A few more days passed after the Yasohachi Bridge incident.
One evening, inside Tokyo Jujutsu High.
"You've been staying in Tokyo this whole time. You already know something, don't you?"
It was already after work. Nanami sat calmly in a restaurant near Jujutsu High, waiting for the waiter to bring their food.
He sat with his legs crossed, casually picked up a newspaper from the side, and asked Mukuro, who sat across from him.
Mukuro had stayed in Tokyo for almost a month now, yet he still hadn't made any moves.
That wasn't like him.
"More or less. I've known the answer for a while. I'm just waiting for the best moment."
Mukuro leaned back with his arms folded, eyes closed as if he were resting.
"Do whatever you want. That thing really needs to be killed before it grows."
Nanami adjusted his sunglasses, recalling his fight with Mahito. If that curse got a few more years, it might truly surpass him and even approach special grade level.
Still, with the strongest sorcerer in the world hunting him down, it would be impressive if he could survive that long.
"It's not as simple as killing him."
Mukuro opened his eyes and glanced at his watch.
The time was about right.
* * *
Elsewhere.
Somewhere deep in the mountains between Tokyo and Kyoto, near a reservoir.
A dark curtain of a veil was slowly descending, sealing the entire area inside.
"Same as always. That moldy stench won't go away. It reeks."
A door inside the reservoir opened. Then under the last bit of sunset glow, and the faint light left after the Curtain was set, Mahito walked in from outside.
The moment he stepped in, he started waving a hand in front of his face, trying to fan away the smell he complained about.
"You're way too slow. I thought you'd forgotten me."
Inside the room, a boy wrapped in bandages from head to toe and soaked in some unknown liquid opened his eyes.
It was Mechamaru.
More accurately, his name was Kokichi Muta.
His voice was calm, but his heart was beating faster than ever.
"No way. Breaking a binding vow is a big deal, you know." Mahito gave him a gentle smile and slowly walked closer.
Before coming, the old man had warned him again and again about how terrifying it was to break a vow made with someone.
Mahito wasn't about to bring trouble on himself. At least until the vow fully ended, he wouldn't play any tricks on Kokichi.
"You should be grateful!"
"Idle Transfiguration."
His right hand pressed against the boy's forehead. Soft purple cursed energy spread from his palm, quickly flowing through Kokichi's entire body.
The next moment...
Pfft.
The bandages around him burst apart. The right arm he had been born without grew back in an instant.
Just like that, Kokichi rose from the tub, reborn. He looked like nothing more than a handsome teenage boy now.
The liquid splashed everywhere as he stood up.
"Huh? This is the normal body you've dreamed of. Why don't you look excited at all?"
Mahito looked disappointed. He thought Kokichi would start jumping around like a little kid the second he got what he wanted. But instead, Kokichi simply stared at his new body in disbelief, examining it.
"What's there to get excited about? This was a deal. It's what I earned."
Of course Kokichi wanted to run freely outside. But a new problem was already right in front of him.
His cooperation with the curses and curse user was over now.
The vow had ended.
"Then let me ask you this, just for fun. Do you want to keep working with us? If you do, make a new binding vow with me right here."
Mahito tapped a finger against his lower lip and brought up their proposal.
The old man had said Kokichi's ability was useful. If he could become an ally for now, he'd be a great asset.
'They set up a curtain outside...'
Kokichi glanced toward the exit and asked what was on his mind, "This time it's just you?"
Before, it was usually this curse and the old man, the one whose name had never been revealed.
"That guy said the situation's too serious right now. He doesn't want multiple people moving around in case a special grade sorcerer wipes us out in one go..."
Mahito scratched his head as he recalled.
* * *
(Mahito's memory from before he left.)
"Huh? I'm going alone?"
Mahito looked at the old man in surprise.
"Jujutsu High has probably already realized there's a traitor inside. They haven't investigated openly, but Mukuro Fushiguro is a hidden threat."
Kenjaku held a stake wrapped tightly in layers of talismans, his expression serious.
Even though special grade sorcerers were often watched, Mukuro's lack of cursed energy made it easy for him to shake off anyone tailing him from the jujutsu world.
And because he mostly only met familiar faces, it was hard for Kenjaku to track his movements.
All Kenjaku knew was that Mukuro had been staying in Tokyo most of the time lately, and Kokichi's hiding place wasn't far from Tokyo.
Kenjaku didn't want to take that risk at such a critical moment.
"You're old, but still that scared? Humans really are useless creatures..."
Even knowing it was caution, Mahito couldn't resist teasing him. Then he reached out and took the stake from Kenjaku's hand.
A limited curtain had already been prepared inside it. All Mahito had to do was drive it into the ground and connect it with cursed energy.
"Be careful not to die. We can't continue the plan without you."
Right before they separated, Kenjaku actually showed rare concern for Mahito.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm not gonna die."
Mahito waved him off casually and walked away.
He didn't notice the old man's mocking smile behind him.
'Of course you'll die. Push your ability to the limit, then die for me.'
* * *
"So that's why."
Jackpot.
Kokichi's tone clearly turned excited, unlike before.
With only one special grade curse, and with everything he had built up over all these years… he could do this.
"Guess that's a no."
Mahito watched Kokichi's expression. It was obvious he planned to make up for his crimes.
Mahito spread his hands, and purple cursed energy curled around them.
The curtain had been set up for this very moment. Even if Kenjaku hadn't told Mahito much because he feared Mukuro, Kokichi's teacher, silencing him was still necessary.
"I'll make it right, Fushiguro-sensei!"
Kokichi hooked a finger forward.
Behind him, more than ten crude Mechamaru puppets rushed out from nowhere, lunging toward Mahito.
"Hahahaha! So you were ready!"
Mahito laughed as he blasted the first puppet apart. He then stared at Kokichi like a predator enjoying its prey.
"Even if you scream your throat raw, your teacher won't come save you!"
But what he didn't notice...
In the darkness behind Kokichi, a single owl opened its eyes.
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!