"Eh? Judging by your face, you didn't sleep well last night either?"
Satoru Gojo chewed on his Fried Shrimp Tempura while looking Rentaro Satomi up and down with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He noticed that Rentaro had the same dark circles under his eyes as Sumire Muroto, his face showing clear signs of exhaustion.
"After what happened yesterday, sleeping well was pretty much impossible, wasn't it?"
Rentaro gave a bitter smile and shook his head. His voice carried exhaustion and helplessness.
After hearing that Scorpio would soon arrive in Tokyo and thinking about the situation of the Cursed Children, he had spent the entire night unable to sleep. His mind had been filled with worries and unease.
He was afraid Tokyo would be destroyed by the Gastrea. He was afraid innocent civilians would lose their lives. Those worries weighed down on him like a massive stone, making it difficult to breathe.
"Eh?"
Gojo stared at Rentaro in confusion, the Fried Shrimp Tempura still held between his teeth. He seemed unable to understand why Rentaro had lost sleep over this.
In his opinion, the situation had already happened. Worrying about it would not change anything. It was better to get proper rest and preserve his strength so they could deal with whatever came next.
"You won't understand even if you explain it to him."
Sumire walked over and casually sat down at the table. She picked up her chopsticks and immediately began eating the breakfast Rentaro had prepared, speaking with her mouth half full.
Her tone carried a hint of mockery, clearly because she had long since become accustomed to Gojo's carefree attitude.
"If I hadn't woken him up this morning, he probably wouldn't have gotten out of bed until who knows when."
She continued eating while complaining about Gojo. Her voice carried helplessness, but there was also a trace of familiarity and affection.
She had already learned that Gojo loved sleeping in. If no one woke him up, he would probably sleep until noon.
"That's true, but saying it like that really hurts my image, you know?"
Gojo complained with a dissatisfied expression. He reached out, grabbed another piece of Fried Shrimp Tempura, and stuffed it into his mouth.
His voice carried a hint of grievance.
It was not like he wanted to sleep late. He had simply gone to bed too late the previous night and genuinely could not force himself awake.
While the three of them chatted, the front door opened again.
Kisara Tendo had arrived.
She was wearing the uniform of the Tendo Civil Security Agency. Her hair was slightly messy, her face showed signs of fatigue, and her eyes were filled with exhaustion. Like Rentaro and Sumire, she also had two dark circles beneath her eyes.
As the president of the Tendo Civil Security Agency, Rentaro naturally had to report the mission's situation to her. She already knew that yesterday's operation had failed, and she understood exactly how serious the consequences were.
Because of that, she had also spent the entire night unable to sleep.
She had worried about Tokyo's safety, the future of the Tendo Civil Security Agency, and the people who followed her. Her mind had been filled with countless thoughts, leaving her no chance to rest.
As a result, even breakfast was unusually quiet.
The dining table was silent except for the occasional sound of chopsticks touching bowls. Everyone had their own worries, their faces carrying exhaustion and seriousness. The usual lively atmosphere had completely disappeared.
Rentaro sighed from time to time, his eyes filled with concern.
Kisara lowered her head as she ate, her gaze distant as if she was lost in thought.
Sumire, however, continued eating happily, completely unaware of the heavy atmosphere around her.
After breakfast, they cleaned up the table. Under Gojo's invitation, everyone got into the car and headed directly toward Enju Aihara's hometown to pick up Elder Matsuzaki, the children, and the other Cursed Children who were waiting to move.
Seitenshi had already arranged transportation.
One car was prepared for Gojo and the others, while a bus was prepared to transport Elder Matsuzaki and the children. Both vehicles were already waiting outside, with the drivers respectfully standing beside them.
The cars slowly started moving toward the direction of the 39th Area.
Along the way, no one spoke. The atmosphere remained somewhat heavy.
Rentaro stared out the window, his eyes filled with anticipation. He hoped they could reach the children as soon as possible and help them escape their current situation.
About an hour later, they finally arrived at the 39th Area.
This was Enju's hometown and also a place where many Cursed Children lived.
Rows of low houses stood scattered throughout the area, and a faint smell of smoke and daily life lingered in the air.
Elder Matsuzaki had already gathered all the children there and was waiting for them.
They wore clean clothes, their faces filled with excited smiles. One by one, they stood neatly in the open space, their eyes filled with hope for a new life.
They had no idea what was happening outside.
All they knew was that they were about to move somewhere new. They would no longer be discriminated against, and they would no longer have to live a wandering life without a place to call home.
Their faces were filled with bright, innocent smiles.
Those smiles were pure and clean, like sunlight shining through a winter morning, warm and dazzling.
"Big Brother Gojo!"
"Big Brother!"
"Mr. Gojo!"
The children's cheerful voices rang out one after another, filled with happiness and anticipation.
When they saw Gojo, they excitedly waved their hands and jumped around, their smiles brighter than ever.
Gojo looked like a celebrity surrounded by fans as he smiled and waved back at them.
His voice was gentle, and his eyes were filled with affection. It was completely different from his usual careless attitude.
He bent down, gently patted the head of a little girl beside him, and smiled.
"Good morning, everyone."
His warm smile instantly brought him closer to the children.
Seeing his expression, the children became even happier. They rushed over, grabbed onto his clothes, and began chattering excitedly around him.
The scene became incredibly lively.
"Elder Matsuzaki, I'm here to pick everyone up."
Gojo straightened up and looked toward the old man standing nearby. A gentle smile remained on his face, and his tone was calm.
Despite his overwhelming strength, there was no trace of arrogance in his attitude.
Elder Matsuzaki was already old. His hair had turned white, and his face was covered in wrinkles, yet he still looked energetic.
He wore simple clothes and had a kind smile on his face. His eyes were filled with relief as he looked at the children beside him, then turned toward Gojo.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Gojo."
"Last night, the children were so excited after hearing that you would come to pick them up today that they could barely sleep. Every one of them woke up early to pack their things, hoping they could leave as soon as possible."
Elder Matsuzaki smiled warmly as he looked at the children.
His voice was filled with affection.
When he looked at these children, it was as if he was looking at his own grandchildren. His heart was filled with relief and gratitude.
He was grateful to Gojo for giving these children a new future.
"Hahaha, really? Speaking of which, Rentaro and the others didn't sleep well last night either."
Gojo laughed and teasingly pointed toward Rentaro.
Rentaro scratched the back of his head awkwardly, a slightly embarrassed smile appearing on his face.
Gojo continued chatting with Elder Matsuzaki while helping the children board the bus.
Rentaro, Kisara, and Betty also stepped forward to help. They gently held the children's hands and guided them onto the bus in an orderly manner, careful not to frighten them.
The children lined up and climbed onto the bus one by one.
Their eyes were filled with curiosity as they looked around the interior, their faces full of anticipation.
Before long, everyone had boarded.
The bus and the car slowly started moving toward the research institute.
Inside the bus, the children excitedly talked among themselves. Their laughter filled the entire vehicle, creating an atmosphere of pure happiness.
Along the way, they looked like children going on a field trip, their joy simple and sincere, their hearts filled with anticipation for their new lives.
After about half an hour, they finally arrived at their destination.
It was a renovated school located in the suburbs, surrounded by a quiet environment with fresh air, far away from the noise of the city.
The school had been completely refurbished.
Its exterior was clean and bright.
There was a spacious playground where the children could play. The green lawn was decorated with simple playground equipment, including swings, slides, and seesaws. Everything they needed to enjoy themselves was there.
There were also numerous classrooms where the children could study and live.
The classrooms were spacious and bright, with neatly arranged desks, clean blackboards, and large windows that allowed sunlight to pour inside and bring warmth to the room.
Basic learning supplies had also been prepared, enough to meet all of the children's educational needs.
There were even complete dormitories that could be used immediately.
The dormitories were clean and comfortable. Each room had beds, wardrobes, and desks, providing the children with a stable place to live.
They would no longer need to wander from place to place without a home.
Meanwhile, as the person who truly held power over Tokyo, Kikunojou Tendo naturally would not be so easily threatened by Gojo.
He sat behind a large solid wood desk, his aged fingers lightly tapping against the surface. His knuckles had turned slightly pale from the force he applied.
Even though the power Gojo had displayed outside the Holy Residence last time had been beyond imagination, terrifying enough to shake every member of the Higher-ups present and even cause some of them to lose control and collapse into their chairs, that did not mean there was no way to deal with him.
Throughout Kikunojou Tendo's long career in power, he had encountered countless opponents who appeared impossible to defeat.
In the end, every single one of them had fallen because of his schemes.
There was no one in this world, whether human or anything else, who did not possess a weakness.
That was the truth he had believed in for many years, and there had never been an exception.
Even the terrifying Stage 5 Gastrea, creatures with enough power to destroy the world, were no different.
Otherwise, Tokyo would never have been able to kill two Stage 5 Gastrea in the past and barely maintain its current peace.
In Kikunojou Tendo's eyes, Gojo was merely someone with a more unusual strength and a more arrogant personality.
Fundamentally, he was no different from the opponents Tendo had already crushed beneath his feet.
The reason things had gone so badly last time was simply because they had been completely unprepared and Gojo had caught them off guard.
In Tendo's opinion, as long as they prepared in advance and created a perfect trap, then no matter how strong Gojo was, he would not be able to cause any trouble.
"Council Chairman, based on our analysis over the past several days, he is an unrestrained person who possesses extreme confidence in his own abilities."
Standing in front of the desk, a middle-aged man in a neat suit slightly bowed while holding a thick analysis report.
His hair was perfectly combed, and his black suit did not have a single wrinkle. The only thing revealing his nervousness was the hand tightly gripping the report.
"Because of his own strength, this confidence has gradually turned into his complete disregard for others. He can even be described as someone who is arrogant and looks down on everyone around him."
The man paused.
Seeing that Kikunojou Tendo had no intention of interrupting, he continued.
"If we want to deal with him, relying on direct confrontation through force will likely be ineffective. The best method is to strike where he cares most and catch him off guard."
He briefly raised his head and glanced at Tendo's expression.
Seeing that the old man remained emotionless, he immediately lowered his gaze and continued reporting.
"After investigating from multiple angles, we discovered that he has two major weaknesses."
"One is the girl named Betty who stays beside him. The two are almost always together, and Gojo is extremely protective of her. He practically refuses to allow anyone to harm her in the slightest."
"The other is the Cursed Children he has always been protecting. Not only did he find a place to shelter them, but he is also searching everywhere for a method to reduce their Corrosion Rate. It is obvious that these children hold a significant place in his heart."
"Based on these weaknesses, we have already created a series of plans. As long as we carry them out according to the arrangements, we will definitely be able to restrain him completely, and even..."
"Eliminate him entirely."
By the end of his report, a hint of barely concealed pride appeared in the man's voice.
He believed his plan was flawless and that it would satisfy Kikunojou Tendo.
Standing before the old man's desk, the neatly dressed middle-aged man continued confidently explaining the strategy assigned to him, his expression full of certainty.
"You are joking, aren't you?"
A deep, cold voice suddenly interrupted him.
Although the voice was low, it carried an overwhelming authority. It was like an invisible mountain pressing down on the man, causing his words to stop instantly and his breathing to become strained.
Kikunojou Tendo slowly raised his head.
His aged eyes contained no warmth as he stared at the man before him.
That gaze was as if he were looking at an insignificant insect.
"And then?"
His voice remained low, but the pressure within it made the man's entire body grow cold. Fine beads of sweat began forming on his forehead.
"This is your plan?"
Tendo stopped tapping his fingers.
He folded his hands together on the desk and leaned forward slightly. His gaze became even sharper, as if he wanted to see straight through the man before him.