Tokyo Jujutsu High, the Tombs of the Star Corridor.
Tengen sent out a shocking announcement, prompting all the leaders of Jujutsu Society to convene.
At Tokyo Jujutsu High, Masamichi Yaga also gathered everyone from the jujutsu schools, including some of the higher-ups from Kyoto Prefecture.
Their meeting concerned the announcement Tengen had just made.
"What is it? More cursed spirits?"
Seeing everyone remain silent, Satoru Gojo dropped his playful grin. His expression serious, he scanned the room before finally turning his gaze to his teacher.
"What exactly happened?"
Masamichi Yaga said gravely, "Just now, Master Tengen announced something important. Breaches have appeared everywhere in Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Only Honshu has been spared.
Master Tengen can now only reduce the coverage of the barrier to Honshu, to preserve Jujutsu Society's last safe haven."
"What do you need us to do?"
Satoru Gojo was confident in his strength. He did not mind spending some time eliminating those cursed spirits.
Masamichi Yaga pondered for a moment. "The people above want to observe the situation first. If the danger isn't too great, we'll gradually eliminate the cursed spirits and then repair the breaches."
Satoru Gojo was deeply dissatisfied with that. Without the barrier, cursed spirits would be nurtured and grow at a rapid pace.
The other three major islands would soon become hell on earth, a paradise for cursed spirits.
"This incident was strange and sudden. If you fall there and Honshu falls next, all of Japan will be completely overrun by cursed spirits."
At those words, Satoru Gojo calmed down. The rest was up to the higher-ups.
They would first send cannon fodder to gather intelligence, then dispatch jujutsu sorcerers to deal with the cursed spirits if everything checked out.
A park near the Itadori home in Sendai City.
Naomitsu and little Itadori each sat on one of the two swings.
Before leaving, Naomitsu had sought out little Itadori. After spending time with him on several occasions, he had found that Itadori, who was a year younger than him, was a goofy, simple-minded kid.
Today was their last meeting, but he unexpectedly ran into Itadori's mother.
"Itadori, head home first."
After watching Itadori leave, Naomitsu looked at the approaching Kenjaku, unsure why Kenjaku had come.
"Kenjaku, I'm leaving Sendai City. It might be a few years before we meet again."
Kenjaku quietly sat down on the swing Itadori had just vacated, wearing an expression of melancholy and nostalgia.
"From the first time I saw you, I knew something was wrong. Your soul was clearly mature, yet your body was that of a child.
At first, I thought you had a cursed technique like mine. I agreed to your request and investigated your background.
Naomitsu Zenin, do you know? You're a loophole in this world. Tokyo may have suppressed the information, but they couldn't hide it from me."
Kenjaku seemed to have encountered an unusual number of incidents that day. Suddenly feeling reflective, Kenjaku said many puzzling things to Naomitsu.
Naomitsu broke out in a cold sweat, too. Kenjaku had actually seen through his identity as a transmigrator.
However, Kenjaku had never encountered the concept of a transmigrator and assumed Naomitsu had a brain-swapping cursed technique similar to Kenjaku's own.
But... what did that last remark about a loophole mean?
"What exactly are you trying to say? I don't have time to play guessing games with you!" Naomitsu demanded.
Kenjaku rose from the swing and walked forward with both hands behind the back. Just as Naomitsu thought Kenjaku was leaving, Kenjaku suddenly turned around.
"Since you're an interesting fellow, I'll give you a warning. Yamata no Great Serpent has revived. Don't die."
Kenjaku left, but Naomitsu remained rooted to the spot.
Yamata no Great Serpent was a special grade cursed spirit born from the fear of floods during the Heian Period.
Kenjaku and Yamata no Great Serpent had lived in the same era, and Sukuna had eventually killed the serpent. If Yamata no Great Serpent really had revived, Sukuna should be the first one the serpent wanted dead.
"Forget it. It's got nothing to do with me. Even if I do run into the serpent, I might have enough cursed energy to tame Mahoraga by then."
Naomitsu took one last look at the Itadori home. Life might not be as easy for Itadori as it had been in the original story. As Sukuna's incarnated vessel, he certainly would not be spared by Yamata no Great Serpent.
"A loophole, huh... Don't tell me Yamata no Great Serpent revived because of me?"
On the way to the station, Naomitsu felt rather speechless. He was hardly some terrifying menace. Why would Yamata no Great Serpent revive because of him?
Once he boarded the Shinkansen, troubles came one after another.
First came a call from Kyoto Jujutsu High. Utahime Iori urged him to hurry back, completely ruining his plans for a restful vacation.
Next came a call from Aunt Bai Jie. She asked why he had left without saying anything to her and so on.
Naomitsu had barely finished giving her some vague answers when Teacher Nanami called.
His message was much the same as Utahime Iori's. It concerned Tengen's announcement, and he told Naomitsu to stay safe and stop wandering around.
As a future pillar of Jujutsu Society, Naomitsu was highly valued by both jujutsu schools. If Satoru Gojo died, the higher-ups would pressure Naomitsu into taking his place.
As far as the Jujutsu Higher-Ups were concerned, all that mattered was having someone they could use.
Naomitsu carried no luggage on the return trip. He had tossed his clothes into the Shadow Space.
After the five-hour journey, stepping off the train felt like emerging into another lifetime.
Kyoto Jujutsu High was as familiar as ever, yet the world had changed while he was away.
"Hopefully, I won't run into any surprises in Kyoto Prefecture!"
As the home base of the three great families, Kyoto Prefecture could actually put up a fight even if a special grade cursed spirit like Yamata no Great Serpent appeared.
Of course, that depended on holding the line with human lives until Satoru Gojo arrived to deal with it.
"If a monster like Yamata no Great Serpent really does appear, then, all things considered, Satoru Gojo is the only person in Jujutsu Society right now who can fight it.
If Sukuna revives too, Satoru Gojo won't be able to hold everything together alone. And if Satoru Gojo dies as well, Japan will basically be finished."
Lost in these reflections, Naomitsu returned to the Zenin Clan estate. Just before entering the main gate, he suddenly remembered something important.
"Oh no! I think I forgot something huge! Now that I'm back, aren't I going to get a serious scolding?"
Sure enough, once he entered, the sisters spotted him, and their gazes struck him like two laser beams.
"Oh my, if it isn't Nao-chan! So you do remember how to come home?"
"We heard you went traveling all by yourself? What a wonderful time you must have had! You enjoyed yourself, didn't you, Nao-chan?"
The sisters kept drawing closer, their voices dripping with sarcasm. Naomitsu was not afraid of Sukuna, but he had no way of dealing with these twins.
"Mai! Cut off his retreat! Don't let him get away!"
Maki flexed her fingers as though she were about to beat Naomitsu up. Meanwhile, Mai moved behind him and blocked the exit.
Fine. If I'm going to take a beating, so be it.
Maki was not yet the Heavenly Tyrant, so her punches probably would not hurt that much. With his current physique, he could easily withstand them even without coating his body in cursed energy.
Smack!
Maki flicked Naomitsu's forehead with her index finger, barely using any force. Her real intention had only been to give him a scare.
She could never bring herself to hit Naomitsu.
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