Young Fish and Reverse Punishment 3

'They're alike,' Nanami thought as he fought Mahito thinking of Him and Gojo.

'Almost textbook... superficiality. And beyond that... deep dark strength.'

*WHAM

*BOOMM

Mahito's expression is one of mocking curiosity as he regards Nanami, his unsettling eyes gleaming with malice.

"Humans are such interesting creatures," Mahito says, his tone almost playful. "So fragile, yet so full of potential."

Nanami's grip on his blunt blade tightens. His face is set in a grim expression, eyes focused and unwavering. "You speak as if you're not a monster yourself," he replies, his voice cold and calm.

Without warning, Mahito lunges forward, his body shifting grotesquely as he manipulates his flesh. His arm extends unnaturally, transforming into a massive, gnarled fist aimed directly at Nanami. The sorcerer sidesteps the attack with practiced ease, bringing his blade down in a precise strike aimed at Mahito's exposed torso.

*SHAKK

*BOOMM

But Mahito is faster. His body morphs again, twisting out of the way just in time. The blade slices through the air, missing its target by a hair's breadth. Mahito laughs, the sound echoing eerily in the empty space. "You'll have to do better than that, sorcerer."

Nanami remains unfazed, his expression unreadable as he recalibrates his stance. 

"it's 5:30... I started work today at ten, so..." Nanami said as he looked at his wristwatch.

"No matter what... I'm clocking out by six."

********

Junpei arrived at his home to find his teacher sitting on the steps.

"Junpei. Where were you?" he asked.

"You can't skip out on school like that."

"Sotomura Sensei..." Junpei said hesitantly.

"Did you hear? Salaam, Nishimura, and Honda... All died. You.. were all friends, right?" Sotomura asked.

"huh?" Junpei said.

"They always looked out for you... Since you don't have friends. And you weren't even at their funeral."

'Friends? Me? With them??' Junpei thought widening his eyes as he began to not feel well.

"C'mon, I'll go with you... Let's offer up some incense."

'He's insane,' Junpei thought looking at his teacher.

"Teachers... All of you go to graduate school and then find work at a school. You haven't experienced the real world, have you?" Junpei said 

'You and....'

"That's why adults... Who are just like big kids like you exist."

'Everyone else.' 

"I support everything you represent, Junpei," Junpei remembered what Mahito said.

"What're you mumbling about? Spending too much time by yourself got you crazy? Just kidding! Ha ha ha," Sotomura laughed.

Junpei raised his hand sticking up two fingers about to attack the teacher

*VOOON

"Stop!!" Azure exclaimed as he jumped out trying to catch the fly-head cursed spirit.

*Five Seconds before the missions botched...

"Here we go, Azure!" Ijichi said as he let the fly heads loose.

"Hold on! Somebody's there!" Azure said noticing the man in front of Junpei.

"Huh?"

As Azure caught the fly head. he looked at Junpei who looked at the fly head.

'Oh he... can see them,' Azure thought as he flipped mid-air landing on the ground.

"What? Is he a gymnast?" Sotomura asked looking at Azure.

Azure walked up to Junpei.

"Hey. There's something I have to ask you. Come with me for a second," Azure said ignoring Sotomura.

Junpei looked down at his uniform.

"!"

'This button...' He thought.

"Hold on, can't you see I'm talking to him right now? How rude!" Sotomura said pushing Azure.

"Sorry, but it's really important," Azure responded.

"Important?! What does some kid know?!"

Azure looked at Sotomura before his calm expression became serious scaring Sotomura, making him back off leaving.

"All right, let go," Azure said to Junpei.

"You didn't have to do that... You could have just dragged me off," Junpei said.

"I guess... But you don't like him, right?" Azure asked.

"Why...?"

"It's just a hunch. Am I wrong?" Azure asked.

"No, you're not."

"You don't want someone you hate hanging around your house, right?" Azure asked.

"Yeah..."

*********

"Is that it... grade one sorcerer?" Mahito asked looking at Nanami watching as blood streamed down his left side.

"huohh... How unfortunate," Nanami sighed.

'What? His cursed energy..." Mahito thought.

"I'm now... working overtime," Nanami said as he untightened his tie.

'Is increasing!!'

Nanami wrapped his tie around his fist.

'Overtime? He restricts himself based on time! He was limiting his power until now!' Mahito thought.

"Interesting!"

Mahito doesn't give him time to think. He rushes forward again, this time shifting his body into a grotesque amalgamation of limbs and sharp edges, all aimed at overwhelming Nanami.

The sorcerer meets the attack head-on, his blade flashing as he expertly deflects and counters each strike.

*CRACKKK

*BAMM

Nanami smashes the wall next to him, The impact of the hit made the roof start to crumble down.

*CRACC

*BOOMM

*CRR

'What power! And what was the streak of cursed energy?... applied to the destruction!! A large-scale attack, and he doesn't care if he gets hit while doing it. I better...' Mahito thought.

"Dodge this."

*KRAKK

Out of nowhere, Mahito appeared behind Mahito striking his leg with his wrapped machete.

*THUD

Mahito fell to the ground.

"I shall take my leave. you should do the same after you fix your leg. We'll meet again... if we're both still alive by then" Nanami said looking at Mahito before he left.

******

"Huh? An earthquake?" Azure said as he felt the ground shaking a little.

"yeah... Felt like about a 2.0?" Junpei said as he and Azure sat on some steps.

"No god. I can't reach Ijichi," Azure said as he tried calling him.

"Can I just start questioning him now?" Azure asked lowly.

'Can I just be straight with him? How much about Jujutsu High can I even tell him?'

(Ijichi went to chase the second fly head)

'What should I do...?' Azure thought,

"If you run into students wearing a spiral button... You should befriend them. They're Jujutsu Sorcerers. Im sure you'll hit it off," Junpei remembered what Mahito said.

'But I thought Sorcerers were Mahito's enemies.'

"Just forget it! U'll just ask him." Junpei heard Azure say.

"Hey, people died at the movie theater you went to. Did you see anything? Maybe something weird like this thing?" Azure asked as he pointed to the fly head in his hand.

"No, I didn't," Junpei said as Mahito came to his mind.

"I only came to see things... recently."

"Oh..." Azure said as he went to go sit beside Junpei.

"Then, I have nothing else for you."

"That's it?" Junpei asked.

"But my superior's coming soon, so can you wait a bit?" Azure asked.

"Sure..."

"Anyway, what movie were you watching?" Azure asked breaking the silence.

"It's an old movie. You wouldn't know it," Junpei said.

"tell me."

"Earth-Worm Man 3"

"Ah.. that one was super boring..." Azure said as he remembered Megumi watching it so he watched with him.

"Sheesh... but it's a splatter film, so... I guess it's not the kind of movie where you can expect some kind of story..." Junpei said.

"But the second..."

"But the second one was actually not bad," Azure said interrupting Junpei.

Junpei quickly looked at Azure with a little blush.

"Hm.." said noticing his quick change in personality

"yeah! Exactly! The second movie has some redeeming qualities!" Junpei exclaimed.

Geto looked at the two from a distance on a bride.

"Jackpot," He said smiling.