Life with the Training Dummy was bitter.
Yuji Itadori sat alone at the edge of the field, hugging his dummy, eyes blankly fixed on the center of the grounds—Nobara was running around happily (?).
And Panda-senpai was chasing her even more happily.
Off to the side, Megumi held a new Training Spear, receiving loving attention from Maki-senpai.
While he himself could only enjoy the dummy's occasional "gentle caresses."
After a punch to the back of his head left stars dancing in his vision, Yuji decisively hugged the dummy to his chest—this way, he could see the fist coming and brace himself.
The downside was that his face now looked horrific.
A sight so pitiful it made onlookers weep.
Even Sukuna, who'd been enjoying the spectacle, couldn't sit still.
"Hey… why don't you take a break? It's been two hours."
"It's your first session; no need to go this hard…"
"It's fine; I'm getting the hang of it."
Battered as he was, Yuji felt this training was exactly what he needed.
He had to master Cursed Energy control quickly; otherwise… when Sukuna finally got his Cursed Technique back and was willing to share, what if he couldn't use it?
At that thought, Yuji poured Cursed Energy in even harder.
Sukuna sighed and shook his head.
Could he admit he was worried Yuji's face would end up so swollen it would ruin his own majestic look when he took over?
He and Yuji had agreed on three hours of free time every night!
If this kept up, how would that work?
"Shame—if only I could use Reverse Cursed Technique."
Sukuna remembered that during Megumi's morning lecture, he'd mentioned Cursed Spirits excelled at healing.
Yuji asked curiously, "Sukuna, you can't use Reverse Cursed Technique?"
"I just tried; didn't seem to work."
"…Could it be because you're not the one in control? This body's mine right now, and I can't use it."
"…Makes sense. Try later?"
"…So we wait till night? Why not now?"
Yuji was eager—his face really hurt, eyes so swollen he could barely see.
Sukuna: "…You really aren't afraid of dying? Swapping in broad daylight? The moment you switch, Megumi will set his dogs on you."
Yuji said breezily, "No problem, you're the one they'll bite."
Sukuna: "…" ???
Yuji coughed. "Sorry, sorry—slip of the tongue."
He quickly patched things up.
"…I mean we sneak to the restroom and switch, okay?"
No one would notice there.
Sukuna: …So his grand debut had to happen in a toilet stall?
He hesitated, then glanced at Yuji's wrecked face.
His resolve softened.
"…Fine."
He answered in a low voice.
Feeling the soul of the young boy inside him sigh in relief and become happy, the corner of his lips curled up.
Now he knew what he wanted to do.
He wanted him to live.
He didn't want Yuji Itadori to die.
Yuji Itadori should not have his life taken away senselessly just because he was the vessel of Ryomen Sukuna.
"Oh right, Sukuna, how about you call me by my name from now on? Yuji is fine."
"Okay."
Sukuna moved his shoulders and neck, feeling a little awkward.
However, since Yuji had always called him by his name, it seemed pretty normal for him to call Yuji.
"Yuji..."
The name left his mouth, carrying a softer connotation than his previous forms of address.
He subconsciously closed his mouth, his ear tips twitching nervously. He felt... as if some strange illusion had appeared...
"Knock, knock, knock."
A sudden knock sounded at the door.
Yuji scrambled to the surface to replace Sukuna, then rushed to open the door.
"Fushiguro?"
"Gojo-sensei just notified us that we're meeting in Harajuku tomorrow... Why is your face so red?"
"Cough, cough, cough..." Yuji's eyes darted around. "It's nothing; I just got a little hot changing into the new uniform."
He quickly put away his flustered expression: "By the way, what do you think of this outfit?"
He subconsciously struck the pose he had seen Sukuna make in the mirror earlier, earning a complicated, speechless expression from Fushiguro, whose eyebrows twitched.
"Hmm...," Fushiguro thought for a moment. "As long as you're happy."
"...Oh, okay then."
...The next day, Harajuku.
"Yo, sorry to keep you waiting."
The certain unscrupulous teacher, who was over half an hour late, waved at the two of them.
"As an apology for being late, tell me whatever you want to eat! Teacher is treating today!"
Yuji was instantly overjoyed.
"Really?! Then I want popcorn and cola!"
...What kind of movie-watching standard is that?
"No problem~ Just these two things?"
This kid is too easy to satisfy... no, too easy to appease.
[And chocolate.]
Yuji paused upon hearing that, his smile brilliant: "I also want chocolate~"
Gojo: "Sukuna ordered that, right? No problem~"
Sukuna: ...He could guess that was me???
Fushiguro: Wait, are you two elementary school students?
The "elementary school students" immediately dug into the snacks without ceremony.
Since it was free, they might as well eat it.
Gojo watched Yuji with interest as he broke the chocolate into small pieces and delivered them to his palm.
—Although Fushiguro had mentioned it, he didn't expect them to have actually unlocked a unique feeding posture.
Who would have thought that the legendary King of Curses was actually a foodie?
Gojo casually led the way, while his Rikugan provided a real-time broadcast of the two behind him.
Watching them happily feed each other and chat joyfully... he suddenly really wanted to turn around and feed them too. What should he do?
Soon, the three people met their target for the day.
"Nobara Kugisaki," said the girl—no, the tomboy—with shoulder-length orange hair and wearing the Jujutsu school girls' uniform, standing with her hands on her hips in a domineering manner. "Be happy, boys, the splash of color is here."
Sukuna: ...This girl is a bit unusual.
She's quite domineering; I can learn from her.
But soon, he regretted it.
Because a minute later.
"Huh? —"
"He ate a special grade cursed object!!"
"Gross!! No way?! Does he have no sense of hygiene?"
Nobara Kugisaki frantically waved her hands, shaking her head like a rattle-drum.
Yuji Itadori: "..." He was very angry but couldn't find a reason to refute her... Was he supposed to wash it before eating it?
Sukuna: Hey! —
The certain King of Curses was also very angry, but... alright, even he himself thought that finger was indeed disgusting. If it were him, he definitely couldn't bring himself to eat it.
Don't blame that girl for being disgusted—he was disgusted too!
Sukuna, heartbroken, squatted in the corner drawing circles.
Why? Why did he have to be a Curse? Couldn't he be some cute, charming, and handsome creature?
After a not-so-pleasant round of introductions, Gojo suggested going sightseeing in Roppongi, which was unanimously supported by the two "country bumpkins."
Then, the group was taken to a large building next to a cemetery that was emitting intense, terrifying cursed energy.
Sukuna: ...This isn't Roppongi... This is clearly Roppongi 'Grave', isn't it?
"Liar!! —"
The two deceived "country bumpkins" let out heart-wrenching roars, and then, as expected, were sent by their teacher to deal with the Curses inside the building.
"You can't let Sukuna out this time~"
Gojo suddenly called out to Yuji.
"If you let Sukuna out, the Curses will be instantly annihilated. This time, I want to test your strength, Yuji."
Sukuna, who was eagerly rubbing his hands, preparing for action: "..."
Does even this kind of thing involve racial discrimination?
"If you can do it, we can order whatever you want when we go out to eat later~" Gojo added with a smile.
Sukuna quickly retracted his hands and sat down properly.
[Go get 'em, Yuji. This meal depends on you today.]
Yuji Itadori: ...Why are you so practiced at this "shut the door and unleash the dog" stance?
Holding the Cursed Tool "Tuzuomo" given by Gojo-sensei, Yuji, attracted by the new weapon, walked into the building full of energy.
His previous suggestion to let Sukuna help resolve the Curses was just a joke to lighten the mood. He wasn't afraid of Curses and understood that in the future, he would inevitably have to deal with Curses himself; he couldn't casually hand the task over to Sukuna.
The reason the higher-ups allowed them both to live was not just because he was a vessel, but also because he could suppress Sukuna. In their eyes, he was the dominant force, and Sukuna was the one contained. But if he handed the task of dealing with Curses over to Sukuna, it would appear as if their positions were reversed, and the higher-ups would absolutely not allow them to continue living.
He tightened his grip on the "Tuzuomo," a look of determination flashing across his eyes.
"I'll go down from the top, and you go up from here. We'll deal with any Curses we find separately."
Nobara's displeased voice came from the stairs.
Yuji was stunned by the words: "Huh? Shouldn't we be a little more careful? Curses are dangerous."
Nobara, who was already in a bad mood, instantly flew into a rage.
"It's not up to some guy who was a normal person until recently to lecture me!! Get going!!! —"
She stomped down the stairs, kicking Yuji into a 360-degree aerial spin, leaving Sukuna dumbfounded.
Are even the women among the Jujutsu Sorcerers this ferocious?
"Hey! —"
Yuji climbed up, his face full of indignation, but only saw Nobara's stylish retreating back.
He took a deep breath, exhaled, and couldn't help but complain to Sukuna.
"Sukuna, look at her—"
Sukuna: ...[What good does it do for me to look at her? Can I even help you beat her up?]
Yuji Itadori: "..." Apparently not.
If Sukuna dared to make a move, they would both ascend to the Pure Land prematurely in minutes.
Yuji held it in repeatedly but finally muttered softly: "She even said I was unpopular."
Sukuna thought for a moment, then spoke.
[It's alright—]
He consoled him.
[I am even more unpopular than you.]
Yuji Itadori: ...With one sentence, two people were brought to tears. Nobara successfully achieved a Double Kill achievement.