Zenin Maki's expression shifted: "Why? Hasn't Yuta already proven himself enough?"
Akira shook his head: "It's not enough. No matter how much Yuta does, it will never be enough. In the eyes of the conservative faction, Okkotsu Yuta will always be the one responsible for creating a special-grade vengeful cursed spirit, making him a dangerous individual that must be eliminated."
"That's hard to understand."
"No, actually, it's quite easy to understand. Maki, you're strong. Below Grade 1 sorcerers, unless someone's technique specifically counters you, no one is your match. Do you think the Zen'in clan doesn't know this? With your personality, haven't you already beaten up everyone who looked down on you?"
Maki gave a rare, slightly embarrassed hum of acknowledgment.
"Let's assume for a moment. If the Zen'in clan had given you enough respect—not even respect, just treated you fairly, without so much bias—would you have left home? Even if they didn't make you the head of the clan, would you have walked away if they simply treated you equally?"
"This..." Maki pondered the scenario, something she had never considered before, and after thinking it over, she said, "Probably not. Even if I wanted to fight for the position of clan head, I wouldn't have left."
"Then why didn't they do that? Your family isn't new to producing people like you. The last person had the strength to go toe-to-toe with Zen'in Naobito."
"Because of the rotten, stinking traditions of the Zen'in clan," Maki said bluntly, showing no mercy.
"That's just the surface; it's not the core issue."
Akira shook his head again. This is one of the main differences between maturity and immaturity—being able to see beyond the surface to the underlying reality.
"Living beings instinctively seek stability, especially those with vested interests. For the conservatives, not changing and maintaining the status quo is the ultimate form of stability, so they try to eliminate anything that threatens that stability.
"Take you as an example. What the sorcerers in power see is not just Zen'in Maki as an individual, but many others in similar positions. If I give you, Zen'in Maki, preferential treatment today, tomorrow there will be others who use you as an example to demand the same."
Maki asked, "Isn't that a good thing? Giving more capable people opportunities would make the Zen'in clan stronger, wouldn't it?"
"For the Zen'in clan as a whole, yes, but not necessarily for the sorcerers within the clan.
"If the Zen'in clan were still growing and expanding, it might not be an issue. But the Zen'in clan is already one of the Three Great Families. It can't rise any higher. The pie is only so big, and the more people who share it, the less the vested interests get.
"Would they still be able to boss others around, acting superior and ordering them around? Would people who've tasted the benefits stop seeking more? If things shift, it could evolve into a full-on conflict between sorcerers and non-sorcerers, leading to internal strife. So they'll never let you rise, whether you're within the family or you've already left."
Hearing Akira's explanation, Maki sneered, "Aren't they afraid I'll come back one day and overthrow them?"
"When that time comes, of course, they'll be afraid, and they'll naturally compromise. When their power can no longer sustain their stability, they'll retreat and seek relative safety. It's called 'not crying until they see the coffin.'
"No, the fact that you're still standing here means the Zen'in clan left you an out. Otherwise, unless Gojo-sensei came knocking to take you away, you wouldn't have had the chance to leave."
"I see. So that's what the head of the clan meant by a 'trial,' huh?"
Maki recalled last year, just before declaring her departure from the Zen'in clan. She had been fully prepared to fight her way out with everything she had.
But all the clan head, Naobito, had said was: "I will give you a proper trial," before letting her go.
She had always thought it was just a formality, but now she realized it was a setup for the future.
Indeed, if she were to return to the Zen'in clan with overwhelming strength, and they brought up the past, it would be hard for her not to waver. It would be almost impossible to completely cut ties.
"That old man… I thought his brain was full of nothing but alcohol."
"No one gets to be the head of a clan by being stupid. Underestimating them will cost you."
Akira's words were calm and guiding, whether out of empathy or his own perspective. Among all the people here, it was clear he had spent the most effort thinking about Maki's situation.
Maki considered his words and nodded: "If the conservatives were all fools, how could they have lasted ten years without Gojo Satoru wiping them out? Wait, by your logic, why would Gojo bother?"
The head of the Gojo family already stood at the pinnacle of the jujutsu world—he was the biggest vested interest holder.
"Because what I've been explaining are the tendencies of the human race as a whole, not exceptions. Throughout history, there have always been outliers, people who go against the norm. Maybe they do it because the heights are too lonely, maybe because they have a vision that surpasses the present, or maybe they're simply bored.
"Of course, the most important thing is that Gojo Satoru is strong enough. He's so strong that no matter how things change, he can ensure his own stability. Remember this: The truth is always within range of the cannon."
"I get it. If they treat me this way, it's no wonder they target Yuta even more." Thanks to Akira's explanation, everything that had previously been unclear to Maki suddenly made sense. "But what if Rika goes completely berserk... Gojo Satoru?"
"Correct answer." Akira smiled faintly. Maki might be blunt, but that didn't mean she couldn't connect the dots. "Gojo-sensei cares deeply about the development of the jujutsu world. He won't just sit back and let young people die. Even if he doesn't care about Kyoto, he won't let his own students suffer. If he didn't intervene, his reputation would be ruined.
"Moreover, Gojo-sensei has another bottom line. He needs a functioning system to maintain the exorcism of curses and prevent too much harm from coming to the general populace. As long as the Jujutsu Alliance remains the keeper of order, the conservatives don't fear Gojo Satoru's retaliation."
"Every hit strikes their weak points, but they can't fight back. That's so frustrating," Maki said, feeling a twinge of discomfort just imagining it.
"That's because, deep down, Gojo Satoru, despite his appearance, is a good person. Good people follow the rules more than bad people do. And in this world, those who know how to break the rules thrive better.
"Of course, this is just my most cynical prediction. The conservatives might not go that far, especially since many students come from prestigious backgrounds.
"But their strategy is still consistent—pressuring Yuta to break the restrictions, discrediting both him and Gojo-sensei, weakening their credibility, and reinforcing the belief that Okkotsu Yuta should be executed.
"One approach is aggressive, the other is slow, but both lead to the same end."
"That stuff doesn't matter," Maki said. "Whatever they're planning, our job remains the same—crush all their schemes and smash the Kyoto team. If I'm not mistaken, you didn't really send Yuta out alone. Wasn't it Darkrai who's best at stealth?"
When it came to battle, Maki was always sharp.
Akira chuckled, not saying a word.
He was both pleased with Maki's growth and trust in him, and confident in his strategy.
Akira had already figured out their tactics. Did they really think they'd succeed?
Even if Zenin Yoshinobu truly only wanted a fair match and wasn't scheming, Akira had prepared a perfect formation—one built for stability.
With the overwhelming advantage on his side, there was no need to take any unnecessary risks.
"Oh? That was fast."
"The first fish has taken the bait."
The moving duo looked up at the same time.
At the far end of their line of sight, Nishimiya Momo was flying low on her broomstick, looking straight out of Hogwarts.
Unfortunately, in the jujutsu world, where flying was rare and obstacles were many, such a mode of travel was far too conspicuous.
"Fall!"
With a voice full of command, crackling with electricity, the words were directed straight into the girl's ears.
"Uh-oh." By the time Nishimiya realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
Both the broomstick and the girl lost their buoyancy and plummeted toward the ground.