Tokyo Jujutsu High.
On the way back to the dormitories from the West Area training grounds, Cain ran into two Divine Dogs.
The aura of the Divine Dogs was not particularly strong. They paced along the road as if searching for something.
Upon noticing Cain, the black Divine Dog ran up to him and stuck out its tongue, while the white one immediately turned around and fled.
After a short while, Itadori and the other two arrived in front of Cain, jogging over while following the White Divine Dog.
"Cain! Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine. Why are you guys here?"
"We came to look for you."
Itadori let out a sigh of relief and answered honestly.
Just like Yaga Masamichi, they had also noticed the disturbance in the West Area.
Because Cain had gone there earlier, Itadori immediately suggested going to find him.
However, doing so was clearly dangerous.
Even from half a campus away, Megumi Fushiguro could sense an extremely dangerous aura from the residual shockwaves.
To ensure their safety, Megumi Fushiguro stopped Itadori and used the Divine Dogs to search the outskirts of the West Area for Cain.
As for Cain's situation deep within the West Area, Megumi Fushiguro stated that he trusted Gojo Satoru, and going there themselves would be meaningless.
"It's a good thing you weren't at the center of the battlefield, Cain. Otherwise, even with Gojo-sensei present, it would have been extremely dangerous."
Megumi Fushiguro recalled his Divine Dogs and looked into the distance.
"I wonder who trespassed into the school and caused such a massive disturbance."
"It was a Special Grade Cursed Spirit," Cain replied casually.
"Huh? How do you know?" Nobara Kugisaki was stunned.
"You didn't run into the enemy, did you?"
"It wasn't that I ran into the enemy. That Special Grade Cursed Spirit that invaded the school came specifically to find me."
Not long ago, when Jogo fell from the sky, he said a rather thought provoking sentence.
["Found you! You must be Cain!"]
Clearly, Jogo had come specifically for him.
As for the reason, it was most likely related to a Sukuna Finger.
As a crucial trump card among Cursed Spirits to deal with Gojo Satoru, Sukuna's Finger had always been under strict surveillance.
Someone who suddenly appeared after consuming a Sukuna Finger without suffering any harm would naturally attract attention and be tested.
However, in Cain's expectations, the enemy sent to test him should have been a Grade One Cursed Spirit or an ordinary Special Grade.
Sending Jogo directly was truly beyond expectation.
If he had not achieved a breakthrough in that moment and comprehended Black Flash, he would have had no choice but to retreat midway and shout, 'Gojo Satoru, save me.'
"For the details, go ask Gojo-sensei."
Seeing that Megumi Fushiguro and the others wanted to ask more but were holding back, Cain pointed behind him.
"He was there the whole time. He knows as much as I do. I'm a bit tired, so I'm going back to rest."
"Alright, see you tomorrow."
Itadori watched Cain leave, then turned to look at his two companions.
"Should we go find Gojo-sensei?"
"Let's go take a look. Since Cain came back, it means Gojo-sensei has already handled the enemy."
"Same here, let's go together."
Curiosity is human nature.
After confirming that the danger had passed, both Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki felt their curiosity surge.
The three quickly came to an agreement and headed toward the West Area.
Meanwhile, after returning to his dormitory, Cain took out a set of pajamas from the closet and changed into them.
During the battle with Jogo, his body had been burned to ashes and torn apart countless times. Naturally, his original clothes could not have remained intact.
The reason Itadori and the others did not notice anything earlier was because he had created a set of clothing using Flesh and Blood Mimicry.
Although it appeared identical to normal clothing on the surface, he was actually maintaining it by continuously releasing his innate ability.
If someone were to notice, his career as a Jujutsu Sorcerer would likely come to an end.
"Hah, this is much more comfortable."
After changing into his pajamas and lying on the bed, Cain let out a lazy yawn as his Cursed Energy gradually recovered.
With drowsiness filling his eyes, he slowly closed them, and his consciousness sank into the empty Mist Plaza.
...
At the same time, in the world of Orario.
After more than a month, the gods gathered once again on the thirtieth floor of the Tower of Babel to hold the Denatus.
"Good afternoon, everyone!"
The goddess with vermilion hair tied behind her head, standing at the highest position in Orario, waved her hand as she greeted everyone.
"The host for this Denatus is me, Loki! Please take care of me!"
"Yay!"
Cheers erupted among the gods in the hall, and applause merged into a continuous wave, showing their enthusiasm.
However, amidst this lively atmosphere, Hestia, who was seated at the round table, raised an eyebrow.
"I remember you were the host last time, Loki. Why is it you again?"
"It can't be helped. Who told you I'm too idle?"
Hearing Hestia's question, Loki shrugged.
All members of her Familia had gone on an expedition into the Dungeon, leaving her, the main deity, with nothing to do.
Since the Denatus was being held, she took the initiative to come to the Tower of Babel and act as the host.
"If you, Shorty, have any objections, you can apply to host next time."
After answering Hestia seriously, Loki looked toward the other deities.
"Alright, let's begin the first segment, Information Exchange. Everyone, share any interesting news you have."
"Me, me! I heard Ishtar was assassinated and sent back to Heaven because she toyed with a certain male god's feelings!"
"Huh? Is that true?"
"That must be fake. The version I heard is that Ishtar offended Freya."
"That matter has nothing to do with me."
Freya, sitting quietly in the corner, denied the rumor.
"Huh? Even Freya says so. Could it be Ishtar really fell because of romance?"
"Oh my, that's quite normal. A Goddess of Beauty experiencing setbacks in romance is practically a rite of passage."
"That makes sense."
Watching the chaotic scene, Hestia let out a lazy yawn and began chatting with Hephaestus beside her.
"Heph, do you know much about the God Repatriation mechanism?"
"I know a little. What's the matter?"
"I encountered a rather obscure question and didn't know who to ask, so I thought I'd ask you."
Hestia leaned closer and whispered softly.
"Heph, do you think if a virgin goddess loses her single status, would it be considered an injury and trigger the God Repatriation mechanism?"
Hephaestus: "?"
Are you sure this is obscure and not simply bizarre?
Hephaestus's eye twitched slightly as she rubbed her forehead.
This question was far too strange. Even a god known for vast knowledge would hesitate when answering it.
After thinking it through carefully, Hephaestus organized her thoughts and replied in a low voice.
"Hestia, the essence of a god returning to Heaven is sustaining a fatal injury that requires divine power to restore the physical body."
"Something like losing one's single status would not trigger the God Repatriation mechanism, as long as the extent is controlled."
Although the probability was low, it was not impossible that Cain and Hestia might act impulsively and bring out whips, candles, or similar items.
To prevent her friend from embarrassing herself, Hephaestus deliberately added a few precautions.
"Oh, I see."
Hestia nodded thoughtfully.
In truth, she already understood what Hephaestus meant. She had simply not been completely certain before.
Now that she had received confirmation, it felt as if the restraints binding her had been released, and her mood improved significantly.
The truth of the world has been deciphered!
Raising her hand and clenching her fist, Hestia's face was filled with confidence, as if she could immediately return to her Familia and defeat Lili and Haruhime.
"Alright, everyone, please quiet down."
At that moment, Loki tapped the table lightly with a small hammer, interrupting the discussion.
Loki sorted through the information provided by the gods and continued hosting the meeting.
After a while, once she confirmed that the discussion was sufficient, she raised the hammer again and tapped the table.
"Next, we move on to the Naming Ceremony."
"Ooooh!"
The gods erupted into excited cheers.
The first major milestone for Adventurers is Level 2.
Once they reach Level 2, they shed their status as novices and become official Third Class Adventurers.
Every one to two months, during such gatherings, the gods would bestow titles upon these Adventurers.
For the gods, this was also a rare opportunity for entertainment. Watching the misfortune of other Familias brought them great joy, and during this segment, they all became enthusiastic performers.
And as the host of this Denatus, Loki had already chosen her target.
"Hestia, aren't you going to explain something?"
"Explain what?"
"Of course, Cain's level up!"
Loki slammed a document onto the table.
"He only took a little over forty days to go from Level 1 to Level 3. Are you trying to fool me?!"
Originally, she already held some resentment toward Cain for taking Ais away, and upon learning that he had broken through to LV3, she was utterly shocked.
A Falna, in essence, only provides an opportunity, helping to activate the potential of a child from the lower world so they have a chance to grow.
In other words, a Falna is not an omnipotent power for infinite growth, but the ultimate golden key to self-realization.
Breaking through from LV1 to LV3 in just over forty days, this was equivalent to someone undergoing two metamorphoses in forty days, constantly reshaping their limits like a phoenix undergoing nirvana.
This could no longer be called growth; it was outright cheating, shattering the laws summarized by the Gods.
"Shorty, just to be safe, I have to ask: you didn't happen to use divine power, did you?"
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? If I had the means to bypass the repatriation mechanism, I would be the first to send you back to the heavens."
"Tsk, then explain the reason."
"Why should I tell you?"
Hestia crossed her arms, showing absolutely no deference.
"Using your status as the officiant of the Denatus to forcibly interfere with other Familias, even trying to learn about the abilities of the Familia members."
"Loki, you have already violated the rules. If you continue to be so unreasonable, I will apply for Guild arbitration."
"Hestia has a point."
A voice carrying a faint smile rang out.
"Loki, you've crossed the line."
"...?"
Loki, who was about to say something, froze, looking towards Freya, who had suddenly sided with Hestia in the corner.
"Breaking through from LV1 to LV3 in over forty days, do you even comprehend the meaning of that number, you infatuated Goddess?"
"So what? There's no need to be so stubborn, is there?"
Freya tossed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Or perhaps, Loki, you're just jealous? Jealous that the children of the Hestia Familia have surpassed your prized darling, throwing your mindset out of balance."
Hestia seized the moment and let out a cold sneer. "Truly petty, Loki. Can't you be more broad-minded like me?"
"Huh?"
A snapping sound audible only to Loki echoed; the strings maintaining her composure broke at that moment.
"You Shorty, shut up! You just grew two lumps of fat, what's there to be so smug about!"
"Better than someone who has none."
"Say that again!"
"Better than someone who has none! I'm talking about you, the flat-chested, petty Goddess!"
"Go die!"
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of whom!"
...
"So, you ended up fighting Loki at the Denatus?"
"Yeah, who told her to target me so much."
"Actually, she was targeting me."
Cain placed the freshly cooked stir-fry on the table.
After hearing about Hestia's experience at the Denatus, even he couldn't help but feel a mix of laughter and tears.
No wonder her hair looked like a bird's nest when she got back; turns out she had just finished a fight.
"By the way, who won between you and Loki?"
"It wasn't decided. Takemikazuchi and Hermes came to mediate halfway through."
Hermes, who traveled frequently, had mastered some fighting techniques, and Takemikazuchi, as the God of War, needed no further mention.
With two Gods stepping in to mediate, and gentle Gods like Demeter helping on the sidelines, Loki and Hestia were pulled apart in less than a minute after starting to fight.
"Cain! Can you teach me a few moves? I absolutely must win next time I fight Loki!"
"Aren't you a Goddess, aren't you omniscient?"
"There's a difference between being omniscient and understanding how to use something. If you teach me, I can learn a bit faster."
Hestia replied with utmost seriousness.
In reality, this was just an excuse. The Soma Familia had plenty of Amazons, so she didn't need to ask Cain to learn. The only reason she specifically asked Cain for help was to spend more time together, using learning martial arts as an excuse to monopolize him.
And Cain could naturally see through this.
However, he currently had nothing urgent to do, and the rest of his affairs were gradually getting on track. Facing Hestia's request, he readily agreed without refusal.
"Goddess Hestia, I have a question."
On the left side of the dining table, Lili, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, raised her right hand. "After you and Goddess Loki were separated, did the Denatus end immediately?"
Hestia: "Of course not. It just meant Freya took over as the officiant."
Seemingly guessing what Lili wanted to ask, Hestia paused and looked to the side.
"Cain, your epithet has been decided."
"Go ahead. Our Familia is flourishing; you must have secured a good title for me, right?"
"Sword Saint."
"...?"
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.