Junpei's Collapse, Hatred Ignited

The next morning, Junpei Yoshino woke from a hazy sleep. His conversation with Itadori yesterday had left him more relaxed and happy than he had ever felt before.

It was as if the gloom born from being bullied at school had vanished, as though it had all been nothing more than a nightmare.

A natural smile rose to Junpei's lips as he pushed open his bedroom door, ready to embrace a brand-new life.

"Mom, what's for breakfast today?"

Junpei called out as usual, but no answer came for a long while.

Junpei noticed that the room was in disarray, as though someone had broken in. The thought immediately made his heart leap into his throat.

"Mom?"

After calling again, he noticed his mother lying on the sofa.

"What the hell? So you're sleeping here."

"Mom, wake up. Mom? Mom!!"

After shouting several times without getting a response, Junpei grew increasingly anxious. At the same time, he noticed the horrifying finger on the table.

A terrible thought immediately surfaced in his mind.

At that moment, Mahito happened to appear. Junpei clung to him as if he were a lifeline.

"Mr. Mahito, what happened to my mother?!"

Mahito looked at Nagi Yoshino, who still retained traces of life, and surprise flickered in his eyes.

But Junpei failed to notice Mahito's subtle change in expression. All he wanted to know was whether something had happened to his mother.

Mahito paused before saying, "Your mother can't be saved. I'm afraid she'll be a vegetable for the rest of her life."

Of course, it was lying. It only wanted Junpei to break down, ensuring that the plan would proceed.

As for why Nagi Yoshino had not died, it did not know. But just because she was alive now did not mean she would remain safe later.

Junpei trusted it completely now. It could easily kill Nagi Yoshino while he was gone!

When Junpei heard that conclusion, it felt as if his entire world had collapsed. "How could this happen?! Who did this?!"

Mahito picked up the finger from the table and feigned surprise. "Junpei, where did you get this?!"

Junpei shook his head. "I don't know. It was already on the table when I woke up."

"This is a cursed object! Cursed users often use things like this to curse people and bring misfortune upon them."

"This thing is what turned your mother into a vegetable."

"Junpei, have you offended anyone before?"

Mahito placed a hand on Junpei's shoulder. To Junpei, who was on the verge of collapse, that gesture brought immense comfort, making him even more convinced that Mahito was a good person.

At the same time, the school bullies who often tormented him surfaced in his mind. The only people he had bad blood with were those who had beaten and kicked him.

"It was definitely them! They put this thing in my house!"

Mahito secretly smiled as it watched the flames of vengeance nearly burst from Junpei's eyes. "There was a minor hiccup, but the plan is still proceeding smoothly."

"Junpei, what are you going to do? Kill them?"

"If you don't act quickly, you might not get another chance. Don't worry, leave your mother to me for now."

Junpei nodded, rose to kiss his mother on the forehead, then expressionlessly changed into a set of black clothes and headed for school without another word.

He remembered that the school was holding some insignificant event today. All the students would be gathered together, including the culprits who had harmed his mother!

Mahito smiled mockingly. "You really are easy to fool. Your mother is actually fine. Even the most ordinary healing sorcerer could easily wake her up."

"But soon, she really won't be waking up anymore. Hahahaha."

With the expression of a child who had just received his favorite toy, Mahito walked toward Nagi Yoshino and extended a pale hand.

Just as it was about to touch her, an incomparably terrifying pressure descended, as though a steamroller were crushing down on its body!

Mahito immediately stopped, leaped backward, and looked toward the source of the pressure. In the dark alley opposite, a pair of crimson eyes stared fixedly at it!

It recognized Lin Mu at a glance. After getting brutally beaten by him, there was no way it could ever forget him.

"Damn it, why is he here?" Mahito cursed its bad luck inwardly. It activated Idle Transfiguration, fashioned wings for itself, and swiftly fled the Yoshino residence.

Although it had failed to kill Nagi Yoshino, its overall goal had still been achieved. It had no desire to fight that bastard Lin Mu again just for a moment's amusement.

The "Lin Mu" in the alley did not give chase. After confirming that Mahito had left, it exploded into a cloud of smoke with a bang.

Not long after, Jujutsu High discovered the anomaly at the Yoshino residence, and news concerning Sukuna's Finger reached Itadori's ears.