Chapter 38. Cicada (Part 6)

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In the future, this day would be remembered as the moment when the air became saturated with the scent of nuclear ash.

What began in Shibuya quickly spread across all twenty-three special wards of Tokyo. Over ten thousand cursed spirits broke free, and in less than a day, they laid waste to the entire Tokyo metropolitan area, sparing only the Tama region and the outlying islands. The death toll during this period surpassed all imaginable limits. Hell had descended upon the earth.

While the safety of the Prime Minister's office and the Chief Secretary remained uncertain, more than five million civilians awaited evacuation from this inferno.

Japan found itself plunged into chaos, facing the greatest crisis in its history. Every global power closely monitored the unfolding events in Tokyo, trying to uncover the true cause behind the catastrophe. China, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom had all deployed military forces, ready to act at the slightest hint of danger.

The night of October 31st to November 1st would come to be known by the people of Japan as "Bloody Halloween."

***

It was the early morning of November 4th.

Kokichi Muta hadn't slept for more than three days, keeping himself active and controlling his puppets. His eyes were bloodshot and swollen from the constant strain, and his body trembled with exhaustion, but he couldn't afford to stop.

It was ironic that the traitor who had helped Kenjaku and the group of Special Grade Curses by leaking information had now become one of the key figures in resolving this crisis. Despite his betrayal, Kokichi understood the importance of his actions and was determined to make amends, even if it meant working without rest.

Kokichi's puppets became the eyes and ears for all the active sorcerers, allowing them to deal with the mess Kenjaku had unleashed. If there was one thing Mechamaru had in spades, it was mobility, thanks to his Cursed Technique. The variety of his mechanical dolls enabled them to perform a wide range of tasks, from reconnaissance and communication to engaging in combat. In the end, Kokichi's raw combat power might not have been on par with a Special Grade sorcerer, but the versatility of his Cursed Technique, combined with his massive reserves of cursed energy and the incredibly efficient control radius of his puppets, would undoubtedly earn him a Special Grade rank when all was said and done.

"If we survive this," Kokichi thought with a bitter smile.

This kind of pessimism was typical of Mechamaru even before the events in Shibuya, but it had only intensified over the past three days, which had plunged countless lives in Japan into chaos. And to be honest, there were reasons for that. Despite timely warnings from the sorcerer administration about the situation, the number of casualties was still enormous.

It seemed as if the sorcerer administration hadn't warned the Japanese government about the impending threat at all. But that wasn't true, as the evacuation of civilians from Tokyo had already begun when the cursed spirits were still confined to Shibuya.

Yet, as time would show, even such a timely response wasn't enough. The horde of cursed spirits swept through Tokyo like an avalanche, obliterating everything in its path. Even two Special Grade sorcerers, despite their strength, could only mitigate the situation but not resolve it completely. They fought with all their might, maintaining relative order in several districts and saving lives, but it was only a temporary solution. And there were still twenty other wards to contend with.

"If only Sukehiro were here..." Kokichi's gaze shifted to one of the screens in front of him, where a hospital room was visible.

Sukehiro Yami was the bastard who had initially suggested not stopping Suguru Geto — who turned out not to be Suguru Geto — and the group of Special Grade Curses from executing their terrorist plan. And as much as Mechamaru resented this, he knew it was the right thing to do… No, it was the wrong thing to do, but it was the only option. Because of that knowledge, he had been able to prepare several contingency plans in case things spiraled out of control. Thanks to this, when Kenjaku unleashed the horde of cursed spirits, the sorcerer administration already had all the necessary information and a request to declare a state of emergency for all sorcerers in Japan.

So, no matter how much Mechamaru cursed and called that bastard all sorts of names, he couldn't truly be angry at Sukehiro Yami. After all, the guy had saved his life, which meant he owed him...

Surveying the dozens of monitors, Kokichi frowned deeply. Say what you will, but the destructive power of that Special Grade bastard was simply incredible. It was an immense loss for the sorcerer world that Sukehiro was lying unconscious at such a critical time.

In Kokichi's personal opinion, even when compared to Satoru Gojo, the destructive power of Sukehiro's fiery Cursed Technique was on a much grander and more precise scale. Sure, Satoru Gojo was still considered the strongest, at least until he was sealed away, all thanks to his "Infinity." But as a sorcerer, Sukehiro Yami was more efficient.

That's why Mechamaru couldn't help but sigh as he watched Maki Zenin asleep beside the black-haired man who had lost consciousness three days ago after battling Sukuna.

"Just thinking about it makes my hands tremble. How the hell do you even fight against something like that?!" Such thoughts weren't exclusive to Mechamaru, but only he knew the answer to that question, having witnessed the entire battle between Sukehiro and the King of Curses from start to finish.

That final attack — the destruction it caused was comparable to a carpet bombing from World War II. Who among the living sorcerers could survive or pull off something like that? Yuta Okkotsu? Maybe. Yuki Tsukumo? Doubtful. But Sukehiro Yami? Absolutely!

Incredible physical prowess, an immense amount of cursed energy, diverse applications of his Cursed Technique, mastery of Reverse Cursed Technique and Simple Domain, and even Domain Expansion — if an ordinary sorcerer possessed even one of these traits, they would be considered exceptional. But when all of these attributes were combined in one person…

Sukehiro Yami had always been in the shadow of Satoru Gojo, but now that this star had disappeared from the sorcerer's sky, another would rise to take its place, and Mechamaru already had an idea of who that would be.

"You need to wake up, Sukehiro. Once the sorcerer administration gets back on its feet, I won't be able to keep this situation under control any longer," Kokichi thought grimly.

Satoru Gojo had already been declared an accomplice in the Shibuya incident and banished from the sorcerer world, with any attempt to unseal him being considered a crime. Through internal channels, Kokichi knew that the order for the immediate elimination of Yuji Itadori and the execution of Masamichi Yaga was nearly finalized. And all this was happening while, after Kenjaku's disappearance, ten massive barriers had appeared across Japan, one of which was right in the middle of Tokyo.

"I wonder how many of those old bastards will survive their next encounter with you?" For the first time in a long while, Kokichi's face showed a smile.

He recalled seeing Sukehiro in action — those incredible blows that made the earth tremble, his fiery technique with destructive power akin to a volcanic eruption. His very essence embodied the strength and resolve that were desperately needed now, with the sorcerer world teetering on the brink of collapse.

Mechamaru knew he could rely on Sukehiro. His indomitable spirit, his hatred for evil, and his desire to protect the innocent were what made him who he was — a true warrior. Kokichi understood that only someone like Sukehiro could restore hope and order to this chaos.

"Wake up, Sukehiro. We all need your strength," he whispered, gazing at the screen where Sukehiro Yami lay unconscious. Time was running out, and Mechamaru knew they needed to act quickly. But in his heart, hope still lingered.