Chapter 41

If it were you, you would have attacked too, Suguru Geto thought.

It was not the first time Suguru Geto—or rather, Kenjaku—had met Kamiki Yūhaku, but Kamiki Yūhaku had made a tremendous impression on him.

Back then, Kamiki Yūhaku had still been human, an unusual boy with a Prophecy Cursed Technique. Kenjaku had just switched bodies and was preparing to look for a more suitable one. The moment he came out of the hospital, he and Kamiki Yūhaku had locked eyes.

Kenjaku was certain Kamiki Yūhaku must have seen something, which was why he had attacked Kenjaku without hesitation.

That was the first time Kenjaku had felt death closing in.

After that experience, of course he wanted revenge when he saw Kamiki Yūhaku again.

Besides, Kamiki Yūhaku's Cursed Technique was far too unusual. Leaving it alone could cause problems.

"Kamiki Yūhaku's Cursed Technique is Prophecy, but he can't see his own future. He can only see someone else's," Suguru Geto said. "Do you know what that means?"

Mahito sat on the ground. "What does it mean?"

"It means life is a straight line. What happens is almost predetermined, but Kamiki Yūhaku can see a future on that line where he isn't present. That's the most powerful ability of his Cursed Technique," Suguru Geto murmured. "Once he gets involved in that world line, he can change the future."

"That makes him the biggest variable of all."

Mahito propped up a cheek with one hand. "Oh? So, have you found a way to deal with that variable?"

"Perhaps. After all, it wasn't because I couldn't beat him that I let him beat me up like that. I just wanted to show Jujutsu Society."

"So you didn't get beaten up because you couldn't win?"

"Shut up." Suguru Geto stood on the rubble. "He fought Special Grade Curse Users twice in a row and displayed tremendous fighting power both times. I imagine the higher-ups of Jujutsu Society are close to losing patience. After all, having been imprisoned for thirty years, Kamiki Yūhaku knows even more than they imagine."

"So they're more afraid than I am."

Mahito laughed. "You really are despicable."

"Being despicable is necessary for a person to survive."

At Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu High School, Satoru Gojo had been summoned by the higher-ups.

Five screens stood around Satoru Gojo, with a hidebound old man behind each one. Satoru Gojo stood in the middle, looking a little nonchalant.

"The Special Grade Cursed Spirit Kamiki Yūhaku appeared in Kawasaki City for the second time and once again fought an unidentified Curse User, damaging buildings within several meters."

"We entrusted Kamiki Yūhaku to you so you would keep an eye on him and stop him from getting out, not so you could pretend you knew nothing after he escaped, Satoru Gojo."

Satoru Gojo had both hands in his coat pockets. "So?"

"Bring him back at once!"

"Is there something wrong with you people? He's a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Fine, you used to believe he couldn't fight, but now that he's displayed more Cursed Energy than an ordinary Special Grade Cursed Spirit, you still want to tie him up and bring him back? He's not an idiot."

"You!" The person who had first questioned Satoru Gojo grew furious. "Then get rid of him!"

"Huh?" Satoru Gojo pulled his blindfold down slightly. "You want to get rid of him?"

Another, somewhat more composed voice spoke up. "We made this decision after careful deliberation. Exorcise the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Kamiki Yūhaku before he causes any more casualties."

"Cursed Spirits are our enemies. His existence is a threat, Satoru Gojo. This is your new assignment."

Satoru Gojo stared at the screen behind which the voice had spoken. A moment later, he put his blindfold back on. "If that's what you really think, fine."

The screens remained motionless as Satoru Gojo turned and left. A voice spoke up shortly afterward.

"Is this really all right? Once he's exorcised, we'll never have such a useful tool again."

"However useful a trump card he is, he's a threat now. We always thought he posed no threat, so every one of us has let confidential information slip in front of him," the steady voice said. "If he reveals any of it, every one of us will be dragged through the mud. That's why he has to go."

"There's no other choice."

Silence fell around them. Indeed, after Kamiki Yūhaku was captured, they had all made use of him to some extent. Even those who had not used him had family members from the previous generation who had come into contact with him.

Kamiki Yūhaku had once been their greatest trump card, but now that he had exposed himself, he was their biggest bomb.

The only way to keep that bomb from going off was to dismantle it.

Meanwhile, Satoru Gojo walked out and clicked his tongue loudly.

"I can't stand it. Even after something like this, those ungrateful old bastards are still thinking about their own interests. It's disgusting."

"They never stop to think that if they hadn't greedily exploited Kamiki Yūhaku in the first place, they wouldn't have left him with such leverage over them."

"But come to think of it..."

Satoru Gojo rubbed his chin. "It looks like Kamiki Yūhaku really does have something on them that's thrown them into a panic, enough that they want to destroy the evidence even if it means getting rid of him."

"In that case, could I work with him?"

Of course, it took courage to cooperate with a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Even if Kamiki Yūhaku was different from other Cursed Spirits, Satoru Gojo had never truly thought he could casually work with a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.

After all, even if he succeeded, there would be no denying that he had obtained information from a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. As far as Jujutsu Society was concerned, that would be a very real stain on his record.

There was still a long and difficult road ahead, after all.

Chapter 41

"Is sending Satoru Gojo alone really enough? Although he's a Special Grade Sorcerer, he previously protected Sukuna's vessel and even threatened us using his position as head of the Gojo Clan. We arranged for Sukuna's vessel to be killed because of that. Might he slack off in response?"

"He's the head of the Gojo Clan. He represents the clan's honor and would never do something like protect a Special Grade Cursed Spirit."

"To be on the safe side, I recall there's still a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer in Kawasaki City who hasn't left."

"Kento Nanami? Very well."

And so Kento Nanami, who had just fought Mahito to a standstill with both sides injured, immediately received an order from the higher-ups. They instructed him to assist Satoru Gojo in exorcising the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Kamiki Yūhaku and, if necessary, exorcise the Cursed Spirit himself.

Kento Nanami frowned slightly. The order struck him as very strange.

Generally speaking, Jujutsu Sorcerers were graded one level above Cursed Spirits. For example, a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer could exorcise a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit, and a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer could exorcise a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit. Special Grades alone were the exception. Special Grade Cursed Spirits were the true embodiments of negative emotions. They possessed intelligence and Cursed Techniques and could grow in a short time.

Generally, only a Special Grade Sorcerer could exorcise a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.

Mahito, for example, was a Special Grade who had only recently been born and had yet to grow, yet was already strong enough to match him. A Special Grade Cursed Spirit like Kamiki Yūhaku, who had been one for thirty years and could even perfectly control his Cursed Energy, was another matter altogether.

Besides, since the assignment had already been given to Satoru Gojo, why had they called on him as well?

With that in mind, Kento Nanami called Satoru Gojo.

Satoru Gojo picked up shortly afterward, though Kento Nanami still heard Principal Masamichi Yaga's angry roar as the call connected.

"Don't mind that. I just accidentally stood Yaga up," Satoru Gojo said in his usual flippant tone. "So, what is it, Nanami?"

"The order to exorcise the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Kamiki Yūhaku." Kento Nanami glanced at the order again before continuing. "They told me to assist you. Why?"

"Oh?" Satoru Gojo clicked his tongue. "Looks like they don't trust me."

Kento Nanami remained silent, letting Satoru Gojo continue his explanation.

"Here's the thing. As the higher-ups see it, I used the Gojo Clan's backing to protect Yuji before, and they arranged for him to be killed because of it. They think someone like me would definitely retaliate against them, so they came to you. They think that with you watching me, I won't casually ignore their orders."

"That's why I hate them."

Satoru Gojo made a sound of disgust before continuing. "Don't they understand? Only people like them would harm humans out of self-interest and selfishness, and make the situation worse and worse."

"What do you think, Nanami?"

"As long as I don't have to work overtime, it's fine," Kento Nanami said calmly.

Satoru Gojo sighed. "You really aren't nervous in the slightest."

"Oh, right. You can try approaching that Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Under normal circumstances, he won't attack humans."

Kento Nanami raised an eyebrow. "A Special Grade Cursed Spirit that doesn't attack humans?"

"That's right," Satoru Gojo answered. "Because he's a Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit with human memories. He hasn't lost his reason. Probably..."

"He wants to remain human."

With a click, the call ended, and Kento Nanami calmly put his phone back on the table.

The wounds on his body had only just been bandaged and still throbbed faintly. Kento Nanami looked outside, his gaze calm. "A Special Grade Cursed Spirit who wants to be human?"

Except for students still attending school, Jujutsu Sorcerers had no assigned territories. They were extremely few in number, and Jujutsu Society had long maintained a closed-door policy, making it difficult for Jujutsu Sorcerers to stay in one place as a matter of course. Human negative emotions, meanwhile, were everywhere.

As a result, every Jujutsu Sorcerer was constantly traveling for work. Kento Nanami's assignment in Kawasaki City was one such trip.

"What a hassle." Kento Nanami sat in his chair. "I have to work overtime again."

Kento Nanami was not very familiar with the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Kamiki Yūhaku, because he was a secret of the higher-ups. Kento Nanami did not come from a Jujutsu Sorcerer family and had even quit for a time, so naturally he had no way of knowing about the higher-ups' affairs. All he knew was that this Special Grade Cursed Spirit had appeared recently.