Chapter 9: Even a Doctor Can't Save the Future
Masamichi Yaga couldn't sit still anymore—his view shifted instantly!
But with his former student standing there, he still had to keep up the principal's posture.
He tried to calm down…
Was this exaggerated?
No. Not at all.
Reverse Cursed Technique was rare to begin with.
And among those rare few, most could only use it to heal themselves. Being able to use Reverse Cursed Technique to heal others was rarer still.
Extremely rare.
At present, aside from Shoko Ieiri—treated by the higher-ups as the school's prized asset—only the Special Grade sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu had it.
And Yuta Okkotsu,
had originally learned it after seeing Shoko Ieiri do it.
So no matter how seriously you took this, it wasn't too much.
This was a strategic resource.
Shoko.
Treating severely injured sorcerers every day, often on night duty, stressed to the point that dark circles never left her eyes.
Overwhelmingly busy.
If this ability weren't rare, she wouldn't have to suffer like that.
Shoko had talked to him too, but Yaga had no solution—there were too few people who could share the load.
The only other one, Yuta Okkotsu, was overseas on assignments.
"Put away that look like you're about to eat someone, Principal."
Even Gojo looked surprised.
Eat someone?
Yaga's mouth twitched slightly.
He flipped out a small mirror from his palm. In it, his expression looked perfectly normal. And besides, he was wearing sunglasses…
What could anyone even see?
He took a breath.
"Reverse Cursed Technique is hard to come by. And your understanding and fine control of cursed energy really does surpass many."
Principal Yaga straightened up and stepped forward, even extending a hand.
"For special talent, exceptions can be made."
"Yuanzhi, congratulations. You pass. And since Satoru is willing to vouch for you, I can trust you unconditionally as well."
"So…"
"From now on, you'll be specially appointed as the school's physician. The待遇 won't disappoint you."
His tone was serious.
"No more tests?" Yuji politely reached out and shook his hand. "My job is to be a healer? I'm better at exorcising curses."
"Also, I'm a cursed toolsmith. If I have suitable materials, I…"
Hearing that,
Yaga nodded solemnly, still shaking his hand. "Fine, fine."
"H-hey! What about me!" young Yuji raised his hand, trying to grab the principal's attention.
"You pass too!"
"Satoru, take him to the dorms, and also introduce the security measures."
"As for Mr. Yuanzhi, Satoru, take him to Shoko… let him get familiar with the infirmary…"
"We'll go with that for now."
Yaga clapped his hands.
Clearly he valued "healing" most. The shortage of talent there was far greater than combat power.
"Hey, Shoko, I've got good news for you."
As the three left, Yaga took out his phone and called Shoko.
…
"Hello?"
"What?"
"You found me another top-tier healer?"
"But you don't know his background, and Satoru is very optimistic…"
"You men… are you always this careless?"
Shoko leaned against the infirmary desk.
She'd just finished treating someone. Catching her breath, she got this call.
"I want to relax too, but whoever comes has to make me completely comfortable first."
She hung up.
Not long after,
a figure approached.
"You're the kid the principal mentioned?" Shoko raised her dark-circled eyes, listless. "Trying to look cool, huh? Wearing a hood."
"It's me, Ms. Ieiri."
Yuji smiled. "You don't trust me?"
"Good."
"Staying here all the time would waste my talent. If there's an injury you can't heal, come call me."
In terms of Reverse Cursed Technique mastery…
If you had to compare, even Sukuna and the others weren't on his level.
He'd put in the work.
If someone died within a few minutes, he was confident he could bring them back—essentially "revive" them.
Too long was impossible.
Of course, as his strength returned, that time limit could keep stretching…
But Shoko didn't know any of that.
Seeing him arrive and then immediately act like he was leaving, Shoko's sleepiness vanished, question marks popping up in her head.
What is this?
And that arrogant attitude…
That overbearing confidence…
She didn't like it!
"Seriously… what a weirdo."
…
"There's always something Reverse Cursed Technique can't fix, Shoko."
"Severe injuries, deaths in battle, wrongful deaths, blindness at the soul level, severed arms, severed hands… a destroyed cursed energy core, being cut in half…"
"There will always be something you can't heal."
"Being a doctor can't save the future."
There was a kind of helplessness called unfair fate.
A kind of despair called being unable to change anything.
Sometimes, even life-saving Reverse Cursed Technique couldn't save the closest friends you saw every day.
Until, in the end, you were left alone.
That was Shoko's future.
And he wasn't here to be a doctor.
"Whether Jujutsu High still doubts my identity or not, I've stayed here."
"It makes a lot of things easier."
He might not be able to intervene too directly, but no one said he couldn't intervene indirectly.
Besides healing.
He could teach. He could find or make powerful cursed tools for the three first-years. All of that was growth.
That way…
even when he wasn't around, they could face crises on their own.
Yes—even if he could quickly help recover the fingers and deal with Sukuna,
who could predict whether something even stronger might appear in the future…
like aliens, for example…
"Of course, I can also look for a way to increase how long I can stay—so I can remain here."
He had some leads already. Observing—whether watching battles or following along—could slow the countdown a lot.
…
After assigning dorms, Gojo, Fushiguro, and young Yuji went to meet the third student.
That's right—
Nobara Kugisaki, coming from Morioka!
Yuji was there too. Right now he was a first-year accompanying school physician—yes, a volunteer appointment.
"Saori."
"I'm here."
A girl with a red backpack got off the shinkansen.
"I've come to Tokyo."
She had orange eyes and short orange hair.
Her uniform was a dark blue-black jacket, pleated skirt, black stockings, and brown shoes.
A brown belt was tied at her waist.
Overall, she was a pretty-looking girl.
She walked through the big city with curiosity.
When she saw talent scouts, she even pointed a thumb at herself—but the scouts looked startled and backed away.
Too savage!
"It's Nobara before the blindfolded-pirate era… youth, huh." Yuji murmured behind her.
"Huh? Who's talking trash about me?" Nobara turned around and immediately saw four men standing side by side.
They introduced themselves quickly…
Nobara's first impression of the two classmates wasn't great.
Then Gojo took them "to tour Tokyo."
"You just got to Tokyo, so of course we're going sightseeing!"
"Tokyo! Tokyo! Tokyo!" young Yuji and Nobara lit up instantly.
"We love Tokyo!"
"TDL—I want to go to TDL!"
"Idiot, TDL is in Chiba! Let's go to Chinatown, sensei!"
"Chinatown is in Yokohama, alright!"
"Isn't Yokohama basically Tokyo!?" young Yuji yelled back.
Gojo cut them off. "Then I'll announce the destination… Roppongi!"
Nobara and young Yuji were full of anticipation.
Until they arrived at a cursed building…
and instantly realized they'd been tricked!
"Haha."
"Go on, youngsters."
"I brought the team's best support, so if you get hurt, just go to him."
Gojo hooked a thumb over his shoulder toward Yuji.
"From now on, you can also call him… Doctor Yuanzhi."