Tokyo.
On the small road leading back and forth to Tokyo Jujutsu High in Shinjuku, one must pass through a circular mountain area.
A remote, desolate path—this was the route Ijichi had taken on the way here.
According to Jujutsu High's intel…
there absolutely shouldn't be a curse of this level here!
Staring at the humanoid curse standing amid flowing flames, the four people in the car were overwhelmed by the surging cursed energy, unable to move.
A beige shawl speckled with black dots.
A head resembling a miniature volcano.
A single eye on its forehead, and jet-black teeth.
"Can't even withstand the residual cursed energy alone?"
"As expected… humans nowadays are nothing but fakes."
Looking at the black car forced to a stop before him, Jogo sneered and slowly walked forward.
With every step the special-grade curse took, the despair inside the car deepened.
Forcing down the fear rising in her chest,
Nobara bit her lip until the faint metallic taste of blood spread across her tongue.
Using pain to stimulate her body, her hand slowly moved toward the pouch at her waist.
"Th-this… is a big city curse?!"
The words Nobara forced out instantly reignited everyone's will to survive.
"Didn't we decide we'd die surrounded by others?!"
Yuji gritted his teeth, strength gradually surging back into his body.
"Bang! Bang!"
The front and rear doors of the car were kicked open in an instant.
Prompted by Nobara, Ijichi and Megumi reacted first.
"Quick! Get out of the car!"
Ijichi shouted, staring at the approaching special-grade curse.
The difference in strength was already overwhelming—being trapped in the car would guarantee death!
Watching them scramble out, Jogo scoffed indifferently.
"A futile struggle."
Like a casual stroll after dinner.
The contrast between Jogo's nonchalance and Yuji's group's fear and tension was stark.
Yuji, regaining some mobility, rasped,
"Megumi… if I let that guy out, can you all escape?"
Megumi replied in a low voice,
"The first thing that guy might do… is kill us."
"And besides…"
He glanced at the escape route behind them, now swallowed by flames, his expression grave.
"The path is cut off. The only option is to hold out until Gojo-sensei notices something's wrong and comes."
With blood at the corner of her lips, Nobara gripped her hammer and nails tightly.
"If we're going to die…
we should at least try to rip a layer off that volcano head!"
"BOOM!!"
At that unexpected moment—
a pink beam of light shaped like a lotus shot through the windshield and slammed into Jogo's head!
Smoke billowed.
From inside the car—forgotten by everyone—came an arrogant voice.
"Don't be scared, brats. Trash like this—I can deal with it in minutes."
"White Zetsu!!"
Yuji's eyes welled up, almost ready to acknowledge him as a big brother—when suddenly—
"A curse siding with humans… how foolish."
The mocking voice from within the smoke made Yuji's briefly relaxed nerves tighten again.
Megumi and Ijichi remained just as serious as before.
If their escape route hadn't been completely cut off, splitting up and running would've been their only hope of survival.
They never expected that single attack from White Zetsu would actually defeat a special-grade.
As the dust cleared—
Jogo stood there, completely unharmed, not even his cloak dirtied.
"The gap between heaven and earth…" he sneered coldly.
"Have humans today lost even the ability to recognize true strength?"
His gaze swept over them mockingly, lingering a moment longer on Yuji and White Zetsu.
One—the vessel of the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna.
The other—a strange curse with intelligence rivaling their own, and Jogo's target for this mission.
"That guy Geto really looks down on people…"
With a flick of his hand, three thumb-sized ember insects appeared.
"Sending me out for trash like this… I thought I'd at least get a warm-up."
Each insect, with needle-like mouthparts, contained terrifying energy.
With a cold smile, Jogo casually curled his finger.
The three fire insects shot toward Ijichi, Megumi, and Nobara.
In his eyes, those three were nothing but worthless trash.
Each beat of their wings felt like another step toward hell.
Faced with the incoming attack, none of them had time to react.
Ijichi's fear gradually calmed as he recalled Shoko's rare smiles.
Nobara felt regret—regret that she never got to see Saori again in Tokyo.
As for Megumi…
There was no regret at death—only deep remorse.
Regret for not being decisive enough.
He should've used the forbidden technique of the Ten Shadows the moment they got out of the car—
the move that could take down a special-grade at the cost of his own life.
Maybe then, Yuji and Nobara might have had a chance to escape.
Now, he didn't even have time to chant, let alone form hand signs.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
Explosions roared, three pillars of fire lighting up the night sky.
The "last moments" in their minds abruptly stopped.
Megumi and the others stared blankly at the oval barrier in front of them, stunned.
"I told you already—trash like this can be crushed with a flick of my hand."
White Zetsu's smug voice rang out.
"I wouldn't even need to act—my top underling could deal with that arrogant volcano head."
"Right, kid from the future?"
At some point, Mirai had appeared on the battlefield.
He glanced coldly at White Zetsu but didn't expose him.
After all, that call had come at the perfect time.
If Megumi had died here, his entire plan would have deviated too much.
"Mirai-sensei!"
Having just escaped death, Ijichi shouted excitedly.
"Zen'in Mirai!"
"The mama's boy's backing!"
"White Zetsu's underling?"
Megumi, Nobara, and Yuji all thought at once.
Jogo—the type who only fights strong opponents…
Mirai looked at the special-grade curse and frowned slightly.
A distorted timeline… and someone scheming in the shadows.
Someone who could detect Jujutsu High's movements and lure Jogo into acting…
That had to be Geto.
"Oh? Finally, someone who can serve as a warm-up," Jogo said.
Behind Mirai, White Zetsu squatted and waved at the others.
"Watch closely, learn well!"
Suppressing the urge to beat him up, Nobara stood behind Mirai alongside Megumi.
"That's the mama's boy's backing?" she whispered.
"Can he win?"
Megumi shook his head, expression heavy.
"I don't know… He's another teacher at the school. I've never seen him fight."
As they tensed up—
Mirai turned and gave them a gentle smile.
"Since all the first-years are here… I'll give you an early lesson."
White Zetsu nodded enthusiastically.
"Watch carefully!"
"This is a special night lesson… on the pinnacle of jujutsu sorcery."