After scheduling the appointment, I waited near Shinjuku Station.
I still felt a bit uneasy about having people come directly to the vicinity of my apartment.
"I have arrived to escort you."
A man driving a black sedan pulled up as I waited. He was dressed in the standard attire—a crisp black suit.
Black suit, black car. It was the exact image of an Assistant Director from Jujutsu Kaisen.
"Yes. Hello. I'll be in your care."
"Not at all. Please, make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you."
I immediately took the passenger seat. I planned to release the Servants from their spirit form the moment we reached Tokyo Jujutsu High.
The Assistant Director got into the driver's seat and steered the vehicle toward the school. Establishing Curtains, maintaining communication networks, transportation—an Assistant Director is, as the name implies, the support system of the sorcery world.
Generally, there are two types of people who become Assistant Directors: those who sought the role from the beginning, and those who aimed to be Jujutsu Sorcerers but transitioned into support roles.
"We have arrived."
The car came to a stop in front of the familiar, towering stone stairs. We were already here.
"Thank you."
I stepped out of the car first and began the ascent. Gojo Satoru is a busy sorcerer; since he receives missions even on weekends, his office usually sends notice if he's going to be absent. More accurately, the Assistant Directors send notice on his behalf.
In other words, no news meant he was on campus. It wasn't exactly peak season for cursed spirits to be running rampant, after all.
"Ah… you're back again?"
After waiting a moment in the empty training grounds, Gojo descended from the sky. His face was a mask of sheer discontent.
"You need to receive your gift, don't you?"
"Oh, please! I don't need them anymore, so can't you just go home? Seriously!" Gojo wailed. He sounded like a man who wasn't just fed up, but genuinely traumatized.
'Is it that bad?' I thought.
For several years, Raiko had hounded him. Once Ushi-gozen manifested and joined in, they pushed him even harder. There were many days where they had turned him into a literal ragdoll in one-on-one or two-on-one sessions. They really had been beating him for a long time.
"Well then, shall we make today the last time?"
"Wait, really?" Gojo's eyes widened. He looked like someone who had just been granted a stay of execution.
"Yes. But since it's the last time, let's do this as if it's a real battle to the death."
"A real battle? Hey, you don't mean…"
"Shuten. Ushi-gozen."
At my call, Shuten-douji and Ushi-gozen materialized. Shuten was on duty today, while Ushi-gozen acted as backup.
"A real battle, ye say? Then can I suck the marrow from his bones? He'd make a fine snack to go with my sake." Shuten let out a playful laugh as she loosened her joints. She wasn't wearing her usual kimono, but her Jiangshi Outfit. It was a clear declaration of her intent to move seriously.
"Please, compose yourself. I am sure it was merely a metaphor," Ushi-gozen remarked. She was still in her China dress; though she had drawn her blade, she didn't seem inclined to manifest her full armor yet.
"A shame. Truly a pity." Shuten licked her lips and extended her razor-sharp nails. If I hadn't stepped in, she might not have taken his spine, but she definitely would have torn off a limb or two.
"Now then, get on the track. Let's get this over with quickly." Shuten leaped down from the spectator stands. She vanished without a sound and, just as silently, reappeared on the track. Ushi-gozen only moved after Gojo took his place, drawing the blackened Dojigiri Yasutsuna.
"Begin."
At Ushi-gozen's signal, Shuten nodded. "Right then. I'll keep it reasonable, so make sure ye keep up. Think ye can do that?"
"I'll be fine."
"Here I come, then."
While Gojo stood tense between the two Servants, Shuten bared her fangs and reached out. Veins bulged along her slender, white fingers. The shimmering light of Mystery—the natural counter to jujutsu—surged forth, descending upon Gojo Satoru.
An hour after this "real-life training" began, Gojo was dead. Well, not literally dead, but he certainly looked the part.
"Haah—seriously, never again. I'm not doing this again!" slumped on the ground, Gojo groaned in agony. Even if I couldn't hear every detail, his exhaustion was visible.
"Ah… seeing Gojo get thrashed like that was so therapeutic. It's a shame it's over." Ieiri Shoko sighed beside me. She wasn't being sarcastic; she genuinely meant it.
"You find it regrettable?" I asked.
"Yeah. Can't you just cancel the promise and keep hitting him? This is way more entertaining than the variety shows I watch every week." As Ieiri nodded, I could sense the slight glint of madness in her eyes.
"A promise is a promise. Besides, his skill has increased so much that there isn't much left for us to teach him."
"True… from posture correction to combat drills, it was quite systematic."
"He has a great capacity for learning, as expected of someone who calls themselves the strongest. He really is a genius."
"I know. It's annoying, but I can't deny it," Ieiri agreed with a yawn. Gojo Satoru might fall short compared to Heroic Spirits, but he truly was a genius with peak power in this world.
"Anyway, as much as it might be a pity, we'll stop here."
"I guess so. You have your own circumstances. It's a shame Suguru couldn't see this… too bad he's overseas." Ieiri stretched. Despite her words, she seemed quite relaxed.
"Shuten. Ushi-gozen. Let's head back." I called out to the Servants, who looked somewhat reluctant to leave, and made my way down. One of my long-standing routines had finally come to an end. It was a relief, yet I felt a hint of regret—mostly because I had been so distracted by the beating that I delayed the conclusion longer than I should have.
"Aye, I'm comin'."
"Understood."
The two of them flanked me. With Shuten on my left and Ushi-gozen on my right, I felt incredibly secure.
"Gojo-san, should I bring you another gift next year?" I asked before departing. Gojo's face, still pressed against the track, contorted into a hilarious grimace.
"Please, just let me live." Ironically, the same plea Yaga had made once now came out of Gojo's mouth. Truly fascinating.
"We'll be going now." Leaving Gojo behind, we exited the high school. The Assistant Director provided a comfortable ride back. I took the subway and got off at Adachi Station. From there, I traveled through the night sky, held in Shuten's arms.
'This is a bit embarrassing.' I used to be fine when the taller, more curvaceous Servants carried me. They had the height for it. But being carried by Shuten while flying through the sky made me feel terribly apologetic. It was the kind of night that made one contemplate their 'Disqualification as a Human.'
"Oh, Master?"
Once we reached the rooftop of the luxury apartment, Koyanskaya of Darkness, manifesting in her Foreigner form, flew in from the distance.
"What a coincidence. Were you out for a stroll?" I asked as I stepped out of Shuten's arms. It was surprising to meet her like this.
"No. I sensed a cursed spirit nearby, so I went to hunt it. A pleasant environment cannot exist if vermin are allowed to linger, can it?"
"A cursed spirit? Was it dangerous enough that you had to take action personally?"
"Hmm… in my estimation, it wasn't particularly dangerous. Don't worry too much." I understood what she meant. Even a mosquito isn't a threat, but it is immensely irritating.
'Ah. Just thinking about mosquitoes makes me angry again.' I took a breath to calm myself. I really wish all mosquitoes would just die out.
"So, what kind of curse was it?"
"It was insect-based. I believe it was a grasshopper. Its coloration and feel were exactly like one."
A Grasshopper Curse? That sounded familiar. As I walked down the stairs, I racked my brain until a memory surfaced. Was it that thing from the manga?
"By any chance, did it talk?"
"Yes. It seemed to possess some level of intelligence. Key word: some." Koyanskaya of Darkness curled her lip in a sneer. A talking grasshopper curse… it must have been the one that appeared briefly during the Shibuya Incident.
"It must have been at least Grade 2."
"I was thinking the same. That's why I was curious if you'd felt any change, Master, but I suppose that isn't the case."
"I didn't feel a thing," I replied with a nod as I opened my front door. Nowadays, hunting down Curse Users or spirits didn't yield any sensation of gaining experience. This had started precisely when my Cost slots were filled to capacity.
I had likely reached the level cap.
"Anyway, good job dealing with that disgusting thing. Get some rest."
"Understood. You should rest well too, Master. And you two must have worked hard as well?" Koyanskaya of Darkness asked as she kicked off her shoes. Since she was at the front, it was only natural for her to be the first to undress her feet.
"Twasn't much. I'm just a wee bit sad that the fun is over," Shuten replied nonchalantly.
"I am not particularly fatigued either. If we speak of trials, your burden was surely greater. Good work." Ushi-gozen responded with similar indifference. Neither of them was being rude; they just found the level of exertion negligible.
"W-welcome back."
"Welcome back."
Before I could reach my room, Mai greeted me shyly. Maki, too, gave a somewhat awkward greeting.
"Are you both doing okay?" I asked with a smile. The sisters nodded bashfully. They certainly couldn't say no.
"I'm sorry for making you do all that extra work. But I thought it would be better for you to be prepared than to get hurt later. I hope you understand."
"N-no, it's fine. Thank you for looking out for us."
"Getting hit when you know it's coming feels slightly less awful than getting blindsided. I appreciate it. Besides…" Maki started to say something but went quiet. Her face was flushed, and she was fidgeting, clearly embarrassed. I thought about prying into what she was thinking but decided against it. Best to let it be.
"Thanks for understanding." I gently patted both of their shoulders, treating them much the same as I did the younger Servants like Jack or Nursery Rhyme.
"I'm going to go rest in my room now. Goodnight, everyone."
"Yeah."
"Yes. Goodnight."
Leaving the blushing sisters behind, I entered my room. The moment I was alone, fatigue washed over me. Nevertheless, I quickly showered and changed. I wanted to feel refreshed before sleeping.
"Whew!" I collapsed onto the bed and closed my eyes.
'What a waste.' If only that Special Grade curse had appeared earlier. I felt a surge of annoyance that it only showed up after my Cost was full. Once you hit the level cap, experience is meaningless because it no longer accumulates. And yet, that's exactly when a high-grade spirit decided to roll right into my lap… it was truly unfortunate.
"Ugh." I shook my head with a sigh. Fortunately, it wasn't something to lose sleep over, so I quickly brushed the thought aside. Time for bed. Given how tired I was, I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing immediately.
'Wait, what's this?' Was it my imagination? I felt a soft warmth, like a gentle caress, tickling my heart.