Jujutsu High. A hidden chamber.
Night had fallen, and a light drizzle continued outside. The air carried a faint, almost imperceptible smell of mold.
The room wasn't large—about twenty tatami mats in size. A dim, antique lantern hung overhead, its flickering light casting shadows across several ornate folding screens.
A man stood in the center.
He wore a black haori, and his blonde hair was neatly combed, making his sharp features look even more striking.
Naoya Zenin. Legitimate son of the Zenin Clan. Grade 1 sorcerer. A man hailed as a "genius" since childhood.
Behind the screens, several figures could be faintly seen. A hoarse voice reached his ears.
"You've heard about the matter, I assume?"
"We deliberately bypassed Satoru Gojo's information network and arranged for the Special Grade Cursed Womb mission to be assigned to Sukuna's vessel. The intention was to eliminate him. But it failed."
"...Sukuna's vessel has only been enrolled for two days. How did he manage it?"
"We cannot allow this child to live. If we let him grow, he will sooner or later become another Satoru Gojo... No, perhaps even more troublesome. And if Sukuna fully awakens, the consequences will be unimaginable."
The jujutsu higher-ups hiding behind the screens murmured among themselves. Then an aged voice spoke up.
"Naoya."
"Hm?" Naoya replied lazily.
"You understand why we summoned you here."
"You are a Grade 1 sorcerer. The genius of the Zenin Clan. The undisputed candidate for the next head of the family. Your strength far exceeds that of any low-level cursed spirit."
"Indeed," another voice added. "Unlike Satoru Gojo, you know how to assess the situation and consider the future of the jujutsu world. Correct?"
As the voice fell, the atmosphere in the chamber grew heavy.
Naoya Zenin didn't answer immediately. He simply let out a mocking laugh and spread his hands.
"My brothers are useless. My uncles are all trash. The Zenin Clan is getting worse with each generation. Aside from me, there's not a single capable person in the entire family."
The curve of his mouth widened into an arrogant smile.
"Everyone says I'm a genius, so I will be the next head of the Zenin Clan. No one should have any objections to that, right?"
Silence lingered behind the screens.
"Naturally," the aged voice said. "We have never doubted your aptitude."
"Then what are you doing now?" Naoya's voice turned cold. His narrow eyes sharpened. "Questioning my credibility?"
"We wouldn't dare."
Several voices rang out almost simultaneously, tinged with panic.
"We absolutely didn't mean that. We just wanted to remind you—"
"Remind me? I don't need reminding." Naoya tilted his head. "Sukuna's vessel is strong, sure. But he only took out a Special Grade curse. That's just a stroke of good luck."
"If you ask me, Toji was far more impressive."
"..."
No one answered from behind the screens.
Naoya glanced around. Seeing no objections, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, alright. Relax."
He waved his hand, his tone suddenly light—as if his arrogant attitude moments ago had never existed.
"You want that brat to disappear? It's not a big deal. You want me to participate in the Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event in a few days, right?"
Naoya revealed a wicked smile.
"I'll kill Yuji Itadori."
Meanwhile, in Yuji's dorm.
"You think you can kill me with this level? Don't make me laugh."
The pink-haired boy sat in front of the computer, intently working the mouse and keyboard. But unlike before, black marks now covered Yuji's face, extending down his torso and arms. A second pair of eyes had grown beneath his normal ones.
Sukuna was currently in control.
Clang clang clang—!
Sukuna's gameplay was a bit smoother than Yuji's. But only a bit. His arrogant attitude didn't last long before reality doused it with cold water.
For some reason, the game placed several mobs designed to wear down the player's patience before every elite mini-boss. This kind of proficiency-based game also tested patience. Sukuna made one careless mistake and got hacked to death by the elite mob.
[DEATH]
The bright red text glared from the screen.
"..."
Sukuna fell silent.
"Pfft—hahahahaha! You had the nerve to mock me, but you can't beat it either!"
Yuji was watching from within Sukuna's Innate Domain. His mocking laughter echoed through Sukuna's mind, making his head throb.
"That was just carelessness!"
Sukuna's face flushed red. Veins popped on his forehead.
"Sukuna, if you're bad at it, just practice more. If you can't handle losing, don't play."
"Shut your mouth, you stinking brat! Watch me!"
"..."
Sukuna seemed completely absorbed in the game. After getting familiar with the controls, his gameplay became razor-sharp. He eventually cut through several elite mini-bosses like they were nothing.
"See that, you stinking brat? Wasn't that easy?"
Unknowingly, more than an hour had passed.
"Alright, alright. I admit you're a little better than me."
Seeing Sukuna get so invested, Yuji knew his plan was half-successful. He hadn't expected Sukuna to get this hooked—but considering people in the Heian Era didn't have many forms of entertainment, and Sukuna could only sit in his body staring at nothing out of boredom, it wasn't entirely surprising.
"Good that you understand, brat. Get the hierarchy between us straight."
"But this game is pretty fun, right?"
"Heh." Sukuna scoffed. "Although it's nothing more than playing house, I can acknowledge its challenge."
"Alright, it's getting late. I have a mission tomorrow. Time to give the body back."
Yuji gathered his consciousness and reached for control. Sukuna didn't resist.
The pitch-black cursed marks faded as Yuji regained his body.
"Phew—"
He stood up from the chair, then raised his right hand, palm facing up.
Scarlet blood seeped from his palm and condensed into a fist-sized orb hovering in the air.
Blood Manipulation: Convergence.
This was a practice he did every night before bed—controlling the shape, density, and flow rate of the blood to build muscle memory.
Under his control, the blood orb constantly shifted forms. Sphere. Cube. Spikes. Each shape held perfectly stable, without the slightest waver.
"Not bad."
Yuji nodded in satisfaction and retracted the blood into his body.
After today's battle, his mastery over Blood Manipulation had improved another level. And because he'd consumed the third Sukuna finger, his cursed energy reserves had grown as well. With Yuji's efficiency in utilizing cursed energy, every single finger represented a qualitative leap.
Sukuna was also becoming a bit more... human. Turning over a new leaf might actually be possible.
Next step: eat more fingers, then deal with the four Disaster Curses.
He stretched, turned, and walked toward his bed, hand reaching for the light switch.
"I should get to bed early. Busy day tomorrow. If I'm right, Gojo-sensei should be introducing me to Nanami-san..."
Yuji guessed based on his past-life memories.
"If that's the case, then the day I meet Mahito isn't far off."
In his past life, he'd always regarded Mahito as a thorn in his side—swearing to hunt down every trace of his existence.
But now, thinking about meeting that thing again...
He was actually looking forward to it.
Click—
The dorm plunged into darkness.
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