A/N: Two brand new chapters!
(III) NANAMI KENTO
"Itadori, please don't think that I have the same thinking as Gojo. I trust him and have confidence in him…" Nanami's comment filled Gojo with a sense of pride until… "But I don't respect him!"
"WHAT?" Gojo protested. Serina laughed out loud. The white-haired jujutsu user glared at her.
Nanami continued. His words directed at Itadori, "I hate the way the higher-ups do their job, but I adhere to rules strictly. I've talked too much. In any case, I do not acknowledge you as a Jujutsu Sorcerer. While you have the bomb that is Sukuna, please do your best to prove to me that you're a useful person."
Serina felt a bit bad for Itadori that she wanted to comfort him. She recognized that Nanami's words were a reflection of his honesty, and she believed that it was essential for the boy to confront the truth directly.
"I'm weak and useless. I was made to realize that recently. But I'll get stronger. If I'm not strong enough, I can't even choose my own way of death. You don't have to say that. I'll make you acknowledge me. Please wait a little longer." Itadori's passionate words sparked amusement in both Gojo and Serina. They exchanged knowing smiles before a sudden sense of awkwardness made them shift their gaze away from each other and to the side.
"No, don't tell me. Tell that to the higher-ups." Nanami said bluntly which left Gojo, Serina and Itadori in a state of bewilderment.
Serina approached Itadori and tapped his shoulder, "Kento can be very honest at times, it hurts. Haha! But he's a really good sorcerer and you'll learn from him." Serina gave him two thumbs up. "Oh by the way!" Serina almost forgot the treats she kept in her string bag. "This one is for Satoru and Itadori." She pulled out 1 bag and handed it to Gojo. And another one for Nanami.
Gojo looked at his bag of souvenirs and then glanced at Nanami's. His eyebrows furrowed in irritation. "Hey! Why does Nanami get to have one all for himself? And mine was meant for sharing?" Gojo attempted to grab Nanami's but the blonde jujutsu user was quick enough to protect his precious stash and shielded the bag with his arm.
"Sorry, Gojo. These are for me." Nanami said in a serious tone.
Itadori found himself perplexed by the sight unfolding before him. Three mature sorcerers were engaged in a dispute over treats. Are they really grown-ups?
Gojo pouted and cast a glum expression in Serina's direction, expressing his disappointment while crossing his arms. Serina laughed and tapped his back.
"Alright, alright! I'll give one big bag of treats and snacks to you in school. I'm sure I still have a lot left in my luggage." Gojo's expression changed quickly and smiled.
"Okay, off you go!" Gojo told the trio. As they prepare to go to the crime scene, Gojo turns to Nanami and pulls him aside for a moment, lowering his voice.
"Nanami, take care of both of them." He instructed.
Nanami raised an eyebrow, "Ina can take care of her own, Gojo. But I'll be there if things get serious." Gojo gave a subtle nod of approval and patted Nanami on the back before returning to the group.
As the team of Itadori, Serina, and Nanami made their way through the darkened corridors of the Kinema Cinema building, the sound of heavy rain against the windows served as an eerie backdrop to their mission. They were headed towards the rooftop access, tasked with dealing with curses that had manifested in the upper levels of the building.
Serina and Nanami shared a single umbrella, the close quarters making it necessary for them to walk side by side, sheltered from the pouring rain. Itadori trailed behind them, unable to ignore the undeniable friendship that had developed between the two.
"Uhmmm.. Ge, Se… Get-" Itadori was at a loss of words contemplating whether he should call Serina by his last or first name. He heard Gojo and Nanami always refer to her as Serina but he thought it would be rude to call her that.
Serina ended his stuttering, "Serina-sensei is fine, Itadori. I prefer to be called by my first name." Serina smiled. Nanami glanced at his friend out of the corner of his eye but kept silent.
"Is that so? Then Serina-sensei it is!" Itadori exclaimed. "You and Nanami-san seem really close. Even with Gojo-sensei. They both call you Ina. That's so cute. How did it start?"
Serina was about to reply, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm, when Nanami abruptly halted in his tracks. He raised a hand in warning, a keen sense of danger coursing through him. The atmosphere grew tense as two menacing figures materialized before them, shrouded in malevolent energy. Itadori was ready to fight the curse off.
"Stop. I'll take care of this. You take care of the other one, Itadori." Nanami, ever the pragmatic one, took charge and offered a firm proposal. "Once you ascertain that you can't defeat it, let Ina know."
"You're totally looking down on me." Itadori sighed.
"Wait!" Serina exclaimed. "How about me? What did I come here for?"
Nanami turned to Serina with a careful expression but firmly said, "Didn't Gojo tell you to just observe and assist?"
Serina's brow furrowed in slight confusion as she looked at Nanami. "But how will Itadori see me use my Jujutsu?"
"That's why I told him to let you know if he can't defeat that curse. Just stay back for now." He waved his hand, gesturing to Serina to move over at the side. Serina sulked and stood in one corner holding her umbrella.
While Itadori resists being underestimated, Nanami believes him to be a young individual in need of guidance and protection. In Nanami's view, facing life-or-death scenarios doesn't necessarily define one as an adult. Instead, it's the accumulation of small losses and experiences throughout life that gradually mold people into adulthood.
Nanami Kento swiftly assessed the situation as he squared off against the monstrous curse. The grotesque figure, with elongated limbs and a malevolent aura, lunged toward him with blinding speed. With lightning-fast reflexes, Nanami dodged the initial attack and retaliated with a series of precise jujutsu techniques. His strikes were calculated, delivering powerful blows to the curse's body. However, the deformed human-like creature proved to be surprisingly agile and resilient. The two clashed, exchanging fierce blows, the sounds of their collisions echoing through the rain-soaked rooftop. Nanami's movements were fluid and controlled, a testament to his remarkable skill as a sorcerer. He deftly defended himself against the curse's onslaught, narrowly avoiding its razor-sharp claws.
As Nanami faces his opponent, he explains how his cursed technique works. Itadori finds it challenging to concentrate on both listening to Nanami's explanation and battling his own opponent simultaneously. However, Nanami imparts a valuable lesson to Yuji: revealing one's techniques in a fight can actually be an advantage. It's a mutual agreement that enhances the effectiveness of one's abilities during battle. To demonstrate this, Nanami swiftly dispatches his adversary with a single swing of his sword. With that, Itadoru is left to contend with his own opponent, now able to focus fully on the battle as Nanami has finished explaining.
Itadori was pumped seeing his senior battle the curse. In his mind, he also wants to show off to his female teacher using everything he learned from Gojo. He saw Serina waving from afar giving him a thumbs up. As the curse lunged towards Itadori, its grotesque form threatening to overwhelm him, a sudden change in the situation took place. One of the curses, instead of attacking Itadori, targeted Serina, who was standing nearby. Itadori's heart raced, fearing for his teacher. "Serina-sensei, watch out!" He warned, running over to the girl.
But to his surprise, Serina's reaction was far from what he expected. Instead of panic or fear, she raised her hand and flashed a peace sign in response to the curse's approach.
As the curse's attack closed in on Serina, it stumbled, its movements disrupted hitting an invisible barrier. The attack, deflected by an unseen force, rebounded towards the curse that had initiated it. Serina's cursed technique, known as "Reflection Mirror," allowed her to manipulate her surroundings by creating mirror-like paths for incoming curses or jujutsu techniques. With minimal effort, she deflected the curse's attack and redirected it back towards its source.
Itadori, who had been ready to intervene, watched in awe as Serina effortlessly repelled the curse. All she had done was raise her hand, and the curse's own attack had turned against it.
"Woah! That was incredible, sensei!" Itadori said in awe. Serina turned to Itadori with a smile, her eyes reflecting the confidence of someone well-versed in their craft.
"It's just one of my techniques, Itadori. I'm here to observe and ASSIST you guys, after all." Serina glared at Nanami.
The curse, even with its afflicted injuries, continued to attack Itadori. He shows off the fruits of his training, as he's able to channel cursed energy effectively into his fists. During his previous training, Gojo taught Itadori that his cursed energy has a time lag, allowing him to turn one strike into two impacts. He strikes down his opponent using this attack: Divergent Fist. Nanami is impressed by this technique and admits he can see what Gojo sees in the teenage boy..
Nanami readies himself to deliver the final blow, but then he realizes that these entities are not curses. He instructed Itadori not to exorcise the curse yet.
"Ina, Itadori, look at this." Nanami showed a picture from his mobile phone. I took a photo of my opponent.
"Cursed Spirits can't be photographed, right?" Itadori asked, remembering what he learned so far.
"Unless, they are not." Serina butted in.
"Calm down and listen to me. Our opponents are…" Nanami discusses his observation to the two sorcerers.
Nanami takes the bodies to Shoko Ieiri, who verifies that they are former humans who underwent a transformation due to a cursed technique, similar to what happened to the theater victims. The three went back to Nanami's headquarters as they made the phone call.
"If that's the case, I would have found out from the start." Nanami responded to Shoko. The two opponents we fought against are full of cursed energy like Cursed Spirits."
Shoko reassures Itadori that these entities are lifeless, absolving him of any guilt for their demise. Itadori's anger flares as he contemplates the many lives that were lost, and Nanami and Serina are taken aback by the sincerity of his emotions. In his own unique manner, Nanami decides to lift Itadori's spirits by divulging that their intended target had manipulated the residual cursed energy to set a trap for them. It means they must exert maximum effort to locate the curse.
"I guess we can't wrap this up easily." Nanami told Serina and Itadori. "Let's do our best!"
"Does that mean I can go and show my Jujutsu to Itadori now?" Serina clasped both her hands together, requesting Nanami to let her join again.
"I guess but I have to inform Gojo first." Nanami couldn't refuse seeing Serina beg in a cute manner.
"Why do you need to tell Satoru? I can manage Kento-kun. We're not in high school anymore." Serina complained.
"Sensei, about your cursed technique…" Itadori couldn't help but be intrigued by Serina's cursed technique. "Please tell me more about it." The young boy's eyes were full of passion.
Serina smiled, appreciating Itadori's interest. "Of course, Itadori-kun. I use a technique called Reflection Mirror. It enables me to control my cursed energy, forming a reflective channel for incoming curses or Jujutsu techniques. When the attack follows this path, it can be reflected back toward the enemy. I can even use it as a barrier to protect myself."
Itadori was in awe of her explanation. "That's incredible! If you don't mind me asking, what's your grade? Gojo-sensei didn't mention it earlier."
"I'm a Grade 1 sorcerer, like this guy." Serina answered, pointing her finger at Nanami.
Itadori was visibly taken aback, realizing that Serina's strength matched some of the most skilled sorcerers he had encountered, such as Nanami and Gojo. "Grade 1? That's amazing! Your technique is kinda like Gojo-sensei's, isn't it?"
Before Serina could respond, Nanami chimed in, offering a detailed explanation. "Actually Itadori, Ina's technique is distinct from Gojo's. Gojo uses the Cursed Technique Infinity, which distorts space. While it may appear similar when they use their techniques, the underlying principles are completely different." The sorcerer clarified.
Itadori nodded, processing the information.
"You should see her in a close-quarters combat battle. I believe your classmates and the second years are training under her." Nanami said with a sense of pride for his friend.
Serina blushed at Nanami's acknowledgement of her strength but she explained, "My skills in close combat fighting only got better through countless beatings from Kento and Satoru. But I have my weaknesses too, Itadori. Like you, I just had to train consistently."
Nanami glanced at Serina with a soft, understanding look, silently acknowledging the resilience she had displayed in her journey. The memory of the hardships she had overcome, including the loss of her brother, Geto Suguru, weighed heavily on his mind.
As the conversation continued, Nanami decided to shed light on the weakness of Serina's Cursed Technique. He felt it was important for Itadori to understand the risks involved in its use. "There's something you should know, Itadori. While Ina's Reflection Mirror is a powerful technique, it's not without its risks. When she uses it to deflect an incoming attack, there's a chance that some of the redirected cursed energy might bounce back at her. If she's not exceptionally precise and careful in its execution, she could end up harming herself in the process."
Serina nodded, her expression serious. "Nanami is right, Itadori. My ability, as useful as it is, has its own dangers. It's a reminder of the importance of precision and focus in this line of work."
Itadori absorbed this new knowledge, realizing that even the most formidable techniques had their vulnerabilities. The world of Jujutsu Sorcery was filled with both power and peril, and understanding these intricacies was crucial to their survival in the face of supernatural threats.
"Sooooo, can I go with Itadori, please Kento-kun?" Serina questions Nanami again.
"Fine! But I really have to let Gojo know first." Nanami is as firm as ever.
"WHYYYY?" Serina and Nanami began to bicker again.
Itadori looked at the two powerful sorcerers in front of him. With all the information he learned, he wanted to be stronger in order to protect himself and his friends. He is resolute in his ambition to exceed his present strength.