"Ah, haha…" "What the hell is this?" "Are sorcerers in this era all this troublesome?"
Mirai was still hesitating over whether to finish off Jogo when a low, sinister chuckle suddenly sounded from behind him.
Smack!
Yuji slapped his own face and quickly explained, "Sorry, sensei. The guy called Sukuna sometimes pops out and says weird stuff."
"It's fine, Itadori."
Turning around to look at the extra eye opening beneath Yuji's eyelid, Mirai smiled faintly. "Ryomen Sukuna… the strongest sorcerer from a thousand years ago. Even in death, he reigns as the King of Curses."
"The fact that you can contain him inside your body is already a miracle."
Yuji scratched his head sheepishly. "Gojo-sensei said the same thing."
"Guess the bad guy inside me really is something else…"
Before, when Gojo talked about Sukuna's strength, Yuji didn't really understand what "King of Curses" meant.
But after witnessing the battle between Mirai and Jogo firsthand, he finally began to grasp just how terrifying the curse inside him was.
"Heh… looks like you know your stuff, kid."
Sukuna's blood-red eye stared at Mirai as he chuckled. "If you kneel now, I might spare your life once I take over this brat's body."
"Compared to that arrogant sorcerer earlier, your fake smile is much more pleasant to look at."
"Damn it!"
Smack!
White Zetsu didn't waste words—he slapped Yuji across the face.
"Where the hell did this nobody come from? Hiding inside my little bro and still acting so arrogant?!"
As he kept slapping, he cursed loudly, "If you've got guts, come out and fight me one-on-one! I'll even let you keep two legs and nine fingers!"
"I can poke you to death with just one finger, you clown!"
After being frustrated by the volcano-head earlier, and now with an even bigger name popping up—though sealed—White Zetsu had no intention of missing this perfect chance to show off.
"Take this!" "And this!"
"Senior White Zetsu, stop hitting me!"
Holding his now swollen face, Yuji backed away helplessly. "Just curse at him if you want—why do you keep hitting me?!"
"Very good."
A small mouth split open on Yuji's arm as Sukuna's voice echoed darkly: "A trash curse like you… I look forward to seeing whether you'll still be alive when I come out."
"Talking tough, huh?"
"Ha!"
Rolling up his sleeves, White Zetsu grinned viciously as he walked toward Yuji. "If you've got the guts, stop hiding inside my little bro and get out here!"
"Whoever backs down isn't human!"
"Just insult him, don't hit me!" Yuji shouted, circling around Megumi to dodge the incoming slaps.
"Sensei! The volcano-head is gone!"
Amid the chaos, Kugisaki pointed toward the ground not far away.
The scorched, cratered surface was now empty—Jogo, who had been severely injured, had vanished.
Ijichi hurried forward and crouched down to inspect the area.
After a moment, he pulled out a bundle of withered roots from a crack in the ground.
"That curse spirit has accomplices. The residual cursed energy here doesn't belong to the same entity."
The eerie crimson in Mirai's eyes faded back into a calm black as he let out a soft sigh.
"Seems there was another Special Grade hiding in the shadows—one skilled at concealing its presence. I underestimated them."
The extra eye on Yuji's face swept toward a distant mountain peak before lingering on Mirai's profile.
"Heh heh…"
Seeing the trace of regret on Mirai's face, Sukuna let out a low, ambiguous laugh.
The Next Day — First-Year Classroom at Tokyo Jujutsu High
Yuji and Kugisaki were still discussing last night's battle.
Megumi sat quietly to the side, recalling the Ten Shadows techniques Mirai had used.
No wonder Gojo-sensei told him to seek guidance. After witnessing Mirai's shikigami in action, Megumi finally understood the overwhelming gap between them.
"Megumi, who do you think is stronger—the two teachers?" Yuji asked curiously, patting his shoulder.
Kugisaki scooted closer, ears perked up.
One of them had entered Jujutsu High by chance after swallowing a Special Grade cursed object. The other had grown up in the countryside.
Both had only heard bits and pieces about the jujutsu world.
That volcano-headed curse from last night was the strongest they had ever seen.
Yet Mirai had dealt with it effortlessly.
Even though it was ultimately rescued by another Special Grade, the fact that the hidden one didn't dare intervene directly only further proved how terrifying Mirai was.
Megumi frowned, subconsciously comparing the two teachers.
Gojo had taken him to many places before, and he had seen other Special Grades.
Those so-called Special Grades were also easily eliminated by Gojo with a wave of his hand.
But a Special Grade capable of deploying a Domain Expansion… that was his first time seeing one.
"It should still be—"
Bang!
"Of course your beloved Gojo-sensei is stronger~"
The classroom door was flung open as Gojo Satoru entered, hands in his pockets, answering before Megumi could finish.
White Zetsu followed behind him, rubbing his sleepy eyes with an annoyed expression.
Yuji blinked and spoke up, "Gojo-sensei, about that volcano-head last night—"
"Ijichi already told me everything."
Gojo said confidently, "That kind of trash? I could blow it up in minutes even without using my Domain."
"That fake-smile guy needed his Domain to deal with it—doesn't that prove I'm stronger?"
Seeing the doubt on Yuji and Kugisaki's faces, Gojo added with a smile:
"Do you know why that fake-smile guy hasn't taught for the past six months?"
"Even the missions assigned by the school—he had Zenin clan sorcerers handle them for him."
White Zetsu yawned and casually said, "Mirai got injured by Gojo's Domain half a year ago, so he's been recovering ever since."
"Bingo!"
That's exactly why Gojo liked White Zetsu.
This bastard didn't discriminate when trash-talking or showing off—friendly fire included.
Hearing this, Yuji and Kugisaki's eyes widened in shock.
Even Megumi showed a hint of surprise.
He had only just learned that Mirai's long absence was due to injury.
Having cleared up the students' doubts, Gojo stroked his chin and looked at a certain someone.
"White Zetsu, don't you recognize that volcano-head from last night?"
"Not only could it communicate like you, it could even use Domain Expansion."
White Zetsu waved his hand dismissively. "No idea. Don't know it."
"That kind of trash I can slap to death in one hit—why would I remember something like that?"
Yuji and Kugisaki couldn't help twitching at the corners of their mouths.
Last night, this was the guy who had stayed hidden the entire time under the protection of shadows—so well protected he couldn't even squeeze out.
"Oh?"
Gojo chuckled softly, deep in thought.
He didn't notice anything unusual about White Zetsu.
From Ijichi's report about the volcano-head, the first person Gojo actually suspected was Mirai.
The same traits as White Zetsu—but far stronger.
And the ability to predict Jujutsu High's movements in advance.
Just like before Yaga created Panda…
There had been many failed attempts—creations that couldn't grow, communicate, or were simply too weak.
"White Zetsu… where's that fake-smile guy now?"