The attack came at midnight. When defenses were thinnest. When people were tired. When coordination was hardest.But this time, they were ready. Expecting it. Prepared for it. Waiting.Alarms blared across Tokyo. Across Japan. Across the world. Kenjaku's forces striking everywhere simultaneously. Hundreds of locations. Thousands of curses. All coordinated. All strategic. All designed to overwhelm.But the resistance was ready. International forces deployed. Coordinated response. Meeting force with force. Strategy with strategy. Power with power.Tonji's team was assigned Tokyo's center. The heart of the assault. Where Kenjaku himself would likely appear. Where the strongest curses would attack. Where the war would be decided."This is it," Gojo said during final briefing. "Everything we've fought for. Everyone we've lost. It all comes down to this night. We win here, we end Kenjaku. We lose here, humanity ends. Simple as that. Questions?"Nobody had questions. They all knew what was a

The curse deposited them on Hiroshima's edge at 0300 hours. Industrial district. Abandoned buildings. Perfect cover for illegal operations.Exactly where Kenjaku would hide a transformation center.Tonji studied the location through binoculars. Three-story concrete structure. No visible guards. No obvious defenses. No curses patrolling perimeter."Perimeter scouts report," one sorcerer whispered through comms. Static-laden. Improvised equipment. Lost all quality gear in Jujutsu High's destruction. "No obvious defenses. No guards. No curses. Building looks empty."Kashimo stretched. Lightning crackling between fingers. Eager. Always eager."It's a trap," he announced casually. "Obvious trap. They're expecting us. They're inside waiting. They're going to attack the moment we enter.""How can you tell?" one Grade 1 asked nervously."Because I'm ancient sorcerer with centuries of combat experience. And because Kenjaku is strategic genius with thousand years of knowledge. You think he woul

Seventeen coordinated teams at seventeen locations. All simultaneous and designed to cripple Kenjaku's merger preparation. All committed to maximum offensive deployment. Tonji's team was assigned to Location 7. Transformation chamber in mountainous region. Ritual space. Where Tengen was being staged. Where merger would occur if preparation succeeded. "Move," Gojo commanded over comms. "All teams deploying. All locations engaged. Go." Tonji's transport curse activated. Teleportation. Distance collapsing. Tokyo becoming distant memory. Mountains becoming present reality. Location 7 manifested below them. Ancient temple structure. Cursed barriers visible. Guardian curse stationed. Energy signatures indicating Special Grade presence minimum. The team deployed. Tonji. Maki. Kashimo. Three Grade 1 sorcerers. Support team. Everything needed for rapid insertion and objective completion. Barriers detonated. Not breached. Overwhelmed. Tonji's Denizen cutting through curse-specific defenses

The initial clash was violent.Tonji moved first. Denizen drawn. Special Grade speed making distance irrelevant. Attacking Kenjaku directly. Not hesitating. Not cautious. Pure commitment.Kenjaku activated space manipulation. Bent distance. Made Denizen's trajectory meaningless. Turned Tonji's attack into empty swing.But Tonji expected that. Expected technique countering. Expected adaptation.He adjusted mid-swing. Used Denizen as springboard. Propelled himself differently. Changed approach vector mid-combat.Kenjaku was fast. Thousand years fast. Ancient consciousness fast. But Tonji was learning. Was adapting. Was discovering that Special Grade meant being able to process combat at speeds that required perfect consciousness alignment.Their first exchange lasted three seconds. Generated destructive force that cracked stone beneath their feet. Bent reality around impact. Created shockwave that sent support personnel scrambling for cover.Neither landed decisive blow."Good," Kenjaku

The ancient temple stood isolated in mountain region. Sacred ground. Cursed ground. Kenjaku's original temple where consciousness had first been preserved thousand years ago.Twenty-two sorcerers approached from four vectors simultaneously. Coordinated assault. Maximum force. Prepared for overwhelming resistance.Barriers activated immediately. Cursed-energy-based security. Thousand-year-old preservation techniques designed to protect consciousness backup from assault."Breach barriers," command came through comms. Senior assault leader. Experienced fighter. Strategic mind.Explosions. Coordinated attacks. Barriers fell under sustained assault.Inside, curse users were waiting. Approximately forty of them. All transformed. All dedicated. All positioned to defend consciousness backup.Combat erupted. Sorcerer met curse user. Technique met technique. Strategy met preparation.First wave of sorcerers engaged front defensive line. Second wave flowed around sides. Third wave moved toward t