First, they built a small campfire by the trail.

  For three sorcerers, this wasn't a difficult task.

  Then, they improvised, using materials they could find nearby.

  "We're not seriously eating this, are we?"

  Nobara stared at the crude sto pced over the fire. Inside were a few boiled leaves, looking less like food and more like survival desperation.

  "Hey, there's nothing else we do. The river didn't even have a single fish," Yuji Itadori said, scratg the back of his head with a helpless smile.

  While he had found a river, it provided nothing except water. There were no fish, no is—nothing living at all. All they could do was gather some leaves to make a weak soup.

  "..."

  Nobara didn't respond immediately, her lips pressing into a thin line. She wasn't someone spoiled by luxury, but even so, this was a new low.

  Her gaze shifted to Maki, who sat silently, showing no sign of pint. Nobara sighed inwardly. If Maki wasn't grumbling, it didn't feel right for her to say anythiher.

  Relutly, she dipped her spoon into the "soup" and took a sip. It was bnd, uizing, and barely enough to stave off hunger.

  "It's not enough," Maki said suddenly, standing up after finishing her portion.

  "We don't know how long we'll be trapped here. Even as sorcerers, we only go so long without proper food. Hunger won't kill us immediately, but we 't keep this up forever."

  Maki grabbed her sword and g the forest.

  "I'll go scout around. Stay here ahe fire going."

  Before either Nobara or Yuji could stop her, Maki had already disappeared into the woods.

  "Damn it…" Yuji muttered, frustrated at her suddeure.

  All they could do noait and hope Maki returned safely—and, ideally, with something edible.

  "I'll gather more firewood," Yuji said after a moment, breaking the tense silence.

  The campfire o stay lit, and with the forest surrounding them, there was no she of wood. It was better than just sitting around doing nothing.

  ---

  Yuji didn't wander far, staying close to the camp. As he moved, he used the opportunity to practice his physical teiques.

  "Ha!"

  With a loud cry, Yuji smmed his fist into the trunk of a nearby tree. His punch owerful enough to break the trunk in half, sending the tree crashing to the ground.

  "Hah…"

  Exhaling deeply, Yuji straightened up, wiping sweat from his brow.

  "My Taido is gettier," he murmured with satisfa.

  Taido was the martial art Gojo had taught him. For someone like Yuji, who hadn't yet awakened a cursed teique of his own, physical bat skills were his greatest strength.

  If he could master Bck Fsh iure, Yuji was fident he'd even be able to take on low-tier special-grade curses.

  "Hahaha!" Yuji chuckled to himself, his usual optimism shining through.

  "..."

  Back at the campfire, Nnced in his dire and rolled her eyes.

  "Doesn't he ever get tired of showing off?" she muttered.

  Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she had to admit Yuji's progress was impressive. Gojo's teag had paid off, and Yuji's raw talent made Taido an excellent fit for him.

  It was a smart move on Gojo's part. Since Yuji's only cursed teiques came from Sukuna aherefore unusable for obvious reasons fog on physical bat was the best option.

  Fojo, teag Yuji Taido had probably been little more than a passing whim. But for Yuji, it had bee the foundation of his strength.

  ---

  "Alright, that should be enough," Yuji said after gathering a good amount of firewood.

  He returo the campfire, adding some of the wood to keep it burning steadily. The dowo Nobara, both of them waiting for Maki to return.

  But as the hours dragged on and the sun began to set, worry started to creep in.

  "She's been gone for too long," Yuji said, his voice tense.

  "Do you think something happeo her?"

  Nobara didn't answer right away. Though she shared his , she forced herself to remain calm.

  "There's no point in panig," she said finally. "And just because she hasn't e back yet doesn't mean she's in danger. With Maki-senpai's strength, if something had happehere would've been some sign of it by now."

  "..."

  Yuji nodded slowly, taking some fort in her words.

  Maki might ck cursed energy, but her physical abilities more than made up for it. As a Heavenly Restri user, her raw strength and skill pced her on par with a quasi-first-grade sorcerer.

  The only reasoill carried the rank of a frade sorcerer was due to the Zenin family's interferehey couldn't accept someoh no cursed energy rising through the ranks, as it would reflect poorly on the family.

  ***

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