Chapter 0-2

Deeply Blackened (くく) is the second chapter of Akutami Gege's Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School.

Summary
The elders in charge of Jujutsu High are not happy with Rika's previous appearance. Gojo begins Yuta's training with a Kantana, instructing him to channel Rika's power through it. Later on, Yuta is tasked with joining Toge on what should be a simple mission. However, things take a drastic turn when they're ambushed by a strong Cursed Spirit. The situation helps Yuta learn about Toge and how to understand the kind of person he is. Yuta puts himself on the line to help Toge complete the mission, but from afar, they're watched by the evil Suguru Geto.

Plot Details
Satoru Gojo is reprimanded by the Jujutsu Higher-ups in a meeting for allowing the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Rika to manifest for over seven minutes. His seniors tell Gojo that he is meant to prevent this type of incident but the top Jujutsu Sorcerer argues that they must understand Rika if they seek to control her power. The Higher-ups remind Gojo that Yuta's execution is only on hold, but Gojo threatens to protect if his new student if things came to that and leaves the meeting.

He immediately meets up with his students, who are training outside. Previously, Gojo told Yuta that they can't exorcise Rika, but they can reverse the curse by undoing knots of Curse Energy one by one.

The aforementioned method is something only someone in Yuta's situation could do, and Gojo gave him a katana to help take in the Cursed Energy from Rika. Eventually, through training, they could both be free. It is also a good opportunity for Yuta to study basic combat training and learn to fight with a weapon.

Maki helps train Yuta in the ways of kendo and beats him repeatedly. When he asks her not to be so rough, Maki replies that feeling the pain of battle helps people grow into fighters. Panda, Gojo, and Toge watch from the sidelines, with the former noting that it has been three months since Yuta transferred to Jujutsu High. Gojo adds this is a good chance for Maki to spar with another Cursed Tool User and Panda decides to play matchmaker only to fail in epic fashion. While Maki and Panda continue training, Toge s assigned a mission, and Yuta is tasked with coming along. Gojo tells Yuta that Jujutsu Sorcery varies greatly and Toge's Cursed Speech is a good example of that. Toge tries to offer Yuta a high-five but he's too afraid to realize what his classmate is trying to say. Gojo calls him aside to remind him not to allow Rika out, and to do his best to channel her power through the sword.

Assistant Manager Kiyotaka Ijichi takes Toge and Yuta to Hapina Shopping District and explains the mission. While doing so, Toge takes a moment to buy cough medicine. This area is going to be rebuilt into a shopping mall but the paranormal activity threatens that from happening. Ijichi lowers the Curtain and entrusts the two students to exorcise the curse inside.

They quickly encounter a swarm of weak curses that Toge is able to explode with a single word. Afterward, Toge's voice is diminished and Yuta realizes this is why he bought cough medicine.

Despite exorcising the curses, the Curtain does not rise and another much more powerful Cursed Spirit appears. It has the ability to crush anything hit by its pillars of Cursed Energy. Toge is forced to used Cursed Speech again without enough time to recover and is unable to fully kill the enemy curse.

Yuta is able to bring Toge to safety, but they accidentally leave the cough medicine behind. After addressing his finger wound, Toge tries to go back and deal with the curse himself, but Yuta insists that they work together.

Yuta confronts the Cursed Spirit, who is aggravated by Rika's presence on the boy's sword. He's able to evade the curse's attacks and thinks about how nice of a person Toge actually is. Yuta appears to land a significant slash on the curse but ends up cutting it shallow. He's partially hit by the curse's next attack, but Yuta is able to grab the cough medicine they dropped before.

Yuta tosses the medicine to Toge, repaying his kindness. After downing the healing fluid, Toge effortlessly cruses the curse into nothingness. The Cursed Spirit is exorcised and Toge checks up on Yuta's condition. Yuta claims he's fine and this time when Toge raises his hand for a high-five, Yuta happily gives him one for a job well done.

Yuta feels like Jujutsu High won't need him once Rika's curse is undone, but until then he wants to be useful to all his new friends. Nearby, Suguru Geto watches Yuta, claiming he wanted to see the famous Rika. Back at Jujutsu High, Panda tells Yuta about Toge's past and hopes they can be friends from now on. Maki interrupts to keep training with Yuta. He asks her for help focusing his Cursed Energy but she replies that she can't help him.

Elsewhere, Ijichi apologizes for allowing someone else to drop in a Semi-Grade 1 Curse before he dropped the Curtain. Before long, Gojo is able to surmise that Suguru Geto is behind it.