A visitor

In the second week of January, someone Suguru Geto did not recognize came to Jujutsu High.

She was a middle-aged woman in a gray coat. When she appeared at Jujutsu High's main gate, the guard stopped her. She showed him an ID, and his expression changed. He let her through immediately.

Suguru Geto saw her from his dormitory window. She did not walk like an ordinary person. Her hair was cropped short, her features were sharp, and she wore no makeup. When she entered the administration building, she did not glance around. She went straight to the principal's office.

That afternoon, Suguru Geto was called to the office.

When he pushed open the door, the middle-aged woman was sitting across from Masamichi Yaga. Yaga's expression was calm.

"Geto," Yaga said, "this is Ms. Yuki May, head of the Jujutsu Association's Investigation Department."

Yuki May stood and gave Suguru Geto a slight nod. She did not smile.

"Mr. Geto, I'll get straight to the point." Her voice was low. "The Association requires you to report to Tokyo Headquarters by January thirty-first for a comprehensive evaluation. This will include a physical examination, cursed energy testing, a psychological assessment, and a domain demonstration."

She took a document out of her briefcase and pushed it toward Suguru Geto. It was thick, with the Jujutsu Association's emblem printed on the cover.

"If you fail to report by the deadline," Yuki May continued, "the Association will suspend your Special Grade Sorcerer status and send officials to conduct a security inspection of Jujutsu High."

A security inspection. Suguru Geto knew what that meant. They would not be inspecting Jujutsu High. They would be inspecting him. They would send people to take him away from Jujutsu High and lock him up somewhere he knew nothing about.

"Director May," Suguru Geto said, "what happens after the evaluation?"

"After?" Yuki May looked at him. "Afterward, a decision will be made based on the results."

"A decision about what?"

"Whether you are fit to continue serving as a Special Grade Sorcerer."

"Director May," Yaga said in a low voice, "Suguru Geto is my student. I know his physical condition better than you do. The evaluation can be conducted at Jujutsu High. There is no need for him to go to Tokyo."

"Principal Yaga, this is the Association's decision."

"Then tell the Association I don't agree."

Yuki May looked at Yaga for several seconds. Her expression did not change, but Suguru Geto noticed her jaw tighten slightly.

"Principal Yaga," she said, "the Association understands your disagreement. But a security inspection does not require your consent."

Masamichi Yaga stood.

Suguru Geto spoke before he could.

"Director May, I'll go."

Yaga turned to look at him. Yuki May looked at him too.

"Mr. Geto," Yuki May said, "are you certain?"

"Yes."

Yuki May stared at him for two seconds, then nodded. She put the document back into her briefcase, stood, bowed slightly to Yaga, and left the office. The door closed behind her.

Only Suguru Geto and Masamichi Yaga remained in the office.

"You shouldn't have agreed," Yaga said.

"If I didn't, they'd send people here. And those people wouldn't be polite." Suguru Geto sat down in a chair. "If I go, at least I can keep the situation under control."

Yaga looked at him and remained silent for a long time.

"Geto," he said, "do you know what they're trying to do?"

"I do. They want to study the thing inside my body."

"And you're still going?"

Suguru Geto met Yaga's eyes. "Mr. Yaga, if I don't go, they'll turn Jujutsu High upside down. Everyone will get dragged into it. This is my problem. They shouldn't have to shoulder it with me."

"You are my student," Masamichi Yaga said. "Your problems are Jujutsu High's problems."

Suguru Geto said nothing. He simply stood, bowed, and left the office.

Not long afterward, Satoru Gojo found him.

"I heard you're going to Tokyo," Satoru Gojo said.

"Did Mr. Yaga tell you?"

"Shoko told me. Shoko heard it from Nanami. Nanami heard it from Haibara. Haibara overheard it outside the office."

Suguru Geto could not help laughing a little.

"Satoru," he said, "you don't have to come with me."

"I never said I was going."

"You go alone," Satoru Gojo said. "Whatever they want to see, let them see it. The domain demonstration, cursed energy testing, physical examination-let them see it all."

"Aren't you worried they'll lock me up?"

"Geto, how big is that egg inside you now?"

"About the size of three fists."

"After the last treatment?"

"Yes."

Satoru Gojo was silent for a few seconds. "Finish the last treatment before you go to Tokyo."

Suguru Geto nodded.

The time came for the final treatment.

Suguru Geto lay on the infirmary bed, with probes covering his chest and arms. Shoko stood beside him, holding the vial of pale blue medication. Her hand trembled slightly.

"Shoko," Suguru Geto said.

"Yeah?"

"You're nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"Your hand is shaking."

Shoko glanced down at her hand, then set the medication on the bedside table. She clasped her hands together, held them that way for a few seconds, then let go. Her hand had stopped shaking.

"Let's begin," she said.

She injected the medication. Cursed energy poured in through the probes and pushed toward the egg. This time, the egg did not resist. It had already begun contracting on its own before Shoko's cursed energy reached it.

Suguru Geto's cursed energy core was pushed back into its original shape. The egg was compressed to the size of two fists.

Shoko withdrew her cursed energy. She took off her mask and stared at the readings on the monitor, silent for a long time.

"It worked," she said. There was no joy in her voice, only an exhausted calm born of relief.

Suguru Geto sat up on the bed. He could feel the change. The egg was still pulsing, but it no longer squeezed his cursed energy core. That feeling of being stretched too full, on the verge of splitting open, was gone.

"Two fists," Shoko said. "It won't shrink any further. This is the limit."

"That's enough," Suguru Geto said.

He put on his shoes, stood, and walked to the door. Then he stopped.

"Shoko."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Shoko did not answer.

January thirty-first, five in the morning.

Suguru Geto stood at Jujutsu High's main gate, the knife Satoru Gojo had given him tucked into his belt. He had brought no other cursed tools.

The car had already arrived. Yuka Matsumoto stood beside it, holding the device.

"Mr. Geto," Matsumoto said, "I won't be accompanying you today. Someone at Tokyo Headquarters will be assigned to receive you."

Suguru Geto nodded, opened the car door, and sat in the back seat. The engine started, and the car drove away from Jujutsu High.