At dismissal time, the entrance of Toyogasaki Academy was enveloped in the golden afterglow of the setting sun.
Utaha, Eriri, and Megumi were walking together, discussing the details of the character settings for "Jujutsu Kaisen," when they were blocked by a man in a dark suit and glasses who looked somewhat timid.
"Excuse me, are you Kasumigaoka-san, Sawamura-san, and Kato-san?" The man's voice was gentle and polite, but carried an imperceptible tension.
He bowed slightly, holding a black ID folder embossed with a special emblem. "I am Ijichi Kiyotaka. I have some important matters I'd like to discuss with the three of you. Could you spare me a moment of your time?"
The three exchanged a glance.
A hint of vigilance flashed in Utaha's eyes, while Eriri sized up the man who had suddenly appeared with curiosity. Megumi's expression remained calm, but her gaze lingered a moment longer on the strange vortex-shaped emblem on the ID.
That emblem emitted an extremely faint fluctuation of Cursed Energy, undetectable to ordinary people, but the three of them could already vaguely perceive it.
"Is there something that can't be said here?" Utaha's tone was cold, carrying her usual sense of aloofness.
"It's regarding... some recent special incidents." Ijichi Kiyotaka lowered his voice, glancing meaningfully at the noisy crowd around them.
"And also, regarding the changes currently occurring within the three of you. This isn't a convenient place, I have already reserved a private room at a quiet cafe nearby. Please rest assured, I mean no ill will. I am simply here to communicate with you on behalf of a... special school."
"A special school?" Eriri's curiosity was piqued.
Ultimately, under the weight of Kiyotaka's sincere attitude and the vague hints pointing toward "special incidents", which they immediately associated with Tomoya's death and their recent experiences, the three agreed to go with him.
The cafe was located on the second floor of a relatively quiet street near the academy, and the private room Kiyotaka had reserved was indeed very secluded.
After the waiter delivered the drinks and left, Kiyotaka gently closed the door and sat back down across from the three. He pushed up his glasses and took a deep breath, seemingly mentally preparing himself, before officially speaking.
"Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Ijichi Kiyotaka, affiliated with the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, serving as an Assistant Supervisor."
He opened his ID. Besides his personal information, it bore that vortex emblem and the words "Jujutsu High."
"Curse... Technical College?" Eriri repeated, looking puzzled along with Utaha and Megumi.
The name sounded like a vocational school, yet it carried an air of eeriness.
"Yes. This is a school that is not open to the public, dedicated specifically to training Jujutsu Sorcerers." Kiyotaka began to explain, his tone becoming serious and professional.
"Jujutsu Sorcerers are a special group of people who can see and utilize Cursed Energy to fight Curses—that is, Cursed Spirits—generated from human negative emotions, protecting ordinary people from harm."
He observed the reactions of the three, and seeing that they didn't show much shock, clearly having had some contact and awareness already, he continued, "We have noticed that recently, several abnormal incidents related to Curses have occurred around you, including the misfortune of your classmate Aki Tomoya."
"More importantly, our monitoring system shows that the Cursed Energy levels within the three of you have undergone an abnormal and significant activated increase in a short period, and... you seem to be already capable of preliminarily perceiving and utilizing Cursed Energy."
Kiyotaka's words confirmed some of their suspicions. The Jujutsu World indeed existed, and it had been "observing" them all along.
"So?" Utaha crossed her arms, her tone still guarded. "You've been spying on us?"
"No, it's not spying. It's necessary observation and evaluation." Kiyotaka explained quickly, a bit of sweat appearing on his brow.
"For those who unexpectedly awaken Cursed Energy, especially young people like yourselves who were awakened passively during an incident, Jujutsu High has a responsibility to reach out, evaluate, and guide you."
"This is to prevent you from harming yourselves or others due to an inability to control your power, and to prevent you from being led astray by the wrong kind of power."
"Wrong kind of power?" Megumi asked softly.
Kiyotaka's expression grew solemn. "Yes. In this world, not everyone with Cursed Energy chooses to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer who protects others. There is a group of people who use Cursed Energy to satisfy their selfish desires, harm the innocent, create chaos, and even collude with Cursed Spirits. These people we call Curse Users. They are the enemies of the Jujutsu World and dangerous existences that require vigilance."
He looked sincerely at the three. "You three have already stepped into this extraordinary world. Possessing power means facing choices, and it also means bearing corresponding responsibilities and risks."
"Tokyo Jujutsu High can provide you with systematic jujutsu education, a safe training environment, and a path to execute missions and earn rewards as Jujutsu Sorcerers in the future. We invite you to join Jujutsu High and systematically learn how to control your power to become Jujutsu Sorcerers who guard order."
An invitation to join Jujutsu High!
This proposal plunged all three into thought.
Eriri's eyes sparkled with excitement and eagerness. Systematically learning Jujutsu and becoming an official Jujutsu Sorcerer sounded exactly like what she had been hoping for.
Megumi, on the other hand, more calmly weighed the pros and cons. Joining an official organization meant protection and resources, but it also meant more rules and constraints, and potentially getting involved in deeper conflicts.
Utaha's feelings were the most complex. Inside her resided the King of Curses, whom the Jujutsu World would likely list as public enemy number one.
Joining Jujutsu High? It felt like an undercover operation.
Moreover, would Sukuna allow it?
As if sensing her thoughts, a lazy voice tinged with mockery that only she could hear echoed in her mind. "Oh? An official recruitment? How interesting. Let's hear what else they have to say, little girl. But remember, you are my vessel. Don't let yourself be easily bound by those rules and regulations."
Utaha composed herself and looked at Kiyotaka, asking a key question, "Ijichi-san, what if we refuse the invitation? What would you do? Erase our memories, or... take other measures?"
Kiyotaka seemed to have expected this question. He pushed up his glasses, his tone remaining polite, but the content was indisputable. "For those who awaken unexpectedly, we prioritize guidance and recruitment. However, if the party firmly refuses and shows signs of improper power control, or a dangerous inclination toward becoming a Curse User... for the safety of ordinary people and the stability of the Jujutsu World, we may take necessary measures. This includes a degree of surveillance or, in extreme cases, being dealt with by professional Jujutsu Sorcerers."
He said the words "dealt with" very lightly, but the weight behind them was felt by all three.
The atmosphere in the room momentarily stagnated.