Entering the Juvenile Reformatory, Special Grade Imaginary Curse!

After all the curses in the abandoned apartment had been dealt with, the entire gloomy building seemed to brighten slightly as a result.

But no one paid attention to that subtle change.

Everyone gathered around Lin Mu, their eyes narrowed into slits as they stared at him suspiciously.

"You actually have two cursed techniques? Since when? You'd better tell us the truth!"

"Yeah, yeah. We're teammates, aren't we? That was really uncool of you." Itadori shook his fist as he condemned Lin Mu's actions.

Lin Mu awkwardly shook his head. "I don't know either. I just explored the cursed energy inside my body a little, and it developed on its own."

"I never expected to have two cursed techniques with completely different effects."

Although they were all giving Lin Mu a hard time, he could tell there was no malice behind it.

"Alright, where should we eat next?" The topic Satoru Gojo suddenly threw out instantly caught Itadori and Kugisaki's attention.

"Steak! Sushi!" Itadori and Kugisaki answered without the slightest restraint.

"Hahaha, no problem." Satoru Gojo smiled faintly and led everyone toward the city.

Fushiguro did not join the discussion behind them. He merely watched Lin Mu's back with a troubled expression.

"Record: July 2018, Eishu Juvenile Detention Center, West Tokyo City."

"Above the athletic field."

"Special-Grade Imaginary Cursed Spirit (name pending)."

"Several non-sorcerers witnessed its cursed womb."

"Upon learning of this emergency, four first-year Jujutsu High students were dispatched."

"One of them died!"

The next day, Lin Mu lay on his bed at Jujutsu High, silently sensing the progress of the inheritance within his body.

After yesterday's test, Lin Mu's inheritance progress had reached 14%. He was only one step away from unlocking the next ability.

Just as he was imagining what that ability might be, someone knocked on his bedroom door.

"Lin Mu, there's a new mission. Get ready quickly." Fushiguro's cool voice came from outside.

He left after saying only that much, as though the situation was extremely urgent.

Lin Mu began searching through the memories of his past life. The juvenile detention center should be next, right?

He remembered that there was a special-grade cursed spirit there that had devoured Sukuna's Finger!

I wonder how far I am from a special-grade cursed spirit right now.

Although the cursed spirit in the juvenile detention center was special grade, it had only recently hatched and had not yet mastered a domain. There might really be a chance to take it on.

But logically speaking, this mission should have been rated special grade. They would not send sorcerers who were still officially ranked Grade 2 to handle it.

Sending Grade 2 sorcerers on a special-grade mission was no different from sending them to their deaths.

Yet those higher-ups had still chosen to send them, and Lin Mu knew exactly why.

They simply could not tolerate Itadori's existence.

Because Satoru Gojo had fought fiercely to protect Itadori, they could not make a move openly.

After all, Satoru Gojo was truly capable of personally killing every last one of them.

And no one could stop him!

The higher-ups could only use this method, sending them on a certain-death mission to indirectly eliminate Itadori.

Although he understood how dangerous this mission was, Lin Mu had no intention of stopping his teammates from going to the juvenile detention center.

First, doing so would increase the risk of exposing himself. Second, such a perilous environment was also an excellent training ground for him.

The large number of cursed spirits in the juvenile detention center could rapidly increase Lin Mu's inheritance progress. It might even be possible to break through 20% in one go.

Besides, with him there, even if they could not win, escaping from that newly hatched special-grade cursed spirit was still possible.

What concerned Lin Mu more, however, was how to minimize the impact on the course of events.

If he exorcised the cursed spirit in the juvenile detention center, Itadori would not release Sukuna, and the string of major events that followed would likely never occur.

If Lin Mu pretended that he could not defeat the special-grade cursed spirit, then he would have to face Sukuna after he had consumed three fingers!

With Lin Mu's current strength, facing Sukuna with three fingers was indeed somewhat of a stretch. But if he could unlock a brand-new ability in the juvenile detention center, he might have the strength to fight Sukuna!

Having made up his mind, Lin Mu washed up quickly before heading out to meet his teammates.

Led by Ijichi, the four first-year students arrived at the entrance to Eishu Juvenile Detention Center.

Ijichi briefly explained the mission requirements and mentioned that the cursed spirit inside was very likely to evolve into a special grade!

Their mission was to go in and rescue people. Under no circumstances were they to engage in battle!

The mission requirements alone did not seem impossible to fulfill, but Lin Mu knew that the moment they entered the juvenile detention center, they would become mere playthings in that cursed spirit's palm.

"Special grade? Then why are we the ones handling this mission?" Itadori asked in confusion.

Fushiguro also had doubts about Tokyo Jujutsu High's arrangements, but he still explained to Itadori, "You know there are only four first-years. The number of jujutsu sorcerers is pitifully small to begin with."

"Most of the time, there simply aren't enough people, so we have no choice but to deal with things beyond our capabilities."

"Like this time. Gojo-sensei was supposed to come, but he went on a business trip, so it fell to us."

Ijichi adjusted his glasses. "That's right, but this is an emergency!"

"Under no circumstances are you to fight! When you encounter a special grade, there are only two options: run or die!"

"Your mission is only to confirm the situation and rescue any survivors inside!"

With Ijichi's final warning, the four warmed up and prepared to enter the juvenile detention center.

"My son, Masashi... is he alright?"

A tearful woman asked in a trembling voice.

After Ijichi brushed her off with the excuse they had prepared beforehand, the mother collapsed helplessly to the ground.

Itadori's expression turned grave as he watched. "Lin Mu, Fushiguro, Kugisaki, let's save them!"

At the entrance of the juvenile detention center, Fushiguro summoned the Divine Dogs in advance.

As shikigami specifically used for scouting, they could sound an alarm when curses approached.

The impressive-sounding canine shikigami immediately won Itadori and Kugisaki's favor, but Lin Mu knew that they had not been particularly useful for early warning.

Once they were ready, Lin Mu took the lead and pushed open the doors of the juvenile detention center. As expected, the scene inside had been completely transformed!

All kinds of pipes crisscrossed the floors, and the building's layout completely defied common sense.

The space inside looked like a pile of building blocks haphazardly stitched together—chaotic and distorted.

The moment he saw it, Fushiguro's expression froze. "This is an innate domain created by cursed energy!"

"It's my first time seeing one this large!"

Realizing the severity of the situation, Fushiguro and Lin Mu immediately became vigilant. Only the clueless Itadori and Kugisaki were still bickering.

"Where's the door we came through?!"

Fushiguro suddenly asked, as though he had realized something.

Lin Mu spoke calmly. "It disappeared the moment we entered."

When everyone turned back, they discovered that the path they had entered through was truly gone!

Itadori and Kugisaki immediately began making a fuss.

"Don't panic. The Divine Dogs remember the door's scent. As long as they're here, we can find the way back."

Upon hearing that, Itadori and Kugisaki eagerly petted the Divine Dogs. "What good dogs! I'll buy you some jerky."

Fushiguro's face darkened. "Could you two at least act nervous?!"

Itadori smiled easily. "Isn't that why we have you and Lin Mu? With your Divine Dogs, you can lead us and the survivors out, right?"

"And there's that monster, Lin Mu. As long as we don't run into the special-grade cursed spirit head-on, curses of any other grade aren't a threat at all."

"Besides, even if we do run into it, it's not like we'd definitely lose, right?"

Fushiguro's face reddened slightly. "Let's go. I'll lead the way."

Lin Mu smiled faintly but said nothing.

Led by the Divine Dogs, the four slowly made their way deeper into the juvenile detention center.

What they did not know was that a cursed spirit with an exaggerated, horrifying grin was watching their every move!