After the rain

*Location: Tokyo city

"Was it necessary to use a precious finger... just to get the information... about Sukuna and Kuro's power?" a curse with a volcano on its head that had one eye asked.

"We can't take half-measures with this," A man with a stitched forehead and long black hair said.

"We got some valuable information." The man smiled.

"Hmph! I hope that's not an excuse."

"uwiadhudh." Another curse with branches as eyes and a huge cloth around his body said.

"You! Shut up! I can't understand what you're saying but I can hear the meaning in my head! It's creepy!" The volcano head curse yelled at the other curse.

The three and one other curse walked into a restaurant.

"Welcome! Party of one?" The waitress asked.

"yes. Only one." The man smiled at her.

*********

*Underground of Jujutsu High

"It was intentional wasn't it?" Gojo asked Ichiji as he sat on a table looking at the covered-up body of Yuji.

"What do you mean?" Ichiji asked Gojo as his heart started beating intensely.

"The enemy was a special grade. Five rescue targets who weren't even confirmed alive. There's no way I'd send in first years for that," Gojo said as he scratched his head.

"I had to pull some strings to get a stay of execution for Itadori. Those crusty higher-ups used the special grade to get rid of him in my absence. If the other three had died, that would have been icing on the cake right?" Gojo said not smiling.

"But when the mission was planned... there was no indication of a special grade..." Ichiji said as he started shaking in worry.

"What a pain finding the culprit," Gojo said.

"Maybe I should just... Kill all the higher-ups!" Gojo said menacingly accidentally oozing out a little of his power

*VNNNN

"You're being emotional for once!" A lady said as she entered the room.

"You had a soft spot for him, huh?" The Jujutsu High Doctor, Shoko Ieiri said.

"No, I have a soft spot for all my students," Gojo said to her.

"Don't pick on Ijichi too much. He's caught in the middle between us and the higher-ups," Shoko said.

Ichiji blushed.

"I don't care about his hardships," Gojo replied.

"I see.."

Shoko took the cover off of Yuji revealing the big hole in his chest.

*FSHH

"So... this is... Sukuna's vessel."

"I can dissect him any way I want, right?" Shoko asked.

"You better make it worth it," Gojo replied.

"I will. Who do you think I am?"

******

*Location: Front of Jujutsu High.

"He told us to live a long life..." Azure said as he sat on the steps next to Megumi and Nobara.

"What use is he dead?" Nobara said scrunching her eyebrows.

"Hey... is this the first time a friend of yours has died?" Nobara asked Megumi and Azure.

"A classmate, yeah..." Azure answered.

"Really? But you seem fine," Nobara said looking at Azure.

"Look who's talking," Megumi said.

"Of course, I've only known him for two weeks."

"I'm not the kind of girl... Who cries over a guy like that," Nobara said.

Azure glanced at Nobara who seemed to be clenching her teeth trying not to cry,

*FSSHH

The wind blew breaking the silence that surrounded the three.

"Man, It's hot!" Nobara said.

"Yeah... I wonder when we'll get our summer uniforms," Megumi said.

"Sheeesh... You're more moody than usual... Megumi," A girl's voice was heard in front of the three.

"What is this, a funeral?!" The girl exclaimed walking up to the three.

"Zen'in senpai..." Megumi said looking at her.

"Don't you dare call me by my last–" MakI started before she heard someone calling her name.

"Maki. Maki!!"

She looked back to see her classmates Panda and Inumaki behind a tree.

"He really did die. It happened yesterday! A first–year boy!!" Panda exclaimed sweating.

"Fish flakes!!" Inumaki said.

"You are a little late!" Maki said as she started sweating.

"Now I look like a cold-hearted demon!" Maki yelled at the two.

"Well, you pretty much are!" Panda exclaimed.

"Tuna mayo."

"Who are they?" Azure asked.

"Our school's upperclassmen," Megumi said.

"That's Zen'in senpai. Out of all the students here, nobody's a better-cursed tool user than her.

This is Inumaki senpai. He's a cursed speech user. The only words he says are rice-ball ingredients.

And panda senpai"

Megumi said pointing at each one.

"Yuta senpai isn't here, but he's the only one who I sincerely respect. he's abroad right now."

"You gonna elaborate on Panda? Or is he just you know, a Panda?" Nobara asked looking at Panda.

"Sorry 'bout this.. especially during this sad time," Panda said.

"But we want you guys... to participate in the Kyoto sister-school goodwill event."

"Kyoto sister-school goodwill event?" Nobara asked.

"It's a goodwill event with the other Jujutsu High in Kyoto. But isn't it usually second and third years who participate?" Megumi asked.

"That idiot third year is suspended right now. we don't have enough people, so you guys are in," Maki answered.

"What do we do in the event? Smash bros?" Nobara asked.

"Maybe the three of us are fine..." Panda said lowly.

"Tokyo high. Kyoto High. Over two days... each principal chooses an event for the day. But that's oversimplifying it. Every year follows the same pattern–– the first day is the team event and the second day is the individual event," Panda explained.

"Individual and team events... against other Jujutsu sorcerers?" Azure asked.

"Yep! A jujutsu battle where 'no killing' is the only rule!" Maki smiled.

"We'll make sure to get you guys in tip-top shape so you don't die!" Panda said showing his muscles.

"Hm? Do we have the time?" Nobara asked.

"Yeah.. we're low on jujutsu sorcerers, right? Right now... people's depression during the winter and spring seasons... manifests as curses in huge quantities during the summer. it's the busy season, so to speak," Azure said.

"There are times when it's busy all year. it's probably gonna calm down a little though," Maki said.

"Hm..." Megumi voiced.

"So? You're in right? Do it for your fallen friend!" Maki exclaimed.

"We're in!" Megumi and Nobara exclaimed as Azure nodded his head.

'I'll become stronger. I'll do anything it takes,' Azure thought as Yuji appeared in his mind.

"But if I think... Both the training and event are pointless, I'm out," Megumi said.

"Same," Azure said.

"Heh... it should be fun putting you guys in your place," Maki smiled.

"Fish Flakes,"

******

*Location: Restaurant

"So, your boss... wants to reverse the roles of curses and humans in this world. Is that right?" The stitched-forehead man whose name was Geto asked the volcano head curse.

"Not quite," Volcano head said.

"Humans are made of lies. there's always a slip side to the positive emotions they show. But negative emotions... such as hatred and killing intent... are pure truths.

Curses born from such truths are... The purest form! we're the true humans! the fake ones... should be burned away!" Volcano head whose name was Jogo said.

"But the reality is... you'll be the ones who disappear," Geto said.

"That's why we're asking... for help defeating the Jujutsu Sorcerers," Jogo said.

"Before the war... you'll need to meet three conditions to win," Geto said holding up two fingers.

"First, Immobilize Satoru Gojo and remove him from the fight. Second, make an Ally of Ryomen Sukuna and Yuji Itadori, and lastly, kill Azure and Kuro."

"Why don't we make Kuro and Azure our allies?" Jogo asked.

"They're too powerful if they were to change their minds... We would die in an instant by Kuro," Geto said.

"Isn't Yuji Itadori... dead?" Jogo asked.

"Don't be so sure... about that," Geto smiled.

********

*Location: Inside Yuji

"Don't look up at me without permission. It's annoying," Sukuna smiled as he sat on a pile of bone head looking at Sukuna.

"You brat!"

"Then get down here... So I can look down on ya!!" Yuji exclaimed.