Chapter 100: The Hero Arrives!  

"Was it you?" 

Yoshino Junpei asked in a hoarse voice. 

"Oh?" 

Mahito smiled meaningfully. "What did I do?" 

"Don't play dumb!" 

Anger surged through Yoshino Junpei, heating his blood and giving him the strength to stand. "You killed my mom, didn't you!?" 

A giant blue jellyfish-like shikigami appeared behind him like a guardian. 

"Why would you think that?" 

Mahito tilted his head curiously. "I don't see any reason why I'd need to do that." 

Yoshino Junpei faltered. He had no evidence that Mahito killed his mom, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Mahito was involved. 

"See? You can't explain why, but you're still accusing me. That's not very nice." 

Mahito spread his hands and smiled helplessly. "But it's fine. I'll forgive you. After all, you're my good friend." 

He walked toward Yoshino Junpei. "Come on, stop being stubborn. Tell me what happened." 

Could it really not be Mahito? 

Junpei hesitated for just a moment, but Mahito was already in front of him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. Grinning, he said, "I'm here to listen, so tell me — what happened to your mother?" 

Junpei's pupils shrank. He immediately pushed Mahito away and ordered the jellyfish shikigami to shield him. 

"Oh?" 

Mahito looked surprised. The kid was much more cautious now. Was it because of Sukuna's vessel? 

How interesting. 

[Idle Transfiguration] could reshape a person's soul through touch. One of the students I met at school had died from being unable to handle that change. 

Yukinoshita Yukino's words echoed in Junpei's mind the moment Mahito touched him. 

"Stay back!" 

Junpei shouted at Mahito like a cornered animal. 

"You're resisting me?" 

Mahito rested his chin on his hand. "How sad. I gave you this power, and now you're using it against me. Is this the ugliness of the human heart?" 

"You're just trying to use me to achieve something, aren't you!?" 

Junpei stared at him, demanding answers. 

"There you go again — doubting me for no reason." 

Mahito sighed. "You're really hurting my feelings, Junpei." 

"Reason? Does that even matter?" 

Junpei shouted, his voice cracking. "There was no reason for my mom to be killed, but she still died!" 

"Oh, so your mother was killed." 

Mahito's face lit up with fake realization. "Hehe." 

"…How dare you laugh?" 

Junpei's bloodshot eyes widened. His jellyfish shikigami, in sync with his emotions, lashed out with glowing blue tentacles aimed at Mahito. 

Mahito leapt back gracefully, dodging the attack. The coffee table in the living room shattered as the tentacles struck it. 

"What a shame." 

Mahito's right hand twisted grotesquely, transforming into a sharp blade. "Killing you here wasn't part of my original plan, but oh well — it won't change much." 

"So it *was* you!" 

Junpei commanded his shikigami to attack again, but this time, Mahito swung his blade, slicing through the tentacles with ease.

"If I said I did it, would that make you feel better?" 

A wicked grin spread across Mahito's face. 

In a flash, Mahito appeared before Yoshino Junpei and kicked the jellyfish shikigami, sending it flying along with Junpei, whom it was protecting. 

Junpei crashed into the dining table, scattering the now-cold breakfast across the floor. The sound of shattering plates echoed through the room. 

Junpei stared at the spilled breakfast, clenching his fists tightly. 

"Orizuki!" 

With his furious shout, the jellyfish shikigami's tentacles intertwined, forming two thicker, more powerful arms. Sharp black spikes emerged from them and shot toward Mahito. 

Mahito dodged the attacks with ease. His hands morphed into blades, slicing through the tentacles with a swift motion. 

"Junpei, do you know what your biggest mistake is?" 

He strolled over casually and looked down at Junpei with contempt. 

"It's being too weak." 

"Oh, is that so?" 

Junpei gritted his teeth as tentacles shot up from the ground and wrapped around Mahito's feet, suspending him upside down in mid-air. 

"Oh?" 

Mahito blinked in surprise, seeing Junpei's inverted figure in his line of sight. He couldn't help but reflect on his carelessness — he had been too relaxed playing with his "toy." If the others found out, they would definitely mock him. 

Junpei rose from the floor and swung a fierce punch at Mahito. The blow sent Mahito swinging back like a punching bag, but he quickly bounced back, grinning as his head collided with Junpei's fist again. 

*Splatter!* 

The sound of tearing flesh echoed as blood sprayed into the air. 

As Junpei prepared to punch Mahito again, sharp spikes suddenly emerged from Mahito's face, piercing Junpei's hand. 

A searing pain shot through Junpei's nerves. He bit down hard to suppress a scream, but tears still spilled uncontrollably from the corners of his eyes. 

Mahito's legs shrank, allowing him to slip free from the jellyfish's grip. Spinning blades of light slashed the shikigami's tentacles into pieces. 

Mahito watched Junpei clutch his injured wrist, struggling against the pain. Yet, instead of attacking, Mahito pondered aloud: 

"Hmm, killing you in front of Sukuna's vessel would definitely have the best effect." 

He looked down at Junpei and asked, "Hey, Junpei, you must have Itadori Yuji's contact info, right?" 

"Your target is Yuji!?" 

Junpei's eyes widened in shock. He had already called Ijichi earlier, so Yuji and Yukinoshita should be on their way. What should he do? He had to lure Mahito away somehow! 

But Junpei's plan was doomed from the start. 

The screech of tires echoed from the street outside. Before he could react, he heard Yuji's anxious voice calling out: 

"Junpei!" 

The front door burst open as Itadori Yuji charged inside. His eyes immediately landed on Junpei, who was half-kneeling on the ground, and the blue-haired man standing before him. 

"A man with stitches on his face… You're Mahito!?" Yuji exclaimed. 

"Ahaha! Lucky me!" 

Mahito's face lit up with a delighted grin. He had been wondering how to lure Sukuna's vessel here, but Yuji had come straight to him instead. 

But Yuji wasn't alone. 

*Boom!* 

A deafening crash echoed through the room. Amid falling debris and splintered wood, a black-haired young man suddenly descended from above, creating a massive hole in the ceiling as he landed before them. 

"Safe landing." 

Hayashizaki gently set down Yukinoshita Yukino, whom he had been carrying princess-style, and surveyed the scene with a smirk. 

"Wow, looks like quite the party!"

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