"Hashirima Island?"

"Why exactly are you sending us all the way there?" Gojo asked, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion. "Isn't that place abandoned?" He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he spoke, his dismay evident in the way he shifted restlessly.

Hanako chimed in, her voice steady but with noticeable concern. "I have to agree. I don't know much about the island, but from what I do know, the only way to enter is through a mandatory tour trip. How are we supposed to even get there?" Her shoulders tensed, and she looked between the two men, seeking answers in their expressions.

"The reason for your assignment is due to multiple reports of tourists who have gone missing after visiting the island," Yaga explained, his tone serious as he settled into the weight of the situation. "I would like the two of you to investigate these occurrences and uncover their cause."

"Isn't missing persons something for normal police to handle? Why exactly are we involved?" Gojo sat up straight, his skepticism evident as he spoke.

Masamichi let out a weary sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Our involvement is because the disappearances are peculiar. It was specifically requested of us to look into it. Reports indicate that ten to fifteen tourists vanish without a trace from a group of fifty."

He reached for a map that lay on his desk and pinned it up on the chalkboard, inviting both

Satoru and Hanako to examine it closely. The map displayed a clear layout of the island, dotted with pinpoints marking the approved tourist locations.

There were two sets of pins: one red and the other blue. The red pins marked the tourist sighting locations, while the blue indicated the specific spots where tourists had vanished or were last seen.

Carefully, Satoru and Hanako scrutinized the map as Masamichi elaborated on the data in front of them. Once the explanation concluded, Hanako hesitated before raising her hand.

"Um, as mentioned, this place is all the way in Nagasaki. How exactly are we going to get there?" Her gaze flickered to Satoru, then quickly averted when he met her eyes, sensing the frustration radiating from him.

"No need to worry. Just stick with Satoru, and you two will be there in less than a second," he replied, a hint of reassurance in his voice, though the tension in the room lingered.

Hanako raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued but cautious, as she glanced at Satoru once more before looking away, aware of the irritation etched on his face.

"Well, now that's settled, I'll give you both time to prepare. Make sure you're ready to leave after evening," Masamichi instructed, his demeanor firm yet encouraging.

"Got it," Shiro responded, nodding as Masamichi then dismissed them.

...

After leaving the classroom, Satoru and Hanako stepped into the now quiet hallway of the school, where an air of stillness enveloped them. Gojo was grumbling, Irritability under his breath.

"Well, it looks like we have until evening before we leave," Hanako said. She was both excited and anxious, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her uniform.

"Until evening? That's way too long!" Gojo goraned, his eyes sparked with impatience as he ran a hand through his tousled hair. "I say we go now!"

"Go now?" Hanako questioned, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. She crossed her arms, leaning back against the wall in a reluctant stance. "You know, there might be a specific reason he's telling us to wait. There could be more to this than we realize."

"Exactly," Gojo countered, a smirk spreading across his face like a mischievous cat. "That makes it all the more interesting. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Famous last words," Hanako muttered, her voice dropping to a whisper as images of ghostly tales surrounding Hashrima Island flitted through her mind. "We should at least plan properly. What if we encounter something... unexpected?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine," he replied, dismissively waving his hand as if swatting away a bothersome fly. "Besides, this will be a piece of cake."

Hanako shot him a skeptical glance, her brow furrowing as her disbelief deepened. "A piece of cake? You do realize this isn't just a fun trip to the beach, right? People are disappearing!"

"Of course I do; in fact, I know that way better than you do." He snapped at her, an edge creeping into his tone.

"Relax," Gojo said, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Besides, we're jujutsu sorcerers; we exorcise curses for a living." He let out a long, dramatic sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Why did I have to be stuck babysitting the rookie?"

"Just don't get us into trouble," Hanako replied, her mind racing with the possibilities of what they might face. "we should at least look through the—"

"Relax, Hanako," he interrupted again, his tone light yet firm. "We've got plenty of time to gather supplies and look through the file. Plus, with my abilities, we can adapt on the fly. No sweat."

"Easy for you to say," she huffed, her frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. "You've been on missions before. This is my first, remember?"

"Yeah, and that's why I'm here," he said, the mischief in his eyes softening into something sincere. "To protect you.

For a moment, Hanako actually felt happy to hear him say that. The sincerity in his voice had her thinking he's not as mean as he comes off to be.

But that fleeting happiness was quickly overshadowed by his next words.

"Because clearly, you wouldn't last a second on your own. Trust me." His voice was low and edged with a hint of condescension, the corners of his mouth twisting into a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Hanako's smile vanished, replaced by tightness in her chest. She felt her shoulders tense as she instinctively crossed her arms, a protective barrier against his words.

Before she could respond, Satoru reached out, grabbing the fabric of her hoodie and pulling her gently but insistently toward the entrance of the school. "Come on! We're wasting time!"

"Stop pulling me!" Hanako protested, trying to wriggle free, but Satoru's grip was firm and unyielding. With a hopeless sigh, she allowed herself to be dragged along, the rhythm of their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

As soon as they reached the staircase outside the entrance of Jujutsu Tech, Hanako felt a sudden, playful tug at her hoodie. Satoru, with a mischievous grin plastered across his face, yanked it down as he stepped ahead. In that moment, a jolt of adrenaline shot through her, and she felt an unsettling lurch in her stomach—as if gravity might just give way beneath her.

"Hey!" she shouted, her voice filled with frustration as she stumbled backward down the steps. The world tilted as Satoru let go, laughter bubbling from his lips. She hit the ground with a soft thud, feeling the cool concrete biting into her palms.

"Gojo, are you serious—" Hanako began, her words trailing off as a wave of confusion washed over her. She blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the disorientation that had suddenly enveloped her like a fog.

Looking around, her heart raced. The familiar backdrop of Jujutsu Tech had vanished, replaced by unsettling ruins and crumbling buildings that stretched out in every direction. The air felt heavy, thick with an eerie silence that was different. She instinctively brushed her hands against the rough texture of the debris beneath her, her fingers trembling slightly as she processed the sudden change in scenery.

In front of her lay an entirely different staircase, its stones worn and fractured.

"You see? We're already here!" Satoru chimed cheerfully, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. He leaned over her, his bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief. His smile was wide, almost infectious, yet Hanako felt a knot tighten in her stomach.