Chapter 188 : Sounds like you're talking about me
Not harming any humans...... If they signed a binding vow, Ryomen Sukuna indeed couldn't violate this point. It sounded very safe.
But Itadori Yuji only paused for a second before refusing: "No." He said, "You only said you wouldn't harm any humans, but Choso isn't human. Who knows if my other brother is human or not? This binding vow isn't complete."
Because he had been in constant contact with Choso recently and was thinking about human-cursed spirit relationships, Itadori Yuji was very sensitive to keywords. Combined with intuitive enhancement, he keenly heard the limitations in Sukuna's words.
His current view of their side's camp was no longer limited to identity. Humans, cursed spirits, other non-human non-cursed spirit beings—all could be enemies or friends.
Sukuna merely saying he wouldn't harm humans was obviously insufficient.
This word game had just begun when it met its end.
"......" Despite having his proposal rejected, Ryomen Sukuna's tone showed no change as he methodically mocked: "Brat, you believe that strangely-haired special-grade cursed spirit's words?"
"At least Choso is more trustworthy than you. I won't simply judge friend or foe based on whether someone's a cursed spirit anymore."
Itadori Yuji pressed his lips straight, his eyes resolute as he replied clearly: "I don't know what you're planning, but you definitely wouldn't offer such a proposal out of pure kindness for no reason—I won't give you the chance."
Ryomen Sukuna clicked his tongue lightly, his tone leisurely with a drawn-out ending: "Just too bored, wanting to find some entertainment."
Itadori Yuji remained vigilant. He paused slightly, then asked in a lowered voice: "Why are you so focused on information about my possible brother? What do you want to do when you come out?"
Ryomen Sukuna had already stated he knew information about the older brother, so Itadori Yuji didn't pursue that. Instead, he analyzed another key point from the other's binding vow requirements.
Sukuna had said if they met, he wanted to come out for one minute. Why?
"What to do?" The mouth appearing on his hand back laughed heartily. "Of course, to get back the meal he owes me! Cooking or whatever doesn't matter anymore."
Sukuna sneered: "Whether he remembers me or not doesn't matter. I remember this debt."
Ryomen Sukuna laughed inexplicably, his laughter echoing in the dormitory room.
Itadori Yuji frowned, not understanding Ryomen Sukuna's words.
......It sounded like Sukuna knew the other person. But what did owing a meal mean?
Pondering this, Itadori Yuji acted without hesitation, raising his other hand to strike at the hand back where Sukuna's mouth appeared.
"Smack"—a crisp sound. Unfortunately, Itadori Yuji only hit himself, as Ryomen Sukuna had already retreated.
However, this time Sukuna didn't emerge somewhere else. He seemed to have lost interest and returned to his innate domain.
The dormitory no longer had that grating laughter, and the entire space became much quieter.
Itadori Yuji turned over, lying on his side on the bed. Sleep remained distant. It could even be said that after this ineffective communication with Sukuna, he was even more awake.
His possible older brother...... Itadori Yuji again recalled the question Choso had asked him about the black-haired, brown-eyed youth.
Could it be him? Itadori Yuji felt somewhat bewildered, yet also had vague suspicions.
Sukuna had just mocked that "the other might not remember him," and the black-haired youth happened to also seem to have amnesia. Moreover, the other apparently fit Sukuna's old acquaintance status.
But Itadori Yuji was somewhat puzzled why his possible older brother would be an old acquaintance of the King of Curses who had appeared a thousand years ago.
......Could it be that he, like Fushiguro and Kugisaki, had a life from a thousand years ago? And his possible older brother was his brother from a thousand years ago?
Fushiguro Megumi and Kugisaki Nobara had already shared stories from a thousand years ago with Itadori Yuji. They had known each other since the Heian-kyo era, but at that time neither had encountered Itadori.
Itadori Yuji gazed at the ceiling, trying to let his thoughts wander and imagine, but found his subconscious completely empty. No matter how he tried to dig, he gained nothing.
He couldn't recall stories from a thousand years ago, nor was he certain whether he had past events from a thousand years ago.
The depths of his memory seemed to hold only darkness, along with that vague long-haired figure occasionally flickering by.
Itadori Yuji silently exhaled, thinking: Sukuna looked full of malice.
Regardless of whether that guy was targeting the black-haired, brown-eyed youth, if he could see that person again, he should warn him.
As his thoughts flowed, he suddenly heard light knocking at his dormitory door.
Itadori Yuji originally thought he'd heard wrong, but moments later, the "knock knock" sound came again in the night.
"......" This late at night, who could it be?
Honestly, with sudden knocking in the middle of the night, the first thing that popped into Itadori Yuji's mind was horror movies he'd seen before.
But immediately after, his thoughts returned to reality.
There were no ghosts in real life, only cursed spirits, and cursed spirits wouldn't politely knock on doors. So outside must definitely be a person.
Itadori Yuji got out of bed and walked over to open the door in a few steps.
Standing outside was the expressionless black sea-urchin haired youth, Fushiguro Megumi.
"......Fushi, Fushiguro?" Itadori Yuji was slightly stunned. "Why did you come?"
"The dormitory walls have average soundproofing." Fushiguro Megumi said calmly. "I heard bursts of loud laughter from next door, so I came to check."
Itadori Yuji's eyes went round, then he somewhat embarrassedly scratched his cheek: "Uh, sorry, that was Sukuna......"
"I know it was him." Fushiguro Megumi nodded. "Are you alright? What did you two talk about?"
Itadori Yuji paused: "I'm fine. Sukuna spoke up wanting to make a binding vow deal with me."
"A deal?" Fushiguro Megumi frowned. He lowered his arms that were crossed in front of his chest, wanted to say something but temporarily stopped, then walked forward two steps. "Let's go inside and talk in detail."
It was nighttime now, and the high school dormitory was very quiet. Though Fushiguro Megumi and Itadori Yuji's conversation voices were kept as low as possible, there was still inevitably a slight echo in the hallway.
The hallway wasn't suitable for night conversations, so they chose to enter the dormitory to continue talking.
"Ah, okay." Itadori Yuji stepped aside to make way. After Fushiguro Megumi entered, he closed the door and pulled out the chair from beside the desk.
"What kind of deal did Sukuna want to make with you?" Fushiguro Megumi asked.
Itadori Yuji blinked lightly, then slowly said: "Choso asked me about that person's matter."
Without needing to specify details, the three-person Ita-Fushi-Kugi group had their own referential habits.
Since they'd locked onto their potential enemy the Supervisory Committee, they'd defined many terms to avoid being seen by those omnipresent eyes.
The vague "that person" in their conversations referred to the black-haired, brown-eyed youth whose allegiance was unclear.
Both Fushiguro Megumi and Kugisaki Nobara had complex emotions toward that person, stemming from events a thousand years ago.
Itadori Yuji continued: "Choso asked if he was my older brother."
Hearing this, Fushiguro Megumi's expression froze, clearly not expecting this direction: "......Older brother?"
"Right. I don't know what it specifically means, and I also—I also don't have related memories. But maybe I really do have an older brother." Itadori Yuji exhaled and said: "Sukuna said he could help me find the older brother I'm looking for, but in exchange, he wants to come out for one minute when we meet."
"......" Fushiguro Megumi remained silent without speaking. After a long while, he said: "Why?"
"Sukuna's answer was that my possible older brother owes him a meal, and he wants to get it back." Itadori Yuji proactively asked: "I don't understand what that sentence means—what happened a thousand years ago, Fushiguro?"
The King of Curses had been sealed since a thousand years ago. Mentioning past events necessarily referred to the Heian-kyo era.
Regarding that era, what Itadori Yuji knew was only what he'd learned in history class, not as much as Fushiguro and Kugisaki, who had memories from a thousand years ago.
Hearing Itadori Yuji's words, Fushiguro Megumi first showed a thoughtful, reminiscent expression, then his face gradually grew serious as he said in a low, somewhat urgent voice:
"You didn't agree to him, right, Itadori?"
"Of course not. I didn't agree." Itadori Yuji shook his head. "I don't trust Sukuna. Though I'm not clear on his purpose, I know I can't easily agree to any of his conditions. I won't make binding vows with him."
Then he pressed Fushiguro Megumi: "What's wrong? Do you know what that sentence means?"
"......A thousand years ago, I had brief contact with that person and Ryomen Sukuna." Fushiguro Megumi's eyelids lowered as he said steadily: "Ryomen Sukuna seemed to always want to eat that person, in the literal sense."
"If we assume that person is your older brother and judge based on what the thousand-year-ago me knew, the meaning of [getting back the owed meal] is that Sukuna plans to—kill or devour that person within one minute."
Itadori Yuji's expression went blank. His fists clenched and unclenched, his entire demeanor showing nervousness.
Fushiguro Megumi continued analyzing: "That person's current condition is wrong, and his power level might not keep up either. If Sukuna really intends to catch him off guard, it might indeed......"
"I won't let Sukuna come out." Itadori Yuji pressed his lips straight, his eyes bright. "Regardless of whether that black-haired, brown-eyed cursed spirit is my older brother, I'll warn him—stay away from me, stay away from Ryomen Sukuna."
It was also at this moment that a cool night breeze suddenly blew from behind. The large window in the dormitory had somehow opened, making slight creaking sounds as it swayed in the evening wind.
Itadori Yuji and Fushiguro Megumi instinctively turned back to look—
Something flashed by the window, then a figure with fluttering sleeves suddenly landed in the room.
The person landed silently on the ground, raising their head with natural, smooth movements that also seemed somewhat nonchalant.
A pair of gentle brown eyes calmly gazed at the stunned youths.
Then the newcomer's eyes curved slightly as he spoke: "Sounds like you're talking about me—what do you want to tell me?"