• notes •

Thank you for supporting my first work! I apologize in advance for the very little Sukuna x OC action this chapter, but I promise the next chapter will make up for it :)

Rin disappeared from Sukuna's hold and he clicked his tongue. That damn Jujutsu Sorcerer, always intervening.

He leapt to the top of the mountain of bones and settled into his comfortable sitting position.

Was it a coincidence, finding an anomaly of a Jujutsu Sorcerer, one who reigns over time?

Sukuna's signature grin appeared.

His reincarnation in this age after a millennium and his encounter with this girl by chance... No, by fate.

Sukuna was excited for the future to come with the presence of Rin Aiuchi, but first...

"Don't look inside me without permission. It's unpleasant, brat."

"Rin, you back?"

Rin blinked at Satoru's question. Back from? Then the nausea, headache, and faintness attacked her simultaneously, along with the recollection of memories that led her to this laboratory. He provided support as she sat down to recover.

She eyed Yuji's lifeless body and sighed. "I'm assuming it failed?"

Satoru ruffled her hair for reassurance. "Now don't be too depressed! We already knew the chances of Yuji's revival were slim in the first place. It was worth the effort though."

"So what happened?" she asked as she combed through her hair to tame her flyaway hair. What a nonchalantly intimate teacher. That man and now Gojo-sensei... My heart can't handle it, Rin thought.

"You activated your incomplete Innate Domain. Your lack of control over your Cursed Energy was on the verge of inflicting severe damage on you, so I nullified it. We wouldn't want you to be in another week-long coma."

"I see. Thank you, Gojo-sensei," Rin said, lowering her head in gratitude. She thought about Yuji's look-alike. "By the way—"

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Satoru yelled.

Nobara opened the door. "How'd it go?"

He replied nonchalantly, "Not as well as we hoped! Well, seeing Rin's Jujutsu in person was truly an experience. Say, what do you think about becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer, Rin?"

"Even if you ask me," she trailed off.

"Wha~? It would be a waste of potential if you don't," Satoru whined.

"Fine, I will, I will. So what do you want me to do?"

"Nobara, show Rin the way to the principal."

"Okay," Nobara drawled.

"Um, can you explain?" Rin asked.

Satoru grinned. "For an interview!"

"What is your business?"

In front of Rin sat a fierce-looking man enjoying a cute hobby. The juxtaposition was rather odd, leaving Rin in a confused state of mind. "I am here for an interview?" she hesitantly answered.

The principal grumbled under his breath, "Satoru, doing whatever whenever." He set down his doll and looked at Rin. "Rin Aiuchi. Why are you here at Jujutsu High? In other words, why did you decide to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer?"

Rin was intimidated but managed to answer, "To protect humanity from Cursed Spirits."

"Disqualified." Principal Yaga infused his Cursed Energy into a doll.

"Wha—" Before she could blink, a seemingly innocent doll violently punched Rin in the gut. She cursed, It's only a f*ing doll made out of fabric and cotton!

"That is not your purpose in studying Jujutsu; it is common knowledge that is merely the duty of all Jujutsu Sorcerers. Until I am convinced of your answer, the doll will continue attacking."

"Wait!" Rin threw her hands up. "Can't I think over this? I—"

Disregarding her plea, the doll once again aimed an attack at her. No longer a surprise attack, the attempt failed as Rin dodged it—although barely. Yuji with his superb reflexes and athletic abilities may have led others to underestimate the doll's speed, but the doll's speed was to be taken seriously. What part about this is an interview?!

"Then think about it now. People's true natures are revealed in life-or-death situations."

"I already experienced death once!" Rin yelled as she dodged another attack.

"Yes, although it seems that you have experienced death already, I deem it necessary for you to experience it once more."

The doll attempted a headbutt, only to end up embedded in the pillar.

"Let me ask you again: why are you here?"

The doll suddenly increased its speed and landed a perfect blow to Rin's right kidney, leaving her groveling on the floor in pain.

"The hell if I know!" Rin coughed. "Gojo-sensei suggested it!"

"I don't want you here because someone told you that you have potential to be a Jujutsu Sorcerer. You should be here because you want to."

As she struggled to get up, the doll tackled her from the back, sending Rin back onto the floor. Although she didn't want to admit it, she started thinking about herself. Her life that has been shaped by others, her path laid out for her, her accomplishments achieved to satisfy others' expectations.

"Is it wrong to not want to disappoint anyone?" she asked weakly.

Principal Yaga shook his head. "What is the point of fighting if not for yourself? If you were to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer like this, you will undoubtedly break."

The doll attacked Rin again from the back. She coughed weakly as faintness overtook her consciousness.

I once laid down facedown helplessly like this.

The world spun as Rin raised her head. Then I looked up and regretted doing so. She expected to see Aki's limp silhouette but only saw Principal Yaga's giant figure towering above her.

"What's wrong? Giving up already?"

I remember that monster—no, Cursed Spirit—looking down upon me like that.

The doll attempted to land a punch on the seemingly defenseless Rin, but she rolled to her side, dodging the attack.

I also remember...

Rin got up to her feet and brutally twisted out a long piece of wood from the destroyed pillar.

The anger I felt towards my impotence that allowed that Cursed Spirit to kill Aki in such a barbaric manner.

The doll shot at her with high velocity, but Rin took that opportunity to pierce the doll with the piece of wood.

"Principal Yaga, I want to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer who can protect my loved ones as well as other people's loved ones. No longer will I curse myself for my powerlessness again. I hope this is a satisfactory answer for you since this doll—" Rin swung her makeshift sword to her side, flinging a torn doll with its stuffing, and met eye contact with the principal. "—will no longer be able to attack me."

Principal Yaga smiled. "Beautiful answer full of determination and conviction. It was more than satisfactory. Welcome to Jujutsu High."

"Congrats!"

Rin dropped the stick in surprise and quickly turned around to see Satoru and Yuji. "You guys were here?!"

"We came like halfway through," Yuji answered.

"So you saw me getting beat up by a doll?" Rin anxiously asked.

Yuji laughed casually. "More or less, yeah!"

Rin crouched down and shaped herself into a ball in embarrassment. "I know I was just accepted, but I think I might just drop out now," she muttered.

That man definitely saw everything. Rin blinked at her unwanted thought. Wait, why do I care about a guy who I met for a brief moment anyway?

Rin let out an unrestrained wail of regret, resulting in Satoru, Yuji, and the principal exchanging concerned looks.

Sukuna snorted at the sight. "She looks so foolish, allowing herself to be beaten up by a doll," he mocked.

Yet only a little while ago—while he would never acknowledge it—Rin's unfaltering swordsmanship and her confident words struck the slightest awe in Sukuna.