"Sorry, sorry! I'm late, I'm late..."
As the voice drew closer, Nobara Kugisaki appeared in front of everyone, buried under a pile of shopping bags.
Kento Nanami adjusted his sunglasses and frowned slightly. Yu Haibara, on the other hand, waved at her with a cheerful smile.
After greeting her, Yu Haibara continued the topic from earlier.
"My technique is [Cursed Energy Storage]. It allows me to store Cursed Energy.
Also, when reversed, it can absorb Cursed Energy or increase the output of Cursed Energy..."
"Reversed?"
Nobara Kugisaki wasn't a complete newcomer like Yuji Itadori. Even though she didn't fully understand many things yet, certain terms still caught her attention.
"It's actually pretty simple. Ieiri-senpai used to explain it in a much more complicated way..."
Yu Haibara smiled as he explained to the group.
"When many Jujutsu Sorcerers study 'Reverse Cursed Technique', they focus on the idea that 'negative times negative equals positive'. But that's actually a bit misleading.
First, according to Akira-senpai's theory, negative times negative doesn't necessarily produce a 'Reverse Cursed Technique'.
Second, you need to understand the direction before using Cursed Energy to generate it. But direction alone isn't enough. I only managed to handle Cursed Energy like this after I once triggered a 'Black Flash'.
So the most important part is being able to efficiently convert negative emotions into positive ones..."
Nobara Kugisaki crossed her arms with a confused expression. The shopping bags rustled softly as they bumped together.
"Turning negative emotions into positive ones? So the more pain I feel, the happier I get? I honestly can't wrap my head around that..."
Satoru Gojo chuckled.
"You don't have to think about it that hard. When it comes to 'Reverse Cursed Technique', everyone has their own understanding and method. Other people's ideas are just references. There's no need to imitate anyone. You need to find your own understanding. Different paths lead to the same result.
That said, Jujutsu Sorcerers deal with Cursed Energy all the time, so they rarely interpret things in a positive way. The reason Haibara can think this way mostly comes down to his personality..."
After Satoru Gojo finished speaking, Kento Nanami began introducing his own technique.
"My technique forces a weakness to appear at the 7:3 ratio point on a target."
Yuji Itadori spent a moment trying to process what Yu Haibara and Satoru Gojo had just said. Then he spread his hands and decided not to think about it anymore.
None of that sounded like something he could learn right now...
"My technique... um... I guess I don't really have one.
But after training, I can control Cursed Energy a little now, and my stamina is amazing!"
"My turn, my turn!"
Nobara Kugisaki never missed a chance to show off.
"I use the [Straw Doll Technique]. By driving a nail into something, I can create a Cursed Energy link with whatever is nailed."
At some point, Yuji's train of thought took a sudden turn. He looked at Nobara.
"That's a lot of bags. What's in all of them? Aren't you tired carrying that many? Before, you wouldn't even carry one bag yourself..."
Yuji Itadori looked at her in confusion. The three of them had gone shopping together before, but she had never bought this much stuff.
As for how he knew...
Within their trio, Yuji was widely recognized as the "official bag carrier".
Nobara lifted the bags she was holding and proudly summarized her recent achievements.
"Just some cosmetics, clothes, and everyday stuff. It's kind of inconvenient to look at these things when I'm out with you guys."
"This mission is an urgent incident. There have already been civilian casualties, and the relevant authorities have taken notice."
Kento Nanami's rigid voice cut into their conversation. His tone made it clear that chatting about unrelated topics during a mission wasn't appropriate.
Yuji Itadori immediately apologized.
"I'm very sorry, very sorry..."
Since she was the one who had arrived late, Nobara Kugisaki quickly said,
"I'll put these things away and come right back. Just one minute!"
The moment she finished speaking, she dashed off and disappeared from sight.
Yu Haibara glanced at Satoru Gojo.
"Gojo-senpai, what are you laughing at?"
Satoru Gojo showed a bright smile. The scene just now seemed to make him happier than beating up a Special Grade Cursed Spirit or dealing with those rotten higher-ups.
"It's nothing. My students are just full of energy..."
...
Kinema Cinema, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Light rain.
"After the previous screening ended, staff discovered the strange corpses of three high school students inside the theater. The incident has been confirmed as a malicious Cursed Spirit case."
Yu Haibara continued reviewing the mission information while Kento Nanami stood at the entrance of the theater, looking back at the two behind him.
"Are you mentally prepared, Itadori, Kugisaki?"
"Yeah!"
Yuji Itadori looked full of determination. The chance to learn how to exorcise curses excited him.
Nobara shrugged.
"I've already worked as a Jujutsu Sorcerer before. Don't treat me like some total rookie."
Kento Nanami shook his head.
"This isn't about whether you're a rookie or not. You're students, and I'm the leader of this mission.
I'm responsible for your safety. Both physically and mentally."