"I am Nanami Kento."
"And I'm Haibara Yu! Thank you so much for saving us!"
Once the frantic atmosphere finally settled, the two men gave me a polite bow.
One was bright and cheerful; the other was calm and composed.
Though their personalities were worlds apart, their gratitude was equally sincere.
Nanami was a supporting character who played a significant role in the original events of Jujutsu Kaisen. Haibara, however, was someone meant to die during the Hidden Inventory arc.
In the original timeline, he barely had a few lines—little more than an extra.
"Are you two holding up alright?" I asked.
"Yes! We're fine, but… are you really just a kid? Wait, what?"
Haibara tilted his head in confusion. He was likely a bit lightheaded from the blood loss, making his thoughts wander.
Nanami stepped in to take over for his teammate.
"It appears that you… no, that you are the actual leader here. Is that correct?"
"You're sharp. That's right."
"I see. We cannot thank you enough for saving our lives. I honestly don't know how we can ever repay this debt."
"If you truly feel that way, then just state in your report that the two of you were the ones who exorcised the curse. That'll be enough for me."
Mission reports were documents scrutinized by the Jujutsu High higher-ups. As long as I wasn't mentioned in the official records, everything would be fine.
"Will that truly suffice?"
Nanami blinked, looking both bewildered and slightly flustered by the request.
"Yes. It was a coincidence that we crossed paths, but you're sorcerers from the school, right? Your uniforms are a dead giveaway."
"Correct. We are first-years from Tokyo Jujutsu High."
Nanami nodded as I feigned ignorance. Hook, line, and sinker.
"Is that so? Then go find Yaga-san. If you want to know more about me, he'll be the one to explain everything."
"What? You know our teacher?"
"We're acquainted. Tell him I gave you permission to ask. He wouldn't be able to speak of it otherwise because of a Binding Vow."
Having said my piece, I held out my arms—a signal to be picked up.
"Yes, Master."
Koyanskaya of Light, manifesting as an Assassin, scooped me up. Having my head buried against her ample chest was particularly stifling.
Why? Because it was the middle of summer.
"Well then, have a safe trip back. Just make sure that report looks good."
I gave her chest a light pat—the signal to depart.
Assassin understood instantly and kicked off the ground, surging forward.
They didn't even have time to try and stop us.
Koyanskaya of Darkness, the Foreigner, followed suit. Ibuki-douji, who had just finished tearing the Cursed Spirit apart, also took to the sky.
Nanami and Haibara eventually returned to the school and relayed the details to Yaga.
"We were told that you were acquainted with them, sensei. Could you please explain the situation?"
"…God damn it."
Yaga furrowed his brows and let out a long, weary sigh. I'd passed the buck to him again.
'I'm not some tour guide meant to explain everything, for heaven's sake…'
He was exasperated, yet grateful. If that dangerous group hadn't been there, Haibara would be dead right now.
"Very well," Yaga sighed as he began the explanation. Though there were many gaps in his own knowledge, he told them as much as he knew.
"…And that is all I can tell you."
"I see. It's a far more complicated relationship than I expected. I can see why he didn't want to explain it himself."
Nanami nodded after the briefing. He felt just as heavy-hearted as Yaga did. Still, his gratitude outweighed his confusion. After all, they had saved his friend's life.
"Indeed. They are mysterious and dangerous, but they have shown us goodwill. They aren't hostile. It is wiser not to provoke them recklessly."
"Well, there's no point in being hostile even if we wanted to. Didn't you say even Gojo-san gave up on that?"
If the strongest sorcerer of the modern era had backed off, that was reason enough for anyone else to stay away.
"Understood. I'll take my leave now. Thank you for speaking with us."
"Go on. Get some rest."
Nanami bowed and left. He was exhausted. He had survived a hopeless situation and caught a glimpse of a mysterious benefactor's shadow. This was easily the most confusing day of Nanami's life. There were no clear answers.
'Let's just stop thinking about it.'
He forcibly cut off his spiraling thoughts. They were alive, and that was what mattered.
"So that's what happened?"
"Yeah! I really thought I was a goner, but then they just appeared out of nowhere…!"
As Nanami turned a corner, he saw two men talking near a vending machine.
One was Haibara. The other was Geto.
Geto was looking at Haibara with a bitter smile—an incredibly complex expression. Gojo was the one who didn't think things through, while Geto was the one who thought too much. Both were troublemakers, but both were undoubtedly among the strongest of all sorcerers. Nanami's belief in that hadn't wavered.
'Those women I met… I can't even tell if they were human or Cursed Spirits.'
Nanami hid behind a wall for a moment, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.
"Haibara. Isn't being a sorcerer… hard? Especially since you almost died this time."
"Mmm… I guess, but it feels good to do everything in my power to help. I think I'll keep at it."
"Ah. I see. That's good then."
Geto's smile turned even more melancholic. They were noble words, but they left a lump in his throat. Haibara Yu had almost died. Amanai Riko had almost died. Geto had a faint, lingering intuition that both had been fated to die. But in the end, they lived, and one had chosen death of her own accord—Amanai Riko.
—Geto. I am truly grateful for your concern. I wanted to stay as well. However…
Geto recalled the conversation he had with Amanai Riko a few days ago.
—Upon waking, I found myself flooded with thoughts. Thoughts of what would happen if I chose life. Of how many wounds would be carved into the world because of it.
—Riko-chan. That's…
—I know. It is neither my fault nor yours. But while I slept, I saw things.
The anomalies that would befall Master Tengen if the merger were rejected. The chaos that would follow. Amanai had seen all manner of negativity in her dreams—part hallucination, part prophetic vision of the future. It was horrifying. She was terrified that the future she saw would actually come to pass.
—Thank you, Geto. I do not simply wish to become the Great Tengen; I want to make the choice to protect. Truly, truly… thank you.
—Riko-chan, I…
—I know how you feel. Gojo is too much of a brat to give it much thought, but you are different. So, I shall offer my formal farewell. Fare thee well.
And so, after that final goodbye, she had descended to the Tombs of the Star Corridor to fulfill her duty as the Vessel.
—No, I'm the one who's grateful. Go safely.
Geto hadn't been able to stop her resolute determination. Accepting her farewell was all he could do. But still… a path paved with the corpses of allies. Exorcising Cursed Spirit after Cursed Spirit… was this really the right way? Was this how it was supposed to be? Was it right to bleed endlessly to protect non-sorcerers?
Protect non-sorcerers. Geto had believed in that and acted upon it, but now he felt only skepticism. The humans in the Time Vessel Association who clapped at the thought of death. How long must we suffer for humans who laugh without ever knowing the blood that is shed…?
'I can't confide these worries to anyone.'
Worry was one thing, but depression was contagious. He didn't want to drag others down with him. More than anything, he didn't want to cause those dear to him any concern.
'Ah.'
Suddenly, he realized there was one person who might be completely unaffected by such things. He realized it a moment too late. 'Should I… call him?'
After Haibara left, Geto sat alone, deep in thought. He pulled his phone from his pocket and toyed with it for a moment before flipping it open. He had nothing to lose. He decided to try making a call.
I had three Servant slots remaining. The biggest question was who to summon next. Summoning Ibuki had been an easy decision because she was easygoing. However, the remaining three had a high potential for friction. They were trouble in their own unique ways.
"Hmm…"
I sat on the floor, which was kept comfortably cool by magecraft. It felt like the air conditioner was on. Thanks to that, my mind was sharp, which only made me worry more. My brain was working too well.
'Man, what a headache.'
Would it be better to just get heatstroke and pick someone randomly? I seriously considered going up to the roof to bake in the sun.
Buzz. Buzz.
Just as I was about to decide based on a metaphorical roulette spin, my phone vibrated. Who was it? I pulled it out and saw a name I didn't expect.
Geto Suguru. Why the hell was he calling me? I was curious, so I answered. It would have felt weird to just ignore it.
"Hello?"
"Ah, excuse me. Is now a good time to talk?" Geto asked politely. He spoke to me like I was an adult, not a child.
"Yes. Go ahead."
"Thank you. I was wondering if it would be possible to meet with you."
"With me?"
"Yes. If you aren't too busy."
I wasn't busy. Toji was out on 'auto-hunt' mode, and my schedule was flexible. However, Geto was a different story. It was summer—the peak season for Cursed Spirits and the busiest time for a sorcerer.
"Aren't you the one who's busy right now?"
"That is true, but I can make the time. Would it be possible?"
"Whenever you want."
"Then would this evening be alright?"
"Fine with me. Since we're meeting in the evening, let's grab some dinner. How does a yakiniku place sound?"
If someone else is paying, meat is the way to go. It's the standard, safest menu choice.
"Thank you. For the restaurant… would a place in Shibuya be okay? It seems like a convenient spot for both of us."
Shibuya wasn't bad. I could get there quickly by subway.
"Sounds good. Let's meet in front of the Hachiko statue. Six o'clock tonight, 18:00."
"I'll see you then. Goodbye."
Geto said a polite goodbye and hung up. Since he asked to meet, he'll probably pay, right? Still, I kept the possibility of paying in mind just in case. Or maybe we'd go Dutch.
'I've decided.'
Thinking about the meat gave me a sudden spark of inspiration. If things were going to be a headache anyway, I might as well pick the one that reduces the potential for friction. We'd reached a reconciliation after a long talk, of course… but you never know how things will change once you meet face-to-face.
I sat on the floor and closed my eyes. Then, I called out the name.
"Shuten-douji."