On the morning of Day 3, Illumi pointed at a Valley shrouded in thick mist below and said, "There."
Tu Bai leaned against the Window, looking down. He could see nothing but a vast expanse of white mist, like a pot of boiling water.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
Illumi's hollow Eyes stared at him, saying nothing.
Gojo Satoru walked over, stood beside Tu Bai, squinted his eyes to take a look.
"Let's go down and take a look," he said.
The airship landed in a relatively flat area. The mist was thick, with visibility of only a few meters. Gojo Satoru jumped down first, then reached out his hand to catch Tu Bai.
Tu Bai stumbled over a stone when he landed, swaying slightly. Gojo Satoru steadied him by the waist, only letting go once he had found his footing.
Be careful.
Tu Bai nodded.
Illumi came down as well, followed by Killua Zoldyck—he had followed them secretly. Illumi glanced at him but did not send him back.
Four people walked into the mist.
It was very quiet all around, with only the sound of footsteps on the gravel beneath his feet and his own breathing. After walking for a while, Tu Bai suddenly felt a bit cold. It wasn't the kind of cold brought by the weather, but a chilling sensation, as if something were watching him.
He subconsciously leaned closer to Gojo Satoru.
Gojo Satoru reached out and put his arm around his shoulder.
Don't be afraid.
Tu Bai wanted to say "I'm not afraid," but he swallowed the words before they could reach his lips.
After walking for about half an hour, the mist gradually faded.
A field of ruins appeared ahead.
It was built of stone and half-collapsed, with the walls covered in vines and moss. In the very center stood an Altar, also made of stone, sitting a bit higher than its surroundings.
In the center of the Altar stood a Mirror.
Stone Mirror.
It looks very similar to the one in the Shrine, but it is larger and older. The mirror's surface is hazy, unable to reflect any figure, has several cracks on its surface.
Tu Bai stopped in his tracks, staring at that Mirror.
"It's this one," he said.
Gojo Satoru released his shoulders and stepped forward. He walked around the Altar once and reached out to touch the edge of the Stone Mirror.
The surface of the mirror glowed faintly before dimming again.
"There's a reaction," he said.
Tu Bai walked over and stood beside him.
Illumi and Killua Zoldyck stood a little distance away, watching them.
"What do we do now?" Killua Zoldyck asked.
Gojo Satoru took the stone rubbing out of his pocket and compared it.
It needs to be activated," he said. "With special Energy.
He raised his hand and pressed it against the Stone Mirror.
Cursed Energy surged in.
The Stone Mirror lit up, emitting a faint White Light. But the light was very weak, flickering like a flashlight that was about to run out of battery.
Gojo Satoru frowned.
Tu Bai looked at him.
"Not enough?" he asked.
Not enough," Gojo Satoru said. "It's nowhere near enough.
Tu Bai fell silent for a second, then reached out and pressed his hand against the Stone Mirror as well.
Demon Power surged in.
The light on the surface of the mirror grew stronger for a moment.
Gojo Satoru turned to look at him.
Tu Bai said nothing, merely continuing to channel Demon Power. He could feel the warmth pulsing in his abdomen; the consumption was quite high, but he could still hold on.
"Together," he said.
Gojo Satoru glanced at him, then nodded.
Both of them exerted their strength at the same time.
Cursed Energy and Demon Power intertwined, surging into the Stone Mirror. The mirror's surface grew brighter and brighter, the White Light so piercing that it was impossible to keep one's eyes open. The surrounding air began to distort, the rubble on the ground trembled slightly.
In the distance, Killua Zoldyck let out a cry of alarm.
Illumi reached out and pulled him back a few steps.
In the center of the Stone Mirror, a Vortex began to take shape.
It was swirling and glowing, like a gate.
Tu Bai stared at that Vortex, his heartbeat racing.
That's it. The road back.
Xiao Bai." Gojo Satoru's voice came from beside him, "Are you ready?
Tu Bai took a deep breath and nodded.
Gojo Satoru reached out and took his hand.
The two of them took a step forward simultaneously, stepping into the Vortex.
White Light swallowed everything.
---
The Spacetime Channel was a scene of pure chaos.
The surroundings were filled with flowing light—red, blue, white, all mixed together, making it impossible to distinguish any direction. Tu Bai felt as if he were drifting in water, or perhaps being tossed up and down by someone.
Gojo Satoru gripped his hand tightly, while his other hand wrapped around his waist.
"Hold on to me," he said.
Tu Bai grabbed him from behind.
Just then, the warmth in his abdomen suddenly throbbed violently.
Tu Bai's Demon Power became chaotic in an instant.
"Ugh—" he let out a muffled groan, his body going limp.
Gojo Satoru immediately tightened his arms, pulling him into his embrace.
Xiao Bai!
The surrounding passage jolted violently. The flowing light began to distort and swirl, as if something were tearing through this space.
Gojo Satoru used his body to protect Tu Bai, activating the Limitless technique to its full extent.
But the power within the Passage was too strong; it was something he simply could not resist.
The two of them were tossed back and forth, like leaves in a storm.
Tu Bai buried his face in Gojo Satoru's embrace, his hands clutching his clothes tightly.
He could feel Gojo Satoru's embrace was tight, so tight it felt as if he would be pressed into his very bones. That body stood before him, absorbing most of the impact on his behalf.
What escape, what Escape Plan, what schemes.
At this moment, none of it mattered.
He only wanted that person by his side.
He only wanted to never be apart.
Tu Bai closed his eyes and held Gojo Satoru even tighter.
His ears were filled with whistling sounds, as if they would tear his eardrums apart. His body ached as if it were being torn to shreds. But he grit his teeth and did not let go.
Gojo Satoru's voice came from above his head, very low and very soft:
Don't be afraid.
Tu Bai said nothing. He just held him tightly.
Suddenly, a massive force surged forth.
The Passage was as if it had been torn apart from the middle by something. The two of them were violently thrown out, falling toward a certain direction.
Gojo Satoru flipped in mid-air, positioning himself below.
Tu Bai lay on top of him, the two of them fell downward together.
The Wind sound was in his ears. The ground was getting closer and closer before his eyes.
Then—
A piece of darkness.
---
I don't know how much time has passed.
Tu Bai opened his eyes dizzily.
A headache. His whole body ached. It felt as if he had been beaten by someone.
He moved his Finger and found himself lying on top of a warm body.
Gojo Satoru.
He was still in Gojo Satoru's arms. That man lay on his back on the ground, eyes closed, his face somewhat pale. There were several wounds on his body with blood seeping from them, but his breathing remained steady.