but the Threat Remains 19: Chapter 19: The Battle Ends…
but the Threat Remains The battle had reached its climax.
Yuki Tsukumo had gradually adapted to the relentless assault of the Death Feather Swords.
Then— Without warning— Black Flash.
A streak of black lightning exploded across the battlefield.
The timing was so sudden that Yuki had no chance to react.
The crimson blade slashed across her body.
Boom!!
She was sent flying like a cannonball, smashing through the wall of a nearby building before finally coming to a stop beneath a mountain of rubble.
Before she could even stand— Another Death Feather Sword descended.
Black lightning still danced along its crimson blade.
Death was only an instant away.
At the critical moment— Clap!
Todo activated Boogie Woogie.
Yuki instantly exchanged places with him.
The sword narrowly missed her.
For the first time…
Todo had directly saved his master’s life.
Otherwise…
One of the world’s four Special Grade sorcerers would have fallen here.
Even so…
The previous strike had inflicted catastrophic damage.
A deep wound stretched diagonally across Yuki’s body.
From her left shoulder…
To her right abdomen.
Blood poured continuously from the injury.
More terrifying still…
The wound refused to close.
Even Reverse Cursed Technique failed to heal it.
It was as though the injury itself had been condemned to eternal existence.
This…
Was the terror of the Death Feather.
A wound touched by death itself.
“…What a ridiculous monster…” Yuki gritted her teeth as cold sweat rolled down her face.
Oddly enough…
At that moment…
The person she wanted to punch the most wasn’t Ronova.
It was Gojo Satoru.
Look at what you’ve been raising.
It’s only been a few months…
And she’s already become this terrifying.
If Ronova continued growing…
Would the entire jujutsu world eventually be forced to kneel before her alone?
What exactly had Gojo been thinking?
The sounds of battle gradually faded.
Not because Ronova had grown tired…
But because there were almost no sorcerers left capable of fighting.
Yuki slowly raised her head.
Ronova floated silently above the battlefield.
Her crimson wings remained spread.
Her golden eyes looked down upon the surviving sorcerers with calm indifference.
Not hatred.
Not pleasure.
Simply…
Judgment.
She noticed Yuki looking at her.
“Oh.” “You two are still alive.” “It doesn’t really matter.” “I’ll deal with you now.” Ronova had never considered herself bloodthirsty.
She never killed without reason.
She didn’t seek meaningless slaughter.
But…
She also had no intention of sparing enemies who had come to kill her.
Yuki Tsukumo.
Aoi Todo.
They had made their choice the moment they stepped onto this battlefield.
Just as Ronova prepared to finish them— Crack!
The barrier surrounding the battlefield suddenly shattered.
A familiar voice echoed through the air.
“Stop.” “If you still care about her life.” Ronova’s expression immediately changed.
She looked toward the newcomer.
Masamichi Yaga.
Behind him stood several newly arrived sorcerers.
And…
Shoko Ieiri.
Her hands were restrained.
She was clearly being held hostage.
For the first time since the battle began…
Ronova’s calm expression faltered.
She hadn’t known Shoko for very long.
Yet…
Shoko had accepted her.
Sheltered her.
Fed her.
Treated her like family despite knowing she was a cursed spirit.
Ronova couldn’t pretend that meant nothing.
Yaga quietly exhaled.
Using one of his own students as leverage against a cursed spirit…
Was disgraceful.
He knew that.
But the battle had completely escaped their expectations.
They had underestimated Ronova far too severely.
This was the only option he had left.
If sacrificing his own pride could prevent the birth of an uncontrollable calamity…
Then so be it.
Shoko silently met Ronova’s gaze.
Her emotions were impossible to describe.
Everything she believed about the jujutsu world had been overturned today.
She was a sorcerer.
A doctor.
Someone who should have been standing alongside the others.
Instead…
She had become their bargaining chip.
It almost felt absurd.
Then again…
Nothing about the jujutsu world had ever been normal.
Yaga spoke firmly.
“Stand down.” “Otherwise…” “I won’t guarantee her safety.” Ronova remained silent.
The invisible hands surrounding her slowly tightened their grip upon the Death Feather Swords.
Then— One sword shot directly toward Yaga.
A Black Flash erupted from the crimson blade.
It was a strike meant to kill instantly.
Yet…
Yaga didn’t dodge.
Instead…
He raised his own sword toward Shoko’s neck.
If Ronova insisted on killing him…
He would kill Shoko first.
Everyone watching froze.
At the last possible instant…
Ronova changed the sword’s trajectory.
The Death Feather Sword sliced cleanly through Yaga’s weapon instead.
The blade shattered into fragments.
Yaga never flinched.
His resolve was absolute.
He had truly been prepared to die.
As long as Ronova failed with him.
“Try again.” Yaga’s voice remained steady.
“But next time…” “I won’t give you another chance to save her.” “If you want her to live…” “End this fight.” There was a long silence.
Then…
Ronova slowly withdrew her cursed energy.
The enormous crimson eye overlooking the battlefield quietly closed.
The countless invisible hands disappeared.
Her crimson wings dissolved into scarlet particles.
Moments later…
She stood there once again in her ordinary clothes.
At first glance…
It looked as though she had surrendered.
In reality…
She simply understood something.
Continuing the fight now would accomplish nothing.
Ronova looked directly at Yaga.
Then spoke in a calm voice.
“You can kill her.” “I won’t stop you.” “But if you do…” “I promise you something.” “There won’t be another sorcerer left alive in Japan.” “If you doubt me…” “Feel free to test it.” Her voice never rose.
She wasn’t shouting.
She wasn’t threatening.
She was merely stating a future she fully intended to bring about.
Then…
She turned toward Shoko.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
“Oh.” “And Miss Shoko…” “Your cooking is genuinely terrible.” Shoko blinked.
“…That’s the last thing you wanted to say?” Ronova simply smiled.
The next instant…
The distance between her and the horizon disappeared.
She vanished.
Without a trace.
The battlefield fell completely silent.
Yaga slowly lowered the broken hilt still in his hand.
An overwhelming headache began to form.
This operation…
Had failed.
Not only had they failed to exorcise Ronova…
They had created something even worse.
From this day onward…
Every sorcerer in Japan would have to live beneath the shadow of a single name.
Ronova.
The Curse Spirit of Death.
And the situation surrounding Gojo Satoru and Shoko Ieiri had become even more complicated.
Gojo was already too powerful for Headquarters to discipline.
As for Shoko…
Who would dare punish her now?
Ronova’s final words echoed endlessly in everyone’s minds.
Kill her…
And there won’t be another sorcerer left alive in Japan.
No one present doubted she possessed the ability to make good on that promise.
Yaga looked toward the ruined battlefield.
For the first time in many years…
He genuinely wondered whether the jujutsu world had reached a dead end.
Because the enemy they now faced…
Wasn’t merely an extraordinarily powerful cursed spirit.
It was a calamity whose very existence defied common sense.
And no one knew…
How such an enemy could ever be defeated.