Jujutsu Kaisen: Nozomi no Sora

The sound of the iron chain hitting the ground was particularly crisp in the empty backyard of the ancestral hall.

Gojo Satoru raised his hand, his fingertips brushing over the layers of runes on Fushiguro Megumi's body.

The pitch-black incantation, like a piece of burning paper, turned into fine ashes and scattered.

Fushiguro Megumi stretched her stiff shoulders, but her face remained expressionless, as if she had just woken up.

"Is this really okay?" He looked down at his wrist, now free, his tone flat. "Now that I'm Sukuna's vessel, shouldn't the Directorate General arrange a secret execution or something?"

"How could that be?" Gojo Satoru, unusually serious, put his hands in his pockets. "After all, Kei is of the Zenin family bloodline and a genius sorcerer who inherited the Ten Shadows Technique. I don't know what others think, but Zenin Naoki will definitely find a way to protect you."

"Don't worry, Sukuna will live a normal, ordinary life like an office worker from now on, right, Nanami?"

Standing under the corridor, Nanami Kento didn't reply. He simply pushed up his glasses and looked at the few new recruits who were undergoing physical training not far away.

"Wow! It's grown! That's amazing, Xuan Yi!"

Hisahito Itadori's voice boomed like thunder.

He held up his newly grown little finger, his eyes shining as he swung it from side to side, as if he had received some new and exciting toy.

Xuan Yi withdrew his hand, his palm still retaining the magical power from the activation of "Wuwei Transformation," and scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly.

"It might sound a bit strange, but Hisahito's original finger is gone forever, so this one is an extra one that grew out from the broken end... It might take some getting used to."

"I can still move it, albeit with some difficulty!" Itadori grinned as he tried to bend the newly grown finger. "With a little practice, it should be back to normal! Thanks, Genichi!"

"This is truly amazing; it's even more efficient than the Reversal Technique." Yuta Otsuko also came over to take a look, and couldn't help but show a surprised expression. "This is the first time I've ever seen such a technique."

"What?! Hasju (Japanese acrobatic dart) gotten six fingers now?"

"Pretty much! Haha!"

Fushiguro Megumi stood not far away, quietly watching the group of people laughing together, her eyes unfathomable.

"Go ahead." Gojo Satoru suddenly reached out and slapped Fushiguro Megumi on the back, pushing him forward. "Have a good spar with your most admired Otsukoshi-senpai."

"How long-winded!" Fukuro Megumi frowned and turned around to complain, but her body betrayed her as she walked toward the group.

Gojo Satoru watched his retreating figure, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Nanami, what were you thinking about just now?"

"It's nothing." Nanami Kento looked away, his voice calm. "It's just that without realizing it, I've noticed more and more people around you, and I'm starting to miss the old days a little."

"Is that so..."

Through the black blindfold, Gojo Satoru looked at the boys training in the distance, the crisp sound of wooden swords clashing echoing around them.

"Not long ago, we were all problem children, but in such a short time, we've all grown into capable sorcerers." He stretched, a rare touch of感慨 (gan3kai3, a Chinese expression of deep emotion) in his voice. "Megumi, needless to say, has been with me since childhood; her talent and ability are impeccable. It's just that she never seemed to have any drive. Now it seems she's unknowingly broken through her limitations. As a sorcerer, if I had to point out any flaws… it would probably be her face!"

"Are you referring to Fushiguro's cold and aloof personality?"

"No," Gojo Satoru shook his head, "I just simply don't like that face."

"So, you need to consider your own aesthetic preferences when it comes to other people's opinions, right?"

"How did you come to this conclusion?" Gojo Satoru clicked his tongue and started counting on his fingers. "I admire Wild Rose's crazy spirit, and with her techniques, she's a versatile tactical asset. She'll definitely be very popular in the future."

"You should know Nanami about Hisahito. That unwavering idealism, that never giving up on his initial intention to 'help others' no matter how many failures he faces, coupled with his special physique, will one day make him a transcendent being revered by all."

He paused, his gaze falling on Xuan Yi, who was being forced into a flustered state by Hu Zhang's sweeping kick.

"As for Xuan Yi... a genius of incantations who appears only once in a thousand years."

Just like Yi Gu, he carries too much on his shoulders, and that inexplicable sense of mission is quite worrying.

To be honest, I don't want him to become a second Uta, but—

Ultimately, no one can interfere with a person's choices.

As a teacher, I always need to grow alongside my students. Let's work on correcting his bad habits after he comes back this time!

"Whatever you want," Nanami Kento said indifferently. "As long as the travel expenses can be reimbursed."

"Of course." Gojo Satoru smiled, turned around and called out, "Ijichi!"

"Eh? This mission is also Mr. Gojo Satoru's personal mission, right...? What's the best way to claim reimbursement?"

"It's a waste of youth!"

Ijichi Takayoshi wisely shut his mouth. Although he was quite helpless, he could only try to find a way to fill the hole himself.

"I have to go, or I'll miss the Shinkansen. I was planning to buy some daifuku from Kikusui-an to eat on the Shinkansen; their edamame puree with a raw milk flavor is really delicious!"

"If we had made arrangements earlier, we might have had more time. It's all Mr. Gojo's fault for not paying enough attention to time management."

"I'll beat you up, Ichichi!"

"Feel sorry……"

Without any farewells, the three adults gradually disappeared on the mountain path outside the ancestral hall.

Genichi's gaze unconsciously drifted in that direction, but he subconsciously reached out and grabbed Itadori Yuujin's fist as it hurtled towards him.

"Wow! Not bad, Xuan Yi! You've improved tremendously!"

"is that so……"

Xuan Yi gave a bitter smile.

The guy in front of me, whose athletic talent is off the charts, can almost instinctively use all kinds of fighting techniques. His fighting instincts are so irrational that no ordinary person can beat him.

"But it's not over yet, keep going!"

Tiger Cannon attacked again with punches and kicks. Under such high-intensity training, Xuan Yi could only temporarily put aside his chaotic thoughts.

That's right, you don't need to think about anything right now.

Follow your companions, give it your all, and get stronger!

……

2018年9月11日20时35分。

A sudden change occurred.

The crisp sound of a glass falling to the ground broke the stillness of the night. Immediately afterwards, one lamp after another lit up in the ancestral hall, casting a dim yellow light through the windows.

When Megumi Fushiguro arrived at Fushiguro Miki's house first, she saw her older sister lying motionless on the wooden floor.

The red curse mark on her forehead, which had disappeared, reappeared, even more vivid and ferocious than before. Blood seeped out, and the dark red lines, like living things, were slowly writhing, crawling inch by inch across her face.

"Hey, Tsumiki!"

Fushiguro Megumi's voice quickly attracted everyone's attention.

Yuta Otsuku was the first to rush in. He knelt beside Miki Tsuki, a soft light emanating from his palm, a reversal spell, and placed it on her forehead. However, the light only flickered for a moment before disappearing without a trace, as if swallowed by something.

Yi Gu withdrew his hand, his expression solemn.

"It cannot be repaired with a reversal spell. Rather than a curse... it's more like some kind of barrier."

"What happened?" Fushiguro Megumi knelt beside her, her fingers gripping the floor tightly. "Didn't we check her when she came back? She's been fine these past few days, so why did this suddenly happen..."

"Let's go find Miss Shoko! If we have the butler drive..."

"It's too late!" Fushiguro Megumi abruptly interrupted Itajō, his voice trembling. He stared intently at Tsumiki's increasingly pale face, able to feel her life force rapidly draining away. "Tsumiki's life force is constantly being consumed; if this drags on any longer, she will truly die!"

He suddenly remembered the scene from earlier that day when Xuan Yi helped Hu Zhang treat his severed finger.

"Yes... there's still a way!" Fukuro Megumi suddenly turned his head and grabbed Genichi's wrist. His fingers were icy cold, but the strength was astonishing. His eyes were filled with an almost desperate plea. "Genichi! Your technique doesn't use the method of reversing curse power. It might work! If we can delay the worsening of the injury, Tsumiki can still be saved!"

Xuan Yi looked at the strange mark on Tsumiki's forehead, and his heart sank.

To be honest, he had absolutely no confidence in his treatment this time.

That mark was undoubtedly Lu Suo's doing.

The thought of that face with its sinister smile always sent chills down Xuan Yi's spine.

But Fushiguro Megumi's gaze made it impossible for him to refuse.

"...Anyway, I'll give it a try!"

Xuan Yi squatted down and gently placed his palm on Tsumiki's burning forehead.

"Transformation through non-action".

The cursed power seeped in like silk threads, meticulously combing through the tissues eroded by the barrier.

To everyone's surprise—

The wound was indeed healing at a visible speed, the dark red lines were slowly fading, and Tsumiki's breathing became more even.

"It's working!" Fushiguro Megumi's voice trembled with ecstatic joy. "Genichi, keep it like this, I'm going to find Miss Shoko now!"

He suddenly stood up and turned to rush out the door.

However, in the instant he turned around—

A tremendous suction force suddenly erupted from Tsumiki's almost healed wound!

At the center of the dark red mark, space seemed to be violently torn open by an invisible hand, revealing a pitch-black, swirling vortex that looked like nothingness!

"What?!"

Xuan felt his hand being firmly sucked in, and his whole body being dragged by an irresistible force.

His consciousness was torn into pure darkness in an instant, all the sounds around him faded away, leaving only the pain of his cursed power being frantically drained from his body.

"What's going on? Is this... a domain?!"

"Hahahahaha!"

A burst of unrestrained laughter poured down from the void above, carrying undisguised mockery and madness.

"Who?!" Xuan Yi gritted his teeth, trying to break free, but found that his limbs were tightly bound by invisible chains.

"I told you, didn't I?" The voice drew closer, carrying warm breath, as if the speaker were right next to his ear. "Your code of conduct is too easy to judge, Genichi Nishio!"

With just a little manipulation of the people around you, you'll be like a fish in a pond—easily hooked!

Thousands of miles away, on the roof of a high-speed Shinkansen train.

Lu Suo stood on the roof of the speeding car with his arms outstretched, his robes fluttering in the wind. His face no longer held its usual composed ease; instead, it was contorted with an almost manic joy.

Rimei stood silently half a step behind him, her eyes lowered, as if she had long been accustomed to everything before her.

"Hahahaha! This is so much fun!" A loud laugh echoed throughout the train, the sharp voice piercing the night sky. "My whim has actually brought me such a bountiful harvest! No words can describe my joy at this moment!"

The 'possibility' I've been pursuing—the ultimate point of transcending any form of life! A thousand years have passed, and I'm finally about to achieve it!

With a roar, he slammed his hand heavily onto the top of the train, and a huge barrier mark suddenly unfolded above the train.

The intricate incantations spread in all directions like blood vessels, growing wildly from the train along the earth's veins towards the pre-set spiritual energy network of the entire country.

Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Sendai...

Above countless cities, the same pattern appeared one by one, like some ancient and eerie array of stars, shimmering with a scarlet light under the night sky.

"Surgical Extraction—"

The sound of the lute passed through the barrier and through the "vortex" connecting to Tsumiki's forehead, clearly entering Genichi's mind.

"Transformation through non-action!"

boom!

Inside a Shinkansen carriage.

Nanami Kento suddenly put down the newspaper in his hand, his brows furrowed. An indescribable, nauseating sense of unease was creeping up his spine.

"There's a really disgusting feeling about you, Mr. Gojo Satoru."

Sitting opposite him, Gojo Satoru did not answer immediately. He removed his blindfold, his azure eyes gazing out the car window at the dark night sky, his gaze piercing through the clouds and landing on the faint crimson pattern on the distant horizon.

His brow furrowed slightly.

"We may be too late."

The sound was very soft, like the calm before a storm.

"Is that... a remote activation of some kind of technique?"