30 Chapter 29: Negotiations

[Third Person's Point of View]

In the dimly lit chamber, thick with the weight of tradition and ancient mystical energy, Satoru Gojo stood before the council of Jujutsu leaders without hesitation. Despite his blindfold, his intense gaze seemed to cut through the layers of deceit and power that the old men used to hide their true intentions.

"Let's be reasonable," Gojo began, his voice calm yet carrying an undercurrent of steel. "You and I both know the value of what we're discussing here. It's not just about one life; it's about the future of Jujutsu society itself."

The elders exchanged wary glances with their colleagues behind the curtains, their expressions unreadable. They were still not used to being addressed so boldly, especially not by someone as unpredictable as Gojo.

One of the elders leaned forward, his voice a gravelly whisper. "Gojo Satoru, do you understand the gravity of your request? The life you seek to barter for possesses cursed energy too dangerous to be left alone. We cannot afford to overlook the risks he poses. "

Gojo's lips curved into a half-smile. "I'm fully aware," he replied. "But aren't we in the business of dealing with the unforeseen dangers? After all, that's what makes us sorcerers."

The tension in the room was palpable as the council members deliberated silently. Gojo waited, his posture relaxed yet commanding respect.

Finally, the head of the council sighed, a sound that seemed to carry the bitterness of all the members. "Very well, Gojo. We will grant your request, but remember, that the responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders. Should Okkotsu Yuta pose a threat, you will answer for it."

A cocky smirk appeared on Gojo's face, assured of the success of the first phase of the negotiation

"About the other boy that was in the room," one of the council members carried onto the next agenda of the meeting "It's better to gi--"

"No", Satoru's emphatic refusal echoed through the hall, and the elders' mouths dropped open in shock at Gojo's escalating disrespect.

"He is innocent." His voice conveyed that he was not willing to entertain any debate on this matter.

The leader of the council clenched his jaw and seethed, "You really expect us to buy that?" His voice was thick with frustration and anger.

"Yes, I do," Gojo affirmed. "He discovered his magical abilities only 5 months ago." Seeing no one objecting, Gojo proceeded with his explanation. "Ijichi questioned him, and I personally verified the veracity of his story."

"Exactly 5 months ago, discovered the remains of a grade 1 curse in Minato. In the months since then, there has been a noticeable decrease in cursed spirits activity in the Aoyama-Minato area, which supports his account of events. He is a young man who only recently unlocked his magical abilities and was too preoccupied playing hero to realize the existence of our world."

The council member's expression remained sceptical, and another spoke up with a pointed question: "Don't you think this is too big to be a mere coincidence?"

"Yes. But he is connected to English Magical Community"

Everyone looked surprised at this revelation and looked at Gojo to continue.

"His family, the Blackwoods, can trace their roots back to the Ducal House of Blackwood in England, which is also the non-magical branch of the Black family."

The elders were taken aback, their expressions slowly shifting to ones of realization. It was not uncommon for a descendant from the non-magical branch to rediscover their magical abilities.

"Then will you actually..."

"Yes" Satoru Gojo replied in an unwavering voice "August Blackwood will also be taken to Jujutsu High."

*

In another dimly lit room, Yuta sat on the chair at the centre while hugging his knees and staring at the wall with unfocused eyes. The walls were decorated with paper talismans, each inscribed with Japanese kanji characters.

A bunch of chains hung from the ceiling like chandeliers, also made up of talismans.

The sturdy steel door swung open with a loud creak, revealing the familiar silver-haired man he had encountered previously. The man sauntered in, radiating a cheerful demeanour.

"Guess who just freed you, Okkotsu Yuta-kun?"

Yuta, caught off guard by the abrupt proclamation of this silver-haired stranger, struggled to find his voice.

"Who are you?" 

A mischievous glint lit up Gojo's eyes, his grin widening as he seemingly ignored the seriousness of the situation.

"Me? I'm someone who believes in your potential. Satoru Gojo, at your service. I teach at Jujutsu High, a place for people like us."

He continued his theatrical performance by finishing his line with a perfect bow.

"People like us?"

Gojo's gaze softened as he regarded Yuta, sensing the turmoil within him.

"Yes, people who can see and interact with what others can't. You've been through a lot, Yuta. I know about Rika... and I'm truly sorry for your loss."

At the mere mention of her deceased childhood lover's name, Yuta visibly recoiled, a blend of agony and dread crossing his face.

Gojo took notice of this and spoke with unshakable conviction "But that's exactly why I'm here. Your strength, your potential—it's immense, Yuta. With proper guidance, you can use it to protect countless lives. No one else should have to endure the pain and suffering you did."

"Protect? But... I'm the one, who people need protection from."

Chuckling lightly, Gojo stepped closer, his presence somehow both imposing and reassuring.

"That's one way to look at it. Or, you could see it as a unique chance. With our help, you can turn your curse into your strength. How about it? Join us at Jujutsu High. Learn to control your power, and use it to make a real difference."

Yuta's gaze dropped to the ground as he struggled with his inner turmoil. The idea of having control over his curse and using it as a means of protection was a concept that had never crossed his mind before.

"Even your sensei would be happy if you join us", Sensing his hesitation, Gojo drove one last nail in the coffin.

"Sensei...is August-sensei here?!" Recognition finally lit up in Yuta's eyes, as memories of his brave sensei jumping in front of him to protect him from Rika flooded his mind, causing tears to well up in his eyes.

"Yes. He is at the school. If both of you decide to join, you can work with him to save a lot of people"

'Sensei is very kind-hearted. He will definitely join to save as many people as he can.' With a seed of conviction in his tone, he asked out loud "Can I... really make a difference?"

Gojo gave a confident nod and reached out his hand, offering a fresh start. "Definitely. And you won't be alone. We'll be with you every step of the way."

Yuta hesitated for a moment longer before placing his hand in Gojo's, as a silent accord formed between them.

"Okay. I'll do it. I'll join Jujutsu High."

*

August's gaze settled on the dark-haired man sitting before him, dressed in a sharp office suit. Kiyotaka Ijichi seemed to purposely avoid meeting his eyes, as if afraid of unleashing some untamed creature within August.

"Ijichi-san, why are you avoiding me?" He questioned the man with an amused gaze, while Ijichi froze up, like a deer caught in headlights.

"N-no" He robotically met his gaze and continued "Why would I avoid August-san? aha-ha"

His Innate Technique gave him unparalleled control over his Demonic Energy, meaning he rarely emitted any intimidating magical aura unless he deliberately chose to do so.

However, to hide the full extent of his control over his Demonic Energy, he purposely weakened his technique, thus releasing an intense magical aura that sent shivers down Ijichi's spine.

Demonic Energy and Magical Energy were essentially the same, except for their spiritual feel. To simplify, both were like water. However, while Magical Energy could be likened to pure water, Demonic energy had a distinct flavour to it.

This is why it's impossible for a devil to successfully mimic a human magician without the aid of external artefacts. Their energy pool always carries a negative aura that can never be fully hidden.

But with the help of his MidNight's Ring of Energy Concealment, August eliminated the negative feel of his energy pool, making him indistinguishable from human magicians.

Ironically, there was only one devil in history who could naturally pull this off; Lucifer Morningstar, with one of his frankly most broken abilities - [Prince of Lies] could deceive the very reality if he wanted to. That is why he was called 'The Devil'.

Ijichi's fear stemmed from the fact that August's Magical Aura was unnaturally cold. Bone-Chilling-Freezing cold. 

Magical aura reflected the true nature of its owner. As he delved deeper into the Pathway of The Abyss, his aura grew increasingly inhuman and malevolent, no matter how he tried to conceal it.

Once again, the room fell into a peaceful silence and August gazed out of the window at the clear blue sky with fluffy clouds scattered throughout.

Cold winds breezed by, a signal of the upcoming winter.

'What are my odds against Satoru?' That intrusive thought crossed his mind as he simulated a rough outline of the battle in his mind.

The answer was something he expected but necessarily didn't like. '0.001% chance of winning'

But that didn't mean he couldn't escape. In fact, Gojo and the other sorcerers in general had very few methods of restricting his Teleport, and even then his High-class reserves could tear through the majority of the barriers that could be employed to do that.

And the few successful in stopping him could easily be resolved through the use of his trump card.

Five months in Tokyo didn't mean he just sat idle in his house. August took a few days off during the summer vacation to visit Kuoh, just an hour Shinkansen away from Tokyo.

Using his position as a teacher and some cleverly employed hypnosis, it was a breeze for him to gather information on his target. And in no time, he was standing in front of the Hyoudou residence, ready to finally make his move.

He imagined extracting the sacred gear from DXD's resident Oppai Lover would be challenging, but with his recently enhanced energy reserve, removing even Longinus proved to be effortless. It only required some patience, so he put Issei into a hypnotic sleep and within thirty minutes, he had the Boosted Gear in his possession.

But he didn't plan on using it himself, so it was stored away in the new Dimensional Storage he got as a reward from the system.

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