Facing the approaching Satoru Gojo, Yagami Sora didn't retreat in the slightest.
Instead, he smiled faintly.
"Gojo-sensei, you're getting a little too close."
"I'm not interested in men."
Gojo straightened up and burst into laughter, completely unfazed.
"Don't be so cold."
"I just have a habit of being curious about strong people."
He casually took a bite of the Kikufuku in his hand, cheeks puffing slightly as he spoke.
"So Megumi said this kid ate the Special Grade cursed object, right?"
He pointed at Yuji Itadori.
"That's correct," Megumi Fushiguro replied while nodding.
"Sukuna manifested briefly… but then Yuji suppressed him."
"Oh?"
Gojo walked toward Yuji and looked him up and down.
"There really is something mixed inside your body."
"Any discomfort?"
"Nope. I feel totally fine," Yuji said while stretching his arm.
"Then let's test something," Gojo said casually.
"Can you switch with Sukuna for about ten seconds?"
"That should be possible," Yuji replied.
"Alright, let's try it."
Gojo cracked his knuckles.
"Don't worry. I'm the strongest."
Yuji hesitated slightly before pointing toward Sora.
"Actually… Yagami-kun already fought Sukuna."
Gojo paused.
"…And?"
"And Sukuna seemed to get beaten pretty badly."
Gojo slowly turned his head toward Yagami Sora.
Behind the blindfold, his eyes widened slightly.
"Seriously?"
He looked back toward Megumi.
"Megumi, confirm."
Megumi nodded firmly.
"It's true."
"Sukuna's slashes were completely ineffective against him."
"They were even reflected back."
"Sukuna couldn't do anything."
"Woooow—!"
Gojo exaggeratedly exclaimed.
This time, however, his surprise was genuine.
Even if Sukuna only possessed the power of one finger, that level of strength still qualified as Special Grade.
For someone to utterly suppress a Special Grade opponent…
This boy was abnormal.
"In that case…"
Gojo suddenly moved.
Without warning, he extended a finger toward Sora's forehead.
The movement looked casual.
But the cursed energy contained within it was enough to pierce steel.
Megumi and Yuji didn't even have time to react.
Yet—
Just one centimeter before touching Sora's forehead—
The finger stopped.
Not because Gojo stopped.
But because something invisible blocked him.
Gojo tilted his head slightly.
"Infinity?"
Then he shook his head.
"No… not exactly."
In the next instant, he felt a tremendous force rebound from his fingertip.
The cursed energy he had just released returned toward him—
Completely intact.
Amplified, even.
Gojo instantly sidestepped.
BOOM!
The rebounding force struck the ground behind him, blasting a small crater into the pavement.
"Interesting."
Gojo stepped back and lifted his blindfold.
A pair of brilliant azure eyes appeared.
The legendary Six Eyes.
Eyes capable of analyzing cursed energy with overwhelming precision.
Under their gaze, even microscopic fluctuations could not hide.
Gojo stared directly at Sora.
He was analyzing the technique.
"Vector manipulation…"
"Calculating the direction of all incoming energy the instant it touches your skin…"
"And reversing it."
"There's no need to construct complex cursed-energy techniques."
"You're interfering directly with the physical vectors themselves."
"It's almost like…"
"…your brain functions as a supercomputer."
Gojo had already grasped the essence.
This wasn't a simple defensive barrier.
It was extreme computational control over vectors.
"What's your name?" Gojo asked as he lowered the blindfold again.
"Yagami Sora."
"Nice to meet you, Yagami-kun."
Gojo gave a thumbs-up.
"How about transferring to Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College?"
"We've got great desserts."
"And handsome teachers like me."
"If you refuse…"
"Those 'rotten old higher-ups' in the jujutsu world will probably classify you as a dangerous anomaly."
"And then try to eliminate you."
It was both an invitation—
And a warning.
Sora had already expected something like this.
In the jujutsu world, an unaffiliated sorcerer with overwhelming power usually had only two outcomes:
Recruitment.
Or elimination.
Since he had already arrived in this world, he naturally wanted to see Tokyo Jujutsu High for himself.
After all—
That was the center of the story.
More importantly…
He wanted to test his Vector Manipulation against the strongest beings in this world.
Such as Gojo at full power.
Or Ryomen Sukuna with all twenty fingers restored.
"Alright."
Sora nodded.
"But I have conditions."
"Let's hear them."
"First."
"I won't be controlled by those rotten higher-ups."
"I only do what I want."
"Second."
"Room and board must be included."
"And the food quality needs to be good."
"My brain burns through a lot of energy."
"Third…"
Sora pointed at Yuji.
"I'm protecting this guy."
"If anyone wants to touch him…"
"They'll have to go through me first."
Gojo froze briefly.
Then he burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"Nice! I like your attitude!"
"Deal!"
Gojo wrapped one arm around Sora's shoulder and pulled Yuji closer with the other.
"From today onward—"
"You're all first-year students at Tokyo Jujutsu High!"
"Oh, and we're heading to Tokyo tomorrow."
"So pack your bags."
Yuji blinked in confusion.
"Wait… I have to go too?"
"I didn't agree to that!"
"You don't have a choice," Gojo said while pointing at Yuji's stomach.
"You ate a Special Grade cursed object."
"So technically you're on death row."
"If you don't enroll…"
"You'll be executed immediately."
Yuji froze.
"…Seriously?"
Megumi watched the scene unfold and sighed.
This year's freshmen were unbelievable.
One was Sukuna's vessel.
The other was a monster capable of beating Sukuna.
Tokyo Jujutsu High was about to become very lively.
The Next Day
The Shinkansen heading toward Tokyo sped across the countryside.
Gojo sat casually in his seat eating Kikufuku.
Yuji pressed his face against the window, excitedly watching the scenery rush past.
Yagami Sora sat quietly with his eyes closed.
Inside his mind, the system panel appeared.
After yesterday's battle, his experience value had increased significantly.
He was approaching the next level.
[Vector Manipulation]
Current Level: 5 (Beginner Stage)
This level already corresponded to the highest rank among espers.
If it advanced to Intermediate Level, his computational capacity would double.
At that point, his abilities would evolve far beyond simple reflection and vector control.
He would be able to manipulate microscopic particles.
For example—
Generating plasma.
Or interfering with the bioelectric signals of the human nervous system.
"Hey, Yagami."
Yuji handed him a bag of snacks.
"Want some?"
"Thanks."
Sora opened his eyes and accepted the chips.
Yuji then suddenly asked Gojo:
"Sensei… is Yagami also a Special Grade?"
Gojo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"In terms of raw combat strength…"
"Yeah, he's definitely Special Grade."
"But official rankings require approval from the higher-ups."
"Personally though?"
Gojo grinned.
"I'd say he's about on the same level as me."
Yuji's eyes widened.
"Wow!"
"That's incredible!"
Sora calmly ate his chips.
"It's just a title."
"However…"
Gojo suddenly leaned closer and whispered.
"When we arrive at the school, Principal Masamichi Yaga will interview you."
"He's very strict."
"If you fail to answer properly…"
"You might be expelled."
"Especially you, Yuji."
"As for Sora…"
Gojo chuckled.
"I think the principal might beg him to stay."
Sora gazed out the train window.
The scenery of Tokyo rushed closer.
Tokyo Jujutsu High.
The stronghold of the jujutsu world.
Since he had arrived here—
He might as well stir this stagnant world completely.
And those rotten higher-ups…
If they tried to control him—
Sora lightly tapped the window with his finger.
A faint crack spread across the glass.
"Then I'll crush them all."
T/N: DOMAIN EXPANSION, VECTOR MANIPULATION 🙇