After the war in the Sendai Barrier concluded, the Jujutsu Sorcerers began to withdraw in an orderly fashion.
As for the war-torn Sendai battlefield, Jujutsu Headquarters initially planned to have the Japan Government hire Jujutsu Sorcerers for environmental restoration.
The Zen'in Family wholeheartedly supported this.
After all, the Zen'in Family had a Jujutsu Sorcerer with strength around that of a Grade 1 Sorcerer who could control the earth.
Once this project was approved by the government, the Zen'in Family would undoubtedly secure a substantial portion of the profits.
However, the government, citing budget constraints, was only willing to offer minimal funding.
The next day, at a relevant government office.
A Young Man rushed into the room in a panic.
"This is bad, Senpai!"
"What's the matter? Why so flustered? Young Men these days are far too impatient."
Inside the office, an old man was leisurely sipping tea.
"A notice came down from above. We're supposed to draft a plan this morning. Absolutely no social panic can be allowed."
As he spoke, the Young Man placed a stack of photos in front of the old man.
The deep craters and completely transformed terrain appeared before the old man's eyes.
"Heh heh, that really was quite the commotion this time."
The old man stroked his beard and chuckled.
"Senpai!"
Seeing the old man still acting so leisurely, the Young Man grew anxious.
As a part-time Window, he'd only been on the job a short while when such a major incident occurred, leaving him deeply worried.
If social panic broke out, generating large amounts of negative emotion and leading to a surge in Cursed Spirits, it would be disastrous.
"It's alright, little fellow."
The old man gently waved his hand, trying to calm the Young Man, then bent down to rummage through a pile of folders.
"Now, where did I put last year's plan..."
He searched through several folders, each corresponding to a department inspection report from the end of the previous year.
"Ah, found it."
The old man pulled out a file, skillfully made a copy, then picked up a pen and scribbled on it.
Finally, he handed the document to the Young Man.
"Here. Just submit it according to this plan."
The old man chuckled as he handed over the slightly altered document.
Then he filed everything away again and continued sipping his tea.
The Young Man looked at his calm Senior with newfound admiration, then glanced down at the gas explosion report in his hands.
"Senpai?"
"What's wrong?"
The Young Man lifted the photos again, pointing at the pockmarked ground and altered terrain.
"Could this really be caused by a gas explosion?"
He felt that the Japanese public probably, maybe, wouldn't believe it.
And just how massive would a gas explosion have to be to do this much damage?
"It's fine, it's fine. Just mark it as a large-scale one."
The old man smiled, assuring him it was no problem and that everyone would believe it.
"But... a lot of people said the wind was especially strong that night. Strong enough to blow people away..."
The Young Man hesitated before speaking.
A gleam suddenly lit up in the old man's eyes.
"There was wind too?"
"There was."
The Young Man nodded.
"Very strong?"
"Very strong."
"How strong?"
"It was... just an extremely strong wind, hard to describe, but really strong."
The Young Man was doing his best to explain the sudden gust.
Slam.
The old man slammed his teacup on the desk.
"Isn't that even better?"
"Huh?"
The Young Man froze.
"As a country beloved by typhoons, every time a typhoon approaches the mainland, it always swings by us first. Is it reasonable for a typhoon to suddenly appear?"
"Rea... reasonable?"
The Young Man sounded uncertain.
"Very reasonable."
The old man affirmed.
"A sudden typhoon appears, causes widespread natural damage, and triggers multiple gas explosions. Is that reasonable?"
The old man continued to guide him.
"Reasonable!"
At that moment, light returned to the Young Man's eyes.
"Exactly. That's very reasonable. Now, do you know how to write the plan?"
"I do! Thank you, Senpai!"
"Good. Full of spirit. Go write that report!"
Seemingly energized by the Young Man's enthusiastic response, the old man sat up straighter and gave his instructions with solemnity.
"Yes, Senpai!"
The Young Man turned and left the office.
The office door, in his eyes, now looked like the gateway to a brand-new world...
In Mutsu, the northernmost region of northwest Japan.
Eichi, wearing a black cloak, sat atop Nue, continuously scanning the ground below.
Numerous Rabbit Escapes were also scouring the land for clues.
Eichi was searching for Kenjaku's Treasure Trove.
Many things, in truth, just hadn't been thought of before. But once the idea came, it became obvious.
After the war in the Sendai Barrier, Eichi suddenly realized that the ten million Cursed Spirits and countless ancient powerhouses Kenjaku had collected weren't a problem at all.
They were clearly a Treasure Trove.
More enticing than the Golden Rooster King's treasure hoard.
Ryu had already joined Eichi's faction after some persuasion.
This battle-loving man immediately agreed after hearing there were at least four people at Tokyo Jujutsu High who could satisfy his craving for combat.
Takako, on the other hand, was still a bit stubborn. Though she had started to waver.
But she still needed more "corruption by fried chicken"... no, enlightenment over time.
At present, Takako had been taken to Tokyo Jujutsu High by Medea and handed over to Masamichi, who enjoyed educating students, for proper training.
It was believed that Masamichi, who raised such an adorable panda, would surely take good care of Takako.
Fortunately, though Takako didn't wear clothes, she always used her Technique to cover herself with spatial distortions like a blanket.
So while it was a bit suggestive, it wouldn't cause anyone to lose control or make mistakes.
"Why isn't it here?"
Eichi looked in confusion at the Mutsu region, which he had already searched thoroughly several times.
Although more than ten years had passed and many details were fuzzy, he distinctly remembered that Mutsu had been one of the ten barriers used in the Culling Game.
Tokyo, Sakurajima, Mutsu, Sendai... yet no matter how he searched, he found no trace of the barrier.
Not the large Culling Game barrier, but Kenjaku's small hidden barrier—the one used to store Cursed Spirits and Cursed Objects.
At that moment, Kenjaku, who had been tirelessly inspecting and reinforcing the security of his hidden Treasure Troves for several days...
"Phew, this is the last one."
Kenjaku wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Over the past few days, he had rushed across the country to check each of his small Treasure Troves, terrified that another one might have been stolen.
(To be continued.)
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