Chapter 98: Grade 1 Sorcerer
"What proposal?" Ren asked curiously.
Two birds with one stone. Nothing but benefits.
The sales pitch sounded suspiciously like a scam.
Still, human nature was inclined toward opportunity. Even though his instincts warned him that something about this sounded a little too good to be true, Ren couldn't help wanting to hear more.
"Ren-kun, have you ever considered joining Black Bird Security?"
"What?"
"Of course," Mei Mei said, lightly tapping the tabletop, "I'm not suggesting that you leave Jujutsu High."
"Given your current circumstances, you can continue your studies and missions exactly as before."
"What I'm proposing is that you join our company as a Special Consultant."
"Besides receiving the standard compensation from company operations, you would also receive an additional 15% commission on contracts, as well as 5% company equity."
"Furthermore-"
She smiled faintly.
"As a gesture of good faith, both I and the Grade 1 sorcerers working under me would jointly recommend you for promotion, allowing you to officially begin the process of becoming a Grade 1 Sorcerer."
"A Grade 1 Sorcerer...?"
"Mm."
Mei Mei nodded gracefully.
"If I remember correctly, you're still officially classified as a Grade 2 Sorcerer."
"However..."
"You defeated Grade 1 Sorcerer Aoi Todo during your time at Kyoto Jujutsu High."
"You cornered a Special Grade Curse during the Event."
"And afterward, you participated in the extermination of Special Grade-level threats in both Niigata and Yasohachi Bridge."
"Judging by your accomplishments, your actual combat ability surpassed Grade 1 long ago."
"To be frank, even among Grade 1 sorcerers, you would rank among the elite."
She folded her hands together.
"So..."
"Do you know how promotion to Grade 1 Sorcerer actually works?"
Ren shook his head.
"I don't."
Mei Mei seemed unsurprised.
"Most students don't."
"After all, the promotion system is usually handled by the higher-ups and senior sorcerers."
She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.
"Under normal circumstances, a candidate must first receive recommendations from multiple Grade 1 sorcerers."
"Once approved, they enter a probationary evaluation period."
"During that time, they're assigned a series of missions that would ordinarily be entrusted to a Grade 1 sorcerer."
"If they demonstrate sufficient judgment, capability, and consistency while completing those assignments, the promotion is formally approved."
"Simple in theory."
"But in practice, the recommendation stage alone eliminates many candidates."
"After all, Grade 1 sorcerers don't casually stake their reputation on someone else's future."
Her visible eye narrowed slightly.
"Which is precisely why my recommendation carries value."
"Not just mine."
"The recommendations of several Grade 1 sorcerers at once."
She paused deliberately.
"Ren-kun, your strength isn't the issue."
"The issue is whether the system is willing to acknowledge it."
Ren considered her words for a moment.
"What exactly do you gain from all this?"
Mei Mei laughed softly.
"A very sensible question."
"I told you already."
"I'm a businesswoman."
"I don't invest in people because of friendship."
"I invest in people because I expect returns."
She pointed a finger at him.
"And you're an exceptionally promising investment."
"Talent. Strength. Potential."
"Most importantly..."
A knowing smile appeared on her lips.
"You're still cheap."
Ren's eyebrow twitched.
"Cheap?"
"Compared to what you'll be worth in a few years?"
"Yes."
Mei Mei answered without the slightest embarrassment.
"Recruiting an established Special Grade-level sorcerer is expensive."
"Recruiting someone before they reach that stage is far more economical."
She lifted her coffee cup and took a leisurely sip.
"So tell me, Ren-kun."
"Would you like to become a Grade 1 Sorcerer?"
"And get rich while you're at it?"
Ren had only ever heard Utahime-sensei mention that the process of becoming a Grade 1 sorcerer was both complicated and extremely demanding. That was why, despite possessing Grade 1-level strength from the very beginning of his enrollment, he had still been officially classified as a Grade 2 sorcerer.
"To become a Grade 1 sorcerer," Mei Mei explained, "you must first receive a joint recommendation from two sorcerers of Grade 1 or higher. After that, you participate in several missions alongside a Grade 1 sorcerer-or someone of equivalent capability. If your performance meets the required standard, you are promoted to Semi-Grade 1."
"Then comes the final stage."
"You must complete a Grade 1 mission independently."
"Only after succeeding can you officially be recognized as a Grade 1 sorcerer."
She took a sip of coffee before continuing.
"For someone like you, the solo Grade 1 mission is hardly a challenge. The accomplishments I listed earlier already surpass the difficulty of ordinary Grade 1 assignments by a considerable margin."
"The truly troublesome part for you is the very first step."
"Obtaining recommendations."
"Given enough time, that wouldn't be a problem. But as someone who only recently entered Jujutsu High, you probably don't yet have the connections necessary to secure recommendations from two Grade 1 sorcerers, do you?"
Ren lowered his gaze in thought.
The first person who came to mind was Utahime-sensei.
Then he immediately remembered that Utahime herself was still stuck at Semi-Grade 1.
His thoughts shifted to his nominal mentor-Yuki Tsukumo.
"Miss Yuki Tsukumo is a Special Grade," Mei Mei said.
The visible eye peeking through her silver bangs seemed almost capable of reading his thoughts.
"Generally speaking, Special Grade sorcerers don't personally recommend candidates for Grade 1 promotion. It's considered beneath their station."
"That's a task usually left to Grade 1 sorcerers."
"Besides," she added with a faint smile, "your mentor's relationship with Jujutsu High isn't exactly harmonious."
"Of course, if you begged her, she'd probably agree eventually."
"But it would place her in an awkward position."
"And frankly, relying on your own teacher's recommendation to achieve promotion wouldn't reflect particularly well on either of you."
Her words completely extinguished any lingering thought Ren had of asking Yuki for help.
He knew she was subtly steering him toward her desired conclusion.
Yet she wasn't entirely wrong.
If he had to trouble his teacher over something as straightforward as this...
Even if Yuki never said a word, she'd probably feel at least a little disappointed in him.
That left only two Grade 1 sorcerers he knew personally.
Aoi Todo.
And Kento Nanami.
Todo...
It felt awkward to approach him and say:
"I just beat you, a Grade 1 sorcerer, therefore I believe I'm qualified to become Grade 1 myself. Could you kindly overlook that and recommend me?"
That conversation sounded terrible no matter how he imagined it.
As for Nanami-
They had only met through a mission.
Their acquaintance was still far too shallow for such a request.
In short, the silver-haired woman had accurately identified his weakness.
For all his strength, he truly lacked the necessary connections.
"Grade 1 sorcerers are the backbone of the jujutsu world," Mei Mei continued, observing his contemplation.
"Their importance."
"Their access to classified information."
"Their compensation-"
When she reached the word compensation, a bright gleam flashed through her visible eye.
She also noticed, with remarkable precision, that the same word had caused a spark of interest to appear in Ren's eyes.
"Everything about them exists on a completely different level from sorcerers below Semi-Grade 1."
She leaned forward slightly.
"You already possess the strength of a Grade 1 sorcerer."
"Are you truly content remaining a Grade 2 indefinitely?"
Ren raised his head.
Then he asked the most direct question possible.
"So what's the price, Miss Mei Mei?"
"What exactly would I have to give in exchange for your recommendation-and this supposedly lucrative employment contract?"
"The price?"
Mei Mei stared at him for several moments.
A strange excitement flickered in her eye.
"Is that question surprising?"
Ren replied calmly.
"There's no such thing as a free lunch."
"Everything you've offered so far benefits me."
"A complete stranger doesn't provide that kind of assistance out of pure generosity."
"No."
Mei Mei covered her lips and laughed softly.
Then she shook her head.
"You've got a good head on your shoulders, young man."
"I like that."
"And you're correct."
"There is a price."
"But perhaps I haven't explained myself clearly enough."
She pointed at him.
"The price is you."
Ren blinked.
"What?"
"In simple terms, we appreciate your talent."
"We need you."
"I believe your participation would create a mutually beneficial partnership."
"Nothing more."
She crossed her legs elegantly.
"Do you remember what I said earlier?"
"One of my goals at the exchange event was to identify future business partners."
"What I'm looking for is a very specific type of person."
"Someone with considerable potential."
"Someone capable of becoming one of the strongest Grade 1 sorcerers."
"Someone who can provide powerful technical support and combat capability to Black Bird International Security, helping the company grow in the future."
She paused.
"Preferably, that person should also come from a relatively ordinary background."
"Because that ensures they possess sufficient motivation."
"Motivation to pursue wealth."
"Motivation to improve their status."
"Motivation to work tirelessly toward a better life."
"That means our goals naturally align."
Her smile widened slightly.
"Someone like Gojo is unsuitable."
"His talent is unparalleled."
"But as the head of one of the Three Great Families, he has no interest whatsoever in the mundane pursuit of wealth that motivates ordinary people like us."
Then she looked directly into Ren's eyes.
"After evaluating you for some time, Ren-kun, I've concluded that you perfectly fit our recruitment profile."
"Your financial situation is rather average."
"That convinces me we share a similar appreciation for money."
"And your talent exceeds even our most optimistic expectations."
"In my personal opinion..."
She paused deliberately.
"You possess the potential to become a Special Grade sorcerer someday."
The statement hung in the air.
Then Mei Mei slid a contract across the table.
Taking another elegant sip of coffee, she smiled.
The crimson curve of her lips seemed almost hypnotic.
"So."
"If you're wondering what we hope to gain from this partnership-"
She tapped the contract lightly.
"What we want..."
"Is you."
"Only you."
"And nothing else."