The next day.
On the training field of Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Maki, now fully recovered, and Yuta were running lap after lap on the track, repeating the motions again and again as they tried to strengthen their physical skills.
Nearby, their fellow first-years, the "cursed corpse" Panda and the "cursed speech user" Toge Inumaki, were cheering them on. Though the latter could only shout rice ball ingredients.
Mukuro sat on the steps at the edge of the field, watching the lively youths.
"So you came back. Because of Okkotsu?"
A solid figure sat down beside him and handed him an ice-cold cola that had just been bought.
"More or less. Since I'm already back, staying a few more days isn't a problem. Where's Haibara?"
Mukuro took it, twisted the cap open, and drank without thinking.
The one beside him was his close friend, Nanami.
Compared to when he graduated, Nanami had changed the most out of everyone.
He now wore small protective goggles on his face. His well-built muscles looked like they were about to tear his shirt apart, and his whole body gave off the air of a dependable, mature man.
In comparison, Mukuro, Suguru, and Satoru still looked like slightly grown-up boys.
"I heard Geto is coming back. He got so excited this morning that he ran off to greet him."
Nanami shook his head and took a sip of his own cola.
Even after all these years, Haibara's admiration for Suguru had never faded.
"So, how is it, being a teacher? Getting used to it?"
"Being a jujutsu sorcerer is crap. Labor itself is crap!"
"Hahaha. That really does sound like something you'd say."
Nanami pushed up his glasses and said it without hesitation.
No matter when, he would never hold any goodwill toward work.
But as a grade 1 sorcerer who stood at the front of the jujutsu world, the burden on his shoulders was heavy.
And his concern for his comrades and juniors meant he couldn't simply drop everything to enjoy his own life.
His shout immediately drew the attention of the students playing around below.
"Nanami-san! Cousin Fushiguro is here too?"
Maki, who had passed out from the cursed spirit the day before, hadn't known that her cousin had also come to Tokyo.
"I got called over by that white-haired guy yesterday."
The two stood up from the steps and walked toward the students.
"Cousin Fushiguro?!"
"Salmon roe?!"
The other three froze in shock. Sweat was already starting to drip down Panda's head.
"Panda, don't talk about rude topics in front of girls when there are newcomers around."
As expected, the moment Mukuro spoke, Panda released the arm he had around Yuta's shoulder and stood straight.
"Understood."
Panda would never forget how, not long after he was born, Masamichi had proudly introduced it to his most outstanding students.
That included the two standing here now.
When he was still young, he had been teased by them more than once.
Especially Mukuro and Suguru. They had scared him several times with high-level cursed spirits. True childhood trauma.
"Fushiguro-sensei… you could hear that from this far away?"
Yuta was honestly surprised. The distance between them had to be several dozen meters. On top of that, Panda had deliberately lowered his voice.
"Of course. Before Cousin became a special grade sorcerer, he was known as one of the 'Twin Tyrants.' In the entire jujutsu world, no one dared say they could defeat him for sure."
There was excitement in Maki's voice.
The goal she longed for was to one day become someone like the two Fushiguro brothers. Someone who could be overwhelmingly strong even without cursed energy.
If that day came, she could openly take the position of Zenin clan head, shut everyone up, and then push through reforms without restraint.
"Huh? Fushiguro-sensei is really that strong?!"
Yuta stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
He had always known the two teachers who took charge of him were powerful, but judging from Maki's reaction, their strength was far beyond what he had imagined.
"To put it simply, the reason the jujutsu world dared to hand you to Satoru and Fushiguro-san was because they were certain that if the cursed spirit inside you ever went out of control, those two could kill both you and it."
Panda explained their strength in the most straightforward way possible.
"Eh?!"
Yuta was completely stunned.
"Speaking of which, where's Gojo?"
Nanami finally remembered that Yuta's current primary guardian at the school should be that carefree guy.
"Satoru is probably getting scolded by the higher-ups right now. After all, yesterday caused quite a scene."
A familiar voice sounded as shadows suddenly fell from the sky.
Everyone looked up toward the sound and saw several massive flying cursed spirits slowly descending toward them.
"Are those enemies?!"
Unaware of the situation, Yuta raised his wooden sword in panic.
"Relax. I was just passing through Tokyo while traveling around the world and decided to come back to see you, the 'genius sorcerer.'"
Before Yuta could even react, a large hand was already draped over his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Okkotsu. He's a special grade sorcerer and a guest teacher at our school, Geto-senpai!"
Haibara introduced him enthusiastically while edging closer to Mukuro and Nanami.
"Master Fushiguro. Long time no see."
From the mouth of another bird-shaped cursed spirit, Mimiko and Nanako leapt out, scurrying over to Mukuro like two little hamsters.
They looked just like ordinary teenage girls now, with none of the despair they once carried when they were first seen in that mountain village.
"You look lively."
Mukuro reached out and patted their heads.
"So this is Jujutsu High. It doesn't seem that different from other places…"
From the backs of the other cursed spirits, other unfamiliar faces stepped down.
"Everyone, these are friends I met while traveling around the world. Since I was passing by, I brought them along to have a look."
Suguru introduced the people he had brought one by one.
A warm smile was on his face. It was clear that his years of travel had treated him well.
"So you're the special grade sorcerer Geto talks about, Mukuro Fushiguro. The strongest man in the world when it comes to physical combat."
Suddenly, a tall, muscular black man wearing a hat stepped forward, his tone filled with eagerness.
"You'll end up questioning your life if you try, Miguel."
Suguru gave a friendly warning from the side.
"Whether I'm the strongest or not, I'll allow you to test it yourself."
By coincidence, Mukuro also wanted to see just how strong that man's elbow strikes really were.
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