86

The first thing that Shiki registers when she opens the door is a sword to her face.

… An unusual welcome, and not one that she can say is very appreciated here.

Her immediate reaction is to tilt her head aside and raise her sheathed sword, avoiding the blow whilst simultaneously knocking the offending weapon askance. The blade whistles past her ear, sending a few strands of long white hair flying up into the air.

Behind her, Okkotsu-san lets out a small, startled yelp, even though he's standing a safe distance away from any immediate danger. His apparent lack of confidence in Shiki's ability to protect him is… mildly vexing, in a way, but it's also completely understandable from Okkotsu-san's perspective. They had been forcibly separated upon entering the school with no forewarning whatsoever, after all, mere moments after Shiki had told him to stay close to her so she could defend him with her cursed technique.

The white-haired girl sighs, and shifts her attention towards their attacker. "You're being rude, Kusakabe-sensei."

… Rude, but also practical. Shiki can recognize that the attack made towards her just now was not so much an intentional strike as it was an 'automatic counter' type of technique. A signature of certain Shin Kageryu forms, which she is familiar with through her previous spars with Kusakabe-sensei.

Putting together the hints, then… Kusakabe-sensei was most likely using this as a cautious way to defend against any attacks aimed towards him, striking out against anything potentially hostile that came within his range. However, maintaining such a technique also meant that he would have to constantly remain on the defensive. Which wasn't exactly ideal for someone whose goal was actively hunting down and exorcising a cursed spirit…

But perhaps that was intentional.

Shiki steps into the room, and sweeps her gaze over the cluster of trembling, sniffling children huddled together behind Kusakabe-sensei's tall frame.

"… Gojo?" There's a faint note of disbelief in Kusakabe-sensei's voice, and the dark-haired man stares at Shiki like he can't quite fathom why she's standing in front of him, here and now. Which is rather curious; hadn't he been the one to call for reinforcements? Who did he think would come to his assistance, when he'd made that request in a location such as this?

Unless… Kusakabe-sensei wasn't the one who'd put in the request?

Shiki lowers her gaze in thought, mulling over the new prospect that has just occurred to her. Because if it had been someone else who'd acted in Kusakabe-sensei's name to send out a call for help… then, either it was a helpful assistant who'd made the executive decision to request reinforcements for a sorcerer who was unable to do so themselves in the moment, or it was a helpful assistant who had been instructed to call for reinforcements in Kusakabe Atsuya's stead… no matter if the man himself requested it or not.

Tsk.

"Gojo and… Okkotsu?" The hesitant tone in Kusakabe-sensei's voice takes on a new note of agitated confusion instead. "Wait, you brought Okkotsu here with you?! What possessed you to think that's a good idea? He's supposed to still be under observation!"

"And he's being observed," Shiki reassures the teacher, electing to leave out the short period of time in which she had not been personally monitoring Okkotsu-san.

Kusakabe-sensei gives Shiki a scrutinizing look. Shiki returns the man's gaze calmly and placidly, with a neutral expression that does not betray her thoughts.

"… Gojo, are you really certain about what you're doing? Once it becomes known that you–"

Whatever Kusakabe-sensei is about to say is abruptly cut off by a sudden chorus of startled, frightened shouts behind him. The man whirls around immediately, attention completely shifting over to the new situation–

And there's something strange about it. Shiki gives the teacher a considering look while he's distracted by the crying children –like the ones that she and Okkotsu-san had encountered earlier, several of these children are also clearly cursed, with discolored, mottled patches of skin that could almost be mistaken for heavy bruising if it weren't for the unnatural air of cursed energy that could be sensed from them.

That, and the rapidly-swiveling eyes that bubbled up wildly over their skin.

What's odd isn't that these children are cursed. No, what Shiki finds odd is Kusakabe-sensei's reaction to it.

Kusakabe Atsuya is an experienced sorcerer who has been on many missions to date, and Shiki is certain that the man has seen a wide variety of ways as to how curses could negatively affect their hapless victims. So it doesn't make sense that his face is pale, and there's genuine fear that Shiki can read from his body language in the way that he hovers over these children.

Fear, and… concern?

Shiki tilts her head. Kusakabe-sensei didn't strike her as someone who was deeply empathetic –few sorcerers were– so it's a little surprising to see this sort of reaction from him.

"U-um," Okkotsu-san hesitantly says from behind her. "Are you… going to be helping these kids, too…?"

"Yes," Shiki nods.

A sorcerer's main priority is to exorcise cursed spirits, and the next priority after that is to care for the wellbeing of non-sorcerer civilians. There's no reason for her to turn away.

… On the other hand, if Shiki personally sees to every single student who has been cursed in this school, she's probably going to be stuck here for the next several days. So, that's most definitely something that she has no intention of doing. She's not going to look away from civilians who are right in front of her, though.

The kid that Kusakabe-sensei is crouched over…

He's definitely the one who carries the most signs of being cursed of the children in the room. Both scleras of the child's eyes aren't even a regular human white anymore; instead, they're completely black. His irises flicker between a normal black-brown and a vividly sharp red.

"Takeru!" Kusakabe-sensei reaches for the boy carefully, gently, but that does not mean his movements are any less brisk for it. He gathers the child into his arms, gritting his teeth. "Ieiri –is Ieiri still back at the school?"

"She should be." Unless Shoko-san had also spontaneously ran out of the jujutsu school as Kusakabe-sensei did, then she was probably down in the morgue somewhere. But, "By the time you get that child to Shoko-san, he's going to be dead, Kusakabe-sensei. Put him down."

"Put him down?" Kusakabe-sensei's grip on the kid tightens briefly, but swiftly relaxes again when it causes the boy to let out a small sound of pain. "I can't, Gojo. Ieiri is this kid's only chance now, I can't just let him…"

Shiki cocks her head. Whereas Kusakabe-sensei has dark-colored hair, the young boy possesses a light coloration instead. In terms of their features, there's something that appears to be more delicate in the child's facial structure, too. Appearance-wise, they aren't exactly what anyone would call similar, but–

"A relative of yours?"

–it's not as if Shiki bears a striking physical resemblance to Ken-jichan, either. And Kusakabe-sensei most definitely seems to be familiar with this child, in a way that indicates some sort of previous familiarity. The care and concern that he displays isn't one that Shiki imagines he would show towards a complete stranger, either.

"He's my nephew," Kusakabe-sensei responds curtly, rapidly approaching the doorway that Shiki and Okkotsu-san are still standing in front of, clearly intent on leaving. "… The cursed spirit is dead already, isn't it? If there's something that you need from me, we can discuss it once we're back in the jujutsu school. Takeru's state won't–"

"Put him down," Shiki tells the teacher again. "I can get rid of his curse."

"–be able to last… what? You can…?" Kusakabe-sensei's eyes widen as her words finally register to him. "You don't mean… are you saying that you can use reverse cursed technique on other people?"

When did she say that?

Shiki doesn't know how Kusakabe-sensei came to that conclusion… actually, no, she probably does. If Shoko-san is the one responsible for treating cases where civilians have been severely cursed like this, then it makes sense that Kusakabe-sensei would be laboring under the misunderstanding that reverse cursed technique was the only way of dealing with this sort of condition.

However, the man is mistaken. Shiki might be capable of using reverse cursed technique now, but like Satoru-niichan, she is incapable of using it on others aside from herself. So her methods of dealing with this sort of thing is different from Shoko-san's.

"Not reverse cursed technique," she informs Kusakabe-sensei as he sets his nephew onto the ground.

Kusakabe-sensei pauses, brows furrowing slightly in confusion. "But if you're not going to be using reverse cursed technique, then how will you be… Gojo, what are you doing?!"

For the second time in the same day, Shiki finds herself interrupted while she is cutting through another person's lines. Unlike Okkotsu-san, who'd bodily tackled her to disrupt her motions and grab her attention, Kusakabe-sensei directly uses the sword in his hands. Shiki twists to avoid the blow, then flips over the low strike aimed towards her legs –aimed at forcing her to withdraw her own blade, and move back away from his nephew.

And so she does, dragging her sword through the remainder of the child's lines as she allows herself to be herded away by Kusakabe-sensei.

… He's lucky that Shiki didn't end up making a mistake and cut something else instead!

"Wait, wait, wait!" Okkotsu-san bursts out as Kusakabe-sensei levels his blade at Shiki. "T-this is a misunderstanding!"

"Killing my nephew is a misunderstanding?!" Kusakabe-sensei's words are angry, incredulous.

"She's not killing anyone!"

"What do you mean? She–" Beneath their feet, the boy stirs faintly, causing Kusakabe-sensei to falter and look down. Which would be a grave mistake, if Shiki had truly been an enemy who bore ill intent towards him… but fortunately for Kusakabe-sensei, that's not the case here. Even if Shiki is faintly irritated with the man for his unwarranted reaction towards her helping his nephew.

Unbelievable, honestly.

Okkotsu-san's reaction was understandable; the boy didn't know about Shiki's abilities. But Kusakabe-sensei didn't have the same excuse!

"Takeru…?" The boy has fallen unconscious, but there are no longer any discolored patches of skin across his body. For all intents and purposes, he looks like a perfectly normal little boy again, the rise and fall of his chest perfectly even with every breath that he takes. Kusakabe-sensei crouches down over him, "He's really… healed? But how?"

Shiki arches an eyebrow at the question that slips out from him. How did he think the curse was excised from his nephew?

"No, sorry, I–" Kusakabe-sensei cuts himself off midway through his stumbling words, sighing, and raises a hand to rub at his head. "… I apologize for jumping to conclusions, Gojo. But I still don't understand, how did you… heal someone by cutting…?"

"It's not healing," Shiki answers, only slightly mollified by the immediate apology.

Kusakabe-sensei gives Shiki a flat look, glances towards his healthy nephew on the ground, then pointedly returns his gaze to her again. "You don't call this healing?"

"It really isn't." She's aware of how it looks, but she's not lying. Appearances can be deceiving, and her ability really isn't healing, so it's best that no one makes any mistaken assumptions on this front. "I killed the curse afflicting him. That's all."

Kusakabe-sensei blinks, eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "… Because your ability is to kill the lines of what you cut, isn't it?"

"Yes."

The man nods slowly in understanding. "I… think I see how it is. I didn't realize that you could… choose to isolate and kill certain, specific things within a chosen target like this. I apologize, Gojo."

It seems that Kusakabe-sensei genuinely regrets how he'd reacted towards her, if he's apologizing again like this. Perhaps he wouldn't have lashed out at her like this if it had been an unrelated civilian rather than his own nephew who'd been the victim in this case –people are wont to act on emotion rather than logic when it's their loved ones at stake, right?

Or something like that, probably.

Shiki… had also been under the assumption that her teachers knew perfectly well about her abilities and what they were. Which, in hindsight, she realizes might've been because she'd been used to her tutors from the Gojo Clan all having received reports on her skill level and progress when they came to teach her. There would've been no reason for the Gojo Clan to share that same information with the jujutsu school, and of what information they did see fit to share, they likely wouldn't have disclosed all of her abilities. Partially because Shiki's abilities were still unknown, and partially because there was certain information that the Gojo Clan wished to keep to themselves as clan secrets.

… Come to think of it, it's been a long time since Shiki has last updated any information regarding her cursed eyes and cursed technique in the clan's records herself. It's not something that has ever been of any priority for her –Satoru-niichan had also indicated to her that she should not write down the full extent of her abilities anywhere– so it's unlikely that the Gojo Clan's information on her nowadays is fully accurate.

The only person who has a clear idea of the full strength of her abilities would be Satoru-niichan.

Shiki sighs.

"I accept your apology," she tells Kusakabe-sensei.

…

With his nephew no longer cursed and dying, the rest of the proceedings in the elementary school go fairly smoothly after that. There are a few more students whom Shiki needs to cut the curses out of, but none are suffering from their afflictions to the extent that Kusakabe-sensei's nephew had been.

In addition to the students, there are also a few lingering cursed spirits that they come across in the halls of the school. A few Grade Four curses, most of whom are barely even strong enough to be ranked as such –Shiki supposes that the cursed spirit that had taken over the school hadn't been one that was predisposed towards sharing its territory with others of its kind.

Kusakabe-sensei is the one to exorcise them, providing explanations to Okkotsu-san as he does so. Shiki had always been under the impression that Takagi-sensei was the one who was more experienced with teaching jujutsu basics to new students, but it seems that Kusakabe-sensei is fairly skilled in this area as well.

Which… might have something to do with his own background, come to think of it. From what Shiki recalls, Kusakabe-sensei also came from a non-sorcerer family. He didn't possess a cursed technique, but he held the rank of a Grade One sorcerer even in spite of that. His connections with the Yagyu Clan were something that only came about because of the skill he'd developed with Shin Kageryu, rather than due to any innate ability he'd been born with.

… She's starting to get sidetracked, though. Kusakabe-sensei's personal circumstances differ from those of Okkotsu-san's, but they are the same in that the two are both from non-sorcerer backgrounds, and it makes sense that Kusakabe-sensei would have a good grasp on what and how to explain various jujutsu-relevant things to one who is not well-versed with the context.

"… You're not trying to make me into his teacher, are you?" Kusakabe-sensei asks her eventually, once they're standing outside the school and watching the Windows and other assistants take care of subsequent matters in the aftermath of the recent incident. Given that this is a local school with many young children, this means that there are many concerned parents to placate as well. Shiki does not envy the Windows their job, but she respects them for it.

"Is it obvious?"

"Do you really have to ask? You're not being very subtle about it, Gojo," Kusakabe-sensei huffs. And, well, Shiki supposes that she isn't. Then again, it's not as if this is something to hide.

"I want you to teach Okkotsu-san swordsmanship," she says, straightforward and frank.

Kusakabe-sensei looks towards Okkotsu-san, who instinctively straightens in attention under the sudden scrutiny. "… You want him to learn Shin Kageryu?"

"Only if you think he would be suitable for it," Shiki responds. "If not, then just the basics will suffice."

"I… wouldn't recommend Okkotsu formally learning Shin Kageryu," Kusakabe-sensei says slowly, after a slight pause. "Not just in terms of whether the sword style suits him or not. He's supposed to be a Special Grade, isn't he? And if he learns Shin Kageryu, then the Yagyu Clan is going to see this as them obtaining a Special Grade sorcerer in their ranks. I highly doubt that's what you and that cousin of yours want."

Shiki hums lightly. "But there are also Shin Kageryu techniques that don't require an individual to undertake any binding vows in order to be taught, aren't there?"

"Yes, but that's most certainly not how the Yagyu Clan is going to be seeing things," Kusakabe-sensei shrugs.

"How convenient for them, then." Even if Okkotsu-san were to learn Shin Kageryu, the Yagyu Clan are delusional if they think that Satoru-niichan would sit by and allow them to chain Okkotsu-san to them using the prospect of advanced Shin Kageryu techniques as a promise. It would be one thing if Okkotsu-san decided for himself that he wished to be aligned with the Yagyu Clan, but if they coerced him through other means…

Maybe it wouldn't even be Satoru-niichan who would take action, in the end. After all, there was also a Special Grade cursed spirit following Okkotsu-san around, and if Okkotsu-san were to be pushed too far, Shiki suspects that there might be some… spectacular display of violence that inevitably occurs as a result. The question is, would they finally learn from their mistakes?

Going by Shiki's experiences with the higher echelons of the jujutsu world to date, the answer to such a question is very, very dubious.

"I'm surprised that you didn't agree immediately." To her understanding, Kusakabe-sensei is affiliated with the Yagyu Clan. Not a member of the clan himself, but closely affiliated nonetheless. It would be expected of him to act in the interests of the Yagyu Clan, and teaching Okkotsu-san the Shin Kageryu sword forms would be construed as beneficial from that perspective.

"What, to make Okkotsu a Shin Kageryu student? Why would I do that?" Kusakabe-sensei shakes his head. "It's definitely not worth the trouble. The Yagyu Clan… it's better if they don't have an opportunity like this, anyways. Because it's definitely going to turn out to be less of an opportunity and more of a crisis, going by how Toshiatsu-sama has consistently been–… no, never mind."

An interesting response. Kusakabe-sensei evidently does not have very much faith in how the Yagyu Clan would conduct themselves, should the opportunity of having a Special Grade sorcerer under their command fall into their laps. Which brings up the question of why he would think so… but Shiki will not press for any answers. Any answer would likely relate to the internal political setting of the Yagyu Clan, and Shiki neither desires nor needs a thorough understanding of Yagyu politics. She doesn't even like dealing with Gojo clan politics!

"… Even aside from that, it's not like the higher ups would take things lying down if the Yagyu Clan were to approach Okkotsu," Kusakabe-sensei mutters.

"That's true." There's a point in what he says here. The higher ups had been hoping to make Okkotsu-san into a weapon that they could use, and the Yagyus taking advantage of Kusakabe-sensei's position to teach the boy Shin Kageryu before any of them could do anything about Gojo Satoru… would be seen as the Yagyu Clan attempting to circumvent them entirely. In all likelihood, it would be viewed as an attempt to take Okkotsu-san for themselves, adding the strength of a Special Grade sorcerer to the Yagyu Clan alone, instead of abiding by whatever agreement the higher ups had previously reached among themselves.

Which was something that would put the Yagyu Clan in a difficult situation, indeed.

So, in a manner of speaking… Kusakabe-sensei's refusal to teach Okkotsu-san Shin Kageryu was also his way of protecting the Yagyu Clan, wasn't it?

"I'll teach him the basics," Kusakabe-sensei sighs. "That much should be fine. It'll probably take a few months for him to get a good grasp on things, considering that he's never had any training of the sort before. Is that all you came to find me for?"

"More or less." The matter of Okkotsu-san's swordsmanship tutelage was the entire reason why they'd been looking for Kusakabe-sensei to begin with, and it's good to have at least one thing settled out of this entire mess.

Although…

"There is another question that I have," Shiki looks up towards the taller man. "You came here to this school before the cursed spirit made itself known. Did someone tell you that there would be trouble here?"

"My sister did," Kusakabe-sensei responds. "I received a call from her earlier, and she was almost hysterical over the fact that there was a cursed spirit in Takeru's school, so I left immediately."

"Your sister is a sorcerer?" Shiki asks.

"No," the man shakes his head. "She's clear-sighted, but she's not involved in any sorcery-related work."

"Was your sister nearby the school, then?"

"I… presumably?" A faint thread of confusion creeps into Kusakabe-sensei's tone at her continued line of questioning, and the older sorcerer frowns. "What is this about, Gojo?"

"I find it rather interesting that your sister was the one to inform you of this situation, even before a Window's reports." And even with a skilled Window overseeing the area, there was no guarantee of them being able to catch wind of imminent danger right before the situation took a dangerous, volatile turn. "I came here after receiving a request for assistance under your name. You weren't the one to submit that request, were you?"

"I didn't submit any request at all," Kusakabe-sensei's frown deepens. "You think my sister has something to do with this?"

Shiki tilts her head, "You don't think so?"

"… No," Kusakabe-sensei firmly shakes his head. "My sister definitely isn't the type to do things like this. And no matter what, she would never risk Takeru's safety for anything. It doesn't make any sense that she would… what, deliberately draw me away from the jujutsu school?"

If not Kusakabe-sensei himself, then what about Shiki?

As a high-ranked sorcerer nearby, if Kusakabe-sensei sent out a call for help, then it was expected that Shiki would answer –particularly as she wasn't currently on a mission of her own, or anything of the sort. Then, following this line of thought, drawing Kusakabe-sensei out of the school was also something that could be used to draw Shiki away from the Tokyo school as well.

Who might benefit from that?

"Another question for you, Kusakabe-sensei." Although the man appears firmly convinced of his sister's integrity, there is still a frown that continues to crease his lips. It's likely that Kusakabe-sensei is also starting to see something faintly suspicious about how he'd been called out like this, now that the urgency of the situation has passed and he is taking a step back to re-examine things. "Do you know of anyone who might've informed your sister of what was happening at this school? Are there any Windows or sorcerers who come to mind?"

"That's a pretty broad description to go by. My brother-in-law is in charge of mediating minor affairs within the Yagyu Clan, so my sister is constantly interacting with…" Kusakabe-sensei trails off as his mind catches up with his mouth, the answer becoming obvious to them all. "… various… members… of the Yagyu Clan…"

Okkotsu-san shuffles nervously in the background, "Is there something special about the Yagyu Clan?"

"They're a sorcery clan that's known for practicing sword arts." A rather reckless one too, Shiki would say. "I may have to pay them a visit sometime."

"Please don't," Kusakabe-sensei says immediately.

Shiki arches an eyebrow at the man. "Are you going to stop me?"

Kusakabe-sensei grimaces faintly. Both of them know perfectly well that he can't actually stop Shiki from doing anything that she puts her mind to. Nominally, Kusakabe Atsuya might be one of Gojo Shiki's teachers, and thus due a certain measure of respect and obedience. In reality, however, he does not hold the power or influence to actually command anything of her. The only one with that sort of power would be Satoru-niichan, who probably wouldn't feel very inclined to stop Shiki in the first place even if he were aware of the situation.

"… It's possible that the Yagyus are being used," he says eventually.

"Everyone is always being used." It's nothing strange in the snarled politics of the jujutsu world, where there are many who are constantly looking to increase their own power and influence. "Some willingly, even."

"That's not–"

"And even if it's not the case here, I sincerely doubt that whoever incited your sister into contacting you was unaware of what they were doing. If it turns out that they are truly acting with full permission from the Yagyu Clan, then it's not something that I can allow to pass without reprisal," Shiki informs the man candidly. Because if she were to allow this to blow over without resistance, then she is absolutely certain that it would only encourage the higher ups and the various sorcery clans behind them to take further actions against her.

She won't allow them to act with impunity. This is far from the first time that something like this has happened, and Shiki has already given her warnings.

Actions have consequences.

Shiki also hasn't forgotten that it was the Yagyu representative who'd acted as the nominal spokesperson for the higher ups that she'd met in Kyoto. The man had been deliberately disrespectful and dismissive of her in his words and mannerisms… which meant that that was the attitude that the Yagyu Clan held towards Gojo Shiki. Or at least, the attitude that a certain faction within the Yagyu Clan held, one that was influential enough to hold a voice among the higher ups in the jujutsu world.

Kusakabe-sensei sighs tiredly.

"I… won't intervene, if the Yagyu Clan is truly at fault," he says. "But Toshiatsu-sama does not represent the entirety of the Yagyu Clan, and… please do not allow the shortsighted actions of a few individuals to negatively impact the entirety of the Yagyu Clan. I realize that I don't really have any right to be asking this of you, considering everything that's happened, but…"

… But the fact does not change that Kusakabe-sensei is affiliated with the Yagyu Clan, no matter what they may or may not have done, and so he is obliged to speak up on their behalf on matters like this?

Okkotsu-san swallows roughly. "I'm not sure I really understand what's going on, but is this… really that big of a deal? I mean, everything ended well enough, right?"

"That's a dangerous way of thinking, Okkotsu-san." One that will be ruthlessly taken advantage of by the higher ups, even, so it's best not to entertain optimistic wishful thinking like that. The boy blinks and stares back at her in confusion, which does not bode well for his political awareness.

… Perhaps it would be best to arrange for lessons on the subject for him; as a Special Grade, it's not something that he can afford to remain completely oblivious to.

"Gojo is right." Kusakabe-sensei looks towards Okkotsu-san with some measure of sympathy –or perhaps pity. "If someone really planned all of this on purpose, then I suspect that it might be related to you as well."

Okkotsu-san slowly points a finger towards himself, "Me?"

Shiki nods, "Special Grade potential isn't something that comes along very often."

"It's usually something that almost never comes around, if we're looking at the historical records," Kusakabe-sensei supplies dryly.

"I… see…?" the boy says, in a tone of voice that indicates he clearly does not see.

But then, why would he? For all intents and purposes, he is a regular civilian who'd been thrown headfirst into the jujutsu world, a world with its own rules and hierarchy and full of things that he does not recognize or understand. He's learning, of course, but learning is a gradual process and not something that instantly happens all at once. It will take time before Okkotsu-san gets a proper grasp on jujutsu skills, let alone the politics surrounding it all.

… He likely doesn't even realize how lucky he is that Satoru-niichan decided to intervene on his behalf. Her cousin seems to have a habit of doing that –intervening on the behalf of talented potential sorcerers who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances.

Megumi is doing well nowadays, though. And Shiki knows that Satoru-niichan likely intends the same for Okkotsu-san.

Shiki will support her cousin. Which involves keeping Okkotsu-san safe in his absence, particularly from the machinations of the higher ups who are a little too active for their own good.

It's long past time that Shiki finally does something about it.

.

.

…

.