A conversation

"No! That shouldn't happen. The Binding Vow is already in place. Leaking this would do them no good!"

Kokichi Muta watched Ze Zenin on the screen, his feelings tangled.

Some time ago, two people had approached him, claiming they could heal his body...

But in return, he had to give them all the intelligence on Jujutsu High, along with the personnel deployment for the Goodwill Event three months from now.

After agonizing over it, he had agreed to their demands.

Born under the curse of a Heavenly Restriction, he had no right hand, no flesh below his knees, and no sensation below his waist.

In exchange, Kokichi Muta had a Cursed Technique with a range covering all of Japan, and cursed energy output far beyond that of an ordinary person.

But...

He desperately wanted a healthy, intact body, one that would let him live in the sunlight like a normal person, rather than having skin so fragile it could not even withstand moonlight.

The moment he agreed, Kokichi Muta entered a Binding Vow with those two people, and their deal began.

Most importantly... that girl really wanted to see him!

For all those reasons, once the Binding Vow was fulfilled, he would use the cursed energy he had stockpiled over the years to exorcise them both!

Meanwhile, Ze Zenin did not continue aloud. He merely leaned close to Mechamaru's metal head and whispered:

"I know there might be a Binding Vow preventing you from talking about this. If you don't want to die...

Just tell me where you're hiding."

So he really does know!

Kokichi Muta smiled bitterly. Had Advisor Zenin discovered his secret on their very first meeting?

How did he find out...?

Mechamaru likewise whispered into Ze Zenin's ear, keeping anyone nearby from hearing.

Ze Zenin narrowed his eyes, then turned and left.

A memory flashed through his mind. In the original story, Utahime had said that one of them was at principal level, while the other was Kokichi Muta...

Could it be Yoshinobu Gakuganji? Ze Zenin looked up at the little old man above him. His piercing stare made Gakuganji's expression darken.

Weren't young people these days a little too rude?

"No matter... as long as I'm here, those two won't be able to overturn Jujutsu Society."

"Come on, Kenjaku... I'll be waiting right at the first step of your plan!"

In a café in Tokyo.

"Jogo, don't get so worked up." Kenjaku looked calmly at Jogo. "It's this hot even with the air conditioning on. It's unsettling."

"Hmph..." Jogo narrowed his eyes at Kenjaku. "You're a curse user, and you're afraid of that? You're the one who called us all here!"

"That's why I was smart enough not to choose an expensive place." Kenjaku propped his chin on both hands. The body he was using was that of a completely ordinary man.

"Speaking of which, don't you get tired of switching bodies every few days?"

"It is tiring, but it's also a precaution. I can't let that cloned body be exposed so easily, after all."

Kenjaku smiled and held out a hand. "I did call you here today because I have something to discuss..."

"It's about the plan..."

At the mention of the plan, Jogo's eyes lit up as though he had spotted a priceless treasure. The temperature around them rose again. "After lying low for all these years, we can finally act?"

"Yes." Smiling, Kenjaku held up two fingers. "I already told your leader about this many years ago."

"If you cursed spirits want to attain equal standing with humans, you'll have to meet two conditions..."

"What conditions?"

It was not just Jogo. Hanami and Dagon, seated beside him, also felt their fighting spirit ignite and looked at Kenjaku curiously.

Ever since Ze Zenin had defeated them in mere tens of seconds ten years ago, Hanami and Jogo had developed a fear of Zenin. Neither had dared operate in Japan for seven or eight years, only returning to the country with their leader a year ago.

"First, you have to bring Sukuna, the King of Curses-in other words, Yuji Itadori-over to the cursed spirits' side."

"Back then, I ordered a cursed spirit to force-feed him a finger."

"Second, you need to keep the two strongest jujutsu sorcerers from taking part in the battle..."

"You mean..." Jogo's voice suddenly grew excited. "Keep Ze Zenin out of the coming war?"

"But can that really be done?" Jogo swallowed. "Can Ze Zenin really be held up so he can't join the fight?"

"Your leader can do it. Don't worry."

Kenjaku felt a little puzzled. What was wrong with these cursed spirits? Did they know less about their own leader than he did, despite his being human?

Whatever... they're only cursed spirits. Even with intelligence, they're still inferior creatures.

"Then who's the other one?!" Jogo asked excitedly, as though he could already see the first light of victory.

"Satoru Gojo of Tokyo Jujutsu High." Kenjaku smiled. "On the surface, he's slightly weaker than Ze Zenin, but he's still extremely troublesome. That's why I've decided to seal him with the Prison Realm I found a few years ago!"

"The Prison Realm?!" A distinctly human greed flashed across Jogo's face. He sneered. "Weaker than Ze Zenin? Then let me be honest. Of all the jujutsu sorcerers alive today... aside from that Zenin fellow, there isn't a single one I'm afraid of!"

"I'll kill Satoru Gojo!"

"In return, give me the Prison Realm. I want it for my collection!"

Kenjaku: "?"

Kenjaku was utterly stunned. What kind of delusional cursed spirit is this? Kill Satoru Gojo?

How is that any easier than killing Ze Zenin?

But seeing the cursed spirit's confidence, he did not stop him. Letting him test Satoru Gojo was not a bad idea, after all. It would teach him that there was always someone stronger out there.

"Sure, no problem." Kenjaku smiled at Jogo, then made sure to add, "Hanami, remember to go with Jogo when the time comes. Don't let him die at Satoru Gojo's hands."

"You bastard! Who do you think you're looking down on?" Jogo flew into a rage, glaring at Kenjaku.

Kenjaku did not get angry. He simply said calmly, "It's just a precaution..."

"Besides, Hanami... you don't want Jogo to lose his life over this either, do you?"

Hanami glanced at Jogo, then nodded. She was not as arrogant as Jogo; if anything, she was rather cautious.

"Why hasn't table five ordered anything yet?" a man with a thin mustache and a waiter's uniform complained from inside the café. "One person taking up such a big table."

Then he walked over to table five and smiled at the yawning Kenjaku:

"Hello, sir. Are you here al-"

Before he could finish, flames engulfed his entire body, burning him into a charred corpse.

Kenjaku stretched. "It took quite some effort to get Ze Zenin transferred out of Tokyo on legitimate grounds through the Higher-Ups' personnel arrangements. Enjoy yourselves in Tokyo for these next few months. After all..."

"It's not every day that Ze Zenin is away from Tokyo!"

Jogo and Hanami exchanged a glance and smiled at each other. Then flames engulfed every human in the café, turning it into a scene from hell in an instant.

On a raised platform outside the café stood an unremarkable-looking "human," his long black hair blowing in the wind.

He had heard every word of the conversation between Kenjaku and the cursed spirits. A cold smile curled his lips. "To devour all of this, I only need to kill you..."

"Ze Zenin!"