Gojo Satoru looked puzzled. "Wait, didn't you say you came from another world? Do people from other worlds know about Black Flash too? Actually, can someone from another world even learn Black Flash?"
Zephyr shrugged. "I have no idea if I can learn it, but I might as well try."
"I see. No problem."
Since they had now established a strategic partnership, Gojo wasn't going to be stingy with his knowledge.
Though he was still smiling, the atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted.
Black lightning crackled around Gojo's fist as he said, "Watch closely. This… is Black Flash."
>System Notification: A learnable skill has been detected. Would you like to learn it?<
Zephyr's heart pounded with excitement. It worked! I can actually learn it!
"Yes!"
>Insufficient skill points. Learning failed.<
"Damn it! How dare you toy with my emotions?!"
Frustrated, Zephyr ignored his system and asked to Lumine. "What about you? Do you think you can understand it? Can you learn it?"
Lumine looked confused and shook her head.
Gojo continued to instruct her for a long time.
But no matter how much he taught, Lumine just couldn't grasp Black Flash.
Gojo crossed his arms. "Well?"
Lumine looked utterly disappointed. As expected, people from different worlds really can't learn this technique.
Zephyr let out a deep sigh. "I knew it… it's impossible for us to learn."
Paimon cheered, "Traveler, don't give up! You're the fattest—pfft, no! I meant, you're the best!"
Lumine's gaze turned icy. Maybe she should just sacrifice Paimon to the abyss…
Terrified, Paimon quickly hid behind Gojo.
Gojo chuckled. "Well then, I have two questions for you. Mind if I ask?"
"Go ahead."
Gojo pointed at Paimon. "First question: What exactly is this little cutie? I've been holding back my curiosity for two days now!"
Paimon crossed her arms and huffed. "Hmph! Since you've asked so sincerely, I shall grace you with an answer!"
Lumine said, "You're going off-topic! She's called Paimon, and she's my good partner."
Gojo grinned. "So, Paimon the little cutie, huh? But why is she so small?"
"What's so strange about that? Many people from our world look like this."
"Ohh, I see!"
Gojo nodded in realization. "Then that food you gave Megumi yesterday must have been a specialty from your world too?"
"Of course."
"Food that can heal injuries... that's pretty incredible. Can you give me some?"
"Hmm?"
"Ahem, I mean, can I buy some?"
"Sure. One drumstick is 500 gold coins, a Sweet Madame is 1,000 gold coins, and with the healing I gave to Fushiguro yesterday, that totals 2,000 gold coins."
Gojo sighed dramatically. "Zephyr, you're so petty! All I did was extor—cough, I mean, encourage a little bit of charity, and now you're getting back at me?"
"Huh? Am I really that petty? Paimon, what do you think?"
Paimon hesitated, then muttered, "...No, not at all."
Though deep down, she really wanted to say yes.
Zephyr smirked. "See? Anyway, let's not talk about that. First, pay me back for healing Fushiguro yesterday."
Gojo coughed. "Ahem, well… since it was Megumi who got hurt, naturally, he should be the one to pay. This has nothing to do with me!"
Paimon gasped. "This guy is unbelievable!"
Gojo suddenly clapped his hands. "Oh! I just remembered I have something urgent to do at home. Gotta go!"
Then he ran.
Paimon stood there, dumbfounded. "Wow, he ran fast!"
After Gojo had truly left, Zephyr turned to Paimon. "Paimon, come here for a sec."
"Huh? What is it? Paimon wants to take a nap."
"Nap, my ass! Get over here!"
Zephyr shot her a glare, making Paimon flinch.
"W-What is it…?"
"Do you realize you said something wrong just now?"
"Huh? Paimon did? What did Paimon say wrong?"
Zephyr was about to explain but then paused. "First, go close the door."
"O-Okay…"
Paimon pouted but obediently went to shut the door.
Zephyr crossed his arms. "Just now, you said 500 gold coins per Sukuna Finger wasn't expensive, right?"
"Uh… yeah? It's really not expensive. At least, not in Teyvat."
"That's in Teyvat. But we're in Sakura Country now."
"Uh… is 500 gold coins expensive in Sakura Country?"
"OF COURSE IT IS!"
Zephyr sighed and started explaining. "Let me break it down for you. Mora is made of pure gold, right? I checked the gold prices here before—it's about 6,700 yen per gram."
"Okay…?"
"One Mora weighs around 10 grams, meaning one Mora is worth roughly 67,000 yen. So 500 Mora is… over 30 million yen."
"1,000 coins would be 70 million yen."
Zephyr continued, "Do you know how much that McDonald's meal you ate cost? Just a little over 1,000 yen. And yet, you said 500 Mora wasn't expensive?!"
"W-Wait, the difference is that huge?!"
Paimon was utterly shocked. Her face turned red with both anger and embarrassment. "Paimon almost got scammed! Good thing you were here, Traveler!"
She gritted her teeth. "That Gojo guy is such a jerk! How dare he try to trick Paimon? Unforgivable! Truly despicable!"
Lumine sighed. "…What exactly did he trick you about? Don't blame others for your own mistake."
Paimon pouted, looking wronged.
Lumine then turned to Zephyr. "Still, Zephyr, even if that's the case, you don't need to be this mad. A single main quest rewards us with hundreds of thousands of Mora anyway. Besides, Gojo is using that money for charity."
Zephyr scoffed. "It's not about the money. I could throw away 1,000 Mora and not care—hell, I spend 60,000 just reforging a single gold coin. What pisses me off is that Gojo dared to scam me."
"Alright, alright, don't be mad."
Zephyr sighed. "Fine, let's just go do some daily commissions."
Come to think of it, it had been a few days since he last did them. He actually kind of missed it.
He opened his quest log… and immediately went silent.
Lumine looked over. "What's wrong?"
Zephyr let out a frustrated sigh. "I can't believe this… All my commissions got placed in Tokyo. What the hell am I supposed to do?"
He had just managed to leave Tokyo yesterday. Now he had to go back? Was this some kind of cruel joke?
Even the Ley Line Blossoms were all marked in Tokyo.
"I fucking give up."
This also meant his plan to place a Statue of The Seven had to be postponed. There was no way he was going to Tokyo every day just to do commissions, then return here to heal, and then go back again. That was way too much of a hassle.
Just then, the doorbell rang. "Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong…!"
Zephyr groaned. "Can you not?"
He opened the door.
Gojo stood there, grinning. "Sorry, sorry! I was just so worried about those poor orphaned children, so I went ahead and brought all the fingers over!"
Zephyr blinked. "??? That fast?"
Gojo nodded. "Well, I am a kind-hearted man, after all."
He pulled out a single Sukuna Finger from his bag.
Zephyr frowned. "Wait, just one? Weren't there supposed to be two?"
Gojo shrugged. "Ah, yeah… I thought about it some more and decided I can't give you both. I need to keep at least one in my possession."
Paimon tilted her head. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Gojo grinned. "We're gonna use this one to bait out the rest."
"Huh?"
"Each of Sukuna's fingers contains a part of his consciousness, and they naturally attract each other. If all of them were to be gathered, Sukuna would be able to fully resurrect.
Back when they were sealed, they couldn't sense each other's locations. But now, the seals have been broken, and a few fingers have already been consumed.
That means Sukuna will likely take action soon, doing whatever it takes to ensure that someone—whether a human or a cursed spirit—gathers the rest for him.
And once they do, he can use them to resurrect himself in this world."
Paimon's expression twisted. "So… this finger is basically bait?"
Gojo grinned. "Heh, you could call it… entrapment."
"…That's messed up."
Zephyr casually tossed the finger into his inventory. "Well, since you're only giving me one, I'm only paying you 500 Mora."
Gojo shrugged. "That's fair."
Zephyr crossed his arms. "Alright, where's your bag?"
Gojo blinked. "Bag? What bag?"
Zephyr smirked. "500 gold coins. How exactly are you planning to carry them? In your hands? Do you even have the guts to walk outside holding that much cash?"
Gojo froze. "…Crap. I didn't think this through."
He quickly switched tactics. "Aha! Then, Zephyr-sensei! Miss Lumine! I have a request! Would you be so kind as to accompany me to the orphanage?"
Zephyr frowned. "And why exactly would I do that?"
Gojo grinned. "Well, you did just donate 30 million yen. The kids would love to meet their generous benefact— ahem, I mean, their great and noble philanthropist!"
Zephyr hesitated. He wasn't particularly interested in that, but… what if it triggered some kind of hidden achievement?
"Fine. Let's go."
"Great! Our destination is Tokyo!"
Zephyr narrowed his eyes. "…Are you plotting something?"
Gojo gasped in mock surprise. "What?! How did you see through me?"
Zephyr's expression darkened. "So you are up to something."
Gojo pouted. "Damn it, my plan to lure Zephyr-kun and the adorable Lumine-chan into Jujutsu High failed."
Zephyr deadpanned. "School? You seriously think I have time for that?"
[New Quest Triggered: Enroll in Tokyo Jujutsu High.]
Zephyr rubbed his temples. "Fine… I'll reluctantly agree, just for you."
//END