Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Will We Win?
Why... did I think Mahito-san was a good person?
"What if I told you I did it? What would you do then?"
In a dark, narrow alley, a man with blue hair and two stitched scars on his face turned around with a smile.
"Were those three people special to you?"
Was it because he killed those bullies who tormented me?
"Are you nervous?"
The cold touch of the operating table spread up his spine to the back of his head, accompanied by a warm, magnetic voice.
"Relax. Nothing bad will happen. Although it didn't go well at first, after plenty of practice, I've become quite skilled at reshaping souls."
So... by "practice," he meant using humans as disposable materials?
"Do you want revenge? Then go for it. No matter what Junpei decides to do, I'll support you."
Did he mean... he was telling me to kill for revenge?
Scenes from the past flashed through his mind until a hand waved in front of his face.
"Junpei? Junpei!"
Yoshino Junpei blinked and saw Itadori Yuji in front of him. The steady hum of the car engine came back into focus.
"Huh?"
He snapped out of it, his empty eyes regaining clarity.
"W-What is it?"
"You just spaced out all of a sudden," Itadori Yuji asked, confused.
"No, it's nothing..."
Yoshino Junpei shook his head, forcing a weak smile, though the gratitude in his eyes was sincere.
"Thank you... for helping me so much."
"It's no big deal. Beating up scumbags is pretty satisfying for me," Itadori Yuji said with a sheepish laugh, scratching his head.
"Anyway, Yoshino, stay alert. From my experience, that special-grade curse Mahito might leave you alone for now. But since you aren't just some failed experiment, he could come back for you. Be careful," Yukinoshita Yukino warned.
She recited a phone number.
"This is Ijichi-san's number. Memorize it. If anything happens, contact him immediately, and we'll come as soon as we can."
"Of course, your safety comes first. If he really shows up, follow his instructions if necessary," she added firmly.
"Do you understand, Yoshino?"
"Yes... I understand," Yoshino Junpei nodded.
"Yukinoshita-senpai is so reliable," Itadori Yuji sighed as he leaned back against the car seat.
"Much more dependable than Gojo-sensei."
"Gojo-sensei?"
Yoshino Junpei asked curiously.
"Is that teacher... unreliable?"
"He's not unreliable, though. Gojo-sensei is really strong, but he gives off a bit of a carefree vibe."
The pink-haired boy muttered.
Ijichi Kiyotaka, who was driving, nodded repeatedly.
"But, Hayashizaki-sensei said Gojo-sensei couldn't beat him."
Itadori Yuji rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment. "Ah, I can't imagine the two of them fighting."
"Has Hayashizaki-sensei really fought Gojo-sensei?"
"Yes, Hayashizaki-kun won."
Yukinoshita Yukino said without hesitation. She had watched the battle between Hayashizaki and Gojo Satoru from the VIP seats, so she had absolute authority on this matter.
"Huh? Yukinoshita-senpai has seen their fight?"
Itadori Yuji suddenly became very curious. "I asked Gojo-sensei about it before, but his answer was so vague."
Thinking about it, Itadori Yuji recalled the scene.
"By the way, if Gojo-sensei and Hayashizaki-sensei fought, who would be stronger?"
Itadori Yuji asked with curiosity.
"Well—if that guy really got serious, it could be tough."
Gojo Satoru paused for a moment before speaking.
"Would he lose?"
"Who knows?"
Gojo Satoru smiled mysteriously.
---
"I've seen it, after all, Hayashizaki-kun used my body at the time."
Yukinoshita Yukino answered.
"Eh? What do you mean?"
Itadori Yuji asked, confused.
While Ryoumen Sukuna was in control of Itadori Yuji's body, Itadori himself was unconscious, so he didn't witness Hayashizaki using Yukinoshita Yukino's body to fight Sukuna, nor did he see Hayashizaki undergo the system's physical transformation.
"My situation with Hayashizaki-kun was like yours with Ryoumen Sukuna."
The girl sighed and explained.
"Really?"
Itadori Yuji was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered that Gojo-sensei had mentioned a senior who was in a situation similar to his, and he immediately realized, "So the senior Gojo-sensei was talking about was Yukinoshita-senpai!"
"Why did Yukinoshita-senpai get possessed by a good person like Hayashizaki-sensei, and I ended up with someone as evil as Ryoumen Sukuna?"
He cried out in pain.
Itadori Yuji was experiencing the unfairness of the world for the first time.
Yukinoshita Yukino didn't know how to answer. When they first met, Hayashizaki-kun had even said he was Ryoumen Sukuna.
Wait, does suddenly appearing on someone else's face count as meeting them?
After a moment of wailing, Itadori Yuji quickly stopped obsessing over this question. What really caught his curiosity now was who was stronger between Hayashizaki and Gojo Satoru. "So, did Hayashizaki-sensei really win?"
"Yeah, I think so. Gojo-sensei was covered in blood at the time."
As Yukinoshita Yukino recalled the scene, she couldn't help but admire Gojo Satoru's strength.
Normally, an ordinary sorcerer would have died after continuous slashes, but Gojo Satoru was still able to keep moving and even respond effectively.
"How did Hayashizaki-sensei win? Did he break Gojo-sensei's broken rules with his limitless technique?"
"He won in the domain battle, which caused Gojo-sensei's technique to break down, leaving him forced to endure the attacks passively."
"Technique breakdown?"
Hearing a new term, Itadori Yuji gave a confused yet helpless expression. How many important things had Gojo-sensei not told him?
"It means being temporarily unable to use a technique," Yukinoshita Yukino explained.
"I see."
Itadori Yuji nodded. Although he understood, he still found it hard to believe. After all, he had seen Gojo Satoru's domain with his own eyes—an endless space that seemed like the universe itself. It easily shattered the domain of the special-grade curse with the volcano head.
He just couldn't imagine Gojo-sensei losing in a domain battle.
Yoshino Junpei listened quietly to their conversation. Although he didn't understand the details, the relaxed atmosphere was something he hadn't felt in a long time, and it was deeply comforting.
Time passed quietly and peacefully. Soon, the car slowed to a stop. Ijichi Kiyotaka spoke up, "We've arrived at your house, Yoshino-kun."
"Ah, we're here already?"
Yoshino Junpei snapped out of his thoughts and gave a somewhat shy smile. "Sorry for the trouble, and thanks for giving me a ride."
"No, no, it's no trouble at all."
"Well, I'll head home now."
Yoshino Junpei got out of the car, and everyone bid him farewell.
"Ah? Junpei?"
A pleasant female voice suddenly called out. A mature woman with shoulder-length curly hair, holding ingredients for dinner, stopped by the car.
"Mom, you're just getting home too?"
Yoshino Junpei looked at his mother, Yoshino Nagi, in surprise.
"New friends?"
Yoshino Nagi bent down and curiously peered into the car.
"Hello! I'm Itadori Yuji, Junpei's new friend!"
Itadori Yuji waved and said, "I'm definitely not a weird person!"
Yukinoshita Yukino and Ijichi Kiyotaka also nodded at her politely.
"Haha, your new friend is interesting," Yoshino Nagi laughed at Itadori's greeting. "Perfect timing, want to come over for dinner?"
"I'll pass. I was planning to check on Hayashizaki-kun's progress," Yukinoshita Yukino politely declined.
Ijichi Kiyotaka, simply acting as the driver, naturally didn't say anything.
"How about you, Yuji? Want to come?"
Yoshino Nagi smiled and looked at Itadori Yuji.
Gurgle~
Itadori Yuji put a hand on his stomach, his timing impeccable. He smiled politely.
"Well, in that case, I'll have to pass!"
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