Inside the black sedan.
Ijichi answered the phone. "What? Itadori, you're going to Junpei Yoshino's house to watch movies?"
"No, that won't do. I'll head over right away. Call me immediately if anything seems wrong."
Setting down the Fly Head he had just captured, Ijichi drove off.
Even if Junpei Yoshino is the culprit, Yuji Itadori won't be in immediate danger, but haven't I been far too negligent as his supervisor?
The laid-back Mr. Satoru Gojo might let it slide, but the rigid Mr. Nanami will probably chew me out, won't he?
Ijichi stepped on the gas and sped away.
"Hurry, hurry! I'm too old to be crying in front of everyone!"
But just then.
His phone rang. It was Kento Nanami.
Ijichi inwardly panicked. Please, it's not even the agreed time yet!
"Ijichi, I've sent you the address. Sorry for the trouble, but please come pick us up."
Elsewhere.
Having finished the call, Kento Nanami stood beside Araki Itsuki, pondering what Mahito had said. His expression was grave.
"That cursed spirit, the one you called Mahito, is still a child.
"It probably hasn't been long since he was born. He's greedily reveling in his own growth.
"The Special Grade Cursed Spirit that fought Mr. Gojo before, the one with the volcano head, has already learned Domain Expansion.
"It probably won't take that one long to reach the point where he learns Domain Expansion, either.
"Given his malice, the number of victims is likely far beyond our estimates."
At this, Kento Nanami gave Araki Itsuki a grave look. "If we don't exorcise him as soon as possible, even one second's delay could make the situation irreparable."
"So."
"I hope that feline will finish toying with its poor prey soon."
Araki Itsuki gave a lazy smile. "Relax, relax."
Watching Araki Itsuki treat life like a game, Kento Nanami lifted his gaze, once again certain of his assessment.
Whether it was Satoru Gojo, Mahito, or Araki Itsuki, they all had the flippancy of an anime protagonist, yet beneath it lay an utterly dark power.
"Thank you for your help this time."
Elsewhere.
At Junpei Yoshino's dinner table.
Nagi Yoshino and Yuji Itadori hit it off wonderfully, both laughing without a shred of decorum.
"And then? What happened next?!"
"Takeshi declared confidently, 'It's the larva of an invasive species!' But when he picked it up and looked..."
Yuji Itadori pulled a hilariously funny face. "It was konjac noodles from the school lunch!"
"Hahahaha!"
Nagi Yoshino clutched her stomach, roaring with laughter. "Konjac noodles! It was actually konjac noodles!!"
Junpei Yoshino said helplessly, "You've had too much to drink."
Nagi Yoshino ignored him. Seeing that her son had finally made a friend filled her with joy, which was why she had drunk so much.
"Come on, Yuji! Do something funny with a prop!"
Yuji Itadori immediately took the empty plate Nagi Yoshino handed him and crouched on the floor, acting as frantic as someone trying to save a dying patient.
"Wilson!!! Wilson!!!"
"That's Cast Away, isn't it!"
"I don't get it at all!"
The room was full of merriment.
Before long, however, the alcohol got the better of Nagi Yoshino, and she fell asleep slumped over the table.
"Your mom's really nice."
Junpei Yoshino thought for a moment. "She really is. When she heard her child didn't want to go to school, even though she didn't know he was being bullied, she still chose to trust him."
Junpei Yoshino imitated Nagi Yoshino's words.
"People your age make everything far too complicated."
"School is just one little fish tank. There's a whole ocean out there, and other fish tanks, too. Just choose whichever one you like."
Yuji Itadori froze at that. "Junpei, you were being bullied at school?"
He rose to his feet in fury. "Damn those scumbags! I'll go with you next time!"
"No need. Those scumbags will be punished."
At this, Junpei Yoshino looked Yuji Itadori straight in the eye.
"Yuji, if you encountered evil jujutsu sorcerers and had no choice but to kill them, what would you do?"
Yuji Itadori thought it over. "Even then, I wouldn't want to kill anyone. How do I put it? Once I kill someone, killing becomes an option in my life."
"The value of a life would become unclear, and even the value of the people important to me would get blurred. I'm afraid of becoming like that."
The moment Yuji Itadori finished speaking, his phone rang.
"Nanamin? Okay, okay."
Putting down his phone, he smiled at Junpei Yoshino. "I'll get going. Let's watch another movie together when we have time."
Junpei Yoshino smiled gently. "See you next time."
Yet the instant Yuji Itadori shut the front door, the smile vanished from Junpei Yoshino's face, replaced by an indifference as still as a dead pool.
It was as though Yuji Itadori, whom he had warmly said goodbye to just a second earlier, was now a complete stranger.
He slowly walked over to the sleeping Nagi Yoshino. A mass of purplish-black Death Omen Star energy rose in his hand, enveloping her as she lay over the table.
Under the glow of the purplish-black energy, Nagi Yoshino's body gradually faded until she vanished completely.
Then Junpei Yoshino raised both hands above his head and swayed like a clown who had lost his balance.
With a pop.
Two identical Junpei Yoshinos appeared in the room!
The second Junpei Yoshino walked expressionlessly toward the spot where Nagi Yoshino had been sleeping over the table.
As he walked, his body grew taller and straighter, while the length and thickness of his hair also changed.
Junpei Yoshino's gentle, delicate face became Araki Itsuki's roguishly handsome one.
Then Araki Itsuki's wickedly handsome face transformed into Nagi Yoshino's delicate, sultry features.
Finally, a creature identical to Nagi Yoshino reached the table and, without any expression, slumped over it to sleep.
Once everything was done, the original Junpei Yoshino returned to his room and waited quietly.
An unknown amount of time passed.
Nagi Yoshino's soft, sleepy voice suddenly came from the living room, sounding as though she had just woken up. "Mmm... Has Yuji gone home already?"
Then her tone turned puzzled. "Hmm, what's this?"
"A finger?"
Crash!
The sound of a porcelain bowl falling and shattering on the floor came from the living room, along with Nagi Yoshino's terrified cries and panicked movements.
Before long, everything went quiet, leaving only the sounds of flesh being torn and devoured, and the crunch of bones being chewed to pieces.
Lying on his side in bed, Junpei Yoshino listened expressionlessly to the sounds from the living room, his eyes wide and utterly untroubled.
At last.
A faint sound came from the tightly shut bedroom door.
The indifference in Junpei Yoshino's eyes instantly vanished, replaced by fear and terror.
His expressionless, corpse-like face immediately came alive as well. His lips twitched, his eyes widened, and tears threatened to spill.
Wearing a black mesh shirt, Mahito pushed open the door and entered, an ugly severed finger still in his hand.
With a gentle smile, Mahito stepped forward, intending to draw Junpei Yoshino into his arms and comfort him.
Instead, he saw Junpei shake his head in panic and fear, trembling as he huddled in a corner against the wall.
He's this frightened?
He displayed one of Ryomen Sukuna's fingers in his hand. "This is a cursed object that attracts curses."
Junpei Yoshino widened his eyes and looked at Mahito in helpless terror, his voice like that of an injured little rabbit. "Why would something like that be in my house?!"
A smile lingered at the corners of Mahito's mouth as he coaxed him. "Many curse users make money by cursing other people. This was probably their doing."
"For money or some advantage in their relationships, they'll readily curse people and hurt them."
"Do you have any leads? Someone who hates you or your mother, or some scheming person with money and power?"
Mahito saw a flash of hatred in Junpei Yoshino's eyes as Junpei pleaded with him. "Mr. Mahito, please help me!"
"Of course!"
A faint smile curled Mahito's lips. Everything was going according to his plan.
Before you continue