8 November, 2018.
By the time we returned to Tokyo Jujutsu High, the weight of everything that had just transpired had not yet settled, while I wished to gather whoever was available to announce what we went though, it was already late and Yaga asked both me and Panda to keep quiet until the next day.
So here we were, we gathered everyone, recounting what took place with the higher ups and later the assassination attempt by those old foggies, because if there was one thing everyone present deserved, it was to know exactly how far the rot within the higher ranks had spread.
We found only a handful of people gathered there, namely Shoko, Maki, Toge, and of course Panda was also there, while the absence of Megumi and Nobara was immediately noticeable, though no one commented on it at first, as if everyone already knew where they might have gone.
Everyone except me I guess, since I was the only one who looked out of context here. How come only I was the one foolishly looking for them while others didn't even care.
It was clear that I was being kept out of the loop about what was actually happening in the core discussion in jujutsu tech currently.
Makes sense, I was new and I even refused to share my technique with them, too much closed in myself. But damn it, it felt really odd being the one kept in the dark.
Once everyone gathered, Yaga wasted no time and began explaining what had occurred, his voice calm but carrying a certain heaviness as he spoke about being summoned, the deliberate delay meant to assert dominance, and then the meeting itself where the elders had hidden behind their paper screens like cowards afraid to even show their faces while they passed judgment.
As he continued, detailing their accusations against Gojo, their decision to criminalize any attempt to free him, and their shameless demand for the secret behind Panda's existence, I could see the reactions unfold across the room in real time, with Toge tilting his head slightly in confusion, Panda's expression slowly turning into one of disbelief and a single murmur of "Bonito Flakes…" while Shoko mostly quietly listened with a cigarette resting between her fingers, as if she was too used to the shamelessness of the higher ups.
However, the moment Yaga mentioned what I did in response, Panda leaned forward with sudden interest as even he was out of the loop on what I really did back then, while Toge let out a surprised, "Salmon?" as if he could not quite believe what he was hearing.
"You threatened them with a domain?" Panda asked, his tone somewhere between impressed and incredulous, while I merely shrugged in response, not feeling particularly proud about it, but damn it was satisfying.
"Those old fossils deserve nothing else." I grumbled, my irritation at their absurd tyrannical demeanor apparent in my snarled remark.
"They had it coming," I replied casually, though before anything else could be said, something slammed into my back with enough force to nearly send me stumbling forward, and I did not need to turn around to know exactly who it was.
"Damn right they do!" Maki's voice rang out with a sharp laugh, her hand still resting on my back from where she had struck me, and the grin on her face was nothing short of savage as she continued, "Damn it Akindo, should have manned up and seen it through to the end." She grumbled.
Pain flared through my already battered body, and I winced slightly before straightening myself, muttering under my breath, "I understand you're disappointed, but try not to kill me before the higher ups get the chance."
She snorted at that, clearly amused rather than apologetic, while Panda burst out laughing, finding the entire situation far more entertaining than he probably should have.
"I like this guy," Panda said, pointing at me as if I had just done something particularly commendable, "Gojo would like you." He grinned, a panda-like grin but it was a grin nonetheless.
Both Maki and Toge at that nodded in agreement, even Yaga for that matter looked convinced.
"They're more like old rats hiding behind paper walls," Maki corrected with a scoff, her expression turning cold for a brief moment before she shook it off, clearly not wanting to dwell on it any longer.
"But there is no way they let you off with what this guy pulled in front of them, have they?" Shoko suddenly asked, knowing the nature of those higher ups, she was certain our retreat back to Jujutsu tech wouldn't have been that peaceful.
The atmosphere quieted the moment Shoko brought the topic up and Yaga nodded.
"They sent two assassins after us." I too nodded.
"Tsk… those vile viruses." Maki snorted once again.
"Yes, can you believe they sent Principal Gakuganji after Yaga. Noritoshi Kamo was there as well." Panda added in.
"Mustard Leaf." Toge pursed his lips and finally ran out of words to show his concern while Maki on the side whistled to show she almost looked impressed at the lineup.
"Sending a Grade 1 and a Semi-Grade 1 to handle a Grade 1 puppet master who didn't have access to his puppets back then and a nobody who most likely would be special grade if he is not being a trouble magnet."
"Special grade…" I froze on the spot as soon as Maki brought that word out.
Maki rolled her eyes at my reaction, "Come on, if those higher ups were not as useless as they are, I doubt anyone would question that you're undoubtedly special grade."
I had no words to that, I felt like I was, but at the same time didn't. It was honestly a conflicting feeling.
Mostly, since I didn't wish to be in the spotlight again and stand out like a sore thumb and attract more trouble my way.
I considered myself extremely blessed and cursed at the same time seeing what all I faced out of the blue and even more surprisingly I survived all that.
I'd rather not tempt fate anymore than that, thank you very much.
"Seeing you both here safe and sound, I believe you took care of them." Shoko slowly let out smoke and said calmly as if she already knew what happened.
It was no doubt she was telling this to me, not Yaga. However, before I tried to deny, albeit avoid more attention my way, Yaga added in before I could say anything.
"He did, not only did he defeat Kamo alone, I suppose that too was without the use of his domain, but he also scared Yoshinobu enough to make him back off.
Not to mention he healed me when Yoshinobu had torn open my chest and I was bleeding out."
Up until that point, Shoko had remained mostly silent, but the moment Yaga casually mentioned how I had healed him after the assassination attempt, something in the atmosphere shifted, and I felt it before I even saw it.
Her head snapped toward me with a speed that was frankly unsettling, her previously indifferent expression sharpening into something far more focused, almost predatory.
"Healed you?" She asked, eyes still lingering on me.
Yaga nodded, in fact I almost saw him giving me an apologetic look before finally stating, "Akindo here knows Reverse Curse Technique, and he can even heal others with it."
That was enough for Shoko's look to turn into a full blown glare, for ages she waited for someone who could use RCT to heal others so her load could be shared, she wished to have vacations too damn it.
She finally found someone last year, Okkotsu, only for him to be sent out of the country by that damn Satoru.
'Not again… she isn't letting this one get away.'
I instinctively took a small step back before immediately moving behind Maki without even thinking about it.
"You can use reverse curse technique?" Shoko asked, her voice deceptively calm, though there was an intensity behind it that made it clear she was not asking out of simple curiosity.
I peeked out slightly from behind Maki and gave a vague shrug, trying to downplay it as much as possible while saying, "Something like that."
"Something like that?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took a step forward, and I immediately shifted further behind Maki, using her as a shield without even a hint of shame.
"He's busy," Maki said flatly, not even bothering to turn around as she blocked Shoko's path, though the faint smirk on her face suggested she was enjoying this far more than she should have.
Shoko clicked her tongue softly but did not press further for the moment, though the look she gave me made it abundantly clear that this conversation was far from over.
Maybe staying here in Jujutsu Tech wasn't the best idea.
While safe, I didn't wish to be a nurse anytime soon.
Deciding that it would be in my best interest to steer the discussion elsewhere before I was dragged into becoming the school's emergency healer, I cleared my throat and spoke up, "Yaga also mentioned we saw someone there… Okkotsu."
That name alone was enough to shift the mood again, as Panda straightened immediately, Toge let out another surprised "Salmon!" and even Maki's expression turned more serious, her earlier amusement fading slightly.
"You saw Yuta there?" Panda asked, his tone now completely different from before, and when Yaga confirmed it with a nod, the tension in the room became palpable.
"What the hell was he doing there?" Maki muttered under her breath, clearly not liking the implications, while Shoko exhaled slowly, her gaze drifting slightly as if she was already piecing together possibilities she did not like.
For the second strongest sorcerer of the modern age to be associating with those old fossils, no less when the strongest from the modern era had his ass sealed inside a magical Rubik's Cube was concerning to say the least.
For a moment, no one spoke, and the silence stretched just long enough to become uncomfortable, which was exactly why I chose that moment to break it again.
"Where's Megumi?" I asked, keeping my tone as casual as possible, though the question seemed to hit something, because everyone's expressions shifted once more, this time into something more complicated.
It was Panda who answered first, scratching the back of his head as he spoke, "Megumi went to look for Yuji, same as Nobara."
"You mean the pink haired guy who had his body taken over by that curse spirit?" Clearly I couldn't show that I knew him well, but since I did fight Sukuna and was there, I couldn't even feign complete nonchalance either.
"Why now? And more importantly, why him. Is he even safe? The dude is a ticking time bomb."
I pressed, genuinely confused, because from everything I had seen, timing like this was rarely random.
This time, it was Maki who answered, though her tone had lost its earlier edge and carried something heavier instead, "Don't worry, Itadori has his flaws but he is reliable. What happened back in Shibuya was an accident." Maki herself couldn't quite believe her sentence but she told them nonetheless.
"As for why now, well…" Maki drew out that sentence as if pondering whether she should tell it or not. Ultimately she made her mind and said, "Megumi has a sister, Tsumiki, and she's been under a curse for a long time."
I blinked at that, my mind immediately connecting the dots as fragments of what I remembered surfaced, though I kept my expression neutral as she continued.
"With all these barriers popping up across Japan, something changed," she added, crossing her arms as she looked off to the side, "She was unconscious for a while now, but as soon as that man who erected those barriers all over the country and was responsible for everything which took place in Shibuya, when he did that thing back in Shibuya, something regarding the soul with that patch face curse spirit's technique, Tsumiki suddenly woke up.
Not only was that man responsible for the curse placed on Tsumiki and many others in Japan who he placed a curse on, but now somehow Tsumiki and others are a part of this twisted game he is playing without their consent.
Sigh… it's all kind of messed up." Maki grunted.
"So he went looking for Yuji because…?" I trailed off, already having a rough idea but wanting to hear it confirmed.
"Because we're gonna need all the help we can for what's to come," Shoko replied this time, her tone returning to its usual calm demeanor, though there was still a hint of tension beneath it.
I let out a quiet breath, leaning back slightly as everything settled into place, because of course it all came back to Yuji in the end.
Just as I was about to declare my own support at whatever they were planning which I was unaware of, suddenly the doors of the room opened up and five figures walked in.
"Itadori."
"Fushiguro."
"Kugisaki."
"Why is this death painting here."
Everyone was taken aback, but my eyes were only on the last man who entered.
"Okkotsu."
xXx
A/N : And there is another chapter, do tell me if there is any mistakes, I did checked them but I just realised how big and connected sentences I used in this chapter, so there might be some mistake, do tell me.
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