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Chapter 88: The September Vow and the First Interception
Kaguya Shinomiya sat in the back of the luxury sedan, her mind racing through the tactical advice Umaru had shared in the chat. According to the "Protagonist Theory," the lead character of a story usually possessed an aura of abnormal determination or a unique physique.
She glanced at Kasumi Miwa through the rearview mirror. While Kasumi was certainly prettier than the average girl, she lacked the "heroine" energy Kaguya sensed in Miko. In the Jujutsu world, where staying sane was considered a superpower, Kasumi seemed a bit too... normal.
Beside her, Kasumi was still buzzing with excitement from her photo session with Satoru Gojo. She eventually snapped out of it, looking at Kaguya with an apologetic, albeit slightly insincere, expression.
"Ah, you don't need to see me off, Kaguya-san. Since my mission to recruit you for Kyoto has technically failed, I should head back and report the situation," Kasumi said.
Kaguya detected the flicker of hesitation. To her, it looked like Kasumi was worried about being disciplined by her school. "My choice caused your mission to fail, Sannowa-senpai. If the school gives you any trouble, please contact me immediately. Our Four Palaces House may be new to the Jujutsu world, but we will compensate you for any losses."
"It's okay, really!" Kasumi squeaked, waving her hands frantically. "At most, the Principal will yell at me. It won't affect my subsidy. Besides, I haven't even touched the travel funds the school gave me. That's enough for my family's expenses for half a month!"
Gratitude was a cornerstone of the Shinomiya creed. Kaguya already had five different plans to quietly funnel wealth into Kasumi's household. Last time, she had tried to help Ruri Gokou, only for that lucky mouse Jerry to beat her to it. This time, she would be the one to provide.
"I won't hold back at the exchange event in September," Kasumi encouraged, her eyes sparkling with newfound resolve. "You have to work hard until then!"
Kasumi was thinking of her Diary. With the Reading Values she could earn, she planned to sever the Binding Vow of the New Shadow Style that was currently draining her life. By September, she wouldn't be "Useless Miwa" anymore.
Kaguya nodded, her eyes equally determined. "I'll let you witness my growth."
As they parted ways, both their Diaries trembled in unison.
Exclusive Request: In the school exchange event in September, defeat your rival (Sannowa Kasumi / Kaguya Shinomiya) in direct confrontation. Reward: Special B-Rank Reward or higher.
Kaguya was stunned. An exclusive request triggered by a verbal agreement? She quickly checked with Miko, who had received nothing. It seemed the "Rivalry" mechanic was specific to her. She accepted immediately. If she had to surpass her senior to grow, so be it.
However, as the car pulled away, a much darker notification flashed across her screen.
System Alert: An unaccepted request in your bar has been completed by someone else. Penalty for failure will execute in 60 seconds. Please prepare.
"What?" Kaguya gasped.
While Kaguya dealt with the fallout of the "Interception," Kasumi Miwa was oblivious to the chaos she had caused. She had seen the A+ rank commission for the Three Fox Valley Shrine in her Diary and, knowing she couldn't handle a Grade 1 Curse alone, decided to take the "honest" route.
She found Gojo Satoru lounging in the school courtyard. "Mr. Gojo, I... I'm worried about Sukuna. And there's this shrine..."
Gojo looked at her, his blindfold tilting curiously. "Sukuna, huh? You're the first student from conservative Kyoto to bring that up. Interested in transferring to Tokyo? I give better advice than Gakuganji."
Kasumi blushed and declined, citing loyalty to her school. Gojo didn't push, instead explaining the grim reality of Sukuna's twenty fingers. "The Jujutsu higher-ups got lazy during the 'mysterious decline' last century. Now that energy is recovering, those fingers are becoming magnets for disaster. If a curse eats all twenty... well, we'd have a brand new King of Curses on our hands."
Kasumi's mind flashed to the Diary's entry about Gojo being cut in half. She felt a surge of protectiveness. "Please, Mr. Gojo, guard the fingers you have. Don't let him come back!"
"I've got it covered, Kasumi-chan. I'm the strongest, remember?" Gojo chirped, though he seemed pleased by her earnestness.
Kasumi then mentioned the Three Fox Valley Shrine. Gojo's demeanor shifted slightly. "That place? That's a Shinto headache. It was an orthodox Inari Shrine two centuries ago, dedicated to the 'God of Three Foxes.'"
He explained how the human world's disconnection from the gods during the "Decline" had turned many shrines into hollow shells. To maintain the seal on an ancient demon trapped beneath the Three Fox Valley, the divine messengers had turned to human sacrifice—one soul every few years to keep the darkness at bay.
"The Shinto priests usually sacrifice their own elderly to keep it quiet," Gojo said, his voice cold. "But if you noticed something wrong, it means the recovery is making the demon restless. It's hungry for fresh souls from the outside."
He patted Kasumi's head. "I'll have the Principal talk to the Shinto higher-ups. You were smart to stay away. The messengers guarding that place are Grade 1 or higher. You wouldn't have stood a chance."
Kasumi beamed, unaware that by giving this information to Gojo, the Diary had registered the "Investigation of the Shrine" as a completed task. Because she had the task in her "Second Batch" bar, she received the points—and because Kaguya hadn't accepted it yet, the system marked it as a failure for the "Senior" team.
Renji Miyauchi, watching the data flow through his Master Diary from his villa, rubbed his temples.
"Jerry," Renji sighed. "The 'Useless Miwa' just accidentally robbed the 'Ice Queen.' Kaguya is about to get hit with a penalty, and she has no idea why."
He looked at the penalty execution timer. One minute.
"Let's see what the Diary considers a 'failure' for someone of Kaguya's status," Renji murmured, his eyes glowing with the faint light of the Pure Yang Body.