A few days had passed since then.
Life at Jujutsu High continued as it usually did, at least on the surface. Beneath that thin layer of routine, however, tension was steadily mounting. Public unrest had worsened, and with it came a sharp rise in cursed spirits. More curses meant more missions. And more missions meant more casualties among sorcerers.
Yaga still conducted classes whenever he could, maintaining a semblance of structure, while Gojo and Geto complained endlessly about the ever-growing tide of curses flooding the field.
Night had fallen.
Though the dorms were meant to be quiet, a dim light glowed within the common room. Four figures faced one another, perfectly awake despite the late hour.
Reiji sat cross-legged on the floor, his posture straight and focused. Geto stood nearby with a grim expression, with his arms folded. Gojo lounged lazily atop a bean bag, legs sprawled and sunglasses still firmly planted on his face even at night. Shoko occupied a chair by the table, leaning back with visible exhaustion.
Reiji broke the silence.
"A few minutes ago," he said seriously, "I received a message from the old man."
That was enough to earn him their attention.
"He used his connections within jujutsu society to locate the ancient sorcerer from St. Luke's Hospital."
Shoko stiffened slightly. The subject was heavy; but not heavy enough to outweigh her desire for sleep after a long day.
Gojo groaned loudly.
"Haaah? You dragged us out here for that?"
He adjusted his sunglasses irritably.
"Tch… what are we even supposed to do with that information? Go subdue him?" He scoffed. "We've already got our hands full protecting non-sorcerers. The number of curses these days is no joke."
Geto shot him a sharp glare, his usual composure cracking for just a moment.
"Sorcerers exist to protect non-sorcerers, Satoru," he said firmly. "Survival of the weakest… That's how it should be."
"I know, I know," Gojo replied, waving him off. His reluctance and irritation were unmistakable.
Geto turned to Reiji.
"He does have a point, though. There's no way the higher-ups would allow us to act independently."
Shoko chimed in lazily, her voice flat.
"I've heard rumours that they're trying to involve the special-grade sorcerer Yuki Tsukumo."
Reiji waited patiently as everyone voiced their concerns.
When the room finally quieted, he spoke again.
"All of that is true," he said calmly. "But I don't think we should wait for the higher-ups to act first."
"Oh?" Gojo leaned forward, sudden interest lighting up his face.
"I think we should try to talk to him," Reiji continued. "We should negotiate... Or at least have a conversation."
Geto sighed deeply as Gojo burst out laughing.
Shoko's usual nonchalance cracked just slightly.
"…Is that your grand plan, Reiji?"
Reiji nodded, scratching the back of his head with a faint, embarrassed smile.
"Well yeah."
Geto studied him seriously. After a moment of thought, something seemed to click.
"Do you think the recent increase in curses has something to do with him?"
Reiji nodded without hesitation.
"Yes. His reaction when that thing appeared… it was true fear." He paused. "We've all fought him. We know he's strong. Strong enough that intimidation shouldn't work on him at all."
Gojo's grin faded slightly.
"That fear tells me there's more going on than the higher-ups realize," Reiji continued. "We need to get to the bottom of this."
Geto closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.
"There's no way the higher-ups would approve negotiations after the destruction he caused at the hospital." He opened his eyes. "Which means…"
Reiji finished the thought.
"We do this ourselves. And we keep the higher-ups out of it."
Shoko clapped once, amused.
"Wow. That actually is a grand plan."
Gojo stretched and stood up, groaning theatrically.
"So, who's ready to sneak out of Jujutsu High and beat up an ancient geezer with the most handsome sorcerer alive; Gojo Satoru?"
Geto covered his face with his palm, suffering visibly from second-hand embarrassment.
Shoko raised both hands enthusiastically.
Reiji sighed.
"We're not beating anyone, Satoru," Geto said flatly.
Gojo stuck his tongue out at him and wandered off to change out of his pajamas.
Before following, Geto turned back to Reiji.
"You do realize this could end very badly for us, right?"
Reiji stood up before replying.
"I do… But it's better than letting the higher-ups make things worse by interfering with something they don't understand."
Geto nodded once before leaving.
Reiji turned to Shoko.
"This could get dangerous. Are you sure you want to come?"
She replied evenly, already standing.
"I can't let you idiots mess this up."
Reiji smiled faintly as he headed back toward his room.
They would regroup in a few minutes and slip out of Jujutsu High under cover of night.
********************************
The moon shone brightly in the night sky, vast and indifferent in its quiet brilliance.
A cool breeze slipped between the buildings below, whistling softly as it brushed against concrete and glass. There was a faint hum as though the city itself were breathing in its sleep.
Aurelia sat alone on the rooftop of her apartment building.
Her hair... usually bound into neat, disciplined braids, was loose tonight. Luscious amber locks spilled freely over her shoulders and pooled gently in her lap, unrestrained and untouched by routine. She was still dressed in her office suit, immaculate and formal, as if she had returned from work only to sit there and remain unmoving for hours.
She drew her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them tightly. Her posture was closed and guarded. Her gaze remained fixed on the moon above, unreadable, distant; with her eyes reflecting light but revealing nothing.
The wind stirred again.
It brushed through her hair, lifting a few strands and catching them in the moonlight. Amber shimmered into softer hues, glinting briefly with warmth before settling once more.
The serenity of the scene did not last.
Almost imperceptibly, melancholy seeped into her expression. The sharp composure she carried at all times loosened, replaced by something fragile and tired.
She lifted a hand and removed her glasses.
Sadness lingered within her eyes, deep and ancient, etched into her gaze like a curse.
She had waited too long.
Searched too long.
And with every passing moment of her life, she had felt her heart shatter again and again, until nothing whole remained to be broken.
In her quiet despair, she spoke to the moon.
"When will you come back to me?"
Her voice was soft, barely louder than the wind.
A single tear gathered at the corner of her eye. As it formed, a few strands of her hair began to pale… shifting subtly into a light, silvery gray. They were shining faintly as she allowed herself… to feel, just for an instant.
"When will you hold me again…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"…my beloved."
The tear finally slipped free, tracing a slow path down her cheek.
Then another followed.
And another.
Soon, tears streamed freely down her face, uncontrolled and unhidden. She made no effort to wipe them away. She simply stared upward; her eyes locked onto the moon as if pleading for an answer that would never come.
The moment lingered.
Then, just as suddenly as it had arrived, it passed.
The silver in her hair dulled, fading back into its familiar stark amber. The light left her eyes as her breathing steadied.
Her expression hardened.
Sorrow vanished completely, replaced by a blank, unfeeling smile. Perfectly composed and perfectly hollow.
Aurelia slipped her glasses back into place.
And once again, nothing remained.
*******************************************
The first-years of Jujutsu High moved together in uneasy unison toward the vast expanse of Shinjuku Gyoen.
The garden stretched endlessly before them, a dark sea of trees, pathways, and hidden clearings swallowed by moonlight and shadows alike. At night, the city's distant hum felt muted here.
"Of all the places in Japan," Gojo muttered, hands stuffed deep into his pockets, shoulders slightly hunched, "he decides to camp out in one of the largest gardens."
Reiji nodded slowly, eyes scanning the darkness ahead.
"That is… puzzling, to say the least." he agreed, though his tone suggested he felt there was something deliberate about it.
Shoko exhaled a thin plume of smoke, lazily pulling her cigar from her mouth. The ember glowed briefly before dimming again.
Geto shot her a sharp, disapproving look but said nothing about it. Instead, his voice remained calm and even.
"He must have his reasons."
After that, silence claimed them.
Their footsteps were the only sound as they passed deeper into the garden, weaving through winding paths and dense foliage. Trees towered overhead, their canopies blotting out parts of the sky. The air felt heavier here… pressing against their lungs with a subtle insistence.
Eventually, they entered a particular clearing.
Moonlight spilled faintly into the space, just enough to illuminate the tall grass swaying gently in the night breeze. At the center of it all, sat a lone figure.
M'khoro.
He was seated in a meditative posture; his massive frame still and grounded, as though he was a monument that had been carved from the earth itself. The tall grass around him bent naturally, forming a loose ring, as if instinctively giving him space.
Gojo, Geto, and Reiji stopped several meters away.
Shoko lingered farther back.
Then the giant of a man finally opened his eyes.
They were dark, and immeasurably deep. He regarded the four sorcerers with a calmness that had been cultivated out of rage.
Somehow, he already understood why they had come.
People did not seek him out in the dead of night unless they were cornered and desperate after all.
A low, imperceptible tension settled over the clearing.
M'khoro drew in a steady breath.
The grass stilled in response and the wind quieted.
All four sorcerers felt it.
A premonition crawled up their spines, cold and unmistakable.
M'khoro parted his lips as if to speak; then paused.
His gaze drifted upward, toward the moon hanging silently above them, before returning to the figures before him.
At last, when he spoke, his voice carried a controlled weight, laced with something dreadful beneath the surface.
"You stand at the edge of something you do not comprehend," he continued. "And you fear what moves beyond the limits of your vision."
His eyes lingered briefly on Reiji.
Then he spoke again…
"Tell me," M'khoro intoned,
"Have you come seeking knowledge of the one who bends the world…?"