Chapter 123: Discussions About the New Student
Lush green plants lined both sides of the path, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Rin walked steadily towards the main building with his backpack, his blood-red eyes calmly scanning the surroundings.
Ancient architectural styles, the faint Cursed Energy permeating the air, and the subtle Jujutsu barriers hidden in the corners—this was Jujutsu High, the place he would be staying next.
He could vaguely sense the complex Cursed Energy surging in a dim room in the distance, filled with anger, suspicion, and a hint of almost imperceptible ruthlessness. Clearly, the debate over his admission had not yet concluded.
But Rin paid no mind, his steps unwavering. To him, the attitude of the Higher-Ups was irrelevant; his purpose in coming here was singular.
Just as he was about to step through the main building's entrance, a familiar figure suddenly materialized before him, blocking his path.
"Yo, new student, welcome to Jujutsu High~"
Gojo Satoru still wore his signature black blindfold, a casual smile on his lips, hands in his pockets, exuding an impregnable Cursed Energy fluctuation.
Even without intentionally releasing it, the oppressive feeling of "the strongest" caused the air to subtly tremble.
He had just been in a standoff with the Higher-Ups in the meeting room, yet he could appear here instantly, which spoke volumes about the sophistication of his Cursed Technique.
Rin stopped, looked up at the white-haired man before him, showing no surprise, merely nodding faintly:
"Gojo Satoru."
His tone was calm and unruffled, devoid of either reverence for "the strongest" or the complexity one might feel towards "Geto Suguru's best friend"; it was as if he were merely greeting a casual acquaintance.
Gojo Satoru raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by his reaction, yet also finding it natural:
"I didn't expect you to be so punctual. I thought I'd have to wait for you for ages. How is it? Our Jujutsu High's environment isn't bad, is it?"
"It's alright."
Rin replied succinctly, his gaze passing over Gojo Satoru and into the main building:
"Is the meeting over?"
"Hmm?"
Gojo Satoru chuckled lightly, a playful note in his voice:
"Looks like you sensed it? Those old geezers were arguing fiercely, almost voted to kick you out."
He said it casually, as if talking about an insignificant matter, but deliberately observed Rin's expression, wanting to see if the young man would show a hint of panic or dissatisfaction.
But Rin's expression remained unchanged; he merely said calmly:
"The outcome hasn't changed."
It was a statement, not a question.
He saw clearly that since Gojo Satoru dared to let him report, he must have been confident in handling the Higher-Ups. The previous argument was merely a formality.
A hint of approval flashed in Gojo Satoru's eyes. He dropped his probing thoughts, stepped aside, and made way:
"Come on, I'll show you around. Your dorm has been arranged; it's right next to Okkotsu's.
Oh, by the way, Okkotsu is on a mission in Africa. When he gets back, you two can get to know each other properly."
Rin nodded and followed Gojo Satoru into the main building.
On the walls along the corridor hung rubbings of ancient Jujutsu-related texts, and the Cursed Energy in the air was denser than outside, clearly indicating multiple protective barriers were in place here.
"Those old geezers have a lot of opinions about you, you know."
Gojo Satoru, walking ahead, suddenly spoke, his tone casual:
"They say you're Geto Suguru's person and are afraid you'll corrupt the atmosphere of Jujutsu High."
He paused, then turned to look at Rin, a hint of seriousness in his gaze beneath the blindfold:
"Of course, some people want to just kill you to prevent future trouble."
Rin's steps didn't falter in the slightest. His fingertips moved subtly, and his voice remained calm:
"They can't do it."
It wasn't an arrogant declaration, but it carried an undeniable confidence.
With his current strength, coupled with the Cursed Spirits in the Divine Tree Space and the recently copied Malevolent Shrine, he possessed the ability to protect himself even against several Special Grade Sorcerers, let alone those old family ghosts who only dared to scheme from behind the scenes.
Hearing Rin say, "They can't do it," Gojo Satoru couldn't help but laugh. He raised a hand and patted Rin's shoulder, his tone now imbued with genuine warmth:
"Well said! I like that confidence of yours. Don't worry, with me around, no one can touch you at Jujutsu High."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the students playing in the corridor, then added:
"You can live and study well here, just like you did with Geto Suguru, and you can even make true friends."
As the word "friends" fell, Rin's expression suddenly showed a subtle flicker.
His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a faint hint of complexity flashed in his blood-red pupils, as if an unspoken corner had been touched.
But this fluctuation was fleeting; he quickly regained his composure, his tone still cold:
"I didn't come here to make friends, nor do I want to attend any classes. What Geto Suguru taught me is already sufficient."
He looked up at Gojo Satoru, his gaze direct and firm:
"I can execute missions directly. You just need to assign them to me."
Gojo Satoru's smile faded slightly, replaced by a touch of helplessness.
He had seen many rebellious teenagers, but Rin, with his obvious psychological barriers and extreme aversion to "companions" and "groups," was a first.
Geto Suguru's death and the disbandment of the Star Plasma Cult had clearly left a deep shadow in his heart, making him afraid to easily trust anyone again, and even more unwilling to integrate into a new group.
"Missions are easy to talk about, but classes cannot be skipped."
Gojo Satoru spread his hands, his tone carrying an insistent refusal to be denied:
"The Higher-Ups are still very wary of you. You must first complete Jujutsu High's basic courses and let them see your 'cooperation level' before I can legitimately assign you missions."
He leaned in closer, lowering his voice, with a hint of frank complaint:
"You know, Rin.
Bringing someone who once followed Geto Suguru into Jujutsu High, I'm under immense pressure. Those old geezers are watching me every day, just waiting for you to make a mistake so they can kick you out."
Rin fell silent.
He could imagine the resistance Gojo Satoru faced.
The Higher-Ups' suspicion of him, the dissatisfaction of the Jujutsu families—all of these required Gojo Satoru to navigate.
If he couldn't even make this small "compromise," it would make things difficult for Gojo Satoru and might even cause him to lose the opportunity to acquire resources and execute missions at Jujutsu High.
After a long moment, he slowly nodded, his voice still flat, but with a hint of concession:
"Understood."
Seeing him relent, Gojo Satoru immediately broke into a happy smile, raising a hand to ruffle his hair.
His actions were as natural as if he were treating a familiar junior:
"That's right! The classes are very simple, and there are also very interesting classmates waiting for you to meet. Come on, I'll take you to the classroom; they're all waiting to see you."
Rin instinctively tilted his head, avoiding the touch, but still followed his steps, walking towards the classroom.
At this moment, the Jujutsu High classroom had lost its usual quiet.
Panda sat by a desk, chin propped on his paw, vividly explaining to the two beside him:
"Did you hear? The new student this time is a Special Grade Sorcerer, just like Okkotsu!
And he even participated in the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons organized by Geto Suguru. They say he suppressed the entire Kyoto battlefield by himself back then, his achievements were terrifying!"
Inumaki Toge, sitting opposite him with seaweed in his mouth, paused slightly when he heard the name "Geto Suguru," a hint of complexity flashing in his purple eyes.
He had once fought against Geto Suguru and was well aware of the chaos brought by the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.
Maki Zen'in leaned by the window, wiping the cursed tool katana in her hand, then raised her eyes, her tone calm but with a hint of inquiry:
"Special Grade? And he followed Geto Suguru... No wonder the Higher-Ups argued so fiercely.
However, to be protected by Teacher Gojo and allowed in, he must have some real skill."
"More than just some skill!" Panda exaggeratedly waved his paw:
"I heard Principal Yaga say that Teacher Gojo almost got into a fight with Principal Gakuganji of Kyoto just to get him admitted! And he could even escape from Teacher Gojo Satoru's hands. His strength might even be greater than Okkotsu's!"
Inumaki Toge softly said "Salmon," as if agreeing with Panda's guess.
Just then, the classroom door was pushed open, and Gojo Satoru's voice came in first:
"Everyone, your new classmate is here!"
.....
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