Time flew by. While Kenjaku was secretly developing, this period was not only very peaceful but could even be called leisurely.
In his bid to snatch the Sukuna's Fingers scattered across the world, Kenjaku, the millennial Curse User, essentially transformed into a model, diligent Jujutsu Sorcerer of the Jujutsu World. Many Jujutsu Sorcerers assigned to missions found that the target Cursed Spirit had already been exorcised upon arrival.
How could Chinatsu not know the purpose behind Kenjaku's actions? It was simply that she was not prepared to compete with him for Sukuna's Finger.
Sukuna and Kenjaku were strong, almost unavoidable enemies in the future. Chinatsu had once tried to compete for Sukuna's Finger, but after consecutively subjugating hundreds of Cursed Spirits, she still failed to find a single one.
In the blink of an eye, eight years had passed.
Chinatsu ultimately couldn't withstand the constant badgering of the old fogeys in the clan. She finally became the next head of the Gojo Family.
This was not only the first time a female family head had appeared in the Gojo Family, but also the first time among The Big Three Families of the Jujutsu World.
Chinatsu was still somewhat helpless about this, even though she often comforted herself with the thought that "managing the family is preparation for managing the Jujutsu World soon."
But whenever this matter was brought up, and Satoru Gojo showed a suppressed smile next to her, Chinatsu couldn't help but land a punch on his head to vent her frustration.
In terms of training, everyone was equally busy. Although there were no outsiders pushing them anymore, they were able to push each other internally. Even Shoko, who was not combat-oriented, improved under this competitive atmosphere.
As "that year" drew closer, Chinatsu's heart grew heavier. Over time, she developed a habit of drinking coffee to keep herself sharp.
Akihabara, inside a cafe.
Chinatsu, now 26 years old, sat gracefully and demurely in a secluded seat inside the cafe, taking a small sip of the coffee she held.
However, the next moment, she frantically swallowed the mouthful of coffee she was holding, looking slightly strange, and stuck out her tongue briefly.
"This coffee... the taste is weird?"
"This is a new item at our shop. Customer reactions to this coffee are quite polarized. Some customers find it delicious, while others can't drink it at all. It seems Chinatsu, you lean towards the latter."
Standing beside Chinatsu was a smiling woman. She was Kana, Chinatsu's former coworker at this cafe, who had now been promoted to manager.
Her path to promotion was quite legendary, starting as a waitress who interviewed for a job, then becoming assistant manager, and now holding the position of general manager. If she were promoted just one more level, she would be qualified to learn about the existence of the Jujutsu World.
Chinatsu and Kana chatted casually in the cafe. Inside the shop, whether they were working waitresses or served customers, everyone occasionally glanced their way, drawn by their presence.
Even if Kana's looks couldn't place her among true beauties, she definitely had above-average attractiveness. This was important, as this cafe specialized in customer hospitality and experience; other industries might not care about looks, but this one did.
As for Chinatsu, there was no need to elaborate. Even though she wore pure black sunglasses on the bridge of her nose, they could not conceal her stunning beauty.
Although her face alone suggested a cute and gentle type, when she wasn't speaking, there was a subtle inclination to categorize her as the mature 'Onee-san' type.
The desire to keep looking, to immerse oneself in her beauty the longer they gazed, surged from their hearts, making them unable to stop.
One customer finally couldn't hold back. He swallowed a lump in his throat, gathered his courage, and gently waved to the waitress nearest to him.
"Excuse... excuse me... who is the lady talking to Sister Kana over there? The one with silver hair tied in a high ponytail and wearing sunglasses..."
"Oh~ You mean Sister Chinatsu, right? She's Sister Kana's good friend, and I heard she's the daughter of the boss behind this store~"
"Ah? A young mistress? Well... that makes sense."
The customer was only briefly stunned. He wasn't overly surprised by the 'young mistress' status; rather, he thought it was quite normal. Judging a book by its cover is wrong, but the aura Chinatsu exuded clearly demonstrated her identity.
Chinatsu and Kana rarely contacted each other, but essentially, whenever they did, Chinatsu would definitely visit Kana to eat, drink, and chat with her.
Because, when she really thought about it, Chinatsu realized that Kana was her only friend outside of the Jujutsu World. When chatting with Kana, Chinatsu could completely disregard matters of Jujutsu, talking about various mundane things as an ordinary person talking to a friend.
Suddenly, the phone Chinatsu had placed in the corner of the table buzzed. Chinatsu picked it up curiously and opened it, her expression changing slightly.
Kana, standing beside her, keenly noticed the subtle shift in Chinatsu's expression after looking at her phone, and she said lightly, "It's work, isn't it? You should go attend to it. I also have some things to deal with—after all, I'm the manager of this place. It's exhausting~"
Kana's words were clearly giving Chinatsu an excuse to leave. Chinatsu apologized, stood up from her seat, and walked out of the cafe while waving her hand.
The time was four in the afternoon, which was the time for students in this country to finish school and participate in club activities.
Nanako and Mimiko, whom Chinatsu had adopted, had entered the third year of junior high. They hadn't joined any school clubs, and although they usually rushed home right after school, they were currently still lingering on school grounds.
This was because, as Jujutsu Sorcerers, they had discovered a Cursed Spirit at the school. If it had been an ordinary Grade 4 or Grade 3 Cursed Spirit, they would have handled it themselves, but the Cursed Spirit in their sight was a bit too... huge.
They saw the Cursed Spirit, which was two or three stories tall, sitting cross-legged on the roof of the school building.
Its hideous face was sticking out its tongue, and its outstretched palms occasionally grabbed lonely ordinary people below, quickly shoving them into its mouth, looking as if it were leisurely enjoying a buffet.
Was it a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit or a Special Grade Cursed Spirit?
Nanako and Mimiko couldn't determine the Cursed Spirit's grade, but they knew it was definitely not a grade they could exorcise. Moreover, trying to rescue the ordinary people it had swallowed before exorcising it made the task even harder.
The two of them sighed simultaneously. Then, Nanako took out her phone and opened the camera function, while Mimiko pulled a long, thick rope, whose end couldn't be seen, from her small bag.
"We can do this, right?"
"No problem at all!"
Although they couldn't exorcise the Cursed Spirit, they weren't going to stand idly by. They planned to stop the Cursed Spirit from harming more ordinary people as much as possible before Chinatsu arrived!
...
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