"Thanks for everything, Gojo," Yuji said, sitting in the backseat of the car alongside Gojo and Ijichi Kiyotaka.
Kiyotaka, a tall man with a slim frame and perpetually bored expression, kept his focus on the road. His black hair framed his face neatly, and his glasses occasionally reflected the passing streetlights. He wore his usual manager's uniform: a black suit and tie that only added to his overly formal demeanor.
Gojo leaned back in his seat, his signature relaxed grin softening a little. "It's no problem, kid," he replied, the two falling into a quiet rhythm as the car sped toward the hospital where Yuji's grandfather was staying.
Breaking the silence, Gojo said, "By the way, Yuko's parents approved her going to Jujutsu High way too fast, don't you think?"
Yuji sighed, his gaze lowering. "Yeah... but it's not surprising. Ever since she was little and could see cursed spirits, her parents have treated her like a freak. They barely took care of her. I've been the one keeping her alive all these years."
Gojo cringed at Yuji's words. "Yikes. Not exactly a heartwarming backstory. But hey, at least she's out of that environment now."
Yuji nodded. "Yeah, I agr—" His words were cut off as his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he saw it was the hospital's number. 'I'm not too worried,' Yuji thought, trying to reassure himself. 'This isn't canon. He'll be fine.'
Gojo watched silently as Yuji answered the call. "Yes, I'm Yuji," Yuji said into the phone. His calm expression quickly morphed into horror. "What do you mean Gramps isn't there? A sign of a struggle?"
Gojo's brow furrowed as a grim possibility crossed his mind. 'Suguru... you wouldn't go this far, would you?' He already knew the answer in his heart.
Yuji hung up the phone harshly, his fists trembling as he looked at Gojo with eyes full of rage. "That bastard Geto. I knew it!"
"Ijichi, change course to my house," Yuji barked. "We need to make sure everything's okay there!"
Ijichi nodded without hesitation, gripping the wheel tighter as he stepped on the gas.
Geto stood over Wasuke Itadori's lifeless body, a calm yet calculating look on his face. "Looks like Gojo wrapped up his little game with Sukuna earlier than I expected. Too bad I couldn't get rid of the rest of the monkeys at the hospital," he muttered, dragging the body into the house Yuji shared with his grandfather.
Tossing Wasuke's corpse onto the floor, Geto smirked coldly. "You had some potential with that cursed energy of yours. Dying by a non-cursed tool should turn you into a powerful vengeful spirit. And when that happens..." He crouched beside the body, his grin widening. "I'll absorb you and add yet another curse to my collection."
Straightening up, he let his eyes wander around the room. It was simple, cluttered with traces of Yuji's past. His gaze stopped at a shelf stacked with cursed tools Yuji had crafted over the years. "Well, aren't these interesting?" Geto mused, running a finger along the tools. "They'll be useful."
He summoned his inventory curse, the same cursed spirit he'd seen that "monkey" use years ago. With a flick of his hand, the cursed tools were consumed and stored by the grotesque spirit.
As he surveyed the room, his grin turned more sinister. 'Yuji is already beyond my reach,' he thought bitterly. 'With Satoru and that girl Yuko in his corner, he won't take my side. Such a waste.'
A soft rumble from the roof pulled his attention. His curses stationed on the rooftop had reported back: Yuji and Gojo were closing in on the house fast.
Geto's smile grew even darker. "Looks like my time here is up. No matter. Let's leave Yuji a little parting gift."
With a lazy flick of his hand, cursed spirits materialized in the room—an assortment of grotesque and malevolent creatures, each primed to destroy. They hissed and growled, ready to wreak havoc.
Satisfied with his handiwork, Geto gave the scene one last look before stepping outside. "Enjoy the mess, Yuji," he muttered ordering his cursed spirits to trash the house, before he vanished into the shadows.
The car screeched to a halt as Yuji flung the door open and bolted toward his house. His heart pounded as he took in the scene—a burned-out shell of a home, debris scattered everywhere. The air smelled of smoke and malevolence, the telltale remnants of cursed energy thick in the atmosphere. "No... no, no, no, no. Gramps, no!" Yuji's voice broke as he sprinted into the ruins.
Inside, the devastation was worse. Walls were scorched black, furniture overturned and broken. But nothing hit harder than the sight of his grandfather's lifeless body lying in the middle of the chaos. Yuji dropped to his knees beside him, trembling as he pulled the body into his arms. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes, spilling over as he choked out, "Gramps... I'm so sorry. I couldn't save you."
Guilt clawed at him, heavy and suffocating. 'I came into this world to fix everything, to save everyone, and I couldn't even save my grandpa,' he thought bitterly. Gently laying the body back down, Yuji curled up beside it, his hands gripping his head as his mind spiraled. 'Why do I even try? I failed in my past life, and I'm failing here too. I'm useless.'
But as despair threatened to consume him, something darker began to take root—rage. His hands balled into fists, his body trembling not with grief but with fury. 'Geto... That bastard. I'll kill him. I don't care if he sends every cursed spirit he owns after me. I'll tear him apart.'
Yuji stood, his expression hollow. His face betrayed no emotion, but his eyes burned with hatred, the cursed energy radiating off him so strong it made the air around him feel oppressive. From the car outside, Gojo felt the shift. He didn't need to see Yuji to know what was happening; the boy's emotions were manifesting as a surge of cursed energy. "Ijichi, stay here with him," Gojo said firmly, his usual casual demeanor replaced with icy resolve. "If he does something reckless, don't try to stop him. I have things to take care of—and people to 'talk' to." His tone left no room for interpretation. Suguru had gone too far this time, and Gojo wasn't going to let it slide.
Inside Yuji's head, Sukuna's laughter echoed. "Pathetic brat," Sukuna mocked, his tone dripping with disdain. "Crying over such a weak, insignificant thing. You'll never amount to anything close to my power if you let these petty emotions control you."
Yuji ignored him, his focus razor-sharp as he scanned the room for any trace of cursed energy. He felt it—a faint trail left behind by Geto's cursed technique. Without hesitation, Yuji took off, the determination in his steps unwavering. 'He's not far,' Yuji thought, leaping out of the house and onto the rooftops. His cursed energy flared with each jump, his body moving instinctively. 'I won't hesitate this time. I'll kill him.'
Gojo watched from the car as Yuji disappeared from sight, bounding across the rooftops. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath. He turned back to Ijichi, his voice sharp. "Ijichi, take care of the old man's body. Make sure it's preserved properly and bring it to Shoko. Tell her no experiments, no matter what."
Ijichi nodded, swallowing hard. "Understood, Gojo-san."
Gojo's usual lightheartedness was nowhere to be found as he stepped out of the car, his expression dark. He adjusted his blindfold, the cursed energy around him thrumming dangerously. "Suguru," he murmured to himself, his tone cold, "you've crossed the line for the last time."
As he prepared to leave, his thoughts lingered on Yuji. 'That kid has too much on his shoulders. I just hope he doesn't let his rage destroy him before I can stop it.' With that, Gojo vanished into the distance, leaving Ijichi to carry out his orders as Yuji chased vengeance.
Yuko sat in the first-year dorms lounge, chatting with Maki and Panda while Inumaki listened silently, occasionally chiming in with his signature rice ball ingredient phrases. "So, that's why I need these glasses," Maki said, finishing her explanation about her low cursed energy reserves and the special glasses she wore to see cursed spirits.
"Wow, you're so cool, Maki!" Yuko said, her tone filled with admiration.
Panda chuckled and nodded. "She is pretty badass."
"Salmon," Inumaki added with a casual tone, his way of agreeing.
Maki's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as she quickly waved her hand, dismissing their comments. "Shut up!" she said, looking away from the group, though her flustered expression betrayed her embarrassment. The others laughed, enjoying the rare sight of Maki looking sheepish.
"Oh, yeah, I have this story about Yuji—" Yuko started, but her phone buzzed loudly, cutting her off. She glanced at it and saw a message from Ijichi. Her cheerful demeanor instantly shifted as she read the words on the screen:
"Yuji's grandpa was attacked by Geto. Gojo is currently going after Yuji, who's chasing Geto himself."
Her eyes widened, and her heart dropped. She stood up abruptly, grabbing her bag from where it rested beside the couch. Her movements were sharp and purposeful, panic etched on her face.
"Whoa, Yuko, what's going on?" Panda asked, noticing her sudden change in demeanor.
Yuko took a shaky breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "Yuji—the person I was telling you about—his grandpa was just attacked by a rogue sorcerer named Geto. Yuji's gone after him, and Gojo is trying to stop Yuji before he does something reckless."
Maki, Panda, and Inumaki exchanged concerned glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Maki stood up, determination flashing in her eyes. "Let's go. We can't just sit here. I want in on this—I want to help." She grabbed her cursed tool bag, slinging it over her shoulder.
"Salmon," Inumaki said firmly, clenching his fists in agreement.
"It's Panda time!" Panda shouted, his excitement clearly not matching the tension in the room.
Everyone turned to him with blank stares.
"...What?" he asked, shrugging, as if he hadn't just made things awkward.
Yuko shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite the situation. "Come on, guys, this isn't a joke. I need to find Yuji before he does something stupid."
Maki nodded, her voice steady. "We're with you. He's Gojo's student, and he's part of this now. We won't let that rouge sorcerer get away with this."
The group quickly made their way toward Ijichi, who was parked outside waiting for updates. Yuko sent him a quick text to keep her in the loop, trusting her gut to act before it was too late.
As they rushed through the halls of Jujutsu High, Yuko couldn't shake the pit in her stomach. 'Yuji's strong, but he's letting his emotions control him. I just hope we're not too late.'
Maki glanced at Yuko as they ran, her tone sharp but supportive. "Don't overthink it. We'll find him, and we'll make sure he's okay. Trust me, he's not alone in this."
Yuko nodded, gripping the strap of her bag tightly. For the first time in a while, she felt relief knowing she wasn't facing this alone.