My best friend

On the other side of the forest.

Bam!

Todo's fist slammed into Itadori's face, sending him tumbling into a pile of dead leaves like a sandbag flung aside.

Before he could get up, a kick struck his abdomen. He flew sideways along the ground, his back crashing hard into a tree trunk.

Shredded leaves and dust drifted down.

His head slumped to one side, and he went still.

"That's it?" Todo looked at the seemingly unconscious Itadori, immediately losing interest.

"Whatever. Which way should I go first?"

Just then, Itadori's fingers moved.

Noticing the movement, Todo smiled again.

"Seriously? You're actually getting back up?"

Blood smeared across his face, Itadori struggled to rise from the ground, inch by inch, with his back against the tree trunk.

"You bastard... punching and kicking someone in the head like that! What if you make me stupid?!"

He looked up at Todo, his teeth clenched.

"Don't worry." Todo smiled faintly. "Takada Girl said men ought to be a little stupid."

"Takada Girl?" Itadori paused.

He raised a hand to scratch his head. "I'm not really interested in idols."

"Then how do you know she's an idol? You obviously know her!" Todo smiled, his tone utterly certain.

Then he paused, his tone turning formal. "First-year, what's your name?"

"Yuji Itadori!" Itadori answered.

"Is that so? Yuji Itadori." Todo stepped back, suddenly growing serious.

"Itadori, let me ask you something."

Itadori said nothing, merely looking at Todo in confusion.

"What kind of woman is your type?"

"Huh?" Itadori looked bewildered. "What kind of woman is my type? Why would you ask that at a time like this?"

Todo stared at Itadori, more serious than ever. "Don't worry about it. I just want to see what kind of person you are."

"What's that got to do with it?" Itadori muttered, then lowered his head in thought.

"I'm not really sure myself. If I had to say..."

Todo narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Itadori as he awaited his answer.

"If I had to say... a tall girl with a big butt... I guess? Like Jennifer Lawrence..."

Todo didn't answer.

One second.

Two seconds.

The wind lifted the lock of hair over his forehead, then let it fall again. At some point, his fists had unclenched.

Itadori blinked, then waved a hand in front of his face. "Um... are you okay?"

In an instant, Todo's expression changed.

His eyes widened, his pupils trembling slightly. His killing intent vanished as if swept away by a gust of wind, leaving not even a trace.

"Itadori..."

Todo looked up at the sky, tears rolling from the corners of his eyes. He seemed to hear something inside his chest being knocked open.

"So the two of us... are best friends!"

Beside him, Itadori stared, dumbfounded.

Best friends?

With me?

Didn't you only just learn my name?

Itadori opened his mouth. A hundred retorts crowded his throat, but as he looked at the burly man weeping before him, he couldn't get a single one out.

He scratched the back of his head hard and stood up.

Just then, an almost inaudible sound of air being sliced came from above the canopy.

A blade of wind descended from the sky, grazing Itadori's ear before cutting into the earth beside his feet. The dead leaves were sliced neatly in half.

Itadori snapped his head up.

Nishimiya hovered in the shadows beneath the canopy, the tip of her broom lowered. A second wind blade was already forming.

At the same time, Kamo stepped out from behind a tree trunk opposite him.

As he walked, he raised his right hand. Drops of blood at his fingertips gleamed dark red in the dappled sunlight.

His movements were unhurried, but his gaze stayed locked on Itadori.

Itadori glanced from side to side.

Nishimiya was above him, Kamo in front.

Neither rushed to attack. Instead, they slowly closed off his escape routes.

"Hey, hey, seriously? Did you follow the noise here?"

Itadori took half a step back, his back nearly touching the tree trunk.

Kamo didn't answer. The drop of blood at his fingertips had already split into seven or eight marble-sized spheres, trembling faintly in the air.

"Sukuna's vessel. You're not getting away this time," Kamo said.

Itadori glanced from side to side.

Nishimiya was above him, Kamo in front. Together, they had already boxed him into a corner.

Clap!

Suddenly, a sharp sound rang out.

Itadori's vision blurred. When he could see clearly again, he was somewhere else.

Todo stood where Itadori had been, arms crossed, looking down at Kamo.

"Hey." Todo's voice dropped. His eyes narrowed, and a powerful killing intent spread from him.

"I told you, didn't I? Get in my way, and I'll kill you."

Kamo took a step back, but his expression remained fairly composed.

"That's not right. You said, 'Try ordering me around, and I'll kill you.'"

Todo fell silent for a beat.

Then his mouth spread into a grin, and his voice suddenly rose.

"Same difference! Get lost!"

Kamo didn't move.

Nishimiya hovered in midair, the tip of her broom still pointing toward Itadori.

She hadn't changed position or eased the wind pressure, but she stopped sending wind blades down.

Kamo glanced at her, then at Todo. He still hadn't withdrawn the blood droplets at his fingertips.

Despite being on the same side, they had now ended up in a bizarre four-way standoff.

What a pain! Kamo thought.

Todo was now standing in front of Itadori. Kamo knew better than anyone what forcing his way through would cost.

But Itadori was right there. If he missed this chance, another wouldn't be easy to find.

Rumble!

Just then, a deep rumble came from the depths of the forest, like a mass of metal crashing into the ground all at once.

A rapid series of collisions followed, so fast they almost blended into a single continuous sound.

Several dim flashes of light flickered above the distant canopy.

At the sound, Itadori abruptly

turned to look in that direction.

Those Cursed Energy fluctuations...

"It's Rihito!"

He turned toward Todo, anxiety showing on his face.

"My friend's in danger. I have to go over there."

Todo looked at him and blinked.

"My best friend's best friend..." He tilted his head back and pondered for a moment, then nodded firmly, his expression becoming utterly serious.

"That definitely deserves my attention!"

With that, he strode toward the source of the sound.

Seeing this, Itadori ran over and kept pace beside him.

Kamo stood silently where he was, watching their retreating backs.

Nishimiya's broom descended soundlessly from midair, coming to a stop beside Kamo.

"Do we follow?" Nishimiya asked.

Kamo withdrew the blood droplets at his fingertips and fell silent for a second.

"Itadori himself is still inside the event grounds. The mission hasn't been canceled."

"Keep your distance and follow!"

Nishimiya said nothing more. Her broom rose slightly, then glided back into the shadows of the canopy.

His gaze fixed ahead, Kamo hurried after the two of them.