Chapter 81 (Patreon)

While Satoru Gojo was still speaking with Megumi Fushiguro, Sukuna had already switched places with Yuji Itadori.

Gojo casually lifted a finger and warned him.

“Careful with that. It’s not a souvenir. I was planning to eat it on the way back.”

The next instant, Sukuna vanished.

His figure blurred into an afterimage as he lunged straight at Gojo. His fist tore through the air, aimed directly at Gojo’s face.

But just before it landed—

Gojo slipped away with ridiculous ease.

Even though Sukuna was the King of Curses, he only possessed one-twentieth of his original power right now. Against Satoru Gojo, that amount was nowhere near enough.

Megumi brushed the dust from his clothes and forced himself back to his feet.

“If you were already nearby, you could’ve shown up sooner.”

Ragnar Kagenou glanced at him calmly.

“Well, we were wondering if you’d awaken some hidden potential after getting pushed into a corner.”

Megumi stared at him.

“What is this, a shonen manga? People don’t just conveniently power up because they’re desperate.”

Five seconds passed.

Gojo sent Sukuna flying back with a clean blow.

Sukuna landed, twisted his neck slightly, and clicked his tongue.

“Tch. No matter the era, jujutsu sorcerers are always irritating.”

Then his grin widened.

“Still… that doesn’t matter.”

He kicked off the ground.

This time, Sukuna’s fist struck Gojo and sent him flying back.

In the blink of an eye, Sukuna appeared in front of Ragnar.

His eyes narrowed with interest.

“You…”

Sukuna’s grin grew sharper.

“There’s something strange inside you.”

Ragnar looked at him without moving.

“Want to check?”

Sukuna laughed.

“No need. I’ll rip it out and see for myself.”

Megumi’s expression changed at once.

“Ragnar-sensei!”

Ragnar’s face remained calm.

“He won’t get far.”

Click.

Just as Sukuna raised his fist, his right arm stopped in midair.

A silver chain had wrapped tightly around his wrist.

“You—!”

Before Sukuna could finish, more chains shot out and bound his entire body in place.

The Chains of Heaven tightened around him, sealing his movements completely.

Gojo stood a short distance away, perfectly unharmed.

“Time’s up.”

Then he glanced at Ragnar.

“Hey, Ragnar. Didn’t I say I’d handle this?”

Ragnar gave him a flat look.

“He came at me first.”

Gojo sighed dramatically.

“Seriously? Sukuna, wouldn’t it be more fun to fight me?”

Sukuna turned his head, his expression twisting when he saw Gojo standing there without a scratch.

At the same time, his control over Yuji’s body began to slip.

Thump.

Thump.

Sukuna’s eyes sharpened.

“Damn it… again?”

His voice sank with irritation.

“Why can’t I control this brat?”

A moment later, Sukuna’s consciousness was forced back down.

Yuji Itadori opened his eyes.

“Huh?”

He looked down at the chains wrapped around him.

“Wait, why am I tied up?!”

Yuji struggled a few times, but the strength he was so proud of did nothing against the chains.

Ragnar spoke calmly.

“Stop moving.”

The Chains of Heaven dissolved into golden particles and scattered into the air.

“Whoa!”

Yuji’s eyes lit up as he reached out toward them.

“That’s awesome!”

His fingers passed through the drifting particles, unable to touch them.

Gojo walked closer and bent down slightly, observing Yuji with obvious interest.

“So you really can control him.”

Yuji scratched the back of his head.

“Well… kind of. He’s just really loud. Like, annoyingly loud.”

Gojo tapped Yuji on the forehead.

“The fact that it only bothers you that much is already a miracle.”

Yuji’s eyes rolled back.

Then he collapsed.

Ragnar looked at Gojo.

“That was unnecessary. We could have just taken him to Jujutsu High.”

Gojo smiled.

“No, no. A little pressure is important. It helps people make up their minds.”

Megumi stared at him coldly.

“That sounds pretty twisted.”

Thwack.

Gojo lightly chopped Megumi on the head.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“Bad phrasing.”

Megumi’s eye twitched.

Not long after that, Gojo locked Yuji inside a dark room and scared him with the reality of his situation.

In the end, Yuji had no choice but to accept Gojo’s condition.

He would eat all twenty of Sukuna’s fingers.

After Gojo finally let Yuji out, Ragnar looked at him again.

“Was all that really necessary?”

Gojo answered without hesitation.

“Young people need a little pressure. That’s how they grow.”

Ragnar’s gaze shifted slightly.

“Maybe. I’m also curious to see how strong Sukuna would be once he’s complete.”

Gojo’s smile did not change.

“Hey, hey. What kind of dangerous thing are you saying? We’re collecting and sealing Sukuna’s fingers, remember? We can’t let an ancient Special Grade curse fully resurrect.”

Ragnar gave him a look.

“Don’t act like you aren’t curious too.”

Gojo raised both hands innocently.

“I’m being completely serious.”

“Sure.”

Ragnar looked away.

“So? Did he agree to enroll?”

Gojo paused.

Then he tilted his head.

“Oh. I forgot to ask.”

Ragnar’s mouth twitched.

I really cannot deal with this man.

After Yuji said goodbye to his school senior, he found the three of them waiting outside.

Once he finished asking about the jujutsu world, curses, and Sukuna, Gojo took out another finger and held it up.

Ragnar immediately looked at him.

“Wait. Where did that come from?”

Then his eyes narrowed.

“Are Special Grade cursed objects something you’re allowed to carry around casually?”

Gojo grinned.

“Don’t worry about the small stuff. It’s pretty normal for a jujutsu sorcerer to have dangerous things on hand.”

“It really isn’t.”

Yuji stared at the finger in his hand.

For a moment, his expression turned serious.

Then he made up his mind.

Gulp.

He swallowed the second finger.

With that, one-tenth of Sukuna’s power now existed inside Yuji Itadori.

Ragnar watched closely.

For a brief moment, an eye almost opened beneath Yuji’s own. Faint black markings flickered across his skin before disappearing again.

“This time, Sukuna didn’t come out.”

A surge of cursed energy erupted from Yuji’s body like a volcano.

But almost immediately, Yuji forced it back down.

His face turned pale.

“That was disgusting…”

He pressed a hand to his mouth.

“It tasted like chewing tasteless chalk while rotten vegetables were being shoved up my nose. Cold, fishy, and just… awful.”

Gojo watched him with a bright smile.

Confirmed.

This boy was not only physically tough. He could keep his sense of self even after swallowing Sukuna’s finger.

A once-in-a-thousand-years vessel.

Ragnar looked at Yuji and said calmly,

“Since you swallowed it, I’ll take that as your answer.”

Yuji scratched his head.

“It’s not really that simple.”

He lowered his hand and looked at them seriously.

“I still don’t understand everything about curses. But if those things hurt people, then I can’t just ignore them.”

His voice was steady.

“I’ll eat all of Sukuna’s fingers.”

Then he gave a small smile.

“And after that, I won’t complain about what happens to me.”

“My death has already been decided.”

Gojo smiled.

“Not bad. I don’t hate people like you.”

Then his tone became light again.

“Looks like things are going to get pretty rough from here.”

He pointed at Yuji.

“Pack your things today.”

Yuji blinked.

“Where are we going?”

Megumi appeared beside him and answered quietly.

“Tokyo.”

Yuji immediately gave him a thumbs-up.

“Fushiguro! You look way better now!”

Megumi’s expression went flat.

“Do the bandages mean nothing to you?”

Then he continued.

“You’re enrolling in the same school for jujutsu sorcerers as me.”

Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Gojo added cheerfully,

“Oh, right. You’ll be the third first-year.”

Yuji froze.

“Only three?!”

Gojo smiled like that was completely normal.

“Welcome to the jujutsu world.”