Satoru Gojo knew this wasn't something Masamichi Yaga would accept overnight.
The man might look rough and imposing, but his teacher was far more thoughtful than he let on. Positions like Jujutsu Headquarters, sitting at the top and dealing with endless politics, were the last thing he wanted.
If anything, Yaga was better suited to staying at Jujutsu High, quietly teaching and living alongside the Cursed Corpses he created.
And now Gojo had forced the matter onto him anyway.
"I'll think about it," Yaga said at last, after a long silence.
"Take your time," Gojo replied with a grin. "Still think you're the best fit."
He waved casually. "Anyway, I'm heading out with Geto."
"Where are you going?" Yaga asked. "What about your missions?"
"Missions?" Gojo raised an eyebrow. "Jujutsu Headquarters is gone. What missions?"
"You said it yourself, the things you were investigating weren't their doing."
"Fair point. Guess I should finally take a break."
"Like you haven't been taking one already," Geto muttered.
Leaving Jujutsu High, Gojo felt lighter than he had in a long time.
"Getting rid of those guys really does wonders for your mood," he said, lacing his fingers with Betty's.
"Things won't stay simple," Geto said, scratching his head with a sigh.
"It'll work itself out," Gojo replied easily. "Even if we do nothing, things will start improving."
"So life finds a way?" Betty tilted her head.
"Don't steal lines from nature documentaries," he said, then paused. "Though… not wrong."
Before he could continue, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
[New scenario detected.]
[Do you wish to travel to a new world and carry out a popularity-focused mission?]
[Popularity gained can be exchanged for items from your current world or any previously visited world.]
A new scenario?
His eyes lit up.
Did that mean he and Betty were going back?
But something felt off.
A new world?
So not her world. Not back to Lugunica with Natsuki Subaru.
He frowned slightly, thinking it over.
"What is it?" Betty asked, immediately catching the shift in his expression.
"Looks like we need to prepare earlier than planned," he said, turning to her with a serious look.
She knew a little about his travels, though not everything. After hearing a brief explanation, her eyes widened.
"We're going back?"
"If only I could say yes," he admitted. "I don't know if it's your world or somewhere else."
"A new world?" she repeated, confused.
"Exactly. That's the problem."
He exhaled, then shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Whether it's yours or something new, we prepare the same way."
He had already spent days thinking about what to bring.
Thanks to the Inventory Curse he got from Toji Fushiguro, storage wasn't an issue. The space inside was large enough to hold far more than expected.
Including Betty's recent obsession.
Game consoles.
Of course, she refused to admit it. According to her, she only downloaded materials to study language and history.
He didn't argue.
No need to pick a fight.
Beyond that, he stocked up on sweets, especially things like chocolate that were easy to carry and store. If the next world was anything like Lugunica, finding decent desserts might not be easy.
Clothes, essentials, supplies.
Bit by bit, they bought everything they could think of.
After sealing everything carefully in plastic, they fed it all into the Inventory Curse.
The poor thing twisted on the ground, overwhelmed.
Back when it belonged to Toji, it mostly stored weapons.
Now it was packed with snacks, clothes, and random supplies.
Still, as a Cursed Spirit, it adapted quickly. Even stuffed full, it showed no signs of strain.
"Food, clothing, daily needs… that should cover most of it," Gojo said, glancing at Betty. "Anything we missed?"
"Gold."
She answered without hesitation.
"In most places, it can be used as currency."
"Good point. Haven't prepared that yet."
He arranged for the Gojo Family to handle it.
While that was underway, he also made sure to inform the people around him.
Last time, his sudden disappearance had caused chaos. He wasn't repeating that.
When Suguru Geto and the others heard, they came straight to the Gojo residence.
"You're leaving?" Geto asked. "Where?"
"Same as before," Gojo said, scratching his head. "Can't really explain the destination."
"How long?"
"No idea."
Geto narrowed his eyes. "You're not running away after causing trouble, are you?"
"Wow," Gojo pressed a hand to his chest. "Is that what you think of me?"
"If even my best friend sees me that way, what's the point of life…"
"Relax," Shoko Ieiri said, unconcerned. "You've already handled everything here."
She stepped closer and pinched Betty's cheek with a smile. "Can we come too?"
"I wish," Gojo said with a shrug. "Doesn't work like that."
Only those bound to him through a Contract could go.
Like Betty.
No one else.
"Then I guess that's that," she said lightly.
"Will it be dangerous?" Geto asked, his tone more serious.
"Probably not," Gojo said, flashing a thumbs-up. "I'm the strongest, remember?"
The room fell quiet.
Then a collective sigh.
Still, it eased the tension a little.
He joked, laughed, and promised to bring back something interesting from the other side.
After saying his goodbyes, he returned to the Gojo residence with Betty.
The gold was ready.
Hundreds of kilograms, enough to last a long time no matter where they ended up.
"When do we leave?" she asked.
"Up to you," he replied, feeding pieces of gold into the Inventory Curse. "If there's nothing left to do, we head out tomorrow morning."
The Cursed Spirit swallowed everything, then shrank itself down into a compact, harmless lump.
Convenient.
"Tomorrow morning, then," she said after a moment.
There was nothing left holding them back.
And the thought of a new world stirred a quiet excitement in her chest.
The next morning, the Gojo Family prepared a lavish breakfast.
Both of them ate their fill, then returned to his room with their bags ready.
"Ready?" he asked, lying back on the bed.
Betty lay beside him, holding his hand.
"Ready."
Her voice was firm.
"Then let's go."
He closed his eyes and answered the system.
[Confirmation received. Initiating second world transfer… Target world selected… Black Bullet… Transfer complete.]
The moment the voice faded, everything changed.
The ceiling vanished.
Above them stretched a clear blue sky.
"Nice weather," Gojo murmured.
"Seems that way."
Betty paused.
"…Why are we lying in the middle of the road?"
They looked around.
A wide intersection.
They were sprawled right at the center.
Thankfully, the light was red. No cars were moving.
Otherwise, they would have arrived straight into traffic.
"Well," Gojo said, pushing himself up and brushing off his clothes, "definitely a new world."
"Looks modern."
"Or we got teleported somewhere else," Betty said thoughtfully.
He pulled out his phone and waved it in front of her.
No signal.
"Not my world."
She sighed softly. "All that preparation…"
"Not all," he said. "Your gold idea still works."
A sharp honk cut through the air.
They stepped off the road, ignoring the irritated drivers.
"In a modern world, gathering information is easy," he said. "Internet, data, everything's there."
"Assuming the language matches."
"If not, we'll figure it out," he said with a grin. "I learn fast."
"Hmm."
She gave him a look, unconvinced.
They were about to stop someone and ask for directions when a voice called out behind them.
"Hey. You two up ahead. Stop."
They turned in unison.