JJK: Chapter 66

Title: Junpei

°°°

“Using a cursed technique leaves residual cursed energy. It’s far less noticeable than traces left by cursed spirits, but if you concentrate and observe carefully, you can spot it. Try it, Itadori,” Shin Shuichi instructed.

Inside the movie theater where the incident occurred, Yuji Itadori obediently began focusing on identifying the remnants of cursed energy. Meanwhile, Shin checked updates on the traces via his phone’s connection to the "Windows" system, all while continuing his lecture. (Windows are people like Ijichi)

“In combat, relying on intuition and natural talent works fine for you. But you’re pretty careless when it comes to controlling cursed energy. A sorcerer’s essence lies in the combined mastery of cursed energy and techniques. Since you weren’t born with a technique, you’ll have to rely on enhancing your body with cursed energy to exorcise curses.”

“Miss Utahime and Teacher Kusakabe are both experts in this area. You’ll meet another one during the upcoming Goodwill Exchange Event—a second-year from the Kyoto school.”

Itadori nodded in understanding after finally spotting traces of the residual energy Shin mentioned, though the names Shin mentioned were unfamiliar to him.

“Senior, can we track the cursed spirit through these traces?”

Shin turned off his phone screen and beckoned for Yuji to follow. “No. After the theater incident, it’s gone completely quiet. It’s already hiding.”

Jogging to catch up, Yuji asked another question lingering in his mind. “Then what are we doing now?”

“Investigating someone connected to this incident.”

The two left the theater, their departure observed by the police officers still at the crime scene.

“Chief, why are we leaving this whole case to those kids from who-knows-what department? They look like they’re not even old enough to drive.”

The “chief,” a laid-back yet experienced middle-aged officer, gave a knowing response. “Look at the victims in this case. Their state is something completely inhuman. If you want to make it to retirement safely in this line of work, learn not to ask too many questions. Turn a blind eye, and don’t meddle where you shouldn’t.”


---


A lanky teenager with shoulder-length hair was engaged in conversation with a rotund man when he heard someone call his name. He turned his shadowed gaze toward the voice and saw two boys in nearly identical uniforms walking toward him.

One of them, with pink hair, had a simple and innocent look. But the other boy was entirely different. The sunlight illuminated his flawless features, a faint smile playing on his lips. A single black magatama earring dangled from one ear, swaying gently. Behind dark sunglasses, his eyes were hidden, yet Junpei could feel an overwhelming pressure emanating from him—far more terrifying than anything he’d felt even from Mahito.

“Which school are you two from?”

The pudgy teacher beside Junpei, sweating profusely under the scorching sun, questioned the pair warily. Despite their uniforms, something about the two didn’t feel right.

“We’d like to have a word with Junpei Yoshino,” Shin replied calmly. Then, turning his attention to Junpei, he added, “Care to step aside for a quick chat?”

Junpei’s teacher felt uneasy about the situation. The black-haired boy’s demeanor didn’t resemble that of a typical student. He was about to intervene when Shin removed his sunglasses, revealing a piercing gaze that froze the teacher in his tracks.

“Alright,” Junpei agreed quietly.


---


Shin led Junpei along a riverside path. It was a relatively quiet area—not exactly isolated but sparsely populated. It wasn’t the secretive, intimidating setting Junpei had imagined.

“My name is Shin Shuichi,” Shin began conversationally. “Junpei Yoshino, you were at the movie theater at 2:30 p.m. two days ago, right? Three high schoolers—your classmates—died there.”

Walking slightly ahead, Shin spoke as if making small talk. “I know you’re not the killer. We’re here to ask if you saw someone that day—a ‘person’ with a stitched face.”

Junpei lowered his head, letting his long hair obscure most of his expression. His voice was flat. “No. I didn’t finish the movie that day. I left early.”

Shin glanced at him thoughtfully but didn’t expose his lie. Instead, he continued speaking, almost nonchalantly. “That guy’s name is Mahito. He’s a cursed spirit who deserves to be shredded to pieces. To him, humans are just toys. If he’s in a good mood, he might treat you like an ant he’s observing, maybe even give you something to play with just to see your reaction.”

“But…”

As Shin Shuichi spoke, his tone grew colder:

“In most cases, the way he treats ants is indifferent cruelty—crushing them just to see how much blood and flesh is beneath their hard shells. Or perhaps, he’s curious to see what an ant looks like after losing all its legs. Pouring boiling water into the nest? That’s just to see how the colony reacts.”

Shin came to a stop, prompting the others to halt as well. Turning to face Junpei, he fixed his gaze on him.

“To him, the concept of good and evil is laughable. You can’t impose our human understanding of morality on something that isn’t human. But one thing is certain: he has to die.”

Hearing about Mahito for the first time, Yuji Itadori remained silent. He thought about the three grotesque corpses at the theater. His senior had explained that they were once living people, transformed irreversibly by Mahito’s technique.

“Beep-beep.”

Shin retrieved his phone and glanced at a notification. His expression grew icy.

“Itadori, you stay here and talk to him. The ‘Windows’ just detected a group of transfigured humans nearby. I’ll handle it. If anything happens, send me a message immediately. Be extra cautious.”

The location of the transfigured humans wasn’t far, so Shin decided to check it out. Additionally, he wanted to see if Mahito would take advantage of his absence to target Junpei and Itadori. Given Itadori’s natural resistance to Mahito’s cursed technique, as long as he wasn’t killed instantly, Mahito would meet his end.

A confused Itadori watched as Shin walked away. Turning to Junpei, he scratched his head and introduced himself.

“Uh, I’m Yuji Itadori.”


---


Shin Shuichi walked through the underground drainage system, his expression one of clear disdain. Though it wasn’t filthy with sewage or buzzing with flies, an unpleasant odor lingered.

“This guy’s like a rat—always scurrying into sewers,” Shin muttered.

Not long after, faint noises ahead caught his attention. Turning a corner, he came upon a few grotesque, mutated humans wandering aimlessly.

The traces of cursed energy in the area were faint, nearly undetectable. Sighing, Shin drew his blade, Onikiri, and entered a state of temporal void. In mere moments, he delivered liberation to the transfigured humans, annihilating them completely.

A quick sweep of the surrounding area revealed no further activity. Shin noted that Itadori hadn’t sent any updates, so he continued his patrol.

The transfigured humans were relatively easy to handle in the maze-like sewers, but their transformations had occurred too long ago. Even with Shin’s reversal technique, he couldn’t turn back time far enough to restore them.

All he could do was grant them a swift release.

Emerging from the sewers, Shin took a deep breath of fresh air and contacted Yuji.

“Hmm? You’re at his house having dinner?”

The mission wasn’t even complete, yet Yuji had ended up at Junpei’s home for a meal. Shaking his head, Shin decided to head over. He suspected Mahito originally intended to target Junpei’s family, though with events veering off course, it was unclear whether Mahito had already fled the area.

“Next time Gojo-sensei has free time, I should bring him along. If Mahito so much as shows himself, Gojo could teleport right to his face. Let’s see him hide then.”


---


Arriving at Junpei’s house, Shin rang the doorbell. The door was opened by a stylish and attractive woman who bore a strong resemblance to Junpei.

“You must be the senior Yuji mentioned,” she said warmly, her voice light and welcoming. “I’m Junpei’s mom, Nagi Yoshino. Please, come in.”

After a polite bow, Shin Shuichi changed into indoor slippers at the entrance and stepped into the warm, inviting home. Yuji Itadori was sitting at the dining table with Junpei Yoshino. When Yuji spotted him, he greeted cheerfully, “Senpai, you’re back!”

Junpei couldn’t help but feel a little conflicted. Earlier, after chatting briefly with Yuji, he was surprised at how well they got along. He couldn’t help but think that if they had met sooner… Then, Junpei’s mother, noticing them, had assumed Yuji was one of Junpei’s friends. When she invited him to dinner, Yuji enthusiastically accepted, much to Junpei’s disbelief. And once inside, Yuji even hit it off with his mom.

'I kind of envy his personality…' Junpei thought, glancing at Shin Shuichi, the black-haired boy. Shin appeared polite and humble, with looks that would undoubtedly make him the center of attention for all the girls in school. Based on what Yuji had mentioned, Shin was incredibly strong—a person who seemed to exist in a completely different world from him.

After expressing his gratitude for Nagi Yoshino’s compliments and her kind invitation, Shin took a seat, joining the ongoing conversation between Yuji and Nagi.

As for the earlier incident, Yuji didn’t doubt for a moment that Shin could handle it. He had already grasped an idea of how powerful Shin was. Even though they were only a year apart in school, the gap felt like an entirely different dimension. Moreover, Yuji had heard of another upperclassman he hadn’t met yet, who was said to be just as terrifying.

“Thank you, Ma'am. I appreciate your hospitality.” Shin said as they took their leave.

Nagi smiled warmly and waved. “It’s nothing! It’s wonderful for Junpei to have friends like you. You’re always welcome to visit again!”

As they left the Yoshino residence, Yuji hesitated before speaking. “Senpai, since Junpei is involved in this, doesn’t that make him a potential target for Mahito?”

Shin, typing something into his phone, responded without looking up, “Not just a potential target—he already is. He must have had contact with Mahito before. Whether Mahito shows up again is uncertain, but I’ve already arranged for someone to monitor the area around Junpei’s home. For now, let’s find a nearby hotel and stay the night. Let’s see whether the fish has gone into hiding or fled entirely.”

---

Meanwhile, elsewhere:

“Geto, this is so boring. I finally found an interesting toy, and now someone’s intervened, ruining my fun. Do you have a way to deal with him?”

Mahito lay sprawled across a rooftop railing, most of his body hanging precariously over the edge. Yet, he seemed utterly unconcerned. Beside him, Suguru Geto watched as the night sky unfolded, replying bluntly, “No. While we’ve gathered some intelligence on his technique, it’s entirely unprecedented. The only way to understand it further would be through an all-out battle. I’d advise you not to confront him. Based on the information we already have, he could kill you almost instantly.”

“How annoying!”

Mahito tilted his head back, gazing at the moonlit sky. His tone was filled with a strange mix of frustration and mockery. “Humans… There are always some who are more monstrous than monsters themselves. They’re such ugly creatures, so why?”

Ignoring Mahito’s musings, Geto changed the subject, laying out the next phase of their plan. “We’ve prepared the conditions for the next step. Tomorrow, release the ‘Bone Girl’ at a designated location. While gathering cursed blood, we’ll also use this opportunity to test him further.”

A gleeful smile spread across Mahito’s face. “Let me pick the spot. Might as well have some fun before we leave.”

---

The night passed without incident, and the personnel monitoring the Yoshino residence reported no unusual activity.

Shin Shuichi had almost begun to believe that Mahito had fled the area. But then, he received an urgent message: "Satozakura High School has been enveloped in a barrier. Transfigured humans have been observed, and initial reports indicate hundreds of fatalities."

Immediately calling Yuji, Shin instructed him to go to the school with Ijichi while he himself used his technique to head straight to the site. Time seemed to stop as Shin traversed the temporal void, bypassing frozen vehicles and pedestrians as he raced toward the school. Reaching his limit, Shin used his technique reversal to restore his cursed energy, closing the remaining distance on foot.

Arriving at the school, Shin quickly made his way to the auditorium, where the tragedy had occurred.

When he pushed open the doors, he was met with a hellish sight. The auditorium, previously bustling with people for an awards ceremony, had become a grotesque slaughterhouse. Not a single living soul remained. If the transfigured humans still counted as humans, then perhaps there were some.

The floor was littered with mangled bodies. Fear, despair, and terror were etched onto the faces of the dead, their vacant eyes staring into the void. Yet, bizarrely, there was little blood—a truly unnerving scene.

Shin paid no attention to the transfigured humans. From the moment he stepped into the auditorium, his gaze had been fixed on a figure at the center of the carnage.

“A special-grade cursed spirit… Are they not even rare anymore?”

The entity resembled a humanoid skeleton, with scraps of flesh clinging to its bones. As Shin entered, it crouched over a corpse, using its hands to rummage through the body. Upon hearing his footsteps, it turned around, revealing a skeletal face with faint remnants of flesh.

The cursed spirit inserted the extracted spinal cord into its partially fleshed arm, producing an eerie creak as its jaw moved in what seemed to be a sinister laugh. Then, countless sharp bone spikes erupted from its body, spreading outward like a grotesque bloom.