"Megumi, I was wrong…"
Yuji hugged the plushie and struggled to his feet.
"I didn't do it on purpose, but… look!"
Suddenly remembering something, he excitedly pointed at his own face.
"Did you see? All the injuries on my face are gone—Sukuna really can use Reverse Cursed Technique!"
W-what?
Megumi stared at Yuji's face, eyes wide.
Indeed, except for the fresh bruise he'd just given him, every earlier wound had vanished.
So they'd come here just so Sukuna could switch out and heal Yuji's face?
Yuji kept rattling on: "And Sukuna says he can heal other people too!"
"Isn't that amazing!"
"From now on, we'll never have to worry about getting hurt again!"
He pictured the first time he'd met Megumi—the black-haired boy battered by that Curse.
He never wanted to see a teammate injured again.
Megumi's movements froze.
If he'd been surprised before, now he was stunned.
But before Yuji's excitement could rub off on him, Megumi thought of the Higher-Ups' reaction.
If they learned Itadori Yuji—vessel of Ryomen Sukuna—could heal others with Reverse Cursed Technique—
a shudder ran through him.
No… he had to inform Gojo-sensei immediately!
"Yuji, listen: don't tell anyone about this, ever!"
Megumi stepped closer, grabbed Yuji's shoulders, and leaned in with the gravest expression he'd ever worn.
"Not a soul until Gojo-sensei returns—got it?"
Huh?
Yuji was startled by Megumi's intensity.
He nodded on reflex.
He didn't understand why Megumi had turned serious so fast, but if Megumi said it, it had to be right.
"Got it. Won't tell anyone—promise."
Megumi exhaled, realizing he was practically clinging to Yuji, and quickly stepped back.
He summoned his Divine Dogs to sweep the area; only when he was sure they were alone did he finally relax.
"Sorry, I got a bit worked up."
"Er… it's fine, but why? Sukuna being able to heal people sounds great!"
Megumi shot him a sidelong glance.
After a beat of silence, he spoke.
"If it were anyone else—even you—it would be great."
"But the one who can do it is Sukuna."
"Those Higher-Ups will never—"
His voice caught, unable to voice the ugly possibilities. He couldn't fully predict the elders' moves, but the outlook was grim enough.
"We'll wait for Gojo-sensei."
He texted Gojo: "Urgent. Come back ASAP." After a moment's hesitation, he pocketed the phone, afraid the message might be intercepted.
Let's hope Sensei makes it back soon…
**Evening. Megumi's Room.**
"You did the right thing."
Gojo, back from outside, listened to Megumi's report while eyeing the two boys perched on the bed—Megumi on the left, Yuji on the right—his own expression stern.
"No one above us can know Sukuna can heal others."
Megumi's stomach tightened; his hands clasped reflexively.
Gojo leaned back, rubbing his brow.
He looked at Yuji and answered the boy's bewildered gaze.
"Right now, Jujutsu Sorcerers who can heal others with Reverse Cursed Technique are practically non-existent. Publicly, only Ieiri Shoko can do it."
"When big clans have someone critically injured, they beg Jujutsu High to let Shoko help."
"That arrangement keeps the Higher-Ups and every sorcerer family polite to us."
"After all, no one knows when they'll need our help."
"But if—"
Gojo paused.
"—they find out another healer's appeared, one who's neither a sorcerer nor a Curse, what do you think they'll do?"
A sardonic smile tugged at his lips.
"They'll snatch Yuji without hesitation, lock him up, and turn him into a permanent healing tool by any means necessary."
Yuji's expression froze; a chill crept from his core to every fingertip.
Sukuna listened in silence, fury churning.
He didn't mind healing, but being caged and used as a tool? Never.
And dragging Yuji into it was even worse. His gaze turned glacial, murderous intent simmering.
"There's only one way out," Gojo continued, rapping the table to draw their attention.
"You two—Yuji, Sukuna—get strong, fast."
"Become so powerful that capturing you costs more than you're worth as healers. Only then will the old fossils back off."
"Starting tonight, you'll train every spare second."
"I'll take you out five hours each night; we'll cram as much growth as possible into that window."
"Since Sukuna can't train during school hours, he'll take over at night and recover his own strength as well."
Sukuna said nothing, but the air around him crackled with cold resolve.
Yuji exhaled slowly, eyes sharper than ever.
"Understood, Sensei. We'll get stronger!"
"We won't let them lay a hand on us!"
Gojo nodded.
"Good."
"Special Training starts tonight."
"Yuji, Sukuna—go rest up. Ten minutes, then we move."
"Got it!" Yuji chirped and dashed out.
Watching him leave, Megumi couldn't hold back.
"Gojo-sensei, would the Higher-Ups really lock Yuji up?"
"Nope~"
"Then why… huh?"
Megumi blinked.
"But you just said—"
Gojo spoke breezily: "Because I'm here."
He crossed one leg over the other, utterly relaxed.
"If they dared cage Yuji, I'd bust him out the same day."
"They're not stupid enough to risk losing him and ticking me off. They'd rather kill him than imprison him, so relax~"
He lifted his blindfold, winked an azure eye at Megumi, full of mischief.
Megumi gaped.
Staring at his teacher's shift from solemn to playful, he finally managed,
"So what you told Yuji…"
"Total lie, of course~"
Gojo chirped, sounding thrilled with his new toy.
"If I hadn't scared them, would they train that hard?"
Megumi: …So???
You… you're that kind of teacher, Gojo-sensei???
He buried his face in his hands to hide his despair.
Sorry, Yuji… Sukuna…
The longest road you'll ever walk… is the trap Gojo-sensei laid for you…
Unaware he'd been played, Yuji bounded back to his room and threw open the door—only to be instantly transfixed by the sight of a doll bouncing on the bed, throwing the occasional punch.
His movements froze, his mood visibly plummeted, and he shuffled to the bedside.
"What's wrong?"
Sukuna flicked a glance at the doll.
"...You're not seriously planning to bring that thing with you, are you?"
Yuji sighed. "...It's Special Training after all; I've got to take it."
Though troubled, he resolutely picked the doll up and hugged it to his chest.
After a moment's thought, he slung it onto his back.
Sukuna's brows knitted together in a scowl. "...You trying to lose the back of your head?"
While carefully channeling Cursed Energy into the doll, Yuji answered, "I'll need both hands free during training, and Sensei said to carry it on my back."
Sukuna: "..."
He tells you to carry it, and you obey—aren't you a little too obedient?
After a moment's struggle, Sukuna didn't stop him.
For the sake of getting stronger... he'd just have to heal Yuji a few extra times.
Just don't let the kid get punched stupid—he wasn't sure Reverse Cursed Technique could fix brain damage. Soon Yuji was ready.
He opened the door to find Gojo leaning against the wall outside, smiling.
"All set?"
"Yep!"
"Yosh~!"
Gojo cheerfully beckoned him over.
"Come, come~ I'll take you to the training spot."
Yuji's eyes sparkled as he hurried to Gojo.
With one long arm, Gojo swept the boy into a hug.
Sukuna: [...]
???
Hold on—what are you doing?
What do you think you're doing to my kid?
Gojo, deaf to Sukuna's inner rant, spoke in a warm, magnetic murmur beside the boy's ear.
"Hold tight."
Their figures flickered and vanished from the corridor... "Whoa!—"
Perched on Gojo's shoulder, Yuji gazed backward in amazement.
They soared mid-air; the world stretched like molten time, scenery streaking past in a blur.
Yet despite the breakneck speed, he felt no wind, as if something sealed him off from the outside.
He stared, wide-eyed.
Wonder faded into quiet fatigue.
It was nearly 1 a.m.—long past his bedtime—and an afternoon of pumping Cursed Energy into the doll had left him drained in body and mind.
His eyelids drooped; he forced them open again.
Sensei's flying is so steady, he thought.
And warm... being held like this feels nice.
His eyes finally slid shut; his head drooped onto Gojo's shoulder, breaths evening out...
Inside Yuji's body, Sukuna pondered how to reclaim his Cursed Technique.
In the pitch-black landscape of the boy's soul, he sat with eyes closed, concentrating.
Suddenly, light exploded before him.
He opened his eyes to a torrent of scenery streaking into lines of light.
"...???"
Before he could process it—
a strong arm circled his waist—
warmth radiated from whatever he was sprawled against—
Sukuna turned his head and met Gojo Satoru's perfect profile; the man glanced over in equal surprise.
Well... this was unexpected.
Sukuna stared at the face inches away... three seconds later his pupils quaked. What... the hell?
...How did I get out??
Kid, where are you??—
Why am I curled in this guy's arms!?—
Sukuna's soul spasmed in horror.
He pushed off at once, ready to bolt.
But Gojo's voice froze him.
"Don't move—we're almost there."
Gojo's low, magnetic tone carried absolute gravity.
The arm around his waist tightened.
Sukuna went rigid.
His brain rebooted after three seconds.
He looked down: bottomless height yawned beneath them.
Right... they were still airborne.
Bailing out on a highway of air was suicide.
Worse, he had no clue if he could fly... Sukuna stayed put, curled against Gojo Satoru, heart steeped in gloom.
He, the mighty King of Curses, cradled in someone's arms...!
...and by a man, no less!
Who would ever believe it?
Mercifully, they landed within two seconds; Sukuna shot out of Gojo's embrace, retreating five full paces.
He stood there, face a mix of shock and bewilderment.
Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?
...No—where's my kid?
He yelled Yuji's name inside; after a pause, only a soft snore drifted up from the depths of their shared soul... Sukuna: ...So he's asleep?
Why now of all times?—
Couldn't you have lasted two more seconds?
"Where's Yuji?"
Gojo asked, eyes oddly dangerous.
"...Asleep."
Sukuna answered; silence answered him back.
—Kid wanted sleep at bedtime, what could anyone do?
Once Gojo understood, his gaze softened.
He rubbed his chin, puzzled.
"But why are you out? Even if he nodded off, you shouldn't be able to surface."
"How should I know?"
Sukuna stared blankly, still mourning the fact he'd been held by another man.
Seeing Sukuna genuinely clueless, Gojo offered a new idea.
"Maybe you two formed a binding vow?"
"A binding vow?"
Sukuna frowned—Fushiguro hadn't covered that yet.
"An agreement—like letting you out under certain conditions."
Let me out... out?
Sukuna's heart skipped.
He remembered the nightly three-hour deal with Yuji—and felt a twinge of guilt.
But confess? Admit he could slip out every night?
He'd be locked away for good before he could blink.
"A-ah, I... don't know..."
Sukuna stood there, face carefully blank, gaze darting.
Binding what? No idea, nothing to see here.
Gojo caught every twitch and kindly threw him a lifeline.
"Maybe Yuji did something before he fell asleep? We'll ask when he wakes~"
Sukuna could only mutter, "...Yeah."
He felt cornered, someone holding his short leash.
Annoyed, yet too scared to say the wrong thing.
One misstep and Gojo would drag him off to a dark little cell.