The classroom door slid open.
"…Wow."
That voice alone was enough to shift the entire room.
Gojo stood there, hands in his pockets, smiling—
but not the usual playful kind.
Something softer.
Something… relieved.
His eyes landed on Takeru.
Bandaged.
Barely held together.
Sitting like nothing had happened.
And smiling.
For a second—
Gojo didn't say anything.
Then, quietly:
"…You're alive."
Takeru looked up.
Shrugged a little.
"…Yeah."
A small pause.
"…Still here."
Gojo let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Then grinned again—this time more like himself.
"…Good."
Yuji glanced between them.
"…You're weirdly emotional today."
Nobara crossed her arms.
"…Yeah, what's that about?"
Gojo waved it off.
"…Nothing, nothing."
A beat.
"…Just nice to see my brother not completely destroyed for once."
That made the room go quiet for a second.
Panda leaned toward Hakari.
"…We just skipping over that?"
Hakari shrugged.
"…At this point? Yeah."
Megumi didn't react—but his eyes flicked slightly toward Takeru.
Takeru just leaned back in his chair.
"…I'm fine."
Gojo pointed immediately.
"…Debatable."
A pause.
Then his tone shifted.
"…Alright, enough relaxing."
Collective groan.
"…I've got a mission."
Everyone straightened slightly.
Even Takeru.
Gojo's smile came back—
but sharper now.
"…There's a factory a few towns over."
A pause.
"…Abandoned. Supposedly."
Hakari raised a hand.
"…'Supposedly' is never good."
Gojo nodded.
"…Yeah, it's not."
Megumi stepped forward slightly.
"…Details?"
Gojo's eyes narrowed just a little.
"…It's filled."
A beat.
"…To the brim."
Silence.
"…With special-grade cursed spirits."
The air shifted instantly.
Yuji blinked.
"…Plural?"
Nobara frowned.
"…As in… more than one?"
Gojo nodded.
"…Way more."
Panda leaned back slowly.
"…Okay that's just excessive."
Kirara tilted their head.
"…That's not normal accumulation."
Megumi's voice was low.
"…Something is gathering them."
Gojo's smile didn't fade.
"…Exactly."
Hakari stood up, cracking his knuckles.
"…Now THAT sounds like a real mission."
Yuta, more serious now:
"…Why all of us?"
Gojo glanced around the room.
"…Because whatever's in there?"
A pause.
"…It's not just the curses."
Silence.
Then—
he pointed.
"…Megumi. Takeru. Yuji. Nobara."
Another point.
"…Hakari. Kirara. Panda."
Yuji blinked.
"…That's… a lot of people…"
Gojo grinned.
"…Yeah."
"…Because this is gonna be messy."
Takeru slowly stood up.
Bandages shifting slightly—
but holding.
"…When do we leave?"
Gojo didn't hesitate.
"…Now."
Nobara groaned.
"…Of course it is."
Hakari laughed.
"…Let's go, jackpot team."
Panda nodded.
"…I already don't like that name."
Megumi exhaled slowly.
"…Stay focused."
Kirara stood quietly, already thinking ahead.
Yuji looked at Takeru.
"…You sure you're good for this?"
Takeru smirked slightly.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…I won't break everything this time."
Nobara pointed immediately.
"…YOU BETTER NOT."
Gojo turned toward the door.
"…Alright."
His voice dropped slightly.
Serious now.
"…Let's go clear a factory."
And just like that—
the moment of normalcy ended.
Because whatever was waiting in that building—
wasn't random.
And it definitely wasn't weak.