Pink-Haired Gorilla, Clown Face

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June 2018.

The bullet White Zetsu had fired with his own hands half a year ago had finally struck him right between the brows.

That was exactly how dazed he felt right now.

"White Zetsu, stop spacing out. This guy just transferred into Jujutsu High as a first-year."

With his black sea-urchin hair, Megumi Fushiguro introduced Yuji without a trace of expression.

"Hello."

White Zetsu shook Yuji's hand with very little enthusiasm.

Just thinking about the faces Maki and the others would make after they returned from their mission made him want to drop out on the spot.

At the other end of the hallway, Satoru Gojo clapped his hands with a smile.

"All right, now that the students in the same year know each other..."

"Megumi and White Zetsu, take Yuji around the school today. Tomorrow we'll all go pick up the fourth first-year."

"Hey!"

White Zetsu looked unhappily at the white-haired freak.

"Gojo, I don't need to go, do I?"

"Making me personally welcome some little brat? What makes her that important?"

"Besides, Itsuki is supposed to be the teacher for Class Two. Why do you keep giving me chores?"

"Fushiguro?"

Yuji covered his mouth with one hand and whispered, "Is this guy contagious or something?"

"He's so white he's practically glowing. Are we sure he doesn't need a hospital?"

"Hey, pink-haired gorilla."

White Zetsu turned toward the two at the door.

"Talking behind my back? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Yuji blinked his dot-like eyes, looked around, then hesitantly pointed at himself.

"Pink-haired... gorilla?"

White Zetsu nodded firmly.

"You're the only one here with pink hair. Who else would I be talking about?"

"Gorilla..."

Gojo rubbed his chin and nodded in approval.

"With Yuji's physical ability, gorilla actually fits pretty well."

After that, Gojo tilted his head toward White Zetsu and smiled.

"Why don't you just transfer to my class, White Zetsu?"

"That guy left you with us for half a year. He might have forgotten you exist by now."

White Zetsu waved him off, speechless.

"That bastard brat may be even less responsible than you..."

"But out here, I value loyalty."

"He can be heartless, but I can't be dishonorable."

Gojo shrugged, sounding genuinely regretful.

"I actually like your personality. I really don't get why you're so determined to follow that fake-smiling guy."

White Zetsu began with perfect conviction, "Out here..."

"Mm-hm, mm-hm."

Gojo turned and walked away, waving over his shoulder.

"Remember to come along tomorrow."

"Otherwise, you'll learn just how painful setbacks can be out here."

"That white-haired freak!"

White Zetsu ground his teeth.

"Always threatening me. He's got some nerve!"

Megumi looked at the furious White Zetsu and shook his head.

Even if this guy were exorcised and turned to ash, his mouth would probably keep moving on the floor.

He was practically the sorcerer world's definition of "dead but still talking."

...

They crossed the broad green training grounds, and White Zetsu led the two of them straight toward a detached house.

Behind him, Megumi introduced Jujutsu High's layout to Yuji while explaining White Zetsu's unusual situation.

"Seriously?!"

Yuji pointed at White Zetsu ahead of them, disbelief written all over his face.

"You're saying that clown face is actually a cursed spirit?!"

"He's nothing like the cursed spirit we saw at school last night!"

"You all talk to him so naturally that I thought he was just a human with some really specific hobbies!"

When White Zetsu changed into this body, the wound beside his mouth from swallowing the blade still had not healed.

That was why Yuji called him clown face.

Megumi's expression changed. He quickly tugged Yuji's sleeve.

"Can you not say that so loud?"

"Pink-haired gorilla, take this!"

Sure enough, White Zetsu heard the comment and spun around with a full-power punch.

Thud!

The force was about the same as a grown man's punch, plus a tiny bit extra.

For the Tiger of West Junior High, that was just enough to make his chest feel numb for a moment. At most, it stung a little.

Yuji stared blankly at the fist against his chest and blinked in confusion.

White Zetsu remained frozen in his punching pose, head lowered, saying nothing.

One second.

Two seconds.

Only when Megumi appeared across from him, gesturing and mouthing silently, did Yuji seem to understand.

"Aagh!"

"It hurts! It hurts so much!"

Yuji clutched his chest, collapsed stiffly onto the grass, and writhed across the ground with theatrical misery.

"Hmph! Consider this a lesson!"

"Next time you dare talk about me behind my back, I'll end you with one punch!"

White Zetsu turned away, trying very hard to look like a victorious master.

...

In front of the small house, White Zetsu told the two of them to wait, then walked inside alone.

"White Zetsu is a cursed spirit, but he has never harmed humans. He gets along pretty well with the sorcerers here too."

"His personality is just a little..."

"Stubborn? Show-offy? Loves to brag?"

Yuji supplied in a low voice.

Seeing Megumi nod, Yuji nodded too and murmured, "No wonder Gojo-sensei likes his personality. They really do feel similar."

"Last night Gojo-sensei told me he was the strongest sorcerer alive."

"So he was joking!"

Megumi grimaced. He did not bother explaining further.

When it came to awful personalities, that human and that cursed spirit really were not so different.

As for the house in front of them...

Gojo had mentioned its owner a few times.

A dangerous person who liked to wear a fake smile.

The head of the Zenin Clan. Maki-senpai's older brother. White Zetsu's true teacher.

Most importantly, like Megumi, he was a sorcerer who wielded the Ten Shadows Technique.

But in nearly half a year at Jujutsu High, Megumi had never met him once.

...

"I mean, Itsuki, aren't you bored at all?"

"You've been shut in here studying those old books every day. You still haven't finished after half a year?"

In the living room, White Zetsu complained at Itsuki, who was curled on the sofa with a book.

"These books contain nearly a thousand years of accumulated knowledge. Finishing them in half a year is already not bad."

Itsuki set the book down. His scarlet gaze turned toward the front door.

His indifferent eyes seemed to pierce through space itself and look directly at the two boys whispering outside.

A moment later, Itsuki turned to White Zetsu.

"Well? What is it this time?"

"Heh."

White Zetsu split his mouth into a grin. The caterpillar crawling from his collar opened its mouth and spat out two cursed tools.

One was a robe matching the one White Zetsu was currently wearing. The other was a pink revolver.

"Charge it. That white-haired bastard Gojo is forcing me out on another mission."

White Zetsu tossed the revolver to Itsuki and began changing clothes on the spot.

Over the past half year, White Zetsu had not stayed at Jujutsu High the entire time. He had also gone on missions with Maki, Toge, and the others.

Of course, what he relied on most was the uniform he wore, which could withstand Grade 2 cursed spirits.

And that pink revolver that belonged to Mai.

One cursed spirit and one gun. White Zetsu had used Red Lotus to show off in front of Maki and the others more than a few times.

Until Gojo banned him from using it.

After that, White Zetsu devoted himself to protecting the assistant manager and stayed in the car on lookout duty.

A short while later.

Itsuki tossed Red Lotus back to White Zetsu and spoke calmly.

"By the time you come back from this mission, I should be nearly finished studying."

"What do you mean?"

White Zetsu caught Red Lotus, anticipation filling his eyes.

"The plan is starting?"

Looking at White Zetsu's sudden excitement, Itsuki smiled.

"Treasure your last few months of life at Jujutsu High."

"Have fun."

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