23 Hidden Inventory VI

Arai who was still shocked from the sight was shook violently by Nanami.

"Isao! Snap out of it!" Nanami's demeanor was no longer the cool-headed person he was. Sweat was running down his face and the nervousness from the situation was making his mind unstable but Arai was far more effected by it, seeing Gojo in this state put fear in his mind.

Though he was still a sorcerer and soon got over it. His rational thinking came back but the fear wasn't gone. He was now on full alert and was ready to go into battle.

"Ri-right, Nanami go check on Gojo's condition. Take him to Ieiri if you can. We still have to accomplish our mission so I'll try to find the Star Platinum Vessel."

Nanami went to check Gojo while Arai stood guard.

'Damn it! Just what the hell is going on? There's no one here and no hint of someone being here. I don't see any residuals from a foreign sorcerer.'

"Arai... he isn't breathing but I think I just saw his finger twitch!"

"A suspended death state... Go bring him to safety. I'll go see what's going on."

"Got it. I'll try to bring back up as well and find a first-grade sorcerer. Maybe Mei is at school right now."

"Good luck Nanami."

"You too Isao."

They separated after the exchange. Nanami brought Gojo's body to the infirmary while Arai stayed to see if the vessel is here.

'Gojo may not be breathing but it's Gojo we're talking about. Having Nanami bring him to the infirmary may save his life. But I need to find Geto and the vessel. That's what's important right now.'

While running to the tomb where Tengen resides, Arai witnessed more and more destruction. "The fight was Gojo but who was he up against to cause this much destruction. And to lose... I just can't imagine that."

Arai then noticed something in the corner of his eye. "The corpse of a curse spirit. It's curse energy is still strong even after death. That means it was just recently killed. The perpetrator is maybe still here. And that thing is semi-first grade, I only see one slash on it."

Arai gulped when seeing this. "Someone killed a semi-first grade in one attack and defeated Gojo. This really isn't a job for someone like me."

As he was about to enter the tombs, he saw another body lying on the floor in a pool of blood but this time it was that of a human. A woman with long black hair tied into a bun with bangs on the front.

She wore a maid's outfit split into a black dress with blade skirt and a white collared shirt underneath it and apron.

Arai quickly went to check the woman's condition. "She's not breathing. If I remember correctly, she's supposed to be the 'Star Platinum Vessel' guardian. Misato Kuroi is her name I think, Geto told me before to make sure I know who were with us. The situation is getting worse and worse if she's also dead."

He sighed knowing that another casualty happened here. Arai closed her eyes before going down the stairs deeper into the unknown.

"My curse spirit is smelling more blood, I hope Geto isn't in trouble."

Entering the tomb, all he saw were countless traditional Japanese houses. They were all connected like a chain. The 'Main Hall of the Tombs of the Star'.

Seeing it in person was different then hearing it, most people would never be able to see this sight as Tengen wouldn't allow it. It was basically an underground city at this point.

His shikigami crawled towards the city where he found another body. It was that of Geto's.

"Geto... No one is around. Did they already leave?" Checking up his condition, Arai sighed in relief. "Thank god, he's still breathing. His injuries are shallow compared to Gojo's. I guess the perpetrator didn't want to kill Geto for some reason."

"I can't let Geto stay here." He turned to his shikigami and gave orders. "You, go bring Geto to Jujutsu High. Stay there and listen to Nanami's order if he gives you one." The curse spirit did as told and placed Geto on its back and ran the same direction Nanami did.

'I won't be able to find the vessel now. This is a maze and that's if she's even still here which I doubt. The perpetrator seems to only be one person as I only found residuals of cursed tools being used. That either means that they covered up their cursed energy before leaving or that they can somehow hide their curse energy via a curse technique. The latter is more likely which explains why the need for cursed tools. So right now, the operation should be changed to looking for clues and going back safely.'

After looking around for a bit, Arai found more clues and quickly analyzed everything. "There are signs of combat here. Two powerful curse presences here that were semi-first grade but I can feel another one that is much weaker. Geto wouldn't pull out such a useless curse spirit so maybe its a shikigami from the enemy. I also found splattered brain matter which can only mean one thing."

Knowing the mess this was, Arai sighed and gripped his fist. "Geto and Gojo lost and failed their mission." His classmates and friends were beaten up while he was just walking and chatting. It pained him knowing that he was useless. Even if he was there, he would of just simply been a liability and made the situation worse than it already is.

Individual strength was the most important thing to a sorcerer. Something he lacked very much.

"I am weak. So pathetically weak but what I can do is help them now." Pushing these thoughts away, Arai headed back to to Jujutsu High to report everything he found and to see the conditions of everyone.

"I can only conclude that things went a bit like this. Gojo was attacked first making Geto use his curse spirit while running away with the vessel. While that was going on, Gojo was defeated. The assaulter then went down and killed the guardian and after that killed the vessel judging by the pool of blood and a bit of brain matter. Lastly Geto fought and lost as well but was spared. Probably because of his technique which lets him store curse spirits which they didn't want to deal with when Geto dies."

"So that's how it is." Yaga who was listening to his report looked mad yet calm at the same time making a weird combination. He was the principal and had to always maintain his composure. Even when his students can be faced with death. "What a mess. Geto will be alright but I can't say the same for Gojo. Are you sure that you saw him moving?"

Arai slumped into the couch tired. "Nanami did. 'Did he just delude himself into imagining that?' is what you're asking right? I doubt it since Nanami isn't the kind of person to do that. He's too tough to delude himself."

"Then we can only hope-"

Their conversation was interrupted as both felt something. Someone was releasing an immense amount of curse energy. Just feeling it made both Yaga and Arai shocked. This was a foreign curse energy and it was the first time that both felt something this powerful.

They needed no words as both immediately headed to where they felt it. Arai prepared his daggers which were the ones from Hikari, the ninja girl he had killed. Yaga on the other hand had curse corpses ready and activated them having them run beside him.

Yaga who was a first grade sorcerer overtook Arai and commanded his puppets to smash through the door. They finally arrived to see a scene out of a movie.

It was Gojo who still had blood on his face and shirt but with none of his wounds found floating in the air and looking blankly to the sky.

The room which was an infirmary, is completely destroyed and seemingly everything was pushed away with him at its epicenter.

His blue shining eyes glowing brightly despite being daytime.

Gojo was gazing at the bright sky before soon his eyes stopped glowing and returned to its normal appearance. His demeanor changed as he smirked with his usual arrogant smile while pointing to the sky and ground.

"Throughout the heavens and earth, I alone am the honored one."