Time never pauses for anyone. The years always take something—or leave something behind.
Lately, the Jujutsu world has been anything but calm. Beneath the surface, dark currents churn, and in the sky, a storm brews behind an eerie calm. Even the dullest of minds can sense that something isn't right.
The unrest has even crept into Jujutsu High. The forums are in constant uproar, filled with conspiracy theories, shocking secrets, and wild claims of prodigies emerging.
Driven by those with agendas, the entire Jujutsu world is shifting in unpredictable ways.
Unrest brews in people's hearts.
None of this, however, had anything to do with Sōjun Minamoto.
When Masamichi Yaga came looking for him, Sōjun was busy giving Shiko Mishima a one-sided beatdown.
Under Yaga's strange gaze and Shiko Mishima's twisted expression, Sōjun calmly smoothed out the wrinkles on his clothes and went to the kitchen to make three cups of tea.
The three of them sat around the table.
Both men took a sip at the same time, and Shiko Mishima only lifted her cup after Yaga had finished his.
"You've both noticed the recent unrest, haven't you?" Yaga asked, his gaze unusually deep.
Sōjun and Shiko Mishima nodded. Their mission frequency had already been noticeably reduced.
"Jujutsu High is now fully mobilized and on high alert. You'll each have missions to carry out," Yaga said, bringing news from the top.
"Support staff will either be deployed to maintain social order or remain at Jujutsu High for precautionary defense. Mishima, what's your preference?" He clearly intended to use his authority within the rules.
"Me?" Shiko Mishima glanced at Sōjun. "I'll stay at Jujutsu High."
She didn't mind at all.
Only Sōjun would let her go all-out against Cursed Spirits. If they couldn't work together, she'd be relegated to routine support work. Going out wouldn't get her anything, so she might as well stay.
"Alright, I'll arrange for you to remain here."
"As for you..." Yaga turned to Sōjun, lightly tapping the tea table with a finger.
Even he couldn't override the assignment. Sōjun's mission had come down as a named directive. All Yaga could do was give him a heads-up to prepare.
As a senior official, Yaga had a clear grasp on the situation. The true objective had been split into layers and buried under noise to obscure the real purpose. Each operative only knew their part—and were strictly forbidden from sharing with others.
No ordinary sorcerer could unravel that web to figure out what was really going on.
This information compartmentalization was by design.
One, to prevent leaks. Two, to monopolize knowledge.
Information is power—and that power belongs only to the few.
"Your assignment will be team-based. You'll be coordinating with others for an external mission," Yaga added, his tone thoughtful.
Some things couldn't be said outright, especially now, during such a sensitive time. So he dropped a hint instead: "Don't go out unless necessary. Wait for the team to assemble—the mission will be briefed all at once."
Sōjun didn't mind. He'd just mastered Black Flash recently, and was riding high on momentum.
...
A few days later, in a classroom.
Sōjun had been told to report in.
When he opened the door, he realized he was the last to arrive.
Aside from Yaga, two familiar faces were already inside: Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, whom he'd met just days ago.
As soon as Sōjun shut the door, Yaga tossed him a dossier. The large, blood-red word [Classified] stood out starkly on the cover.
...
In this world, Japan is one of the most cursed-spirit-infested regions—but it has managed to maintain balance in the Jujutsu world. That stability rests on two pillars—or rather, two people.
The first is Satoru Gojo.
Born December 7, 1989, he inherited his clan's Limitless Cursed Technique and possessed the [Six Eyes], appearing again after 400 years.
Cursed phenomena ebb and flow like tides. The strength of humans and Cursed Spirits rises and falls, yet somehow maintains a shifting balance. In recent years, Cursed Spirits have grown more active, and curse users more reckless, praising freedom and acting without fear.
But all of that came to a halt with Gojo's arrival.
His birth tipped the scales. As Cursed Spirits continued to grow stronger and more numerous, sorcerers began to stagnate—or even decline.
Gojo became known as a once-in-a-generation prodigy, bearer of the Six Eyes—an existence that singlehandedly held up the Jujutsu world.
...
The other pillar is Tengen.
A sorcerer who has lived for over a thousand years, Tengen's very existence is the foundation of stability in the Jujutsu world. The barriers that make the two Jujutsu schools bastions of safety, along with countless auxiliary Curtain techniques, all depend on Tengen's power. Thanks to him, the survival rate of Jujutsu sorcerers has greatly improved.
Since ancient times, key locations throughout the country have been fortified with hidden barriers for protection.
Tengen possesses the Immortality Technique. Under its protection, humanity has maintained its hold. Over time, Japan's barriers have all come to center around him.
But immortality doesn't mean agelessness. Once Tengen's body reaches a certain age, his technique will automatically restructure and evolve it.
At that point, he'll cease to be human—and become a higher-dimensional being. His human will shall vanish.
If the core collapses, barrier strength will plummet. The wall separating humans from Cursed Spirits will fall, and the Spirits will flood in. Imagine the chaos.
So, every 500 years, Tengen must merge with a compatible human to replace his physical form.
With a fresh body, his technique resets, preventing that evolution from ever occurring.
...
"This mission will be carried out by the three of you," Yaga said, hands braced against the lectern, voice firm. "There are two objectives. The target is Tengen-sama's compatible vessel. Your task: protect them—and then, eliminate them."
It sounded contradictory. But after reading the file, all three understood. Their mission was to protect the vessel—until a specific moment came. Then, they were to kill them.
Just as Yaga understood his students, Sōjun and the others knew him too. For him to say the second half out loud? It likely meant the opposite.
Sōjun raised a hand. "Huh? Why am I going too?"
Wasn't he told he didn't have mandatory assignments?
Getting hit with a contradiction this fast?
Yaga caught the look in his eyes and sighed. "You were personally chosen by Tengen-sama as one of the candidates."
He still had no idea how Sōjun got involved with Tengen-sama in the first place.
...
The three went off to prepare.
The 500-year assimilation period was fast approaching.
And the entire Jujutsu world stirred from its slumber.
One faction, led by the Higher-Ups, pushed for a smooth and orderly assimilation.
Another, composed of Curse Users, aimed to disrupt the process and change the current state of things.
Still others wanted nothing more than to spread chaos, toppling the existing peace.
No matter the side. No matter the motive.
If just one person is sacrificed, everything else falls into place—
How wonderful. Truly wonderful.