At the beginning of May, Japan's Golden Week arrived once again. Office workers enjoyed one holiday after another, and promotional sales were everywhere.
Summer is not far away.
Taking advantage of this period, Asou Akiya purchased a huge amount of supplies. The vacant dormitory connected to Getou's room had effectively become a warehouse. The air conditioner ran twenty-four hours a day to maintain a dry, cool environment, while stacks of materials that would be needed in the coming months were neatly stored inside.
While Asou Akiya was busily rushing around outside, signing for deliveries and receiving packages, Getou Suguru and Gojo Satoru secretly slipped over to investigate.
"Mint candy? Cigarettes? Lighters?" Getou Suguru counted the items lined up on the shelves. "Are these for Shoko?"
"And this many boxes of instant coffee? And the chili sauces..." Gojo Satoru grimaced as if the spiciness alone had already burned his tongue.
"Disposable underwear? In three different sizes?" Getou Suguru pulled out even stranger items, "Disposable socks, disposable towels, disposable bath towels, disposable toothbrushes, and even disposable four-piece bedding sets??"
"There are suitcases and backpacks in different sizes too. They've actually been labeled according to overnight business-trip schedules." Standing on the advantage of his height, Getou Suguru specifically searched through the items on the highest shelves. "Is he worried that things might get so rushed that he'll grab the wrong one?"
"Suguru, look!" Gojo Satoru's Six Eyes rapidly scanned the room. He crouched down and rummaged through the bottom shelf, eventually pulling something out.
"What is it? Did you find something fun?" Getou Suguru laughed mischievously.
Gojo Satoru tore open the vacuum-sealed package. The flattened object immediately expanded into a giant question-mark-shaped body pillow.
"Whoa!"
He hugged the oversized pillow, which was perfect for leaning against while sleeping during long rides. Slipping his neck through the opening, he rubbed his nose against the silky fabric that had already been sterilized.
"Suguru, this imported pillow is so soft! And the fabric feels cool to the touch!"
Getou Suguru was speechless.
It's just a pillow.
Why are you acting like you just uncovered some legendary hidden treasure.
"Grow up a little, Satoru."
Getou Suguru soon found a pillow that suited Gojo Satoru even better—a black travel pillow equipped with a built-in eye mask and a small shoulder cover, capable of blocking out light completely around the head.
Then he promptly snatched away the question-mark-shaped pillow.
"This one suits me."
After the two of them spent a long time tearing open packages and testing out various items, the area in front of the shelves became a complete mess.
When Asou Akiya returned:
"....."
Honestly, the two of you are just a pair of overgrown children who have never seen the world.
"Whoever opened it takes it with them. Don't leave it here—it'll collect dust too easily."
Asou Akiya bent down to tidy up the plastic packaging scattered across the floor.
Getou Suguru was struck once again by how wonderful it was to have a friend who handled logistics so thoroughly. The quality-of-life improvement during business trips had skyrocketed.
"Akiya, Satoru and I are already looking forward to summer. I can't wait to start living the summer lifestyle!"
Gojo Satoru immediately chimed in with his agreement.
"Yeah, I think so too."
Hearing that, Asou Akiya gave the two high school boys a sympathetic smile.
Neither of them had the slightest idea that once summer arrived, they would be worked like dogs.
Asou Akiya picked up a voice recorder from one of the shelves.
"Come on, say it again: 'I love going on business trips during the summer.'"
Gojo Satoru: "?"
Getou Suguru showed no fear whatsoever. After all, he depended on summer to replenish his cursed spirit reserves.
"I love going on business trips during the summer!"
Listening to Getou's confident declaration, Gojo Satoru hesitated. He glanced around before speaking.
"Summer... Staying in the dorm with the air conditioner running is the best, actually. Maybe I'm not that fond of business trips..."
Getou Suguru immediately hooked an arm around Gojo Satoru's neck.
"Say it. Say it with me."
Gojo Satoru promptly changed his tune.
"I love going on summer business trips with Suguru and Akiya!"
Asou Akiya froze slightly.
Getou Suguru pondered the idea.
"Akiya is now practically a Grade 2 sorcerer. He's more than capable of protecting himself. On top of that, I can provide cursed spirits for defense. If it's what Satoru wants... it's not impossible."
The three of them forming a team to exorcise cursed spirits equaled the three of them going on business-trip vacations together.
Gojo Satoru's eyes lit up.
"Akiya, go talk to Yaga about it! Let's form a permanent team from now on! I'll handle the cursed spirits, Suguru can absorb them, and if we run into cursed spirits that are at the right level, we'll leave them to you for practice."
"Akiya, what do you think?" Getou Suguru was equally tempted by the idea and looked at him expectantly. "We're completely confident in our ability to protect you and help you grow stronger. Once the mission is over, we can go play in the ocean, eat shaved ice, and if the weather gets too hot, Satoru can even use Limitless to block out the temperature."
As long as Akiya could convince Yaga-sensei, everything would fall into place.
This outcome was completely different from what Asou Akiya had expected.
Yet it was overflowing with the sincere care and concern of his two friends.
He could even picture it in his mind—Yaga-sensei wearing a gratified expression as he approved the proposal.
That would have been true under the circumstances before 2006.
But he knew that this summer wouldn't work.
And next summer won't work either.
Perhaps even the summer after that wouldn't work...
"Alright. I'll give it a try."
In the end, Asou Akiya could not bring himself to crush their hopes.
Yaga Masamichi's office.
Asou Akiya relayed the opinions of the other two to Yaga Masamichi. After listening, Yaga was caught between laughter and exasperation.
"That kind of gaming mentality won't do. Are they treating a jujutsu sorcerer's missions like some kind of joke?"
Asou Akiya's gaze drifted off to the side.
"This wasn't my suggestion."
Yaga Masamichi considered it carefully.
"If they correct their attitude, then it really could help you develop faster..."
"I hope you'll reject it," Asou Akiya replied quietly.
"Huh?" Yaga stared at him in surprise.
Asou Akiya sighed.
"I originally didn't want to bother you with this, but I'm worried they'll come pester you about it behind my back. The truth is, I don't agree with this kind of 'guaranteed carry-through' approach. I've already chosen someone else as my partner."
Yaga Masamichi could not understand why anyone would turn down Gojo Satoru and Getou Suguru.
"Who did you choose?"
Asou Akiya calmly answered:
"Zen'in Naoya."
Black lines ran down Yaga's face.
"If you run into danger, I'm afraid he'll abandon you and run away first."
Asou Akiya: [Your judgment is frighteningly accurate.]
Without a Binding Vow keeping him in check, Zen'in Naoya really was that kind of person. He would never risk himself to save a teammate.
Outwardly, however, Asou Akiya said,
"He won't. I have enough confidence to make him fight desperately to save me."
He briefly summarized the current situation.
"There are four second-year students. Shoko has to remain at Tokyo Jujutsu High. Gojo and Getou can occasionally form a team, but under normal circumstances they're better suited to carrying out missions separately. There are three first-year students. Nanami and Haibara complement each other's personalities well. Only Zen'in has been left out. It's more appropriate for me to partner with him on missions. Otherwise, rumors may spread throughout Tokyo Jujutsu High that we're mistreating the Zen'in clan's young master."
Even so, Yaga Masamichi still could not understand why Akiya would willingly give up the opportunity to join the trio. Rarely, he tried to persuade him.
"Akiya, sometimes you should think a little more about yourself. Do you really not want to go on missions with them?"
Asou Akiya walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain slightly, revealing the forested mountains outside.
"I do."
His voice was soft.
"Of course I do."
Yaga Masamichi's expression darkened.
"Then why give up so easily?"
"It's only during summer."
Asou Akiya's answer came without hesitation.
"I can't become the one holding them back."
Standing amidst the dim light and drifting dust motes, his figure seemed to blur into the haze.
"Yaga-sensei, when Gojo was born, he shattered the balance of the jujutsu world. After he mastered the reversed technique Red, cursed spirits experienced a brief surge in activity. And this April..." His voice grew quieter. "He learned Reverse Cursed Technique and the even more powerful Hollow Purple. I have a feeling the jujutsu world is about to face another imbalance."
Yaga Masamichi was stunned.
"Isn't that just a rumor?!" he blurted out.
There was unwavering certainty in Asou Akiya's eyes.
"We'll know the answer this summer."
He added a reminder:
"Yaga-tousan, start preparing yourself mentally in advance. We're going to be very busy this summer."
The balance of the jujutsu world would not be shattered overnight. There was always a transitional period. He had carefully calculated the changes in Gojo Satoru's mission assignments after every major leap in strength. The period between spring and summer was the final stretch of peace before everything changed.
"Still, every disadvantage comes with an advantage. Once I step out from under your meticulous protection, the pressure of high-intensity missions will allow me to accumulate far more combat experience. At least I won't have to worry about being a worthless sorcerer who only looks the part."
"By the end of summer, Gojo will advance to Special Grade, Getou will have replenished his cursed spirit stockpile, and you'll probably be about ready to become the principal as well."
"Ah, it seems there's still one thing that hasn't been taken care of."
Asou Akiya rubbed his chin and pondered for three seconds before recalling the important matter he had forgotten.
—Had Suguru met Tengen-sama yet?
"I have other things to take care of, so I'll leave you to your work. This month, try to make more time to go home. Don't let your wife misunderstand anything."
Leaving behind a dumbfounded Yaga Masamichi, Asou Akiya rushed out in search of Getou Suguru.
The door closed behind him.
The black-haired teenager disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Yaga Masamichi wore the weathered expression of a man thinking, I really didn't want to know this much.
Was this the power of wisdom?
Spring had not even ended yet, Summer had not yet arrived, and yet autumn already felt as though it had come and gone.
At this very moment, Yaga Masamichi had the surreal sensation that he had already become principal—he simply hadn't been informed of it yet.
Meanwhile, Getou Suguru was still lounging in the boys' dormitory when Asou Akiya caught him red-handed.
"What? You still haven't gone to see Tengen-sama yet?"
Asou Akiya was completely defeated by Getou Suguru's chronic procrastination. He had claimed to be a man of action, yet because of a little pride, he had stubbornly delayed meeting Master Tengen.
"It's not just about pride," Getou Suguru immediately defended himself. "I've also considered the cost."
Asou Akiya smiled without quite smiling.
"Go on, then. Tell me. What cost are you afraid of?"
Getou Suguru replied in an unserious tone,
"The Tombs of the Star Corridor are huge. What if Tengen-sama makes me spend a whole year cleaning the place?"
"Suguru!"
The moment those words left his mouth, Asou Akiya's temper flared.
Getou Suguru opened the refrigerator and handed Akiya a drink.
"I know you're doing this for my sake, but I've already gone through so many ancient texts, and Satoru helped me as well. I don't think Tengen-sama can provide me with that much additional help."
The anger on Asou Akiya's face did not diminish in the slightest. Instead, he smiled pleasantly while staring at him.
"Go on. Keep talking."
Getou Suguru turned his head away.
"Tengen-sama isn't all that strong."
The idea of a strong person seeking guidance from someone weaker—and having to pay a price for it—simply did not sit well with him.
The only exception was Asou Akiya.
Akiya had proven through his intelligence and methods that he was a sage running on an entirely different track from everyone else.
In a chilling tone, Asou Akiya asked:
"Which idiot told you that?"
Getou Suguru blinked in surprise and immediately sold out his best friend without hesitation.
"Satoru said it. We both trust that his eyes are reliable."
Asou Akiya's voice abruptly rose, bordering on outright fury.
"You two call a thousand-year-old monster who is a master of barrier techniques and absolutely knows Domain Expansion and Reverse Cursed Technique weak? Get the hell out of here, Getou Suguru!"
He stormed out of the dormitory and shouted:
"Gojo Satoru! You get over here!"
Gojo Satoru reluctantly emerged from his dorm room, scratching the back of his neck as though a mosquito had bitten him.
"Suguru, karma's going to get you someday."
"Satoru, I'm just telling the truth. What karma could possibly come from that?"
Getou Suguru narrowed his eyes.
He had wanted to consult Akiya about this matter for a long time. Since the opportunity had finally arrived, he might as well use Gojo Satoru as a shield and redirect some of Akiya's firepower.
Asou Akiya immediately turned his barrage toward Gojo.
"You talk first!"
Gojo Satoru replied lazily:
"Fine, I'll say it. I just don't think Tengen is that strong."
He nudged Getou Suguru with his elbow.
"Right, Suguru? The two of us together are unbeatable."
Getou Suguru coughed awkwardly, hoping Akiya would stop glaring at him.
Asou Akiya struggled to calm himself.
He could not lose control.
He had to deal with these two rationally.
"Gojo, it's true that your clan possesses a large collection of precious jujutsu archives. However, the previous Cursed Spirit Manipulator appeared even earlier than that. During the Heian era, the status of the Gojo Clan wasn't yet high enough to collect many ancient records. Tengen-sama is one of the rare people who actually knows the truth."
Gojo Satoru thought about it and found the argument surprisingly reasonable.
Immediately, he switched sides without the slightest hesitation.
"Then I'll take Getou to meet Tengen-sama!"
Getou Suguru's coughing became even more violent.
Asou Akiya's icy gaze pierced straight into Getou Suguru.
"Suguru, let me tell you the truth. Gojo might be able to defeat Tengen-sama. But at your current level, you are absolutely not Tengen-sama's opponent. Do you have anything else you'd like to say?"
Getou Suguru suffered internal damage from being hit with such blunt truth.
He chose silence.
Instead, he shot a meaningful look toward Gojo Satoru.
Unfortunately, the signal was received incorrectly.
"Suguru," Gojo Satoru said earnestly, "just work harder and get stronger. Master Domain Expansion and Reverse Cursed Technique sooner."
Getou Suguru: "..."
Damn.
Asou Akiya glared at him in frustration and disappointment.
"Suguru, how much longer are you going to let Gojo fool you?! How many times have I told you already? He keeps shouting 'We're the strongest,' and you actually believe that nonsense? He's spent a whole year roasting you over a fire, and then he started pumping water into you afterward. Haven't you felt the pain of being cooked until you're perfectly charred on the outside and tender on the inside yet?"
Getou Suguru: "..."
Someone save me.
Gojo Satoru twisted his waist, stretched both arms over his head, and put on an expression that practically screamed I can't bear to watch Suguru embarrass himself like this.
Asou Akiya continued:
"You want to know the price? Why didn't you just ask me?"
"If you were actually stupid, I wouldn't even bother trying to save you. The problem is that you're not stupid!"
Asou Akiya erected a Curtain.
It served not only to block out sound, but also to ensure that Master Tengen would notice what was happening here.
Only three people were present.
Asou Akiya lifted his head and spoke to the empty air.
"Tengen-sama, are you there? I'd like to apologize on behalf of this idiot. You are a learned elder, a living fossil of the jujutsu world. I can guess what kind of price you want him to pay, and I also understand why he resists meeting you. How about we reach a compromise?"
"The past is the past."
"As long as you have never committed any act that harms the jujutsu world, then Getou can never become your enemy."
"If he violates this promise, then let him endure the humiliation without complaint."
"His kindness—you have seen it with your own eyes. His pride—you can see just as clearly. If the day ever comes when Getou has to swallow such humiliation, we'll gather everyone and take photographs of it. Tengen-sama, who is respected by the entire jujutsu world—do you dare establish this Binding Vow?"
"If you agree, then please release your cursed energy and establish this Binding Vow with Getou before our very eyes."
"Getou will come see you tomorrow."
At this moment, Asou Akiya used both morality and self-interest to corner two people at once.
In truth, this was a false proposition.
Because Master Tengen was not a completely selfless being.
She had her own private desires.
The only reason was that no one else in the jujutsu world knew it.
As for Getou Suguru—
Asou Akiya was more than willing to increase the difficulty of his future defection to the highest possible level.
...
To agree would be to become a saint of the jujutsu world.
To refuse would be to admit that she was a shameless old monster who endangered the jujutsu world.
Tengen had no other choice.
For the sake of her future personal safety, she could only establish the Binding Vow remotely and complete this exchange of interests with Getou Suguru.
"A Special Grade sorcerer really shouldn't have a brain. Fine. Tomorrow it is."
Afterward, Tengen closed all four eyes and did something rather important.
She spat.
Then deliberately got the saliva onto her own face and waited for it to dry.
Exploiting a loophole, she immediately fulfilled the condition of the violator herself. She was worried that her concealment of Kenjaku's existence might also fall under the category of "actions that harm the jujutsu world."
In any case, no one had witnessed this scene.
As long as she never spoke of it, no one would know what she had hidden.
And as long as no one knew, the Binding Vow would continue to restrain the prideful Cursed Spirit Manipulator forever.
Ever since the failed Assimilation, Tengen had been studying the changes within herself. To her horror, she discovered that her greatest enemy was not Kenjaku.
It was the future Getou Suguru!
She had witnessed the most glorious era of the jujutsu world.
She understood the true power of Cursed Spirit Manipulation.
She also knew that this generation's Cursed Spirit Manipulator was still young and inexperienced, having yet to grasp the true essence of the technique—
A fully realized Cursed Spirit Manipulator could extract and utilize the techniques of the cursed spirits they had already subdued!
The realization filled her with dread.
She did not want a future where her evolution spiraled out of control and transformed her into a being similar to a cursed spirit, only for the jujutsu world to order Getou Suguru to deal with her.
She certainly did not want to be subdued and compressed into a powerless Cursed Spirit Orb, incapable of resisting in the slightest.
Tengen silently blame the Cursed Spirit Manipulator for this.
It had only been a small matter, a simple question.
Yet he had dragged his feet for so long that even Asou Akiya had to step in!
—
[Mini Theater]
Getou Suguru: I have free time today. Why do I have to wait until tomorrow to see Lord Tengen?
Asou Akiya: Heh.
Asou Akiya: We should at least give her a little time.
Getou Suguru: ?
Asou Akiya: Getou, you'd better make sure you don't end up the same way.
Getou Suguru: I honestly have no idea what you're talking about...
Asou Akiya: As long as Tengen doesn't become a terrible teammate and you don't make me angry, nothing will happen.
Tengen: ...
Getou Suguru: ...
***
TL Note:
Fun fact: The name Asou Akiya (麻生秋也) contains the kanji for "autumn" (秋). Meanwhile, Getou Suguru (夏油傑) has the kanji for "summer" (夏) in his surname. Also, Getou's surname literally means "Summer Oil" (夏油).