"You little brat, looking for a beating, huh?"
Jinsuke set down the massive boulder he'd been carrying on his shoulder and advanced on Mai with a terrifying scowl.
"If I don't tan your backside today, you'll never understand why flowers are so red."
The girl's courage had grown far too much — making faces at him?
"Ahhh! Sis, save me!" Mai shrieked, spinning to flee — only to crash into someone standing behind her.
She stumbled back and fell on her bottom. Rubbing her head, she looked up… and her face drained of color.
It was Naoya — the boy who constantly bullied her and her sister.
With a squeak, Mai bolted upright and ran to cling desperately to Jinsuke's leg.
Compared to him, Jinsuke was scary but only liked to tease her. Naoya, though — he was the real deal when it came to cruelty.
Naoya's eyes swept over Mai and Maki, a flash of jealousy crossing them. Why did these two useless sisters get to stay so close to Jinsuke?
A moment later, his gaze lifted to Jinsuke himself.
Jinsuke met it calmly, silently wondering who the brat was.
"G-Good day, cousin Jinsuke. I'm Naoya Zenin" he stammered. "I'm here to deliver a message from the clan head. He says Jujutsu High has arranged a mission for you. Whether you accept it or not is up to you."
His trembling hands passed a folded paper to Jinsuke, though his eyes shone with feverish admiration.
"Yes… this is it! That aura! Terrifying, overwhelming—exactly what I'd expect from Jinsuke."
"…A mission?"
Jinsuke blinked.
"Already? I've been milking them for a salary for just a year and they're cracking down on me?"
Ignoring Naoya's weird, worshipful look, he took the paper and gave it a glance.
"Heh." His lips curled. "Interesting."
"I understand. You can go back now."
He waved dismissively, suddenly recalling — this brat was the son of that old fossil Naobito. And if he remembered correctly, Naoya was basically Toji's rabid fanboy.
"Y-Yes, sir!" Naoya stiffly turned and left, his footsteps jerky. Inside, though, his heart was pounding with excitement.
"I spoke with Jinsuke! He actually talked to me!"
For Naoya, his worship of strength was practically religious fervor.
As soon as he left, Mai sighed in relief—only to be snatched off the ground by one big hand.
"Ahhh~ Cousin, I was wrong!"
Her little legs kicked in the air as she pressed her fingers together and bowed her head, looking the very picture of contrition.
Whap!
"Next time you make faces at me, it won't end this easily."
Jinsuke flicked her forehead with a knuckle before setting her down.
Mai covered her forehead, eyes watering—not out of grievance, but because it really hurt.
With the brat disciplined, Jinsuke finally looked back at the mission details.
…They wanted him to take two students on a curse-exorcising assignment.
Are they joking?
But he didn't refuse.
For one thing, after freeloading Jujutsu High's salary for a year, he felt the tiniest bit guilty.For another, the mission was simple and the pay was generous.
He only had to escort the students, let them handle the actual exorcism, and step in only if their lives were on the line.
Easy money. And with a certain someone's birthday coming up, a little extra cash would come in handy for visiting his nieces.
The next day, clad in simple black and white, three wooden staves tucked at his waist, Jinsuke made his way to the school.
At the gates, two figures had been waiting for quite some time.
"What's taking so long? Don't tell me he ditched us?"
Riko squatted on the ground, yanking idly at a stalk of foxtail grass. She looked bored out of her mind.
"I doubt it" said Nanami, his straight bangs falling across his face. He stood stiffly upright, but his eyes were languid. Even as a student, he radiated the aura of a weary salaryman.
"Looks like you're the two."
Without warning, Jinsuke's voice came from right beside them.
Nanami's eyes snapped wide.
"When did he get here?!"
He hadn't sensed a thing. And he was already practically first-grade level — this very mission was supposed to seal his promotion.
But this man's presence was completely invisible.
"Ah! It's you!"
Riko leapt up, pointing a finger.
"You—you—you're our supervising teacher this time?"
Jinsuke tilted his head toward her.
"Oh, it's you. The springtime girl."
"You became a sorcerer?" He frowned. "I thought the Star Plasma Vessel couldn't awaken techniques?"
Well… there were exceptions. Like Yuki.
"Hmph! Of course I did! A special-grade sorcerer personally helped me awaken my technique—it's amazing!"
Riko bragged, chin raised proudly.
Originally, she had planned to return with Kuroi and live a normal life. But Gojo and Geto had worried that the Time Vessel Association still hadn't given up, so they'd brought her to Jujutsu High for protection.
And through a twist of fate, Yuki had helped her awaken a technique, setting her on the path of a sorcerer.
"…Oh."
That was all Jinsuke said, turning to look at the boy beside her.
"I'm Kento Nanami. And you, sensei…?"
Nanami didn't recognize him. He'd met nearly all of Jujutsu High's instructors, but this man was a complete stranger.
"Jinsuke Zenin."
"I knew it! You're the brother of the guy who tried to assassinate me, right? Gojo and the others told me all about it!" Riko piped up.
"You did your homework. Enough chatter. Let's go."
Jinsuke's eyes swept over them, his voice calm but firm.
"Understand this: I'm only here as escort. No matter what happens, don't count my strength in your plan. I'll only act at the very last second before your deaths."
"Yeah, yeah, we get it. It's not like we can't handle it ourselves. If it weren't for—"
Riko's words faltered. Her gaze dimmed slightly, the shadow of memory clouding her face.
If it weren't for what happened with Yu and Geto, the school wouldn't have assigned them a chaperone.
Jinsuke noticed, but said nothing. He just turned and started walking.
He could already guess the reason.
Yu's death had made the higher-ups wary of unexpected escalations — like a mission labeled "Second Grade" suddenly producing a First-Grade curse.
This time, the reported phenomenon came from a remote village. Residents claimed that at night they heard horrifying noises, like beasts tearing into flesh. And the next day, villagers would be missing.
Preliminary judgment: a curse at most First Grade.
Before long, the three arrived at the sparsely populated village. With daylight still remaining, Riko and Nanami decided to gather information.
"Excuse me, granny, could you tell us about any strange happenings around here lately?" Riko asked cheerfully, addressing an old woman sitting beneath a shady tree.
"…Eh?" The old woman squinted at her, confused.
"Strange happenings! Granny, has anything weird been going on here lately?" Riko shouted louder.
"Oh, I already ate, dear. Thank you for asking." The old woman nodded solemnly.
"Not that! Weird happenings! Monsters, ghosts, anything like that?"
"Oh, I see…" The old woman's eyes softened with pity. "Poor child. So young, and already without parents… Don't worry. Life always finds a way forward. Look at me—I'm old and alone, but still doing just fine."
She gazed at Riko with heartfelt sympathy.
"Such a good girl. Orphaned so young…"
"Pfft—"
Jinsuke, leaning against the doorway, couldn't hold back his laugh.
Nanami turned his head away, shoulders trembling as he fought not to.
"Ughhh! Forget it!" Riko stomped her foot in frustration. "We'll just wait until night and fight it directly!"
She'd finally tried to take initiative—and ended up humiliated.
"Cursed spirit, I'll rip you apart!"