"Yes, okay.→"
On the platform of Shibuya Station's Exit 13 of the Tokyo Metro, a very thin middle-aged salaryman in a black suit was on the phone.
Due to the official evacuation notice, personnel had been quickly evacuated.
At this moment, the streets were empty.
The man, who looked like a salaryman in a suit, was named Kiyotaka Ijichi, an Assistant Manager at Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Before Kiyotaka Ijichi, there was a giant black barrier that almost completely covered his vision.
It was undoubtedly a 'Barrier' of ridiculously large coverage, like a huge net inverted over the most central area of Shibuya Ward.
Besides serving as a barrier to make ordinary people unaware of the existence of Cursed Spirits, another use of a 'Barrier' is as a confinement Barrier Technique.
This Barrier suddenly appeared at 20:14 in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.
This thing instantly surrounded several of Shibuya Ward's most prosperous commercial centers, practically encompassing the entire city center of Shibuya.
Within this area, there were at least several thousand young people dressed in monster costumes and bizarre outfits, gathered for Halloween festivities.
"That Barrier has trapped all ordinary people inside, preventing them from leaving."
Kiyotaka Ijichi was arranging for Jujutsu Sorcerer to act, so he was on the phone.
"Only Jujutsu Sorcerer can freely enter and exit, and communication signals inside are completely cut off. Communications will be handled by us Assistant Managers."
This Barrier trapped ordinary people inside, but Jujutsu Sorcerer could pass through freely.
This kind of rule application and restriction resulted in terrifying defensive power; conventional attacks were useless.
Hindering most people in exchange for a small portion could increase the defensive power of a Cursed Technique by several levels, similar to an alternative version of a binding vow.
Jujutsu Sorcerer could enter, but they could not treat those ordinary people, nor could they rescue them from this domain; that would be futile.
Moreover, the mastermind behind the scenes conveyed their demands to the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association through the mouths of these ordinary people.
That was to hand over Gojo Satoru!
This made the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association wonder if these people had lost their minds and were joking with them.
Other individuals avoided Gojo Satoru at all costs, yet these people were actively trying to lure Gojo Satoru to them.
Then their wish would simply have to be granted!
.
This timeline is completely different from Kenmyo's timeline.
The most straightforward statement is that Gojo Satoru is the child of the world; after more than ten years of refinement, the complete Limitless has become the pillar of the current Jujutsu World, its sole pinnacle.
What kind of person is Gojo Satoru?
His students have the most say in this.
"Free, and willful."
Although Gojo Satoru is an idiot, his strength is undeniably the strongest in the world.
Therefore, in this timeline, both humans and Cursed Spirits have reached a consensus:
Gojo Satoru is invincible.
The complete Limitless has made Gojo Satoru's strength unrivaled, with a gap so despairingly vast compared to ordinary Jujutsu Sorcerer.
No matter how difficult the mission, if Gojo Satoru takes action, it will inevitably be a piece of cake.
Moreover, the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association now has three Special Grade Sorcerers, and Gojo Satoru is the strongest among them.
This situation has led most Jujutsu Sorcerer to adopt a complacent attitude.
Because things Gojo Satoru can do, they might be able to do.
However, if even Gojo cannot do something, they absolutely cannot.
Even with the entire Neon Jujutsu Sorcerer Association's Jujutsu Sorcerer mobilized for the Shibuya Incident, the majority still held this attitude.
"What? Gojo Satoru is already here,
"Then it's fine."
"We just need to drink tea and chat in the back, and Gojo Satoru will take care of everything."
And sometimes Gojo Satoru would even bring his students, further reducing the burden on the Jujutsu Sorcerer of the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association.
They basically didn't need to do anything; Gojo Satoru and his students were quite capable, so it was just considered training for newcomers.
So the Jujutsu Sorcerer were well aware that they were just going through the motions, part of the 'atmosphere team,' and were already discussing what to eat for supper.
Now, all Assistant Managers of the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association and the 'Windows' collecting intelligence were in position.
Behind Gojo Satoru's invincible dominance were the Assistant Managers and 'Windows,' the most grassroots staff of the association.
But these guys from the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association were so lazy.
Most Jujutsu Sorcerer were optimistic, but would things really unfold as they imagined?
"We Assistant Managers will establish communication both outside and inside. So, please, all Jujutsu Sorcerer, take good care of the ordinary people inside."
Just a moment ago, Gojo Satoru arrived and successfully entered the Barrier.
Kiyotaka Ijichi hung up the phone and quietly offered a prayer.
"I hope Mr. Gojo will succeed."
Then he immediately, without stopping, redialed another Assistant Manager.
He kept calling for a while without an answer, and just as a bad premonition arose in Kiyotaka Ijichi's heart, the call was finally answered.
"Hello, Ms. Nitta, why did it take you so long to answer the phone?"
"Ahaha."
On the other end of the line, the person who answered was the short-haired blonde woman in a black suit whom Kenmyo had seen earlier.
Her name is Akari Nitta; she has naturally wavy blonde hair, a straightforward personality, is understanding, and has strong observational skills.
She is the youngest Assistant Manager at Tokyo Jujutsu High, responsible for liaison between Jujutsu High students and the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association.
"Sorry, sorry, Mr. Ijichi."
"I left my phone in the car earlier."
Akari Nitta said apologetically.
She subtly motioned for Nobara Kugisaki and Kenmyo to be quiet while she was on the phone.
Kenmyo was still talking to Nobara Kugisaki and the others at the convenience store entrance.
After all, meeting Tokyo Jujutsu High students in the distant future was a rare opportunity—oh, no, a rare destiny.
It was the quickest way to get some information he wanted to know immediately.
Anyway, thanks to the favor of a bread, and this face that Kenmyo wouldn't boast about but was quite outstanding among most men, it was no problem to subtly glean some information.
The orange-haired, short girl in front of him, estimated to be only 1.6 meters tall, was Nobara Kugisaki, who came from a distant place to study in Tokyo and was also a Jujutsu High student.
Kenmyo wanted to know about their mission and this current incident.
Based on the various police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances he had seen speeding by earlier, all signs indicated that the severity of this incident was not low.
It was very likely one of the most serious and grave types of Cursed Spirit attacks.
However, for Kenmyo, whose Cursed Energy fluctuations seemed no different from an ordinary student on the surface, and who was an unregistered person without an identity, asking these questions was very difficult.
But if he just stalled them for a little while, another contact person would immediately call to ask why they hadn't arrived yet.
If he wasn't mistaken, the person currently calling Ms. Nitta should be someone from the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association.
Although Akari Nitta deliberately moved away from them to make the call, Kenmyo's hearing was still sharp enough to hear clearly.
"Please answer the phone more quickly next time."
The voice on the other end of the line was saying.
"Ms. Nitta, your position is on the outer perimeter of the Barrier."
"There's no communication within the Barrier, so someone must be outside at all times."
Kenmyo heard 'Barrier,' and he looked at the black, round sphere at least twenty kilometers away, directly covering the entire Shibuya city center.
He had thought it was set up by Jujutsu Sorcerer.
After all, if a massive Cursed Spirit attack occurred in the city center, enveloping all buildings in that area within the Barrier's range on such a large scale would be the safest course of action, preventing observation by ordinary people from the outside.
"Next, we Assistant Managers will form a simple communication network to assist Jujutsu Sorcerer with point-to-point directional communication."
"Has Mr. Gojo already entered?"
Akari Nitta also knew that the people inside were clamoring for Gojo Satoru to come, but they had only received the notification suddenly.
So, having rushed over immediately, she hadn't received the latest intelligence updates.
"Yes, Mr. Gojo has already entered."
Kiyotaka Ijichi replied.
"But our communication with him has also been cut off."
When Gojo, Kenmyo heard this name, a certain obnoxious scoundrel immediately came to mind.
The future, grown-up Gojo Satoru.
No, it should be Gojo Satoru, who has already been squeezed dry by the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association like an ox.
Gojo the Ox.
Just now, Kenmyo had subtly hinted that Nobara Kugisaki's homeroom teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High was Gojo Satoru.
The method was simple: Kenmyo just had to complain a little about his school's homeroom teacher, how bad they were, and how inadequate in certain areas.
As fellow students, they immediately found common ground, and Nobara Kugisaki resonated with him, as her homeroom teacher was notoriously free-spirited and undisciplined.
As a student, she was truly speechless.
From Nobara Kugisaki's words, Kenmyo had roughly gotten the general impression.
It was Gojo Satoru, no one else.
Kenmyo shook his head. Gojo never had much patience; it would be strange if he could teach students effectively.
However, Gojo Satoru hasn't changed much over the years.
The unfortunate thing is that he ended up becoming the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association's ox.
From Nobara Kugisaki's words, his homeroom teacher was rarely seen throughout the year, always away on business trips.
Is Gojo Satoru doing that badly?
In his eyes, Gojo Satoru was almost a middle-aged corporate drone.
"Ms. Nitta, please contact the 'Windows' that are still on standby immediately. We need to move quickly."
Kiyotaka Ijichi, while on the phone, wasn't idle with his other hand, typing rapidly on another phone.
He was reporting the latest situation here to the Jujutsu Sorcerer Association; assistant supervisors are very busy.
Wait, Kenmyo frowned.
He seemed to hear the sound of someone swinging a knife coming from the other end of Ms. Nitta's phone call.
Not from their side. Kenmyo, are you sure there are only three of them in this area, no fourth person?
Which means it came from the person Ms. Nitta Akari was calling.
And unknowingly, a second set of footsteps could be heard approaching slowly through the phone.
Kenmyo suddenly felt a bad premonition.
If it were one of their own, why would they be swinging a knife and approaching someone on the phone without any greeting?
The person coming was very confident, not even bothering to hide their presence.
They had encountered an enemy.
Alas, Kenmyo sighed.
One could only say Ijichi had bad luck; even if Kenmyo spoke up now to warn him, it would be useless.
Because assistant supervisors generally have no combat ability; they are non-combat personnel. If they don't have firearms, they might not even be able to defeat the weakest Grade 4 Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Kiyotaka Ijichi focused all his attention on his work, with little spare capacity to observe his surroundings.
He completely failed to notice that behind him, at the bottom of the stairs on this platform, a figure had unknowingly drawn closer and closer, and a flash of blade light had imperceptibly enveloped him, diligently working.
"Okay, Mr. Ijichi."
Nitta Akari was about to ask for more details when she suddenly heard a sound like a sharp blade piercing a chest coming from the other end of the phone.
Kenmyo shook his head.
Beyond saving.
If it was just a guess before, it had now come true.
From the other end of the phone came Mr. Ijichi's retching sounds, his breathing immediately becoming rapid, and liquid dripping down.
"Mr. Ijichi?"
Nitta Akari also sensed something was wrong, and she asked into the phone.
But there was no response, only several more sounds of flesh being pierced.
And it wasn't just one stab; it was the cruel act of pulling the blade out and plunging it back in, piercing him at least four or five times consecutively.
"Hahaha!"
Kenmyo even heard the killer's laughter coming from the other end of the phone, seemingly quite pleased with his actions.
"Indeed, I'm best at bullying the weak."
Hearing this, Kenmyo's anger flared.
Kenmyo heard a heavy thud, and he knew it was likely over.
So, what Nitta Akari heard last was a series of "beep, beep, beep" busy signals, and an ominous premonition immediately appeared in her heart.
That was Kiyotaka Ijichi, before losing consciousness, pressing the phone to cut off communication to prevent the enemy from getting his information.
But Nitta Akari was professionally trained, and such an unknown situation meant that Kiyotaka Ijichi had suffered some accident.
Now was not the time to sit idly by; Nitta Akari bravely pulled herself together.
She went over to Kenmyo and Nobara, and apologized to Kenmyo.
"Sorry, Yamauchi-kun."
Yamauchi was the alias Kenmyo used, hiding his surname.
Yamauchi Kenmyo, that name also sounds quite nice.
He didn't reveal the name Isayama, as there might be an Isayama Family in this world too, and it was safest to distance his identity from the Jujutsu World as much as possible.
This way, he could dispel the concerns and wariness of those two, and extract the information he wanted as much as possible.
"We had agreed to take Yamauchi-kun to a safe place, but it might not be possible for now."
Nitta Akari forced a smile. Kenmyo, who knew what had happened, expressed understanding.
Nobara Kugisaki saw the assistant supervisor's expression suddenly turn very grim, and she also understood that something unexpected might have happened.
So, even though there was a handsome guy she had just met, at such a critical moment of the mission, she could only apologize.
"What's wrong? Why the rush?"
Nobara Kugisaki asked, seeing the frantic Nitta Akari.
"Mr. Ijichi was attacked by an enemy!"
Nitta Akari fastened her seatbelt and turned to Nobara Kugisaki.
"What?!"
Assistant supervisors' phones usually have GPS, which can help other colleagues quickly locate them. If they hurry now, they might still be able to save Kiyotaka Ijichi.
Kenmyo knew this too, so he watched the black Audi's taillights gradually recede, slowly waving his hand.
On the empty street, Kenmyo was once again alone.
"How about..."
He murmured to himself, looking down.
"I'll follow and see."
After all, judging by the strength of Gojo's students, they're only at the level of a mere Grade 3 Jujutsu Sorcerer. If they encounter a slightly stronger enemy, they'll be done for immediately.
Moreover, they brought a burden: Ms. Nitta Akari has no combat ability whatsoever.
As for Kiyotaka Ijichi's situation, it was largely consistent with Kenmyo's estimation.
A blond man with a crooked golden ponytail and three pink-purple triangular marks under each eye was the enemy who had ambushed Kiyotaka Ijichi.
He wore black clothing that exposed his right shoulder, and in his hand, he held a blade with a purplish-black hand as its hilt.
That knife was a special Cursed Tool, seemingly alive, and held in the man's hand, it appeared to be in a handshake posture.
This guy was forcefully stepping on Kiyotaka Ijichi's head, with the back of the blade resting on his neck.
From the flow of Cursed Energy from his body, it could be determined that he was not a humanoid Cursed Spirit, but a human.
His identity should be a Curse User, the opposite of Jujutsu Sorcerer.
His personality was extremely vile, and his methods cruel. He actually attacked an unarmed ordinary person, and through a sneak attack at that.
"Bullying the weak, this feeling is truly splendid."
The blond Curse User, with a cruel smile, looked at the person behind him.
"Like this, it should be fine, right?"
"Yes."
Behind this blond man with the crooked ponytail, at some unknown point, stood another person, whose gender was indistinguishable, appearing very androgynous.
This person wore monastic clothing, had a bob haircut, and was a child of indeterminate gender.
As for this scoundrel, it was impossible to tell if they were human or a Cursed Spirit; their aura was as cold as a winter wind.
No emotions could be seen on this child's face, and they instructed in a calm tone.
"Please, just like this, kill all the guys in black suits outside the Barrier."
If this Curse User were to kill the assistant supervisors and the Windows, it would be a bloody and brutal massacre.
The current situation was a joint attack by Curse Users and Cursed Spirits, a siege against Gojo Satoru and the Jujutsu Sorcerer. An invisible, vast net had already enveloped all of them.