"You're a liar!"
"Don't think you can fool a country bumpkin like me!"
Yuji and Nobara shouted in unison, clearly dissatisfied. Nobara jabbed an accusing finger at Satoru, who only responded with his usual infuriating grin. They really were in Roppongi right now, but not the fun, glitzy part. The building in front of them was clearly abandoned, radiating a thick, oppressive cursed energy that made the hairs on the back of their necks stand up.
Megumi, already used to their antics, asked calmly, "There's a cursed spirit here too?"
Satoru turned to Yuji, who was already glaring at him, and pointed lazily at the derelict structure. "There's a big graveyard around here, you know."
"Spirits tend to gather in graveyards, right?" Yuji asked.
"It's not really the graveyard itself," Megumi explained patiently. "It's the fear people feel toward graveyards. Negative emotions like that are what attract and strengthen cursed spirits."
"I get it."
"Wait a minute, doesn't this guy know anything?" Nobara asked, still fuming but now genuinely confused.
Megumi and Satoru exchanged a quick glance.
After listening to Megumi's explanation, Nobara recoiled dramatically, eyes wide in exaggerated horror. Then Satoru clapped his hands together and addressed the group.
Basically: Yuji and Nobara were going to exorcise the cursed spirit inside that abandoned building. It would count as a practical exam of sorts.
"Here, Yuji, use this." Satoru handed him a cursed tool.
While Satoru was busy explaining the details to Yuji, Tetsuya, who had been silently watching everything, approached Nobara with a gentle smile.
"After this is over, I can take you sightseeing if you want."
Incidentally, everyone had already gotten to know each other quite well during the car ride here.
Nobara's eyes instantly lit up. "Really?!"
Tetsuya nodded, still smiling. Nobara immediately strapped her equipment to her waist with renewed energy. "That's way better! Coming all the way to Tokyo and not having any fun is unacceptable!"
She spun around and shouted at Yuji, "Oi! Hurry up already!"
As the two first-years charged into the abandoned building, Tetsuya stayed outside with Satoru and Megumi.
Satoru, who had been curious about Tetsuya's power from the very beginning, finally asked after exchanging a few quiet words with Megumi.
"Hey, Tetsuya. Just how strong are you, really? You managed to slip past my Infinity even a little, that's honestly impressive."
Megumi watched quietly, clearly interested too.
Tetsuya smiled and raised his hand. In an instant, a sphere of crimson lightning crackled into existence above his palm. A pillar of red thunder shot straight into the sky, splitting the clouds above.
Both Satoru and Megumi stared, fascinated.
Satoru tilted his head. "That's not cursed technique. I don't feel *any* cursed energy coming from it."
Tetsuya nodded. "Because it isn't. Let's just call it… superhuman power. Like something out of a manga or a movie."
"Hee~ Superpowers, huh." Satoru grinned wider.
A few minutes later—
A figure leaped from the upper floor of the building.
Megumi tensed, ready to act, but Satoru raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait. Let's see what she does."
Suddenly, the cursed spirit's huge eyes bulged. Razor-sharp black thorns erupted violently from inside its body.
"That's insane," Satoru commented casually.
It was Nobara's technique, Straw Doll Technique: Resonance. Using tools like nails, a hammer, and a straw doll, she channeled cursed energy into them and linked them to a piece of the target's body. Whatever damage was inflicted on the straw doll would transfer directly to the target, manifesting as massive black spikes bursting from its chest.
Tetsuya watched with a faint smile. Nobara's cursed technique really was unique.
Not long after—
"Aaah! Finally done!"
Nobara stretched her arms dramatically and spun around to face Tetsuya. "You said you'd take me sightseeing! I want to go to Tokyo Disneyland!"
After finishing off the cursed spirit(s) in the abandoned building, Satoru had suggested they all grab food together, but Nobara flat-out refused. She didn't come to Tokyo just to eat. She wanted to have fun, real fun!
Tetsuya smiled and nodded. "Sure."
Using his car, the two of them headed straight to Tokyo Disneyland, the very same place Tetsuya had visited with the sharp-tongued Utaha just last week.
Nobara was bursting with energy the entire time. The moment they arrived, she dragged him from one attraction to another, snapping photos with Mickey Mouse and every Disney character they could find. After hours of walking and playing, they sat down for lunch, enjoying cute, uniquely Disney-shaped sweets and snacks.
Once they'd had their fill of Disneyland, Tetsuya took her a little further west to Tokyo Sea Life Park. Nobara marveled at the sea creatures, completely captivated by the colorful fish, graceful rays, and massive tanks. Her enthusiasm never waned; even when she started getting tired, she still dragged him to a nearby arcade and played every game she could until she was finally satisfied.
They even caught an action movie afterward (Nobara clearly wasn't in the mood for romance). They spent several joyful hours together before finally heading back around 3 p.m.
"Tetsuya, that was so much fun! I knew Tokyo would be amazing! You have to take me again next time!"
Nobara hopped out of the car still beaming, looking up at Tetsuya with a huge, genuine smile.
They were now near Tokyo Jujutsu High, though the school itself was hidden far deeper in the mountains, surrounded by dense trees and powerful barriers to conceal its location. Tetsuya had stopped at the base of the mountain; he wasn't ready to go any farther in yet.
Today had really just been about meeting Nobara—ahem!
Later, when the cursed womb incident happened and Yuji suffered his first "death" at Sukuna's hands, Tetsuya might pay the school a proper visit.
For now, though, it was time to head home.
"Of course. Next time I'm in Tokyo, I'll take you out again," Tetsuya said with a warm smile.
Nobara's bright eyes flickered with something soft and shy for a moment, then she grinned and nodded vigorously. "You better promise! Here, take my number."
They exchanged contacts. Nobara, now carrying several plushies she'd won at the arcade, waved enthusiastically and ran off toward the mountain path leading to Jujutsu High.
"Bye bye~!"
Tetsuya waved back, watching until her figure disappeared behind the trees.
"Well… should I head home?" He slipped his hands into his pockets.
He glanced up at the mountain ahead, thick with towering trees. A faint shimmer of barrier energy surrounded a wide area deeper in. That was definitely the exact location of Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College.
"…"
"Guess I'll head back. Eriri's probably sulking by now."
The blonde girl had been sweet and surprisingly bold last night, but waking up to find her man gone without a word would definitely shock her… maybe even scare her a little. She was officially his woman now; he wasn't about to let her feel abandoned or sad.
Speaking of which… it was honestly kind of hilarious.
Eriri and Utaha both liked him. Yet the clumsy, golden-retriever-like loser who always got teased by Utaha had somehow crossed the finish line first, while the sharp-tongued black-stockinged senior was still trailing far behind.
Normally, Eriri was always one step behind Utaha in their little rivalry. But this time? Utaha was lagging at least ten steps behind when it came to actually winning the guy they both wanted.