Time never pauses for anyone, not even for a fraction of a second. The years always strip something away—or else bury something deep within.
Lately, the jujutsu world had grown restless. Under the surface, dark currents churned. Overhead, the skies bore the tense calm before a storm. Even the dullest person could sense something unusual.
Even sorcerers inside Jujutsu High felt its influence. Online forums buzzed daily with arguments—conspiracy theories, shocking rumors, talk of prodigies being born.
With a push from unseen hands, the jujutsu world grew treacherous and unpredictable, veering toward an unknown fate.
Hearts were unsettled.
None of it had anything to do with Minamoto Soujun.
When Yaga Masamichi found him, Soujun was in the middle of single-handedly trouncing Mishima Shiko.
Under Yaga's odd gaze, and Shiko's twisted expression, Soujun calmly smoothed the wrinkles of his clothes and went to the kitchen to make three cups of tea.
The three sat down around the table.
They all drank at once. Shiko only lifted her cup after Yaga had taken a sip.
"You've both felt the unrest lately, haven't you?" Yaga's eyes turned deep as he looked at them.
Soujun and Shiko both nodded. They had already cut down their missions in recent weeks.
"Jujutsu High has fully mobilized into a state of alert. You'll each be assigned missions when the time comes." Yaga delivered the news.
"Support staff may be sent out to maintain stability in society, or else remain here at the school as precaution. Shiko, what are your thoughts?" Clearly, he intended to exercise his authority within the limits of the rules.
"Me?" Shiko glanced at Soujun. "I'll stay here at Jujutsu High."
She didn't mind.
Only Soujun ever indulged her fighting curses head-on. If she couldn't work with him, she would be relegated to pure supervision work. Out in the field, that gained her nothing. She'd rather remain at the school.
"Very well, I'll arrange for you to stay."
"As for you…" Yaga turned to Soujun, tapping the table lightly with his finger.
Even he didn't quite understand. Soujun's next mission was a direct assignment—one Yaga himself couldn't interfere with. All he could do was notify him early to be ready.
As one of the upper echelons, Yaga didn't know everything, but he knew why the world was shaking. The ultimate mission had been divided layer by layer, mixed with irrelevant distractions. Those assigned only knew their own part, forbidden to share between them.
Ordinary sorcerers had no way to unravel it and reach the truth.
The isolation of information was deliberate.
First, to prevent leaks. Second, to monopolize knowledge.
Information was power, and power had to remain in the hands of the few.
"Your mission will be squad-based. You'll work with others to carry it out." Yaga's tone hinted at careful thought.
Some things could not be said aloud, especially in such sensitive times. He dropped a veiled warning: "Don't go out unless necessary. Wait for the squad to assemble. The mission will be issued together."
Soujun took it casually. He had just mastered Black Flash, and his hands were itching.
…
Days later, in a classroom.
Soujun was summoned there to assemble.
When he opened the door, he found he was the last to arrive.
Inside, besides Yaga, were two familiar faces—Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru, whom he'd met just days earlier.
When Soujun shut the door, Yaga tossed him a dossier. A huge red "Secret" character glared from the cover.
…
In this world, Japan was cursed ground, plagued with incidents. Yet somehow stability held, balance maintained. That was thanks to two reasons—or rather, two people.
December 7, 1989: Gojo Satoru was born.
He inherited his family's Limitless technique and, for the first time in four hundred years, awakened the "Six Eyes."
Cursed phenomena ebbed and surged like tides. The overall balance of power between curses and humans shifted but stayed in rough equilibrium. In modern times, curses had grown more rampant, and sorcerers—reveling in freedom—had grown lax.
All of it ended with Gojo Satoru's explosive arrival.
His birth overturned the balance outright. Curses grew in number and strength year by year, yet sorcerers' power stagnated—or even declined.
Thus Gojo was hailed as a once-in-a-century prodigy, the bearer of Six Eyes, the man single-handedly carrying the jujutsu world's fate on his shoulders.
…
The other pillar was Tengen.
A sorcerer who had lived for a thousand years, his very existence symbolized stability.
The twin schools of Jujutsu High stood as bastions thanks to his barriers. The auxiliary supervisors' barrier arts owed their potency to him. With his strength, survival rates among sorcerers rose dramatically.
Since ancient times, the land of Japan had been studded with hidden barriers, guarding its quiet stability.
Tengen possessed the Immortal Technique. Under its protection, humanity always held its ground. Over centuries, Japan's barriers all rooted themselves in him as their central axis.
But immortal did not mean ageless. When Tengen reached a certain point of aging, his technique would automatically restructure his body into a new stage of evolution.
At that point, he would no longer be human. He would become a higher-dimensional being—and his will as a person would vanish.
Imagine: if the central pillar collapsed, barriers would weaken. The wall dividing humanity and curses would crumble. And then, curses would swarm in unchecked.
Thus, every five hundred years, Tengen assimilated with a compatible human vessel, replacing his body.
The new flesh restored his technique to its original state. Evolution would be averted.
…
"This mission will be carried out by the three of you together." Yaga leaned on the lectern, voice heavy. "There are two assignments, both targeting Tengen's compatible vessel. Your task is to ensure this vessel's safety—and then erase it."
It sounded contradictory. But once the three read the dossier, they understood: protect the vessel, then, at the appointed time… kill them.
Just as Yaga knew his students, Soujun and the others knew Yaga. For him to speak so plainly—meant his true intention was likely the opposite.
Soujun raised his hand. "Eh? Why me too?"
Wasn't he supposed to be free of compulsory missions?
So much for that.
Yaga caught the look in his eyes and sighed helplessly. "You were named directly by Master Tengen."
Even now, he still wondered how Soujun had gotten tied to Tengen.
…
The three left to make their preparations.
Once every five hundred years, the time of assimilation came.
The entire jujutsu world awoke in alarm.
One faction, led by the higher-ups, sought to see the assimilation proceed smoothly.
Another, curse users, schemed to disrupt it and overturn the order.
Others simply longed for chaos, eager to topple society's fragile peace.
Whatever their aims, whatever their methods—
If one single person was sacrificed, all problems would vanish.
How wonderful. How convenient.
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