Due to Sukuna's interference, Mahito never showed back up at Junpei's house. In fact, Nanami couldn't find any traces of him afterward, and he was almost assumed exorcised.
Yuji told Gojo everything he could remember when he regained control of his body, including the memories from the situation. Gojo told Yuji it was fine since nothing bad happened—Sukuna inadvertently saved someone this time—and had him keep up his training in preparation for the Goodwill Event.
———————————————————
"Hey! There you are!!"
"Jogoooo!" Mahito shouted as he leapt into the hot spring Jogo was sitting in front of.
"Looks like you're back to normal." Kenjaku said, sitting on a nearby rock.
"Yep, it's comfortable here. No humans around," Mahito said, swimming around.
"My injuries healing so slowly is a pain in the ass."
"You're also low on cursed energy, Mahito." Kenjaku smiled.
"You're right! I don't know what I did, but that Sukuna guy fucking hates me already. And his attacks heal way slower than regular injuries, even with my idle transfiguration," Mahito complained, not exactly happy about the sudden ass-whooping.
"I even stumbled across a toy (Junpei), and Sukuna must have felt his finger because he woke up and took it before kicking my ass. I didn't even get to kill my toy since he was gone the next day alongside his mother—probably those sorcerers."
"However, after feeling his strength so far with only three fingers, I believe we should proceed according to Geto's plan," Mahito said, hopping out of the water to sit near Jogo.
"Sukuna's just that valuable."
"So we collect all of Sukuna's fingers, then offer them to him?" Jogo grinned.
"Even if it means we're all killed in the process, right?" Jogo understood exactly.
"Oh, you already get it," Mahito said, a bit surprised.
"It's fine by me. It doesn't have to be me with the last laugh as long as curses emerge as the true humans after the fact."
"Alright then, let's retrieve the six fingers stored at Jujutsu High, shall we?" Kenjaku said before Jogo spoke up.
"Is that necessary?"
"The sorcerers are using Yuji Itadori to consume the fingers, right?"
"The authorities at Jujutsu High are still testing our Yuji Itadori's capacity as a vessel. They're not sure how many he can consume before losing control completely," Kenjaku explained.
"Exceptions (Satoru Gojo) aside, they'll have him devour all the fingers at one time after they've collected them all."
"We can't afford to wait till then. In the worst-case scenario, Yuji Itadori might be eliminated by the higher-ups."
"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?" Jogo smirked confidently.
"So what's the plan?"
"It's already underway. We've tricked Jujutsu High into gathering the fingers," Kenjaku smiled.
———————————————————
"So you're telling me that Yuji ate another finger recently—or better to say, Sukuna came out again and ate a finger?" Gojo asked Nanami as he leaned back in the armchair.
"Yeah, apparently that patchwork cursed spirit I fought placed a finger at Yoshino's house, but I guess Sukuna wanted his finger as soon as possible and took it immediately."
Nanami flipped through a newspaper as he explained, and Gojo frowned a bit.
"I'm concerned that Sukuna could so easily assume control of Yuji's body like that. While it's lucky that nothing major happened, it's not exactly a good sign for the future," Gojo said before Yuji walked into the room, causing Nanami and Gojo to turn toward him.
"Hey, Gojo Sensei!!" Yuji shouted, noticing Nanami was there too.
"C'mon, let's go see everyone!" Yuji was excited, thinking of all the second years Megumi and Nobara must be training with right now—so many strong people and a touching reunion after all this time apart.
"Hmmm, alright, I guess you can go see them. It has been two months after all," Gojo smiled.
Gojo wanted to surprise them, but it's not like Yuji was dead or anything.
———————————————————
"Why is everyone empty-handed?!" Nobara asked, dragging along her luggage.
"Why do you have luggage?" Panda asked in confusion.
"Why? We're going to Kyoto, right?"
"A Goodwill Event in Kyoto..." She started to explain, seeing their confusion become more apparent.
"No, a Goodwill Event WITH Kyoto... it's in Tokyo," Panda said as Nobara's eye twitched.
"Are you kidding me!!"
"So that's why our conversations about this have been slightly off..." Maki deadpanned.
"Yeah," Megumi said, just as exasperated.
"The event's held at the school of the previous year's winner," Panda explained as Nobara sucked her teeth.
"Why'd you go and win?!"
"We didn't participate last year."
"But Yuta got a chance to compete since there weren't enough people."
"And Rika was still around," Maki added.
"Apparently, it was a one-sided affair. I wasn't in Kyoto so I didn't get to watch, though."
"I won't forgive you, Yuta Okkotsu!" Nobara cursed him for ruining her travel plans as she fell to the floor in sorrow.
"Hey. They're here," Maki said, turning to see the entire Kyoto Jujutsu High team standing there.
"Is this the welcoming party? Gross," Maki said with a smirk as Todo looked around.
"I don't see Okkotsu."
"Shut up and hand over your souvenirs. Yatsuhashi, sweets, kuzukiri noodles, buckwheat cookies..." Nobara listed off what she wanted as Inumaki beside her spoke.
"Salmon."
"Huh? You hungry or something?" Todo raised an eyebrow.
"Scary..." Momo muttered, clutching her broom as Mechamaru looked at the Tokyo team.
"Forget about Okkotsu—aren't you taking too much of a handicap with two first years?"
"It's a robot! A robot!" Nobara shouted in shock.
"Age is irrelevant with jujutsu sorcerers. Especially Fushiguro; he is a Zen'in after all," Noritoshi Kamo said, his eyes closed as if stating a fact.
"I'd say he's more reliable than the head of the family," he continued as Mai sucked her teeth at the comment.
"Hm?"
"It's nothing."
"Hey, now."
"No fighting," Utahime said, coming up the stairs behind her students.
"What will I do with you kids?"
"So, where's that idiot?"
"Satoru's late," Panda said to the surprise of nobody.
"No way that idiot is ever on time," Maki deadpanned.
"She didn't even mention his name," Megumi said, exasperated at how everyone knew exactly who she was talking about.
"HERE I AM!" Gojo shouted, waving as behind him walked Yuji, who was relaxed, observing the new faces.
"Satoru Gojo," Utahime spoke through gritted teeth in annoyance as Miwa looked at Gojo with stars in her eyes.
"Everyone is here, I see. I was actually on a business trip overseas," Gojo explained casually before reaching into a bag he had with him and tossing souvenirs at all the Kyoto and Tokyo students.
"Souvenirs—tribal charms for the kids. None for you though, Utahime," he smiled.
"Like I care!!"
"Yo guys, been a bit, huh," Yuji said, walking to Nobara and Megumi with a smile.
"You idiot, where were you when we had to do all that damn training?!" Nobara asked, grabbing Yuji's collar, annoyed.
"Hey, I was training too," he raised his hands in surrender.
"Sukuna's vessel? What is this?" Gakuganji said, eyes focused on Yuji.
"Oh, old man, you haven't croaked yet I see. How disappointing," Gojo smiled, walking toward him.
"You cocky brat!"
———————————————————
As everyone was now gathered, the Goodwill Event would soon begin officially. From a distance, Kenjaku watched with Mahito crouched beside him.
"You sure we should even get near the kid, Geto?" Mahito asked, looking over at Kenjaku, who smiled.
"We should be fine, considering only Hanami will be headed down there. Me and you have something else to do while we're here."