"I 't take it anymore~ I really 't~"

  The m, ihe hotel, Sayuri's hoarse voice echoed in the room. She truly couldn't ha anymore. Her body ached all over, and she y sprawled across the bed in exhaustion.

  "I'm heading to school," Ryuji said casually, taking a quick photo of Sayuri's flushed, worn-out face befetting dressed and preparing to leave.

  "Go o out!" Sayuri grumbled, waving him off. She was too tired to even lift her head. Her entire body felt sore, and she knew she'd be limping for the few days. Despite the disfort, there was a certain sense of satisfa. Last night had been araordinary experience for her.

  "I really o sleep," she mumbled, pulling the covers over her head. After staying up all night, she felt like if she didn't rest soon, she might just pass out from sheer exhaustion.

  Watg her drift off into a deep sleep, Ryuji quietly left the hotel, careful not to disturb her.

  ---

  As Ryuji walked into the ter that m, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Yukin at him with a look that could only be described as pure rese.

  "Ah…" Ryuji mentally kicked himself. No wonder something had felt off earlier, he had totally fotten that he was supposed to visit Yukino's pce the previous night.

  He scratched the back of his head, trying to figure out how to expin himself. Before he could e up with anything, his phone suddenly rang. The name "Nanami Kento" fshed on the s, and Ryuji, curious, answered the call.

  Yukino, who had been ready to storm off, paused. Her frustratio her rooted in pce.

  "Why are you callihis early?" Ryuji asked, holding the phoo his ear.

  There was a deep sigh oher end. "Sorry to bother you, but do you have time today?" Nanami Kento asked.

  Ryuji's i piqued. "What's going on?"

  Nanami's voice was ced with . "Retly, there's been a huge surge in the number of cursed spirits. A few new special-grade spirits have even appeared. The higher-ups believe that within a month, humanity will bee fully aware of the cursed spirits' existence."

  Ryuji frowned. Cursed spirits had always been around, but the sudden increase in their numbers, especially the appearance of special-grade spirits, was arming.

  Nanami tinued, "The sorcerers are already spread thin. We've dealt with most of the threats, but there are still a few special-grade cursed spirits that we haven't been able to handle. you help? Don't worry, Jujutsu High will cover any costs for your assistance."

  Ryuji's mind raced. Retly, he'd felt that abs weaker cursed spirits wasn't helping him grow anymore. He needed a challenge, something powerful enough to push his limits.

  "Sure, sehe details," Ryuji said. It wasn't just about the money. He could feel that dev these higher-grade cursed spirits would be the key to breaking past his current bottleneck.

  Nanami sounded relieved. "Thank you. I'll send you the locations shortly."

  "Great. I'll take care of it," Ryuji replied, his tone casual. "After all, I like this world too much to let it fall apart. If cursed spirits start running rampant, that'd ruin my fun."

  Nanami chuckled oher end. "You've got an odd way of putting things, but I appreciate it."

  After a few more words, Ryuji hung up the phone and turo Yukino, who was still standing there.

  "It looks like I won't be able to stay at school today," Ryuji said, his tone apologetic. "I was going to tell you st night, but—"

  "There's o expin," Yukino suddenly interrupted, her voice soft.

  Ryuji blinked in fusion. "Huh?"

  Yukino's expression softened. "I overheard your versation just now. I didn't realize… you're not just a regur student. You're a sorcerer. I should've knower than to accuse you of anything. You were out there fighting cursed spirits, weren't you? And here I was, being selfish…"

  " _ "

  Ryuji was caught off guard. He hadn't expected her to e to that clusion on her own. "Uh, well, I…"

  "You must have been w all night. It's no wonder you didn't e," Yukino tinued, her eyes filled with uanding. "Please… be safe out there, Ryuji."

  Ryuji sighed, realizing there was o correct her. "Thanks. I'll be back soon."

  Yukino smiled, though there was a touch of sadness in it. "I'll be waiting… tonight, or tomorrow night. No matter how long it takes, I'll wait for you."

  Her words were soft, but they carried a quiet determination. It wasn't the fiery kind of love, but something mentle, more patient. Ryuji, a bit touched by her resolve, nodded.

  "Alright then. Take care of school for me."

  "I will," Yukino replied with a serious nod, watg him walk out of the .

  As he made his way through the school halls, Ryuji felt someone brush past him. He turned just in time to see a pink-haired boy, who immediately caught his attention.

  "Itadori Yuji?" Ryuji muttered to himself, reizing the boy. Yuji, the future vessel for Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses.

  But what's Yuji doing here? Ryuji wohen again, if Yuta Okkotsu had been from Sobu High School, it wasn't too far-fetched to think that Yuji might attend the same school.

  "What's wrong?" Yukino asked, notig Ryuji staring after the pink-haired boy.

  Before he could answer, a girl from behind rushed up to Yuji and shoved him pyfully, causing him to stumble right into Ryuji.

  "Woah!" Yuji yelped as he tripped forward.

  Reag instinctively, Ryuji reached out and caught him before he hit the ground.

  "tact established with target: Itadori Yuji!"

  "Goldery triggered. Would you like to load it?"

  A familiar voice echoed in Ryuji's head, making him smile slightly. "A goldery, huh? Nice."

  "Thanks!" Yuji said, standing up and giving Ryuji a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention."

  "It's fine," Ryuji replied, letting go of Yuji.

  The girl who had pushed Yuji came running up, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, Yuji! I was just trying to mess with you!"

  Yuji waved her off. "Don't worry about it."

  After thanking Ryuji again, Yuji and the girl left, chatting and ughing as they disappeared down the hall.

  Yukino, still beside Ryuji, tilted her head. "Do you know him?"

  Ryuji smiled. "Not personally, but I have a feeling we'll cross paths again."

  "Is he a sorcerer too?" Yukino asked, intrigued.

  "He's got potential," Ryuji said, though he kept the full truth about Yuji's e to Sukuna to himself. It wasn't something he could expin easily.

  "Well then, I hope he'll be alright," Yukino said, though she didn't press the matter further. The Service Club had already dealt with enough strauations for her to trust Ryuji's instincts.

  Ryuji g his phone, notig that Nanami had already sent him the details of the special-grade cursed spirit. "Looks like I've got work to do."

  "Good luck," Yukino said softly.

  "Thanks," Ryuji replied with a wave as he left the school grounds.

  ---

  As he made his way toward the location Nanami had provided, Ryuji couldn't help but refle the goldery he had just received from Yuji.

  "Goldery: Domain Expansion – Malevolent Shrine."

  "Malevolent Kit," as JJK fans often call it, was Ryomen Sukuna's Domain Expansion teique. The sheer destructive power of it was mind-boggling. It allowed Sukuna to ssh through anything within the domain with lethal precision. The fact that Ryuji could now use this ability was both exhirating and slightly terrifying.

  "So I even unlock future abilities?" Ryuji mused to himself, pleased with the ued bonus. He had wanted a domain expansion for some time, and now, thanks to Yuji's e to Sukuna, he had it.

  "Let's see how this works in a," he muttered, excited to try it out on the special-grade cursed spirit awaiting him.

  ---

  Elsewhere, he edge of the city, a blizzard raged, c everything in snow and ice. The cursed spirit that had caused the sudden drop in temperature was relentless, its eerie wails eg through the streets.

  Standing in the middle of the snowstorm was a lone sorcerer with long, light-blue hair. She wielded a massive battle axe with surprising grace, each swing cutting through the cursed spirits surrounding her.

  The sorcerer's strength and poise were remarkable, It was hard to believe that such a seemingly frail body could swing the battle axe so effortlessly, without showing any signs of fatigue.