He Could Still Salvage This!

And so, noon arrived.

Megumi Fushiguro lay slumped over the table, answering questions from the eager spectators for the umpteenth time.

"It wasn't me. It was the Divine Dogs..."

Starting a rumor took one mouth; clearing it up took endless legwork.

The uproar caused by that unfinished sentence finally began to die down, but only after Megumi Fushiguro had nearly collapsed.

If I'd known this would happen, I should've just let Itadori finish that sentence-!

He clutched his head in anguish, praying for the umpteenth time that he could turn back the clock.

He must have owed Itadori and Sukuna something in his previous life. That had to be why heaven had sent those two to torment him in this one.

"Um, Fushiguro... sorry about that..."

Itadori cautiously poked his head out from behind the wall.

He really hadn't expected one sentence that morning to have such terrifying consequences.

What had turned petting a dog into something so horrifying?

Oh, everyone's love of gossip, plus a slightly dirty-minded desire to watch the chaos unfold.

Yep. No saving that, then.

"...It's fine..."

Megumi Fushiguro stared blankly at the table.

"It was my fault."

It was my fault-

He shouldn't have covered Itadori's mouth at that particular moment.

And he definitely shouldn't have summoned the Divine Dogs for Sukuna to pet the night before...

He had gained a profound understanding of his mistake-

Treasure your intelligence. Stay away from idiots.

If he kept hanging around Itadori and Sukuna, sooner or later he would end up just like them.

Unfortunately...

He realized he couldn't seem to get away from those two.

As a sort of guardian and watchdog, he had to stay by their side at all times-

-and keep receiving their special brand of intellectual baptism.

Megumi Fushiguro began to despair over his future.

...Why was Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses from a thousand years ago, this kind of Sukuna?

Put him and Itadori together, and their combined negative impact was greater than the sum of its parts!

That evening, Sukuna, the King of Curses whom Megumi Fushiguro had been relentlessly complaining about, was greeted by a delighted Satoru Gojo.

"Yo! Long time no see~"

Freshly back from a business trip, Gojo greeted Sukuna after he took over.

"So? How did it feel to fight a special grade cursed spirit?"

"...You mean the one at the Juvenile Detention Center? Hah, do you even need to ask? Piece of cake."

Sukuna answered casually. He really hadn't found it difficult at all.

They were both special grade, yet the gap was staggering. He was a little puzzled by Jujutsu Society's grading system. Something like that already counted as special grade?

He had only consumed two fingers at the time, and fighting that special grade curse had already been effortless.

"So there really isn't any other designation above special grade? Something like 'super special grade'?"

Unconvinced, he pressed the question.

"Unfortunately, there really isn't~"

Gojo shrugged.

"Look, even I'm only special grade."

Oh. Fair enough.

Sukuna gave him a sympathetic look and instantly felt better.

Satoru Gojo, the strongest man standing before him, was actually in the same grade as the special grade cursed womb he had crushed last time. What a thought.

Meanwhile, Itadori, listening to their conversation from deep inside him, could only feel his teeth ache.

Could you two give everyone else a chance? There's someone here who's only Grade 2!

As though he had heard Yuji's plea, Gojo soon changed the subject.

"Fushiguro told me you've eaten your third finger, right? Can you expand your domain now?"

...Domain?

Sukuna paused.

Over the past few days, he had only paid attention to the innate domain within him. He had never considered whether he could already perform "Domain Expansion."

Maybe I really can expand my domain now?

"Then... should we find somewhere to try it?" Sukuna suggested uncertainly.

"OK." Gojo readily agreed.

Soon, the two arrived at an open stretch of grassland.

Hardly anyone was around, so testing a domain wouldn't hurt any innocent bystanders.

Gojo took two steps back and signaled for Sukuna to begin.

Sukuna nodded and drew a deep breath.

Domain Expansion, huh...

He closed his eyes, sinking his awareness into his body as the innate domain within him surfaced in his mind.

As though his body were responding, a piece of information flooded his brain along with a warm current of power.

He raised both hands naturally, interlacing his fingers into a perfect hand sign.

At the same instant, a line of text appeared in his mind-

[Domain Expansion-]

Looking at the words that appeared in his consciousness, he opened his mouth and read along in a low voice.

"Domain Expansion-"

The cursed energy inside him erupted like boiling water, rapidly gathering within his body as his mental power followed it outward, spreading in every direction like a boundless net.

More words appeared in his mind-

[Malevolent Shrine-]

Feeling the surging waves of cursed energy, he prepared to keep reciting the words in his mind. Then-he stalled.

"Malevolent Shri..."

Shri...

...What?

Shri-what...?

[Shrine-]

...You said what-??

-What kind of chef???

Sukuna's eyes widened, and his entire body froze in disbelief.

Malevolent Shrine...

A kitchen... a chef...

-A chef???

With his train of thought abruptly derailed, the cursed energy that had already spread outward and was about to form a domain suddenly dispersed. The incomplete domain collapsed with it.

But Sukuna had no attention to spare for that problem. His entire mind was focused on his domain's bizarre name.

...No, let me calm down for a second-

I'm the mighty King of Curses, the strongest from a thousand years ago-

-And I'm actually a freaking chef???

Sukuna was stunned.

He had joked about his cooking skills, but he really hadn't expected his domain to follow suit!

This seriously isn't a joke, is it?!

So-what were all those jujutsu sorcerers doing a thousand years ago? Why did they let a chef become the strongest?!

What kind of mortifying, socially fatal situation is this?!

...Did they ever consider how the chef himself-that's me!-would feel?

He imagined a fierce battle where everyone else unleashed awe-inspiring water, fire, wind, and lightning. Then he, the strongest, stepped forward-with a cleaver in his left hand and an iron wok in his right. What kind of bizarre scene was that?

Imagining it, Sukuna couldn't help mentally crashing.

Then, as though he had finally realized something-

No wonder...

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

No wonder the records only listed Dismantle as my cursed technique...

-That was definitely because the me from a thousand years ago was desperately trying to hide my cursed technique!!

With just Dismantle, I could still pass myself off as someone who used a sword or a blade.

But add fire to the mix, and with a blade in one hand and flames in the other, wouldn't anyone immediately recognize a cook?!

-I'm doomed! The secret my past self worked so hard to conceal for a thousand years is about to be exposed by my present self!

...No, I can still salvage this!!-

-I absolutely cannot let anyone know my domain's name!!

Three seconds after the domain collapsed.

Sukuna solemnly released his hand sign.

Under Satoru Gojo's bewildered gaze, he raised a hand and covered his eyes.

His tone was grave as he sighed in anguish.

"Ah..."

"Looks like I still can't expand it..."

"Domains... really are difficult..."

He really had it so hard, aaaaaah!!!-