A luxury villa in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
As soon as he pushed open the front door, a rich aroma of soup stock wafted toward him.
Yamada changed out of his leather boots and casually hung his trench coat on the coat rack.
"You're back?"
A female voice sounded from the direction of the kitchen.
Shinobu was wearing a modern-style slim-fit sweater and a pink apron, carrying a clay pot as she walked out.
In twelve years, the absolute laws of the Miniature Divine Realm had kept her looking as youthful as she did at eighteen or nineteen.
But having lived in modern society for so long, she had long since adapted to daily life here, and even her cooking skills had integrated many essences of modern Japanese cuisine.
"Sukiyaki. It's freshly stewed, go wash your hands." Shinobu placed the clay pot on the long dining table and looked up at him, her eyes full of smiles.
"Smells good."
Yamada walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder, and took a deep breath of the familiar wisteria fragrance from her hair.
"It's raining outside, smells musty. The smell of home is better."
"Stop being so smooth-tongued." Shinobu's neck felt a bit itchy from his proximity, and she playfully slapped his hand away.
"Where's Toji-san? He didn't come back with you?"
"He went to the basement. That guy has been obsessed with buying fitness equipment online lately, he's probably unboxing a delivery right now." Yamada pulled out a chair and sat down.
The two enjoyed a rare quiet dinner. The beef bubbled in the boiling broth, making an inviting gurgling sound.
Just as the dinner was coming to an end.
Outside the villa's floor-to-ceiling windows, a blinding blue light suddenly flashed.
Immediately after, the glass door of the living room was pushed open from the outside.
"Yo! Eating Sukiyaki late at night and not inviting me. That's way too distant, Yamada." Satoru strode in swaggeringly.
The black blindfold on his face had been removed, and his Six Eyes appeared exceptionally sharp in the bright light.
Shinobu put down her bowl and chopsticks, her brow furrowing slightly. She never had a good look for this white-haired man who always barged in and had a terrible personality.
"We didn't prepare a place for you, Gojo-san."
"Don't be so cold, Shinobu-san. I came all this way to deliver information."
Satoru familiarly pulled out a chair and sat down, casually picking up an orange from the fruit bowl and munching on it.
Yamada leaned back in his chair, looking at Satoru, who was radiating an undisguised murderous intent. "Been to see your two precious students?"
"I have."
Satoru crushed the orange in his mouth, the smile on his face vanishing, replaced by a coldness.
"Those rotten oranges among the higher-ups took advantage of my business trip to intentionally withhold information about the Special Grade Cursed Spirit and threw Yuji and the others into the Juvenile Detention Center to die. If you hadn't happened to pass by today, that kid would probably have been forced to release Sukuna and then would have been executed by those old geezers."
The Cursed Energy around Satoru began to dissipate uncontrollably, making the teacups on the table buzz and rattle.
"I almost couldn't help myself just now, wanting to charge straight into the headquarters and kill all those decaying old bones."
"Killing them all is easy."
Yamada wiped his hands with a tissue, his tone indifferent. "But even if you wipe out the current higher-ups, as long as the stale system of the Jujutsu World doesn't change, a new batch of rotten oranges will sit there in a few years. It's just old wine in a new bottle."
"I know." Satoru tilted his head back and let out a long sigh.
For twelve years, he had chosen to stay and teach at Jujutsu High to cultivate a group of strong, thoughtful young sorcerers to replace this corrupt system from within. This required a long time and patience.
But today's events had crossed his bottom line.
"I came to see you to confirm one thing." Satoru sat up straight, his Six Eyes locked onto Yamada.
"You were the one who healed Yuji's hand, right? It wasn't Reverse Cursed Technique, it was a power that can forcibly rewrite the state of life."
"What if it was?" Yamada did not deny it.
"Just how many trump cards are you still hiding?" Satoru laughed, a smile that contained a bit of relief and a bit of fanatical battle intent.
"With you staying in Tokyo, I don't have to worry too much about my students' safety. However..."
Satoru stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked at the night rain outside.
"Sukuna's fingers have begun to resonate frequently, and the activities of Special Grade Cursed Spirits everywhere are becoming more and more frequent. I have a premonition that a conspiracy hidden in the shadows, planned for a long time, is about to surface."
He turned his head and looked at Yamada. "The big show is about to start. Are you ready to enter the game, Yamada?"
Yamada picked up the teacup on the table and finished the last sip of tea. "I have never been a player in the game."
He stood up, and a terrifying pressure that transcended the rules of this world burst forth.
"I am here to overturn the chessboard."