Chapter 68 — You Don't Want To...
"We still can't kill him even if all of us attack?"
Jogo stared at "Geto" in disbelief. He couldn't accept that Satoru Gojo could be that powerful.
"He can escape easily. Or worse — he could exterminate you all." Geto's voice was calm. "Instead of killing him outright, I suggest you seal him."
"Seal him?" Jogo's eyes widened. He'd heard of certain forbidden items before; excitement flickered across his face like magma about to erupt.
"Use the special-grade cursed object — the Prison Realm."
"Prison Realm?!" Jogo's expression turned feral; a bit of flame licked above his head. The restaurant's customers and staff suddenly felt the air grow hotter.
"Hey, don't make a scene," Geto warned. "We can't afford to draw attention now."
Jogo's temper flared, but before he could act, the restaurant owner — Toji — calmly stepped forward and placed a drink on the table where Jogo had been about to strike.
"Everyone, here's your order. Please make sure to settle your bill," Toji said with a smile, as if nothing supernatural was happening.
The warning didn't sit well with Jogo. Flames flared around his hand, ready to incinerate the man, but in an instant his arm was severed — and the burning stump was stomped out under a boot wrapped with aura-and-blood power.
"This is a small business. It can't stand up to your chaos. And you don't want this to blow up here, do you?" Toji leaned down, still smiling. "If you cause a scene, I can promise at least one of you will stay here permanently."
Jogo's arm regrew in moments. He'd underestimated the presence of a hidden expert, but the flame in his head only brightened — he was far from done.
"Just who do you think you are? A human with no cursed energy?" Jogo snapped.
Toji shrugged, unfazed. "Me? And Geto — you really don't want Satoru Gojo knowing that someone like you is still alive, do you?"
Geto cut in, "Calm down. We can leave quietly. But you mustn't tell anyone about us."
Toji raised an eyebrow. "Fine. I'm just a civilian. You don't mess with me, I won't mess with you." He wanted only a quiet life; he didn't want his restaurant dragged into the cursed world.
Geto smiled. "Deal. The bond's made. Don't break it."
With that, Geto rose and left with the three special-grade curses in tow.
"Wait. You haven't paid," Toji called after them.
Geto paused only long enough to toss some money down, then left. Outside, Jogo asked, "That powerless human — who was he? Why didn't you just kill him?"
Geto glanced back thoughtfully. "That man and his brother — no cursed energy, but their power isn't something to dismiss. I hear even Gojo once got put down by one of them. If we make a mess in a public place, it'll bring too much attention. Killing them here would be reckless."
He added quietly, "Also, keep an eye on Zen'in Shinsuke. He's obsessed with exorcising curses, especially the strong ones."
Jogo's eyes hardened. "If he's so fond of exorcising curses… then he must be eliminated."
Jogo's expression darkened. He silently etched that man's name into his memory. Someday, he would make him understand the price of being too eager to exorcise curses.
"But for now," Jogo muttered, his molten eyes flaring with anticipation, "I think I'll pay Satoru Gojo a visit."
He glanced at "Geto". "Tell me—how strong am I compared to Ryomen Sukuna's fingers?"
"Geto" was quiet for a moment before smirking. "Honestly? Maybe eight or nine fingers' worth."
"Eight or nine, huh?" Jogo's grin widened, confidence burning hotter than the flames on his head. "That's more than enough. Gojo's mine. And when I'm done, I'll take the Prison Realm as my trophy."
The so-called "strongest sorcerer"... he wanted to see what that title really meant.
---
Meanwhile, back at Tokyo Jujutsu High, preparations for the upcoming Kyoto Sister School Goodwill Event had begun—and the students' hellish training was officially underway.
"Megumi! You're late!"
Maki Zen'in rested a long staff on her shoulder, shooting a cold glance at the slow-arriving Fushiguro Megumi.
On the other side of the field, Nobara Kugisaki was being literally swung through the air—Panda holding her by the legs, spinning her like a giant hammer before tossing her across the training ground.
Megumi ignored the chaos, his expression calm. "Zen'in-senpai," he said suddenly, "as a jujutsu sorcerer… what kind of person do you want to save?"
"Huh?" Maki turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Save? I don't care about saving anyone."
Her tone was blunt, honest. Power—that was her only goal. What did 'saving people' have to do with her?
Truth be told, she wasn't a real sorcerer at all. Just someone bearing the title.
"I see…" Megumi looked slightly disappointed. He'd hoped to hear something insightful from his senior.
Then a loud shriek echoed across the field.
"MEGUMI!!"
"Aaaahhhh—!!"
Panda's "training" had reached new heights—literally—as Nobara went flying again.
"…What exactly are they doing?" Megumi asked, pointing at the absurd scene.
"Training you, obviously." Maki smirked. "Your close-combat skills are pathetic. You want to compete in the exchange event? Then you're getting through me first."
She twirled the staff, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Really, Megumi, what's wrong with you? Your dad, your uncle—hell, even my master—were all top-tier fighters. Every one of them had god-tier close-quarters combat. So why are you so weak? Didn't they teach you anything?"
Megumi shot her a flat look. "You think I'm like you? All muscle, no cursed energy? I actually have a technique to train. My focus is on refining my cursed energy control and shikigami usage."
"You little—!"
Maki froze for a second, jaw tightening. Was that a jab? Was he mocking her because she had no cursed energy and had to rely purely on physical combat?
"Fine," she said with a dangerous grin, cracking her knuckles. "You two—come with me. From now on, I'm handling your training personally."
Her tone was sweet, but her eyes promised pain.
Megumi sighed. Nobara—still dizzy from her aerial spins—groaned on the ground.
And Maki Zen'in smiled like a devil about to make her students regret ever opening their mouths.