Testing the Waters

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"Interesting. Very interesting."

Gojo pulled the bandage away from one eye, and Itsuki's young face reflected in the misty blue iris.

This sorcerer was six or seven years younger than him, barely older than his own students.

An unregistered special grade cursed spirit.

Special eyes similar to his own.

White Zetsu, a highly intelligent cursed spirit.

Looking at Itsuki's calm expression, Gojo grinned as an old reckless impulse from his student days resurfaced.

Cursed energy the color of blue mist overflowed.

The pull of Blue erupted from Gojo's palm.

Yaga reacted immediately. The instant cursed energy flared, he grabbed Maki by the back of her uniform and leapt away.

Countless fallen leaves spun up from the ground with a violent rustle.

The railing closest to the two of them trembled and cracked.

Interesting.

Even attraction at this level could not touch him.

Gojo glanced at their still-overlapping hands, excitement deepening in his eyes.

In the next instant, Red's repulsive force exploded.

The railing in front of them burst apart and shot into the distance.

The leaves swept up by the shockwave exploded into dark red powder.

The ground beneath them cracked, spiderweb fractures spreading in every direction.

Even that could not force him out of the void.

He looked as if he were standing in front of Gojo, but in reality he was occupying another empty space.

Aside from techniques that bypassed physical contact, such as Inumaki's Cursed Speech; cursed tools like the Inverted Spear of Heaven that forcibly canceled techniques; or a Domain Expansion's guaranteed hit, breaking through that defense would require enough force to shake or collapse space itself.

In only a few seconds, feedback from the Six Eyes allowed Gojo to analyze Itsuki's technique further.

Interest sharpened in his face.

This move was strangely similar to the stopping power of Infinity.

"Satoru Gojo!"

Yaga's furious roar snapped Gojo out of his analysis.

Seeing the ruined ground in front of him, Gojo quickly drew back his cursed energy.

"Sorry, sorry."

His apology carried no sincerity, and Yaga almost lost his temper on the spot.

If outsiders had not been present, he would have put both fists on Gojo's head.

Yaga stepped forward and shoved Gojo aside.

"This brat gets like this whenever he sees a technique he doesn't understand," he said sincerely.

"I apologize, Zenin-sensei."

"Don't worry, Principal," Itsuki said with a faint smile. "I don't mind."

"Curiosity is easy to understand."

"Gojo-sensei is still young. Everyone has reckless moments."

"Heh."

Gojo paused while wrapping the bandage back over his eye, then slowly grinned like a lunatic.

Blue cursed energy began to churn again.

"Mei Mei, please show Zenin-sensei to his office. I have urgent business with Satoru."

"Panda, take the others back to the classroom for self-study. It's still class time."

Yaga grabbed Gojo and dragged him away while issuing orders.

He was deeply afraid Gojo and the new Zenin clan head would start a war in the middle of Jujutsu High.

Yaga knew Gojo's personality too well, and Itsuki did not seem like the type to swallow a provocation either.

Saying he did not mind was nonsense.

Inside the teaching building, Mei Mei led one human and one cursed spirit toward the newly renovated teacher's room.

Looking at the tall woman ahead of him, Itsuki spoke softly.

"Mei Mei, let's exchange contact information."

Mei Mei paused, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.

"Damn, you really went straight in!"

White Zetsu, walking at the back, jumped in place with his eyes wide.

"Where did you learn to flirt, brother?"

"At least start with, 'You look just like someone I know.'"

Itsuki grimaced.

"Get lost before I sew your mouth shut and lock you away for a few more years."

White Zetsu's expression changed, as if he had recalled a particularly unpleasant memory.

"I'm giving you thoughtful advice, and you don't even appreciate it!"

Seeing Itsuki's dangerous gaze intensify, White Zetsu spun and ran.

"I'm going to see my niece. I won't interrupt your flirting."

Itsuki did not bother explaining. He took out his phone and said calmly, "I have a business proposition you may find interesting."

"Oh?"

Mei Mei brushed one braid over her shoulder, a glint appearing in her eyes.

"Business from the head of the Zenin Clan? Now that does sound promising."

After exchanging contact information, Itsuki got straight to the point.

"Ten million yen for a captured Grade 1 cursed spirit."

"A special grade... one hundred million."

Mei Mei's red lips parted.

"The pay is excellent. But..."

"Cursed spirit bodies aren't easy to transport. Grade 1 and special grade cursed spirits aren't exactly lying around everywhere either."

Itsuki smiled faintly.

"If cursed spirits are inconvenient... sorcerers work too."

Since the Gedo Statue's evolution, cursed spirits below Grade 1 provided only a thin trickle of cursed energy.

For it to evolve again, he needed higher quality cursed energy, denser and more concentrated.

Mei Mei paused, then smiled.

"Deal."

"Maki, your brother is way too strong."

"He killed a Grade 1 sorcerer instantly, and even Gojo-sensei did not break through his technique earlier."

"And what is going on with your cursed spirit uncle?"

Inside the classroom, Panda lay sprawled over a desk, full of gossip.

Inumaki and Yuta both listened closely as well.

"Panda."

Maki lifted her spear, teeth clenched.

"If you ever call that idiot my uncle again, I will split you in half."

Panda raised both hands and was about to beg for mercy when the classroom door slammed open.

"Little Maki! Unc-"

"I came to see you."

Seeing the spear in Maki's hands and the dangerous light in her eyes, White Zetsu swallowed and changed course halfway through the word.

His gaze shifted to the side, and he threw himself forward in excitement.

"Panda! I need to bury my face in that fluff!"

Watching the cursed spirit clinging to his back and taking deep breaths, Panda fought the instinctive urge to punch him away. Panda's skin crawled beneath his fur.

It was not that he hated White Zetsu.

He had simply spent years fighting cursed spirits, and having one close to his body triggered a deep reflexive rejection.

"Why did Brother Itsuki suddenly come to Jujutsu High as a teacher?" Maki asked, standing.

After several deep breaths, White Zetsu still failed to see what Itsuki found so appealing about burying his face in a cat's fur.

He jumped down from Panda and pouted.

"Do you think that kid Itsuki looks like someone who explains things to me?"

Then he walked toward Yuta and Inumaki, hands extended.

"Hello, classmate. Hello, classmate."

Yuta blushed and shook his hand. He did not reject the contact too much.

After all, a special grade cursed spirit had been beside him since childhood.

"Why are you being so friendly?" Maki frowned. "Shouldn't you hurry back to the estate before someone exorcises you?"

Maki was not looking down on White Zetsu.

She was worried.

At the Zenin estate, Brother Itsuki had spoken, so no one dared touch White Zetsu no matter how weak he was.

But at Jujutsu High...

A wandering Grade 4 cursed spirit could be slapped out of existence by almost anyone.

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