Becoming Sukuna

Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Several figures stood on the rooftop of a high-rise building, overlooking the glittering cityscape.

A cool night breeze swept through the air, carrying the sounds of the bustling city below.

Suguru Geto, dressed in his usual monk's robes, his eyes half-closed, surveyed the scene.

"Everyone knows the plan, right?" he said calmly. "Your main objective is to buy time. The barrier won't hold Gojo Satoru for long. Once it's broken, retreat."

"Hanami isn't here to save you. If we lose anyone here, it will significantly impact our plans."

"Hmph, I know that."

Jogo, the volcano-headed curse, crossed his arms. He hadn't forgotten his near-death experience at the hands of Gojo Satoru.

That was a power he could never surpass.

"But the other sorcerers… that's a different story." He grinned, a burst of flames erupting from his head.

"Don't get careless. They have another sorcerer whose abilities are unknown. That person might be even stronger than you," Geto warned.

"Then let them come! We'll see who ends up as ashes!"

Jogo clenched his fist, as if already claiming victory.

"Do as you like, just don't cause any trouble for me."

Geto sighed, then formed hand seals and chanted, "Born from darkness, darker than black, all impurities, be cleansed."

A curtain, like a sheet of viscous liquid, materialized above Shinjuku, rapidly expanding to cover the entire district.

Then, a second barrier descended within the first.

The first barrier's effect: Ordinary humans within the barrier couldn't leave.

The second barrier's effect: In exchange for allowing anyone to enter and exit freely, Gojo Satoru was prevented from entering.

"Now then, everyone, begin." Geto spread his arms, a faint smile on his lips. "Our Hyakki Yagyō."

Behind him, black curtains appeared in the air, rippling as one curse after another emerged, eager to spread chaos and fear.

Their first target was the brightly lit office building beneath them.

Screams echoed from below, blood splattering the glass facade.

The office workers, forced to work overtime, became the first sacrifices of this night parade of a hundred demons.

Curses continued to pour out from the rifts until, five minutes later, Geto finally stopped his technique.

I need to save some for myself.

"Well then, let's part ways here." Geto walked over to Hanami. "Hanami, let's go."

Thick roots erupted from the ground, entwining them both before pulling them underground.

Only a faint whisper remained, carried by the wind.

"If this plan succeeds, I'm sure Suguru Geto would be pleased. Heh..."

After Geto and Hanami left, Jogo turned to the remaining curse users. "No rules, no plans. Kill whoever you want. Just kill."

"What about you?" a bald curse user with a mask, Jōzō Kumiya, asked.

"I'll wait for the jujutsu sorcerers to arrive, then hunt them down one by one." Jogo's eyes gleamed with malice, then he vanished.

A cute-looking curse with an octopus head wobbled after him.

With the special grade curses gone, only the curse users remained.

"I'll do the same. Ordinary humans are no longer worthy of becoming materials for my art," Kumiya declared arrogantly. "What I truly desire… is Gojo Satoru's spine!"

However, not all curse users were as delusional as him. Some were simply… enthusiastic. Like the blond-haired teenager who was practically vibrating with excitement. "This is how it should be!"

The two of them left.

"Well then, my dear grandson, let's go too." An elderly woman slowly walked away, leaning on her cane. Her grandson, a gaunt man, followed closely.

Only a pair of young women remained on the rooftop.

They didn't seem as enthusiastic as the others.

"Mimiko, I don't want to work with that guy who stole Gojo-sama's sacred body," the blond girl with the twintails complained.

"Nanako, this is also what Gojo-sama wanted to achieve. We're not doing this for that imposter, but for Gojo-sama's will," the black-haired girl replied.

"Even if we want to betray him, now's not the time."

"Fine." Although Nanako still looked annoyed, she agreed. "Then let's kill as many monkeys as possible. That's also what Gojo-sama would have wanted."

The sisters left the rooftop.

But on top of the water tower, a petite figure with androgynous features and a white bob stood silently, coldly observing the city below, which was about to descend into chaos.

A gust of wind blew, and the figure vanished.

...

At Tokyo Jujutsu High…

Ijichi Kiyotaka sprinted up the long stone staircase, his phone vibrating incessantly with incoming calls.

He had never hated this staircase as much as he did now.

He knew those calls were all about the sudden appearance of the massive curtain in Shinjuku.

"Damn it, not only can I not reach Gojo-sensei, but even Principal Yaga isn't answering!"

He finally reached the top of the stairs, panting heavily.

"Huh? Isn't that Ijichi-san?" A cheerful voice called out.

He looked up to see Yuji and Junpei walking towards him. "What happened? You look exhausted."

"I-I need to report to Principal Yaga. It's urgent," Ijichi stammered.

"Oh." Yuji looked at him, then suddenly said, "Want me to carry you?"

"Eh?" Ijichi was stunned.

"Sorry, Junpei, you go ahead. I'll catch up later."

Yuji slung Ijichi over his shoulder and sprinted down the hallway.

"Whoa!"

Megumi Fushiguro, who had just opened his door, was hit by the door as Yuji zoomed past. "What the—?!"

"Sorry, Fushiguro! Urgent business!"

He saw Yuji's retreating figure and a belated apology.

Was that Ijichi-san on Yuji's back?

What's going on?

"What happened?" Yuji asked as he ran, seemingly not breaking a sweat.

"There's been an unregistered curtain deployed over Shinjuku. Most likely the work of curse users," Ijichi explained.

"That's bad!" Yuji's expression turned serious. "I'm going to speed up, hold on tight, Ijichi-san!"

He sprinted even faster, bursting into Principal Masamichi Yaga's office.

Yaga's office looked more like a little girl's room, filled with cute plushies. He was sitting on the floor, sewing a doll.

Startled by their sudden entrance, he pricked his finger with a needle.

"Ouch... Itadori, knock before you enter."

"Urgent report, Principal Yaga." Ijichi didn't waste any time explaining the situation in Shinjuku.

"God damn it!" Yaga jumped to his feet. "Why didn't you say so sooner?!"

Unpleasant memories of the previous attack on Shinjuku surfaced, making him panic.

"We couldn't reach you or Gojo-sensei."

"...My apologies. It was my fault."

Yaga's shoulders slumped. He looked around and found his phone.

"Only Shinjuku? Kyoto wasn't attacked?"

"No."

"Then everyone is mobilized! Tell Gojo to go first, then contact Kyoto and ask for backup! They can't use the excuse that Kyoto is also under attack this time!"

"Also, contact Mei Mei and that special grade who's registered with us. Offer them a good reward."

"I'll stay at Jujutsu High, in case this is a diversion."

After the initial panic, Yaga regained his composure and issued orders, then dialed Gojo's number.

"Understood. And what about the students?" Ijichi Kiyotaka asked, nodding.
"The first-years..."
Before Principal Yaga could finish, Yuji Itadori interrupted, his expression serious. "I'm going."
"If I didn't know, it would be one thing. But now that I know there's a terrorist attack happening, I can't just sit here and do nothing, watching my friends and teachers risk their lives."
Yaga was momentarily speechless. After a moment of consideration, he nodded. "Everyone is mobilized!"
Yuji's face lit up with a grin. "Alright!"
The call to Gojo Satoru finally connected just as it was about to disconnect. Gojo's lazy voice came through. "Principal? What's up? More trouble for me to deal with?"
"It's more than that." Yaga's voice was heavy. "Shinjuku is under attack. You know... it's similar to that incident with Suguru Geto."
"..." A brief silence followed. "Geto is already dead, Principal. You know that."
"I'm not saying it's Geto… Anyway, the students will be participating in this mission. With you there, their safety is guaranteed," Yaga said firmly.
"Got it, I'm on my way." Gojo's voice regained its usual cheerfulness. "So, Ijichi actually had a reason to call me this time."
The call ended.
Ijichi and Yuji exchanged awkward glances.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sukuna frowned as he saw Ijichi's name on the caller ID.

He walked away from the group and answered the phone. "What's up?"

"We have an emergency. There's been a large-scale curse user attack in Shinjuku. We need your help immediately. The reward is negotiable," Ijichi said quickly.

"Understood." Sukuna hung up.

Seeing his serious expression, Yukino guessed that something was wrong. After all, she had seen Ijichi's name on the caller ID.

Without asking any further questions, she said, "I'm coming with you."

"Okay." Sukuna nodded, then glanced at her yukata and exchanged it for a set of casual clothes from the system. "Let's go."

Haruno, perceptive as always, also understood that they had a mission. Although worried, she knew she couldn't stop them.

She smiled gently at Hachiman, her eyes asking: Aren't you going?

Hachiman, a master of observation, also understood that they were going to exorcise curses. He wasn't particularly good at fighting curses, but...

He weighed the risks of fighting curses against the awkwardness of being stuck with Yui and Haruno, and quickly chose the former.

Besides, with Sukuna-sama there, it should be fine.

He discreetly messaged Komachi, asking her to make an excuse to leave the festival.

Komachi, understanding the situation, didn't insist on staying. She called Hachiman and told him there was a family emergency.

"Sorry, something came up." Hachiman apologized to Yui, then quickly left.

Yui was the only one who didn't know what was going on. She looked at Haruno with a confused and helpless expression.

"Um… did something happen? Why did everyone suddenly leave?"

Do they… hate me?

"Well, it's probably just a coincidence," Haruno said, feeling a bit sorry for Yui.

"Things like this happen sometimes," she added gently.

Fireworks lit up the sky, reflecting on Haruno's face. Her usual smile faltered for a moment, revealing a hint of sadness.

She quickly recovered and smiled again. "Yui-chan, do you mind watching the fireworks with me?"

"Of course not!" Yui said with a smile, feeling better after Haruno's comforting words.

Meanwhile, Hachiman caught up with Sukuna and Yukino. Yukino had already changed into the clothes Sukuna had given her.

"Oh, you came too," Sukuna said, surprised.

"I'm a jujutsu sorcerer too, after all. Although, I'm still a newbie..." Hachiman mumbled.

"Let's go then." Sukuna scooped Yukino into his arms, then grabbed Hachiman's armpit, showcasing his blatant favoritism.

They vanished in an instant.

...

Shinjuku had become a living hell.

"Geto" had unleashed two thousand curses, mostly grades 3 to 1.

This was the result of his own collection and a summer's worth of gathering.

The birth of a powerful sorcerer would also give rise to powerful curses. This rule of the jujutsu world worked in Geto's favor.

The streets were filled with corpses. No one was spared.

Blood flowed like rivers, and the stench of death filled the air.

Unlike the previous Hyakki Yagyō, where jujutsu sorcerers had time to prepare and evacuate civilians, this time, the attack was sudden and unexpected.

The casualties were already piling up.

"Aww, don't run away. Just stand still and let me kill you."

Haruta Shigemo, a blond delinquent with a sadistic grin, chased two young women.

He held a grotesque sword with a hilt made of a human hand.

"You can't escape anyway, why bother running?"

He threw the sword. It spun through the air and landed in front of the women, stopping them in their tracks.

"Eek!"

The women turned and pleaded for their lives.

"Hmm, what to do..." He pretended to think.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, the women started to take off their clothes.

But the next moment, their smiles froze, and they collapsed to the ground.

Blood splattered as their ankles were cleanly severed by the sword, which had seemingly moved on its own.

Shigemo admired their terrified faces as he walked towards them.

The sword leaped back into his hand.

He raised his arm.

The sword fell, and their screams were silenced.

Shigemo hummed a cheerful tune as he continued his hunt.

This scene was playing out all over Shinjuku.

No one was safe.

Shinjuku had become a hunting ground.

The clouds parted, revealing the moon, which seemed to be stained red by the bloodshed below.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The sorcerers quickly mobilized and arrived at the edge of the curtain.

Nanami Kento, dressed in a white suit, arrived with Yuji, Junpei, and Megumi.

"Ah, Gojo-sensei!" Yuji exclaimed, pointing at Gojo, who was floating in the air.

Gojo landed. "What's the situation?" Nanami asked.

"Can't get in. Look."

Gojo reached for the curtain, but his fingers were repelled by a burst of electricity.

"Huh?"

"But I can go in," Yuji said, his hand already inside the barrier.

Everyone stared at him in surprise.

"He really can," Megumi confirmed, his hand also passing through the barrier effortlessly. "This barrier... is only rejecting Gojo-sensei?"

"Seems like it." Gojo smirked. "Nanami, you go in with the students first. I'll be there soon."

"Okay."

They entered the barrier.

A wave of nausea washed over them as they saw the carnage within.

"This is inhumane..." Yuji's eyes narrowed with anger.

The stench of blood filled the air, making them gag. Junpei even threw up.

"Let's go," Nanami said grimly.

They ran forward.

"Divine Dog: Totality!" Megumi summoned a large, grey wolf shikigami.

His white Divine Dog had been destroyed at the juvenile detention center, its power inherited by the black Divine Dog, evolving it into a more powerful form.

But it was still smaller than Sukuna's Divine Dogs.

The wolf shikigami tore through a curse that was chasing some civilians.

The civilians were terrified until Nanami and the others approached them.

"Please don't kill me!"

"Spare me! I have children..."

"It's okay, we're here to help," Yuji reassured them with a smile.

"Is… is that true? Thank you..."

"Please leave this area. It's dangerous," Megumi said.

The middle-aged man who had mentioned having children at home shook his head despairingly. "We can't leave this place! There's an invisible wall blocking us from leaving Shinjuku! We're trapped, forced to run for our lives from those monsters!"

"We can't get out? Isn't there just one curtain?" Junpei asked, confused.

"No, there are two. The first one is to keep Gojo out, the second one is to trap ordinary people. And it's probably a one-way barrier," Nanami explained, adjusting his glasses.

He looked at the five terrified civilians and sighed. "Our mission is to exorcise curses as quickly and efficiently as possible. However, leaving them here isn't safe, but taking them with us would be a burden..."

The civilians' faces fell, and they looked ready to cling to his legs.

"We can't just abandon them!" Yuji exclaimed.

"Calm down, Itadori-kun. I have no intention of abandoning them." Nanami pinched the bridge of his nose. "We need Fushiguro's shikigami to locate the curses. It's not convenient to take these people with us, so we'll have to leave them near the edge of the barrier and wait for Gojo to break through."

"Until then, someone needs to stay and protect them."

"Me!"

"I'll do it."

Before Yuji could finish, Junpei interrupted him.

"I have a shikigami too. I can cover a wider area. It's more efficient for me to stay than Itadori, who has more offensive power."

"Junpei..." Yuji looked at him, touched by his words.

"Then it's settled. We'll leave these people in your care, Yoshino-kun." Nanami turned to the civilians. "This young man will protect you. Please follow him."

Junpei nodded seriously. "Understood."

"Everyone, please come with me. I'll keep you safe." He summoned his jellyfish shikigami, Dokugaze, and led the civilians away.

After they left, Nanami turned to Megumi. "Let's go, Fushiguro-kun."

"Right."

Megumi summoned his owl shikigami, Nue, which took to the skies. The wolf shikigami also sniffed the air and dashed off, both of them searching for curses.

"Based on my past experience, the curses in a Hyakki Yagyō won't be stronger than Grade 1, mostly Grade 3. They're not powerful individually, but there are many of them. To maximize efficiency, we'll split up," Nanami said.

"Itadori-kun, you go with Fushiguro-kun. If you encounter a Grade 1 curse, run and have your shikigami come find me."

"Got it!" Yuji clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination.

Megumi nodded and directed the wolf shikigami to lead Nanami. He then gestured to Yuji, following Nue as it circled in the sky, searching for nearby curses.

Nanami loosened his tie, gripping his sword, its blade wrapped in bandages, and followed the wolf shikigami.

No matter what, I need to get off work by 10 PM.