Chapter 20: Special Grade Cursed User (Part One)

"Are you done probing?" Nakahara Chuuya watched Dazai Osamu scurrying back and began walking back with him.

"Yes, it went much as I expected," Dazai said. "We’re leaving Saitama today."

Dazai had tested his "cursed technique" against Hanami and Jogo. Its manifestation remained unchanged from before, but Dazai wasn't certain how his ability would appear through Gojo Satoru’s eyes.

It seemed he could still pull the wool over the strongest sorcerer's eyes.

"Disappeared?" Fushiguro Megumi looked at Gojo Satoru, bewildered. His foster father and future teacher was rocking back and forth on a chair in the courtyard, wearing a smile that betrayed no sign of him having encountered any trouble.

"Uh-huh, it’s the first time my 'Blue' hasn’t been able to deal any damage to a cursed spirit." Gojo’s expression was one of intense focus and fascination.

Megumi had never seen that expression on him before, nor had he ever seen a cursed spirit escape Gojo’s grasp.

He still remembered asking, "What about that cursed spirit?" after Gojo told him he had met the one Megumi had seen earlier and reassured him that not being able to distinguish it wasn't his fault.

Gojo had laughed with excitement: "It ran away."

Megumi stared at him, shocked and suspicious. "It ran away?!"

"Yeah," Gojo said nonchalantly. "It ran off into the crowd. Truly cunning, that one."

Megumi frowned, a bit worried. "Is it a troublesome cursed spirit?"

"That spirit’s technique is quite unique," Gojo explained. "It nullifies any cursed energy it comes into contact with. For an average sorcerer, it’s a natural counter."

"Nullification?!" Megumi looked at him in shock. "Is such a technique even possible?"

"It’s my first time seeing it, too," Gojo said with gusto. "A technique like that... could it be a cursed spirit born from the fear of jujutsu itself? How interesting!"

However, the cursed energy residue of this spirit was different from what he had sensed in the forest. Based on the nature of the technique, it was highly likely that this was the mysterious third party who had left no residue behind.

It wasn't a sorcerer, but another cursed spirit. Megumi had seen two spirits "hanging out" together, too.

Cursed spirits were usually loners; they rarely appeared in groups. Why would two inseparable spirits exist?

Was it some sort of bizarre symbiotic relationship?

Gojo’s intuition told him it wasn't that simple. It had been a long time since he had encountered such an interesting situation.

The nullification spirit's technique leaned more toward defense; the other spirit must have been the one who truly wounded Geto.

"I really want to have a proper bout with them," Gojo mused, feeling restless. "Megumi, don't worry. They were only probing me. Since they ran away this time, they won't be back for a while."

It looked like a newly born spirit, testing its strength—first against Geto, then against him.

"Can cursed spirits even have such schemes?" Megumi asked in amazement.

"Typical ones don't," Gojo said. "But that’s why special-grade spirits are special!"

Even among special grades, this one was exceptionally rare.

"A special-grade cursed spirit capable of nullifying cursed energy?" Yaga Masamichi, the principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High, sat in the spacious Japanese-style room. He stopped his needle-felting, looked up at Gojo, and furrowed his brows. "That’s a thorny technique."

"If it can nullify my 'Blue,' it’s definitely a special grade," Gojo said, leaning against a pillar and tossing a felt doll in the air. He added jokingly, "Ah, maybe I should let Maki try it next time; it might have a miraculous effect."

"Don't rush growth, Satoru," Yaga warned calmly. "Maki is still a long way from being able to handle a special grade."

Gojo grabbed the fists of the struggling felt doll in his hand and said nonchalantly, "Of course I wouldn't let her go alone. One has to face strong enemies to improve faster!"

Yaga replied, "Maki has talent; she just needs time to grow."

Gojo squashed the doll in his hand, dismissive. "It’s not enough. Maki is stuck at Grade 4 right now. If she takes down a special grade, those old fossils won't have anything to say."

Yaga said, speechless, "...You just want to see the chaos, don't you, Satoru?"

Gojo flashed an amused smile. "Their faces will definitely be priceless."

Yaga shook his head helplessly and steered the conversation back to the point. "A special-grade spirit that can nullify cursed energy is enough to make them nervous."

Gojo couldn't help but gloat. "Those idiots who worship cursed energy are going to be scared to death!"

For sorcerers accustomed to relying on their energy, the panic of suddenly losing it would be enough time for a spirit to strike.

Gojo trapped the doll’s hands in one of his own and rested his chin on the other. "Should I increase the students' training in this area?"

"Such a technique is indeed dangerous," Yaga said, watching Gojo maul his cursed corpse before summoning it back to his side. "I will pay close attention and try to track it down to exorcise it as soon as possible."

"That’s only if you can actually find it," Gojo said, a meaningful smile curling his lips. "It’s not just the technique that’s dangerous!"

He recalled the black figure he had seen. Even if it was only for a split second, his Six Eyes had branded the image into his brain. He could clearly see how the technique was activated and how his "Blue" vanished the moment it touched it.

"Satoru?" Yaga asked, looking at him with surprise and seriousness. "Is it really that troublesome?"

"If you run into it, you’d better turn and run," Gojo warned lightly. "You might just save your life."

"Satoru?!" Yaga raised his voice in inquiry as Gojo turned to leave.

"I’m serious," Gojo said, reaching up to adjust his blindfold and tilting his head to reveal a bright blue eye. "For now, the spirit doesn't seem to have any hostility toward sorcerers, so it’s best not to provoke it."

He was also curious about the spirit's motive. Usually, curse users and sorcerers were no different in the eyes of a spirit, but so far, only curse users had been attacked—except for him.

Yaga opened his mouth, watching Gojo’s carefree back, and said with a headache, "...How am I supposed to report this with a reason like that, you brat?!"

Gojo walked down the high steps. Sunlight washed over him. In the distance, beneath the blue sky and white clouds, his students were sparring on the field, full of youthful vigor.

"Everyone is working so hard!" Gojo said with satisfaction.

Ijichi walked toward him, handing over a file. "Gojo-san, there is a new mission."

"Don't be such a buzzkill, Ijichi," Gojo said unhappily. "I was just about to properly instruct my students!"

"I apologize for interrupting your teaching," Ijichi Kiyotaka apologized out of habit. "But in this mission, three Grade 2 sorcerers and one semi-grade 1 sorcerer have already been killed."

Gojo’s indifferent gaze shifted to the file. He asked while reading, "What happened?"

"It’s a special-grade cursed human, sixteen years old."

"A special-grade cursed human..."

In an old, austere courtyard, Geto Suguru sat in the place of honor, draped in his robes. He looked down at his subordinates, his eyes narrowing slightly.

His followers in the Star Religious Group had the task of collecting cursed spirits, and the information they funneled to him helped expand his arsenal.

Last time, Geto had failed to exorcise a special-grade spirit and had lost one of his own. While recovering, he had reflected on his defeat and concluded that he simply didn't have enough spirits.

Though quantity could make up for quality, against a truly powerful opponent, blind numbers were useless. He needed stronger spirits.

Geto looked at the investigation results. "Orimoto Rika, Okkotsu Yuta... I see. Cursed by a lover who died young?"

"The jujutsu world has received the news, too. It’s said they’ve dispatched Gojo Satoru," Sugita Manami said worriedly. "Geto-san, your wounds have only just healed..."

"It’s fine, Manami," Geto said. "Three sorcerers are already dead; it’s only natural they’d send Satoru."

Geto looked at the documents. Special-grade spirits were rare; after the last failure, he had to be more cautious this time.

The jujutsu world sending Satoru had its pros and cons. Snatching someone from Satoru was a hassle, but if it was Satoru... he looked at the fresh-faced photo of Okkotsu Yuta. If it was Satoru, he would have time to plan carefully.

Not long after Geto received the news, Dazai Osamu also received Okkotsu Yuta’s identity information.

Although they hadn't yet managed to infiltrate the sorcerers, planting a spy within the Star Religious Group was easy.

There were so many curse users they were harassing; picking one or two to subjugate in the process was perfectly normal.

"A special-grade cursed human?" Chuuya asked, curious about the new term. "What does that mean?"

"Let me see..." Dazai browsed the intelligence sent by their mole. The internal report didn't contain definitions, but by connecting the dots from the background check, he quickly guessed the meaning.

"Orimoto Rika cursed Okkotsu Yuta when she died, becoming a cursed spirit herself and staying by his side..." Dazai and Chuuya exchanged a look.

Chuuya was silent for a moment, then said with relief, "Good thing there are no cursed spirits in our world."

Dazai replied noncommittally, "If it worked that way, Verlaine would be even more troublesome."

Because he would have had Rimbaud’s obsessive cursed spirit by his side. If their world had spirits, he wouldn't have needed to make a deal with "The Book" to bring Chuuya to this world.

"I’m reminded of Shibusawa Tatsuhiko," Chuuya murmured.

"Hmm..." Dazai blinked. "Chuuya’s association skills are as sharp as ever, but Shibusawa was different because of his unique ability."

"I thought only collective fear could form a cursed spirit?" Chuuya asked, confused.

Dazai destroyed the intelligence he had finished reading. "If they possess cursed energy themselves, they can form powerful curses after death."

"I see..." Chuuya scoffed. "Isn't that just a haunting?"

Dazai narrowed his eyes, a half-smile on his face. "How does Chuuya know they aren't doing it willingly? If he could, Rimbaud wouldn't have left Verlaine."

Chuuya shrugged, unimpressed. "Being willing or not doesn't change the fact that it's a haunting, does it?"

Dazai sighed dramatically, attacking "viciously": "Chuuya is so unromantic; no wonder you’ve been single all this time."

Chuuya hit the nail on the head: "I recall Okkotsu Yuta was sentenced to death, wasn't he?"

Dazai said, "Maybe he’s perfectly willing to die?"

Chuuya didn't argue, simply stating, "Either way, whether he dies or not isn't up to him anymore."

After he finished, he seemed to think of something and fell into a brief, silent reverie.

Dazai changed the subject, feeling a bit guilty. "This is the second time."

"Hm?" Chuuya raised an eyebrow.

"The second time Gojo Satoru noticed us and then got distracted by something else."

"Oh," Chuuya replied flatly.

"What are you thinking about, Chuuya?"

"Aren't you supposed to know me? Guess for yourself!" Chuuya replied dismissively.

Dazai observed Chuuya’s expression. "Chuuya?"

"What?" Chuuya asked impatiently.

"What are *you* doing?" Dazai countered.

"Nothing," Chuuya said. "Are you saying someone is controlling Gojo Satoru?"

Dazai looked into those blue eyes and let it slide for the moment. "Rather, I’d say they’re resorting to this because they can't control him."

Chuuya didn't care. "Didn't you already say someone was watching us?"

"Of course, because something is off," Dazai said. "I originally thought the person behind the scenes was targeting us, but now it looks like they're targeting Geto Suguru."

"Geto Suguru?" Chuuya thought for a moment. "You mean someone wants to kill him?"

"Uh-huh!" Dazai said. "It seems Chuuya’s IQ hasn't dropped since becoming a spirit!"

"Tch!" Chuuya sneered. "If becoming a spirit really affected intelligence, you’d better worry about yourself—after all, you don't have any offensive capabilities besides that brain of yours."

Dazai protested, "Chuuya said my mouth was very offensive last time."

Chuuya said, "You’ll get yourself killed if you just talk trash."

"Don't I have you?" Dazai said righteously. "Would you really watch me get killed?"

"Tch!" Chuuya clicked his tongue, annoyed. "If I could actually do that, you wouldn't be alive today!"

Dazai raised his eyebrows triumphantly, taking advantage of the situation. "It’s all because Chuuya is always ruining my suicide plans!"

Chuuya was equally righteous. "If I don't let you have your way, I’m happy. Is that a problem?!"

Dazai was heartbroken. "Chuuya, where is our partner bond?"

"When did we ever have such a thing?"

Dazai widened his eyes and shouted, "Chuuya, that’s too much! And after I saved you!"

"Then stop yelling about wanting to commit suicide!" Chuuya arched his brows, his blue eyes burning as he stared at Dazai. "Since you dragged me back, take some responsibility!"

Dazai choked. He was silent for a moment, his gaze drifting before returning to Chuuya. "Is Chuuya asking me to be responsible?"

Chuuya flashed a brilliant smile. "I never said that."

Dazai asked eagerly, "Then what did you mean just now?"

"Exactly what I said!" Chuuya said leisurely. "Don't misunderstand, Dazai. I’m not the type to ask people to take responsibility."

"Yeah, yeah, Chuuya is always the one who takes responsibility for himself!" Dazai took a deep breath, gnashing his teeth. "So, take responsibility for me, Chuuya! I ran to this world to save you!"

Chuuya didn't buy it. "I didn't ask you to!"

"What?! Chuuya should be grateful, shouldn't he?!"

"Keep dreaming!"

...

The topic was derailed by their bickering. Before their verbal exchange could turn into a physical one, Dazai asked, "Does Chuuya want to see that person?"

"Didn't he transfer into Gojo Satoru’s class?"

"Tokyo Jujutsu High," Dazai said. "But Gojo spends more time on missions than at school."

Chuuya commented casually, "A bit irresponsible for a teacher."

Dazai felt a sense of camaraderie. "Busier than you, Chuuya."

"I’ve never been anyone’s teacher."

Dazai said pitifully, "Do you know how hard it was for me to teach Akutagawa and Atsushi-kun?"

"Not to mention you exploited Akutagawa plenty..." Chuuya looked at Dazai with disdain. "Weren't you slacking off the whole time you were at the Armed Detective Agency? Pushing all the work onto the weretiger."

"Tch, tch, tch!" Dazai dragged out his tone. "So Chuuya actually pays attention to my work at the agency..."

"The weretiger told me."

Dazai said with dissatisfaction, "Why is Chuuya so close with Atsushi-kun? You’re enemies!"

"We just chatted a bit when we ran into each other at the movies. The Boss didn't want any conflict," Chuuya said, speechless. "And what did you tell him at the agency? He calls me 'Chuuya-san'—he’s way too familiar."

"Of course I had to tell everyone all the embarrassing things Chuuya did so they’d know how hard it was for me to have you as a partner!" Dazai asked, "What movie did you watch with Atsushi-kun?"

This time it was Chuuya’s turn to choke. "What does that have to do with you?!"

Dazai looked at the blush on Chuuya’s face and gave a teasing smile. "Was it the time I scared you?"

"You have the nerve to bring that up?!" Chuuya was furious just thinking about it. Who hides in a cardboard box on the side of the road in the middle of the night?!

He had just finished a movie and thought it was an abandoned puppy, but it was that dog Dazai!

Dazai remembered how Chuuya had been so scared his eyes had welled up with tears—it was adorable.

His iris-colored eyes brimmed with gentle laughter as he teased, "A majestic gravity manipulator afraid of ghosts—if the Port Mafia’s enemies knew, they’d die laughing."

"...So what?" Chuuya turned away, revealing a bright red ear.

Dazai curled his lips, admiring the blush spreading from Chuuya’s ear to his cheek, and said slowly, "A large portion of ghosts in this world become cursed spirits. Since spirits are increasing, ghosts and spirits are basically the same thing."

"That’s different," Chuuya muttered. "I can hit cursed spirits."

For Chuuya, the only things that were scary were the things his fists couldn't touch.

Dazai said, "Chuuya is basically a ghost now, too."

"I’m a ghost, and I still have to be your partner. What bad luck!"

"That’s my line!"

"You should have been prepared before you decided to do this!"

"If Chuuya had told me sooner, I could have prepared more!"

"I was..." Chuuya looked at Dazai’s grim face and said, feeling guilty, "I didn't..."

Dazai looked at the guilty Chuuya, twitched his lips, and smiled sarcastically. "Didn't what? Did Mori-san forbid you from telling me, or did you decide you didn't need to?"

"Didn't I tell you eventually?" Chuuya sighed. "I didn't intend to hide it from you forever..."

"Chuuya wanted to hide it from me until the end?!" Dazai exploded. "Chuuya, you overestimate yourself! Do you really think you have any secrets from me?"

Chuuya felt he should be angry, but staring at Dazai, he only felt a sense of softness.

Fine. What could he do? If he had any way of dealing with Dazai, he wouldn't be in this situation today.

But his competitive drive after all these years wouldn't allow him to yield. Chuuya sneered, "Yeah, you surveillance-obsessed freak!"

Dazai wasn't worried. "I’ve been monitoring you for more than a day or two. If you were really angry, I would have stopped."

Chuuya rolled his eyes. "Forget it, you’d just hide the bugs in places I wouldn't find."

Chuuya had played cat-and-mouse with him over this many times, until they eventually smoothed things out and Chuuya compromised on his partner’s possessiveness.

"That’s because you were never r-e-a-l-l-y angry," Dazai emphasized. He still had a survival instinct when it came to Chuuya, you know. If Chuuya really hated it that much, he would have changed his methods.

"How else can I be angry? I can't actually kill you!" Chuuya rubbed his nose. He wasn't angry because he realized Dazai only set up the monitoring because he was worried.

The two stared at each other for a moment, then simultaneously looked away.

Dazai teased him, "Doesn't Chuuya shout about wanting to kill me every day?"

Chuuya said stubbornly, "Have you ever seen me shout like that at anyone I actually killed?!"

Dazai laughed happily. "So, you shout like that because you can't kill me and this is the only way to vent?"

Chuuya ground his teeth. "Don't push your luck, Dazai! I can still beat you half to death."

"Heh!" Dazai teased with a grin, "You never shout like that when you actually want to fight."

"Who says?" Chuuya said honestly. "My enemies don't think so."

"Enemies don't count." Dazai shrugged. "Whenever you want to hit me, you just go for it."

He jumped up, dodging Chuuya’s leg sweep, then took two steps back as he landed, dodging a punch. He teased with ease, "See? You never warn me."

"Do you need a warning?!" Chuuya glared at him and stopped moving.

Dazai said smugly, "I’m perfectly clear on your expressions, movements, and breathing frequency. It’s impossible for you to sneak attack me."

"I can kill you without a sneak attack!"

"Yeah, yeah, I’ve learned that well enough, but there’s no need to play for real, is there?" Dazai said aggrievedly. "I didn't do anything today. You’re getting more and more violent; is it the influence of being a spirit?"

"I think it’s the influence of being around you for too long," Chuuya said. "You’re just asking for a beating!"

Dazai protested, "The time I spent with you as a partner was definitely not less than now!"

Chuuya said sincerely, "We haven't been partners for four years, Dazai. I’ve already gotten used to days where no one pisses me off."

Dazai looked at Chuuya in disbelief, as if he had been deeply betrayed. He said with an unquestionable tone, "Well, now we have time, and you’ll get used to it again!"

Chuuya: ...

He took a deep breath. "Don't make me kick you out to sleep on the sofa, Dazai!"

"You can't abuse me!" Dazai fought back. "It’s clearly your fault! We’ve always been partners! You actually said you weren't used to my presence! N-o-t u-s-e-d t-o! Are you a goldfish, Chuuya? How could you forget so quickly?!"

Four years was longer than the three years they had been partners—how was that quick?

Chuuya swallowed the words back after seeing the look on Dazai’s face. Given how much the guy cared about their time as partners, no wonder Dostoevsky had said they were partners for seven years.

—He hadn't thought that was wrong at the time, either.

"I didn't say I wasn't used to your presence," Chuuya soothed him calmly. "I just said I was used to days where no one pisses me off. So, do you really have to piss me off, Dazai?"

Dazai’s gloom eased slightly. "Because your reactions are always so interesting!"

"You mean the counterattacks after I get furious?" Chuuya scoffed. "Dazai, are you a masochist?"

Dazai looked horrified. "Are you going to sadistically abuse me, Chuuya? What did you learn in the years I wasn't in the Port Mafia?!"

Chuuya gave him a concise reply: "Get lost!"

In the end, Dazai saved himself from the sofa by bringing up business.

"Shall we go have a chance encounter with Okkotsu Yuta?" Dazai proposed. "Go see our new 'kind'."

Chuuya asked suspiciously, "Is the 'we' in your sentence referring to us?"

"Of course..." Dazai dragged out the word. "...not." He said with a straight face, "Since Jogo and Hanami are so concerned about their new companion, how can we not tell them when we have good news?"