"It's the ocean!"
"Woohoo!"
Gojo Satoru and Amanai Riko, now in their swimsuits, cheered as they ran toward the vast blue sea, crashing into the rolling white waves.
On the golden sandy beach, Geto Suguru, wearing beach shorts, and Kuroi Misato, in a one-piece swimsuit, sat under a sun umbrella.
The maid sighed gloomily. "I can't believe it was members of the Time Vessel Association… Getting captured by non-sorcerers, I just want to crawl into a hole and disappear..."
"They caught you off guard. It couldn't be helped." Geto Suguru reassured her gently. "I bear responsibility too."
"Was I really caught off guard?" A hint of doubt flickered in Kuroi Misato's downcast eyes. "After Q's attack, I should have been on high alert. But I have no memory of being attacked at all."
Back when Gojo Satoru and Amanai Riko were ambushed by that weird bag-covered enemy, Geto Suguru had rushed to help and didn't bring Kuroi Misato with him. She was attacked along the way, kidnapped, and used as leverage to force them to hand over the Star Plasma Vessel.
Of course, the outcome was predictable—Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru swiftly dealt with the enemies, and the maid was safely rescued.
The Time Vessel Association had set the meeting place in Okinawa, which was why they were now playing by the sea.
"By the way, you guys flew here, right?" Kuroi Misato asked, a little concerned. "You weren't attacked on the way?"
"Gojo has sharp eyes. Before the plane even took off, he checked every passenger and the entire aircraft, inside and out. During the flight, I stationed cursed spirits outside to keep watch. It was actually safer than traveling by land."
As Geto Suguru spoke, his gaze softened as he watched the white-haired boy and the black-haired girl splashing in the ocean.
"But… is it really okay for us to be playing at the beach right now?" Kuroi Misato knew how much the young lady needed moments of joy, but the reality was they were still being hunted.
"This was Gojo's idea. He must have been thinking about Riko." Geto Suguru glanced at his watch. "But it's about time."
He stood up and walked over to Gojo Satoru. "Gojo, time's up."
The white-haired boy was holding up a sea cucumber, laughing wildly as he squeezed its insides toward Amanai Riko's face.
"Huh? Already?"
Gojo Satoru glanced at Riko, who had just realized their fun time was over. Her expression turned from excitement to disappointment.
Gojo turned to Geto and casually said, "Hey, Suguru, let's head back tomorrow morning."
The girl's eyes immediately sparkled with excitement.
"But…" Geto hesitated.
"The weather's calm, and compared to Tokyo, there are way fewer curses in Okinawa!" Gojo gave what he thought was a solid reason.
"Can you speak normally, Satoru?"
"Staying on the plane until the bounty on Riko expires would be even safer," Gojo said, pretending to be relaxed.
"Satoru, you haven't turned off your technique since yesterday, have you? And you haven't slept either. You're not planning to sleep tonight, are you?" The boy with a bun leaned in and spoke seriously. "Are you sure we don't need to go back to Jujutsu High?"
Behind his sunglasses, Gojo's eyes, with their intricate patterns, glowed faintly blue.
He glanced at his best friend, then suddenly threw a light punch at Geto's chest. "It's fine. Playing *Momotaro Dentetsu* for 99 years is way more exhausting."
Taking a few steps forward, he turned back and smirked. "Besides, you're here, aren't you?"
Geto was momentarily stunned, then let out a helpless smile.
Drifting in the ocean, barbecuing outdoors, visiting an aquarium—everyone spent the day experiencing all the fun Okinawa had to offer with Amanai Riko.
Inside the dimly lit aquarium, the massive water tank cast a soft blue glow. Among the crowd, a girl in a white dress stood alone in front of the glass, as if she were separated from the rest of the world. Her delicate figure carried an unmistakable loneliness.
Riko gently touched the glass, her eyes reflecting the colorful tropical fish swimming inside. A graceful whale shark glided past her, its spotted patterns shimmering under the blue light.
This world held so many beautiful things, so many wonders. But after today, none of it would have anything to do with her anymore.
…
The winding stone steps leading to Jujutsu High had a beautiful name—Yen Sanroku.
When they finally reached the bright red torii gate at the top, everyone stopped in their tracks.
A light, melodic guitar tune echoed through the forest. In the middle of the lush greenery sat a deep blue tent, with a small bonfire crackling beside it. A short-haired girl sat on a folding stool, lost in her music as she strummed her guitar.
What is she doing here?
Everyone had the exact same thought.
As the last note faded, Yukinoshita Haruno suddenly gripped the guitar neck tightly and, without warning, snapped it clean off.
The sharp sound of splintering wood marked the end of the expensive ESP guitar's life.
"Riko-chan~" The short-haired girl slowly lifted her head, her soft eyes curving into crescent moons as she flashed a gentle smile. "Where *have* you all been?"
A chill shot up Amanai Riko's spine, making her shiver instinctively. She stammered, "O-Okinawa…"
"Oh? So you were in Okinawa." Haruno's voice was as sweet as honey, but it carried a sharp edge, like poison hidden in sugar. "But if I remember correctly… aren't you still on the sorcerers' wanted list? Seems like our little Riko-chan wasn't too worried about being attacked, huh?"
"The bounty on Riko expired already," Gojo scratched his head, looking confused. "What are you even doing here? Some kind of performance art?"
"Obviously, I was waiting for you all," Haruno replied through clenched teeth. "Otherwise, how would I take my dear Riko-chan away?"
At those words, everyone except Amanai Riko immediately sensed that something was very wrong.
Gojo stepped forward without thinking, instinctively shielding Amanai Riko behind him. The glowing blue light of the Six Eyes flared to its peak, his alertness at full capacity.
But he still kept up his usual carefree act, testing the waters. "Didn't you hear me just now? The bounty's over. Even if you kill Riko now, you won't get the 30 million reward."
Riko froze in place, staring at the short-haired girl in shock. "Haruno-nee-san…"
"Do you think I *need* that 30 million?" Haruno scoffed, looking completely unimpressed. "I just can't stand that old geezer Tengen, using Riko-chan's life to reset his body."
"To put it in the words of *Akuma-kun*—if I don't stop Tengen's merging, I won't be at peace."
She dropped the guitar she had just crushed with her own hands, put her hands on her hips, and said to the white-haired boy in front of her, "If you know what's good for you, hand over Riko-chan now. Otherwise, I'll let Hayashizaki beat you up."
"…Huh?" Gojo Satoru was momentarily stunned, then slowly let out a breath. "Oh, so that's what this is about? You should've just said so earlier."
The light in his eyes dimmed as he deactivated the Limitless technique.
"Hm?" Hayashizaki, who had been silent all this time, suddenly sensed something. "Hey, Haruno, there's an enemy—"
*Squelch!*
Before he could finish speaking, the dull sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed in the air.
Gojo Satoru's eyes widened in shock, his face filled with disbelief.
A blade had pierced straight through his abdomen, blood splattering into the air.
…
---
You can read 10 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu