After leaving the café, Hayashi kept thinking about one question: Where did that special-grade curse spirit by Mahito's side come from?
Are there really that many special-grade curse spirits?
In terms of special-grade jujutsu sorcerers in Japan, there are only a few. Excluding those who are hidden or unknown, there shouldn't be many.
However, it's different for special-grade curse spirits. With Mahito and Suguru Geto actively recruiting strong allies, these special-grade curse spirits were likely unregistered.
Perhaps it was because of the overwhelming strength of Gojo Satoru, which terrified them, that they remained hidden. Until someone dealt with Gojo, they wouldn't dare to reveal themselves.
But now, with Mahito and Suguru Geto showing their faces and openly declaring their intentions to all curses, those who had been lying in wait could no longer resist and were beginning to emerge.
Curses that despised Gojo Satoru would naturally be eager to join Mahito's cause. For the sake of a grand future, what's a little danger?
They were all tied together, sharing in success or failure. It was this shared fate that made them unite even more tightly, as separation meant death.
On the jujutsu sorcerer side, however, things seemed far more lacking in strength. The fact that curses had a leader was very bad news for the sorcerers.
At the same time, though, the jujutsu sorcerers had one anomaly—Hayashi. He was someone both Suguru Geto and Mahito had labeled as a threat.
Hayashi possessed talents that many jujutsu sorcerers did not. Aside from Gojo Satoru, Hayashi was the first person they needed to eliminate.
And that was without knowing that Hayashi could use domain expansion. If they found out, his danger level would undoubtedly skyrocket.
Watching the sunset, Hayashi felt a bit dazed. He had indeed been quite tired lately and just wanted to rest.
At that moment, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw that Itadori Yuji was calling.
"Hey, Itadori."
"Hayashi, I can't reach Ijichi-sensei, so I had to call you. Can you come to where I am?" Itadori's voice came through.
"Sure, send me your location." Hayashi immediately hung up.
He guessed that Itadori was with Junpei Yoshino now. The timing was perfect, and Hayashi hadn't missed anything.
If Itadori hadn't called him, Hayashi might have gone to rest. That would have put Junpei's mother in danger, which was an outcome Hayashi wanted to avoid.
Junpei's mother held a high place in his heart. Her death in the original story had a massive psychological impact on Junpei, pushing him quickly into darkness under the weight of overwhelming pressure.
Human nature is inherently good, but external factors can change a person. Psychological distortion and twisted mental states don't appear overnight; they are the result of a long process.
During that process, the mindset slowly changes, and darkness begins to grow. Those who find no salvation eventually fall into that darkness. No one truly loves the dark, but the dark embraces such people.
At that moment, Itadori was chatting with Junpei, waiting for Hayashi. Soon enough, Hayashi appeared at the far end of the road, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
The evening light made Hayashi's hair flutter in the breeze, adding a sense of vitality and energy.
Junpei quickly noticed Hayashi. The boy gave off a feeling of purity, an aura that made people feel a sense of reliance, though it also filled Junpei with frustration.
Why did his life have to be treated this way? He wanted to live a good life, to get along with his classmates, but some people just wouldn't let him have peace.
"Hayashi, you're so fast! Were you nearby?" Itadori waved to Hayashi. Ever since they had met that night, Itadori hadn't seen Hayashi, and he had missed their time together.
"You could say that. How are you?" Hayashi smiled and waved back, then looked at Junpei with a kind smile.
Junpei noticed Hayashi's gaze and, after meeting his eyes, shyly nodded with a smile.
In Junpei's eyes, the spiral buttons on Itadori's shirt signified that he was a jujutsu sorcerer, just like Mahito had mentioned, and likely an important student in some organization.
Hayashi was wearing the same kind of button on his clothing, making it easy for Junpei to deduce that they were from the same place.
At that moment, Itadori threw an arm around Hayashi's shoulder, pulling him aside a little and whispering, "So, how do I explain this? I was with Ijichi-sensei and Nanami-senpai—uh, you probably don't know Nanami-senpai, so let me fill you in."
"No need," Hayashi chuckled, cutting Itadori off. This guy could be so complicated with explanations. "I already know about your situation. I just had coffee with Nanami-senpai earlier, and right after that, you called me. He told me about everything, so there's no need to go over it again."
"Huh? You had coffee with Nanami?" Itadori exclaimed. Sitting on the slope nearby, Junpei glanced over, confused by their conversation.
"Seriously? You didn't invite me? That's so unfair, Hayashi! I thought Nanami had something to take care of?" Itadori pretended to be upset, crossing his arms. Even though he didn't care much about coffee, he would've loved to enjoy some sweets with them.
"Nanami?" Hayashi laughed. "You're probably the only one who dares to call Nanami-senpai that. But it suits him. Anyway, I'll treat you to coffee next time. No big deal."
"Really!?" Itadori grinned, flashing his teeth. He didn't mind that Hayashi hadn't invited him. He just enjoyed this friendly atmosphere—they didn't need to worry about money to have a good time together.
"Yeah, really. But we'll deal with that later." Hayashi then turned to Junpei, who was sitting by himself, and walked over.
Seeing Hayashi approach, Junpei instinctively felt nervous. Unlike with Itadori, Hayashi exuded a calm pressure that made Junpei uneasy.
"May I ask your name?" Hayashi smiled, extending his hand for a handshake.
Junpei, appearing a bit shy, stood up to face Hayashi. He was noticeably shorter, but still, he reached out and shook Hayashi's hand. "I'm Junpei Yoshino. You can just call me Junpei."
"Nice to meet you, Junpei," Hayashi said, smiling warmly. In his eyes, he saw a bright future for Junpei—the kind of boy who should be running under the sunlight, not falling into the dark grasp of Mahito's cruel hands.