Chapter 27: The Special Training Only Satoru Gojo Knows
"So... I'm officially dead now?"
Deep beneath Tokyo Jujutsu High, inside a hidden underground room, Yuji Itadori pointed at himself with a dazed expression, as if he still had not fully processed what he had just been told.
The room was not large, but it was surprisingly comfortable.
There was a sofa, a television, a refrigerator, and even a neat stack of the latest manga volumes piled in one corner. If one ignored the fact that it was buried dozens of meters underground and effectively functioning as a secret tomb for a living person, it was practically a shut in's paradise.
"That's right."
Satoru Gojo sat cross legged on a single sofa, a can of cola in one hand, grinning like a cat that had just stolen cream.
"Shoko altered the autopsy report, Ijichi helped with the paperwork, and I added a few little touches of my own."
He took a sip of cola and looked entirely too pleased with himself.
"As far as those rotten oranges up top are concerned, Yuji Itadori, vessel of Ryomen Sukuna, is completely dead."
He leaned back lazily.
"And only by doing this can you temporarily escape that lovely suspended death sentence hanging over your head and focus on your special training."
Then, for once, the frivolity in his tone thinned.
His voice lowered.
"After all, what happened at the juvenile detention center was obviously an attempted assassination."
"If you come back now, they'll just arrange a second one. Then a third. Then a fourth."
He looked directly at Yuji.
"So until I clean up those rotten oranges properly, stay buried and behave."
Yuji nodded slowly, looking like he understood about half of it.
Then something occurred to him, and he immediately turned toward Yami, who was sitting nearby and wiping down Shiranui in silence.
"Wait. Then what about Yami?"
Yuji blinked.
"Why's he here too?"
His expression grew suspicious.
"Don't tell me he's dead too."
Yami's hand paused briefly on the blade.
He lifted his head, the calm red of his eyes passing over Yuji before settling on Gojo.
"I'd like to know that too."
His tone was even, but there was no mistaking the meaning underneath it.
"My part in the mission is already over. There's no reason for me to stay hidden underground with this idiot."
"True. You don't need to."
Gojo wagged a finger.
"But Yami... don't you want to become stronger?"
Yami's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Stronger?"
"That's right."
Gojo stood, walked over, and stopped in front of him.
Even with the blindfold on, there was a strange expectation in the way he looked down at him.
"What you did at the detention center was incredible."
His grin returned, though this time it was edged with real admiration.
"You went head to head with a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, survived a Domain, and even exchanged blows with Ryomen Sukuna."
He tilted his head.
"That kind of performance doesn't belong in the category of first years anymore. It barely belongs in the category of humans."
Then his tone shifted.
"But..."
His smile grew playful again.
"Your understanding of the jujutsu world is still way too shallow."
He began ticking points off on his fingers.
"Cursed Energy. Techniques. Domains. Reverse Cursed Technique. The principles behind barriers. The structure of cursed combat."
His voice stayed light, but every word landed cleanly.
"You're fighting with almost no foundational knowledge, and eventually that's going to get you killed."
He crouched slightly until he was more level with Yami's gaze.
"And your current fighting style is a disaster. Every serious battle turns into a race to see whether the enemy dies before your own body tears itself apart."
Yami fell silent.
Because Gojo was right.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's template and Sun Breathing gave him a terrifying foundation, but the jujutsu system of this world was a completely different beast. The battle at the detention center had already made that painfully clear.
Against a completed Domain, he had been forced almost entirely into passive survival.
If he had not pushed himself into Godspeed and activated the Binding Vow at the last moment, he would have died there.
And Sukuna...
Even with everything stacked in his favor, he had still only barely reached the level of forcing an exchange.
He was nowhere near the true peak yet.
"So you want to teach me jujutsu?"
Yami asked at last, his voice calm.
"Not exactly."
Gojo shook his head.
"For Yuji, yes. He needs to learn how to control Cursed Energy and how to stop being dragged around by the monster inside him."
Then he looked back at Yami.
"But you are different."
He rubbed his chin, as though choosing his wording carefully.
"There isn't a single trace of Cursed Energy in your body. That's your weakness, and your strength."
"If I force normal jujutsu training on you, I'd just end up polluting your swordsmanship."
He smiled.
"So I'm going to use a different approach."
Yami looked at him for a moment.
"What approach?"
"No rush."
Gojo waved it off.
"Before that, your blade needs sharpening."
The playful look in his face faded, replaced by something more focused.
"The next person I'm going to throw you at is very strong."
He gave Yami a long look.
"And if I send you now, you probably won't even be worth their attention."
Yami's gaze dropped to Shiranui.
He understood immediately.
In every major fight so far, he had looked impressive from the outside.
In reality, he had been burning through his life every single time.
"I understand."
He rose without protest and walked toward a yoga mat laid out in the corner of the room.
Then he sat down cross legged, placed Shiranui across his knees, and slowly closed his eyes.
His breathing deepened.
Long.
Steady.
Measured.
As the rhythm settled, even the air around him seemed to grow subtly taut, as though it were trembling in response.
"This kid gets into the zone fast."
Gojo nodded in approval.
Then he turned around and looked at Yuji, who was sitting there with an armful of snacks and the expression of someone watching two lunatics communicate in another language.
"Uh... Gojo-sensei?"
Yuji pointed uncertainly toward Yami.
"What exactly is he doing?"
"He's sharpening his sword."
Gojo grinned.
Then, as if remembering something, he reached behind himself and pulled out a harmless looking teddy bear.
Or rather, what only looked like a harmless teddy bear.
He tossed it straight into Yuji's lap.
"As for you..."
Gojo's grin widened into something almost evil.
"Yuji-kun, your special training starts now."
Yuji stared down at the plush bear in confusion.
"Huh?"
Gojo strolled over to the television and gestured grandly.
"The assignment is simple. Sit here, watch movies, and maintain a stable output of Cursed Energy the entire time."
He pointed at the teddy bear.
"If your control slips..."
The smile on his face turned blindingly cheerful.
"It'll give you a loving hug."
"Huh? That's it? And this bear looks kind of cute, so what's the big dea"
Thunk!
The teddy bear suddenly sprang to life and punched Yuji square in the face.
"Ow!!!"
His scream echoed through the entire underground room.
"Hey! What the hell?! Why are you hitting my face?!"
He flailed backward as the cursed corpse launched itself after him with relentless enthusiasm.
"Wait! Stop! I said stop! You evil stuffed animal!"
Gojo watched the chaos with great satisfaction.
On one side of the room, Yuji was being violently educated by an adorable murder bear.
On the other side, Yami sat motionless in meditation, his breathing so even it almost seemed unreal.
Gojo crossed his arms and smiled.
"Go on, boys."
His voice was light.
But beneath it was the hard truth of the world they lived in.
"In this rotten jujutsu world, only the strong earn the right to survive."
.....
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