Chapter 11
The light of dawn filtered through the curtains of the living room.
The atmosphere was warm, still… and for a moment, it felt like a normal home.
Kuro stretched with a sigh, still nestled between Tsumiki and Megumi.
"Ugh… so comfortable…
Hey, Megumi," he murmured, giving him a slight nudge, "we have to turn in the mission report."
Megumi half-opened his eyes with his usual grumpy face.
"This early…?"
"Yes," Kuro said, already halfway upright. "Gojo's probably waiting with a smile and sarcasm. Let's go before he mocks us."
Megumi growled in response, but got up.
The two of them walked slowly down the hallway, still half-asleep.
"I'm showering first," Megumi said.
"In your dreams. Me first," Kuro shot back with a grin, picking up his pace.
They split up to get ready.
And for a few minutes…
the house was silent again.
On the couch, Tsumiki was still asleep.
Breathing calm.
Peace on her face.
Sometimes, to protect them, you have to step away… even if you know something will break in your absence.
---
That morning, before the sun was fully up, Gojo left.
He didn't say exactly where.
He only left a note in the kitchen:
"Don't get into trouble. I'll be back before dinner. –Gojo"
But Kuro knew it wasn't just any errand.
He had noticed the night before.
The serious look.
The slight squeeze on the shoulder when he'd covered them with the blanket.
Gojo was going to see the High Council. In person.
---
Main Temple of Jujutsu High – Special Affairs Section
The atmosphere was cold, dry, solemn.
Satoru Gojo, standing before six figures shrouded in ceremonial veils, spoke without losing his smile…
but with eyes gleaming like blades.
"Kuro is a brilliant boy," he said. "He has control, he has limits… and yes, he's got a Sukuna finger in his stomach. But he keeps it in check."
One of the elders spoke:
"And what about the creature called Gojutei?"
"A shikigami. Originally a special grade curse.
Now bound to Kuro by contract.
It poses no threat… unless provoked."
Another councilor clicked his tongue.
"All of this is dangerous, Gojo. You're harboring a cursed bomb under your roof."
Gojo crossed his arms. His tone cooled.
"Yes.
A bomb that could explode against you…
or protect you, if it's trained properly."
"And if it goes out of control?"
"Then I'll take care of it myself," he answered without hesitation.
"But it won't."
Silence.
Heavy.
Tense.
One of the elders finally spoke:
"We'll give you until the next term.
If the boy proves a threat, an elimination order will be issued."
Gojo smiled.
"You'll regret… not giving him a chance sooner."
---
Meanwhile, at the mansion…
Kuro and Megumi waited.
"Gojo really left, huh?" Kuro said, looking out the window.
"Yeah. Big, as always," Megumi replied.
"And he left Tsumiki sleeping alone."
They stayed quiet for a moment.
"Gojo left without us," Megumi commented, staring at the empty front door.
Kuro ran a hand through his hair, resigned.
"Well, we're not wasting the whole day.
What if we drop the report off at his office?
And then… we go train."
Megumi nodded.
"Sounds good."
---
They walked together to the east wing of the house.
There, in a simple office cluttered with scattered papers, Gojo had left his workspace.
On the desk was a paper with his messy handwriting:
"Leave it here. Don't touch my sweets."
Kuro carefully placed the report on the desk.
Megumi set another sheet on top so it wouldn't blow away.
---
When they stepped out of the office, the morning sun was already shining brighter.
Kuro smiled.
"Shall we head to the training grounds?"
Megumi adjusted his gloves.
"Yeah.
I want to keep working on controlling my shikigami better."
Kuro gave him a thumbs-up.
"Perfect.
Today's going to be a good day to fight."
Kuro and Megumi walked toward the training grounds.
The sky was clear, but the wind whistled hard through the trees.
"Hey, Megumi," Kuro said, hands in his pockets. "You're going to tame one of your shikigami?"
"Yes," Megumi replied, his expression as serious as ever. "I'll tame them from weakest to strongest. That's why I'll start with the toad."
Kuro let out a small mocking laugh.
"Alright… I'll sit back and watch a frog kick your ass."
Megumi gave him a side glance, but said nothing.
Kuro went to sit on a nearby rock, elbows resting on his knees, smiling as he watched Megumi prepare for the ritual.
The training ground filled with a tense air.
The real battle was about to begin.
Megumi stepped forward. His shadow trembled slightly.
With a swift gesture, he summoned his two Divine Dogs.
One immediately sank into his shadow, while the other stayed by his side, ready to act.
Megumi then summoned the Toad.
The creature emerged from the ground's shadow, swollen, its huge empty eyes blinking slowly.
The taming ritual had begun.
As soon as it appeared, the Dog outside the shadow lunged straight at the Toad.
The giant frog, surprisingly quick, leapt back to dodge.
Without delay, the Toad opened its mouth and shot its tongue at lightning speed, wrapping around Megumi's neck in an attempt to immobilize and snap him.
"Tsk!" Megumi growled, forcing his body to resist.
Just then, the hidden Divine Dog sprang from his shadow, biting the Toad's tongue hard.
The frog tried to break free, but Megumi, not wasting the chance, pulled out his knife and hurled it with surgical precision, piercing one of the monster's legs.
Injured and trapped, the Toad couldn't resist.
The Divine Dog pounced again, taking it down within seconds.
And then… the Toad died.
A faint light enveloped Megumi's body.
The taming ritual was successful.
Kuro, sitting to the side, burst out laughing.
"Wow, Megumi! Not bad for being 'flattened by a frog'!"
Megumi just snorted, retrieving his knife from the ground.
Kuro stood, stretching a little.
"Good thing nothing serious happened," he said with a sigh of relief.
Then, with a grin of excitement, he looked at Megumi.
"Hey, Megumi… wanna go hunt down the sorcerers responsible for Sukuna's finger with me?"
Megumi blinked, clearly confused.
"Isn't that dangerous…?"
Kuro laughed.
"Did you forget what our job is?
Of course it's dangerous.
But I can open another dimensional rift if things get messy anytime!"
Megumi crossed his arms, thoughtful for a moment.
Then he sighed.
"Alright… let's go."
Kuro's smile widened even more.