A Word is a Promise

Wind?

So that was it.

Xuan steadied himself and looked into the distance—the familiar scent in his nostrils told him that he had never actually left that variety show.

"What the hell? Viewers are going to hate a transition like this, you know?"

There it was—Takaba's scent.

Behind him?

Xuan turned around. On the rooftop of this nearly fifty-meter-tall building, Takaba's head appeared like the Colossal Titan at Wall Maria, his hands gripping the edge of the roof as his eyes fixed on Xuan.

"What the hell! You've been pulling stuff that'll get you sued this whole time!"

Xuan planted his feet on the ground. As the two steel cables at his waist embedded themselves in Takaba's shoulders, gas burst forth and launched his body forward.

Xuan spun through the air, spiraling as he sliced through Takaba's neck. As the flesh at the nape flew away, Takaba's body broke free from the back of his neck.

"Copyright is basically optional for variety shows, isn't it?!"

Bang!

Xuan felt his midair movement slam violently into a wall. His vision went black, and when he opened his eyes again, he was already in a hospital.

An unfamiliar ceiling...

"Hey, are you awake?! Patient! Hang in there!! Don't fall asleep!!!"

First, something with a metallic texture approached Xuan's chest. Then, an electric current even stronger than Hajime Kashimo's exploded across his body.

Bzzzzzzzzzt!!!

Xuan instinctively tried to activate Nue's technique, but the instant it started, he immediately realized something—his lightning still seemed to be getting absorbed by a lightning rod.

The electricity coursed back and forth through Xuan's body. Under the influence of Takaba's technique, even cartoonish white skeletal outlines appeared over his lightning-covered figure.

Xuan could only rapidly circulate his Reverse Cursed Technique, quickly restoring his charred body.

"You're a quack doctor."

Exhaling a mouthful of gray breath, Xuan pushed himself upright and looked at Takaba.

"Sorry, that was my fault."

Takaba bowed, then awkwardly scratched at the defibrillator.

"It's this guy's first day on the job. He doesn't know how to control the voltage."

"That was completely because you turned up the power!"

"We sincerely apologize for your unpleasant experience. Would a five-hundred-yen voucher be acceptable compensation?"

"Of course not! I paid money because I needed my life saved!"

Hahahahahahaha~

Amid the laughter, the two of them once again stood on opposite sides of the variety show set.

"What the hell! I almost died just now!"

Xuan stepped forward and slapped Takaba hard on the shoulder.

"But you didn't die, did you?! That means the treatment was a success!"

"Huh? My fists aren't going to discriminate, you know!"

"Then that's violence against medical personnel! I'm calling the police!"

As Takaba dodged Xuan's rapid punches, he pretended to make an emergency call.

"Stop! Police!"

At the sound from behind him, Xuan instinctively turned around. The person who had arrived was none other than Takaba!

"Isn't that still you?"

"No, no, no. That was Doctor Takaba. This is Officer Shihiko!"

Takaba blew his whistle, then pointed his index finger at Xuan.

"You are now suspected of violence against medical personnel. You'll have to come with us!"

"Hey! If you can catch me, I'll turn myself in!"

As Takaba stepped forward, Xuan immediately ran toward the other side of the stage.

"Don't run!"

As Xuan vanished off the other side of the stage, Takaba quickly hurried after him—once Takaba also disappeared from the side of the stage, the "people" below erupted into deafening applause.

As the curtains rose once more, the two appeared again in custom suits before their microphones.

"This was really fun! But it's almost over."

Xuan clapped his hands and looked at Takaba on the other side.

"It was fun. If you were my partner... maybe I wouldn't have failed so badly?"

Takaba laughed as he sat down on the chair that had appeared.

"You're pretty interesting. If you keep this up, you won't be short of an audience in the future, will you?"

"N-No... don't flatter me. Before I met you, I was just an outdated comedian. I know better than anyone what I'm capable of."

"...If someone knows nothing but comedy, they'll never become outdated. If someone thinks they're outdated, then they truly are outdated."

"I see."

Hearing Xuan's words, Takaba recalled his past.

"Someone once told me too..."

"There are only two kinds of people who remain popular forever. Those who think they're funny, and those who are funny."

Takaba fell silent for a moment, then raised his head—the variety-show set beside them melted away like snow. The two of them were now sitting in their chairs in the middle of the road, and a hint of melancholy appeared on Takaba's face.

"Which kind do you think I am?"

"Either is possible. That is my answer."

"I see... What's the difference between that and not answering at all, you bastard?!"

"Anyway, I still stand by what I said. You're a very entertaining person."

Xuan stood up and stretched.

"Fight me again sometime. Make defeating me your goal, and fight me with everything you've got."

Takaba raised his head.

"As long as you beat me or draw with me then, I'll be your partner and do comedy with you."

"Okay!"

Takaba nodded, then raised a fist.

"It's a promise!"

Xuan first checked the cursed energy within him, as well as the technique of the Ten Shadows shikigami. Good—as long as he was free of the Comedian technique's influence, everything had returned.

"It's a deal."

Shibuya.

As Naoya Zenin's attack came to an end, Choso and Yuji exchanged glances.

"What the hell? I thought you guys were weak. Looks like I underestimated you."

Naoya looked down at the two of them, unable to understand the situation before him.

He could understand Sukuna's vessel, but what was this guy beside him who didn't look like someone from the modern era?

It seemed he had to end this quickly.

Meanwhile, Yuji and Choso had also sorted out the necessary information through their exchange of looks.

After roughly determining that Naoya's speed was an additional effect of his technique, the two used this brief respite to consider how to deal with the next battle.

But in an instant, all of them sensed a surge of violent, extraordinarily dense cursed energy.

What was going on?

All three of them had already sensed the newcomer's cursed energy.

Yuji Itadori, however, sensed cursed energy even denser than Satoru Gojo's—yet far more terrifying than Gojo's.

Just as the three stared in disbelief toward the source of that cursed energy, a massive white hand released the person it had been gripping.

"Thanks, Rika."

Before the massive white hand let go, a low female voice reached the three of them.

"One... two, three... Ah, so it's not just you, Yuji Itadori."