Dinner at the Fushiguro household was a simple affair, different from their luxurious breakfast. It was mostly a way for the three members to sit together for half an hour and chat casually, much to Megumi's eternal constraint. His reserved and anti-social tendencies ran deep, but both Tsumiki and Zagreus stonewalled him into submission on these matters.
"Megumi, dinner is ready!" Tsumiki called with her natural upbeat personality, not once wavering at his grumpy and stone-faced response as he submitted himself to her care.
"Today we have an Arabic dinner with Hummus, pita bread, pickle salad, and grilled chicken! I even managed to make this all by myself without father's help too!" Tsumiki beamed while bragging at the diner as if it were an accomplishment. It irritated Megumi how it kind of was. Tsumiki just broke through to the Sophic Realm, a feat Zagreus happily bragged about as nothing short of astounding and prodigious. As Megumi himself lacked a philosopher's ear for rhetoric he couldn't judge, but it was clear in how she often fumbled while manipulating the rules of nature when compared to Zagreus' casual mastery that she managed some sort of insight into it to make dinner without incidents.
"Now, now. Why the frowning face?" Tsumiki cuts in at his reaction; some days Megumi wonders if her virtue shouldn't have been nosiness instead of Compassion. "You adore him, and he clearly feels the same way about us. We even carry his starlight marrow in our bones. He opened his heart to us; it is natural we would answer in kind."
"Enough already! Can't we have dinner without these kinds of interrogations!" Megumi answered with more heat than he intended and immediately regretted it, not because- ok, in part because of Tsumiki's hurt expression, but because he knew what would follow. Zagreus said he had a student bearing similar virtue, he made a point that Tsumiki did not confuse the virtue of Compassion with the vice of meekness, something Megumi agreed to until the time he came to be on the other end of her retaliation.
"Honestly, why do you have to be such a brat!? You are the one who came to accept his proposal! Not me, you! Father has done his best to-
Megumi cringed internally, his perceptible sister picked on his reaction to the 'f' word and instantly connected the dots. The fact this instantly stole the wind from her sail only made things worse somehow.
"Megumi, you
saw it. Father in raging heaven, you
were him for a moment! Gojo might be an incorrigible man-child, but he is actually spot on about father in that regard… you also saw how things usually ended for him, ravens carry tribulation in their talons and nobody can avoid that visit to their hoof forever. He might see invincible now, but before we know it, he will be gone from our lives." Tsumiki says with a tired expression, it is said that a philosopher can bend the mind of one hundred citizens. It certainly feels this way as his sister guilt trips him.
Megumi knows he is being childish - he has been trained to articulate his emotions his entire life, as mental health is a matter of life and death for cultivators of virtue. He simply can't let go of it the same way he can't let go of the hypocrisy of society, it's just… Zagreus is not his father, Toji Zenin, the sorcerer killed is. He wishes it wasn't the case. Every. Single. Day. But that is the reality of things.
Raising children is a difficult thing and it was clear Zagreus had made them his first priority, as mister Nanami often says with a severe voice, jujutsu is shit but working is also shit. Zagreus didn't need to become a sorcerer but this was the most stable job due to Megumi's background and his damn cursed technique, the gem crown of the Zenin clan. Despite the burden, Zagreus worked without complaint to make himself indispensable while shielding them from the world of jujutsu society. First-grade sorcerers abound shower Zagreus with the utmost respect for his contributions and openly declare they would not be alive without his support and tutelage. He is no different, just the son of an assassin that he took over out of responsibility and his own burgeoning virtue.
"Tsumiki, can we drop it? I am not in the mood."
"…god damn it, fine! Come eat before it gets cold. I am not reheating it for you!"
"Can you actually heat food with your rhetoric alone without it exploding again?"
"Shut up!"
Despite the heavy topic he couldn't help but laugh, these two shenanigans certainly had kept his life interesting if nothing else. There was a gap moe to a 175cm tall amazon sulking like a child, the siblings' bodies had been refined to the Greek standard of aesthetical perfection in pursuit of peak performance. Something Tsumiki, as a Japanese young woman, struggles with even as Megumi silently thanks the Father for it deters most creeps from ever finding out about her cotton candy interior, even if this means he looks more and more like Toji every day that passes.
"Where is Zagreus anyway? Wasn't him with Gojo and Geto looking into Yuta-san's situation?"
"He got called to take care of a special-grade curse, something you would know if you answered our calls!" Tsumiki needled as she scarfed her food voraciously. It seems Megumi burned through her stock of patience for the day already.
"It is not like he is in any danger anyway. I still have goosebumps wherever I remember his fight demonstration with Gojo when I was twelve. That is not the kind of power a mere philosopher has any right to wield." Megumi comments as he casually snacks one cursed dark grape from the fruit stand before sitting with his sister. These had been their cultivation supplement since their youth since they were too young to drink alcohol. Zagreus promised their first adult drink would be something special to compensate, the shitty old man.
Both Fushiguros ate in silence for some minutes until they heard the due yet familiar sound of granite being pulverized. There was a moment of silence as both tried to make sense of it, the reality of the situation. Until they both bolted to the living room, where the spirit marble statues of the family were kept. These stones were both a monument to their cultivation as pneuma connecting it to their creation caused it to refine itself together with the cultivator that create it while also serving as a phylactery. If anything happened to the cultivator the statue would reflect that,
and if the subject portraited were to perish, the stone would be destroyed as well.
Both Megumi and Tsumiki stared in disbelief as the most proudful and imposing display of their household lay in pieces on the ground.
Tsumiki reacted first. "Call Gojo right now!"
-//-
"Hey, are you old geezers trying to get yourselves murdered?" Gojo proclaims while pulling back his bandages. Gone was the cheerful disposition the strongest sorcerer usually carries himself, only the sinister strength of the strongest remains to be seen.
The bad news came in literal waves with the sudden disappearance of special-grade sorcerer Zagreus, to the point his protegees had all but been forced to step in to fill his shoes in the surveillance of the shikigami crows all sorcerers rely on for surveillance and intelligence in their missions.
What triggered Satoru Gojo was precisely the latest bad news, somehow the emptiness barrier failed to manifest a playback record of the incident of Zagreus's disappearance, completely dashing any hope that this wasn't a conspiracy. The number of people capable of pulling this off by themselves is Master Tengen and Zagreus himself. Leaving only bigger institutions as likely suspects with the big three families and Jujutsu Tech at the top of the list.
"I don't know, Satoru Gojo. What do your eyes see? I certainly would like to solve this quickly, despite being a foreigner- no, precisely because of it, Zagreus has accrued so many binding vows from services rendered and traffic of influence that were put on hold until his disconnection from Jujutsu society that now his disappearance put us all in a binding. Your six eyes certainly can see through minute details, so I have to ask. Do you see anybody suspicious among our numbers?" One of the elders asks with a casual tone.
"You dare to sell us old? To this brat? Have you lost your marbles or does death scare you that much?" Other faceless elders declare in outrage, he wasn't the only one. The honorable elders that govern Jujutsu society were soon in an open argument as they threw accusations at each other.
They all were cajoled into a binding vow with Zagreus at some point, it was more a means to plaster their movement against him than for any other benefit. The man certainly wasn't liked, and Gojo wasn't the only one to make the connection between Zagreus and the Greek god Dionysus. To be fair, the name kind of gave the game away. A foreigner sorcerer bearer of an inherited innate technique powerful enough to rival the six eyes and limitless combo. While an unconventional sorcerer like Kinji Hakari who challenges what sorcery is meant to be in the eyes of a conservative faction earns no small amount of disdain despite his potential, Zagreus is regarded with outright fear.
The god Dionysus has an extensive record going from the Mediterranean through Thrace and reaching all the to India, the country that actually first formalized and codified Jujutsu whose mudras and chants are used to this day. This certainly explains the excessive number of arms Zagreus has, plus his third eye. Japan might hold a monopoly over cursed energy but this is mostly due to Tengen's barriers and constant work through millennia, and even then, its golden age has passed so long ago it doesn't bear mentioning. That other countries experienced their own golden age goes without mention by all but the most radical of sorcerers.
That is why Gojo doesn't know what to do right now. His instincts tell him to finally fulfill his fantasy and kill them all, even if they are actually innocent the likelihood of them using this to make a fuss is too high. Yet Gojo knows this is just his ego speaking, they would just be replaced by other old geezers and his reputation would be ruined. Zagreus is regarded with respect by most active sorcerers, he can use this to his advantage instead to gather support.
Because the only thing he knows to be true in his heart is that there is no way Zagreus is dead, the guy is worse than a cockroach. If there was a sorcerer out there capable of killing either of them then there out be no need to hide. Zagreus is most definitely sealed somehow, and Gojo is determined to find him.
If it was the other way around then Zagreus would already be in route to free his ass but he is not as flexible, fortunately, he can get a lot of help even if he has to bank on Zagreus' face to cash this bill.
-//-
Elegant and long fingers pressed the doorbell of the Fushiguro household, to no immediate avail. At this hour of the day, none of the inhabitants were supposed to be present, but those are not normal circumstances. To those living as part of the subculture of jujutsu society, these are turbulent times, and the sorcerer family of said house holds two golden eggs bearing innate abilities comparable to the limitless. The number of cars present in its front yard shows there are at least two sorcerers posted there as guards, likely more as people band together for safety in numbers.
Eventually, someone come to answer the door, a fine-cut salaryman with blond hair, extravagant colored tie, and exotic glasses.
"High there Nanami. Long time no see! Have you decided what is your kind of girl yet?"
Kento Nanami answered said question by sliding the gate back shut.
"Wait, wait, wait! I came here for serious business! I returned to the country as soon as I got the news, don't be cold to me now please!" Pleaded Yuki Tsukumo as she put her foot over the gate line to prevent the high-strung sorcerer from closing the gate to her face.
"I see that your humor is just as crass as I remember. Good thing you didn't lose your cheer in these trying times, but understand that the residents are currently grieving and I don't see how your presence might help." Nanami answered with a tight controlled voice and a glacial stare.
"Come on, you talk as if Zagreus was dead. If a cursed spirit was responsible then we would have already lost a city or two, and if the sorcerer responsible was capable of pulling that off with their own power then they would be challenging Gojo by now. Sorcerers are con artists, there is a hidden angle we have missed." 'Yuki' proclaimed.
"You seem sure of it." Nanami almost accused.
"I have some bad news, more like expostulations actually. I fear we have only seen the beginning of whatever this is."
Nanami slid the front gate open, "Come, Gojo is resting inside."
'Yuki' made herself at home, walking around with the casual ease of long-held familiarity. She lived some time in here, before Zagreus and she broke things off. The place was exactly what 'she' remembers though, full of fruit-bearing trees and small garden and vineyard bearing more fruits than they had any right to and Zagreus' infamous "virtuous" beehives.
The house itself was a wonder of architecture. Raised by Zagreus' own hand together with the Fushiguro siblings' assistance. It was both spacious and homely, with a mix of western and east while made entirely out of wood the likes only seen in ancient pagodas.
From the open balcony, Tsumiki Fushiguro communed with the crow shikigami, then started to make a cellphone call and digitate a report. She was not alone, two suited managers from Jujutsu Tech were acting as her assistants. Tsumiki could commune and command with Zagreus' shikigami but she can't yet share her senses with them, making it a full-time job and still slower than usual. The pseudo-surveillance state Zagreus had over Japan is gone and the safety net sorcerers rely on has gone with it. Tsumiki could work non-top without sleep for weeks and months and it still wouldn't be enough, she simply lacked the
standing to measure up, plus her own virtue meant her talent wasn't a one-for-one to Zagreus even if their founding mystery was the same.
Entering the manor, Nanami and 'Yuki' soon find Gojo sprawled in one of its many handmade furniture. He was resting in them almost as if he was dead and the bags under his eyes pecking through a wet tower resting on his face only drove home how far he had been pushed in his search. Fine combing through Japan in search of clues would be exhausting even for Satoru Gojo. The fact he elected to rest here of all places put into perspective the level of paranoia and uncertainty from the whole situation.
His six eyes pinned her with their strength, there was no cursed energy behind them. it was far more simple and yet profound force here. Gojo's life has turned upside down for the second time and he is desperate to find his friend and tutor and inflict retribution on whoever is behind it. Perfect.
"Long time no see, Yuki! How was Thailand?" Yu Haibara, Nanami's sorcerer partner and best friend greeted her. It was no surprise that he would be here, Zagreus had taken the two of them under his wing after a close call with a local imaginary deity and while neither of them has the talent of hunger to ever enter the realm of the strongest, the both of them were polished and refined to be the embodiment of the new shinning standard a first-grade sorcerer has to live up to.
"What is she doing here?" with open hostility, Megumi pinned her down with a look of open derision. Zagreus was right about his cute side, that he would pick up a side and stick to it as if things were so simple is one of the more endearing aspects of young Megumi. He was covered in rapid healing bruises and cuts; it seems Megumi has finally found his motivation and the towering foundation Zagreus has laid down is allowed to shine. Megumi has finally surpassed the bottleneck he has been stuck in for the last few years, he will catch up to Tsumiki sooner than later and it only took some trauma to get him going.
Before things could escalate Gojo steps in, "Megumi, this is not the time." The haggard look and severe stare were what did it. This is a side of the strongest sorcerer that is rarely seen. "Yuki-san, when did you return to the country?"
"About a few hours ago. I take you had no luck finding a trail of Zagreus's whereabout then?"
"You don't seem surprised," Gojo said with a dangerous tone of voice yet no particular heat or accusation. He was asking for her opinion on the matter.
"They know what they were doing targeting Zagreus instead of you, he had direct contact with almost every sorcerer of Japan. While Zagreus could step up to fill your shoes in case you were put out of commission the same can't be said for you. The fact the two of you weren't targeted at the same time also implies this was a one-time trump card – either a sorcerer groomed for this using a technique augmented by a death-binding vow or a cursed artifact. At the end of the day, Zagreus can only manipulate natural phenomena in his favor, not break them."
"I already figured as much. Whoever is behind this seems more interested in spreading chaos than any self-gain. I am asking about their endgame here. What do they stand to gain?"
"Isn't it obvious? You said it yourself. Zagreus was a stabilizing force among the special-grade sorcerers, now that he was gone the old geezers suddenly were reminded what mavericks the rest of us are. While you and I both know he is secretly the worst of the lot when he goes full throttle, his live-and-let-live approach to problems lulled the higher-ups into a false sense of security. A lot of people resented his power and political pull but at least half of them more or less accepted him as a new jujutsu family to be."
"A civil war? That sounds ridiculous as long as the three of us stay together. Hell, Yuta will be a special grade in a few months… fuck!"
"You see my point now? A lot of the old guard has been chaffing under the changes brought about by his presence. Geto has a cult of unaffiliated sorcerer that even Zagreus affectionately call 'the mutant brotherhood' on top of an army of cursed spirits, you are the crown jewel of the Gojo clan, and work as a teacher to make the minds of young sorcerers. That is without counting the connections he has with sorcerers from humble backgrounds. And what is that I hear about Megumi joining the Zenin clan? That sly fox Naobito really got everything he wanted in the end!"
"I am not happy with that either! But Megumi is resolute in mastering the ten shadows and I have to admit the knowledge the Gojo clan has is incomplete… more than that-
"You can't be their guard dog forever. Megumi has a split foundation which makes Tsumiki a more fitting successor as she can take over most of Zagreu's duties, meaning it is easy to assign guards for her on a permanent basis. But do you think this is for the best?"
"Honestly, no. The Zenin clan is far and away the worst and most rotten, but you know Zagreus's ability to judge character is impeccable. He trusts Naobito at the very least, even if he shoots down his proposition to make Megumi clan head. Again, the signs were all there. It was just my childish arrogance that led me to think I was the only one unsatisfied with the status quo. Naobito fears the Zenin clan will be no more if they create a second Toji. I would say good riddance to them but…
"But he is in the same boat as us. It is hard to not be sympathetic. I am just not sure if there is any merit besides clout. This might only raise tensions, as people might see this as a coalition, a power block. This will stir fear and uncertainty." 'Yuki Tsumiki' repeated.
"You are clicking quite heavily on this topic."
"Gojo, don't do anything drastic. It is what they want."
"What. Happened?"
Gone was the playfulness aura Yuki usually wears like a cloak, she looked at Gojo like he was a bomb. "Director Masamichi Yaga trail went cold six hours ago. People noticed he failed to show up to an appointment and his trail was scrubbed clean like Zagreus's. The secret grove where he hid his sentient cursed doll was raided as well. Though this time it was by jujutsu higher-up orders caused by a third party leak. The secret of autonomous cursed corpses will be more or less public very soon."
"… should I kill all these fucking geezers after all?"
"Gojo, you can't overreact. This is likely what they want. It is Toji all over again, just worse. Putting you on a blind world-wise chase was a far more effective tactic than leaving you to guard a single girl for two days. I wouldn't be surprised if they timed it for when you crashed. Acting harshly now will only play in their hands. You are not alone in this, so alienating possible allies won't help. Zagreus can go for months, likely years, without food or water. Plus, sealing usually has restrictions against cheesing ways to kill opponents like that. The worst thing we can do is overreact.
"That is a pretty tall order you are asking of me here. You are saying to basically do nothing!"
"I am afraid it isn't so simple. Let's be honest, as things were going a hot conflict was bound to break out. We simply gained too much ground over the last decade. That is why we can't be the aggressors. This is about legitimacy – if the higher-ups pop up with an uncontrollable army of sentient cursed corpses then we will have all the justification we need to act. There is no way they won't mess this up!"
"So, this is a political game of chicken then? See who cracks under pressure first?"
"Not ideal, and the replacement for Yaga is bound to be insufferable for you, but it is necessary. Otherwise, we might put all the progress we have achieved so far to lose. You have to talk Geto into this! I hate this as well, but some stability is the only way to force whoever is pulling the strings to show their hands. Then we can catch them by the tail!"
"…"
"Gojo, you have been prepared for this. I know this is hard on you. The title of the 'strongest' is something you have been running from for some time now. But I beg you, endure this until we find Zagreus!"
"… fine."
Perfect.
-//-
[AUTHOR'S ROOM]
Yeah, this is what disguise and sneak of 100 can get you. Curse Manipulation was essential for Kenjaku's plans so he had to forfeit the advantage of being a perfect infiltrator to acquire it, now he is coming from a different angle. He used energy bending together with his knowledge and experience to release some of the reincarnated sorcerers earlier for his plan. Remember, Gojo only saw through his disguise because Geto was his BFF and because he killed him himself.
Kenjaku is the master of freestyling and he decided to exploit the tension created by Geto and Gojo's agenda to reform jujutsu society for his own benefit. He lived for long enough to know how to start a civil war and his technique gave him the perfect cover. Now powerful sorcerers are being snatched up in the cover of darkness and paranoia reigns supreme.
