Next Target, 400PS!!
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Wasn't he just like that back in the day? Confident and free.
But this kid seemed like an even greater anomaly. Gojo was born into the prestigious Gojo clan, backed by endless Jujutsu resources. But Kai? From what Gojo's brief investigation gathered, the kid's parents were normal civilians. He had zero backing and reached this tier entirely on raw talent.
Clearly, even Satoru Gojo couldn't fathom that literal "Cheats" existed in this world.
"Looks like the higher-ups are in for a disappointment."
Gojo knew exactly what those rotten oranges were scheming. With the existence of Cursed Spirits leaking to the public, the higher-ups were desperately trying to secure their own power, rapidly expanding recruitment, and even pardoning former Curse Users.
A wild genius like Kai was definitely high on their target list.
But they were destined to fail. The kid didn't even care about giving Gojo face—he certainly wouldn't give the conservative elders the time of day.
"Here, catch." Gojo didn't push the recruitment issue. Geniuses always deserve a little special treatment. He threw a small object over to Kai.
"What's this?"
Catching it effortlessly, Kai lifted an eyebrow at the small, ID-like card in his hand.
It was a standard Jujutsu Sorcerer identification card. A massive, bold character for 'Special' was stamped across the front, clearly denoting his rank: Special Grade Sorcerer.
Assuming Yuta Okkotsu hadn't enrolled in Jujutsu High yet, there were currently only three Special Grade Sorcerers in Japan. With Kai, that made four.
"You're just giving me a Special Grade certification?" Having this would save him a lot of trouble when dealing with other Sorcerers in the future.
"It's just a piece of paper. Who cares?"
Gojo shrugged, seeming genuinely indifferent.
It made sense. A man who lived without restraints wouldn't be bound by bureaucratic crimson tape.
"Since you don't want to join the school, you should at least hold onto that. If any rotten oranges show up to bother you later, just flash them the ID. If they have a problem with it, tell them to take it up with Satoru Gojo!"
This was essentially Gojo's personal guarantee. It sent a clear message to the Jujutsu society: Satoru Gojo was personally vouching for this guy. Anyone who had an issue could address him.
"Understood."
Having seen the anime, Kai knew exactly what Gojo meant by 'rotten oranges.' They were a group of corrupt elders willing to orchestrate the deaths of their own Sorcerers just to protect their vested interests.
"I'll take it."
While he didn't care about the higher-ups, free perks were free perks.
"In that case, I'll be taking my leave!"
Rolling his shoulders, Gojo turned to go.
"Wait a second." Remembering something important, Kai suddenly called out to him.
"Hmm?"
Under Gojo's confused gaze, Kai spoke with a straight face.
"I've heard there's a rather decent Hand-to-Hand Technique in the Jujutsu world called 'Black Flash.' Do you happen to have a manual for it?"
"..."
'Rather decent?' Black Flash was practically the ultimate pinnacle of Jujutsu martial arts! In the Jujutsu world, there was an implicit divide: Sorcerers who could land a Black Flash, and Sorcerers who couldn't.
"You really..."
It wasn't that Gojo was stingy. It was just the boldness. The kid rejected his invitation, took the Special Grade ID, and was now asking for premium techniques on the way out.
"Fine, fine!" It wasn't like he had to teach him in person anyway. "I'll compile some notes and send them over later. Whether or not you can actually learn it is entirely up to you!"
With a swish, Gojo vanished from the spot.
His departure was so fast it seemed he was afraid Kai might ask for his wallet next.
"Tsk."
Once Gojo left, Kai let out a breath. He deactivated his Mangekyou Sharingan, feeling a faint dryness in his eyes.
"Looks like I need to master Reverse Cursed Technique before doing anything else."
Since he had already copied the specific flow of Cursed Energy required for the technique, it was now just a matter of repeated practice until he nailed it.
With that plan in mind, Kai strolled back to his apartment building.
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"Where's the old man?"
When Kai returned to the street, the Maybach was gone. Teiji Togawa and his entourage of bodyguards had disappeared with it.
"My grandfather already left!"
Seeing Kai return unharmed, Sakiko let out a sigh of relief. She didn't know the specifics of his conversation with Gojo, but seeing her boyfriend safe was all that mattered.
He walked over and gently pinched her cheek, giving a teasing smile.
"What, the old man didn't order you to return to the family estate?"
She was his only heir. With her mother dead and her father gone, the Togawa conglomerate would eventually fall to Sakiko. Teiji was in a tough spot—he had a massive empire and no suitable successors. The man was half in the grave and still fighting to keep the family afloat. It would be stranger if he didn't obsess over Sakiko.
"You never told me the title of 'Jujutsu Sorcerer' carried so much weight!"
Sakiko shot him a slightly resentful pout.
She was deeply worried about her grandfather's anger. However, when Teiji discovered that Kai was a Sorcerer, his stern behavior disappeared. He then advised her to nurture her relationship with her boyfriend and reassured her that she was not obliged to return home if she preferred not to.
He also confidently claimed that his old bones could oversee the family business for a few more years.
He didn't say it outright, but reading between the lines, he essentially told her to hurry up and have Kai's child. She was still in high school! She at least wanted to graduate first.
That dramatic shift in attitude made Sakiko realize just how significant Sorcerers were in this world.
"Hahaha! If I told you I just found out too, would you believe me?"
"I'll believe anything you say!"
"..."
It was hard to imagine that the cold, unapproachable girl he had first met had evolved into someone so hopelessly smitten.
"Ahem. I guess you won't need to work those part-time jobs anymore."
Even if he wasn't forcing her to return, Teiji definitely wouldn't keep her bank accounts frozen after this.
"Mhm!"
Teiji had explicitly told Sakiko to use the family funds freely. Her father's failed ventures might have cost the Togawa family over ten billion yen, but the Togawa conglomerate remained one of Japan's top financial empires. They lacked many things, but money wasn't one of them.
Having endured the harsh reality of low-wage jobs, Sakiko clearly understood the value of money. Now that she was abruptly reinstated as a wealthy heiress, she honestly didn't know how to spend it.
"Do you want to live in a big house?" Leaning against Kai, Sakiko murmured. "If you want, I can buy a large house nearby."
She had no intention of returning to the family estate. Right now, her only desire was to share a life with Kai.
"Are you planning to be my sugar mama?"
He never expected he'd end up as a kept man.
"No, please don't misunderstand! I didn't mean it like that." Worried she might have bruised his pride, Sakiko hurriedly tried to explain.
"No need to explain."
Kai chuckled and easily scooped her up into his arms. "The doctor did say I have a weak stomach, so living off soft rice suits me best. But right now, I'd rather eat you."
"You're awful!"
Seeing he wasn't actually offended, Sakiko relaxed and looped her arms around his neck, a hazy look entering her eyes. Desire wasn't exclusive to men.
"T-Tomorrow is the weekend," Sakiko whispered, lowering her head.
Before, they had to restrain themselves because of morning classes. Tonight, they didn't have that restriction. Sleeping in wouldn't be an issue.
Given an invitation like that, Kai didn't need any more convincing. He carried his beauty straight back to the apartment.
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"YO! EVERYONE'S HERE!"
Meanwhile, Gojo had swiftly returned to Jujutsu High.
He originally went to the administrative office to find Masamichi Yaga, but upon arriving, he noticed a gathering. It wasn't just Principal Yaga. His former classmate Shoko Ieiri, his junior Kento Nanami, and Grade 1 Sorcerer Mei Mei were all present.
This group was essentially the backbone of the Jujutsu world.
"Yo, Satoru."
Shoko raised a hand in greeting before lazily lighting a cigarette. Despite her pretty features, heavy dark circles bruised the skin below her eyes. As a rare user capable of outputting Reverse Cursed Technique to heal others, Shoko rarely caught a break. She always looked exhausted.
While there were several Sorcerers who could use RCT on themselves, finding someone who could heal others was remarkably rare in the Jujutsu society.
"So, what brings everyone together?" Returning the wave, Gojo lightly hopped onto a chair, his tone relaxed. "Don't tell me a nasty curse popped up, and you need a brainstorming session to beat it? You guys really are weak!"
"As expected of Gojo. You still know exactly how to annoy people." Mei Mei tilted her head, her pale blue hair shifting while she observed him with mild amusement.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
Gojo didn't mind. He was used to the remarks.
"ENOUGH, SATORU. KEEP IT DOWN." Yaga's stern voice cut through the banter. Out of respect for his former teacher, Gojo quieted down.
"We just received word from the higher-ups. If we cannot efficiently suppress the number of these new Cursed Spirits soon, we will have no choice but to release information regarding curses and Sorcerers to the general public."
Currently, the intelligence was restricted to high-ranking officials and prominent figures. The general populace was still in the dark. But if these visible curses continued to multiply, full disclosure would be inevitable.
"I know, I know! I really don't see why such a boring issue needs a meeting." Gojo waved his hand dismissively.
To him, this kind of bureaucratic maneuvering was a waste of time. No one in the room was surprised by his attitude. They knew his personality and didn't take it to heart.
"By the way, did you bring the new recruit back?" Yaga suddenly asked, recalling the reason for Gojo's earlier absence.
A wild Sorcerer was a point of curiosity not just for Yaga, but for everyone else in the room.
"Well, I gave him a proper invitation, but he flat-out rejected me!" Gojo shrugged, acting as if it were out of his hands.
"Rejected?"
Yaga frowned. Gojo fooled around a lot, but Yaga knew he wouldn't joke about serious matters like this.
"What's his Innate Technique? Are we certain he won't become a Curse User?"
Refusing to join Jujutsu High was one thing, but if the boy showed tendencies of becoming a rogue Sorcerer, they needed to take preventative measures.
"Haha! I really don't think you need to worry about that, Principal Yaga." Seeing his serious expression, Gojo laughed. "Honestly, even if he became a Curse User, you wouldn't be able to stop him. I nearly died out there myself. The geniuses these days just don't make any sense!!"
"WHAT??"
'Almost died??' Yaga wasn't the only one shocked. Even the usually silent Nanami tensed up. Shoko slowly stubbed out her cigarette.
Mei Mei stared at him directly. "That's not the kind of joke you should make casually, Gojo."
If any other Sorcerer had said that, they wouldn't have cared. But this was Satoru Gojo!
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