When Gojo sensed that Hisagi had awakened, he swiftly moved toward him, only to be greeted by a rather amusing scene.
He saw Maki on top of Hisagi, seemingly trying to choke—or kiss him.
"Guys, I recommend you get a room," Gojo teased, a playful grin on his face.
"Huh?" Maki, who was practically squeezing Hisagi's neck, quickly released him and stood up, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
Straightening herself, Maki forced a smile: "We were just practicing a martial art that improves my combat skills."
Gojo pursed his lips, clearly making an effort not to burst into laughter. He adjusted the white bandage over his eyes, took a light breath, and exhaled slowly. "Well, in that case, I should consider that young and energetic Hisagi has just woken up from a coma."
"Yes..." Maki gritted her teeth, glaring at Hisagi, who was still lying on the grass.
Gojo, maintaining his playful tone, added, "Now that you're awake, you need to come with me. The elders have been waiting for your statement for over a week."
Hisagi raised an eyebrow and murmured, "I've been in a coma for a week."
"Why are you surprised? You almost died that night. You should be happy you've recovered," Maki sighed, a proud smile spreading across her face. "Panda and Toge told me how you performed in that battle. I'm really glad you did what you did."
Before she could continue, Gojo interjected: "Speaking of that battle, I have many questions that need urgent answers. So, Maki, with your permission, I'll take your boyfriend now."
Maki was on the verge of an angry outburst, but before she could respond, Gojo vanished with Hisagi in tow, leaving her stunned. "We were really just practicing..."
From behind a bush a roar of laughter erupted. Panda's head, along with Toge's, popped out. "Salmón," Toge chimed in his usual cryptic way.
"What are you two doing there?" Maki snapped, her face still flushed.
"Let me tell you, we're proud of your relationship with young Hisagi. He's quite strong, and in a few years, he'll be recognized for his great power." Panda gave her a thumbs-up.
Toge clapped, his stoic expression unchanged, and added, "Chocolate churros."
"Now you've really made me angry!" Maki, finally losing her temper, grabbed her spear and started chasing her companions.
"Maki, don't be ashamed! Love is a natural thing." Panda shouted while running.
"Shut up, Panda!"
...
Meanwhile, Hisagi found himself in a dimly lit room with Gojo. The walls were made of old wood, and the scent of incense filled the air. Clearly, a formal meeting was about to take place. "This feels like something straight out of a movie," Hisagi commented.
"That's what I said the first time I was called here," Gojo replied, flashing a wide grin. "It feels weird at first, but the old folks love these oppressive atmospheres."
It turned out they were in a gathering of powerful sorcerers who had been waiting for Hisagi for some time. The battle where Hisagi had nearly died had caused a huge stir in the sorcery world, triggering conflicts with the spiritual realm.
The elders blamed the spiritual agents for negligence, leading to such a disastrous situation. Yokai had been left unchecked in their domains, which was usually tolerated because few had the power to kill them. Sorcerers tended not to care since the victims were fewer than the daily crimes committed in the country, and the communities affected were often left alone unless disturbed.
But now things were different. The battle had cost many sorcerers their lives, severely damaging several cities, and the elders demanded answers.
As Hisagi walked deeper into the room, he noticed numerous silhouettes seated around a table, though he couldn't make out their faces—only their powerful auras. All of them were strong sorcerers.
"Alright, save the boring silence for another time. Shuhei Hisagi is here as requested," Gojo said, his tone lacking the respect that most sorcerers were expected to show the elders.
To Hisagi, it was clear why—these elders didn't deserve anyone's respect.
"Shuhei Hisagi, special-class sorcerer, you will be subjected to a series of questions where you will explain who you were fighting and why not hundreds, but thousands of cursed spirits of all classes appeared that night."
Hisagi stood a few meters away from them. He knew they wanted his perspective, as Toge had been unable to give them many details. That was good, at least, but Hisagi understood there were things that needed to be clarified.
"We weren't just fighting cursed spirits that night. We were also up against humanoid creatures known as the Serpos, who claim to be a more advanced extraterrestrial race."
"Are you joking right now?" A furious voice broke through the room.
Hisagi's expression turned cold, and he asked sharply, "Do you think I'm lying?"
"Shuhei Hisagi!" This time, the voice of Principal Masamichi rang out, trying to prevent Hisagi from becoming another Gojo in the sorcery world.
"It's insulting that someone who was prepared to die in that battle is being labeled a liar. If this is how sorcerers are treated here, then I'll work on my own from now on."
A wide grin appeared on Gojo's face as Hisagi cornered the elders without threats or tricks, simply acting as a true sorcerer.
"My apologies if my previous words were misinterpreted," one elder finally said. "What we want to know are the details of how you found that place and how the battle began."
Hisagi then began to recount, in meticulous detail, everything that had happened, from the moment he and Toge, a second-class sorcerer, embarked on their mission.