"The existence of Curses will be revealed to the public," Suguru Geto said with a disturbingly calm smile. "And convincing them of it? Leave that to me."
His tone held a quiet conviction as he continued, "Your task is to isolate this place from external interference. Cut off information flow and treat it as a closed zone."
Palmer, though initially alarmed, began to process the implication. "Even if some of it leaks out, it won't matter. Other nations will likely help cover it up—because no one wants this kind of truth spreading to their borders," Geto added.
Palmer's fear shifted into contemplation. If modern weapons couldn't handle Jujutsu Sorcerers, what chance did they stand against Curses?
Geto clasped his hands within his sleeves, composed as ever. "As for Gojo Satoru and the other sorcerers you're so worried about... they'll be preoccupied by the chaos."
Palmer took a long breath, straightened up, and asked, "Then tell me. What's the full plan?"
---
Later, in Japan
With the crisis temporarily under control, most of the heavy lifting fell to higher-ups and strategic units, while ordinary Jujutsu Sorcerers returned to their routines.
The illegal curse drug, known as gokurakugan, had mostly been removed from circulation, with the supply chain buried deep and thoroughly scrubbed. The residual threats were swiftly managed, in no small part thanks to Principal Masamichi Yaga.
Curses, however, had grown unusually active. Several recent cases mirrored the blood-loss incidents from before. But this time, they were ready.
Yaga's latest creations—Cursed Corpses disguised as common animals like stray cats and dogs—were tailored to draw out hidden threats. Their only functions were survival and attracting Curses. If a surveillance "Window" team identified a suspect location, these corpses would be dispatched and monitored via talismans.
If the talisman was destroyed quickly, it signaled a high-threat Curse, and elite sorcerers would be sent. If it remained intact, it was likely a diversion, and local agents could handle it. Kamihara Hajime himself would step in only if absolutely necessary.
This system significantly improved efficiency, though Yaga himself had grown overworked. According to Panda, he was starting to act more like Hajime than he'd like to admit.
But for now, things had settled. Large-scale attacks were down. Lesser incidents were fewer and more manageable. Hajime could finally breathe.
---
Narita Airport
Today, Hajime wasn't on duty—he was here to pick up an old friend: Yuta Okkotsu.
"Only a few flights left... He should've landed by now," Hajime muttered, glancing at the sparse arrivals list. International travel had slowed, delaying Yuta's return by days.
Not long after, he spotted him—Yuta, now older and carrying a single duffel bag, waved with a casual grin. Hajime greeted him with a warm hug before the two walked out together toward Ijichi, who waited nearby.
"How've you been?" Hajime asked.
Yuta returned a familiar smile. "Good. But... what happened with that incident? I caught some of it while I was abroad. Gojo-sensei told me to hurry back."
"Gojo's still Gojo," Hajime replied. "You coming back means your mission's mostly done, right? We've been short-handed, and that situation's only on pause."
He sighed and waved the thought away. "Never mind. You just got back. Let's get some food first."
They met Ijichi and headed to a quiet restaurant in Ginza. Over food, Hajime recounted everything—from the first-year students' antics to the chaos Yuta missed.
Yuta listened closely, smiling at stories of their old classmates and juniors. The nostalgia was clear in his expression.
But the peaceful moment didn't last.
---
Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the restaurant. Well-dressed customers abandoned their meals and gathered by the windows.
Curious, Hajime and Yuta shifted to get a view. Their sharp eyesight quickly picked up the cause.
Outside, every giant display screen flickered wildly, then unified—every single screen in Ginza now played the same mysterious image.
Phones across the restaurant buzzed. Customers found the same video streaming on their devices.
A middle-aged man appeared onscreen. His voice and face were blank.
"We live in a lie," he began. "The world's true face has been hidden. But today, I'll show you what's real. Please listen carefully."
The screens switched to grainy footage. A lone figure—clearly a Jujutsu Sorcerer—moved through a ruined street, striking at invisible enemies. He broke concrete with ease and hurled destroyed vehicles.
To the average person, it looked like bad CGI. A failed film promo. Most laughed.
But Hajime, Yuta, and Ijichi didn't.
Their faces hardened.
"This is... they're exposing Jujutsu to the public," Hajime muttered.
Ijichi immediately began making frantic calls. Hajime ignored his own buzzing phone and kept watching. Whoever was behind this had no intention of making this a local event.
The man's voice continued:
"Supernatural powers exist. They are called Curses. And the ones who battle them... are Jujutsu Sorcerers."
Then came a horrifying display. The man presented a woman tied to a chair, sobbing. He showed a small, white pill—the same substance known as gokurakugan.
He forced it into her mouth.
Moments later, she screamed in terror. "Ghosts... I see ghosts!"
The woman flailed in panic. Then, as though attacked by something invisible, her body floated and twisted in midair.
The crowd watching began to retch and scream.
It was real. Uncensored. Unfiltered.
The camera panned back to the man.
"These gifts are already distributed across the country. You've all been deceived for too long. Accidents, suicides, unexplained deaths... many were caused by Curses. And the system never let you see it."
Then, in a final shocking transformation, the man's flesh warped. His bones broke outward. His skin twisted into a grotesque Curse, right before the camera cut out.
The silence that followed was deafening.
People began whispering, shouting, filming again—utterly shaken.
---
Just as Hajime was about to move out, another scream tore through the air. The crowd outside scattered in terror.
He rushed to the street.
A tentacled monster—once human, now mutated by gokurakugan—loomed above panicked citizens.
Without hesitation, Hajime drew Totsuka-no-Tsurugi. A single clean strike ended it.
He reversed the damage using his Technique, restoring a young woman who had just died. Then, seamlessly blending into the crowd, he released his Cursed Technique again.
The bystanders blinked. The monster was gone. The woman was alive.
They looked at each other in disbelief. Could they have all imagined it?
Hajime didn't wait for questions. He rejoined Yuta and Ijichi by the car. With one urgent nod from Hajime, Ijichi understood—it was time to head back to Jujutsu High. Fast.
---
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