Gossip

"An old acquaintance?" Rika Orimoto looked at Yuta, worry creeping over her. "Don't tell me it's that unreliable Gojo-sensei..."

Seeing Rika Orimoto's worried expression, Yuta Okkotsu smiled and pinched her cheek. "He's still my teacher and a distant relative, Rika."

"Hmph!" Rika Orimoto turned her head away. "That guy's completely unreliable. He made you go on a mission alone on your very first day!"

"Well, he's a Special Grade Sorcerer, too. He probably doesn't have much time to teach us..." Yuta Okkotsu smiled wryly. Why did Rika never get along with Gojo-sensei?

"Let's stop talking about him..." Suddenly looking eager for gossip, Rika Orimoto asked Yuta Okkotsu, "Do you know about Zenin and Shoko-sensei?"

"Of course. I don't think that's a secret to anyone at Jujutsu High anymore."

"It's a shame, though. I wonder when Shoko-sensei and Zenin will finally get together." Rika Orimoto cupped Yuta Okkotsu's face in her hands. "Yuta, let's get married as soon as we're adults! Otherwise, I'm afraid we'll keep dragging things out like those two!"

"Silly." Yuta Okkotsu smiled. "We won't ever be apart. Never..."

Then his gaze turned cold. He looked past Rika Orimoto and said gravely, "Rika, get behind me. That cursed spirit is here!"

"Okay!"

Without another word, Rika stepped behind Yuta Okkotsu. Looking at the boy's back, she felt like the happiest person in the world.

Yuta Okkotsu drew the Samurai Sword at his waist, the weapon Satoru Gojo had chosen for him when he first joined Jujutsu High. Then he removed a ring from his finger-the token of love Rika had given him!

A towering shikigami appeared beside Yuta Okkotsu, staring coldly at the cursed spirit before them.

"Thank you, Zenin."

Looking at the towering shikigami beside him, Yuta Okkotsu felt warmth fill his heart. He had only met Zenin a handful of times, yet the older sorcerer had taught him how to externalize his copying cursed technique and create shikigami. Those were things even Gojo-sensei couldn't help him with...

Yuta Okkotsu gripped his sword with both hands, immense cursed energy coating the blade. "I really didn't expect you to show yourself willingly," he said coldly.

"Come on!"

After taking Shoko home, Ze Zenin looked out over Tokyo, where night had already fallen.

The tenderness he had shown while with Shoko vanished from his face. With a cold expression, he formed the hand sign for Nue, then sat on its mountainlike back and flew toward Kyoto.

At Jujutsu High.

Yuji Itadori was lying in bed, sleeping soundly.

But Sukuna, inside him, hadn't paused for even a moment, continually analyzing the battle from that day.

Seated on a throne atop a mound of piled bones, he stroked his chin and sneered.

"Ze Zenin, the Ten Shadows Technique... Does his total cursed energy even surpass mine?"

"That cursed technique must have emerged after my era, right? Still, those strange illusions and that position-swapping really are troublesome..."

Sukuna's eyes were icy. After falling victim to that illusion last time, he had spent an entire week asleep inside this brat.

Although he had suffered no physical blows, the mental pain still hadn't faded.

"The strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer of the modern age?"

Sukuna sneered. Then, sensing Ze Zenin's mountainlike cursed energy growing fainter and fainter, he broke into a cruel smile.

"I'll make you two brats experience the cruelest pain this world has to offer. Just you wait!"

The night passed.

Yuji Itadori climbed lazily out of bed, then promptly perked up. After washing up, he headed out of the dorm.

"Morning, Fushiguro!" Spotting Megumi Fushiguro training on the field, Yuji Itadori waved at him.

"So you finally woke up?" Megumi Fushiguro remarked flatly, his eyes dull. "I tried waking you three times this morning, but you never got up. You missed morning exercises."

"Huh?"

A little frightened, Yuji Itadori timidly asked Fushiguro, "Will there be some kind of punishment?"

"Of course there will!"

A short-haired girl suddenly appeared and grinned mischievously at Yuji Itadori. "You have to run fifty laps around the field!"

"Just fifty?" Yuji Itadori sounded incredulous, then smiled. "A measly fifty laps? Give me a minute!"

With that, Yuji Itadori immediately took off running.

"Oh, Yuji's looking pretty energetic!" Satoru Gojo appeared from who knew where. Watching Yuji Itadori run, he said in surprise, "He even has the energy to go running. Your teacher is so touched..."

"So, Megumi, Kugisaki, you two should go exercise with Yuji!"

Megumi Fushiguro: "?"

Seriously? First of all, we're not even supposed to be running. And second, why am I getting dragged into this?

"Huh?" Nobara Kugisaki froze, then pointed at herself. "You mean me?"

"Yep, yep." Satoru Gojo failed to notice either of their reactions. "I'm no monster, after all. You two can just run fifty laps with him!"

Megumi Fushiguro: "..."

Nobara Kugisaki: "..."

Under Satoru Gojo's tyrannical rule, Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki had no choice but to head onto the field and join Yuji Itadori, making a running trio.

"Is this really a good idea first thing in the morning?" Suguru Geto walked up beside Satoru Gojo, his mouth twitching as he watched the three running around the field.

"It's fine, it's fine..." Satoru Gojo said casually. "They're Jujutsu Sorcerers. How could something this minor hurt them?"

"But anyway, do you think those two confessed yesterday?" Satoru Gojo suddenly turned to Suguru Geto, a teasing grin on his face.

"Well, I don't think so." Suguru Geto shook his head with a wry smile. "It was already pretty rude of us to watch them in secret..."

"What's wrong with that?" Satoru Gojo wore the same grin. "Your cursed spirit and my Blue both happen to let us hover in the air. Not using them would be such a waste."

"Besides, I'm genuinely curious about how Ze is going to tell Shoko..."

By then, Itadori and the other two had gathered behind Satoru Gojo, lightly sweating as they quietly listened for the gossip their teacher was about to share.

"Hmm?" Satoru Gojo suddenly noticed them and gave the three a mischievous look. "You three finished that fast?"

"Are fifty laps supposed to be hard, sensei?" Yuji Itadori raised his hand and asked in confusion.

Beside him, Megumi Fushiguro's mouth twitched. He recalled Itadori's astonishing running speed when they first met. Even a world champion probably couldn't do any better.

"Well, I'd probably be about the same," Satoru Gojo said with a smile.

"Sensei, can you keep telling us what you were talking about?" Nobara Kugisaki looked at Satoru Gojo, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

Seeing his student's eager gaze, Satoru Gojo decided not to hold back anymore. With a sly grin, he began, "So, last night..."

"Oh, I see, I see. Who would've thought those two..."

Elsewhere, Ze Zenin suddenly yawned. "Don't tell me that brat's gossiping about me again?"

Satoru Gojo's unreliable face flashed through his mind, and his expression darkened.

Then Ze Zenin rubbed his nose and looked down at the city below. It was none other than-

Kyoto!