One day ago.
After parting ways with Satoru Gojo and the others, Genji and Shoko arrived at the Vault of Kyoto Jujutsu High.
After communicating with the guards and showing their permits, they successfully reached their destination.
"Hey, Shoko, what exactly are you doing here?"
In a secret chamber of the Vault, Genji asked, feeling a bit nauseous while watching Shoko fiddle with a pile of rotting flesh.
"These corpses have very strange properties, existing somewhere between human and Cursed Spirit."
Shoko said, looking at Genji with a hint of amusement.
"You don't react like this no matter how disgusting your opponents look during missions, so why are you acting like this now just because of some corpses?"
"That's different. This stuff reminds me of some unpleasant things."
Genji replied, his voice muffled, as images of limb-fusing monsters from movies he'd seen previously flashed through his mind.
To distract himself, he continued the discussion with Shoko.
"Between human and Cursed Spirit? Are you saying these are corpses of Cursed Spirits that have undergone incarnation?"
"I'm not sure yet, but it doesn't feel like it. Look."
Shoko stepped aside to show Genji her experiment, channeling positive energy into the corpse before them using Reversal technique.
To Genji surprise, the corpse was slowly absorbing Shoko's positive energy.
"This is?"
Genji was confused.
"As you can see."
Shoko waved her hand.
"Normally, after incarnation, Cursed Spirits are just like humans; the positive Cursed Energy output from Reversal technique can be used to heal physical wounds, and they lose the ability to use Cursed Energy to restore their bodies. But these 'corpses' can use the ability generated by Reversal technique to recover, while also not losing the ability to use Cursed Energy to repair their bodies."
Shoko explained the strangeness of the corpse to Genji.
"Corpses?"
Genji noticed the emphasis Shoko placed on the word 'corpses'.
"That's right. Actually, from a cellular perspective, these aren't corpses."
Shoko explained while continuing to dissect the corpse.
"The cells of this rotting flesh still have considerable activity. If I had to describe it, the state of these corpses is a bit like a vegetative patient. It feels like these things are more like the products of some experiment."
"Is that so?"
"Alright, don't just stand there. Give me another half hour and I'll be done. Go wait for me outside now."
Shoko pushed Genji out.
"Uh, what should I do now?"
Genji was confused, looking at the closed door.
"Lost."
Seeing the vending machine for the third time, Genji felt helpless.
After being kicked out by Shoko, he had wandered around idly, only to find that he couldn't find his way.
"Should've asked Principal Yaga for a map."
"Hey, what are you doing wandering around here?"
A female voice sounded from behind him just as Genji was lost.
"Who are you?"
Looking at the blonde gyaru behind him, Genji couldn't recall her name for a moment, only remembering that she was a participant from Kyoto Jujutsu High.
"Aoki Chiyo, that's my name."
Watching Genji, who clearly forgot her name, Aoki Chiyo helplessly stated her name again.
"Oh, oh, I remember, we met before."
Genji awkwardly skipped the topic of names.
'As expected, my skin isn't thick enough. If I had the thick skin of those two, Satoru or Geto, I wouldn't be this awkward right now,' Genji thought.
"You must have forgotten, whatever."
Aoki Chiyo was a bit helpless, but didn't press the issue.
"What are you doing here? I heard from the teachers that the people from Tokyo School should be playing outside the school right now."
"Shoko has some things to do, so I came back with her, but it seems I've become a bit of a hindrance."
"Classmate Shoko? Then if you're free now, would you like to go get something to drink with me? My treat, as a return gift for saving me back then."
Aoki Chiyo invited Genji, blushing slightly.
"Uh, I don't think I can right now, Shoko should be almost done with her work."
"Then we can go first..."
"Genji."
Just as Aoki Chiyo was about to say more, Shoko, having finished her work, walked over.
"Classmate Chiyo is here too."
"Ye-yeah."
Aoki Chiyo wanted to struggle and say something more, but she, who already had impure intentions, subconsciously gave in before Shoko's calm smile.
"It's nothing, I was just asking if you and Genji-san wanted to get something to drink."
"Sure, let's go."
Shoko said, taking Genji hand and walking to the front.
'Sigh.'
Aoki Chiyo sighed internally. The love tutoring Kobayashi Ren gave her yesterday hadn't been useful at all.
Café, the three sat around a table.
"Right, this is a thank-you gift from yesterday."
Aoki Chiyo took out a bag.
"This is Kikufuku? And it's the limited edition from Yongguoya."
Looking at the bag, Genji was surprised.
"Isn't this the shop that Satoru has been shouting about wanting to eat at?"
"Yongguoya is my family's business."
Aoki Chiyo explained.
"Our family has been running Yongguoya since my grandfather's generation. Up until my generation, I became a Jujutsu Sorcerer, and my brother inherited the shop and is learning from our father."
"Then you must not let Satoru know, otherwise he will annoy you to death."
Genji joked.
"Is that so? It seems the relationship between you classmates at Tokyo School is really good."
Aoki Chiyo changed the subject.
"Hm?"
Shoko was a bit confused.
"No, it's just, I'm a little envious."
Aoki Chiyo explained further.
"We at Kyoto Jujutsu High, as you've seen, not to mention friendly and trusting relationships, sometimes we don't even bother to maintain a superficial relationship, let alone someone like Zenin Shi, that young master. He hasn't stopped harassing us for the past two years, and the teachers don't dare to manage it, so I was really grateful when I heard you beat him up severely."
Listening to Aoki Chiyo's words, Genji once again realized the sinister atmosphere at Kyoto Jujutsu High.
"Then see you at the competition in a few days."
Shoko smiled and said goodbye to Aoki Chiyo.
The three parted ways after the tea party.
Aoki Chiyo chose to go straight home, while Genji and Shoko had to return to Kyoto Jujutsu High to submit Shoko's autopsy report.
"Then you wait for me here, I'll be back soon."
After Shoko finished speaking, she walked into the office building.
Just as Genji was boredly kicking stones on the side of the road, another member of Kyoto Jujutsu High found him.
"What's wrong, Maekage Ken? Still not convinced and want to fight again?"
Genji looked at the person in front of him and spoke.
"No, I just wanted to chat."
Maekage Ken replied to Genji in his usual cold tone, although his voice seemed a bit dazed.
On a bench by the road, the two sat side by side, each holding a drink.
"Everything seems to have changed after losing to you this time, even the attitude of the school teachers has changed subtly."
Maekage Ken paused, took a sip of his drink, and continued.
"Just like I said before, ever since I stepped into the Jujutsu World as a child, I have always been the first, the leader, but now everything has changed, and I..."
"Enough."
Genji interrupted Maekage Ken.
"I don't know what kind of education you received, or what mission and responsibility you've carried since you were a child, so I won't comment on that, but!"
Genji paused and continued.
"But before responsibilities and missions and all that messy stuff, you are just yourself. And, aren't you tired of always living according to other people's expectations?"
"If you were in my position, what would you do?"
Genji smiled when he heard this.
"I couldn't possibly be in your position, because from the very beginning, I would have told those old geezers to 'get lost'!"
After speaking, Genji glanced at his phone and then at the approaching Shoko, and stood up.
"Alright, heart-to-heart is over, I have things to do, I'm going first."
Watching Genji departing back, Maekage Ken fell into deep thought, his entire person hidden in the shadows.
"What's wrong? Did you guys talk about anything?"
Shoko asked Genji curiously, looking at the figure in the distance who looked like The Thinker.
"Nothing, just a paranoid person who needed some personality correction. Let's not talk about him, let's go to the Yan Family now."
"Yan Family? Oh, Senior Utahime's home, why?"
"Because it seems something fun has happened."
Genji said, took out his phone, and showed Shoko the content on it.
In the chat group for the Tokyo School participants, Satoru Gojo had sent a message: 'Nine-clan elimination game, who's coming?'