His movement speed was astonishing, and the mechanics of his innate technique had not yet been fully revealed to them.
However, with the recent addition of Rule 12, people inside and outside the barrier could communicate directly by phone. The Zenin clan was now standing on the opposite side of Jujutsu High. Because of this, Shoko Ieiri and Atsuya Kusakabe, who had returned to the Gojo family estate, had already told the students in advance about the intelligence regarding the Zenin family's inherited techniques.
Yuji Itadori was being completely toyed with by Naoya's speed, which Nobara Kugisaki observed clearly from afar.
'Limiting his movement speed is the key to victory!'
Facing Naoya rushing toward them, Nobara's eyes revealed a villainous ruthlessness!
"Straw Doll Technique: Hairpin!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The countless long nails that she had shot into the ground earlier when providing cover fire for Yuji suddenly erupted with terrifying Cursed Energy fluctuations!
The explosive Cursed Energy swept out, completely enveloping Naoya within the blast radius.
Thud!
Naoya suddenly stopped his charge, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Feeling the Cursed Energy surging from all directions, the brief solemnity in Naoya's eyes quickly dissipated.
"So it turns out you only have the strength of a Semi-Grade 1 Sorcerer," Naoya sneered. "I almost fell for your little trick, woman."
Faced with Naoya's sarcasm, Nobara revealed a triumphant, wicked smile. "Is that so?"
"Black Flash!!!"
Yuji's sudden, devastating punch landed squarely on Naoya's abdomen!
PFFT!
A mountain of kinetic force surged into his abdomen, causing Naoya's eyes to bulge out and his body to arch like a shrimp as he was sent flying violently backward!
"Itadori is the vessel that imprisons the King of Curses!" Nobara looked down at Naoya, who was lying on the ground coughing up blood, and sneered. "Did you really think his punch would just be a light tap? Are you going to whine about it now?"
Nobara's previous Hairpin attack served a twofold purpose: first, to restrict Naoya's movement, and second, to obscure Naoya's senses. The sudden burst of Cursed Energy obscured Naoya's field of vision and perfectly concealed Yuji's movements.
SWISH!
After a few sarcastic remarks, Nobara suddenly swung her hammer, aiming a nail directly at Naoya's vitals.
Yuji also swung his fist, slamming it down hard toward Naoya, who was coughing up blood on the ground.
"Projection Sorcery!"
Yuji's body abruptly stiffened, frozen in place like a flat paper doll!
Yuji, who had been punched into the wall earlier, had already been marked by Naoya's palm!
Naoya rolled away in a disheveled manner to avoid Nobara's long nails. His face was full of absolute sinister intent as he got back up!
Wounded by the very ants he despised... it was an utter disgrace!
"You all deserve to die!!!"
With blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, Naoya's eyes gleamed with terrifying killing intent!
Projection Sorcery was cast in rapid succession, freezing Yuji in place time and time again!
BOOM!!!
Naoya's fists flew out in a 24-frame blur, striking Yuji's head and soft abdomen repeatedly! Naoya easily dodged the long nails that Nobara shot as reinforcements.
'I'll kill the vessel in front of me first,' Naoya thought maliciously. 'The woman who mocked me will surely be heartbroken!'
Sprays of blood splattered everywhere!
Yuji, now completely covered in blood, had absolutely no chance to fight back! Even knowing the rules of Projection Sorcery, it was incredibly difficult to perfectly match the 24-frame movements mapped out by Naoya!
...
'Damn it!'
Trapped on the defensive, Nobara gritted her teeth in despair not far away!
That guy's movements were simply too fast; she couldn't stop him. Even after falling for Hairpin once, Naoya was now carefully watching the position of every long nail embedded in the ground!
'What to do, what to do!'
Seeing that Yuji's life force was beginning to rapidly weaken under the barrage, Nobara grew extremely anxious.
Saving the world... such a high-sounding reason was not the reason why Nobara Kugisaki had entered the Culling Game.
She just wanted to help the people she cared about and spend time with her precious few friends.
She didn't possess powerful innate techniques like Megumi Fushiguro, and her talent was only average. Even Yuji, a total newcomer to the Jujutsu world, was more useful in a fight than she was right now. At the very least, Nobara couldn't unleash Black Flash as freely and consistently as Yuji could.
'Calm down... calm down!!!'
Nobara's tense expression began to relax, and her breathing gradually became steady.
She recalled the feeling she had experienced when caught in Zenin Mirai's Domain Expansion... and she recalled the sensation of the Black Flash she had unleashed alongside Yuji at the Yasohachi Bridge!
Besides that... after Megumi had unleashed his own incomplete Domain, he had told her the key points!
Exhale—!
'Be a little greedy... be a little more diligent...'
'Squeeze out all the Cursed Energy hidden within your body, and unleash your boundless imagination...'
'Imagine yourself breaking through your limits.'
"Hey! Woman! What are you muttering about?!"
"Hahahaha!" Naoya grinned maliciously as he punched Yuji's body repeatedly, hurling insults at her.
"You're such a heartless woman. Isn't this kid your companion? You're just going to watch your comrade die right before your eyes without shedding a single tear?"
"You're so damn noisy!!!"
All her Cursed Energy was released at once, and the countless scattered nails embedded in the ground began to buzz violently!
Just as Naoya realized something was horribly wrong, he was met with Nobara's crazy, ecstatic smile!
She had successfully grasped that fleeting spark of inspiration!
To Naoya's utter shock, Nobara dropped the hammer in her hand and clasped her hands together to form a hand seal.
"Domain Expansion—Thorny Path of Survival!"
BOOM!!!
Instantly, countless thorny brambles violently sprouted from the cracks in the ground that were once covered with her nails! The long path paved with writhing thorns completely encompassed all three combatants!
Hanging on the thorns, dozens of straw dolls made entirely of Cursed Energy—covered with long nails piercing through their bodies—stared intently in Naoya's direction!
A pure black, alluring rose bloomed into existence behind Nobara!
"You bastard, do you even know the meaning of roses?"
Before the absolutely shocked Naoya could speak, Nobara brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and declared, "Red roses represent passionate love! And black represents death!"
"Don't use such an offensive term like 'woman' for me. Remember this..."
"My name is Nobara Kugisaki!"
If her hands weren't locked in a Domain hand seal, she would have snapped her fingers for dramatic effect.
BOOM!!!
The thorns bloomed, and countless razor-sharp barbs swept mercilessly toward Naoya's body!
Coursing through the straw dolls, dozens of massive, cursed long nails filled Naoya's entire field of vision!
A guaranteed sure-hit effect!
No matter how fast he moved, it was completely useless!
...
PFFT—!
Yuji stared blankly at Naoya's violently skewered, bloodied figure lying on the ground before him, utterly shocked!
"Kugisaki! You're too strong!"
But just as Yuji turned around, he saw Nobara fall headfirst toward the ground!
"Hey! Kugisaki!"
With a bruised and bloodied face, Yuji stumbled and ran toward Nobara's location.
"Are you alright, Kugisaki?!"
Yuji helped Nobara up by the shoulder, his face full of immense worry.
"Stop shaking me, you idiot! I'm just exhausted," Nobara groaned. "The Cursed Energy consumption for unleashing a Domain is truly terrifying!"
Nobara complained, but her face was full of absolute excitement.
Domain Expansion...
This was the ultimate pinnacle of Jujutsu that all Sorcerers pursued!
"Hehe!"
Seeing the proud smile on Nobara's face, Yuji couldn't help but chuckle in relief as well.
"What are you laughing at, you idiot?!" Nobara slapped Yuji on the forehead and snapped, "Hurry up and carry me away! With such a massive commotion here, if another Player comes, we're really doomed."
"That monster from the Zenin clan—Mirai—is still within this barrier!"
"Oh! Oh! Right!"
Yuji nodded, then picked up Nobara securely in his arms and carried her toward the exit of the barrier.
One was careless, while the other was in a hurry, terrified of being discovered by the Zenin guards coming to reinforce the area.
Neither of them noticed.
The Kogane hovering beside them did not announce the points gained after the two seemingly killed the Player!
"Ugh..."
From the pool of blood, a heavily blood-stained face slowly lifted up!
The sound of footsteps, neither too light nor too heavy, reached his ears.
Naoya, on the absolute verge of death, struggled to lift his eyes and look up.
A pure white kasaya, the hem of which fluttered in the gentle breeze.
Meeting those cold, utterly indifferent eyes, Naoya murmured respectfully.
"Clan Head... Mirai."
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