Jujutsu High never felt quiet.
Even when it was empty, it wasn't quiet—just waiting for something to happen again.
But the medical wing was different.
Here, even cursed energy seemed to hesitate before entering.
The doors slammed open.
Gojo came in first, already carrying Takeru.
Yuji was right behind him.
Megumi and Nobara followed fast, both visibly tense.
Shoko Ieiri looked up from her notes.
"…What did you break this time?"
Gojo answered immediately.
"…Not me."
A pause.
"…Him."
He set Takeru down carefully on the examination table.
The moment his body made contact—
a faint crack echoed again.
Shoko's expression shifted slightly.
"…Oh."
She stepped closer.
"…That's not normal damage."
Yuji stepped forward quickly.
"…He collapsed after using too much cursed energy in a manifested body."
Nobara crossed her arms tightly.
"…And like… a lot of arms. And techniques. And everything."
Megumi added quietly.
"…He layered multiple high-output systems simultaneously."
Shoko blinked once.
"…That sounds like a very fast way to become a skeleton."
Gojo nodded.
"…Pretty much."
Takeru's breathing was shallow now.
His cursed energy flickered weakly beneath his skin like a system trying to restart but missing critical parts.
"…Still… functional…" he muttered faintly.
Nobara leaned in.
"…NO, you are NOT."
Yuji looked worried.
"…Hey, stay with us, okay?"
Takeru's eyes shifted slightly toward him.
"…Yuji…"
A pause.
Then—
"…Did not calculate… full recoil…"
Shoko exhaled slowly.
"…He's lucky he didn't shatter his entire skeletal structure into cursed fragments."
Gojo tilted his head slightly.
"…So?"
Shoko already had her hands on Takeru's body, scanning with cursed energy.
"…So he basically forced his body to act like multiple independent cursed technique processors at once."
A pause.
"…Without structural reinforcement."
Megumi's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Meaning?"
Shoko answered flatly.
"…Meaning every time he moved, his bones were probably negotiating their resignation."
Silence.
Yuji blinked.
"…That sounds bad."
Nobara snapped.
"…THAT SOUNDS EXTREMELY BAD!"
Gojo sighed lightly.
"…Yeah, that checks out."
Shoko continued calmly.
"…Multiple fractures. Internal stress collapse. Cursed energy feedback damage."
A pause.
"…He's not dying."
Yuji let out a breath.
"…Oh thank god—"
"…But," Shoko added immediately.
Everyone froze again.
"…He's not moving for a while."
Nobara groaned.
"…Of course."
Megumi asked quietly.
"…Recovery time?"
Shoko shrugged slightly.
"…Depends on how much of his body he wants to keep as bone instead of dust."
Gojo leaned against the wall casually.
"…So… bed rest."
Shoko nodded.
"…Forced."
Takeru's eyes flickered again.
"…Sukuna… still active…"
Yuji stiffened instantly.
"…What?!"
Megumi immediately focused.
"…Residual consciousness?"
Shoko didn't look up.
"…Not active enough to matter."
A pause.
"…More like an annoyed background process."
Gojo smiled slightly.
"…So he's grounded and still complaining."
Takeru didn't respond.
His eyes slowly closed again.
"…Not optimal outcome…"
he muttered faintly.
Nobara pointed at him immediately.
"…YOU THINK?!"
Yuji sighed, relieved despite everything.
"…He's alive."
Megumi nodded slightly.
"…That's what matters."
Gojo pushed himself off the wall.
"…Alright."
A pause.
"…Let him rest."
Shoko glanced at them.
"…You all too. You look like you got hit by him as well."
Nobara scoffed.
"…Emotionally, yes."
Yuji gave a weak laugh.
"…Yeah…"
Megumi turned slightly as they began to leave.
"…This isn't over."
Gojo hummed lightly.
"…Nope."
A pause.
"…But for now?"
He glanced back at Takeru on the table.
"…He's officially out of combat permissions."
The door closed behind them.
Inside the medical room—
Takeru lay still.
Broken, but stable.
Breathing slow.
Cursed energy dimmed into a quiet flicker.
And somewhere deep inside—
Sukuna's presence remained.
Not interfering.
Not acting.
Just watching.
Patient again.
"…Rest," the voice whispered faintly.
"…You'll need it."