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But Masamichi shook his head, insistent. "I'm not asking you to attack him. Just to test him. I want to be sure of his intentions."
Gojo sank back into his chair, arms crossed. "Why are you so suspicious?"
"The council." Masamichi's tone was heavy, almost grave. "You know what they think of anomalies. If that kid is hiding anything, they'll use it as an excuse to step in. And trust me, they won't stop at simple tests."
Gojo stayed silent for a moment, his jaw tightening slightly. Then he stood, his glasses catching the room's light once again.
"I'll see what I can do. But if you think I'll hurt him just to ease those old men's paranoia…"
Masamichi slowly nodded, his face still serious. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you. But don't forget: the jujutsu world has rules. And the rules, whether we like them or not, don't always leave us a choice."
Gojo pushed the door open with a casual motion. "You know what? That's why I prefer breaking them."
He left without waiting for a reply.
---
In the dim light of his room, Ryosuke sat at his desk. The soft glow of a lamp beside him lit just enough to read, leaving the rest of the room in half-darkness. The silence was broken only by the rustle of turning pages, his eyes scanning the dense lines of an old annotated book.
At last, he let out a faint sigh and closed the book with a calm motion. After a moment of silence, he released a question, as if speaking to an invisible specter:
"How's my Iron Man doing?"
A soft hum broke the quiet, followed by a subtle mechanical click. A smooth, circular metallic device emerged from a dark corner of the room. It slid across the desk, stopping right in front of Ryosuke.
"I've already rejected that nickname, Ryosuke."
The young man burst into a light, clear laugh, folding his arms on the edge of the desk.
"Still, it suits you, don't you think?" he teased. "So, tell me, how are things in Kyoto?"
"It's intense. The surge of curses is increasing. Everyone's doing their best to contain the situation, but the pressure is starting to show."
Ryosuke nodded, looking thoughtful.
"As long as everyone's holding up, that's what matters."
He paused, idly playing with a pencil nearby. Then, feigning a detached air, he asked, "And… Mai? She doing okay?"
"You could ask her directly, you know."
Ryosuke cleared his throat and looked away, annoyed at his own awkwardness.
"I was just asking," he muttered, a faint blush rising to his cheeks.
But he quickly regained his composure, leaning back in his chair and fixing the device with a sharp gaze.
"If you reached out to me, it's not for small talk. You've got news about the targets?"
The voice shifted to a more professional, almost cold tone.
"Nothing concrete regarding Geto Suguru. We're still searching, and I can deploy more resources to—"
"Forget it," Ryosuke cut in, raising a hand. "That's not necessary. I've already dealt with him. Focus on the other two."
"The other two targets have been located."
Ryosuke leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharpening.
"Where are they?"
The device projected a holographic map of Tokyo onto the desk. The voice calmly stated: "Here."
A smile tugged at Ryosuke's lips as he studied the map.
"Perfect."
The hologram fizzled out with a faint crackle, returning the room to its dim atmosphere. Silence lingered for a few moments before the voice continued.
"Regarding the two individuals… I managed to gather information on them."
Ryosuke rested his elbow on the desk, his chin in his palm.
"I'm listening. Who are they?"
The device briefly projected a stream of holographic data before continuing: "The first is an art student, Himi Shiori. On the surface, she seems completely ordinary, but…"
The voice paused.
"I sensed something strange. A terrifying power, almost tangible."
Ryosuke nodded, a fleeting glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
"Good intuition, Mechamaru. And the other?"
"Daikin Isamu. An old, second-rate exorcist. Nothing exceptional to report. He hasn't made any particular waves, and his skills appear… limited."
An enigmatic smile formed on Ryosuke's lips as he idly toyed with a pencil on the desk.
"That's where you're wrong."
"About what?" the voice asked, intrigued.
Ryosuke set the pencil down and leaned back slightly, arms crossed. "What if I told you that Daiki Isamu is far more dangerous?"
The voice went silent for a second before responding cautiously: "Based on my analysis, Himi Shiori's aura makes her the greater concern. But I assume you disagree."
Ryosuke smirked, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"This Daiki Isamu is much more dangerous than his appearance or status would suggest."
"If you say so," the voice admitted, almost resigned. "That only reinforces the fact that they're dangerous individuals, even for you, Ryosuke."
Ryosuke let out a soft laugh.
"What? You worried about me?" he teased.
The device emitted a mechanical sound, almost like an exasperated sigh.
"I'm simply asking you to be careful."