Night fell, and darkness enveloped Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Inside the principal's office, Masamichi Yaga sat with needle and thread in hand, his expression stern and focused as he carefully stitched up a stuffed doll that looked utterly out of place next to his burly frame.
Under the faint glow of candlelight, the needle moved back and forth with practiced ease. It was hard to imagine that such a rough-looking middle-aged man could be so skilled at delicate handiwork.
At last, seemingly satisfied with his work, Yaga gently set the plush toy aside on the desk and turned his head.
"Gojo. You're back."
Right on cue, the office door opened, and Gojo Satoru strolled in with his usual relaxed gait.
"Yeah, I'm back. This time… I really ran into a huge surprise."
However, the moment Yaga laid eyes on him, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Gojo, what happened to you? Why do you look so disheveled?"
It wasn't strange for Yaga to ask. Gojo's current state was completely different from his usual self.
His clothes looked like they'd been through a terrifying battle—torn and ragged, riddled with gashes as if slashed by some sharp weapon. His carefully styled hair was a total mess, making him look more like a down-and-out vagrant than the strongest jujutsu sorcerer.
Yaga couldn't imagine what kind of encounter could leave someone with the Limitless in such a state.
Wasn't Gojo supposed to be investigating that report about a suspected special grade today?
"It's nothing, really. While investigating, I found the target directly, fought them… and lost."
"…What did you say?!"
Yaga wondered if he'd misheard.
Lost? Gojo Satoru—the strongest—lost?!
"Gojo, do you realize what you're saying? Are you sure you didn't misspeak?"
"I'm sure. A loss is a loss. I'll just win it back next time."
Compared to Yaga's shock, Gojo himself seemed remarkably unconcerned about his defeat.
"Who exactly was the opponent? What kind of cursed technique did they have, to the point that even you couldn't win?"
"That's what I'm about to explain," Gojo waved his hand casually.
"The opponent was a girl who had been incarnated by a curse."
"…Let's go to the Council of Directors. I'll explain everything there."
Because Gojo didn't try to hide anything—if anything, he subtly pushed things along—even though it was already evening, news spread rapidly among the jujutsu higher-ups:
Gojo Satoru had been defeated.
And the one who defeated him was a girl harboring a curse.
Outside the gates of Tokyo Jujutsu High, Iijichi, the assistant supervisor who'd been specifically called to drive them, was drenched in cold sweat as he ferried Gojo and Yaga toward the Council.
Since he'd been summoned personally, Iijichi had unfortunately learned a few details—such as why the two of them were headed to the Council in the first place.
And right now, he desperately wished he hadn't.
The strongest defeated.
A girl and a curse defeating the strongest…
Damn it! Was this really something a small fry like him was allowed to hear?
Was he going to be found with eight bullet holes in his body tomorrow, ruled a "suicide" after work?
Council of Directors — Conference Room
Having changed clothes and tidied himself up, Gojo slowly walked into the darkened chamber.
As the doors closed behind him, dim lights flared to life one by one, illuminating dozens of standing screens around the room.
Through shikigami-linked projections, numerous high-ranking figures observed Gojo standing at the center, and impatient voices immediately rang out.
"Gojo Satoru! As the head of the Gojo clan, you must take responsibility for what you've said! Is the report that you were defeated by an unknown special grade true?!"
"And the information about a curse-incarnated girl—is that also true?! Does she truly possess the power to defeat you?!"
"Do you have any idea how serious an impact this has on the jujutsu world?! Think carefully before you answer!"
Faced with the barrage of questioning, Gojo calmly picked at his ear.
"I'm very sure. The fact that I was defeated is true."
"Although I didn't use my Domain, neither did the opponent. And I could feel it—
even after defeating me, she still hadn't gone all out."
At Gojo's unequivocal response, the previously noisy conference room fell into a rare silence.
The jujutsu higher-ups might all despise Gojo Satoru—but that didn't mean they doubted his strength.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have tolerated his behavior time and time again.
The strongest of the jujutsu world—that title truly belonged to him.
And yet now, Gojo was saying he'd lost. Lost to a girl whose name they'd never even heard, one who was hosting a curse.
"…Is that curse truly so powerful?"
For once, the higher-ups' questions weren't aggressive, but cautious—almost timid.
Seeing this classic display of bullying the weak and fearing the strong, Gojo curled his lips into a mocking smile.
These people were always like this.
When no one resisted them, they abused their authority freely, exploiting others and lining their own pockets without shame.
But when facing someone they couldn't suppress—like Gojo—they didn't dare confront them openly, resorting only to underhanded schemes.
And now, upon hearing of an uncontrollable existence whose power far exceeded their own, they were terrified to the core, their words stripped of all confidence.
"I need to clarify something," Gojo said calmly.
"It's not just that the curse is strong. While I was indeed defeated by it in the end, the girl hosting it is just as powerful as I am."
"So there's no need to worry about the curse going berserk. I believe the girl can control it. And after some discussion, they've already agreed to join the jujutsu world."
Before the higher-ups could show any sign of relief, Gojo continued.
"However, their conditions are as follows:
They will not accept any orders from the jujutsu authorities. In return, the jujutsu world must provide them with information on cursed spirit locations. They're willing to help eliminate curses—but compensation still applies."
"Oh, and there's also an application for special-grade sorcerer status.
You might as well approve that too while you're at it."
Instantly, the faces of the higher-ups listening through their shikigami darkened again.
"This is outrageous! Joining the jujutsu world yet refusing to follow the orders of the higher-ups—and demanding unconditional intelligence support?!"
"Such arrogance! Utterly absurd!"
Gojo silently watched the higher-ups rant for a while. Then, growing bored, he spoke again.
"Would you like me to relay all of these responses to them, word for word?"
In an instant, the entire conference room fell silent once more.
After a brief pause, the higher-ups resumed speaking as though nothing had happened.
"…The application for a new special-grade sorcerer is approved."
"The jujutsu world will provide intelligence support regarding cursed spirits—
and nothing more."