The evening sky was dyed red by the setting sun, its blood-like afterglow spilling across the earth.
Tokyo Jujutsu High – Training Grounds
After an entire day of high-intensity close combat training, Fushiguro and Nobara lay sprawled on the grass, completely exhausted and gasping for air.
"Zen'in-senpai is seriously strong…"
Nobara muttered between breaths.
"Yeah," Fushiguro exhaled slowly. "Among the students, Maki-senpai is the strongest in close combat…
—excluding Okkotsu-senpai."
Sweat soaked through her hair, her orange bangs clinging to her face as a complicated expression flickered in Nobara's eyes.
"Fushiguro… about White Zetsu—"
"Hey, you two!"
Now dressed in a purple training outfit, Maki walked over, casually holding a practice staff in one hand, her tone teasing:
"That little bit of training already wiped you out?"
"Alright, Maki. They've been training all day."
The ever-kind Panda spoke gently:
"Let them rest. Inumaki and I can keep training with you."
Dressed in white sportswear, Inumaki nodded.
"Salmon."
"Maki-niece! Thirteen-sis!"
From the edge of the training ground, Bai Jue waved and shouted.
"And Inumaki too~"
He ran over, then suddenly leapt up and landed on Panda's back.
Burying his face deep into Panda's fur, he rubbed against it enthusiastically.
"Mmm… Panda, long time no see."
"Oh?"
Maki's expression instantly darkened, her glare sharp enough to kill.
"How many times have I warned you—don't call me that?!"
"And another thing!"
She pointed her staff at him.
"You only show up at the training ground at this hour? You've got zero motivation!"
"This year, the Kyoto students are coming. As a first-year, you might have to fight."
"Don't get smashed to death the moment they wave a hand at you!"
"You're cursing a curse spirit like that—is that really okay?"
Still clinging tightly to Panda's neck, White Zetsu replied casually:
"Relax. It's just a few Kyoto students."
"If it weren't for Mai's sake, I'd wipe them all out with a wave of my hand."
Everyone present was already used to his outrageous bragging and didn't react much.
"Get down here. I'll train you myself."
Maki stepped forward and reached to drag him off Panda.
"What's that thing on your face?"
Looking at the mark up close, she frowned.
"Your face already looks bad enough—why decorate it like that?"
"You don't get it."
White Zetsu stroked the purple diamond-shaped mark beneath his eye and raised his chin proudly.
"This… is a miracle."
"Hmph."
Maki snorted, her staff slicing through the air as she swung it straight at him!
"A miracle? I'll show you a miracle!"
White Zetsu's expression changed instantly.
He hurriedly circled around Panda—
—or rather, "White King Circling the Panda."
"Hey! That's not fair!"
Grabbing onto Panda and dodging repeatedly, he shouted:
"You're ambushing me! That's cheating—!"
"Ow! Hey—!"
"You're actually hitting me?!"
Maki tightened her grip on the staff, gritting her teeth:
"Call me 'niece' one more time and I'll hit you nine times!"
"Today I'm fixing that bad habit of yours!"
"Ahhh!"
White Zetsu cried out and immediately called for help:
"Panda! Inumaki! Hedgehog! Thirteen-sis! Are you just gonna watch me get bullied?!"
The others, who had been called out, simply tilted their heads back and admired the sunset, completely unmoved.
Only Panda, caught in the middle, broke into a cold sweat.
His large body twisted awkwardly as he swayed along with White Zetsu's frantic dodging.
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, more than half a month went by.
A Remote Mountain Hot Spring
Beside the steaming water, Pseudo-Geto (Kenjaku) sat on the shore, idly playing with a long nail wrapped in talismans.
"So this is a 'commissioned curtain'?"
Jogo sat on a protruding rock, holding a pipe shaped like a brain.
"That's right," Kenjaku explained with a narrowed smile.
"The barrier technique has already been sealed inside."
"Once it's nailed into the designated location, it'll activate immediately."
Jogo took a puff, still skeptical.
"This thing can really hold them back?"
Kenjaku chuckled.
"Half a minute of delay should be no problem."
Standing behind them, Hanami spoke in an obscure, non-human tone.
Its meaning appeared directly in their minds:
"We're changing the plan at the last minute… is that really okay?"
"Wasn't it agreed that person wouldn't be our enemy for now?"
Amid the drifting steam, Kenjaku's calm voice answered:
"Don't worry. Just follow the new plan."
"Whether it's the Zen'in Mirai… or Satoru Gojo…"
"No matter which side loses, it benefits us."
Hanami nodded and said no more.
Jogo exhaled smoke, a hint of concern flashing in his single eye.
"Hanami… be careful."
Among all cursed spirits, Hanami's cursed energy made it the best at concealment and infiltration.
That was why, in Kenjaku's plan, Hanami had to act alone.
"And what about Mahito?"
"Where did that brat run off to now?"
Looking at Dagon, who was bubbling quietly in the hot spring, Jogo sounded annoyed.
Kenjaku shrugged.
"He said he needed to go out and find some 'inspiration' before the plan begins."
A Movie Theater in Tokyo
Dressed in a gray suit with a beige patterned tie, Nanami Kento, who had returned to Jujutsu High, was investigating the scene with Itadori Yuji.
"Itadori."
Nanami pointed at the bloodstained seats.
"You can see it now, right?"
After over half a month of immersive training, Itadori had finally gained basic control over cursed energy.
Channeling cursed energy into his eyes—
In his vision, aside from the blood on the seats, several black handprints appeared.
Near the passageway, faint footprints infused with cursed energy could also be seen.
"These are traces of cursed energy."
"Whether it's a sorcerer or a curse, using techniques leaves marks behind."
Following the black footprints, Nanami stepped past the police line.
"All we need to do now is find the curse responsible and exorcise it. That completes the mission."
"Got it!"
Itadori responded and quickly followed.
Back at the Training Grounds
"White Zetsu-senpai."
Fushiguro raised a hand toward someone who had clearly overslept.
"My Ten Shadows Technique has improved recently. Can you take a look?"
Hearing this, White Zetsu's sleepy expression immediately sharpened.
"Alright. Show me."
"You came to the right person asking about the Ten Shadows Technique."
He clasped his hands behind his back, putting on an air of authority.
"Back in the day… when that kid in the future hit a bottleneck—"
"I was the one guiding him from behind."
The others nearby twitched their lips, too tired to argue.
Fushiguro nodded and activated his shadow.
The ground beneath him rippled.
White Zetsu, hands behind his back, walked forward arrogantly—
Just as he was about to continue boasting—
His foot slipped.
And he fell straight into the shadow.
"…Damn!"
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