GOJO SATORU

The Serpent's Whisper

Airi had always known that true power didn’t just come from strength or skill—it came from the ability to manipulate, to control the narrative in a way that others couldn’t see until it was too late. And as she walked through the quiet corridors of Jujutsu High, she knew that her next target was Principal Masamichi Yaga. She needed him on her side, or at the very least, she needed him to unknowingly pave the way for her next move.

She had spent weeks studying him, observing his routines, his interactions with the students, and the way he handled the responsibilities of his position. Yaga was a man of conviction, devoted to the safety of his students and the preservation of the jujutsu world. That devotion would be his undoing.

Airi waited until the afternoon, when she knew Yaga would be in his office, away from the prying eyes of students and other staff members. She knocked softly on the door, a gentle rap that announced her presence without urgency.

“Come in,” Yaga’s deep voice called from within.

Airi opened the door and stepped inside, offering a respectful bow as she did. Yaga looked up from the paperwork on his desk, his expression as stern as ever.

“Mizuki,” he greeted her, his tone neutral. “What brings you here?”

“I hope I’m not interrupting, Principal Yaga,” Airi began, her voice soft and measured. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.”

Yaga leaned back in his chair, gesturing for her to continue. “Go ahead.”

Airi hesitated, just for a moment, letting the silence stretch between them. It was important to make him feel in control, to let him believe that he was guiding the conversation.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the threats we’ve been facing recently,” she said, her voice tinged with concern. “The curses are getting stronger, more dangerous. And from what I’ve gathered, there are certain… artifacts, relics, that might help us in dealing with these threats more effectively.”

Yaga’s brow furrowed, and Airi could see the gears turning in his mind. He was cautious, as she knew he would be, but also curious. The idea of something that could give them an edge against the curses was appealing, especially given the increasing frequency of dangerous incidents.

“Relics?” he asked, his voice skeptical. “What do you know about them?”

“Not much,” Airi admitted, her tone sincere. “Only that they’re said to possess great power. I’ve heard whispers—rumors, really—about certain items that were hidden away because they were too dangerous to be used. But if we could find them… perhaps we could control that power, use it to protect ourselves and the students.”

Yaga studied her for a long moment, his eyes searching her face for any hint of deceit. Airi met his gaze steadily, letting her expression remain open and earnest.

“Mizuki, you’ve only been here for a short time,” Yaga said carefully. “Why are you so interested in something like this?”

Airi smiled, a small, sad smile that conveyed just the right amount of vulnerability. “I’ve seen what the curses can do, Principal Yaga. I’ve seen how much pain and suffering they cause. If there’s a way to prevent that, to make sure no one else has to go through what I’ve seen… I have to try.”

It was a half-truth, of course, but Yaga didn’t need to know that. All he needed to believe was that Airi’s intentions were pure, that she was motivated by a desire to protect others. And in a way, she was—just not in the way he thought.

Yaga sighed, running a hand over his face. “These relics you’re talking about… they’re not just dangerous. They’re volatile, unpredictable. There’s a reason they were hidden away.”

Airi nodded, as if she understood the gravity of his words. “I know. But think about what we could accomplish if we had them under our control. We could turn the tide in this war against the curses. We could save lives.”

Yaga was silent for a long time, his mind clearly weighing the risks and rewards. Airi knew she had to tread carefully—push too hard, and he might become suspicious; not hard enough, and he might dismiss the idea entirely.

“I’m not suggesting we go after them blindly,” Airi added quickly. “But maybe… maybe we could start by researching them. Finding out where they are, what kind of power they hold. If it turns out they’re too dangerous to use, we can leave them where they are. But if there’s even a chance that they could help us…”

Yaga exhaled slowly, a deep, thoughtful sound. Airi could see the conflict in his eyes, the struggle between his duty to protect and the allure of a potential solution to their problems.

“Research, you say?” Yaga’s voice was cautious, but there was a flicker of interest in his tone.

“Yes,” Airi nodded. “Just research, for now. We don’t have to make any decisions until we know exactly what we’re dealing with. But I think it’s worth looking into.”

Yaga leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as if the answers might be written there. Airi held her breath, waiting for his response. This was the moment that would determine the course of her plan—whether she could push Yaga just enough to set things in motion.

Finally, Yaga lowered his gaze, his expression resigned. “I’ll authorize a preliminary investigation. But nothing more until we have a full report on what we’re dealing with. Understood?”

Airi’s heart leapt with triumph, though she kept her expression neutral. “Understood. Thank you, Principal Yaga. I’ll make sure to handle this carefully.”

Yaga nodded, clearly still uneasy but unwilling to dismiss the potential benefits entirely. “You’d better. I don’t want this getting out of hand, Mizuki. Remember, this is about protecting lives, not endangering them.”

“Of course,” Airi said smoothly, bowing her head. “I won’t let you down.”

As she left Yaga’s office, Airi couldn’t help the small smile that curved her lips. The first step had been taken, the first seed planted. Soon, the relics would be within her grasp, and with them, the power to bring the jujutsu world to its knees.

Yaga thought he was protecting his students, but in reality, he had just handed Airi the key to their destruction. And by the time he realized the truth, it would be far too late to stop her.