"Um… who are they?"
Nobara stared at the three upperclassmen arguing loudly across the room and asked Fushiguro.
Megumi sighed with mild annoyance as he explained,
"They're second-years. Maki — she's a master of hand-to-hand combat, and she's one of the best when it comes to handling cursed tools. Toge is a Cursed Speech user — he only speaks in rice-ball ingredients. And that's Panda. As for Yuta-senpai, the only one truly worth respecting… he's abroad right now."
"Then why did she just call you her nephew?" Nobara asked, pointing at Maki, who was currently yelling at Panda and Inumaki like an angry drill sergeant.
Megumi's expression instantly went stiff and sour.
"Oh. I originally belonged to the Zenin clan. Because of my father, I changed my surname to Fushiguro. Maki is technically my aunt in the clan… but the only person I acknowledge in that house is my uncle." He added, "Also, Maki is my uncle's disciple."
The Zenin clan treated him fairly well, but Fushiguro had never truly considered himself part of them. Not until he became clan head someday — only then would he view himself as a Zenin. And until that day came, he absolutely refused to call Maki and Mai "aunt."
Panda bowed apologetically."Sorry for disturbing you two while you're still mourning. Please forgive us."
Maki and Toge stood beside him stiffly, like wooden puppets.
"Actually," Panda continued, "we came to ask if you would participate in the Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event."
"The Kyoto what?" Nobara blinked, lost.
"It's a joint event with Kyoto Jujutsu High," Megumi explained.
Nobara nodded slowly, still not fully understanding.
Megumi turned to Panda."Panda-senpai, isn't that for second and third years? I don't think it has much to do with first years like us."
"Well," Maki cut in with an annoyed grunt, "our third-years haven't returned to school since that incident. So we need first-years to fill in."
Those third-years had technically been expelled previously, but thanks to their teacher, they were allowed to remain on the roster.Still, since the higher-ups never stopped targeting them, the two simply stayed away to avoid causing trouble for their mentor — taking missions only when assigned through messengers.
"So what exactly do we do in this exchange event?" Nobara asked, still frowning.
"Basically," Panda replied, "two days of combat against Kyoto. Day one is group battle. Day two is one-on-ones. That's… pretty much it."
"Hah? Even sorcerers fight each other?" Nobara stared, baffled. Exorcising curses wasn't exhausting enough — now they needed friendly brawls too?
Maki shrugged. "Of course. Aside from killing being prohibited, it's basically an all-out cursed technique free-for-all."
She crossed her arms, looking at the first-years seriously.
"To make sure you don't die, we're giving you secret training. You'll participate, right? After all… your comrades died."
"Participate."
"Participate."
Megumi and Nobara answered simultaneously.
They wanted to grow stronger — strong enough to never lose companions again.
"Fine," Nobara added, voice low. "But if the training or the event sucks, I'm quitting immediately."
"Ohh? You've got attitude. I like that."
Meanwhile…
At Toji's restaurant, familiar faces had arrived — though "faces" might have been the wrong word.
Geto — or rather, the thing wearing Geto's body — strolled casually inside with three Special Grade cursed spirits at his side.
"Good afternoon, sir. Are you dining alone?" The hostess asked politely, completely oblivious to the horrors standing right next to him.
"Just me"
Kenkaju replied with a pleasant smile.
Behind the counter, Toji glanced up and froze for a second, eyes narrowing.
"…My restaurant is popular with cursed spirits now? Three Special Grades at once?"
He recognized the face.
"That kid didn't die? I thought he got wiped out during the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons."
Toji shook his head. This was none of his business. As long as they didn't wreck his restaurant, he didn't care.
"…Should I call him? That guy who loves hunting cursed spirits?" Toji muttered, thinking about his older brother.
After a moment of hesitation, he decided against calling.
If he called, his brother might arrive late anyway. And worse — a fight between a Special Grade sorcerer and three Special Grade curses in the middle of a bustling district?
His restaurant would be blown to pieces. He wasn't about to let his life's work turn into ghost-story fuel.
"So your leader wants to overturn the current balance between humans and curses?"
Kenkaju asked, glancing at Jogo with half-lidded eyes.
"More or less," Jogo answered calmly. "But understand this — humans are full of lies. Every action they take is covered in disguise. Negative emotions — hatred, fear, malice — that's the true nature of humanity. We, born from that pure negativity, are the only real humans."
Flames burst from the volcano-like opening atop Jogo's head as he growled,
"Those fakes should be eradicated!"
"But right now," Kenkaju said lightly, "you're the ones being exterminated."
"Which is why we're asking you," Jogo replied. "How can we defeat sorcerers and replace those impostors?"
A faint smile curved Kenkaju's lips. Ah — they had finally gotten to the important part.
He lifted two fingers.
"You only need to achieve two things before the war begins. Then you'll win."
"What are they?"
"One — make sure Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer alive, cannot fight. Two — recruit Ryomen Sukuna… meaning Itadori Yuji."
Jogo scratched his head. "Didn't that brat already die?"
"Who knows?" Kenkaju replied with an amused shrug.
While they spoke, a young server stood nearby holding a tray of drinks — trembling violently.
He could see them. Three shapeless, monstrous masses of overwhelming malice.If he approached them, he would die. No question.
He needed to quit immediately.
Working tirelessly to support his four adoptive younger sisters, he had incredible survival instincts — and everything inside him screamed that approaching that table meant death.
"…Let me take that." Toji approached, noticing the server's terror. He took the tray from his hands.
"Thank you, Manager!" The server exhaled sharply in relief — then whispered urgently,"Manager, we should run. Business is important, but staying alive is more important!"
Toji chuckled. "You can sense them, huh? Don't worry. I'll handle it."
But internally, he was surprised. Ordinary people usually only saw curses right before dying. Yet this hardworking kid could clearly perceive them.
Unless…
His smile slowly disappeared.
"Are those bastards planning to target my employee?"