HRU: Chapter 282/283

Chapter 282: Megumi, Don’t Bully Yuta

Seeing the dandelion-like smile on the girl's face, several staff members felt their hearts skip a beat.

The man in black coughed lightly and picked up the file containing Kyoto Jujutsu High's roster.

He had originally planned to skim through it. After all, there weren't any students from Kyoto Technical High that required special attention. A quick glance would suffice before handing it off to senior officials.

But when he read through the document from the Kyoto branch and saw: Mei Mei, Iori Utahime, Gojo Satoshi...

He paused mid-hand-off, his hand frozen in midair.

"...Gojo Satoshi?" He wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

He flipped through the list again and then saw the face that looked exactly like Gojo Satoru's.

He froze.

Seeing that Gojo Satoshi had chosen to join the Kyoto High camp, he was instantly alarmed. His eyelid twitched involuntarily.

What is this Gojo Satoshi planning now?

His scalp tingled.

"Tsukumo Yuki... Gojo... Gojo Satoshi?" he asked with a forehead full of sweat, looking at Yuki in disbelief.

With Gojo Satoshi's power, they had already forbidden him from representing Tokyo Jujutsu High in this year's Sister School Goodwill Event.

They had hoped that the jujutsu world could finally enjoy a brief moment of peace, but now, in the blink of an eye, Satoshi had stirred up trouble again.

"A Tokyo student representing Kyoto High and even getting the first spot on the roster? That's absurd..."

"Is there a rule that says it's not allowed?" Yuki asked, arms crossed.

"...No," the suited man said, several black lines forming on his forehead, "but still, Special Grade Yuki... we'll have to report this to our superiors first for approval..."

"Go ahead."

Yuki didn't expect this matter to go through easily.

The real trouble might just be starting.

She thought silently.

The man in black grabbed Satoshi's event application and hurried toward the senior administration office.

His scalp was tingling again.

Why did it feel like the world had never known peace ever since Gojo Satoshi appeared?

Though he couldn't figure out why Tokyo would allow something this outrageous, he was fairly certain that the General Directorate wouldn't approve it.

Just as the news about Satoshi reached the higher-ups, it was already spreading rapidly through the many spies embedded in the upper echelons of the jujutsu world.

...

The sun was bright today. Cursed Spirits disliked moving under such conditions.

So the workload at the Yorozuya was light.

Only Jogo was out on a mission.

As a Special Grade Cursed Spirit who controlled flames, he remained calm even in this kind of weather.

It wasn't immediately obvious, but after nine years, the Yorozuya building had begun to show some signs of aging.

Children's laughter echoed from inside, and the sound of men shouting carried through the air:

"Megumi, don't bully Yuta!"

"You can't eat that either!"

A while later, Yuto, Toji, and the others who had taken a break from their tasks were now lounging on the sofas, talking with their tired children.

Men's conversations varied, ranging from parenting to the current state of the jujutsu world.

Naturally, the Sister School Goodwill Event was also a hot topic.

They knew that today, confirmation about the event's final arrangements would arrive.

Yuto sat on the couch, holding his son Yuta in his arms without looking up. "In a kid-focused event like the Goodwill Competition, Tokyo High likely won't let Satoshi step in."

Toji held Megumi and responded calmly, "Who knows? With Satoshi's personality, staying idle isn't really his thing..."

Yuto suddenly had a thought and looked up. "Toji, by that logic, he might have something else in mind, huh?"

It wasn't an unreasonable guess.

Toji shook his head. "No idea. The format of the Goodwill Event has to be approved by both schools and the General Directorate. Even if Satoshi had some strange idea, I doubt they'd let him get away with it."

Yuto nodded thoughtfully. "True..."

Toji added, "I even heard the higher-ups at the General Directorate weren't planning to approve Satoshi's name on Tokyo's roster."

Yuto gave a helpless smile. "Seems like the mess he caused recently still has people on edge."

"Yeah, the Zenin and Kamo clans are both walking on eggshells."

Just as Toji finished speaking...

"Ding ding." A phone rang from the table nearby.

Toji paused slightly, picked up the phone, and glanced at the screen.

His brows furrowed.

Yuto noticed his expression and asked curiously, "Toji, what's wrong?"

If it could cause that kind of reaction from Toji, it wasn't something ordinary.

"It's from the Jujutsu Department. Probably something about the Goodwill Event..."

"News about the Satoshi?"

"Yeah. Apparently Satoshi plans to participate."

"Didn't the General Directorate forbid him from representing Tokyo High?"

"…So he applied to represent Kyoto."

"?!" Yuto froze. It took a moment to process what he'd just heard. "He's representing Kyoto High? But isn't he a student of Tokyo? What the hell is going on? What's he thinking?"

No one had an answer.

Toji frowned. "It's bizarre. I really can't figure out what Satoshi is up to."

"But I'm sure he wouldn't make a move like this without a reason. He must have his own reasons..."

Yuto couldn't help but laugh. "Joining Kyoto's side... That's just so like him."

Toji narrowed his eyes. "But I doubt the General Directorate will approve it. Getting into a cross-school event isn't so simple..."

Meanwhile, Satoshi was walking casually through a bustling street. Pedestrians passed him by, and the energy of the city buzzed around him.

The soft sound of a passing tram echoed in his ears, blending with the noise of people coming and going.

Soon, the Yorozuya building came into view. Satoshi murmured, "I wonder if Toji and the others are out on missions."

The General Directorate still needed time to review the application, and the final list wasn't confirmed yet. So Satoshi was relatively free for now.

Satoru and the others were undergoing secret training. Utahime's lineup hadn't been finalized either, so there was no rush to practice joint techniques.

So, Satoshi came to the Yorozuya to take a break.

He figured Toji and the others were probably racking their brains over the Goodwill Event.

Might as well explain his plan to his best friend while he had the time.

Before he knew it, Satoshi had already arrived at the Yorozuya.

There was a wooden sign reading "Open for Business" hanging on the slightly closed door, and there wasn't much activity going on inside.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 283: Jogo’s Mysterious Part-Time Job

Satoshi gently pushed open the slightly closed door and stepped inside.

The moment he crossed the threshold, he immediately felt two sharp gazes land on him.

They came from Toji, dressed in black training gear, and Yuto.

Both were holding a child in their arms.

The two children looked over curiously with wide, round eyes.

Toji and Yuto glanced down at the phones in their hands, then looked at Satoshi.

"Toji, Yuto." Gojo Satoshi smiled and greeted them casually.

Yuto exhaled and muttered, "You almost gave us a heart attack. Neither Toji nor I sensed any Cursed Energy. We thought it was an enemy…"

With the system's help, Satoshi's growth in all areas had progressed rapidly.

But their observation skills were sharp. It seemed like Toji and Yuto were far stronger than Satoshi had imagined.

"Why are there only two of you here? Where's Jogo?"

Toji replied, "Nothing major going on today. He went out on his own."

Yuto laughed. "Yeah, unlike me, Jogo's a diligent guy."

Satoshi turned and gave him a look, then said sternly, "Yuto, know yourself. Jogo's complained to me more than once about your laziness."

"No way!" Yuto coughed and quickly waved his hand. "Slacking off is a tactic! I'm conserving energy so I can go all out for the Yorozuya!"

Satoshi had only meant it as a joke, but now he raised an eyebrow, amused. "Haha, and how exactly do you plan to go all out for the Yorozuya?"

Toji scratched his chin and smirked. "Alright, Satoshi. For Megumi's sake, cut him some slack."

Yuto winked and grinned. "That's right, Boss. Let me maintain my dignity as a father in front of Yuta."

Toji asked directly, "Satoshi, you really plan to join Kyoto High for the goodwill event?"

"That's the plan."

"Wait," Yuto leaned in, eyes wide. "But Satoshi, aren't you a student at Tokyo Jujutsu High?"

He truly couldn't understand why Satoshi would do something like this.

Wasn't Satoshi worried about being labeled a traitor by the other Tokyo students?

Toji narrowed his eyes, thoughtful. "Is this about Satoru?"

Satoshi nodded. "Toji, you're right. It is about him."

Yuto looked between them, startled. He really wanted to ask how Toji had figured that out.

But he held back.

If he asked, wouldn't that just make him look dumb? Better to keep quiet and act like he understood too.

Toji side-eyed Yuto, who was clearly trying too hard to look wise.

Toji continued, "Since you woke up, you've gone head-to-head with Satoru more than once. Are you trying to provoke that kid's competitive spirit?"

"Because while Satoru was improving his Zanpakutō control, something strange happened to me. I haven't confirmed the details yet, but I'm certain it's not a bad thing."

Satoshi's calm explanation left both Toji and Yuto stunned.

"Strange things?"

"Yeah. I'll explain once I figure it out," Satoshi said with a small smile. "For now, I'm not even sure if it's real or just in my head."

Though deep down, he was already eighty percent certain.

Toji nodded. "It's fine if you don't want to explain yet."

"Is there anything you need from Yuto and me?"

Yuto also sat up straighter, ready to listen.

"Not much going on right now." Satoshi shook his head. "I just wanted to see Yuta and Megumi."

He reached out and teased Megumi's cheek with his finger, earning a bright giggle from the boy.

...

At the same time.

A deserted street on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Jogo used his Cursed Technique to confirm no one was around, then quickly ducked into a remote alley.

He swiftly changed into a loose black robe.

The oversized garment concealed both his cursed form and features.

Now, even if ordinary humans saw him, they wouldn't be frightened. At most, they'd think he was just someone dressed strangely.

After covering himself, Jogo glanced around once more, cautious.

Only when he was sure no one was watching did he finally relax.

He wasn't being paranoid.

The place he was headed next was dangerous. If his identity was accidentally exposed, the fallout wouldn't just affect him, but also the entire Yorozuya.

Soon, Jogo emerged from the alley and spotted a luxurious hotel in front of him.

Logically, a place this fancy shouldn't exist in such a remote area.

But here it was.

Luxury cars passed him from time to time, clearly heading toward the hotel.

None of them even slowed down as they passed him.

It seemed like his outfit wasn't out of place in this area.

But each time a car went by, Jogo remained on guard.

Even if their outfits weren't as outlandish as his, those people were clearly hiding their identities too.

Because beneath the hotel ahead was one of the most notorious locations in the jujutsu underworld—

The black market.

He walked up to an isolated freight elevator.

Soon, a massive man appeared. Compared to him, Jogo looked like a child.

But in the jujutsu world, size didn't count for much.

Jogo remained calm.

Without hesitation, he pulled out a thick wad of 10,000-yen bills.

Three hundred thousand yen.

That was the price of admission.

Jogo was no stranger to the black market. He was a regular.

The man counted the money, found no issue, and nodded. Then he tapped a button on his chest.

A low rumble echoed through the ground, followed by a metallic ding.

A narrow elevator, just big enough for two or three people, opened before Jogo.

This was one of the entrances to the black market.

"Go ahead," the man gestured.

"Yeah." Jogo nodded and stepped inside.

The doors closed slowly, and darkness swallowed the space.

"This place really lives up to the name 'black market.' Even the elevator's pitch-black…" Jogo muttered into the silence.

Soon, a wave of weightlessness hit him as the sound of grinding chains filled the air.

The descent had begun.

(To be continued.)