June.
The Tokyo rainy season had arrived.
The humid air clung to everything like a damp blanket, and the steady rhythm of rain tapping against the classroom windows made the afternoon feel sluggish and heavy.
Inside a classroom at Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College.
"So boring—"
Yuji Itadori collapsed onto his desk like a deflated balloon.
"Gojo-sensei disappeared again for another 'business trip.' What happened to our training?"
"I've been watching movies for three days straight!"
"Jennifer Lawrence is amazing… but I also want to move my body!"
Across from him, Megumi Fushiguro flipped a page in his book without even looking up.
"Be grateful."
"With Gojo-sensei gone, things are quieter."
"Besides, the movies are supposed to help you control your cursed energy."
He gestured toward Yuji's body.
"Your cursed energy hasn't run wild yet."
"That means your control is improving."
Yuji pointed at himself.
"Even my body is bored!"
Nearby, Nobara Kugisaki examined her reflection in a small mirror while touching up her makeup.
"This humidity is terrible…"
"My makeup keeps smudging."
"I seriously want to go shopping."
She sighed.
"Why do jujutsu missions always happen during gloomy weather?"
"Can't we just exorcise curses on a sunny beach?"
"Cursed spirits near the ocean tend to be extremely powerful," Yagami Sora said casually from the back row.
"For example, ancient sea-related curses."
He twirled a pen between his fingers while staring at the rain outside.
But in reality—
His attention was fixed on the system interface floating in his mind.
[Vector Manipulation — Level 5]
[Intermediate Progress: 98%]
Just a little more.
Once he broke into Intermediate Level 5, his computational ability would increase dramatically.
At that point, he could begin interfering not only with macroscopic vectors—
But also with microscopic particle motion.
For example:
Manipulating bioelectric signals in living bodies.
Or generating plasma by compressing air to extreme temperatures.
His combat methods would evolve from simple reflection and physical force into true energy-based attacks.
Then—
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The classroom loudspeaker suddenly blared to life.
"All first-year students, report to the school gate immediately."
"I repeat, all first-year students report to the school gate immediately."
The voice of Kiyotaka Ijichi came through the speaker.
He sounded unusually tense.
"A mission," Megumi said quietly while closing his book.
"Judging by Ijichi's voice… something serious happened."
At the School Gate
The rain had grown heavier.
Ijichi stood beside a black sedan, nervously wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
Even in the rain, he looked pale.
"Mr. Ijichi?"
Yuji asked.
"Why are you so nervous?"
"The situation is urgent," Ijichi said quickly.
"Please get in the car first."
The windshield wipers moved frantically as the car sped through the rain.
Ijichi explained the mission while gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"The location is Eishu Juvenile Detention Center in West Tokyo."
"Three hours ago we detected a Cursed Womb manifesting above the facility."
"Observation confirmed that the cursed womb is…"
"…Special Grade."
"Special Grade?!" Yuji and Nobara shouted simultaneously.
Even though they had only recently enrolled, Gojo had already explained what that meant.
Special Grade curses were disasters capable of overwhelming ordinary sorcerers.
Entire teams could be wiped out by one.
"Currently it's still in its cursed womb stage," Ijichi continued nervously.
"But it could hatch at any moment."
"Normally a mission like this would be handled by Gojo-sensei or another Special Grade sorcerer…"
"But Gojo is away."
"And the other high-level sorcerers are occupied."
Megumi finished the sentence quietly.
"So we're being sent to investigate."
Ijichi nodded.
"Yes."
"Your objective is search and rescue."
"If survivors remain inside the detention center, bring them out."
"If the cursed womb fully manifests…"
"…you must retreat immediately."
"Do not engage."
"Running away is also courage."
"You're still young."
"You shouldn't die here."
Silence filled the car.
The words Special Grade hung in the air like a heavy weight.
Except for one person.
Yagami Sora leaned back calmly in his seat, watching the rain-streaked city pass by the window.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"A Special Grade…"
Yuji glanced at him.
"Yagami… aren't you scared?"
"Even Gojo-sensei isn't here."
"Scared?"
Sora turned his head.
A faint red glow flickered in his eyes.
The system was running at maximum capacity.
"Why would I be afraid…"
"…of food?"
"Food?" Yuji blinked.
"To me," Sora said lazily,
"That thing isn't a monster."
He raised his hand slightly, as if grasping something invisible.
"It's excellent nourishment for leveling up."
If he defeated this Special Grade curse—
The system progress bar would definitely reach 100%.
Then he would unlock Intermediate Level 5.
Perhaps even begin approaching the power of the Black Wings.
This wasn't a crisis.
It was a reward delivered directly to him.
"We're here."
Ijichi stopped the car.
Outside stood a dark, ominous structure.
Eishu Juvenile Detention Center.
The rain continued to fall, but the air here carried a faint metallic scent.
Above the facility hung a massive barrier curtain.
The darkness beneath it felt unnatural.
As if the building had been separated from the outside world.
"What an oppressive atmosphere…" Nobara muttered, rubbing her arms.
"It feels like something is staring at us."
Megumi summoned Divine Dog.
"I have a bad feeling."
"The cursed energy concentration here is far higher than the one we faced in Roppongi."
Sora opened the car door first.
The falling rain instantly deflected away from his body.
Not a single drop touched him.
He looked at the looming detention center building.
From the outside it resembled a gigantic beast waiting to devour its prey.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Let's go."
"The hunt begins."