We reached the gates of New Hope High School, but the whole place looked like a warzone. A weird, cursed mist poured out of the windows like some evil incense, and I was already regretting every life decision since crossing the street.

  Then—

  BOOOOM.

  A whole damn wall crumbled in the distance. Before I could even react, Gojo snatched me by the collar.

  “Up we go.”

  He leapt. We soared like heroes from a last-season anime reboot, and landed in the middle of the courtyard. I turned to yell at him—

  “When did you get candy?” I asked, eyeing the sweets bag in his hand.

  He casually munched a marshmallow. “When the author rewatched the anime.”

  I clenched my jaw. That... was fair.

  But then we saw Megumi—rough, battered, bleeding, standing tall despite the bruises. His hair was a mess. His pride? Even messier.

  “SEEMS YOU’VE LEFT ME NO CHOICE!!” Megumi shouted, hand forming a sign. “WITH THIS TREASURE I SUMMO—”

  Thwack.

  Gojo smacked him clean on the back of the head. “Nope. Stop. You’ll cause more harm than good.”

  Megumi hissed, rubbing his skull. “That curse... it ate two students and... Sukuna’s finger.”

  I froze. Sukuna’s finger. The thing that started it all. The reason Yuji got cursed energy in the first place.

  And now?

  Some ugly, blob-like demon had it lodged in its stomach, snarling and steaming like it drank three Red Bulls and got dumped on the same day. Definitely not winning any Mrs. Universe pageants.

  “Welp.” Gojo sighed, forming a gun with his fingers. “Guess it’s my turn.”

  “Phase Paramita: Pillar of Light.”

  A red orb snapped into place at his fingertip—then, bang. He fired. The curse howled, shattered, collapsed, and out popped the finger.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The kids? Gone. Unrecoverable. A real bummer.

  But I saw it—my chance. My shortcut.

  I sprinted, snatched the finger like a man grabbing the last samosa at a wedding, and shoved it down my throat before my brain could talk me out of it.

  Cough. Choke. Hack.

  Megumi’s voice echoed in my memory—“It’s poison. He’ll die on the spot. One-in-a-million chance.”

  I coughed harder—but not from poison. From taste.

  It was disgusting. Like rotting pennies dipped in sulfur and disrespect.

  And then...

  The tattoos began forming on my body.

  “Well shii—”

  Darkness.

  I was yanked into spectator mode. I couldn’t move. Couldn't speak. Just watch... as he took over.

  Sukuna.

  "HAHAHAHAHA! IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK! WHERE ARE THEY—THE WOMEN!!!"

  I panicked. Inside my mind, it felt like I was thrown in a deep pit, scrabbling to climb up as he laughed, flexed my muscles, and ogled everything.

  Then Gojo stepped forward. Calm. Playful.

  “Hey, Sukuna. Big fan. You down for a little warm-up after your thousand-year nap?”

  Megumi visibly shook. I swear he almost peed himself.

  And then—

  They fought.

  ---

  Sukuna lunged. A blur of cursed power. A slash aimed for Gojo’s throat—

  But Gojo wasn’t there.

  He appeared behind him. “Too slow.”

  A slap to the back of Sukuna’s head.

  Sukuna roared, summoned blades from cursed energy and hurled them in a wide arc. Gojo walked forward, blades bending around him.

  Infinity.

  Sukuna charged, aiming a knee straight for Gojo’s chest—Gojo caught it with one hand. Spun. Slammed Sukuna into the ground.

  “You’re rusty.”

  Sukuna roared and leapt up, teeth bared, trying to pierce the barrier.

  Gojo raised a hand. Blue light surged.

  “Stop with the circus lights!” Sukuna muttered, backing up.

  Gojo smiled. “Nah, not worth it.”

  He flickered forward, pulled back a punch—and just as he threw it—

  ---

  I climbed. Inside my own mind, the pit was getting shallower. Every hit Sukuna took made it easier for me to claw my way back up. One meter. Half a meter.

  I jumped.

  Just as Gojo’s punch launched—

  I took control.

  "NOPE!" I ducked, dodging his flaming blue fist by a literal inch. It sliced through the air behind me.

  “OH COME ON!” Megumi screamed. “YOU COULD HAVE KILLED US!”

  Gojo blinked. “Hey, that’s not fair—he dodged.”

  I stood up, trembling, tattoos fading. I was back. I was me.

  And we were all traumatized.

  Gojo shrugged and patted me on the back. “Well, congrats. You're Sukuna’s new Airbnb.”

  I muttered, “This was a mistake.”

  Megumi dragged his hand down his face. “This timeline sucks.”

  Gojo pulled out another candy. “Let’s go. Time for you two to see your new school.”

  Jujutsu Tech.

  Because apparently, I was officially a sorcerer now.

  ---