Chapter 16: Maki's "Uncle"

Early the next morning,

Inumaki, Maki, Yuta, and Panda walked side by side down the school path, discussing the new teacher who was supposed to arrive today.

"Maki, you really don't have any idea who it could be?" Panda asked curiously. "Gojo-sensei said it's someone you know."

Maki adjusted her glasses, her expression turning cold. "If it's someone I know, it has to be a sorcerer from the Zen'in clan."

Her words instantly silenced the group.

Yuta Okkotsu moved closer to Panda, whispering, "Why is Maki-senpai like this?"

Panda covered his mouth with one paw, quietly explaining, "The Zen'in clan is one of the Big Three sorcerer families, and because Maki doesn't have any cursed energy, she's not treated well by the other sorcerers in her family."

"Well, not all of them," Panda added. "The current family head actually treats her pretty decently."

"Oh, I see," Yuta nodded, understanding why Maki had come to study at Jujutsu High.

...

On the third floor of the school building,

Gojo Satoru and Yaga Masamichi stood by the window, observing the four students below, their expressions serious.

"First, we have Suguru Geto's mysterious reappearance, and now a new Zen'in family teacher is joining us," Yaga said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "This is going to be a troublesome time…"

Gojo, with his hands behind his back, spoke lightly, "When Shoko first told me about him, I wanted to meet him. I didn't expect that ten years later, he'd be my colleague at Jujutsu High. Life's funny like that."

Unlike Yaga, Gojo didn't seem too concerned. His overwhelming strength gave him the confidence to handle any unexpected events.

Just then, Gojo frowned and looked up at the sky. "Damn it!"

Yaga's face paled. He quickly turned and ran toward the stairs, shouting, "All Grade 1 sorcerers and above, gather at the school entrance immediately!"

At the same time, Maki and the others, who were walking leisurely, stopped in their tracks and looked up.

A massive white bird with four wings was descending straight toward the school.

"It's rare for a cursed spirit to just show up at the sorcerer's headquarters," Panda remarked while slipping on his panda-printed cursed tool gloves.

Whoosh!

The giant bird landed in front of the four students, sending a gust of wind that scattered leaves in all directions.

"It's been a long time, and this place hasn't changed at all," Suguru Geto remarked as he looked at the school buildings, his black hair falling over his shoulders, his tone light.

"Are we really in Tokyo, Master Geto? This place is so shabby!" Nanako, one of Geto's companions, complained loudly as she crawled out of the bird's beak.

Standing with Geto were Nanako, Mimiko, and a half-naked sorcerer with pink hearts tattooed on his chest. Including the bird, there were five of them.

Maki gripped her cursed tool spear tightly, her brow furrowing. "Sorcerers not affiliated with the school, leave now."

Inumaki pulled down his collar, preparing to use his cursed speech, while his cursed energy began to gather.

But Geto ignored them and turned his attention to Yuta, a soft smile on his face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yuta Okkotsu," Geto said, suddenly appearing in front of Yuta with incredible speed. The others barely had time to react.

He bent slightly, clasping Yuta's hands in his own. "You have great power. I sincerely invite you to join us, to help create a better world."

"H-help with what?" Yuta stammered, blinking in confusion.

Geto smiled, his hand resting on Yuta's shoulder. "Help me wipe out all non-sorcerers and build a world where only sorcerers exist."

Wipe out humanity? Was he serious?

Panda, Maki, and the others stared at Geto as if he were crazy.

"Stay away from my students."

A familiar voice that hadn't been heard in ten years cut through the tension from behind.

Geto turned, his smile widening. "Gojo, it's been a while."

Gojo's expression darkened. "Step away from my students... Suguru."

Geto's smile faded, and he took a few steps back. "No wonder this year's first-years are so strong. They're your students."

He pointed at each of them in turn. "Special Grade sorcerer, Yuta Okkotsu. The mutated cursed corpse, Panda. Descendant of a cursed speech user, Inumaki Toge."

"And finally…" Geto's eyes landed on Maki, a smirk forming on his lips. "The Zen'in family's disgrace, Maki Zen'in."

"The perfect world I want to create has no place for monkeys like you."

"Bastard! You—" Maki's words were cut off by a sudden shout.

"Hey! You, the long-haired monk in the robe!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

Maki's fury subsided for a moment as her gaze shifted to a car pulling up near the school gates.

"White Zetsu?!"

Seeing White Zetsu standing arrogantly on the passenger seat, Maki's face filled with surprise.

If White Zetsu was here, then…

Sure enough, when the car drew closer, the familiar face of her brother, Mirai, came into view from the back seat, partially obscured by White Zetsu.

"A cursed spirit!?"

The sheer arrogance in White Zetsu's posture left not only Geto and his group stunned, but also the students of Jujutsu High, who looked on in disbelief.

They could sense it clearly—the white-skinned figure clad in a black robe with red clouds was a cursed spirit.

And not just any cursed spirit. Its power level was merely Fourth Grade.

At best, a Third Grade curse.

The hierarchy of cursed spirits went from weakest to strongest: Non-Grade, Fourth Grade, Third Grade, Second Grade, First Grade, and Special Grade.

In terms of raw power, White Zetsu was weak enough that any of the sorcerers present could crush him with one hand.

But despite being so weak, the fact that this cursed spirit could talk—and do so with such ease—was something none of the sorcerers had ever encountered.

"Hey! I'm talking to you, long-haired monk!"

White Zetsu placed one foot on the door frame of the car, looking down at Geto with an air of superiority. "Are you captivated by my elegance or something? Is that why you're staring?"

Then, his gaze shifted to Maki, and his tone softened, almost playful. "Maki-chan! Long time no see! You've been gone so long and haven't even visited your Uncle White Zetsu!"

Ignoring the bewildered crowd, White Zetsu leaped down from the car, beaming as he ran toward Maki. "Don't worry, Uncle Zetsu is here to protect you."

"If this monk dares bully you, just tell Mirai to wipe him out."

"Uncle?!"

Inumaki, Yuta, and Panda were frozen in shock, their gazes darting between White Zetsu and Maki.

A Third Grade cursed spirit… was Maki's uncle?

What did that make Maki? Human? Or cursed spirit?

The trio's worldview seemed to be crumbling, only to be hastily rebuilt in confusion.

"White Zetsu!"

Maki shoved him back, gritting her teeth. "Enough! Stop trying to mess with me!"

The "uncle" story began years ago, when Maki had first started wearing the glasses that allowed her to see cursed spirits.

When she'd seen White Zetsu standing next to Mirai in a meeting room, he had somehow convinced the young Maki to call him "Uncle."

At the time, Maki had only been eight years old. White Zetsu was the first cursed spirit she'd ever seen.

Given that cursed spirits weren't supposed to talk, and no cursed spirit would dare approach Mirai, young Maki had been tricked into thinking White Zetsu was just an odd-looking person.

What clinched it was the way White Zetsu had looked at her back then—without disdain, without judgment.

It wasn't until later, when she removed her glasses and found the spot empty, that Maki realized the truth about White Zetsu and the nature of cursed spirits.

Ever since then, White Zetsu had gleefully referred to himself as her "uncle."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Support the Translation! 🌐✨

20 Advanced Chapters are currently available in Patreon, make sure to visit and support our team.

patreon.com/Immortal_author

https://ko-fi.com/immortalauthor

https://discord.gg/KscfBegBPT