A Matter of Taste

New chapter is live.

Settle in, take your time, and let's see what waits in the dark 🖤

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Kanagawa Prefectural Satozakura High School was quiet after class.

Too quiet.

Yuji Itadori stopped in the hallway, staring at the boy in front of him.

Junpei Yoshino's eyes were dull. Mahito's cursed technique had twisted his body into something misshapen and wet-looking, pulsing with an unnatural rhythm.

He no longer looked entirely human.

"Junpei..."

Junpei lifted his head.

"Why do good people die?"

Yuji's throat tightened.

Behind Junpei, Mahito laughed softly.

"Don't look at me like that, Sukuna's vessel. The method was crude, but the result is interesting."

Yuji's cursed energy surged.

For the first time, his anger focused on one person with murderous clarity.

"Mahito."

Mahito's smile widened.

Yuji stepped forward and drove his fist into the curse's face.

At Tokyo Jujutsu High, Nobara stood by the vending machines and stared at the drink in her hand without opening it.

Megumi approached from the side.

"You're still thinking about it."

"So are you."

He said nothing.

Nobara crushed the can slightly between her fingers.

"Gojo-sensei told us to watch White Zetsu. Test him. Confirm that thing about his body. And then what? Pretend we weren't using him?"

Megumi's eyes lowered.

"It was an order."

"That doesn't make it feel better."

"No."

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Finally, Nobara exhaled sharply.

"After this is over, we apologize."

Megumi nodded.

"And blame Gojo-sensei."

"Obviously."

Across campus, White Zetsu spotted Mai Zenin walking beside Aoi Todo and immediately sensed gossip.

His eyes brightened.

"Niece!"

Mai stopped.

Her expression went cold with impressive speed.

"Don't call me that."

White Zetsu ignored the warning and rushed over.

"Two years apart, and you return with a rumored boyfriend? How moving. How bold. How shameful that no one told Uncle Zetsu."

Mai's fingers twitched toward her weapon.

Panda, standing nearby with Maki and Inumaki, looked between them.

"That's Todo."

Maki's eyes narrowed.

"They're probably here to cause trouble for my errand girl."

"Salmon," Inumaki agreed.

On the path ahead, Todo had already stopped in front of Megumi.

"Fushiguro."

Megumi looked up.

Todo's massive frame cast a shadow over him.

"What kind of woman is your type?"

Megumi stared.

"What?"

"Answer carefully. Your answer will decide what kind of man you are."

Megumi's expression tightened. "I don't have a particular type. As long as she has an unshakable character--"

Todo's face twisted with disappointment before Megumi could finish.

"Boring."

The attack came at once.

Megumi barely had time to summon Toad before Todo grabbed him and threw him into the ground with enough force to crack the stone path.

The impact shook the courtyard.

Megumi rolled, coughing, anger flashing through his eyes.

White Zetsu arrived just in time to see it.

He looked at Todo.

Then at Megumi.

Then back at Todo.

"A muscular baboon bullying a frightened rabbit. How ugly."

Todo turned.

White Zetsu raised one hand.

Red cursed energy gathered at his fingertip.

"Red Lotus."

A crimson beam tore through the air.

Todo crossed his arms and took the hit head-on, sliding back several steps before stopping.

Smoke curled from his skin.

His eyes sharpened.

"You."

White Zetsu lifted his chin. "Me."

Todo's expression became deadly serious.

"What kind of curse is your type?"

The courtyard froze.

Panda slowly turned his head.

Maki stared.

Megumi, still on the ground, wondered if Todo's brain had finally given up.

White Zetsu considered the question with unexpected sincerity.

"Tall. Very tall. At least a thousand meters. A single red eye. Ten long tails. A body that inspires awe. Short, thin legs for contrast."

Todo's eyes filled with tears.

"Short legs..."

White Zetsu frowned. "What?"

"You have no taste."

Todo's grief became rage in a single heartbeat.

He launched himself forward.

White Zetsu's expression shifted.

"Panda! Fortress!"

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