The enrollment process for Fushiguro, Itadori, and Nobara went surprisingly smoothly.
The bald teacher, despite his stern expression and occasional muttering, didn't ask too many questions. He simply led them to their respective classes: Itadori and Fushiguro to Class A, and Nobara to Class B as a transfer student.
(Note: Previous chapters have been revised; Nobara is now a transfer to Class B.)
Itadori sat by the window in Class A, adjusting his glasses and whispering to Fushiguro, "This school seems pretty normal, huh?"
Fushiguro didn't respond, his fingers lightly tapping his wristband. The calm felt too calm—almost unsettling.
Up at the front, the math teacher droned on about equations, oblivious to the back of the classroom.
A girl perched on a cabinet in the last row, her golden eyes glinting eerily in the shadows as she studied Itadori and Fushiguro.
"Interesting…" she murmured, licking her lips. "Such a sloppy disguise. Who are they trying to catch the attention of?"
Meanwhile, in Class B, Nobara was bombarded with notes from her classmates.
"Nobara-chan! Can you tell us more about Lord Nero during the next break?"
"Please! Tell me what color underwear Lord Nero likes!"
Nobara's mouth twitched. Dealing with cursed spirits was way easier than this.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine. She turned to see a girl with long black hair standing at the classroom's back door, staring at her with a faint, unsettling smile.
"New student?" The girl approached, her fingernail lightly scraping Nobara's desk.
Even though class was in session, no one seemed to notice her actions.
Nobara's cursed tool in her sleeve grew faintly warm.
---
On the rooftop, Maki leaned against the railing, chewing gum. "Yuta, find anything?"
Static crackled through her earpiece. "Nothing," Yuta replied. "Absolutely nothing, which is weird. The cursed energy readings are normal, but Rika keeps warning me."
Maki scanned the area below. "Hmph. They're hiding well."
"Careful, classmate. That's dangerous." A female voice interrupted Maki's conversation with Yuta.
Maki's eyes widened, her pupils contracting as her muscles tensed instinctively.
A gust of wind.
Her figure vanished from the railing, and a dull thud echoed as she landed on the rooftop. Her Soul Liberation Blade flashed in the sunlight, its tip aimed at a red-haired girl.
"Wow~" The girl didn't even flinch. "Such speed! Can a human body really have that kind of explosive power?"
Maki's muscles were taut, like a drawn bowstring.
Something was off. At this distance, a normal person wouldn't have time to react, but this girl…
"Who are you?" Maki's blade inched closer.
The red-haired girl chuckled, gently pushing the blade aside with her fingertip. "Rias, a third-year student at this school and president of the Paranormal Research Club."
Her smile was warm and gentle. "Skipping class to perch on the railing? That's pretty risky, you know."
"That's not what I meant!" Maki growled.
"Oh? Didn't you ask who I was?" Rias tilted her head playfully.
Maki's patience snapped. Her blade sliced through the air toward Rias's throat, but the girl sidestepped as if she'd anticipated it, her red hair flowing gracefully in the wind.
"Easy there~" Rias pulled a piece of gum from her pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth. "Just a heads-up: your friends in the classroom—Itadori and the others—are being watched."
Maki's pupils shrank. How does she know Itadori's name?
"Who the hell are you?" she growled, but Rias casually grabbed her wrist. The strength in that grip was staggering, far beyond human.
"I told you, I'm the president of the Paranormal Research Club~" Rias's smile was teasing.
Maki's patience ran dry.
She yanked her wrist free, stunned to find Rias's body impossibly light—as if weightless. The red-haired girl was flung backward by the motion.
Maki didn't hesitate. Her instincts took over, and she launched forward, cracking the concrete beneath her feet. Her blade slashed in a silver arc with her left hand while her right fist roared toward Rias's stomach.
Got her!
Her fist should've felt the crunch of breaking ribs.
Instead, it smashed through a crimson mist, hitting nothing. Maki's eyes widened as she twisted, sweeping her blade behind her.
"Over here~"
A playful voice came from above. Maki looked up to see Rias perched atop the stairwell, three meters high, her legs dangling casually, pale in the sunlight.
"Teleportation? Or an illusion?" Maki lowered her stance, her blade trembling slightly. Sweat dripped from her jaw. This woman was terrifyingly strong.
Rias propped her chin on her hand, her red hair fluttering in the breeze. "I told you, I mean no harm~"
She raised a finger. "But you guys, waltzing into this academy without even trying to hide? Not very subtle, Maki-san from Jujutsu High."
Maki's brow furrowed. Her identity was exposed? No—this girl had known who they were from the start.
Instead of attacking again, Maki straightened up. "If you know I'm from Jujutsu High, you probably know why we're here."
Rias lifted her hand, inspecting her nails as if checking for scratches. "Of course. Something supernatural must've drawn you here."
Her gaze met Maki's. "The three missing students, right?"
Maki nodded. "What do you know?"
Rias's smile turned cryptic. "I told you, I'm the president of the Paranormal Research Club."
Her expression suddenly grew serious. "Maki-san, I'd advise you to leave this school as soon as possible."
She pointed at the classrooms below. "Otherwise, you and your friends might end up like those missing students—gone forever."
Maki frowned, about to press further, when Rias vanished—just as suddenly as she'd appeared, leaving only a wisp of crimson mist that faded in the breeze.
"Yuta, did you hear that?" Maki said into her earpiece, a trace of unease in her voice.
"I heard," Yuta replied, his tone heavy. "That woman… she's not simple."
Maki stared at the classrooms below, sunlight streaming through the windows onto the hallway. But the warmth couldn't dispel the chill in her heart.
She thought of Rias, sweat trickling down her temple as she gripped her blade tighter. A bad feeling gnawed at her—this school was far more dangerous than they'd imagined.
"Contact Gojo-sensei," Maki said firmly. "Our cover's blown. No point in pretending anymore."
"I already did," Yuta said, his voice odd. "But…"
"But what?" Maki snapped, irritated.
"He's gone to see Mr. Gaio again," Yuta said helplessly.
"Isn't he supposed to be the strongest? Why's he always running to Gaio?!" Maki roared.
Yuta sighed. Ever since Gojo-sensei lost to Gaio in the training field, it felt like he'd developed a dependency on him.
---
The Gaio family mansion.
Gaio sat in the living room, watching Gojo Satoru bustle around, handing out gifts.
"Kaguya-san, these are sakura mochi for you~" Gojo presented a beautifully wrapped box of sweets, which Kaguya accepted with a smile. "Thank you, Gojo-san~"
"Fubuki-san, a pearl necklace for you~" Gojo offered, and Fubuki giggled. "You're too kind, Gojo-san~"
Gaio shook his head, unimpressed, and sipped his tea. "Gojo, what's your deal?"
Gojo grinned and sauntered over. "Aw, don't be so cold, Gaio-Gaio~ I'm just visiting your lovely home~"
He pulled out another gift box and handed it to Saber. "Here, Saber! Special daifuku from Osaka~"
Saber's eyes lit up as she eagerly opened the box, sharing the treats with Kanna, whose eyes sparkled just as brightly.
Gaio watched the girls' delighted faces and sighed. Gojo's "charm-the-ladies" strategy was clearly working.
"Spit it out, Gojo. I'm listening."
Gojo leaned in close, his nose almost bumping Gaio's teacup. "It's about Kuoh Academy, like we talked about yesterday~"
Gaio didn't even glance up, taking another slow sip of tea.
"It's more complicated than we thought~" Gojo plopped down cross-legged, tracing circles in the air with his finger. "Yuta reported that the energy there isn't like cursed energy at all. Maki and the others…"
"Why don't you go yourself?" Gaio cut in.
Gojo's grin faltered for a split second before returning full force. "I'm totally going~ But…"
He leaned closer, his sunglasses slipping down his nose. "What if we run into an enemy I can't handle? Like that time at the Monster Association~ I can't exactly yell 'Save me, Gaio-Gaio!' in front of my students. That'd be way too embarrassing~"
The teacup clinked sharply as Gaio set it down on the table.
"So?"
"So, come with me~" Gojo clasped his hands together. "Just, y'know, as backup?"
Gaio finally looked at him. "Didn't you always say, 'I'm the strongest'?"
"Ehe~" Gojo tilted his head, playing cute. "Even the strongest needs a Plan B~"
The room fell silent, save for the distinct munch munch of Kanna eating her daifuku.
"Ever since I met you, I haven't had a single peaceful day," Gaio grumbled.
Gojo's eyes sparkled. "Ehe, so you're in?"
Gaio sighed, his fingers absently tracing the rim of his teacup.
Kuoh Academy… The name felt vaguely familiar, like a half-forgotten memory tied to some harem anime protagonist.
"Fine," he said, setting the cup down. "I'm curious anyway."
"Awesome!" Gojo sprang up, his sunglasses askew. "The car's outside! Helicopter's on standby too! Which one do you want, Gaio-Gaio? I've got—"
"Shut up." Gaio rubbed his temples. "Contact Yuta first."
Gojo whipped out his phone, moving with exaggerated flair like a silent film actor. But three seconds after dialing, his playful grin froze.
"…No answer?"
Gaio's eyes sharpened.
"When was the last contact?" he asked, frowning as he took his boots from Yukino and slipped them on.
"Fifteen minutes ago!" Gojo's tone turned serious, his fingers swiping rapidly across the screen. "Maki's comms are down too… Wait!"
The phone screen flickered with static. Yuta Okkotsu's tracker signal jumped erratically on the digital map before locking onto the old school building at Kuoh Academy.
"Interesting~" A cold smirk tugged at Gojo's lips. "Messing with my students, huh?"
Gaio pulled on the trench coat Marin handed him and strode to the door. "Let's go."
"Wow, Gaio-Gaio, so eager?" Gojo jogged to keep up. "You do care about me~"
"Keep talking, and you're on your own."