Jujutsu Kaisen: I have everything I need now!

Chapter 69 The Calm Before the Storm

Tokyo Higher Vocational School.

The sky was unusually gloomy today, as if it might collapse at any moment.

After a night's rest, everyone's physical strength had recovered somewhat, but the mental fatigue just wouldn't go away.

In the cafeteria.

Yuji Itadori held a large bowl of ramen, but hesitated to touch it. The oil floating on the broth was slowly solidifying.

"What's wrong? No appetite?"

Kugizaki Nobara sat opposite him with her plate. She had ordered pork cutlet rice, which looked very appetizing, but she was just poking at the pork cutlet with her spoon.

"I was thinking..." Itadori put down her chopsticks and looked out the window, "What's Fushiguro doing right now? Is he... in a lot of pain?"

"It must hurt a lot," Kugizaki said irritably. "That mask is practically ingrained in my flesh. If I had to wear that thing, I'd rather rip my face off."

At this point, both of them fell silent.

"Don't think about it."

Maki walked over with two cups of coffee and placed one of them in front of Kugizaki.

"There's no use in thinking about it too much. What we need to do is get ourselves into peak condition before the big battle."

Maki pulled out a chair, sat down, and took a sip of black coffee. The bitter taste made her frown, but it also made her feel much more awake.

"Where's Makoto?" Itadori asked.

"She's still sleeping." Maki glanced in the direction of the dormitory building. "She overexerted herself last night. That 'Saku' is helping her recover."

When the first day of December was mentioned, the expressions of the three of them became somewhat subtle.

"That guy..." Kugizaki stirred his coffee, "Even though I can't see him, he always seems so reliable. If it weren't for him last night, we probably would have really been done for."

"Hmm." Itadori nodded. "Gojo-sensei said that his power system is completely different from jutsu. It doesn't belong to 'negative emotions,' but rather to... how should I put it, more like a power of natural law."

"Who cares what it is?" Maki said calmly. "As long as they're on our side, it doesn't matter if they're a ghost."

At this moment, in the girls' dormitory.

Zhenyi was not asleep.

She sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the pile of pistol fragments in her hand.

The new moon floated opposite her, its milky-white energy continuously flowing into Mayi.

"You've almost recovered." December Shuo withdrew the talisman from his body. "Your physical condition is better than I expected. The power of the talisman is also slowly transforming you."

"I'm getting stronger all the time too." Zhenyi pouted and threw the pistol fragments into the trash can. "This gun is ruined again. Going to the Kiko to get a new one requires writing an application, what a hassle."

"No need for that."

The first day of the twelfth lunar month suddenly floated in front of her and smiled mysteriously.

"I'll give you one."

"Huh?" Mayi raised an eyebrow. "You? Won't anything you create be forcibly erased by the world? Why are you giving me a gun? Are you going to conjure one with your telekinesis?"

"What you create with telekinesis is only temporary," December shook her head. "I mean, the power of shadows."

"A shadow?" Mayi became wary. "Don't you hate that kind of power the most?"

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Since we still have to fight the Shadow next, we'll have to use some extraordinary means."

On the first day of the twelfth month, extend your hand with your palm facing upward.

A cloud of black mist condensed in his hand. It wasn't ordinary magical power, but rather the energy core left behind by the self-destructing shadow soldier that he had retrieved in Yokohama.

"I tried to harmonize the violent will within it with the Tiger Talisman, leaving only pure energy."

As December 1st's fingers danced lightly, the black mist began to deform, stretch, and solidify.

A few seconds later.

A jet-black, sleek, and futuristic-looking revolver appeared in his hand. The gun was completely free of any other color, yet faint, dark red veins flowed beneath its surface.

"This is..." Zhenyi's eyes widened.

"I call it 'Black Queen'." December handed the gun to Zhenyi. "It doesn't need bullets. As long as I'm by your side, its ammunition is unlimited. Moreover, it can perfectly bear the power of my talisman, and it won't explode as easily as ordinary metal."

Zhenyi reached out and grasped the gun.

cold.

But this coolness isn't bone-chilling; instead, it evokes a feeling of being connected by blood.

"Try infusing some magical power," Shuo reminded him.

Zhenyi had a sudden thought.

"Click".

The dark red patterns on the muzzle lit up instantly, and a dangerous aura spread out.

"Good stuff." Zhenyi stroked the gun with obvious affection, a genuine smile finally appearing on her lips. "Looks like she has the potential to be an arms dealer."

"It's always good to have more skills," December 1st shrugged.

Just then, the dormitory's loudspeaker suddenly came on.

"All casters of level one and above, assemble in the operations room immediately. I repeat, all casters of level one and above, assemble in the operations room immediately. Master Gojou Satoru has important information to announce."

Zhenyi's smile vanished instantly.

She jumped off the bed, tossed her trench coat aside, and tucked the "Black Queen" gun into the holster on her waist.

"Looks like the break is over."

She looked toward the first day of December.

"Let's go. Let's hear what kind of mission that eyepatch bastard is going to give us this time."

......

Inside the operations room, a huge map of Tokyo was displayed on a large screen.

The location of the Imperial Palace was marked in red, and the area around it was covered with densely drawn diagrams of spell techniques and lines depicting the flow of magical energy.

Satoru Gojo stood in front of the screen, unusually not eating dessert. He had his hands in his pockets, and his pale blue eyes, through his sunglasses, scanned everyone present.

Maki, Otsuku, Panda, Inujuku, and Mai, who just came in.

Apart from the Kyoto students who are still recovering from their injuries, almost all of the top combatants from the high school are present.

"Everyone's here." Gojo Satoru's voice was devoid of emotion. "Then let's get straight to the point."

He pointed to the Imperial Palace on the map.

"Based on the clues left by Lu Suo and the latest observations from 'The Window,' the barrier reaction beneath the Imperial Palace has increased exponentially in the past few hours."

"Exponential?" Yi Gu frowned. "That level of growth is impossible even for a top-grade cursed artifact going berserk, right?"

"If it's just a simple cursed object, then of course it's impossible." Gojo Satoru's tone turned serious. "But what if it's... the fate of the entire nation of Japan and its cursed power?"

Everyone's expression changed.

"Beneath the Imperial Palace lies a dragon's lair," Shoko Ieiri added, a cigarette between her fingers. "It's one of the foundations of the Tengen Barrier. If something goes wrong there, the entire barrier of Japan will collapse. At that point, all the cursed spirits will lose their restraint and come out into the streets to throw parties."

"Moreover, Lu Suo's goal is not merely to collapse the barrier."

On the first day of December, someone suddenly spoke up, and Zhenyi immediately acted as a mouthpiece.

"Shuo said that Lu Suo might be 'feeding' him."

"Feeding?" Gojo Satoru looked at the air beside Mai, as if conversing with an unseen being. "Feeding whom?"

"It's most likely Fushiguro Megumi." Mai's voice was somewhat cold. "She's the current 'Jeky General'."

"The Shadow Legion's masks are ranked," Mayi continued, "Ordinary soldiers, nine generals. And above the generals... there is the legendary 'Shadow King.' That is the ultimate being who rules over all darkness."

"Ryosaku wants to make Megumi a god?" Itadori suddenly stood up, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "Is he insane? How could Megumi's body possibly withstand that!"

"That's why he chose the Imperial Palace," Gojo Satoru explained. "He used the immense magical power of the Dragon's Lair to cleanse Megumi's body and forcibly elevate his rank. Once successful... Megumi will no longer be human, nor will he be a sorcerer. He will become the true King of Curses."

"Teacher, you mean..." Yi Gu seemed to understand something.

"This is an opportunity." Gojo Satoru held up a finger. "Tōsō wants to use the dragon's lair to create a god, so let's use this ritual to snatch Megumi back."

He drew several lines on the map.

"When the ceremony begins, the Imperial Palace's barrier will be in an extremely unstable 'open' state. That will be the best time for us to invade."

"We need to split our forces into two groups."

Gojo Satoru looked at Maki and Etotsu.

"Maki, Yuta. You two lead the rest of the group and are responsible for clearing out the Shadow Legion and Cursed Masters around the Imperial Palace. Make as much noise as possible to draw Ryosaku's attention away from them."

"Understood." Maki nodded.

"And then..." Gojo Satoru looked at Itadori and Shin'i.

"Yujin, Mai. You two come with me."

"Huh? Gojo-sensei, you're going too?" Itadori asked, somewhat surprised. Usually, Gojo Satoru would be the last one to appear on these kinds of missions.

"Of course. This time, my opponent is my student." Gojo Satoru pushed up his sunglasses. "If I don't personally give him a good spanking, how can I be a teacher?"

He walked up to Zhenyi, bent down, and his gaze seemed to penetrate Zhenyi, looking at that translucent soul.

"And that Mr. Ghost. We'll need to borrow your power this time."

Gojo Satoru's voice was very soft, and only Maya could hear it.

"Only your power can sever his connection with the shadow without killing Hui."

Zhenyi glanced at the December 1st beside her.

Shuo nodded, his eyes resolute.

Tell him it's okay.

Maya raised her head and looked directly into Gojo Satoru's eyes.

"As long as you can control Fu Hei, leave the rest to us."

Gojo Satoru straightened up and clapped his hands.

"Okay! It's settled then!"

His expression instantly switched back to his usual carefree demeanor.