Ren woke up calmly after what felt like days. With a carefree smile on his face, he stretched, yawned softly, and walked toward the bathroom. The early morning light peeked through the curtains, dim but warm, coating the room in a sleepy gold. He brushed his teeth lazily, eyes half-open, then grabbed a fistful of his hair and stared at himself in the mirror.
"Ugh, I need to get a haircut; I actually look like a caveman… Nah, later," he muttered, smirking faintly at his reflection. He slicked his hair back with his hand, washed his face, and walked out of the room feeling oddly refreshed.
As he entered the kitchen, his thoughts drifted. "Hmm, it's been three days since I built the full theory for Red Stitch's improvement. For the past three days, I've been double-checking every formula, every condition, every cursed flow. I've also been perfecting the hand signs and binding chants… Not even a single word can be wrong. If one thing is off, my technique will collapse—and maybe me along with it. I wouldn't be completely done for, but losing Red Stitch would cripple me for months. I'd have to start over from scratch, rebuild another system entirely… Ugh, no bad thoughts!"
He pinched his cheek lightly, shaking his head. The sizzling of eggs soon filled the quiet kitchen, and the smell of coffee began to spread.
As he cooked, he looked toward the living room and sighed. Maki was still asleep, tangled in his blanket, completely comfortable in his bed. Ren narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Ugh, is this Gojo's secret punishment for me? Not letting me sleep in my own bed?" He paused, blinking as realization hit him. "That's actually possible… I never thought about it. Ugh, I'll get him back for sure."
He flipped the eggs, his expression flattening as his thoughts began to spiral again. "Hmm… things have been too calm lately. Sure, I've snuck out a few times and done my own experiments, but overall, it's been… quiet. Too quiet. I don't hate it, but it feels like the calm before a storm."
He set the table and poured himself coffee. "I know the real story begins in 2018… when Yuji eats Sukuna's finger. That's when everything starts. So far, I've tried to keep the flow of events close to the original story, even though things are already shifting—two Kyoto Goodwill events in one year, for example. But… I can feel it. The more I move, the more the plot derails."
Ren took a sip of coffee, the bitterness grounding him. "My plan tonight is simple. I'll finalize the improvements to Red Stitch completely. And once this Kyoto event is over… I'll go find Yuji Itadori, the so-called protagonist. If I'm right, he should still be in Sendai City."
He frowned, tapping his finger on the table. "Once I find him, I'll have two options. Kill him… or something else. Killing him would be clean but insane. Without Yuji, would Sukuna even return? Would Kenjaku's plans fall apart? Sukuna is the cornerstone of Kenjaku's chaos—his plans need that chaos. But… what if killing Yuji creates a different kind of chaos? Kenjaku would just adapt. He always does. He's too unpredictable. I can't risk it. I can't kill Yuji."
He leaned back, exhaling slowly. "But I could kidnap him. Study him. Yuji's body is fascinating—superhuman strength without cursed energy, no clear explanation. Unlike Maki, who's strong because of her Heavenly Restriction, Yuji's strength comes from something else. I know Kenjaku tampered with him… but how? Just through birth? Did he infuse cursed energy into the fetus? And if so… could he do it again?"
Ren frowned deeply, shaking his head. "That freak…"
He began eating, the tension in his expression fading into a small smile. "Whatever. If Kenjaku's unpredictable, I'm worse. People know bits and pieces about him—but no one knows anything about me. At the Kyoto Goodwill Event, I'll use only Red Stitch. Let's see how people react to something completely new. Kenjaku, Sukuna, Gojo—it doesn't matter who it is; I'll simply win because I know everything about them, and they don't even know how many cursed techniques I have..."
He took a sip of his coffee and smiled to himself—right before Maki wandered in, stretching and yawning. Without hesitation, she grabbed a toast off his plate.
"Why are you grinning like an idiot?" she asked casually, biting into it. "Good morning, by the way. Did you make some for me?"
Ren froze mid-bite, his smile fading into pure annoyance. "What do you mean, make some for you?! I'm not your cook! You already stole my bed and made me sleep on the floor—now you want breakfast too? Are you insane?"
Maki shrugged, completely unbothered. "Gojo said I could eat anything in your room while I'm on this mission."
Ren's eye twitched. "Oh, of course he did…"
Their bickering filled the apartment, loud and petty—but strangely comforting.
Meanwhile, far away beneath a bright blue sky, the sea stretched endlessly against a golden beach. A man in monk robes sat beneath a coconut tree, the gentle wind tugging at his sleeves as he read from a scroll. His voice was calm when he spoke.
"Hmm, the preparations are ready, right?"
Behind him stood another man, hands folded behind his back. "Yes, most of the preparations are going well. How is everything else progressing?"
The man in robes looked up with a faint smile. His face came into view—it was Geto Suguru, though the scar carved across his forehead told another story.
"Well, yes,"
Geto—no, Kenjaku—replied softly, his smile widening.
"Every student from Kyoto Jujutsu High has already arrived at Tokyo Jujutsu High. The two sister schools have finally gathered…"
He paused, closing the scroll. The waves crashed gently nearby.
"Once again, the Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event begins tomorrow."
Kenjaku smiled. The breeze carried his quiet amusement out to sea...
End of Chapter.