DISCLAIMER:
I do NOT own the Oregairu and Jujutsu Kaisen series as they are respectfully owned by the creators and studios.
Hours later
4:30 PM
"So, your new student is at death's door and he's been taken care of by Dr. Shoko?" An elder hiding behind a standing door said with a stifled laugh. "Heh, he should've died then and there."
"Surely you didn't call us here just so you can vent your frustrations on Hikigaya Hachiman's failure." Another elder mocked.
"Not really. During his medical treatment, Shoko found something inside Hachiman," Satoru explained and pulled out a small object from his pocket. It appeared to be a tiny human heart made of wood and at the size of an eye. "This cursed tool explains the mysterious cursed energy he supposedly possessed."
"What is that?! Its cursed energy is massive!" Another elder shouted in bewilderment. The others hiding behind standing doors expressed their bewilderment as well.
"Well, this cursed tool can store cursed energy to a certain extent. We haven't figured out how it exactly works, but my guess is that you need to put this inside your stomach since that's where we found it inside Hachiman. We can also assume it's been inside of him from the moment of his birth. I think a good place to start investigating would be the hospital where he got out of his mommy's womb. I suspect a curse user disguised himself or herself as some doctor or nurse and implanted this tool inside him. The curse user's goal is unclear, but it might not be good."
"And what about the boy?"
"Everything he did here until now was all because of this cursed tool. His actual cursed energy is even lower than an average fourth-grade sorcerer. This cursed tool became like a cursed energy booster. The years-worth of cursed energy gathered in this heart after his birth tricked us. Probably after a certain period, the heart couldn't contain it anymore cursed energy, and it just leaked out."
"I see. What will he do now?" Another elder asked with curiosity in his tone.
"That's for him to decide, but his answer is kinda obvious. His goal is to go back to his normal life, and that hasn't changed after these couple of weeks. I'll respect his choice."
"Hahahahaha! In the end, he's just a weak commoner. We shouldn't have suspected a boy with no noble ties to be a strong sorcerer." An elder behind Satoru said, while stifling his laughter.
"Well, there you go. That kinda solves the mystery. Surely, you guys aren't cruel enough to kill an actual innocent kid, are you?" Satoru asked, and there was nothing but silence in the dimly lit room. The elders were contemplating on the situation. Removing the cursed tool didn't necessarily mean everything was solved in the hotspot that was Chiba City. The increase in curse activity grew to the point it spread to the entire prefecture. It may take a while to bring normality back to the prefecture. Should they still blame the boy? Obviously not, since the actual suspect was out there somewhere. The best course of action would be...
The Unseen World Of Curses: Final Part
Reunion In The New Normal
7:00 PM
"And that's what happened!" Satoru said with a grin.
"Again, please give me more context," Hachiman sighed. They were back in his bedroom after the boy failing the Mansion Survival game and had a fist through his stomach. Bandages were patched all over his body with his entire abdomen wrapped around in cloth. He was lying on the bed while covering his legs with the blanket, wearing a plain white T-shirt and blue shorts. "You said something about a cursed tool relating to my cursed energy and another heated argument with those elders."
"Uhuh."
"But that's... not true." Hachiman stared at his own palms and concentrated. Cursed energy was enveloped around his entire hands. "Nothing changed. Are you trying to prove my innocence with false evidence?"
"Right you are!" Satoru answered, and showed him the same wooden human heart. "It's not exactly a complete lie, though. I just need this to remove their suspicions on you. I'll tell you how this works when I get you out of here tomorrow."
"Wouldn't it be better to just prove myself how useful I would be to them? If they found out about this fake evidence, things won't go well for the both of us."
"It doesn't matter what you do for them," Satoru denied while shaking his head. "Whether you'll be useful to Jujutsu Tech or not, they won't see you as an ally or even a person worth seeing as a human. Some just have a stupidly black-and-white view while others are just afraid you will shift the current balance of power."
"So it's for political, selfish, and dumb reasons." Hachiman said in a deadpan tone, and the blindfolded sorcerer nodded in agreement. "Did they kill Itadori too?"
"He told you?"
"So nonchalantly, it's like it wasn't anything serious to him." Hachiman answered with shrugged shoulders.
"That's Yuji, alright." Satoru stood up from his chair and approached the door. "Get some rest because you gonna need to be as energetic as possible for your beautiful reunion."
"Okay..."
"Just don't get too intimate with your girlfriend once you see each other again."
"Shut up." Hachiman said with red cheeks which made Satoru laughed before leaving the room. The boy sighed and sank his head on the soft pillow, finding comfort to fall asleep quickly. However, thoughts of his escalating situation bothered him. "I feel like Gojo has bigger plans for me. Even if what he said is true about the elders not accepting me, there should still be rules, right? Unless, they can change the rules as much as they want. Still, this is too strange. I'll be out of Jujutsu Tech's radar. Itadori is the same, but he told me during our lunch break from training that he'll join with other students in September. What are the plans for me then?"
As soon as he closed his eyes to fall asleep, his phone vibrated. He checked the screen and saw several missed calls from his sister and mother. The number calling was someone he didn't expect. He answered the call.
"Haruno-san?"
"Yahallo~! Where are you now?" Haruno asked.
"I'm uh... still in Tokyo."
"Isn't the fitness camp only for one week? Are you enjoying your time there so much you'd forget my adorable sister?"
"Of course not. It's just that Gojo got me tied up with his favors. Blame him for that."
"Is that so? Hikigaya-kun, I'm kinda glad you're doing something beneficial to you, but you better not ignore dear Yukino-chan, okay? If not, it'll be the greatest mistake of your life. I'll make sure of it!" She said in the most cheerful tone that it actually terrified him.
"You don't have to make sure I would regret doing that. Ignoring her would be traumatizing... In more way than one..." Hachiman said while feeling a shiver in his spine. "For her to threaten someone in such a cheerful way that it somehow amplified her malice... just a normal behavior from the devilish Yukinoshita Haruno."
"Sooo~? How's was it? Did you gain a hot body to show off to Yukino-chan? Huh? Huh?"
"No, I told you I'm not aiming for that," Hachiman said with his blush growing. "All I've gained was sweat, aches, and a realization of how weak I am."
"'A' for effort, right?" She said with a chuckle. "When will you be coming back?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Same day as everyone getting discharged. Nice!"
"Really?" Hachiman sat up in shock.
"Yeah, didn't your sister told you abou-" Another call came as the phone vibrated, causing him to interrupt her.
"Speak of the devil, it's Komachi. Hold on." Hachiman held the call and answered Komachi, only to hear a scream on the other side of the phone that possibly damaged his right eardrum.
"ONII-CHAN, YOU DIDN'T ANSWER THE CALL FOR ALMOST THREE DAYS NOW! I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN TROUBLE! Well, it's not like I didn't expect you to be in trouble, but what I'm worried about is the KIND OF TROUBLE THAT COULD BE SERIOUS!"
"My ear is... ringing..." Hachiman thought while scratching his right ear until the ringing stopped and his hearing fully recovered. After a lengthy conversation with both his little sister and the older sister he wished she never called or talked to him in general, he fell asleep in peace.
Next Day
6:40 AM
After a long, peaceful sleep, Hachiman woke up early and began packing his things on the blue duffel bag. He wore a grey sleeveless hoodie, a black T-shirt under, and sneakers with red and black design. After zipping the bag closed, he heard a knock.
"You all set?" Satoru asked behind the door.
"Yeah," He answered as he carried the bag on his right shoulder. Satoru entered the room and tossed the cursed tool which he caught it. Hachiman arched an eyebrow, staring at the cursed tool and then to Satoru. "Why?"
"This cursed tool is called the Beating Stash," Satoru explained. "It can absorb your cursed energy until a certain degree and it will either slowly leak or burst it out. This will help you hide your cursed energy in a way that everyone will be fooled to think you're just a normal human again."
"Because the leakage will mask my actual flow of cursed energy?" Hachiman guessed. "Am I hiding from someone?"
"Eyes will be everywhere the moment we're outside. I told the higher-ups you're now weaker than all the fourth-grade sorcerers, too weak to even control your cursed energy. If they found out I lied-"
"They'll kill me. Got it."
"Now, put that in your pocket and let it do its thing." Satoru went out of the room as Hachiman followed while putting the cursed tool in his pocket. As they walked in the hallway, the boy couldn't help but looked around. Because of what Satoru told him about eyes watching him, he raised his alertness.
"Will they be watching me using the crows? No, Gojo said those controlling the crows were from someone's cursed technique and he bribed that person to not help the higher-ups on this matter to an extent." Hachiman sighed and then commented. "Cursed tools, huh? I should've thought about something like a small wooden heart exists."
"That's because it's the first cursed tool to have that kind of function."
"All just for me?"
"Yeah, I used the equipment you used in training. The push-up handles, the bars, the wooden sword, and of course, your good ol' friend Kangaroo-san. The cursed energy you poured into them is used as materials after you immediately finished the reps and all. It's the reason this cursed tool has so much cursed energy inside which fooled the higher-ups into thinking it's this thing's fault and that there is a curse user lurking around in your prefecture."
"Curse user?"
"Think of them as criminals using curses."
"Oh... How do you make a cursed tool like this?"
"You don't need to learn about that. What you need to learn is how to get better at fighting curses and eventually curse users too."
"So, being a sorcerer means fighting both spirits and humans..." Hachiman stopped walking at the thought of that. There was no hesitation when he exorcised the cursed spirits. That was because he saw it as exorcism, expelling evil from this world. But, if he cut a curse user's head, then exorcism would obviously be the wrong term to describe that action. He imagined it: How the enemy was on his knees, completely at the boy's mercy. Then, when the enemy became too persistent, he slit his throat#$(*^& (^%)(#&^(0 $^$* stabbed him to the ches- $&()) #&^^#& cut offf his lim-
"Oi, Hachiman," Satoru repeatedly snapped his fingers in front of Hachiman's face to wake him up from those thoughts. "You're imagining something gross and dark, aren't you?"
"... I'm fine." Without gazing at the blindfolded sorcerer, Hachiman continued walking.
"Look, if-"
"I know what you're going to say next. I don't need to hear it because I understand already. I don't expect myself to be some hero or saint from being a sorcerer. Even though I said all that back at that mansion..."
"I won't let someone else die for a person not worth dying for."
"... That's just for myself. If someone died for me, the guilt would just eat my mind until I'm dead. I would be lying if I said I would have the same amount of guilt when someone just died because of something curse-related. It'll probably make me puke out of shock, but the guilt would be less. In the end, I didn't change my reason for entering the world of curses. It's all for myself and to those I hold dear."
"So, you're saying you have the guts to spill some living blood?"
"I don't think 'guts' is the right word. More like 'immaturity' or 'not thinking straight'."
"Oh, I get it now. Like, if you're backed into a corner, you'll start acting rash and go for the kill. Is that it?"
"Yeah... Pathetic, right?"
"Super pathetic. So remember these words from Gojo The Wise." They both stopped walking as Satoru spoke. "Actions have reasons. If there is no reason for what you do, then it's pointless to keep doing it. Even in a fucked up world like this, you can laugh as much as you can... because you have a reason for doing something. And that something is meaningful."
"... I understand."
"Really? I swear it's way too vague for everyone to get it."
"No, I get what you're saying. Thanks." Hachiman expressed his gratitude and walked forward. The boy actually understood what the blindfolded sorcerer meant. And so, he would keep take those words to heart, remembering them to steel himself for the forthcoming blood he would have to spill with the blade.
"Does this kid really understand what I said?" Satoru thought while scratching the back of his head.
"Pointless, huh? ... Is there... need to be a reason?"
.
.
"It's very important... Especially for sorcerers."
" He already told me the reason for his choices." He sighed. " It's all in the matter if he's tough enough to hold on to it. He can see which is right and wrong. From there, his resolve will grow."
"By the way, Hachiman."
"Yeah?"
"Are you multilingual?"
"Multilingual? No, I don't know any other languages other than Japanese and my English isn't good." Hachiman answered. "Why do you ask?"
"Nothing in particular. I just want us to have a conversation before you leave your outstanding teacher."
"You're a teacher?" The boy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course I am! I taught you a lot, didn't I?!" The blindfolded sorcerer said overdramatically.
"I suppose so. By the way, Gojo, where is Kusakabe-sensei?"
"Atsuya is not a teacher, you know?"
"But he did teach me a lot, so that makes him my teacher as well."
"How come you call him sensei and not me?"
"I didn't know you're a teacher."
"You didn't even know Atsuya's occupation!" Satoru put him in a choke hold. "You don't see me as a teacher, do you?!"
"No...! I.. don't...!" Hachiman answered while struggling to breathe and tapping Satoru's arm.
"What! There's no fucking way! Can't you see this white hair and blindfold! You should've guessed already that I'm the best teacher in Jujutsu Tec- No! In all kinds of schools!"
"Are you cosplaying as some shonen character?!" Hachiman thought. He wanted to shout that at Satoru, but he didn't have enough oxygen to speak because of the choke hold. After a few seconds of struggle, Satoru eventually let go of him and they continued walking in the hallway.
"So, am I keeping this?" Hachiman asked while taking out the wooden heart from his pocket and put it back in.
"The person who made it said it'll disintegrate itself after a few hours because it's not properly forged. A few days of forging isn't enough, apparently."
"Exactly how many hours?"
"Enough to get you out of here soon... Hm?" Satoru leaned closer to Hachiman, which made the latter feel uncomfortable. He lifted off the blindfold to look at the boy carefully with his bright, enchanting blue eyes. He arched an eyebrow and seemed bewildered. "Now this is interesting."
"Uhh, can you get away from my face?" Hachiman said as he pushed the sorcerer's face away.
"Hachiman... It looks like you got a cursed technique."
"Eh? Didn't you say two days ago I don't have one?"
"I said 'probably', remember? Because you're full of surprises, I bet with my gut that you would have a cursed technique. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong, but here we are. It's like you're a late bloomer or something."
"How can you tell if I have a cursed technique or not anyway?"
"I've got good eyes."
"They don't look like normal, that's for sure. So... what's my cursed technique?" Hachiman asked with a mix of excitement and curiosity in him, but tried to hide it by sounding as stoic as possible.
"Heh, it's not anything flashy like a stand or anything (1)." Satoru answered, and Hachiman clicked his tongue at that. "Pfft, you're seriously expecting that?"
"Just tell me what it is." The boy averted his gaze from him.
"Fine, fine. I'll tell you. This is pretty simple for you. Your cursed technique is..."
30 minutes later
7:10 AM
After leaving the campus, Hachiman could finally relax and breathe normally. Although he didn't see anything or anyone watching him, the feeling was there. Not because of instinct, but because of him knowing he was being watched, he couldn't stop his spine from shivering. Fortunately, he got out of that place without any problems occurring. As the train arrived, he breathe a sigh of relief and entered the transportation. He went for the seat nearest to the door leading to another cart. It wasn't a random choice. He simply followed Satoru's instructions for a specific reason. After a thirty-minute train to Chiba, he locked his phone after a brief text conversation with his mother and walked to the exit when the train stopped. While the passengers going in and out of the train, he grabbed something on the luggage rack and left the train. It was a briefcase that was about 24 inches long.
...
"Don't get close to the case," Satoru explained. "Take a seat or stand somewhere far away from it, but you can still see it. Once you reached Chiba, take it and go along like it's just a normal day."
"Going this far to bring my katana, huh?" Hachiman guessed.
"Yeah, we're just being careful here so it's a bad idea to carry a briefcase with a weapon in it, especially if it's a katana that still has a faint of your cursed energy."
"There's leftover cursed energy?"
"If you use a weapon or object for an extended period, it'll turn in to a sorta semi-cursed tool. The cursed energy will fade eventually but not soon enough."
"Then why don't you give me a new katana instead of the one I used during the survival game?"
"Heh. Simple. That's because..."
...
As Hachiman went out of the station, he caressed the briefcase and ran to the nearest bus station. After riding the bus and reached the destination, he ran even faster with a mix of excitement and worry. He stopped and stared at his home, feeling relieved nothing changed or there was anything unusual to cause for concern. He opened the door and was immediately greeted by none other than his sister.
"Welcome back!" Komachi said with a cheerful smile., but she immediately frowned after noticing the bandages patched on his cheek, head, and his arms. Her eyes widened and jaws dropped. "What happened, Onii-chan!? Did you get into a fight?!"
"If by fight, you mean 'getting myself beaten up by some delusional idiot' then yes." Hachiman lied.
"Does it hurt?"
"Not much. I'm guessing these bruises will be healed by tomorrow."
"Hmm~? So, did you have fun?"
"Fun?..." He held his chin in thought. "If someone were to call the whole training 'fun', that someone would be a hardcore masochist who needs therapy and family support. I'd rather go to a normal fitness camp, which is also a form of hell itself, for a fragile and precious species such as myself. I admit, the training did help me in several ways such as fulfilling my dark chuunibyou desire that I swear I buried them away, but I'd rather find other ways to better myself as a sorcerer."
"No, it's not fun," Hachiman answered in a deadpan tone.
"Mhm, nothing changed." Komachi said with a nod.
"At least it wasn't boring." He sighed as he walked past her and climbed the stairs. "Now, I need to put all this luggage in my room and go to the hospital. I need to see Yukino."
"Okay! What's in that briefcase, by the way?" Komachi asked as she just noticed the long briefcase he was carrying in his left hand.
"Just a gift from Gojo, nothing more."
"Hm? You said his name with no honorifics. Did you two get closer?"
"Closer? Not really. I just don't respect him, that's all," He answered with a vein popped in his head. "After all those embarrassing things he put me through, I won't forgive him even if he helped me."
"No need to act all tsundere~," Komachi chuckled. "Gojo-san is cool, so I can understand that even the likes of Onii-chan is charmed by his coolness."
"My sweet sister, if only you knew the hell he forced me to endure, you wouldn't have the same thought." The older brother just continued climbing the stairs in silence and reached the door to his bedroom. He entered the room and made sure to lock the door before putting down the luggage. He opened the long briefcase and took out the sheathed katana. He felt a strange sensation when holding the weapon. Gojo put nothing in it, nor was there something unusual with the katana.
...
"Haven't you heard the phrase: 'The sword is the extension of the wielder', or something along the lines? It's a pretty stupid reason, but a lot of people become better because they felt comfortable in using the same things." Satoru explained. "And this one applies the best if you're a sorcerer that uses weapons."
"Because of the leftover cursed energy in the blade..." Hachiman said.
"That's right, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes as a semi-cursed tool. There are a lot of advantages of that besides being comfortable with the weapon, though comfortability is already a huge advantage itself."
"Like using less cursed energy to imbue it, saving up more cursed energy and give me more options."
"Now you're catching on! Once you feel like the cursed tool is a part of you..."
...
"... it'll be the best weapon you ever have," Hachiman mumbled as he drew the katana slightly, staring at his reflection in the blade. He chuckled and sheath it back. "It's pretty subjective, but I get it. I'll make sure to put it to the best use."
In a certain hospital
8:00 AM
In a small office. A doctor was reading a paper while the person sitting in front of him waited. As he read more papers on the desk, the girl looked at the time in her wristwatch, thinking about various things in her mind. Her attire consisted of an unbuttoned denim jacket, a white T-shirt, a blue mini pencil skirt, and beige lace-up heels.
"Well, looks like you're now in perfect condition," The doctor spoke while putting down the paper on the desk. "No post-concussive symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and various mental issues. You're ready to go."
"Thank you," The mature, older woman expressed gratitude while the girl sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're alright, Yukino."
"Thank you, Nee-san." Yukino said with a smile. The Yukinoshita's sisters stood up, bowed to the doctor, and left the room. After days of resting in the hospital, Yukino and the others were fully recovered. Once they went outside of the building, they would go back on their normal days as if nothing happened. Yukino and Haruno walked in the hallway, passing by nurses, doctors, and patients with different sorts of illnesses, injuries, and other reasons for being here.
"Yukinon!" Yukino heard a call from her friend. Yui was waving at her with a cheerful smile. She was wearing a white T-shirt with black horizontal stripes, a pair of jeans, and white sneakers. The rest of the clique was with her, all were waiting for her to arrive.
"Yuigahama-san." Yukino called her name.
"Looks like we all made it in one piece." Hayama said.
"Now the only person we're waiting for is that idiot." Miura said and sighed. "That guy really has the nerve to go somewhere and never visited you once."
"He visited her once before he left," Haruno said with hands on her waists and pointed a finger at her younger sister. "Let him have his fun. After all, everything is just for her."
"Excuse me?" Yukino asked with a confused expression. "What do-"
"Speak of the devil," Hina unintentionally interrupted her while pointing at someone. They all looked in the direction and saw the person they were just talking about. Hachiman was panting and held both knees to keep standing, exhausted from running in the hospital. He stared at them for a moment until his entire focus was on Yukino, who also stared at him with bewilderment. She opened her mouth to utter a word, but her boyfriend ran towards her and hugged her.
"I'm glad you're alright." He whispered and hugged tighter.
"And I'm glad you are as well." She responded.
"Okay~, Okay~, get a room you two." Haruno teased. "If this point, you two would just kiss without considering the time and place."
"Uhm, right..." Hachiman let go and cleared his throat to regain composure. Yukino just turned her back on them, hiding her red face full of embarrassment.
"And the last person is here." Suddenly, Tobe approached Hachiman with an odd expression. The orange-haired boy took a deep breath and bowed to him, which confused the latter at first, but he immediately realized what this gesture was for. "Hikitani-kun, I'm-"
"You better not say sorry to me," Hachiman stopped Tobe midway while scratching the back of his head. "We're all at fault here one way or another. And besides, everyone is fine, so let's just forget it."
"O-Okay..." Tobe was surprised by his immediate response. Hina shoved him in the shoulder and smiled.
"See? I told you he won't blame you and ask for an apology." Hina said.
"Obviously," Haruno said with shrugged shoulders. "I mean, he's the one who convinced mother not to sue you."
"Seriously?" Tobe's jaw dropped and looked at Hachiman.
"I just bowed to her and begged, nothing more." Hachiman said with crossed arms. The orange-haired boy immediately wrapped around his neck with a left arm, laughing. "Let go!"
"You really are the best bro in the world!" Tobe said with a grin.
"Oi, oi, what about me?" Ooka asked and laughed.
"You're all the best bros and sis!"
"The last thing I want is to have a brother with zero brain cells." Miura mocked.
"Same." Hina agreed.
"Eh? Ebina-san?!" Tobe looked at the girl with glasses.
"Alright, let's continue this outside of the hospital. We're bothering people here..." Hayato said to Tobe, and they all looked around to see some patients, nurses, and doctors staring at them.
"Oops, sorry..." Tobe apologized. "Well, I need to get home with dad first."
"Me too. My mom is coming to give me a drive home." Ooka said, and they all walked forward. Miura's, Ebina's, and Yui's parents were already in the hospital, ready to take their daughters home. After a brief conversation, they all went outside and took their separate ways except for Hachiman, Yukino, and Haruno. The three stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as Haruno chose to take a route different from the couple.
"I'm going this way," Haruno said while pointing at a direction. "I wanna celebrate your recovery, Yukino-chan, but I'm busy with stuff at university."
"You? Busy?" Hachiman said with a raised eyebrow.
"Me. Yes." Haruno answered. "Just because I have so much free time, doesn't mean I don't act like a college student. I'm just exceptional, that's all."
"That excuse again."
"Don't bother, Hachiman. She's as unpredictable as the next earthquake." Yukino said with a sigh.
"Are you comparing me to a natural disaster? That sounds mean, Yukino-chan~!" Haruno said with a pout.
"Mean? No, Yukino is being kind," Hachiman thought with a deadpanned expression. "Comparing you to a natural disaster is the biggest understatement to describe you. And something bigger than a natural disaster would be the second biggest understatement to describe Gojo."
"Well, I'm off now. Mother and Father are busy at work so no one is home aside from our butlers and maids." Haruno pulled the couple close to her and whispered between their ears. "Which means if you two went to the household, it''ll be just the two of you. Make sure you ready yourself, okay?"
"N-Nee-san!" Yukino pushed her away with red on her cheeks. "Stop with the indecent jokes."
"Should I~? I think your boyfriend is thinking about it." Haruno pointed at Hachiman whose cheeks were blushing and looked up, but stopped whatever thoughts he had the moment the older sister pointed at him. However, it was futile to hide it since the Yukinoshita siblings noticed his expression. Yukino just stared at her boyfriend with eyes widened. With her lips trembling, she spoke.
"I-I always knew y-you are lecherous b-but to t-this extent...!" Yukino stuttered while glaring at him with red cheeks.
"I-It's not my fault. My mind as a man is being stimulated by the devilish words of your older sister," Hachiman argued while averting his gaze. "It's just a n-natural reaction, but the full blame shouldn't be on me."
"First comparing me to an earthquake now calling me devilish? You're hurting me..." Haruno said while pretending to cry until immediately went back to being the cheerful older sister. "Take care now! Don't go too crazy~!"
"Just go already." Yukino said in a tired tone and Haruno just chuckled before she left while waving a goodbye to them. The couple then just walked together in silence with hands intertwined.
"So, uh... do you want to go somewhere together?" Hachiman asked.
"Yes... My home..." Yukino said but it her voice was too soft for the boyfriend to hear.
"What?"
"I said we're going to my bedroom." Yukino answered with an oddly serious expression.
"... Something tells me this isn't a flag for a romantic setup..." He thought. "Does it have to be your room?"
"You are not suggesting a cafe or a cheap restaurant where people can eavesdrop on our conversation, are you?" Yukino glared.
"She must've read so much of my recommended light novels, her ability to predict my moves increased a hundredfold!" Hachiman thought.
"No, I just realized how many times we went to cafes and restaurants every time we talked about serious issues..."
"Are you an esper?"
"You're just easy to read. Nothing more."
"Impossible. This stoic expression has been honed for years with my entire blood and passion poured into it! How can she crack through this level 100 mask like it's nothing!" Hachiman cleared his throat and spoke. "So... to your room, then?"
"Yes, and please refrain from having perverted thoughts." Yukino demanded while pinching his ear. "This is serious, understand?"
"Ooouch~..." He stretched his lifeless response until she let go of his ear. "Serious... I hope it's not what I think it is."
8:15 AM
"Why are there so many of theeeemmm~..." Satoru yawned while putting down a book on the wooden table.
"What exactly are you trying to find?" A man sitting far away at a small table asked while drinking a cup of coffee.
"Clues... Just any clues that could be a potential answer to a mystery..." Satoru answered in a tired tone as he opened a different book. "How's your end, Nanami?"
"Unfortunately, no leads or even a spec of clues. After investigating the entire prefecture for days, there is nothing aside from curses appearing in various places. But, Ino and I will continue to investigate the matter."
"I see... Nanami, I think I'm going overseas for a while." Satoru declared while closing the book and leaned back in his wooden chair.
"Gojo-san, I understand you receive little consequences from having this behavior, but please take the current situation seriously," Nanami complained calmly while adjusting his sunglasses. "If you truly saw potential in Itadori Yuji, as well as Hikigaya Hachiman, then-"
"Hold on! I didn't say anything about vacation! I just want to find an answer to Hachiman's issue!"
"Are you implying it could be the work of a curse user from another country?"
"Yes, and no." The blindfolded sorcerer answered vaguely and just pushed a stack of books forward, signaling Nanami to look at it. Nanami stood up from his chair, approached the table, and grabbed one book to see the cover as well as the other stacks of books.
"Folklore and mythologies?" Nanami mumbled and looked at the papers and documents on the table. "Hikigaya-kun's birth certificate? These documents contain his personal information."
"I'm trying my best narrowing down clues, theories, and a lot of ideas so I could search for some leads without running around blindly," Satoru answered while reading Hachiman's school records.
"So, you speculated it could be an ancient cursed spirit? Where did you get the idea?"
"I'm just thinking outside the box at this point. Hachiman is too irregular. Not to mention, last night..."
...
Yesterday
6:50 PM
After the meeting with the higher-ups, Satoru visited the injured and unconscious Hachiman to check his current condition. Shoko used her reversed cursed energy to heal his wounds, but she put more focus into the hole in his stomach. She wiped the sweat on her forehead and used more of her reversed cursed energy until the wound in his stomach was fully healed, not even leaving the tiniest scars.
"How is he?" Satoru asked.
"Not good, thanks to you," Shoko answered while sitting down in an exhausted state. "Do you really have to punch a hole in his stomach? It took almost everything in me to heal it completely without leaving a scar. If you were seconds late, the wound would get worse."
"This is all just to create a scenario to cover his innocence."
"I get it, but don't go overboard with giving him an injury next time."
"Okay, okay. Next time, I'll use my fingers to pierce his heart... No homo."
"You're the strongest, one finger is enough to make him pass out."
"'One finger is enough to knock him', title of your sex tape? (2)"
"What? That's disgusting. Anyway, overall, Hikigaya's fine. Just let him rest for the full night and he'll recover enough to bruises will still be there for a few more days." Shoko explained. "Now if you excuse me, I'll be also sleeping for a full night."
"Good night~! Stay beautiful!" Satoru lightly waved at her as she left the room. He sighed and sat on a chair with crossed arms. Now that Hachiman had learned jujutsu sorcery at a surface level, the boy could fend off second-grade curses. All Satoru needed to do was to find out the mystery behind Hachiman's irregular phenomenon while also worrying about those unregistered special-grade curses the blindfolded sorcerer encountered days ago. Then the boy's mumbling interrupted his thoughts.
"Hachiman?" Satoru checked, but Hachiman still appeared to be unconscious. "Talking while you sleep, huh?"
"... Om Kaaka..."
"What?" Satoru couldn't hear clearly what the boy was saying, so he leaned closer.
"...vidmahae~...khadga hastaaya~..." Hachiman was singing so softly in his sleep. It sounded like he was singing in a foreign language. Satoru didn't know what language this was, but after a few seconds, he noticed something odd...
...
"His cursed energy changed?" Nanami repeated what Satoru explained.
"Yeah, it's like the cursed energy is transforming into something different. And now, before he left, he developed a cursed technique. This is all too strange."
'Could it be something similar to Itadori Yuji's case, being a vessel of an ancient curse?"
"That's the idea I'm leaning on. Hachiman's weird song should be the clue." Satoru grabbed another book and opened it. "Nanami, I want you to be the one taking care of Chiba for now. And I want you to show Hachiman the ropes in working as a jujutsu sorcerer."
"Taking care of the curses in Chiba while teaching an inexperienced child..." Nanami mumbled and sigh. "Fine, I accept. From how you kept praising the boy's talents and how he disrespect you, it should be fairly easy and not a waste of time."
"Oi, why is Hachiman's disrespect towards me a factor?"
"A fitness camp?" Yukino repeated with a raised eyebrow. She and Hachiman were now walking in the corridor of the massive Yukinoshita household. "You?"
"Yeah, me." Hachiman answered nonchalantly.
"You.? Were working out?"
"... Yes... Well, this is deja vu. Haruno-san said the same thing."
"Anyone who knows you well would say the same thing."
"Well, I can imagine that." The couple arrived at the door to Yukino's room. Without a word, they entered the room and sat on her bed in silence. The atmosphere wasn't awkward. It was comfortable. They needed the silence because just as Yukino said, this private discussion would be serious. Hachiman already guessed what she wanted to talk about. "I should've thought about this sooner. What if she or any of them saw what happened before they were knocked out? What if Yukino can see curses? Should I tell her the truth or use the cover-up story? It's honestly a miracle that everyone bought that story and moved on. Are there severe consequences if a normal person found out the existence of curses? I should've asked Gojo before I left. What should I do?"
"Hikigaya-kun..." Yukino called out his name and held his hand. "There is something I need to ask you."
"Let's hear it?"
"Do you... know what happened at that night? In that abandoned middle school?"
"I don't know," Hachiman decided to lie. "One minute I was in that dusty old classroom and then the next I was with Gojo."
"Gojo? Oh, you mean your trainer? Nee-san talked about him several times these past few days. What piqued her interest in him?"
"He's a clone of Haruno-san," He answered in a deadpan tone. "No, I would even argue he's the enhanced male counterpart of her."
"That... doesn't sound good." Yukino said while holding her chin.
"Definitely."
"What are the odds of defending against such a catastrophe?"
"We could barely handle against your older sister. What chances do we have against two?"
"This is the end times..." Yukino sighed and both of them chuckled. The girlfriend then leaned on his shoulder. "You... really don't know anything?"
"I... don't." Hachiman continued to lie, but the facade was slowly faltering.
"Because it's just weird for you to go to a place you would never take part in, especially after all that happened in one night after... Are you sure you know nothing?"
"People really find me exercising strange."
"It's your behavior that's strange." Yukino clenched his hand and gently caressed the bandages patched on his arm and to the bandage on his head. "Look at how hurt you are."
"Yeah, that guy in the camp was crazy."
"He's still continuing with that lie..." The girlfriend sighed. "It's obvious that he is. I bet Nee-san noticed it too and hid that from me. There is no doubt. DId she want me to solve this by myself? Possibly. Or perhaps she trusts him so she didn't question it further?"
"Hachiman, I know you are hiding something from me."
"..."
"Just tell me. You can trust me."
"... Alright, fine..." Hachiman took a deep breath, stood up, and faced his girlfriend with a serious expression. "There's a reason I went to Tokyo, and it's not because I want to exercise."
"Then what is it?" A second after she asked that question, he suddenly prostrated which caught her off guard.
"I'm sorry! I want to get rid of the impure thoughts I've been having lately."
"... Eh?" Yukino blinked. She was confused at what he meant.
"A couple months ago, I've been having perverted thoughts of you every time we went on a date."
"W-wha..."
"And my limit stretched when I first came here. You just let a man in your room like it wasn't a big deal. Even in this very moment, all I've been thinking about is how I want to take action and do... stuff." Hachiman explained with fear in his voice. Yukino's lips trembled and cheeks became red. "That was a total lie... mostly. I already guessed that's what Komachi thought when I told them about the fitness camp, so I'll go along with that to have her as my support to back my claim."
"W-when you say impure thoughts, do... do you mean...?" Yukino tried to finish the question, but Hachiman answered immediately.
"Like... d-dragging you to your bed and... touch you..." His cheeks also became red from saying that, and closed his eyes, preparing himself for the worst to come. "I'm sorry, Yukinoshita, but this is all I could think of. I can take the pain of being called a disgusting pervert. I mean, I'm used to being called a lot of things. And to be fair, what I said isn't entirely a lie. I keep imagining things will happen between us in your room, but I'm too afraid to make a move because it's too risky. I guess you could say you are partly to blame for making your boyfriend have impure thoughts."
"Do you... want to?" Yukino asked as she lied prone on her bed and hugged the nearest Pan-san plushy.
"... Excuse me?" Hachiman asked, making sure he heard it right. It was a normal reaction because what she said was something he never thought she would suggest this soon.
"I... said do you want to do it? T-Touching... me... and w-whatever perverted imagination you have about me." She buried her own face into the plushy, hiding her embarrassment. The boyfriend gulped, stood up, and slowly approached her. He wanted to say something, anything like "Are you sure?" or whatever word just to release his voice. But he didn't. He thought he might say something stupid and would ruin the mood. Yukino parted her face from Pan-san to look at her boyfriend, only to see him approaching, which caused her to bury her face back to the plushy. Both of them were expecting it. They already dated for months, so both Yukino and Hachiman thought this could be the perfect time to advance their relationship. However, before Hachiman could even lie on the bed, his phone vibrated. He hesitated, but he pulled it out from his pocket and saw the caller.
"Gojo? This might be important." He thought and went to the door. "I'm sorry. I need to answer this."
"O-okay..." And with that, he left the room. Yukino froze for a moment, thinking about the last few seconds before his phone vibrated. She raised the Pan-san plushy in the air and stared at it. "Pan-san... Am I also a pervert?"
"Hello? Gojo-san?" Hachiman answered the call.
"Yo, Hachiman! How's it going over there!?" Satoru asked cheerfully.
"It's... fine." Hachiman answered. "I want to shout at this annoying disaster for ruining the moment, but he's calling for a reason. If there isn't... Well, my katana is itching for a test run against another human..."
"Good. Good. Hey listen, I got a friend of mine who's gonna help you there with the curses. Just follow his lead and learn how sorcerers work."
"Are you sure that friend of yours won't try to kill me or snitch?"
"He's fine. You two will get along really well... Like, REALLY well. He was an ex-salaryman, you know?"
"I don't know if there is sarcasm in what you just said."
"I'll give you the address on where to meet him tomorrow. Be ready by then. Got that?"
"Yeah, I got it."
"Oh, by the way, how's you and that girlfriend of yours? Is it going well?"
"Yes it WAS, before you called at the worst time." Hachiman thought. He wanted to answer with that, but decided not to. "She's fine. No worries."
"Cool, cool. Well, see ya!" And with that, the call ended. Hachiman sighed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about what was to come on the next day.
"Shit, I forgot to ask him if there are penalties on telling normal citizens..." He dialed Satoru's number, only to be ignored. "Is he busy?"
Next Day
9:00 AM
"Let's see... To the left..." Hachiman mumbled as he turned to the left, following the map he was given by Gojo on the phone. His attire remained the same, and he held the long brief case with the katana inside. After walking a long road, he reached the meeting place. It was just a small, ordinary, three-storey building. No signs or anything. Just a building that may or may not have an owner or even a single person in it. Regardless, he approached the building and knocked on the door. After waiting for a few seconds, someone answered.
"Turn fear into strength to form unyielding courage." A man spoke.
"Turn anger into nothingness to achieve enlightenment." Hachiman responded, and he heard the sound of the locks clicking behind the door. The door opened and revealed a man with black hair, curved eyebrows, sunken cheeks, and wore glasses. His attire was a black long-sleeved suit over a button-down shirt, a black tie, matching pants and shoes.
"Welcome, Hikigaya-kun." The man spoke as he let the boy enter.
"Is the 'secret code' necessary?" Hachiman asked while entering the building.
"Gojo-san said it's necessary. We can't be too sure if you are a curse user in disguise."
"There's someone with that kind of cursed technique?"
"Anything is possible, Hikigaya-kun." They climbed the stairs and reached the second floor. The man opened a door and entered a room with couches and other furniture, a large whiteboard, and a blonde man wearing a tan business suit and sunglasses that had no arms.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hikigaya Hachiman," The blonde man spoke and bowed to him. "My name is Nanami Kento, and I will help you in exorcising the curses in Chiba until the occurence of curses decline into a stable rate."
"Uh, yes, nice to meet you." Hachiman greeted and bowed as well.
"The current situation of this prefecture isn't exactly dire, but if the rate of the curses grows it is more possible that several people will discover its existence."
"Is there a penalty if a normal person knows the existence of curses, or someone telling a normal person its existence?"
"We jujutsu sorcerers work in the shadows. This job has existed for thousands of years. To at least control the thousand-year conflict, working in secrecy is the best option. It is to keep the peace of humanity after all. There aren't necessarily penalties of a non-sorcerer discovers a curse, but if a sorcerer willingly involves that non-sorcerer, there will be consequences, especially if you hurt the non-sorcerer, you will be classified as a curse user."
"I see..." Hachiman held his chin in thought. "So I made the right move, although, I don't think she will get herself involve in this kind of world. But, by the off chance she does, it won't end well."
"Now that introductions are finished, let us discuss your schedule."
"Schedule?"
"You will also balance your life as both a sorcerer and high school student, correct? A schedule is necessary for you to be efficient at all sides without troubling yourself in making time for others. For starters, on what days do you not have any plans?"
"That depends on what my friends and I are planning, but my time is free on the weekend."
"Then on weekdays, open your schedule at 3 or 4 o'clock in the evening. Based on our observations, curses appear more at around that time till midnight. I can handle the cursed spirits during daytime. On weekends, you will work from morning until night."
"Well, isn't that convenient?" Hachiman thought. "I'm okay with that."
"Now, as for when the school days return, are you in a club or any sort of activity that occupies your time at night?"
"I have a club that last till 5 pm."
"Then you will come here and work at 6-10 pm, depending on how quick we can finish the job." Nanami wrote something on a small piece of paper and gave it to the boy. "This is my number, and this is Ijichi-kun's. Call one of us if you want to inform us that you won't be coming so we could adjust the schedule or not waste time waiting for you."
"Okay, thank you." Hachiman said while reading the numbers.
"Nanami-san." The man named Ijichi called out his name while holding a phone. "There is a curse activity in the Mihama Bridge."
"And there is our first job. Get yourself prepared, Hikigaya-kun." Nanami ordered.
"Right." Hachiman opened the case and grabbed the sheathed katana out of it. Ijichi approached him while holding a belt.
"Here. This is so you wouldn't have to hold the katana." Ijichi spoke.
"Thank you." Hachiman wore the belt around his waist and put his katana in the loop. The three left the building and went inside of a black car with Ijichi as the driver, Nanami at the front seat, and Hachiman at the back, removing the sheathed katana from the belt and held it to sit comfortably. As Ijichi started the engine and drove the vehicle, Nanami spoke to the boy while looking at something on the phone.
"There are also two other sorcerers who will help us not just in the city, but in this entire prefecture, since the land is small. They will work separately from us to cover more ground. Are you aware of your current grade?"
"Grade?"
"We rank the power of curses, tools, and sorcerers based on their grades." Ijichi explained while driving. "4th grade is the weakest, third grade is equal to a handgun, a second grade can be close to a shotgun. A first grade may be equal or stronger than a tank. A special grade is the most powerful. You might as well use cluster bombs to fight against such a grade."
"Oh... I actually don't know. Gojo nor anyone didn't tell me before I left the campus." Hachiman answered.
"According to Gojo-san, you are powerful enough to be classified as a second-grade sorcerer." Nanami said while locking the phone and stared at him through the rear-view mirror. "However, experience is part of the criteria as well. Based on your performance for this task at the bridge, I will see it for myself if you are second grade."
"I, uh... won't let you down." That was all Hachiman could say before silence filled the vehicle. Because of the traffic, it would take longer than usual to reach the bridge. After five minutes, Hachiman spoke. "Um, Nanami-san?"
"Hm?"
"I, uh, heard from Gojo you worked as a salaryman once... Why did you, uh, quit and... and work as a sorcerer?" Hachiman asked nervously. "I just want to start a conversation to distract my anxiety, but I forgot one thing: I didn't put any points on my social skills. While it is true, I can talk to Yukino and the others without stuttering like an idiot, but complete strangers are a different issue. When it comes to business like a request in the Service Club, or at least, something school-related, I can spit out the right words... some of the right words... But, if it's having a normal, simple conversation, don't expect me to entertain the listener or form any sort of meaningful bond."
"I studied at Jujutsu Tech, and one thing I learned..." Nanami crossed his arms. "... is that jujutsu sorcerers are shit!"
"Eh?" Hachiman blinked a few times, not expecting such an answer.
"Then I worked at your typical company, and one thing I learned... is that work is shit!"
"Oh, uh... really?"
"If both are equally shit, I'll take the one I'm more suited to. That's the reason I returned to work as a sorcerer. Also, please don't believe I'm of the same mindset as Gojo-san. I do trust and have faith in him," Nanami adjusted his sunglasses and looked at Hachiman once again through the rear-view mirror. "But I do not respect him!"
"He's fine. You two will get along really well... Like, REALLY well."
The memory of Satoru's words resurfaced in the boy's mind.
"I hate the way the higher-ups do things, but I believe in rules and regulations. Currently, I don't see you as a sorcerer, not yet. So, please attempt to prove that you are useful."
"Yes!" Hachiman answered enthusiastically. "Why didn't I meet this man sooner?! I can relate to everything he said! Work is shit. We are nothing but corporate slaves once we are employed. This whole jujutsu sorcerer thing is also shit, but uh... it has its perks... like powers and katana... I understand now, Gojo. This man... is meant to be my mentor!"
"We have arrived." Ijichi said as he stopped the car in front of the destination. There was a large sign that said "CLOSED" and pylons aligned, blocking the road.
"Did a cursed spirit damage the bridge?" Hachiman asked.
"No, this is just to keep citizens from getting near the bridge. It's the reason there was traffic earlier." Nanami answered as he walked past the sign and pylons. "Follow me, Hikigaya-kun."
"Okay." Hachiman followed from behind. Meanwhile, Ijichi stayed near the vehicle.
"Emerge from the darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure." He cast a veil around the bridge.
"Looks like Ijichi-san cast a veil." Hachiman thought while staring at the clear, blue sky turning into night.
"Focus, Hikigaya-kun. Can't you sense it?" Nanami said while pulling out his small blunt sword wrapped in cloth.
"Yes, I do." The boy felt the cursed energy in front of him, but no one was there. As he held his katana strapped in his belt, they both walked slowly with caution. With a few more steps, the surroundings changed. The bridged stretched and shaped into a cylinder, making it a large dark tunnel with the only source of light were the pole lights above and around them that all glowed red. "A cursed technique?"
"It's a domain expansion," Nanami answered. "It is a barrier that creates a separate space. You've already witnessed it once, remember?"
"I did...? Oh." Hachiman realized what Nanami meant. "That night? So that was a domain expansion..."
"Like that time, this one is also incomplete, so there is nothing to worry. Our only concern is to exorcise the curse that cast it."
"Okay... And it seems that curse came to us." The boy pointed at a grey, humanoid, cursed spirit with the right side of its face looked masculine while the other side looked more feminine. Its eyes appeared to be upside down, and the abdomen was extremely thin. "Despite how it looks, it's strong."
"Indeed, I will deal with that curse. You will take care of the ones behind us." Nanami said and Hachiman turned around after sensing more cursed energy behind them. He saw several cursed spirits of different shapes and sizes. They were too many to count, but he could tell they weren't as strong as the two-faced curse.
"Okay."
"Prove your strength here, Hikigaya-kun." Nanami said while posing a stance, gripping his weapon.
"I will." Hachiman focused his cursed energy in his legs, right arm, and the blade.
"New Shadow Style Original: Obscuring Stream Of Malice!"
Next Arc:
The Okinawa Incident
TRIVIA:
1) Jojo reference
2) Brooklyn 99
Sorry it took so long. I've been distracted lately by all the things happening around me.
The ending of this arc felt kinda rush but I think this is still a good way to end and move on to the next one which is the "Okinawa Incident". I've decided each arc will last about 4-5 chapters depending on the how major it will be to the story.
But what did you guys think? Am I rushing it or is this fine as it is? Sorry for the mistakes in grammars. Please let me know your thoughts in the reviews!
