In the blink of an eye, another day had passed.
At 3:30 in the afternoon, on the slopes near Tokyo Jujutsu High.
"Good work, everyone. From here on, we're within the school's barrier."
After climbing a long flight of stairs, the group of four finally reached the flat area at the top. Suguru still wore his gentle smile as he looked at the two girls.
"So that means we're safe now, right?"
The girl in the middle school uniform was clearly far less fit than the others. Once they reached their destination, she bent over with her hands on her knees, panting heavily.
"Yeah," replied her caretaker, handing her a clean handkerchief.
Riko Amanai wiped the sweat from her forehead, relief softening her expression. Her mission was nearing its end.
As the Star Plasma Vessel, she had been taught since birth that her purpose was to merge with Master Tengen.
In the past two days, she had met two new friends and experienced things she never had before. That was enough for her. She didn't want to trouble them anymore.
Really... this should be enough...
"Good work, Satoru," said Suguru, glancing at his best friend. Only he knew how hard the man had been working these past few days.
"I never want to babysit another brat aga—"
Shlick!
Before Satoru could finish, the sharp sound of a blade piercing flesh cut him off.
He looked down. A hole had been opened in his abdomen. Nearly half the blade's length had gone straight through him.
"Surprise inspection," a deep, magnetic voice spoke from behind him.
"No way... this is inside the school's barrier!"
Everyone froze in shock, especially Suguru.
Someone had entered Jujutsu High's barrier undetected and landed a direct hit on Satoru right before his eyes. He couldn't even begin to imagine how that was possible.
"I swear... have I seen you somewhere before?" Satoru turned slightly, a trembling grin spreading across his face.
He hadn't expected to be caught off guard at such close range. But strangely, he felt a spark of excitement he hadn't felt in a long while.
The attacker's face flashed through his memory, stopping at an image from a winter years ago: two figures who barely left a trace of their presence. Combined with the man's complete lack of cursed energy and his earlier words, the answer became clear.
No wonder seeing Mukuro that day had felt so familiar.
Satoru's right hand lit up with cursed energy as he prepared to counterattack, but the man smoothly withdrew his blade and stepped back several paces in one fluid motion.
Boom!
Before anyone could get a clear look at his face, the space beside Suguru split open. A giant insect lunged out and swallowed the attacker whole.
"Are you alright, Satoru?!"
With the danger momentarily blocked, Suguru turned to check on his friend.
"I'm fine. He didn't aim for anything vital. I also reacted at the last second and reinforced my body with cursed energy," Satoru responded, moving a little to show he was unhurt.
"He didn't aim for your vitals? What's that supposed to mean…?"
While Kuroi and Riko sighed in relief, Suguru frowned at his friend's choice of words.
Boom!
Another loud noise shook the ground. The huge curse Suguru summoned shuddered, then exploded into pieces.
From the smoke stepped a man with a small worm-like creature draped around his shoulders, resting a blade casually on his own.
"Wait... you're…" Suguru's eyes widened in realization, his voice faltering.
"You're the older brother of that heterochromatic bastard, right?"
Suguru turned to face him completely, finishing the sentence for his friend.
"Heterochromatic bastard? That brat has a new nickname now?" Toji stood atop a rock, looking down at them. The blood of the cursed spirit splattered on his body slowly faded into the air.
"What's wrong? Didn't you pay me to teach you a little lesson? Since I'm here, whether you fight or not, I still get paid. Don't even think about backing out now."
He slid the Split Soul Katana back into the Inventory Curse's body and waited for Satoru's response.
"That was just—"
"I know, kind of a bad time, huh? But I'm not about to turn it down," Satoru interrupted before Suguru could explain it was just a joke. "Suguru, take them and go. I don't want any accidents while we're at it."
As much as he hated to admit it, this man carried an intense, suffocating presence.
And besides, he had indeed said "anytime is fine."
"...Fine. Just don't overdo it. You two aren't enemies, remember!" After a brief thought, Suguru agreed, but made sure to remind them.
At worst, one of them might end up badly injured, but neither would die.
"I heard your school has a girl who's pretty good with Reverse Cursed Technique. You might want to call her over before I accidentally go too far," Toji said lazily as Suguru turned to leave.
"Yeah, wouldn't want to accidentally kill the big brother of that heterochromatic bastard," Satoru shot back with a smirk.
The tension between the two arrogant men was palpable.
"Idiots..." Suguru muttered under his breath, mouth twitching as he walked away, already pulling out his phone.
"Better have my money ready, kid."
"You'd better be ready too. After you end up begging for mercy, I'm gonna laugh about it for years."
Both smiled confidently.
Then, the battle began.
* * *
(The fight was omitted here, since aside from the fact that Toji never intended to kill Gojo, the outcome remained the same.)
Not long after, inside the Tombs of the Star Corridor.
"You know, you could still turn back and go home with Kuroi."
As Riko gazed up at the massive tree roots before her, her face full of reluctance, Suguru broke the heavy silence.
"But..."
"Satoru and I have already decided. Whatever you choose, we'll protect your future. Don't worry," he said with quiet determination.
This was the answer they wanted to give to Masamichi, and to the entire jujutsu world.
Even if it meant going to war with Master Tengen.
"I… I still want to spend more time with everyone…I want to go to more places… see more things… I don't want it to end so soon..."
Tears traced down Riko's cheeks as her voice broke.
She wasn't satisfied. Not at all.
She wanted more, so much more. A real life, one that truly belonged to her.
"Let's go home, Riko."
Suguru smiled softly and extended his hand toward her.
"Mm!"
She reached out, her fingers brushing his warm palm. For the first time, her dim life seemed to shine with light.
"You do realize that what you're doing means going against Tengen, right? Don't you think it's a bit arrogant for two mere grade 1 sorcerers?"
A familiar voice echoed from the passage they came through.
"Who's there? An assassin?!"
Startled, Riko quickly hid behind Suguru like a frightened rabbit.
"No need to worry. It's... one of my best friends, Mukuro Fushiguro," Suguru reassured her, turning toward the approaching figure with helplessness. "What are you doing here? Your brother's probably busy fighting Satoru right now."
"I know," Mukuro said calmly. "I already called Shoko over, so don't worry. That idiot won't die. As for me? I've been waiting for you."
He stopped in front of Suguru, his eyes briefly shifting to Riko.
"Waiting for us? And what was that you said earlier?" Suguru furrowed his brow. Calling Master Tengen simply 'Tengen'... and saying 'two mere grade 1 sorcerers'?
Satoru was reckless, and Mukuro wasn't much better. Neither ever gave him a moment's peace.
"Nothing much. Just here to back you up."
Something small and rectangular flew through the air toward Suguru, landing neatly in his hand.
It was a student ID card. Printed clearly on it were the words:
Mukuro Fushiguro, Tokyo Jujutsu High, First-Year Student, Special Grade Sorcerer.
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