After dropping Nanami off at home, the two brothers headed to one of Kyoto's liveliest streets at night.
The sky hadn't completely darkened yet, but the street was already packed with people.
"Come on. There's a place I used to visit a lot a few years back. The owner makes some of the best meat dishes you'll ever eat," Toji said after parking the car, hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked in front. His tone carried a rare trace of nostalgia.
Ever since he met Onshin, mooched food from her table, and ended up looking after a child, he had almost forgotten how long it had been since he last came here.
The lively chatter of the crowd stirred a mix of feelings within him. Once, he had envied it, even hated it, yet by some twist of fate, he had ended up with that same happiness.
He was no longer alone.
"I say, the place we're heading to… it wouldn't happen to be over there, right?" Mukuro suddenly spoke as they walked, raising his hand and pointing forward.
People were rushing toward them, running as if escaping disaster. Above the street in the distance, a gray curtain was slowly descending over a section of the sky.
"Right answer, but no reward," Toji replied, his good mood fading slightly as his brows tightened.
"Sorry, there's a safety issue ahead. It's being handled urgently, so please take a different route."
A police officer, tasked with keeping order, spotted the two brothers standing calmly among the panicked crowd. Unlike everyone else, they weren't running away. He quickly moved forward to warn them.
Behind the officer stood a man in a black suit, his hands clasped behind his back as he carefully observed the area.
"Forget it..." Toji sighed, already turning to leave.
But Mukuro's voice stopped him. "Want to earn some extra cash? Maybe get a job that looks mysterious but still respectable?" He hooked a finger toward the curtain.
"Jujutsu sorcerers?" Toji whispered with a blank expression.
The thought had crossed his mind before.
But after the way he and his brother had been treated by the Zenin clan, he had no fondness for sorcerers. He especially loathed the arrogant ones who acted superior, which was why he never wanted to join their ranks.
Yet things were different now. His younger brother had already caught the attention of people from Tokyo Jujutsu High. If he chose to go there someday, becoming a sorcerer was inevitable.
Besides, the money they made came far too quickly. If he kept avoiding it, he'd never be able to explain himself to Onshin.
"Fine then. Let's show those bastards how strong the monkeys they look down on really are."
Some knot in his heart finally loosened. A savage grin spread across Toji's face.
"Let's go then."
In a flash, the two brothers slipped into the crowd, disappearing within moments.
"But if sorcerers are already here, I doubt we'll even get the chance to fight. And how are we supposed to get inside that thing?" Toji asked as they ducked into an alley, glancing at the barrier not far from them.
Barriers like this one could distinguish between normal people, curses, and sorcerers. In cases like this, where an exorcism was happening, entry was usually restricted, particularly against ordinary civilians.
"The thing inside isn't simple," Mukuro answered, shaking his finger.
Even in that brief moment when the barrier closed, he had felt the cursed energy. Whatever was inside wasn't something ordinary sorcerers could handle.
"I told you before, my ability is 'Path.' Whether it's techniques or barriers, all these things beyond common sense are just small fragments of the world's many paths. At their core, they're all the same."
He beckoned his brother to lean down.
"Hm?" Toji bent forward with a puzzled look. Mukuro slid a pair of sunglasses onto his nose, crafted from his own ability. Then he put on his own pair, the dark lenses completely hiding the crimson number "1" in his right eye.
Side by side, the brothers strolled back toward the officers guarding the curtain.
"You two, don't think I won't recognize you just because you're wearing sunglasses. It's dangerous ahead, no entry!" The same officer from before hurried over again, his face filled with exasperation as he raised his hand to block their way.
"You there, the man in the back. Yes, I'm talking to you. Come here," Mukuro called out, ignoring the officer and pointing at the suited man.
"Hey! Kid, don't cause trouble. That gentleman has important business—"
"What is it?" The officer hadn't finished scolding him when the suited man himself walked over, cutting him off.
"You're the assistant manager, aren't you? The thing inside is troublesome. I think you need to hire stronger allies," Toji said, patting Mukuro on the head.
The younger brother understood. His hand lifted, and space rippled. From his body, a cursed spirit radiating overwhelming power slipped halfway out, its eyes locked on the man in the suit.
The police couldn't see it, of course. Ordinary people rarely could.
"No medium… no cursed energy signature… wait, I can't sense any cursed energy at all?" The man's eyes narrowed. As an experienced assistant manager, he instantly thought of the legendary Cursed Spirit Manipulation. But the complete absence of cursed energy from Mukuro left him confused.
"You don't have much time to waste," Mukuro reminded, breaking his hesitation.
"This… then I'll leave it to you two!" After a brief struggle, the man clenched his teeth and gave in. If what they said was true, his comrades' lives were likely in danger. He couldn't afford to doubt them.
There wasn't even time to ask their grade or investigate their abilities.
"This barrier only restricts cursed energy from going out. It doesn't block entry, so—"
"Get the money ready," Mukuro interrupted with a casual wave. He grabbed Toji's hand, and together they walked through the curtain, vanishing before everyone's eyes.
"Your ability is ridiculously convenient…" Toji muttered after they crossed.
"Help! Somebody call for backup!"
As he marvelled at his brother's ability, desperate cries echoed nearby.
A bloodied sorcerer staggered toward them, eyes wild with fear.
"What's going on here?" Toji asked.
"There's… there's a cursed spirit with a technique! The assessment was wrong. This isn't some semi-grade 2 Ghoul. It's Shokushin! This is definitely a grade 1 or higher case!" The man's voice cracked as tears streamed down his face. Whatever he had seen inside had shattered his mind.
And in front of the brothers, the old hospital loomed, seething with terrifying cursed energy.
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