Morning light filtered through the cursed forest like nothing had happened.
Except everything had.
The ground was still cracked in places, trees still bent at unnatural angles—but the atmosphere itself felt… calmer.
Like something had been reset.
Takeru and Geto walked back into view from deeper in the forest.
Both looked disturbingly well-rested.
Too well-rested for people who had been fighting Special Grades and restructuring reality itself.
Yuji squinted immediately.
"…Why do they look like they just came back from a spa retreat?"
Megumi frowned.
"…That's unsettling."
Nobara crossed her arms.
"…Yeah, they look too happy."
Hakari leaned forward.
"…Did they do something illegal again?"
Kirara tilted her head.
"…Probably."
Meanwhile—
Takeru was casually chewing on an orb like it was candy.
Crunch.
Geto was doing the same beside him.
Crunch.
They looked peaceful.
Relaxed.
Almost refreshed.
Nanami immediately noticed something else.
"…There are fewer cursed spirits."
Geto nodded calmly.
"…Rotation system."
Silence.
"…What does that mean?" Yuji asked slowly.
Takeru waved a hand casually.
"They're all fine."
A pause.
"They're just… taking turns."
Megumi's eyes narrowed.
"…Taking turns doing what."
Takeru smiled.
"Existing."
Nobody liked that answer.
Sukuna, standing off to the side, clicked his tongue.
"…This is getting worse."
Then Geto spoke again, still calm.
"I only keep one out at a time now."
"…Why," Nobara demanded instantly.
"So they can rest," Geto replied simply.
Silence again.
"…Rest," Hakari repeated.
"Yes."
Yuji looked between them.
"…You're telling me cursed spirits are on a rotation schedule now?"
Takeru nodded proudly.
"Work-life balance."
Megumi buried his face in his hand.
"…I hate that this makes sense in his system."
Nanami exhaled slowly.
"…I've stopped trying to categorize any of this."
Then the group finally noticed something else.
The cursed spirits nearby weren't attacking.
They weren't fleeing either.
They were just… existing peacefully in the background.
One was lying down.
One was sitting.
One looked like it was relaxing.
And when Takeru walked past them—
they didn't even react aggressively.
Yuji stared.
"…They're not attacking him."
Geto glanced over.
"…They're accustomed to it."
Nobara slowly pointed.
"…Why do they look… happy?"
Takeru casually popped another orb into his mouth.
"Because I told them they can relax after."
Crunch.
Megumi muttered:
"…This is cursed spirit welfare."
Hakari nodded immediately.
"…I respect it."
Kirara sighed.
"…Of course you do."
Then Takeru stretched lightly, looking genuinely refreshed.
"…Island worked."
Geto nodded beside him.
"…Efficient."
Yuji finally snapped.
"WHAT IS THE ISLAND."
Takeru blinked.
"…Oh."
A pause.
"…Right. Nobody here knows."
Megumi immediately narrowed his eyes.
"…That makes it worse."
Takeru shrugged.
"Basically, we gave them a vacation zone."
Silence.
"…A what," Nobara said flatly.
"A vacation zone," Geto repeated.
Nanami slowly removed his glasses.
"…I need to sit down."
Sukuna looked mildly impressed.
"…That's almost humane."
Takeru pointed at him.
"Don't encourage it."
Then he turned back to the group casually.
"Anyway."
"We're back."
Crunch.
Another orb.
"…And everyone's happy."
Behind them, the cursed forest remained eerily calm—
as if even the curses had accepted this new management system.