"Hey! If you're done over there, come help us out!"
Itadori Yuji blocked the pangolin curse's punch with his arm and turned his head to shout at the three people standing in the hallway watching the fight.
"Sigh, guess I have no choice."
Kugisaki Nobara shrugged helplessly, while the pink-haired boy's forehead twitched in frustration.
With their teammates joining in, the once evenly matched battle quickly turned into a one-sided beatdown. Before long, the pangolin curse crumbled into ash and scattered in the air.
"What do we do next?"
Itadori Yuji asked, breathing heavily. He knew his own limits when it came to thinking things through, so it was better to rely on Fushiguro Megumi's judgment.
All the curses that attacked them had been exorcised, but the distant sounds of explosions made it clear that the assault on Jujutsu High was still ongoing. It was likely that the entire school was under siege.
Fushiguro Megumi looked at the smoke rising in the distance, thought for a moment, and said, "We run. Or hide. Either way, we just need to avoid getting found by the enemy."
"Huh!?"
Itadori Yuji's eyes widened. He had expected Fushiguro Megumi to decide where they should go to help, not suggest running away or hiding.
Not just him—both Kugisaki Nobara and Yoshino Junpei were also stunned.
"Hide from the enemy? Fushiguro, don't tell me you're scared?" The orange-haired girl twirled her hammer, speaking in a carefree tone, looking every bit like a delinquent leader.
"You idiot! Let me finish!" Fushiguro Megumi snapped, annoyed. Then he explained seriously, "Gojo-sensei isn't in Tokyo right now. He went to Kyoto Jujutsu High to discuss merging the schools. But by now, he's probably already heard about the attack and is on his way back."
"I already said before, the enemy's main target is likely Itadori—or rather, the Sukuna inside him. Their only chance of fighting Gojo-sensei is if they manage to wake Sukuna up."
"So as long as we avoid getting found before Gojo-sensei returns—at the very least, as long as they don't find Itadori—the enemy loses. If they can't use Sukuna to fight Gojo-sensei, then it's over for them. Got it?"
"I see." Itadori Yuji nodded, understanding the logic. But he still looked uncertain. "But what about the others?"
"Don't underestimate them. Our seniors are way stronger than us," Fushiguro Megumi replied, immediately putting Itadori's worries to rest. "You struggled just now against a second-grade curse, didn't you?"
"Give me a little more time, and I would've won!" The pink-haired boy protested. "I already beat a special-grade curse!"
"But you're right—the seniors don't need us worrying about them." He scratched his nose and grinned. "Alright, let's get moving… but where exactly are we supposed to hide?"
Fushiguro Megumi thought for a moment before saying, "We'll go to the Tombs of the Star Corridor."
That place was deep underground beneath Jujutsu High, where Master Tengen resided, protected by a special barrier designed to stay hidden.
If the enemy was after Itadori, then hiding there was the best option.
…
On a tree-lined path at Kyoto Jujutsu High, Gojo Satoru strolled along with his hands in his pockets, looking as carefree as ever.
Behind him was a bald old man leaning on a cane, with long white eyebrows and a drooping goat-like beard, looking like a sage. Beside the old man was Miwa Kasumi, her long blue hair flowing down her back.
The bald old man was Gakuganji Yoshinobu, the principal of Kyoto Jujutsu High and a staunch traditionalist in the jujutsu world. He had once attempted to have Itadori Yuji executed during the goodwill event, believing that as Sukuna's vessel, he was too dangerous to be left alive. But that plan had obviously failed.
Despite being in his seventies, he was an unexpected rock music enthusiast—specifically, heavy metal.
His cursed technique was also music-related, which was ironic considering he was such a conservative old man yet had such a rebellious power.
By the way, Gakuganji was a fan of Jimi Hendrix.
He was currently looking for a drummer for his band, but even if he found one, the band wouldn't be able to perform—because the rest of the members were already dead.
"Why did they make me the principal?" Gakuganji muttered as he leaned on his cane.
"Huh?" Gojo Satoru tilted his head back. Even with most of his face covered by his black blindfold, his impatience was obvious. "Didn't I already explain that?"
"It's because, compared to you, the people the higher-ups would've assigned would annoy me even more."
Gojo turned around and started walking backward, smirking as he stared down at Gakuganji.
"Besides, we already know each other so well, right? I'm really looking forward to working with you, old man."
"Working with you will only shorten what little time I have left."
Although old man Gakuganji didn't show any gratitude, he also didn't refuse.
Beside him, Miwa Kasumi's eyes sparkled with excitement as she stared at Gojo Satoru walking ahead. It was as if she had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be Gakuganji's attendant.
All she could think about was how, once the two schools merged, she would get to see her idol all the time.
"Well, anyway, from now on, Yotsuya will—ah, wait, sorry, let me take this call first."
A sudden vibration interrupted Gojo Satoru's words. Without the slightest hint of guilt, he casually apologized before pulling his phone from his pocket and answering the call.
The next second, Ijichi Kiyotaka's anxious voice came through the phone.
"Gojo-sensei, Jujutsu High has been attacked! Judging by the number of cursed spirits, the one behind this is probably… Suguru Geto."
Before Ijichi could even finish, Gojo Satoru's eyes narrowed sharply behind his blindfold. The carefree look on his face vanished, replaced by a serious expression.
"I got it. I'll head back right away. Nanami and the others are still there, so they should be able to hold out for now. Call Yukinoshita and get her back, too."
"Understood."
After ending the call, Gojo Satoru put away his phone and turned to Gakuganji and Miwa Kasumi.
"Sorry, old man. Looks like I can't keep you company on your walk."
Without waiting for a response, he suddenly shot into the sky, propelled by an overwhelming force, heading straight for Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Gakuganji watched him disappear into the distance and chuckled.
"Seems like even the title of 'the strongest' doesn't mean much anymore."
"If even small-time troublemakers dare to attack Jujutsu High now."
Miwa Kasumi hesitated. "Principal, shouldn't we go help?"
Gakuganji slowly shook his head and leaned on his cane as he turned back. He left behind only a calm remark.
"He is Gojo Satoru, after all."
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