On the path leading back to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Geto Suguru recalled the days of his past.
The moments he had been aided by sorcerers who were now long gone.
The moments he had witnessed the suffering of others and extended a helping hand.
When he allowed himself to remember, every memory felt startlingly vivid.
He hadn't forgotten; he had simply set them aside for a time.
To provide hope.
To find those who would carry the torch forward.
Every sorcerer who had lived before him had done so, and those who followed surely would as well.
Just as it had always been.
"Suguru?"
It was late at night when he arrived at the Tokyo Jujutsu High dormitories.
He ran into Gojo Satoru, who was outside catching the night breeze.
"Satoru? You were out here?"
"Yeah. What about you? You said you had errands to run. Looks like you're finally finished?"
"I am," Geto replied with a nod as he took a seat beside Gojo.
Even though it was night, the thick heat of summer lingered in the air.
"Are you feeling better?" Gojo asked.
He hadn't been blind to Geto's pallid complexion lately. He had known something was wrong.
But they were busy. And half-irresponsibly, he had believed his friend would find a way to overcome it on his own…
Tonight, however, he realized that assumption had been misplaced.
'He looks like he's finally dropped a heavy burden,' Gojo thought.
The sense of relief etched into Geto's expression was palpable. The lightness in his stride, paradoxically, revealed the true weight of what he had been carrying.
He had been suppressed, and now he was free. That was exactly how it felt.
"So, how is it?"
"I'm fine now. I think I finally understand why a sorcerer is a sorcerer," Geto said with a faint smirk, leaning back against the bench.
His posture was one of utter, relaxed exhaustion.
"There you go again with your cryptic nonsense. What are you, an otaku?"
"Satoru, I keep telling you to mind your tone. You'll scare the juniors."
"Geez. You're barely back to your old self and you're already nagging me? If I knew you'd be like this, I would've left you to mope."
Gojo let out a sigh, knitting his brows in feigned annoyance. Deep down, however, he felt a wave of profound relief.
His friend, who had been on the verge of slipping into a dark depression, had returned to the person he used to be.
Specifically, the person he was before the Star Plasma Vessel escort mission.
Geto chuckled softly and stood up. Now that the adrenaline had faded, a pleasant fatigue washed over him; he wanted nothing more than to sleep.
"I'm heading in first. I need to turn in early tonight."
"Ah, sure."
Gojo watched Geto's retreating back with a grin. As long as he looked that refreshed, it was enough.
'I wasn't trying to protect the truth, was I…?'
The child Master's answer suddenly echoed in Geto's mind.
It was an absurd response, yet strikingly clear. A sentence that expressed complex truths with extreme simplicity.
Within those words, he had sensed a strange, ancient maturity. Much like he had when they first met.
'It's not bad.'
Smiling to himself, Geto entered his room.
Over the next few days, following the natural flow of things, he met children being persecuted by villagers. He found them, saved them, and brought them back.
Back to his home.
I stepped out of the apartment with Shuten-douji.
She wasn't wearing her usual Jiangshi-inspired attire, but a more traditional kimono. Walking around outside in the Jiangshi outfit was simply too much exposure—it was borderline criminal.
"How do I look in your eyes, Master? Does it suit me?"
"You look cute."
"That's a relief. I was worried you might find it lackin'."
Shuten giggled playfully as she took my hand. Her oni horns were concealed with magecraft, making us look like a beautiful older sister and an ordinary younger brother.
"Master, you're surrounded by so many well-endowed heifers, aren't ya? They look fine no matter what they wear, but I'm a bit… lackin' in the meat department. So, I had to put in a little extra thought."
"You didn't really have to go to such lengths…"
"Master. I am a woman too. Well, even if it was you who truly made me one… at any rate, since becoming a lady, little things like this have started weighin' on my mind."
Shuten's eyes crinkled with her smile. When it came to pure allure, she was easily a match for any of the more bountiful Servants.
Her expressions, her voice, her gestures—all of it. She might be small, but she had a charming, slender physique.
While I generally wasn't one for the slender type, Shuten was the exception. It was impossible not to be charmed by her.
"That's why you look so cute."
"Is that so? I'll take that as the correct answer. Well done."
Shuten murmured in an upbeat tone. I suppose that means I passed.
"But tell me, where are we headin'? Is this just a simple date?"
"Why? Do you dislike it?"
"Not at all. This is a place I never got the chance to walk through durin' the Chaldea days. Even if the world is a bit different, it feels fresh and lovely."
"Ah… that's right. We never did get to just walk around like this back then."
Even though we visited modern-styled Singularities, we never truly stepped into the actual modern world. Because I died before that could happen.
That was why when I was first born into this life, even though I had been abandoned, it was incredibly moving.
"What should we eat?"
"Anythin' is fine by me. I'm sure suckin' out the marrow of a human's bones would be sweet as honey, but you wouldn't like that, would ya?"
"Obviously not."
Shuten made bone-chilling remarks from time to time. They were jokes, of course. Back in the day, they were about fifty percent serious, but lately, they were ninety percent humor. I brushed it off comfortably.
"The only true delicacies left for me are Master's blood, and… that other thin'..."
Shuten stared intently at my lower half. I knew exactly what she meant.
"That's still too early. Sorry."
"Hmm? There's no need to apologize. After all, those heifers haven't been able to taste it either, so they're practically dyin' of thirst, aren't they? Since we're in the same boat, it makes the wait easier to bear."
Shuten laughed, and I joined her. It was definitely better to wait until this body grew up a bit more.
We spent some time at a nearby ramen shop. Shuten even ordered a beer.
"What? A beer? A kid like you shouldn't…"
"I am an adult. So there's no problem with me orderin' a beer, is there?"
There was a minor friction with the shop owner, but it was easily resolved by Shuten using her skill, 'Fruit of Alcohol.' It was an ability that allowed her to intoxicate others with her voice or scent.
"Mm… ramen isn't bad at all. Quite good for a light meal."
After our meal, Shuten walked down the street with a languid smile. Perhaps it was because my stomach was full, but I felt a bit drowsy.
"It'd be a waste to go home just after lunch, wouldn't it? Want to stop somewhere else?"
"I'd love to. Let's go find somewhere that feels like a real date."
"Alright."
I took Shuten onto the subway. As usual, many eyes followed us. Our destination was Shibuya. We wandered the wide streets and stopped at various places.
We snacked on crepes from a street stall, and I bought her a simple necklace at an accessory shop.
"You're buyin' me somethin' first? I think the other heifers are goin' to be quite jealous."
"Will they like it?"
"Master, as long as it's a gift from you, they'd be happy even if you brought them a leaf from the side of the road. Have some confidence. Though, to be honest, it'd be more fun to watch them stew if you didn't buy them anythin'..."
"Thanks. I'll buy it."
With Shuten's brutal encouragement, I purchased the necklace. It cost a fair amount of money, but fortunately, Toji was still out 'auto-farming' for me, so I wasn't short on funds. My savings were stacking up nicely.
'Now that I think about it, has it been a while since I contacted him?'
While resting on a park bench, I decided to give Toji a call.
Ring, ring.
The monotonous dial tone rang a few times before he picked up.
"Hello? Toji? Are you busy right now?"
"Eh… no. I was busy a moment ago, but you called just as things cleared up."
"Did you catch a Curse User?"
"Yeah. Hunting down the ones with bounties on their heads is quite lucrative. I scout around for them often, and I hooked another good one this time."
Toji let out a hearty laugh. Beneath his voice, I could sense the thick scent of blood. I suppose I was much the same.
"How much was it?"
"Eight million. Not bad, right?"
Eight million yen. That was roughly eighty thousand dollars. It wasn't just 'not bad.'
"That's a huge amount."
"Exactly. Even after the Boss takes his eighty percent cut, I'm left with two million. Not a bad haul for a single job."
"I assume that Curse User was a real piece of work?"
"Curse Users are generally scum. If they've got a bounty on their heads, there's no room for debate. They're better off dead, so there's no need for the Boss to feel any guilt."
Toji replied nonchalantly. It was impressive how accurately he had read my thoughts.
"Thank you. You're headed home now?"
"Yeah. How has the Boss been? It's been about a week since we last spoke."
"Sorry. A lot has happened. I summoned another Servant."
"Whoa, seriously?"
Toji's voice sounded genuinely surprised. Even though he'd seen this happen several times now, he reacted as if it were brand new every time.
"Yes. Seriously."
"Who is it this time?"
"Shuten-douji."
"Wow. If the higher-ups at the Jujutsu Headquarters find out, they won't just sit idly by."
If it were those greedy, cruel people at the Jujutsu Headquarters, that was certainly a possibility.
"I intend to stay as quiet as possible, but if they pick a fight, I'll have to hit back."
"Is that feasible right now?"
"It's only me who's feeling uneasy. In terms of pure combat power, we could easily tear them apart."
Two on two. Even if we split the focus between offense and defense, it would be more than enough. Domain Expansions were still a slight concern, but it felt like we'd overcome that soon as well. I was already working hard on analyzing the Inverted Spear of Heaven.
"Good. That's reassuring."
"I'm also reassured because I have you, Toji. Shall I come by for a visit soon?"
"To my place? Now that I think about it, you've never actually been here, have you?"
"I was worried I might be an inconvenience."
"Don't be ridiculous. They'd be thrilled if they knew you were coming. It's an honor for me."
Toji's response was refreshingly direct. Since he put it that way, I suppose I could visit without worry.
"Then I'll contact you and drop by shortly."
"Got it. I'll be waiting."
I hung up and took a breath. What kind of gift should I bring?
On the day of the promised visit, Toji scratched his thigh as he went grocery shopping.
'A precious guest is coming? Then we have to treat them well! Besides, it's his first time visiting!'
'That's true.'
The fussing voice of Zenin Sae echoed in his head. Even now, it was incredibly vivid.
"My ears are ringing."
Toji used the hand that had been scratching his thigh to pick his ear. With his slouching gestures and sloppy attire, he looked like a middle-aged man in every sense of the word.
"Welcome!"
When he stopped by a local medium-sized supermarket, a male clerk greeted him politely. Toji gave a curt nod and began weaving through the aisles. He picked up vegetables and meat.
'Should I just buy any random drinks?'
His Boss was a child. It was only natural for him to prefer soft drinks over alcohol, so Toji loaded up on sports drinks. For the meat, he grabbed some cola and cider.
The boy often spoke that way, yet he actually seemed to prefer the sports drinks.
'His tastes are certainly strange.'
What was next? Toji wandered with his basket, picking up the necessities. Finally, he was done. After finishing the groceries, he bought a small snack to eat on the way out, along with some cookies.
'Megumi likes these.'
Raising a child—it was something the old Toji would have never imagined. In fact, even now, he often wondered if this was all a dream. The concept of childcare had always been worlds away from him.
"Thank you very much."
After paying, Toji stepped out with his groceries. The bags looked incredibly heavy to any onlooker, but Toji's gait remained steady and effortless.
He was a product of Heavenly Restriction. With his superhuman physical prowess, a load of this size was nothing.
"Yawn..."
It was a hot summer day. He let out a long yawn as he chewed on some beef jerky. Low-grade Cursed Spirits were sprawled throughout the alleyways and walls.
Alleyways were places people naturally feared; they were perfect breeding grounds for shadows and fear to gather. However, these were relatively weak—not even comparable to those found in hospitals or schools. They were Grade 4 at best; even if left alone, they posed no real threat.
—Skreeeech!
Toji kicked a low-grade curse out of the way and batted another aside. They were annoying. Just as one might swat at a buzzing mosquito, he dealt with the curses. There was no special reason for it.
'Oh… for hell's sake.'
Suddenly, Toji's brow furrowed. He had sensed an irritating presence.
"You seem to be living quite the easy life, Toji."
When he was about three minutes away from his house, an old man dressed in traditional attire, including a hakama, blocked his path.
His hair was slicked back, and a faint aura of Cursed Energy radiated from him along with a high level of physical conditioning. Toji let out a sigh as he looked at the man.
It was Zenin Naobito, the current Head of the Zenin Clan—the last person he wanted to see. While Toji recognized that Naobito was exceptional in his own right, the man was still a Zenin. He couldn't escape Toji's deep-seated contempt.
The only exception was Naoya, who had been behaving decently enough to be tolerable lately.
"The meat's going to spoil. Tell me why you're here and get to the point."
"Let's talk while we walk, then. This won't take long."
Naobito turned and began walking first, acting surprisingly casual.
'Why did the Clan Head come all the way out here himself?'
Toji pondered the question as he followed behind. He quickly arrived at a conclusion. Naoya's transformation—and the little Boss who had caused it. There was no other possibility.
'I'll have to give him a vague answer.'
Toji wasn't bound by any Binding Vow that forbade him from revealing the Master's identity. He had simply become a servant. Nevertheless, he had chosen to remain silent of his own accord. The boy was the benefactor who had given him a new life.
After about ten paces, Naobito spoke.
"Naoya has changed quite a bit over the past few years. I hear you were the one who trained him properly?"
"He was unusual for a Zenin brat, so I just humored him. I wouldn't call it something as grand as 'training.'"
"I suppose so. As strong as you may be, you lack the ability to teach him anything regarding techniques."
Naobito glanced back. His mouth twisted into a devious, sharp grin. The sharpness displayed by the Zenin Clan Head was backed by immense pressure. To any ordinary sorcerer, this situation would have been incredibly stifling, but not for Toji. To him, it was merely absurd.
"I was going to let it slide, but my curiosity finally got the better of me."
"Curious about what?"
"The person who rebuilt Naoya. Since you must know who it is, tell me their identity. Out of courtesy, I haven't tried to dig it up myself yet."
With the Zenin Clan's influence, they could have easily uncovered the truth. The fact that they hadn't was a gesture of goodwill and respect from Naobito. In other words, it was an act of deference.
"That's none of my business."
However, it meant nothing to Toji. Whether it was Naobito or anyone else, they were all the same—they had stood by and allowed that wretched time and stagnant atmosphere to persist.
"I'll give you a hundred million. All in cash."
"...I'll have to ask the Boss about his thoughts first."
But that was simply too much money to refuse.
'I was wondering why he was carrying a briefcase…'
So that was the reason.
Toji immediately pulled out his phone and dialed his Master's number.
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