During this past month, Yuji had been working hard. He'd been sparring with Gojo and running multiple solo missions in preparation for the Goodwill Event.
He had even learned something new after a run-in with a group of Grade 1 curses during one of his missions.
"Go on Yuji, try using it one more time," Gojo said as he sat casually eating a few sweets he'd got earlier that day.
"Right!" Yuji nodded and once again he focused his cursed energy and pointed at the target ahead of him a few meters away.
"Fire!" Yuji said as an invisible slash shot forward and cut the target in two easily.
"Haha, you're able to fire slashes consistently for about 15 minutes already! While not as fast as HIM, and your requirement to aim, it's still impressive that you're taking to his technique so well." Gojo clapped as Yuji was dead tired.
During this month of training, he'd been awakening pieces of the Shrine technique at a much worse level than what Sukuna had shown. He can use low-level Dismantles and can't consistently use Cleave yet, but hey—at least the cutting lines were neat, if not a bit telegraphed during battle.
"Alright, let's call it for today; you did well. You'll be super strong in no time, haha." Gojo stood with his hands in his pockets as he and Yuji left the training area.
That's when Gojo's phone rang, and he answered casually.
"Hello."
"Uh-huh. Yeah, I got just the person." Gojo suddenly smiled and looked back at Yuji.
"I got a mission for you once again, Yuji," Gojo said as Yuji straightened to listen.
"A mission?" Yuji asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Yep! A real nasty one," Gojo chirped, pocketing his phone. "Three high schoolers found dead in a theater in Kawasaki. Their faces were... well, let's just say it didn't do them any favors. The higher-ups are calling it an 'unidentified curse' incident."
"Sounds bad..." Yuji frowned.
"Yeah, but I'm sure you can handle it no problem; besides, a friend of mine is gonna help you out."
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"There wasn't anything caught on video, right?" Yuji asked as he and Nanami ascended a set of stairs.
"Other than the victims, there was only one witness—a boy."
"So it's most likely a cursed spirit."
"Most likely, yes," Nanami said as they exited the building.
"Although it could have also been the boy who is responsible. The police are investigating where..." Nanami stopped speaking because standing in the street was what looked to be a curse.
It was like a human but deformed into the shape of a malnourished dog, its eyes bulging from its skull. Yuji prepared to make a move, but Nanami stopped him.
"Stop. I'll take care of this one. Itadori, I'll leave the other one to you."
Hearing this, Yuji sensed it—another of these things peeking around the corner at him. It muttered something about "good detergent" over and over again, but Itadori paid it no mind.
"If you think you're in trouble, let me know," Nanami said as Yuji smirked.
"Have some faith in me at least; I've dealt with groups of cursed spirits each stronger than these guys." Yuji cracked his knuckles to prepare just in case.
"It's not about faith; I'm an adult and you're a child. I have an obligation to look after you no matter what."
"A child? I'd rather be underestimated," Yuji complained.
"You have survived multiple near-death experiences, but that doesn't make you an adult." Nanami unbuttoned his suit and grabbed his cursed tool.
"Finding more and more stray hairs on your pillow than before, or your local store no longer carrying your favorite bread..." Nanami's cursed energy began to flow strong around him.
"Experiencing those little losses is what helps people grow into adults."
"My technique forcibly creates a weak point on my opponent. Seven to three. When dividing the subject into tenths, if I'm able to strike that point, it's a critical hit."
"I'm able to inflict significant damage on stronger adversaries. Against an opponent with weaker cursed energy, I can cleave them even with this dull blade..."
"Are you listening, Itadori?"
"Huh? You're talking to me?" Yuji questioned.
"Is it even okay to reveal all that?"
"There are techniques that aren't affected if revealed to certain enemies."
"There's also the strategy of misleading by revealing. There is merit to revealing one's hand and the rules it initiates. You can make your technique even more effective."
"Like so!" With a burst of silent speed, Nanami appeared behind the dog-shaped humanoid and all of its limbs were severed cleanly.
In less than a second, he had created four different ratios along each of its limbs and swung his blade faster than it could react, but Itadori saw everything.
"That's it from me," Nanami said as the other creature leaped towards Yuji.
"Hmph," Yuji grunted as he twisted with extreme speed and punched the transfigured human so hard it exploded.
'Wow, his physical strength is even greater than I expected. If he could find a way to combine his full physical power with a cursed technique, he'll reach incredible heights. I can see now why Gojo took him in.'
As Nanami thought this, the transfigured human he'd diced into pieces groaned, repeating the same phrase over and over again.
"Ah, right. Time to end this." Nanami began walking towards it when he noticed something. It had a watch on its wrist and a bracelet, too.
"It can't be..." Nanami took a picture, and it confirmed his suspicions.
"Itadori!"
"What now?!"
"Take a look at this." Nanami showed him the photo of the supposed cursed spirit he'd taken down.
"I took a photo of my opponent."
"What? I thought curses didn't show up..."
"Please stay calm and listen. What we were fighting—they're humans!"
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"Yeah, they're humans. Well, more like ex-humans," Shoko said after examining the remaining one on her table.
"Same as the three in the theater, their bodies were transmogrified using jujutsu."
"If that was it, I would have noticed. The two we fought possessed cursed energy like a curse," Nanami said through the phone.
"We're going to have to ask the murderer about that technique. However, there's evidence the brain stems were modified. Their consciousness was also modified to create a state of confusion," Shoko responded calmly.
"It might be possible to give cursed energy to humans if you could manipulate their brains in such a way."
"The connection between the brain and cursed energy is shrouded in mystery, after all."
She went quiet for a second, then spoke once more.
"Hey, is Itadori there?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm here," Yuji said, a somewhat grim expression on his face.
"Their cause of death was due to a lethal shock to their system due to cellular transmogrification," she said sternly.
"You didn't kill them. Don't you dare think otherwise," she said, and Yuji noticeably relaxed. After all, he did just make one explode from a single punch.
"Okay..."
As soon as Nanami hung up, Yuji looked serious again.
"For me, the gravity of death is all the same regardless. But this! This isn't right!"
Shocked at how upset Yuji was at a stranger's death, Nanami felt a faint respect for Yuji's nature, although somewhat naive in his eyes.
"The residuals were a feint. They were meant to lure us out."
"They're skilled?" Yuji asked, raising an eyebrow.
"This matter won't be taken care of so easily." Nanami stood, dusting himself off.
"Let's do this."
"Right!"
Elsewhere, Mahito was speaking about the world of jujutsu with Junpei.