He had only just regained consciousness, and his mind was still foggy. Anyone would have been furious at the sight of the culprit who had knocked them out, let alone Megumi Fushiguro, who never backed down under pressure.
The instant he recognized Lu Yun, Megumi Fushiguro went straight for a suicidal attack without hesitation, reciting the incantation to summon Mahoraga:
"Furube, Yura Yura, Eight-Handled Sword, Otherworldly Divine General..."
An immense surge of cursed energy erupted. Yuji Itadori, who was closest to Megumi Fushiguro, reacted first and grabbed for him. Yuta Okkotsu, seated nearby, also paled. He darted in front of Fushiguro, and he and Itadori each pinned down one of Megumi Fushiguro's arms.
"Oho, is it coming?"
Unlike the tense Okkotsu and Itadori, Lu Yun, who had been selected as the ritual's target, looked intrigued and eager to give it a try.
Since defeating Megumi Fushiguro had not given him the ability to adapt to everything, surely defeating Mahoraga directly would.
Lu Yun had long wanted to test this top-tier shikigami of the Ten Shadows cursed technique and see whether the Dharma Wheel above its head really could turn that fast.
"Calm down, Fushiguro! I invited Lu Yun here to help us!"
"Yeah, Fushiguro, Lu Yun isn't a bad guy. Uh, probably."
Yuji Itadori hesitated briefly at that, but continued trying to talk him down alongside Okkotsu.
"Whew..."
Letting out a long breath, Megumi Fushiguro finally calmed down.
"All right, Itadori, Okkotsu. You can let go of me."
The unusual fluctuations in cursed energy vanished. Megumi Fushiguro's sluggish mind cleared completely, and he chose not to continue the incantation.
"Tch, boring."
Seeing Fushiguro abandon his attempt to summon Mahoraga, Lu Yun immediately lost interest and curled his lip.
"You bastard!"
At those words, a vein bulged on Fushiguro's forehead.
Not only had Lu Yun knocked him out at their first meeting, he had kept provoking him after he woke up. If they had not had important business to attend to, Fushiguro would have gone down fighting him.
"Don't get mad, Fushiguro. Don't get mad. Come on, let's talk over here."
Itadori held Megumi Fushiguro by the shoulders and, using his extraordinary athletic strength, forcibly dragged the furious boy aside.
Okkotsu looked helplessly at Lu Yun.
"Honestly, Mr. Lu Yun, why are you picking a fight with Fushiguro? He's just a kid."
"I'm not. I'm just messing with him."
Lu Yun slipped both hands into his pockets, utterly unconvinced that he had done anything wrong.
Yuta Okkotsu shook his head wearily and sighed to himself.
It seemed this trip would not be boring.
With Lu Yun's personality, there was no telling how much trouble he would stir up.
Sure enough, strong people were all strange.
Meanwhile, after talking with Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro had learned who Lu Yun was.
"Isn't he basically just some weirdo who appeared out of nowhere? I can't believe you and Okkotsu trust him."
Fushiguro stared at Yuji Itadori in disbelief.
Itadori scratched his cheek.
"I can't really explain it. I just feel like Lu Yun isn't a bad guy. Besides, he fought Okkotsu, and Okkotsu admitted himself that he was no match for him. Having someone that strong join us can't be a bad thing, right?"
"That's true."
Fushiguro pondered it.
"We don't know what he's after, but since he's chosen to join Jujutsu High, we might as well put his strength to good use."
"If only Lu Yun had been there back then..."
Remembering the devastation in Shibuya, Itadori's expression darkened.
If Lu Yun had been there, Sukuna probably would not have had the chance to commit those atrocities.
Unfortunately, time could not be turned back, and Lu Yun could not return to the past with him.
Patting Itadori's shoulder, Fushiguro comforted him.
"That wasn't your fault."
"Sukuna seems to have something planned for you. Be careful, Fushiguro. But with both Lu Yun and Okkotsu around, he probably won't be able to cause much trouble."
No longer dwelling on a past he could not change, Itadori raised his head and stared intently at Megumi Fushiguro. At last, he asked the question he had wanted answered all along.
"How's Kugisaki...?"
Hearing him ask about that familiar name, Fushiguro fell silent. Unable to meet Itadori's eyes, he turned away.
"I see..."
Though he had said nothing, his companion's reaction told Itadori everything. Itadori clenched his fists, once again feeling his own helplessness keenly.
If I'd been a little stronger back then, could I have saved both Kugisaki and Nanami?
"Hey, you two over there. You're not mourning your friend's death, are you?"
Lu Yun's voice broke the sorrowful atmosphere between them.
"If that friend of yours is Nobara Kugisaki, you're crying too soon. Kugisaki isn't dead."
Hope sprang back into Itadori's eyes, and he whipped his head toward Lu Yun.
"Lu Yun, is that true?"
Itadori desperately hoped to hear that answer from Lu Yun, but Fushiguro's words doused his hopes once more.
Megumi Fushiguro had also heard what Lu Yun said, but remained unmoved.
"Kugisaki isn't dead, but she might never wake up..."
Right. How could she be unharmed after Mahito touched her?
Just as Itadori's expression began to dim again, Lu Yun interrupted.
"Wrong. Nobara Kugisaki will wake up in just over a month, full of life, and she'll live safely into her seventies or eighties."
Lu Yun wagged a finger, speaking with complete confidence.
"You even know that?"
All four of them stared at Lu Yun in disbelief.
"Heh, don't underestimate my intelligence network."
"Really? That's great! If you say so, Lu Yun, then I'm relieved."
The gloom on Itadori's face instantly vanished.
"Wait, you actually believe that? Waking up in a month is one thing, but knowing she'll live into her seventies or eighties? Isn't that ridiculous?"
Even more unbelievable to Megumi Fushiguro than Lu Yun's words was the fact that Itadori and the others actually believed such an absurd claim.
"Uh, well, Master Lu Yun, could you take a look at my fortune too...?"
Okkotsu also sidled up to Lu Yun.
"Of course, of course. Hmm, let me see. Yuta Okkotsu, your face has a healthy rosy glow. Romance is in your future!"
"Really, Master? That's a little embarrassing."
Having received his answer, Okkotsu scratched his head.
"They've lost it. They've all lost it."
Fushiguro stared at Yuta Okkotsu's face. The dark bags beneath his eyes nearly rivaled Panda's. Where was this healthy rosy glow?
"He's lying through his teeth. Is this guy some fortune-teller from China next door?"
Fushiguro was baffled.
Why did every single one of them trust Lu Yun so much?
Itadori slung an arm around Fushiguro's shoulders and spoke with the air of someone who had been through it himself.
"It's okay. You'll understand once you see it for yourself. Lu Yun's intelligence network really is no joke. He might even have a way to help your sister."
Megumi Fushiguro's expression changed instantly. He broke free of Itadori's arm and hurried over to Lu Yun.
"Master! Um, I was wrong earlier. Could you tell my fortune too?"
Before you continue