All three first-years gathered, riding in Ijichi's car toward the target site.
While driving, Ijichi quickly briefed them on the mission.
—Three hours ago, a Special Grade Imaginary Vengeful Spirit Cursed Womb was confirmed above the athletic field of West Tokyo City Eishu Juvenile Detention Center. Five inmates are currently trapped inside the Second Detainee Dormitory with the Cursed Womb; their status is unknown.
"All residents within a 500-meter radius have been evacuated. Your job is to locate those five inmates and extract any survivors."
Ijichi's dry, hoarse voice carried tension and worry.
"Once the Cursed Womb completes its metamorphosis, it becomes Special Grade. If you encounter it, run—do not fight. Understood?"
"Understood!"
Itadori answered instantly.
He wasn't worried; with Sukuna around, a mere Special Grade Cursed Womb—heck, even a true Special Grade—didn't scare him. But he was concerned for Fushiguro and Kugisaki, so he quietly mentioned it to Sukuna.
Hearing Yuji's concern, Sukuna replied with relaxed confidence.
"Relax. With me here, how could anything happen to them? I'd be a pretty lousy King of Curses if I let that slide!"
…So reliable, right?!
Itadori felt at ease; as long as Sukuna was around, he feared nothing!
…The car stopped. The three stood before a cold, gloomy building while Ijichi erected a Curtain behind them.
Fushiguro glanced at Itadori and Kugisaki. "Listen, we go in, find the people, and leave. Got it?"
When his eyes met Itadori's, he hesitated, then lowered his voice.
"If… we really run into a Special Grade, you can switch to Sukuna."
Itadori's eyes lit up.
He'd planned to do that anyway… but hearing Fushiguro say it aloud—did that mean he was starting to accept Sukuna?
"No problem!"
Itadori answered with smiling eyes, as happy as if he'd won the lottery instead of facing a Special Grade Cursed Womb.
Fushiguro: "…"
…Did this kid misunderstand something weird? Was there something wrong with what he just said?
Fushiguro gave up deciphering Itadori's brain and formed hand signs.
"Divine Dogs!"
A long wolf howl sounded as the White Divine Dog rose from the shadow.
"Whoa!" Itadori's eyes sparkled; he rushed over and hugged the dog's head, rubbing furiously. "Divine Dog, long time no see!"
After a few strokes, he sensed something off—
Inside his soul, Sukuna seemed to look over, glancing once… then again at the dog Itadori was hugging. "Sukuna, you like Divine Dogs too?"
He kept petting while asking.
And quickly answered himself,
"Makes sense—Divine Dog's white, and its fur's super smooth; feels amazing."
Sukuna gave a silent nod in the soul space.
Indeed, the pure-white, flawless Divine Dog looked incredibly pettable… He kinda envied Itadori. He wanted to touch it too.
Sensing Sukuna's envy, Itadori whispered,
"Sukuna, if you wanna pet Divine Dog, I'll ask Fushiguro later, okay?"
"I'll talk to him; he'll probably let you."
Fushiguro, standing right there: "…"
—I can hear you, you know.
And my Divine Dog isn't a petting toy!
He inhaled, feeling like he was babysitting two unreliable kids.
Yep—basically two extra Gojo Satorus.
"Divine Dog will warn us of danger. Let's move."
Itadori and Kugisaki answered, "Got it!"
The three stepped inside.
In an instant, the view changed—what looked like a two-story building from outside now stretched up endlessly.
Itadori exclaimed, "W-what? Wasn't this only two floors?"
"It's a Duplex!" Country girl Kugisaki tried to stay calm, applying her limited city knowledge.
Fushiguro endured… and finally snapped—
"It's an Innate Domain created by Cursed Energy—I literally explained it the day before yesterday!"
The two inattentive students shut up under the teacher's fury.
O-okay… So what's an Innate Domain again?
Itadori quietly asked Sukuna for a crash course: "Sukuna, what exactly is an Innate Domain?"
Sukuna, who'd skipped class too: […]
He thought hard.
He knew Domains, but an Innate one? A domain not yet "ripe"? So… a half-baked Domain?
Itadori:?
—Still baking a cake? Does that come with Rare Cheesecake?
Fine, Sukuna didn't know either.
Itadori gave up and listened to Fushiguro's make-up lesson.
"Simply put, it's an incomplete Domain."
"It projects only the 'form' of the user's soul, without applying a Cursed Technique. Think of it as the Cursed Womb subconsciously turning this building into terrain it's familiar with, minus the technique… Any full Domain would kill us instantly."
Even an unfinished one was dangerous; once complete, they'd be dead meat.
He remembered Sukuna still couldn't use a Domain.
"Move fast. Confirm the targets and get out."
Fushiguro urged, and they followed Divine Dog at speed.
After passing a door, the space widened into a hall.
Itadori spotted three brutally mangled corpses in the corner.
His pupils shrank.
"Sukuna…"
The boy's voice trembled.
Part grief, part question.
Sukuna's voice was low.
[…Sorry. They're already dead.]
—His Reverse Cursed Technique could heal, not resurrect.
He glanced at Yuji, worried.
This was the boy's first brush with death in the Jujutsu World. Sukuna said nothing, simply staying by his side.
Staying until he understood—and accepted.
Then moved on.
Itadori knelt before the corpses; a name tag on their clothes bore the character "Shou," stinging his eyes.
—It was the name family members had shouted at the gate, their sobs echoing in his mind as his fists clenched.
"Sukuna…"
Grief in the boy's eyes turned to rage; he clenched his teeth in a fury he'd never felt before.
"If… we meet that Special Grade—"
"—pummel it for me!"
Sukuna lifted his head, dark-red eyes showing understanding.
He spoke, pride of a powerhouse lacing his low voice—
[As you wish.]