Kaito arrived at Sugisawa High late.
Not by much — maybe seven minutes — but late enough that the usual after-school quiet had already turned into something wrong.
He'd been delayed because of Gojo.
That white-haired freak had appeared again on the way back from picking up Aiko, this time blocking the alley near the convenience store like he owned the pavement.
Same blindfold. Same lazy grin.
Same feeling of being measured by something infinite.
"Battery-kun," Gojo had said, voice light. "You're still walking around like a walking nuke with the safety off. Cute."
Kaito had kept walking, Aiko on his shoulders chattering about ice cream flavors.
Gojo had fallen in step beside them — casual, like they were old friends.
"I'm curious," Gojo continued. "How long are you planning to pretend you're normal?"
Kaito deadpan: "Until it stops working."
Gojo laughed — bright and sharp.
Then he flicked a finger.
A tiny Blue orb appeared — smaller than before — and drifted toward Kaito's chest like a firefly.
Not an attack.
A probe.
Kaito suppressed 90%, burst mode kicked in, fist infused to the knuckles — punched the orb mid-air.
Black flash spark.
The Blue shattered.
Aiko squealed in delight.
"Nii-chan punched the blue ball!"
Gojo clapped slowly.
"Still no technique. Still just fists and an ocean. You're stubborn in the most entertaining way."
He vanished in a shimmer of space — gone before Kaito could reply.
Aiko tugged his hair.
"Who was that guy again?"
Kaito exhaled.
"Trouble."
That's why he was late.
Now he jogged up the last flight of stairs to the roof — Aiko had gone home earlier with a promise of "no crying until dinner" — heart rate steady, senses sharp.
The moment he pushed the door open he felt it.
Malice.
Thick.
Heavy.
Special-grade.
And something worse underneath — ancient, amused, and hungry.
Sukuna.
Kaito stepped out.
The scene hit him in pieces.
Yuji on his knees, blood on his lips, finger missing from Megumi's hand.
The curse — huge, grotesque, multi-limbed — looming over them.
Megumi standing in front of Yuji, hands in the summoning seal.
And in the air above them — a shadow forming.
Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga.
The wheel turning.
Kaito's CE surged — full reinforcement, suppression burst ready.
He moved.
Not toward the curse.
Toward Megumi.
Megumi's eyes widened — the summoning was already halfway done, Mahoraga's outline solidifying.
Kaito appeared between them in a blur — burst mode at 92%.
Right hand infused to the knuckles, left arm shielding Yuji.
He grabbed Megumi's wrist — not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to break the seal.
The shadow of Mahoraga flickered — unstable — then collapsed.
Megumi snarled.
"What are you doing?!"
Kaito's voice low, calm, no room for argument.
"You summon that thing, it kills all of us. Including him."
He nodded toward Yuji.
Yuji looked up — eyes wide, voice rough.
"Kaito…?"
Kaito didn't look away from Megumi.
"Let him fight it. He ate the finger. He's the only one who can."
Megumi's jaw tightened.
"He's a vessel. He's dangerous—"
Kaito cut him off — still calm, but steel underneath.
"He's Yuji. And he's still in there."
The curse roared — lunged.
Kaito spun — released Megumi's wrist, pushed him back gently.
Then stepped forward.
Fist infused.
Black flash ready.
He punched once — clean, perfect timing.
The curse's arm shattered on impact.
Shockwave cracked the roof tiles.
The curse staggered.
Kaito stood between it and Yuji — back straight, voice flat.
"You want him? Go through me."
Yuji coughed behind him — voice weak but stubborn.
"Kaito… get out of here…"
Kaito didn't turn.
"Not happening."
The curse charged again.
Kaito met it head-on — burst mode full throttle.
Punches landed like artillery — each one infused, each one black flash potential.
The roof shook.
Megumi watched — stunned.
Yuji watched — eyes filling with something like gratitude and guilt.
And somewhere, deep inside Yuji's body, Sukuna laughed.
A low, amused rumble only Yuji could hear.
"That battery boy again… interesting."
The fight was short.
Kaito didn't give the curse room to breathe.
Ten seconds later it was over — the special-grade reduced to sludge and fading CE particles.
Kaito lowered his fists.
CE flow eased.
Normal Kaito returned.
He turned to Yuji — knelt, checked for wounds.
"You idiot. You ate a finger."
Yuji grinned — bloody, tired, but alive.
"Had to. Couldn't let it get them."
Kaito glanced at Megumi — who was staring like he'd seen a ghost.
Megumi finally spoke.
"…Who are you?"
Kaito stood.
"Just his friend."
He offered Yuji a hand.
"Come on. Let's get you off this roof before more weirdos show up."
Yuji took the hand — pulled himself up.
Then slung an arm around Kaito's shoulders — half for support, half for balance.
"Thanks, man."
Kaito deadpan:
"Don't thank me yet. You're explaining this to Aiko later. She's going to be mad you didn't invite her."
Yuji laughed — weak but real.
Megumi watched them both — wary, but something in his eyes had shifted.
The three of them walked toward the stairs.
Behind them, the sky felt heavier.
Gojo was watching from somewhere.
And Sukuna was listening.
The quiet years were truly over