Chapter Text
Yuuji wasn’t sure how exactly they escaped Shibuya. Things had gotten very chaotic after the curse user fled. He was too focused on the emptiness inside him. Although Sukuna had kept to himself the majority of the time, his lack of presence felt stinging to Yuuji. Whatever that long-haired man had done, it had cut him off from the King of Curses. The only thing that stopped him from chasing after the man, besides his friends and teacher, was the fact that he could still somewhat sense Sukuna. It was as if he was trapped inside several layers of thick barriers that stopped the teen from reaching out to the curse.
Yuuji felt sick. He had never realized how much he had gotten used to Sukuna’s presence. Although he had only known the curse for several months, being alone in his own mind was messing with him. It was too silent. Too empty. He could only catch glimpses of a ruckus among the sorcerers before he found his body becoming heavy as his eyes slid shut. A cold pair of arms caught him, and he knew no more.
Yuuji hoped Sukuna would be back when he woke up.
Satoru should’ve known that those geezers would take any chance to get rid of him. It was only his sheer power that stopped those old fools from acting stupid. Now that he couldn’t use his cursed energy, the elders had the great idea to eliminate him.
[NOTICE FROM JUJUTSU HEADQUARTERS:]
[1. GETO SUGURU’S SURVIVAL HAS BEEN CONFIRMED, AND HE SHALL BE SENTENCED TO DEATH AGAIN.]
[2. GOJO SATORU HAS BEEN DEEMED AN ACCOMPLISH IN THE SHIBUYA INCIDENT. HE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY EXILED FROM JUJUTSU WORLD. ANYONE THAT CONTINUES TO HELP OR COLLABORATE WITH HIM WILL BE MARKED AS A TRAITOR.]
[3. YAGA MASAMICHI SHALL RECEIVE DEATH PENALTY FOR INCITING GOJO SATORU AND GETO SUGURU. HE IS ALSO DEEMED ONE OF THE PERPETRATORS OF THE SHIBUYA INCIDENT.]
[4. THE SUSPENSION OF ITADORI YUUJI’S DEATH SENTENCE HAS BEEN REVOKED, AND HE SHALL BE EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY.]
Seeing the notice shared with all the sorcerers made Satoru want to laugh. He really should have killed those higher-ups before. Unluckily for them, he had prepared himself for this event. Although he had not expected to get his powers sealed away, he was never someone without a backup plan. With the mole gone, he had safely shared his findings with more allies he could trust.
The people who saw him during the end of the Shibuya mission were those who were on his side. The moment they saw this notice, they quickly started their backup plan. Technically, it was only he and Yuuji who had to go into hiding. However, the group who defected somehow got bigger than expected.
Hearing the ridiculous notice from Jujutsu Headquarters, all the first years had refused to leave their friend alone. Panda had been a bit torn between supporting his teacher and looking for Yaga, so Satoru readily permitted him to return to his father. He had known that his old teacher could be targeted if Satoru was taken out in an unlikely event. Thus, they had also prepared an exit route and a safe house for Yaga. Maki and Toge decided to accompany their classmate, but they promised to stay in contact with Satoru.
Nanami had refused to run away saying that they would need someone inside to feed them information. The Kyoto students and Utahime wisely pretended they knew nothing about Satoru’s plan. Kusakabe also returned to Jujutsu Headquarters, and despite his cowardly nature, Satoru knew that the man had his own ideals and wouldn’t snitch on them. Shoko also returned to Jujutsu High since if she went missing too, then the higher-ups would get too suspicious.
Everything was going as expected except for the extra four guests who invited themselves into their safe house. Now, Satoru had expected the three Death Paintings would stick around due to their connection to Yuuji, but he didn’t know what to think about Sukuna’s follower. The white-haired monk had refused to let go of Yuuji and only glared at them with venomous eyes. The first years and the Death Painting looked ready to go on a brawl with an obviously special-grade curse user, but Satoru had to be their voice of reason and stop them.
In the end, they all headed together into a safe house that Satoru had prepared. He had many properties under his name. While some were purchased openly, he kept a handful a secret, even from the Gojo clan. Being the strongest sorcerer, he was paid handsomely, and he spent his money to buy these properties. Of course, he had never expected that he would use one himself due to his status. These safe houses were actually for people he had taken under his protection.
Reaching the safe house was a bit of a challenge, especially due to the group’s size and appearance. The Death Paintings were sticking out the most, and they had a bit of a headache until Megumi offered to use his shadow to hide them. Their string of bad luck in Shibuya finally came to an end since they could enter the building without being noticed. Fortunately, the safe house he picked could house many people. It was a large old building in the suburb with a big yard and a nearby forest.
For security, Satoru had placed several barriers around the property. One for impeding regular humans from noticing. Another for hiding this spot from sorcerers. Then, there was a third one that could tank attacks from outside. The place was as safe as it could be.
Although the group had arrived at their destination, they could barely let out a relieved sigh. This was because of the unwelcome person who was still carrying Yuuji. Uraume had not spoken a word to them when they followed the group. It seemed the monk had taken Sukuna’s command very seriously and refused to let Yuuji out of their sight. Everyone was put off at seeing their supposed enemy holding the teen, but they couldn’t afford to get into a big fight right now.
“Alright!” Satoru clapped his hands to bring attention to himself. “I know all of you guys are tired, so pick a room for yourself and take a break. We will gather again tomorrow morning. Okay?”
Most of them looked like they wanted to protest, but a sharp look from Satoru made them hold their words. Despite the warning, Choso still gritted out, “What about Yuuji?”
The Death Painting didn’t appreciate how close Uraume was to his youngest brother. His hands did not stop twitching whenever he looked at them. He clearly wanted to grab the boy away but knew that he was no match against the curse user.
“I’ll help Uraume and get Yuuji settled in his own room,” Satoru said.
Hearing that response, the group finally forced themselves to disperse. Satoru watched them go inside before he turned his gaze on the curse user. Uraume did not flinch and met his stare.
“I heard what Sukuna ordered you to do,” Satoru said. “Protect Yuuji, huh? That guy sure is attached.”
“Do not speak of Sukuna-sama,” Uraumed replied with a deep furrow. “And do not test my patience. You are severely weakened, sorcerer, and I can easily kill you and your allies. Be grateful that I deem your cooperation beneficial to the completion of my mission.”
“How scary~” Satoru laughed at the threat. He wasn’t worried at all. Although he had only just met the curse user, their loyalty to Sukuna was easy to see. For now, the monk would pose no threat to them. Still, he wanted to keep an eye on this special guest since they were quite unpredictable. The Death Painting had an emotional attachment to Yuuji, but Uraume was only following Sukuna’s order. Who knew what the curse user would do to Yuuji if they let them out of their sight? Just because the King of Curses ordered to protect the teen didn’t mean that the monk wouldn’t try something to make Sukuna return forcefully.
“Are we going to waste our time standing here, or will you allow this child to rest properly?” Uraume pointedly raised Yuuji’s unconscious body a few centimeters.
“Sure. Sure. Follow me.” Satoru led them to a bedroom beside his. It seemed the others had picked their own resting spots. As expected, the Death Painting brothers decided to stay in the same space. Junpei and Megumi took a big room together, while Kugisaki stayed near them in an adjacent bedroom.
Uraume gently placed Yuuji down on the bed and opened the closet to pick out some clothes. Satoru had prepared various garments in each room so people could have something to wear. They might need to go on a shopping trip later, but these would do for now. The monk began to undress Yuuji and clean the grime off the boy under Satoru’s watch. It didn’t seem like the curse user was planning something insidious, so he let them be. Once the teen was clean, Uraume expertly placed new clothing on the boy. They clearly had a lot of experience with this, and Satoru wondered if they had done something similar for Sukuna.
“Hey, you seem awfully close to Sukuna,” Satoru said while resting his head on his hand. “Were you his attendant or something?”
Uraume didn’t answer him for a long time before they finally said, “You can consider me as such. My main role is Sukuna-sama’s cook.”
“What? Is he a picky eater or something?” Satoru joked.
Uraume glanced at him coldly. “Preparing and serving humans require a special touch. Sukuna-sama recognized my talents for the culinary arts and allowed me to stay beside him.”
Ah, yes. The King of Curses had been infamous for being a cannibal. He didn’t believe Sukuna had blatantly shown such preferences to Yuuji, or else the boy wouldn’t have gotten so attached to the curse this quickly. Satoru didn’t wish to think about Sukuna’s eating habits and promptly changed the subject. “So what are you going to do now, curse user? I know you’re not fond of sorcerers.”
Uraumed pursed their lips. “I will follow Sukuna-sama’s orders and protect Itadori Yuuji. As long as you do not get in the way, I see no reason to attack you.”
Although Satoru couldn’t use his power that didn’t mean he would let anybody threaten him like this. “As much as I hate to admit it, fighting you now is a bad move, so I’ll let you live.” He grinned. “Just remember that I’m keeping my eyes on you.”
Satoru slid off the black glasses he had worn during their journey to the safe house. Bright blue clashed with dark pink. The monk narrowed their eyes but held their stance. “I should say the same to you; don’t test my patience unless you wish to taste the biting coldness of my ice.”
“Noted~.” Satoru laughed. “Also, pick your own room now. I know you have to follow your master’s orders and all of that, but I’m not going to let you stay in Yuuji’s room.”
Uraumed shot him an unamused glare and calmly exited the door to find their own resting place. Satoru went to check on Yuuji, who was trapped in an uneasy sleep. His Six Eyes told him that Sukuna still existed within Yuuji, but Kenjaku’s seal was keeping him down. He could somewhat see the chains that wound around the King of Curses’ soul. Whatever that thing was, it was as tricky as the seal on Tsumiki’s forehead.
Seeing that he couldn’t do anything, Satoru finally went inside his own room to clean himself. Shoko was able to meet him for a short moment and heal his wounds, but he still felt like sh*t. The effect of the Soul Piercing Blade was throwing him off. He was someone who was born and surrounded by cursed energy. The feeling of living without one was suffocating. Was this how fishes felt when they got pulled out of water?
After he changed into clean clothes, Satoru threw himself on the bed and let out a deep sigh. He was absolutely bone tired and wanted to sleep, but his mind continued to whir and turn. The chain of events in Shibuya had absolutely thrown the peace and stability of the Jujutsu world off its axis.
Although they managed to survive Shibuya, Kenjaku was still free. Satoru did not doubt that man was planning something big. There was no way that curse user would let them go. Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do but wait and observe. Satoru couldn’t do much without his power, and he had to be very careful, or else he would put everything in jeopardy. With those heavy thoughts, he entered into an uneasy slumber that was broken with a loud bang from Yuuji’s room.
Satoru instantly got up and ran to check on his student. Yuuji was on the floor, struggling helplessly against his blanket, and the blanket was winning. The man let out a small laugh and helped the boy, “Yuuji-kun, calm down.”
The teen looked up with distressed eyes that somewhat lightened when he saw his teacher. “Gojo-sensei!” The boy threw himself toward Satoru, and the man easily caught him in an embrace. “I was so worried! When I heard you got your power sealed away, I was ready to run to Shibuya Station. Everything was a mess! I met those curse brothers and two girls. Then Sukuna told me to help the others and then-”
Satoru patted the boy on the back. “Shh… It’s okay. Calm down. Everyone is okay. You’re safe now.”
The boy sniffled and wiped his eyes harshly. “... I still can’t feel him…”
Satoru didn’t need to ask who Yuuji was referring to. It seemed the curse’s disappearance affected the teen more badly than he had previously expected. Well, spending so much time with someone who was stuck in your head was a one-of-a-kind experience. Even Satoru couldn’t imagine how one would feel to lose someone like that.
“Okay, don’t look so down. How about we eat something first?” Satoru coaxed the boy to his feet and led him outside. Uraume, who Satoru noticed arriving a second after him, was standing in the hall.
Satoru was about to introduce their guest to the student when Yuuji’s eyes widened. “You’re Sukuna’s friend!”
Uraume blinked at the title. Satoru also wanted to laugh. He didn’t believe that the King of Curses had such a thing as a friend.
“I am Sukuna-sama’s subordinate,” Uraume eventually said. “If you are hungry, I can make you a meal.”
“Um… I can make one myself,” Yuuji replied. The boy was one of the few students who loved to cook, and it wasn’t rare for him to make meals for his classmates and even Satoru. Uraume’s offer definitely threw him off since he was used to being the one who provided meals for others.
“There is no need. As long as I’m here, I shall make meals for you everyday.”
Satoru couldn’t help but ask, “Am I included too?”
Uraume sent him a sharp look but begrudgingly replied, “I shall make enough for everyone.”
The three entered the dining room. While Satoru and Yuuji took a seat on the table, Uraume went to the kitchen. There were already ingredients being prepared on the counter. Instead of resting like everyone, the monk had used the time to prepare breakfast. It seemed the curse user wasn’t only talented at making dishes from human meat since it didn’t take long for a delicious smell to come out of the pan. The sound of cooking eventually drew the others from their room. Everyone looked surprised to see Uraume cooking, but they followed Satoru and Yuuji’s example and took a seat.
“Potato head! How can you still look horrible despite sleeping since Shibuya?” Nobara asked when she saw the kid’s dark eyes. The boy, indeed, looked rather bad, especially accompanied by that ever-present furrow.
“I don’t think any of us slept well last night,” Megumi said, eyeing the coffee maker.
“Ugh, I still feel tired,” Junpei added, rubbing his eyes.
“Little brother! Are you hurt? Do you need help?” Choso asked, half standing from his seat.
Yuuji looked overwhelmed by the questions and sent a pleading look at Satoru. The man laughed and patted his head. “Calm down everyone. If you have questions, say them one by one.”
“Who is he, sensei?” Yuuji asked, glancing at Choso, who had returned to his seat but was still leaning toward Yuuji.
“Ah! This is our older brother!” Eso replied. The curse had actually put on some clothes, unlike his previous revealing outfit. He could have passed as a human if not for his black eyes.
Yuuji’s eyes widened in understanding; then he smiled at Choso. “I remember! You’re the one who helped sensei escape! Thank you so much!”
Choso looked like he was about to cry. “No need to thank me little brother! But please call me onii-chan!”
The kids sent a weird expression at the sudden request. They leaned their whole bodies away from the Death Painting.
“What’s this? A weird kink?” Nobara half-whispered to Megumi.
“What makes you think I know?” Megumi asked with a dead stare.
“I think I’ve watched a movie with this plot,” Junpei muttered to himself.
Yuuji blinked several times. “Oh… um… your brothers also claim that I’m your sibling, but I’m sure I’m an only child.”
“No, no. You’re my brother, Yuuji!” Choso insisted. “I know it’s hard to belief but we are connected by that wretched father of ours! Kamo Noritoshi!”
“Kamo?” Nobara tilted her head.
“Noritoshi?” Junpei copied her.
“The Kyoto student?” Megumi asked.
“No, no. This is a different person.” Satoru waved his hand. “There is another clan member with that name who lived many years ago. He was the creator of the Death Painting Cursed Wombs.”
The students’ eyes widened in understanding, but Nobara quickly noticed the strangeness. “Wait, shouldn’t he already be dead before the notion of Itadori’s existence even become possible.”
“That’s where you are wrong, student!” Satoru grinned. “Although he is called Kamo Noritoshi, the creator of the cursed womb is actually an ancient curse user. He has the ability to steal corpses and use them as puppets. One of their victims was our poor Kamo.”
“Ew!” Nobara scrunched her nose.
“This is definitely the plot of a movie!” Junpei said.
“You already knew this for a while, haven’t you?” Megumi asked with narrowed eyes. The boy didn’t appreciate being left in the dark.
“Not about the Noritoshi part. That was also news to me,” Satoru defended himself. “But I know that the curse user’s real name is Kenjaku, and one of the easiest way to know whether he was inhabiting a body is the stitch mark on the corpse’s forehead.”
All of the students’ eyes widened, especially Yuuji’s. The boy looked like he was having a horrible realization about something. Satoru was about to shake him when the boy snapped out of his reverie to drop a bombshell. “... mother. I think I remember seeing Kenjaku as my mother.”
Everyone became even more shocked at that revelation. Nobara reached out and even pulled at Yuuji’s collar. “What the hell are you saying, potato head?!”
“What kind of stupid B movie plot is this?” Junpei asked while holding his head.
Megumi’s frown became even deeper.
Yuuji didn’t fight back against his friend’s hold and only blankly looked up at the ceiling. “Back then… I told you, didn’t I, Kugisaki? I remembered something important. I didn’t understand it at first, but I saw my dad holding me. My grandpa was berating him about my mother. He said she was dead, but then- but a woman suddenly showed up. There were stitches on her forehead.”
“You mean the time you suddenly collapsed?” Nobara asked, releasing her grip.
Yuuji nodded. “It was because of Sukuna.”
Everyone paused at that name. Even Uraume, who was still in the kitchen, stopped for a second when hearing their master being mentioned.
“He said he noticed similar colors on my and the two brothers’ souls.” Yuuji frowned. “He performed some kind of ‘soul resonance’ that somehow triggered that memory.”
Satoru furrowed his brow. This King of Curses was certainly talented. First, he had that soul healing, and now he could activate this strange soul resonance. He doubted it was similar to Nobara’s technique since it was not an attack. However, the fact that the curse could have so many skills related to souls made him even more dangerous as an opponent.
Before they could continue their conversation, Uraume came out of the kitchen to bring them their meals. The kids looked happy at the sight of food, and Yuuji’s stomach even let out a big groan.
Satoru laughed. “Alright, let’s eat first and then we can talk.”
Everyone quickly got their rice and they were about to eat when Yuuji suddenly asked, “Aren’t you going to join, Uraume-san?”
The curse user had actually stayed behind to stand near Yuuji. Uraume blinked at being the center of attention out of the blue. “You don’t need to pay attention to me, Yuuji-sama. I shall eat when there is time.”
“But you’re the one who made this,” Yuuji protested. “And don’t call me sama! It’s weird.”
Uraume nodded. “Yuuji-san. I’m only following Sukuna-sama’s orders, and it is my duty to take care of your wellbeing. There is no need to worry yourself over me.”
Yuuji frowned at the excessively polite tone. “Well, I still want you to eat with us. I know you’re Sukuna’s old friend, but we’re not in Heian era anymore so there is no need for this unnecessary distance and propriety.”
Uraume pursed their lips. They still disagreed, but when they saw the stubborn look on Yuuji’s face, they sighed. “Very well.” The monk took a bowl of rice and sat on the empty spot beside Satoru. The others glanced at each other at the turn of events, but Yuuji’s bright smile stopped them from commenting. With many people at the table, the massive amount of food Uraume had prepared quickly disappeared.
“Pwah! I’m full!” Yuuji patted his stomach with a happy smile. “That was a great meal, Uraume-san!”
The monk merely nodded at the praise.
“Okay! Since we’ve eaten breakfast, how about we talk about the elephant in the room?” Nobara started the heavy conversation. “You’re the murderous majesty’s lackey, right? Why are you being so buddy-buddy with potato head?”
Uraume looked displeased with the nickname but merely replied, “Sukuna-sama has ordered me to protect Itadori Yuuji. Although I’m confident in my abilities, Kenjaku is a genius that one must not underestimate. I merely conclude that cooperating with you sorcerers raises my chance of completing my mission.”
“What happened to Sukuna, anyway?” Yuuji asked with a frown. “After whatever Kenjaku did, I can’t hear anything from him.”
“Kenjaku is a master of barriers and seals,” Uraume said. “Since you are created by him, it is not surprising that man placed a backup seal on your body in case he wanted to restrain Sukuna-sama.”
“Are you telling me he’ll get locked up inside my body forever?!” Yuuji exclaimed in horror.
Satoru wanted to say that wasn’t a bad thing, but Yuuji was obviously distressed, and he didn’t want to tease the boy about this. Despite his warnings, it was clear that his student had considered the King of Curses as his friend.
“Didn’t he also seal away your power too, sensei?” Junpei asked.
“Kind of?” Satoru replied. “It’s more of an effect from a cursed tool called Soul Piercing Blade. Although it is effective at suppressing my cursed energy, it won’t last forever.” He grinned. “In fact, I believe it should wear off within a month or so.”
The students looked relieved at that news. Nobara smirked as she raised her fist. “So we just need to hide for a while and then you can blast those stupid elders to pieces!”
Megumi seemed to want to protest at the blatant traitorous words. But then he remembered that the elders had exiled Satoru and placed a death sentence on him, Yuuji, and Yaga, so he closed his mouth with a click.
“I wouldn't be so sure,” Uraume interrupted. “Kenjaku is likely aware of this fact, and I doubt that man will let you be free until Gojo regains his power. He will likely do something to eliminate him before that occur.”
“Oh? Care to share more?” Satoru asked.
“I refuse,” Uraume replied.
Everyone, except Satoru, frowned at that response.
“What the hell, I thought you wanted to help us?!” Nobara demanded.
“You're wrong. My goal is to simply protect Itadori Yuuji. I have no desire to actively aid sorcerers. In fact, it would be better for me if Kenjaku focuses his attention on eliminating Gojo while I escape with Yuuji-san.”
The boy thinned his lips in protest. He was about to say something when Satoru raised his index finger. “Be honest, you just want to push us to release Sukuna, right?”
Uraume didn't look bothered that their thoughts were easily seen through. The curse user merely looked at Satoru. “Sukuna-sama is the one who is most familiar with Kenjaku. He can help you more at dealing with Kenjaku’s plan than me.”
Satoru doubted that. Based on the words of the curse user they had caught, the monk should have spent a lot of time accompanying Kenjaku before Sukuna betrayed him. However, Satoru knew that pushing this topic was pointless. Uraume wouldn't open their mouth unless they were ordered by their master. Truly a loyal hound.
Oh well. Satoru had planned to confront the King of Curses so he wasn't against releasing him from Kenjaku’s seal. “Alright, I'll play along.”
“Can you help Sukuna, sensei?” Yuuji's eyes brightened with hope.
Aiya. What should Satoru do with this kid who had gotten attached to the King of Curses? Was it because of their familial connection? The boy had been alone after his grandfather's death, but then he suddenly found out that he had an uncle. Considering how easy it was for Yuuji to form a bond, it shouldn't be so surprising that he got so attached to Sukuna. Satoru still didn't like this though.
With deep reluctance, he explained, “I've examined that seal with my Six Eyes and as far as I'm aware this thing seems to be mostly preventing Sukuna from communicating with you. Although it is also suppressing his power, I can still find Sukuna’s cursed energy within your body.”
“Okay.” Yuuji nodded as he forced himself to keep up with the explanation. “So you can remove it right?”
“Nope!” Satoru cheerily said.
“Eh??”
“I can't. I may be a genius but Kenjaku is a master at sealing. There is no way I can crack this without harming you or Sukuna.”
Yuuji's lips wobbled. “Then…”
Satoru waved his hands quickly. Geez, how deep was this attachment? “What I meant to say is that instead of breaking the seal we can find a workaround. There is this one cursed object called Bunshin Mirror that can create a clone of a sorcerer. It's called clone but it's more like transferring your consciousness. The tool isn’t considered that valuable since what's the point of making a copy of yourself if you're going to leave your real body in a vulnerable position? So I'm thinking that if you can guide Sukuna's cursed energy into that thing then we can get him out without breaking Kenjaku’s seal.”
“You're amazing, sensei!” Yuuji threw his arms around Satoru. The man laughed and returned the hug.
Uraume interrupted their happy moment by asking, “What about Sukuna-sama’s power?”
Satoru grinned at the curse user. “What? Did you expect this tool would allow your master to roam around freely? No way. Even without Kenjaku's seal, it can only transfer a fraction of his full power. If Sukuna decides to ditch Yuuji, the kid can just yank him back into his body.”
Uraume glared at Satoru but then let out a sigh. “As long as I can speak with Sukuna-sama then I'll accept.”
“Alright! Then let’s commence the mission: Save the King of Curses!”
Omake:
Satoru: Urgent! Waiting online! My kid has gotten attached to a bad person what should I do?
Uraume: I’m only here because of Sukuna-sama’s orders.
Yuuji: I want Sukuna back…
Nobara: What kind of stupid family drama is this?
Junpei: We can make a movie out of this.
Megumi: I need coffee.
Choso: Yuuji! Call me onii-chan!
Sukuna: *Trapped inside* AAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!!
