The infirmary door closed gently, completely isolating the lingering noise from Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru.
The suddenly descending quiet weighed heavily on the air. The heaviness previously forcibly dispelled quietly returned, permeating the faint scents of disinfectant and fruity candy.
Nagi still stared at the ceiling. The light reflected tiny spots in his vermilion pupils, unable to illuminate the fog surging in their depths. The Kamo family head long dead... this fact was like an icy wedge nailed into his thoughts, bringing absurd and chilling dread. How could a dead person manipulate everything from behind the scenes, playing the Kamo family and him—an "irrelevant" person—in the palm of their hand?
Those eyes... who did they belong to?
"Hey."
Shoko's voice broke the near-stagnant silence. Her tone returned to its usual slightly lazy calm, carrying unquestionable professionalism.
"Stop glaring at the ceiling. Lie still. I'll give you another detailed check. Although I barely stabilized it before, your Cursed Energy core was overdrawn to the extreme, nearly collapsing. Can't be careless at all."
Nagi complied, slowly relaxing his body. Every inch of muscle protested the previous overload, sending prolonged, deep soreness.
Shoko's fingertips glowed with mild, pure green light containing vibrant life force, starkly different from her somewhat cold exterior.
She lightly touched his forehead. After the cool sensation came that comfortable vital Cursed Energy slowly flowing in, like an early spring stream nourishing cracked, dry land.
Her fingertips moved downward slowly, passing his heart where the burning pain from forcibly driving "Nagi" lingered, gradually soothing under the positive energy.
Finally, her fingers stopped at his lower abdomen dantian—the Cursed Energy core location.
Her movements were skilled and focused, brows slightly furrowed in rigorous scrutiny.
Nagi clearly felt that external, healing-filled Cursed Energy carefully probe his depleted core, gently stroking those minute, almost undetectable cracks.
The process brought slight soreness, but more a nourished relief.
"Tch," Shoko raised her brow slightly, making a surprised sound.
"Recovery speed is faster than my initial estimate. Your physical foundation is abnormally good... and..."
She paused, seemingly carefully sensing something, surprise and inquiry in her eyes:
"...your core's self-repair speed is extremely abnormal. Something seems to be actively, almost greedily, helping you absorb sparse external Cursed Energy particles inside your body, accelerating core replenishment. Efficiency ridiculously high... this feels like..."
Her gaze involuntarily fell on Nagi's vermilion eyes, still vivid even in weakness.
The shock from Gojo Satoru's earlier revelation about these eyes resurfaced.
"...the 'Vermilion Eyes' power? Even... assisting you in instinctively using Reverse Cursed Technique principles?"
She murmured almost subconsciously, thick interest as a doctor toward unknown phenomena.
Nagi was slightly stunned.
Reminded by her, he began carefully introspecting himself.
In the depths of that Cursed Energy sea just weathered a storm, still dim and lightless, beyond extreme weakness, he indeed sensed an extremely faint yet tenacious "activity."
The feeling wasn't from his own consciousness, more like some instinct deeply rooted in bloodline or soul depths activated.
An extremely fine, yet ceaseless warm flow spread from the depths of those eyes, as if self-aware, slowly and firmly flowing to every sore muscle in his limbs and to that cracked, near-depleted Cursed Energy core.
Wherever it passed, cellular fatigue eased slightly. Core absorption efficiency of external Cursed Energy particles seemed invisibly heightened. Those minute cracks were also being quietly repaired at speeds far exceeding normal.
This sensation was wondrous, like an silent, tireless guardian working desperately inside the body. Was this the "Curse of Love" feedback from his mother—'Vermilion Eyes'? Not only erupting in desperation but silently repairing wounds afterward.
"It... seems to be helping me."
Nagi said lowly, tone carrying complex emotion he himself hadn't noticed.
This power from his deceased mother made him feel heavy yet warm each time it manifested.
"Looks like it."
Shoko withdrew her hand, expression returning to calm, but awe lingered deep in her eyes.
"That Gojo guy was right. These eyes of yours... truly foul-play level existence. Not only saves your life but includes after-sales service. Strongest support accessory."
She cracked a dry joke to lighten the overly heavy atmosphere, but soon warned sternly:
"But don't get careless just because it feedbacks! Core cracks are only preliminarily healed, fragile like thin ice. At least a week—no, ten days—absolutely prohibit heavy Cursed Energy use! Especially that insane-burden technique now, don't even think about it. That's not something you should touch now. Unless you want to test if this 'auto-repair program' overloads and crashes."
Her warning was direct as always, even somewhat menacingly threatening, but Nagi clearly heard the unmistakable concern wrapped under that sharp shell.
"Mm. I know."
He responded lowly—a solemn promise.
He now cherished this life more than anyone and would never squander this silently guarding power.
Shoko seemed satisfied with his attitude, turning to the medicine cabinet: "I'll mix you a special nutrient agent. Should synergize well with your eyes' feedback, make you feel better."
As she focused on mixing, rhythmic knocking sounded at the infirmary door.
"Come in."
Shoko didn't look up.
The door opened. In came Yaga Masamichi. His tall frame seemed to bring a bit of outside night wind. Expression as usual serious, but eyes toward Nagi carried obvious relief.
"Good you're awake."
He walked to the bedside, voice low and steady. "How do you feel, Mukyoku?"
"Alright, Teacher Yaga."
Nagi tried sitting up a bit. This time slower; though still weak, no dizziness.
Yaga nodded, no excess small talk, straight to business: "Satoru and Suguru should have told you the situation. Regarding the Kamo family, higher-ups have intervened in investigation, but currently... progress slow. Opponent handled very cleanly."
His tone grave: "This incident's nature is severe, far beyond ordinary Jujutsu Sorcerer conflict. Someone silently replacing one of Big Three Families' heads and controlling the family this long—ambition must be huge. And you, Mukyoku, seem pulled into this conspiracy's center."
Yaga's gaze sharpened: "Before enrollment, or even earlier, did you contact any special person or item? Or your family... any ties to Jujutsu world? Any tiny clue could be crucial."
Nagi fell silent. He carefully recalled his first seventeen years.
"No."
He finally answered affirmatively, voice calm yet with faint bewilderment. "Before Jujutsu High, I knew nothing of Jujutsu world. My mother... just an utterly ordinary person."
Mentioning mother, his eyes dimmed slightly.
Yaga's brows furrowed tighter: "That's even stranger. A manipulator hidden this deep wouldn't invest so much attention and scheming on an 'ordinary person' without reason. Must be some undiscovered cause making you 'special.'"
He paused, tone softening reassuringly: "Don't worry. School and higher-ups will strengthen protection measures. No external missions until fully recovered. Your top priority now is recuperation, restore strength quickly. Only personal strength can cope with unknown risks."
"I understand. Thank you, Teacher."
Nagi nodded.
Yaga gave a few more instructions on safety and discipline, then looked at Shoko mixing medicine by the cabinet: "Shoko, he's in your hands."
"Rest assured, Teacher Yaga." Shoko shook a faintly glowing special nutrient agent. "I'll watch this worrisome troublesome patient. Plus record 'super-spec support accessory' actual recovery data."
Yaga nodded, gave Nagi an encouraging look, then turned and left with steady steps.
The infirmary returned to just the two.
Shoko brought the agent and warm water: "Official visit over. Now, patient takes medicine obediently."
Nagi took the cup; touch just-right warm.
He watched Shoko skillfully draw the special, seemingly energy-rich agent into a syringe, expel air, then gesture him to extend his arm.
Cool alcohol swab on arm skin raised tiny goosebumps. Needle piercing skin made his muscle tense instinctively.
"Relax."
Shoko's voice close, carrying unquestionable calm. "Quickly done."
Her movements fast and steady; agent pushed steadily into vein.
This time, no mere chill, but milder, vaster energy flow rapidly merging into bloodstream.
This external energy instantly resonated and synergized with the faint warm flow from 'Vermilion Eyes' in his body!
He clearly felt his exhausted body, like drought meeting sweet rain, greedily absorbing the medicine power.
Muscle soreness faded faster; the hollow weak burning in core further soothed.
Even "heard" those minute core cracks under dual nourishment making more active, faint healing sounds.
"This is high-efficiency nutrient with extras, targeted at Cursed Energy overdraft."
Shoko explained, packing used tools while observing his reaction. "Effect good, high synergy with your self-recovery. Might feel sleepy; normal for body concentrating energy repair. Sleepy then sleep, don't force it."
As if verifying her words, strong, deep fatigue with comfortable warmth surged like gentle tide, washing tense nerves.
His eyelids immediately grew heavy; vision of Shoko blurred with soft light.
He forced wakefulness, at least to thank. But throat only vague syllable.
Shoko saw his extreme drowsiness, took his water cup, carefully tucked his blanket.
Her fingers occasionally brushed his jaw or hand back unintentionally, carrying doctor's cool, dry touch—oddly not unpleasant.
"Sleep."
Her voice in dim warm light softer than usual, like through thin veil. "I'll be here. Need to record your sleep-state 'Vermilion Eyes' assisted recovery physiological data."
Perhaps drug and 'Vermilion Eyes' dual effect, or body at repair critical point, or that "I'll be here" mixing duty and faint care bringing indescribable solid security—Nagi finally stopped resisting surging sleepiness.
Before consciousness fully sank to darkness, last sight: Shoko back to bedside chair, taking portable Cursed Energy monitor, pasting tiny sensors on his wrist and neck side, then picking up half-read medical journal. Profile under table lamp soft glow focused and serene.
That faint, sweet fruity candy scent lingered at nose tip—last perception before peaceful sleep.
This time, consciousness didn't sink to icy dead silence.
Wrapped in sleepiness, thoughts light and scattered.
Inside body, 'Vermilion Eyes' warm fine flow fused with Shoko's special medicine like diligent craftsmen, ceaselessly repairing wounds.
He even vaguely felt those eyes themselves, in this feedback and repair, seemed... deeper and clearer.
Some deeply buried memory fragments quietly surfaced.
...Mother's warm yet increasingly thin embrace. Humming untuned gentle lullaby, fingers gently combing his hair.
...Her final moments, pale almost transparent hand gripping his tightly. Eyes full of reluctance, worry, and near-mad, twisted firmness. Repeatedly, with last strength murmuring—not gentle blessing, more soul-etched absolute command: "My little Nagi... must be safe... no matter what... live on... even if... at any cost... live on..."
...That faint yet obsessively biased warm flow never left, always coiled deepest in heart.
Each time lonely, fearful, or near-death, silently surged, forcibly prying life crevices, bringing survival dawn.
...Was this "love" turned "curse"?
Most twisted curse.
This fuzzy thought like pebble into lake—ripples quickly drowned by deeper, more comfortable sleep.
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