The heavy wooden door of the principal's office slowly closed behind them, temporarily isolating the oppressive atmosphere brought by Principal Gakuganji. But that scent, mixed with incense, old wood, and invisible pressure, lingered in the hearts of the Kyoto students as they filed out one by one, remaining for a long time.
The corridor was slightly brighter, but the atmosphere remained tense. No one spoke immediately. Only when they turned a corner, ensuring they were far from the principal's office, did Noritoshi Kamo, who had been silently walking ahead, slowly stop. He didn't turn around, his back to the group. His tall figure looked especially profound in the corridor's shadows, and his voice was calm as he broke the awkward silence:
"The principal's intentions are clear. To him, Sukuna is the King of Curses. If his vessel loses control, it will bring endless calamity. Eliminating the hidden danger before it fully revives would indeed benefit the jujutsu world and all living beings."
He slightly tilted his head, revealing a small part of his pale profile. The clan crest on his forehead gleamed coldly in the dim light.
"Personally..." He paused, a hint of restraint and detachment belonging to a direct line of one of the Three Great Families in his voice.
"As the current head of the Kamo clan, I find it distasteful that someone who took up sorcery halfway, with a superficial foundation, relying solely on luck and a special constitution, has stirred up such a storm. How can they be connected to a fierce being like Sukuna, even drawing the attention of the two... 'lords'? It's an insult to the orthodox traditions of sorcerers."
His words clearly expressed his position: support for "dealing with" Yuji Itadori. There was righteousness, legitimacy, and personal considerations.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, a voice filled with obvious hesitation, practical considerations, and even a hint of sarcasm weakly sounded:
"Um... Kamo-senpai," said Kasumi Miwa. This blue-haired girl, born into an ordinary family and admitted to the Kyoto Jujutsu High through her own efforts and decent talent, now looked troubled. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the edge of her uniform, her eyes full of worry. "Is this really okay?"
"The logic is there... but," Kasumi Miwa nervously swallowed, her voice unconsciously lowering, as if afraid of being overheard. "Yuji Itadori is being watched by Satoru Gojo and that Lord Zen'in Genji—two of the highest special grades!"
She counted on her fingers, ticking them off one by one, and the more she counted, the paler her face became:
"We want to make some 'small moves' on Yuji Itadori right under their noses at the exchange meeting... Is that really possible? No, I mean, will we actually get out of this alive?"
In the jujutsu world, the criteria for evaluating a special-grade sorcerer are not only the absolute power of their individual combat strength but, more importantly, their potential influence and threat level within the jujutsu world and even on a global scale.
For example, Principal Masamichi Yaga of the Tokyo Jujutsu High uses a technique called "Cursed Corpse Manipulation," which can create, manipulate, and grant life to cursed corpses. Theoretically, it could assemble an inexhaustible, fearless army of cursed corpses with immense strategic value, hence his classification as a special grade.
Another example is the enigmatic Yuki Tsukumo. Her technique involves the manipulation of "mass," theoretically capable of creating a black hole and destroying the earth, her destructive potential immeasurable, hence she is also a special grade.
Their individual combat abilities might seem unattainable to some top-tier sorcerers, but the "possibilities" and "threats" they represent far exceed the framework of ordinary Grade 1 sorcerers.
However, Satoru Gojo and Zen'in Genji are beings from a completely different dimension. They are not just "influential" or "potentially" threatening; they possess the pure, direct, and undeniable absolute combat power sufficient for one to form an army, another to protect a nation, or even for both to be world-renowned.
They don't need to rely on complex technique principles or potential strategic value to prove their "special grade," because they themselves represent the ceiling and the defining concept of "special grade." To be their enemy is to face the apex of power in the entire jujutsu world, or even some kind of "rule."
Although Kasumi Miwa couldn't articulate these things so clearly, she instinctively felt the immense gap. With a gloomy face and an almost broken tone, she asked a very realistic and very "Kasumi Miwa" question:
"And... we're just students! How much salary and allowance does the principal and the Headquarters give us each month to make us risk—committing murder right under the noses of two top special grades?!"
"The cost-benefit ratio is just too low! If we get caught, forget about graduating—seeing the sun tomorrow will be a problem!"
Her complaints were sharp and bittersweet, expressing the feelings of many "ordinary" students. Perhaps they don't carry as much "righteousness" and "honor" as the representatives of the Three Great Families; they got to where they are through talent and hard work, and their hopes for the future are more "simple"—graduate smoothly, become a full-fledged sorcerer, earn money, and survive. For a mission that sounds noble but risks death and might even offend those you can't afford to offend… risking everything? No matter how you look at it, it's not worth it.
"I also think this is not quite right," a voice said. It was Mai Zen'in.
Mai Zen'in felt that if she had the guts to go against Zen'in Genji, she would have already left the Zen'in clan. Why bother being such a troublesome sorcerer anyway? A few yen a month, just a job like that. She had learned from Maki's reaction that Lord Genji had the same technique as her, but the effects were a world apart. The cursed tool he casually made became a lifelong obsession for her.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the corridor became even more fragile.
At that moment, Ultimate Mechamaru, who had been silent like a background panel, made his electronic eye glow with a steady flash, and in his unique synthesized electronic voice, calmly stated:
"We are just ordinary student sorcerers. There is neither the need nor the strength to bear the execution and consequences of strategic-level decisions. Follow the principal's instructions, but prioritize survival and completing basic tasks."
Mechamaru's meaning was clear: whatever the principal asks, listen in theory, but when it comes to actual work, act within your limits, prioritize survival, attend the exchange meeting as usual, and as for "dealing with" a high-difficulty target like Itadori… take it easy if you can; don't consider yourself the main force.
Noritoshi Kamo turned around, his calm gaze sweeping over the group with varied expressions. His face remained impassive, as if he had anticipated everyone's doubts and hesitations.
"The principal's orders cannot be ignored; that is an absolute prerequisite," he spoke slowly, his voice still firm. "However, how exactly to act… we can weigh it ourselves. Miwa's concerns are not unfounded; Mai's position is understandable; and Mechamaru's analysis is also reasonable."
He changed tack, his gaze deepening. "But the exchange meeting is a public event, within the bounds of rules. Striving for victory is routine. 'Mistakes,' 'accidents,' 'excessive sparring'… these are all possible. The important thing is that the results meet expectations, and the process is not impossible."
His words were subtle but clear: outright murder is forbidden, but a "reasonable" accident could be arranged. This not only gives everyone maneuvering room but also preserves his own position of "acting on orders" and implies there's no need to directly confront Satoru Gojo or Zen'in Genji—as long as the "accident" looks enough like an accident.
"As for salary and benefits..." Noritoshi Kamo almost imperceptibly twitched the corner of his mouth, seemingly finding Kasumi Miwa's concerns a bit ridiculous, but he didn't point it out. "If the mission succeeds, there will be corresponding merits and resource allocation. Even if it fails, as long as there is no obvious leverage, it's not a problem. Tokyo must respect the dignity and rules of the 'exchange meeting.'"
He cast one last glance at the still anxious Kasumi Miwa and Mai, then at the indifferent Mechamaru, and said calmly:
"We'll discuss the details later. For now, everyone needs to prepare for their own meetings. Remember, we represent the face of the Kyoto Jujutsu High. Regardless of whether we have 'additional missions,' we must not lose our prestige."
Having said that, he said no more, turned, and walked towards the training ground, his figure quickly disappearing at the end of the corridor. The remaining group exchanged bewildered glances. Kasumi Miwa sighed and muttered quietly:
"I just feel like I'm getting involved in such troublesome business... Will the subsidy increase this month?"