Chapter 67 – The Four Special Grades Dine at Toji's Restaurant
"Uh… who are they?"
Nobara asked in a whisper, watching the trio in front of them arguing like children.
Fushiguro sighed, rubbing his temples as if this was giving him a headache.
"They're our second-year seniors."
He began his reluctant introductions one by one.
"Zen'in-senpai—master of close combat and one of the top users of cursed tools."
"Inumaki-senpai—he's a cursed speech user. Only speaks in rice ball fillings."
"And Panda-senpai… well, he's literally a panda."
"As for the only one actually worth respecting—Okkotsu-senpai—he's currently overseas."
Nobara tilted her head, pointing at Maki, who was still in the middle of scolding Panda and Inumaki.
"Wait, why did she call you 'nephew' earlier?"
Fushiguro's face immediately darkened.
"Oh… that." He exhaled sharply. "I used to belong to the Zen'in clan. Because of my father, I changed my surname to Fushiguro. She's technically my aunt—but in that family, I only acknowledge my uncle."
He added after a pause, "By the way, Zen'in-senpai was his student."
Although the Zen'in family had treated him decently, Fushiguro never truly considered himself one of them.
Until he became head of the clan on his own terms, he refused to accept that title—let alone call Maki or Mai "Aunt."
"Sorry for bothering you while you're still grieving," Panda said apologetically, bowing deeply.
"We didn't mean to intrude."
Maki and Inumaki stood stiffly on either side of him like two guilty statues.
"Actually, we came to invite you to the Kyoto Sister School Goodwill Event," Panda explained.
"The what now?" Nobara blinked, clearly lost.
"It's a competition between our Tokyo Jujutsu High and the Kyoto branch," Fushiguro explained patiently.
"But, Panda-senpai," he continued, frowning, "isn't that usually for second and third years? What's it got to do with us first-years?"
"Because," Maki said flatly, "our two third-years haven't shown up since their last big screw-up. So now, we're stuck bringing you brats instead."
The two third-years had technically been expelled—but their teacher had intervened to keep them on the roster.
Still, knowing they were despised by the higher-ups, they'd chosen to work outside the school, taking missions on their own terms.
"So what exactly do we do in this 'exchange'?" Nobara still looked confused.
"In short," Panda said seriously, "it's a two-day battle between the Tokyo and Kyoto campuses.
Day one is a team battle.
Day two—individual duels.
That's about it."
"Wait, we fight each other?" Nobara exclaimed, disbelief written all over her face.
"Exorcising curses isn't enough work already? We have to beat each other up for fun now?"
"Of course," Maki said with a smirk. "Aside from the 'no killing' rule, it's basically an all-out jujutsu war."
She crossed her arms and added, "And since we don't want you dying like idiots, we'll train you in secret. You'll participate, won't you? After all… your teammate's dead."
Her words cut sharp and cold.
"Count me in."
"Me too."
Fushiguro and Nobara answered together, firm and resolute.
They would grow stronger—strong enough to never lose another comrade again.
"Fine," Nobara said after a moment. "But if this training or event turns out boring, I'm quitting on the spot."
Maki's grin widened. "Feisty. I like that."
---
Meanwhile, across town—
Toji Fushiguro's restaurant welcomed some very unusual guests.
The "revived" Suguru Geto strolled in casually, followed by three Special Grade Cursed Spirits—Mahito, Jogo, and Hanami.
"Welcome!" chirped the hostess at the door with a bright smile.
"Are you dining alone today, sir?"
"Just me," "Geto" replied politely.
She didn't even glance at the trio of monstrous spirits trailing behind him.
Behind the counter, Toji froze mid-cleaning. His brows lifted slightly.
"…What the hell?" he muttered. "Since when did my restaurant start attracting curses?"
Three special grades—at once.
Then his gaze narrowed as he recognized the man's face.
"Huh… so that brat's still alive? I thought he kicked it during the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons… Guess not."
Still, Toji quickly shrugged the thought away.
Not his business—as long as they didn't wreck his shop, he couldn't care less.
"Should I… call him?" he muttered to himself, meaning his elder brother—the so-called 'Curse Killer.'
After a few seconds of thought, he dismissed the idea.
If his brother came running, the place might turn into ground zero for a four-way demolition between three Special Grades and one Special Grade sorcerer.
And this was downtown Tokyo.
He wasn't about to let his restaurant become a headline: "Cursed Spirits Level City Block, Local Chef Missing."
No, thank you.
---
At one of the corner tables, Geto sipped tea calmly, eyes half-lidded.
"So, what you're saying is—your leader wants to overturn the current balance between humans and curses?"
"More or less," Jogo replied evenly, the flames on his head flickering.
"Humans are creatures of lies. Every movement, every word hides something false. Their malice, hatred, and fear—those are the only truths."
The magma-like curse leaned forward, voice rumbling low.
"We, who were born from those pure emotions, are the real humans—the pure ones.
Those fakes should all be erased."
Geto's lips curved faintly. "But right now… you're the ones being hunted to extinction."
"That's why we came to you," Jogo said. "Tell us how to defeat the jujutsu sorcerers—how to make us, the true humans, reign over the impostors."
---
Toji, wiping down a glass behind the counter, watched the group quietly from afar.
"Four Special Grades, sitting in my restaurant," he muttered under his breath. "This city's doomed if they sneeze too hard…"
He sighed deeply. "Yeah… definitely not getting involved in this one."
And with that, he went back to polishing glasses—pretending the apocalypse wasn't brewing two tables away.
A burst of flame welled from Jogo's volcanic crown; whenever the topic turned to humans his face seethed with anger.
"These impostors—they all deserve to vanish!"
At those words, Suguru Geto's mouth curled into a small smile. Finally, they were getting to the point. He raised two fingers slowly.
"As long as you complete two conditions before the fighting begins, you can win."
"What conditions?" Jogo asked.
"One: make the so-called strongest sorcerer in the jujutsu world—Satoru Gojo—unable to fight.
Two: recruit Ryomen Sukuna into our ranks—that is… get Yuji Itadori on board."
Jogo scratched his head. "Isn't that kid already dead?"
"Who can say." Geto shrugged.
—
While Geto and Jogo conversed, a twenty-something waiter inside the restaurant was sweating bullets, his tray of drinks trembling in his hands.
He could feel it: three emanations of pure dread sitting at Geto's table. Death seemed to hang over them. If he brought those drinks over, he was convinced he would die.
He absolutely had to skip his shift.
Work hard, save money, support four younger sisters through school—that was his life plan. Survival instinct told him to stay as far from that table as possible.
"I'll take that."
Toji noticed the kid's panic and stepped in, taking the drinks from his hand.
"Thanks, boss!" the waiter breathed, relief flooding him. He still muttered in a low voice, "Boss… I think we should get out of here. Business is important, but life matters more."
Toji gave him a half-smile. "You felt them too, huh? Don't worry—I'll handle it."
He hadn't expected one of his diligent employees to sense the presence of cursed spirits. Ordinary people only ever see that kind of thing when they're on the edge of death—right?
Could it be…?
The smile faded from Toji's face. If these creatures could be perceived by a regular worker, then maybe—God help him—those guys were about to make a move against his staff.