Cursed Womb.

___________________________________________________________________________

Before the group departed, Takeda called out to Megumi. "By the way, how's Tsumiki doing?"

Megumi's expression softened. "She's fine. Recovering well."

Yuji, intrigued, asked, "Who's Tsumiki?"

"She's my sister," Megumi explained, looking slightly uncomfortable.

Nobara huffed in annoyance. "Why didn't you tell us about her before? We're supposed to be a team."

Megumi shrugged, a bit defensive. "It didn't come up. I didn't think it was important."

As the team headed out, the conversation left an awkward silence hanging in the air. They reached Yasohachi Bridge, a foreboding structure known for its dark reputation. The bridge was eerily quiet, the only sounds being the distant hum of traffic and the wind rustling through the trees.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit hideout, Mahito and Pseudo-Geto examined their recent acquisitions: the Death Painting Wombs No. 1-3. Mahito, eyes glinting with curiosity, broke the silence. "So, why doesn't Jujutsu High just destroy these cursed objects? Seems like it would be simpler."

Geto, lounging casually, replied with a hint of disdain, "You should know by now. Special-grade cursed objects can't be destroyed. They're too ingrained with cursed energy. All they can do is halt their lifestream and prevent them from causing more damage. Sukuna's fingers are different. They're not just cursed objects; they can still attract curses and choose their vessel."

Mahito's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "And the Death Painting Wombs?"

"They're a different case," Geto explained. "The Wombs can manifest in anyone, given the right conditions. They don't need a specific vessel like Sukuna's fingers do."

Mahito's grin widened as he picked up one of the Death Painting Wombs. "Let's see how it works then."

Without hesitation, Mahito forced the cursed womb down his throat. A shudder ran through his body as the cursed energy of the Womb began to merge with him. His form began to shift and distort, transforming him into a more formidable cursed spirit.

In the eerie stillness of their hideout, Mahito stood before the newly incarnated cursed spirit, who had taken the form of a human vessel. "I'm sorry to bother you right away," Mahito said with a sardonic smile. "But I need you to run a few errands for me."

The cursed spirit, still disoriented from its sudden transformation, nodded hesitantly. "W-what do you need?" Incarnated Objects, get their common sense from their vessel, meaning Sukuna has Yuji's common sense.

Mahito handed over a set of instructions, his grin widening. "Just a few things to take care of. Make sure to be quick about it."

As the spirit left, Mahito turned back to Pseudo-Geto. "With this, the Death Painting Wombs are set in motion. Everything is falling into place."

Meanwhile, the first-year jujutsu students—Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara—continued their investigation at Yasohachi Bridge. The area was desolate and gave off a chilling sense of unease. They scoured every inch but found no trace of the curse they were hunting.

"I don't get it," Nobara said, frustration evident in her voice. "We've checked everywhere. Maybe we should start over?"

Yuji shook his head. "We don't have time for that. The death rate for these cases is 100%. We can't let this curse claim any more victims."

Akari Nitta, who had been observing, suggested, "Maybe it's related to the act of jumping down from the bridge. We've already tested that theory, though."

Just then, one of the punks they'd encountered earlier pedaled up on his bike. He was accompanied by his older sister, who had been a classmate of Megumi's. Her face was pale, and she looked deeply troubled.

"Megumi," she called out, her voice trembling. "I need to talk to you. I went to the bridge at night, and now, every time I come home, the automatic doors are wide open. It feels like something's there. I'm worried because Tsumiki went with me that night."

Megumi's eyes widened, his calm facade slipping. "Tsumiki went with you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The siblings nodded, and Megumi's mind raced. The realization hit him hard. He tried to mask his fear, but Yuji noticed the change in his demeanor.

Yuji approached Megumi, concern etched on his face. "Megumi, are you okay? Should we check on your sister?"

"No," Megumi said quickly. "I'll handle it. You should all go home."

Without waiting for a response, Megumi pulled out his phone and dialed Ijichi. "Ijichi-senpai, we need backup. There's something serious going on."

Ijichi's voice came through the receiver, calm but firm. "I'm sorry, Megumi, but we can't spare any more sorcerers at the moment. If the threat is larger than expected, you might need to retreat."

Megumi's face tightened with determination. "I can't wait. The situation is too dangerous. I'll handle it."

He hung up and turned to his peers, his voice grave. "The mission has become more dangerous. I need you all to go home. I'm going back to school to check on Tsumiki and to get to the bottom of this."

As Megumi stood alone at Yasohachi Bridge, his thoughts raced. Akari's comment about the test of mettle being below the bridge echoed in his mind. He reasoned that if the curse was within a barrier, encountering it would require meeting specific conditions. He pondered that a sustainable expanded cursed technique could not maintain a Domain, meaning the curse's Domain might be similar to the one they faced at the Detention Center, so a Curtain was unnecessary.

Lost in his thoughts, Megumi didn't notice Yuji and Nobara sneaking up behind him. They watched him silently for a moment before Yuji finally spoke up.

"Megumi, what's the deal? You never share anything about yourself. What's going on?"

Startled, Megumi turned to face them. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't heard their approach. "I... I didn't think you'd be interested," he replied, a touch of guilt in his voice.

Nobara folded her arms, frowning. "You don't have to share everything, but you can trust us. We're friends, right?"

Megumi's gaze softened. "Tsumiki is in a suspended state of sleep. If I don't exorcise the cursed spirit soon, she could be in real danger. The mission is more dangerous now, but—"

Yuji cut him off with a grin. "You think we care about that? We're in this together."

A smile broke through Megumi's serious demeanor. "Alright then. If you're sure."

The three of them prepared to cross into the barrier. As night fell, they moved stealthily from below the bridge and over the small river, adhering to the symbolic significance of jujutsu. Each step brought them closer to the cursed spirit's Domain.

The moment they crossed into the Domain, the atmosphere shifted. The surroundings darkened, and the air crackled with malicious energy. They were met with an eerie, shadowy landscape, a manifestation of the curse's power.

However, the scene was even more complicated than they anticipated. Emerging from the shadows was the Death Painting Womb, a new and unfamiliar cursed spirit. Both the newly manifested cursed spirit and the Death Painting Womb seemed confused by each other's presence.

Yuji stepped forward, his resolve clear. "I'll handle this one," he said, facing the Death Painting Womb. "You guys deal with the curse in the Domain."

Megumi and Nobara nodded, splitting up to tackle their respective foes. The Death Painting Womb, with its grotesque and menacing form, advanced on Yuji, its intent to cause harm unmistakable.

__________________________________________________________________________________