Ch.37 I Have a Plan

According to the information summarized by Ijichi, the Q organization has two high-level curse users.

One is codenamed Kokun, most likely a long-range curse user who specializes in curse killings.

The other, known as their strongest fighter, is named Bayer—the very one that Gojo Satoru tied up in a humiliating manner ten years ago.

The vast gap in strength between the two sides often leads to fewer casualties. This was the case when Nanami Kento and Akira easily suppressed the Q organization's Tokyo branch, and it was similarly true when Gojo crushed Q's forces ten years ago.

It didn't take much effort for Gojo to capture the elite members of Q, and after that, it was no longer his business; the "professionals" handled it according to "professional" procedures.

And by "professional," they meant that those captured were imprisoned for ten years and could reduce their sentences through good behavior or meritorious actions. So, they were released before serving the full ten years.

Seeing this, Akira was dumbfounded. These people, skilled in killing with curses and undoubtedly carrying numerous lives on their hands, were released after a mere ten years? Bayer, carrying the title of "strongest," had surely been drenched in blood many times.

Ten years? You've got to be kidding me! Even Gojo's worst jokes are ten times better than this.

Yet, reality is often stranger than fiction. Akira looked at the records of murder charges—"insufficient evidence."

Of course, there's no evidence when a jujutsu sorcerer kills someone. If I had Gardevoir kill someone with her psychic powers, there wouldn't be any proof either. Using mundane laws to measure jujutsu sorcerers is absurd!

The fact that they were let off so easily speaks volumes about the corruption and manipulation behind the scenes, something any keen observer could see.

"I initially wanted to give certain people some face, but now I see I was being naive. Tsk. If Gojo-sensei hadn't captured them alive and had just killed them outright, things would've been better."

"Don't say things like that so casually; it's dangerous. Ijichi-san, the student is speaking out of ignorance, please don't take it seriously."

As the clock struck five, the punctual Nanami Kento returned. He took the dossier from Akira's hands while greeting Ijichi with a nod.

Ijichi's job as an assistant supervisor included both assistance and supervision—monitoring the behavior of jujutsu sorcerers and reporting to the higher-ups.

Gojo wasn't wrong when he called Ijichi a punching bag caught in the middle. Of course, Ijichi's mild-mannered personality contributed to that as well. He smiled gently, saying, "I'm just following Gojo-sensei's orders to deliver these files. I didn't hear a thing."

Nanami gave a slight nod at this and, after carefully reviewing the documents, spoke. "I see. It's understandable why you'd think that way."

The intel showed that, far from reforming after being released, Kokun and Bayer had regrouped and were plotting revenge.

Naturally, they still couldn't take on Gojo Satoru, whom they had lost to ten years ago, so they adopted a strategy of attacking Gojo's students—those he cared about—rather than Gojo himself.

Gojo's students became the targets, and during an off-campus mission, the third-year students fell victim to an ambush. Not only did they fail their mission, but they were also seriously injured.

"But just because hindsight shows something was wrong doesn't mean we should dismiss all possible solutions. Denying something outright just because of potential risks, especially when lives are involved, will lead you further from the basics of being human."

Akira knew this wasn't Gojo's fault. Still, it's like when you hesitate to buy a stock, only to see it skyrocket the next day—you can't help but think, "If only things had gone differently."

Nanami could accept the current situation with composure, something Akira could only admire. Despite having lived two lives and technically having more years of experience, Akira still found himself lacking in certain areas.

After pondering for a moment, Akira asked, "So while hindsight might not be valid, what about confronting the confirmed atrocities of these curse users now?"

Nanami replied without hesitation, "Jujutsu sorcerers are trash, and curse users, who stray even further from the basic principles of humanity, are worse than trash. I'll be the one to deal with them."

"'I,' not 'we'?" Akira narrowed his eyes.

Nanami's expression remained unchanged. "That's right. It's not that I'm excluding you from the mission; it's just that when it comes to 'killing,' it's better if you don't start too early."

"Because I'm underage, and you're an adult?" Akira asked.

"That's correct. It's my responsibility to protect you first and foremost," Nanami replied. "If adults pass the burden onto children, then what's the point of having adults around?"

Akira smiled. Classic Nanami with his insightful wisdom, but—

"What if I told you that this time, a minor can do what an adult cannot?"

"Oh?"

Nanami raised an eyebrow, curiosity apparent on his face, though there was no hint of condescension or distrust.

This was likely a common trait among those at Tokyo Jujutsu High—they sought to protect minors while never underestimating them.

Rather than answer directly, Akira turned to Ijichi and asked, "If I'm not mistaken, before handing the mission to Nanami-sensei and me, Gojo-sensei had already made some moves, right? How did that turn out?"

"Very poorly," Ijichi admitted without hesitation. "Gojo-sensei had tracked down several potential hideouts, but every time he arrived, the place was empty. Our investigation wasn't as thorough as it is now."

Akira let out a soft scoff. It was clear as day that there was a mole in the upper ranks, feeding information to the enemy while withholding key details.

This was the downside of fame. Gojo's invincibility had made him complacent—he would charge in without fully understanding the situation, thinking, "You can't beat me anyway." But the enemy had learned and was avoiding direct confrontation.

"It seems like Q is fully committed to the strategy of 'squeezing the weakest link.' In that case, why don't we present them with an easy target? From a logical standpoint, wouldn't a first-year student who just entered school seem far easier to deal with than the seasoned third-years?"

"You mean—?" Ijichi's eyes widened.

"I'll be the bait," Akira stated plainly. "If the enemy is truly set on getting revenge on Gojo-sensei, they won't ignore our actions. If Q's resurgence is as I suspect, then Kokun and Bayer have likely already received information about Nanami-sensei and me. Ijichi-san, let me confirm something—my achievements have not been reported to the higher-ups, correct?"

"Yes. Gojo-sensei said that reporting such outstanding achievements from a first-year student might scare those old men with weak hearts," Ijichi admitted.

It was true. Based on the number of cursed spirits Akira had defeated, he should've ranked up long ago if his records hadn't been suppressed.

Akira had no objections to this tactic. His power wasn't determined by his ranking, and fame and status didn't interest him, especially since he didn't lack money. In fact, this allowed him more room to operate freely:

"A Grade 4 sorcerer? Even if I'm favored by Gojo Satoru, how strong can I really be? A minor with no prestigious family background, personally selected by the strongest head of one of the three great clans—maybe I'm arrogant, thinking I can handle everything and that I'm the future of the jujutsu world.

Would such a person even get along with the steady Nanami-sensei? Wouldn't I think that adults are all useless?"

A cold glint flashed in Akira's eyes, and the atmosphere in the room turned chilling, making Ijichi instinctively swallow hard.