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Tokyo Jujutsu High School.

The Jujutsu High Akemi had mentioned. There were only two in all of Japan: one in Kyoto, the former capital, and the other in Tokyo, the present-day capital in every practical sense.

"Though you may already know some of this, let me give you a brief introduction. Jujutsu High is the most important institution under the Jujutsu Alliance. It is responsible for training Jujutsu Sorcerers and serves as the main base for their activities, handling education, mission assignments, and the centralized management of Cursed Techniques and cursed tools. You can think of it as Konoha."

"And you still say you're not Kakashi Hatake?"

It wasn't that Akesato wouldn't let it go. Satoru Gojo himself kept dragging Naruto into it, so he couldn't blame him.

"I'm not, I'm not. Believe it or not, I'll take off my blindfold right now. Besides, I'm neither a principal nor a Hokage. I'm just an ordinary People's Teacher."

That opening was the ultimate humblebrag.

"Can I stop talking now? Please continue."

To keep things from heading in a strange direction, Akesato immediately cut him off. After all, in all the world, only Satoru Gojo could make taking off a blindfold sound like taking off stockings. There was no second person like him.

"Jujutsu High offers excellent benefits. Tuition is fully waived, and room and board are completely covered. You can choose any higher education qualification in Japan, and you'll also receive a substantial life insurance policy with a beneficiary of your choice. During the internship period, the basic treatment is equivalent to that of the Metropolitan Police Department Quasi-Professional Group. Bonuses are settled according to mission Level and paid out immediately. With your abilities, you'll definitely earn far more than you would writing Light Novels. Well, though I'd still suggest that you keep writing."

"Because the rewards are proportional to the risks?"

Payment for risking one's life—how could it not be expensive?

"No. Because people's dreams never end."

Satoru Gojo clasped his hands together, his voice low and magnetic.

Then he caught the disdainful look in Akesato's eyes.

"So it wasn't Konoha. It was pirates."

"Fine, I admit it. I'm the world's strongest man, white... haired."

"I have to admit, you're stronger." Akesato raised his hands in surrender. "It's impressive that you can actually say something that embarrassing out loud."

"Because I really am the strongest."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But just because you're the strongest doesn't mean I am. The risks I have to bear won't be any less." Akesato rubbed his fingers together, making his meaning perfectly clear.

"Negotiating terms, huh? I'm not good at that. Just tell me what you want. If I can provide it, I'll do my best, whether it's in terms of jujutsu or anything else."

Satoru Gojo scratched his head. When he had listened to his student's report the day before yesterday, he had already realized this Boy was unusual. After meeting him today, his assessment had risen another notch. He didn't mind paying a little more. Being rich and capable was just that impressive.

"I don't even know what you have." Akesato kicked the ball back to him. When it came to naming a price, it was easy for the seller to run into trouble by speaking first.

He recalled how, back in the day, a Middle Eastern tycoon had offered to pay party dues, and the party had gritted its teeth and quoted the steep price of one hundred million.

The tycoon had readily accepted. The party had wondered if they had asked for too little, then gritted their teeth again and specified that it was in U.S. dollars.

The tycoon had asked whether they were looking down on him. He had always quoted prices in U.S. dollars. Later, he had even voluntarily raised it to one hundred and twenty million dollars, opening the door to a New World for the party.

It was clear that Satoru Gojo truly wasn't good at negotiating. He pinched his chin and thought for a long while before finally blurting out to Playful Panda, "We have experience raising pandas."

Akesato knew he meant Panda. If they were talking about actual animal pandas, Akesato had more experience than Satoru Gojo—he had been to the Sichuan Giant Panda Base.

He reached out and poked Playful Panda's chubby cheek. "How about I take you to see other pandas?"

"Play, play!" Playful Panda danced around excitedly.

In Playful Panda language, "play" meant he wanted to play.

"If you want to play, then go play."

Playful Panda was playful by nature, far livelier than the reserved Gardevoir. At a Jujutsu High filled entirely with Jujutsu Sorcerers, he would also be able to let loose more.

"Ari, are you really going?"

Akemi, who had always left the decision-making to her child, finally spoke. Her hands unconsciously clenched the corners of her clothes, clearly troubled by something.

Akesato gave a quiet hum. Everything he had done before this had merely been to secure as many benefits for himself as possible.

Whether for financial reasons or because of the system's requirements, Jujutsu High was unavoidable. Beyond that, Akesato had one more crucial consideration.

"Not only am I going, Mom, you're going too. My condition is that my mother gets to live directly at Jujutsu High."

"I've never even heard of a request like that." Satoru Gojo once again entered his stunned-my-mom-for-a-whole-year state.

"It doesn't matter whether you've heard of it. What matters is whether you agree."

"Ari..." Akemi understood at that moment, realizing the depth of Akesato's concern for her.

Satoru Gojo could tell there was something behind this. "Can you tell me why?"

"No." Akesato shook his head. "We underwent a strict Kikaku and can't reveal any information. You can only investigate it yourself. All I can tell you is that if you agree, you may face considerable pressure in the future. It may even put you in a difficult position."

"This is getting more and more interesting."

Though Akesato had said nothing concrete, several descriptive words had already given Satoru Gojo a direction. A confident smile appeared on his face again.

"Pressure doesn't matter. Every day, a whole bunch of people try to pressure me, but unfortunately, it never works. If they have the ability, they can come fight me."

"Indeed, no one would be foolish enough to want you as an enemy." That was exactly what Akesato had been waiting to hear.

If Akesato wanted to make his way in the Jujutsu world, it was only a matter of time before the Kamo family noticed his existence. He wasn't afraid of the Kamo family, but clashing with such an ancient family would still be troublesome—especially if they secretly tripped him up and resorted to underhanded tactics in every possible way. Moreover, he had to consider Akemi's feelings and safety.

The best solution was to find a backer who could withstand pressure from the Kamo family on every front, someone who would keep them from acting rashly.

Satoru Gojo was the best possible choice.

His own strength, the Gojo family's influence, and most importantly, the fact that Satoru Gojo had always done this sort of thing—Akesato knew of four people Gojo had protected from the traditional jujutsu factions, all of them his students. There were even more nameless background figures.

The downside was obvious as well. If anything happened to Satoru Gojo, these people would be left in a perilous position.

But now Akesato was here. He would not allow any such risks to exist. It was his way of repaying the favor of the great tree that was Satoru Gojo.

"Then, first of all, welcome to Jujutsu High." Satoru Gojo held out a hand to Akesato. "There'll be a little test before enrollment, but you'll definitely be fine."

"I think so too. Please take care of me, Teacher Gojo." Akesato reached out and shook Satoru Gojo's hand.

"Call me Editor Gojo! First, let's sign the authorization agreement. I've read your work, you know. It uses a lot of familiar tropes, but it's surprisingly interesting. A world where women are strong and men are weak—how did you come up with the setting of throwing a man into an all-girls school? It reminds me of when I entered an all-girls school on a mission. Ah, those were the days."

Watching Satoru Gojo open the floodgates and chatter on without end, Akesato knew that his days ahead certainly would not be boring.