Gojo-sensei gives casual vibes

Why... did I think Mahito was a good person?

"If I said I did it, what would you do?"

In the dim, narrow alley, a man with blue hair and two stitched lines across his face turned around, a smile playing on his lips.

"Are those three so special to you?"

Was it because he killed those bullies?

"Are you nervous?"

The cold sensation of the operating table traveled up his spine, the gentle, magnetic voice echoing in his ears.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen. Although it wasn't smooth at first, after much practice, I've become quite skilled at modifying souls."

Practice… meaning, using humans as test subjects?

"Do you want revenge? Then go. Whatever you choose to do, Junpei, I affirm you."

Is he telling me to kill them for revenge?

Scenes from his memories flashed before his eyes, until a hand waved in front of his face.

"Junpei? Junpei!"

Junpei blinked, looking at Yuji with unfocused eyes. The steady hum of the car engine returned to his awareness.

"Huh?" He snapped out of his daze. "W-what's wrong?"

"You suddenly spaced out," Yuji said, concerned.

"No, it's nothing..." Junpei shook his head, a weak smile on his face, but his eyes held genuine gratitude. "Thank you, for helping me so much."

"No problem! Besides, beating up those jerks felt pretty good," Yuji grinned, scratching his head.

"Anyway, Yoshino-kun, you need to be careful. Although from my experience, that special grade curse, Mahito, might leave you alone now, there's a chance he might contact you again since you're not a failed experiment. Be vigilant."

Yukino handed him a slip of paper. "This is Ijichi-san's number. Write it down. If anything happens, contact him immediately, and we'll come as soon as possible."

"Of course, prioritize your safety. If he does come to you, you can follow his instructions for now," she instructed. "Understand, Yoshino-kun?"

"Yes, I understand." Junpei nodded.

"Yukinoshita-senpai is so reliable." Yuji leaned back in his seat, sighing in contentment. "Way more reliable than Gojo-sensei."

"Gojo-sensei?" Junpei asked curiously. "Is that teacher unreliable?"

"Well, not exactly unreliable. He's super strong, but he gives off a very… casual vibe," Yuji explained.

Ijichi, in the driver's seat, nodded vigorously in agreement.

"But… Sukuna-sensei said that Gojo-sensei couldn't beat him," Yuji mused, resting his chin on his hand. "Ahh, I can't even imagine what a fight between those two would look like."

"Did Sukuna-sensei really fight Gojo-sensei?" Junpei asked.

"Yes, and Sukuna-kun won," Yukino replied without hesitation. She had witnessed the entire battle from the VIP spectator seats and had absolute authority on this matter.

"Eh? Yukinoshita-senpai saw their fight?" Yuji's curiosity was piqued. "I asked Gojo-sensei about it before, but his answer was so vague."

He recalled the conversation:

"Speaking of which, if Gojo-sensei and Sukuna-san fought, who would be stronger?"

"Hmm, if that guy got serious, it might be a bit tricky," Gojo had said after a moment of thought.

"Would you… lose?"

"Who knows?" Gojo had given a mysterious smile.

"I saw it. After all, Sukuna-kun was using my body at the time," Yukino explained.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Yuji was confused.

While Sukuna had occupied Yuji's body, Yuji himself had been unconscious, so he hadn't seen Sukuna battling Sukuna using Yukino's body, nor had he witnessed Sukuna obtaining his own body through the system.

"My situation with Sukuna-kun was similar to yours and Sukuna's," Yukino sighed.

"Really?" Yuji blinked, then remembered what Gojo had said about a senpai in a similar situation. "So the senpai Gojo-sensei mentioned was Yukinoshita-senpai!"

"Why did Yukinoshita-senpai get possessed by a good person like Sukuna-sensei, while I ended up with a villain like Sukuna?!" he wailed dramatically.

For the first time, Yuji felt the world was truly unfair.

Yukino didn't know how to answer. When they first met, Sukuna-kun had even introduced himself as Ryomen Sukuna.

Wait, does suddenly appearing on someone's face even count as meeting?

Yuji quickly moved on from his existential crisis, now more curious about the outcome of the fight between Sukuna and Gojo. "So, did Sukuna-sensei really win?"

"Yes, I believe so. Gojo-sensei was covered in blood." Recalling the scene, Yukino couldn't help but marvel at Gojo's strength.

Any ordinary sorcerer would have been dead after enduring such relentless attacks, but Gojo had remained mobile and even managed to counterattack.

"How did Sukuna-sensei win? Did he break through Gojo-sensei's Limitless technique?"

"He won the Domain battle, causing Gojo-sensei's technique to 'melt down,' leaving him vulnerable to attacks."

"Technique meltdown?"

Another new term. Yuji sighed; Gojo-sensei really hadn't taught him anything important!

"It means he temporarily couldn't use his innate technique," Yukino explained.

"I see."

Yuji nodded, still finding it hard to believe. He had witnessed Gojo's Domain Expansion firsthand. It was like a vast, infinite universe, easily crushing that volcano-head curse's Domain.

He couldn't imagine Gojo losing a Domain battle.

Junpei listened quietly to their conversation. Although he didn't understand the details, he was drawn to the lighthearted atmosphere, something he hadn't experienced in a long time.

Time passed peacefully. Soon, the car came to a stop.

"We're here, Yoshino-kun," Ijichi announced.

"Ah, already?" Junpei seemed a bit embarrassed. "Sorry for troubling you with the ride home."

"No, no, it was no trouble at all."

"Then, I'll be going." Junpei got out of the car, and everyone said their goodbyes.

"Oh? Junpei?" A pleasant female voice called out. A woman with wavy hair, carrying groceries, stopped beside the car.

"Mom, you're back early." Junpei looked at his mother in surprise.

"New friends?" Junpei's mother smiled, peering into the car.

"Hello! I'm Junpei's new friend, Yuji Itadori desu!" Yuji greeted her enthusiastically. "Definitely not a suspicious person!"

Yukino and Ijichi nodded politely.

"Haha, your new friend is quite energetic." Junpei's mother chuckled. "This is perfect timing. Would you like to come over for dinner?"

"I'll have to decline. I'm going to check on Sukuna-kun and see what he found," Yukino politely refused.

Ijichi, as the driver, naturally couldn't accept either.

"How about you, Yuji?" Junpei's mother smiled.

Yuji's stomach growled at the perfect moment. He gave a polite smile.

"I'd love to!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Under the clear, sunny sky, a massive black curtain, invisible to the naked eye, enveloped the entire Kanagawa Prefecture like a gigantic overturned bowl.

"What an astonishing barrier technique. Did Jujutsu High send someone? Since when did they have someone capable of using barrier techniques to this extent?"

A man with long black hair tied in a bun and wearing a Buddhist monk's robe gently pressed his hand against the black curtain. It was like an invisible wall, preventing him from going any further. A distinct stitched line marked his forehead, and a strand of hair fell over his left eye.

"A one-way barrier, I see?" He smirked. "Looks like Mahito is in for a tough time."

But Mahito's cursed technique was unique; even if he couldn't win, he could escape. It shouldn't be a problem.

The man turned to leave. He had no intention of trying to break through the barrier. After all, he couldn't afford to expose himself to Jujutsu High just yet.

He only needed to ensure Mahito's plan proceeded smoothly.

"Yo."

"Ah, it's Geto."

Atop a high-rise building, Mahito turned and casually greeted the man with the bun and monk's robes.

"How's your plan going?" Suguru Geto asked.

"Well, so far so good."

Mahito smirked, looking down at the cityscape below. His gaze settled on Yuji, Yukino, and Ijichi walking together.

"The moment Junpei chose Sukuna's vessel, the next steps were set. By having Junpei and Sukuna's vessel clash, we'll give Sukuna the upper hand in the battle for control. Ideally, Sukuna will replace the vessel entirely, but even if not, we can try to win him over."

"If only Jogo were as rational as you," Geto sighed, spreading his hands.

That guy went straight for a one-on-one with Gojo Satoru and got his head ripped off. If Hanami hadn't intervened, he would have been killed by Gojo.

"Isn't his straightforward personality kind of cute though?" Mahito chuckled.

Geto simply smiled noncommittally, not engaging with that sentiment. "That girl with Sukuna's vessel… Although she's not wearing a Jujutsu High uniform, she must be a student there, right?"

"I don't care about those outside the plan. If they get in the way, I'll just kill them." Mahito sat on the edge of the rooftop, his legs dangling carelessly.

"Jujutsu High wouldn't send students below Grade 2 on a mission like this. There's probably someone leading them. How do you plan to deal with that?"

"I've already sent out the invitation. Now we just wait." A glint of anticipation flickered in Mahito's mismatched eyes. "Hopefully, it won't be someone too weak. Otherwise, my experiments can't continue."

"You seem very confident. Then, let me help you spice things up a bit."

Geto pulled a finger, transformed into a cursed object, from his sleeve and handed it to Mahito.

Mahito was momentarily stunned, then quickly understood Geto's intention. "You're really willing to part with this?"

"It's just a part of the plan."

Geto smirked, a knowing glint in his eyes.

...

After Yuji accompanied Junpei home for dinner, only Ijichi and Yukino remained in the car.

"Yukinoshita-san, is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Ijichi asked.

"Please wait a moment. I'll message Sukuna-kun and ask." Yukino took out her phone and sent a message to Sukuna, asking for his location.

He replied almost instantly with a location pin: "Kiyono Bar."

Yukino frowned.

A moment later, the message was retracted.

Two minutes later, a new location pin arrived: the family restaurant they had visited earlier.

Yukino: ?

Sukuna: Come eat.

Rubbing her temples, Yukino relayed the address to Ijichi and asked him to take her there.

Soon, they arrived at the restaurant. Before getting out, Yukino asked, "Ijichi-san, would you like to join us for dinner?"

"N-no, thank you for the offer, but I'll have to decline." Ijichi shook his head so vigorously that his glasses nearly flew off.

"Then I'll be going. You've worked hard today."

"Not at all, I was just driving. You're the one who worked hard, Yukinoshita-san."

After Yukino left, Ijichi quickly drove away.

Yukino watched him leave, then turned towards the restaurant. As she did, she saw a handsome black-haired young man sitting by the window, waving at her.

She stared at him with a deadpan expression.

Sukuna's face turned red.

Why did I have to reply so quickly?!

As Yukino entered the restaurant, she noticed a group of high school girls at a nearby table secretly taking pictures of Sukuna with their phones.

She glanced at them as she passed, then walked straight to Sukuna's booth and sat down opposite him.

The girls looked away, embarrassed.

"So, 'alcohol-kun,' care to explain why you were at a bar?" Yukino asked, her tone laced with disapproval. "Or did you find some clues there?"

"Of course I found clues." Sukuna leaned forward, steepling his fingers dramatically. "If I'm not mistaken, that special grade curse is still within Kanagawa."

"And?"

"..."

Yukino gave him a "that's it?" look.

"And," he continued, "I've sealed off the entire prefecture with a barrier. That way, we don't have to worry about the enemy escaping." He pointed towards the window.

Yukino followed his gaze, barely making out the faint outline of the barrier hidden among the clouds. It was so vast that it was easy to miss if you weren't looking for it.

"So, aside from setting up a safety net, you didn't actually do anything?" Yukino's skeptical gaze returned.

"Oh, come on, let's order food first."

Sukuna pretended not to hear her, enthusiastically pushing the menu towards her.

"Yuji-kun, try this."

Junpei's mom placed a slice of beef into Yuji's bowl.

"Thank you, auntie!" Yuji thanked her and dipped the perfectly cooked, light-gray beef into the sesame sauce before popping it into his mouth.

The delicious flavor of the beef, enhanced by the hotpot broth, exploded on his tongue, mingling with the rich aroma of the sesame sauce. The tender yet firm texture was a delight.

"Delicious! Auntie, you're an amazing cook!" Yuji exclaimed with a satisfied grin.

"Hmm, hmm. It might just be hotpot, but there's a real art to cooking the meat just right," Junpei's mom replied with a proud smile.

The two chatted enthusiastically, and Junpei's mom, caught up in the lively atmosphere, opened several cans of beer. Her beautiful face flushed with a rosy hue under the influence of alcohol and good cheer.

Junpei sat beside them, sipping his cola and watching Yuji make his mother laugh.

Itadori's social skills are incredible, he thought, impressed.

It felt like it had been a long time since he had seen his mother so happy.

"Mom, don't drink too much," he advised, though he knew it was futile.

"It's fine, it's fine! We're celebrating!"

Junpei's mom waved him off dismissively, continuing to drink.

The steaming hotpot filled the air with a white mist, blurring Junpei's vision. He closed his eyes slightly, a small smile gracing his lips as he basked in the warmth of their laughter.

By the end of dinner, Junpei's mom had slumped over the table, fast asleep.

Junpei fetched a thin blanket from his room and gently draped it over her shoulders.

"Junpei… made friends… Mom's happy..." she murmured in her sleep, her words tugging at his heartstrings.

"Your mom's a really good person," Yuji remarked.

"Yeah." Junpei nodded. "When I was bullied and told her I didn't want to go to school, she agreed without hesitation. She said that school was just one small pond, and there were other ponds and even the ocean out there, so I should do what I liked."

"I'm really grateful to her." He smiled. "What about your mom, Itadori?"

"Well, I've never met my mom. I've met my dad, though..." Yuji paused, scratching his cheek. "I grew up with my grandpa."

"I see. Sorry for bringing up a sad topic."

"It's okay, I don't mind anymore."

"What movie do you want to watch?"

"Anything's fine. I've already seen all the bad ones..."

…

The bullies at school were gone. The Film Research Club he had started with his friend could be revived. He could return to a normal life. And he had even made a wonderful friend in Yuji Itadori.

Color returned to his once bleak world, and even the morning sunlight seemed to carry a touch of happiness.

Junpei decided to go back to school next week. For the remaining days of this week, he wanted to reclaim the joy he had lost.

He woke up early, and after washing up, he changed into his sportswear and went for a jog around the neighborhood.

It was his first morning run. He wanted to change his lifestyle.

Yesterday, during his conversation with Yuji, he had heard about Yuji beating up those thugs who harassed students. Junpei envied his strength and decided to try to get stronger himself.

"Isn't that Yoshino's boy? You've started exercising?" An elderly neighbor, also out for his morning jog, greeted him kindly.

This was something Junpei had never experienced before.

It was as if the world had become kinder now that he was determined to change.

After his run, he returned home, showered, and changed. He prepared breakfast for himself and his still-sleeping mother. Then, he ate his breakfast while watching his favorite movie on TV.

It was already noon, but his mother still hadn't woken up. Even with a hangover, she would usually be up by now.

Junpei glanced at the untouched breakfast on the table, put down his book, and went to wake her up.

He opened the door to her room. His mother lay peacefully in bed, the blanket neatly covering her. "She's sleeping really deeply. She didn't even kick off the covers. How unusual."

He walked over to the bed and called out.

"Mom, it's noon. Time to wake up."

"Mom?"

There was no response. He frowned and pulled back the covers.

Then, he froze.

"...Mom?"

His voice trembled as he stared at her peaceful face. She looked as if she had simply overslept from a hangover.

Except for her pale complexion and the ice packs covering where her lower body should have been.

Confusion, helplessness, fear, and despair washed over him like a tidal wave, dragging him into the depths of the ocean. Darkness closed in, bringing with it a suffocating pressure.

"Why..."

His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor.

"...What happened?"

Why... is Mom dead?

But there was no answer. The only sound was the frantic pounding of his own heart.

Gradually, even that sound was swallowed by the silence.

After an unknown amount of time, his heartbeat finally calmed. Junpei noticed something clutched in his mother's hand. He crawled over and saw a finger, transformed into a cursed object.

"...What… is this?"

He remembered Yukino's instructions from yesterday. He rushed to the living room, grabbed his phone, and called Ijichi Kiyotaka.

After Ijichi said he would come over immediately, Junpei hung up, numbly dropping the phone. He wanted to go back to his mother's room, but he couldn't muster the strength to get up from the sofa.

"Hey, Junpei. I came to see you."

A familiar, gentle voice reached his ears.

Junpei instinctively looked up. A face with several stitched lines across it came into view.

A flood of memories rushed through his mind.

"Junpei, dinner's ready."

"Junpei! What happened to your face?!"

"Okay, okay, Mom promises to stop smoking in front of you."

"Junpei..."

His mother's face flashed before his eyes, the memories settling on that scene in the sewer.

"Junpei, are you used to seeing corpses?" Mahito had asked curiously.

"I don't know," Junpei had replied, handing him the miniature corpse.

"If this were your mother, I might panic and hate you with all my being… But I know the ugliness of humans. So I don't expect anything from others. I don't have any feelings about their deaths. Indifference is the true virtue of humanity."

…

Junpei's eyes narrowed, focusing on Mahito's gentle smile. A sharp glint entered his gaze.

"What's wrong, Junpei?" Mahito asked with concern. "You look pale. Did something happen?"

"Did you do this?"

Junpei's voice was hoarse.

"Oh?"

The gentle smile vanished from Mahito's face, replaced by a knowing, mocking smirk.