"Hm?"
Arriving at their destination, Eiji didn't expect his cousin would take him to Jujutsu High School Tokyo. Nonetheless, he didn't inquire and simply followed him up the stairs.
Putting his hands in his pockets, Satoru glanced back and asked, "Aren't you going to ask why I brought you here?"
"No need. In the end, I'll find out without Nii-san saying anything." Eiji replied calmly.
"Tsk tsk tsk... You're boring, Eiji. If you keep this up, Onii-chan worries no woman will ever like you, and you'll be single forever~"
"Let's not discuss my love life. Nii-san, instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself. You should get married soon and leave heirs for the Gojo Family. Hasn't the head of the family repeatedly urged you to marry?"
"Cough... Marriage is a grave for men. I still want to be free and unattached. Come on, let's not linger here."
As they discussed his marriage, Satoru smoothly changed the topic and hastened their pace.
Seeing this, Eiji also slightly increased his walking speed. He easily caught up with him.
After a few minutes, they reached the top of the hill, where a large red torii gate stood as the entrance.
Passing through the torii, Eiji detected the barrier enveloping the entire Jujutsu High School had returned to normal functioning, unlike before when it fluctuated as if it could collapse at any moment.
He looked around but didn't see any students.
"By the way, school will start in three days. Until then, students are not allowed to come to school. Eiji, you're the exception, I'm great, aren't I?"
Observing his gestures, Satoru smiled while giving a brief explanation.
"I see." Eiji nodded, disregarding his cousin's narcissistic attitude.
(Is this direction... Did Nii-san bring me to meet that person?)
He made assumptions based on the places they passed.
Jujutsu High School Tokyo was built atop Mount Mushiro and had several supporting facilities such as dormitories, classrooms, a morgue, and a cursed warehouse storing Cursed Tools and Cursed Objects.
But Eiji, who possessed Six Eyes, knew that there were other facilities unknown to students. For example, there were several hidden rooms, pathways to the Tombs of the Star, and Isolation Rooms.
"Well, you should already know this place, right?"
Standing in front of the building, Satoru looked at him with a meaningful smile.
As the bearer of the orthodox Six Eyes in this generation, of course, he was also aware of some hidden facilities in Jujutsu High School during his time as a student.
"I know." Eiji nodded in confirmation.
"Good, that saves me time explaining. Let's go inside."
Pushing the door open, Satoru entered first.
Seeing his figure starting to disappear due to the lack of lighting, Eiji followed him in without hesitation.
Neither of them spoke, only the sound of footsteps echoing clearly in the corridor dimly lit by hanging lanterns.
Aside from candles, many talismans adhered to the walls, adding to the eerie atmosphere. If an ordinary person walked here, they would easily be frightened as the corridor was more ominous than a haunted house in an amusement park.
Moreover, a haunted house was just an entertainment ride to scare visitors seeking an adrenaline rush, while this corridor connected isolation rooms isolating dangerous individuals.
"We're here, let's meet the unfortunate young man who will be your classmate."
Seeing Eiji still indifferent, Satoru smiled thinly and pushed open the door adorned with talismans.
Hearing his narration, Eiji became more convinced of his assumption.
Entering the isolation room, he saw countless talismans plastered on the walls. In the middle of the room, there was a young man curled up in a chair.
Although the young man heard their arrival, he ignored them and continued to curl up.
(Who would believe this person will become a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer?)
Eiji recognized the young man, Okkutsu Yuta. Additionally, he realized that the Cursed Energy in his body had been greatly weakened to the lowest level upon entering the isolation room.
(This is an interesting discovery... The isolation room is capable of sealing Cursed Energy, but the enhanced physical blessings from Heavenly Restrictions don't affect it. This means that if someone conspires to trap me in a place similar to the function of an isolation room, I can break through just by relying on raw power.)
This fact alone made him feel like this trip wasn't in vain.
On the other hand, Satoru was unaware of his cousin's complex thoughts. He took out the bent folding knife from his pocket and began speaking to Yuta.
"Okkutsu Yuta-kun."
"This is a knife..."
Without looking at his interlocutor, Yuta still buried his face in his knees and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"I tried to commit suicide, but Rika-chan stopped me."
Releasing the knife in his hand, Satoru asked, "You're so depressed, huh. Don't you want to start a new school?"
"I don't want to go."
"I don't want to hurt people anymore. So, I've had enough going out."
"But... Won't that make you lonely?"
"The Cursed Spirit with you, depending on how it's used, you can use it to save people. Learn to harness that power."
"..."
Saving others... Those words were hard for Yuta to believe.
For him, who had hurt people around him, he never imagined he could save others.
"Eiji, don't just stand there silently. Say something. After all, you two will be classmates."
Failing to convince Yuta, Satoru shifted this issue to Eiji.
"Nii-san must be joking. Do I look like someone skilled at persuading others with my words? I'm not a shonen manga protagonist." Eiji turned to him.
"Anyway, just give it a try. For this purpose, I brought you here."
Satoru pushed him to stand in front of Yuta, while he watched from behind.
"..."
"..."
The two young men stared at each other, then simultaneously turned away.
(What should I say?)
This was the first time Eiji found himself in such a situation. He didn't know what to do.
Glancing back to see his cousin giving him a thumbs-up.
"..."
After pondering for a moment, he decided to try. Whether it failed or succeeded, at least he had tried.
It's better to fail after trying than to fail before starting.
"I'm Kamiki Eiji, a first-year student at Jujutsu High School Tokyo."
As a start, Eiji introduced himself.
"... Ah, my name is Okkutsu Yuta, nice to meet you."
As the other party introduced himself, Yuta reflexively replied. Realizing his action, he hurriedly cautioned with a worried tone.
"Don't come near me, or you'll get hurt."
Sure enough, a large figure with a heavily muscular upper body, long arms, and a shadow resembling a tail. Several tendrils sprouted from her head, and she had long, untrimmed nails and a mouth full of thin, sharp teeth.
That monster was the Cursed Spirit, Orimoto Rika.
"Stay away from Yuta!"
"Calm down, Rikka-chan."
Before Rika could attack Eiji, Yuta quickly pacified her.
"Amazing..."
Eiji's eyes sparkled at the appearance of Rikka.