"Let's go."
With a toothpick in his mouth, Jinsuke swaggered out of the restaurant with Yuki, not showing even the slightest intention of paying.
Toji's mouth twitched violently. He still had to stand at the door and send them off. The feeling was… indescribably sour.
Watching the two disappear down the street, Toji finally calmed down.
"Yuki Tsukumo…?"
"No wonder the name sounded familiar. A Special Grade Sorcerer, huh?"
Only then did he remember that Tokyo Jujutsu High had a completely unrestrained Special Grade sorcerer—someone who never took missions and had a notoriously bad relationship with the higher-ups.
"Well… she actually matches my useless brother perfectly."
Toji thought of Jinsuke's personality. They really might be unexpectedly compatible.
At least now he didn't have to worry about his brother dying alone. That, at least, was one good thing.
Back on the Road
"Where to next?" Jinsuke asked, revving the motorcycle. The sky wasn't dark yet; he figured he could take Yuki around to play for a bit.
"Hmm… I'm too full. Let's just go home!"
Yuki stretched her arms out, embracing the wind.
"You don't want to hang out?"
"Home! Beauty sleep awaits!"
Eating well and then sleeping well — that was the truth of life!
Jinsuke's cheek twitched. If he didn't know her personality, he might have believed her.
Still, he didn't argue. Home was fine.
At the Zenin Family's Outer Estate
Even though he hadn't been back in a long time, nothing was dusty — clearly someone cleaned regularly.
Probably ordered by the old man.
After all, the Zenin clan's greatest treasure right now was his nephew.
"Home feels the best…" Yuki plopped onto the sofa, completely relaxed.
She never expected she would one day have a place she could call 'home'.
"Let's get our marriage certificate tomorrow" Yuki said seriously.
"…Why so suddenly?"
Jinsuke raised a brow. For people like them, paperwork shouldn't matter, right?
"What? You don't want to?" Yuki cracked her knuckles threateningly. "Even if you don't, you do."
"…Fine. Whatever you want."
"I'll shower first."
"Wait for me — let's go together!"
Yuki leapt up, pushing him toward the bathroom with a mischievous grin.
Ten Days Later
Ten days of nonstop indulgence came to an abrupt end when Jinsuke's phone began to ring.
Riiiiing—
"Hello."
"Zenin-sensei, it's me."
"Oh, Ijichi. What is it?"
"Zenin-sensei, three hours ago our monitors located a Cursed Womb. Five individuals were trapped inside with it, and based on predictions, if the womb fully matures, it will be Special Grade."
Ijichi relayed everything quickly. "The first-year team has already entered the area to confirm survivors. I'm worried the womb may transform early, so—"
"You want first-years to face a Special Grade?"
"T-this was originally supposed to be Gojo-sensei's mission, but, well… you know he can't stay on campus long. And right now only the first-years are—"
Special Grades offered normal sorcerers exactly two options: run or die.
"I got it. Send me the location."
Jinsuke didn't waste time. He threw on his clothes, grabbed a cursed-tool spear, and headed for the door.
A Special Grade curse… he'd better kill it before Sukuna snatched the kill.
"Got a mission?" Yuki asked, watching him prepare to leave.
"Yeah. Small one."
"I'll head out too. After being lazy so long, I should get back to work."
He didn't object — he knew Yuki's nature well. She acted carefree, but she carried a strong sense of duty.
She grabbed her coat and headed outside, helmet in hand.
"Next time we're back—let's make a baby."
Jinsuke froze, then nodded. "Whatever you want."
"Then it's settled!" Yuki laughed, put on her helmet, and rode off.
She originally wanted to eradicate curses first before thinking of marriage or kids.
But curses had existed for thousands of years. Even with her current leads, she couldn't guarantee she'd end it all quickly.
So she'd start her family first — and then save the world.
Once she was gone, Jinsuke gripped his spear and rushed toward the cursed womb site.
Meanwhile...
The first-years had already entered the building.
"C–can we really handle a Special Grade…?" Nobara shivered as she stared at the dark red-lit floor.
They had barely begun school — and now they had to face an endgame-level mission?
"No choice. Our line of work is always short-staffed. This was sudden, so it got dumped on us,"
Megumi replied, trying to stay calm.
"Don't worry. The Divine Dogs will warn us if anything dangerous gets close."
"Uh… I think our exit disappeared?" Yuji pointed behind them.
The entrance they came through had vanished — sealed behind layers of metal pipes.
"What… what is this place?" Nobara gulped.
Megumi's expression darkened.
"Born domain… created from pure cursed energy. This is the first time I've seen one this big."
"Pretty sure we came from there… so how do we get out?" Yuji asked.
"Don't worry, the Divine Dog remembers the scent. We won't get lost."
"Awwww! Good boy!" Yuji and Nobara smothered the white dog with pets.
"We'll feed you jerky later!"
"HEY! Focus! This is a Special Grade's home turf!" Megumi yelled, veins popping.
They continued forward until they reached a wide room — and found a corpse.
"This is—!"
Yuji's eyes widened at the name tag.
"That's the son of the woman outside…"
"Let's take him out," Yuji said, bending down to lift the body. "We should return him to her."
"We still need to confirm the other victims. Leave the body."
"But the road changes! If we don't take him now, we won't find our way back later!"
"I never said we'd come back. I said leave the corpse here. I didn't plan on returning it."
Yuji froze, brows knitting.
"What do you mean not planning to save them?"
The two started arguing, voices rising — nearly ready to throw punches.
"Enough! Can't you two read the room? Look where we are!" Nobara growled, rolling up her sleeves.
But as she took a step—
SPLAT.
Black cursed energy surged up from the floor and dragged her under.
"Huh?!"
"What—?!"
Megumi whipped his head toward the Divine Dog — only to see its corpse fused into the wall, only a head left intact.
It had died instantly.
"RUN! Yuji, RUN! We'll find Nobara later!" Megumi shouted, panic fully setting in.
Because—
The cursed womb had finished transforming.