The room was silent—so quiet that the drop of a pin might've echoed like thunder.
"Headmaster, we can't make any promises to you,"
Ultimate Mechamaru said, his hoarse, synthesized voice devoid of emotion. The others nodded in agreement.
They would give it their all to win, of course, but deliberately targeting one person? That would be far too obvious—and extremely risky. With someone like Ieiri Shōko present, the chance of a successful assassination was slim to none.
And if you tried to kill someone after they were already down and helpless?
That would be suicide.
Gakuganji gave a slight nod. He hadn't truly expected them to take out Itadori Yuji during the exchange event. He was merely trying his luck.
There were still many conservatives like him—veterans from the Century War—who held significant influence in the Jujutsu world. If this plan failed, they could always try again later, subtly shifting priorities during future missions.
---
Just one building away from the Kyoto dorms, the Tokyo Jujutsu High students had also gathered. In attendance were Okkotsu Yūta, Inumaki Toge, Panda, Zenin Maki, Fushiguro Megumi, Kugisaki Nobara, and the newest addition—Itadori Yuji.
"So you're the infamous Sukuna vessel causing all the commotion lately?"
Panda leaned in and poked Itadori's cheek.
"Huh? Nothing special, really..."
Itadori laughed awkwardly, scratching his nose.
Beside him, Fushiguro Megumi began formally introducing the seniors to both Itadori and Kugisaki.
"This is Okkotsu Yūta-senpai, a first-grade Jujutsu sorcerer and a master swordsman."
The tall, calm boy gave a friendly smile and nodded.
"This is Inumaki Toge-senpai. He uses Cursed Speech. Be careful—his words carry real power."
Inumaki, whose mouth was hidden beneath his high collar, flashed an OK sign.
"Next is Maki-senpai, a fierce close-combat specialist. And that's Panda-senpai... obviously."
Itadori couldn't help but sneak glances at Panda again. A talking panda? His brain was still catching up.
Okkotsu clapped his hands together with a snap, drawing everyone's attention back.
"Alright, let's talk strategy. This year's Jujutsu High School Exchange Event is different from before."
His voice grew more serious.
"Not only is Kyoto eyeing us, but other technical colleges and local schools have been gunning for us for a long time. According to intel, every participating college has at least one first-grade sorcerer now."
He passed around printed materials to the others.
Itadori carefully flipped through the documents.
"The biggest threat is Tōdō Aoi. His physical strength is insane, and his hand-to-hand combat skills are no joke."
"The next to watch is Kamo Noritoshi. I don't need to explain his Red Blood Manipulation Technique—you already know how dangerous that is."
Okkotsu went on, outlining various details: battleground locations, the number of schools, rules of engagement, and how victory would be determined.
"There are five participating schools. About 30 students in total. Last team standing wins. Simple, brutal, and very unforgiving."
He turned to Itadori.
"You're new here, so if you have any questions, ask Fushiguro."
Itadori shook his head. "I've got it, Okkotsu-senpai. I read through everything. I'm ready."
Gojo wasn't wrong about Itadori's talent—he absorbed information quickly and had excellent instincts.
Okkotsu smiled. "Good. Just remember—this isn't a normal exchange event. Every living pillar of Jujutsu is going to be watching us."
He sighed.
"James, Gojo-sensei, and Getsu-senpai… all Tokyo alumni. If we lose, it's going to be humiliating."
The room fell into a tense silence.
Only Itadori's expression remained relaxed. He didn't yet understand the full weight of the Jujutsu world's politics or legacy. To him, it was all just a big challenge.
---
Meanwhile, in a maid café in Akihabara, a very different kind of meeting was taking place.
Noose and four Cursed Spirits sat in a quiet corner booth, sipping themed drinks and quietly discussing their next steps.
"So… during the exchange event, you'll use the distraction to sneak into Jujutsu High's barrier and recover Sukuna's six missing fingers," Noose said calmly.
"If we combine those with the ones we already have, we may finally be able to revive the King of Curses."
He stirred his glass of heart-shaped ice and took a sip of "maid's love tea."
Across the table, Louhu frowned.
"Is it really necessary to revive Sukuna? Isn't that a massive risk? Do we even need him?"
Louhu, although devoted to reshaping the world in the image of Cursed Spirits, wasn't an idiot. Risking everything just to acquire a few more fingers seemed… short-sighted.
They had worked hard for a decade to build their current power base. Only they knew how terrifying their arsenal truly was.
Lusuo, calm and methodical, adjusted his glasses and spoke.
"It's not your fault. You simply don't understand just how powerful James and the other Jujutsu masters have become."
He raised a finger.
"First, James. He's the strongest being—on earth or in the heavens. Without a comparable force to counter him, we're nothing but prey."
Across the table, Tuogen trembled slightly, while Zhenren just chuckled disturbingly.
"Second, Gojo Satoru. With the Six Eyes and Limitless Technique, he alone could wipe all of us out. If we don't have Sukuna to offset him, it's over."
Louhu scowled.
"Wait, one of them is already a nightmare, and now you're telling me there are two?"
"Exactly," Lusuo said. "And third—among the surviving Nine Pillars, we have heavyweights like Geto Suguru, Shigeki Fushiguro, Yuki Kujuku, and Daisuke Suta. None of them can be beaten in a one-on-one fight—not by us."
Noose shrugged.
"My current body isn't made for combat. Even I wouldn't win against them."
"Then… wouldn't just reviving Sukuna be enough? If he fights Gojo Satoru, who's going to stop James?" asked Hanami, concern creeping into her voice.
"Don't worry. I've already prepared countermeasures for that," Noose said, his expression unreadable.
Louhu leaned forward.
"Then tell me—how strong is Sukuna? Compared to me?"
Noose chuckled.
"Sukuna has 20 fingers worth of power. You, Louhu, have about 7 or 8. Masamune has 4 to 5. Hanami, 3. Tagore, only 2."
"...And Gojo Satoru?"
"Also 20. They're evenly matched in pure power."
A heavy silence fell over the table.
The raw comparison was sobering.
Tuogen had shrunk down in his seat, shivering. Even Zhenren, usually manic, was quiet.
"And what about James?" Louhu asked cautiously.
"...Somewhere between 25 and 30 fingers. He doesn't even have a defined upper limit."
Louhu sat stunned for a moment, then turned toward Tuogen and Zhenren with a deadpan look.
"You two are so lucky to be alive."
"But look," Noose said, his tone sharpening. "We're still in the shadows—they're out in the light. That gives us the advantage."
He took another sip of coffee, then turned his gaze toward the bustling street outside the window.
The world was still towering, proud, and orderly...
But soon—very soon—it would burn.
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