Akira shook his head again. This difference marked the line between maturity and immaturity, whether one could see past appearances to the truth.
"Living beings instinctively seek stability, especially those who already hold benefits. To the Conservative Faction, not changing and maintaining the status quo is the greatest stability, so they try every way to remove unstable factors. Take you as an example again. What the ruling Jujutsu Sorcerer see is not just Maki Zenin alone, but many people in situations similar to hers.
If I give Maki Zenin special treatment today, tomorrow others will use her as an example and demand similar Benefits."
Maki Zenin asked again, "Isn't that good? Giving more capable people opportunities would also make the Zenin Clan stronger."
"For the Zenin Clan, yes, but not necessarily for the Jujutsu Sorcerer within it. If the Zenin Clan were not a major family, expansion would still be possible, so it wouldn't matter. But the Zenin Clan is already one of the Three Great Clans, with nowhere higher to go. The cake is only so big, and the benefits are limited. If more people share it, the ones who already have benefits get less.
Could they still order others around as they do now? Once people taste the sweetness of benefits, won't they seek even more? Depending on how things change, it's not impossible for all Jujutsu Sorcerer and Non-Sorcerer to turn against each other and cause internal conflict. So they won't let you stand out, whether at home or after you ran away."
After hearing Akira's explanation, Maki Zenin showed a cold smile. "Aren't they afraid I'll find a chance to overturn them?"
"At that point, they will of course learn fear and compromise. Their power will no longer be enough to maintain their former stability, so they will settle for a lesser one. That's what people call not crying until they see the coffin. No, the fact that you can stand here now means the Zenin Clan left a line open. Otherwise, unless Satoru Gojo came to snatch you personally, you would never have had the chance to leave."
"So that was the head's so-called trial?"
Maki Zenin recalled the moment last year, just before she announced she was leaving the family. At the time, she had already prepared to fight her way out at any cost. She never expected Naobito to simply say, "I will give you a corresponding trial," and let her go.
She had always thought it was just empty words, but it turned out to be a setup for future possibilities. If she were to return to the Zenin Clan in an overwhelming display of strength, and the old matters were brought up again, it would be hard for her not to waver, and impossible to push things to the absolute end.
"That old man, I thought his head was full of alcohol."
"Anyone who can become head of the family is not stupid. Underestimate them, and you'll suffer."
Akira spoke patiently. Whether it was favoritism or shared experience, among everyone, he had indeed put the most thought into Maki Zenin.
Maki Zenin thought for a moment, then nodded. "If the Conservative Faction were all fools, how could they have survived ten years without being dealt with by Satoru Gojo? Wait, according to what you said, why would Satoru Gojo do that?"
As head of the Gojo Clan, he already stood at the peak of the Jujutsu World and was the greatest beneficiary.
"Because what I just described is a trait of humanity as a whole, not every individual. In human history, there are always some who go their own way. Maybe it's because the heights are too lonely, maybe it's foresight or a mind that goes beyond worldly limits, or maybe they're simply bored.
Most importantly, Satoru Gojo is strong enough, strong enough that no matter how things change, he can ensure his own stability. Remember this, Maki: reason always exists within the range of the cannon."
"I get it. If it's like this for me, it's even more so for Yuta." With Akira's guidance, things she had never understood before suddenly became clear. "But if Rika Orimoto completely loses control… Satoru Gojo?"
"Correct." Akira smiled slightly. Maki Zenin was straightforward, not stupid. "Satoru Gojo values the development of the Jujutsu World and won't let young people die for nothing. Even setting that aside, he can't ignore his own students. If he did, his reputation would be ruined.
Besides that, Satoru Gojo has a bottom line. He needs a system that operates normally to exorcise Cursed Spirit and keep civilian casualties from growing into bigger disasters. As long as the Jujutsu Society remains the maintainer of order, the Conservative Faction does not fear retaliation from Satoru Gojo."
"Every strike hits the weak spot, and you can't even fight back. That's suffocating," Maki Zenin said. Just thinking about it made her teeth ache.
"Because despite how he looks, Satoru Gojo is actually a good person at heart. Good people follow rules more than bad people, and in this world, those who know how to break rules often live better.
Of course, this is my worst-case guess. The Conservative Faction may not go that far, especially since many students have unusual backgrounds. But the direction of their thinking is the same. For example, forcing Yuta to break restraints to embarrass both him and Satoru Gojo, weaken their credibility, apply greater pressure, and further reinforce the idea that Yuta Okkotsu should be executed.
One fast, one slow, but the destination is the same."
"That kind of thing doesn't matter. No matter what they plan, what we do won't change. We will crush all conspiracies together with the Kyoto delegation. If I'm not wrong, you didn't let Yuta go alone just for its own sake. It was that one best at hiding, Darkrai, right?"
When it came to combat, Maki Zenin was always sharp.
Akira chuckled and said nothing.
He was pleased with Maki Zenin's growth and trust, and it was also a show of confidence. He had already figured out their moves, so how could he let them succeed? Even if Yoshinobu Gakuganji showed mercy and only wanted a match without other tricks, he was not afraid. His formation was the most orthodox one, focused on stability.
With superior strength on their side, there was no need to take risky moves.
"Oh? That was fast."
"The first fish has bitten."
A man and a woman moving together both looked up.
At the edge of their vision, Momo Nishimiya was flying low on a broom, full of a Hogwarts-like style. Unfortunately, in the Jujutsu World where cover was plentiful and flight was rare, this method was far too eye-catching.
"Fall."
A single word filled with force was transmitted directly into the girl's ear amid crackling electric noise.
"Damn." By the time she realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
The broom and the girl lost lift together and fell downward.
Kyoto Jujutsu High School Second-Year Student, Momo Nishimiya.
Her level as a Jujutsu Sorcerer was unclear, but judging from the amount of Cursed Energy, it fell between Grade Three and Grade Two. Her Cursed Technique was called Tool Manipulation, which worked by controlling objects with a spirit to produce various effects. The technique was flexible but had many limits, since objects that could become such tools were rare.