The battlefield was still settling from the fight.
Massive trees had been ripped from the ground.
The air shimmered with leftover cursed energy.
And in the middle of the destruction—
Takeru was thinking.
Which immediately worried everyone.
"…Uh oh," Yuji muttered.
Takeru held the last tiny fragment of orb between two fingers dramatically.
"Alright so…"
A pause.
"The worse the grade…"
He pointed downward.
"…the worse the flavor."
Then upward.
"So that means…"
A dramatic inhale.
"We defeated a Special Grade ++ cursed spirit."
Silence.
Then Takeru gasped loudly himself.
"NO WAY."
Geto blinked.
Then slowly looked at the remaining orb crumbs in his hand.
"…That… actually tracks."
The younger students immediately erupted.
"THAT IS NOT HOW GRADING WORKS," Nobara yelled.
Megumi pinched the bridge of his nose.
"…Why does his logic make sense."
Hakari pointed dramatically at the destroyed battlefield.
"LOOK AT THIS PLACE."
Kirara crossed her arms.
"…Honestly the flavor system might be accurate."
Nanami looked exhausted beyond human comprehension.
"…We cannot classify curses through snacks."
Takeru pointed immediately.
"Counterpoint."
He gestured toward the battlefield crater.
"Have YOU ever tasted a Grade 4 that tasted like premium melon float?"
Nanami opened his mouth.
Paused.
Then closed it again.
"…I hate that I can't disprove this."
Tiny Yuji was fully invested now.
"…So weak curses taste bad?"
Tiny Takeru nodded seriously.
"…It appears to be a scaling system."
Yuji looked horrified.
"STOP ACCEPTING IT."
Geto crouched slightly and picked up another leftover orb fragment.
"…The texture was smoother too."
Takeru pointed aggressively.
"EXACTLY."
Geto continued analyzing calmly.
"Less bitterness. Cleaner cursed energy compression."
"YES."
"The aftertaste also lingered longer."
"BRO YOU GET IT."
The two of them immediately started discussing curse flavor science like researchers.
Meanwhile the others watched in disbelief.
Hakari whispered toward Kirara:
"…They built an entire food tier list in under an hour."
Kirara sighed.
"…And somehow they might be correct."
Even Sukuna looked thoughtful now.
"…Interesting."
Everyone turned toward him instantly.
"…DON'T ENCOURAGE THEM," Yuji shouted.
Sukuna ignored him.
"…If cursed energy affects composition, stronger curses having refined forms isn't impossible."
Silence.
Megumi stared blankly.
"…Sukuna validated the food theory."
Nobara looked emotionally defeated.
"We are finished as a society."
Takeru crossed his arms proudly.
"Scientific method."
Geto nodded beside him.
"Observation. Experimentation. Results."
Nanami looked at Haibara.
"…We should leave them here."
Haibara laughed nervously.
"…I don't think the forest wants them either."
Then Takeru suddenly froze.
"…WAIT."
Everyone braced themselves.
"If Special Grade ++ tastes THIS good…"
A dramatic pause.
"…What does a curse beyond that taste like?"
The entire group collectively groaned.
And somewhere deep in the ruined forest—
two sorcerers had officially transformed curse extermination into culinary research.