"He has such presence! That cool, aloof vibe is exactly my type!"
"Look, look! He's looking over here! Oh my god, I'm going to faint!"
Harajuku, Takeshita Street.
As one of Tokyo's most bustling and fashionable districts, it is a year-round hub for young people and trendsetters.
But today, every eye on the street seemed to be drawn to a single person.
Yoru wore a simple white casual shirt paired with slim-fit black trousers, sleeves rolled up slightly to reveal his lean, toned forearms.
To avoid causing a scene, [Shiranui], which usually hung at his waist, was tucked into a long black guitar case slung across his back.
His long black hair was tied loosely behind his head, swaying gently in the breeze.
Combined with his signature hanafuda earrings and those calm red eyes that seemed capable of peering into one's very soul.
Standing in the middle of the crowd, he looked like a living, breathing fashion editorial.
He stood in sharp contrast to the colorful and flamboyantly dressed trendsetters around him.
The otherworldly aura and innate strength radiating from his core were like a lethal poison to the youth of the modern city.
"Hey, hey, isn't this a bit much?"
Nobara Kugisaki, holding a freshly bought crepe, couldn't help but complain as she watched the wide-eyed passersby.
"I clearly went out of my way to dress up today, so why is this blockhead stealing all the spotlight?!"
"It can't be helped."
Yuji Itadori said through a mouthful of takoyaki, his voice muffled.
"If Yoru stepped out wearing a burlap sack, people would probably still think it was the latest trend."
"Hmph, shallow!"
Megumi Fushiguro kept a cold expression. He seemed dismissive, but he was actually pulling up his collar in an attempt to lower his presence.
Walking with these two attention-seekers was far too stressful.
"Ah! Excuse me... sir!"
Just then, a middle-aged man in a suit with a small mustache pushed through the crowd, offering a business card with a beaming smile.
"I'm a scout from Stardust Agency. Young man, your vibe is so unique! Are you interested in entering the entertainment industry?"
"I guarantee that if you sign with us, you'll be Tokyo's biggest rising star by next month!"
"Huh?"
Yoru blinked, looking at the card in confusion.
For someone accustomed to slaying demons, this situation was harder to handle than facing a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
"Sorry about that, Pops—"
A slender hand suddenly reached out and snatched the business card away.
Satoru Gojo, wearing his signature round sunglasses and carrying bags of sweets, stood grinning in front of Yoru.
"My student is busy saving the world; he doesn't have time to be a big star."
"Besides..."
Gojo pulled down his sunglasses, revealing his pale blue eyes, and made a face at the scout.
"If we're talking about looks, surely I'm the one who comes out on top as the teacher, right?"
"What?"
The scout was stunned by the sudden appearance of this tall, white-haired man.
Before he could react, Gojo was already ushering Yoru and the other three away.
"Move it, move it! That shop ahead is going to run out of limited-edition Kikufuku!"
"Hey! Gojo-sensei! You're just jealous that Yoru is more popular than you!"
Nobara called him out without hesitation.
"Nonsense! Your teacher is a perfect man with hundreds of millions of fans worldwide!"
"Psh—"
The three of them voiced their disdain in unison.
Watching the teacher and students bicker, Yoru shook his head helplessly, though his lips curled into a faint smile.
'A lively, ordinary daily life like this... it's quite nice.'
If only it wouldn't be broken.
Suddenly, Yoru's pace faltered for a moment, and his gentle gaze sharpened instantly.
Though he had yet to awaken the Transparent World that could see through all things, with the 5% synchronization boost, his five senses were heightened to the limit.
Deep within the bustling crowd, several nauseating presences were lurking, watching them.
It was the aura of Special Grade Cursed Spirits!
And there was more than one!
"What's wrong, Yoru?"
Walking ahead, Yuji noticed Yoru stop and looked back in confusion.
"It's nothing."
Yoru instantly withdrew the sharpness in his eyes, returning to his usual calm.
But his hand unconsciously brushed against the guitar case on his back.
He subtly adjusted his position, shielding Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara behind him.
"I just saw a rather annoying insect."
...
Meanwhile, inside a cafe on a corner in Harajuku.
A one-eyed cursed spirit with a volcano-like head was staring intently through the glass window at the boy with the guitar case.
The coffee cup in his hand sizzled from the high temperature, the liquid inside evaporating instantly.
"That brat..."
Jogo narrowed his massive single eye, his voice raspy and grim.
"His senses are sharp. To think he could sense my gaze from this distance."
"The swordsman with no cursed energy who slew the Cursed Womb..."
"Hehehe..."
"How interesting."
Sitting across from him was a harmless-looking young man with stitched skin and pigtails—Mahito.
"Don't be reckless, Jogo."
Mahito grinned, playing with a transfigured human doll in his hands.
"Satoru Gojo is right there with them."
"Hmph, I am well aware."
Jogo snorted, crushing the empty cup into powder.
"However..."
"That swordsman has already been marked by me."
"Once he's alone..."
"I will show him the meaning of true flames!"