Chapter 27 — Twenty-Seventh Punch (Bunos Punch)
While the Cursed Spirits were plotting in secret, inside Kyoto Jujutsu High School:
"The first-year brats from Tokyo were sent to deal with the presumed Special-Grade Cursed Spirit at the Juvenile Detention Center, including that 'vessel' kid."
"And the result… the Cursed Spirit at the Juvenile Detention Center was exorcised without incident, and all the first-year students sent survived."
The principal's office was dimly lit, with a single beam of light from the window falling on Kyoto school teacher Utahime Iori standing by the window. The old man sitting on the sofa across from her was shrouded entirely in shadows.
Dressed in a white kimono and dark hakama, holding a cane, the visibly aged Kyoto principal, Yoshinobu Gakuganji, suddenly widened his deeply sunken eyes under his long eyebrows. His voice carried the sharpness peculiar to the elderly: "...Why!"
Utahime Iori replied, "…According to the report, the Cursed Fetus at the Juvenile Detention Center ultimately developed into a Grade-1 Cursed Spirit. Among the first-year students at Tokyo School, there's Grade-2 Fushiguro Megumi, Grade-3 Kugisaki Nobara, and the presumed Grade-4 vessel of Sukuna—Itadori Yuji. With their cooperation, defeating a Grade-1 Cursed Spirit is not impossible."
Yoshinobu Gakuganji stared for a few seconds in silence, then slightly lowered his gaze again. "No. According to estimates, that Cursed Fetus had over a ninety-five percent chance of becoming Special-Grade."
"That brat Gojo Satoru is clever—he'll never allow the same trick to work twice. Once it fails, the same method can't be used again."
"Precisely because the probability of the Juvenile Detention Cursed Fetus becoming Special-Grade was so high, the Sukuna vessel was sent on this mission. Otherwise, it would have been a wasted chance to 'kill with a borrowed sword.' There's definitely something suspicious about this."
"Utahime, give me the updated first-year student data for Tokyo School." After a pause, Yoshinobu Gakuganji tapped the floor with his cane as he instructed.
Utahime Iori walked to the filing cabinet and retrieved a folder, handing it to Yoshinobu Gakuganji.
Opening the folder, he saw detailed records of the three official first-year students at Tokyo School. The documents contained everything—from birthplace and family background to social relations and hobbies—with frightening thoroughness.
The information of the three first-years scrolled past his eyes. Except for Itadori Yuji, whose grade was yet to be registered, Fushiguro Megumi and Kugisaki Nobara's records had not changed, and no Jujutsu Sorcerer had recommended any upgrades for them.
As he flipped through the folder, a photograph fell out from between the pages.
"Oh…"
He picked up the photo and examined it closely.
It depicted the three first-year students during an outing practice, standing on a street. At the edge of the photo, for some reason, half of a bald head with a blank expression had been captured.
Probably a passerby who accidentally wandered into the frame.
Yoshinobu Gakuganji glanced at the bald head in the photo but paid it no mind. He closed the folder and pondered for a moment.
"Utahime, in two days, there will be the pre-meeting for the sister school exchange in Tokyo, right?" he said. "This time, besides Miwa, bring Todo and Zen'in as well."
Utahime Iori looked slightly surprised. "Miwa, I can understand. She's obedient and unlikely to cause trouble. But Todo has always had his eyes on the second-year Okkotsu at Tokyo School, and her sister in Tokyo isn't on good terms with her either. Why bring them along? Controlling them will take a lot of effort, won't it?"
"No, don't control them. Let them act freely," Yoshinobu Gakuganji said gloomily. "I have a feeling something is off with the Juvenile Detention incident. Let them go and test the strength of Tokyo's first-year students."
---
Two days later:
"Hey, Toge, Panda, today's the day of the pre-meeting for the exchange, right?"
On the tree-lined streets of Tokyo School, a glasses-wearing ponytail girl holding a wooden staff, a boy with his high collar pulled up to his nose, and a panda walked side by side. The girl suddenly turned and asked.
"Yes. Kyoto's principal might already be negotiating with Principal Yaga," the panda replied.
"Salmon."
Hearing the two completely different answers, Zen'in Maki didn't show surprise. She weighed her staff in her hands and exhaled.
"I wonder how this exchange meeting will turn out…"
She looked up at the shade of the trees above and suddenly remembered something. "By the way, will that first-year trainee we heard about before attend as well?"
"That depends on Gojo's decision," the panda answered.
"Is that so…" Maki muttered to herself. "I heard he's 25 years old, suddenly coming to attend school with us, yet still a junior. But I've never seen him myself. Toge, have you?"
"Wood Fish," the high-collared boy, Toge Inumaki, shook his head.
"You haven't either… But I heard from Fushiguro that after classes, he immediately goes home, so we never get to meet him," the panda scratched his chin.
"Why did he go home so quickly?"
"According to Fushiguro, it was to grab the supermarket's special sale items."
"…" Zen'in Maki froze, caught off guard.
The cicadas buzzed loudly along the tree-lined path as the three of them continued walking in silence.
"It's so hot today. Let's get some drinks."
The group turned toward a vending machine. Just as they arrived, a slender, petite figure appeared before their eyes.
A short-haired girl in Jujutsu High uniform retrieved a can of iced coffee from the vending machine and then turned around. Her face was identical to Zen'in Maki's, yet she wasn't a student from Tokyo School.
"Quite a coincidence, huh?" The short-haired girl held up the coffee, smiling slyly at the three. "Jujutsu Caster Toge Inumaki, Panda, and my dear sister Maki. Out for drinks?"
"Maki?" Zen'in Maki blinked in surprise. "You came to Tokyo for the meeting too?"
"Exactly. For this pre-meeting of the exchange, Principal Rakuya-ji brought me along. Surprised? Heh…"
Zen'in Mai's smile carried no intention of a one-on-three fight, but there was clear mischief in her expression. "Also, can you guess who else is coming besides me?"
"Miwa?" Maki frowned. "That's too easy. Anyone could guess Miwa would come."
"Hmph, do you think I'd test you with such an obvious answer?" Zen'in Mai licked her dry lips. "Besides Miwa and me, there's one more person."
Upon hearing this, the three students from Tokyo School froze. Seeing Zen'in Mai's expression, clearly expecting a spectacle at Tokyo School's expense, Panda suddenly clapped his paw.
"Could it be… Todo?" Panda whispered nervously to his companions. "Todo Aoi? The one who, during last year's Hyakki Yakou incident, single-handedly defeated five Grade-1 Cursed Spirits and one Special-Grade Cursed Spirit in Kyoto? The Grade-1 sorcerer who's just one step away from Special-Grade?"
"Yes, that's him," Zen'in Mai said with a smile.
"Why isn't Todo with you? Where is he now?" Maki tightened her grip on her staff, pressing for an answer.
"Oh, him? He said he wanted to meet the new first-year students at Tokyo, greet them properly, and… develop some rapport. He went ahead already."
Zen'in Mai dragged out her words, speaking with a teasing, almost malicious tone: "Right now, he's probably already finding a first-year junior and starting some 'interaction.'"
Upon hearing this, the three Tokyo students' faces instantly darkened.
—Among the first-years, the highest-ranked is only Grade-2 Fushiguro Megumi. How could any of them hope to stand against Todo Aoi, who can take down a Special-Grade Cursed Spirit?
Meanwhile…
Todo Aoi strode through Tokyo School with a commanding presence, his sharp eyes scanning for first-year students.
The only Tokyo student who had already become a Special-Grade Sorcerer—the second-year Okkotsu Yuta—was currently studying abroad and wouldn't attend this exchange. Todo Aoi felt a twinge of regret. He had been looking forward to testing his skills against Okkotsu at the meeting.
With Okkotsu absent, the first-year students would likely fill that gap—one or more of them.
Todo Aoi was already a third-year student. This was his final exchange meeting. Like the last sports festival or cultural festival during one's school years, this exchange held particular meaning. Todo valued it highly.
In his view, the exchange was meant to be a collision of strong souls. Todo Aoi would not allow weaklings to participate and ruin his final opportunity for combat enjoyment.
Only those he recognized as worthy could attend and earn the chance to fight him. This was Todo Aoi's pride.
Todo Aoi decided to test the strength of Tokyo's first-year students. If they were all weaklings, he would use his power to intimidate them until they were too scared to participate.
As he walked past the public restroom, he heard the sound of flushing water.
Someone was inside.
In an instant, Todo Aoi made up his mind: he would first see who was in there.
He entered the restroom, stopping in front of a closed stall. He closed his eyes, pretending to calm himself while waiting.
Time ticked by.
Tick… tick… tick…
Tick… tick… tick…
"…"
Suddenly, Todo Aoi's eyes snapped open, his expression twisting. "Why aren't you coming out?"
Unable to wait any longer, he roughly patted the stall door. "Someone's in there, right? I already heard you flush! Come out, don't hide in there!"
As soon as his words fell, rustling sounds came from inside the stall, and then the door creaked open. A shiny bald head suddenly peeked out.
"Who are you?" Saitama asked, a little confused. "In such a rush to use the bathroom? There's an empty stall right next to this one."
"…Uh?"
Todo Aoi froze. He carefully scrutinized Saitama for a moment, feeling that the bald man seemed familiar somehow, as if he had seen him before—but he couldn't place where.
While Todo Aoi was still puzzled, Saitama stepped out of the stall, carrying a paper bag.
Inside the bag was the yellow jumpsuit he had just taken off in the stall. The first-year had just returned from field training, and the suit still had some dust on it.
Saitama casually placed the bag on the sink and turned on the faucet to wash his hands. Todo Aoi stared at him for a moment, making an internal judgment.
This bald man looked to be in his twenties, showed no trace of Cursed Energy, and was dressed in casual clothes. He was probably staff at Tokyo School—a new assistant supervisor or teaching assistant—not the first-year student Todo had been looking for.
A flash of disappointment passed through Todo Aoi—but then an idea struck him.
He could ask this bald staff member where the first-year students were!
Todo Aoi remembered that among Tokyo's first-years, the highest-ranked was a male Grade-2 Sorcerer named Fushiguro Megumi. That would be his primary target. So he strode up to Saitama and asked in a lowered voice, "Hey, I'm looking for someone named Fushiguro Megumi. Do you know where he is?"
"Looking for Fushiguro, huh?"
Saitama recalled what Fushiguro had said when they had dispersed earlier. He seemed to remember Fushiguro mentioning something about going to the lecture hall to get something. The lecture hall should be…
"Go straight west from here, all the way to the building at the end. Second floor, far left—that's where he is," Saitama replied.
"That helps a lot."
A formidable smile spread across Todo Aoi's face. He turned and stormed out of the men's restroom with authority.
Saitama watched Todo Aoi's back until he disappeared from the restroom doorway, then turned back.
That guy looked vaguely familiar, he thought as he washed his hands, but he couldn't remember from where.
Probably just his imagination.
After washing his hands, Saitama grabbed the paper bag and left the men's restroom. But he hadn't taken more than a few steps when he suddenly heard Fushiguro Megumi's voice from behind.
"Saitama."
Fushiguro called out, quickening his pace. He pulled an envelope from his chest pocket and handed it over. "This is your student stipend for this month. I grabbed it for you earlier."
"Oh!" Saitama immediately took the envelope. Then, a little puzzled, he asked, "Weren't you just at the lecture hall? How did you come back so quickly?"
"What do you mean?" Fushiguro blinked slightly and pointed across the way. "Isn't the lecture hall in the building right across?"
"…Ah. No way."
Sweat began to form on Saitama's bald head. "Crap. When I first enrolled, Gojo Satoru gave me a campus tour, but I wasn't paying attention at all…"
Clutching the envelope with both hands, he asked with a bit of hope, "So… the place straight west at the very end, second floor, far left—is that…?"
Fushiguro paused, his expression suddenly changing.
"You want to go there? I'd advise against it," he said. "That place is the school's top-tier restroom, equipped with an automatic flushing toilet and UV sterilizer—but Gojo-sensei has claimed it for himself. Whenever he wants to slack off, he hides in there. Basically, it's his private restroom now—no one else uses it."
Silence lingered. Sweat beads on Saitama's bald head multiplied.
"Really?"
"Really."
"…Crap."
"?"
---
Following Saitama's directions, Todo Aoi arrived at the far-west building, second floor, far-left room—and found it was a restroom.
And there was Fushiguro Megumi inside. Realizing this, Todo Aoi kicked open the restroom door with authority and shouted with full force:
"I know you're in there! Come out and fight me! Let's see what you're made of, brat!"
The restroom door swung open, revealing the scene inside.
A silver-haired, blindfolded man sat on the toilet, hands clasped on his knees, slowly lifting his head: "Huh?"
Todo Aoi froze.
"…!?!"
Go… Gojo Satoru!?