Sukuna emerges

It was 2013, and half a year had passed since the attack on the Zenin Clan.

The Zenin Clan had been all but wiped out in that battle. They later learned that only a few ordinary clan members who had hidden away had survived.

In the end, the enemy had escaped the encirclement.

According to Utahime Iori, the attacker had a cursed technique that could convert cursed energy into explosions.

The area around the Zenin Clan estate had been almost completely leveled.

After that incident, the entire Jujutsu Society had changed completely. Countless cursed techniques appeared, their users hailing from various eras.

Some were even powerful jujutsu sorcerers from eras far older than the Heian Period.

Naomitsu, at least, had met jujutsu sorcerers from the Kofun Period and the Asuka Period. He had heard that Satoru Gojo had also encountered sorcerers from the Asuka Period and more recent times.

Analysis revealed that the attacker who had struck the Zenin Clan that day was a modern-era jujutsu sorcerer, which explained his explosion-based cursed technique.

That discovery had thrown Japan's entire Jujutsu Society into chaos.

Satoru Gojo was so busy that he had been forced to temporarily set aside even the matter of Suguru Geto. Every day, he was either dealing with cursed spirits or on his way to deal with curse users.

Fortunately, Naomitsu had left the clan ahead of time. Otherwise, not only would he have had to face that jujutsu sorcerer that day, but the higher-ups would also have ordered him around, sending him to exorcise cursed spirits.

All the students from Kyoto Jujutsu High and Tokyo Jujutsu High had now joined this large force.

The force was divided into two branches.

One was the Exorcism Squad, which specialized in exorcising cursed spirits and was led by Satoru Gojo. The other specialized in dealing with the curse users who kept appearing and was called the Investigation Bureau.

Satoru Gojo led that team as well. Its primary task, however, was to gather information and relay people's locations to him.

In the end, Satoru Gojo was still the one who dealt with them.

Through his own strength, Satoru Gojo had proven the saying that greater power came with greater responsibility.

Naomitsu did not understand it, but he was happy to have some peace and quiet around him. So he had not objected when all thirteen students from Kyoto Jujutsu High joined.

When Maki and the others chose their assignments, however, Naomitsu had them pick the relatively safer Investigation Bureau so they could avoid facing danger directly.

"Maki, where has Mr. Gojo been lately? I haven't seen him come to Kyoto Prefecture in ages."

Beside him, Maki and Mai were making hand-pounded beef meatballs. Naomitsu had taught them the method so they could have them ready for hot pot.

"I think he went to Sendai City?" Maki answered casually.

Naomitsu froze when he heard that. Don't tell me everything is returning to the original plot?

Knock, knock, knock!

A knock sounded downstairs in the villa. With a look that said, "Surely it couldn't be that much of a coincidence," Naomitsu slowly went downstairs and opened the front door.

"Hey! Naomitsu!"

He looked up, and sure enough, the visitor was Satoru Gojo. Not only that, but a kid picking his nose was standing behind him.

The kid was only a year older than Naomitsu. He was Yuji Itadori, whom Naomitsu had previously met in Sendai City.

"Come in!"

Having already guessed what was going on, Naomitsu resignedly stepped aside and let them in.

"Sorry for the intrusion!"

Ten-year-old Itadori was quite polite. After greeting him, he followed Satoru Gojo inside.

"Hey, brat! Your cursed energy smells delicious!"

A little mouth suddenly appeared on Itadori's face and spoke greedily to Naomitsu a short distance away.

"Shut up, you!"

Itadori covered his cheek, only for the mouth to emerge on the other side.

"Absolutely delicious!"

Itadori covered his other cheek, but after that remark, Sukuna said nothing more.

Satoru Gojo then explained how he had met Itadori and the origins of Sukuna himself.

"Mr. Gojo! Don't tell me you want this guy to live here!"

Satoru Gojo nodded and patted Naomitsu on the shoulder.

"I don't have a choice. I'm too busy, and I really don't have the energy to look after him. I've already taken care of the higher-ups, so all you need to do is look after him for now.

"Once I've dealt with all the trouble in the Jujutsu Society, I'll come pick him up. Call me if anything happens."

Satoru Gojo fled the villa as though making his escape, leaving Naomitsu and Itadori staring at each other.

"Hey, buddy! What's your name?"

Itadori scratched his head, feeling a little awkward being left here alone.

"Naoya Zenin. From now on, you'll stay in the room to the left of the stairs on the second floor. Megumi Fushiguro, show our new friend around."

Megumi Fushiguro poked his head out upstairs. He beckoned to Itadori and led him up to his room on the second floor.

While they were talking, Maki and the others had finished preparing the meal: a large pot of beef meatballs, instant noodles, and all kinds of vegetables and meat.

It was a lavish spread, and Itadori's eyes lit up at the sight.

"Megumi Fushiguro, take Itadori to wash the dishes. Nobody gets to laze around here. There's work to do every day." Once they had finished eating, Naomitsu beckoned to Megumi Fushiguro.

Itadori settled in quickly. After he had finished washing the dishes, mopping the floor, and doing the other chores, Naomitsu began discussing serious matters with him.

"Starting today, you'll be joining the Investigation Bureau. While you're investigating cursed spirits and jujutsu sorcerers, I'll arrange for Kyoto Jujutsu High's first-, second-, and third-year students to take turns giving you special training.

"Megumi Fushiguro, come down here too. You'll train alongside Itadori. You're not that young anymore. It's almost time for you to start getting ready to attend Kyoto Jujutsu High."

The homebody Megumi Fushiguro came downstairs. Since moving into the villa, he had spent most of his time enjoying everyday life with his sister, Tsumiki Fushiguro.

He rarely even performed the Shikigami Taming Ritual anymore. As far as Naomitsu knew, Megumi Fushiguro had only tamed two or three shikigami, and they were all among the weakest.

He was so weak that if Sukuna used him as a vessel for incarnation in the future, he probably would not even be able to resist.

"Got it, Naomitsu."

Itadori now had someone standing beside him. The two listened to Naomitsu and waited for their assignments.

"Starting tomorrow, the first-year students will be in charge of teaching you for the first month. Let's start with Kasumi Miwa as your first teacher."

Kasumi Miwa was not particularly strong and usually handled Investigation Bureau assignments, but she was very familiar with cursed spirits. She was more than capable of teaching them basic theory.

Naomitsu made a phone call and agreed on a meeting place with Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro.

"Too bad Mr. Nanami doesn't have much time. He'd be a more reliable teacher."

Shaking his head, Naomitsu turned to look at Itadori again. This time, however, he saw not Itadori but Sukuna, resting his chin on his hand atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

"Brat, we meet again."

Without the slightest panic, Naomitsu asked in return, "Sukuna! How many fingers did Kenjaku feed you?"

Slightly surprised, Sukuna scrutinized Naomitsu. He had not expected him to bring up that name from a thousand years ago.

"Your strength should be close to that guy's by now. But your cursed energy is far more delicious than that small fry's."

The man Sukuna referred to was naturally Satoru Gojo. Back in Sendai, Sukuna had briefly fought him.

In his eyes, Gojo was nothing more than a small fry.