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Chapter 86: The Interview at the Suburban Summit
Yotsuya Miko was already a ball of nerves. It was her first time inside the sprawling, cold elegance of Kaguya Shinomiya's estate, and the intense, suspicious gaze from the Kyoto student, Kasumi, wasn't helping. Kasumi had been staring at her as if trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
Kaguya, however, remained composed. She had no reason to doubt Miko's authenticity. The Mysterious Person had practically written a biography on her, Miko had confessed her plight, and even the aging medium Kamubo had sensed that while Miko was a spiritual void, her eyes were "singularly terrifying."
"Tell her what you've seen, Miko-chan," Kaguya said gently, hoping to break the ice.
As Miko began to describe the grotesque, twisted forms of the spirits—the way they whispered in her ear, the rotting stench of their breath, and the paralyzing fear of pretending they didn't exist—Kasumi's skepticism began to melt. Miko's voice trembled with the kind of raw, genuine trauma that couldn't be faked.
In her explanation, Miko almost mentioned the Diary, but the inherent shielding mechanism between the two generations of holders kept the secret safe.
"She has zero spiritual pressure, yet she sees the high-level 'Kage' clearly? I've never heard of such a thing," Kasumi muttered, her brow furrowed in a deep frown. She eventually sighed, realizing this was beyond her pay grade. "Well, both the Principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High and Satoru Gojo are legends. They'll know what to do with you!"
"Have you really awakened Yin-Yang Eyes? I can't see anything special, you know?"
A man with a white blindfold leaned uncomfortably close to Miko. Even though she couldn't see his eyes, she felt a restless, piercing sensation that made her skin crawl. Beside her, Kasumi was practically vibrating with excitement, desperately trying to maintain her "cool professional" act in front of her idol.
They had driven for over an hour to reach the desolate mountains where the school sat in isolation. Upon arrival, they had bumped into Gojo, who looked like he had just rolled out of bed.
When he heard that Kaguya—the daughter of the Shinomiya zaibatsu—had snubbed Kyoto for his school, the "Strongest" let out a boisterous laugh. "I'm the first-year homeroom teacher this year. Choosing me is just common sense!"
Kaguya maintained a polite, chilly smile. The Mysterious Person was right, she thought. This Kage's personality is a disaster. No wonder his students didn't cry when he died.
Gojo's attention shifted back to Miko. He scrutinized her for a long time before throwing his hands up. "Actually, I have no idea what's wrong with you."
Miko's face fell. Kasumi looked like her world was ending. "But you're the strongest! How can you not know?"
"Strongest doesn't mean a walking encyclopedia, Kasumi-chan," Gojo said, waving a hand. He explained that the century-long "decline of the mysterious" had created a massive gap in knowledge. "Ever since the resurgence began twenty years ago, weird powers like yours have been popping up. A hundred years ago, a Magic Association would have 'Sealing Designated' you—which is just a fancy way of saying they'd pickle you in a jar for research."
Seeing the girls' horrified faces, he clapped his hands. "Just kidding! Those old guys are still trying to figure out their own lost spells. They don't have time to pickle anyone." He turned toward the main building. "The Principal is waiting. I'll take you there. I'd love to have two more cute girls in my class."
"Why do you want to come to Jujutsu High?"
The room was vast and filled with the scent of wood and incense. Masamichi Yaga, the Principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High, sat on the floor surrounded by adorable, if slightly unsettling, stuffed dolls. Despite the cute surroundings, his presence was as heavy as a yakuza enforcer's.
Kaguya stepped forward, but Yaga held up a hand. "I know who you are, Kaguya Shinomiya. I know the ambition in your eyes. Even if I turned you away, you'd find another power to join."
Kaguya's expression tightened. She hadn't expected him to see through her so easily.
"In the Jujutsu world, ambition is the fuel for survival," Gojo added, leaning against a pillar. "And since I'm the strongest teacher here, I can handle whatever fire you're trying to start."
Kaguya forced a smile, though her mind flashed to the Diary's spoiler about Gojo's fate. So much for handling every fire.
Yaga's gaze then settled on Miko. "And you? You possess the most advanced eyes I've heard of, yet you have no desire to be here."
Miko hesitated. "I just want to solve the problem... I want to live a life where I don't have to pretend I can't see those monsters."
"What if I told you I could make it so you never see them again?" Yaga countered.
Miko's eyes lit up. "Can you?"
"Then tell me," Yaga's voice dropped, becoming an oppressive weight in the room. "If the problem is solved, do you have any reason to stay? If you join us, you will see horrors worse than spirits. You will see crime scenes where ordinary people are cursed to death. You will face danger every single day. If you don't have the resolve to see the truth, go back to being an ordinary girl. If you die because of today's choice, I don't want your last thought to be regret."
Yaga subtly infused his words with cursed energy, creating a crushing pressure. Miko's mind raced through her memories—the spirits under her bed, the terrifying entity following her dead father's soul. She was on the verge of trembling, the weight of the decision ready to break her.
But suddenly, a familiar, sharp agitation pulled her back. Her mind cleared instantly as the Diary in her pocket vibrated, shattering Yaga's mental pressure.
Miko took a deep breath, her gaze hardening. "I don't want to regret anything. I want the strength to never have to pretend again."