Early the next morning.
Itadori and Junpei had been pacing outside Jiahao's dorm room for over half an hour.
The reason Junpei had completely lost control in the auditorium yesterday was that Mahito had told him... "Your mom is dead."
The real culprits who had killed his mother were the classmates who regularly bullied him at school. Naive as he was, Junpei had believed him.
After learning from Itadori last night that his mother was still alive, Junpei had rushed over.
But...
Junpei raised his hand to knock, then awkwardly pulled it back.
Had the guy his own age who saved his life slept with his mom?
Junpei was terrified that opening the door would reveal a horrifying scene that shattered his entire worldview.
Beside him, Itadori hung his head, his hands tucked into his pockets as his fingers repeatedly dialed Jiahao's number.
He had never imagined Jiahao had that particular taste.
Sure, Junpei's mother was divorced, and sure, she really was beautiful...
Hmm... maybe it wasn't entirely out of the question.
Legally, there didn't seem to be a problem. Morally... it didn't seem that bad either.
Having spotted the key point, Itadori quietly stopped dialing.
"Tch, two grown guys, dithering around like this!"
At the end of the hallway, Maki couldn't stand watching any longer and strode over.
Startled, Junpei turned around, only then noticing the two imposing girls at the corner of the hallway, followed by an enormous walking panda and Inumaki, whose mouth and nose were covered.
Creak...
The dorm room door opposite Jiahao's opened a crack, and the spiky-haired Fushiguro stealthily poked out part of his head.
Ever since Panda had posted what he had overheard in the principal's office to the student group chat last night, the whole bunch had been lurking around the corner since early morning, eagerly waiting.
Immorality, ethics, forbidden love, a married woman...
Just those few explosive words Panda had posted in the chat had kept them up all night imagining an entire outrageous drama about an age-gap romance.
But when Maki knocked open the forbidden dorm room door, they saw only Junpei's mother. Jiahao was nowhere in sight.
At that moment, the flames of gossip in their eyes abruptly died out.
On the way to the training grounds, Kugisaki curled her lip. "Tch, I thought we'd get to see some real drama!"
"I even came up with my lines last night. I was going to point right in Jiahao's face this morning and give him a vicious tongue-lashing!"
Since she couldn't beat him in a fight, she had to get her revenge some other way.
That was so Kugisaki!
"Well, well, all's well that ends well!"
Itadori patted his chest. "Good thing nothing happened. Last night, I was still worrying about what Junpei should call Jiahao."
A classmate, or... Dad?
"Oh, right, Panda."
Itadori looked at Panda, who had connections. "What will Jujutsu High end up doing about Junpei's situation?"
"You mean Junpei killing one of his bullies at school?"
Maki cut into the conversation, declaring forcefully, "They're high school students, not clueless little kids. If he chose to bully someone, he should've been prepared for that person to retaliate and kill him."
"If there has to be a punishment, I say just make Junpei run two laps around the field."
"Don't make decisions for the principal, Maki."
Panda turned to Itadori and said seriously, "Setting the bully aside, the most important issue is Junpei Yoshino awakening as a jujutsu sorcerer."
"He awakened with a cursed spirit's help. There could be other hidden risks involved."
"Whether Junpei's cursed technique is affected by that patchwork-faced cursed spirit, or whether the spirit can control him remotely, will take time to investigate and verify."
Panda rubbed his chin. "But knowing the principal, Junpei will most likely be assigned to help the assistant supervisors."
Itadori's eyes lit up. "Working with Ijichi and the others? Doesn't that mean we'll get to see each other every day?"
Panda spread his hands. "Don't get excited yet. I'm just guessing."
"Enough chatter. Get ready to train!"
Maki pointed imperiously. "Itadori, contact Jiahao right now!"
At those words, Kugisaki, Panda, and the others lowered their heads and trembled.
"Maki, is that really necessary? That bastard doesn't care whether you're a guy or a girl. He has no idea how to hold back!"
Kugisaki clutched her abdomen as though suffering phantom pain. "During training a few days ago, that bastard broke several of my ribs with one kick!"
Panda covered his backside with both hands. "Yeah, Maki. If Jiahao doesn't want to come, let's not force him!"
Inumaki nodded with both hands clasped over his head. "Salmon roe!"
"Hmph, what a bunch of hopeless losers!"
Exasperated with them, Maki said, "The Goodwill Event is only a few days away. Don't tell me you want to lose to those guys from Kyoto!"
"Um..."
Itadori raised his hand. "What's this Goodwill Event?"
"Oh, you've been out on missions with Nanami this whole time. We forgot to tell you."
Panda explained, "The Goodwill Event is jointly hosted by Tokyo Jujutsu High and Kyoto Jujutsu High."
"Then the two principals each choose a competition format to determine the winner."
"Following the usual tradition, this year will probably have two matches too: a team match and individual battles."
Itadori looked surprised. "No cursed spirits? It's a fight between jujutsu sorcerers?"
"That's right!"
A battle-hungry look spread across Maki's face. "An anything-goes jujutsu battle, with no killing as the only rule!"
After finally learning to control his cursed energy and mastering new moves, only to have no opportunity to show them off during his missions, Itadori couldn't help looking forward to the Goodwill Event.
"Heh, that's a good look on your face!"
Maki took off her backpack and pulled out a fighting staff with no spearhead. "Since that guy isn't here, let's train on our own first!"
Several hours later...
Five people and a panda lay sprawled across the green grass, drenched in sweat.
Panda folded his hands over his chest and closed his eyes, looking serene enough to be ready for burial as he muttered, "As if one Maki wasn't enough, now we've got a battle-crazy Itadori too. What a pain!"
Soaked through with sweat, Kugisaki lay facedown on the ground, gulping air as she viciously glared at Itadori several meters away. "How dare you hit my gorgeous face! Just you wait!"
"It was an accident! I didn't do it on purpose!"
Itadori, likewise collapsed on the grass from exhaustion, waved a hand as he explained.
Breathing heavily, Maki tilted her head to look at Itadori, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
His fighting skills were still a little immature, but his superhuman physical strength had surprised even Maki.
As they lay there recovering their strength, Fushiguro frowned and glanced toward the area behind Itadori.
The next second, Fushiguro's expression changed drastically. "Itadori!!!"
The others and Panda followed Fushiguro's gaze, horror spreading across their faces. "A cursed spirit?!"
"Did the barrier fail?! How did a cursed spirit get inside Jujutsu High?!"
Its limbs were long and thin, its joints bent backward, and it looked like a praying mantis enlarged several times over. It had no eyes. Its entire head was one enormous vertical split, packed with interlocking rows of sharp teeth that gleamed coldly.
"A Grade 2 cursed spirit!"
Even at full strength, exorcising a Grade 2 curse wouldn't have been easy for them.
Much less now, when all of them, Panda included, were utterly exhausted.
None of them could ever have imagined that the jujutsu sorcerers' headquarters, covered by the Tengen Barrier, would be invaded by a mere Grade 2 cursed spirit.
And the timing of its attack was far too convenient.
Seeing the cursed spirit charge straight toward Itadori, Maki and the others staggered to their feet without time to think any further.
"Itadori, run!"
In their current state, they couldn't possibly match the speed of a Grade 2 cursed spirit charging at full tilt. All they could do was watch as the curse opened its enormous maw and snapped down at Itadori's head!
Squelch!
Before you continue