**Chapter 22: Cure Tsumiki! Meet the Second Years!**
---
**On the bustling streets.**
The group was indulging in food, drinks, and entertainment, thoroughly satisfied.
After an extremely rare moment of relaxation, although Nobara and Yuji were not quite done yet, they had no choice but to calm down.
The short holiday was over.
---
**In the evening.**
Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro arrived at an apartment complex and went to the victim's house from the Juvie incident.
"When we arrived on the scene, the young master had already passed. To be honest, I was hesitant about whether to save him..."
"But my partner was different."
Yuji.
He reminded him of his sister.
That's why Megumi Fushiguro had done something then. He couldn't bring the body back, but managed to bring back the belongings.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save Azheng." Megumi bowed.
Upon hearing this, Azheng's mother broke down in tears, covering her mouth.
"It's okay, don't apologize. You did nothing wrong. Only I'm the one grieving for the child."
She also acknowledged her negligence, otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to Juvie.
Yuji looked on, and this mother reminded him of the mother of Shunpei, the one who died in that night due to Sukuna's finger.
"Shunpei, I'll visit you in a few days."
---
"Her mother passed away early, and her father and stepmother both disappeared, so she and her older sister, Tsumiki, have been living together since childhood."
Yuji naturally knew about Megumi's family. "I see... if I could cure her..."
"It's fine."
Megumi spoke little, remaining silent. "I'm used to it. Many people can't heal her."
Again and again, hope followed by disappointment.
He had sought out many people, heard rumors about how powerful they were, only to end up disappointed.
"I mean, whether or not she's healed, a person has to move on," Yuji glanced at him.
"If you give up because of your sister, letting people take advantage of you…"
"It harms many people."
He put his hand back into his pocket and stopped speaking.
Soon, the two arrived at the hospital where Megumi's sister, Tsumiki, was.
They got off the elevator, reached the designated floor, and found the room number.
A nurse was taking care of her.
"Megumi?"
"Aunt Xinzi, thank you for taking care of her, I'll take over now."
"Okay."
Meanwhile.
Yuji proactively leaned in, observing closely. "She looks peaceful... like a vegetative state…"
Megumi's voice was soft, "She's cursed."
In this world, inequality exists everywhere.
His sister had once said:
"If there's time to curse others, I'd rather think about the people who matter."
She was undoubtedly a good person, someone more deserving of happiness than anyone else.
Whether to others or to him.
Despite being from different parents, she always cared for his lonely self.
And yet, such a kind person was cursed.
Even the father who didn't even know his gender gave him the name "Megumi." Now, where is he?
"Don't just think about what you've lost, think about what's still there." Yuji noticed a mark on her.
"For example, Gojo-sensei."
"He's a very responsible person."
"He didn't let you be sold to the Zenin family, and even applied for financial support from then."
"In the future, if you have the ability, don't forget to repay that kindness."
Looking at the sleeping beauty on the bed, "Oh, I digressed."
Yuji moved closer and, with his deep understanding of curses and human souls, he placed his hand on Tsumiki's forehead.
**[Curse]**
Kenjaku had marked her as a vessel. Unable to withstand the cursed energy, she fell into a coma.
At the same time.
This cursed energy invisibly changed her body, adapting it for possession.
One day, an ancient female sorcerer would possess her, taking her body.
"Wake up."
He whispered softly.
A special wave of energy surged, and the cursed energy and soul began to separate, piece by piece.
After a few seconds.
Yuji lifted his hand.
The sleeping beauty was still asleep, no change had occurred.
A few more seconds passed, and it remained the same.
"I knew it."
Megumi had known the outcome, that it wouldn't work. Just like before...
"Snap!"
Yuji snapped his fingers.
In the next second.
Tsumiki slowly opened her eyes, slightly confused.
Although her eyes had been closed for years, they were still beautiful.
In her gaze was an unfamiliar face, and...
Her little brother?
"Megumi... what... what happened? This is a hospital room. I remember I was with my classmates at Hachijo Bridge trying to test my courage..."
"Tsumiki!!"
Megumi's lifeless eyes suddenly widened in disbelief!
He felt like he was on a wild roller coaster ride!
He doubted it was real!
He doubted everything in front of him was an illusion!
He doubted...!
Megumi quickly moved in, unable to believe it, lips trembling.
"It seems I caused some trouble." Tsumiki was stunned.
Yuji turned to leave. To him, it was just a small thing.
"After healing her."
"The person who cursed her might notice, or maybe they won't."
"You need to be prepared for a backlash."
"Healing isn't the problem. The problem is, do you have the right to protect her in the time ahead?"
He left.
"This gentleman, I'm ill. Did you heal me?"
Tsumiki, reading the situation, was quick to guess something.
"Thank you, I will repay you."
"I'm not interested in being Megumi's brother-in-law." Yuji half-jokingly said, pushing the door open.
He originally thought that by changing this development, it might shorten the **stay time** as a test.
However...
It didn't change much.
It just reduced a few hours.
It seems Kenjaku still has ways to deal with it, or there are other vessel candidates for Sukuna's possession.
"Whoosh."
In the unnoticed details, Yuji left a drop of 'blood,' quietly embedding it on Tsumiki.
As his strength recovered.
His ability to manipulate **Red Blood Manipulation** also grew. This was just one small 'trick.'
Also, as a mark, it could be located, sensed, and at the necessary moments, small actions could be made.
"Oh, right."
"If you really want to repay me, work for me your whole life to repay the debt."
He made cursed tools. Aside from the core cursed spirits, it required basic funding, cursed spirit hunting, and material collection.
Though it's easy to find, it still takes effort.
---
**Nighttime.**
Gojo Satoru seemed to be in a good mood.
Seeing that Megumi wasn't around, he went to check the strength of Nobara and Yuji, and the results surprised him.
"Versatile."
"It seems you're really more suited to teach."
"Then, I'll acknowledge his position as a substitute teacher. Let's see how things go. If it meets expectations, I'll make it permanent."
In the backseat of Idzumi's car, Gojo Satoru leaned back, one hand resting on the edge, enjoying the wind.
Then.
He sensed the presence of a special-grade cursed spirit.
Special-Grade Disaster Cursed Spirit, Rogo.
Gojo Satoru took action.
While at it, he also took the opportunity to do a bit of teaching, bringing Nobara and Yuji along for a live battle, letting them experience a domain...
"We've experienced this before, and Yuji-senpai also explained it to us in detail…"
Yuji was being pulled, pointing his finger.
Gojo Satoru, slightly surprised, "Hah, what?"
---
**The next day.**
On the Jujutsu High 400m track, first and second-year students gathered.
First Year: Yuji, Nobara, Megumi.
Second Year: Maki, Panda, and Mai.
The two groups met for the first time.
The second years had been on missions, so they hadn't met Nobara and the others yet.
"Yo, Megumi, your face doesn't look as bad as usual today."
Maki, carrying a cursed tool, teased, "Did you fall for someone?"
"Zenin-senpai," Megumi frowned, a black line appearing on his forehead.
"Don't call me by my surname."
Maki glanced at Yuji and Nobara, "Is this the new student? Nearly died the other day, right?"
"Maki, don't be so blunt with the juniors." Panda rubbed his head, greeting them.
"We wanted to come to help you guys, but unfortunately, we missed it."
"Even if you came, it probably wouldn't have made a difference," Nobara muttered quietly.
Megumi began introducing everyone.
Zenin-senpai was one of the top cursed tool experts among the students.
Inumaki-senpai, a Cursed Word User, could only speak in rice ball fillings.
Panda-senpai.
And there's also Okkotsu-senpai, currently abroad, incredibly strong.
"Eh, aren't you going to introduce Panda-senpai more?" Yuji looked at Panda curiously.
Maki was curious too and leaned in.
"You're Sukuna's vessel? One of the two special-grade cursed spirits you handled was defeated by you?"
Or rather, was it Sukuna who took care of it?
"Yeah, it was me." Yuji stepped back, nodding.
Panda interrupted their small talk, bringing the topic back on track.
He clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture.
"Speaking of which, we want you to replace Okkotsu for…"
Just then, a figure walked up from the distance. "The Kyoto Sister School Exchange, right?"
"Yeah, but who are you?"
Panda, Inumaki, and Maki all focused their attention on the newcomer.
Maki raised an eyebrow, adjusting her glasses, "Your walk is so carefree, no cursed energy at all. Are you a student?"
"Are you just an ordinary person?"