What Happened After the Mission

The next day, inside the first-year classroom at Jujutsu High.

Yaga Masamichi stood at the podium, looking over the documents laid out before him. They were the reports from yesterday's first group mission for the four first-years.

Honestly, there was far too much worth discussing.

But since the main characters had yet to arrive, all he could do was pace back and forth as he waited. The students had been busy for most of the night, so it was understandable for them to get some extra rest.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, several sets of footsteps sounded in the hallway at once. They were somewhat disorderly, but still far better than the previous solemn, stifling atmosphere.

His gaze shifted, and the classroom door was abruptly thrown open.

"Hey, Yaga-sensei, you're here pretty early. Didn't you say we were meeting at eight?"

Gojo Satoru strolled in with a grin, swaying carelessly in front of him a couple of times. That utterly nonchalant, disrespectful attitude made Yaga Masamichi frown and raise an iron fist.

Though he knew Yaga would not actually hit him, and though Limitless could protect him anyway, Gojo Satoru immediately fell silent and stepped back before taking a seat in the middle of the classroom.

"Sorry, Yaga-sensei. Gojo's always this disrespectful."

Though Geto Suguru apologized for him first, his tone immediately shifted afterward, revealing rather malicious intentions.

"You'll have to trouble yourself to discipline him properly from now on. Why not make him do extra training for a few days first?"

Those words earned him someone's eye roll, but when he sat down beside him, Gojo Satoru did not say anything. He merely shot him a look that said, Just you wait.

As for Shoko Ieiri, she walked over to her usual seat. But instead of sitting down today, she moved several rows forward and took a seat by the window, somewhat closer to those two.

Bringing up the rear was Toho Che, who had recovered considerably but was still somewhat weak.

"Good morning, Yaga-sensei."

After greeting him, he entered the classroom. When he noticed two gazes landing on him at once and saw them waving at him—

Though it felt a little like elementary school students choosing seats, he still sat down beside the two of them.

Seeing how much closer they had become compared to before, a trace of satisfaction passed through Yaga Masamichi's eyes. He immediately tucked that emotion away.

"Alright, now that you're all here, let's get down to business."

As he spoke, he opened the file.

"I've read last night's mission report, the on-site analysis from the assistant supervisor, and each of your records and statements.

I have to say, you all performed far better than I expected."

He turned to the first page, which displayed Gojo Satoru's profile photo.

"Gojo, you made the correct call by attacking the target head-on and using your attacks to block its escape routes. Although a few of your attacks were a little too powerful and damaged the underground structure, you did not harm the hostages. That deserves recognition."

Gojo Satoru waggled his brows at the others as if asking for praise. Geto Suguru rolled his eyes speechlessly, Toho Che smiled, and Shoko Ieiri quietly muttered, "Idiot."

Yaga Masamichi did not pay much attention to their friendly interaction and moved on to the next evaluation.

"Geto, your judgment in providing restraint was accurate. Although your cursed spirits could be absorbed by the cursed spirit, you still created an opportunity for Gojo to injure it once. Later, you also coordinated with Gojo and allowed Toho to severely injure it.

However, your cursed spirit reserves were depleted quite heavily?"

Hearing that, Geto Suguru came back to himself and nodded with mixed feelings. Before he could say anything, Yaga Masamichi offered a solution.

"For the next period of time, you can replenish your cursed spirit reserves in the back mountains of Jujutsu High. But for certain special or powerful cursed spirits, you'll have to find your own way."

Surprised by this unexpected good news, Geto Suguru nodded. Gojo Satoru beside him also leaned over.

"Don't worry. Strictly speaking, that Grade 1 cursed spirit of yours was destroyed by me. I'll help you tame another one later."

The awkward words still conveyed concern, making Geto Suguru smile.

"To have the strongest work for me—what an honor."

"Of course."

Watching the two begin chatting, Yaga Masamichi shook his head before turning to the next person.

"Ieiri, your on-site treatment was excellent. If not for your help, those injured people never would have lasted until rescue arrived. You saved their lives."

At his praise, Shoko Ieiri merely nodded from her seat and said nothing more, as though it were simply part of her job.

Yaga Masamichi offered no comment on the girl's reaction. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the last person.

"As for Toho."

When he mentioned Toho Che, his voice became much more serious and earnest. The other three had a bad feeling about it, sensing that what followed would probably be heavy.

"Your judgment of the on-site situation, as well as your tracking and analysis of the cursed spirit, were all excellent.

When facing the cursed spirit, you also prioritized protecting ordinary people. In the end, you even forcibly restrained its movements at the cost of severe injuries, allowing Gojo to finish it."

Although that sounded positive, they all knew the "but" was coming.

"As a jujutsu sorcerer, your choice was entirely correct.

But as your teacher, I have to say that I do not encourage this kind of approach.

If you encounter such a situation again in the future, think carefully before you act. Don't forget my requirement for all of you: come back alive."

Hearing those heavy words, everyone fell silent, and Toho Che nodded as well.

"I understand. I'll think it through carefully in the future."

Although he said it well, Yaga Masamichi could tell from his eyes that he did not regret his decision.

That made Yaga Masamichi sigh again, yet it also caused him to feel a little more fondness and approval toward Toho Che.

Someone willing to pay any price to protect others, even possibly losing his life, could hardly be disliked.

With that thought, he shifted the topic in another direction.

"I've finished evaluating each of your performances. Next, let's discuss the official classification of this mission."

Yaga Masamichi turned to the final page.

"After gathering information, conducting analysis, and holding discussions, the higher-ups have ultimately classified this mission as—quasi-special grade."

At that classification, Gojo Satoru instantly lost his composure and immediately complained.

"Quasi-special grade? That thing could casually dodge my attacks, absorb other people's life force to heal its injuries, and its claws could easily pierce a body comparable to a Grade 1 sorcerer's. It could even deploy an incomplete Domain, and it looked like an open-barrier Domain at that.

And a cursed spirit like that only gets classified as quasi-special grade?"

He tilted his head, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Is it because we took it down that the higher-ups rated it that way?"

Yaga Masamichi glanced at him, his tone unchanged.

"There are reasons for classifying it as quasi-special grade. Although its abilities were indeed troublesome, and it could even deploy what seemed to be an open-barrier Domain, you stated in your reports that it showed signs of weakening after using its Domain."

Hearing that, Gojo Satoru, who had been about to argue, paused. He pursed his lips helplessly, inwardly regretting why he had specifically mentioned that detail.

"Furthermore, while its technique was troublesome, it lacked any powerful large-scale offensive methods. Therefore, after discussion, Jujutsu High classified it as quasi-special grade."

After saying that, he stopped speaking, because Gojo Satoru had raised his hand again.

"Fine, let's say it was only quasi-special grade. But even then, it was far stronger than the Grade 1 mission we were originally told it was, wasn't it?

If it hadn't been us, but a few ordinary students instead, they probably would have died there. Is that really alright?"

Hearing those words, Yaga Masamichi felt somewhat gratified instead.

At first, he had thought the Gojo Clan's young master would be the sort of person who was cold and indifferent, someone who did not care about ordinary lives. Yet this boy cared about ordinary people and paid attention to the circumstances faced by other jujutsu sorcerers as well.

His immense power had not changed him. That was a good thing, but Yaga Masamichi had his own answer to the question.

"You don't need to worry about that. After this incident and Toho Che's previous mission, the jujutsu world has decided to comprehensively update the mission assessment system used by assistant supervisors and Windows."

The atmosphere in the classroom subtly changed.

"From now on, Jujutsu High will devote more resources to increasing assistant supervisors' training in judging on-site conditions. At the same time, it will establish stricter procedures for analyzing residual cursed energy, and the number of people assigned to missions will also be increased and adjusted accordingly."

Hearing about that change, Toho Che's eyes flickered.

He had previously discussed related matters with an assistant supervisor, but both he and that person were insignificant figures who had no ability to decide such things.

The higher-ups taking the matter so seriously this time was perhaps because it involved the Gojo Clan's young master, a highly promising user of Cursed Spirit Manipulation, and the only medic currently capable of projecting Reverse Cursed Technique outward.

Perhaps they were also considering him, someone a little unusual?

Since the jujutsu world seemed to have truly started taking this matter seriously, perhaps that junior of his might really be spared the fate of walking toward death.

That was a good thing.

"Hah, those old geezers can actually do something right? These things really did need some changes. But what does this have to do with Toho?"

Seated at his desk, Gojo Satoru rarely offered praise to those old men he had always disliked, but at the end, he turned a curious gaze toward Toho Che.

"You can discuss Toho's situation privately later. The last thing I need to tell you is that the ordinary people you rescued have now been settled.

The severely injured have been sent to the hospital's intensive care unit, where their vital signs are being maintained. As for the others, once they woke up and it was confirmed they had no memory of that time, they were sent home as well."

After closing the file, Yaga Masamichi looked at them once more, his eyes filled with satisfaction and reflection.

"No matter what, your first mission was a complete success. You won't have any new missions for the next few days, so take this time to relax and rest properly."