Jujutsu Kaisen: I have everything I need now!

Dawn came later in Tokyo than usual.

Thick clouds obscured the sky, and the energy surge that erupted in Shinjuku last night, which had sent shivers down the spines of the entire jutsu world, had now subsided, leaving only a deathly silence.

In a secluded villa far from the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku.

This is a typical Japanese garden, with a dry landscape layout that exudes a Zen-like atmosphere. However, in today's chaotic world, this ambiance seems somewhat out of place, even ironic.

Lu Su knelt on the veranda, a chessboard in front of him, but there was no one opposite him.

"Has your strength increased again?"

Lu Suo held a black chess piece in his hand, his fingers long and slender, his movements elegant, as if everything that had happened last night had nothing to do with him. In reality, it really didn't matter much; this was the owner of the [Shadow Eater] mask testing his own power.

"As expected." He gently placed the black piece on the board, making a crisp "snap" sound. "Looks like the plan needs to be moved up."

He looked up at the shadows deep in the courtyard.

There were no lights on, and in the darkness, a figure sitting cross-legged could be vaguely seen. The person wore a bluish-purple mask with a hidden crack in the center. His eyes were closed, but the aura emanating from him was comparable to that of a top-tier cursed spirit possessing a domain.

Fukuro Megumi. Or rather, the current Hunter General.

"Look, Hui," Rōsō said to the silent figure, his tone as if chatting with an old friend, "Your companions are working very hard. That light... such a powerful force, even I felt a slight threat."

Fushiguro Megumi did not react at all, but the shadow behind him would occasionally writhe like a living thing, transforming into huge pincers, as if he were fighting with some kind of being in a dream.

"Whose turn is it next?"

Lu Suo pulled another mask out of his sleeve.

It was a jet-black mask with two sharp, upright ears, shaped like a bat. But the mask lay quietly in his hand, not on anyone's face.

"All you need is... a little bit of 'bait'."

As he finished speaking, a red light flashed in the eye sockets of the mask.

Immediately afterwards, a black shadow slowly rose from the shadows of the courtyard. It had enormous fleshy wings, a burly body, and exuded a nauseating stench of blood. It looked exactly like the Nightbat General who had attacked the High School earlier, but upon closer inspection, one would notice that its eyes were empty, lacking the agility of a commanding creature.

This was merely a shadow soldier. A puppet imbued with power, destined to die.

"Go," Ryouso waved his hand. "Go to Yokohama. Cause a huge ruckus there, lure them there. Let them think they've caught a big fish, and then, when they're at their most triumphant..."

Lu Suo's smile deepened, and a malicious glint flashed in his eyes.

"Give them a little shock."

The shadow soldier roared, flapped its wings, and soared into the dawn night.

Lu Suo looked back at the chessboard and threw a white piece into the chess box.

"Without help, I have to do many things myself, which is really troublesome. But..." He looked at the still sleeping Fushiguro Megumi, "As long as I have this trump card, I will never lose this game."

......

Zhenyi felt like she had a very long dream.

My dream was filled with fire. Red fire, white light, and an emptiness that seemed to drain my very soul.

This is a forced correction made by the world to the occurrence of the new December moon.

"Well……"

She let out a soft moan, her eyelids feeling as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

"woke up?"

A familiar voice rang in my ears. It was very soft, with a hint of caution.

Mayu struggled to open her eyes. Her vision was blurry, and it took several seconds for her to focus.

December 1st was hovering beside the bed, his face filled with worry. Seeing Zhenyi wake up, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and his whole body sank a little.

"You slept really long." December reached out to touch Zhenyi's forehead, but stopped just before her fingers touched her skin. "How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?"

Zhenyi tried moving her fingers.

A tingling sensation spread from her fingertips throughout her body, proof that the power of the [Horse] talisman was still repairing her damaged meridians. She clearly remembered that it was December 1st who was activating the talisman's power throughout, and this time she wasn't using her own body. At this moment, her memory was slightly confused.

"It felt like I'd been run over by a truck." Mayi's voice was hoarse, her throat parched. "Water..."

On the first day of the twelfth month, he immediately went to the table, picked up a glass of water, and carefully brought it to Zhenyi's lips.

"Drink slowly."

Zhenyi took a few sips from his hand. The cool liquid slid down her throat, making her finally feel alive again.

"What time is it now?" Maya asked, catching her breath.

"Evening." December 1st placed the cup back on the table. "You slept all day."

"It's been so long..." Mayi struggled to sit up.

"Don't move!" December 1st hurriedly shouted, "Although I used the [Horse] talisman to heal you, I don't know why the effect wasn't very obvious. You need to rest now."

"Quiet my ass." Zhenyi cursed, gritting her teeth as she forced herself to sit up, propping herself up on her elbows. A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on her forehead. "That idiot Fuhei is still in the enemy's hands. You need me by your side to use your power. How can I be in the mood to sleep here?"

Just then, the door was pushed open.

Maki walked in.

She was holding a towel in her hand. When she saw Zhenyi sitting up, she paused and her brows furrowed instantly.

"Who told you to get up?" Maki's voice was stern as she strode to the bedside, slammed the things she was carrying onto the table, and said, "Lie back down."

"Sister..." Mayi looked at Maki, forcing a weak smile, "Why are you acting like a spoiled brat? I'm not useless."

"Look at your face now, it's paler than a wall." Maki ignored her teasing and reached out to touch Mayi's wrist. Her hands were rough and strong, calloused from years of wielding weapons, but she controlled her strength carefully, afraid of hurting Mayi.

"The pulse is still relatively stable." Maki breathed a sigh of relief, then her gaze fell on the table.

There was a pile of metal scraps there.

Mayi paused for a moment. Those were the cursed pistol she'd brought with her yesterday, and the revolver that had broken earlier. She remembered not using them.

"I picked them up." Maki picked up a shard and slowly wiped it clean. "Even though they're unusable now, they've been with you for so long."

As Zhenyi looked at the fragments, her memories were somewhat confused, and her eyes held a complex expression.

"Sister, you don't need to do these things."

"We're just killing time anyway." Maki put down the shards, pulled up a chair and sat on the edge of the bed. Her eyes, peering intently through her cursed glasses, looked at Mai. "Yujin and Wild Rose are keeping watch, and Otsukotsu is keeping an eye on 'The Window' for news. I'm more worried about you than them."

Zhenyi fell silent.

"I heard from Gojo-sensei that you caused quite a commotion in Shinjuku." Maki's tone turned somewhat somber. "That level of destructive power... even a top-tier sorcerer might not be able to achieve that. Was that... that person's power?"