Looking at the three newly appeared Special Grade Cursed Spirits, Mahito's perverted grin returned, wide and unsettling.
Aoi Todo clenched his fists. "I'll hold back those three Tengu. Nanami-senpai, Mei Mei-senpai, focus on Mahito!"
Nanami shook his head firmly. "No! You can't handle three Special Grade Cursed Spirits. Retreating is the safest option right now."
"That's not your call!"
Mahito chuckled as the three Tengu formed synchronized hand signs, and an eerie wave of Cursed Energy spread outward.
Then, they intoned in unison.
"Domain Expansion: Triple Calamity Gate!"
A massive black curtain of Cursed Energy enveloped Nanami and Mei Mei.
"Nanami-senpai!"
"Mei Mei-senpai!"
"Sister!"
Mahito licked the blood on his palm. "With the strongest woman and your tactical brain trapped, the rest of you are mine to toy with."
Todo ground his teeth. With Nanami and Mei Mei ensnared, facing Mahito alone felt daunting. He shouted:
"Sworn friend! Come help me!"
"Eh? Me?" Itadori pointed at himself, disbelief in his voice. "This is a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Aren't you afraid I'll slow you down?"
Todo laughed loudly. "My judgment is never wrong! Besides, your fighting style matches mine, and my Cursed Technique works best against two or more targets."
The temptation to strike Mahito overpowered any hesitation. Itadori nodded immediately, standing shoulder to shoulder with Todo.
"Let's go together, sworn friend! Trust Nanami-senpai and Mei Mei-senpai—they'll handle the rest!"
"Yeah!"
The two charged Mahito, fists ablaze with Cursed Energy. Mahito, playful as ever, met them head-on.
Meanwhile, the Transfigured Humans and surrounding Cursed Spirits attacked the others.
"Seance Technique: Xiezhi!"
"Amplification Cursed Technique: Multitude!"
"Divine Dogs! Protect Nobara Kugisaki!"
"Shut up! Don't underestimate me!" Nobara roared. "I can fight too!"
The Kyoto group joined the battle as well: Mai's Construction Cursed Technique, Momo's Tool Manipulation, Mechamaru Kokichi's Puppet Manipulation, Kamo's Blood Manipulation, and Kasumi Miwa's New Shadow Style. Though not capable of slaying Special Grade Cursed Spirits like Todo, they held their own.
Ui Ui, however, stood awkwardly behind them, unable to act. His Spatial Teleportation required his sister Mei Mei's permission to use Cursed Energy, limiting his options.
Inside the Triple Calamity Gate, Nanami and Mei Mei activated their Simple Domains immediately. This countermeasure was designed to weaken the guaranteed-hit effects of a Domain Expansion, known as the "Domain of the Weak."
They quickly assessed the transformed environment: a moonlit forest with three massive Torii Gates, each crowned by a Tengu. Left: Red Tengu. Right: Karasu-Tengu. Center: Great Tengu, radiating the strongest aura.
Mei Mei cracked her neck. "This looks troublesome."
Nanami remained calm. "Fortunately, this isn't like Shion-senpai's domain. A composite domain by three Special Grade Cursed Spirits must have limitations."
Mei Mei smirked. "We still don't know its effects."
Suddenly, the Tengu emitted a piercing sound, shifting between a flute, a child's cry, and a demon's roar.
Both Nanami and Mei Mei winced, covering their ears with Cursed Energy, but the sound penetrated deeper, striking the soul itself.
"Dizziness... a Cursed Technique inducing hallucinations through sound," Nanami deduced.
Mei Mei leaped, swinging her axe at the Great Tengu. The creature countered with a sudden punch, propelling her backward.
"Something's wrong. It didn't seem this strong outside the domain," she muttered.
The two exchanged a glance and attacked simultaneously. Nanami struck first with his blunt blade, targeting the weak point forced by the Ten Shadows Technique. Mei Mei followed up, hacking at the same spot with her axe.
The Great Tengu roared in pain, winging away to become an afterimage, striking back at both with crushing blows.
Bang! Bang! They tumbled, rolling twice before recovering, disheveled but unharmed.
"So strong..." Nanami murmured as the Great Tengu returned to the Torii.
They shifted targets to the Red Tengu, then the Karasu-Tengu, yet both efforts ended in defeat. The Tengu's chanting persisted, a corrupting, demonic sound breaching their Simple Domains. Time was running out; hallucinations and exhaustion threatened to overwhelm them.
Yet their expressions remained calm. Nanami spoke succinctly:
"Notice anything?"
"Yes. The attack power is identical across all three."
"When one is attacked, the others remain inactive."
"Their combined power consolidates into a single Tengu. Only the one carrying all the power will act."
"Then the weakness?"
"Attack all three simultaneously. They must reclaim their power to protect themselves."
"Two people against three Tengu at once."
"No wonder the domain trapped only us. Todo wasn't included."
"There's a loophole. My Cursed Technique can serve as the third person."
"Black Bird Manipulation?"
"Exactly."
"Then let's go."
Their conversation was brief and precise. Even while battered, they maintained composure. Nanami wrapped his necktie around his palm.
"Overtime starts now."
Binding Vow released; Cursed Energy surged. Mei Mei smirked, "Then I'll have to work harder. After all, Shion paid me well."
"Shion-senpai again?" Nanami remarked.
"Yes. He's truly a reliable senior."
Simultaneously, they leaped. Mei Mei's axe crackled with black lightning, cleaving toward the Karasu-Tengu. A crow shot supersonically toward the Red Tengu.
Black Bird Manipulation: Bird Strike!
The Great Tengu scanned, startled.
"Looking somewhere else?" Nanami appeared before it.
Ten Shadows Technique! His blade struck decisively at the imaginary weak point, lightning entwining the strike.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Flesh tore in unison.
Nanami and Mei Mei intersected flawlessly, shattering the three Tengu. Triple Calamity Gate collapsed.
The onlookers exhaled in awe. Nanami and Mei Mei emerged from the smoke, composed and poised.
A mature, reliable man, and a clever, intellectual woman—both radiating unwavering steadiness.
Aoi Todo patted Itadori's shoulder. "Hey, sworn friend! Did you see that?"
"It's the charm of adults," Itadori replied, wide-eyed.