Out with the old, in with the new

Just as everyone was enjoying the conversation and the relaxed atmosphere, the clear, rhythmic click of high heels approached from the far end of the corridor.

Click, click, click.

The footsteps were unhurried, carrying a distinctive rhythm. Everyone fell silent as one and turned toward the sound.

It was Mei Mei, who had split off earlier to gather and reassure the other Sorcerers at Jujutsu Headquarters.

She approached with an elegant catwalk strut, her hips swaying gently with each step. Rather than walking through a grim site that had just undergone a change of power, she seemed to be on a runway beneath the spotlights, striking a precise pose with every step and exuding the poise and charm of a mature woman.

Toshihisa Negi and Manami Sugata followed silently beside her, each carrying a stack of documents sealed in manila envelopes.

Mei Mei came up to them, swept her gaze over the now rather quiet group, and curled her red lips into a smile, openly letting out a low, amused chuckle.

"Well, well, I just saw quite a show." Her voice brimmed with teasing. "That boy from the Zenin Clan, Naoya-wasn't he an arrogant young brat who thought everyone was beneath him? Since when did he... become the comic relief?"

"Hm? What did he do now?" Satoru Gojo immediately perked up, his eyes gleaming behind his sunglasses.

As long as the conversation wasn't focused on him, he didn't care who it was about.

Toshihisa Negi, who had returned with Mei Mei, explained:

"He seemed to be calling his family.

"I remember the head of the Zenin Clan has quite a few children. Naoya is only one of them.

"He was... uh, very enthusiastically 'selling' Mr. Dio to his brothers and sisters, insisting that every single one of them attend in three days. No exceptions."

Mei Mei had clearly found it memorable. She even cleared her throat lightly and adjusted her posture before taking over, imitating Naoya Zenin's tone and expression.

She straightened her back, raised her chin slightly, planted one hand on her hip, and held the other to her ear as though gripping a phone. Her voice abruptly rose, taking on that arrogant yet inexplicably excited tone:

"'Mom, the era of the Three Great Families is over! Lord Dio's era is next!'

"'My foolish little sister!

"'Challenge him? With your pathetic skills, you dare put yourself on Lord Dio's level? What a joke!

"'Even without cursed energy, he could beat you to your knees and drag you home to be his sex slave!'

"'My foolish elder brother, remember to arrive at the meeting on time!

"'What? You can't even beat me, much less catch a glimpse of Lord Dio's back!

"'Watch what you say and do at the meeting. Don't disgrace our Zenin Clan in front of thousands of people!'

"'My foolish little brother!

"'The only person worthy of standing beside the supreme Lord Dio is me, the future head of the Zenin Clan!

"'You lot? Hmph, you're twenty thousand years too early!'"

Mei Mei's imitation was uncanny. She even perfectly captured that subtle expression blending arrogance, adoration, and an inexplicable sense of superiority.

Once she finished, she was the first to lose control, doubling over and bursting into loud, unrestrained laughter.

"Hahahaha! You should have seen him! He was like a rabid fan trying to sell his idol to the whole world!"

Everyone: "..."

A brief, somewhat awkward silence settled over the scene.

The corner of Dio's mouth twitched, and he raised a hand to press between his brows.

Even with his experience and composure, such undisguised, even excessive "adoration" left him feeling indescribably awkward.

"With that conspicuous dyed-blond hair," Dio finally said, sounding a little helpless and puzzled, "I thought he was just some flashy young punk chasing trends... I never imagined he was such a rabid fanboy on the inside."

He shook his head, momentarily at a loss for how to judge this Zenin Clan young master's sudden "transformation."

"All right, we shouldn't linger here." Dio waved a hand as though dispersing the lingering smell of blood and decay. "Arrange for people to clean this place up, then renovate it completely. I have just one requirement-"

He surveyed the deep, secluded Japanese-style room, once a symbol of the old authority and now left in shambles. His voice was clear and decisive:

"It must be spacious, bright, and modern.

"As for the style-Bauhaus, near-futuristic, minimalist... it doesn't matter.

"What matters is that everyone who walks in can feel that the times have truly changed."

"Why not just tear it down and build an entirely new building?"

Satoru Gojo tilted his head, offering a more radical suggestion.

"Patching things up on the old foundations feels like it's missing some of the ceremony of 'out with the old, in with the new.' Wouldn't starting fresh be better?"

Dio glanced at him and posed a practical question in a flat tone. "...Are you paying?"

"Sure!" Satoru Gojo immediately brightened, pointing a thumb at himself with a smile so radiant it was practically showing off.

"I'll pay! The Gojo Clan has been sitting on that fortune for years. We might as well find a 'legitimate,' 'high-profile' reason to spend it and help build the new order."

He gave an affected sigh, though his tone betrayed his eager satisfaction.

"Well, well, who would have thought that one day I, Satoru Gojo, would willingly reach into my own pocket for this sort of 'prestige project'...

"Honestly, before I knew it, I became a 'political animal' who has to think about these things too."

"But-" He abruptly changed tack, a mischievous gleam flashing in his eyes. "If the new building is built with my money, I get to name it!

"How about... 'Satoru's Heart Hall'? Or 'Infinite Light Tower'?

"Tsk, those both seem a little too obvious..."

"Satoru, that's enough."

Suguru Geto smiled helplessly and cut short his flights of fancy.

"What that old man said at the end was actually right.

"It's not that you don't understand the twists and turns of human nature or the games of power.

"You simply don't want to understand-or rather, you think it's beneath you. You've been playing deaf and dumb all along.

"Now that you're stepping into the spotlight, there are certain rules you still need to follow."

He paused, then offered a safer suggestion.

"I think we should just call the new building 'Jujutsu Headquarters.'

"It's simple and clear, retains the functional name, and won't cause unnecessary misunderstandings or controversy.

"Other... flashy names would only distract from the point."

Seeing that Satoru Gojo still wanted to argue, Suguru Geto smiled, clapped his hands, and changed the subject.

"All right, let's leave that discussion for now. Break it up, everyone. We all have work to do.

"As for the wedding invitations... once this general assembly concludes successfully and the dust has settled, I'll personally deliver one to each of you."