At times like this, one only needs to listen quietly and occasionally act as a mood-maker by offering a few interjections.
My stomach problems are because I'm always too busy with work and forget to eat, so I accidentally let myself get hungry.
Such a plain and simple reason.
Suguru Geto, who thought there was some tragic past: Well, actually, working overtime to the point of being unable to afford a meal is pretty tragic.
Kobe Suzuo couldn't be bothered to dwell on his emotions any longer, nor to act profound while telling stories to the chuunibyou youth; he spoke rapidly, outlining the subsequent arrangements.
“What I mean is, besides being tasteless, Cursed Spirit Orbs might also cause erosion to the soul.”
Well, it might sound a bit superstitious, but since Cursed Spirits exist in this world, you'd better just trust me—just think of it as that thing causing depression if you eat too much of it.
Kobe Suzuo stood up and stretched his legs slightly.
While checking the training footage of Satoru Gojo on a tablet, he continued:
There is too little information regarding Cursed Spirit Manipulation, you, a Cursed Spirit Manipulator as rare as one seen once in a thousand years, happen to know very little about your own ability.
Suguru Geto tried to argue that not everyone could research new moves after just a few attempts like Kobe Suzuo.
Cursed Technique development is difficult in itself. Look at the Three Great Families; even though the Gojo Clan and the Blood Manipulation users have been passed down for a thousand years, aren't their moves still the same old clichés?
Kobe Suzuo glanced over and tapped Suguru Geto's bun with her tablet.
In short, if you don't want to turn antisocial and go dark, stop trying to absorb new Cursed Spirits before I resolve the aforementioned issues.
Suguru Geto felt Kobe Suzuo tilt his head up and saw a flash of white hair on the tablet.
Over there, Satoru Gojo's training had just ended.
The Cursed Energy attrition tactic was quite successful; Satoru Gojo was exhausted and no longer had the strength to activate the Limitless technique.
His hair and clothes were messy, covered in bits of sand and dirt, as he slumped on the ground, melting like cream.
Fushiguro Toji had a grim expression on his face, performing his duties as a bodyguard by standing by Satoru Gojo's side, whose Cursed Energy had reached its limit, to prevent any accidents.
Satoru Gojo was not surprised to see the drone buzzing around him.
He pushed himself up from his knees, found the camera's position, gave a charming wink, like a spoiled little kitten.
Kobe Suzuo happened to see these frames as she put away the tablet; her expression remained unchanged as she took several consecutive screenshots.
Suguru Geto felt a bit of a sour sensation in his teeth: ".. Fine, I understand the severity of the problem, but has a real solution actually been found?"
“Hmm.. There are many ways to temporarily block the sense of smell and taste, but I expect they'll only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.”
Kobe Suzuo shrugged. "The worst-case scenario is just shifting from a wide-net collection mode to an extreme mode that prioritizes quality over quantity."
With Merlin's assistance, it won't be difficult to help you research hundreds of team composition issues.
Kobe Suzuo spoke these words in such a casual tone, as if anything could be achieved as long as he persisted and held absolute conviction.
Suguru Geto couldn't help but wonder if it would be possible if Kobe Suzuo shouted with passion like a manga protagonist:
Cursed Spirit, I forbid you from being tasteless!
And then the Cursed Spirit really did stop being bad to eat.
Kobe Suzuo said sorrowfully, "It's just a pity about my Cursed Spirit army and clean energy.. these plans might have to be shelved."
Suguru Geto shuddered, being sensible enough not to ask what those two strange plans that had suddenly popped up actually were.
Kobe Suzuo was actually quite melancholy.
He had originally planned to feed all the captured Cursed Spirits to Suguru Geto.
As soon as they graduate, he will be assigned to the Window, serving as the entire Department Head.
When the time comes, an Assistant Supervisor will be assigned a Cursed Spirit for each person, which can both monitor the situation on-site and provide an extra layer of protection for the personal safety of those in clerical roles like Assistant Supervisors.
With a high-combat powerhouse like Suguru Geto acting as a deterrent, he could also balance the gaps between various departments at the same time, killing three birds with one stone.
Or once Suguru Geto finishes university, he could be sent to the research institute. This would both ensure the safety of smuggling Cursed Spirits abroad and help control Cursed Spirits to assist in researching energy issues.
Kobe Suzuo looked at Suguru Geto with a complex expression.
What a pity, what a pity.
It feels like getting an invincible buff in a video game, only to find out the buff has a fatal limitation—it looks impressive but is actually useless.
Wait, could Satoru have this kind of limitation too?
Forget it, it doesn't matter. I'll simply refuse any limitations I don't want; it's only a matter of time.
Author's Note:
After the main story concludes, I want to write a side story set in the 285 era of Suzuo, where Satoru would be seven years older than Suzuo.
Chapter 44: That Kiss
“BOSS! Director! Boss! Cousin! Ancestor! Give me a chance! Please, please don't dock my year-end bonus!!”
“My wallet is empty; I can't be so poor that I have to go home to eat, can I? I'll end up killing those old men!”
Cai Ming's emotions were so overwhelming that tears streamed down her face, but she didn't dare cry out too loudly.
She looked so aggrieved that anyone who didn't know her would think someone had done something to her.
Cai Ming, who had been slacking off from the very first day of training by dumping all the dirty and heavy work onto his subordinates in the same group, spoke nonsense with his eyes closed.
I admit I've been a bit slack at work these past few days, but didn't the Six Eyes kid's training go smoothly?
.. Fine, today's training wasn't completed. But didn't Young Master Six Eyes undergo an evolution and upgrade? I also didn't expect him to be able to interrupt my Cursed Technique.
Kobe Suzuo leisurely finished the last document on his desk, sent today's schedule to the Island Butler, used Cai Ming's monologue as background noise.
Cai Ming faked tears for a long time, but seeing no effect and not wanting his delicious and generous year-end bonus to fly away completely, he tiptoed around to the back of the office chair.
Kobe Suzuo said nonchalantly, "If you don't want your hands, I can chop them off."
Cai Ming timidly withdrew the hand that had been trying to poke at Kobe Suzuo, rubbing his hands together anxiously, his fingernails clinking against his flamboyant rings.
Cai Ming muttered under her breath, "It's not like I drank a little bit of alcohol during Six Eyes' training, it's not like it interfered with anything important.. ah."
She realized she had let it slip and glanced at Kobe Suzuo with great embarrassment, shivering under the other's cold gaze.
Kobe Suzuo couldn't be bothered to argue with that brainless employee and cousin, so she simply made a phone call:
Employee ID 774529, Saunai Zhuzhu, 20% performance deduction for this month.
Cai Ming's world collapsed. He slumped to the ground, his face a mask of devastation, as his soul drifted out of his mouth, floating mournfully toward the sky, "NO—"
With the bonuses gone and performance reviews slashed, is the harsh reality of a shrinking "slush fund" unavoidable this year?
You're too evil, Boss! There's so much alcohol in the room's wine cabinet—isn't it there for people to drink?
Ow!
Cai Ming stopped wailing from the pain, raising a hand to steady the folder that Kobe Suzuo had tapped against her head.
Kobe Suzuo pulled a page from the folder and handed it to Cai Ming. "Let's go. Come with me to the Zenin Clan to handle some business."
He took the overcoat from the butler, "I'll pay you overtime."
Cai Ming's expression, which had been somewhat conflicted, instantly became determined upon hearing the words "overtime pay," and he perked up completely.
Mission accomplished, BOSS!
Maybe if she works hard, she can earn all the bonus money back.
She drank the wine, experienced the island, earned back the bonus—she won three times!
Hehe!
Cai Ming tidied the folder, then suddenly remembered there was also someone from the Zenin Clan on the island, asked with some uncertainty:
Is Toji coming along too?
Kobe Suzuo was already packed and ready, wearing a leather glove on one hand, while her other hand was busy tapping away, sending messages to someone.
“No need, Toji is busy raising his child.”
Besides, you alone should be enough to drive them all crazy.
..
I don't know if it's because there are fewer Cursed Spirits abroad, or because the Kobe Family had sent people to clear the area in advance.
Kobe Suzuo's private island was excessively clean, with no messy barriers or lingering Cursed Spirits, as pristine as a pure land.
Satoru Gojo had been sleeping very well these past few days, like a cat basking in the sun, his entire demeanor had become somewhat languid.
Yawning, he walked sloppily into the dining room and pulled out a chair to sit down, looking as if bubbles of sleep were still floating around his head from not being fully awake.
He slumped against the back of his chair like a man without bones, grabbed a piece of sweet crisp biscuit from the dining table, asked the attendant beside him, "Where is Kobe Suzuo? Why is he not here again?"
Kobe Suzuo requires a crowd of people to serve him wherever he goes.
Like those old-fashioned fossils who firmly believe that "bigger is better and more is better," creating countless job positions for a single person.
These waiters and butlers dressed in black and white tailcoats, along with the secretaries, were mostly ordinary people who had some understanding of the Jujutsu World, scattered everywhere like carbon copies.
The difference between them and the servants of the Three Great Families, whose lives were not their own, was this: their salaries were generous, they could resign whenever they wished to leave.
The waiter bowed slightly toward Satoru Gojo and explained in a low, slow voice:
Young Master left the island for business in the early hours of the morning and is expected to return in three days.
Satoru Gojo paused mid-bite of his cracker, tilting his head; he certainly didn't sense any of Kobe Suzuo's Cursed Energy nearby.
“Why didn't he tell me about this?”
The waiter smiled politely. "The timing was inconvenient, Young Master Kobe was worried about disturbing your sleep, so he left you a text message."
He said that if you miss him, you can call him at any time.
“Who would miss him.”
Satoru Gojo muttered something, finished his biscuit, pulled out his phone, finding a message from Kobe Suzuo in his inbox just as expected.
[Good luck with training ^_^]
Three days—wouldn't that mean it was already time to leave?