Though Yoshinobu Gakuganji's tone was questioning, his certainty was unmistakable.
Furious, Misato Kuroi mustered her courage and shouted, "Star Plasma Vessel this, Star Plasma Vessel that—she has a name! It's Riko Amanai!"
Realizing the ruse was up, the rabbit cursed corpse's zipper opened, and Riko climbed out.
Gasping from the stifling heat and lack of air, she planted her hands on her hips. "That's right! It's me, the one and only!"
"The Star Plasma Vessel, confirmed!"
Keisuke Zenin, an elder of the Zenin clan, second only to Naobito and Ogi Zenin, stepped forward, his face grim as he eyed Masamichi Yaga.
"Masamichi Yaga, hiding the Star Plasma Vessel and obstructing Lord Tengen's assimilation is a grave crime!"
"Hand her over now, and the higher-ups might show leniency!"
Yaga bowed his head, as if weighing his options.
"Sorry, Lord Keisuke!"
He looked up, a rare, gentle smile on his stern face. "I just… can't let my students down!"
Keisuke's brow furrowed. "Do you understand what you're doing?"
Yaga didn't answer, instead striking a combat stance!
Keisuke sighed. "Colleagues, Yaga's actions amount to treason. I propose we execute him on the spot."
The higher-ups said nothing, their silence a tacit agreement.
Keisuke drew his blade, adopting an iaido stance, his eyes glinting with killing intent.
"When we start fighting, take Riko and run—fast as you can!" Yaga whispered to Misato.
He knew their chances of escape were near zero.
"Got it!" Misato nodded firmly.
But Riko suddenly spoke up. "Wait! Let them go, and I'll come with you!"
"Miss!" Misato grabbed Riko's wrist, but Riko shook her head.
"Sorry, Misato. I can't stay with you anymore." She turned to Yaga. "Uh… you're Masamichi Yaga, right?"
Riko stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Uncle Yaga! But you've all done too much for me. Satoru and the others… I don't even know if they're okay."
"All this happened because of me. I can't be that selfish. Please, don't stop me."
Wiping tears from her eyes, Riko faced Keisuke. "I'll go with you!"
Keisuke sneered. "Smart move. Otherwise, you'd all be dead—"
A sudden, suffocating pressure hit him from behind.
Icy dread shot from his spine to his skull, like Death's scythe poised to strike.
Keisuke tried to move but was horrified to find his body frozen. What's happening?
Gakuganji and the others gaped, ghost-pale, at three figures appearing behind Keisuke.
Sawa Gojo's hand rested on Keisuke's shoulder, his words a devil's whisper. "Hey, old man, who's got a death wish?"
Gulp. Keisuke's Adam's apple bobbed.
Meanwhile, Riko waved excitedly from afar. "Satoru! You're okay!"
"No duh! We're the Strongest Trio—nothing can touch us!" Satoru grinned, strolling toward Riko.
Sawa elbowed Suguru Geto, chuckling. "See? It's the three of us, but Riko only called Satoru's name. Obvious, right?"
Suguru smirked, intrigued. "Satoru's age… that's puppy love, yeah?"
Laughing, they followed.
As the trio passed Keisuke, he broke into a cold sweat.
He felt like a mortal brushing past three tigers, his sword-hand trembling.
Riko lunged at Satoru with a grin, only to get a knuckle to the forehead, yelping and clutching her head.
"Ow ow ow! Jerk, what was that for?!"
Satoru scoffed. "What? We risked our necks to stop you from merging with that Tengen hag, and you wanna go back? Talk about wasting our effort!"
Riko tackled him, yanking his white hair. "You think I wanted to, you idiot?! Die!"
They brawled playfully.
But Satoru's jab at Tengen sparked outrage among the higher-ups.
"Satoru! Show respect for Lord Tengen!"
"Such insolence—this is the Gojo clan's upbringing?"
Gakuganji's face darkened. "Sawa Gojo, what are you planning?"
The trio finally turned their attention back to them.
Sawa spoke calmly. "Go tell that Tengen hag Riko's not merging with her."
"What?!"
The higher-ups, especially the Big Three Families' elders, erupted.
Most of their barriers relied on Tengen's power.
"Sawa Gojo! Satoru Gojo! Suguru Geto! Do you realize what you're doing?"
"Are you betraying the entire jujutsu world?"
"Shut up!" Sawa scratched his hair. "You don't speak for the whole jujutsu world."
With the trio's aura reined in, Keisuke, backed by his peers, regained his nerve.
"Sawa Gojo! You three may be the 'Strongest Trio,' but you're just teenagers!"
"We've got dozens of clan elders and Grade 1 sorcerers here. Hand over the Vessel!"
Sawa glanced at him, smirking. "Fine. You—no, all of you—take one move from me, and she's yours!"
Gakuganji and the others were stunned. Keisuke roared with laughter.
"Arrogant brat, drunk on your 'strongest' hype!"
"With this many of us, one move? Try ten, a hundred!"
"Nah, one's enough."
Sawa grinned, saying no more, as Blue and Red materialized in his hands.
"Imaginary Technique: Purple!"
…
Inside the Tombs of the Star Corridor, Sawa faced Tengen, expressionless.
"I know you can delay evolution within your barriers without merging with the Vessel." (See manga Chapter 202.)
"If I catch you experimenting with people's lives again, I'll kill you."
Tengen, despite nearly a millennium of existence, felt a chill at the boy's unmasked killing intent.
Sawa turned and left without a backward glance.
Tengen watched his retreating figure, sighing after a long pause. "Fine. Who'd have thought the jujutsu world would birth such monsters—three at once? With them around, I don't need to worry about evolving."
Sensing two auras outside the Tombs, no weaker than Sawa's, Tengen relaxed, closing his eyes to slip into slumber.