Yoshinobu Gakuganji

Megumi Fushiguro's shadow spread outward, quickly forming a churning, shifting pool around him.

The Zenin Clan's lost bloodline, a user of the Ten Shadows Technique.

Megumi Fushiguro had something of a reputation in Jujutsu Society.

Aoi Todo knew a little about him too, so the instant Megumi Fushiguro expanded his domain, he retreated and activated Simple Domain.

He remained constantly on guard against shikigami emerging from the shadows.

Across from him, after expanding his domain, Megumi Fushiguro carefully felt out the connection between himself and it.

Was this the feeling of freedom Shin talked about? Controlling the domain, imagining everything my cursed technique could do, and turning it all into ways to attack.

"Hey, Todo, are you ready?"

As Megumi Fushiguro spoke, he gradually turned into a shadow and sank into his domain. The shikigami he had already tamed surged out of the darkness in waves, surrounding Aoi Todo.

"Haha, this is looking pretty bad." Aoi Todo gave a wry laugh as he struggled to maintain Simple Domain.

Outside the domain.

Chiyo Shin smiled at Megumi Fushiguro's domain. Megumi, you've made it this far too. I'm really happy for you.

Beside him, Mai Zenin stared in shock at the pool of shadows a short distance away.

He really expanded a domain! Are all this year's first-years monsters?

"See, Panda? I told you everything would be fine with Chiyo here." Even from a distance, Maki Zenin could make out what was happening by the vending machines.

Aside from some damage to the buildings, everything seemed fine.

Panda scratched his head. "I was just worried."

Hearing familiar voices, Chiyo Shin turned around. "Oh, Maki, Panda, Inumaki! What brings you here?"

By the time he finished speaking, the three had reached them.

"Well, what happened was... and then Panda got worried about you guys, so we came to check."

Maki Zenin explained what had happened before they came over.

After listening, Nobara Kugisaki went over and hugged Panda. "Panda, you really are the sweetest of the bunch. It'd be even better if you didn't join in on their nonsense."

Maki Zenin glanced at Mai Zenin nearby. "Mai, you haven't changed. You see me and won't even call me your big sister. You're nowhere near as cute as you were when we were little."

Hearing Maki Zenin's words, Mai Zenin turned her head away. She badly wanted to snap back like she always did, but with Chiyo Shin still there, she could only stay silent.

"Oh? Why aren't you saying anything this time, Mai? Turned over a new leaf?" Maki Zenin was surprised that Mai Zenin hadn't snapped back.

"Tch, your nagging is so annoying." Unable to take it anymore, Mai Zenin fired back.

"That's more like it. I was starting to think someone had swapped you out."

Toge Inumaki looked around but couldn't find Megumi Fushiguro. Just as he was about to ask, he spotted a pool of shadows nearby.

He raised his hand and pointed it out to everyone. "Tuna!"

Toge Inumaki's warning interrupted the sisters' conversation.

Maki Zenin and Panda both looked in the direction Toge Inumaki was pointing.

A large pool of shadows was constantly shifting.

"What is that?" Panda asked in confusion.

"Oh, that's Megumi's domain," Chiyo Shin explained casually.

"Tuna mayo!" Toge Inumaki's eyes widened.

"Huh?" Maki Zenin wondered if she had misheard.

"A domain!" Panda looked stunned.

Brimming with confidence, Chiyo Shin tilted his chin up at a forty-five-degree angle and planted his hands on his hips, declaring in an insufferably smug tone, "No need to be so surprised. Megumi only got this far because I'm such a good teacher."

"Good teacher, my ass. Why don't you teach me, then?" Nobara Kugisaki stepped forward and pinched Chiyo Shin's slightly chubby cheeks with both hands.

"Kugisaki, you're too slow on the uptake. Even if I taught you, you wouldn't learn." Chiyo Shin showed no fear despite having his cheeks pinched. My skin's thick anyway.

Nobara Kugisaki slowly took her hands off Chiyo Shin's face, reached into her leather bag, and pulled out three nails. "Is that so, Chiyo? Straw Doll Technique!"

Three masses of cursed energy enveloped the nails.

"Kugisaki, you're actually serious!" Chiyo Shin backed away several steps, sensing trouble.

"Hehe, it's fine, Chiyo. Your skin's thick, after all. Just let me hit you a couple of times." With that, Nobara Kugisaki tossed the nails into the air.

Not good! Chiyo Shin quickly ducked behind Panda, leaving only one eye peeking out to watch her.

"Get out from behind Panda right now!"

"No way! Come catch me if you can!"

Chiyo Shin and Nobara Kugisaki's antics also helped Maki and the other two recover from the news that Megumi Fushiguro had expanded a domain.

"Looks like we'll have to step up our training when we get back. Our juniors are gradually catching up," Panda said with heartfelt emotion.

While they fooled around and reflected outside.

Inside the domain.

Aoi Todo finally understood why the Ten Shadows Technique could earn the Zenin Clan a place among the three great clans.

The Ten Shadows Technique was downright absurd. Once the user entered the domain, he could hide in the darkness and direct his shikigami to coordinate seamless attacks, leaving his opponent no chance to breathe.

Clap, clap.

Aoi Todo kept using Boogie Woogie to evade the shikigami attacking him.

Hmm, wait. The shikigami's attacks are slower than before. Could it be...?

Hidden in the darkness, Megumi Fushiguro had nearly exhausted his cursed energy as he watched Aoi Todo dart and weave between the shikigami.

He couldn't afford to drag this out any longer. He had to find an opening and stake everything on a single winning strike.

After swapping places with a shikigami again, Aoi Todo analyzed the situation with his brilliant, 530,000-IQ brain and figured everything out.

If Fushiguro really only learned to expand his domain today, he must be running low on cursed energy.

Then this should be easy.

A huge swarm of Rabbit Escape rabbits poured out in a frenzy.

Here it comes? Aoi Todo knew Fushiguro couldn't stall any longer. His chance had arrived.

Outside, the pool of shadows suddenly churned violently.

Aoi Todo and Megumi Fushiguro appeared at the same time.

Both looked a little worse for wear.

"Let's call it a draw." Aoi Todo wiped the blood from his forehead.

Megumi Fushiguro held out his hand. "Thanks for the match."

Tokyo Jujutsu High's reception room.

After waiting for so long, Kyoto Jujutsu High Principal Yoshinobu Gakuganji couldn't help complaining. "Why isn't Yaga here yet? This old man's time is precious."

Clack.

Satoru Gojo slid the door open. "Principal Yaga probably won't be coming. I gave him a fake schedule.

"And thanks for your help with that Juvenile Detention Center business!"

"What business at the Juvenile Detention Center?" Yoshinobu Gakuganji feigned ignorance.

Satoru Gojo sat on the sofa and crossed his legs. "Quit playing dumb, old man. Didn't your Conservative Faction arrange that incident at the Juvenile Detention Center to get rid of Yuji Itadori using a special grade cursed spirit?

"Before the incident at the Juvenile Detention Center, you even tried to send Chiyo Shin away. Unfortunately for you, he ignored your orders, and your scheme failed.

"So you lashed out and turned your sights on Chiyo Shin. You're still making life difficult for him."

Faced with facts he couldn't deny, Yoshinobu Gakuganji changed the subject. "Do young people these days no longer speak respectfully?"

"Respectfully? I never intended to respect you in the first place. You don't deserve my respect." Satoru Gojo's retort was merciless.

Although Kasumi Miwa secretly idolized Satoru Gojo, she still had a job to do and made a show of warning him. "Watch your attitude. We may ask you to submit a report to the relevant authorities."

"Suit yourself." Satoru Gojo couldn't have cared less.

Satoru Gojo looked at Yoshinobu Gakuganji. "Yesterday, an unregistered special grade cursed spirit attacked me."

Yoshinobu Gakuganji started. "How frightening."

"Don't get the wrong idea. For me, something like that is no different from stepping on an ant in the street.

"That cursed spirit could communicate normally. For it to attack me without warning, someone must have offered it something. That means it has accomplices.

"And it's not just the enemies lurking in the shadows. There's Chiyo, Okkotsu, Hakari, Fushiguro, and Todo on your side too. Their strength has been growing rapidly these past few years.

"Then there was the Suguru Geto incident and the appearance of Sukuna's vessel."

After listening to Satoru Gojo go on at length, Yoshinobu Gakuganji interrupted him. "What are you trying to say?"

Satoru Gojo leaned forward. "You still don't get it?

"Those outdated methods of yours can't hold back the rising tide of this new era anymore.

"The generations to come won't be yours to control.

"If you still think I'm the only one opposing you, you're in for a world of hurt, you old fossil."

"You're out of line, Gojo!" Yoshinobu Gakuganji suddenly glared fiercely at Satoru Gojo.

Satoru Gojo stood up. "How scary. I've said everything I came to say, so I'll be going. Principal Yaga will be here in two hours."

Satoru Gojo pushed the door open and walked out.

Yoshinobu Gakuganji exhaled. "Miwa, go buy some tea."

"Yes, sir." Kasumi Miwa quickly agreed, inwardly ecstatic. If I can catch up with Satoru Gojo, I'm definitely asking for a photo together.