Sōjun Minamoto had nearly adjusted to the time difference in the Present.
He was still in a good mood. Surely, Yuta Okkotsu would be pleased once he saw the true nature of the gift.
What boy could turn down a cool blade—especially as a graduation present?
Forged from Special Grade bones with exceptional compatibility with Cursed Energy, it ranked among the top-tier Cursed Tools in the entire Jujutsu World.
Perfect for lopping off heads.
The image popped into his mind unbidden, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.
His guidance for Yuta Okkotsu was more or less complete. From here on, it would be up to Yuta's own growth. Of course, he'd still lend a hand when needed to help him improve quickly.
As Sōjun Minamoto walked down the road, he began mapping out his next steps.
It had been a while since he last heard from Kenjaku. Who knew what that guy was up to now?
Not that he really cared.
He had access to information that, in many respects, surpassed what Kenjaku had. He already had a good grasp of how major events were likely to unfold.
Kenjaku's sense of time moved far more slowly than most, which actually worked to his advantage—so long as he didn't interfere, Kenjaku's plans wouldn't shift much anytime soon.
Having Yuta Okkotsu as a contingency was more than enough. Kenjaku wasn't his real target anyway, so there was no need to waste time on him. He preferred a peaceful approach. Since Yuta happened to cross his path, lending a hand was effortless and cost him nothing.
Back at home, Sōjun Minamoto began making preparations.
His short-term focus was on exploring and developing the non-physical world, as well as researching the Hollow Technique.
He would be spending a long stretch in the non-physical world soon. Before that, he needed to clear up some things that had piled up in the present.
With that in mind, he decided to return to Jujutsu High.
If there was anything left for him to do in the Present, it was to gather Cursed Energy sources and monitor the school's development. The rest were minor errands that didn't require much attention.
With those thoughts, he stepped straight into the void...
At the Jujutsu High dormitory, Sōjun Minamoto appeared in the common room.
He glanced around. Even though he hadn't been back in years, the place was still spotless—someone must've been coming by to clean regularly.
A few familiar figures surfaced in his memory, then quickly faded. He pushed open the door and walked toward the medical department office. Just as he reached it, he came to a sudden stop...
The medical office was spacious, part of a shared public area. Only three official Jujutsu Physicians worked here, and they usually spent their time in this space.
His different selves shared a sensory link, so he knew his clone was inside—and that Riko Amanai was about to step out.
She was the third after him and Shoko Ieiri.
She had a goal she still hadn't achieved after all these years... and even now, there was no sign she was giving up.
Already in her twenties... how childish.
Sōjun Minamoto shook his head to himself.
Click~
The door opened from inside, and a tall woman stepped out slowly. With a composed expression and a high ponytail, she looked sharp and professional.
"Oi~"
Riko Amanai flinched.
"Kukuku~"
That familiar laugh rang out.
Her face instantly fell—any trace of composure was gone.
Sōjun Minamoto brushed past her and walked into the room.
Riko Amanai had graduated years ago, yet chose to stay at Jujutsu High as part of the medical team.
She was a year younger than him... was she twenty-two now, or twenty-three? Sōjun Minamoto couldn't quite recall.
Still, her personality had settled somewhat—though she was the same as ever around people she knew well, especially him.
The Jujutsu World had been fairly quiet lately, with fewer incidents and casualties. That gave the medical staff more downtime, and with less to do, Riko Amanai had become noticeably idle.
She often resorted to little antics—like still trying to catch him off guard. Even now, she hadn't given up on that.
Sōjun Minamoto walked straight toward his clone, then suddenly turned his head.
"Something wrong?"
Riko Amanai spun around at the doorway and followed him in.
She shook her head, glancing at him, then at the version of him deeper inside.
"I know you have clones, but seeing two of you at once is still kind of weird."
"What have you been busy with lately?" she asked, trailing behind Sōjun Minamoto.
She knew him well enough to tell which body housed his main consciousness. The one stationed here never did. That's why she rarely bothered with the Sōjun Minamoto inside.
Over the past few years, his dorm had been empty, and there were no signs at the White Bone Tree either... she figured he must've gone off somewhere.
And once he left, it was for years.
Startled at first, her instinct was to strike up a conversation.
"Just went back home," Sōjun Minamoto said, skipping the details.
Riko Amanai didn't mind. She stood beside him, visibly annoyed.
"Nanami graduated and went straight to the workforce. Haibara's teaching now and always busy... even Gojo-sensei's wrapped up in things."
"And you're barely around," she grumbled, sounding like a kid left behind.
Sōjun Minamoto couldn't help but smile at that.
"Aren't you doing well in the Medical Department?" he said with a chuckle. "You've been handling work like a real -senpai. Looks good on you."
"That's true," Riko Amanai said, the corners of her mouth twitching up before she quickly looked away. "But I still want to be around everyone."
She glanced at Sōjun Minamoto, then suddenly stood on tiptoe and leaned close to his ear, whispering:
"Someone from Headquarters has been coming around lately..."
Before she could finish, Sōjun Minamoto gave a small nod to show he already knew.
Jujutsu High was practically his territory. Nothing could hide under the Barrier—if anyone unfamiliar stepped in, the White Bone Tree would know instantly.
But the real reason stemmed from Masamichi Yaga's recent stirrings. With Jujutsu High being top priority, the higher-ups naturally wouldn't sit by.
They aimed to build a new structure above the existing leadership, something to overrule even the principal.
However, Yaga, Gojo, and the others weren't standing idle. A wave of talented sorcerers had been successfully nurtured recently, proving that their approach worked. There was no room for outsiders to wedge in.
The tension led to both sides targeting each other, culminating in their first major clash.
In the end, Kyoto and Tokyo Jujutsu High—representing the conservative faction—formed a new advisory body, made up of both principals and representatives from Headquarters.
Headquarters barely managed to gain influence, but Yaga and his side also secured decision-making power over Kyoto's operations.
Hard to say who came out ahead.
None of it really concerned Sōjun Minamoto. As long as the human side kept growing stronger, and the Cursed Spirit side did too, the plan would stay on track.
He walked over to his clone. One handed over a Cursed Energy source, the other accepted it—and the two merged into one.
With that, most of his return to Jujutsu High was complete.
This batch of Cursed Energy was enough to re-ignite his physical body. He no longer needed to stay behind. Once he added the batch from the ancient sorcerers and used them as nodes, everything could be integrated seamlessly.
With the White Bone Tree monitoring Jujutsu High, no other clones were needed. Noriyuki Zenin could also stop pretending. When the time came, he'd disappear from the stage, leaving only a convincing front.
Even the band had started forming a weak chain of positive emotions. It would take time to build up Positive Cursed Energy, though.
Unfortunately, the people here were too negative. Their thoughts skewed toward the dark side, offering little in terms of positive emotions. Relying on them alone wouldn't be enough.
Thankfully, Sōjun Minamoto had found another way: nurturing Shikigami in the non-physical world. It would carry him through the early stages of development.
At this point, he could recall all his standard clones—except the ordinary clone still studying, tasked with researching physical body development.
He had already created a Cursed Form powered by Positive Cursed Energy. Once fused with a Cursed Body, it would yield a flawless individual with full attributes.
The plan was proceeding smoothly.
Riko Amanai watched the two Sōjun Minamoto merge into one, and when he sat down in the office, she looked pleased, thinking he might finally leave his main consciousness here.
But then...
After a short pause, the door opened again. She looked up—and saw another Sōjun Minamoto walk in and merge with the one already there.
She sensed something...
Sōjun Minamoto had now wrapped up all affairs in the Present World...
Then suddenly, something stirred in his chest. A smile spread across his face.
A message had come from Shichizai.
All seven sins had fully developed—they were ready to undergo complete transformation.