Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue

Bzzzt…Bzzzt…Bzzzt…Bzzzt…Bzzzt

Yuumi groaned, ‘ What was that ?’ she thought groggily, still half asleep. She took one look at the alarm clock at her bedside table and smooshed her face back on to her pillow. It read 10:51 in the morning, way too early in Yuumi’s opinion, especially after having a very late night of movie marathons. She decidedly ignored her phone and the person calling, and after a while her phone finally stopped vibrating. Hopefully, the person on the other end would get the memo and stop calling. 

She was about to drift back off to sleep when Bzzzt…Bzzzt…Bzzzt…Bzzzt…Bzzzt her phone started to insistently vibrate once more. She ignored it again, intent on going back to dreamland. But, the person on the other end stubbornly refused to stop bugging her. 

This went on a few more times before Yuumi finally reluctantly yielded. Sighing into her pillow, she blindly felt through her bedside table still face down with full plans on returning to her sleep after answering whoever it was. After a moment, Yuumi's hands finally brushed over her phone. She grabbed it all the while irritatedly muttering how this better be important. Quickly swiping over the screen without looking and bringing it on to her ear, she grunted a quick irritated and muffled “What?”, hoping her annoyance was spelled out and clear to the person on the other line despite her face not leaving her pillow. 

The person on the other line gave a haughty sniff and in a superior tone filled with sarcasm said, “Well hello to you too Itadori, pleasant morning we’re having aren’t we.”

Yuumi groaned once more into the pillow before flipping onto her back, now ten times more irritated than she was before. “This better be important, Kamo.”

“You never told me your brother is Sukuna’s vessel.” Kamo remarked fake calmly as if simply commenting on the weather.

It took a second for the sentence to register, before, “Wait, WHAT?” 

Yuumi jumped straight up from her bed. 

Well, that was one hell of a way to wake up in the morning.

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Chapter Text

Chapter One

Kamo Noritoshi has heard all about the new phenomenon that is Sukuna’s vessel. All the Higher-Ups in the Jujutsu society were all up in arms regarding it and Gojo’s insistence on delaying its sentence. On one hand, the existence of a person capable of hosting the King of Curses was a danger to have and a huge risk that they couldn’t take to walk freely. Extending its execution was way too dangerous and way too unpredictable should the person holding Sukuna in, turn traitor or loose control of the curse. On the other hand, he understood Gojo Satoru’s reasoning in allowing it to continue on living. A vessel that could finally contain Sukuna would finally allow them to permanently exorcise the curse of that magnitude, should the vessel manage to consume all of Sukuna’s indestructible fingers. If Gojo’s plan proves to be successful, the execution of the vessel would finally put an end to the King of Curses once and for all. 

Noritoshi has heard many things about Sukuna’s vessel — that the vessel was once a non-sorcerer who gained the ability to utilize cursed energy after consuming the curse, that Gojo has taken it in as a student, and that the vessel has perished after being sent on an unexpected mission against a special grade. 

He never bothered to learn more than that or even the vessel’s name, deeming it irrelevant in the long run. The vessel will after all end up in the execution block at the end of the day, there was no need to learn its name or even remotely get attached to someone who was essentially a dead man walking. 

Which is why it came as a huge surprise when he finally got to learn the identity of Sukuna’s vessel. 

Itadori Yuuji .

Noritoshi on any other event might be able to brush off the name. Itadori was after all, while a bit rare, a common enough surname to have. The name Yuuji was even more common. The chances of a random Itadori being related to his longtime friend was very slim, considering she only had two family members and knew about the Jujutsu world long before, while Sukuna’s vessel from what he heard, had absolutely no idea about it. Having someone with the same name as his close friend’s brother (whom he never actually ever met before with Yuumi living away from her family) could be waved off as a weird coincidence. 

But now, faced with Sukuna’s supposedly dead vessel springing out of a box wheeled in by an cringely-excitable Gojo at the start of the Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event, well he couldn’t really deny it. The resemblance was as clear as the sky, he would've been blind to miss it.

The pink hair, the honey eyes, and the cheerful smile. Though Yuumi’s entire colour palette was a shade or two lighter than her brother (lighter hair, lighter eyes), there was no denial that Sukuna’s vessel and she are entirely related. Not to mention that he was definitely the one in the pictures that Yuumi loved to shove to Noritoshi’s face to brag about her ‘cute’ ‘adorable’ ‘endearing’ brother.

With Itadori Yuuji’s attention wholly occupied on the Tokyo side of things, he never noticed a certain Kyoto student’s subtly stunned stare.

Gojo Satoru, on the other hand, did. Interestedly raising a covered brow thought, ‘ This may be more interesting than I thought ’, grinning before gleefully sauntering to needle a shocked and angry Principal Gakuganji.

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Kyoto Team Meeting

“Kill Sukuna’s Vessel, Itadori Yuuji.” Principal Gakuganji ordered from where he was seated in front of the Kyoto students gathered around him.

“Do not consider the target human. We’ll take care of the cleanup and make it look like an accident.” Gakuganji continued seriously, “There's no need to hold back.”

Noritoshi felt like he was hearing the principal’s orders through ears filled with cotton. Still off kilter with what he had just discovered. But he stood firm and stoic as befitting of a major clan heir, giving nothing away of what he was thinking.

“Kill? He’s here because he can’t die, right?” Mai said uninterestedly. Off to the side, Miwa looked like she didn't want to be a part of this conversation at all.

Principal Gakuganji ignored her, “I’ve been told his previous death was self-inflicted.”

Unseen to anyone, Noritoshi tightened his fist concealed within his sleeve. Did Yuumi know about her brother’s “death”? He thought they were close enough friends that she would confide in him should her brother had really faced tragedy. Did she think that he would uncaringly wave it off just because of her brother’s status as Sukuna’s vessel? ‘No,’ he thought, there was something off. Yuumi knew him better than that. ‘Did she even know that her brother had become Sukuna’s vessel? That he had technically become a Jujutsu Sorcerer?’ he pondered. 

It was impossible she didn’t know, Noritoshi decided. Despite living away from her family, Yuumi still remained incredibly close with her brother. They would call and chat all the time, along with her grandfather who he last heard was once more in the hospital a few months back. Itadori Wasuke, from what he knew, was stubborn and temperamental but a wise man. He would often spat out harsh and blunt words, but he was a caring old man who strongly loved his grandchildren. “A real tsundere,” Yuumi would describe her grandfather fondly whenever she talked about him. 

The last time Noritoshi met with Yuumi was a few months back, in Nagoya, after he decided to make a side trip on the way back to Kyoto, after a successful mission where he was tasked to exorcise a grade 2 cursed spirit haunting an abandoned warehouse. To where Yuumi was now studying. 

Her grandfather has been in and out of hospitals for a few years now, and the man was growing weaker with his age, needing to stay in hospitals for longer each time. Yuumi wanted to go home to Sendai for a visit, but was scolded and rebuked by her grandfather each time, Yuumi had revealed to Noritoshi, looking a bit frustrated but fond at her grandfather’s stubbornness. She had been strongly told to focus on her studies and not mind him. That he had Yuuji to take care of him. Wasuke would even grouse to her that Yuuji wouldn’t leave him alone and join some fun school clubs like he was supposed to, complaining that he was such a stubborn brat hanging around in the hospital all the time. Yuumi would laugh at this, saying that they were “like-grandfather-like-grandson”, equally as stubborn as the other.

Yuumi’s brother would also call to reassure her not to worry and that he would take good care of their grandfather. Insisting that he and their grandfather were both fine, Yuumi had nothing to worry about.

Noritoshi wondered about the implications of Yuumi’s brother being in Tokyo, instead of Sendai. Did Yuumi go home to Sendai to take care of their grandfather instead?

But he had heard nothing about that from her. He shook his head. He was definitely going to give her a call after this.

“Tell me what needs to be done in order to finish off an enemy sorcerer…Kamo?!” Gakuganji continued, ignorant of Noritoshi’s internal pondering. He immediately jolted up to attention, “Yes! We must eliminate the opponent using cursed energy. This prevents them from turning into a curse after death.” he responded, instinctively giving a response befitting the Kamo heir.

“Correct, there shouldn’t be a problem if cursed energy is used,” Gakuganji said, still maintaining his persona as a frail old man and a respectable figure in Jujutsu society. “As of right now, Itadori is in control of his body.” 

‘We have no visual proof on how much supposed control over the king of curses the vessel has.’ Noritoshi read between the lines of the principal’s words. ‘ We only have his and Gojo’s word of mouth. Both of which are biased and couldn’t be trusted. Sukuna is unpredictable and a risky gamble that could go rogue at any time, it is better to eliminate the threat as soon as possible, no matter the cost.’ was what Gakuganji was saying.

“If Sukuna doesn’t appear, there should be no problem. This should be simple.” the old principal continued.

‘In the event that Sukuna takes control, it doesn’t matter should a few of the students fall. As long as the curse and its vessel is eliminated. A few student’s lives wouldn’t matter. In fact, their deaths, while regrettable, could even be used as a blow against Gojo and his disobedience and frivolities regarding this matter.’ meant Gakuganji. 

Noritoshi realised this was probably what the Elders thought too the first time they attempted to assassinate Yuumi’s brother—Yuuji, to which he ended up “dead”. Sending three first years to deal with a special grade cursed spirit, they must be planning and hoping for Itadori to die in the mission. After all, being a Jujutsu Sorcerer was dangerous. Deaths in missions were common. Having to deal with curses way beyond a sorcerers’ grade was also customary, especially with them always short on staff. Their main priority was to get rid of Sukuna’s vessel while Gojo was away at the time. Should any of the other first years, Fushiguro or that other first year girl, perish or also get grievously harmed in that scenario, well they could just brush it off with no consequence and use it as a blow against Gojo. Gojo also wouldn’t be able to do anything against them regarding his student’s death because the death was “accidental”.

Noritoshi snapped out of his thoughts when Todo smashed through the doors with a loud crack. Kicking the doors off its hinges and scattering its broken pieces in the gardens outside. “How stupid. I’m outta here.” Todo declared.

“Get back here, Todo.” Noritoshi said, despite also wanting to leave. But he had to play his image of obedient Kamo heir, loyal to the principal and the higher-ups. “The principal isn’t done speaking.”

“Takada’s gonna be on a travel show at 11. Do I need to explain further?” Todo replied, daring Kamo to stop him.

Noritoshi inwardly sighed, knowing how this would end. Todo doing what Todo wanted, especially when things are related to that idol he is obsessed over. “Then you can record it. Sit down.”

“Are you messin’ with me?!” Todo glared and sneered at him angrily.

He knew it.

“I’m gonna watch it live and record it! Listen up. You too, old man.” Todo shouted.

Noritoshi didn’t really care. He just wanted for this meeting to end, so he could go off to a quiet corner and make a phone call.

“People like you, who have shit taste in girls, are a lost cause.”

Noritoshi really didn’t understand Todo.

“Plotting, scheming, doing whatever you want.”

‘Well I guess he isn’t wrong with that one.’ Noritoshi thought.

“But just try telling me what to do again, and… I’ll kill you!” Todo declared, rather aggressively and dramatically, before stalking off.

Gakuganji decided to go off somewhere after that too. Leaving the Kyoto students to talk amongst themselves.

“What should we do?” Miwa asked. “There’s no way he’ll go along with a plan like that.”

“Don’t worry,” Nishimiya replied, knowingly saying that Todo will definitely go straight to attacking the Tokyo students, while they’ll focus on their objective.

Mai asserted, “But don’t we have to kill Itadori Yuuji? Todo might not actually kill him.”

Noritoshi observed that Miwa looked sick at the idea of killing another student and mentally categorized her as not a threat to Itadori Yuuji’s life. He was still figuring out how he would lead his team on killing Itadori Yuuji, as he was as usual placed as the designated leader to this mess, while actually attempting his valiant best at keeping his friend’s brother alive.

“Then we’ll need someone to monitor Todo to confirm the kill.” Mechamaru suggested.

“There’ll be curses too, so we should pair up anyway,” Miwa pointed out.

“No…” Noritoshi said, summoning up all his Kamo heir training and whatever acting skills he could dredge up, desperately hoping that the others would buy it. He couldn’t let anyone know of his true thoughts and plans, at least, not yet. For now, he must show that he is the perfect Kamo heir or else if word made it back to the Kamo clan, then his mother…

Noritoshi gnashed his teeth and spatted out “The fact that there’s someone like Itadori at Jujutsu High in the first place is a disgrace. It’s not just about the event anymore. As a member of the Kamo family, I find this unforgivable.” He sternly faced each of his teammates and proclaimed, “All of us will attack Itadori Yuuji.” 

It was after all better that he has an eye on all of his teammates regarding this. Noritoshi felt an oncoming headache. Keeping Itadori Yuuji alive will be a pain. Yuumi definitely owes him a lot should he succeed in keeping her brother alive after this.

“Wait,” Nishimiya suddenly said. “What if Itadori and Inumaki are together?”

‘All the better,’ Noritoshi inwardly thought, that way they would actually have an actual excuse for failing their task. Inumaki could just stop them and take them all down if needed.

“That’s true…” Mechamaru said in contemplation. 

“No,” Noritoshi immediately said, hoping to stop Mechamaru’s thoughts on the matter. The robot might suggest splitting them up, which was not ideal for Noritoshi’s plans. “If you know it’s coming, it’s not that scary.” he told his teammates, attempting to convince them. Thankfully, no one spoke up against that.

Yep, Yuumi definitely owed him, big time. 

“I’ll take Maki, the brown-haired first year too,” Mai volunteered.

Noritoshi couldn’t help but comment, “You sound like Todo.” While walking away, ignoring and inwardly amused at Mai’s instantly irritated look. 

The meeting was over, he could finally make a call.

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Chapter Text

Chapter Two

Yuumi was not answering his calls. Noritoshi twitched while sequestered in his room, as he looked over his screen three missed calls in so far.

Yuumi was either asleep (he knew all about her horrible sleeping habits), busy and ignoring it, or avoiding him. ‘No matter,’ Noritoshi thought, determined. He wasn’t planning on stopping until she answered.

He pressed call once more, and waited and waited until the call ended. Yuumi didn’t pick up.

So called over and over again with annoyance mounting, until, “What?” a groggily irritated and muffled voice greeted him. 

Yuumi was asleep then, he felt his stiff shoulders relax a bit. He hadn’t even realised how much the thought of Yuumi avoiding him was bothering him, oddly enough.

In a voice he knew that endlessly annoys Yuumi, he greeted, “Well hello to you too Itadori, pleasant morning we’re having aren’t we.”

He heard a muffled groan and a shift, "This better be important, Kamo.” Yuumi said in a voice completely expressing what exactly she thought of “morning people”. 

It was almost noon.

Rolling his eyes, in the calmest and driest tone he could muster he went straight to the point, “You never told me your brother is Sukuna’s vessel.” He said, whilst inspecting the bow that he will be using for the competition later. Phone pressed between and held in place by his shoulder and ear.

“Wait, WHAT?”, he heard a loud thud on the other end. Yuumi suddenly awake. Well that answered whether Yuumi knew or not. He laid the bow down on the chabudai reaching for the block of wax on the floor beside him, and began waxing the bowstring.

“Your brother didn’t tell you?”

A faint, “Shitshitshitshitshitshitshit,” was all Noritoshi heard from the line as well as some scrambling. Indicating that Yuumi probably left her phone laying as she rushed around in her room.

“Yuumi?”

He heard an exclamation of, “Oh fuck,” and a thud, then a frantic babbling of “It’s too soon, no wait, or is it too late? Shit what year is it? No, nevermind I can’t remember what year it was supposed to happen. Did it already happen, no wait…”

Noritoshi was confused.

“Nori-san~,”

“Don’t call me that, I’m not a seaweed.” He said half-heartedly, reluctantly already used to the nickname Yuumi gave him since they were children.

“Nori-san~,” Yuumi insisted, “how long has my baby brother been Sukuna’s vessel?”

“...Since July.” Noritoshi said, inspecting his bow a second time to ensure that it would be good for use for later, and oddly feeling as if he just walked into a landmine.

“AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?? IT'S SEPTEMBER!” Yuumi shrieked, angry and freaking out all at once. “Ohmygosh I missed the beginning of canon,” Noritoshi heard her say to herself.

Confused ( ‘cannon? What the hell does a “cannon” have to do with anything?’ ), but used to Yuumi’s odd comments he ignored it for now and replied blandly, “Don’t shoot the messenger,”. Bringing his phone away from his now ringing ear from Yuumi’s shrieking. “You didn’t know?”

“HOW WOULD I KNOW? NONE OF YOU TOLD ME!” Yuumi groaned, “Yuuji didn’t say anything either. Honestly, that brat, how could he not say anything to his onee-chan, we text all the time.” Noritoshi heard her mutter.

“...I didn’t know your brother was Sukuna’s Vessel until I met him today.”

There was silence on the other end. “...Nori, where are you exactly? How did you meet my brother?” Yuumi asked, Noritoshi heard a hint of dread to her tone. “Fuck, how much canon did I miss?” 

There it was again ‘Cannon? What cannon? Yuumi better not be playing with real-life cannons and making things explode. He was not going to help her out of that mess if she did,’ he thought with the exasperation and dread of a man well used to dealing with their friend’s ridiculous shenanigans. “I’m in Tokyo, for the Goodwill Event.” he said, picking up his arrows to ensure that each of them were coated with a bit of his blood.

“That arc already?!?! That’s already near the end of season one! Oh no,” Noritoshi heard Yuumi groan.

‘What arc? What season one?’ Noritoshi thought dumbfoundedly. ‘Does Yuumi think they’re in one of those manga she liked reading?' ("No, I don't like reading them," she would deny unconvincingly while eagerly and intently scouring through the pages. "This is just for just in case this happens again," she would weirdly mutter with an unholy almost mad glint in her eyes) 'What?’ he inwardly questioned. (Oh Noritoshi, you have no idea…)

“You are not making much sense,” He instead says.

“...Do you remember back then when I told you that I could see the future?”

“And I told you, I don’t believe you. I still don’t”

“Nori~,” he heard her whine cheerily, oddly sounding much like Gojo Satoru whining ( “Nanamin~,” ) when doing so. Noritoshi shuddered. “Come on, explore all possibilities. Let your creativity shine. Let your imagination go wild. Aren’t you the least bit intrigued and contemplating the possibility that your dearest bestest friend could see the future?”

“No.” He deadpanned with zero hesitation.

“You’re no fun,” Noritoshi could practically feel her fake pout. “I could-”

“-not.” Noritoshi interjected.

“Hey, I totally can!”

“No.” he replied, not falling for it. Yuumi has the normal cursed energy of a non-sorcerer. It was impossible for her to have a future-seeing cursed technique with an energy as low as that. Though it had always been a mystery to him on how she found out about the Jujutsu world having come from a complete non-sorcerer civilian background, and with her always giving him vague answers about her knowledge about it. Noritoshi had decided that she had probably found out from either a distant family member or family friend who knows someone in the Jujutsu community. He was betting on that shady old friend of her grandfather’s that Yuumi is often with. 

“Okay, okay, fine. I can’t see the future like divination or whatever. But I do know of the future!”

“No.”

“Nori-”

Noritoshi was completely skeptical of her claims, after all…”If you could see the future, you would have known of your brother becoming Sukuna’s vessel. And, knowing you, you would have kept your brother from swallowing Sukuna’s finger. You probably would have eaten it yourself.” he said unamused, only half-jesting on the last bit. 

Yuumi was completely impulsive and unpredictable. He could never tell what she would do next. Doing something stupid was never off the table. 

Admittedly, half the time, those stupid insane ideas work. Other times, well, he was the one left cleaning up the mess (the Kamo name was incredibly useful in those scenarios, Noritoshi learned. Thankfully, the Kamo name was still recognized in the non-sorcerer society for being an old wealthy prestigious noble clan, still with some influence in Japanese politics and multiple holdings in different fields of business).

"I do know the future," Yuumi insisted. “And I have proof!”

“And what is that proof?”

“Gakuganji will ask you guys to assassinate my brother during the competition,” Yuumi declared confidently.

“Lucky guess, that already happened.” Noritoshi countered, “You could have guessed that easily from what I have already told you about the principal’s personality, and derived it from that most common response of Jujutsu society with regards to what they deem as threats.”

“That already happened? Kamo don’t you dare assassinate my brother. I know where you live. I will find you and I will end you,” Yuumi half-threatened, “…Not that you will be able to anyway. I know ‘cauz I know the future. Yuuji will be completely fine.”

Noritoshi sighed, disregarding what Yuumi said about knowing the future, still entirely skeptical of her (Yuumi fooled and pranked him one time too many for him to immediately put stock into her claims), “ I will have to feign my agreement with Gakuganji’s stance regarding this, you know that. But, yes,” he sighed tiredly, “you know I won’t kill your brother. You’ll hunt me down otherwise if I even attempt to.”

“Thanks Nori~”

“You owe me for this.”

“What?!” Yuumi exclaimed, “What do I owe you for? It’s common human decency to not kill your friend’s brother.” she argued.

“You owe me for the headache this will cause. I will have to keep your brother alive while leading my teammates in attacking him.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll buy you some tebasaki from your favourite restaurant before I head over to Tokyo. Happy?”

Noritoshi raised his brows in surprise, “You’re coming here?” ('And you think some tebasaki will be enough for this?' Noritoshi inwardly sighed.)

“I’ll be here in 2 hours.” Yuumi replied flippantly. “Also has Gakuganji handed you that weird whistle thing yet?”

“What whistle thing?”

“What wasn’t it a whistle, huh…" Yummi mused, "the weird small tube-like thingy you have to add Yuuji’s blood to in order to control that gross tentacle-y octopus looking curse into killing him.”

“What are you talking about?” Noritoshi asked, Gakuganji hadn't handed him anything. (At least...not yet.)

“That hasn’t happened yet, ha! Told you I know the future Nori! Hehe. You’ll totally believe me now after this,” Yuumi said gleefully. “Before the team battle starts, Gakuganji will pull you aside to hand over this…"

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

"How did you know?" Noritoshi demanded when Yuumi picked up.

"Nice of you to call me, Nori~. I've already boarded my train. Got your tebasaki too.” she replied cheerily, “And also, ha! I told you so!"

"Yuumi!"

"Believe me now?"

"...”

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Team Battle Commences

“T-minus one minute until we begin!” Gojo’s voice blared out of the speakers. “And now a word of encouragement from Utahime-san.”

“Huh?!” a surprised yelp from Utahime could be heard faintly before Gojo handed the mic over to her. “Uh..um..” Utahime-sensei’s panicked fumbling could be heard as Gojo unexpectedly handed the microphone to her, not expecting the need to say a speech before the start of the event.

Noritoshi wasn’t paying much attention, only half-listening to them as he recalled his conversation with Yuumi earlier,

[“I’ll take that as a yes,” Yuumi sing-songed in response to Noritoshi’s silence, "Now that you believe that I know the future…" ]

“Uh…Some injuries will be unavoidable,” Noritoshi distantly heard Utahime-sensei start her speech off uncertainty. It was clear she was making it up on the spot. 

["There will be an attack later during the Team Battle. A Special Grade Cursed Spirit and 2 Curse Users,"] Yuumi's prediction echoed in his ear.

“So, um let’s help each other from time to time and—,” said Utahime before she was cut off. “Time’s up!” Gojo audaciously interrupted, proud of this tomfoolery that he had started. Once again angering Utahime, “Gojo! You little-”

["This attack will be a diversion..."] Yuumi had said.

Gojo continued his announcement ignoring the incensed Utahime, “It’s time for the Goodwill Event to…” 

Pretty much everyone in both teams were unconcerned with their Senseis (with Nobara looking distinctly unimpressed), already used to Gojo’s particular skill in pushing Utahime’s buttons. They were all just impatiently waiting for the event to finally start. 

Noritoshi on the other hand, was dreading for the event to begin, especially with Yuumi’s warning of the events to come. He was still dearly hoping that Yuumi was just messing with him, and that she didn’t really have any future knowledge. Because how? How was it possible to have such ability-technique while possessing only the cursed energy of a non-sorcerer? But something in Yuumi’s serious tone convinced him.

["...while another Special Grade sneaks into the curse warehouse to steal Sukuna's fingers…"]

Two Special Grades of all things. Curses of that magnitude were supposed to be rare, that’s why they were called ‘special’. One powerful enough to be capable to clear independent thought to be able to work alongside curse users, and confidently powerful enough in its own abilities to directly attack a place filled with sorcerers, a place where Gojo Satoru was present in, was a problem. Much less two Special Grades. Noritoshi gritted his teeth. Though from what Yuumi explained, they will only have to directly fight one. The other’s purpose was a quick sneak in and out.

["...and three of the Cursed Womb Death Paintings." Yuumi said seriously.]

‘Sukuna’s fingers and the Death Paintings. What were these Curses and Curse Users planning with those special grade cursed objects?’ Noritoshi gritted his teeth. Saying that this was problematic was an understatement.

Finally, “...STAAAART!!!” Gojo announced, and both teams took off running. An irritated “Respect your elders!” from Utahime was heard in the background before the speaker’s mic was turned off.

[“The curse you will be encountering will be Hanami. His cursed technique allows him to manipulate plants.”]

“Where’s Todo?” Noritoshi asked Mai while they were running. They were gonna need Todo’s help once the attack started, he thought. He also needed to keep an eye out to make sure Todo didn’t kill Yuumi’s brother even though he previously expressed his disgust at the principal’s plan. You could never tell with Todo. He could just randomly decide to kill Itadori anyways, just because. It could really go either way.

[“Gojo had already encountered him briefly, and one other unregistered Special Grade Curse who attacked him. Though both were able to escape due to Hanami being an expert in hiding their presence.”]

“How should I know?” Mai responded to his inquiries, seemingly annoyed that he had asked her of all people.

[“Yuumi, I have to report this! Two Special Grades and two Curse Users attacking, this is a huge deal! I can’t just-”

"And say you got the information from where?” she asked.]

Which was a good point, Noritoshi relented. Should he tell the higher-ups where he got the information, they would just laugh it off as his paranoia for him to believe in a non-sorcerer, say something placating, and evidently do nothing. 

And if the events do come to pass, it would definitely bring in unwelcome attention to Yuumi. The higher-ups would probably keep her under their thumbs, and under lock and key. Someone who has knowledge of the future was a danger to their schemes. To be able to do so without a corresponding cursed technique to power it was an anomaly and someone they would either intensely study or get rid off. However, if Noritoshi were to not specify where or whom he got said information from, they would think he was a spy turned guilty and trying to make up for his betrayal. Both scenarios were unideal.

[“Besides, it may not seem like it, but Gojo is currently on high alert.”]

Noritoshi ducked under a low hanging branch, the Kyoto team finally getting to the forest grounds of the Tokyo school.

[“He suspects that there currently exists a group of unregistered Special Grades working together along with some Curse Users. He would be correct.”

“Gojo was attacked? When? Where?” Noritoshi had asked, shocked.]  

Something like this would have definitely been known to the entire Jujutsu community. But there were no reports of this happening. Meaning that Gojo had kept it silent. Why, though?

Unless…Noritoshi had a belated realization. Unless he had reason to do so. 

Nothing of Gojo’s attack was publicized. Meaning that Gojo had not only kept silent about this, but for no one to know of this, he was also probably attacked in a remote location. 

But how would this Special Grade have known Gojo’s location at the time to attack him? Especially when Gojo was somewhere remote. Well, it’s either it was entirely coincidental that the Curse just happened to where Gojo was in and impulsively decided to attack. But a coincidence like that was highly unlikely. 

Or, the more likely reason…There was a mole. 

Someone in Jujutsu Tech had been observing and monitoring Gojo’s comings and goings, his most likely routes, etc. and informed the Curse or maybe a Curse User associate. There was a traitor amongst them. Noritoshi didn’t want to consider that, but that would explain why Gojo kept silent. He didn’t want to alert the mole that he was onto them.

This sudden realisation had almost caused Noritoshi to almost trip over a previously unnoticed rock, before he caught himself and continued running. Mai and Nishimiya (before flying off ahead of them on her broom) both gave him a judging side-eye which he ignored, busy with the alarm welling within him. How many spies were there? How long had they been operating? How much information had they gathered? How much information had they shared and who are they sharing it to? Who are they working for?

[“You know I'm terrible with time Nori, I don’t know maybe a week or two ago? Three weeks? Or actually maybe a month-ish I guess?” Yuumi had responded.

“...I guess this explains why you were late to your brother’s situation.”

"Stop rubbing salt into the open wound, Nori!”]

Noritoshi’s phone began to ring, which he immediately picked up, “Nishimiya,” he intoned.

“Yeah. Keep going straight,” she replied. “But Todo’s here.”

Noritoshi inwardly cursed and turned off his phone. “We're here,” he told them. “Split off and surround Itadori.” His teammates nodded and did so stealthily.

Within seconds, they had enclosed Itadori.

[“Yuuji would be fine. Just wait and see.”]

He remembered Yuumi saying while taking aim with his arrows ready to hit any of his teammates' attacks should they come too close to fatally hitting Itadori, before Mai started firing her revolver. Yuumi’s brother nimbly dodged them with speed and ease despite being injured. Heading off to Miwa who drew her katana whilst forming a simple domain. Itadori jumped and swerved over that as well. Just in time for Mechamaru to emerge from the treeline to also fire at him.

He watched as realisation dawned on Yuumi’s brother as to what they were trying to do, and then *Clap* . A sharp loud clap resounded through the small clearing.

Next thing Noritoshi knew, Todo was the one standing in Itadori’s place. ‘So that was Todd’s mysterious cursed technique,’ Noritoshi worked out.

“Hey!” Todo said. Noritoshi dodged as Todo’s fist slammed into the ground where he was standing. “I thought I told you that I’d kill anyone who got in my way.” Todo glared at him.

“No,” Noritoshi frowned, lost. When did Todo say that? “You said you would kill anyone who gave you orders.” He corrected Todo.

“Whatever,” Todo responded, unconcerned and pissed off. “Now go away,” he said, before walking off.

“Looks like we’re retreating,” said Mechamaru from behind him.

“Lame,” said Mai.

‘Hmm,’ Noritoshi mused while looking at Todo. He didn’t seem like he would kill Itadori. It seemed like Todo was trying to get them to get away from Yuumi’s brother. ‘Good, we could leave Itadori with him, and trust that he doesn’t kill him. Itadori is safer with him than with the others.’ Noritoshi decided.

Still, “Make sure to kill him,” he said. Taking care to act out his cover, and knowing that the more he gave Todo those orders, the more Todo will be tempted to do otherwise.

“That, is up to Itadori,” Todo grinned. “Afterall, I’m not the type of guy who goes easy on someone just because they’re my best friend!”

‘Best friend? What?’ Noritoshi thought in confusion. ‘Nevermind, as long as he doesn’t kill Itadori.’

Itadori will be fine, Noritoshi comforted himself with that thought. Yuumi had told him to trust Todo. ‘He better be,’ Noritoshi thought as he and his team took off running once more.

[“Oh, and before I forget…” Yuumi said before ending their call, and after spilling a few more details about the upcoming attack.

“...Don’t trust Gakuganji.”]

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