บท 12: Bounty Hunter
Minamoto Sōjun followed Yoga Seidou all the way, traveling a long and winding path before finally reaching their destination.
This was a remote mountain area somewhere in Tokyo.
It was hard to imagine that, in such a secluded place, there were winding mountain roads.
On the inner side of the road were steep mountain cliffs, while the outer side was an ancient, dense forest.
The entire mountain range was surrounded and covered by the forest.
At this moment, Minamoto Sōjun and Yoga Seidou were driving along a mountainside, with mist enveloping the undulating trees and mountains, like a fairyland.
In the distance, a vast group of buildings could be faintly seen.
After driving for some distance, they finally approached the entrance of the building complex.
On the left side, a wooden sign was mounted on the gate frame, with the words: Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu High School.
On either side stood a pair of guardian statues: the one on the right had its mouth open, while the one on the left kept its mouth closed. Both statues had clouds carved in their fur, creating a majestic aura.
As they walked inside, they were greeted by a grand Zen Buddhist temple. Looking further, various buildings with either modern or ancient styles stood together.
There were temples and shrines scattered across the area.
On the surface, this was a private religious school, but in the shadows, it was a gathering place for jujutsu sorcerers to engage in their activities.
In the jujutsu world, aside from those from prominent jujutsu families, there were also many civilians with strong cursed energy.
These individuals might know nothing about cursed energy but could still see curses. Their living environments could be imagined—constantly surrounded by monsters, living in what could only be described as hell on Earth.
Moreover, some individuals with great talent might even learn to use cursed energy themselves. However, they often couldn't manage this unique ability properly, leading to a great risk of going astray.
Because they were talented, once they fell into darkness, they became even harder to manage, and the danger they posed to society escalated to almost its peak.
Sometimes, the harm caused by these cursed sorcerers was even greater than that of cursed spirits.
The establishment of the Jujutsu High was to prevent this kind of situation from occurring.
As a large metropolis, Tokyo had a dense population, which also meant a greater scale of curses.
Thus, Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu High School was established, with funding provided by both the national government and Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
After graduation, many jujutsu sorcerers would continue their activities at the high school, which also helped connect them to tasks and offer assistance.
Over time, it became a natural hub for jujutsu sorcerers to gather.
The ranking system for jujutsu sorcerers was also managed by two major high schools that conducted advancement reviews, highlighting the importance of these institutions.
Apart from the visible student and teacher ranks, there was also a covert task force composed of bounty sorcerers.
These bounty sorcerers completed tasks and received bounties. The school needed them to alleviate the pressure from cursed spirits, creating a mutually beneficial situation.
The primary overlap between the two ranks was the shared auxiliary supervision and window departments.
Auxiliary supervisors were assistants for the sorcerers, functioning as drivers and using simple barrier techniques and shikigami. The window department consisted of non-sorcerers who could see curses, blending into various sectors of society to assist sorcerers.
Minamoto Sōjun chose the latter.
He would join the high school as a bounty sorcerer.
...
Yoga Seidou led Minamoto Sōjun deeper into the school.
They rarely encountered anyone along the way, and those they did meet hurriedly walked past.
"Are you sure you don't want to study here?" Yoga Seidou suddenly asked. "By the way, if you become a student, all tuition fees will be waived."
He still didn't understand. Minamoto Sōjun was 15 years old, and only a month before the school year started, the age and timing were perfect. Why reject it? Why become an external bounty sorcerer/hunter instead?
Although the two ranks didn't have a clear difference, anyone with a discerning eye knew that one was directly trained by the high school, and the other recruited from the outside.
The treatment would definitely be different.
"No, I've made my decision," Minamoto Sōjun responded casually, as he focused on memorizing the route. The school was large, and his sense of direction wasn't great.
He simply didn't want to, with no particular reason. He had no strong feelings about the high school, as long as they left him alone, everything would be fine.
His attitude was indifferent.
Yoga Seidou sensed this indifference, and the veins on his temple twitched slightly. Though he didn't like all the people in the high school, he had deep feelings for the school itself. Minamoto Sōjun's attitude stirred something inside him.
In fact, it was another emotion influencing him...
They stopped in front of a two-story wooden building.
Yoga Seidou handed Minamoto Sōjun an envelope. He took it, and the envelope was marked "Recommendation Letter."
"This is where I live," Yoga Seidou said, avoiding looking at Minamoto Sōjun. "If you need anything, you can come here to find me."
He pointed to a nearby tower-like building. "Go there to register your identity. Someone will explain the details."
With that, Yoga Seidou walked into the building and closed the door behind him.
Hmm?
Minamoto Sōjun was momentarily stunned. What did this mean? Was that it?
He was convinced to come to the high school, but after arriving, he hadn't fully joined, and now they just left him?
Not even offering to let him sit down for a while?
Yaga Seidou turned his back to the door. After they got familiar with each other, he stopped treating Minamoto Sōjun like a child. While he sometimes couldn't help but look after him, it was time to let go.
It started from today.
Yoga Seidou, despite his tough exterior, had a soft and sentimental heart.
Minamoto Sōjun, standing outside, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted loudly: "I'm leaving now!"
With that, he turned and walked away without a care.
Developing techniques at home or at the high school didn't matter as long as it enhanced his strength.
He walked toward the tower-like building, where there were slightly more people.
Upon entering, a woman in a business suit approached him.
Minamoto Sōjun presented the recommendation letter.
The woman displayed professional expertise, leading him to the service window and handing over the letter to the staff, then bowed and stepped aside.
The staff seemed a bit distracted, absentmindedly verifying the information.
It wasn't until she saw that the recommender was Yaga Seidou and the registration was for a level 2 sorcerer that she became more serious, putting on a professional smile.
"Our benefits are excellent. Choosing Tokyo Jujutsu High School is the best decision you've made. High bounties, free accommodation, meal allowances, and one-on-one assistance from professional staff, ready for anything."
She handed him a form and continued speaking excitedly.
"The prospects for promotion are great, and you could even rise to higher positions in the future, reaching the peak of your career!"
"You will never regret choosing today!"
This scene felt familiar to Minamoto Sōjun, and he silently shook his head.
Sure enough, no matter where you went, you couldn't escape empty promises, whether they were being made to you or by you.
He ignored her and filled out the form.
The staff let out a sigh of relief and silently clenched her fist. A level 2 sorcerer—her performance for the month was secured.
Finally, she showed a more genuine smile and handed him a manual. "Please read the instructions carefully."
"Also, your ID badge will be delivered tomorrow by your personal assistant. Please keep it safe. If lost, report it immediately for a replacement."
She then called another staff member, who handed over a nameplate. They nodded at each other, clearly familiar with the process.
The new staff member led Minamoto Sōjun to select his dorm.
He finally chose a loft on the side of the school, next to a wall. Just outside the wall was the forest.
The loft was a traditional wooden duplex villa, primarily in natural wood color with rich texture. It also had a garden with a large tree surrounded by flowers and plants.
The layout was quite nice.
Minamoto Sōjun was satisfied. The environment was secluded, with few people around, making it very quiet.
The staff was highly professional, adept at reading the situation, keeping her eyes on Minamoto Sōjun's face.
"Before you receive your ID badge, please don't wander around. There are barriers throughout the school for protection, but your registration is not yet complete and could trigger alarms."
"If you need anything, please let me know."
She winked at him and then left.
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