Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. A few crows perched on a nearby telephone pole turned their heads to observe the stunned group, letting out a series of well-timed, raucous caws.
Well, not everyone was frozen in place.
The white-haired man behind Sukuna was bobbing up and down like a gopher, chirping incessantly, "Eh? Eh? What's going on? What happened?"
He was clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Except for Gojo, everyone present was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions.
With just one glance, Haruno Yukinoshita could tell that the person before her was absolutely not her sister!
Although this person's face was identical to Yukino's, there was no way her sister would have those markings on her face. And what was with the extra pair of eyes? Was it some kind of cosplay?
Most importantly, the aura and the feeling they exuded were completely different.
Haruno's hand in her pocket rested on the send button. With a light tap, she sent the emergency message. Her voice was as frigid as the Siberian tundra: "Who are you? Why are you wearing my sister's face? Where is Yukino Yukinoshita?"
However, her subtle movements and intentions didn't escape Sukuna's notice. He swiftly erected a barrier, enveloping the area.
Haruno's eyes widened as the sky suddenly darkened: "What's going on? What have you done!?"
The barrier, like some viscous gel, encased the entire area. She instinctively took two steps back, only to find herself bumping against an invisible wall, unable to retreat further.
Everything that was happening was beyond her comprehension.
This is a bit awkward.
That was Sukuna's first thought upon seeing Haruno Yukinoshita.
He had been about to make a grand exit with Hachiman, leaping back towards Chiba, when the moment Gojo's barrier deactivated, he locked eyes with Yukino's sister. The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
How did this woman find us?
Were we followed? Impossible. I flew all the way from Sobu High. There's no way a regular human like Yukinoshita Haruno could keep up with my speed. And I'm not so oblivious that I wouldn't notice being followed.
There's only one possibility: Yukinoshita Yukino's phone was tracked, or she had a tracking device on her.
Thinking about it, this woman's siscon tendencies are even more profound than I imagined, bordering on twisted.
As expected, family issues have a significant impact on children.
Hachiman Hikigaya didn't know what to say. He didn't think this was a situation where he should speak.
So, still being held by Sukuna, he simply tilted his head, closed his eyes, stuck out his tongue, and played dead.
Sister... Yukino's eyes widened slightly.
She was the most surprised by Haruno's sudden appearance.
Why is my sister here?
You were probably tracked, either through your phone or a tracking device on you.
What? Yukino was momentarily stunned, then suddenly remembered something. Sukuna, please check my collar.
Wait, this is my body.
Give me back control.
She reclaimed control of her body, and Sukuna readily relinquished it.
The black markings vanished from her face, the blood-red in her eyes receded, and her pupils returned to their normal navy blue.
But the second pair of eyes remained. Since everything had already been exposed, there was no need for Sukuna to hide anymore. He would watch the drama unfold with his own eyes!
Yukino released her grip on Hachiman's collar, and he fell to the ground with a yelp.
Seeing her sister's face return to normal, Haruno's attention shifted back to Yukino. She hesitantly spoke, her voice laced with uncertainty: "...Yukino?"
"...It's me, sister." The familiar, cool, and ethereal voice reached Haruno's ears. Yukino sighed and reached for her collar.
Seeing this, Haruno suddenly felt a different kind of tension, distinct from the one she had felt initially upon encountering this group.
Then, Yukino pulled out a small, black, button-sized device from her collar. It had been destroyed during the battle with the cursed spirit, broken into several pieces clinging to the fabric.
So this is what my sister secretly put on me?
"Did you put this on me this morning when you hugged me?" she asked softly.
Yes, yes. Is Yukino angry? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it was wrong of me... Haruno instinctively wanted to put on her usual friendly and charming smile, but her facial muscles felt frozen and stiff, unable to form any expression.
In the end, she simply nodded silently.
"This morning? Oh, no wonder I didn't notice."
Sukuna also remembered now. It seemed Yukino had called out to him that morning, but he had been preoccupied with browsing the system shop and hadn't fully registered her senses.
"...Yukino?" Haruno's eyes twitched. It was clear she was trying hard to maintain her composure, but she was on the verge of losing it. She pointed at her sister's face. "There seems to be something strange on your face."
"That's not anything strange. It's just parasite-kun's mouth," Yukino said nonchalantly.
By now, she was unfazed by Sukuna's random appearances on her face.
"Oh? This lovely young lady is your sister? The Yukinoshita family has truly blessed genes~" Gojo popped up behind Yukino.
"Gojo-sensei, please stop lingering here. You have no business here anymore," Yukino said, turning towards Haruno without looking back.
An invisible slash landed on the barrier created by Gojo's Limitless technique.
"Scary, scary~" Gojo's lips curled into a playful smirk.
"Sister, let's go home." Yukino took Haruno's hand without hesitation. "I'll explain everything that has happened."
"Ah, yes..." Faced with her suddenly straightforward sister, Haruno felt a bit awkward. She mumbled in response, their roles seemingly reversed. It was as if she were the younger sister who needed reassurance.
They got into Haruno's car, and the engine started. The car slowly disappeared from the sight of Gojo and Hachiman.
Hachiman stood there, dumbfounded for a moment, before finally reacting: "Eh? What about me?"
Gojo looked down at him with a pitying gaze: "Poor child, I'll take you home. Where do you live?"
"Ah, thank you, Gojo-sensei. I live in Chiba..." Hachiman said gratefully.
...
It was late by the time Gojo finished taking Hachiman home. He suddenly remembered that he seemed to have forgotten about Megumi Fushiguro.
So, he clapped his hands together and teleported to Sugisawa Third High School in Sendai City, following Megumi's cursed energy signature.
"Yo, what's the situation here?" Gojo landed on the school's overpass with his hands in his pockets. He immediately spotted Megumi confronting a shirtless boy with short pink hair.
"Gojo-sensei?" Hearing the familiar voice behind him, Megumi was startled. He quickly deactivated his technique. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I just witnessed quite the show. That Yukinoshita girl, while possessed by Sukuna, was seen by her older sister. The reactions of that family were truly amusing, hehe."
As Gojo spoke, he noticed Megumi's injuries: "But you're quite hurt. Let's show this to the second-years."
He then took out his phone and started snapping pictures of Megumi, the flash blinding him.
"So, did you find the finger?" After teasing Megumi, Gojo finally got to the point. However, Megumi simply lowered his head silently.
"Um..." The pink-haired boy, who had been ignored for a while, awkwardly raised his hand. "Sorry, I ate it."
"Seriously?" Gojo was taken aback.
"Seriously," both Megumi and the boy said in unison.
Gojo tilted his head and moved closer to examine the boy: "Indeed, it's mixed in. That's kind of funny."
Unlike that Yukinoshita girl, I can vaguely sense Sukuna's cursed energy, similar to Sukuna's, even when he's not in a possessed state.
Is there something special about Yukinoshita Yukino?
"Your name?"
"I'm Yuji Itadori."
"Any unusual physical sensations?"
Gojo Satoru asked with a smile, then began stretching and warming up his body.
"Uh? Not really..." Yuji Itadori replied honestly, although he was puzzled why the white-haired man suddenly started exercising.
"Can you switch with Sukuna?"
"Sukuna?"
"Oh, I think I can."
"Let me see, thirty seconds. Switch back after thirty seconds," Gojo said, finishing his stretches, eager to begin.
"Eh? But..."
"It's fine. I'm the strongest," the man said with a confident grin.
"Well then, let's see which one is the real Ryomen Sukuna."
Yuji Itadori closed his eyes, allowing Sukuna to take over his body. Black markings spread across his face and body, four eyes snapped open, and a crimson glint shone within.
A tyrannical, malevolent aura erupted from him.
No, now he should be called Sukuna.
His figure vanished in the blink of an eye. Megumi Fushiguro, who had been intently watching Sukuna, looked up and shouted, "He's above!"
The figure descended from the sky, five fingers outstretched like claws, aiming for Gojo Satoru.
Boom!
The figure landed, and the ground beneath his feet cracked and crumbled, kicking up a cloud of dust.
As the dust settled, Megumi, still slumped on the ground, and Sukuna stared at each other in surprise. Gojo, however, was casually sitting on Sukuna's back as if he were a human chair.
"As expected, it's different. This impulsive, battle-hungry attitude truly fits the image of Sukuna from the records," Gojo said, taking out his phone. "I should take a picture to show Sukuna."
He leaned back against Sukuna, holding up his phone while making a peace sign with his other hand: "Say cheese~"
The flash went off, capturing a grinning Gojo and a bewildered Sukuna in the photo.
"You're looking down on me!" Sukuna snarled, swinging his arm backhand, but his attack once again met empty air. Gojo had already reappeared five meters away.
He immediately got up to pursue, but Gojo clapped his hands together and teleported again, dodging Sukuna's attack.
Sukuna tried several more times, but he couldn't even touch the hem of Gojo's clothes.
Is he incredibly fast? No, wait...
As Sukuna pondered Gojo's speed, a weight suddenly settled on his shoulder. An arm snaked around him, and the phone in its hand flashed again.
Gojo had slung his arm around Sukuna and taken another picture.
"Hey, hey, do you have a twin brother or something? I recently met someone quite interesting~"
Sukuna gritted his teeth and swung his elbow back, only to be evaded once more.
The white-haired man reappeared behind him, swiftly grabbing Sukuna's arm and flinging him into the air.
Gojo put one hand in his pocket and raised the other, forming a finger gun. A bright red light flickered at his fingertip.
"That's!?" Megumi's eyes widened as he sensed the cursed energy gathering at Gojo's fingertip.
Is Gojo-sensei angry? Why? Is he planning to kill Sukuna here?
"Reverse Cursed Technique: Red!" A beam of red energy shot out from his fingertip, flying at incredible speed towards Sukuna, who was suspended in mid-air with no way to dodge.
Sukuna's vision was engulfed in blinding red light. He could only cross his arms in front of him to block Gojo's Red attack, at the cost of his arms, which were instantly vaporized.
But as soon as he blocked the attack, Gojo's mocking voice came from behind him: "Are you really Ryomen Sukuna? Why are you so much weaker than the other one?"
A whip-like kick, faster and more powerful than any steel rod, struck Sukuna's back with the force of a speeding train. He was sent crashing back down to the ground, smashing through the overpass and embedding himself deep into the floor.
Gojo scratched his cheek as he slowly descended from the air: "Oops, did I overdo it a bit?"
"You were way too rough!" Megumi complained.
"I didn't expect him to be so weak. Sukuna is much stronger," Gojo admitted, surprised.
While they were talking, Sukuna pulled himself out from the debris. His injuries had been healed with Reverse Cursed Technique, and his missing arms had regenerated: "...Not bad, jujutsu sorcerer."
He grinned, revealing his sharp teeth: "Let's go again."
"Too bad~ Time's almost up," Gojo said with a smile, starting the countdown. "3, 2, 1."
Sukuna's eyes widened as a wave of weakness washed over him. His consciousness was suppressed, and he gradually lost control of the body.
He slowly closed his eyes. Yuji Itadori's eyes snapped open: "Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine~" Gojo said with a relaxed smile, walking towards him.
This is getting interesting. Two Sukuna vessels appearing at the same time... No, with Yukinoshita Yukino, Sukuna's identity is still uncertain, but he should be separate from the Sukuna here.
"This guy is annoying. I can hear his voice in my head," Yuji complained, patting his head as if to quiet the voice of Sukuna within.
"It's a miracle it's only that much of an influence," Gojo said with a chuckle. "I'll take you to meet your senior someday."
"Eh? Senior? Someone else ate Sukuna's finger?" Yuji asked, curious.
"Well, I suppose so," Gojo replied vaguely. After all, he didn't know the full details of Yukino's situation. Furthermore, he hadn't reported the matter of Yukino and Sukuna to the higher-ups.
He gently tapped Yuji's forehead with his finger, and the boy instantly felt an irresistible wave of drowsiness. His eyes fluttered closed, and he fell unconscious.
"What did you do?" Megumi asked.
"I made him faint," Gojo explained, catching Yuji as he collapsed. "If he wakes up without Sukuna taking over, it means he's a Sukuna vessel, a once-in-a-century talent..."
That doesn't seem quite right, considering Yukinoshita Yukino already exists.
But that girl doesn't seem to have as much control over her body.
"Is this Sukuna related to the Sukuna with Yukinoshita?" Megumi also recalled the encounter with Yukino last week.
"I don't know. That situation is much more mysterious." Gojo shrugged. "Our investigation into the Yukinoshita family shows they're ordinary people with no connection to the jujutsu world."
"So the question is, what do we do with him? I hid the situation with Yukino and Sukuna from the higher-ups because I don't know the details, but it's different with Itadori Yuji. He actually swallowed a special grade cursed object. I can't hide that."
"Even if Itadori is a vessel, according to jujutsu regulations, he'll still be executed..." Megumi said, looking up. "But, I don't want him to die."
"Personal feelings?"
"Yes, personal feelings. Please, think of something!"
"OK!" Gojo hoisted the unconscious Yuji onto his shoulder, giving Megumi a thumbs up. "It's a request from my cute student, after all. Leave it to me!"
...
...
Meanwhile, in Haruno Yukinoshita's car.
Yukino Yukinoshita, sitting in the passenger seat, noticed her phone screen light up. She unlocked it, puzzled, and saw several new photos from a contact named "Annoying White Hair."
She opened them to find pictures of Gojo Satoru and a pink-haired boy.
One was grinning mischievously, while the other had a sullen expression, clearly unwilling.
It seemed he had been forced to take the pictures with Gojo.
More importantly, the boy's face also bore the same black markings and four eyes that appeared when Sukuna fully possessed her.
"Pfft!"
Sukuna, of course, also saw the photos and burst into laughter.
Haruno Yukinoshita, driving, couldn't help but glance at her sister.
I still can't get used to it, Yukino suddenly having an extra mouth on her face and all.