Chapter 9 — Nine Punch
Two days later.
"This is the new student enrolling at our school—Yuji Itadori!" Satoru Gojo pulled a party popper with a loud pop. "Welcome!"
"Hello! I'm Yuji Itadori!" The pink-haired high school boy bowed deeply, his voice strong and clear. "My ideal type is a woman like Jennifer Lawrence! I've just entered the first year at Jujutsu High. Thank you very much for your help during the last time Sukuna went berserk! I look forward to working with you!"
"..."
Saitama stood at the doorway, one hand still gripping the door handle, his gaze fixed on the black lines that appeared under Yuji Itadori's eyes.
"Well… you didn't really need to come all the way to my door just to say that…"
"Because Yuji has already moved into the school dorm. Fushiguro Megumi lives there too, so they've already met. Only Saitama-kun hasn't been informed yet," Gojo said with a smile.
Hearing that Fushiguro Megumi and Yuji Itadori were already in the dorm while he, as a trainee, wasn't allowed to stay, Saitama's face darkened.
"So, you just came here to greet me?" he asked. "Are we done now?"
"Of course not," Gojo replied, placing his hands on Yuji's shoulders. "Actually…"
"—Oh, so it's this guy—the bald guy who saved that black-haired boy from my hands last time."
Yuji Itadori maintained his usual expression, not even opening his mouth, but a low, deep voice suddenly emerged from him, interrupting Gojo's words. On Yuji's smooth cheek, a mouth with sharp canine teeth had appeared. The words had come from that mouth.
"Ah, that's indeed me," Saitama's gaze fixed on the mouth on Yuji's cheek. "What's going on? Why is there a mouth on your face?"
Yuji slapped his own face once.
"Oh, that's the point. That's why we're here to see you," Gojo said, pointing at Yuji's face.
…
"In short, it's been confirmed that Yuji has the potential to become Sukuna's vessel. Originally, the order was to execute him immediately. But after my strong insistence, the elders made some concessions, agreeing that Yuji would be under my supervision as a vessel until he consumes all twenty of Sukuna's fingers, under the pretense of being my student."
Gojo explained, "Once Yuji has consumed all the fingers, he will be executed."
The three of them sat around the small tea table at Saitama's house. Yuji Itadori kept his head down, silently looking at his hands.
"Is that so?"
Saitama looked at Yuji sitting across from him. "But from what I can see, he's just an ordinary high school boy. Are you really going to execute him?"
"That's the current order," Gojo touched the strap of his blindfold. "Yuji has agreed to it as well."
"Sukuna has revived inside me. If my death can save many people… then I don't mind dying if it's necessary," Yuji said softly, his head still lowered, his eyes calm. "I think that kind of death would be the right one."
"No," Saitama said, his expression one of confusion. "Instead of thinking about what the right way to die is, why not think about the right way to live?"
Yuji's pupils flickered, and he suddenly lifted his head.
"That… somehow sounds philosophical," he muttered, then his gaze dimmed slightly as he recalled something.
"But hoping for a proper death is my grandfather's final wish," he whispered. "Maybe I'm cursed by his dying wish."
"..."
Saitama looked at Yuji, then at Gojo.
"What is it?" Gojo asked, noticing Saitama's slightly downcast mood.
"Jujutsu sorcerers… it's just not really what I imagined," Saitama replied, a bit dejected.
"Is that so?"
Gojo was silent for a moment, but quickly returned to his cheerful tone. He placed a hand on Yuji's shoulder, nudging him toward Saitama.
"Yuji has currently consumed two of Sukuna's fingers. The power of Sukuna inside him has likely doubled since he first consumed one in Sendai. But that shouldn't be a problem for Saitama-kun."
Gojo continued, "We don't yet know how many fingers Yuji can suppress Sukuna with. So I hope Saitama-kun can serve as insurance—if Sukuna ever loses control, you'll be the one to defeat him."
"Oh, I can do that," Saitama agreed.
"Really?" Yuji blinked, surprised. "I thought you'd probably refuse because it would be too much trouble…"
"Indeed, it is troublesome," Saitama said calmly. "But that Sukuna is a dangerous monster, right? If I stood by just because it's inconvenient, what kind of hero would that make me? I'm agreeing because I want to do it."
Yuji was stunned. "That… sounded super cool again just now…"
"..."
"In any case, Saitama-kun's role is set," Gojo said, clapping his hands and drawing their attention. "Next, Saitama-kun will fight Yuji with Sukuna taking over his body for a short test."
"It's important for Saitama-kun to experience Sukuna firsthand, so you can tell the difference between Yuji and Sukuna, and prevent Sukuna from impersonating him."
"Sure."
Saitama stood and walked to the balcony, taking down his yellow jumpsuit, red gloves, and cape that were hanging there. He turned back. "Where are we fighting?"
"The area where you live is a deserted city—perfect as a battlefield," Gojo said, pointing to the distance. "There's an abandoned gym there. Let's fight there."
…
"Ah—"
Standing in the empty gym, Saitama shouted.
Soon, the echoes repeated: "Ah—ah—ah—ah—"
He lowered his hand from his mouth and muttered to himself, "This place is really huge."
Turning around, his bald head gleamed slightly. His cape fluttered behind him, and his expression remained vacant. "Since I'm supposed to feel out Sukuna's traits during this fight, let's get started."
Gojo stood next to Yuji, patting his shoulder. "Let Sukuna out for three minutes. When the time's up, bring him back."
Yuji swallowed instinctively and nodded.
The exposed cheek and arms gradually took on Sukuna's distinctive curse markings. Narrow slits appeared under his eyes. Yuji lowered his head as if drowsy, then trembled and raised his head abruptly.
His irises had turned crimson, and his expression morphed into a cocky grin. Sukuna looked at the bald figure in front of him and snorted coldly. His voice was deeper, darker, more dangerous than Yuji's.
"Trying to test me? Unpleasant."
Then he twisted his cruel smile. "Last time that brat suddenly took control of the body and stopped me from fighting you. This time, I'll first cut that egghead of yours into pieces as punishment for offending me, and then take care of the white-haired—"
Before he could finish, Sukuna vanished from the spot.
Saitama's cape fluttered slightly behind him. Sukuna appeared ghost-like behind Saitama in an instant. His red pupils glowed even more fiercely as he swung a hand toward Saitama's back.
"Die!"
The punch landed, shattering the gym floor like the rooftop of Sugizawa Third High. Stones scattered, dust and smoke rose.
Through the smoke, Sukuna straightened his body and flexed his fingers.
"Just a powerless human. Took no time at all… boring."
He glanced for Gojo, who had moved to a safe distance before the fight began, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure in the smoke.
"Still alive…" Sukuna's expression froze slightly.
The dust surrounding Saitama gradually cleared. He frowned, staring at Sukuna. "You must be Som…"
"Soma… no, Su… cotto…" Saitama seemed to be straining to recall something, his face creased from the effort.
"..."
"Ah!" Suddenly remembering, he raised his hand confidently and pointed at Sukuna. "Too bad, Sumasu!"
"...It's Sukuna!"
Sukuna stared at him, sinisterly tearing open his T-shirt, revealing his cursed, muscular torso. "You… are dead."
Sukuna's relentless barrage of attacks rained down on Saitama, kicking up dust and debris. Moving quickly, he attacked from all directions—front, back, sides, even above—making it feel like seven or eight attackers surrounded Saitama.
The ground groaned under the weight. Saitama's feet sank gradually, eventually embedding up to his ankles.
Time passed. Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds… one minute, two minutes…
"Turn to ash completely." Sukuna struck a heavy punch. "You should have been dead already."
Yet, in that instant, through the haze, Sukuna saw something he never expected.
Saitama, who had taken a nonstop barrage for over two minutes, was still standing. Not a trace of dust, not a shadow of fading. In that moment, through the smoke, Sukuna saw the vacant eyes of Saitama slightly move, focusing on him.
Half of his attack, already midair, suddenly chilled. His instincts screamed danger. Even for Sukuna, the King of Curses since the Heian era, his instincts were flawless.
In an instant, Sukuna withdrew his fist aimed at Saitama, teleporting to put distance between them.
What just happened? That bald human… I can't defeat him with these attacks.
If this continues, the one meeting a tragic end won't be him—it'll be me.
He had to change his strategy.
"Huh? What's with you all of a sudden?"
Saitama, still confused, watched Sukuna retreat, his expression as vacant as ever. But now, that vacant expression carried an intense aura of danger.
"Damn it… if only I had absorbed a few more fingers, or gotten my original body… but since this bald guy is dangerous, I have to eliminate him at all costs…"
"Unfortunately, only thirty seconds left on the three-minute limit. Guess I'll have to give up on killing the white-haired one this time."
Saitama stood there, still confused, as Sukuna carefully raised his hands, forming a curse seal.
"Domain Expansion—"
"Ah, I got it!"
Suddenly, Saitama exclaimed in understanding, making Sukuna pause mid-gesture.
The scene shifted from the ruined gym to Saitama's shiny bald head. Sukuna's crimson pupils trembled.
Saitama had reached his front before Sukuna even realized it.
Almost immediately, Sukuna shouted: "Fum…!"
"Sukuna likes running around shirtless," Saitama said cheerfully, pointing a hand at him. He swung a single palm strike at Sukuna's shoulder.
"...Omi…"
In that instant, Sukuna realized. A single palm strike carried so much power—so that's why this guy had never resisted. Even under the continuous assault, he'd been studying the difference between Sukuna and Yuji?
This was a mistake…
Before he could deploy his Domain Expansion and before the three-minute limit ended, Sukuna's vision went black. He fell to the ground with a thud.
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
Although Sukuna seemed unimpressive, it was precisely his strength that allowed him to sense Saitama's extraordinary power.
Those not strong enough—like Megumi and Yaga—couldn't see through Saitama and had treated him as ordinary before he struck.
At this moment, only Sukuna and Gojo could truly recognize Saitama's strength.