It was at this moment that Satoru Gojo arrived, fashionably late. Because of course he did.
Before Hakari had even set foot on campus, Gojo had already explained the Exchange Event over the phone. What he had very deliberately not mentioned was Nanami's return to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Now, watching Hakari's expression as he processed everything, Gojo decided the timing was perfect.
"Actually," he said casually, "that Cursed Spirit did more than just that. Both Ijichi and Nanami died at his hands
Hakari froze.
He was a third-year. He had worked alongside Nanami and Ijichi for years. Before mastering his Domain, he had relied on them more than once. Hearing this wasn't just shocking. It hit somewhere personal.
"What? You're saying they also…?"
"Not only did he kill them," Gojo continued, voice steady, eyes sharp, "he ended their lives using non-Cursed Energy methods. They became Cursed Spirits after death."
Hakari's pupils contracted.
"What did you say…? No. Even if someone is killed without Cursed Energy, Ijichi isn't a sorcerer. Logically, that shouldn't—"
"I don't fully understand the mechanism yet," Gojo cut in. "But he has that ability. That's a fact."
Then he delivered the real point.
"So I want you to stay at Tokyo Jujutsu High and assist me. Until I kill him."
There it was again. Not "exorcise."
Kill.
Hakari could feel it. The heat behind Gojo's words. The calculation too. Gojo had shown him everything first, let him absorb it, let the anger settle in his chest.
Refusing now would be almost impossible.
Hakari scratched his head and exhaled.
"Fine. But this is temporary. Once it's over, I'm gone. And I'm not doing this for free."
He rubbed his fingers together in a universal gesture for money.
Gojo didn't even hesitate.
"No problem."
Money was trivial compared to what was at stake.
The Cursed Spirits had multiple players. They could deploy Veils that restricted Gojo's entry. He needed someone powerful enough to survive independently and smart enough not to die stupidly.
After a pause, Hakari asked quietly, "The cursed versions of Ijichi and Nanami… what happened to them?"
Gojo's answer was short.
"They've been exorcised."
No subject. No elaboration.
But Hakari understood exactly who had done it.
He chose not to picture it.
After a moment, he added, "If I'm in a situation where I know I'll die, I'm not throwing my life away."
It wasn't cowardice. It was realism. Even Tsukumo Yuki had fallen during the Exchange Event. That alone proved how high the stakes were.
Gojo waved it off.
"That won't happen. I've called Okkotsu back too."
He wasn't bluffing. If an opportunity presented itself, he would strike with everything he had. No more half-measures. No more waiting for them to make the first move.
If Megumi Fushiguro, Yuji Itadori, Nobara Kugisaki, or the Kyoto students died, the gap in sorcerer strength for the next decade would be catastrophic. Sorcerers were rare to begin with. Losing the next generation would cripple everything.
Once most of Tokyo Jujutsu High's internal affairs were stabilized, the remaining administrative chaos was handed over to Masamichi Yaga. Kyoto staffing issues. Task redistribution. Everyone pulling double duty.
Meanwhile, Gojo headed toward the Higher-Ups.
He had to report the Exchange Event.
He had to justify releasing Yuji Itadori.
He had to explain rehiring Hakari.
And he intended to propose increasing the mission workload for the Special Grade 1 sorcerers of the Big Three Families.
Just imagining the old men's voices made his head ache. But this wasn't optional. There would be arguments. Endless ones.
On the other side, the Cursed Spirits were refreshingly uncomplicated.
They simply continued their plan.
Jogo pressed forward with preparations to fully erupt Mount Fuji. Compared to Mount Miharayama, Fuji was on an entirely different scale. The resources, coordination, and buildup required were exponentially greater.
Fortunately for him, only ordinary humans were monitoring volcanic activity. Electronic equipment couldn't detect Cursed Spirits. Timing wasn't urgent. There was still plenty of space before the scheduled Shibuya Incident.
Hanami and Dagon were undergoing targeted training. Mahito had already identified their structural weaknesses. They focused on refining Domain control and precision.
If things spiraled out of control, Mahito did not exclude the possibility of direct confrontation with Kenjaku and Satoru Gojo.
But before that—
Mahito had preparations of his own.
Holding a phone, he opened a map application. His fingers traced across the screen.
"As for the Tokyo No. 1 Barrier," he murmured, calculating distances, angles, blind spots, "the range should be…"
His smile widened.
Different sides.
Different preparations.
And the city, unaware, continued breathing.
...
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