Manga spoilers: chapters 156/157

Acrux?

Megumi studies the star shaped mark on his bunny shikigami, evidently confused.

He glances at the door.

Gacrux?

" Watch out!"

Megumi glances up just in time to see you getting launched at him. His eyes widen, arms opening up just in time to properly catch you. Immediately, his eyes are drawn to your hand.

Also Acrux.

" Sorry-"

" No, I don't think this was a coincidence. Stay close to me."

You blink at him, before blinking at the mark on your hand.

At once, he releases rabbit escape which he had previously summoned.

" Panda! What do you think of my rabbit escape?"

Megumi takes a step closer as he calls out to your older classmate, automatically pulling you with him for some reason. He glances at you shortly, wrapping an arm around your waist to keep your side pressed to his. You blink, not exactly catching onto what's happening just yet.

" It was sooo cute! Second only to me!"

Annoyance takes over Megumi's features.

" I'm asking about what they could and couldn't get closer to!"

" Oh. They were able to approach me and the second floor!, But couldn't get to Kirara or the door to the monitoring room!"

" Is there a star mark and a name somewhere on your body?"

" Eh?!"

Indeed, on Panda's butt, was another star with a name.

" Imai? It says Imai!"

Panda calls as he reads his mark.

Megumi searched himself for a good second too, raising his shirt go reveal a very toned stomach and another star with a name. Acrux, just like you.

Your eyes widen in realization.

" It must be based on a constellation. "

Megumi nods.

" Panda! This cursed technique is based on a constellation! This one is based on 'The Southern Cross'."

Based on Kirara's face, Megumi must be correct.

" Megumii, Y/NN! I don't understand!"

" Panda, the southern cross has 4 stars, right?"

" Well, yeah, since it's a cross."

" I initially thought that Kirara's technique assigned a star from the southern cross to each target, and forces them to stay at a certain distance from each other. But Kirara is able to approach the door, Y/N is glued to me, and we're able to approach each other. Which is why I think that this is more like a board game that decides a route. And that each star has an order to which they can approach each other. And the same stars can stick together."

" Shouldn't the user be unaffected by their cursed technique?"

You shrug

" Usually, yeah. But Kirara was also forced to stay away from devine dog."

" Maybe it just makes our stars repel the stars of Kirara and the door."

" If that's the case, then why hasn't Kirara run into the monitoring room?"

" Oh, right- It's game over for us if she sticks to the door from the inside."

" For now, Kirara is on guard to make sure we don't break whatever condition it is that would allow us to break into the monitor room unnoticed by her."

Your eyes widen.

" Doesn't that mean that there's at least 5 stars?"

Megumi nods.

" What if there's a sixth or a seventh? "

" Let's just hope that's not the case."

The conversation is cut short as Kirara joins the scene, somewhere seemingly having found a car and plowing it straight at the three of you.

" Panda!"

" I've got it!-"

" Don't throw it! It's marked with the same star as the one on your body. -"

" -If you throw it it'll either come back to you or you'll be pulled to it!"

" Megumi, over there!"

At one of the random ledges of the roof, is indeed a different star. The one you were looking for.

Everything seems to happen at once. The two of you head to the star, Kirara sends a bunch of stuff at you, and while Megumi reaches the 5th star of her technique, you manage to wrap a steady stream of water around Kirara, and pull yourself towards her.

Megumi suppresses his cursed energy by a level for a moment, getting him pulled towards you this time, and wrapping Kirara in a headlock.

Finally, Kirara is on the floor, Megumi holding her arm behind her back.

" Listen to what we have to say."

Kirara looks rather annoyed that Megumi's plan had worked.

" Did you really plan this all out? Surely you didn't know that I cannot mark water with my technique. Or that you would be pulled towards her."

" Originally, it was by chance. But I realized that the one with lesser cursed energy gets pulled towards the one with more cursed energy."

Kirara's eyes widen, before she grumbles.

" I can't believe you're a first year. You're not so cute."

Finally, Megumi lets her go, opting for another approach. He bows respectfully, all the way to the ground.

" Please, listen to what we have to say."

Kirara glances over him and you, before sighing.

" Fine.-"

In that exact second, Yuuji is launched through the door you guys were stalling, Sukuna followed soon after.

Hakari looks angry as he follows them out.

" Megumi, Panda, Y/N, you guys stay out of this. Su- Woozi, leave this to me."

Sukuna scoffs in annoyance, but steps back.

Hakari grins.

" You're underestimating me."

And then he throws a punch straight at Yuuji. Everyone's eyes widen. Sukuna's do too, before they narrow.

" Yuuji-"

" The fuck are you doing?-"

Hakari visibly gains interest as he shoves Yuuji, only for him to remain standing.

He raises a brow.

" Interesting. I'll listen to what you have to say... For as long as you remain standing."

Kirara leans over the railway where you're all stood.

" Kin, these kids want your help! Listen to what they have to say!"

Hakari huffs.

" I just said I'll listen."

Kirara blinks.

" Oh. Then it's all good.. I guess..?"

" Hey Itadori, why me? This is the first time we've met, is it not?"

" Because my upperclassman said you're strong-"

" That's what I thought."

Hakari launches a punch in Yuuji's face as he speaks.

" When a sorcerer asks for help, it's basically asking 'please risk your life with me'! You need to convey a fever worthy of making me risk my life. Right here, right now! But instead of that, you came here because you were told to?! What the hell is old Yaga doing?! He's supposed to weed out wusses like you!"

" I don't have a fever.-"

" Huh?"

"-I'm a cog. A cog, for sorcerers to continue exorcising curses."

" Hey, hey, hey, you serious? That's so boring!"

Hakari pulls his fist back, and Megumi's eyes widen.

" Yuuji! That's enough!"

The punch never arrives. A steady stream of water is clasped around his wrist. You jump over the railing, approaching Hakari, your eyes narrowed in a sharp glare.

" Who the hell are you? And what the hell is this technique?!"

Hakari is evidently taken by surprise as he struggling against the steady stream of water.

" My name is Kamo Y/N. This is pointless. If you're afraid to fight for real, pretend this stupid club is worth your time, then so be it.-"

You bend the water back in your water skin.

" If you're looking for a real fight however, come with us. You have nothing better to do anyway."

You cross your arms over one another, glaring at him. Yuuji's eyes widen.

" Y/N.-"

" Yuuji, shut up."

Sukuna walks over, grinning as he slings an arm around your shoulder.

Hakari grins, scoffing.

" You have guts.-"

He glances up to where Megumi, Panda and Kirara are stood.

" Come down. We can make a deal."

Megumi's eyes widen, as does Panda's.

" Did she just...?"

" Uhm, yeah..? The problem's solved...? We convinced him...? "

Kirara hums at Megumi's puzzled words.

" Yep."

" Thank you?"

" No problem. Kinji doesn't like the higher ups. But his-"

She nods at you, under Sukuna's arm.

" -girl really got his fever going."

Megumi coughs.

His girl. Sukuna's girl. As if. Tch.

" She's not his girl. They're just friends."

Kirara raises an interested brow at Megumi.

" Your girl?"

Megumi blushes, not answering her as he jumps over the railing.

[ A/N: This was all so confusing in the manga holy shat-. Also, happy new year : ]