Chapter 15: Calm

Itadori woke up in his dorm room, feeling disoriented and his mind foggy. He blinked several times, trying to clear his vision. In front of him, sitting on a chair by the bed, was Satoru Gojo, looking at him with a mix of curiosity and seriousness.

"Finally awake, Itadori," Gojo said, his usual carefree tone tinged with a hint of concern.

"What... what happened?" Itadori sat up, feeling a sharp pain in his head. "The last thing I remember is fighting..."

"Kaede took control," Gojo replied, his piercing gaze fixed on Itadori. "And, from what it seems, he's made a pact with you. I need to know what kind of deal you made with him."

Itadori frowned, but this time the memories flowed clearly. He recalled being in a dark, grim place, the walls of the spiritual prison where Kaede and Sukuna were confined. The atmosphere was oppressive, with a heavy air and a sense of malevolence emanating from every corner.

"We were in some sort of prison," Itadori began, his voice steady as he remembered. "The place was dark, with walls that seemed like flesh and a heavy atmosphere. Kaede and Sukuna were there, locked up. Kaede talked to me about the need for a pact to use his power."

Gojo nodded, indicating for him to continue.

"Kaede said that if I let him take control, he would help me defeat our enemy. He explained that he needed to recover something important to face them. I didn't have much time to think, but I knew I needed all the help I could get, so I agreed."

"And what did he want to recover?" Gojo asked, his interest evident.

"He just said it was his girl," Itadori recalled those last words that seemed insane. "He said it was crucial for his fight. And then, he took over my body."

Gojo sighed, reflecting on what Itadori had said. "That explains the cursed energy I felt. It seems Kaede has his own plans, and we'll need to stay vigilant."

Itadori nodded, feeling a mix of fear and determination. He knew the road ahead would be difficult, but with Gojo by his side, he had hope of facing whatever came.

Gojo stood up from the chair and walked to a corner of the room where a katana rested in its sheath. He picked it up and approached Itadori, extending it to him with an intriguing smile.

"Kaede asked me to give you this," Gojo said. "I want to see how the sword reacts when you hold it."

Itadori took the katana carefully, immediately noticing the cursed energy emanating from it. As he unsheathed it, he observed that the blade was black with engravings that seemed to glow with a purple light. However, when he held it firmly, the katana showed no reaction. Additionally, Itadori noticed that the blade was not sharp.

"What's going on?" Itadori asked, confused. "It doesn't seem to do anything. And the blade... it's not sharp."

Gojo observed him with curiosity, his expression thoughtful. "Interesting. It seems that Kagekiri does not recognize your cursed energy. Kaede mentioned that this sword was crucial for his fight, but there must be some kind of link between them that you can't replicate."

Itadori looked at the katana in frustration. "So it's useless to me?"

"Not necessarily," Gojo replied, placing a hand on Itadori's shoulder. "You might not be able to use it now, but that doesn't mean you can't learn to. Besides, Kaede entrusted this sword to you, so there must be a reason."

Itadori nodded, sheathing the katana again. "I guess I'll have to figure out how to make it work."

"Exactly," Gojo said, smiling. "Think of it as a challenge. And remember, I'll always be here to help you understand and control it."

"Thanks, Gojo-sensei," Itadori said, feeling a bit more confident.

Gojo nodded and headed toward the door. "Get some rest, Itadori. We have a long road ahead."

As Gojo left the room, Itadori stared at the katana in his hands, remembering Kaede's words.

In the medical room, Nobara was lying on a stretcher while Shoko Ieiri, the doctor at Jujutsu High, carefully examined her wounds. It was Nobara's first time at the school, and Shoko did not know her personally.

"You were lucky not to suffer more serious injuries," Shoko said, applying an ointment to a deep wound in Nobara's stomach. "But it looks like you had a pretty tough encounter."

Nobara frowned but remained still while Shoko worked. "Yeah, I took a hit loaded with cursed energy. I didn't expect it to be that strong."

"I'm going to use my reverse technique to speed up your healing," Shoko said as she channeled her energy. "This might feel a bit strange, but it's effective."

Nobara nodded, trying to relax. "Go ahead, Shoko-sensei."

Shoko placed her hands over the wound and began to channel her reverse technique energy. A soft green glow emanated from her hands, enveloping Nobara's wound.

"How do you feel?" Megumi asked, watching.

"It's... strange," Nobara replied, feeling the healing warmth. "But it also eases the pain."

Shoko nodded. "The reverse technique heals damaged tissues using cursed energy in a positive way. You'll feel better in no time."

After a few minutes, Shoko removed her hands, and Nobara's wound was almost completely healed. "Rest a bit more, and you should be fine in a day or two."

Nobara slowly sat up, touching the area where the wound had been. "Incredible... Thank you so much, Shoko-sensei."

"It's my job," Shoko replied with a smile. "If you feel any pain or discomfort, come see me immediately."

Nobara nodded. "I will. Thanks again."

Megumi turned to Nobara. "How do you feel now?"

Nobara shrugged. "Much better. That hit really took me out, but now I feel stronger."

"I'm glad to hear that," Megumi said, visibly relieved. "We need to be in top shape for whatever comes next."

Nobara patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry so much."

Megumi only sighed. "Take this more seriously."

After leaving Nobara's room, Megumi walked through the halls of Jujutsu High, heading to Itadori's dorm. He was worried about his friend and wanted to know how he was after everything that had happened.

As he turned a corner, he saw Gojo leaving Itadori's room. Gojo noticed Megumi and gestured for him to come over.

"Ah, Megumi, right on time," Gojo said with his characteristic smile. "Itadori is inside, he just woke up."

"Thanks, sensei," Megumi replied, nodding slightly before entering the room.

Itadori was sitting on his bed, looking at the katana that rested in his hands. When he saw Megumi, he looked up with a relieved expression. "Megumi! Good to see you."

"Good to see you awake, Itadori," Megumi said as he approached and sat in a chair next to the bed. "How do you feel?"

"Confused, but physically fine," Itadori replied. "Gojo-sensei and I just talked. I told him everything that happened."

"And what did he say about the katana?" Megumi asked, curious.

Itadori lifted the katana slightly. "I kept it. Gojo-sensei wanted to see how it reacted to me, but it doesn't seem to activate and the blade isn't sharp. It's specifically linked to Kaede's cursed energy."

Megumi nodded, processing the information. "Makes sense. Kagekiri must have been created to resonate with its original wielder's energy."

"Exactly," said Gojo, who had entered the room again without Megumi noticing. "But that doesn't mean it can't be useful in the future. Maybe, over time, we can find a way for Itadori to use it."

Megumi turned to Itadori. "In the meantime, what do you plan to do?"

"Move forward," Itadori replied with determination. "Kaede freed me from Sukuna temporarily, but we know he won't stay quiet for long. We have to be prepared."

Gojo nodded, satisfied with the response. "That's the right attitude, Itadori. Now, Megumi, do you want to update him on Nobara's condition?"

"Yes," Megumi said, turning to Itadori. "Nobara is in the medical room with Shoko-sensei. She took a hit to the stomach loaded with cursed energy, but Shoko used her reverse technique to heal her. She'll be fine, she just needs time to recover."

Itadori nodded, relieved to hear that Nobara was in good hands. "Thanks, Megumi. I'm glad she's okay."

"You should rest a bit more," Gojo suggested. "You've been through a lot."

"Yeah, I will," Itadori replied, though his mind was already working on the next steps to take.

Megumi patted Itadori on the shoulder. "Rest, we'll handle everything for now."

Itadori smiled, grateful for his friends' support. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate everything you're doing."