Chapter 78 (Patreon)

April 2018.

Fushiguro Megumi decided to call Satoru Gojo.

“Hello?”

“Who is this?”

“It’s me. Fushiguro Megumi.”

“Ohhh, Megumi. What’s up?”

“I want to become a jujutsu sorcerer.”

For once, the other side went quiet.

Then Gojo’s voice came through, light as ever.

“…So you finally made up your mind.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t move. I’m coming over.”

Beep. Beep.

Before Megumi could say another word, the call ended.

He stared at the screen for a moment.

“Seriously…?”

A tired sigh escaped him.

“Are all jujutsu sorcerers this impatient?”

The thought had barely crossed his mind when someone knocked on the door.

Megumi froze.

“…No way.”

He walked over and looked through the peephole.

Standing outside was Satoru Gojo.

Megumi’s face went blank.

“You’re kidding.”

He opened the door.

Gojo stood there with a bright grin, holding a bag of Kikufuku like he had just returned from a casual shopping trip.

“Surprised? I came here at full speed, you know.”

As he spoke, he picked up an edamame-flavored Kikufuku and bit into it.

“Mmph. So, when are we leaving, kid?”

Megumi stared at him.

“Finish chewing before you talk.”

Gojo swallowed the rest in one bite.

“Okay. When are we leaving?”

Megumi looked back at his quiet home.

There was nothing left to hesitate over.

“…Now.”

Gojo smiled.

“Good answer.”

He placed a hand on Megumi’s shoulder.

The next instant—

Whoosh!

The scenery shattered into a blur.

Megumi’s vision flickered wildly, buildings and streets streaking past so fast his senses nearly failed to keep up.

Then, just as suddenly, everything stopped.

They were standing inside Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Megumi went silent.

“…You’re kidding. Jujutsu sorcerers can do this?”

Gojo lifted a finger.

“Correction. Not all jujutsu sorcerers can do this.”

He pointed at himself with a shameless grin.

“Only the strongest ones.”

“Narcissist.”

Gojo nodded in satisfaction.

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

Megumi’s cursed technique was something inherited from his bloodline.

The Zen’in clan’s prized technique—

Ten Shadows Technique.

A technique that used shadows as a medium to summon shikigami. Those shikigami were far stronger than ordinary ones, but if they were completely destroyed, they could never be manifested again.

Gojo brought Megumi to an open training ground.

Megumi looked around.

“What are we doing here?”

Gojo stretched his shoulders lightly.

“Your entrance exam.”

“There’s an exam?”

“Of course. This is a school.”

“…Right.”

Megumi exhaled, then focused.

He didn’t have proper training yet, but the technique was carved into his blood. Cursed energy stirred inside him, sinking into the shadow beneath his feet.

“If I hurt you, don’t blame me.”

Gojo smiled.

“Go ahead. Hit me with everything you have.”

Megumi clasped his hands together.

“Divine Dogs.”

Black, ink-like shadows spread beneath him.

Two shikigami emerged from the darkness.

One black.

One white.

Gojo’s smile thinned slightly.

“So that’s the Zen’in clan’s Ten Shadows Technique.”

Then he raised his hand.

“Come on. Show me more.”

Megumi’s expression tightened.

“Fine. Don’t complain later.”

The two Divine Dogs shot forward, jaws wide, aiming straight for Gojo.

But Gojo didn’t move.

Megumi’s eyes narrowed.

He isn’t dodging?

The Divine Dogs closed in—

Then stopped.

No.

They hadn’t stopped.

They were still running.

They just couldn’t reach him.

Megumi’s pupils contracted.

“What…?”

An invisible distance stood between Gojo and the shikigami.

The Divine Dogs clawed and snapped, but the space around Gojo refused to let them touch him.

It was like the closer they got, the farther away he became.

Megumi clicked his tongue.

“Then—Great Serpent!”

The shadow beneath Gojo swelled.

A massive serpent burst from the ground, jaws opening wide to swallow him whole.

Megumi blinked once.

And Gojo was gone.

A voice came from behind him.

“Mm. Not bad.”

Cold sweat slid down Megumi’s temple.

If this had been a real enemy, he would already be dead.

He slowly turned his head.

“…Did I pass?”

Gojo rubbed his chin, pretending to think.

“Hmm…”

Megumi’s eyebrow twitched.

“Don’t drag it out.”

Gojo laughed.

“Congratulations. You passed.”

Megumi let out a breath.

“Good.”

“And with your current ability, you can enter Jujutsu High as a Grade 2 sorcerer.”

Megumi paused.

“…Grade 2?”

“It means you’re pretty impressive.”

“That explanation was awful.”

Gojo ignored that completely.

“Anyway, put your technique away and follow me.”

Megumi recalled the shikigami and walked after him.

After a while, he asked, “How many people are in my year?”

Gojo glanced at him.

Then looked away.

Megumi stopped walking.

“…Why did you look away?”

Gojo whistled.

“Don’t tell me…”

Gojo turned back with a smile.

“Yep. Right now, it’s just you.”

Megumi felt his soul leave his body for a second.

“What kind of school is this?”

“A very special one.”

“Is it too late to quit?”

Gojo thought about it with exaggerated seriousness.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“I knew it…”

Gojo waved a hand.

“Don’t worry about it. People with cursed energy are rare to begin with. Sorcerers are even rarer.”

Then he added casually, “Besides, you won’t be alone for long. Ragnar Kagenou is out looking for potential students right now. We should have new first-years soon.”

Megumi glanced at him.

“Ragnar… you mean that blond guy?”

“Yep.”

Gojo leaned closer.

“What, is white hair not handsome enough for you?”

Megumi’s expression went flat.

“If you stopped acting suspicious every five seconds, maybe.”

Gojo placed a hand over his chest.

“That’s not suspicious. That’s charm.”

“Please retire that charm.”

And just like that, Fushiguro Megumi officially entered Tokyo Jujutsu High.

A first-year student recognized as a Grade 2 jujutsu sorcerer from the moment of enrollment.

——————

In the countryside.

A car rolled to a stop near a quiet rural village.

Inside, Ragnar Kagenou looked out the window, his gaze settling on the narrow roads and old houses ahead.

“Nitta, stop here.”

“Got it.”

Nitta Akari parked the car, then glanced toward him.

“Ragnar, are you really sure there’s someone here with sorcerer potential?”

Ragnar opened the door and stepped out.

“There is.”

Nitta sighed, following after him.

“Well, even if there isn’t, I guess this counts as a work trip. The air’s nice, at least.”

She had only taken a few steps before Ragnar suddenly stopped.

Thud.

“Ow!”

Nitta bumped straight into his back and clutched her forehead.

“Could you warn me before stopping like that?”

Ragnar didn’t answer immediately.

His gaze was fixed ahead.

A girl with short hair stood a little distance away, looking completely out of place in the quiet village despite clearly being from there.

Nitta followed his line of sight.

“…Her?”

Ragnar nodded.

“That’s her.”

Before Nitta could say anything else, Ragnar had already started walking.

“Hey, wait!”

The girl noticed them and turned around.

“Huh? You two aren’t from around here.”

Her eyes moved over their clothes.

“City people?”

Ragnar stopped in front of her.

“Do you want to go to Tokyo?”

The girl’s eyes lit up instantly.

“Obviously!”

Then she leaned forward, suspicious but excited.

“Wait. Are you a talent scout?”

Ragnar took out a slip of paper and handed her his number.

“Something like that.”

The girl looked at the blond man in front of her, then grinned.

“My name’s Kugisaki Nobara.”

“Ragnar Kagenou.”