The Great Mr. Ijichi!

"So what exactly is going on?"

After closing the door, Junpei spoke urgently, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

His instincts told him Itadori wasn't the one trying to hurt them this time. Then... who was?

"Calm down, calm down. Your mom's safe now."

Itadori hurried to reassure him, taking out the finger to show him.

"Since you know about curses, I'll just tell you straight. This thing attracts curses. Suku... I suddenly sensed a curse appearing in your house, so I ran straight back. Luckily, I made it in time..."

He briefly explained what had happened, then asked another question.

"Are you sure you didn't see anything else at the movie theater? Like someone with stitches on his face-I sensed that he was the one who left this in your house..."

"That's impossible!"

Junpei cut Itadori off immediately, but his suddenly widened eyes and the fear in them betrayed him.

Why would Mr. Mahito do something like that? If he really wanted to hurt me, why would he teach me jujutsu?

He was my benefactor, my teacher, he-

An image suddenly flashed through his mind-

In that dark sewer, Mr. Mahito had transformed countless humans into grotesque shapes-

Since he wasn't the one being transformed, he hadn't cared at the time. His hatred of humanity had kept him from thinking anything of it.

But... what if those people had been me... or my mother?

Trembling, Junpei slowly crouched down, clutching his head in both hands as he let out a soundless growl.

Who besides Mr. Mahito could have done something like this? Used an object imbued with cursed energy to attract a curse and so easily destroy his home.

This was a curse's game, and he was its toy.

-Even now, he could clearly remember the undisguised disgust and mockery Mahito showed whenever he spoke of humans.

If he felt that way about humans, why wouldn't he feel that way about me...?

His breathing grew shaky as he desperately tried to cast that thought out of his mind.

...What if... what if...

...I'm just overthinking it?

There must be some other possibility...

...Could it have been someone else...?

Seeing Junpei's reaction, Sukuna could no longer sit still.

Clearly, something had happened!

[Holy shit, did this kid actually see that stitched-face guy? Was he really here to silence him?]

[If that's the case, shouldn't we notify Nanami and Ijichi? We need to protect an important witness, right?]

Itadori was also doing his best to comfort Junpei, a little worried that this might really be the case.

"Junpei, that stitched-face curse is really powerful. He's already killed several people... If you really saw him at the movie theater, could you tell me about it? I'm worried he'll keep coming after you and your mom. If we don't find him soon, everyone will be in danger."

Junpei's hands trembled.

...It wasn't Itadori.

Thanks to everything he had experienced over the years, he was extremely sensitive to people's emotions.

He could easily tell whether someone genuinely cared about him or maliciously wanted to hurt him.

Itadori genuinely cared about him, and he was genuinely worried about him and his mother.

Itadori wasn't the one trying to hurt him.

Then, of all the people he knew, the only one with any connection to curses was...

...Mr. Mahito...

He clenched his fingers so tightly that they turned pale.

The pupils in his wide eyes quivered slightly.

...And...

He suddenly remembered what Itadori had just said.

Only... "several people"?

There had already been... over a hundred, hadn't there...?

Junpei took deep breaths, struggling to calm himself, then slowly stood up.

His dark green eyes stared straight at Itadori.

"Are you sure? That the curse with stitches on his face was the one who put that thing in my house?"

Itadori looked slightly surprised, then immediately straightened up and answered solemnly.

"That's right. I'm one hundred percent sure!"

He trusted everything his Sukuna told him, one hundred percent.

Junpei's body trembled again, but his reaction wasn't as intense as before.

He lowered his head and fell silent for a moment.

Then he looked up and told Itadori.

"I... have seen him."

"But I want to go and make sure one last time."

"Could you... let me tell you after I get back?"

He still wanted to confirm it one last time. If things really were as Itadori said, then...

-All his dependence on and respect for Mr. Mahito would become meaningless in the face of a threat to his mother's life.

He would rather never have met Mahito, never have gained any power... than let his mother get hurt.

He didn't want her to suffer even the slightest harm.

Looking at the pain on Junpei's face, Itadori reached out and gripped both his shoulders tightly.

His light brown eyes held an earnestness that brooked no argument as he stared at Junpei.

"You absolutely cannot go alone! If it really wants to hurt you, what would Aunt Yoshino do?"

"Even if you do go, I'm going with you."

Junpei jolted.

Looking into Itadori's sincere eyes, he felt as though something had seared his heart. His olive-green eyes suddenly stung, and large tears spilled out.

It had been a very, very long time since anyone besides his mother had cared about him so unreservedly.

-That feeling made his heart swell until it almost hurt.

"Huh? Huh?!"

Seeing Junpei's tears flow without stopping, Itadori instantly panicked.

"No, um... Junpei... that's not what I meant."

Flustered, he hurried to soothe him.

"If you really want to go, then go. I'll just follow you in secret... I promise I won't do anything unless you're in danger, okay? Please don't cry..."

Looking thoroughly delighted by the chaos, Sukuna laughed loudly.

[Pfft, hahahaha! You made him cry—tsk, tsk, tsk. Let's see how you get out of this. Careful, Aunt Yoshino might see you bullying her son and throw you out~]

Listening to Sukuna's laughter in his head, Itadori felt utterly exhausted. Could someone please tell him which part of what he'd said had gone wrong? He didn't think he'd said anything strange.

Junpei quickly wiped away his tears and turned his gaze aside, a little embarrassed.

Then he gave a small nod.

Itadori immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He quickly added, "Then let's wait for my supervisor to get here in a little while. He'll arrange for someone to protect Aunt Yoshino, and then I'll go with you. Is that okay?"

Junpei hesitated, then slowly nodded.

Itadori's supervisor... probably wasn't a bad person, right...?

After all, Itadori had mentioned him a few times, and from his tone, he didn't seem like someone who was hard to get along with...

Before long, he met that much-talked-about supervisor-

...Forget being bad... Junpei had never met anyone so good-natured in his entire life-

-The great Mr. Ijichi!

He immediately felt at ease.

Just as I thought, a good person like Itadori was probably surrounded by good people... right!