Dry fingers

Yuji Itadori is just an ordinary man. After his only family member, his grandfather, passed away, he moved to Tokyo to live.

He has no relatives, so it doesn't matter if he moves to a completely unfamiliar place. After a few ordinary years, Yuji Itadori graduated from a very ordinary school.

As for work, he was more inclined to be a firefighter or something, but after many twists and turns, he ended up being a physical education teacher in a middle school.

The life of an ordinary person is probably just so ordinary and ordinary. But everything became different when Yuji Itadori was 25 years old.

Those fingers that looked like they were torn off a mummy would be considered Halloween props by everyone, but such ordinary mummy fingers brought disaster.

In order to protect the students, Yuji Itadori seemed to hear the devil's whisper, and thus swallowed the finger that brought disaster.

After he swallowed the finger, a long-winded person who called himself the King of Curses appeared in his body. And in that accident that nearly killed several students, someone arrived at the critical moment.

The long black hair was very fluffy, and the black kimono made him look out of place with the others. But this person who looked aloof easily destroyed a large number of monsters.

And after meeting those green eyes, Yuji Itadori clearly felt the unhappiness of the person in front of him.

"Are you Yuji Itadori?"

Drowsily, Yuji Itadori nodded. When he came to his senses, he was faced with the death penalty.

"Hey, hey! This is too sudden! How are my students?" Yuji Itadori explained, "Also, where is that...that Zen temple?"

"Master Zenin? He is not the one who will execute you." The person in charge said, and then said with great regret, "We are very sorry, but the one inside you is the cursed king from a thousand years ago, Ryomen Sukuna."

Through the explanation of the kind-hearted man, Masamichi Yaga, Yuji Itadori understood what the monster he had seen before was, as well as what a cursed spirit and a sorcerer were.

And the black-haired young man who I met once was said to be a very powerful special-grade sorcerer.

If he died in such an inexplicable way, he would still feel a little resentful in his heart. But thinking of the words of his only relative before his death, Yuji Itadori accepted it calmly.

However, Zenin Kei, whom he had met once, stood in front of him and secured for him a chance to postpone the death penalty.

But before he could even utter the words of thanks, the busy man hurriedly dealt with the senior executives and left.

After that, he was entrusted to Principal Yega, who looked fierce but was actually very easy to get along with. After temporarily learning a lot of relevant knowledge, Yuji Itadori became a sorcerer.

In the next two years, while working as a sorcerer, Yuji Itadori accepted the invitation of Principal Yaga to become a teacher at the technical high school.

Unexpectedly, the person he thought he would never have any intersection with was also invited to become a teacher.

"Hey, Zenin." Yuji Itadori greeted with a smile. He walked forward briskly and patted the person in front of him on the shoulder.

The black-haired young man turned his head with a completely unfamiliar expression on his face. He seemed a little unhappy about the "stranger" approaching him, but did not refuse out of politeness.

"Ah..." Yuji Itadori swallowed subconsciously, then pinched his cheek and said with a little disappointment, "I am Yuji Itadori, a teacher at the technical high school."

It’s okay if such a powerful person doesn’t remember me, Yuji Itadori comforted himself.

"Yeah." Zenin Hui's brows relaxed and he politely replied, "What's the matter?"

"No, I just came to say hello to my new colleague. Please take care of me in the future--"

They became colleagues, and after the first-year students arrived at the school, they began to come into contact more frequently.

Zenin Kei has a very cold personality and rarely has her own demands except for tasks and work. But after getting to know her for a long time, Itadori Yuji can also find the gentle side under that cold face.

"Do you like small animals?" Yuji Itadori said while holding a running rabbit. "But this is a maple leaf. Rabbits probably won't eat it."

Zenin Kei paused, and the maple leaf he had picked up fell to the ground. He pursed his lips, as if thinking about how to answer.

Seeing the silence in the atmosphere, Yuji Itadori also realized his abruptness: "I'm sorry, Zenin, do you... hate me?"

As Sukuna's carrier, it's reasonable for him to be disliked.

As if he was stumped by this sudden and blunt remark, Zenin Kei sighed and said helplessly, "No, Tuto is a shikigami and doesn't need to eat."

"Huh? Is that so? Hahaha..."

That brief conversation was just an episode in daily life, but Yuji Itadori could clearly feel that Zenin talked more.

The two of them went from being colleagues to a relationship that could barely be called friends, but of course it was a one-sided view.

After dealing with another troublesome student, the topic somehow turned to a strange place.

"Why did Zenin save me at that time?" Yuji Itadori asked carefully.

He thought the person in front of him would answer: Because I failed to take care of Sukuna Finger, so I need to take responsibility. Or: You are still useful.

But Zenin Kei only thought for a moment, and then answered casually.

"It's selfish. I hope you can live."

There was no emotion in those green eyes, as if this matter was nothing unusual. But listening to the amplified heartbeat, Yuji Itadori realized that something was different.

In the absence of relatives and when life and death don’t matter, I suddenly found the meaning of life.

"Teacher Zenin? He is as important as my family." Yuji Itadori explained to several students with a smile, "Yes... a brother! Just like Toudou."

When Dongtang was mentioned, the expressions of several people became strange.

However, an unexpected turn of events occurred. It was an underestimated special-grade cursed spirit, and in order to protect several ordinary people present, Itadori Yuji had to make a deal with Sukuna.

Those ordinary people survived, but since then, Zenin Kei has never spoken to him again, as if they were a stranger.

Yuji Itadori was a little puzzled, but was laughed at by the white-haired student: "I don't know. If you are willing to bring me snacks from that store, I will ask you the reason."

"It was the Zen temple teacher who brought you back that day. Do you remember what happened before that?" asked the reliable student Geto Summer Oil.

After careful thinking, he still couldn't remember it, so Yuji Itadori could only sigh and think about taking it slowly. However, because of Sukuna's reappearance, he lost the trust of the top management.

"If he wants to! He will definitely summon Sukuna again."

"Don't mention that we are only protecting ordinary people. Sukuna's threat is much greater than that special-grade one. Instead of letting Sukuna out, let them die together."

Those cold words showed that he didn't care about his thoughts at all. Yuji Itadori was used to it and even felt like giving the principal some words of advice.

As a result, he was placed under house arrest at the technical secondary school, but he had been planning to take a good rest. It was a pity that the Zen temple seemed to have been assigned other tasks, and he did not return to the technical secondary school for more than half a month.

Then, a very sudden mission was assigned to him.

"This is obviously a trap, do you really want to go?" The white-haired boy took off his black sunglasses, and the nonchalant smile on his face was gone.

Yuji Itadori nodded and said, "Yes, you can go. Don't worry. It will be absolutely no problem for me, the teacher."

Xia Yujie sighed and shook his head. Several of them were also sent away for various tasks: "Be careful on your way."

Ieiri Shoko also repeated the sentence, and as soon as she spoke, she turned around and looked at the person who came.

"Don't go."

The face was expressionless, and he said two words in a very cold and firm tone. Seeing that Yuji Itadori was trying to fool around, Zenin Kei frowned and grabbed the back of his collar.

"Haha, it's okay." Yuji Itadori laughed, "I'm not that stupid. I will be careful when I encounter the wrong situation."

The hand grabbing his neck got tighter and tighter, and Yuji Itadori had no choice but to take off his coat. But the jade dogs appeared from both sides and bit him.

So Yuji promised seriously: "Let's make a promise! I will definitely come back."

The two looked at each other for a long time, and finally Zenin Kei gave in. This was a boring trick to coax a child. But the black-haired young man was very serious: "Don't die, Itadori Yuji."

"Of course!" Yuji Itadori stood up, patted his sleeves and put on his clothes.

With that unhesitating promise, invisible constraints were formed. But when his body was broken and unable to move, Yuji Itadori felt a little frustrated.

He was upset that he couldn't keep the appointment, that he didn't apologize properly before leaving, and that he didn't say thank you. Looking at the bloodstains all over the ground, Yuji Itadori no longer dodged.

Those innocent people died because of him. In the huge shopping mall, there were many people visiting because it was the weekend.

In just a few hours, the shopping mall that was once full of laughter and joy turned into a hell on earth.

The special curse with a stitched face made an unpleasant laugh, and its mouth opened and closed as if it was saying something. But Yuji Itadori was no longer able to listen carefully, and there was only deep despair in his heart.

Why is he still alive?

Sukuna's laughter was very harsh and pointed: "It's all because of you! It's because of you that these ordinary people died."

"How arrogant! You are nothing but a piece of trash. Guess why that guy named Zenin Kei is avoiding you? Of course it's because of you."

"Because after fighting me with all my might, I thought I was in control of your body, and I only heard vicious curses with hope on my face."

[Zenin Kei, why didn't you save me? You who claim to be the strongest, turned out to be a waste. 】

[Then I curse you, you will never be treated sincerely. Even if you get it, you will lose it immediately.]

Between choosing to save the innocent ordinary people involved and Yuji Itadori, the guy chose the latter. Sukuna doesn't mind acting, just like watching a comedy.

So he pretended to be Yuji Itadori and said the vicious curse without hesitation. Looking at the disbelief and disappointment on that face, Sukuna secretly laughed at the stupidity of the two.

That guy, the most powerful man of this era, actually believed it without any doubt.

The laughing sound in his ears continued, Yuji Itadori's eyes moved, and transparent tears overflowed from his eye sockets while turning blood red.

He should have died earlier.

[Don’t die, Japanese knotweed Hishito! 】

The retro mansion was filled with a depressing atmosphere. On the clean wooden corridor, a guard stood at a distance.

A black-haired man in a dark kimono and with an expressionless face walked by, and people on both sides of the road lowered their heads.

"Master of Zenin."

Facing pressure from the upper management and the former head of the Zenin family, Zenin Kei was confined in this mansion for three hours. Just as he walked through the yard, Zenin Naoya appeared in front of him with a wicked smile on his face.

"Master? But he is also a good and obedient dog."

The weather was still clear, and looking at the clouds in the sky, Zenin Hui did not answer.

This mansion was so big that Zenin Kei was stopped before he could finish walking. The angry and disappointed white-haired boy rushed over quickly and threw a punch without hesitation.

However, the surging black shadow blocked his angry punch. Gojo Satoru lost control of his emotions and shouted, "You coward! Didn't you say you would go?! Why didn't you help him? You coward!"

"Yuhito is dead. Is this the result you have been expecting?"

The next round of cang was also blocked, but the surrounding buildings were not so lucky.

The two men started fighting, and the fierce battle destroyed many buildings. At the end of the corridor, a black-haired man in a light-colored kimono was holding a mobile phone that did not belong to him, with a faint smile on his face.

On his forehead, there were traces similar to seams.

The breath of the curse spread quickly, and soon several people who were talking stopped with strange expressions.

"It's Sukuna's finger." Lord Tengen accurately gave the information, "It's inside the Kuriboshi Palace."

The others didn't hesitate any more and rushed out almost at the same time. His heart was beating fast, Yuji Itadori clenched his fists tightly, praying in his heart that nothing unexpected would happen.

But just as he met the eyes of the man with stitches on his forehead, his heart began to tighten rapidly, and then a strange feeling came over him, and Yuji Itadori's body stiffened and he lost consciousness.

"Yuhito!" Toudou Aoi, who was nearby, reacted quickly, but his brother standing next to him suddenly exploded and his aura changed.

The people who were originally running in the same direction quickly distanced themselves from each other, and Yuta Otsutsuki drew his sword without hesitation. But it was too late, Sukuna had already taken control of his body and quickly went to the other side.

When he regained consciousness, Yuji Itadori saw a close, enlarged smiling face. The smile was very playful, with a hint of contempt.

Then his chest was pierced, and the severe pain made him cough uncontrollably. His body flew backwards out of control, but looking at that face, his heart sank a little.

"Tiger stick!"

After smashing many buildings in succession, Yuji Itadori finally stopped. Soon afterwards, a pair of hands reached out, picked him up and treated the wounds on his body.

Otsutsuki frowned in worry, and was relieved when he saw that the person in front of him was still able to move. The situation over there was tense, and in front of the cursed king Ryomen Sukuna, ordinary people had no power to fight at all.

After a huge explosion, the Hongxing Palace finally saw the light of day. The billowing dust blinded him, and his eyes widened with tears.

"Is it... because of me?" Yuji Itadori's voice was trembling, "Is Sukuna... not in my body?"

The long pink hair was lifted up by the impact, and the black lines on the skin became more and more obvious. The suppressed laughter was very harsh, and the Curse King, who stood high and looked down on everyone, mocked.

"Yuji Itadori, you're just a useless thing who can't do anything." Sukuna calmly tore off his already tattered clothes and moved his limbs with his upper body bare.

He was very satisfied with this new body, as if it was tailor-made for him. Sukuna narrowed his eyes and looked at the people who were waiting in a serious manner. Just as he raised his hand to kill them, someone behind him spoke up to remind him.

"Sukuna-sama."

Ryoumen Sukuna turned around and thought for a moment when he saw that face, then he asked in surprise, "Rime?"

"Yes, Sukuna-sama." Rimei stood up respectfully, "The rest of the ceremony has been prepared."

Sukuna doesn't know whether the remaining consciousness in this body can still have any impact. But the experience of being restrained by Itadori Yuji makes him willing to spend more time.

These people will die sooner or later, so there is no need to rush.

"Don't run! Ryomen Sukuna!" Yuji Itadori shouted, he got up and rushed over quickly.

If Ryoumen Sukuna cannot be controlled, no one knows how many people will die because of him. In panic, I wanted to stop that possibility, but Sukuna just looked at me coldly and left without hesitation.

Huge ice crystals advanced layer by layer, and soon a huge ice wall appeared in front of everyone.

Yuji Itadori threw a punch, but in the end, only a few scattered ice cubes fell off in vain. He fell to his knees with all the strength drained out, and the pain in his heart made it difficult for him to speak.

"Uhhhhhh!"

It happened so suddenly that Kujukuyuki recognized the familiar figure as Geto Suguru, and the pink-haired special curse was lying on his back on the ground.

Was it a disagreement? Or was it a sneak attack?

But before they could come up with a reasonable explanation, Yuji Itadori, who was following behind the others, suddenly jumped up. His momentum changed, and he quickly stepped forward, decisively tore off a piece of his finger and stuffed it into the mouth of the cursed spirit on the ground.

When the curse on the ground crawled up and burst out with a stronger curse breath, everyone realized that it was already an unconscious body, a body specially prepared for Ryomen Sukuna.

And under the attention of everyone, the cursed king of thousands of years ago, Ryomen Sukuna, was born again.

In the corner, a white rabbit quietly blends into the shadow.

The seldom visited stone pavement was covered with moss, and the lush trees on both sides of the road were still green, so they blocked out the sunlight completely.

"Have you really thought it through? That body is a cursed spirit, and Kagome's technique is to control cursed spirits." 005 took small steps and walked in front.

This is a small path leading out of the high school. Normal people would not think of leaving from here, but Yuji Itadori is not a normal person. He not only discovered this path, but also shared it enthusiastically.

Zenin Hui stopped and the wind blew through the forest, making a rustling sound in the leaves.

"Since Sukuna took control of that body, this matter is no longer something Nose can control." The deer ninja replied, "But it's a pity that the two guys probably won't fight."

It's a bit difficult to reap the benefits while sitting back and enjoying the wealth.

"Come out." Zenin Hui turned his head and said to the empty path.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then a man came out with a weapon.

Maki pushed up her glasses and put her weapon behind her back. "Where are you going?"

Zenin Hui did not directly answer the question. He just stared at the person in front of him and then said something shocking: "Are you afraid of death?"

Although a little surprised, Maki still shook her head: "No."

She didn't think the person in front of her would suddenly attack, not only because Zenin Hui had been their teacher, but also because the person in front of her was very similar to Hui, who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside to people he was familiar with.

"Then follow me." Zenin Hui nodded, and finally turned around and walked out of the school, "Don't contact anyone else for the time being."

Maki was a little confused, but thinking about the dire situation now, she followed with a serious expression.

If Gojo Satoru is not here, it seems that they can only rely on the person in front of them.

The two of them seemed to be unfamiliar with each other, with a long distance between them. 005 walked between them and asked in confusion: "Why are you bringing Maki with you?"

〖I need someone to protect me.〗

As if hearing something unbelievable, 005 quickly ran to the front and tilted his head to observe the host's expression: "It's really rare, are you showing weakness? It's good to finally know that you have companions."

"You talk a lot."

Because terrorist attacks have suddenly occurred in various places, after watching the news, most people have stayed at home for safety.

However, in some streets that were not affected, most of the shops chose to open for business. However, the streets that were bustling in previous years seemed particularly deserted this year.

A Gaiqiao restaurant that usually does good business finally welcomed customers in the evening, half a day after opening.

"Welcome—"

Two steaming bowls of rice were brought to the table. The rising white mist covered Maki's glasses, so she took them off first.

Neither of them spoke, and they ate in silence. However, during the meal, Maki kept observing the person in front of her.

When she noticed that he was really just hungry and not in a bad mood for some other reason, she felt helpless.

If I leave the college and the Zen temple, don't these people have any way to make some money? I really wonder if I will starve to death if I'm out there.

[It's a walking wallet.] 005 sat on the chair, feeling a little jealous because he didn't have one.

Maki noticed the eager look of the jade dog. She remembered that Hui said that shikigami did not need to eat regularly. But the jade dog looked like this, which meant that it was also hungry.

So she stroked the jade dog's head and whispered, "I'll find you some curse spirits later."

Moved by this sudden concern, 005 wagged his tail: "She's so nice, can we keep her with us forever?"

Zenin Kei didn't answer, wiped his mouth with a piece of paper, and sat there without saying a word. Maki understood, settled the bill, and took the initiative to take everyone away.

It was already dark, and seeing that Zenin Kei hadn't made any active arrangements, Maki suggested, "Let's find a place to stay first."

[No need to sleep outside anymore, that's great.] 005 circled around Maki.

After looking at her phone, Maki first found a way to get through to the school, and then she skillfully looked for a nearby hotel. But as soon as she put down her phone, she realized something was wrong.

The sight from the darkness was definitely not accidental. Maki put down her phone, looked at Zenin Kei with half-closed eyes and a distracted look, and took the initiative to whisper, "Someone is here."

"Ah?" Zenin Kei seemed to have just discovered it. He did not turn around to look around, but just said calmly, "Then I'll leave it to you."

"It hurts, don't come over, or we will be rude to you." The blonde girl pretended to be calm.

But just as she finished speaking, she was hit on the head. Maki grabbed one of them with one hand and said sternly, "What are you two doing?"

Maki had seen these two people before last year's One Hundred Demons Night Parade. They were following Geto Suguru, so it was reasonable to suspect that they were here to gather information.

Mimiko said nothing, while Nanako stared at Maki with a frustrated look on her face, and then admitted defeat: "Zenin Kei, I know you are very strong. Then you can definitely save Master Geto. Please, we can do whatever you want!"

After saying that, the two of them knelt down together, with their heads on the ground: "We know the location of Sukuna's finger, and we can tell you in exchange."

The two people who tried to remain calm had their shoulders trembling slightly. They made what they thought was a sincere exchange, but they were still unsure whether the person in front of them would help them.

But all this is for Master Geto.

Zenin Hui looked down, and the jade dog at his feet became active. It scratched the ground lightly with its two paws, as if expecting something.

"You guys should keep that finger with you."

Nanako became nervous, but still tried to remain calm: "Yes."

If they wanted Sukuna's finger and he didn't agree to their request, Nanako would be powerless. But now they have no choice but to be left alone.

The fingers sealed with a long dark paper strip were presented to her with both hands. Zenin Hui took it with one hand and then tore the seal without hesitation.

Maki was a little confused, but when she saw the two sisters standing up in extreme tension, she softened her tone and asked, "What do you think is occupying Kagome Geto's body?"

"Give it to me, give it to me——" 005 muttered, "I don't need Tiger Stick anymore, just give it to me."

The deer ninja observed the wrinkled finger, then threw it away. With a "wow", the jade dog jumped up and swallowed it.

Just like a jelly bean, you don't even need to chew it. Maki showed a surprised expression: "Is it really okay to give it to the jade dog?"

The owner of the jade dog did not answer, but the jade dog was circling around very energetically.

"Your request can be granted, but you cannot get the body of Kagome Jie." Zenin Hui said, keeping an eye on Jade Dog's eager movements.

Swallowing the curse did not seem to have any negative effects on 005. On the contrary, 005 was looking forward to it.

In this case, even if the noose is successfully removed, Geto's body will disappear with it.

After the tangle, Mimiko tugged at Nanako's clothes, and the two sisters nodded with difficulty: "Please."

As the two sisters walked away, Maki, with a frown on her face, asked, "Is it okay to establish a bond so easily?"

"Yeah." Zenin Hui nodded, "It just happened to be convenient."

Just like Nosoko had never believed in him, Shikanin had no intention of letting Nosoko do whatever he wanted.