Someone is calling for help!
Upon hearing the weak cry for help in the forest, Yuji Itadori immediately abandoned the idea of retreating. He exchanged a glance with Kurumi Tokisaki, received her consent, and carefully approached the direction from which the call had come.
The shadows of the trees swayed in the breeze, and the sparse moonlight illuminated the ground. Under a large tree, Itadori saw what seemed to be a person lying there. The individual was groaning in pain, and there was blood splattered around them, suggesting serious injuries.
"Can you move?"
Just as Itadori got closer to check on the person's injuries, Kurumi Tokisaki turned on the flashlight on her phone. When the light illuminated the figure under the tree, Itadori froze in place.
The creature lying there wasn't a human!
This green-skinned monster had thick limbs and a bulky body, looking like a grotesque mass of flesh, emitting an intense and uncomfortable sense of fear. Its body's center had a massive mouth that was currently writhing and spewing blood.
The creature lacked a neck, with what could be considered its head located above its chest, where two dark, empty sockets bled profusely. It resembled some kind of malformed experimental creation.
If this creature hadn't appeared so pitiful, looking like it was on the brink of death, Itadori would have immediately rushed to destroy it. But even though it appeared to have lost its combat ability, Itadori remained cautious, suspecting it might be a trap.
"What is this thing, a cursed spirit?"
Itadori took a few steps back, scrutinizing the creature from head to toe, unsure of what it was.
"No, it has a physical body, so it can't be a cursed spirit."
Kurumi Tokisaki also examined the creature, then spoke her assessment. "For now... let's call it a human?"
But how could a human look like this?
Itadori was about to voice this question, but realizing the potential offense in asking such a thing if the creature turned out to be a friendly human, he held back.
"Who... are you?"
The injured, dying monster finally noticed the two approaching figures and weakly twisted its body to look at them.
"We're students from the Tokyo Jujutsu High, here to carry out an exorcism mission," Kurumi Tokisaki replied briefly, then asked, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"I am... I am Kechizu, but you may recognize me as No. 3 from the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings," the creature spoke with the last of its strength, seemingly seeing some hope. It pleaded, "Please... help my brothers, we were fighting the Nightmare, please help us!"
"Okay, I understand," Itadori immediately responded.
Though he knew what the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings were, he understood what Nightmare meant. Master Satoru Gojo had once told him that Nightmare was the greatest enemy in the jujutsu world, and also Gojo personal nemesis. Since this creature, Kechizu, and its brothers were fighting against Nightmare, Itadori, adhering to the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," couldn't ignore them.
"You're fighting that damn woman?"
When Itadori heard the name "Nightmare," Sukuna, who was sealed inside him, awakened.
An eye and a mouth appeared on Itadori face, with the pupils radiating intense malice as it spoke in a vicious tone, "Kid, I know you want to help them, and I can help you. You can consider it an unprovoked favor, because I also want to kill that woman."
"Mm."
Itadori wasn't surprised by Sukuna appearance. It had been so long, and he had come to understand the personality of the Curse King sealed within him.
That was why, upon hearing the name "Nightmare," he immediately agreed to Kechizu's request. He knew that Sukuna would take action.
"Last time, I was careless. I didn't dodge, and that woman used tricks to defeat me in one blow," Sukuna sneered. "But this time, I'm prepared. I'll tear that woman into pieces and feed her to the dogs!"
When Itadori was in the juvenile facility, he hadn't been aware of Nightmare cursed techniques and abilities. Nightmare had taken advantage of that and attacked from the shadows, catching him off guard before the fight even began, rendering him powerless.
Sukuna was still seething with frustration about that humiliation, and now, having learned about Nightmare techniques and gained strength after devouring a finger, he was more than ready to take on the fight.
"This time, I'll wash away the shame!"
"Kurumi, call Gojo-sensei, I'll go and hold Nightmare off."
"Wait!"
Just as Itadori was about to leave for the battlefield to help Kechizu's brothers hold off Nightmare, Kurumi Tokisaki stopped him.
"There's no signal here, we can't contact Gojo-sensei," Kurumi Tokisaki showed her phone screen, which displayed the "No Signal" icon. Her face was serious. "This is a battle we cannot participate in. Our job is to retreat immediately."
"Retreat? But what about Kechizu and his brothers..." Itadori started to protest.
"They're not human," Kurumi Tokisaki shook her head. "You heard it, they are part of the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings."
"Cursed Womb: Death Paintings?" Itadori blinked in confusion. "What is that?"
"One hundred years ago, the most malevolent curse practitioner, Noritoshi Kamo, created this," Kurumi Tokisaki quickly explained. "He made a human woman pregnant with a cursed spirit's child, and had her undergo nine pregnancies and nine abortions. The unborn babies, filled with resentment, became cursed objects. Numbers 1 to 3 are on the same level as Sukuna fingers, and these objects have been sealed at Jujutsu High for the last century. However, during the Exchange Event, they were stolen by a mysterious thief, along with Sukuna fingers."
"Special Grade cursed objects..." Itadori gaze shifted back to Kechizu, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "So, he's actually like me?"
"More accurately, he's similar to Sukuna. Both of them are evil beings that rely on occupying other bodies to live again," Kurumi Tokisaki said gravely. "There's no need to help cursed spirits. We should retreat immediately."
"No, please don't leave! Please save my brothers!"
Hearing Kurumi Tokisaki suggestion to retreat, Kechizu became desperate and pleaded, "Nightmare is your enemy too, right? We can cooperate and defeat Nightmare together!"
Dragging his severely injured body, Kechizu left a trail of blood behind as he crawled toward Itadori feet. Despite being a special-grade existence, he was now as humble as a worm, clinging to Itadori pants like a drowning man grasping at the last life-saving straw.
Because he knew, this vessel of Sukuna was his last hope.
One hundred and fifty years...
It has been 150 years since the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings came into this world.
The bloodstained fetus, who was forcibly aborted, never became human, and after death, was turned into a cursed object, never even having seen the human world.
During these long 150 years, as a special-grade cursed object, the bloodstained fetus and his two older brothers were kept in a dark, windowless room, watching over each other.
They had become the pillars of each other's hearts.
In their hearts, each person's life was more important than their own.
And now, after being finally freed from the dark prison, what awaited them was the nightmare of slaughter.
How could the bloodstained fetus accept that?
"I place a binding here. As long as you can save my brothers, I am willing to be sealed by you again." Kechizu tears lingered in his eyes. "As long as my brothers are safe, please, go save them."
At this moment, Yuuji Itadori felt a strong inner struggle.
He stood in place, his fists tightly clenched.
"Itadori, they are man-made monsters, a mistake that should never have been born."
Seeing the inner struggle in Yuuji Itadori, Kurumi Tokisaki spoke slowly, word by word: "Don't risk your life for them. Don't play the hero."
Staring at the ugly and fierce face of the bloodstained fetus at his feet, Yuuji Itadori slowly closed his eyes.
Just as Kurumi Tokisaki had said, this was the face of a monster, and even true cursed spirits seemed more pleasing to the eye compared to it.
But...
"They are not monsters. They are not mistakes."
Yuuji Itadori opened his eyes again and met Kurumi Tokisaki gaze. "They simply... never had the right to choose from the very beginning."
Forced abortion by truly evil curse users.
Forced containment by sorcerers protecting humanity.
Stolen by thieves with ulterior motives.
For them, the world was one filled with malice.
But it was undeniable that, no matter how many villains there were in their story, the three brothers were the most innocent.
"Tokisaki, someone like me, who empathizes with cursed objects, must have a broken mind, right?"
Yuuji Itadori gave a bitter smile, as if ashamed, lowering his head.
How should we define a [human]?
It was a philosophical question.
But in Yuuji Itadori eyes, even though this person before him had a body more monstrous than a true cursed spirit, it still couldn't hide his concern and love for his brothers.
And whether it was concern or love, these feelings were not born from negative emotions like those of cursed spirits who only knew killing and destruction.
In his eyes, the bloodstained fetus was human.
An innocent human.
And the reason Yuuji Itadori joined the Jujutsu world was to use his power to save those innocent lives.
For some reason, at this moment, he suddenly recalled the image of his grandfather passing away.
That elderly man, nearing his end, lay in a hospital bed, no longer the lively, spirited person he had once been. Just like countless ordinary old people, he calmly died in his bed after being tormented by illness.
However, the last words the old man left behind still lingered in Yuuji Itadori ears to this day.
"Yuuji, you must work hard to save more people."
"You must die surrounded by the crowd."
What kind of feelings did the old man have when he spoke those final words?
At this moment, Yuuji Itadori suddenly understood what his grandfather's last emotions were.
It wasn't hope. It wasn't a blessing.
It was regret.
When he was young, he had the power to save others but chose to retreat and live a normal life, weak and indifferent.
Now, as an old man, dragging his failing body, he looked back on his meaningless life and quietly died in his bed, humiliated in his ordinariness.
He had saved no one, and when his own son was in danger, he could only watch him fall into the abyss.
That's why he regretted it.
That's why he gave that advice to his only relative.
"Yuuji, do not go gently into that good night."
"Do not, become like me."
This was the final advice the old man, who had chosen a life of mediocrity, could give to his grandson, who was destined for greatness.
Gradually, the struggle faded from Yuuji Itadori face.
"Sorry, Tokisaki, you should go back."
His voice was calm, but unusually firm as he said, "I... I'm going to play the hero."
"..."
Kurumi Tokisaki didn't try to stop him anymore.
Because anyone who saw that expression would know that further persuasion was pointless.
Yuuji Itadori didn't look back at Kurumi Tokisaki. Instead, he walked past her, his steps heavy as he headed toward the ongoing battle.
"Ryomen Sukuna."
"I know."
As Yuuji Itadori actively relinquished control of his body, Sukuna naturally took over.
Dark patterns began to appear on his skin, outlining the mark of the King of Curses.
His scarlet eyes glowed like bats in the night, exuding a killing intent and malice that didn't belong to Yuuji Itadori.
"Itadori."
Kurumi Tokisaki voice came from behind.
The black markings on Yuuji Itadori body quickly faded as he turned to look at the girl behind him, his deep brown eyes filled with confusion.
Unexpectedly, he didn't see anger, disappointment, or embarrassment on her face. Instead, there was a faint smile.
"Good luck, may your martial fortunes be prosperous."
Hearing her wish, Yuuji Itadori stood frozen for a moment.
But soon, after realizing it, he couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you!"
The night was still cold, and the weight on his shoulders still immense.
But Yuuji Itadori felt the heat rise in his blood, as fiery power surged from deep within his soul.
"Grandpa, I have a feeling."
Recognized, Yuuji Itadori mood lightened, and with that, his steps grew faster as he sprinted toward the real battlefield.
"Even if I die next, I won't feel regret!"