"Zenin-sensei! You're here!"
Ijichi exhaled in relief the moment he saw Jinsuke arrive.
With Jinsuke around, a newly born Special Grade shouldn't be anything to worry about… right?
"Looks like it's already finished transforming."
Jinsuke felt the overwhelming cursed energy leaking from the upper floor and smirked faintly.
Newborn or not, a Special Grade was still a Special Grade — completely incomparable to a Grade 1.
"I'm going in."
Without another word, he gripped his spear and stepped into the multi-floor complex.
Inside – Yuji vs. Special Grade
At the same time, Yuji was already fighting for his life.
One arm was completely gone. On the other, only his thumb remained.
He wasn't even close to being a match.
Staring at the humanoid curse, terror surged in his chest.
"Why did I stay? Why did I become a sorcerer? Why did I agree to be Sukuna's vessel?"
His resolve was crumbling. When had he started thinking curses weren't that big of a deal? When did he start believing he could handle everything?
Why did he involve himself in any of this?
If the curse wasn't toying with him, it could've already ripped him in half with a single move.
"No! Don't think about that! I have to buy time until Megumi and Nobara escape!"
Yuji forced himself to calm down, crushing his fear and glaring at the curse.
Even if he died — he had to die for something. That was what he'd decided from the start. He couldn't abandon that now.
His grandfather's last moments flashed through his mind, filling him with resolve.
Cursed energy — he had to use it to fight back!
Remembering Gojo's explanation of how cursed energy was born, Yuji transformed all his fear into fury.
Red cursed energy erupted from his fist.
He charged. His punch slammed into the curse's hand.
"PAH."
No effect. Not a ripple.
Even using cursed energy, he was nowhere close.
The humanoid curse blinked its round eyes, grinned wide, showing clean white teeth — then slapped Yuji across the room in one blow.
A newborn curse treated humans like toys. It didn't want to kill him quickly — it was enjoying this.
Jinsuke Arrives
Jinsuke stepped deep into the floor and immediately sensed a natural-born domain.
Someone inside was being surrounded.
"BOOM!"
He kicked down a wall and entered.
The room was full of floating cursed spirits — hideous masks drifting in the air, staring at the intruder.
"You're the rescue from the school!?" Nobara called out, relieved beyond measure.
She had only one nail left. Without help, she was going to die here for sure.
She had so much she hadn't done yet — she wasn't ready to be eaten by these disgusting curses.
"Megumi's classmate. Nobara Kugisaki, the new first-year, right."
Jinsuke glanced at her once.
Then he gripped his spear, stepped forward—
Muscles swelled—
And with one sweeping strike—
"BOOOOOOM!"
A violent shockwave exploded from the spearhead.
Every floating curse burst instantly into purple mist.
Not a single one survived.
"You're safe. Leave."
Jinsuke turned, already focused on the real fight upstairs.
These were trash. Not even a Grade 1 among them. If he hadn't noticed someone still alive, he wouldn't have bothered.
"G-gulp…"
"H-Hey! Old man! Wait for me!" Nobara ran after him quickly.
Honestly… that strike had shocked her stupid.
She had spent ages hammering at them one nail at a time, barely killing a few.
He came in and one-shot the entire room?
So this was what a real jujutsu sorcerer was like?
Terrifying.
....
....
"Nobara!"
Megumi arrived, guided by the black Divine Dog. But then he froze.
"Uncle!? Why are you here!?"
"What!? THIS old man is your uncle!? You had someone that strong in your family and didn't tell us!?" Nobara yelled.
How could he not mention a relative who could solo a swarm in one hit?! They wouldn't have nearly died!
"Megumi, you're just in time. You and Nobara head out first," Jinsuke instructed, noticing Megumi's injuries.
Then he headed upstairs.
"Got it! Nobara, we're leaving!"
Megumi dragged her with him without looking back.
Special Grades were too dangerous—Ijichi needed to expand the evacuation perimeter.
"Hey—slow down! With that old man here, what are you afraid of!? Do you know he wiped out a whole room in ONE HIT!?"
Nobara was still hyped, wanting to see how he'd fight a Special Grade.
But Megumi's expression was grim.
"Special Grades aren't that simple. Even if Uncle has killed one before, we can't slow him down."
He didn't know Jinsuke's full strength — only that he had exorcised a Special Grade during a major mission once.
And that he had killed many curses during the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.
But he had never seen him fight personally.
In fact, he still thought Jinsuke was like Maki — born without cursed energy, relying on pure physical power.
But since Maki was Jinsuke's disciple… his uncle must be strong enough.
Outside
It was dark with rain and the veil, as if night had fallen.
Once outside, Megumi immediately ordered the black Divine Dog to send the signal.
He and Yuji had arranged it — if Megumi escaped, Yuji would switch to Sukuna immediately.
Megumi was afraid Yuji wouldn't hear the signal, refuse to switch, and end up dying.
So he had the Divine Dog deliver it directly.
Yuji could switch freely — and if he sensed Jinsuke moving in, he should switch back fast.
Yuji → Sukuna
Yuji heard the signal and instantly yielded his body.
Not a second wasted.
Life mattered more. He hated Sukuna, but he had no choice.
"Tch. How annoying," Sukuna muttered, ignoring the curse entirely.
"Using me like a tool? Little brat really looks down on me."
He patted the Special Grade curse on the shoulder.
"Wait a second — I need to think. How can I make that brat regret this?"
Megumi's face flashed into his mind.
"That kid and the brat are close. If I attack him, the brat will force a switch, ruining the fun."
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Then there's only one option."
He grabbed the curse and pulled it along.
He would drag the curse straight to that brat's close friend.
If Yuji wanted him to kill it—
He would absolutely NOT do it.