I changed the subject. "And special grades. Besides you?"
Gojo smirked wider. "You're asking about the top of the food chain, huh? Well, currently in Japan we have four: me, obviously, the undefeated champion; Yuki Tsukumo, the eccentric wanderer who hates the higher-ups; Suguru Geto, once a sorcerer and a friend, now a criminal cult leader; and…" His head tilted toward me, grin turning sly. "…our newest addition. You."
I didn't respond right away. Instead, I let the weight of it settle. To be casually listed among them already…
Gojo noticed my silence. "Don't get all stiff about it. You earned it. Whether you wanted to or not."
"I'll reserve judgment," I said evenly.
"Japan isn't the only place with sorcerers, though," Gojo continued, clearly enjoying the role of storyteller. "We're just the hotspot because of Master Tengen's barrier. About sixty percent of cursed spirits appear here. The other forty percent? Spread across the world."
I nodded. "Which means every major power has its own counterforce."
"Bingo." He snapped his fingers. "America, Russia, China, Korea, UK — each one has at least one special grade sorcerer. Not as handsome as me, of course, but strong enough to keep their turf from getting eaten alive."
"You've met them?"
"Of course." He smirked. "They all know I'm the strongest. I made sure of it."
"Then there's history," Gojo went on casually, as if discussing the weather. "The kind no book will ever print. Ever heard of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?"
My chest tightened slightly. "Yes. Recorded as… nuclear accidents."
"Exactly." His grin didn't falter. "But here's the truth: those weren't accidents. They were the aftermath of a battle. My ancestor — a Six Eyes user — fought a Ten Shadows user from the Zenin clan. The clash erased two cities from existence. Governments covered it up as a nuclear mishap. Easier that way."
Silence.
I let the weight of that truth settle. Just once. Cities wiped off the map because of sorcerers. The thought was enough to chill my blood. But I forced myself not to dwell. No point repeating the horror. I understood it. Once was enough.
Gojo, of course, smiled like he'd just told a ghost story. "Crazy, right? That's the world you're walking into."
"You're too casual about this," I said finally.
"Would you prefer thunder in the background? Dramatic music? I can arrange it next time."
I shook my head. "Sometimes I think you act like a clown to hide how dangerous you really are."
He grinned wider. "Sometimes? You're sharper than the higher-ups already."
"Flattery doesn't work on me."
"It's not flattery if it's true."
A faint smirk tugged at my lips despite myself. He was impossible to ignore.
The car slowed.
Ahead, towering walls and traditional gates fused with modern architecture. Tokyo Jujutsu High. Ancient, imposing, secretive.
Gojo parked, stretching his arms. "Home sweet home. Ready to join the circus?"
I opened the door, bag slung on my shoulder. "I'll manage."
"You'll do more than manage," he said with a cocky grin. "Trust me."
As I looked at the campus, his words echoed.
Special grade.
One of four in Japan.
One of a handful across the world.
History itself bent around people like me.
And now… I was one of them.