"Everyone's here already?"
11 AM, just before noon.
Roy followed Yaga Masamichi to an unused teaching building on campus, where inside a large classroom, they spotted Kyoto Jujutsu High's principal Gakuganji Yoshinobu and their instructor, Iori Utahime.
Iori Utahime, Kyoto High's instructor, was a woman around thirty years old. She wore the formal shrine maiden attire—the proper kind that didn't reveal anything inappropriate, like armpits or hips.
Her face was quite pleasant to look at, though unfortunately, a scar about half the size of a palm stretched from the right side of her face down to the bridge of her nose, marring that beauty and giving her a somewhat fierce appearance.
She was Kyoto High's representative for this exchange event and one of their teachers. Though only a semi-grade 1 sorcerer, her cursed technique was a rare buffing-type ability, making her an exceptionally uncommon support among jujutsu sorcerers.
Including Roy and Yaga, there were five people in the large classroom.
Aside from the principals and instructors from both Tokyo and Kyoto schools, there was also a tall, striking beauty.
She stood over 170 cm, slightly taller than Maki and Mai.
Her blue-white hair was braided in front of her face, obscuring most of her features, but even the glimpses of her face visible through the swaying braid left no doubt she was a beauty. With an hourglass figure, long legs, and every movement exuding mature feminine charm—
"That's Mei Mei, a hired sorcerer."
Yaga Masamichi introduced the woman with the peculiar hairstyle to Roy.
"Hello, I'm Mei Mei, a freelance sorcerer. You must be Roy, the newly promoted special-grade sorcerer? I've heard so much about you. Please consider my services in the future—here's my business card."
The mature beauty with the blue-white braid covering her face stepped forward in her high heels, their clicks crisp against the wooden floor as she handed Roy a business card.
"Of course."
Roy accepted it with a smile.
He was very familiar with Mei Mei.
The higher-ups had files on her too. She had originally been a Jujutsu High student, but since her innate technique wasn't particularly strong, she had aimed to become an assistant supervisor. The moment she graduated, she immediately switched careers to become a freelance sorcerer.
She didn't sign any contracts with the higher-ups. Instead, she opened her own agency, specializing in curse-related cases for wealthy clients, much like how ordinary people viewed paranormal investigators.
And she only cared about money—no loyalty to anyone. A true miser with no interest in anything beyond wealth.
However.
Compared to Mei Mei, Roy was far more interested in her younger brother.
Her brother, Ui Ui, possessed a teleportation technique that allowed him to instantly move to any person or object he had marked with cursed energy, with no distance limitations.
That's right—the teleportation Roy used was copied from Ui Ui.
"Principal Yaga, is Gojo Satoru not here?"
After exchanging pleasantries with Roy, Mei Mei turned her attention to Yaga Masamichi.
"Such an important event like the exchange, and he's absent?"
The moment those words left Mei Mei's lips—
The atmosphere in the classroom instantly shifted.
Gakuganji Yoshinobu and Utahime Iori also turned their curious gazes toward the source of the discussion.
It was clear they had harbored doubts about this matter for a long time, their expressions filled with probing intent.
Regardless of their stance or whether they opposed Gojo Satoru, his very existence held immense significance. His whereabouts concerned countless individuals.
In fact, as a high-ranking official whose status rivaled that of the Jujutsu High elders, Gakuganji possessed considerable intelligence from the higher-ups. He had known about Gojo Satoru's six-month disappearance and had long formed his own suspicions.
Yet, they remained just that—suspicions. He couldn't confirm Gojo's movements.
Had he been certain, he would have acted much sooner.
Gojo Satoru was a Special Grade sorcerer who supported the reformist faction within the higher-ups. With his invincible strength, he constantly obstructed the conservative faction's policies. If he were truly gone, Gakuganji, as the leader of the conservatives, would have the perfect opportunity to flex his influence!
The most obvious example was Yaga Masamichi.
That second-year student named Panda was, in essence, a cursed corpse—created by Yaga Masamichi, who possessed the Cursed Corpse Manipulation technique.
When Panda was first created, the higher-ups had been deeply wary of Yaga.
While there were other manipulation techniques in the jujutsu world that could produce autonomous artificial cursed corpses, they typically required the sorcerer to personally supply cursed energy as a power source.
But Panda could generate his own cursed energy!
A single Panda might not seem like much.
But if Yaga had mastered a method to mass-produce self-aware cursed corpses like Panda, capable of replenishing their own cursed energy, wouldn't that mean he alone commanded an army of cursed corpses?
If that were the case, overthrowing the current order would be child's play for him.
The higher-ups, deeply alarmed by this possibility, had immediately imprisoned Yaga. Using the bait of "promoting Yaga to Special Grade," they attempted to probe his secrets—to determine whether he truly possessed the ability to mass-produce an army of cursed corpses.
If confirmed, they would seize him, extract the production method through interrogation, and then eliminate him on the spot!
But Yaga saw through their scheme. He insisted that Panda was merely a spontaneously mutated cursed corpse and that he had no means of mass-producing such beings.
Thus, he evaded the higher-ups' persecution, and the matter was eventually dropped.
But if it were confirmed that Gojo Satoru was gone...
The interrogation of Yaga Masamichi would undoubtedly be revived. At the very least, they would force him to reveal the method for creating cursed corpses capable of self-sustaining cursed energy!
And it wasn't just Yaga—the Gojo clan would be next.
Over the years, they had rallied behind Gojo Satoru, obstructing many of the higher-ups' initiatives. The Gojo family would have to be dismantled!
As for the sorcerers who had benefited from Gojo's influence and aligned themselves with him—they, too, would need to be dealt with, one by one.
"He's still on a mission."
In the classroom, Yaga Masamichi's expression remained unchanged as he replied calmly.
"That's strange."
Mei Mei smiled faintly and pressed further.
"From what I know, the last time Gojo Satoru appeared was in March—half a year ago. In all that time, he hasn't shown up once. Given that show-off's personality, it's absolutely impossible for him to stay quiet for six whole months without making an appearance. Is he really that busy?"
"It's a chain of missions."
"How peculiar. I wonder what kind of mission could keep that Gojo Satoru occupied for a full six months?"
"That information is classified. No comment."
"What a shame."
Mei Mei feigned disappointment with a sigh.
But immediately, she changed her tone.
"However, I just exchanged some information with Principal Gakuganji. It's said that the higher-ups haven't been able to contact Gojo Satoru for the past six months. Is this information accurate?"
"...No comment."
Yaga Masamichi's hands clenched tightly behind his back.
He slightly turned his gaze toward Gakuganji Yoshinobu, who was sitting there calmly.
Even through sunglasses, one could sense the aura of anger emanating from him.
"This old man deliberately leaked information to Mei Mei!"
He probably wanted to use her to test whether Gojo Satoru had been in contact with Yaga Masamichi!
Yaga remained silent, standing there with an intimidating aura that warned others to stay away, as if provoked, maintaining an unyielding stance of "no comment" no matter what was asked.
"Hey, how long are you two going to stand here?"
At that moment, a lazy voice suddenly cut between the two.
"Where Gojo Satoru went doesn't matter at all—as long as I'm here, anyone who dares to act recklessly will just have to serve as an example."
"The exchange event is about to start. Aren't you going to watch? If not, could you move aside? I'd like to, but you're blocking the way."
The tension in the room eased slightly.
Yaga's aura calmed down a bit as he turned to look at Roy behind him.
Roy was pointing toward the classroom seats, clearly intending to walk over and sit down to watch the event.
But Yaga and Mei Mei were blocking the doorway, preventing him from entering.
"I see. That makes sense."
Mei Mei shrugged. Seeing that Roy seemed inclined to intervene, she wisely chose to back off.
"If even the new Special Grade sorcerer—who effortlessly defeated three Special Grade curses simultaneously—has spoken, then I'll say no more. By the way, Principal Gakuganji paid me to ask those questions. If you have any issues, take it up with him."
With that, Maki turned and walked to her seat without another word.
She didn't spare a glance at Gakuganji, whose expression had turned extremely unpleasant.
"Hmph!"
Gakuganji's lips curled downward as he glared at Mei Mei in displeasure.
But he couldn't say much, only letting out a cold snort to express his frustration.
Exposing the employer so easily—is that how business is done?
If Mei Mei knew what he was thinking, she'd probably call him an idiot and give him a pitying look.
While integrity is fundamental in business, isn't the ultimate goal still to make money?
But if a Special Grade steps in and decides to wreck your shop in a fit of anger, forget making money—you might not even survive!
Didn't you hear what he said?
"Anyone who dares to act recklessly will just have to serve as an example!"
If you're so brave, you deal with him!
I'm not getting involved!
"Clever woman."
Roy silently gave Mei Mei that evaluation.
Then he walked past the path she had cleared and took a seat in the second row of the classroom.
Casually casting a meaningful glance at Gakuganji.
"You old fossil, when people get old, they should make way for the young. If you cling to your position like a thief, be careful you don't end up like Bao Si one day!"
"Hmph, spare me your mockery!"
Gakuganji snorted coldly, unwilling to continue the conversation. He lowered his eyes, assuming a meditative posture of "eyes observing the nose, nose observing the heart."
He appeared utterly detached from worldly affairs.
But in his heart, he was anything but indifferent.
Yaga glanced at Roy.
Thinking of Roy's earlier actions, he felt a slight relief in his heart.
It seemed the initial decision had been the right one.
This way, even if Gojo truly disappeared, at least their faction wouldn't face complete annihilation.
For now, the tension remained beneath the surface.
Outwardly, everyone in the classroom maintained a harmonious atmosphere, with only minor verbal spats.
Time gradually approached noon.
"Mei Mei."
Yaga turned to Mei Mei.
"Understood, activating now."
Mei Mei nodded, her eyes hidden beneath her braids emitting a fluorescent glow like electronic lenses, as if some mechanism had been activated.
Immediately after, several screens suddenly projected onto the classroom's blackboard.
"This is the perspective my crows see. It's not much, but please understand—the number of crows I can control simultaneously is limited."
Mei Mei explained to Roy and the others.
She especially flashed an enthusiastic smile at Roy.
"If there's ever a need for my crows in the future, don't forget to call me! As a special favor for a Special Grade, I can offer you a discount!"
"Can't it be free?"
Roy asked with a grin.
"It's business, so I hope you understand. But I can give you one free service!"
Mei Mei's brow furrowed slightly at this.
She hated giving discounts, but for a Special Grade, she reluctantly offered a free service, hoping to smooth over the earlier incident.
"I see."
Roy nodded understandingly, his gaze shifting to the images projected on the blackboard.
All twelve students from Tokyo Jujutsu High and Kyoto Jujutsu High had now gathered under the torii gate at the main entrance, each brimming with anticipation, waiting for the moment to charge into the forests on either side.
"The images aren't very clear?"
"Birds' eyesight varies."
"Why are they flickering?"
"Birds need to blink too."
"Hmm... Miss Mei Mei, could you remove these projections?"
Roy murmured thoughtfully before smiling at Mei Mei.
"They don't seem very useful."
"Huh?"
Mei Mei froze.
In all these years, no one had ever called her surveillance "not useful"!
Her innate technique, Black Bird Manipulation, allowed her to control crows and fight alongside them.
A simple and brutal ability, which was why she had initially chosen the path of an assistant supervisor due to her lack of strength during her school days. But later, through dedicated training, she developed other techniques and eventually became a Grade 1 sorcerer.
Setting that aside, her Black Bird Manipulation also allowed her to share the vision of the crows she controlled, making it an excellent tool for reconnaissance, surveillance, and tracking. For years, the school had enlisted her to monitor students' movements during exchange events.
Sure, it had some flaws, but "not useful"? Really?
If it weren't for the fact that this person was an unfamiliar Special Grade, she would definitely have retorted with a few words.
"Does Roy-sensei have a better method?"
"You'll know once you withdraw yours."
Mei Mei fell silent for a moment.
Then she quietly removed several images from the blackboard.
Yaga Masamichi and Gakuganji Yoshinobu, among others, also turned their gazes toward him, watching with suspicion, perhaps wondering what tricks he still had up his sleeve.
"Snap!"
No surge of cursed energy was seen from Roy.
With just a snap of his fingers, several images reappeared on the blackboard.
Unlike the images Mei Mei had created, his were incredibly clear—as if rendered in 1080p at 60fps—without any flickering or blackouts.
"...I concede defeat."