of you. Unfortunately, if you made some kind of deal with those fingers, you're not bound by any of those agreements with me."
From the moment the soul was separated, the soul on each finger became virtually a different individual; even a contract was meaningless.
Hearing Sukuna's words, Zenin Kiyoshi wasn't too surprised. He simply looked at Sukuna and said calmly:
"It's quite rare to see you talk so much to a complete stranger like this. It's not like you at all. Were you influenced by this child?"
A sinister smile crept across Sukuna's lips as several slashes, each more terrifying than the previous ones, flew towards him, yet Zenin Kiyoshi remained unharmed.
"Kid, you've only acquired my technique. If it weren't for the limitations of this body, you would be dead by now!"
"This is quite similar to your usual way of speaking, but I don't have much time to play around with you right now, Sukuna... During the battle later, don't take the opportunity to seize this child's body, can you do that?"
Before Zenin Kiyoshi had even finished speaking, Sukuna's sarcastic remarks had already reached the audience.
"Who do you think you are? And you...?"
However, Zenin Kiyoshi interrupted Sukuna before she could finish speaking.
"Forget it, I was just asking. I know you probably won't do it obediently, but it's okay. It's good that you're out. It'll be good for Satoru and the others to come up with some strategic plans to target you."
"Okay, it's settled then. Don't lose too early; I still need you for a real-world demonstration."
Seeing Zenin Kiyoshi's smiling face, Sukuna felt an inexplicable anger rise within him. He looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, his voice hoarse, as if squeezed from his throat:
"You brat! Once I take control of this body, the first person I'll kill will definitely be you, you bastard!"
"I'm really looking forward to it."
After finishing his explanation, Zenin Kiyoshi did not remain in the world of Itadori's consciousness, but returned directly to the real world.
Looking at the bewildered Itadori, Zenin Kiyoshi let out a slight sigh of relief, and then explained:
"Like you, I also have Sukuna's fingers inside me, but I can't tell you the specifics right now. You should be one of the key figures in this storm. If you stay by my side, they will be wary of me and won't make a move against you."
So now, walk out of the subway exit and try to attract the attention of any strong enemies. Don't worry, I'll protect you afterwards.
Chapter-275
"Itadori Yuji~ Where are you?"
The real person's high-pitched voice echoed through the corridor, which was empty and almost deserted.
Seeing that there was no sign of Itadori anywhere, and no ordinary people around either, the real man was somewhat annoyed.
He sat on the ground, sighed, and looked around absentmindedly, muttering to himself:
"Damn it, where did all those annoying bugs go? Why can't I see them anywhere?"
Originally, Mahito planned to go on a killing spree here, killing more ordinary people to make cyborgs, but those humans who were once everywhere disappeared not long ago, and no matter how Mahito searched, he could not find any trace of them.
"Could it be that they were all eaten by the 'Dagon'? That guy is like that, he's always so greedy, ahh~ if that's the case, then tonight's fun will be much less."
Itadori Yuji~ Where are you? If I still can't find you, I'll capture all your companions one by one and kill them right in front of you. That would be quite interesting~
Mahito muttered to himself as he skipped and hopped his way into the depths of the corridor.
At this very moment, Zenin Kiyoshi had successfully located Mahito using the Black Bird Manipulation Technique.
Those who disappeared were not eaten by the Dagon, but were hidden by Zenin Kiyoshi using a Barrier technique.
Given Zenin Kiyoshi's level of Barrier magic, it would be impossible for a spirit like Mahito, who had never seen Barrier magic before, to discover the traces of those ordinary people in his lifetime.
At this moment, Itadori followed Zenin Kiyoshi's command and rushed towards the direction where Mahito was.
After reinforcing the Barrier, Zenin Kiyoshi leisurely hung behind Itadori. He needed to capture Mahito with near-certainty; otherwise, if this bastard were to escape, both the lethality to ordinary people and the importance of his [Idle Transfiguration] to the Kenjaku Plan would be extremely troublesome.
Watching Itadori Yuji's constantly running figure, Zenin Kiyoshi felt a slight dizziness.
Why was Gojo Satoru dragged into this world? And why do the people in this world seem to recognize him, and keep saying that he has been dead for ten years...?
I come from the real world. If this is truly an illusion created by the "Balancing Mechanism," then what is the meaning of this illusion?
Simply to drive Gojo Satoru insane?
If it's only for this purpose, then it's a bit of a waste of talent.
If Gojo Satoru believes everything in this illusion, what impact will it have on the future?
A slightly apprehensive thought involuntarily surfaced in Zenin Kiyoshi's mind.
If it really is as he thinks, then these illusions are like setting an anchor point for the future.
As those around him were drawn into the illusion, and influenced by it, they began to believe in the world depicted within it...
Does this mean that once the anchor point is believed by the vast majority of people, the timeline in the illusion will replace the timeline in which you exist, thus making you disappear from this world completely?
Thinking of this, Zenin Kiyoshi felt a chill run down his spine.
Assuming his guess is correct, he might very well die at that point in the "past" without even realizing it.
Thinking about this, Zenin Kiyoshi realized just how abnormal and exaggerated the "Balancing Mechanism" really was.
This is probably just the beginning for Gojo Satoru. What if Geto, Mei Mei, Hanami, Riko, Shoko... and everyone around him are all dragged into this "Balancing Mechanism"?
If everyone around me has their own "illusionary space," and within those illusions, as long as the fact that Zenin Kiyoshi is dead is constantly emphasized, then when everyone believes this, will I really disappear?
Zenin Kiyoshi dared not gamble on this, but he knew that he might have to constantly travel through those illusions afterward.
With his current strength, he has no way to fundamentally attack or counter the [Balancing Mechanism].
So what he can do is make it impossible to determine the anchor point.
Only in this way can Zenin Kiyoshi possibly exist in the subsequent timeline; otherwise...
Taking a deep breath, Zenin Kiyoshi gritted his teeth, feeling a strange sense of oppression in his heart, as if the world itself was suppressing him.
However, he quickly adjusted his mindset. So far, he still has many advantages, as can be seen from Gojo Satoru's illusion.
First, one can easily enter those exclusive illusions through the ability of "absolute imitation".
Secondly, once you enter the illusion, your consciousness and strength will not be altered.
Third, although the ultimate purpose of these illusions is to reinforce the anchor point that "Zenin Kiyoshi is dead," they must still adhere to the most basic course of events.
What has already happened cannot be arbitrarily modified in this illusion. Moreover, those people's feelings towards you are genuinely preserved. Once you enter the illusion, you have a lot of room to manipulate things based on your familiarity with the plot and the feelings that others have towards you.
Considering the above three points, the probability of successfully changing the anchor point each time is actually not low.
Moreover, as his main timeline continues to expand, the bonds between himself and others deepen, and with his strength constantly increasing, the difficulty of clearing the illusion will gradually decrease.
After analyzing the possible scenarios in his mind, Zenin Kiyoshi sighed softly and said nothing.
The next moment, Itadori encountered Mahito who had been searching for him.
"Itadori Yuji! Hahaha~ I finally found you, it wasn't an easy thing at all~"
As the slightly mad voice of Mahito rang out, Itadori instinctively dodged to the side. Before Itadori could even come to a stop, a terrifying attack had already landed where he had been standing.
Mahito transformed his arm into a bizarre shape resembling barbed wire, and with a single strike, tore half of the floor into countless pieces.
If that blow had landed on Itadori, he would probably be a chunk of flesh by now.
However, faced with the sudden attack from Mahito, Itadori not only showed no intention of backing down, but instead roared and punched Mahito.
Chapter-276
Itadori's fist, accompanied by a whooshing sound, aimed straight at Mahito's face, but was blocked by a twisted limb at the last moment before it hit.
Mahito's arm stretched and deformed like rubber, easily deflecting the attack.
"Hahaha~ So eager to die, huh? Itadori Yuji! I was planning to play around a bit more. The expression on your face when you killed Junpei was quite memorable. I'm here today to see that expression again!"
While laughing, Mahito suddenly transformed his other hand into the shape of a spiked club and slammed it hard against the back of the Itadori.
If this blow had landed squarely, Itadori would probably have lost consciousness instantly. However, Itadori, who had long been prepared for all kinds of attacks from Mahito, immediately kicked Mahito in the abdomen when he was attacked. Using the recoil, he once again dodged Mahito's attack.
Seeing that his attack missed, Mahito's face showed a hint of dissatisfaction. He pouted, sighed helplessly, and said:
"Itadori Yuji, you're just like a cockroach on the roadside, tenacious and hard to kill. Why can't you be a little more sensible and obediently let me break your limbs, then lie there and watch me tear your companions to shreds?"
Faced with Mahito's taunts, Itadori had no intention of arguing with him. He simply raised his fist again and smashed it toward Mahito's head.
Junpei's death remained a constant thorn in Itadori's side, causing him waves of pain whenever he recalled that scene.
In particular, the words Junpei said to him before he died are something that Itadori can never forget.
At this moment, Itadori had even forgotten that Zenin was still behind him; he was only focused on killing Mahito here!
However, this is not a hot-blooded anime world. At this moment, there is an insurmountable gap in strength between Mahito and Itadori. After only a few rounds, Itadori was already covered in wounds by Mahito.
Seeing that he had the upper hand, Mahito summoned Junpei's face again and repeatedly pierced it with the spikes on his fingers, while mocking Itadori:
"Itadori Yuji, when this guy died, you were yelling like a wild dog, but it was completely useless! Look, Junpei is dead, and hundreds of ordinary humans you wanted to protect have just died too~"
Those guys are disgusting. Even after I transformed them into that beautiful form, they still kept shedding tears. They're really annoying.
As Mahito spoke, he continued to mock Itadori, but the next moment, a terrifying aura that made him feel almost suffocated suddenly came to his heart.
The next moment, with half of his body snapping off, Mahito only managed to utter a "Hey!" before his upper and lower body were torn in two.
Even so, Mahito is still not dead. As long as his soul is not harmed, no matter what his physical body becomes, Mahito is almost immortal.
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Mahito with a slight look of surprise on his face. Mahito's combat talent was indeed very high. Just as his own slash was about to hit Mahito's body, the opponent changed the form of his soul in time.
Although the speed was a bit slow, it was precisely because of this that Mahito was able to survive by sheer luck.
Even though most of its body had been torn apart, it still survived and, in a short period of time, had successfully repaired most of its wounds.
However, Zenin Kiyoshi did not obstruct or interfere with Mahito's restoration behavior.
Instead, he went to Itadori first, using a Reverse Cursed Technique on him while pulling him up, saying apologetically:
"I'm sorry, Yuji, I'm a little late and you got hurt. It's my fault."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Itadori waved his hand somewhat embarrassedly and said:
"No, no, no! Zenin Kiyoshi, you don't need to apologize. It was because I was too weak that I was hurt by that guy. But Master, you have to be careful. You absolutely cannot let that guy touch your body, otherwise... be careful!"
Before Itadori could even finish speaking, Mahito opposite him had already activated his domain.
Although Itadori Yuji is also within the range of the Domain Expansion, Gojo Satoru's 0.2-second Domain Expansion not long ago has already taught Mahito this skill.
He believed that Sukuna would not be able to react in 0.2 seconds, and that he only needed to deal with Zenin Kiyoshi within that timeframe!
Otherwise, Mahito knew in his heart that he would have absolutely no chance of killing the man who suddenly appeared in front of him!
The opponent must be killed before they can react!
That man was terrifyingly powerful!
He's on par with Gojo Satoru!
You absolutely cannot hold back, or you'll be killed instantly!
Domain Expansion!
[Self-Embodiment of Perfection]!
Mahito opened his mouth, and countless palms overlapped and joined together inside. As the palms in his mouth overlapped, the sides of Zenin Kiyoshi and Itadori were also surrounded and enveloped by countless palms.
Time seemed to be stretched infinitely within the 0.2-second range.
Looking at the two who had entered his domain, Mahito's lips curled into a victorious smile. In this soul domain dominated by him, no one could resist the erosion of the transformation of inaction.
What excited Mahito even more was that he saw Sukuna smiling at him in Itadori's inner space.
Sukuna did not attack him!
This means that Sukuna didn't even realize that her 0.2-second domain had been activated!
He succeeded!
After that, Sukuna within Itadori Yuji's body will no longer be an obstacle or constraint to his use of his domain!
But the next second, his smile froze.
The figure of Zenin Kiyoshi, who should have exploded, remained motionless within his domain, not even the hem of his clothes fluttering.
Those gentle eyes gazed calmly at Mahito, as if watching a poorly made circus performance.
"How is this possible..." Mahito's voice was filled with deep incomprehension. He looked at Zenin Kiyoshi and muttered to himself:
"My domain should have completely enveloped you, so why aren't you showing any signs of it...?"
"You've got one fundamental thing wrong..."
Zenin Kiyoshi's evaluation:
"The essence of domain combat among sorcerers lies in the clash of their domains, and clearly, your domain... is too crude!"
Chapter-277
The moment the Zenin Kiyoshi finished speaking, a breathtaking sea of flowers appeared beneath his feet.
Countless brightly colored flowers unfolded in an instant, completely covering the area of Mahito's palms. Amidst the dreamlike scenery of that sea of flowers, Mahito felt his body rapidly withering away.
Those flowers were like invisible mouths, constantly sucking away the life force from his body.
"Damn it! What is this thing?!"
Watching his arms instantly wither and shrivel, seeing his once soft and elastic skin become loose and aged in an instant, and feeling his spirit and thoughts begin to slow down, Mahito's face showed an indescribable look of astonishment.
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Mahito's expression and a slightly mocking smile appeared on his face:
"It seems you don't even understand the basic common sense between realms. Didn't your spirit companions tell you these things? Or do you not have any companions at all?"
The reason why Zenin Kiyoshi said these words to Mahito was not only because Zenin Kiyoshi himself disliked Mahito, but also because he wanted to test how the "Dagon" and "Hanami" were doing in this world.
Jogo should be dead, but what about Hanami? What about Toji? Some characters whose fates should have been changed by him in the original work do not exist in this world view, which makes Zenin Kiyoshi very puzzled.
I didn't have time to find out anything from Mei Mei's conversation just now, since the situation was so urgent.
As expected, when Mahito heard Zenin Kiyoshi's words, his face instantly darkened.
For Mahito, no matter how abnormal or exaggerated their personality may be, they always adhere to the view that they "value their family extremely much".
He gazed at the tranquil Zenin Kiyoshi, his eyes clouded with gloom.
"Don't use such a low-level word as 'companion' to describe our relationship. We're like family..."
Furthermore, I've seen a similar move before. It was used by a Cursed Spirit named Hanami, right? Although I wasn't enveloped when she deployed her domain, the aura of Cursed Energy emanating from it was no different from yours.
"With such similar techniques, your relationship with her must have been more than just casual, right?"
Zenin Kiyoshi didn't speak, but his pupils dilated slightly. Mahito, however, keenly noticed this. He looked at Zenin Kiyoshi, his voice trembling with a hint of pleasure:
"Ah~ it seems I was right. That Cursed Spirit must have been someone very important to you, right? But unfortunately, she is already dead. As a Cursed Spirit, she recklessly chose to side with humans."
They even tried to persuade Dagon to give up his idea of destroying humanity and to persuade us to try to build a new world. Such a guy would naturally not be allowed to live until now.
Hmm~ Do you want me to tell you? After failing to persuade him, that guy actually thought of killing me and Dagon directly. But unfortunately, he underestimated his own strength and also underestimated the strength of our side.
In the end, she died, killed by a Cursed Spirit. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to torment her properly; in the end, that thing simply exhausted its Cursed Energy and dissipated, otherwise…"
Mahito stopped there, but Zenin Kiyoshi could understand the hidden meaning in his words.
Zenin Kiyoshi felt somewhat stifled by this situation.
It seems that in the illusion, the timeline will unconsciously converge with the timeline of the original work.
If Hanami is already dead, then it's highly likely that she won't have a good ending either.
Although she knew this was an illusion, Zenin Kiyoshi still felt somewhat uneasy after hearing the news of Hanami's death.
He looked at Mahito in front of him, shook his head slightly, and changed his mind.
Before killing this guy, it would be more comfortable to torment his mind a little.
Indeed, when faced with such pure scum, it is more satisfying to torture them in the most cruel way before killing them.
Thinking of this, Zenin Kiyoshi glanced at Itadori, who looked nervous behind him. Ignoring Mahito being suppressed by the domain, he walked up to Itadori:
"Itadori, leave this guy to me. You still have a lot to do. There are still many cyborgs and Cursed Spirits outside. Protect yourself and support the others as much as possible. I will come to find you as soon as I finish dealing with this guy."
"Don't worry about my safety, this guy is weak, but his technique is unique, and I want to experiment on him."
Looking at the relaxed Zenin Kiyoshi in front of him, Itadori was a little anxious. After all, he had personally witnessed the power of Mahito's technique. If he underestimated that guy, even Zenin Kiyoshi might fall victim to it.
But looking at Zenin Kiyoshi in front of him, he suddenly thought of Gojo Satoru's attitude towards another Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Gojo Satoru's attitude at that time was almost exactly the same as Zenin Kiyoshi's now.
Is it really because I am too weak to understand the worldview of these strong people?
For a moment, Itadori doubted himself, and the next moment, before Itadori could say anything, Zenin Kiyoshi had already thrown Itadori out of his domain.
As Itadori left, Zenin Kiyoshi turned to look at Mahito, slowly exhaled, and then smiled and said:
"Even though you may not know me, to be honest, even if it were our first meeting, I think you're pretty annoying."
Upon hearing this, Mahito said nothing, but simply raised his head to look at Zenin Kiyoshi. His body was constantly shifting, and the domain that Zenin Kiyoshi had suppressed was now secretly preparing to reopen.
Just being able to touch that guy once, just touching that guy once is enough!
Zenin Kiyoshi naturally noticed Mahito's various subtle movements. He looked at Mahito with a smile on his face:
"Are you thinking right now that it would be great if you could just touch me? I can tell that your technique is the kind that can be activated by touching the body, right?"
So, as you wish, I want to defeat you at your root—physically, psychologically, and cognitively—destroying you from head to toe.
While Mahito was still somewhat dazed by Zenin Kiyoshi's words, he saw the other party suddenly grab his wrist and press it against his chest.
Feeling the smooth touch, Mahito's face revealed a cruel ecstasy. He didn't think this was a victory given to him by the other party. As long as he could win, no matter what the process was, he would always be the winner!
Moreover, in order to cover up his previous defeat, Mahito decided to torture Zenin Kiyoshi severely before killing him!
"Idle Transfiguration!"
As Mahito let out a somewhat frantic roar, he froze on the spot in the next moment.
Chapter-278
The moment Mahito's fingers touched the Zenin's chest, the transformative power of the mantra surged in wildly.
He looked forward to hearing the cracking sound of bones twisting, to seeing the other person's pained expression, and to seeing Zenin Kiyoshi kneel down and beg for mercy, weeping bitterly.
However, to the surprise of Mahito... nothing happened.
Zenin Kiyoshi remained standing there calmly, without even changing the frequency of his breathing.
Mahito felt that the moment his Cursed Energy entered the other person's body, it was as if a stone had sunk into the sea, disappearing without a trace. No, it wasn't exactly disappearing without a trace. He could feel his Cursed Energy flowing, but after it only flowed around once, nothing happened.
He did not receive any information about the Zenin Kiyoshi's Soul Purification, nor did he obtain the shape of the Zenin Kiyoshi's Soul Purification, nor did he have any means to control the Zenin Kiyoshi's Soul Purification.
"How is that possible...?"
Mahito abruptly pulled his hand back, as if he had touched a red-hot iron. He retreated in terror and roared at the Zenin:
"My technique clearly already..."
"It's already started, I know."
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at the fleeing Mahito, noticing Mahito's somewhat panicked expression, and smiled slightly as he adjusted his collar.
"Have you forgotten something, or have you never encountered this situation since you started using the technique?"
Your technique seems to be geared towards soul modification. There are indeed not many sorcerers in this world who study the soul, and even if they have a certain understanding of the soul, they cannot compare to your superior talent.
This is why you've been able to use your spells so successfully. But it seems your path has been too smooth all along; you've apparently forgotten one thing: if you encounter a being whose soul is far superior to your own, will your spells still be able to succeed?
After saying that, Zenin Kiyoshi continued to walk towards Mahito, and Mahito unconsciously retreated after Zenin Kiyoshi approached him.
No matter how perverted and sinful a Mahito may be, in the end they are nothing more than a Cursed Womb that has not been born for long, and in many ways their behavior is no different from that of an infant.
It's truly laughable that just a slight blow to his perceptions and understanding could instantly plunge a Mahito into such a predicament.
However, Zenin Kiyoshi enjoyed the process. As he approached Mahito, he slowly explained:
"The essence of your technique should be to change the form of the soul, so that the physical state of the other party will also change along with the soul form you have modified. It's like shooting an arrow first and then drawing the target. It's a very unsolvable ability."
Zenin Kiyoshi's voice carried a hint of mocking laughter:
"But if the soul of the person you are touching is far beyond your own, at the moment you infuse the spell, you will actually reveal your own soul to them, just like it is now."
Zenin Kiyoshi took another step forward, and Mahito unconsciously retreated, his face showing an undisguised look of fear!
Zenin Kiyoshi, like an adult instructing a child, strode up to Mahito, once again grasped his now somewhat withered hand, and placed it on his own heart:
"Feel the shape of my soul, and then try to change it. Let me see your limits."
Hearing Zenin Kiyoshi's words, Mahito felt humiliated, but also felt a strong hatred burning in his heart.
He didn't believe that any human soul could be stronger than his own; he wanted to transform this arrogant bastard into the most painful soul-extracting being!
Encouraged by Zenin Kiyoshi's almost humiliating gesture, Mahito once again cast a spell on him.
However, the next moment, after Zenin consciously released the restrictions on his own soul, Mahito finally saw the soul of the man in front of him.
If the souls of ordinary people are as soft as mud in the eyes of Mahito, and can be molded and shaped at will, then the soul of Zenin Kiyoshi is like a massive, monolithic mountain of steel.
There was absolutely no possibility of a breakthrough; he couldn't even change the strength of a few strands of the other person's hair.
Humans cannot twist a steel bar the thickness of a wrist with their bare hands. For Mahito, the strength of twisting a single strand of hair in a Zenin is equivalent to an ordinary human twisting a steel bar.
"How is this possible?! Why is your soul like this?!"
Zenin Kiyoshi did not offer any explanation to Mahito. The reason he dared to let Mahito explore his soul was because he had absolute confidence in himself.
First, the [Cursed Corpse] spell, obtained by increasing the favorability of the Principal Yaga, already reaches 80% of its strength when the favorability of the Principal Yaga exceeds 60.
Combined with Zenin Kiyoshi's almost terrifying total amount of magical power, his understanding and tempering of his own soul throughout the entire process has far surpassed that of Mahito by many times.
After all, the pain and intensity of having one's soul cut into pieces is something that Mahito cannot compensate for with talent alone.
Secondly, although Orochi and Sukuna in the spiritual world are not here because his physical body is not here, he has never missed a single day of the soul-tempering methods that the two of them have provided him over the years.
From the very first day he entered the world of magic, Zenin Kiyoshi had already developed a systematic understanding of the cultivation of his own soul strength.
This world contains things related to the soul, such as [Cursed Spirit Manipulation], [Idle Transfiguration], [Cursed Corpse], and [Flesh Ingestion]. He didn't want his secrets to be discovered if he accidentally fell victim to these things.
Even something like the "Prison Realm" essentially operates at the soul level.
The conscious time within the mind is essentially an interpretation of the soul.
If Gojo Satoru's soul strength were as high as his own, then Prison Realm would have no chance of breaking through his soul barrier.
With these two guarantees in place, Zenin Kiyoshi generously allowed Mahito to examine his soul.
Seeing the utterly astonished expression on the real man's face, Zenin Kiyoshi patted his head and then said:
"After you find that your technique is not working, what are you going to do? I'll give you a chance to try everything out little by little. We have plenty of time today, so don't let me down."
Looking down at Zenin Kiyoshi, who was gazing down at him from a high vantage point, the man felt a strange sense of dread wash over him. Suddenly, he opened his mouth wide and began to cry like a child:
"No! No! Don't come near me! You monster! Don't come near me! Ahhh!"
Chapter-279
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Mahito before him, who was now on the verge of a mental breakdown, and felt no pity whatsoever.
Just now, when Mahito retaliated, nearly a hundred cyborg souls were spat out of his mouth.
What's even more disgusting is that the souls of those cyborgs are still living people.
When real people used weapons, Zenin Kiyoshi could even see the tear stains on their faces.
Taking a deep breath, Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Mahito in front of him, whose limbs had been broken and whose head had been severed in half.
The other party had almost completely lost their mind at this moment, and even their speech was somewhat incoherent.
Although he possesses the strength of a top-tier fighter, his mental fortitude is no different from that of an infant.
"Waaah, don't come near..."
Mahito was still subconsciously whimpering something, but Zenin Kiyoshi ignored it. Instead, he grabbed Mahito's head and dragged it out of the subway station like a dead dog.
If Zenin Kiyoshi remembers correctly, Itadori will soon touch the bloated image, then be beaten unconscious by the bloated image, and then Nanako and Mimiko will feed him his fingers.
But before that, considering the special nature of the bloated appearance and the Itadori, Zenin Kiyoshi decided that it would be better to deal with the rest first.
After all, there are still many Curse Users and wandering Cursed Spirits here. First, remove the Barrier surrounding the ordinary people, and then solve the predicament of the advanced Curse Users one by one. In that way, the casualties here should be reduced to the minimum.
As for why Zenin Kiyoshi hasn't killed Mahito yet, the reason is simple: he needs to lure Kenjaku over and then extract various information about the "subject to the flesh" from him.
Otherwise, if those ancient sorcerers were to be resurrected, not only would the ordinary people who became their vessels be in trouble, but it would also create a lot of trouble for this place.
He grabbed Mahito's head and led him step by step to the edge of the Barrier.
Just as Zenin was about to begin analyzing the components of the Barrier, a powerful surge of magical energy suddenly came from not far away.
That Cursed Energy was somewhat different from that of a real person. If the Cursed Energy of a real person was so simple and sticky that it was somewhat disgusting, then that Cursed Energy was more like the weight and surging of the ocean.
Almost instantly, Zenin Kiyoshi of the Zenin Clan had already analyzed the source of that Cursed Energy.
"Dagon! Save me!"
Mahito stared in the direction from which the Cursed Energy was coming and began to roar loudly, while Zenin Kiyoshi did not stop him.
For him, neither Mahito nor Dagon were strong enough to have any effect on him.
In the Shibuya incident, the only two people who could pose any threat to him were the resurrected Sukuna and the ever-adaptable Mahoraga.
No, to be precise, something like Mahoraga wasn't a threat to Zenin Kiyoshi. Letting him in was simply Zenin Kiyoshi being overly cautious.
He dragged Mahito's body, and in a few flashes, he arrived at the space floor that was sealed off by the Dagon Domain.
Looking at the dark Barrier in front of him, Zenin Kiyoshi suddenly noticed a familiar figure entering the Barrier from the other side.
"That familiar aura... it's Toji!"
The moment he sensed the other person's presence, Zenin Kiyoshi had already identified them.
It was Toji, whom he had not received any news about here, and the fact was pretty much as Zenin Kiyoshi had predicted. In this illusion, Toji was indeed dead, and just like in the original story, he had been summoned here by someone using a spirit summoning spell.
Without any hesitation, Zenin Kiyoshi dragged Mahito along, and the moment they entered the domain, they rushed directly into Dagon's domain along with the passage that was not yet completely closed.
The moment Toji's figure appeared, everyone in the arena froze.
"What?!"
"Toji?!" x2
"Who?" x2
Zenin Naobito and Nanami Kento recognized Toji, but Zenin Maki and Fushiguro Megumi did not.
In the same month after Zenin Kiyoshi's death, Toji disappeared while trying to find Zenin Kiyoshi's whereabouts.
There was no news for several years, and it was during that time that Fushiguro Eri fell seriously ill. The Glass Reverse Cursed Technique did not have a particularly good effect on the disease, which led to Fushiguro Eri's death.
After that, fearing that Megumi might harbor resentment towards Toji because of this incident, these people basically never mentioned Toji's name to Megumi again.
Megumi was a little over three years old at that time. Although he had some impression of him, he didn't recognize him immediately.
Seeing the man who suddenly appeared before her, and noticing his unusually youthful face, Megumi quickly mistook him for an enemy.
Within the domain of Dagon, the seawater surged and churned.
Zenin Naobito's expression was indescribably complex and bewildered, while Nanami Kento's glasses reflected a faint light.
Although they both recognized Toji, they also saw each other's completely dark eyes at that moment.
Having spent years immersed in the world of sorcery, they knew this was a symbol of spirit possession.
In other words... Fushiguro Toji is dead, and is currently being controlled by a Curse User.
Thinking of this, Zenin Naobito felt a tightness in his chest. The child he had watched grow up not only died before him, but whose body was also dug up and used as material for a spirit summoning ritual after death...
Damn it! You bastard curse caster, don't let me find you! Otherwise, I'll make you wish you were dead!
Nanami looked at Toji in front of her, her eyes slightly red.
Memories flooded back, and the past came to mind along with the chirping of cicadas. He felt as if the summer ten years ago was still just around the corner.
But when those cold, dark eyes stared at him, Nanami knew that everything was irreversible.
And sorcerers... do they ultimately not even have a peaceful and good end even after death?
Even someone as powerful as Toji was used as a puppet to fight against his students and elders after his death.
Sorcerers... they're really rotten!
Meanwhile, Megumi and Maki stared warily at Toji in front of them.
At this moment, everyone was on edge, watching the uninvited guest who had suddenly barged in... Toji.
However, at this tense moment, another figure silently appeared at the edge of the domain.
"Oh, so?"
Zenin Kiyoshi dragged the half-dead Mahito along as easily as if he were carrying a shopping bag:
"haven't seen you for a long time."
A deathly silence enveloped the entire area.
Chapter-280
Fushiguro Toji slowly turned around, his eyes, which were numb and cold at the moment, suddenly widened.
The cloud he had snatched was now trembling in his hand, emitting a faint buzzing sound.
"...You brat?"
Toji's voice was so hoarse that it sounded almost inhuman, like the sound of two dry branches rubbing together.
At the same time, before anyone could react, the person being dragged on the ground suddenly began to struggle violently:
"Dagon! Kill him! Save me! This guy is going to kill me! Help me!"
However, Zenin Kiyoshi paid no attention to Mahito's constant wails. Instead, he casually tossed the man aside and slammed him heavily into the sand, leaving only his legs twitching outside.
"Although I wanted to say 'long time no see,' it doesn't feel like that much time has passed."
Zenin Kiyoshi glanced around, his gaze lingering on each face for a moment before he broke into a bright smile. Looking at the bewildered or shocked expressions on their faces, he said with a smile:
"Grandpa Naobito, Nanami, you must be Megumi, and Maki too, you've all grown so much! It's been so long!"
As Zenin Kiyoshi's voice rang out, everyone finally snapped out of their brief mental blank.
The moment the Zenin Kiyoshi's clear voice fell, the air in the entire area seemed to freeze.
The roar of the sea and the hiss of the fish-shaped Cursed Spirits became distant and unreal at this moment. Only the sea surface, reflecting the dazzling sunlight, gave people a faint illusion, as if it had been dormant in their memories for a long time.
Zenin Naobito stared at the familiar figure before him, not even noticing the gourd of sake at his waist fall onto the beach with a "thud".
Tears streamed slowly down his face, but he didn't notice them at all.
The old man's lips trembled slightly, and his eyes, which were always half-closed due to drunkenness, were wide open now, as if he were seeing the most unbelievable illusion.
The boy he had placed so much hope in, the boy who often advised him not to drink too much, the boy who died in the bitter summer, was now standing right in front of him!
Zenin Naobito felt as if he were in a dream, and the world before him seemed somewhat unreal.
On the other side, Nanami wasn't in much better shape. Upon seeing Zenin Kiyoshi, he almost forgot about his still-bleeding wounds. Staring at the figure before him, he was stunned once again.
Nanami Kento subconsciously adjusted his glasses, but his fingers lingered on the frame for too long.
His breathing became rapid, and his usually impeccable tie suddenly seemed too tight, making it difficult to breathe, and his face gradually turned red.
Ten years! Ten years!
For the past ten years, on every Zenin Kiyoshi's birthday, he would go alone to Zenin Kiyoshi's grave late at night to place a bunch of white chrysanthemums. Even by then, there were so many white chrysanthemums on Zenin Kiyoshi's grave that there was no room left to put them.
In the ten years following Zenin Kiyoshi's death, he repeatedly hoped it was all just a dream, and doubted whether he was on the right path. But every time he saw Zenin Kiyoshi's photo at his grave, he would be filled with courage and continue on the path of a sorcerer.
But that courage eventually dissipated after Haibara Yu's death. He was no longer prepared to continue trying, and he even said he was not prepared to go to Zenin Kiyoshi's grave to say goodbye, because Nanami knew that if he saw that familiar face again, he would never be able to leave again.
Nanami Kento knew he could never say to Zenin Kiyoshi that he wanted to leave the life of a sorcerer. He knew what kind of person he was, and he knew even more how much he didn't want to disappoint Zenin Kiyoshi.
But he was so tired that he was almost on the verge of despairing of life.
One person after another dies. Everyone who could bring sunshine into his life dies on the path of the sorcerer. So what is the point of persisting?
Zenin Kiyoshi, the man who brought him the first ray of light in his life, is dead.
Haibara Yu, the companion who brought warmth to almost his entire life, is dead.
Geto Suguru, the man who had been comforting himself and encouraging everyone since the death of Zenin Kiyoshi, not only betrayed the path of the sorcerer, but also launched a near-suicidal attack, ultimately dying at the hands of Gojo Satoru.
One person after another dies, so what is the meaning of this path called the sorcerer?!
He didn't want to keep going. Why did his hard-won determination crumble at this moment?
No one knows how long they thought about it before finally making that decision...
But why is it that the person who should have died years ago is now standing alive and well right in front of me?!
"impossible..."
Nanami's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. He gazed at the tranquil Zenin Kiyoshi before him and murmured to himself:
"This must be some kind of curse... It can't be his, he's been dead for ten years!"
Meanwhile, Fushiguro Megumi stared blankly at Zenin Kiyoshi, as long-forgotten memories suddenly surfaced from the depths of her mind.
However, because of the passage of time, the figure in my memory could never be reconciled with Zenin Kiyoshi.
But at that moment, Fushiguro Toji suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with an indescribable complexity:
How long have you been dead?
He pointed the Playful Cloud in his hand at the Zenin, his voice hoarse and unpleasant:
"Are you dead, you brat, or are you still alive?!"
The Mahito who had been smashed into the sand was still struggling in vain, his legs twitching like a dying insect.
But this strange scene was completely ignored by everyone. Except for Dagon, everyone's attention was focused on the Zenin Kiyoshi who had suddenly appeared.
The sea breeze ruffled the stray hairs on Zenin Kiyoshi's forehead, making his dark brown eyes appear exceptionally bright in the light of the surrounding area.
He gave everyone an apologetic smile, as if he were just a party ten minutes late, not a dead man who should have come out of hell.
"I'm sorry, everyone. Although there are many, many questions surrounding this, all I want to say right now is apology, and... long time no see."
The next moment, both Toji and Zenin Naobito attacked simultaneously.
"That brat has been dead for ten years! How dare you desecrate his corpse like this! I can never forgive you!"
"Damn bastard