As usual, curses never gave anyone a chance to process it's presence before striking; it was either attack or be attacked. And unfortunately for Y/N, the moment they wanted to show off to this special grade sorcerer, they were caught off guard.

They drop the drumsticks they held.

'Oh what the..?'

Y/N instead forms a gun sign with their dominant hand while they flew in mid air due to the curses attack. They hesitate to use their technique when they feel another presence.

It's coming from inside the curse.

"Shit!"

Maki curses, eyes going wide. They were all going to be swallowed by this curse. Y/N was the first one to drop, and soon Maki and Okkotsu followed.

Much to Maki's luck, she had accidentally dropped her weapon and also received a wound on her right thigh.

They hear the large curse.

"Damn! I dropped my weapon!"

Y/N scoffs as Maki helps them get back to their feet. They tried to search for any spare sticks in their uniform but to no avail.

"Spit us out, damn it!"

This is bad. The only reason they were able to control and use their technique is because of the drumstick. If they chose to use it freely, then guess who'd get shocked.

Okkotsu sits up, "Where are we?" he ask, to which Maki answers.

"We're in that curses stomach. Atleast don't pass out while we're in here, alright?" she says, pissed.

Being the newcomer that he is, and also someone who hasn't encountered a curse except for his own, Okkotsu panics.

"So that means.. We were eaten?!"

"Idiot." Y/N click the roof of their tongue, looking around, "You're an idiot."

"Yes, dumbass!" Maki exclaims, "Is that curse not gonna protect you at all?!" She was referring to Rika.

"I don't know when Rika will come either!" Okkotsu replies honestly, "More importantly, what should we do?!"

Maki sighs.

"Y/N, have any ideas?" she turns to the student.

The first year shrugs.

"I'll try at the cost of frying you two. I'm dealing with lightning here. If the curse gets electrocuted from the outside, then we get shocked too." They explain.

Oh what a perfect time to get stuck at a place like this where they're surrounded by cursed energy. An irk mark appears on Maki's forehead.

"Once the time is up, the screen will be lifted and they'll come save us. So shameful!"

"Help!"

Y/N turns their head to the voices that called. They weren't surprised to see kids; one was alive, and one.. Didn't look too alive. A chill runs down their spine.

"Hm?"

"Please!"

"He seems like he's about to die!"

Y/N scrunches their nose in slight disgust. What kind of stomach acid does this curse have? The kids face..!

"Thank goodness, they're still alive." Okkotsu says, somehow relieved even if he didn't know what was happening.

"This ain't good, you know. Look closely." Maki says.

"The bigger kid is completely cursed too. They could both drop dead any second, and it won't be surprising" she says before adding, "Are you sure there isn't another way out, Y/N?"

Both first years turn to them, making Y/N raise both her brows out of amusement. They understood that bringing back the two abducted kids would be a hassle considering the situation everyone is in, but why choose to ask them after already giving an answer?

Y/n points upwards. It was the mouth.

"It's cursed energy's all over the place. Like i said, If i were to use my technique, we'd get fried." they continue, "I can't sense any other source of energy except for the curse we're in."

Maki curses, "Crap. Then there's no.." she trails off.

Y/N looks over to the kid who was panting and had his eyes on the other unconcious child. The first year then turns to Maki, noticing something odd about her.

"No way!" Okkotsu then says, "What should we do..?!"

"There's nothing we can do. We can only wait to be saved!" Maki huffs, "There ain't no one who has the same kind of resistance to curses than you do."

She looked like she was catching a fever.

"Zen'in-san..?"

"Maki?"

Y/N had finally realized what was happening. Their eyes slightly widen, and they had grabbed Maki's arm just before she falls to the ground. Y/N is able to gently lay her down.

"Zen'in-san?!"

Y/N turns to Okkotsu and the boy stops.

"Can you just shut it?" they ask, gritting their teeth. The stress was slowly building up; they couldn't use their technique properly, Maki's now hurt, and the only person they might have to rely on is this..

..This special grade sorcerer!

Okkotsu gulps nervously, eyes then moving from Y/N to Maki's wound. He watches as it bubbles. It's definitely a sight he didn't want to see.

"What kind of wound is this.. Is she cursed?" he ask, not really expecting to receive an answer from Y/N.

"Is that lady dead?" the child ask, "Hey, help us!"

Okkotsu didn't know what to do. Suddenly, Maki sits up, grabbing the collar of the boy's uniform.

"Even if you say that.. Okkotsu, tell me, honestly. Why did you come to the school?!" she says, her tone rising at the end of her sentence.

"What do you want to do?! What do you want?! What do you want to achieve?!"

'Should i stop her? Her voice is getting a little strained and she doesn't look well..' Y/N thought with furrowed brows.

"I.." Okkotsu starts, "I don't wanna hurt anyone anymore.."

"I tried to seclude myself and get rid of it, but when i was told it would be lonely being all alone, i couldn't come up with a reason." he recalls what happened earlier when Gojo had asked him if he was going to attend class.

"I wan't to have a connection with someone. I want to be needed by someone!" Okkotsu continues, "I wan't the confidence to feel like.. It's okay to live."

Y/N clenches their palm to form a fist. They didn't want to show their frustration due to the sentence Okkotsu said that unfortunately, hit too close to home.

"Then exorcise.."

Maki starts.

"..The curses. Exorcise the curses. Over and over and over again! Confidence, other people.. All that will come later! That's the kind of place this school is!"

Maki finally let's go of the boy. While doing so, she had also pulled on his uniform too hard that it was unbuttoned; revealing the ring Rika gave him. He wore it as a necklace.

"Hokori-san, step back, please." Okkotsu says, not sparing the sorcerer a glance. Y/N complies with a sigh before grabbing Maki.

"You better get us out.." they mutter.

"Rika-chan.."

Okkotsu calls, grabbing onto the ring and pulling it from his neck. The string snaps. The boy then hears a reply from his beloved Rika.

Y/N watches as the boy wears the ring, his cursed energy getting a little too overwhelming.

Okkotsu then says.

"Lend me your power."

As Rika was busy aiding okkotsu by eliminating the curse he was inside, Y/N was quick to jump out when Rika hd successfully made an opening, leaving Okkotsu with the job of carrying Maki and the two abducted children.

'Taiko..'

'Taiko..!'

The drumsticks were valuable for Y/N. leaving Okkotsu alone for a few minutes won't be so bad, right? He had gotten the help he asked for.

Y/N easily spots their beloved tools right below the building that the curse had destroyed. Y/N's quick to pick them up, eyes scanning the area to look for the other first year who was probably trying to carry three bodies.

They spot him, struggling to walk. Y/N huffs, running up to him with brows furrowed.

"Okkotsu!" they call, gritting their teeth, "Give me the kids." They say, and the boy happily complies.

'Heavy.' Y/N thought, carrying the two like sacks of potatoes on their shoulder.

Surrounded with silence, two first years now walked to the school's entrance. okkotsu spares Y/N a glance, noticing how they kept their eyes on the path they were walking. no looking at the children, nor checking on them.

As they got closer, they both watch as the veil was lifted up, and Gojo was the first to greet them.