The returning trio

"Let's see how that cursed technique of yours stands up to this attack!"

With that, Sukuna swiftly formed hand signs and declared arrogantly, "Malevolent Shrine..."

Yuanfang watched gravely from a distance, but inwardly, he was ecstatic.

However, Sukuna's voice abruptly cut off. The strange markings on his body vanished in an instant, and Itadori regained control.

"What a shame. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Megumi, Kugisaki, or Teacher Gojo!"

After speaking those reluctant words, Itadori suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed.

"Oh, come on! What's the rush?"

Yuanfang felt no sorrow at Itadori's collapse. Instead, he was annoyed with him. Why couldn't he have let Sukuna unleash his domain?

Once the domain was out, he would have been able to absorb his fill of cursed energy. What a waste.

"I wonder if he'll still survive!"

Sukuna hadn't fought that final battle with Megumi Fushiguro or seen his trump card, so there was no telling whether he would still let Itadori live.

Of course, if Itadori died, it would only mean the plot had taken a slightly different turn. Otherwise, it made little difference to Yuanfang.

Putting those thoughts aside, Yuanfang hoisted Itadori onto his back and headed outside, his expression turning utterly grief-stricken and remorseful.

"Thank goodness you're all right!"

Kugisaki, who had been waiting outside, immediately threw her arms around Yuanfang in delight, failing to notice his expression or Itadori on his back.

Megumi Fushiguro, however, keenly noticed everything. His voice trembled slightly as he asked:

"Itadori... is he...?"

Hearing his voice, Kugisaki also realized something was wrong. Her gaze involuntarily shifted to Itadori on Yuanfang's back!

"I'm sorry. I couldn't save him!"

Yuanfang spoke with deep remorse.

"What?!"

"..."

Neither could quite believe it, and tears welled in their eyes.

They had never imagined they would lose a companion so soon.

"Sorry I'm late!"

After receiving a call from Megumi Fushiguro and the others, Satoru Gojo rushed over at breakneck speed and saw their expressions!

Then he saw Itadori, whom Yuanfang had already laid on the ground, with a gaping hole in his chest.

His expression was terrifyingly cold, like the stillness before a volcanic eruption.

He truly hadn't expected those old bastards to dare do this. Weren't they afraid he would slaughter them all?

With grief weighing on them, they brought Itadori's body back to the school!

Early morning.

At an intersection, Kenjaku, inhabiting Suguru Geto's body with stitches across his forehead, waited at the traffic lights with three cursed spirits behind him.

One was a short, blue-skinned figure wearing a yellow robe, with a strange volcano-like object atop his head. Magma could faintly be seen flowing inside the opening at its center.

This was Jogo, whose enormous red eye occupied his entire face.

To his right stood a two-meter-tall figure with pale gray skin covered in crisscrossing black markings resembling tree trunks. Where a right arm should have been, there was instead a covering of white cloth.

Protruding branches replaced the eyes. With that muscular body, Hanami looked utterly terrifying.

On the left was Dagon, with red skin and an octopus-like head, a large bulk of a body wrapped in white cloth.

"Hey, what was that all about? Did we really need to use up two precious Fingers just to confirm Sukuna's strength?"

Leaning on his cane, Jogo asked irritably.

"Guessing without fully confirming it is meaningless. Still, we did gain something!"

Kenjaku turned his head in Suguru Geto's body and explained gently, recalling what had actually happened the previous night.

That brat from Suguru Geto's memories had an unusual ability and had grown much stronger, but he wouldn't affect Kenjaku's plans.

"You'd better not be making excuses!"

Jogo was annoyed. Those Fingers really were precious, after all.

Hanami and Dagon beside him voiced their agreement.

As they walked, they reached a restaurant and began discussing their major plans.

Jujutsu High.

Megumi Fushiguro and Kugisaki sat dejectedly in the corridor as though their souls had been drained away, their emotions painfully tangled.

Yuanfang stood beside them without saying anything!

"Why are you so down today? And what's wrong with you two?"

Just then, Maki walked over with her long sword on her back and asked irritably.

She hated seeing people wear expressions like that.

"Maki, Maki..."

At that moment, Panda and Toge Inumaki called quietly from behind a stone statue.

They immediately explained the situation to Maki, leaving her thoroughly dismayed once she understood what had happened.

She promptly began scolding the two of them.

Seeing Maki's rather goofy behavior, Megumi Fushiguro and Kugisaki felt a little better.

"Who are those people?"

"They're our second-year upperclassmen..."

Megumi Fushiguro immediately introduced them to Kugisaki.

"Yuanfang, we heard what happened. Those were two special grade cursed spirits. You can't blame yourself!"

By then, the three had more or less finished their discussion. Panda patted Yuanfang's shoulder reassuringly.

"It's all Teacher Gojo's fault, making you do his job!"

Maki spoke up indignantly on Yuanfang's behalf. He was a student, after all. He shouldn't have been sent to handle something like this.

"Salmon!"

Toge Inumaki nodded beside her, affirming what Maki had said.

"Don't worry. I'm fine!"

At their comforting words, the corners of Yuanfang's mouth lifted into a practiced smile as warm as sunlight, as though telling them there was no need to worry about him.

"Good, as long as you're all right. Sorry about earlier!"

Seeing that Yuanfang was all right, the three breathed a sigh of relief. Then Maki turned to Megumi Fushiguro and Kugisaki and sincerely apologized.

"It's fine!"

"Did you come here for something?"

Megumi Fushiguro knew they were usually out on missions and rarely returned.

Since they had come back and sought them out, they must have had something important to discuss.

"We want you to take part in the Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event."

"The Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event? What's that?"

Hearing the unfamiliar name, Kugisaki looked completely bewildered. What exactly was this event for?

With curiosity written all over her face, she turned to Yuanfang beside her and asked.

"It's a goodwill event with the other Jujutsu High in Kyoto."

Even after Yuanfang's explanation, Kugisaki was still puzzled and pressed further:

"Then isn't it supposed to be mainly for second- and third-years?"

"That useless third-year got suspended, so you're taking part!"

Maki explained the reason succinctly, while Panda gave Kugisaki, who still only half understood, a brief rundown of the rules.

"Are you in?"

Maki asked them again.

"We're in. I want to get stronger, whatever it takes!"

Megumi Fushiguro and Kugisaki answered in unison, their gazes resolute. They wanted to grow stronger and never again see a companion fall before their eyes.

"But I want Yuanfang to train me. Otherwise, I'm not interested!"

Suddenly, Kugisaki changed tack and put forward her own condition.