Becoming Sukuna

Alright, stay like this.

Let's not bother each other and coexist peacefully.

Hachiman muttered to himself as he stared at the octopus curse, slowly backing away.

The curse simply watched him with its big, round eyes.

"You're kinda cute," Hachiman mumbled.

This curse was much more visually appealing than the other grotesque ones he had seen.

But Hachiman hadn't forgotten that it had just swallowed a man whole.

This is a curse. It needs to be exorcised.

He wouldn't forget that.

I don't know why it's not attacking me, but I'll take this chance to recover.

Speaking of which, that really hurt. Is Sukuna-sama still fighting?

Hachiman looked down at his bleeding arm.

I can hear something from above. It must be Sukuna-sama fighting someone strong. I would have been killed several times over just from the shockwaves of their battle.

Where's Yukinoshita-buchou? I hope she's okay.

No, I shouldn't think like that.

It really hurts…

Komachi, I want to go home.

Hachiman's mind raced, trying to distract himself from the pain.

"You." A childish voice suddenly spoke, startling him. "What's your name?"

Hachiman looked around, then realized the voice came from the octopus curse.

"The curse is talking?!"

"No, some curses can talk, but they usually just make meaningless noises. This is the first time I've heard one speak so clearly."

"My name is Dagon. And Jogo, Hanami, Mahito… We all have names," the curse said.

Mahito?

That name… Yukinoshita-buchou mentioned that name! The one who killed Ōoka, the special grade curse with human-like intelligence!

Wait, so this octopus is also a special grade?!

Hachiman started to sweat.

I have to stall for time until Yukinoshita-senpai gets back… No, if it's really a special grade, it's better if she doesn't come back.

He forced a smile. "My name is Hachiman Hikigaya. Nice to meet you, Dagon."

Please just leave me alone.

Dagon suddenly stopped what it was doing. It retracted its tentacles. "Jogo, is fighting a strong enemy. I, have to go help."

With that, it crawled away.

It actually left!

Hachiman stared in disbelief. He had somehow survived.

BOOM!

Just as he relaxed, a loud crash echoed through the passage. Dagon came flying back, slamming into a shop.

"Eh? What happened?"

Hachiman quickly got to his feet.

"Ho ho ho, another survivor?"

An old yet powerful voice echoed. Hachiman saw three figures approaching. The leader was an old man with white hair, wearing a martial arts uniform. Behind him were a young man and woman, one of them being Nobara Kugisaki.

"That's not an ordinary person, it's a colleague." Nobara recognized Hachiman. "His name is... Hikitani, was it?"

Ah, there it is. The familiar feeling is back.

Hachiman felt a strange sense of comfort at being called the wrong name. Everyone had been so polite lately; he had almost forgotten what it was like to be misunderstood.

"It's Hachiman Hikigaya," he corrected her.

They reached him. Hachiman looked at the octopus curse, which was buried under the rubble. "Be careful, senpai. That thing might be a special grade."

"A special grade? Its cursed energy isn't strong enough," Nobara said.

"It seems to know those special grade curses. They're probably allies," Hachiman warned. "Yukinoshita-senpai is chasing a curse user. She should be back soon."

Just then, Yukino came running from the other side of the passage.

"Ah, Yukinoshita-san!" Nobara greeted her excitedly.

"It's coming," Naobito Zenin warned, cutting their reunion short.

Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed, and a red figure emerged from the dust, floating in the air.

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

"'Black… Flash!'"

Cursed energy crackled like black lightning as Yuji's fist connected with the curse, the impact echoing through the streets of Shinjuku.

"Whoa! Fushiguro, did you see that?!" Yuji exclaimed, turning to Megumi with a triumphant grin.

It was his second Black Flash. The first one had been during the exchange event, under the guidance of Aoi Todo from Kyoto Jujutsu High.

"Tch." Megumi looked away, clicking his tongue. "No, I didn't."

"Liar! You definitely saw it! My Black Flash!" Yuji pointed at him. "It was awesome, right?!"

"You're so noisy."

"You two, focus on the fight," Nanami interrupted their bickering with a sigh, adjusting his glasses.

"Itadori-kun, please concentrate."

"After landing a Black Flash, a sorcerer temporarily enters a state of heightened awareness, where the flow of cursed energy becomes as natural as breathing, and everything seems to revolve around them," he explained.

"Therefore, it's highly likely to land consecutive Black Flashes after the first successful one."

"Whether it's luck or skill, a sorcerer who has experienced a Black Flash has a completely different understanding of cursed energy compared to one who hasn't."

"No sorcerer can intentionally trigger a Black Flash. Seize this valuable opportunity."

Nanami continued his lecture as he effortlessly cut down curses with his blunt sword.

"Alright!"

Yuji's eyes gleamed with determination.

A sharp cry echoed from the sky. "Itadori!" Megumi called out.

Nue swooped down, its claws carrying a curse, and flung it towards Yuji.

Yuji focused, his eyes fixed on the approaching curse.

He twisted his body and threw a punch, his cursed energy erupting. Black lightning flashed once more as the curse's body disintegrated.

Yuji immediately charged towards his next target. "Black Flash!"

Megumi's eyes widened. "Three in a row..." he murmured.

Thankfully, Yuji's streak stopped at three.

Megumi was secretly relieved, then felt ashamed of his relief.

With Megumi's shikigami scouting for curses and Nanami leading the way, they quickly cleared the area.

"Three, huh? Have you ever landed a Black Flash, Fushiguro?" Yuji asked during a break.

"...No," Megumi admitted, looking away.

He felt a pang of shame. He had been training at Jujutsu High since he was a child, yet he couldn't even match Yuji's achievement.

"Haha! You gotta work harder, or I'll surpass you soon!" Yuji laughed, then turned to Nanami. "You've definitely landed a Black Flash before, right, Nanami?"

"Yes, it's not that big of a deal."

"What about your record?"

"Four. Just lucky, I guess."

"Whoa! That's amazing!"

Seeing the admiration in Yuji's eyes, Megumi added, "Nanami holds the record for the most consecutive Black Flashes."

"What?! Even Gojo-sensei can't beat that? That's insane!" Yuji exclaimed.

"Well, that man rarely encounters opponents who can even make him use Black Flash in the first place," Nanami said wryly.

Just then, a bright light illuminated the night sky, followed by a tremor. A building seemed to have collapsed in the distance.

"There it is," Yuji said, pointing towards the light.

"..."

Nanami adjusted his glasses, wondering about the strength of the special grade sorcerer who had been called in as backup.

Is he really that strong? Stronger than Gojo Satoru?

"His name is… Sukuna, right? He's a mercenary like Mei Mei, and also a teacher at Jujutsu High... How much do you know about him?"

"His technique and background are unknown," Megumi replied. "But according to Gojo-sensei, his cursed energy and aura are very similar to Sukuna's. Almost identical."

"And his technique is also the same as Sukuna's Cleave. But..." Megumi hesitated. "He also has the Ten Shadows Technique, like me."

"What?" Nanami's eyes widened behind his glasses.

It was shocking enough that this Sukuna possessed the same cursed energy and technique as the legendary King of Curses, but to also have the Zenin clan's inherited technique...

"Is it a copying ability like Okkotsu's?" Nanami wondered.

"I don't know, but Sukuna-san's strength is definitely on par with Gojo-sensei's," Megumi confirmed.

"But Sukuna-sensei said he beat Gojo-sensei before," Yuji chimed in.

"...I can't imagine that." Nanami decided to drop the topic. "Let's move on, Fushiguro-kun."

"Right."

Megumi summoned his Divine Dog: Totality. A black and white wolf emerged from his shadow.

The moment it appeared, the wolf shikigami growled at a nearby alley.

"Nanami."

"I know."

The three sorcerers and the shikigami stared at the alley. "Come out, don't hide."

As soon as Nanami finished speaking, an old woman with a cane and a gaunt man emerged from the alley.

Nanami Kento narrowed his eyes. "Curse users?"

"Huh?! That old lady can fight?" Yuji stared at the elderly woman, who needed a cane to walk.

"Don't underestimate the elderly, young man." Despite her age, Ogami Jō still had the spirit of a young woman and bristled at being called old.

As if to prove her point, she tossed her cane aside and clapped her hands together. "Grandson."

"Yes, Granny." Her grandson, Jinichi Sugumiya, stood protectively in front of her.

She quickly started chanting an incantation.

"Is that… a Séance Technique?" Nanami wondered, observing the scene. Familiar with the technique due to his connection with Takuma Ino, he immediately ordered, "Itadori-kun, Fushiguro-kun, prioritize the old woman."

"Got it!"

"Understood."

Yuji charged towards Jinichi, who raised his arms to block. Yuji feinted a punch, then grabbed Jinichi's wrist, pulling him off balance.

Jinichi tried to use the momentum to ram his shoulder into Yuji, but Yuji dodged, creating an opening towards Ogami.

Yuji charged towards the old woman, and as Jinichi turned to stop him, Nanami intercepted him.

Nanami's blunt sword flashed, severing Jinichi's right hand at the wrist.

Without hesitation, Nanami swung again, aiming for Jinichi's waist.

To avoid being cut in half, Jinichi blocked with his left arm, but it was also severed. He was sent flying backwards.

Meanwhile, Ogami was attacked by both Yuji and Megumi.

The wolf shikigami's claws left a deep gash on her back, interrupting her incantation.

She stumbled forward, right into Yuji's charged fist.

The cursed energy exploded from his fist, piercing through her.

Yuji met her eyes.

Ogami grinned, her wrinkles deepening like a blooming chrysanthemum.

Then, her body melted, turning white.

A small paper doll fluttered to the ground.

"What?!"

"A paper doll?"

Megumi's eyes widened. "A single-use substitute?"

Just then, a voice echoed from a nearby rooftop. "Now, my grandson!"

They looked up and saw Ogami standing on the rooftop, chanting an incantation.

Hearing her signal, Jinichi finally opened his mouth and swallowed a small glass vial he had been holding.

"Toji Zenin!"

Ogami shouted, her hands clasped together.

Suddenly, Jinichi's body straightened, and his severed limbs regenerated.

"Is that the effect of the Séance Technique?" Nanami asked warily, watching Jinichi stand up.

Yuji and Megumi retreated to his side, ready for battle.

Suddenly, Jinichi vanished.

"What?!"

A fist slammed into Megumi, sending him flying.

Yuji reacted quickly, but his balance was broken, and he was pinned to the ground.

"Itadori! Fushiguro!"

Nanami charged, but Jinichi effortlessly blocked his attack and disarmed him with a swift punch to the gut.

He grabbed Nanami's sword and swung it at Yuji, who narrowly dodged.

"...What's going on?"

"How do you feel, my grandson?" Ogami's triumphant voice echoed from above.

Jinichi slowly raised his head, half of his face now transformed, a single black eye gleaming.

"I feel great, Granny".

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

"How do you feel?"

"Great. Never felt better."

In those few words, Jinichi's appearance was completely replaced by another person's.

He had short black hair, sharp features, and a noticeable scar on the right side of his mouth.

"Is that a transformation from the Séance Technique? It actually boosted his strength to this level." Nanami's expression was grim. "Toji Zenin... I've heard that name before."

"Is he strong?" Yuji asked curiously.

"He killed Gojo once when he was still a student," Nanami said gravely.

"What?!" Both Yuji and Megumi were shocked.

To think that the self-proclaimed strongest, Gojo Satoru, was not only defeated by the mysterious Ryōichi, but also killed by this summoned sorcerer when he was a student…

"But... Gojo-sensei is still alive, right?" Yuji suddenly realized.

"Yes, because he mastered Reverse Cursed Technique at the brink of death. That's also when he earned the title of 'the strongest'," Nanami explained, recalling Gojo's drunken bragging during a past gathering.

"Toji Zenin wasn't even a sorcerer. Due to Heavenly Restriction, he had no cursed energy. He was a very special case." Nanami explained further. "But in exchange, he gained superhuman physical abilities. Speed, strength, durability, all beyond normal limits."

"Itadori-kun, your physical abilities are already exceptional, but this man's are far superior."

Megumi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Even ordinary people have cursed energy… Heavenly Restriction... This man is like… Zenin-senpai's ultimate form."

"Close combat is unfavorable. We need to retreat. Fushiguro-kun, use your shikigami to distract him." Nanami quickly issued orders. "The Séance Technique must have a time limit. Once it ends, or the summoner runs out of cursed energy, we win."

I'd like to take out that old woman, but it'll be difficult to get past Toji Zenin.

Nanami glanced at Ogami on the rooftop, then opted for the safer strategy.

The three of them retreated, Megumi sending his wolf shikigami to attack while summoning Nue to target Ogami.

The giant owl swooped towards the rooftop, unleashing a torrent of purple lightning.

Ogami dodged, her movements surprisingly agile for her age.

Sorcerers can't be judged by common sense. Underestimating someone because of their age is a recipe for disaster.

Megumi wasn't surprised that his attack failed. He hadn't expected to defeat her with just one shikigami.

Their main opponent was still Jinichi, now channeling the power of Toji Zenin.

The ferocious wolf shikigami lunged, but its jaws closed on empty air. Toji Zenin had vanished. He reappeared in front of the trio, moving with a speed that defied their perception.

In the blink of an eye, their attacks were effortlessly blocked or dodged, followed by a relentless counterattack.

Even without Nanami's ability to create weak points, Toji's sheer strength was enough to inflict serious damage with his blunt sword.

And this was with them using their cursed energy to defend.

Against Toji Zenin's superhuman physical abilities, even the agile Yuji and the experienced Nanami were like fragile dolls.

They were sent flying. Yuji crashed into a streetlight, bending the metal pole. Nanami slammed into a wall, sliding to the ground. Megumi bounced like a ball before collapsing.

The battle was over.

"Well done, my grandson," Ogami's voice echoed from the rooftop. "Kill them."

"Yes, Granny… Ugh!"

Jinichi, now fully transformed into Toji, suddenly froze, his body convulsing.

He looked up at the old woman, his eyes filled with rage. "Who are you ordering around, you hag?!"

"What?!"

Ogami stumbled back in fear. "Toji Zenin?! But I only summoned your physical information!"

The Séance Technique allowed the user to temporarily embody the physical and spiritual information of another person by using their cells or DNA as a medium.

But this technique had a risk: the possibility of being possessed by the summoned spirit, as was happening now.

To minimize this risk, Ogami usually only summoned the physical information, but somehow, her grandson had still been possessed.

Why is this happening?!

"Ah, you mean this?" Toji grinned. "My body is quite special. It seems your grandson's soul lost to my body, allowing me to temporarily crawl back from hell."

"The soul… lost to the body?! How is that possible?!"

Terror filled Ogami's eyes. She saw a vision of her own headless body.

So it wasn't an illusion?

Toji's blunt sword severed her spine, and he ripped her head from her body with his bare hands.

He casually tossed the head aside, then turned his attention to Megumi, who was lying on the ground.