Chapter 136: Why Am I Always the One Getting Hurt?

Megumi Fushiguro's hands formed a sign.

The pitch-black Divine Dogs lunged from his shadow, tearing into the Cursed Spirits that poured toward him. Their fangs sank into grotesque flesh, ripping curses apart one after another.

Megumi's expression darkened.

"So many Cursed Spirits appeared at once. This is an invasion."

Another curse rushed at him.

The Divine Dog intercepted it before it could get close.

"And judging from the pressure in the air, a Veil has been set up. We need to find the others quickly."

Not far away, Noritoshi Kamo drew his bow.

Cursed Energy wrapped around the arrow. He released it, and the projectile pierced through a Cursed Spirit's skull, exorcising it on the spot.

"We don't know the enemy's strength," Kamo said. "Nor do we know the Veil's range. For now, our priority should be gathering with the others and locating its boundary."

The two moved at almost the same time.

They leaped out from the building and landed outside.

What awaited them was a swarm.

Cursed Spirits crowded the area, crawling over walls, clinging to trees, and emerging from every blind spot. Most were Grade 2 or below, but hidden among them were presences clearly at Grade 1.

Megumi clicked his tongue.

"This is bad."

A familiar voice cut through the chaos.

"Blast away."

The command struck like an invisible hammer.

Several Grade 3 Cursed Spirits in front of Toge Inumaki were sent flying at once. Their bodies shattered in midair, unable to withstand the force of Cursed Speech.

"Inumaki-senpai!"

Megumi's expression eased slightly.

He immediately summoned Nue. The Shikigami spread its wings and released crackling lightning, sweeping away the nearby Cursed Spirits and opening a path.

Megumi and Kamo rushed toward Inumaki, regrouping as quickly as possible.

Elsewhere, the other students had reached the same conclusion.

The Goodwill Event was over.

Whatever grudges or competition existed between Tokyo and Kyoto no longer mattered. The forest had become a battlefield, and survival came first.

Undercurrents surged beneath the chaos.

The students moved.

The Curse Users moved as well.

And in a different location, Mahito followed the mark he had left on one of Sukuna's Fingers and successfully found the only hidden passage among thousands of barriers.

His smile widened.

Meanwhile, the battle around Yuji Itadori had already become a brutal exchange of high-intensity slaughter.

Yuji held both swords as vents like volcanic chimneys rose from the ground around him. Jogo's Cursed Energy surged through them, preparing to erupt.

Just as Yuji was about to cut them down, a sharp clap sounded beside his ear.

Clap.

In the next instant, Yuji vanished from where he stood.

He appeared in Hanami's original position.

And Hanami appeared directly above the volcanic vents.

Flames erupted.

Hanami was swallowed by the blast.

"Hanami!"

Jogo's expression turned ugly.

For a moment, he was both furious and confused.

They switched positions.

Was that Yuji Itadori's Cursed Technique?

Or Asuramaru's doing?

Then he remembered the clap.

His single eye locked onto Aoi Todo, who stood off to the side with a wild, fearless grin.

Todo rolled his shoulders.

"Figured it out already, Cursed Spirit?"

"You arrogant human!"

Jogo roared.

A swarm of Ember Insects shot from him, screaming toward Todo like living bullets.

Todo clapped again.

Their positions changed.

The Ember Insects slammed into Jogo instead.

They burst against his body, then were absorbed back into him the moment they touched his skin.

Before Jogo could fully react, Yuji was already in front of him.

His breathing settled into rhythm.

The swords in his hands ignited with scorching flame.

"Hinokami Kagura: Dance!"

Yuji stepped in and swung horizontally.

The flaming arc cut through the air.

Jogo reacted quickly and retreated, but not quickly enough. The sword sliced off one of his hands.

For a split second, Jogo stared.

This brat...

He grew stronger again in such a short time?

While retreating, Jogo severed the arm that had lost its hand before the strange invading power could spread deeper into his body.

Cursed Energy surged, and a new arm regenerated.

He looked back and shouted, "Stay back, Hanami!"

Hanami immediately withdrew.

He clearly understood what Jogo was about to do.

Jogo also understood now that he had to go all out. In close combat, Yuji was too troublesome. If they continued exchanging blows at that range, he would only suffer more injuries.

Jogo raised both hands.

His Cursed Energy output climbed to the limit.

Magma erupted around him in a massive surge, swelling into a scorching torrent that burned everything in its path. Trees blackened. The ground cracked. The air distorted from heat.

Flame and magma obeyed him like extensions of his will.

At that moment, Jogo truly lived up to the name of a natural disaster.

Yuji's expression tightened.

He gripped his swords harder.

Behind him, Todo's expression changed as well.

This level of Cursed Energy output and range...

Only Satoru Gojo could easily defeat something like this.

And these two Special Grade Cursed Spirits were almost certainly capable of Domain Expansion.

So why had they not used their Domains yet?

Was it because of Sukuna?

Or was it because of something else?

There was no time to think.

Todo snapped back to focus and shouted, "Watch out, my best friend!"

He clapped twice.

Yuji and Todo switched positions with Jogo and Hanami again.

The overwhelming sea of fire fell upon Hanami once more.

Flames scorched his body, burning his wooden flesh black.

Jogo hurriedly moved the magma away from him. A faint trace of guilt passed through him, though his face showed none of it.

Hanami, on the other hand, was furious enough that even his usual strange sounds carried clear emotion.

The meaning reached their minds.

"Why am I always the one getting hurt?"

Jogo tried his best not to look at him.

Instead, he continued analyzing the situation.

No doubt about it.

That human's Cursed Technique swaps positions.

The range is unclear. The exact activation condition is still uncertain, but it is clearly linked to clapping.

Long-range attacks are heavily restricted by it.

And Yuji Itadori is too dangerous up close.

At that thought, Jogo finally stopped hesitating.

He clasped his hands together.

"Domain Expansion: Coffin of the Iron Mountain!"

Jet-black Cursed Energy spread outward.

The domain shell rapidly formed, swallowing Yuji and Todo within it.

The forest vanished.

The world became the inside of a volcano.

Heat poured from every direction. Magma flowed beneath their feet. The air was thick with ash, pressure, and killing intent. The entire space felt as though it was waiting to erupt.

"So he really expanded his Domain..."

Todo's face changed.

He immediately formed hand signs.

"New Shadow Style: Simple Domain!"

A small shimmering domain opened around him, neutralizing the sure-hit effect aimed at his body.

Yuji felt the pressure of the Domain settle onto him and remembered Gojo's teaching.

When trapped inside a Domain, the best counter was to expand your own.

Unfortunately, Yuji did not know how to use Domain Expansion.

There was no time to hesitate.

His instincts moved first.

Spiritualization activated.

Yuji's main body remained near Todo, using Demon Power to protect him from the surrounding heat and attacks.

At the same time, a crimson spiritual clone separated from Yuji's body. It held twin swords and charged straight toward Jogo.

Jogo's eye narrowed.

Because it has no Cursed Energy, it avoids the Domain's sure-hit effect?

His lips curled slightly.

Obsidian pillars formed in the volcanic space and shot toward the spiritual clone like spears.

At the same time, more stone pillars flew toward Yuji and Todo.

Then the ground beneath them erupted.

Magma burst upward one pillar after another, turning the battlefield into a storm of molten fire.

Yuji controlled the Demon Power within his body, forming a barrier to withstand the magma and stone pillars.

The impact shook him.

The heat clawed at his skin.

Even with Demonization and Ittō Shura strengthening him, maintaining the barrier consumed a tremendous amount of power.

.....

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