Ryan stopped, his gaze fixed calmly on the horizon. Minutes passed, yet Yuta Okkotsu remained unmoving, the weight of the battle pressing down on him. The silence between them was deafening, and even the others seemed hesitant to speak.
At that moment, the stillness was broken by the voices of Jogo, Mahito, and Hanami.
Jogo, standing with his arms crossed, let out a low chuckle. "Ryan... it seems like the kid's lost the will to keep going," he remarked, his voice dripping with condescension. "Guess all that talk was just a façade."
Mahito grinned, his sharp eyes gleaming with amusement. "Tch, you're still the strongest, Ryan. No surprise there. That kid never stood a chance." He tilted his head, a mocking tone in his voice. "I expected more of a fight, though. Guess even the best have their limits, huh?"
Hanami stood in the back, arms folded, his expression stoic. He spoke slowly, his voice as calm as ever but with an underlying edge. "The kid's not just weak, he's... outclassed. There's nothing more dangerous than someone who doesn't even realize the level they're at. You shattered his confidence. He won't recover from this easily."
Ryan turned toward Gojo, his voice steady as he spoke, a slight edge to it. "Gojo," he began, his eyes never leaving the battered Yuta. "Take care of him. I only had to defeat him—not kill him. He's a good kid. I know someone who was in a similar situation. He has potential. Just... make sure he doesn't go down the wrong path."
Gojo, arms crossed and leaning casually against the nearest pillar, flashed his usual carefree grin but with a hint of seriousness in his eyes. "Hah, leave it to me. He may look like a deer caught in headlights right now, but I'll make sure he gets the right push. After all, I'm pretty much the best teacher there is."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, an almost imperceptible smirk tugging at his lips. "You'll need more than a flashy smile and some cryptic lessons to get through to him, Gojo."
Gojo smirked back, unphased. "Oh, please, I don't need your advice. Besides, I'm the only one who can teach him how to actually survive the crazy world we're in. You want me to teach him like you did? Take the guy's will to fight right out of him? No thanks, I'll do it my way."
Ryan's eyes softened just slightly, a rare moment of understanding passing between them. "I'm not suggesting you change anything, Gojo. Just… help him find a balance. He doesn't need to be a weapon. But he needs to understand the weight of his power."
Gojo's tone became more thoughtful, though still playful. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. You can count on me. Yuta's a good kid; he'll come around. I'll make sure of it." His smile returned, the usual glint in his eyes. "But if he tries anything funny—well, he'll learn the hard way. Can't coddle the kid forever."
Ryan gave a small nod, his expression unreadable as he turned away. "I trust you won't go easy on him. But don't break him either."
Gojo chuckled, the sound light and carefree. "Who, me? Break someone? Never. Just make sure you don't mess up whatever 'plan' you're working on and leave Japan as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, Gojo had been already defeated, along with Yuta Okkotsu. With that, the third task was now fully completed.
A crisp sound echoed beside his ear.
[Ding!]
[Mission 3: Defeat Gojo Satoru and Yuta Okkotsu – Status: Completed Successfully!]
[Rewards will be granted upon return to the mission space.]
[Please wait for further instructions.]
There was no doubt the task had been completed. Ryan, however, had already made preparations for this moment. After all, these two formidable opponents—Gojo Satoru and Yuta Okkotsu—had both been defeated by his hand, and he now had them completely under his control.
Of course, Ryan knew the mission had been accomplished. As the announcement played, the other Hokages, scattered around the city, paused and took notice.
Konoha Chat Group
Hashirama Senju:
"Already? That was quick! Guess we didn't have much to worry about after all. But seriously, I expected more of a challenge. Who finished it so fast?"
Tobirama Senju:
"Typical. It's always the ones you least expect who get the job done. No time wasted, huh? Whoever did it certainly didn't give us a chance to catch up."
Kakashi Hatake (Alternate):
"That fast? Really? I thought we'd have more time to... prepare. Well, it's done. That's what matters, I suppose. But who was it?"
Naruto Uzumaki:
"Wait, it's over? Already?! I didn't even get a chance to do something cool! Who took care of it so fast? I need to know!"
Sasuke Uchiha:
"Didn't think we'd be finished already. Whoever took care of it, they worked fast. But... why didn't I get to participate?"
They exchanged whispers, trying to piece things together. It didn't take long for them to figure out who was responsible.
Three tasks completed with ease?
Tsunade Senju (Road to Ninja):
"Alright, everyone, settle down." She let the silence linger for a moment in the chat group. "It's over already, and it was our team that did it. Ryan took care of the special-grade cursed spirits. Gojo and Yuta weren't able to stop him. It was fast, clean, and—frankly—too easy."
"I don't even know how he managed it without us, but... the job's done. They were that efficient."
"Guess we've got some serious catching up to do."
It was obvious—no one doubted his strength. What surprised them, though, was how swiftly he had completed the task. He had finished the third mission in what felt like no time at all.
Back on Ryan's side, his allies were starting to ask questions, eager to know more.
"Are we going to keep looking for others?" Mahito and the others spoke up, breaking the silence. After all, the conjurers were being hunted, and even though the two strongest ones had already been taken down, there had to be others lurking somewhere.
Ryan was about to respond, but before he could utter a word, a sharp sound rang out in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Mission 3: Defeat all Jujutsu Sorcerers!]
[Mission completed successfully.]
[Rewards will be distributed upon return to the mission space Please wait for further instructions.]
Ryan paused, momentarily stunned. The mission was already complete?
He hadn't expected it to end so quickly. He had already taken care of the two strongest sorcerers here, but had all the other Jujutsu Sorcerers been defeated as well?
Elsewhere, throughout the city, the Hokages were equally stunned.
A notification pops up, and his message appears instantly, with a hint of amusement in his tone.
Ryan: "Mission completed already? Well, that was quick. Guess we didn't need to break a sweat after all."
Sasuke Uchiha: "Tch. If you're all done so quickly, I guess I didn't miss much. It would've been more interesting if we faced actual threats."
Tsunade (Road to Ninja): "Already? Looks like the Jujutsu Sorcerers are more of a joke than I thought. I was expecting something a little more... challenging."
Naruto Uzumaki: "Wow, you guys are on a roll! I'm still over here purifying these curses, thinking it's supposed to be tough. I guess I need to step it up! Or maybe I just got the tougher end of the mission?"
Ryan: "Hey, we handled our share. Took down the strongest among them—their so-called 'special grade curses'—without breaking a sweat. What about the rest of you? Don't tell me you struggled."
Madara Uchiha:"Pathetic. If these Jujutsu Sorcerers were supposed to protect their world, they've failed miserably. It's almost insulting to call this a mission. Had I been there, their existence would have ended before they even knew what hit them. I trust you didn't waste too much time, Ryan."
Tsunade (Road to Ninja): "Seriously. I didn't even get the chance to warm up. Guess it's time to go back to the chat group space."
The Hokages exchanged puzzled glances, each of them grappling with the unexpected speed at which the mission had been completed.
No one had anticipated this kind of rapid conclusion.
Everyone exchanged looks, realizing the task was nearing its end. The first mission had been completed earlier, and the third mission had just been confirmed. That left only the second mission—now fully completed.
Did that mean the entire mission was over?
As the realization sank in, the group couldn't help but reflect on how quickly everything had come together.
"Looks like this mission was completed faster than we thought. It's really unexpected." Kakashi spoke up, his voice laced with surprise.
Just as the conversation continued, the prompt from the chat group sounded, resonating in everyone's minds.
[Ding! Congratulations to everyone, all tasks have been completed!]
[Mission 1: Defeat all the cursed spirits! Completed!]
[Mission 2: Defeat all Jujutsu Sorcerers! Completed!]
[Mission 3: Defeat Gojo Satoru and Hanamita! Completed!]
Upon hearing this, it finally sank in for everyone—all tasks were complete.
Excitement bubbled up within the group. Their eyes lit up with anticipation. With the mission over, the next step was clear—it was time to collect their rewards.
Once the rewards were claimed, they'd return to the chat room's meeting space to review their rankings. But for now, their focus was solely on the task at hand—the hunt for their rewards.
Guided by the prompt, everyone moved into action, the team regrouped at the Tokyo Jujutsu High, the mission's swift completion leaving an unusual sense of ease in the air.
Madara stood apart, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips. "That was too easy. If this is the standard, I'm wasting my time."
Hashirama stepped forward, his usual grin softening the tension. "Come on, Madara, not every mission has to push us to the brink. Sometimes efficiency is the real victory."
Madara scoffed, his gaze scanning the group. "Efficiency means nothing if no one is tested. Strength comes from struggle, not comfort."
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