Rebirth In The Days When Curse Gao Was The Boss Chapter 24

Day 24 of Transmigration

December in Tokyo brought deepening cold, yet the streets were already adorned with brilliant lights. The strong festive atmosphere dispelled the bleakness of winter. Jujutsu High was no exception; although sorcerers constantly dealt with darkness, it did not mean they rejected light and warmth.

“Christmas?” Xue Yang frowned, watching Itadori and Kugisaki excitedly hanging various glittering decorations on a small pine tree in the common room. He had heard Gojo Satoru mention the word a few times, but he didn’t know what it actually was.

Gojo Satoru, a Pocky stick dangling from his mouth, leaned close and draped an arm over Xue Yang’s shoulder, beginning his explanation: “Simply put, it’s a day to find an excuse to eat and drink a lot, exchange gifts, and express your feelings! It’s equivalent to… well, a large party full of sweets and surprises!”

Xue Yang became interested in “eating and drinking a lot” and “sweets,” but remained skeptical: “Express feelings?”

“Exactly!” Gojo Satoru grinned, pointing at the tree that was rapidly becoming gaudy. “For example, you put carefully prepared gifts underneath it and give them to important people.”

On Christmas Eve, the Jujutsu High common room was decorated even more meticulously than it had been for Xue Yang’s welcome party. Warm lighting, flickering candlelight, and the air was filled with the aroma of roasted turkey (contributed by Principal Yaga, though it was slightly dry), pizza, and hot mulled wine (Ieiri Shoko’s special blend, low in alcohol content). Even Nanami Kento finished work early, sitting in a corner in slightly stiff casual clothes, a glass of juice in front of him.

Principal Yaga, Ieiri Shoko, Nanami Kento, and all the first-year students (including Maki and Inumaki Toge) were present. Everyone sat together, the atmosphere warm and lively.

“Alright, let’s start the gift exchange!” As the mood-maker, Itadori announced first.

The gifts prepared by everyone were varied and full of personal character. Itadori gave everyone a hand-knitted scarf in different colors that he had carefully chosen (though the stitches were crooked); Kugisaki gave personalized accessories she designed herself, incorporating cursed talismans; Fushigumi Megumi gave everyone a practical first-aid kit (containing specialized medicines he added based on each person’s fighting style); Zenin Maki gave a set of high-quality whetstones and maintenance tools; Panda and Inumaki Toge jointly gave a large box of local specialty snacks; Principal Yaga gave small cursed corpse pendants he made himself, which offered protective effects; Ieiri Shoko gave her special concentrated medicine that could quickly restore stamina and heal minor injuries; even Nanami Kento prepared a gift—a book voucher for a famous nearby bookstore for everyone (“I hope you will supplement your theoretical knowledge more.”).

When it was Gojo Satoru’s turn, he produced a large pile of exquisitely wrapped boxes, tailoring each gift precisely to the recipient’s liking—Itadori received a signed glove from a legendary boxer, Kugisaki received limited-edition hair clips from a famous designer, Fushiguro received a rare, ancient text on Shikigami users, Zenin Maki received the latest tactical goggles, Panda and Inumaki Toge received an extra-large luxury pet (?) toy and a gift box of rare rice ball ingredients, Principal Yaga received rare cursed corpse materials, Ieiri Shoko received purchasing channels for top-tier medical equipment, and Nanami Kento received a complete hardcover set of The Modern Society Survival Guide (Nanami: “…Thank you.”).

Xue Yang also received a sizable box. When he opened it, he found a complete set of professional-grade chemistry lab equipment and a pile of rare medicinal herbs, clearly intended for him to “develop” new poisons (or antidotes). Xue Yang raised an eyebrow, quite satisfied with the gift.

Finally, it was Xue Yang’s turn to give gifts. Everyone looked at him with curiosity, wondering what this difficult person would prepare.

Under everyone’s gaze, Xue Yang expressionlessly took out several small porcelain bottles and handed one to each person. “I mixed these myself. For detoxification, healing injuries, or poisoning someone you don’t like. The effects are better than anything on the market.” His tone was as stiff as ever.

Although the way he presented the gifts made it sound like he was distributing dangerous goods, everyone who received one understood its value. Even Nanami Kento carefully put the porcelain bottle away and offered a word of thanks.

The gift exchange ended in a mix of excitement and slight chaos. Everyone ate, chatted, and enjoyed the rare peaceful night. Xue Yang sat in the corner, holding the gift box containing the lab equipment, watching the noisy group of people he no longer felt repelled by. A subtle sense of fulfillment settled in his heart.

After the party dispersed, Gojo Satoru did not take Xue Yang back to the Jujutsu High dorms but drove back to his large apartment in the city center.

The apartment was also decorated with Christmas lights, and outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows was the dazzling Christmas night view of Tokyo. Gojo Satoru told Xue Yang to wait in the living room and mysteriously went into the study.

After a while, he came out holding a long, narrow wooden box that looked quite ancient.

“For you, a Christmas gift.” Gojo Satoru handed the wooden box to Xue Yang, his face bearing a rare, gentle smile devoid of mockery.

Xue Yang took it, puzzled. The wooden box was heavy and carried the texture of age. He opened the lid. Inside, lined with dark velvet, lay a sword.

This sword was completely different from the ferocious malevolence of Calamity. The blade was long and smooth, the lines elegant, radiating a restrained, moonlight-like clear brilliance. A pure blue gem was inlaid in the hilt, subtly flowing with powerful Cursed Energy fluctuations. The entire sword gave off a feeling of tranquility, peace, yet profound depth.

“This is…”

“A Special Grade Cursed Tool—’Hope’.” Gojo Satoru looked at Xue Yang and explained calmly. “I had to search the Gojo Clan vault for quite a while to find it. It is said to purify evil spirits, stabilize the mind, and has a strong amplifying and guiding effect on the wielder’s Cursed Energy.”

He paused, looking at Xue Yang with deep eyes: “Calamity represents your past; it is excellent and proof of your strength. But I think you also need a sword that represents your ‘present’ and ‘future’. Hope… isn’t that a good name?”

Xue Yang stared blankly at the sword in the wooden box, then looked up at Gojo Satoru. The moonlight-like brilliance reflected in his amber pupils, seemingly illuminating certain corners that had always been hidden deep within. Gojo Satoru not only accepted his past (Calamity) but also found him a sword symbolizing “Hope,” pointing him toward a different future.

He reached out, his fingertip lightly touching the cool blade. A gentle yet powerful force flowed through his fingertip into his body. Not only did it not conflict with his own Cursed Energy and the power of the Stygian Tiger Seal, but it created a strange resonance and soothing effect.

“…Why ‘Hope’?” Xue Yang’s voice was slightly hoarse.

Gojo Satoru smiled and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Because I think your future deserves to have hope.”

Xue Yang lowered his head, gazing at the sword named Hope for a long time without speaking. But the slight trembling of the fingers gripping the hilt betrayed his inner turmoil.

After Christmas, the New Year approached, and Jujutsu High began its holiday break. Most students went home for the New Year, and the campus suddenly became much quieter.

Gojo Satoru watched Xue Yang adapting to his new sword, Hope, and suddenly said, “Hey, Xue Yang, come back to the Gojo Clan with me for the New Year.”

Xue Yang paused his sword practice and looked at Gojo Satoru, his eyes showing clear resistance. “No.” Those ancient sorcerer clans must have terrifyingly strict rules; the thought alone annoyed him.

Gojo Satoru had anticipated his reaction and said unhurriedly, “The Gojo Clan New Year banquet has many traditional Japanese sweets that have been passed down for hundreds of years, which you can’t eat anywhere else. Plus, there might be other good things like ‘Hope’ in the vault…”

Xue Yang: “…” Damn it, he was being manipulated.

Seeing Xue Yang’s obvious wavering, Gojo Satoru pressed his advantage: “Don’t worry, with me there, no one will dare to disrespect you. Just treat it as… seeing what an ancient sorcerer clan is like. And, by the way, I’ll formally introduce you to my family.”

Gojo Satoru said the last sentence casually, but it made Xue Yang’s heart skip a beat. Formally introduce him?

Ultimately, driven by the temptation of traditional sweets and the possibility of “good things,” as well as a certain emotion he couldn’t quite articulate, Xue Yang reluctantly agreed.

So, on the first day of the New Year holiday, Gojo Satoru drove his car, carrying Xue Yang—who clutched his new sword Hope, his face displaying “unwillingness” but his eyes hiding a trace of curiosity—toward the ancient and powerful main residence of the Gojo Clan, which dominated the peak of the Jujutsu world.

For Xue Yang, this would be another new experience, full of unknowns. And this time, Gojo Satoru was by his side.