"What total nonsense those two are!"
When the group reunited, Kugisaki's face was a thundercloud of resentment. It wasn't just the interrupted fight that grated on her—it was the fact that she'd almost lost.
It wasn't that her opponent was overwhelmingly powerful.
Sure, her own technique was better suited for ranged combat, but the other girl was even worse off, with inferior physical prowess and no Innate Technique to speak of... or at least, none that she'd used.
The real problem, the awkward pinch, was that Kugisaki hadn't used her technique either. She'd left her nails behind specifically to train her hand-to-hand skills, but even if she'd had them, she could never unleash such a lethal attack on a fellow human.
So it had devolved into a straight-up brawl. One with a hammer, the other with a revolver... Suffice to say, Kugisaki had felt utterly stifled the entire time.
'Just wait until the exchange event! I'll make those two sorry they ever crossed me! Mark my words!'
"Rather than them, isn't the shopping trip we're about to do more important?"
Seeing Kugisaki's lingering scowl, Itadori quickly tried to steer her focus elsewhere.
"Hmph, I suppose you're right."
Kugisaki knew she was overreacting. Letting his words sink in, she forcibly swallowed her anger, but still added, "You'd better be ready to pound those guys into the dirt when the time comes. It's pretty much your only redeeming quality, after all."
"Don't make me sound like some delinquent... I'm just naturally good at sports, that's all. I'm not that bad in my other classes..."
Itadori sighed in resignation.
While these two bickered, the pair following behind them were also reviewing the earlier events.
"You handled that well back there."
Fushiguro's face was as impassive as ever, but his tone carried a note of encouragement. "I thought... you might have waited until after they'd finished fighting to heal them."
"...Would that have been wrong?"
Amber hesitated, worried that her very first step into this new dynamic had been a misstep.
"No. There was no point to that fight, and it would've just earned them a lecture from Principal Yaga later."
Fushiguro replied. "But that's not what I meant. I meant that you seemed... more relaxed."
"Huh?"
"About the orphanage matter. Any leads?"
The dark-haired boy didn't elaborate further, instead shifting to a different topic.
"Yes, it was definitely a cursed spirit... After 'The Window' carefully analyzed the residual curse energy, they relayed the spirit's location to Seele."
Amber nodded, her voice tinged with a faint melancholy. "Seele exorcised it yesterday... It was a Grade One curse."
'Generally, curses don't roam so far from where they're born. Most stay active in their place of origin...'
Fushiguro kept that thought to himself. It was basic knowledge, and the first Special Grade curse the girl had exorcised had also inexplicably moved to that location.
While he felt there was some unusual phenomenon at play, he couldn't pinpoint the reason.
But that wasn't what he wanted to talk about.
"I'm sorry if I've upset you."
Fushiguro noticed the shift in her expression.
"Actually, my situation is somewhat similar to yours... So I understand that feeling of depending on others' hospitality, and... the feeling of having an important family member suddenly vanish."
"Because I had to grow up a bit early, I was wondering if everyone's enthusiasm might actually make you uncomfortable, if you were forcing yourself to accept it... things like that."
The typically stoic boy finally articulated his meaning. "So, when I said 'you handled it well,' I didn't mean stopping a pointless fight. I meant that you were willing to prioritize expressing your own thoughts."
"Oh..."
Amber hadn't expected this from Fushiguro, the one who spoke the least and seemed the most distant from her.
"Thank you. But... some of the credit goes to the other me... If it weren't for her, Seele probably would have waited until the end..."
She expressed her gratitude, and took the opportunity to hope he might reconsider his impression of Dark Amber.
"I see. But I believe if the person themselves doesn't want to change, if they lack the courage to take a step forward, then no amount of persuasion from others is useful."
Although it sounded like praise, Amber somehow detected the implicit meaning hidden within his words: 'This is your own achievement, don't use it as a reason to trust the curse.'
It seemed ingrained impressions weren't so easily changed.
"Hey! Seele, stop humoring that guy! Let him trail behind by himself!"
The two up ahead seemed to have finished their squabble and had pulled quite a distance ahead. Kugisaki called back to Amber, who was walking beside Fushiguro.
"Fushiguro, hurry up! We said we were getting cake, remember? If we dawdle, we'll run out of time!"
Seeing Kugisaki had already called for Amber, Itadori turned to remind Fushiguro too.
"Is there really such a rush...?"
Fushiguro let out a quiet sigh, but knowing that moving slowly would only invite more pestering, he picked up his pace. "Anyway, it's good that things are like this now. That's all I wanted to say."
"Seele understands."
Seeing the two ahead were in a hurry, Amber gave Fushiguro a nod and jogged lightly to catch up.
A life filled with a leisurely sort of tension, surrounded by friends—this was all unfamiliar yet joyful for Amber. Compared to her previous world, this one undoubtedly gave her a much stronger sense of belonging.
--+--
And so, time flowed on, arriving two days later.
"These are the... 'helpful allies' you spoke of?"
In the gloomy forest, Jogo stared at the two pathetically weak-looking curse users before him, feeling a distinct sense of being swindled. "What possible use could such feeble creatures be?"
"Don't judge them by their appearance. They are actually quite talented helpers."
Geto smiled slightly, holding up three fingers. "As I said before, achieving your goal requires three things."
"First, seal away Gojo Satoru. This will facilitate our movements."
"Second, ensure that Yuji Itadori, the vessel, fully assimilates Sukuna, allowing him to manifest completely in this world once more."
"Third, guide Seele Vollerei and the Celestial Cursed Spirit to develop a mutual hatred."
As he retracted his fingers one by one, the knowing smile that finally settled on Geto's face gave Jogo a sliver more confidence.
"So, this time, Jogo and I will draw Jujutsu High's attention, forcing Gojo and Seele Vollerei to focus on the school. Then, you will seize the opportunity to collect all the fingers held by the higher-ups."
Having never fought Gojo himself, Jogo didn't find this plan particularly difficult. In his mind, as a new form of humanity, he was far superior to any jujutsu sorcerer.
But...
"While we have leads on the first and second points, how exactly do we achieve the third? And is it truly necessary for them to fight each other?"
Jogo frowned. "Frankly, if you find those two humans so troublesome, I could just go and kill them myself."
"Haha, you'd die if you tried that, Jogo."
Geto couldn't help but laugh at the notion. "As for how to guide the third point... I've already set some wheels in motion. Don't worry. Once Seele Vollerei and the Celestial Cursed Spirit have fought each other to a standstill, our new world will be on the very brink of completion."
Then, he would absorb both the Celestial Cursed Spirit and the unknown curse within Seele Vollerei, becoming the master of this new world.
A sinister smile, utterly at odds with his handsome features, crept across Geto's face as he lowered his voice. "Now then, the exchange event at Jujutsu High has begun. It's time for us to make our move."
--+--
T/N: Fushiguro might have been potential man, but hes a good man.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.