Enchain

November 16, noon.

Tengen had already been captured by Kenjaku.

After learning of the situation from Choso, Maki Zenin came to Tokyo No. 1 Colony, met up with Itadori, Fushiguro and the others, and exchanged information with them.

Afterward, Megumi Fushiguro added the rule: [A player may leave the Culling Game by spending 100 points and finding a non-player outside the colony to take their place.]

November 16, 3:00 p.m.

Maki Zenin brought Tsumiki Fushiguro to Tokyo No. 1 Colony, accompanied by Kiyotaka Ijichi.

Ever since the Curse User Haruta Shigemo had ambushed and severely injured him during the Shibuya Incident, Ijichi had been receiving treatment and recuperating under Shoko Ieiri's care.

Now, he would take Tsumiki's place in the Culling Game.

At least, that was how the plan was supposed to go...

The moment Tsumiki entered the colony, she was lucky enough to be teleported right in front of Fushiguro, Itadori, and the others.

"Megumi, it's been a while."

A radiant smile filled Tsumiki's face as she waved to Megumi Fushiguro.

Then she turned toward Yuji Itadori and bowed. "It's nice to meet you. Thank you for taking care of Megumi all this time!"

"Huh?" Itadori paused, then hurriedly replied, "Oh, no, not at all. He's the one who's been taking care of me!"

Just then, another woman's voice came from overhead.

"Looks like there's no need for me to step in. How lucky." Hana Kurusu slowly descended from the sky.

"Ah!" Itadori immediately introduced her to Tsumiki. "This is Kurusu. She's been keeping watch up there in case you fell from the sky, Tsumiki."

Megumi Fushiguro waved a hand, his expression cold. "Let's get this over with. Kogane, transfer 100 points to Tsumiki Fushiguro."

Seeing him like that, Itadori and Kurusu huddled together, teasing smiles appearing on their faces.

Itadori: "Huh, he's even colder in front of his family~"

Kurusu: "It's like he's going through a rebellious phase~"

Finally, the two said in unison, "How cute!"

Watching them tease him like a comedy duo, Megumi Fushiguro's face filled with irritation.

Ignoring Itadori and Kurusu, he turned back to Tsumiki:

"You can use the 100 points I just transferred to you to leave the Culling Game. Maki should've already told you about the 'replacement,' right?"

"Yeah..." Tsumiki glanced at Megumi Fushiguro, an eerie curve forming at the corner of her mouth.

"Kogane, add a rule..."

"Let players freely enter and exit the different colonies."

"Huh?" Everyone present froze.

"Rule addition approved!" Kogane announced. "Rule 12: [Players may freely enter and exit the different colonies]!"

After being reincarnated through Cursed Objects, ancient Jujutsu Sorcerers could obtain modern knowledge from their vessels' brains.

That was why those incarnated ancient Jujutsu Sorcerers could quickly adapt to everything in the modern world.

And reading a vessel's own memories and pretending to be that person was naturally effortless.

"Who... are you?!"

Megumi Fushiguro gritted his teeth and stared at the "Tsumiki Fushiguro" before him.

"You're asking... who I am?"

The eerie curve at the corner of "Tsumiki's" mouth instantly widened into a grin, and unrestrained, frenzied laughter rang out across the rooftop.

"Hahahahaha... I'm your dear sister, of course, Megumi~!"

"Oh, I'm kidding."

The crazed smile vanished from "Tsumiki's" face in an instant, and her eyes showed not a flicker of emotion. "How could I still be your dear sister?"

"Fushiguro, what's going on?!" Yuji Itadori finally came to his senses.

Megumi Fushiguro didn't know how to answer either. He could only stare warily at the "sister" before him, once so familiar and now so utterly strange.

"My name is Yorozu."

She tilted her head back and idly played with her hair. "Those old-timers from back then might still remember me."

"Why..." A crack appeared in Megumi Fushiguro's usually stern, cold expression. "Why... did you lie to me?"

Yorozu looked at him as though the answer were obvious. "You were the ones who told me yourselves, weren't you?"

"About the Culling Game and that so-called plan to get out. Why would I turn down a free 100 points without lifting a finger?"

"When it comes down to it, isn't it strange that you just assumed from the start that I was an awakened player?"

Before anyone could react, she casually tossed aside the coat and bag she had used to cosplay as Tsumiki Fushiguro, and insect-like wings grew from her back.

"A battle after a thousand years... of course I want to choose the battlefield myself."

"And my first opponent has to be Sukuna after all!"

With that, her wings beat, and she soared into the air, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Only a single sentence came from the sky: "See you later. I'll be waiting for you~"

"Let's go after her!" Hana Kurusu snapped out of it and flapped her wings, flying in the direction Yorozu had disappeared.

"Right!"

Itadori quickly set off as well.

And just then...

"Enchain!" Sukuna's mouth appeared on Itadori's face and slowly spoke the word.

Itadori's eyes widened instantly as buried memories returned like a tide. His thoughts were pulled back to that space of souls from before...

"As long as you agree to my conditions, I'll repair your heart and bring you back to life. This is a Binding Vow, a pact..."

An inscrutable smile appeared on Sukuna's face.

"There are two conditions..."

"First: when I say 'Enchain,' you'll hand complete control of your body over to me for one minute. During that time, I won't hurt anyone."

"Second: you'll forget the terms of our agreement."

The instant he took control of Itadori's body, Sukuna struck decisively, knocking out Hana Kurusu beside him with lightning speed.

"I made a Binding Vow with this brat, so I can't hurt anyone for the next minute."

Sukuna gently laid Hana Kurusu on the ground, then stood and turned to face the stunned Megumi Fushiguro.

"Now, it's time for a gamble."

Sukuna concentrated his Cursed Energy and soul into the little finger of Itadori's left hand, then snapped it off without the slightest hesitation.

Back at the Juvenile Detention Center, a few months earlier...

Back then, Sukuna had sensed the potential of Megumi Fushiguro's Cursed Technique, as well as his body's tolerance for him.

For Sukuna, he was undoubtedly the perfect vessel.

But he worried that Megumi Fushiguro might be able to suppress him like Itadori could. In that case, he wouldn't be a vessel, but another cage.

Although he could have forced Megumi Fushiguro to swallow a finger back then, Sukuna ultimately chose to lie dormant inside Itadori for the sake of gaining control over the body.

He collected fingers to restore his strength while waiting...

For the moment Megumi Fushiguro's spirit suffered a severe shock.

"Hehehehe... hahahahaha!"

Sukuna's face was full of mockery and elation as he looked at Itadori. "You're a thoroughly, utterly stupid brat! The Binding Vow said I couldn't hurt anyone, but that didn't include you!"

Although Megumi Fushiguro didn't know what Sukuna intended to do, he instinctively sensed danger.

He raised his clenched fists and decisively chose to self-destruct. "Furube, Yurayura..."

But how could Sukuna let him have his way?

Megumi Fushiguro was only halfway through the chant when Sukuna rushed forward and interrupted him. Then, while he was still stunned, Sukuna forced the finger he had just broken off into his mouth.

"Do you remember..."

"Because I could 'see something interesting'..."

The black curse markings unique to Sukuna appeared on Megumi Fushiguro's face.

At that moment, Yuji Itadori, whose consciousness had already returned, went from staring in stunned shock to an expression of devastation and disbelief.

"I told you, didn't I, brat?"

Having taken over Megumi Fushiguro's body, Sukuna used that face to give Itadori an openly mocking smile.