The four escorted Amanai Riko to a safe house prepared by the Gojo family.
Naturally, the upper echelons would suspect them if the Fusion Ceremony with the Tengen didn't happen and the vessel vanished. After all, there was no way Riko, merely a visual sorcerer capable of seeing curses, could escape from the four of them on her own.
"Not that it would be different even if she were a sorcerer."
Even with all four of them keeping vigilant watch simultaneously, no one could escape on their own. The upper echelons knew this, and probably Tengen did too.
"Whatever excuse we give won't hold anyway."
So they decided to brazenly lie.
"The vessel has escaped. How? We don't know."
A blatant lie. Turning a blind eye. But the upper echelons couldn't push them too hard.
"They're too strong."
Gojo Satoru, Geto Suguru, Zenin Toji, Zenin Zoro, plus the Gojo family.
Turning even one of them into an enemy would be a headache, let alone all. If they had the capacity to do that, the sorcery world wouldn't be in such decay.
The only time Tengen can perform the Fusion Ceremony with the vessel is during the full moon. If that time passes, the ceremony can't happen until the next full moon. For those desiring the fusion, it means they can't kill Amanai Riko until then.
Suguru voiced his concern.
"Is it really okay to involve your family too, Satoru? If the Gojo family comes to be considered on par with the upper echelons..."
"It's fine, Suguru. This is exactly what I'm the head of the family for."
"Gojo family has always been these jerks' lackey. Don't worry about it."
Satoru Gojo, a rare birth in 400 years, is the head of the Gojo family and possesses both the six eyes and limitless. His word is absolute in the Gojo family.
Whatever the stretch, if all of the sorcery world turned against them, the Gojo family would accept it if it was Satoru Gojo's will. That's the weight a sorcerer with both six eyes and limitless abilities holds in the Gojo family.
Toji, from ten years ago, might have scoffed at the idea of a great clan risking everything for one person...
Well, they were all hanging on to one person, one way or another.
Toji's gaze naturally drifted to Zoro. The sound from Zoro's phone echoed again.
—The other party is not answering...
Zoro removed the phone from his ear and stared blankly at it before turning to Toji.
"Father, one of us should return to the jujutsu high."
"Why?"
"We've left Tsumiki and Megumi alone for too long."
It wasn't that Megumi and Tsumiki disliked Yaga, and while Yaga was trustworthy, he wasn't their family. He couldn't care for Megumi and Tsumiki as well as Zoro or Toji could.
"Masamichi and Shoko aren't answering their phones either."
"Yaga has been...?"
Something felt off. Shoko might not answer the phone if she was busy with experiments or other tasks. But Yaga always made sure to be reachable whenever he was watching the kids, ensuring that Zoro and Toji could contact him at any time.
Seeing Toji's uneasy expression, Zoro added.
"There's nothing wrong with their health yet."
He had checked, just in case, but Megumi and Tsumiki's Vivre Cards showed no signs of burns, and both were oriented in the direction of the jujutsu high, indicating they were neither separated nor outside the jujutsu high.
"I'll go."
Toji spoke, and Zoro nodded. Satoru, checking his phone, clicked his tongue.
"It seems the upper echelons already know. They're calling me back."
"So soon?"
Too fast. Toji judged coldly.
"Seems like there's been a leak."
"From where?"
"Most likely within the Gojo family."
Even without an outright traitor, there were many eyes on the Gojo family—like the Zenin or the Kamo. People who would dance with joy if Gojo fell.
"Are you going, Satoru?"
"I have to go, eventually. Can't right now. There are things they need to be told."
Like what would happen if they turned one of their own against them.
Well, the fact that he has to explain such things one by one just shows how rotten they are.
'If they're not going to use it, why the hell do they even carry a head on their shoulders?'
Gojo internally lashed out at the upper echelons.
Zoro stood up.
"I'll go. Father, you stay here."
Gojo and Geto are both 'sorcerers.' Which means, they are helpless against elements that cannot be countered by sorcery.
The only ones who can deal with such matters are Toji and Zoro. In case of an unforeseen situation, one of them needed to stay with Amanai.
Besides, the kids were more attached to Zoro. If something happened, even if Toji went, they'd just ask where Zoro was.
"…Are you sure?"
"What do you take me for?"
"As my marimo, of course."
"Hey!"
"You can't go alone. Take Geto with you."
Toji's firm statement made Zoro pout, but he didn't argue.
"Take care."
That's all Toji ever wanted from Zoro.
"Yeah."
Zoro nodded and left the safe house with Geto, heading back to the jujutsu high.
...
Despite the concerns, nothing was wrong with Megumi and Tsumiki. They were happily playing with a teddy bear that Yaga had recently made.
Yaga looked a bit haggard, but that's expected when taking care of kids.
"The signal was weirdly weak."
Yaga explained why he hadn't answered Zoro's calls, saying suddenly the phones within the jujutsu high weren't working properly. Of course, this was also why Shoko hadn't been in contact.
"We're still figuring out the cause."
It's probably nothing. Yaga mentioned this nonchalantly. They were inside the jujutsu high's barrier, and there were no traces or residuals near the phones. Yaga's assumption wasn't entirely unreasonable.
"What about the Vessel? What happened?"
Yaga asked, prompting Zoro to grin slyly.
"What do you think happened?"
Yaga massaged his neck which had tensed up involuntarily. However, he couldn't berate Zoro or ask him how he planned to take responsibility—not Yaga.
Yaga glared at Geto, who was grinning shamelessly beside Zoro. Geto spoke calmly.
"It wouldn't be right, Yaga-sensei."
To force that young girl to die against her wishes isn't right.
Yaga couldn't deny that statement. But doing the right thing doesn't always lead to good outcomes.
"…You should be prepared for what's coming."
"I know."
It was Zoro who nodded, not Geto, as Yaga said no more. Knowing they wouldn't listen, being their teacher, he refrained from further comments.
After their discussion with Yaga, the two walked through the jujutsu high. They planned to roam a bit, catch anyone spying, and then return to the safe house after ensuring they weren't followed.
"Things turned out better than expected, Zoro."
"Yeah."
Successful goals. A family safe and sound. Always a secure place. Trusted comrades by your side.
It was the perfect setup for complacency.
—Brother!
Zoro heard Megumi's voice. Only someone like Zoro or Toji could clearly hear such a faint sound; neither Geto nor Gojo would have noticed.
Instinctively, Zoro turned towards the source of the sound.
And there was a direct encounter.
A man with brown hair stood in the academy's forest. He was the former assistant director of Tokyo Jujutsu High, whom they had seen on several missions. Except for a gentle smile replacing his usual haggard, tired expression, he looked the same as always.
...No, not exactly the same.
There was a new, stitched scar on his head that hadn't been there before.
All these observations flashed through Zoro's mind in an instant.
From the assistant director's hand, a recorder dropped. Just as Zoro instinctively moved to react, and Geto sensed something odd and turned to look—
"...Zoro?"
Zoro had already disappeared.
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