Chapter 5: Preparations for the Unknown

We see Itadori walking out of a crematorium. Gojo Satoru was waiting for him there.

"Who passed away?"

"My grandfather."

"I'm really sorry…" Gojo said as he sat next to Itadori. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"

"Are there more cases like this curse?" Itadori asked thoughtfully, looking at Gojo.

"This is a very special case, but speaking of the magnitude of the damage… yes, there are many like this. If you die normally from a curse, you're lucky. Even if they tear you apart, if they find your body, it's fine. If you look for the remaining fingers, you'll see horrible things," Gojo said, looking at Itadori. "I can't say that it won't happen to you."

*'You're strong, help people.'* Itadori lowered his head, remembering his grandfather's words. "If Sukuna's fingers disappear, will fewer people die from curses?" Gojo just smiled.

"Of course."

"… Do you still have that finger?" Itadori asked.

Gojo, pulling the finger from his pocket: "Here you go."

"It looks disgusting," Itadori said, looking at the finger with repulsion.

*Glups.*

'That's two now, that would be 10% of Sukuna's power… but how will Kaede react to another finger?'

**Inside, once again.**

"*Eeeh*, I'm bored… Sukuna, at least with you I could see what was happening outside. This kid doesn't let me do anything," Kaede said, rolling around on the floor.

Sukuna just glanced at him, watching his antics. "Can you sit still? You're already annoying."

"OKAAAY, but can you explain how you plan to get out of here? I've tried everything," Kaede said while repeatedly activating his technique to escape. "Not even my technique can get me out of here."

"Heh, that's new. I never thought there was something that could nullify your ritual," Sukuna said mockingly to Kaede.

Kaede just grumbled, tired of seeing nothing.

"Oh, do you feel that?" said the black-haired one. "So he ate another finger, *hehe*. Why don't you go out this time?" he said, looking at his old friend.

Sukuna just stood up, preparing to leave.

**OUTSIDE**

Itadori was trying to finish swallowing Sukuna's finger. Suddenly, the marks reappeared on his body.

"*Uhh, HAHA, HAHAHAHAHA*," it was Sukuna who took over Itadori's body. "Ugh, it tastes horrible," but in the same moment, Itadori regained control.

*'Confirmed, he can maintain his identity against Sukuna and keep his power sealed… But why didn't the other one manifest?'* Gojo thought with relief and doubt. *'We haven't had anything this extraordinary in thousands of years.'*

"What's happening?" Itadori asked Gojo.

"No, nothing. I get it, are you ready?"

"… Not at all," the boy said, standing up and looking at nothing in particular. "I'm wondering why I'm sentenced to death, but I can't leave the curse… what a complex request you've made," he thought of his grandfather. "I'm going to eat all the fingers and I don't know what will happen after, but I know how I want to die."

"Good, I like it. It's going to be a hell of a lot of fun then, pack your bags," Gojo said happily as he also got up from his seat.

"Are we going somewhere?"

"To Tokyo," someone spoke behind Itadori.

"Wah! Oh, Fushiguro!! You look good," seeing a bandaged-up Megumi.

"Don't lie… from this moment, like me, you're going to be a student at Jujutsu High School."

"Great, you're the third first-year student," said a cheerful Gojo.

"SO FEW OF US!"

**WHILE ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING INSIDE YUJI**

"*HAHAHAHAHA*," a euphoric Kaede was rolling with laughter, pointing at Sukuna, "Seriously buddy, you couldn't even hold out for a second."

"I really want to tear you in half…" Sukuna spoke from the bone pile, furious at being ridiculed by his old friend. "I really don't know who this kid is to be able to keep me sealed."

Finally, Kaede had enough of laughing at his friend and got up, wiping tears from his eyes. "Phew, I also realized that he's something special, but the second time I was out, I understood more or less how to extend my time, even though the pact was only for 10 seconds."

"Whatever, I have another part of my soul. It seems they're trying to make this kid have all my fingers," Sukuna said reflectively, looking at Kaede.

"Huh? Are you talking to me? Is the silent treatment over?" Kaede teased.

"Shut up and tell me how you managed to reveal yourself and momentarily avoid his ability," Sukuna demanded.

"Hehe, even if I tell you, you'll never be able to do it, unless you have my Kami no Kukan (神の空間) 'Divine Space' ritual."

"Hm? I see, that makes sense," Sukuna said as if everything clicked. "Anyway, I'll have another opportunity, though I think I can manifest a bit."

"I still don't see a way to get out of here, although if I had, this kid would've disappeared long ago… meh, he'll find me eventually," Kaede finished speaking before lying down again.

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Hellooo, it's me again. Little by little, I'll be explaining Kaede's abilities and their impact on Sukuna. In a future chapter, there will be a flashback to show the relationship he had with Sukuna and what it was like in the Heian era.