"Take it, kid."
A caterpillar crawled out from White Zetsu's collar, spitting out a sharp machete from its mouth.
A Grade 1 cursed tool.
A weapon powerful enough to reduce a Grade 2 curse to pieces—White Zetsu, as wealthy as ever, casually handed it to Yuji.
There were actually better cursed tools, but Gojo Satoru didn't allow it.
He said it might make the students overly reliant on cursed tools.
White Zetsu didn't understand—but he couldn't win against Gojo anyway.
Yuji took the machete, curiously examining it.
"You've got cursed energy in your body because of those pickled chicken feet you ate, but you still can't control it yet."
Putting on the air of a boss, White Zetsu explained:
"If you want to properly exorcise curses, attacks without cursed energy won't work."
"This weapon contains cursed energy itself—it's more effective than your fists."
"How tacky."
Kugisaki shot a cold glance at Yuji playing with the blade and walked toward the abandoned building.
"Are you jealous I'm giving my underling a cursed tool?"
White Zetsu grinned.
"If you call me boss too, I can hook you up."
"In your dreams. I don't want your tacky junk."
Kugisaki replied without even turning around.
Yuji blinked and looked at White Zetsu.
"When did I become your underling?"
"Enough. Get moving."
White Zetsu slapped Yuji on the back.
"I'll hold things down outside. Finish up, and we'll go eat something good."
This guy really doesn't listen to anyone at all…
Yuji sighed and followed Kugisaki into their real entrance trial.
"By the way, don't let Sukuna out during the fight," Gojo added casually.
"If that guy comes out, he won't just kill the curses—he might even take out your 'boss' downstairs."
"Yeah, I got it…"
Yuji rubbed his head helplessly.
This teacher doesn't seem like he listens either.
"White Zetsu, what about that guy?"
Leaning against the car, Gojo asked,
"Still holed up reading books every day?"
Back in the car, White Zetsu rolled down the window and replied,
"He should be done by now. Said I could start lessons once I get back."
"After half a year, he's finally willing to show himself, huh."
Gojo grinned.
"Megumi, when that fake-smile guy comes out, you should learn from him."
Fushiguro, sitting on a stone bench nearby, looked up in confusion.
Noticing his expression, Gojo explained:
"He's not exactly a good person—but his Ten Shadows Technique is far stronger than yours right now."
Fushiguro nodded, then cautiously glanced at White Zetsu.
Would he get upset hearing his teacher criticized in front of students?
"Remember these three things if you want to make it in the underworld!"
From the car, a movie voice blared:
"Be ruthless, be loyal—and have plenty of underlings!"
Fushiguro turned his head away, speechless.
…Yeah, he was overthinking it.
Inside the abandoned building filled with cursed energy—
Yuji, now searching separately from Kugisaki, walked carefully down the corridor with the machete in hand.
Splatter!
Purple blood rained down from above.
Yuji flipped backward, narrowly dodging an attack from the ceiling while slicing off the curse's claw in one motion.
Four thick crab-like legs, two scorpion-tail-like arms, and a caterpillar-like lower body.
"Yeah… even without cursed energy, you can tell this is a curse at a glance."
Yuji tightened his grip on the blade and muttered:
"Spending time with White Zetsu almost made me forget the difference between curses and humans…"
With that, he lunged forward!
The blade gleamed coldly as it slashed straight toward the curse's head.
Third-floor storage room.
Facing a fuzzy ball-like curse holding a child hostage, Kugisaki's face darkened.
"Damn it…"
Is this what Tokyo curses are like?!
Same weak level as the idiot below—but far more intelligent than rural curses.
It's something she could crush with one hand…
But—
Looking at the child being held by the head, Kugisaki hesitated. Cold sweat formed on her forehead.
After a moment, she clenched her jaw and threw all her weapons to the ground.
"Let the child go. You can deal with me however you want."
"Oh?"
The curse's grin widened.
BOOM!!
A loud explosion rang out—
a bare fist, without cursed energy, smashed straight through the wall!
A flash of steel—
The curse's arm—and the child it held—fell to the ground together.
"This blade White Zetsu gave me is seriously sharp!"
Yuji shouted as he charged forward.
"Don't run!"
As the curse tried to phase through the wall, Kugisaki quickly picked up her tools, fury blazing.
Outside the building—
Three humans and one curse watched the scene unfold.
"Gun."
White Zetsu leaned out the window, holding a pink revolver.
"Tsk… looks like this batch of underlings isn't great. Boss has to clean up the mess."
Fushiguro's expression twitched.
"White Zetsu, wait!"
"You're going to blow up the whole building—and Yuji and Kugisaki with it!"
He had seen the power of that weapon before.
One shot—one Grade 1 curse—gone in an instant.
Just as Fushiguro spoke—
The severed-arm curse in midair suddenly turned into powder.
"…Not bad."
White Zetsu paused, then grinned and lowered the gun.
Gojo chuckled from the side.
"Pretty good. This year's first-years are quite wild too."
"Hey, what kind of monster are you?"
Kugisaki snapped.
"That punch just now didn't use cursed energy at all!"
Yuji, holding the rescued child's hand, immediately shot back:
"And you—using voodoo dolls—you're not exactly normal either!"
Watching the two argue as they walked out of the building—
Fushiguro shook his head.
This team… is going to be a handful.
Especially White Zetsu, the repeat student.
After returning the child home,
Gojo took Yuji, Kugisaki, and Fushiguro to Shinjuku for food—steak, sushi, and desserts.
As for White Zetsu and Ijichi, they stayed in the parking area outside, eating takeout in the car while watching gangster movies.
Night, 10 PM.
The final task was helping Kugisaki retrieve her luggage.
Looking at the completely packed car, Gojo waved at Ijichi.
"Ijichi, take them back to the school. I'll head back on my own."
Kugisaki sat in the passenger seat.
In the back: Fushiguro, Yuji, and White Zetsu.
Even the trunk was stuffed full of her belongings and shopping bags.
Ijichi nodded and drove off.
"I'm curious—why didn't you come with us earlier?"
Yuji asked from the back seat.
"Ordinary people can't see you anyway, right?"
White Zetsu rolled his eyes.
"Of course they can't see me."
"But a lit cigar, floating utensils while eating, drinks disappearing out of nowhere…"
"That's enough to freak people out."
"Could even make it onto Japan's paranormal trending list."
Yuji nodded.
"No wonder you waited with Ijichi earlier."
A curse that avoids crowded places for humans' sake…
Looking at White Zetsu's indifferent expression, Yuji felt a slight ache in his chest.
Noticing Yuji's strange look, White Zetsu was about to speak—
when he suddenly paused.
"Oh right. Since we're getting back late, I should let that guy know."
He quickly pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Hah!"
Kugisaki seized the chance to mock him.
"So Clown Face is a mama's boy?"
"You have to report in just for being late? That's hilarious!"
…Strange.
Fushiguro frowned.
White Zetsu didn't talk back.
A bad feeling rose in his chest.
"BOOM!!!"
Like a volcanic eruption—
a surging wave of blazing heat engulfed the road ahead.