"Close call…"
Nobara Kugisaki moved quickly through the hallway, still shaken as she patted her heaving chest.
Listening to that White Zetsu brag about "saving" her right in front of her—and not even being able to argue back…
Honestly, she'd rather jump back into a swarm of curses and gamble with her life.
Between mental death and physical death—
she'd pick the latter.
Wiping the cold sweat from her forehead, just as she was feeling relieved—
an arm suddenly reached out and pulled her into a room.
"Spiky-head?"
"Pink-haired gorilla?"
Nobara blinked in confusion at the people inside the operating room.
What, did dodging one White Zetsu require this many people to ambush her?
The two who had just been given nicknames were speechless.
White Zetsu's naming habits were contagious…
It was one thing for Satoru Gojo to join in—but even Nobara, who argued with it constantly, had picked it up.
Megumi Fushiguro closed the door, gathered his thoughts, and explained everything that had happened while Nobara was unconscious.
"What?!"
"The pink-haired gorilla pulled a resurrection too?!"
Keeping up with the times, huh?
Nobara stepped closer and examined Yuji Itadori from head to toe, full of suspicion.
Gojo raised a hand.
"It's true~"
Nobara ignored the blindfolded man completely.
Only after seeing Shoko Ieiri and Kiyotaka Ijichi nod did she finally believe it.
"So what? You dragged me in here just to say that?"
She placed a hand on her hip, confused.
That's it?
Yuji's expression darkened instantly.
Her reaction clearly didn't sit well with him.
"Well, the real reason we brought you in is…"
Gojo pulled Nobara and Fushiguro aside and began whispering.
Nobara's expression gradually turned complicated.
"Do we really have to do this?" she asked, troubled.
"It's necessary," Gojo replied seriously.
That Evening
An official notice was issued by the higher-ups of Tokyo Jujutsu High:
Mission Record: July 2018 — West Tokyo Juvenile Detention Center
Special Grade Curse Incident:
First-year student Yuji Itadori — confirmed deceased
As for the other entity that should have died but returned unharmed—White Zetsu—
the higher-ups acted as if nothing had happened, continuing their usual policy of ignoring it.
The Next Day — 9:00 AM
The sunlight was harsh, cicadas buzzing loudly.
On the steps of the training ground, Fushiguro and Nobara sat side by side in silence.
"Megumi, your face looks even worse than usual," a familiar voice called out.
"What, are you sitting here mourning?"
Fushiguro looked up, startled.
"Zen'in senpai?"
"You're back from your mission?"
Dressed in her uniform, with a dark green ponytail and a long wrapped blade slung over her shoulder, Maki Zenin frowned.
"Don't call me by that name."
"Maki. Just Maki!"
Behind a tree, Panda and Toge Inumaki whispered:
"Didn't you read the notice?"
"One of the first-years… really died yesterday!"
Inumaki blinked.
"Salmon…"
Maki stiffened and slowly turned her head toward them, silently questioning why they hadn't warned her.
"Who are they?" Nobara asked.
"They're all second-years," Fushiguro explained.
"Maki-senpai—she specializes in cursed tools."
"Inumaki-senpai—a cursed speech user who only speaks in rice ball ingredients."
"And… Panda-senpai."
After hearing that, Nobara stood up with her hands on her hips.
"Is that all the students this school has?"
Fushiguro stood as well, his tone serious.
"There's one more—the only second-year worthy of respect: Yuta Okkotsu."
(That expelled person doesn't count.)
Panda and Inumaki stepped closer.
"Sorry—Maki didn't know about the casualty," Panda said sincerely.
Fushiguro and Nobara nodded half-heartedly.
Yuji being alive was a secret—per Gojo's orders.
But the frustration they felt wasn't about Yuji.
Panda quickly explained their purpose:
"The Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event."
Nobara and Fushiguro nodded immediately, as if they had already expected it.
"Oh, right—where's White Zetsu?" Panda asked, scanning the field.
"Probably still sleeping," Maki said with a sigh.
"A completely unmotivated Grade 4 curse."
"Oh!!"
Nobara's eyes widened in realization.
"So you're that mama's-boy's niece!"
"Mama's boy?!"
"Niece?!"
Maki's expression darkened dangerously.
Even if she didn't fully understand "mama's boy," the word "niece" struck a nerve.
"Well, first-years," Maki said coldly,
"You've agreed to join the exchange event—so you won't be skipping training, right?"
"Of course!" Fushiguro and Nobara answered in unison.
Nobara brushed her hair aside, her tone firm:
"I'm not interested in easy training."
"The tougher, the better."
She never wanted to feel what she felt when White Zetsu saved her… ever again.
Fushiguro remained silent, but determination filled his eyes.
This was the second time Yuji had risked his life to save him.
Both of them now had reasons to become stronger—no matter the cost.
"Nice look in your eyes," Maki said, now impressed.
"Alright—training starts now!"
Inside a Training Room
A simple space: a TV, a sofa, a table piled with movie discs—and a plush doll lying on it.
"Gojo-sensei, I know all this!" Yuji raised his hand excitedly.
"White Zetsu already taught me—and we watched a ton of movies together!"
Gojo nodded with a smile.
"You still need to reinforce the basics of cursed energy."
"For someone new like you, watching movies is actually the best way to stabilize your control."
"Besides that, real combat will sharpen your perception."
He grinned.
"For the next month—I'll personally train you."
Yuji immediately beamed.
"That's awesome!"
"If Gojo-sensei is training me personally…"
"I'm really happy."
Then his expression turned serious.
"I'm still too weak… I can't save anyone like this."
"Make me stronger."
"Make me unbeatable."
Gojo paused for a moment—then smiled gently.
"Good ambition."
2:00 PM — Teacher's Residence
White Zetsu had just gotten out of bed, hair a mess, yawning nonstop.
"How's the training going?" Mirai asked from the sofa.
White Zetsu held up two fingers lazily.
"At most, two… and only if it's one high and one low."
"Two high-level ones and my brain'll fry."
Mirai flipped through his notes calmly.
"Two is enough."
"You'll be joining the exchange event this time as well."
"OK—"