The Earth Fiend's corpse shriveled at a speed visible to the naked eye, its charred skin gradually losing its luster. The Cursed Energy within it surged into Rin's body like a tide, merging with his own Cursed Energy and the power of the several Special Grade Cursed Spirits he had absorbed previously.
An earthy yellow glow of Cursed Energy swirled around Rin, ultimately being completely swallowed by his Sharingan.
With the integration of the Earth Fiend's power, Rin's Sharingan underwent subtle changes.
Within the scarlet pupils, the black tomoe began to rotate slowly, faintly showing a tendency to expand outward, as a more powerful Ocular Power brewed and ascended within his eyes.
"I am only halfway to the Mangekyo."
Rin felt the surging power and the advancement of his Ocular Power within him, muttering to himself.
He could clearly perceive that the evolution of his Sharingan was only a few steps away; as long as he absorbed enough power from Special Grade Cursed Spirits, he would be able to break through the bottleneck and awaken even more powerful abilities.
And this was precisely a key link in his plan.
Rin retracted his gaze, no longer lingering in this ruin. He turned and walked in the direction of Tokyo Jujutsu High, his back straight and determined.
Letting Jogo go was not an oversight, but a long-term line he had cast; absorbing the Earth Fiend's power was merely a precursor. His goal was far more grandiose than the few battles before him.
In the distant mountains and forests, Hanami was quickly evacuating with the heavily injured Jogo. Jogo tightly clutched the Earth Fiend's cursed spirit core, flames of revenge burning in its eyes.
Rin's figure gradually disappeared at the end of the road, and a larger conspiracy was quietly brewing amidst his silence and dormancy.
...
A few months later.
The streets of Nara Prefecture in Japan were shrouded in the afternoon sun, with pedestrians hurrying back and forth, enjoying a rare moment of peace.
Yet, beneath this peace lay hidden fluctuations of Cursed Energy that ordinary people could not perceive. Maki walked in front, carrying her long sword, the black Tokyo Jujutsu High uniform outlining her tall, straight figure. Her gaze swept sharply across both sides of the street, constantly vigilant for any traces of Cursed Spirits that might appear.
Behind her, Megumi Fushiguro followed closely, carrying a simple Cursed Tool bag, his youthful face bearing a composure that did not match his age.
As a first-year student who had just enrolled not long ago, this was his first time following his seniors on an official mission. He felt both nervous and filled with curiosity about Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Ever since the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Earth Fiend was eliminated by Rin, Special Grade Cursed Spirits had disappeared as if they had vanished from the face of the earth.
However, those low-grade Cursed Spirits kept popping up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, spreading across various regions such as Tokyo and Nara, keeping the Jujutsu Sorcerers of Tokyo Jujutsu High incredibly busy.
It was precisely because of this that Maki had no choice but to take this newly enrolled junior along on missions.
During this time, the silver-white Revolver gifted to her by Rin had become a capable assistant.
Relying on the powerful might of the special grade cursed tool, she had successfully completed many tasks that were originally thorny, and her strength had been steadily improving through repeated actual combat.
At this moment, that handgun was tucked at her waist, its metal casing gleaming with a cold luster in the sunlight, giving her plenty of confidence.
"Senior, why are there so few students in our school?"
After walking for a while, Megumi Fushiguro finally couldn't help but speak, breaking the silence between the two.
His question was not without basis.
During his time since enrollment, he had long since figured out the scale of Tokyo Jujutsu High; including the second-years and Rin, who joined later, there were only four people and one panda.
And in their current year, there was only him.
With such a number, it could hardly be called a "school."
Upon hearing this, Maki did not pause her steps in the slightest, continuing to walk forward without turning her head, the long sword on her shoulder swaying gently with her pace:
"What do you think we are? A regular compulsory education school?"
Her voice carried a hint of faint mockery, but more so a calmness regarding reality:
"The existence of Tokyo Jujutsu High has never been to impart ordinary knowledge, but to cultivate warriors to eliminate Cursed Spirits.
It is very normal that very few people can enter here."
Maki paused, her gaze falling on the ordinary people laughing and playing on the street, her eyes becoming a bit complex:
"After all, most people only care about their own daily necessities and only think about living a peaceful, small life.
Who would be willing to risk their lives every day to fight against those monsters that ordinary people cannot see?"
She chuckled self-deprecatingly, a hard-to-detect sentiment hidden in her tone:
"Probably, only fools would do such a thing."
Megumi Fushiguro fell silent.
He looked at Maki's back, recalling the principal's advice when he enrolled, and thinking of those ordinary people who had met with misfortune due to Cursed Spirits.
He knew that the "fools" Maki spoke of were actually protecting this seemingly ordinary peace.
"But Senior," Megumi Fushiguro said softly, his tone firm:
"Someone has to do these things."
Megumi Fushiguro's voice carried the firmness unique to a youth, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples in Maki's heart.
Her footsteps paused slightly, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing against the silver-white Revolver at her waist, the cold metal touch helping to slightly calm her chaotic thoughts.
"Like that senior named Rin."
Megumi Fushiguro continued immediately, his eyes full of curiosity:
"I heard he has been executing missions outside, and rarely even returns to school. Is he the kind of 'fool' that Senior Maki mentioned?"
This question made Maki pause, which was rare. The scene of the rooftop under the sunset flashed instantly in her mind.
The ease when Rin handed her the handgun, the coldness when his attitude changed suddenly, and the decisiveness when he turned and left.
She withdrew her thoughts, her tone carrying a bit of indescribable melancholy:
"No, he does not fight to protect ordinary people."
She paused, organizing her words, her gaze falling on the empty street ahead, as if she could see Rin's fighting figure across the distant space:
"Although he is also fulfilling the duties of a Special Grade Sorcerer, the core reason he executes missions so desperately and fights constantly is just because he wants to become stronger."
"Become stronger?"
Megumi Fushiguro frowned, his face full of confusion:
"But I heard he has already eliminated several Special Grade Cursed Spirits on his own; isn't such strength enough? How strong does one have to be to be considered the strongest?"
Since entering Tokyo Jujutsu High, Rin's name had lingered in his ears like a legend.
That senior he had never met rose with astonishing speed, slaying Special Grade Cursed Spirits as easily as reaching into a bag, serving as the benchmark in the hearts of all new students.
Megumi Fushiguro was no exception; he longed to become as strong as Rin. Only in this way could he truly protect his sister who was far away.
But he really could not understand why Rin, who already stood at the pinnacle of the Jujutsu World, was still obsessed with becoming stronger.
Maki listened to his question, sighed softly, and her tone became indifferent:
"Perhaps, he will only be satisfied when he reaches the realm of being invincible under the heavens."
This sentence made Megumi Fushiguro fall into silence.
Invincible under the heavens? What a distant goal that was.
He looked down at his hands, the conviction to become stronger in his heart becoming even more firm.
He did not need to be invincible under the heavens; as long as he possessed enough power to protect his sister, that would be enough.
And Maki's fingertips remained on the handgun, Rin's cold words appearing in her mind once again.
She was suddenly a bit dazed; did that Rin who was obsessed with becoming stronger also hide unknown obsessions deep in his heart? What was the invincible power he pursued really for?
She had no way of knowing these questions, and perhaps there would never be an answer.
And at this moment, Fushiguro was even more curious about that senior he had never met.
But what he didn't know was that they would meet very soon.