Chapter 86 (Patreon)

Jogo narrowed his single eye.

“Even if we all attack together… we still can’t kill Gojo Satoru and Ragnar Kagenou?”

Kenjaku did not bother dressing up the truth.

“If the two of you challenged them together, there would only be one result.”

He smiled faintly.

“You would be exorcised.”

Jogo’s eye sharpened.

“…What?”

“So I suggest you forget about killing them for now. Sealing and stalling them would be far more realistic.”

Jogo stared at him for a moment before clicking his tongue.

“Then talk. What method do you have?”

“To deal with Gojo Satoru, we will use the Special Grade cursed object—the Prison Realm.”

Nearby, one of the waiters suddenly paused.

His gaze drifted toward Kenjaku’s table.

For some reason, his instincts screamed at him.

Do not go there.

Do not approach that table.

If he got close, he would die.

Jogo’s expression changed at once.

“The Prison Realm? That forbidden object is in your hands?”

Kenjaku lifted a hand, silently telling him not to get too worked up.

“The Prison Realm is for Gojo Satoru. As for Ragnar Kagenou…”

His smile deepened slightly.

“We will need Sukuna.”

Jogo’s eye narrowed.

“Sukuna, huh…”

“For now, this is the only path available to us. We must strengthen Sukuna until he is capable of contending with Ragnar Kagenou.”

Jogo’s cursed energy flared.

“Is that so?”

In an instant, the temperature inside the entire shop began to rise.

The employees and manager looked up almost at the same time.

The manager frowned and glanced at the air conditioner.

“Is it broken? Why is it getting so hot in here…?”

Kenjaku remained calm.

“Do not make unnecessary trouble. Ragnar Kagenou is still in Tokyo.”

At those words, Jogo had no choice but to suppress his cursed energy. The flames threatening to erupt from his body slowly died down.

“…How irritating.”

He leaned back, clearly displeased.

“How many of Sukuna’s fingers do you think I can withstand?”

Kenjaku considered it for a moment.

“A rough estimate? Around eight or nine.”

Jogo chuckled.

“That is enough.”

Then he looked straight at Kenjaku.

“Hand over the Prison Realm. I want it in my collection. In exchange…”

A vicious confidence spread across Jogo’s face.

“Since Gojo Satoru is not here, I will kill this Ragnar Kagenou first.”

Kenjaku laughed softly.

“If you can kill Ragnar Kagenou, then giving you the Prison Realm would be a small price to pay.”

Jogo’s mouth twisted into a cruel grin.

…

Sukuna’s Innate Domain.

Sukuna sat atop the mountain of bones and skulls, looking down with open contempt.

“You do not get to look up at me without permission. It annoys me, brat.”

Yuji Itadori glared back at him.

“Then come down here. I’ll look down on you instead.”

A brief silence passed.

Then both of them moved.

Neither had any intention of talking politely. If they did not beat each other senseless first, the hatred burning in their chests would have nowhere to go.

Of course, calling it a fight was generous.

Yuji was the only one getting beaten.

Sukuna slammed him down, pinned him beneath one hand, and spoke with a bored look.

“This is my Innate Domain. You could call it my inner world.”

Yuji grimaced beneath him.

“So that means… we’re not dead yet?”

“Idiot.”

“You—!”

“Shut up and listen.”

The corner of Sukuna’s mouth curled upward.

“If you want to come back to life, agree to my conditions.”

Inside, Sukuna was already laughing.

The brat had no idea what was happening outside. His heart had already been repaired. All Sukuna had to do was trick him properly.

Yuji stared at him with suspicion.

“After everything you did, you still want to keep living too, don’t you?”

“The situation changed.”

Sukuna’s grin widened.

“I saw someone interesting.”

He raised one finger.

“I have two conditions. First, when I chant ‘Enchain,’ you will hand your body over to me for one minute. Second, you will forget this agreement.”

Yuji’s face immediately twisted.

“Like hell I’d agree to that.”

Sukuna clicked his tongue. He could see that pushing too hard would only make the brat more difficult.

“During that one minute, I will not kill or harm anyone.”

“Who would believe you?”

“This is a Binding Vow.”

Sukuna’s voice lowered slightly.

“If either side breaks it, there will be consequences.”

Yuji fell silent for a moment.

Then he said, “…Fine. I’ll agree.”

The next instant—

Yuji punched Sukuna directly in the face.

“Did you think I was going to say that? You’re the one who killed me in the first place!”

Sukuna’s grin widened.

The Binding Vow was already complete.

Then there was no reason to keep playing.

He raised his arm.

Yuji barely had time to react before Sukuna’s slash split through him.

…

Jujutsu High.

Dormitory.

Yuji Itadori’s eyes suddenly snapped open.

His body jolted upright on the bed.

“I…”

He touched his chest, breathing heavily.

“I’m alive?”

After a while, Yuji finally managed to calm down enough to look around.

That was when he noticed the note left nearby.

After you wake up, go find Gojo immediately.

Your current strength is not reassuring at all.

You need special training for a while.

—Ragnar Kagenou

Yuji stared at the note in silence.

Then his expression slowly collapsed.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

A hand suddenly tapped his shoulder from behind.

“If you’re awake, then we’re heading out right away.”

“Oss…”

Yuji answered out of reflex.

Then he froze.

“Wait! No! Gojo-sensei?! Why are you here?!”

Gojo Satoru stood behind him as if he had been there the entire time, one hand raised in a casual greeting.

“Yo. I was overseas for a little while, and the moment I got back, I heard my precious student almost got killed by a Special Grade.”

Yuji stared at him.

“Your information network is way too fast. It hasn’t even been that long.”

“Details, details.”

Gojo waved it off.

“Anyway, hurry up and pack. I’m taking you out for training.”

“Wait, Gojo-sensei, I’m not even dressed yet!”

“Then get dressed on the way.”

“That’s not normal!”

“Normal is boring. Move, Yuji.”

…

At the same time.

Fushiguro Megumi and Nobara Kugisaki were sitting on the steps outside, both wearing grim expressions.

Nobara rested her chin on one hand.

“So… do you think Itadori’s dead?”

Megumi’s eyes lowered.

“I don’t know.”

Nobara looked at him.

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“Ragnar-sensei’s exact words were that Itadori died once.”

Nobara blinked.

“…Died once?”

“Yeah.”

“What does that even mean?”

Megumi was silent for a moment.

“Taken literally, it means he died.”

“That does not help at all.”

Just then, several figures returned to Jujutsu High.

The second-year students had arrived.

Maki Zen’in was the first to approach Megumi. She looked at his face and raised an eyebrow.

“Yo. Why do you look like someone died?”

Megumi looked up.

“Zen’in-senpai.”

Maki’s brow twitched.

“I told you to call me Maki.”

Behind a nearby tree, Panda and Toge Inumaki were whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“I heard one of the first-years died.”

“Salmon.”

Maki froze.

The timing was so bad that it made her sound like some cold-blooded demon who had walked in just to make fun of them.

Fortunately, Megumi and Nobara still had enough sense left not to misunderstand too badly.

Nobara stared at the second-years, then leaned closer to Megumi.

“…Who are these people?”

“Second-years.”

“That explains absolutely nothing.”

After that, the two groups began introducing themselves.

The atmosphere was awkward at first, but little by little, the first-years and second-years got a rough sense of each other.

The main reason Maki and the others had come back was simple.

Nobara repeated the words she had just heard.

“The Kyoto Sister School Goodwill Event?”

Megumi nodded.

“It’s an exchange event between Tokyo Jujutsu High and Kyoto Jujutsu High.”

Maki rested her weapon against her shoulder.

“Officially, it’s a friendly competition.”

Panda raised one paw.

“Unofficially, people hit each other until someone feels better.”

“Bonito flakes.”

Nobara stared at them for a second.

“…This school really is insane.”