Chapter 28. The Power of the Spirit (Part 7)

"Son of a..." I muttered under my breath, watching the curtain slowly dissipate. My gaze shifted to the spot where, just moments ago, that "unknown" figure stood, holding a weakened Mahito in his arms. It was the first time in a long while that a situation had spiraled completely out of control, and it happened at the very last moment—an unbearably agonizing feeling.

"Sukehiro!" a familiar, ringing voice snapped me out of my deep thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Yuji rushed over, scanning the surroundings for any potential threats.

"He got away," I admitted with a heavy heart, walking past him towards the school's exit where Nanami stood.

Cautiously glancing around, I sought a silver lining. After all, none of the students or teachers were harmed, and Junpei was still alive. Yet, an uneasy feeling gnawed at me, protesting against such an outcome.

I mentally scolded myself, trying to quell these inner doubts. I reminded myself that I was up against a being who had lived for centuries. It was a relief that Kenjaku chose to save Mahito instead of opting for something worse. Perhaps, this was the price for my overconfidence.

As I made my way to the exit, my thoughts lingered on Mahito and Kenjaku. This was my first encounter with them, and I was certain it wouldn't be the last, especially not with Kenjaku. I resolved to fight not just for the immediate safety of lives but also for a future where such threats could be preemptively stopped. This incident was a cold splash of reality, sobering my agitated mind. My enemy was far more experienced, cunning, and dangerous than I had anticipated.

Reaching the gates, I looked back at Yuji, who watched me with a mix of confusion and concern. I nodded at him, attempting to project a confidence I scarcely felt.

"Take care of Junpei," I told him. "He's a good guy. A bit eccentric, but then again, who among us isn't?"

Stepping out of the school, I breathed in the cool evening air, trying to clear my mind of the day's heavy events. For the first time in this life, I felt an urge to share my thoughts and feelings with someone—someone who could understand and support my plans. However, until the events in "Shibuya" unfolded, finding such a person would be a challenge.

"Sukehiro, how are you?" Nanami's deep voice reached me from behind.

"Alive, intact, and frustrated," I replied, acknowledging the unspoken rule that it's somewhat inappropriate to ask a Sorcerer about their well-being right after a battle. Despite this, I appreciated his concern. "And you?" I inquired, noticing the faint scent of blood emanating from his left side.

"Sometimes I remember why I left this job," Nanami sighed, a note of weariness in his voice.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew, and you'll live longer," I replied, echoing the advice Nanami had given me during our first meeting.

"Hearing that from you hardly seems convincing," he said with a small smile.

"Really?"

"Sukehiro," Nanami's voice took on a grave tone, his demeanor shifting to one of solemnity. "I'm truly sorry that someone as young as you has to shoulder such heavy responsibilities. I won't press you for explanations or the truth, just like no one else among us will. But remember, no matter how strong you are, you can always reach out to me, Shoko, even Satoru or the principal—who, despite his efforts to seem detached, deeply cares about you. We're here to support you."

"Do you expect me to cry on your shoulder?" I quipped, masking my genuine feelings with humor.

"I'd rather go have a drink," Nanami grumbled, his expression tightening with pain from his injury.

"Then let's go. My treat," I offered, patting him on the shoulder, which unfortunately made him grimace in pain.

"Insufferable. And to think I tried to be the voice of reason?" Nanami muttered under his breath.

As we made our way to the school's exit, Yuji called out from behind us,

"Hey! Wait for me!"

***

In the heart of the mountain range, amid lush green forests, columns of steam rose from the earth, creating an unearthly beauty. At one of the bubbling hot springs, in this tranquility, there was a being not of our world. A curse whose upper part of the head resembled a volcano sat relaxed, dipping its feet into the warm water. Its ears were tightly plugged, and a peaceful smile played on its face, adorned with a single large eye. The cursed spirit enjoyed the silence, holding a smoking pipe in its black teeth, from which a thin stream of smoke rose.

The peaceful silence was suddenly broken by a child's cry, sounding as if from nowhere:

"Jogoo!!!"

This was followed by a splash, causing water in the spring to spray upwards and douse the curse. The creature, suddenly soaked, winced from surprise and irritation.

"Sorry, sorry," responded Kenjaku, not hiding his smile, with ease and cheer.

"Your body has finally recovered," Mahito remarked, floating on his back and examining his companion.

"This place is quiet and peaceful," Jogo grunted. "There are no people around, and the atmosphere is pleasant. So, I was able to focus."

"I'm glad," blurted Mahito with a broad smile. "A whole Jogo is much better than a Jogo-head."

"What happened to you?" Jogo could no longer contain his curiosity. The once mighty and intimidating being now looked like a four-year-old boy, which added a special irony to the situation.

"Ah? You mean this?" Mahito glanced over his childlike appearance. "Turns out, it's much easier to restore a soul in this form. Probably because I spend much less energy..."

Jogo turned his gaze to "Suguru Geto" with a silent question: "What in the world happened?"

"Mahito made the same mistake as you - underestimated a special grade Sorcerer," Pseudo-Geto simply shrugged.

"I didn't know he was special grade," Mahito grumbled unhappily. "I thought he was just another interesting toy... Who would have thought that this guy's soul was so strong?" Mahito looked at his small hands, as if trying to see his former strength in them. "Even using 'Domain Expansion,' I couldn't change his soul, no matter how hard I tried."

"Are all special grade Sorcerers like this?" Jogo mumbled, slightly lost.

"The difference between the first grade and the special..." Pseudo-Geto paused, choosing his words, "is overwhelming."

"Next time, I'll gut that bastard's soul," Mahito laughed. "After all, any defense can be breached, right, Geto?"

"And it hasn't even been a hundred years," Pseudo-Geto smiled.

"If Satoru Gojo is considered the strongest, and this Sorcerer is only second to him, then I'm really ready to trust you," Mahito turned, still splashing in the water, and addressed Jogo. "I believe we should follow Geto's plan."

"Gather all the fingers, seal Satoru Gojo, and then offer the fingers to Sukuna..." Jogo's face twisted into an anticipatory smile, revealing his black teeth. "Even if we all die in the process, it sounds damn fun and intriguing."

"As long as curses can't live like humans, right?" Mahito bared his teeth in response.

"You're damn right," Jogo laughed.

"In that case, let's retrieve those six fingers currently held by the magic school," "Suguru's" face remained impassive throughout the conversation, calm and serene.

"What do you mean?" Jogo looked quizzically at the Sorcerer. "Won't Yuji Itadori have ingested them before we get to them?"

"The Sorcerer council still perceives Yuji Itadori's power as a 'burden,' because there's a chance Sukuna could awaken at any moment and cause a second Sorcerer massacre," Kenjaku explained.

"So, we're heading into the tiger's den... How fun."

"I knew you'd like it."