Jujutsu High's infirmary
"Hey, Satoru, Shin's awake. Yeah, okay."
Shoko Ieiri hung up and looked at Chiyo Shin, who was putting his clothes on. "Shin, Satoru wants you to go to the Meeting Room."
Chiyo Shin crouched to tie his shoelaces and looked up. "Okay, Ieiri. I'll head over right away."
Still unwilling to give up, Shoko Ieiri asked again, "Shin, are you really not going to reconsider?"
Chiyo Shin finished tying his shoes, stood, and bowed to Shoko Ieiri. "Thank you so much for looking after me, Ieiri. But my answer is still no."
"Fine. I shouldn't have bothered asking." Shoko Ieiri took a file out of her desk drawer and handed it to Chiyo Shin.
"Here's some information on souls. Take it back and have a look."
Chiyo Shin hurried forward to accept it and bowed again. "Thank you, Ieiri."
"All right, off you go." Shoko Ieiri waved a hand.
Chiyo Shin bowed in thanks once more. He headed to the door, pushed it open, then suddenly looked back. "Ieiri, I'll come help when I have time. Don't turn me away when I do."
"By the time you come help, I'll have worked myself to death," Shoko Ieiri teased.
"Of course not," Chiyo Shin protested. "If you need anything, just call and I'll be there."
"All right, I'll call you when I need you. Now get going." Shoko Ieiri waved him off.
"Yes, ma'am." Chiyo Shin closed the door behind him.
The infirmary fell quiet again, leaving Shoko Ieiri alone-not counting those in the morgue.
Inside the Meeting Room
"Shin's awake?" Megumi Fushiguro asked when Satoru Gojo hung up.
"He is. He'll be here soon," Satoru Gojo confirmed, his hands in his pockets.
"Thank goodness." Yuji Itadori and Nobara Kugisaki both breathed a sigh of relief at the confirmation.
Chiyo Shin had scared them half to death when he suddenly passed out after returning to Jujutsu High. Thankfully, he was all right.
"Can Chiyo Shin still take part in the one-on-one matches, then?" Maki Zenin asked.
"He probably could, but we're not holding one-on-one matches this year." Satoru Gojo tossed Yuji Itadori the Lottery Box. "I hate stuffy traditions. This year, we'll compete in whatever we draw."
"Baseball?!"
The slip Yuji Itadori pulled from the box Satoru Gojo had tossed him made Masamichi Yaga and Gakuganji widen their eyes.
"Satoru, what's going on?" Masamichi Yaga asked, holding the slip with "baseball" written on it.
Satoru Gojo whistled without answering and strode around the room in circles.
"Satoru! Wait!" Masamichi Yaga chased after him, shouting, but Satoru Gojo acted as though he hadn't heard a thing.
"Are we really playing baseball?" Momo Nishimiya asked hesitantly.
"Baseball's tons of fun." Yuji Itadori mimed a throw.
Noritoshi Kamo touched the bandages on his face. "Baseball sounds pretty good."
"I don't have any objections." Mai Zenin agreed with playing baseball too.
Everyone else chimed in that they were fine with it.
Masamichi Yaga stopped chasing Satoru Gojo. "Then we'll indulge you just this once."
Chiyo Shin jogged from the infirmary to the Meeting Room door.
Listening to the commotion inside, Chiyo Shin took a deep breath to compose himself, intent on making a dazzling entrance.
"All right."
He pulled the door open and leaped inside.
"Everyone, I'm back!"
Chiyo Shin burst into the room, striking a strange pose.
The room abruptly fell silent.
"He really has made a full recovery." Megumi Fushiguro looked exasperated.
Yuji Itadori hugged Chiyo Shin in a flash. "Welcome back."
The Meeting Room grew lively again.
The baseball field on Jujutsu High's Sports Field
The top of the first inning ended with Noritoshi Kamo spacing out.
The batter was out.
Up next was the third baseman, number one: Nobara Kugisaki.
The pitcher was Mechamaru.
Nobara Kugisaki got ready, then looked up.
Mai Zenin had pushed a Pitching Machine painted to look like Mechamaru onto the pitcher's mound.
"Hey, that's a pitching machine!" Nobara Kugisaki blew up on the spot, threw the baseball to the ground, and stormed toward Mai Zenin.
"Kugisaki's mad! Hurry, stop her!" Yuji Itadori shouted, his hair standing on end.
"Kugisaki, calm down, calm down." Panda grabbed Nobara Kugisaki from behind, but an angry woman's strength knew no bounds.
Nobara Kugisaki dragged Panda all the way over to Mai Zenin. "I just saw Mechamaru talking with Chiyo, didn't I? What's this supposed to mean? You think you can fool me with a pitching machine?"
Mai Zenin rested a hand on her chin thoughtfully. "Oh, didn't you know? Mechamaru's body was damaged, so he asked Chiyo to repair him. We had no choice but to send our backup Mechamaru in."
"Huh?" Nobara Kugisaki turned to Megumi Fushiguro and Yuji Itadori.
"I think that did happen in the changing room earlier," Yuji Itadori said, scratching his head.
Nobara Kugisaki stopped arguing, broke free of Panda's grip, and stomped back to her position to get ready.
A wooded area outside the school
After Mechamaru called Chiyo Shin out of the changing room, Chiyo Shin had been following him the whole way.
"Listen, if this puppet of yours is damaged, I could've fixed it right there in the changing room. Where exactly are you taking me?" Chiyo Shin stopped and asked Mechamaru.
Seeing that they had arrived, Mechamaru turned around. "Chiyo, I've always envied people like you who can walk around out in the world. You've heard of heavenly restriction, haven't you?"
Chiyo Shin still didn't quite understand. "I have, but what does that have to do with you coming to me?"
A button popped out of Mechamaru's arm. He pressed it lightly, and an entrance slowly opened in the ground beneath them. "Kokichi Muta. That's my real name.
"Heavenly restriction is a binding vow forcibly imposed on the body at birth.
"I was born without a right hand or either leg below the knee. I have no feeling below my waist, either.
"My skin can't even tolerate moonlight.
"In exchange, I gained an enormous Cursed Technique range and cursed energy output far beyond what my body should possess."
Chiyo Shin said nothing, and Mechamaru continued, "Chiyo, I had my real body brought here. It's right below us. Please, I'm begging you. Help me with Golden Repair."
With that, Kokichi Muta made Mechamaru bow deeply to Chiyo Shin.
Chiyo Shin looked at Mechamaru, then at the pitch-black underground entrance. After much hesitation, he finally agreed. "All right. I'll do my best."
Mechamaru breathed a sigh of relief. "Follow me."
Mechamaru led the way, with Chiyo Shin following behind.
The underground passage was fairly level. Before long, a light appeared ahead.
Mechamaru entered first. Chiyo Shin paused, then followed him inside.
"Sorry you have to see me in such a sorry state." Kokichi Muta was submerged in a tank of some unknown solution, with only his head exposed.
"It's this bad?" The sight of Kokichi Muta's body shocked Chiyo Shin.
Seeing his reaction, Kokichi Muta asked anxiously, "You can't heal me?"
Chiyo waved his hands hurriedly. "No, that's not it. I'm just shocked by how severe it is."
"Can you hold out your hand? I'll use Golden Repair to take a look first," Chiyo Shin said after a moment's thought.
"Sure." Kokichi Muta lifted his left hand out of the solution, and the lights around them instantly dimmed.
Chiyo Shin stepped forward, took Kokichi Muta's hand, and activated Golden Repair.
Something like an electric current coursed through Kokichi Muta's body.
Golden Repair could work.
Chiyo Shin felt relieved as well. Luckily, he had experienced the sensation of a soul before. Otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to heal Kokichi Muta's body today.
Heavenly restriction bound not only the body, but the soul as well.
New limbs and skin rapidly formed across Kokichi Muta's body.
"All done."
Only upon hearing Chiyo Shin's voice did Kokichi Muta, who had closed his eyes to savor the sensation, slowly open them.
He looked at his brand-new body and felt his restored sense of touch.
Kokichi Muta leaped out of the tank.
He wobbled a little upon landing, and Chiyo Shin steadied him.
Only then did Kokichi Muta gradually adjust to his new body.
After taking a couple of steps, Kokichi Muta turned back, tears streaming down his face. "Chiyo, thank you."
"Save the thanks for later. Put some clothes on first." Chiyo Shin pulled a set of clothes from somewhere nearby.
Before you continue