"Yeah."
"It's time to make some changes."
Gojo spoke calmly, but his words immediately made Suguru Geto and Masamichi Yaga exchange glances.
If anyone else had said that, they would've dismissed it as nothing more than youthful grandstanding.
But this was Satoru Gojo.
He genuinely possessed the power to change everything.
More importantly, he had every right to say it.
"I remember that before, you were only dissatisfied. You never had any concrete plans or real determination."
Yaga looked at his most promising student with confusion and asked in a low voice.
"Because I'll be leaving again before long. That's the biggest reason."
"I don't want the safety of the people around me to depend on the goodwill of those old bastards."
"Like what happened with Kento and Yu's mission yesterday."
"I don't want to view everything through the lens of conspiracy theories, but the timing was just too convenient."
"Even if it had nothing to do with the higher-ups, I don't want to gamble on it."
"So I've decided it'd be simpler to deal with the problem directly."
"Before I leave, I'll solve these issues."
"At the very least, until I come back again, you guys won't have to worry."
Yaga and Geto both fell silent.
Gojo's reasoning might have been somewhat extreme.
But everything he said stemmed from a desire to keep them safe.
"If you do that, though, Jujutsu Society will fall into chaos."
After a long pause, Geto finally spoke.
"Chaos?"
Gojo looked at him.
"Do they investigate Cursed Spirits?"
"Do they handle logistics?"
"Do they deal with cleanup afterward?"
"If our only objective is eliminating Cursed Spirits, then their existence isn't particularly important."
His expression remained calm.
"Besides, finding replacements wouldn't be difficult."
"And aren't you guys here?"
"If whoever comes afterward is still unreliable, I don't mind putting you in those positions."
"If you're not interested, then just hold the seats temporarily while we cultivate new people."
"People like Kento and Yu."
"People who share our values instead of rotting away like the current higher-ups."
Gojo finally voiced the ideas he'd spent so long discussing with Betty and refining on his own.
Both Yaga and Geto sank into deep thought.
Seeing the two of them stunned speechless by his proposal, Gojo simply shrugged.
"Honestly, you don't need to think too hard about it."
"Because none of that really matters."
"No matter what you think, I'm going to do it anyway."
His tone was calm.
He wasn't making a threat.
He was stating a fact.
"You really know how to make people want to punch you sometimes."
Geto raised a middle finger without hesitation.
"Hahaha, right back at you."
"Who told you not to appreciate my kindness?"
"Ungrateful bastard."
"Next."
While they were talking, Betty had already succeeded in helping Shoko take her first steps into Yin Attribute magic.
"Alright, I'll go next."
Geto stood up and stretched.
"If you've got anything else to discuss, talk to Sensei."
"It's not like I can convince you of anything."
"As long as you're not planning to make all tamagoyaki sweet, I don't have any objections."
Waving casually, he walked toward Betty.
Meanwhile, the newly initiated Shoko practically bounced over.
"So this is magic?"
"It's incredible!"
"I feel like a squid secretly living among humans."
"At any moment I can spray ink everywhere and make my escape!"
"This is amazing!"
She looked like a child who had just received a brand-new toy.
If not for the effects of Shamak, she probably would've tried it on everyone immediately.
"It's good that you're interested."
Gojo chuckled.
"But magic takes time to cultivate."
"And Yin Attribute magic doesn't really have direct combat power in the beginning."
"The offensive spells only start showing up later."
"That's fine, that's fine."
Shoko waved dismissively.
"I'm already completely satisfied."
"This escape ability is more than enough."
After all, she rarely fought on the front lines.
Attack magic wasn't particularly important to her.
And she had plenty of time to train.
"Once all of you have learned the basics, I'll have Betty leave behind some training methods and advice."
"After I leave, you can continue practicing on your own."
"But."
His expression became serious.
"Don't teach this to anyone else."
"Don't worry!"
Shoko immediately raised three fingers.
"I swear I won't pass it on."
"What about Kento and Yu?"
Yaga suddenly asked.
"Everyone except them."
Gojo winked with a grin.
The process of teaching magic didn't take long.
After activating the Gates within their bodies, Betty taught them how to use Shamak.
Just as they'd suspected beforehand, every single one of them possessed a Yin Attribute affinity.
It was almost absurdly compatible with Jujutsu Sorcerers.
There simply wasn't a better match.
"Interesting."
"In my world, finding someone with a Yin Attribute is incredibly rare."
"But over here, they're everywhere."
"And there are so many of them."
"Maybe we're all secretly gloomy people."
Gojo joked.
"Oh, stop it."
Betty rolled her eyes.
"Attributes have nothing to do with personality. They're innate."
"If I had to guess, I'd say only people with a Yin Attribute can become Jujutsu Sorcerers."
"Your country's population is also enormous."
"Even if Yin Attribute users are rare, you'd still have far more than my world."
"Which would explain why there are so many Jujutsu Sorcerers."
"When you put it that way..."
Gojo thought about it.
She might actually be right.
Jujutsu Sorcerers seemed numerous at first glance.
But compared to the overwhelming number of Cursed Spirits, they were still desperately outnumbered.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have spent their lives constantly rushing from one mission to the next.
"Whatever."
Shoko clapped her hands together happily.
"Today's a great day."
"Gojo, Betty, let us treat you to dinner as thanks!"
The suggestion immediately received unanimous approval from both Geto and Yaga.
Of course, since Shoko and Geto were still students, Yaga refused to let them spend any money.
In the end, the meal became Yaga's treat.
After a brief discussion, the group enthusiastically set off for a yakiniku restaurant.
Along the way, Shoko and Geto, still fascinated by the wonders of magic, followed Betty around calling her "Teacher" every few minutes while bombarding her with questions.
Betty maintained her usual aloof expression.
Yet she answered every question seriously.
The atmosphere of admiration and respect continued all the way through dinner.
Even while eating, the two of them eagerly handled everything.
One poured drinks.
The other grilled meat.
Betty didn't need to lift a finger.
The entire meal was remarkably harmonious.
Until something disrupted that harmony.
Yaga's phone rang.
He answered it, listened for a while, then slowly hung up.
His expression was complicated.
"What is it, Sensei?"
Gojo sipped fruit juice with a smile.
"Looks like bad news."
"Not exactly."
Yaga shook his head.
"Then what is it?"
Shoko asked through a mouthful of grilled meat, covering her mouth like a squirrel stuffing its cheeks.
"A new mission."
"It specifically requires Gojo and Geto."
"And that's not bad news?"
Geto lazily leaned back in his chair.
"No."
Yaga's expression turned serious.
"Because it has nothing to do with the higher-ups."
"This request comes directly from Master Tengen."
The moment those words were spoken, everyone sat up a little straighter.
Master Tengen was the cornerstone of Jujutsu Society.
Without him, the entire system would've collapsed long ago.
He was the single most important figure in all of Jujutsu Society.
No exceptions.
"What does Master Tengen want us to do?"
Geto asked seriously.
"Protect the Star Plasma Vessel."
"And eliminate her."
"Protect her... and eliminate her?"
Betty looked up from her butter-grilled pineapple.
The contradiction in those instructions was impossible to miss.
"That's right."
"During the protection period, you're to fulfill all her wishes."
"Then escort her into Jujutsu High's barrier and bring her before Master Tengen."
"So the Assimilation can be completed."
Yaga didn't elaborate further.
He didn't need to.
Everyone present except Betty already understood.
Assimilation and elimination were effectively the same thing.
"To put it simply..."
Seeing Betty's confusion, Gojo offered an explanation.
"We're supposed to deliver an innocent girl to someone like Roswaal so they can merge together."
"For a more detailed explanation of Master Tengen, you can read the records when we get home tonight."
Betty nodded slightly.
She wasn't really in a position to judge.
From a moral standpoint, it was obviously wrong.
But Roswaal had once been her friend.
And she had been genuinely happy to see him again centuries later.
Because of that, she didn't feel qualified to criticize a similar situation.
"When does the mission start?"
"Tomorrow."
Yaga looked at the two boys seriously.
That night.
Inside a room of the Gojo Family estate.
Betty lay beside Gojo while he held a book in his hands.
Like a father reading a bedtime story to his daughter, he explained the history and records concerning Master Tengen, the foundation of Jujutsu Society itself.
"What a fascinating ability."
After hearing everything, Betty couldn't help sighing in admiration.
"If my mother had possessed something like that back then, she would've been ecstatic."
To continue existing forever.
To endlessly accumulate knowledge.
To merge with others and acquire their memories and experiences...
As the Witch of Greed, Echidna would've adored such a power.
"Shouldn't the important topic be how innocent that girl is?"
Gojo looked at her.
"What's there to discuss?"
Betty sounded unconcerned.
"This isn't the first time something like this has happened in your world."
"And because it's happened before, that makes it right?"
Gojo widened his eyes dramatically.
"Stop deliberately twisting my words."
"You said yourself that you're invincible in this world."
"Whether something is right or wrong, if you want to do it, then do it."
"There's no need to obsess over moral correctness."
"Whether you're a good person or a bad one, Betty has already signed a Contract with you."
"It's no different from how the Three Great Mabeasts obey whoever possesses the Gluttony Factor."
She shrugged.
The problem was tossed right back into his lap.
Realizing he couldn't fool her, Gojo tossed the book aside and flopped onto the bed.
"From the perspective of Jujutsu Society, it seems like the right choice."
"But for a little girl..."
He sighed.
"It feels cruel."
"So the reason you can't decide is because you haven't met her yet?"
Betty blinked.
"You don't know whether she's pretty, cute, or gentle."
"If she turns out to possess all those appealing qualities, it'll make your decision much easier."
Gojo scratched his head.
When he noticed Betty staring at him with those huge eyes, he quickly grabbed her head and turned it away.
"I've realized I really can't let you keep watching those TV dramas."
"You've become obsessed with analyzing human nature."
"That has nothing to do with TV dramas."
"I watched a crime prevention program today."
"Those are banned too."
"Oh."
...
The next morning.
Nine o'clock sharp.
Satoru Gojo, Suguru Geto, and Betty appeared on a street somewhere in Tokyo.
"According to the information we received, the group targeting the objective is the Time Vessel Association."
Gojo popped a lollipop into his mouth and casually stuffed another into Betty's.
"They aren't a Jujutsu Sorcerer organization."
"So they spent a lot of money putting out a bounty."
"So this mission is against Curse Users rather than Cursed Spirits, right?"
"I thought you'd ask why a group that worships Master Tengen would target the objective."
Geto sounded surprised.
"Because they want Master Tengen to remain pure."
Betty answered calmly around her lollipop.
Geto blinked.
Before he could ask how she knew, Gojo pinched her cheek.
"I spent half the night reading records about Master Tengen to her like a storybook."
"That's somehow heartwarming and horrifying at the same time."
Geto shuddered.
"Betty."
Gojo grinned.
"Interested in fighting some Curse Users?"
"Want to get some practice?"
"I'm not interested in weaklings."
Betty lifted her chin proudly.
"They should be decent enough."
"The Curse User group Q is fairly well known."