Chapter 15: First Mission

Another day passed.

March brought the early signs of spring. Each morning, the air was filled with birdsong and the scent of flowers, with fresh green buds pushing their way into the light.

Sōjun Minamoto didn’t rush to accept any missions.

He continued his daily training while gradually familiarizing himself with the surroundings, trying to establish a rhythm for training and daily life that suited him.

Shiko Mishima had already moved in nearby, acting with her usual decisiveness. She arrived with just a single suitcase, everything packed and ready.

Though technically nearby, her place was still two to three kilometers away—a deliberate choice by Sōjun Minamoto. He’d picked this area specifically because no one else lived here, allowing him to enjoy some peace and quiet.

That morning, after finishing his cursed energy refinement exercises, he stepped out of the attic in good spirits, ready to head to the cafeteria for breakfast.

In the distance, Shiko Mishima was training in her courtyard, honing her sword skills.

She wore athletic pants and a white tank top, her abdominal muscles visibly defined, rising and falling with each movement like the rhythmic flare of gills. Her body radiated heat—clearly, she’d been at it for a while.

She was incredibly dedicated.

Sōjun Minamoto didn’t disturb her.

He made his way alone to Training Field No. 5.

As usual, it was mostly empty, just the way he liked it. He had the entire field to himself.

He spent the morning rotating through the gym halls in each cardinal direction—reviewing theory, practicing martial arts, developing techniques.

He slotted time between activities to optimize his hawk-eye vision and continue developing his compound-eye system.

Unless a new project was underway or a second-phase modification had been confirmed, he didn’t waste excessive time on research. Anything he’d already run trials on was almost copy-paste with the help of techniques, and he had phased those out of his daily schedule.

That afternoon...

Sōjun Minamoto dropped by Masamichi Yaga’s place, just in time to catch him returning from outside.

“Isn’t it vacation right now?” Sōjun Minamoto asked, curious.

Yaga fell silent for a moment. “Hey, I have hobbies besides teaching, alright?”

Sōjun asked what his hobbies were.

Yaga refused to answer.

Then he asked where he’d been.

Yaga muttered something about a forest.

Pressed for details, he wouldn’t say more.

So Sōjun laughed.

Kuku kuku~

A grown man with a secret base? Seriously?

He got kicked out of the attic in irritation.

...

That evening, after a full day of wandering, Sōjun Minamoto returned to his residence.

He logged onto the sorcerers’ forum again.

He started by browsing trending posts. The comments weren’t all just banter—there were often bits of useful information buried in them. Sōjun, who was well-versed in navigating such things, had a knack for pulling those gems out.

He jotted down everything that could be useful, then finally opened the mission board.

A quick glance showed a screen packed full of Grade 1 missions. Scrolling to the bottom triggered a prompt for the next page. There were so many that the page numbers were replaced by an ellipsis.

At the very bottom, a small note read: [Special Grade missions require clearance.]

He didn’t have access yet.

Due to his real identity being bound to the system, the missions available to him ranged from Grade 1 to Grade 2.

He clicked through page after page until, on the fourth, Grade 2 missions began to appear.

The first was a [Grade 2 Cursed Spirit Extermination] mission. After reviewing the details, he figured it was a good opportunity to test the waters.

He forwarded the mission info to Shiko Mishima.

“Time and meeting place?” she replied quickly.

“I’m thinking of taking this one. Any advice?”

A pause.

“Up to you.”

Sōjun clicked to accept. Approval was fast. Mission confirmed.

“Meet tomorrow at 14:30 in front of Jujutsu High.”

“Got it!”

...

The next morning went by as usual.

After lunch and a short rest, Sōjun made his preparations and strolled leisurely to the school gate.

He was 15 minutes early.

Shiko Mishima was already there.

She stood by the roadside, gazing out at the dense forest below. The moment she saw him, she jogged over and led the way to a black sedan, sliding into the driver’s seat.

Was she... extra enthusiastic today?

Sōjun got in the passenger seat.

They didn’t speak much.

The car started smoothly, then abruptly shifted gears and accelerated.

He wobbled briefly before steadying himself, glancing sideways at her.

That was fast. Really fast.

Whenever the road evened out, Shiko Mishima floored it, cutting their travel time significantly.

The car screeched to a stop, tires leaving black streaks on the pavement. She got out, surveyed the area, and confidently raised two fingers in a sword gesture.

"Emerge from the darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure."

A black Curtain flowed down around them.

The Curtain concealed them from non-sorcerers and made the Cursed Spirits’ presence fully manifest.

Sōjun scanned the area, his perception confirming what the mission intel said—four Grade 2 Cursed Spirits and several of Grades 3 and 4.

He relaxed. As the Curtain finished forming, he casually said, “I’ll go in.”

But Shiko Mishima suddenly stepped in front of him. She hesitated, eyes full of anticipation, then clenched her jaw and said,

“If it’s okay... can I go first?”

Huh?

Uh-oh. This support wants to be a frontliner.

Sōjun raised an eyebrow, puzzled, but after a moment’s thought, nodded. Fine by him—less effort, and his bounty wouldn’t change.

He stepped aside and followed her into the Curtain, keeping to the flank. His double pupils gleamed faintly.

Shiko Mishima’s face lit up with joy, then calmed. She steadied her breathing, gripped her sword’s hilt with her right hand and held the sheath with her left. Cursed energy surged, coating the tachi.

The Cursed Spirits were huddled together—perfect.

She stomped down and launched forward, her draw slash cutting the air. As the blade left its sheath, several slashes tore through the space ahead.

The air seemed to ripple. A breeze stirred, sweeping through the Cursed Spirits with deceptive slowness—then vanished.

Silence.

Then, just as the Cursed Spirits sensed the incoming threat, they collapsed in a cascade. The force of that single blow became terrifyingly clear.

Shiko Mishima didn’t stop. She used the terrain to weave between targets. Every basic strike felt like a finishing move. Cursed Spirits began to fall rapidly.

Three Grade 2 Cursed Spirits lunged at her simultaneously, while another lurked in the crowd, waiting for a sneak attack.

They weren’t intelligent, but they knew how to work together. Left unchecked, they’d only grow more dangerous.

Under heavy pressure, Shiko Mishima didn’t retreat. She pivoted to dodge the ambush, raised her blade high, and slashed downward, trading injuries to take down the other two.

She shuddered. Her aura grew violent, almost uncontrollable. Then came the classic triple laugh:

“Ah—hahahahaha! Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahaha!”

Her attacks surged with the laughter. She ignored her wounds and went all-in. Each wide, powerful swing tore through the air, generating visible pressure streaks that kicked up dust and pebbles, swallowing the remaining Cursed Spirits in a whirlwind of force.

When the dust settled, Shiko Mishima stood alone in the center, bracing herself on her blade. Her breath was uneven, and she was surrounded by the curse remnants of the slain spirits, her figure flickering within them.

She was strong. Fierce. Devoted to power—and clearly loved to fight...

So why choose to be support?

Sōjun Minamoto’s double pupils paused briefly before he withdrew his gaze.

The mission was over.

On the way back, Shiko Mishima kept smiling. Her injuries made her grimace now and then, but her good mood didn’t waver.

Is this what Jujutsu Sorcerers are like these days?

Sōjun thought quietly to himself.

“Don’t worry about the bounty!” she suddenly said.

Huh?

He just nodded. What was he supposed to say—that he never worried about it to begin with?

They returned to Jujutsu High.

Under Shiko Mishima’s guidance, Sōjun logged onto the site and submitted the mission.

Both parties had to confirm the submission together. Afterward, someone would be dispatched to verify the site. Once approved, the bounty would be automatically transferred to their accounts.

This usually took about two to three days.

Since Shiko Mishima was acting as support, her share would be settled separately through the school.