The atmosphere inside a secluded meeting room somewhere was so oppressive that the air itself felt stagnant.
Several elderly men sat around an antique wooden table, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows across their wrinkled faces and making the room appear even more ominous.
"Why are we still using candles? Can't we just turn on the lights? I'm old, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be," a hoarse voice complained, causing the flame before him to tremble slightly.
"Tradition has its purpose," another voice replied steadily, carrying unquestionable authority.
"Light reveals too much. Here, candlelight is enough for us to see each other's resolve."
The aged faces surrounding the table looked even more sinister beneath the dancing flames.
"Both operations have failed," a third voice said, dry and brittle like rustling dead leaves.
"We couldn't uncover anything about Sol. Where did Gojo Satoru find a monster like him?"
The first speaker nodded.
"Those methods don't resemble Jujutsu at all. It's something entirely different."
He paused, deep apprehension visible in his eyes.
"The people we sent didn't even have time to react. Their barrier was torn apart effortlessly, and their own cursed energy rebounded against them."
"He must be eliminated," the authoritative voice declared, ending the discussion before it could begin.
"He is uncontrollable, and his power system is completely unknown. Leaving him at Jujutsu High, under Gojo Satoru's influence, introduces an unacceptable variable."
"We must remove this hidden threat before he fully matures or becomes completely loyal to Gojo Satoru."
"Easier said than done," the leaf-like voice replied.
"We can't even begin to understand his abilities. How exactly are we supposed to kill him?"
Silence settled over the room once more.
The candle flames flickered quietly.
After a long pause, the authoritative voice spoke again.
"If we cannot investigate him, then there is no reason to continue trying."
"Let's use that."
The moment those words were spoken, even the air seemed to freeze.
The others immediately looked up.
"Use that? Against a first-year student?" the hoarse voice said in disbelief.
"The cost is enormous. And once we use it, how do we explain ourselves to Gojo Satoru? That will permanently destroy our relationship with him."
"Gojo Satoru isn't in Tokyo right now," the authoritative voice replied coldly.
"This is the best opportunity."
"As for the cost, the fact that we cannot properly assess this child's threat level is precisely why we cannot allow him to live."
"His existence has already disrupted the balance."
"He must be erased before his roots spread any deeper and before more people become aware of him."
"This is not a discussion."
"It is a decision."
"But..."
"There are no buts."
The authoritative voice cut him off immediately.
"Make the preparations."
"Intercept him on his way back to Jujutsu High, or just outside its perimeter."
"One strike."
"It must succeed."
"And leave no evidence that can be traced back to us."
"Understood."
A low voice answered from the shadows.
A figure silently melted into the darkness and disappeared.
The meeting room returned to silence, leaving only the faint crackling of burning candles and the heavy breathing of the old men.
Elsewhere, Sol escorted Hoshino Hikari and the other two girls back to their apartment after they finished work for the day.
The atmosphere inside the vehicle was far more relaxed.
After everything that had happened on set, the girls seemed to have temporarily put aside their fears as they quietly discussed their performances and upcoming schedules.
Sol sat in the passenger seat, calmly watching the city lights pass by through the window.
He already knew those old men were discussing him again.
To him, it was no different than a few ants below arguing over how to trip a giant while the giant himself was merely wondering whether he should shift his foot to avoid stepping on them.
The vehicle eventually arrived beneath the apartment building.
"Thank you very much for everything these past few days, Mr. Sol," Hoshino Hikari said sincerely after getting out of the car.
Sora Mirai and Natsukawa Haruka bowed beside her.
"It's my job," Sol replied casually.
"Try to avoid unnecessary outings for a while. Head upstairs."
After watching the three safely enter the building and confirming that the additional security personnel had taken over, Sol spoke to the assistant supervisor.
"Ijichi, let's head back to Jujutsu High."
"Yes, Mr. Sol."
Ijichi Kiyotaka breathed a sigh of relief and started the car.
Night had fully settled over the mountains as they left the bustling city behind and headed toward Jujutsu High.
The winding road was unusually quiet.
Only the low hum of the engine and the sound of tires against the pavement could be heard.
As they approached the final bend, the distant stone staircase leading to Jujutsu High's entrance came into view.
Then Sol suddenly spoke.
"Stop the car."
"Huh?"
Ijichi instinctively slammed on the brakes.
"Sol, what's..."
His words died in his throat.
Because he saw it too.
Standing in the middle of the road beneath the moonlight was a lone figure.
It wore ancient, dirt-stained white burial robes, looking as though it had just crawled out of a grave.
Its face was concealed behind a wooden mask carved into a grotesque crying expression.
Through the eye holes, there were no eyes.
Only endless darkness.
In its hands rested an equally ancient black ceramic pot covered in cracks.
It stood there silently.
No cursed energy emanated from it.
Yet the moment Ijichi Kiyotaka saw it, an indescribable chill surged from the depths of his soul.
His entire body shuddered, and his heart nearly stopped.
"Wh... what is that...?"
His voice trembled uncontrollably.
Sol opened the car door and stepped outside.
The mountain wind ruffled his hair and clothes as his dark red eyes calmly observed the inhuman entity ahead.
The moment he stepped onto the road...
Click.
The figure wearing the crying mask slowly tilted the black ceramic pot in its hands.
No liquid poured out.
No light emerged.
Nothing happened at all.
And that was precisely what made it terrifying.