Chapter 4 : New Arrivals

Suguru Geto stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, his eyes fixed on the events transpiring below him. He was accompanied by the man with whom he was sharing a meal earlier. The two of them looked on as Yuta and Ijichi carried an unconscious Daichi to the car, placing him in the backseat.

"Marvellous. Truly marvellous." Geto muttered with a wry smile, looking at the car speeding away. 'Looks like Satoru picked up some outstanding students this time around… '

"I'm curious. Why didn't you try to capture Okkotsu?" His companion asked him. "Wouldn't this have been a perfect chance?"

"Well, I have yet to determine if obtaining Rika is worth the risk, after all." Geto replied, leaning against the building's edge, still focused on the retreating car. "The entire reason I used that curse was to force Yuta Okkotsu to bring out Rika. So much for that plan…" He chuckled. "That being said, to think that boy Daichi is capable enough to defeat an above average grade 1 cursed spirit all by himself… You weren't exaggerating when you mentioned his potential."

"I don't have the habit of needlessly exaggerating facts and figures." The man grunted. "And it looks like he has improved since the last time I have seen him as well. That additional condition he came up with to steal techniques, that was smart."

"I am curious on how his technique works, fundamentally." Geto asked him. "You should also know this, but cursed techniques are engraved around the right prefrontal cortex of the brain." He lightly tapped his temple with his forefinger. "And cursed technique removal should be nothing short of a death sentence. I can understand if his technique was 'copying'. But 'stealing'? That would undoubtedly result in the forced removal of the cursed technique of whoever he is fighting. Wouldn't that kill any target whose technique he has stolen?"

"Hmmm… I haven't given it much thought till now." His companion scratched his chin, pondering the question. "But Geto, you should know that the brain is something like a black box system when it comes to cursed techniques. We don't have enough knowledge of it to understand it completely." He paused briefly before continuing. "It is likely that the way in which Daichi Okada's method of cursed technique removal works is a rather delicate procedure. Like how a skilled surgeon transplanting an organ is incomparable to an ordinary person ripping the body part out."

"I see, that definitely sounds plausible." Geto nodded in understanding. "In any case, I've seen enough for today. Now, it's time to allow the stage to evolve as it will…" He then turned to his companion. "Are you going to return to your hideout, Nikolas? Your subordinates have yet to arrive in the country, right?"

"They should arrive by the end of this week." Nikolas replied, taking out a cigar from his pocket, lighting it and taking a puff. "As for me, it's been over two years since I've last been to Japan. I think I'll roam around for a little longer."

"In that case, do you want to meet with the rest of my family?" Geto offered, and with a wave of his hand, he summoned a curse resembling a colossal pelican with four wings.

"Your family?" Nikolas raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "I recall hearing something about you eliminating your family after leaving Jujutsu High..."

Geto blinked twice, standing in silence for a few seconds, before realisation hit him as he burst into laughter. "Ha! My apologies.. I guess I should have been more specific to avoid the confusion." He paused, wiping out a tear from his left eye. "When I said 'family', I meant my comrades who are now walking the same path as me, alongside me. Not the monkeys who gave birth to me and raised me."

"Pretty harsh to say that about your own parents, don't you think?" Nikolas gave him a dry chuckle. 'Then again, I'm not really one who should say that…'

"Well, I can't make exceptions for them simply because we are blood related, now can I?" Geto replied matter-of-factly, as he entered the wide-open maw of the cursed spirit. "So, will you be coming?"

"Sure, why not?" Nikolas gave a nonchalant shrug and following Geto's lead, entered the maw of the cursed spirit. "I'm interested to see this so-called 'family' of yours." As soon as he got inside, the enormous cursed spirit promptly shut its maw. With a powerful flap of its wings, the creature took to the skies and swiftly soared away, gradually vanishing into the distance.

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It was afternoon. Inside a cosy, well-equipped kitchen, the scents of various spices and herbs swirled in the air, promising a delicious feast that was to come. The gentle sizzle of ingredients in hot oil filled the kitchen with an enticing, savoury aroma that clung to the senses, urging anyone who stepped inside to stay a while. The crisp sound of vegetables being sliced and the melodious hum of the oven only added to the tranquil atmosphere in the room. The sizzling sounds of searing meat, and the tantalising scent of roasting garlic and onions wafted through the kitchen, imbuing the air with the promise of a culinary masterpiece in the making. And in the middle of all of this, a single man stood alone, fully immersed in his duties.

As a chef, Miguel could confidently say that the kitchen was his domain, especially amongst his comrades. Mimiko and Nanako were still brats whom he had never seen set foot in the kitchen, other than to steal whatever he was cooking. Toshihisa was slightly better in that regard, freely admitting that he was a complete disaster as a cook, and was not a picky eater. Larue was the type who would survive on instant ramen alone. Manami was someone who regularly tried to outdo him in the kitchen, only to fail miserably every single time. And while Geto himself was actually a pretty decent cook, he was more than happy to leave the kitchen duty entirely to him.

"Miguel." He was shaken out of his train of thoughts when Manami entered the kitchen, her discerning eyes sweeping the entire room before coming to rest on his figure.

"What is it?" Miguel asked her, his attention remaining on the sizzling meat on the frying pan.

"Will there be enough food for one more person?" She asked him. "Geto-sama is bringing a guest along with him."

"A guest?" Miguel was admittedly intrigued. It was quite rare for Geto to bring any guest to their base, the only time being when he brought in new members for their group. "Did he recruit someone new?"

"I have no idea. He didn't say anything else, other than that the guest is apparently really important." She explained with a shrug. "And they should reach here within a few minutes."

"Would it have hurt him to tell us sooner?" Miguel grumbled with a touch of annoyance. "But don't worry. I was already preparing more than usual in case Larue or Toshihisa showed up unannounced. That should be plenty."

"Alright. And make sure it is your best. We shouldn't embarrass Geto-sama in front of someone else by making subpar food." She added on before departing without waiting for a reply from him.

'As if my food can be subpar even on my worst day…' Miguel scoffed internally, a confident smirk playing on his lips as he deftly flipped the slice of meat sizzling in the frying pan.

At the same time as Miguel was busy in the kitchen, the subject of his conversation with Manami had already reached outside their base of operations. Nikolas stepped out of the cursed spirit's maw, his boots lightly crunching on the gravelly path beneath him, inhaling the crisp, earthy scent of the outdoors. The location they had arrived at was on the outskirts of the city, nestled within a hilly region, encircled by a dense, lush forest. The rustling leaves and chirping birds were the only companions to the silence that enveloped the area. And in the middle of this serene natural setting, a lone Buddhist monastery stood tall, albeit with modern renovations.

"This is only one of our many bases in Tokyo." Geto clarified, walking past him in the direction of the monastery. "It's also my favourite."

"Let me guess. Because you don't get many non-jujutsu sorcerers as visitors?" Nikolas chuckled, following him close behind.

"Because I don't get many monkeys as visitors, yes." Geto smirked, as they reached near the foot of the stairs leading to the main entrance. They climbed the stairs in silence, with Nikolas content with merely observing their surroundings. As they neared the top of the stairs, they saw a figure standing near the entrance of the building. A woman with light-pink hair cascading down her back, donned in a sleeveless purple dress and long, elegant dark heels, stood waiting. Her intense dark-blue eyes locked onto Nikolas as he neared, her gaze assessing him for a brief moment before shifting her attention to Geto.

"Welcome back, Geto-sama." She greeted him with a curt bow. "Was your journey eventful?"

"Obviously." Geto chuckled, before turning towards his companion. "This is Manami Suda. She works as my secretary and is also one of the commanders in my family." He then turned towards her. "And Manami, this man is Nikolas. A curse-user originally from South Africa who runs a vast underworld organisation with a global reach."

"Ah. I see…" She trailed off, now seeing their visitor in a new light. 'Wait. Could he be acquainted with-'

"Geto, next time you are bringing in guests, make sure to inform us in advance." Her thoughts were interrupted by Miguel, who came barging outside. "You are lucky I had-" But he froze in his place when he saw the person who was with him. Nikolas in turn had a similar reaction. A flash of surprise was visible in his eyes as he gazed at Miguel, who now sported an irritated expression on his face.

"Well well well…" With a hearty laughter, Nikolas walked towards Miguel till he stood right in front of him. "Look who it is? But seriously, how long has it been? Five? Six years?"

"What are you doing here?" Miguel demanded with a cold expression, completely ignoring the greeting.

"The same thing I do everywhere else, Miguel. It's my job." Nikolas, unperturbed by Miguel's cold reception, responded with a smug grin. "I am a simple businessman, doing business."

The intense stare-off between the two men continued, the air heavy with tension. Manami grew increasingly concerned, and even Geto wondered if he would need to intervene to prevent a confrontation. Then, abruptly, Miguel scoffed and turned away, marching back into the base.

"I don't know what kind of business deal you have with him, Geto." He said sharply, pausing for a moment. "But I sure hope you know what you're getting yourself into..." Without waiting for a response, he stormed away, leaving Nikolas, Geto, and Manami in the wake of his departure.

"I believe we need to discuss this…" Geto turned towards Nikolas with a questioning look in his eyes. "Don't you think?"

Nikolas let out a deep, resigned sigh. "Yes." He admitted with a nod. "Yes, we should."

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With a faint, discomforting groan, Daichi slowly opened his eyes, greeted by the sterile, white expanse of the ceiling above. As he tentatively brought a hand to his throbbing forehead, he noticed the gentle incline of a bed beneath him. A jolt of realisation coursed through him, as he sat up, recalling the events that transpired before he went unconscious.

'That must mean…' He glanced around the room, and as his mind cleared, he recognised that it was the medical ward of his school. This was proven right when Daichi spotted the figure of Shoko Ieiri, the school's primary physician, seated in a chair a few feet from his bedside, and going through a thick bundle of files.

'Figured as much…' He exhaled deeply. 'Yuta and Ijichi must have brought me back.'

"You are finally awake." Shoko commented, not taking her eyes off the file she was currently reading. "It has been nearly ten hours since I finished treating your wounds. How do you feel right now?"

"A bit tired. There's a light headache as well." He replied, rubbing his temple.

"Must be the side effects of overexertion and blood loss." She explained. "You should feel better by tomorrow. And in case you don't feel any improvement in your state by morning, you can visit me again. Clear?"

"Crystal." Daichi affirmed, pushing himself off the bed, feeling a slight tinge of discomfort as he did so.

"Good. In that case, you may leave." She pointed towards the door, her eyes still glued on the files on her lap. Daichi acknowledged her with a brief, appreciative nod. With his mind set on returning to his dormitory room, he opened the door and stepped outside the medical ward into the dark.

"Oh, and I almost forgot." Just as he was about to close the door on his way out, Shoko's voice stopped him in his tracks. "All your friends were outside waiting for you till about an hour ago. They had returned after their missions by evening." She said, her tone softening slightly. "And don't worry. Other than you, they were mostly uninjured."

"..." Daichi didn't say anything in response to that, as he stood outside, absorbing her words in silence. After a few moments, he continued his departure from the medical ward, setting his sights on returning to his dormitory room. As he climbed down the stairs of the building, his mind was still on the incident that occurred in the morning.

'So the others didn't face any serious mishaps in their missions… Looks like me and Yuta drew the short end of the stick.' His thoughts were a mix of irritation and wry amusement. It was just the way things went sometimes in their line of work.

But then he came to a halt, pondering something in his mind. A small voice in the back of his head had planted a seed of doubt.

Was it really mere coincidence that it was him and Yuta that got sent to that location? Like Ijichi mentioned in the car, the other students and even the staff were sent to deal with cases all around Tokyo. And it just so happened that only the two of them happened to run into a grade 1 cursed spirit? Daichi's brows furrowed as he considered the possibility that their mission had been deliberately orchestrated this way. He stood still for a few minutes, pondering on the possibility. But then he shook his head, mentally chastising himself.

'I must have lost more blood than I thought…' He mused, dismissing the paranoid thoughts as nothing more than anxiety-driven speculation. In their line of work, facing unpredictable challenges was part of the course, and it was far more likely that they'd simply encountered an unfortunate situation rather than some kind of scheme against them.

"Hopefully, it will clear up by tomorrow."

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