Chapter 69 : New Chapter Preview
Sukuna, who had been silent for so long, finally revealed himself slightly. The blood-red eye that opened on Itadori's cheek was like an evil spirit from a horror game.
And in reality, the King of Curses was far more terrifying than evil spirits in ghost stories.
The crimson eye looking down from above cast down malicious pressure, and the moment it met Jiang Lai's gaze, the other party slightly narrowed his red eyes, carrying what seemed to be mocking and taunting emotions... anything more was unclear.
Jiang Lai on the ground maintained a very calm expression. During this brief moment of eye contact, his expression didn't change at all.
After all, he currently didn't know much about Sukuna, and logically speaking, his memory should be confused right now. So Jiang Lai simply responded to all changes with no change, using an expressionless face to perfectly conceal all emotions.
Itadori Yuji fell to the ground following gravity. Within a few breaths, that eye hid away again, and the cherry-pink haired boy's cheek returned to normal.
Nanami Kento stepped forward a few paces to approach Itadori Yuji, first urgently confirming that the other party was unharmed before relaxing slightly.
The cherry-pink haired boy stared blankly at the palm of his hand, somewhat dazed. After pausing for a few seconds, he said in shock:
"Wait, that thing can be eaten?! But why did that bastard Sukuna..."
"..." Mahito's eyes also floated with disbelief, but he quickly accepted reality. He clicked his tongue and shrugged: "Really terrible. But forget it, this is all we can do."
Mahito wasn't stupid. He knew he couldn't beat Sukuna and had no way to force the other party to spit it out, unless he was tired of living and wanted to actively provoke him.
Although he was unwilling, he could only give up cleanly.
"You two..." Mahito's voice rose, but his heterochromatic eyes settled with annoyed killing intent. He swept over Nanami Kento and Itadori Yuji, making a gesture at his neck as he smiled: "I'll remember this."
Nanami Kento's face remained calm, showing no fear of Mahito's threat. He flicked his wrist, and the short blade wrapped with spotted curse marks once again surged with burning cursed energy.
At this moment, Mahito had no intention of fighting again, seeming to plan to go back and quickly report this matter to someone.
His figure leaped to the collapsed and broken edge of the school building, the rising wind lifting his blue three-strand braids.
Mahito turned toward the black-haired young man, his lips curving up in a bright and brilliant smile that looked quite friendly and enthusiastic: "Well then, I'll be going first, friend~ Looking forward to our next meeting."
As his words ended, he leaped down from the air, nimbly landing after a few graceful movements and disappearing from sight.
Jiang Lai imperceptibly raised his eyebrows, thinking: The other party could probably see that he had no intention of going with him, so he simply didn't mention it. He just left the signal of [next meeting] in his words.
However, from another perspective, the other party just left in a few steps like that, abandoning him alone at a scene with jujutsu sorcerers...
As expected, Mahito essentially hadn't included him in the [special grade cursed spirit family] category, but rather placed him in the [somewhat interesting toy of the same kind], something like that.
As Mahito's cursed energy gradually faded away, Nanami Kento didn't relax his vigilance. The reliable adult's gaze remained calm and sharp as he swept toward Jiang Lai beside him.
The black-haired young man's voice was flat: "Still fighting?"
"..." Nanami Kento didn't reply, maintaining his caution.
Jujutsu sorcerers had the responsibility and obligation to exorcise cursed spirits, but the one in front of him was somewhat special. Nanami Kento hadn't figured out how to handle this temporarily. Moreover, the other party was very strong, and their side couldn't resolve this.
Better to wait and inform Senior Gojo. Nanami Kento thought this way, making no further attacking moves.
Jiang Lai withdrew his gaze. He stepped forward a few paces, walking to the edge of the building, saying casually: "If we're not fighting, then I'm leaving."
Just before he left, a voice from the boy behind him suddenly came. Itadori Yuji's orange-gold eyes looked directly at him, asking the question that had been flowing through his mind:
"Do you know Sukuna? Are you two accomplices?"
Accomplices? With their difference in values, no matter how things developed a thousand years ago, it couldn't possibly be this word... reluctant enemies who couldn't stand each other would be more accurate.
Jiang Lai complained internally while revealing nothing on his face.
Under Itadori Yuji's gaze, the black-haired young man didn't reply to this question, as if he hadn't heard it, or perhaps simply had no interest in answering. He continued stepping forward...
There was nothing in front of him, yet his feet seemed to step on invisible stairs, like a deity descending from heaven, walking step by step from mid-air to the ground.
Compared to the stitched cursed spirit who had quickly left earlier, his posture was more calm and peaceful, like taking a stroll, completely not viewing anything as a threat.
Itadori Yuji couldn't help but step forward in pursuit. Nanami Kento immediately placed his hand on his shoulder, shaking his head to indicate that Itadori Yuji didn't need to mind the departing black-haired young man anymore.
"Let's go back too, Itadori." Nanami Kento said in a deep voice. "Report on this incident."
Itadori Yuji's observation skills were very detailed. He half-turned his face, hesitated, then said in a low voice:
"Although he's a cursed spirit... I feel like he's different from other cursed spirits. During the final shockwave just now, he protected us together with himself."
"It might be due to his technique, creating a protective coincidence." Nanami Kento's voice was low and serious as he reminded: "Don't harbor such fantasies about cursed spirits."
"...Oh, okay." Itadori Yuji scratched the back of his head and nodded. "By the way, what Sukuna ate..."
"We don't know specifically what that thing was for now." Nanami Kento said. "If you feel any discomfort in your body, speak up immediately. When we get back later, have Senior Ieiri examine you first."
"Got it!" Itadori Yuji responded seriously.
After he and Nanami Kento walked some distance, his expression looked slightly troubled.
Nanami Kento spoke first: "If you have questions you want to ask, just ask."
"Ah..." Itadori Yuji opened his mouth, then said: "I noticed earlier that Nanami-san also glanced over there... Do you know him?"
After his words fell, he scratched his cheek with one hand, smiling brightly: "Actually, I'm just asking casually. Nanami-san doesn't need to take it too seriously! I don't mean to dig up secrets, so you don't have to answer me."
Nanami Kento was silent for a while, then answered: "I saw him once during my time at the technical school... Actually, I'm not familiar with him. I met him because of Gojo-san."
"Gojo-sensei?" Itadori Yuji's expression froze.
"Mm." Nanami Kento nodded slightly, his gaze falling ahead as he calmly narrated: "If my memory is correct, he seemed to be Gojo-san's friend."
After pausing for a second, he added half a sentence: "...Used to be."
…
Jiang Lai left the school in cursed spirit form, returned to the small alley where he had switched identities, and changed back into the brown-haired Little Sheep boy exterior.
He walked back all the way, using his phone to clear some street corner surveillance along the way. When passing a supermarket, he specifically went in to browse and bought several bags of snacks.
If Nanami Kento asked, he could say he felt unwell, so he took leave to go out and buy something tasty.
Jiang Lai: As everyone knows, delicious food can cure all ailments (not)!
When he returned home carrying a bag of snacks, he found his judgment was correct. Nanami Kento and Itadori Yuji had already returned.
At this time, Nanami Kento was making a phone call in the adjacent room, while Itadori Yuji on the sofa was biting his pen tip, struggling with the mission report in his hands.
"I'm back." Little Sheep Jiang Lai said while changing into slippers at the entrance.
"Oh, welcome back!" Itadori Yuji smiled and waved, enthusiastically greeting: "Went shopping?"
"Wasn't feeling well, so I bought some food." Little Sheep Jiang Lai smiled in reply, then shifted the topic, asking knowingly: "How was your mission today?"
"Mm... I guess we solved the school's problem." Itadori Yuji looked like he was struggling with how to organize his words. He exhaled: "We'll observe one more day tomorrow, then you should be able to go to school the day after."
"So fast?" Little Sheep Jiang Lai tilted his head. "Doesn't that mean the efficiency was very high?"
"It's a long story." Itadori Yuji sighed, then blinked: "We might still investigate this area for a while, seeing if we can find traces of those two special grade cursed spirits."
"Special grade cursed spirits? Around here?"
"We encountered them at your school today." Itadori Yuji said. "Mainly one of them..." He pointed his pen cap toward Nanami Kento's room. "Anyway, don't worry. Nanami-san is talking with Gojo-sensei."
They actually contacted Gojo Satoru? But Gojo knew about his situation and the reasons for acting, so he'd probably cooperate well in performing this drama of a friend losing memory and turning against each other. Jiang Lai thought.
The two chatted briefly, then each went about their own business. Itadori Yuji was busy writing his mission report, while Little Sheep Jiang Lai returned to his room to continue classes and homework.
During this time, Jiang Lai also received an email from Yoshino Junpei.
The other party sent him some pictures showing the content of materials Jiang Lai had recommended and sent over. Yoshino Junpei looked like he was really studying seriously, even marking his own questions.
Jiang Lai's gaze swept over them, answering each one carefully, using playful and cute language saying things like [For the boss's better tomorrow, please be sure to improve your personal skills], actually containing quite a bit of encouragement.
Afterward, Jiang Lai also vaguely heard voices from the living room. Nanami Kento said he had already arranged with Senior Ieiri to return tomorrow for a full body examination.
Hearing this, Jiang Lai in the bedroom spun his pen between his fingers, his thoughts flowing.
Speaking of this... the divine nature fragment had such enormous power, yet Sukuna ate it and was fine? Could it be that he had exceptional talent, or had some connection with [Existence]?
But that thing couldn't be casually digested and absorbed either. Jiang Lai pondered. Maybe Sukuna just rolled the fragment into his mouth but didn't actually swallow it into his stomach.
If analyzed this way, the other party definitely intentionally seized the fragment, with the purpose of having another bargaining chip in hand.
Jiang Lai analyzed.
Although it wasn't clear what divine nature fragments were currently used for, as understanding of the Supervisory Committee deepened, they would definitely be needed in the future.
Could it be that he'd have to make a deal with Sukuna in the future? Jiang Lai propped one hand on the desk, falling into contemplation. Sukuna was not only immensely powerful but also had many schemes, and would never let himself be at a disadvantage.
It sounded somewhat troublesome. He thought. But if there was a chance to reach a deal or temporary cooperation, it wasn't impossible.
In any case, he'd deal with it when the time came. He still didn't know about his past with Sukuna. Jiang Lai stopped spinning his pen, his gaze falling on the test paper again.
The current priority was still completing homework!
…
When evening came, Jiang Lai picked up his phone again, estimating that the Detective Conan world should be updating soon, so he opened the official website to check on the manga situation.
After logging into the official website, the first thing that caught his attention wasn't the latest update, but another pinned message...
[Latest Preview: New Chapter [Thousand Years] is about to begin! Tracing back through the river of time, dreaming back a thousand years ago, more stories behind the characters will soon be revealed~]
Jiang Lai: "..."
His expression froze slightly.
Although he had long guessed this day would come, it was happening this quickly? After Sukuna and his original self met and showed some attitudes, they were entering the past arc?
But it was reasonable. Jiang Lai lightly swiped the screen with his finger. The light green fragment was a good entry point, and it was time to reveal more secrets.
But what did "about to begin" mean exactly?
He browsed through the preview again, focusing on the phrase [dreaming back a thousand years].
With a somewhat joking feeling in his heart, combining the clues, Jiang Lai speculated: It wouldn't be that when he went to sleep tonight, the [Thousand Years] past timeline would begin, would it?