❛ 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄𝐒 ❜ ━━━ (𝗼. 𝘆𝘂𝘁𝗮)

| xxiii ; let the games begin

In the room where the faculty of both schools resided, the same familiar monitors overlooked the battle for the Goodwill event through Mei-Mei's crows.

"One minute to go," Gojo announced through the speaker. "All right, Utahime Iori-san, please give us a touching and encouraging speech."

"What?" Utahime looked at him in bewilderment, clearly unprepared for the speech. "Well, although injuries are inevitable... well... help each other from time to time. Something like that?"

"Times up," Gojo cuts her off.

"Gojo, you-!"

"With that, the sister-school Goodwill event begins!"

"Show some respect to your seniors!"

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

"Was that Ichiro?" Yuji asked as the Tokyo students began running towards the battle area.

"Idiot," Nobara commented.

"Where do you think the Cursed Spirit boss is?"

"It'll probably be placed in the middle of both teams," Panda said. "But it won't stay still."

"When the time comes, divide into Panda team and Y/N's team since they're both good at finding enemies. We'll leave the rest to you, Yuji," Maki instructed.

"Got it!" Yuji saluted at her.

A couple of meters ahead, a small cursed spirit in the form of a spider appeared. "Where are you going?"

"It's a small fry," Panda said as Maki spun her spear, ready to exorcise it. That was until Megumi's Divine Dogs turned to the side as if something was coming.

"Maki-san, stop!" Megumi yelled.

The ground kicked up as Todo sent a punch to the cursed spirit, exorcising it immediately. He took notice of their presence and grinned, "All right. Everyone's here. Come at me together!"

Yuji ran up first as he jumped, grabbing Todo's head and kneeing his head directly. Todo was knocked back, giving the others a chance to escape.

"Split up!" Y/N ordered.

Instantly, Megumi and Maki followed Y/N while Nobara, Panda and Inumaki went the other way.

Minutes passed as the group went on exorcising the weak cursed spirits. Strangely, none of them had encountered a single Kyoto student. Y/N stopped in her tracks, looking over at Maki and Megumi.

"Something is off," She brought up.

"What is it?" Maki asked.

"The Kyoto team is travelling as a whole," She answered after using the shadows from the trees to detect the Kyoto's team presence. Y/N closed her eyes as she looked into Yuji's shadow and found that he was surrounded by the Kyoto team.

"Is it the target?" Maki questioned.

"Unless the Grade 2 Cursed Spirit is cunning, the Divine Dog will detect it," Megumi replied.

"It's Yuji," Y/N said as she opened her eyes. "They're trying to kill him. It must've been Principal Gakuganji's order."

"Let's go back," Maki said. "If our comrade dies, what's the point of winning the Goodwill event?"