The cafeteria was mostly quiet, a contrast to the chaotic aftermath of the recent events. With only five first-year students in the school, it wasn't hard to find a corner of peace. Shiki, Panda, Toge, Yuta, and Maki sat together at one of the tables, their trays filled with whatever food they could grab for lunch.
Shiki, as always, sat at the edge of the group. She was mostly quiet, occasionally listening to the conversation but never feeling the need to contribute much.
Panda was the liveliest of them all, as usual. "You know, the other day I saw a cursed spirit that looked like a giant donut. I'm serious! It even had sprinkles." He was animated, arms waving around as he described the ridiculous scene.
Yuta looked over at her. "Shiki-san, have you had any weird cursed spirits lately? You know, like Panda's donut monster?"
Shiki's gaze shifted to him for a second before she casually replied, "Nothing that stupid."
The table shared a light laugh, the mood staying relaxed.
Yuta chuckled before turning to Shiki again, his voice suddenly curious. "By the way, Shiki-san, I heard something about a promotion? Are you moving up to grade 1?"
The others turned to look at her. Shiki blinked, pausing for a moment before offering a short reply. "Yeah. The higher-ups decided it."
Shiki remained nonchalant, shrugging lightly. Then, her eyes flicked over to Maki. "What about you? Why are you still stuck at Grade 4?"
The table fell into an awkward silence for a moment. Maki set her utensils down, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. Her expression hardened, but there was a brief look of frustration in her eyes.
Shiki knew Maki's strength firsthand. She'd seen her fight, knew her drive. It didn't make sense for her to still be ranked so low. If it was about strength, she should be around grade 2 or maybe semi grade 1.
Maki stiffened at the question, her usual hardened expression tightening.
"It's not that I couldn't get recommendations…. The Zenin clan makes it... difficult. They interfere with everything. They'd rather see me rot in the lower ranks than acknowledge me."
Shiki's raised an eyebrow slightly as she processed Maki's words. The great clans and their outdated traditions were more trouble than its worth. They valued bloodlines, cursed techniques, and status over actual ability.
The fact that Maki, who lacked cursed energy but possessed sheer physical prowess and skill, was still held back was no surprise. Still, the idea of having talent wasted because of some archaic thinking was more than just troublesome—it was a complete waste.
Maki shrugged, "They don't want to see someone without cursed energy rise in the ranks. It's about appearances to them."
Shiki considered her words. She knew enough about the great clans "The clans sound like a pain."
"Tell me about it." Maki sighed.
Panda, trying to lighten the mood, slapped his paw on the table. "Well, screw the Zenin clan. You're stronger than most Grade 2 sorcerers anyway!"
Toge nodded vigorously. "Tuna mayo!"
Maki gave a short nod, her lips curving into a faint, almost imperceptible smile
The conversation drifted after that, Panda joking about how he'd rather stay a Grade 2 forever so he didn't have to do any serious missions.
It wasn't long before the door to the cafeteria swung open and Gojo made his dramatic entrance, wearing his usual grin and dark sunglasses. "Oh, what do we have here? My lovely students enjoying lunch without me? I'm hurt."
Panda immediately waved his arm in the air. "Don't worry, sensei, there's still plenty of food! Maybe even enough for someone with your metabolism."
The group laughed, the tension easing as Gojo's presence always seemed to do. He sauntered over to them, his gaze eventually resting on Shiki.
"Shiki, we should go meet Nanami soon," Gojo said, casually. "We'll head out in about an hour. Meet me at the school entrance."
Shiki nodded; her expression unreadable as usual. She wasn't one for unnecessary words, especially around Gojo. Just as Gojo turned to leave, Maki suddenly stood up from her seat, surprising the rest of them. She didn't say a word as she made her way toward the exit, motioning for Gojo to follow.
The group exchanged glances, but no one said anything. This was between Maki and Gojo.
Outside, the breeze rustled through the trees, Maki stood opposite Gojo, her stance tense, eyes sharp and unyielding.
Gojo leaned casually against a tree, "So, what's on your mind, Maki? Something bothering you?"
Maki took a deep breath, her voice steady but laced with frustration. "I want to join Shiki on her mission."
Gojo raised an eyebrow behind his dark sunglasses, his posture relaxed but his tone curious. "You do realize the promotion rules, right? To assess Shiki's ability, only a Grade 1 sorcerer and Shiki herself can be involved in the mission. No room for extra help."
Maki's fists clenched at her sides; her gaze unwavering. "I know the rules. But what difference does it make? In the end, I'm still a Grade 4. If I interfere, it's not going to change anything about her promotion."
Gojo tilted his head, intrigued. "So why push for it? You know the Zenin clan's politics keep you where you are. Jumping in won't change that."
Maki's jaw tightened. "I'm not doing this to mess with Shiki's promotion. I want to get stronger. The Zenin clan already does everything they can to keep me from advancing, so what do I have to lose?"
Gojo's playful smirk softened slightly, though his casual demeanor remained. "And what's the real reason, Maki? Why this mission?"
Maki's voice grew colder, more determined. "I need this. After Geto's attack... I realized I'm nowhere near where I need to be. At first, I wanted recognition—to force the Zenin clan to acknowledge me. But I've moved past that. Now, I just want results. I'll shut them up by proving them wrong."
Gojo's grin widened in approval. "You're starting to sound like Shiki."
Maki crossed her arms. "Shiki's right about one thing—results are what matter. And if joining this mission helps me get those results, then I'll do it."
Gojo gave her a slow nod, impressed. "Alright, you're in. I'll make sure the higher-ups don't fuss about it. Meet us at the entrance in an hour. We'll see how you handle this."
Maki gave a firm nod, her resolve set in stone. "Got it."
.
.
Shiki returned to her dorm, the room quiet and undisturbed. She moved towards the corner where her sword rested against the wall. The blade was still flawless, not a single scratch marring its surface. She had bought it from an old antique shop, and it hadn't let her down once.
Shiki returned to her dorm, the room quiet and undisturbed. She moved towards the corner where her sword rested against the wall. The blade was still flawless, not a single scratch marring its surface. She had bought it from an old antique shop, and it hadn't let her down once.
As she studied the weapon, memories flooded back. She'd already been through so much with it. Especially when it came to her eyes—the strange ability that had become both her weapon and her burden.
At first, it was disorienting, seeing the stange 'lines' on everything, but now, she had grown used to her new perception. She had learned to control it, to "switch" the ability on and off—or as close to that as she could.
Though her eyes were always active, she could adjust the number of lines she wanted to see, filtering out the unnecessary ones.
With her sword slung across her back, Shiki packed up what she considered "essential." In reality, that meant just her blade—nothing more, nothing less.
As she made her way to the school entrance, Shiki's thoughts were elsewhere, already preparing herself for whatever Gojo had planned. Unexpectedly, she spotted Maki leaning against one of the pillars, waiting with her arms crossed.
Shiki raised an eyebrow as she approached. "What are you doing here?"
Maki glanced at her before pushing off the pillar. "I'm tagging along for this mission."
Shiki gave a small nod. She didn't mind. Maki was strong, and having her around meant less unnecessary talking and more action. That was fine by her.
The two stood in comfortable silence for a moment, neither feeling the need to fill the air with unnecessary chatter.
Before long, Gojo arrived, sauntering towards them with his usual carefree grin. "Alright, ladies, time to hit the road. Guess who's driving?"
Shiki sighed, already dreading the trip. Maki just shook her head. "Great. This is going to be a long ride, isn't it?"
.
.
The car ride was a blend of awkward silence and Gojo's ceaseless chatter. Shiki sat in the back, her arms crossed as she stared out the window, only half-listening to the back-and-forth between Gojo and Maki. Gojo, as usual, dominated the conversation.
"So, Shiki," Gojo said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "Excited for your first big mission as a near-Grade 1 sorcerer?"
Shiki didn't even bother to respond, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. Gojo wasn't discouraged, though. He rarely ever was.
"You know," he continued, undeterred by her silence, "Maki and I were talking earlier. We thought you'd be fun on road trips, but I'm starting to rethink that."
Maki, who was sitting in the passenger seat, rolled her eyes. "You're the only one talking, Gojo. It's impossible to get a word in."
Gojo grinned. "Oh, come on, you love it."
Maki shot Gojo a glare but didn't bother to respond. Instead, she glanced back at Shiki, and for a brief moment, a silent understanding passed between them. It was going to be a long ride, both of them coincidentally thought.
The drive dragged on, and Shiki's suspicion grew with every familiar road they passed. Finally, as they pulled up to their destination, her eyes narrowed.
The airport.
Shiki blinked, her suspicions confirmed. She turned to Gojo, voice sharp. "What are we doing here?"
Gojo's smile only widened. "Surprise! The mission's in Hokkaido. You're flying there. Neat, huh?"
Maki's frustration was instant, her knuckles tightening on the car door. "You didn't say anything about flying," she muttered. "You said this would be quick."
Gojo chuckled. "I never said how quick."
Before Maki could retort, a figure in a beige suit approached them, the sharp click of his shoes cutting through the noisy airport. The man wore unique sunglasses, paired with his no-nonsense expression, looking more like a businessman than a sorcerer.
"You're late," the man said in his usual flat tone.
Gojo stretched his arms above his head lazily. "Nanami-kun~! Always so punctual. We're barely late, and the flight's not going anywhere without us!"
Nanami's expression didn't change, but there was a heaviness to his gaze as he looked at Gojo. "That's not the point."
Tired of Gojo's antics, Nanami shifted his attention to the two girls. "I assume you're the ones joining this mission?"
Maki, still irritated, stood a little straighter. "Maki Zen'in, first-year. I'll be joining the mission."
Shiki gave Nanami a brief glance, her voice flat. "Shiki Ryougi."
Nanami nodded curtly, sizing them up briefly. "Nanami Kento. I'll be overseeing the mission."
Gojo, who had been watching the exchange with mild amusement, finally stepped back. "Well, I guess my job here is done. Good luck with Nanami, and remember—don't let him scare you."
Maki shot Gojo a sharp look, but before she could retort, Nanami interjected. "Let's get going. We'll have plenty of time to discuss the mission details once we're airborne."
Shiki, Maki, and Nanami made their way through the bustling airport terminal. They followed Nanami to the check-in counter, where he smoothly handled the paperwork for their tickets. Shiki observed from behind, noticing how the security didn't even flinch at the weapons in their baggage.
'There must be some sort of arrangement between the jujutsu world and the government, Otherwise, we'd be arrested by now.' Shiki thought.
Once they cleared security, they reached the departure gate. Nanami glanced at his watch, then at the flight information screen before turning to Shiki and Maki.
"Alright, we're set. The flight will board soon. Let me brief you on the mission," Nanami said, his tone growing more formal.
"We're dealing with a cursed womb situation."
"Cursed womb?!" Maki's voice was filled with a mix of surprise and unease.
The term wasn't new to either of them, but while Maki had likely studied it long ago, this was her first time dealing with such a case firsthand. For Shiki, it was still a fairly fresh concept.
"That's right. We still don't know the exact cause, but the cursed womb is already in its evolutionary stage."
A cursed womb refers to a special type of cursed object that contains the potential for powerful cursed spirits to manifest.
As a metaphorical "womb," it represents the incomplete, embryonic form of a cursed spirit that will undergo a metamorphosis to develop into a fully matured curse. These cursed wombs are incubators for highly dangerous cursed spirits, and once they complete their evolutionary process, a cursed womb can produce a special-grade cursed spirit.
"The cursed womb has taken root at Asahikawa Medical University Hospital. Our mission is to eliminate it before it reaches full maturity. If we fail, it could give birth to something beyond our control."
Nanami paused, then added bluntly, "Frankly, this mission is beyond what either of you should be handling at this point. But it's an order from the higher-ups. Either they have high expectations of you, or they want to see you dead."
The bitterness in his voice was unmistakable. His dislike for the higher-ups was clear, and his words carried deep frustration.
Shiki, being blunt as always, asked, "Do you dislike this side of the world?"
"..."
Nanami fell silent, clearly taken aback by the question. Though ambiguous, he knew exactly what Shiki meant by "this side of the world." Maki thoughtfully glanced at Shiki, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
After a brief pause, Nanami spoke
"Do I hate this side of the world?"
"Hate is a strong word, but... I don't particularly like it. The jujutsu world is flawed—corrupted by incompetent leaders, full of unnecessary death and suffering. It's a place where people like us are treated as tools, not humans."
"Then why don't you leave, then?" Shiki asks
"I did leave," Nanami replied
"That's why I became a salaryman in the first place—tried to escape the world of jujutsu. I thought a life of routine and normalcy would be better, more stable." He pauses, glancing down for a moment."
He paused, glancing down for a moment, as if recalling a distant memory. "But that world wasn't any different. Empty work, meaningless tasks... I realized it didn't matter where I went. People are exploited everywhere. At least here, I can make a difference, however small."
Nanami adjust his glasess and look straight at Shiki. He knew how cruel and pointless the death in this side of the world. He already seen it first hand, but if he can prevent meaningless death for a young girl like her, its probably enough.
Shiki, listening to Nanami's answer, felt a flicker of conflict deep within her. She had joined the jujutsu world for one reason.
Revenge.
It was clear and straightforward, but even so, it felt distant. Hollow. She knew she was here to take revenge against 'that man', but the further she went, the more detached that purpose seemed.
'Meaning'
Shiki thought, her mind lingering on the word. She couldn't grasp the weight of it, the way Nanami spoke of it with such conviction.
'Prevent a meaningless death.'
For her, death wasn't meaningless—it was inevitable. No sentiment, no tragedy. Just an end. She didn't flinch at the thought of it, whether it was her own or someone else's.
Whatever had pushed her this far, whatever she had convinced herself was her purpose, it didn't matter. She would keep moving forward because that's all she knew how to do.
Maki's voice cut through the air, pulling her from her thoughts. "It's time for boarding."
Shiki exhaled softly, letting the brief conflict within her fade into nothingness. There was no need to dwell on it. The mission was ahead. And that was all that mattered. For now.