Jujutsu Kaisen: Nah I'd Adapt

Modulo: Chapter 9

In a quiet ramen shop, two sorcerers sat at a high table, facing a T.V. relaying the recent news, without mentioning the alien threat. Ramen shops have mostly gone 'out of style' since everyone could order delivery for dirt cheap because humans weren't needed for the service. It also just wasn't as popular as it was 70 years ago.

The only two customers in the shop were Satoru Gojo and Naohiro Zenin. If a non-sorcerer looked at the two, they wouldn't hear them talking. They used a basic curtain to muffle the sound so they could discuss Jujutsu matters without outsiders listening in.

"So, you're telling me that the higher-ups are planning on starting a war with the Zenin clan if they don't hand over Mikoto?" Gojo could hardly believe what he was hearing. "The aliens are at their front door, and they are deciding to attack one of the three big clans if they can't get their hands on a girl?"

Naohiro put his chopsticks on his bowl. "That's about the gist of it." He rested his head on his fist. "But it's obviously a bluff. They gave the Zenin clan three days for a reason. Those guys would've attacked immediately if they had the resources to fight."

Gojo put his hand on his chin. "Three days, huh? Seems too coincidental." He then came to a realization. "If I remember correctly, that girl has the Ten Shadows. I don't know if I should feel offended or honored."

Naohiro picked up his chopsticks. "Going this far just to kill a near 100-year-old man is kinda funny, I'm not gonna lie." He glanced to his left at Gojo. "Even though they sent a pretty strong alien, they want to jump you by adding Mahoraga to the mix."

Gojo tilted his head to the side. "It doesn't make sense, though. If they tried using Mahoraga by getting her to kill herself, couldn't she just run up to Jujutsu HQ, summon Mahoraga, and kill every one of those geezers and bum sorcerers that they send to the Zenin clan?"

Naohiro gave a helpless smile at the irony of Gojo calling the higher-ups geezers. "I'd prefer you not talk about my granddaughter getting killed, although she won't die no matter what happens." He rested his head on his hand. "If it's Naoki, he can handle it. It's not going to take long for him to realize that the higher-ups are desperate and flinging around their 'power' to try to get what they want without having the strength to back it up."

Gojo gave a sly smile. "You've been real lazy ever since you left the Zenin clan. Now that I think about it, you've always shoved responsibility onto Naoya."

Naohiro gave him a deadpan stare before his smile turned slightly sad. "Well, especially in this era, nobody needs a Naohiro Zenin." Then he blinked. "Unless there is a weird alien invasion that came out of nowhere." Naohiro silently thought to himself. 'What the fuck happened after Yuta killed Kenjaku!? Did the merger create aliens or some shit?'

Gojo grumbled. "69 years later, and the higher-ups are still a pain." A thought hit him. "We could go kill them all...but then they would be replaced. The only way to get results is to become a Jujutsu terrorist, and even that has its problems. Sigh, it sucks when you can't punch your way through problems."

Naohiro smirked. "You see that license thing?" He had a hard time holding in a laugh. "Pft, forcing sorcerers to get a 'driver's license' for sorcery is probably up there with them trying to execute me in the dumbest things they've tried to do."

A small smile showed up on Gojo's face. "We're strong, so it doesn't matter. Something you can't say for the rest of this era. In the past, all you needed to do was get strong." Gojo blinked as he realized what he said. "Damn, I didn't think I would say the 'back in my day' line."

Naohiro blew on the bowl to cool down the ramen. "Threatening the Zenin clan is definitely up there, too, especially with my kid and Mikoto. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Mayumi showed back up. She's a very sentimental person."