Summary:
With all that Yuji has been through in Shibuya, his determination finally gives way when Nobara appears to have perished. Mahito seizes the opportunity and adds physical decimation to the mental abuse. Just when all seems lost, Yuji’s best friend arrives in time to reignite his spirit.
Plot:
While the three first year students were lounging around a table enjoying cups of coffee one day, Nobara spilled her drink on their sensei’s shirt. Unfazed, Nobara tries to shift the blame to Ijichi for leaving Gojo’s freshly dry-cleaned shirt in their care. Megumi and Yuji disagree and the three of them work together to try to remove the stains.
Despite their efforts, much of the shirt remained stained. Nobara completely denied that the shirt could be impersonating Marimekko. Believing this would be an insult to the fashion industry, Megumi looked up the brand of the shirt on his smartphone. Nobara wanted to know how much it would cost to replace it. However, she and Yuji were amazed when Megumi showed them that it cost 250,000 yen before tax. Nobara asked the boys to put down 80,000 each while she put up 90,000, but naturally they refused.
Instead, they hide the dirty shirt inside Megumi’s uniform, harassing him. Satoru came to get it and immediately noticed the bulge on Megumi’s jacket as well as the irritated frown on his face. Unable to pretend any longer, Yuji and Nobara laughed and removed the shirt from Megumi’s uniform. This pleasant memory is in stark contrast to reality.
In the present, Nobara is lying in front of Yuji, missing an eye and presumably dead. Losing to Choso, Sukuna’s rampage, and Nanami’s death had already taken a toll on Yuji’s resolve. Having long since reached her limit, Yuji’s spirit breaks after Nobara is unable to respond as he desperately calls her name. Satisfied with himself, Mahito praises his own talent and believes himself to be a true brute. Not only does he power up the strike with the cursed energy, but he successfully unleashes Black Flash on Yuji.
Sparks of black do not choose who to bless. Mahito’s Black Flash sends Yuji hurtling through the station. The special grade continues to beat on him while also revealing Yuji’s determination to be weak. Mahito believes that this is not just a fight for redress, it is a war of truths. He believes that Yuji is just like him because he kills without hesitation, just as Yuji saves people without a second thought. This pits the curse instincts against dignified human reasoning. Mahito believes that this conflict will determine which of the two will remain in a hundred years.
After thoroughly beating Yuji, both mentally and physically, Mahito asks the student how he ever planned to win and if he ever counted how many curses he cast. Mahito never cared about how many people he killed and believes that he will eventually forget about Yuji. He turns his arm into a mantis-like claw and tries to kill Yuji. However, there is clapping and Mahito is suddenly relocated.
Aoi Todo appears just in time as he used the Boogie Woogie to switch places with Mahito. He says the prosperous have no choice but to eventually decline, but adds that they are the exception. Mahito recognizes the scar on Toda’s face and his cursed Hanami technique.
Kyoto freshman Arata Nitta also joins the scene after medically treating Nobara. He believes that he will probably die and asks his senpai not to blame him for it later. Aoi mostly tells him to help his brother Yuji before telling his nearly defeated friend that he needs to wake up because their battle is about to begin!