Overly Quiet Hospital

So while improving his own strength, Kana Shizumi also had to find ways to develop some new tricks.

For example, Choso's Supernova looked plain and unremarkable, but it produced plenty of results every time it was used. Compared to that, Piercing Blood, supposedly a finishing move, was practically a joke... Everyone said it was powerful, yet it had absolutely no record to show for it.

Who was he supposed to cry to?

In short, information gaps were still deadly in the Jujutsu World.

Besides...

Kana Shizumi looked thoughtfully at his palm.

"Before, I clearly had no memories related to jujutsu, but once my strength improved, the details of Crimson Blood Manipulation started surfacing one by one..."

He had thought he simply did not know how to use it. Turns out, it could not be triggered unless its requirements were met.

What kind of embedded loading was that...

So this was Jail Mom's arrangement too? A thousand-year-old monster was truly terrifying.

Creak.

The bus slowly pulled to a stop, signaling that this journey had reached its destination.

At 5:48 in the morning, Kana Shizumi and Hanami safely arrived in the Kyoto area.

After following Hanami off the bus, Kana Shizumi was also told the objective of this mission.

Recover Sukuna's Fingers...

Hearing that, Kana Shizumi's expression became somewhat subtle.

Because the gap between the best- and worst-case scenarios for this mission was enormous.

If the Fingers had not been consumed and were instead properly sealed away, they normally would not attract many Curses nearby.

At most, there would be Grade 2 or Grade 3 fodder—roughly on par with him.

But if the seal had weakened and it had been consumed by a specific target, then things would become troublesome...

A Special-Grade Curse.

Although Sukuna had sliced them up like salmon in the original story, to Kana Shizumi now, they were a literal "formidable enemy."

He could not fight one at all. He could only think about running.

As Kana Shizumi pondered this, Hanami, who was leading the way, spoke up.

"Don't worry too much. I'll handle the direct confrontation. You just need to clean up the remaining Curses... I'll protect you."

Hanami looked huge, but had an unexpectedly good personality?

Though there was a certain contrast to it, based on the original story, Hanami was indeed among the gentler members of the Four Calamities.

After all, he was born from nature—though Curses themselves were a mixture of negative emotions, so perhaps that positive disposition only occupied a tiny corner of his overall nature.

A Special Grade big shot was helping him, and not an unreliable one like Mahito... That was simply inspiring!

The two nodded, left the station, and continued toward their destination.

Along the way, through their conversation, Kana Shizumi roughly came to understand the arrangements the Four Calamities and Kenjaku had made during this period.

Their main focus was recovering Sukuna's Fingers.

The old man's soul had been split into twenty pieces, all of which were currently under conventional seals.

"Though I don't know why, Kenjaku suddenly started having us recover the Fingers recently... There should be some deeper reason behind it."

That was probably because the script was drawing near, and preparations had to begin.

After all, without this process and preparation, Jogo would not have been able to pull out ten Fingers like a magician in the original story.

"So most of the recovery is happening at this stage..."

The plot could be sorted out, and there was nothing especially difficult to understand.

"By the way, how many have been recovered so far?"

"Two... Their exact locations haven't been confirmed, so we can't improve the efficiency."

Then it looked like there would be many more chances to carry out similar missions later.

Kana Shizumi began thinking.

What exactly could he do to maximize his own gains?

Still thinking, the pair left the city and headed toward the nearby outskirts.

"Call your dad."

"...Huh? Why?"

"He provided the exact location and intelligence. I only know the general area."

Kana Shizumi dialed the number. After waiting for a while, the call connected.

Jail Mom's cheerful, smiling voice came from the other end.

"I figured you'd be calling around now. How is it? Have you reached the vicinity of the destination?"

After Kana Shizumi briefly explained their situation, Kenjaku added,

"Sukuna's Finger is being kept in the basement of a suburban hospital. I don't know the exact location, so just follow the traces of polluted cursed energy. It shouldn't be difficult."

It was sealed in a hospital basement?

He had wanted to complain about that, but considering how the first Finger in the original story had been placed right inside a shutter box, Kana Shizumi smiled in resignation.

There was nothing to complain about. The jujutsu world had always been a massive amateur operation.

He was about to hang up.

But before that, Kenjaku's voice came through the phone once more.

"This mission won't be easy... Don't rely too much on Hanami. Use your own head as well. I look forward to your growth, Unblemished."

Beep.

The call ended.

"...?"

What kind of nonsense was Jail Mom spouting?

Unable to understand the implication behind those words at all, Kana Shizumi scratched his head and ultimately chose not to dwell on it for now.

As for the hospital at their destination.

Perhaps because it was already rather remote, the entire place looked quite spacious. Its outpatient and inpatient departments were separated, and the grounds covered a considerable area.

The instant they stepped through the hospital gates, Hanami visibly paused.

"...What's wrong?"

"Something is a little strange."

Hanami looked around, then said in a calm, composed voice,

"It's too quiet."

"..."

Kana Shizumi wore a puzzled expression as he looked at the patients, doctors, and traffic bustling in the distance.

"I mean the Curses."

Hanami raised his right hand and pointed toward the entrance, then swept it toward the outpatient building nearby.

"Curses are born from negative energy. The more a place is filled with suffering, grief, and other negative things, the more easily Curses are born there. That's why places like hospitals and schools are hotspots for Curses."

That had been mentioned in the original story. Kana Shizumi nodded thoughtfully.

"So you're saying it's unreasonable for there to be no Curses here?"

"That's right. At the very least, some insignificant Curses that pose little threat to humans should have naturally formed. But this place is far too clean, as though..."

After pausing for a moment, Hanami slowly said,

"It feels strange, like someone cleaned it up beforehand."

Meanwhile.

In a department within the inpatient building, a doctor who had finished the examination briefly reviewed the report in his hands, then smiled at the man beside him.

"Mr. Kamo, there is nothing wrong with your physical condition... The thrombosis issue from last time has also left no residue. Your recovery is going very well."

Kamo Noritoshi, dressed in casual clothes, sat in a chair with a smile and nodded to the doctor.

"Is that so? That's wonderful."