Gojo was in dire straits.
The moment he tried to take flight by instinct, she would detect the movement with supernatural precision and cut him off.
He had nearly been split vertically, from the crown of his head down.
Facing a transcendental entity capable of shredding through the Limitless and driving him into a corner was an experience he never expected. It wasn't just unfair; it was an utter breach of the world's rules.
'I miss the days when I was the undisputed strongest.'
Gojo surrendered before the chilling edge of the blade could make contact. He lowered his tail immediately.
This wasn't some high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat battle. It was a one-sided slaughter.
"I see. I have a firm grasp of your current abilities now," Raiko noted with a nod, sheathing her blade.
She refrained from mentioning that his performance was so dull it made her want to perish from boredom.
"I apologize for my rudeness. I felt a live-combat format was the only way to accurately gauge your prowess. Please, accept my sincerest apologies."
Raiko bowed deeply. The killing intent that had radiated from her moments ago vanished as if it had been a mere illusion.
"Right... yeah. Sure," Gojo stammered, nodding in a daze.
The sheer relief of being alive made his shoulders go slack.
"So... we're done with the live blades?"
"Yes. I shall educate you thoroughly, starting from the very basics. Your Taijutsu is far too lacking for someone walking such a treacherous path."
"Huh? No, you don't really have to go that far—"
"You mentioned you wanted a gift, didn't you? Refinement of one's skill is the greatest gift of all, so do not be modest. Do you understand?"
Raiko approached him with a beaming, gentle smile.
Despite her femininity, her height—reaching 175 centimeters—combined with the overwhelming conceptual pressure she radiated as a Heroic Spirit of high station, weighed heavily upon Gojo.
To Raiko, the Master's favor was a command that had to be fulfilled perfectly.
"Ah... yes, ma'am."
In the end, Gojo had no choice but to comply.
It wasn't that he was swayed by Raiko's voluptuous figure or her soft voice.
'She's a monster,' he thought, cold sweat trickling down his neck.
Raiko was undeniably beautiful, but he lacked the mental leeway to appreciate it. She reminded him of Shuten-douji; beautiful on the outside, but inside...
"Then we shall settle on one session a week for the time being. That concludes today's training."
The Master stood up, drawing the session to a close. Being an overbearing teacher on the very first day would only breed resentment.
Truthfully, the Master had found the session stifling as well. He kept today to a simple presentation and greeting—for everyone's sake.
"Wait a moment."
Before they could leave the arena, Geto caught the Master's attention. He looked like he had something specific on his mind.
"Yes? Is something the matter?"
"Not exactly, but I was wondering if you could spare a moment of your time. I'd like to speak with you privately."
"Of course. Here, or would you prefer somewhere else?"
"I know a good place to talk. Let's head there."
The Master nodded and followed Geto. He was curious about what the young sorcerer wanted to discuss.
They eventually sat on the wooden engawa of a traditional hallway within the school. It was a space the Master recognized from the original story—specifically, the spot where Geto had his fateful conversation with Tsukumo Yuki.
'What a strange feeling.'
To have a conversation in the very place that served as the catalyst for Geto's corruption in the timeline he knew. He felt like he needed to navigate this carefully.
"Here, a drink."
Geto offered a can he had grabbed from a nearby vending machine. It was a refreshing, crisp ion drink.
"Thank you."
The Master took a sip. Even though he was in Japan, the taste of processed mass-market drinks wasn't all that different from what he remembered. Perhaps that was just the nature of industrial products.
The two of them sat in silence for a while, just drinking. Raiko had given them space, standing further off.
"Haa—So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
The Master broke the silence just as his can was nearly empty.
Geto spoke up, having seemingly been waiting for the opening.
"Jujutsu High holds an annual exchange event. Are you familiar with it?"
The exchange event? Of course he knew. It was one of the few lighthearted, heartwarming arcs in the otherwise bleak world of Jujutsu Kaisen.
"No, I haven't heard of it."
Despite his knowledge, the Master feigned ignorance. Geto provided a brief explanation.
The Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event. It was an annual competition between the students of the Tokyo and Kyoto branches to test their grades and skills.
The venue was always the school that won the previous year. The format consisted of a group battle on the first day and individual matches on the second.
"Ah, I see. Quite the tradition."
"Yes. This year, it was held here in Tokyo. Naturally, we won."
The Master wasn't surprised. With the 'Strongest' duo on the Tokyo team—even if they were problem children—the Kyoto students stood little chance.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you. However, it's more accurate to say we won because of Satoru's overwhelming power. Our juniors did well too, but I... I felt lacking."
Geto let out a heavy sigh, his head drooping slightly.
"In what way?"
"The group battle was one thing, but I was utterly defeated in the individual matches. My opponent was a member of the Zenin clan."
"Zenin? You mean Naoya?"
The name slipped out before the Master could stop it. The revelation that Geto had lost to Naoya was unexpected.
"You know him?" Geto's eyes widened in surprise.
'Ah.'
The Master realized his slip-up. It was a minor mistake, but a mistake nonetheless. Still, there was no reason he couldn't answer.
"Yes. We're acquaintances. You don't have to keep that a secret."
"Since when...?"
"We met by chance a few years back."
As the Master gave an awkward smile, Geto's expression hardened.
"Ah, I see."
"I take it you've put two and two together?"
"Yes. I never imagined you'd be acquainted, but knowing that makes it much easier to ask my question."
Geto cleared his throat and looked the Master in the eye.
"How exactly did that boy become so strong? Even Satoru was taken aback."
"Mr. Gojo was? Was he that impressive?"
"You have transcendental... Shikigami? I'm not sure if that's the right term for them. Regardless, by your standards, he might seem lacking, but by a sorcerer's standards, he was exceptionally powerful."
That made sense. Given that Naoya had mastered both Reverse Cursed Technique and Cursed Technique Reversal, he would indeed be a monster to his peers.
"I'll admit he's come a long way."
"Indeed. But I didn't think growing up in a prestigious family alone could explain that level of growth. Today, I think I've finally realized the reason."
"Is that why you stopped me? To find out the reason?"
"Ultimately, yes. But more than that, I wished to seek your advice. I apologize for the imposition."
Geto bowed politely. It was much harder to turn him down when he was being so well-mannered compared to the other 'problem children.'
"But I don't know much about Jujutsu."
"You keep such powerful beings by your side; I imagine the knowledge you've absorbed simply by being around them is vast. Am I wrong?"
"I suppose that's true," the Master nodded. Simply observing the Servants taught him plenty about the mechanics of power.
'Geto...'
He was training Gojo as a form of 'torture,' but Geto was different. The Master actually liked him. He felt a bit guilty about tossing Geto into the wringer like he did with Naoya or Gojo. Perhaps it was because of the tragic end the character met in the original story.
"Alright. I'll think about it and get in touch. I have your number, after all."
"Thank you very much."
Geto bowed again. His friend was reaching the pinnacle, yet he felt stagnant. The bitterness of falling behind must have been gnawing at him.
'Satoru became the strongest.'
The Master suddenly remembered that line of monologue from the manga. It had been a melancholy realization then, and it felt just as somber now.
After saying his goodbyes to Geto, the Master headed out. Yaga was waiting to drive him back to Shibuya.
"Thank you for the ride, Principal."
"It was nothing."
"Still, I feel a bit uneasy having a Grade 1 sorcerer acting as my chauffeur all the time..."
The Master chatted with Yaga after stepping out of the car. It was convenient, but it wasn't a sustainable dynamic.
"You aren't wrong, but don't let it weigh on you. You are a V.I.P.; we can't entrust your transport to just anyone."
"But you're a busy man. I'm considering getting a fake ID and a license myself."
In Japan, car ownership required proof of a parking space. His current luxury apartment didn't come with a dedicated lot like Korean apartments; parking was off-site and expensive. He hadn't bothered before to save money, but now it was becoming a real consideration.
"Acquiring a vehicle in Japan is indeed a hassle. I understand," Yaga sighed. While the difficulty of getting a license had downsides, it meant far fewer instances of illegal parking and much smoother traffic compared to Korea. Fewer people with licenses meant clearer roads.
"I can't solve this issue immediately, so I'll need to give it some thought."
"Take your time. If I am unavailable, I can send someone else. An Assistant Director would be a good choice."
"Ah, that's right." The Master hadn't considered it since he hadn't met any yet. Assistant Directors were the support staff for sorcerers, responsible for casting Curtains, coordinating with the organization, and handling administrative cleanup.
"I didn't realize those roles existed."
"It only just occurred to me as well. Perhaps we should assign you a dedicated Assistant Director. What do you think?"
"Having someone dedicated to me wouldn't be bad. But wouldn't it be exhausting for them?"
"Actually, being assigned to a single person often lessens the overall burden compared to being on general call. It's a sound plan."
The Master nodded, seeing the logic.
"Could you arrange that, then?"
"I will make the calls. I'll ensure someone is ready to transport you by next week."
"Thank you."
The prospect of a dedicated driver put his mind at ease. He felt much lighter as he bid Yaga farewell and allowed Raiko to carry him back home.
It was late into the night, so there were few eyes to witness their return. Once inside, the Master washed up and sat on his bed. He had a call to make.
"Hello? Can you talk right now?"
"Ah, Brother? Of course. Please, tell me what's on your mind."
After a short ring, Naoya answered.
"I heard about you today. Sounds like you made quite a splash at the Goodwill Event."
"Huh? Which bastard told you that? Or was it a bitch?"
"Geto Suguru. You know him, right?"
"Ah. The guy they say is about to be promoted to Special Grade? He told you?"
"I heard it by chance. He sounded quite envious of how strong you've become."
"He's too kind. Still, hearing praise from you, Brother... it makes me truly proud."
Naoya's chuckling leaked through the speaker. It sounded genuinely joyful, devoid of his usual arrogance.
"By the way, how are the curses?"
"Quiet for now. I can just send my clan underlings; I don't need to step out myself. To be honest, most people are too cautious to even assign me requests."
"Ah, because of the Zenin name?"
The Zenin were one of the Three Great Families, the pinnacle of jujutsu society. People would naturally be hesitant to give orders to their heir, much like an ordinary person dealing with the son of a billionaire conglomerate.
"Exactly. I know it might bother you, Brother, but I've been making full use of the family's shadow."
"Just don't press people too hard."
"I'll keep that in mind. But was that the only reason you called?"
"I just thought of you. Also, I was wondering when you were planning to visit again."
"As a matter of fact, I was thinking of dropping by this weekend. Would that be alright?"
A weekend visit. The Master realized he needed to update him on the schedule.
"I've agreed to go to Tokyo Jujutsu High every Sunday now. So if you come, it'll have to be Saturday."
"Saturday? Understood."
"Good. See you then."
"Ah, wait a second!" Naoya's urgent voice burst through the speaker just as the Master was about to hang up.
"Yeah? What is it?"
"It's about the children my father mentioned. Mai and Maki. He was curious about what you intended to do with them..." Naoya trailed off, his tone cautious as he gauged the Master's mood.
"Hmm..." The Master paused. At the moment, the twins were roughly kindergarten age. Even in the Zenin clan, they weren't being actively abused yet. Naoya, who would have bullied Maki in the original timeline, had been reformed. There was no immediate crisis requiring him to snatch them away right this second.
"In a few years. Bring them when they're about to start elementary school. Have your family handle the administrative procedures on your end."
Starting at elementary school age would be easier for everyone. If he was going to take them in, he wanted them to be old enough to understand the favor being done for them. Being in a stifling environment usually forced children to mature quickly; the sisters would likely be no different.
'In a few years, then.'
In the grand scheme of things, that was only two or three years away. It was sooner than it seemed.
"Understood. I'll see you this Saturday then, Brother."
"Yeah. Talk to you later."
The Master hung up. It looked like the family was about to get even bigger.