Quelling the storm

After the Chiyo Shin incident at the Sister-School Goodwill Event.

The Jujutsu Higher-Ups unanimously decided that Chiyo Shin was to be taken into custody immediately and executed by Yuki Tsukumo.

Every indication suggested that this genius with a dual cursed technique was far too unpredictable, both in this incident and in his earlier conduct.

The higher-ups sent copies of the verdict to Yuki Tsukumo overseas and Satoru Gojo at Jujutsu High.

The Meeting Room at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Satoru Gojo held the higher-ups' ruling and cursed loudly. "Those old bastards! I haven't even asked them how Soul Offering got out!"

"Then what do we do now?" Megumi Fushiguro asked.

Yuji Itadori and Nobara Kugisaki also looked up at Satoru Gojo.

"Kill them all, of course," Satoru Gojo said viciously as he headed outside.

Masamichi Yaga spoke up to stop him. "Satoru, don't do anything stupid."

Satoru Gojo vanished without a word.

The Jujutsu Higher-Ups.

"Satoru Gojo will definitely come," Gojo Jia said in a slightly hoarse voice.

Still seething, Zenin Bing declared loudly, "So what if he does? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We have to kill Chiyo Shin and weaken Satoru Gojo."

Kamo Yi also favored killing him. "Exactly. Satoru Gojo alone is hard enough to deal with. Chiyo Shin is even worse, and those two are thick as thieves."

"Cough, cough. Satoru Gojo won't agree. He might already be on his way. Cough, cough, cough." Gojo Jia patted his chest and felt a little better.

Hearing Gojo Jia cough, Zenin Bing scoffed. "Hmph, you really have gotten old. Such a coward. Isn't Satoru Gojo from your clan, too? You still can't keep him in line. Hurry up and appoint one of your younger clan members to succeed you."

"Cough, cough... cough. He's the clan's... divine child." Gojo Jia wanted to say more, but the moment he opened his mouth, another fit of coughing came out. When he pulled his hand away, a vivid smear of blood stained his palm.

Before Gojo Jia could reflect that Zenin Bing was right.

Satoru Gojo had already appeared in their midst.

Zenin Bing froze, then immediately said, "Perfect timing. Hurry up and take Chiyo Shin into custody at the Soul Repository until Yuki Tsukumo executes him."

The moment Zenin Bing finished speaking, Satoru Gojo flashed to his side, grabbed him by the throat, and hoisted him up.

"I'm only going to say this once. I disagree. Those who agree with me live. Those who don't die."

Satoru Gojo loosened his grip slightly, allowing Zenin Bing to make his position clear.

Zenin Bing first gulped down a lungful of air, then cursed, "You little bastard! Are you trying to rebel?"

"So you're against me?" Satoru Gojo swung Zenin Bing down and slammed him into the floor.

"Gah." Zenin Bing spat out a mouthful of blood, utterly stunned. He had never imagined Satoru Gojo would dare hit him.

He summoned a shikigami beside him. "You..." Sprawled on the floor, Zenin Bing never finished.

Satoru Gojo flashed in front of the shikigami and swatted it with his hand. It instantly dissipated.

Zenin Bing struggled to raise his head and look at Satoru Gojo's cold face.

"I... I agree to call off the execution."

Zenin Bing gave up. He couldn't bear to lose the power he had spent his entire life climbing to attain. If he died, he would have nothing.

"Good. The first to set an example," Satoru Gojo said, turning toward the others.

"Cough, cough. I also agree to call off the execution, and I'll step down today. Satoru, take my seat." Gojo Jia braced himself against his chair and rose.

"Not interested. Find someone in your clan to replace you." Satoru Gojo flatly refused, then looked at Kamo Yi.

"Ah." Gojo Jia sighed helplessly.

Kamo Yi's mind raced. If he refused Satoru Gojo today, he would die.

But if he agreed, that old monster in his clan would kill him, too. Under the pressure, he said in a trembling voice, "I think there's still room for compromise. We can spare him the death penalty,

but he must remain in custody at Jujutsu High and cannot leave the campus without permission."

"Have you gone deaf as well as senile?" Satoru Gojo stepped forward, appeared before Kamo Yi in an instant, and threw a punch.

"I agree to call off the execution!" Kamo Yi shouted.

Satoru Gojo's fist shot past Kamo Yi's ear.

"Issue another verdict. Work out the wording yourselves." With that, Satoru Gojo vanished.

Zenin Bing rolled over onto his back. "That little bastard, I..." The words suddenly caught in his throat.

Satoru Gojo had returned. "I forgot to mention something. Investigate why Soul Offering was out in the world instead of in the Cursed Warehouse. I want an answer within three days."

Before anyone could react, Satoru Gojo vanished again.

"He really is gone this time, right?" Zenin Bing asked cautiously.

Jujutsu High.

After composing himself, Satoru Gojo first went to Shoko's office to check on Chiyo Shin.

He pushed the door open and entered. Chiyo Shin was still lying in bed, sleeping soundly.

Hearing someone enter, Shoko lifted her head from the desk. "You're here."

"How's Shin doing?" Satoru Gojo asked, sitting down across from Shoko.

"He was just overexerted, with some tearing of the soul as well. He's fine now." Shoko stood, picked up a packet of coffee, and walked to the water dispenser.

"Thanks for all your work, Shoko." Satoru Gojo breathed a sigh of relief.

Holding her freshly brewed coffee, Shoko gave a rare smile. "Since when are you so polite with me? Say, why don't you let Chiyo Shin work with me this time? His Golden Repair is better at healing than my technique."

"Not a chance." Satoru Gojo crossed his hands in an X.

Shoko didn't insist. She shook her head and returned to her desk.

"All right, I'm heading out. Remember to call me when Shin wakes up." With that, Satoru Gojo teleported to the Meeting Room.

Already used to this, Shoko turned to look at Chiyo Shin on the bed, tapping her fingers lightly against the desk.

The Meeting Room.

"How did it go?" Megumi Fushiguro asked impatiently as soon as Satoru Gojo appeared.

Satoru Gojo first faced everyone with a sorrowful expression. Seeing his face, Yuji Itadori and Nobara Kugisaki both felt their hearts tighten.

Megumi Fushiguro looked at Satoru Gojo's expression. "No..."

"Hahaha, fooled you! It's settled." Satoru Gojo flopped onto the sofa, laughing.

"Huh?" Megumi Fushiguro's tone abruptly changed.

"Gojo-sensei, could you please not joke about things like that next time?" Nobara Kugisaki let out a relieved breath.

"Great! I knew it!" Yuji Itadori jumped two meters into the air.

Kyoto Jujutsu High.

"Chiyo Shin doesn't have to die! That's wonderful," Kasumi Miwa said happily after seeing the message on her phone.

Mechamaru sighed with relief at the news, his taut nerves finally relaxing.

Mai Zenin remarked from beside her, "You were complaining to me about how awful Chiyo Shin was just before this. How fickle."

"That may be true, but I still don't want anyone to actually die," Kasumi Miwa explained.

Miwa really is the kindest, Mechamaru thought.

Momo Nishimiya munched on nuts. "Yes, yes, we all know you're the kindest."

"Nishimiya!" Kasumi Miwa puffed out her cheeks in anger.

At a house somewhere far overseas.

Having just returned home, Yuki Tsukumo noticed an extra letter in the mailbox by her front door.

She tore it open and saw the word "jujutsu" at the top.

"Oh."

With that little exclamation, Yuki Tsukumo crumpled the letter into a ball with both hands, tossed it into the trash, and walked into the house humming a tune.