An information deal

The rest area after the match.

Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto were arguing over who had taken down more cursed spirits. They had not even asked about the two Kyoto students who had been carried out.

"Hey, Shunchen!"

Satoru Gojo suddenly turned, his sunglasses slipping down his nose as his azure eyes fixed on the doll on Li Shunchen's shoulder.

"Miss Mei just sent me the recording. That monkey of yours is pretty nasty."

"Satoru, was that supposed to be a compliment?"

Suguru Geto handed you a bottle of water with a helpless look.

"But it really does qualify as Semi-Grade 1 combat strength, harassing the enemy and using hit-and-run tactics with a midrange extending weapon without relying on contact with its main body."

"Let me borrow it next time. Poking Utahime's head with that staff would be fun."

Satoru Gojo whistled.

You took the water and managed a smile.

"If you like it, Satoru, I can make one for you."

In the eyes of these two geniuses, the trump card you had poured all your effort into making was, at best, an "amusing prank toy." That was the gap between you.

"Um, I have something to take care of. I'll step away for a bit."

Li Shunchen did not continue participating in their humblebragging conversation and turned toward a corner of the rest area.

A tall woman with long white hair sat on a bench there, holding a calculator, seemingly checking the returns on her investments.

In this Jujutsu Society, Mei Mei was the most reliable information broker, provided you had the money.

"Oh? Aren't you the first-year who did quite well just now?"

Mei Mei looked up, a meaningful smile on her lips.

"Want my autograph? These aren't my business hours, but since you just helped me win a bet on the underdog, I can give you a discount."

Without wasting words, you took a bankbook from your pocket. It contained all the savings he had accumulated from missions over the past year, and you gently placed it on the table in front of Mei Mei.

"Miss Mei, I'd like to buy some information."

Your voice was low but exceptionally firm.

Mei Mei raised an eyebrow and pressed her slender fingers against the bankbook. After opening it for a quick look at the figure inside, her gaze sharpened.

"How interesting. With this much money, it seems you aren't here to ask something boring like what Satoru Gojo likes to eat."

You took a deep breath and looked through your glasses straight at the woman who reeked of money.

"I want to know everything about the Sorcerer Killer. Information on the man who left the Zenin Clan and should currently be named Toji Zenin."

Mei Mei's fingers paused slightly on the card. She dropped her professional smile and regarded you as though examining a rare animal.

"A good little first-year still in school, asking about that Heavenly Tyrant? He's a mad dog even curse users don't care to provoke lightly."

Mei Mei made no attempt to conceal her curiosity about where you had learned of him or why you wanted information about him.

But it went no further than that. Her professional ethics meant it did not affect the transaction itself.

You had already learned this during the previous simulations, and that was precisely why this transaction had come about.

"You don't need to concern yourself with that, Miss Mei. You just need to tell me everything about him in as much detail as possible."

Mei Mei fell silent for a few seconds, then chuckled and briskly put away the bankbook.

"All right. I can tell you some of it now."

You sat down beside Mei Mei and listened carefully to what she said next.

"I don't know where you heard about him, so I'll start from the beginning."

You nodded slightly to indicate that was fine.

"Although Toji Zenin is known as the Sorcerer Killer, he's actually unwelcome in the Zenin Clan."

You did not ask why Toji Zenin was unwelcome, because your first simulation had already made the reason clear to you.

It was because Toji Zenin possessed a Heavenly Restriction. The price of his supreme physique was having no cursed energy whatsoever, and that lack of cursed energy was the root of his rejection.

Even being powerful enough to earn the name Sorcerer Killer would not win him the slightest recognition within the Zenin Clan.

At that moment, you asked a question that seemingly had nothing to do with Toji Zenin.

"I know the Zenin Clan is one of the Three Great Families alongside the Gojo Clan and the Kamo Clan. Does that mean they have strength to rival the Gojo Clan? In other words, do they have the power to contend with Satoru Gojo?"

First the Sorcerer Killer, Toji Zenin, and then a comparison between the Gojo and Zenin Clans-even Mei Mei was having trouble following your train of thought.

"Strictly speaking, that question falls outside our deal, but since this is our first time working together, consider it a free bonus."

Mei Mei paused before answering your question.

"The Zenin Clan once had the power to contend with a sorcerer who possessed both the Six Eyes and Limitless, but they no longer have that capability. Though I can't give you a definite answer, the current Zenin Clan probably doesn't have the ability to stand against Satoru Gojo."

That answer did not clear things up for you. Instead, it left you even more confused.

In the previous simulation, although you did not know how it had happened, it was an indisputable fact that Toji Zenin had nearly killed Satoru Gojo.

You had always placed Toji Zenin's strength extremely close to Satoru Gojo's.

Yet someone that powerful had actually been ostracized by his own family.

Your straightforward values made that difficult to understand. Until now, you had always assumed your knowledge of the Zenin Clan was insufficient, and that they probably still had some terrifying trump card you knew nothing about.

"Wasn't Toji Zenin dissatisfied with being treated that way? Didn't he fight back?"

"Not as far as I know. But he's already left the Zenin Clan, and for now, you could call him a curse user who occasionally operates alone."

"Occasionally operates alone...?"

"The jobs he takes are all fairly difficult. That's how he got the name Sorcerer Killer. But he likes gambling, and his luck seems pretty bad, so he's rather short of money."

"Gambling... short of money..."

You muttered to yourself, suddenly getting a few ideas. But it was probably too late this time. Perhaps you would have to wait until next time to try them.