As I said that, I reached for the collar of the Protective Sweater Hoodie I was wearing. With a single, calm motion, I slipped it off my body. The night air immediately brushed against my skin, but my attention was already fixed on the palm of my own hand.
The purple flame appeared once more.
The fire was not wild, not violent. It rotated slowly, calmly, like a small vortex that obeyed my will completely. Its faint purple glow reflected across Rika's and Shizuka's faces. The Deceptive Phantom Mask I was still holding was then placed on top of the sweater, the two items brought together as if they had been destined to belong as one.
Without hesitation, I thrust both objects into the purple flame.
In an instant, the sweater and the mask vanished. They were not burned, nor destroyed in any crude way—they simply disappeared, swallowed by the softly pulsing purple darkness, before the flame itself faded away without leaving a trace.
"Whoa!" Shizuka nearly jumped in place. Her eyes widened, then quickly filled with excitement, like a child who had just witnessed the greatest magic trick in the world. "Can I have an amazing and cool ability like that too?"
Beside her, Rika said nothing. Instead, she gave a small, quiet nod. Her gaze was not as bright as Shizuka's, nor as innocent, but it was clearly filled with a hope she kept tightly restrained within herself.
I looked at the two of them. For a moment, I remained silent, then let out a soft sigh.
"About that… I don't know," I answered honestly. "Everyone's Innate Technique is different. And there's also the possibility that you weren't born with an Innate Technique at all."
Both of their expressions dimmed slightly at once. Shizuka's shoulders drooped, while Rika unconsciously tightened her grip on the hem of her clothes.
"But," I continued, a slow smile spreading across my face, "even if you don't have an Innate Technique, I'll make you Cursed Tools."
The change was instantaneous.
Their eyes sparkled again, as if a new light of hope had just been reignited within them.
"With those Cursed Tools," I went on in a firm tone, "you'll still be able to fight. You'll still be able to protect yourselves. Even against powerful enemies."
I wasn't boasting.
If before this had all been nothing more than a vague plan in my head, now it was different. I had already grasped the true key to my Innate Technique.
I knew how to store the Innate Techniques of those I had killed. How the purple flame incinerated their bodies, yet left behind the essence of their abilities—essence that I could then embed into a Cursed Tool.
And once that succeeded… that Innate Technique could be used again.
If I could implant the Innate Technique of a Jujutsu Sorcerer who had fallen by my hand into a Cursed Tool, then the limits of power would no longer be a matter of innate talent.
It would be a matter of preparation. And it would be a matter of choice.
With multiple Cursed Tools carrying the Innate Techniques of the Jujutsu Sorcerers I had killed, it wouldn't be impossible for Rika and Shizuka to become strong. Very strong.
Not as victims.
Not as burdens.
But as people capable of standing on this dangerous battlefield, fighting side by side with me.
I looked ahead at the road before us—the dark stretch of asphalt leading home—then turned my gaze back to the two of them.
This world was insane.
But if they had chosen to step into it… then my duty was to make sure they would not be broken by it.
"Really?" Shizuka looked up at me with a bright, utterly innocent smile, as if there wasn't a shred of doubt in her eyes. The dim glow of the alley's streetlight reflected in her gaze, making her expression appear even more sincere. "Then… it's a promise, okay?"
Her tone was light, but the hope woven into her words was unmistakable, as though that promise was far more than just casual talk to her.
"Yeah," I replied without hesitation. "I promise."
The words left my lips naturally, firm and unshaken, without a second thought. I didn't know when a simple promise like this had started to feel so important—but seeing their expressions, I knew I couldn't treat it lightly.
Without realizing it, I smiled faintly as my hand moved on its own, gently patting both of their heads. The motion felt natural, as if I had done it countless times before without ever thinking about it.
Shizuka's hair felt soft against my palm, smooth and warm. Rika's, on the other hand, was a little rougher—perhaps because it was rarely tended to properly, or perhaps simply because Rika herself didn't care much about things like that.
But before I could pull my hand back—
"Ugh!"
A punch landed squarely in my stomach. It wasn't particularly hard, but it came so suddenly that it caught me completely off guard. My breath hitched for a moment, and my body staggered back slightly on reflex.
"Why did you hit me?" I protested without thinking, staring at Rika with a puzzled expression. "Did you suddenly lose your mind or something?"
I wasn't really angry—more startled than anything else. But Rika's expression changed dramatically.
"Don't!" Rika shouted quickly. Her face instantly flushed red all the way to her ears, clearly visible even under the dim lighting. "Don't pat my head like that!"
I blinked several times, confused. Only then did I realize what I had just done. Apparently, without thinking, I had treated Rika like a little child—something she very obviously did not appreciate.
"Hehehe," Shizuka giggled softly, her voice filled with mischief. She turned toward Rika and flashed her a wide, teasing smile. "Is Rika-chan embarrassed? Oh my~"
"Shizuka!" Rika immediately covered Shizuka's mouth with both hands, her movements hurried and awkward. Her face grew even redder, the heat creeping all the way down to her neck. "Don't say weird things!"
Shizuka squirmed lightly, still laughing behind Rika's hands, making the situation even more chaotic in a way that somehow felt pleasant.
Watching the two of them, I could only smile quietly. The tension that had been hanging over us earlier slowly faded away, dissolving into the air and being replaced by a light, warm atmosphere that felt… normal.
For a brief moment, I almost forgot that not long ago, we had been standing on the edge of real danger, with the lingering fear still faintly echoing in the back of my mind.
"All right," I said at last, breaking the small commotion. "Let's go home."
I stepped out of the alley first. The sound of my footsteps echoed softly between the narrow walls, and Shizuka and Rika quickly fell into step beside me. The streets were now completely wrapped in night. The air felt colder, brushing gently against my skin.
Streetlights glowed dimly, casting a yellowish reflection over the slightly damp asphalt. Our three shadows stretched long across the road, moving in sync with our steps. I glanced at the watch on my wrist—6:40 p.m. Time had passed faster than I'd expected.
We walked briskly toward the orphanage, none of us talking much. Even so, our steps felt lighter than before.
As soon as the orphanage gate came into view in the distance, I noticed something was off. Several adults were standing outside the yard, talking among themselves with anxious expressions. Some paced back and forth, while others stood still, staring down the road as if waiting for something.
And in the middle of them—
"Kenji! Rika! Shizuka!"
Yukina.
The moment she spotted us, Yukina ran straight out of the orphanage grounds, ignoring everyone else. Her steps were rushed, almost stumbling.
Her face was pale, and her eyes were red, clearly holding back emotions she had been suppressing for some time. Without giving us a chance to say anything, Yukina pulled all three of us into a tight embrace.
"Where have you been!" Yukina's voice trembled, a mix of anger and relief. "Do you have any idea how worried I was! I thought… I thought you were hurt, or that something terrible had happened!"
Her hug was so tight that my chest felt slightly constricted. I could feel Yukina's hands shaking, her breathing uneven. Her worry wasn't exaggerated or forced—it was real, and I could feel it clearly.
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