Tokyo was full of cursed spirits as if the world had turned inside out, and hell got on the surface. The Japanese government threw all its remaining forces into solving this infernal mess, so Higuruma, who was supposed to rot in prison, in his humble opinion, was also included in the ranks of the sorcerers sent to clean up these Augean stables, which Kenjaku with his cunning plans and Sukuna with his desire to eradicate everything on his way left behind.

The higher-ups were happy to put him to grueling work. Besides, they had something to blackmail him with. As Higuruma guessed, politicians saw in their best dreams how he would die during a battle with some powerful curse. They didn't like the existence of a man who could bring anyone to light with his incomprehensible, abnormal, mysterious power. Also, they didn't believe he would gladly have stayed in prison for life, rightly assuming he had enough strength to escape any cell guarded by ordinary people without cursed energy.

Well, he was glad to help cleanse the world of the shit it's turned into, so every day, he rushed into the thick of it, kept from the most suicidal missions only by Yuji Itadori. The kid was way too empathetic and also unexpectedly watchful. Higuruma believed that someone like himself didn't deserve any compassion or understanding, but Yuji continued reminding him about being careful and considered him a father figure. It was too easy for Higuruma to guess that much.

The feeling of being needed warmed his tired heart, which nevertheless desired to stop beating.

Today was another day of endless cleanup work. Wandering through the ruins that Shinjuku had become, he noticed a lone figure in the distance. Clutching his cursed tool in his hand—the judge's gavel—he walked towards the unknown person.