Later, in a restaurant…
Gojo slumped dramatically over the table, chin resting on his palm as he sighed loud enough for the entire establishment to hear.
"'Once rain is over, an umbrella becomes a burden—that's how loyalty ends when benefits stop.'" He paused, lowering his voice into a poor imitation of Naoya's mocking tone before snapping back to his usual theatrics. "That's what Naoya said to me last year. And why? Because I ate his last pizza slice."
Amanai, mid-bite of her own food, blinked. "…That's it?"
"That's it!" Gojo threw his hands up. "He didn't talk to me for a whole month. A month, Riko! Can you imagine? He loves food more than me—the great Gojo Satoru!"
Amanai chewed thoughtfully, then shrugged. "I mean, pizza is pretty serious."
Gojo gasped, clutching his chest as if wounded. "Not you too! Is no one on my side?!"
Geto calmly sipped his barley tea, then delivered the killing blow without looking up: "Betrayal never comes from enemies."
The table erupted. Amanai nearly choked laughing while Gojo dramatically slid off his chair onto the floor, wailing about cruel fates and ungrateful friends. Even Kuroi, who had been quietly enjoying her meal, hid a smile behind her hand.
At that moment, Naoya arrived carrying a steaming pizza box. With a showman's flair, he flipped open the lid, releasing an aromatic cloud of truffle oil and molten cheese.
Naoya flipped open the pizza box with a magician's flourish, the aroma of truffle oil and melted mozzarella wafting through the air. "I always believed," he said, carefully selecting a slice, "'You don't throw away the umbrella when the rain stops - you throw it away when it's broken.'" He took an exaggerated bite, cheese stretching dramatically. "But you, Gojo... you've redefined betrayal."
Gojo's head snapped up from the floor. His nose twitched at the scent. "...Is that the new quattro formaggi from that Neapolitan place?"
Naoya smirked, holding the slice just out of reach. "The very same. And before you ask - no, you can't have any."
"After everything we've shared?" Gojo pressed both hands to his heart. "The battles fought side by side? The curses we've—"
"You should've considered that," Naoya interrupted, taking another deliberate bite, "before you stole my pineapple truffle mushroom special."
The table went silent. Even the background restaurant chatter seemed to hush.
"...Pineapple?" Gojo whispered in horror.
Amanai's eyes widened. "Wait, you put pineapple on—"
Geto finally looked up from his salad, his expression the verbal equivalent of a record scratch. "You did what to a truffle mushroom pizza?"
Naoya calmly took another bite. "It was an experimental—"
Geto stood up so fast his chair fell backward. "I'm revoking your pizza privileges."
As the debate over pizza heresy erupted (with Kuroi surprisingly defending fruit on pizza and Amanai looking genuinely contemplative), Gojo seized the opportunity to snake a slice from the box.
"Joke's on you," he mumbled around a mouthful of stolen pizza. "Still worth it."
Naoya's eye twitched. "Domain Expan—"
"NOT IN THE RESTAURANT!" everyone shouted in unison.
…
The next day in Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium - Massive Kuroshio Tank Exhibit
Gojo pressed his face against the glass like an excited child, fogging up the surface with each breath. "Look! That one's smiling at me!" He pointed at a manta ray that was very clearly not smiling.
Naoya crossed his arms, still sulking about the pizza incident. "That's not a smile. That's its underside."
Geto observed the schooling fish with quiet appreciation. "There's something peaceful about watching creatures who don't argue about pizza toppings."
Then—
The bioluminescent glow painted Riko's face in ethereal blues as she watched the pulsing jellyfish drift behind glass. Naoya materialized behind her like a shark circling prey, his shadow swallowing hers.
"Tch. These things just float around doing nothing," he mused, leaning in close enough for his breath to disturb her hair. "Unlike you, Riko-chan. You've got... spark." His fingers hovered near her waist. "Bet you'd shine even brighter somewhere darker~"
Riko didn't flinch. "Try it and I'll feed you to the whale sharks." Her hand twitched toward the emergency hammer beside the exhibit glass.
THWACK!
A three-foot-long stuffed orca plush (specially selected by Gojo for maximum impact) smashed into Naoya's face with enough force to send him staggering.
From the gift shop twenty meters away, Gojo waved cheerfully with his other souvenir - a dolphin wearing sunglasses. "Gomen ne~" he called, not sounding sorry at all. "My Infinity must've malfunctioned."
The temperature dropped suddenly as Kuroi appeared between them, her normally placid eyes glinting dangerously. The jellyfish nearest her began moving sluggishly as frost crept up the tank glass. "Naoya-san," she said with terrifying calm, "would you like to learn how pufferfish defend themselves?"
Naoya wiped the blood from his split lip with his thumb, examining the crimson stain with amusement before sucking it clean. "Kuroi-chan~" he crooned, arms spread wide in mock surrender. The jellyfish tanks reflected fractured images of his smirk. "As future head of the Zen'in clan, you should be—"
Riko's sneaker flashed silver in the aquarium lights as it arced toward his shin—
—only to meet empty air as Naoya vanished. He reappeared lounging on a bench across the exhibit, one leg crossed over the other. "Temper, temper," he tutted, examining his nails. "Though I do love when they put up a—"
A pale hand shot toward his neck from behind.
Naoya's head jerked sideways just in time to avoid Gojo's attempted headlock, The Six Eyes user stumbled slightly, his usual flawless movements betraying a half-second delay.
"Tch." Naoya's grin turned predatory as he took in Gojo's disheveled appearance - the slight tremor in his fingers, the dark circles barely hidden beneath his sunglasses. "You're way off your game, Satoru. What's wrong? Four days without sleep finally catching up?" He leaned in, voice dropping to a taunting whisper. "Or is babysitting your precious Star Plasma Vessel wearing you down?"
Gojo's smile remained fixed, but the air around them grew heavy with condensed cursed energy. The aquarium lights flickered. "Now now, Naoya~" he sing-songed, but his usual playful lilt carried an edge like broken glass. "Wouldn't want to make a scene in front of—"
"Enough."
Geto's voice cut through the tension like a blade. He stepped between them, one hand resting firmly on both Naoya and Gojo's shoulders.
"We're leaving," he said flatly.
There was no room for debate. Not with Geto using that voice.
Naoya clicked his tongue annoyed by the commoner touch. Riko and Kuroi walked ahead in silence, and the rest followed suit, the tension simmering behind them like a storm cloud refusing to break.
...
Jujutsu High – Front Stairs
The sun had started to set by the time they climbed the last flight of stairs leading back to school grounds. Their steps slowed in exhausted relief as the imposing silhouette of the school came into view.
"Finally," Riko breathed.
Naoya didn't even look up. Instead, he pulled out his phone, stepping slightly aside.
"Is everything ready?" he said, voice low and sharp, as if honed on steel. "I don't accept failure."
The voice that answered was distorted, genderless—calm and confident. "I memorized everything. Just don't back down on the payment."
Naoya's eyes narrowed, satisfied. "Good."
He hung up.
Then—
A sharp hiss tore through the air.
Gojo blinked.
Blood exploded from his torso.
A blade—massive, jagged, and vicious—pierced clean through him, punching out of his chest from behind just as he triggered his Infinity. Too late.
"Wha—?" was all he managed before collapsing.
Time stilled.
Kuroi screamed. Riko stumbled back.
Even Geto stood frozen, his mouth half-open in disbelief.
And Naoya?
He didn't blink. Didn't flinch.
He smiled.
Like a fan seeing their idol walk out on stage.