A Bizarre Adventure That Begins in Jujutsu Kaisen

The response came as expected, but far exceeded even the most optimistic projections.

Some people, driven by intense dissatisfaction with their past mediocre or repressive lives, yearn to seize this door to an "extraordinary" world and seek radical change.

Some people keenly sensed the changing times and believed that this was an opportunity to make a fortune, so they rushed in with speculative enthusiasm.

Some people want to take this opportunity to clean up their identities and go ashore, transforming from unknown curse masters into official exorcists.

Others genuinely agreed with Theo's reform program of "breaking down barriers and sharing responsibilities" as outlined at the conference and were willing to contribute to it.

Of course, there are also those who are simply attracted by the "world's strongest" aura, coming with admiration and curiosity for the strong.

This unprecedented nationwide recruitment of "potential sorcerers" ultimately received over 4,300 positive responses.

Of these, more than 2,700 came from the Tokyo and Kyoto metropolitan areas.

This once again confirms that cruel rule: densely populated, emotionally charged modern metropolises are also the breeding grounds where curses are most abundant and potential sorcerers are most likely to be born.

Admittedly, among these people, a considerable proportion are individuals like Ijichi Kiyotaka, whose talent ceiling is clearly visible, and who, even with tremendous effort, may only reach the level of a third-level mage in their entire lives.

But Theo and the core members of the reformists didn't take it seriously; they had a clear and pragmatic understanding of the matter.

The primary goal of this recruitment was not to mass-produce strong individuals.

Its deeper value lies in:

First, it proves the considerable number of "potential sorcerers," breaking the old perception of "one in ten thousand," and providing solid data support and confidence for continued expansion worldwide.

Secondly, it provided the first and most crucial large-scale practical samples and observation subjects for Theo's proposed program of "optimization of spell power" and "universal sorcererization".

How to effectively incorporate people with different talents and backgrounds into the training system? How to design tiered courses and assessment standards? How to manage such a diverse group of new students?

The experience gained from solving these unprecedented challenges is itself invaluable.

Third, it greatly expanded the "basic talent pool" of the sorcery world.

Even if most of them become grassroots sorcerers who carry out patrol missions in the future, or serve as assistant supervisors, barrier maintainers, spell tool keepers, or even popularizers of spell theory education.

However, the solid and extensive foundation they form is an indispensable cornerstone for supporting the stable operation of the entire new sorcery system, unleashing high-end combat power, and realizing the "professionalization and specialization of sorcerers".

Therefore, despite the varying talents of the respondents, this recruitment undoubtedly marked a crucial first step in Theo's grand and arduous reform plan, setting a promising and potentially groundbreaking precedent.

At this moment, quantity itself is a powerful source of confidence.

Such a large number of new students completely declares that the old training model of sorcery, which has been followed for thousands of years and relies on family inheritance or a very small number of master-disciple teachings, is completely outdated and must be abandoned.

Building a brand-new school capable of systematically and on a large scale to train practitioners has become the most urgent and realistic task facing the reformers.

Site selection became the first challenge.

Schools cannot be too remote and secluded like the old-fashioned colleges and universities, otherwise it will cause great inconvenience to freshmen from all over the country who are used to city life, which is not conducive to long-term stable teaching and uniting people.

It must be located near the city center or transportation hub, and possess both a degree of seclusion and convenience.

In the end, Gojo Goku solved the problem.

With a wave of his hand, he directly allocated the Gojo family's vast real estate, which occupied an entire city block in central Tokyo, free of charge, as land for the construction of a new school.

This area is an upscale community, featuring lush gardens, a well-equipped sports stadium, a convenience store, various restaurants, and several high-quality residential buildings.

Now, these resources are "integrated with one click" and made available to future school teachers and students, ensuring the integration and high quality of teaching, living and entertainment.

With a school site secured, the teaching staff also needs to be reorganized and expanded.

The sorcerers and students who originally belonged to the two sorcery academies in old Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as the "former sorcerers" under Xia Youjie who had undergone trials and tribulations and had their own special skills, were all incorporated into the new system and became faculty and staff members of the new school, regardless of their original strength or stance.

Theo firmly believed in a simple truth: when teaching "newbies" who are starting from almost nothing, experience and patience are often more important than mere combat strength.

These "veterans" may have varying levels of skill and different teaching methods, but when they work in pairs, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses, they are more than capable of guiding beginners.

Amidst the intensive preparations and personnel arrangements, a rather eye-catching yet somewhat comical little incident occurred.

Upon learning that the faculty and staff needed to be paired up in groups, the top-level mage, Yi Gu You Tai, surprisingly took the initiative to make a request:

He hopes to form a permanent teaching partnership with Zenin Maki.

This request immediately drew unanimous and undisguised contemptuous glances from the three core decision-makers: Theo, Natsume, and Gojo Satoru.

Wu immediately facepalmed, and said in his classic exaggerated and exclamatory tone:

"Hey, hey, Yuta, you still have your dear Rika living inside you!"

How long has it been? And you're already thinking about finding a new 'partner'?

"Aren't your little thoughts... popping up a little too fast? Hmm?"

Beside him, Jay, who was about to get married, slowly raised his left hand, which was adorned with an engagement ring, and pointed at Yuta's left hand, which was also adorned with a ring (the medium that bound Rika), and commented, "Young people really know how to have fun."

The words were spoken in a calm tone, but their impact was far greater than Gojo Satoru's loud and boisterous teasing. In an instant, Yuta went from being "teased" to being "examined under a moral and emotional reference system," and his ears turned red at a visible speed.

The pressure instantly fell on Theo, who had not yet made a statement.

With a look of pleading and expectation, Yi Gu You Tai turned to the director, who might understand his "legitimate" initial intentions such as "working together with men makes the work easier" and "purely for the sake of teaching efficiency."

That look seemed to say: Please believe me, this is not what you think... at least, not entirely.

Dio received the look in his eyes and knew he could no longer remain silent.

He first glanced at Gojo Satoru, who had a look that said, "I'll see what kind of fresh and unconventional reason you can come up with," then glanced at Natsumi Yukichi, who was calm and composed, as if he were enjoying a good show. Finally, his gaze fell back on Yuta, who was tense and had a darting look in his eyes.

Theo lowered his eyes slightly, his fingers lightly tracing the rim of the teacup. After about ten seconds of contemplation, he slowly raised his gaze, striving to maintain a posture of "rational, neutral, and objective analysis," and spoke up to offer a few words of explanation for Yuta, who might not be able to say much at the moment:

"Um... Wu, Jie, you can't say it like that."

You Tai... after all, he is a healthy young man, at the most vibrant age of his life, when his need for affection and companionship is at its strongest.

We can't really expect him to spend his whole life with "Cursed Spirit Rika", can we?

This was perhaps an unrealistic, even somewhat cruel, expectation for both him and Rika.

After all, from the most practical point of view, humans and cursed spirits cannot establish families in the conventional sense, nor can they "carry on the family line," right?

Then, he changed the subject, steer the discussion to a more serious level:

Ultimately, the crux of the problem may not lie in whether Yuta needs a "new life," but in Rika herself.

Is keeping her soul trapped in the body of the cursed spirit, enduring inhuman torment, really a long-term solution?

Is this the best arrangement for her, for Yuta, and for the precious bond between them?

The ideal solution, of course, is to find a way to allow her to 'return' in human form and end this cursed and twisted state.

But... to be honest, I don't really have a clear and feasible idea about this right now.

The reversal of the curse, the reshaping of soul and body...

Existing theories and methods of sorcery seem unable to provide a safe and reliable path.

This will take time, and perhaps also... a catalyst.

"It's alright, Mr. Theo."

Yuta, who had been listening silently, finally spoke. His voice was low and hoarse, and his eyes were slightly red. He was shedding tears for the misfortune and uncertain future that his childhood friend had suffered.

"I'm already very touched that you have this intention and are willing to think about these things. So—"

"So—?" Gojo Satoru immediately pressed, leaning forward to ask, not wanting to miss any detail.

Theo proposed a simple method of leaving the decision to "fate": "Forget it, I'll just flip a coin to decide."

"I agree to Yuuta and Maki being a couple if they're on the positive side, and I reject it if they're on the negative side, is that alright?"

"I think it's a good idea," Xia Youjie was the first to agree.

"But ultimately," Gojo Satoru immediately pointed out the key point, "with your already masterful technique of applying force, whether the coin turns heads or tails is entirely up to you, isn't it? What kind of leaving it to fate?"

"Don't worry, I never cheat in this area. No one understands fate better than me."

Theo pulled an ordinary 500-yen coin from his pocket and flicked it lightly with his thumb, giving no one a chance to object.

The coin emitted a crisp buzzing sound, drew a bright silver arc, and spun towards a point located in the center of the four people.

It fell, rolling, spinning, and swaying with a gurgling sound, drawing the attention of four pairs of eyes.

Finally, it stopped and lay there quietly.

The side facing upwards is the front.