Chapter 74 — Gojo Satoru Has Been Banned
"Let's go," said Zen'in Shinsuke, standing and stretching his shoulders with a predatory grin.
"Time to enjoy the hunt."
He stepped toward the exit without hesitation.
This was the perfect opportunity — draw in all the hatred, make himself the target, and feast on it.
Gojo followed beside him, muttering under his breath.
"You totally knew this was gonna happen. And you still have the nerve to say you're not the mole."
Shinsuke chuckled. "Please. That's not espionage — that's foresight. I don't need to move an inch to know when chaos is coming."
Gojo smirked behind his blindfold. "Then humor me. Who's stronger — me, or Sukuna at full power?"
He said it half as a joke, half as a test.
Sure, there was an informant in Jujutsu High — but it sure as hell wasn't this guy.
No one would ever believe Zen'in Shinsuke, the man who hated curses more than anyone, would cooperate with one.
Still, Gojo couldn't quite figure out how he always seemed to know when trouble was coming… unless he had a cheat code.
Shinsuke's step faltered slightly. He gave Gojo a strange look.
"...Fifty-fifty," he said at last, then quickened his pace toward the battlefield.
Gojo blinked. "Wait, what the hell kind of answer is that?"
The group followed close behind.
When they reached the outer perimeter, a massive black curtain was already descending from the sky, swallowing the forest below.
"Damn it, I knew it!" Utahime snapped. "Someone's breached the barrier! Gojo — get in there before it closes!"
But Gojo didn't move. His expression, though hidden beneath the blindfold, was unnervingly calm.
"It's useless," he said flatly. "It's already complete."
While to the naked eye the barrier still looked like it was forming, his Six Eyes had already traced its structure in full — a completed curtain, perfectly sealed.
The five sorcerers came to a stop before the obsidian veil.
"Fine," Gojo said, stepping forward. "Then I'll just break it."
He extended a hand toward the barrier.
ZZZRAK!
A surge of black lightning exploded from the surface, throwing him several meters back.
Utahime gasped. "What the—?! It repelled you?"
Gojo straightened, brushing the dust from his uniform. "Yeah… I get it now."
He turned toward them, his tone suddenly sharp.
"This barrier was made specifically for me. Everyone else can go in freely — but me? I'm locked out."
Shinsuke let out a low whistle. "Heh. So someone finally figured out how to keep the great Gojo Satoru on the sidelines, huh?"
Gojo's lips curled into a tight smile. "Seems like we've got a very competent curse user in the mix."
"Pfft—!"
Shinsuke couldn't help but laugh, clapping Gojo on the shoulder.
"Don't pout, kid. You stay here and think of a way in. I'll go handle my prey."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked straight into the curtain — slipping through effortlessly.
Gojo froze for a moment, staring at his retreating figure.
Even that guy could walk right in?
Seriously?
So the barrier really did exclude only him.
"Fine," he muttered. "Whatever. Go on, enjoy yourselves."
He glanced at the others.
"Riko, Utahime, Old Man — you three head inside. I'll stay here and analyze this thing."
They nodded without hesitation and entered the curtain.
Inside, the atmosphere changed immediately.
Thick, suffocating cursed energy pressed against them from every direction.
Utahime's skin prickled. "This amount of energy… don't tell me a special grade got in."
Riko's voice trembled slightly. "Please, no more special grades. I've had enough trauma for one lifetime."
Then—
"Hmm? Gojo Satoru isn't here?"
A bald man stepped into view at the forest's edge, his face twisted into a grotesque grin. Even at a glance, he radiated malevolence.
"But no matter…" he hissed. His eyes locked onto Shinsuke, gleaming with manic delight.
"I think I've found something even better!"
He licked his lips, his body trembling with excitement.
"What a perfect coat rack! Such exquisite form — I'll make sure to preserve every part of you! A masterpiece for my collection!"
He ignored Utahime, Riko, and even Gakuganji entirely.
Right now, the only thing that existed in his world was the man standing before him — Zen'in Shinsuke.
And Shinsuke, in turn, smiled faintly.
"Perfect," he murmured. "Looks like the first course just volunteered itself."
Gakuganji squinted at the bald curse user before them, his voice low and gravelly.
"He's not the main source of that cursed energy… but he's not weak either."
He adjusted the guitar strap over his shoulder and turned to the others.
"You two — go secure the students. Avoid unnecessary combat if possible. I'll handle this one."
Utahime nodded quickly. "Be careful, Principal."
Without hesitation, she and Riko split off in opposite directions, sprinting into the dense forest.
That left Zen'in Shinsuke alone in the clearing, stretching his neck and shoulders as he locked onto a far stronger presence in the distance.
"…A bit far," he muttered, closing his eyes to sense the energy pulsing on the edge of the barrier.
"I'll have to reach it before Gojo scares the prey away."
A faint hiss escaped his skin as thin streams of white steam curled up from his body.
His flesh flushed crimson, veins bulging beneath the surface as his aura thickened — sharp, predatory, and bloodthirsty.
He smiled. "Old man, I'll be going ahead."
"Wait, wait, wait!" the bald curse user screamed as Shinsuke crouched low.
"You can't just leave! You can't run from me — my perfect coat rack! I'm not letting you go!"
The curse user lunged, his machete cleaving through the air with manic fury.
But Shinsuke didn't even look back.
He had no interest in sideshows.
His legs coiled like springs — and then—
BOOM!
The ground beneath him fractured in a spiderweb of cracks as he launched himself upward like a cannon shell, vanishing into the sky.
The bald curse user and Gakuganji both stumbled, nearly losing their footing from the shockwave.
"NO! NO! NO!" the curse shrieked, veins bulging across his skull.
"My perfect coat rack! Come back here!"
He started to chase, but—
WHUMMM!
A wave of sound and cursed energy erupted from Gakuganji's guitar, striking the ground in front of him and forcing him to a halt.
"Don't even think about it," the old man growled, his tone as heavy as thunder.
The curse snarled, eyes flashing with rage.
"You old bastard…! You let my masterpiece escape! You wanna die, don't you?!"
Gakuganji sighed, unimpressed.
"You really should be thanking me. I just saved your life."
He plucked a single string, the vibration humming through the air.
"If you'd chased him… you'd be in pieces already."
The curse trembled with fury, but deep down, it knew the old man was right.
---
Meanwhile, deeper in the forest—
"BLACK FLASH!"
Tiger stripes of cursed energy burst through the trees as Itadori Yuji's fist connected with the earth, the impact sending shockwaves through the clearing.
He was moving in perfect rhythm now — body, mind, and cursed energy completely synchronized.
Beside him, Aoi Todo grinned from ear to ear, his eyes blazing with pride.
"As expected of my brother," he declared. "You didn't let me down!"
In that moment, the two stood side by side against their enemy — the special-grade curse, Hanami.
A living embodiment of nature's hatred, Hanami's twisted body pulsed with dark green energy, roots and vines writhing like serpents.
"This curse is strong," Todo said, his tone turning sharp, "but if we fight together—"
He slammed his fists together, a grin splitting his face.
"—we'll crush it."
Yuji nodded firmly, black lightning still flickering around his arm.
"Yeah. Let's finish this, brother."
[Guess why Todo calls Yuji 'brother' 🙂]