"Huh? You're calling yourself Masamichi Yaga? Who introduces themselves that directly!"
Suguru still looked tense. That man earlier had almost taught him a bitter lesson. Even though this new uncle had helped them, he couldn't let his guard down.
"Uh… my name really is Masamichi Yaga. Here's my card." Masamichi was stunned for a second at the boy's strange reaction. Then he reintroduced himself and pulled out a small card from his pocket, handing it over.
"You're actually named that…? Head of First Years at Tokyo Jujutsu High? What's that supposed to mean…"
Suguru accepted the card cautiously, retreating a few steps to stand closer to Mukuro. His eyes kept moving between the card and the man.
"Anyway, this guy isn't one of the bad ones, that's all that matters." Mukuro waved his hand.
Glancing at the leader lying in a pool of blood, he dismissed the massive crocodile and went straight to rummaging through the stolen loot the robbers had gathered.
"Seems like this kid knows quite a bit, huh?" Masamichi scratched his head.
"Eh? Mukuro, what are you doing?!"
When Suguru turned around, he saw Mukuro digging through the sacks of stolen goods. His sense of justice flared, and he rushed over, trying to stop him.
"What? We just took down the criminals who robbed the biggest mall in Tokyo. Shouldn't this count as our payment?" Mukuro plopped down on top of a sack, guarding the piles of jewelry and cash with his body.
"I've worked pretty damn hard for this!"
Life with Toji had left him used to hunger and scarcity. Over time, he'd turned into a little miser. He had already been planning ahead; saving for his brother's future house, equipment for jobs, baby formula for Megumi. Even at his age, Mukuro was carrying burdens far too heavy for a child.
"That money was stolen from the weak," Suguru argued, slapping the sack firmly. His eyes shone with conviction. "We should be giving it back, not keeping it!"
"Fine, but how about I test you first? Was this the 2,000 yen taken from you, or maybe the 200,000 yen you lost?" Mukuro held out two separate sums, dangling them in front of him.
"That's obvious. I only lost 2,000 yen." Suguru grabbed what was his without hesitation.
"Exactly. You got back your 2,000 yen. But what about the others? If someone lies and claims more than they lost, the numbers won't match, and nobody will get their money back." Mukuro shook the 200,000 yen in his hand, teaching the naïve boy a harsh truth.
"Kid, that way of thinking is dangerous. That isn't a jujutsu sorcerer's job." Masamichi stepped in before Mukuro could twist Suguru's pure nature any further.
"Sorcerers are still human. I just think about it from a human perspective. Instead of wasting money indefinitely, I'd rather keep it myself." Mukuro shrugged. Still, he only pocketed around a hundred thousand, the exact amount he'd seen the man with glasses handed over in exchange for his life. Since that man was dead, he figured the money was as good as his.
"Don't underestimate the police, and don't think too badly of people either." Masamichi bent down with what he thought was a kind expression and reached out to pat their heads.
Suguru didn't react much. His mind was overloaded from the day's events, and he was still processing everything. Mukuro, however, tilted his head away, avoiding the gesture.
"Okay, fine. I won't take it. Happy? Now, how about getting us back already? I'm starving over here." Mukuro shoved his hands into his pockets, the picture of a rebellious youth.
"Almost. I called the police on my way here. They should arrive soon, so let's wait a bit."
Masamichi took out some rope from who-knows-where and tied up the unconscious robbers, including their badly injured leader. But when he got to the last man, he froze.
The one who'd been mauled by Mukuro's tiger was long gone. Half his body had been torn apart, and blood loss had finished him.
"When the police ask, just say you don't know anything. I'll handle the rest." Masamichi glanced back at the boys.
"Alright."
Suguru's face was pale. It was clear he had never experienced something like this before. No matter how hard he tried to stay strong, it still unsettled him. Mukuro, on the other hand, looked calm, as though all he had done was step on a bug.
* * *
"Mukuro, Uncle Yaga, tell me more about the jujutsu world! I want to get stronger!"
Now that the danger had passed, curiosity lit up in Suguru again. Masamichi didn't hold back. As long as the questions weren't about classified matters, he answered everything he could. During their talk, both boys shared their names, and Masamichi also learned about Suguru's cursed technique.
"Cursed Spirit Manipulation… That's rare, with incredible potential." Masamichi sighed in awe. What was supposed to be just a shopping trip had turned into discovering a hidden gem.
"It's not that amazing," Suguru muttered, rubbing the back of his head. But the blush on his face betrayed how happy he was.
"So, what do cursed spirits taste like when you eat them?" Mukuro suddenly asked.
"Of course… they taste like candy!" Suguru stammered, his eyes darting away. He didn't want to tell the truth. This was his ability, his burden. If enduring a little suffering meant saving others, then it was nothing to complain about.
"I see… Well, don't overdo it. Only eat the ones that'll actually be useful. Otherwise, be careful you don't give yourself diabetes from all that candy."
Mukuro's teasing made Suguru's nose sting. His eyes filled with tears, but all he said was. "None of your business."
"What about you, Mukuro? What's your technique?" Masamichi's eyes fixed on him. From the beginning, he hadn't sensed even a trace of cursed energy from him. Even the crocodile earlier hadn't given off any cursed energy. That thing wasn't a cursed spirit at all.
"I'm not telling you."
Mukuro wasn't about to reveal his Heavenly Restriction, even if the man in front of him seemed trustworthy.
"A secret, huh? Fair enough. Then let me ask something else. How would you two like to join Tokyo Jujutsu High after middle school?" Masamichi changed the subject. He could tell these boys were exceptional. Two children who had not only survived against a grade 3 sorcerer but forced him into a desperate corner. Such talent was rare. And one of them had Cursed Spirit Manipulation, paired with a strong sense of justice.
"Hah? I don't want to join some special school. I'm going to university!" Suguru puffed out his chest, rejecting the offer.
"You're not like ordinary people. At Jujutsu High, you'll receive proper training to become excellent sorcerers." Masamichi wasn't surprised by the reaction. Explaining the difference between Jujutsu High and a normal school wasn't something he could do in one go.
"Suguru, he's right. For people like us, going to a regular high school would just be wasting time." Mukuro's agreement caught Suguru off guard.
"Indeed. With your talent, you'll achieve so much as sorcerers." Masamichi smiled, seizing the moment. He pulled two more detailed cards from his pocket, this time with his personal number.
"Don't rush it. If you want us to join, at least show some sincerity. Like paying us for this job." Mukuro gestured at the tied-up criminals, then held out his hand expectantly.
"Uh… give me your contact details. I'll file a request and see what I can arrange." Masamichi rubbed his chin but eventually agreed. Technically, the two boys weren't part of the jujutsu world yet, and the case had involved a curse user. Asking for some reward wasn't unreasonable.
"Then I'll be waiting, Uncle Yaga." Mukuro smirked.
* * *
Before long, the police arrived. After Masamichi showed his ID, Mukuro and Suguru were taken back near the mall by patrol car. The curtain that had blocked non-sorcerers had already been lifted thanks to Masamichi's call.
"This is where we part, Suguru." The sky was already dark. Mukuro needed to head back to find his idiot brother.
"Which elementary school do you go to?" Suguru asked before they separated.
"I live in Kyoto. But don't worry. If you want to find me, you can call." Mukuro waved a scrap of paper with Suguru's home phone number.
"Who would want to call you? You better train harder. Don't let me surpass you the next time we meet." Suguru grinned, waving the note with Mukuro's number in return.
"Next time we meet, I'll be the strongest."
They turned away, both whispering the same words under their breath.
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