"Next up, a report on yesterday's explosion in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, caused by aging gas pipelines..."
The news anchor's voice was cool and professional as she read the report. Beneath the television, four boys sat in a perfectly straight row, looking like a group of well-behaved schoolboys—or at least trying to.
"One of you claimed they would handle the Curtain and then immediately ditched the Assistant Director," Masamichi Yaga said, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the group. "And then, you forgot the Curtain entirely. Who was it?"
Without a moment's hesitation, three fingers pointed simultaneously at the boy in the middle: Satoru Gojo.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Satoru's cheek. Realizing he'd been sold out by his teammates and that things were looking grim, he immediately raised his hand to deflect.
"Sensei! Can we please stop obsessing over finding a culprit?"
"It was Satoru, wasn't it?"
THWACK! A fist of "educational guidance" descended upon Satoru's head.
"Seriously though, is the Curtain really that necessary?" Satoru asked later, tossing a basketball high into the air and catching it. He pouted. "Who cares if ordinary people see us? It's not like they can see the curses or jujutsu anyway." He flicked the ball; it swished perfectly through the hoop.
Behind him, Shoko and Hasegumo were busy inspecting his sunglasses.
"Man, these are dark. Put them on," Shoko said, handing them to Hasegumo. She was impressed by the sheer light-blocking power of the lenses.
"A normal person probably couldn't see a thing in these," Hasegumo said, trying them on. "Only this guy would need something this extreme. Seriously, what kind of manufacturer even makes something this ridiculous?"
"It's a Cursed Tool, you dummy. Can't you feel the obvious Cursed Energy?" Shoko snatched the glasses back and slid them onto her own face, declaring that she was done playing with idiots.
Before the ball could even hit the ground after the next shot, Suguru Geto leapt up and intercepted it. "Of course it's necessary. We have to suppress the emergence of Curses," he said, dribbling the ball forward slowly. "The most important thing is to keep the public's hearts at ease. To do that, we must hide threats they can't see. And that's not all..."
Shoko seemed to have grown bored of the glasses. She stepped forward, and Satoru instinctively leaned his head back so she could slide the sunglasses back onto his face. She then turned and sat back down next to Hasegumo.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Satoru said, blurring forward to steal the ball back from Suguru. He jumped for a shot. "Taking care of the weak... it's such a pain."
Seeing Suguru preparing to launch into another lecture, Satoru simply whipped the ball at him. "You say that way too much. 'Righteousness.' I hate moralizing more than anything."
"This feels like deja vu," Hasegumo muttered, scratching his head. He'd heard this before. "...Right, back in Laplace's domain, these two had a similar argument. Though that time, Satoru interrupted it with a snowball."
Currently, however, Satoru and Suguru were operating on completely different ideologies. This debate was a recurring theme for them, and most of their physical spats revolved around these clashing views.
After nearly a year of this, Satoru knew exactly what Suguru was going to say next. "And your next line is..."
"Jujutsu exists to protect non-sorcerers."
"Jujutsu exists to protect non-sorcerers," Satoru mimicked in perfect unison.
Suguru's eyes narrowed. He realized things weren't going to be simple. "Nani?"
Satoru decided to seize the initiative and continue the torment. "Assigning reasons and 'responsibilities' to power is something only the weak do. Don't go using platitudes just to make yourself feel good."
As he spoke, he rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue, wearing an expression that was three parts disdain and seven parts pure moron.
The Cursed Energy flaring around the two of them began to surge. Shoko, sensing imminent disaster, prepared to bolt, but seeing Hasegumo sitting there unmoved, she sat back down. "Those two... they aren't actually going to fight in the gym, are they?"
"Don't worry, they aren't that reckless," Hasegumo said, giving her a reassuring look. "Yaga-sensei is right next door today."
"Gumo, what do you think?" Suguru asked. He felt Satoru had been growing rapidly lately and wasn't sure he could handle him alone. Assuming Hasegumo shared his values, he decided to drag him into the fray.
However...
"Huh? Me?" Hasegumo blinked. You two argue all the time and never ask me for my input. Now that you're about to throw hands, you want to drag me in? Suguru isn't as innocent as he looks.
Still, after their recent battles, Hasegumo knew he wouldn't lose easily even against these two "trash" sorcerers. He decided to speak his mind boldly.
"I think both of your ideologies are wrong. In my eyes, everyone is someone worth protecting. We should aim to prevent any living being from dying due to non-natural causes. Why draw a line between sorcerers and ordinary people? The strong, the weak—it doesn't matter; they're all the same. And putting shackles on power is absolutely necessary. Unrestricted power only brings death."
Hasegumo delivered a double-barreled blast, rejecting both of their core beliefs.
"Haah?" The two of them immediately turned their "hostility" toward Hasegumo, staring him down.
"Listen, kids. Don't think that just because you've seen a bit of the world, you understand everything," Hasegumo said, adopting the tone of a weary, grizzled old man. He looked at them like they were children about to fight over a toy. "Everyone's experiences are different, which leads to different beliefs. It's fine to hold your own views, but don't try to force your perspective onto others."
"You really have some nerve," Satoru said, cracking his knuckles with a series of loud pops.
"Let's step outside for a chat, Gumo," Suguru said, his left hand extending as a massive, multi-eyed Curse began to manifest behind him. Malicious Cursed Energy flooded the room, but the two people next to him didn't flinch.
"How much longer are you going to play around!" Yaga's voice boomed from the doorway.
The flaring Cursed Energy vanished instantly. Suguru and Satoru immediately began doing calisthenics, looking for all the world like they were just warming up for a friendly game of basketball.
Only Hasegumo, being the honest soul he was, was too slow to react. "Huh?" Seeing the other two in such perfect sync, he felt like the odd man out.
"Where is Shoko?" Yaga asked.
"No idea."
"Probably the bathroom."
"Uh, I think she was just..."
"Here," Shoko muttered, raising her hand weakly from the corner. She had somehow teleported behind the three of them.
"Everyone, follow me. Satoru, Suguru—this mission specifically requested the two of you." As Yaga spoke, he noticed the two of them pouting. "You have a problem with that?"
"Not at all..." they replied in unison.
They followed him down the hallway toward the classroom.
"To be honest, I think this is a heavy burden, but Master Tengen specifically designated the two of you to handle it," Yaga explained as they walked.
"Um, Yaga-sensei," Hasegumo raised his hand.
"What is it?"
"Since they were the ones designated, can we leave?" Hasegumo gestured to the "non-essential" personnel, wondering if they could beat a retreat.
"You are a team. Don't interrupt me. Hear the mission details before you decide whether to participate," Yaga snapped. This kid has been infected by them. The moment there's a hint of trouble that doesn't involve him, he tries to run.
"There are two requests. The Star Plasma Vessel—that is, the person compatible with Master Tengen. You are to serve as that girl's escorts... and then erase her." Yaga opened the classroom door.
"Escort and then erase a little brat?" Satoru asked.
"Exactly," Yaga nodded.
Satoru covered his mouth with his hand, stifling a laugh. "Have you finally gone senile, old man?"
Suguru stepped forward and patted Satoru on the shoulder. "It's spring, after all. He's probably just giddy about becoming the next Principal. Don't joke like that, haha."
"I'll decide what's a joke," Yaga said. He wasn't that old, and their "whispers" were far too loud.
Suguru's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. "Is it time for Master Tengen's technique to be reset?"
"Hm?" Satoru tilted his head. "What are you guys talking about?"
"I don't know either. Suguru has been secretly studying behind our backs," Hasegumo said, sounding like a student condemning a classmate for over-achieving.
"Master Tengen possesses the technique of 'Immortality,' but they are not 'Ageless.'"
While Yaga gave his serious lecture, Shoko and Hasegumo were already whispering in the back.
"Gumo, since your body is always in peak condition, does that mean you don't age? Wouldn't that make you even more impressive than Master Tengen's technique?" Shoko asked enviously.
"I think I'm the opposite of Master Tengen. I might not look old, but when my time is up, I'll just die," Hasegumo replied, thinking back to things Gen-ojisan had told him. He wasn't entirely sure.
"Not aging... man, I'm jealous. You'd get to have a teenage body for decades," Shoko sighed, her eyes sparkling.
"It's not really—" Hasegumo started, but a stern voice cut him off.
"Silence. Listen to me." A vein was visibly throbbing on Yaga's forehead. He didn't call them out by name, but Hasegumo and Shoko immediately sat bolt upright, signaling for him to continue.
"If not aging is so..." Yaga caught himself and slapped his own cheek. He'd been led astray by the two in the back.
He's definitely jealous too, all four students thought simultaneously.
"Simply aging wouldn't be an issue, but once the aging reaches a certain point, the technique will attempt to reconstruct the body," Yaga continued. His gaze drifted slightly, avoiding eye contact with any of them. "Evolution. They would cease to be human and become a higher form of life."
"Isn't that great? Sounds cool," Satoru said. He wanted to evolve, too.
"According to Master Tengen, at that stage, 'will' as we know it would cease to exist," Suguru explained, looking up. "Master Tengen would no longer be Master Tengen."
"The barriers at the various Jujutsu High locations, which serve as the foundations of the jujutsu world, and the barrier techniques used by the Assistant Directors—all of these are reinforced by Master Tengen. Without their power, security would fail, and missions would become impossible. In the worst-case scenario, Master Tengen could become an enemy of humanity."
"Therefore, every five hundred years, they must merge with a 'Star Plasma Vessel'—a compatible human individual. This rewrites their physical information. With a refreshed body, the technique's effects are reset, and 'Evolution' is prevented."
Satoru listened intently, nodding along. He then offered a bizarre analogy to prove he understood. "Got it. So evolving into MetalGreymon is good, but turning into SkullGreymon is bad, so we have to turn back into Koromon and start over."
Suguru looked at him with slight disgust. "Fine. If that explanation works for you."
Hasegumo stood up and raised his hand. "Yaga-sensei, my body doesn't age. If Master Tengen merges with me and gains my physical data, would they stop aging? Then we wouldn't have to use an innocent girl's life for this 'merging,' right?"
The other three turned to look at Hasegumo in shock. This guy would go that far? He'd sacrifice his own life for the future of humanity?
Yaga was also surprised. "Unfortunately, that won't work. Master Tengen's original gender was female; therefore, the vessel compatible for merging must be a human female. Furthermore, even if it were possible, I wouldn't allow it."
"I was just curious. I wouldn't give up my life for a 'potential' future anyway," Hasegumo said, revealing he was mostly joking. Then, he asked the question that actually mattered to him. "Is this girl merging with Tengen of her own free will?"
"Yes," Yaga noted the shift in Hasegumo's tone and the fact that he'd stopped using honorifics for Master Tengen. "Is there a problem?"
"No. I was just thinking... if Tengen's technique wants them to evolve, then let them evolve. Why not follow the natural order? Surely there are other ways to fix the barrier problem. As for becoming a higher-dimensional being and turning into an enemy of humanity—that's just one possibility. Why would someone go against their survival instinct and voluntarily give up their life just to solve a 'maybe'?"
Hasegumo spoke as he draped his jacket over his shoulder and turned toward the door.
"Sorry, everyone. Since Tengen didn't ask for me, I'm sitting this one out. Regardless of how that girl feels about the 'merging,' I have no desire to be an accomplice to a killing, nor do I want to protect someone who chooses to throw their life away. It's better to stay away from things I can't understand."
Hasegumo walked out with a carefree stride.
"Since I'm not much of a fighter and this is such a big deal, I'll stay behind at the school on standby too," Shoko said, standing up. "Gumo, wait for me! Let's get hotpot tonight!"
Yaga didn't say anything as they left. He maintained his stern expression and continued the briefing.
"The information regarding the Star Plasma Vessel has leaked. Currently, those who want her dead fall into two main camps." He turned an old laptop around to show them images.
"The curse user group 'Q', who want Master Tengen to lose control and overturn the current jujutsu world."
"And the religious group that worships Master Tengen, the Star Religious Group—'The Time Vessel Association'."
"The merger between Master Tengen and the Star Plasma Vessel will take place during the full moon in two days. Until then, you must protect the girl and deliver her to Master Tengen."
"If you fail, it will affect the lives of ordinary people everywhere. Take this seriously."
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