"Did you kill them all?"
When Mukuro walked out of the Star Religious Group's headquarters, his clothes spotless and not a speck of blood on him, Suguru, who had been waiting by the entrance, asked the question more out of formality than curiosity.
He already knew his best friend had always drawn a line between humans and what he called "monkeys" since they were kids.
(Though Mukuro and Toji sometimes joked about being monkeys themselves, it was only to mock the corrupt jujutsu world and the sorcerers they despise.)
"What are you talking about? I'm a good, law-abiding citizen. How could I possibly do something as cruel as bullying the weak?" Mukuro said casually as he took a phone from his pocket and tossed it to him.
Suguru lowered his head and glanced at the screen. His brows twitched when he saw photos and videos of the cult members turning their guns on each other, locked in chaos and bloodshed.
"You really are a devil," he muttered, mocking him without holding back. Still, he quietly sighed in relief.
As long as there was no proof that Mukuro had directly killed ordinary people, the higher-ups in the jujutsu world wouldn't dare stir trouble over this.
After all, special grade sorcerers represented the highest level of power in the world, and with only two of them currently existing, no one could afford to ignore their value.
"I'm a kind soul," Mukuro said with a faint smirk. "Let's just call it eliminating evil for the greater good."
Even though Tengen hadn't merged, the fact that the cult leader and his board members had ended up slaughtering their own followers was already a massive scandal.
If these images were ever made public, the Star Religious Group would be finished for good.
* * *
"How did it go inside?"
As soon as the two stepped out, Satoru came forward with the others, wanting to know what happened.
"It's all fine," Suguru replied with a grin, raising an OK sign. "Let's get Riko and Kuroi home. Once today's over, our mission's done, and you're all free."
The strand of hair on his forehead swayed gently in the wind as he spoke.
"Yeah!"
Riko's eyes sparkled with excitement, while Kuroi, behind her, clenched her fists tightly, overwhelmed with emotion.
They would never forget this day, or the people who had given them a new life.
"You brats," a rough, familiar voice suddenly called out, followed by the sound of a car door slamming. "Since when did I ever give you permission to change the mission on your own?"
Masamichi's short hair gleamed under the sunlight as he walked toward them.
Shoko, who had been walking and chatting with the three "troublemakers," immediately stepped back a step, leaving them to stand in front to face their teacher alone.
"Teacher," Suguru said, stepping forward with a serious look, "please allow us to take responsibility for altering the mission's outcome."
He couldn't accept letting an innocent girl sacrifice herself just to maintain the so-called stability in the jujutsu world.
"Is that how you see it too, Satoru?" Masamichi asked, turning to the white-haired boy standing with his hands in his pockets, looking as cocky as ever.
"That's right. I think—"
"Good. Next," Masamichi interrupted, cutting him off mid-sentence. His gaze then shifted to Mukuro.
"I—"
"The thousands of Fly Heads swarming all over the school... I heard they're connected to you, aren't they?"
Just when Mukuro was about to say something tough, the question caught him completely off guard. He froze, and the words he had prepared were stuck in his throat.
Those flies weren't exactly his doing, but he couldn't say they had nothing to do with him either.
(Toji: It's Jujutsu High. Don't tell me nobody here can't handle a few cursed flies? Let them deal with it.)
"Well…"
"I see. So it was you," Masamichi said flatly, already reading the answer from his expression.
"Wait, Teacher! I have something to say!" Mukuro protested, raising his hand.
What Toji did had nothing to do with him!
Bang!
But Masamichi didn't give him the chance. With one massive swing of his fist of discipline, the three boys, already considered at the top of the jujutsu world, were sent flying.
"Whoa? That old guy's that strong?"
Riko's eyes widened in shock. She didn't realize that the three of them were only pretending to be beaten to let Masamichi vent his frustration.
"Anyway, back to business," Masamichi went on, ignoring their antics, and turned toward the girl. "You must be the Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai, who was meant to merge with Master Tengen today, right?"
"Yes! That's me!" she declared, puffing out her chest and putting her hands on her hips.
"I'm sorry for the trouble my foolish students caused."
To her surprise, Masamichi didn't continue questioning her about the others protecting her. Instead, he bowed deeply.
"Eh?! Um… I… what…?"
The simple-minded girl was completely confused. From the beginning, she hadn't understood what any of these people were doing.
"Shoko! We're here!"
A cheerful voice rang out. Another car stopped by the curb, and Utahime, dressed in her shrine maiden outfit, jumped out energetically.
In her mind, a mission was almost like a promotion.
"It might've been an easy job, but don't you dare cut our pay, Teacher."
Mei Mei called out from behind her as she stepped out gracefully, heading straight for the three boys lying on the ground pretending to be dead.
"Huh? Utahime-senpai? You guys came too?" Shoko asked while being hugged, stunned.
With all these people here, it felt like nearly the entire school's combat strength had been mobilized.
"I asked them to come here," Masamichi responded. "They'll escort Miss Amanai safely back home."
He looked at Shoko, the only student he'd held back from punching earlier, and his tone softened slightly.
Since his students had already made their choice, as their teacher, he had to stand by them.
"Huh? Escort her? Wouldn't those idiots be enough?" she said, blinking in confusion. Her eyes darted between Utahime, Mei Mei, and the three boys.
Utahime and Mei Mei > the Three Idiots?
"The merging time is approaching," Masamichi said grimly. "And since this whole situation is our fault, I'll take them to the Tombs of the Star Corridor to meet Master Tengen in person."
His expression hardened.
What they had done, interfering with Master Tengen's merging, could easily be labeled as maliciously endangering the jujutsu world, even humanity itself.
He had to reach the Tombs of the Star Corridor and plead their case before the higher-ups made a move.
And if it came to the worst, he would take full responsibility.
Even if it meant dying there.
**
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