Kael tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on the two people before him. He didn't need to think to know their identities; acting was something he was far too skilled at.
You can't be a time management master if you can't act.
"Who are you two?"
"I should be the one asking that. Is Sukuna's finger in your possession?"
Fushiguro Megumi asked in a low voice. The situation was urgent, and his tone was far from friendly. It was even a bit aggressive.
"A finger? You mean this?"
Kael took Sukuna's finger out of his pocket and fiddled with it.
"That's right! Hand it over. It doesn't belong to you."
Fushiguro Megumi's eyes were locked onto Sukuna's finger. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. The successive unexpected events had left him a bit traumatized. Now, he had finally found this cursed object.
"It doesn't have your name on it. You say it's yours, so it's yours?"
Kael twirled Sukuna's finger, his tone slightly playful.
"So you're not planning to hand it over?"
Fushiguro Megumi's eyes turned cold. He had long felt something was off about Kael, but he just hadn't had a reason to act.
He clasped his hands together, and the shadows at his feet surged.
Fushiguro Megumi inherited the bloodline of the "Ten Shadows Technique," one of the three great sorcerer families, the Zenin Clan.
He could use shadows as a medium to summon ten different shikigami. It was one of the top-tier techniques in the jujutsu world.
However, the very next second after Fushiguro Megumi clasped his hands, Kael appeared right in front of him. The distance of ten meters was erased as if by teleportation.
So fast!!
Fushiguro Megumi couldn't see Kael's movements at all. Combined with his inability to sense any Cursed Energy from the other party, he couldn't formulate a sensory warning.
Before he could react, Kael had already grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall.
Even the shikigami summoning ritual he had just begun was instantly dispersed.
"You want to fight me?"
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly, and an intimidating aura poured out, making Fushiguro Megumi's heart clench.
"Hey, calm down, we're not bad people."
Itadori Yuji looked on anxiously from the side but made no move to help. His intuition told him the person before them didn't actually harbor any ill intent.
Right at that moment, a powerful wave of Cursed Energy emanated from the floor above. Fushiguro Megumi clearly felt the pressure—it was a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit.
"Watch out!"
Fushiguro Megumi shouted a warning. He had already seen the Cursed Spirit's body leaning out, its eye-covered arm reaching out to grab Kael.
The moment the words left his mouth.
Kael swung his fist backhandedly, a surge of air pressure following.
"Boom!"
The body of the Grade 2 Cursed Spirit, along with the ceiling, was blasted open into a large hole.
"..."
Fushiguro Megumi finally realized why he hadn't encountered any Cursed Spirits along the way. So, they had all been exorcised by Kael. Just who was this guy?
Itadori Yuji snapped out of his shock, clenched his right fist, and smacked it into his left palm, speaking in a tone of sudden realization.
"I remember now! You're that transfer student, the Demon King!"
"Shut up!"
Kael glared at Itadori Yuji. Could he not mention that damn nickname?
"Sorry."
Itadori Yuji scratched his head sheepishly.
It was such a cool title. Why did this guy seem to dislike it?
But now that he'd confirmed they were schoolmates, Itadori Yuji's attitude became much more casual. Rubbing his hands together, he suggested.
"Could you let go of Fushiguro Megumi first? He's having a bit of trouble breathing."
Hearing this, Kael finally released Fushiguro Megumi.
"Although I don't know who you really are, I must retrieve Sukuna's finger."
Fushiguro Megumi wiped the corner of his mouth, his tone still stiff.
Kael didn't speak, deliberately waving Sukuna's finger back and forth in front of the other's eyes.
"..."
Is this guy deliberately provoking me?!
A vein throbbed on Fushiguro Megumi's forehead.
But he really didn't dare try to snatch it. Having seen Kael's display just now, he knew he definitely couldn't take it back.
If he really tried to fight again, he'd be the one losing face.
"Well, actually, I found that finger. I'm a member of the Ling Yan Society. I gave it to Sasaki to research. I didn't expect something like this to happen. Do you know how those two are doing?"
Itadori Yuji explained the course of events.
"So you're Yuji."
Kael said, giving Itadori Yuji a once-over.
This was a rare specimen. Felt like dissecting him.
Itadori Yuji felt a sudden, inexplicable chill and couldn't help but shiver.
"Sasaki and the others are fine, hiding in the Ling Yan Society clubroom. I'm a new member of the club. You can call me Kael. Maybe you should change your name to 'Tiger Idiot' from now on. What kind of thing is that to just pick up and bring home?"
Kael tossed Sukuna's finger up and down, making Fushiguro Megumi's heart itch with anxiety watching from the side.
However, when he looked up and saw the slightly mocking glint in Kael's eyes, all thoughts vanished from his mind.
"Just call me Yuji."
Itadori Yuji didn't quite understand what 'Tiger Idiot' meant, but it didn't sound friendly.
"And you, the guy outside who's been watching for a while. Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
Kael turned to look out the window. A tall figure with an eye patch and white hair was standing in mid-air, waving at the three of them with a rather familiar air.
"Sensei!"
Fushiguro Megumi called out excitedly.
His backup had arrived, making him stand a bit taller.
"An introduction?"
Gojo Satoru stepped in through the window, holding a shopping bag in one hand and stroking his chin with the other, saying with a smile.
"I am the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer in the jujutsu world, the head of the Gojo family, Gojo Satoru. You might not understand what a Jujutsu Sorcerer is. Simply put, we specialize in dealing with highly dangerous beings like Cursed Spirits. Do you need to see my official credentials?"
"What's that in your hand?"
Kael completely ignored the preceding spiel, using Sukuna's finger to point at the other's food bag.
"This is Sendai's specialty, Shikifuku! I waited in line for ages. I highly recommend the edamame paste fresh cream flavor daifuku!"
"Let me try one."
"Only one, okay?"
Gojo Satoru looked reluctant, but adhering to the principle of 'you can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child,' he still took out one daifuku.
"Not bad."
Kael gave his evaluation.
"What?! That's such a perfunctory review!"
Gojo Satoru's expression was slightly exaggerated.
"Sensei! Is now really the time for this?"
Fushiguro Megumi was speechless at his teacher. He kept making eyes at the Sukuna finger in Kael's hand, trying to steer the conversation back on track.
"Right, right. So, student, are you interested in joining Jujutsu High? As the first-year homeroom teacher of Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, I specially invite you to enroll. The benefits and treatment will definitely satisfy you."
Gojo Satoru put his arm around Kael's shoulder, his tone enticing.
Question marks popped up on Fushiguro Megumi's forehead.
"Not interested."
Kael curled his lip. This human trafficker was trying to recruit him now?
"Graduation comes with guaranteed job placement. Think about it, in today's job market, how hard is it to find work?"
Gojo Satoru had no intention of giving up, starting to reason and appeal to emotions.
This was a wild 'Heavenly Restriction.' Now that he'd seen one, of course he had to recruit him into the school.
The jujutsu world also adhered to a principle of equivalent exchange, a result typically called a 'Binding Vow.'
The so-called 'Heavenly Restriction' was a Binding Vow forcibly imposed from birth, manifesting either as a physical disability or a lack of basic Cursed Energy.
The price paid was exchanged for an extreme increase in another attribute.
The origin of the 'Heavenly Restriction' was sacrificing all basic Cursed Energy in exchange for a natural resistance to Cursed Energy and a physique at the pinnacle of humanity.
Of course, the amount of physical enhancement you gained was proportional to the amount of Cursed Energy you sacrificed. Not all Heavenly Restriction individuals could be called 'Tyrants.'
For ordinary people, even if they possessed a 'Heavenly Restriction,' given their total Cursed Energy at birth, they would at most end up as physically fit individuals with zero Cursed Energy.
So far, only one Heavenly Restriction individual had been bestowed with the title of 'Tyrant.'
That was Fushiguro Megumi's father, Toji Fushiguro.
Remembering that man, Gojo Satoru felt a phantom pain in his chest and head. Back then, he had almost died at the other's hands.
No one understood the terror of a Heavenly Restriction better than he did.
Based on Kael's recent display and his zero Cursed Energy, Gojo Satoru's conclusion wasn't unfounded.
What made Gojo Satoru's nerves twitch slightly was that this 'Kael' student seemed even more dangerous than the Heavenly Restriction he remembered.
This only increased Gojo Satoru's interest. Regardless of the considerations, he had to pull Kael into Jujutsu High.
"With grades as good as mine, go to a technical college? If my parents found out, they'd skin me alive."
Kael waved his hand dismissively.
"A diploma is simple. In the future, just tell me which university's graduation certificate you want, and you can pick any one."
Gojo Satoru massaged Kael's shoulders, his attitude somewhat ingratiating.
He really didn't look like a homeroom teacher, more like someone from the admissions office.
"You need to understand, after tonight, you definitely can't return to your old life as an ordinary person. Rather than passively waiting to be confronted, it's better to take the initiative. You seem like a smart person; you must understand."
Gojo Satoru's voice was heavy.
This was indeed true. With the influence of the jujutsu world's higher-ups and the commotion caused tonight, a little investigation would surely dig up Kael.
Those old men definitely wouldn't miss a Heavenly Restriction either.
"Let me think about it."
Kael seemed somewhat tempted.
Gojo Satoru struck while the iron was hot, adding more incentives.
"Want to meet a beautiful, gentle, super-hot-bodied senpai? I'll introduce you as soon as you enroll!"
"Teacher Gojo, when do we start school?"
Hearing this, Kael's expression paused, and he immediately slipped into the role of a Jujutsu High student.
He had planned to join anyway. He just needed to play a little hard to get. He wasn't really interested in meeting any beautiful, gentle senpai.
After all, wasn't the usual extracurricular assignment for Jujutsu High students exterminating Cursed Spirits? No identity suited Kael better than that.
Explained this way, it was very convincing, wasn't it?
"Great, great. I need to take a photo to let the other students meet the new transfer student."
Gojo Satoru took out his phone, put his arm around Kael's shoulder with great enthusiasm, and took a bunch of selfies.
"Such flawless handsomeness from every angle!"
Gojo Satoru couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Of course, he was referring to himself.
This guy had a bit of narcissism in him.
But even Gojo Satoru had to admit that Kael's good looks posed a bit of a threat, so much so that he didn't even leave him a proper face in the photos.
Kael saw through this little trick.
"Nice to meet you, Mei Mei."
Kael extended his hand to Fushiguro Megumi.
"Don't call me Mei Mei!"
Fushiguro Megumi's face darkened with annoyance. He really couldn't see what was worth being happy about, but he still reached out and shook the hand.
"Schoolmates should get along well."
Gojo Satoru clapped from the side, wearing a 'this teacher is very pleased' expression.
"The thing you picked up, returning it to you."
Kael tossed Sukuna's finger to Itadori Yuji.
"Oh~."
Gojo Satoru looked at Itadori Yuji, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
A Special Grade cursed object goes missing, and then someone just happens to find it? If there wasn't something fishy about that, who would believe it?
However, aside from exceptionally outstanding physical fitness, Gojo Satoru couldn't sense anything else unusual about Itadori Yuji. He seemed like just an ordinary person.
Itadori Yuji fumbled as he caught Sukuna's finger, looked at Fushiguro Megumi, then handed the finger over to him, asking.
"So, is this matter resolved now?"
"Yes."
Fushiguro Megumi, young and naive, didn't detect any issues. He took Sukuna's finger and temporarily sealed it, isolating its leaking aura.
As for further sealing methods, that would have to be handled by the jujutsu world's higher-ups.
"Regarding enrollment, I'll have someone discuss the details with you tomorrow. I'll be going now, sensei."
Gojo Satoru said, waving his hand.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished into thin air.
"You two make yourselves at home. I need to go to the clubroom."
Kael said casually before turning to leave.
If he didn't go, Sasaki and the other would probably spend the whole night terrified in there.
"Well, there's nothing more for me to do, right?"
Itadori Yuji blinked at Fushiguro Megumi.
His Brain still hadn't caught up.
His worldview was still being rebuilt.
So the world was this bizarre and fantastical?
What was both fortunate and regrettable was that after he woke up from sleep, all of this would be gone from his life.
"Specialized staff will handle things later. You just need to cooperate with them."
Fushiguro Megumi had a good impression of Itadori Yuji. The guy had followed him despite knowing the danger. That courage and kindness deserved praise.
If possible, he could make a friend. But unfortunately, the other was just an ordinary person.
Itadori Yuji accompanied Fushiguro Megumi as they left the school.
Just as the two were about to part ways, a previously concealed wave of Cursed Energy suddenly erupted. A Cursed Spirit emerged from underground and launched an attack at Fushiguro Megumi.
Fushiguro Megumi had no time to summon a shikigami. Caught off guard, he was severely wounded and sent flying.
...
...
Inside the school building, Kael sensed the burst of Cursed Energy not far away and knew it was that 'Brain' guy making his move.
It seemed Itadori Yuji was destined to eat that finger tonight.
"Kael, what's wrong now?"
Sasaki asked, her voice still trembling with fear.
Tonight had been stimulating enough. Please, no more.
"It's nothing. I'll escort you two out first."
Kael had no intention of stopping this from happening.
Unless he stuck to Itadori Yuji's side like glue, that finger would be eaten sooner or later.
This was a 'mother's' overflowing 'love' for her'son.'
Either find a chance to kill the Brain.
But this thousand-year-old monster wasn't your average coward. If it didn't show itself, where would Kael even look?
In fact, Kael had been holding Sukuna's finger to see if he could lure the guy out and deal with him early. But he waited and waited, unable to detect its aura at all.
Who knew what cursed techniques that old monster had hidden on its person.
Kael's current knowledge of jujutsu was practically zero.