April 3rd. The third day of the new students' enrollment.
Asou Akiya's three juniors had each adapted to campus life in their own ways, and this was especially evident at noon and in the evening. The boys' dormitory was constantly wreathed in cooking smoke, with only Zen'in Naoya's dormitory never having turned on its range hood from start to finish.
Zen'in Naoya never cooked for himself. He was unconventional and had an excellent opinion of himself.
Bound by his agreement with his father, Zen'in Naoya did not have his family's servants deliver meals. Instead, he went out to eat during mealtimes. The back-and-forth trips wasted a great deal of his time, resulting in brief lunch breaks. He usually spent the first afternoon class napping on his desk, ignoring both classmates and teachers. His sleeping posture was well-behaved and docile, unlike that of an ordinary male high school student. His fine, fragmented bangs covered his eyes and brows, and he did not emit snoring sounds that would disturb others. In the short term, he had not actually caused any major problems.
Tokyo Jujutsu High was thriving. With two young masters from the Three Great Clans among the upperclassmen and new students, Yaga Masamichi, who was in charge of the first and second years, felt immensely proud. He had proudly received the notification that he was about to assume the position of principal.
During class time, Yaga Masamichi could not wait to seek out Asou Akiya in the classroom.
"Akiya, I have already received the notification—"
"Shh."
Asou Akiya, seeing the teacher's excited expression, pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling the other party to pay attention to the classmates in the classroom.
Before matters were set in stone, Gojo Satoru was the greatest unstable element.
"I almost forgot." Yaga Masamichi came to a sudden realization and slapped his forehead. They absolutely could not let Gojo Satoru know about this matter. Gojo Satoru still believed that Asou Akiya was someone from the Gojo Clan. Once he made a fuss, he might disrupt the current situation.
Yaga Masamichi brought Asou Akiya to his own office to discuss subsequent developments. As they passed by another classroom, Asou Akiya glanced briefly at the juniors and smiled with understanding, thinking to himself: [If I had not established a binding vow with myself back in 2004, I might very well have been a student of this year's class.]
In the spacious office of the homeroom teacher.
Yaga Masamichi drew the curtains, creating an atmosphere for conversation: "Akiya, I can now apply to adopt you."
Asou Akiya: "That distant relative of yours...?"
Yaga Masamichi let out a laugh, his eyes calm, like every jujutsu sorcerer who had weathered great storms and grown weary of ordinary people: "Following your advice, I enrolled him in one-on-one brand-name tutoring classes. Whichever class charged the most per session, that was the one I signed him up for. After multiple rounds of this, he kept skipping classes, was reported by his teachers, and has already been sent away by my wife."
Yaga Masamichi's income was considerable, but he did not present himself as someone from a wealthy or noble household.
Faced with a distant relative who did not know how to cherish opportunities and wasted money by skipping classes, Yaga Masamichi's wife naturally reached the end of her patience. Once the normal school enrollment season arrived, she sent the other party back to the children's welfare institution they had come from.
Nothing frightens people more than comparison.
With Asou Akiya, who had lived two lifetimes and excelled in both character and academics, serving as a foil, those who lacked resolve paled into insignificance.
Asou Akiya possessed a flame of unyielding spirit that could ignite cursed energy and make those around him feel its scorching heat. His radiance came from the steadfast perseverance of climbing step by step, and the will in his eyes carried extraordinary weight.
"That's wonderful." Asou Akiya smiled with mischievous delight.
"I thought you would at least pretend to be sympathetic toward him?" Yaga Masamichi once again saw clearly what kind of person he was dealing with.
"This is a competition. On the playing field, there are only opponents. We compete in resolve, and we compete in superiority." Asou Akiya placed both hands on the desk, his smile bright and radiant. His features were delicate and handsome. At this age, there was no trace of romantic charm—only the vitality of early spring cherry blossoms in full bloom.
"Those words sound somewhat cruel." Yaga Masamichi sat down. "My home is not a battlefield."
Asou Akiya argued back: "I said competition, not battlefield."
Yaga Masamichi: "In your eyes, it's more or less the same, isn't it? You're accustomed to going all out to fight for a result."
Asou Akiya sought guidance from his elder: "Is that not acceptable? Would it make you dislike me?"
Yaga Masamichi reached out and flicked him on the forehead with a sharp thwack. "It's a good habit. Keep it up. Just occasionally learn to relax a little."
Asou Akiya winced in pain, covering his buzzing forehead.
"Your strength is too great. What if you actually cracked my skull open?"
"...How could that possibly happen?"
Yaga Masamichi took out knitting tools from his drawer and began working with practiced ease, relaxing himself.
"There might really be someone capable of such a thing." A scene from the manga drifted through Asou Akiya's mind: twenty-eight-year-old Gojo Satoru teaching Fushiguro Megumi, casually flicking his finger and sending the other party off with blood streaming from his forehead to seek treatment from Ieiri Shoko.
Asou Akiya shook off his flight of fancy and leaned in to observe Yaga Masamichi's knitting technique. "Papa Yaga, teach me how to knit next time. It seems quite practical."
Yaga Masamichi: "You're truly greedy. The techniques of a Cursed Corpse user cannot be learned purely through acquired study."
Asou Akiya: "I was talking about knitting!"
Yaga Masamichi was surprised: "You want to learn?"
Asou Akiya nodded vigorously, as though a cute button had been pressed inside him. His face took on a dreamy expression as he said, "In the future, I could be knitting while calmly and effortlessly setting plans into motion. Just thinking about it makes it feel incredibly cool—like the perfect domestic husband!"
Yaga Masamichi grew interested: "You're the first person to put it that way. A man who can knit is the most mature, isn't he?"
Asou Akiya discussed enthusiastically: "Exactly! A good man always has charm!"
The teacher and student engaged in an in-depth discussion on whether knitting was cool, both parties satisfied, the atmosphere warm and harmonious.
"Wait, I nearly forgot the reason I came to find you." Yaga Masamichi interrupted midway, deliberately putting on an unhappy expression. "The main point is the adoption procedure. My wife has already relented. Why have you suddenly become less enthusiastic about it?"
Asou Akiya played with the ball of yarn in Yaga Masamichi's drawer, hooking a red thread with his pinky finger from among the colorful strands.
"It involves the Star Plasma Vessel mission. It's not safe recently. Papa Yaga also needs to make up for your history lessons."
"—The Star Plasma Vessel mission?!"
"Yes. The estimated date is April 12th. The location is the 'Tombs of the Star.' The ones executing the mission should be Gojo Satoru and Getou Suguru. I, Nanami Kento, Haibara Yu, and Zen'in Naoya will provide support. Ieiri Shoko will remain on standby within Tokyo Jujutsu High. She must absolutely not leave the school. It's best to have Utahime-senpai stay by her side, just in case."
With just a few words, Asou Akiya had effortlessly arranged the entire Star Plasma Vessel mission.
Yaga Masamichi only needed to follow the plan and everything would be fine.
Yaga Masamichi remembered the taste of fear and trepidation from the previous year and asked, "Do we need to recall Mei Mei?"
Asou Akiya lowered his eyelids: "No. Senpai's technique might startle the snake and ruin the plan. That would be less than ideal."
Yaga Masamichi grew serious: "Who is the enemy?"
Asou Akiya spoke in a gentle tone: "All those who oppose Master Tengen's 'assimilation.'"
Yaga Masamichi was utterly perplexed: "If Master Tengen's 'assimilation' fails, the jujutsu world will fall into chaos, and ordinary human society will be affected as well. I truly cannot imagine what reason the enemies could have for opposing it?"
Asou Akiya smiled: "It is precisely because you cannot understand. Why would you need to comprehend the behavior of madmen?"
Yaga Masamichi pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Akiya, don't you find this matter cruel? The future of the jujutsu world depends on an innocent young girl making a sacrifice in order to exchange for the stability of the barrier."
Asou Akiya did not speak.
Although he very much wanted to say it was too tragic, but... that was something one could only say with the kindness of an outsider when the matter did not concern oneself. Besides, the historical legacy issues of Japanese society—what did they have to do with a transmigrator from a foreign land?
When it came to the life-and-death battle between Gojo Satoru and Fushiguro Toji, Asou Akiya was more cold-hearted and unyielding than anyone.
"I don't want to lie to you. My thought is—"
"Let it be as fate wills."
As long as they were happy, they could do whatever they pleased.
Asou Akiya was responsible for guarding the path to survival, ensuring that the young girl's blood would not stain the youth of the high school boys.
The moment the phrase "let it be as fate wills" appeared, Yaga Masamichi's expression grew complicated. "Your sense of good and evil is problematic, Akiya."
Asou Akiya laughed softly. "My own sense of good and evil follows my heart. I grew up in ordinary society and possess a relatively simple set of values. However, I am not someone who quietly abides by the rules. I only wish to protect the relatives and friends by my side."
Yaga Masamichi sighed. "Use your intellect to help the jujutsu world, Akiya."
Asou Akiya: "No. I refuse."
Yaga Masamichi turned fierce, snatching back the ball of yarn. "How did I discover that you are actually good seed material for a curse user?"
Asou Akiya said pitifully, "You've changed your tune. Back then, you said I was good seed material for a jujutsu sorcerer!"
Yaga Masamichi: "Get back to class. If you dare become a curse user, I will personally execute you."
Asou Akiya made a bitter face. "Understood."
Without taking more than a few steps, Asou Akiya lightheartedly ran back to Yaga Masamichi's side, kneaded the other's shoulders in a perfunctory manner that served as a massage, and said, "Papa Yaga, please get Getou's Special Grade sorcerer certification issued as soon as possible."
Yaga Masamichi: "That's Getou Suguru's matter. The Headquarters is processing the paperwork. What are you so anxious about?"
Asou Akiya repeated: "As soon as possible."
As though afraid Yaga Masamichi would not understand, he reluctantly revealed a little more: "It will be useful. Truly useful." Before Gojo Satoru became the "strongest," he wanted to give Getou Suguru a sliver of psychological support from having won the competition, so that he would not suddenly collapse.
Yaga Masamichi: "..."
Yaga Masamichi rubbed the space between his brows. "Don't speak in half-measures. Fine, I will do my best."
Asou Akiya let out a "Yay," shedding his burden as he returned to the classroom.
He too was now someone in the jujutsu world who had a backer and connections!
From now on, the principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High would be his father!
The final class of the afternoon.
Yaga Masamichi walked in and announced to and announced to the four students: "Word has come from the Headquarters. I am about to assume the position of the next principal. You are the last class of students I will ever lead, and also the largest group of troublemakers." He glared at Gojo Satoru, who was sitting with atrocious posture, causing the other to press his feet together. "You should feel honored, you brats!"
He said to the female student: "Shoko, I wasn't talking about you. You're the type who doesn't cause trouble."
Ieiri Shoko replied obediently: "It's fine, Teacher. You can scold me all you want."
Getou Suguru: "Oh my, am I being scolded too? I haven't done anything, and I've even helped the teacher increase his credentials."
Asou Akiya: "I'm getting scolded as well."
Getou Suguru turned to ask him: "You went to see him, and you couldn't even soothe Teacher Yaga's increasingly explosive temper?"
Asou Akiya smiled. "Remember to address him as 'Principal Yaga' from now on. Don't be so disrespectful to our future principal, Getou."
Getou Suguru: "From now on, please call me Special Grade Sorcerer—Getou Suguru."
Asou Akiya ignored him. Special Grade Sorcerer? Watch out for becoming a Special Grade Curse User, seventeen-year-old single father Getou Suguru.
Getou Suguru reined himself in by thirty percent. The neglected Gojo Satoru kicked Getou Suguru: "Suguru, don't get cocky for too long!"
Getou Suguru patted the shoe print off his pant leg: "Before the certification is issued, I'll endure you this once, Semi-Special Grade student Gojo Satoru."
Gojo Satoru grew anxious: "Teacher, I want to take on missions too! You can't give them all to Suguru!"
"No problem." Yaga Masamichi looked with satisfaction at the freshly minted corporate livestock of the jujutsu world. High-grade sorcerers who actively fought over missions were exceedingly rare.
Ieiri Shoko looked at the teacher, then at her classmates, and pulled out her phone to send messages under her desk.
[Tokyo Jujutsu High Melon-Eating Duo]
[Ieiri Shoko: Asou, you called it. Satoru has the talent to evolve into a ▇▇!]
[Asou Akiya: Right? Right?!]
Gojo Satoru stopped bickering with Suguru and whipped his head around to look at Ieiri Shoko's phone.
Damn it! They were chatting in encrypted messages?!
Gojo Satoru felt displeased in his heart and said, "Akiya, rather than discussing us, why don't you think about when you'll become a Grade One sorcerer?"
[Grade One???]
[Use your Six Eyes to get a clear look at my total cursed energy before you speak!]
Asou Akiya couldn't smile anymore. The smile had transferred to Gojo Satoru's face, which was brimming with malicious delight.
Getou Suguru fanned the flames: "Don't be like that, Satoru. Akiya will be heartbroken. He might even cry. You need to be more tactful. Akiya is our most respected class monitor, after all."
Gojo Satoru turned his body sideways, rotating his chair back, his Six Eyes staring straight at Asou Akiya, gathering information. In his mind, he independently compiled a linear graph of cursed energy growth and said, "Suguru, what you said is even worse. But—I agree! Hahahaha!!!"
Asou Akiya: "..."
These two bastards, fanning the flames onto him? He praised them a couple of times, and now they were getting full of themselves?
Without him plotting and scheming everywhere, they could wait for him to lay flowers on their graves!
___________________________________________
[Encrypted portion of the DK and JK chat]
[Ieiri Shoko: Asou, you called it. Satoru has the talent to evolve into a corporate workhorse!]
[Asou Akiya: Right? Right?!]