Sawa's sudden question left Suguru Geto frozen in place.
No one had ever asked him this before, nor cared.
As sorcerers, their job was exorcising spirits—taste was irrelevant.
Yet, for some reason, Suguru felt a lump in his throat.
With a bitter smile, he said, "Ugh… it's awful. I don't know if this is right, but it's like… a rag soaked in vomit. Disgusting."
"But, what can you do?"
He moved to swallow the cursed spirit orb.
"Hold up."
Sawa stopped him, pulling a jar of honey from his jacket.
Popping the lid, he drizzled it over the orb until it was coated in sticky sweetness.
Suguru's expression shifted from curiosity to shock, then to existential doubt.
"Try it now?"
Sawa handed him the honey-drenched orb.
Suguru swallowed it whole.
The vile, rag-like taste was gone, replaced by honey's cloying sweetness.
In that moment, Suguru's entire worldview crumbled.
It was that simple? All my suffering was for nothing?
Sawa and Satoru leaned in. "Well?"
Suguru nodded, face grim. "It… actually works."
"Then why're you crying?"
"Because I'm hurting!"
Suguru's tears flowed. "If I'd known honey could mask the taste, why did I choke down that nastiness before?!"
Sawa and Satoru's lips twitched, mentally cycling through every sad memory to keep from laughing.
Don't laugh! Hold it… can't hold it!
"Hahahaha!"
"Suguru, you idiot! Hahahaha!"
Suguru: "…"
With friends like these, who needs enemies?
…
Tokyo Jujutsu High.
"Reverse Cursed Technique? You two want to learn that?"
Shoko Ieiri eyed Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, baffled.
"Yup! If I master it, I'll surpass big brother!"
Satoru buzzed with excitement. Regular training always left him trailing Sawa, so he aimed to outshine him with Reverse Cursed Technique.
Suguru raised a hand. "I'm curious about it too. Wanna see if I can pick it up!"
"Alright~"
Shoko pondered. "Fine, I'll explain. Reverse Cursed Technique is…"
She swayed her head, tracing circles in the air.
"It's like whoosh, then hey, and whoosh-hey"
Satoru and Suguru stared, dumbfounded, their brains frying.
Shoko blinked. "Don't get it? No talent!"
Satoru: "…"
Suguru: "…"
What is she even saying? That's gibberish!
"Satoru Suguru~ What're we up to?"
Sawa materialized between them like a ghost, hands on their shoulders.
Satoru jolted. "Hahaha, Onii-chan!"
"Nothing, nothing! Just chatting with Shoko, definitely not planning to master Reverse Cursed Technique and pummel you!
Hahaha…"
Tch!
With Shoko's teaching, you'd learn it when I'm washing my hair upside down.
Sawa thought, flashing a "radiantly toxic" grin.
"Looks like my little otouto's youth isn't fiery enough! Time for physical training! Suguru, you too!"
"Me too?!"
Unable to resist, Satoru and Suguru were dragged off to "embrace their burning youth."
"Let's make a bet. Both of you against me—see if you can win!"
"What's the stake?"
Sawa grinned. "There's a cosplay convention on the first floor of the mall in Fushitori Ward!"
"!!!"
Satoru's face fell, haunted by his catgirl maid trauma.
Suguru, clueless, asked, "What's that mean?"
Satoru whispered an explanation, and Suguru's face morphed from shock to horror.
"No way, no way! That's social suicide! It'll haunt me forever!"
Sawa produced the Special Grade cursed tool, Playful Cloud.
"Suguru, if you two win, this Special Grade cursed tool is yours!"
Since acquiring Playful Cloud, Sawa had tried it often.
Truthfully, Limitless Technique made him ill-suited for weapon combat.
Suguru, however, was perfect for it, and Sawa knew he'd been eyeing Playful Cloud for ages.
"For real?! Don't back out!"
Seeing Playful Cloud, Suguru flipped.
"Satoru, Sawa's physical skills are tough, but together, we might have a shot!"
"You've already done the maid catgirl cosplay—what's one more?"
"But if we win… don't you wanna see Sawa in a dress cosplaying?"
That last line lit a fire in Satoru.
They locked eyes. "Yeah! Let's beat him!"
"Shinbu-Ryu: Cloud-Piercing Thrust!"
"Shinbu-Ryu: Falling Leaf!"
"Secret Art: Rapid Punch Barrage!"
Three figures charged, fists and feet clashing in a raw, passionate brawl!
Sawa's physical skills were superior, initially dominating Satoru and Suguru.
But as the fight wore on, their teamwork improved, matching Sawa blow for blow.
Satoru, especially, had leveled up from "Catalog" to "Full Transmission," his progress undeniable.
Then, Sawa seized a gap in Satoru's attack, locking his arm.
Facing defeat, Satoru abandoned defense, tackling Sawa around the waist.
"Suguru! Hit him now!"
Suguru rushed in, aiming a punch at Sawa's head.
But Sawa, with the Six Eyes' 360-degree vision, saw it coming, ducking and yanking Suguru's pant leg.
Suguru stumbled, grabbing Sawa's thigh reflexively.
BAM!!!
The three crashed into a heap.
Sawa had Satoru and Suguru pinned, but they clung back, locking him in place.
They were stuck, none able to move.
"This counts as my win, right?"
"No way! You're pinned too!"
"This stalemate's pointless. Let's all let go together?"
"Fine. I'll count to three, and we release!"
"Deal!"
"Agreed!"
"One, two, three, let go!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"You jerks! I knew you wouldn't let go!"
"Screw you! You didn't either!"
"I saw through your tricks! Hey, stop tickling my feet!"
"…"
Shoko yawned, bored.
"How's the fight going with those three idiots?"
She headed to the dojo.
Stepping inside, she froze.
Sawa, Satoru, and Suguru were tangled in a bizarre, intimate pile, radiating a vaguely philosophical♂ vibe.
Shoko's face flushed, and she scrambled out.
"Sorry, sorry! Bad timing! Carry on!"