Ms. Gojo thought she was dating an ordinary person's boyfriend.

"Furthermore," Kikawa Sumi continued, "we can't contact the main god right now, and we can't confirm what exactly is wrong with the Time and Space Administration. You can't leave, and I can't leave this world either."

"Until we reconnect, we're in the same boat."

This description is not nice at all.

"But it's very accurate."

The system cannot refute this.

"We must rely on each other." Sumire looked at it. "If the problem only lies in the review process of a few individual worlds, it might be able to be remedied; but if the problem lies in the main system or even the Time and Space Administration itself, what we will ultimately face will be something that neither you nor I can easily solve."

The system floated back and forth in mid-air twice.

It was clearly persuaded.

However, as a management system, the rules written into the core program cannot be easily violated.

After a long silence, it finally stopped.

【no. 】

Even in this situation?

"No means no." The system firmly stated its bottom line: "The world's progress, future milestones, and the fates of key figures cannot be directly revealed. This isn't a matter of whether I'm willing to tell you or not; it's simply that the underlying rules forbid it."

Sumi Kichikawa did not press the issue further.

He thought for a moment, as if he had truly given in.

"Okay, then I won't ask about the plot."

The system flashed alertly.

What do you want to ask?

Who is the protagonist of this world?

【…】

[What's the difference between this and directly asking about the plot?!]

"There is a difference. I only ask about identity, not fate."

[The protagonist's identity is also core information of the world and cannot be revealed.]

"Then let's change the question," Sumi Kikawa asked calmly, "Is Satoru the protagonist of this world?"

The system hesitated for only a moment this time.

Gojo Satoru is not the main character, and this does not involve core information that needs to be protected.

Moreover, given the current relationship between Sumire Kichikawa and Satoru Gojo, even if it doesn't answer, Sumire Kichikawa will eventually be able to tell from the way the world consciousness treats Satoru Gojo.

【no. 】

Sumire Kawakawa was not surprised.

"I see."

His answer was so decisive that it gave the system a bad feeling.

What do you know?

"Wu is not the main character."

Didn't I just tell you that?

"But he must have a very deep connection with the protagonist."

The system suddenly fell silent.

Kikawa Sumi looked at it, and without waiting for an answer, continued her analysis on her own:

"After the main storyline started, the world's consciousness briefly locked onto me. At that time, my relationship with Satoru had not yet developed to this extent. My existence itself did not change; the only new variable was that I began to have contact with his students."

The system had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

【Qichuan——】

Sumi Kichikawa ignored it.

"The time I was prone to sleep coincided roughly with the time those kids entered the vocational college."

"Therefore, the protagonist is most likely one of the first-year students that Satoru was in charge of at the time."

The ball of light came to a complete stop.

Sumire Kichikawa recalled the scenes she had once glimpsed.

A gloomy and oppressive sky.

Damaged buildings.

The curse swept through the city like a tide. Amidst the ruins, the scenes were fragmented and impossible to piece together into a complete cause and effect, but they were enough for him to remember the clearest faces among them.

Polygonum cuspidatum Hisuhito.

And Fushiguro Megumi.

But there can only be one person who can truly awaken the dormant world consciousness.

"Kugizaki joined the vocational high school the latest," Sumi Kikawa said slowly. "My abnormality had already appeared before she arrived in Tokyo. So she is the least likely candidate."

The system did not respond.

"The only remaining ones are Hisuhito Koizune and Megumi Fushiguro."

Kikawa Sumi lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment.

"Fushiguro Megumi's technique is very special, and Satoru intervened in his fate very early on. If he were the protagonist, the main storyline should have left obvious traces many years ago, rather than suddenly starting recently."

The system remained silent.

"In comparison, the day Hisahito Itadori transferred schools was a more clearly defined turning point."

At this point, Sumi Kichikawa paused.

The system finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

These are all just speculations made by Sumi Kichikawa based on existing information. As long as it is not confirmed, it does not count as a leak.

The next moment, however, Kikawa Sumi said calmly:

"However, it cannot be ruled out that Fushiguro Megumi is the main character."

【…】

"Hirohito Itadori was only drawn into the main storyline because he was accidentally parasitized. His role may simply be to advance Megumi Fushiguro's fate."

The system remained firmly silent.

"If that's the case, he himself shouldn't be that important."

Sumire Kikawa spoke calmly.

"After I get back, I'll find a way to remove that thing from his body and then send Hisahito Itadori out of Japan. If the distance across borders isn't enough to escape the main storyline, I can temporarily send him to another world."

The ball of light flashed violently.

【no!】

The system blurted out almost as soon as he finished speaking:

You can't send Hisahito Itadori out of this world!

The system sensed something was wrong the instant it reached the exit, and his urgent voice abruptly stopped.

A suffocating silence fell over the primordial space.

Kikawa Sumi raised her eyes and calmly looked at the ball of light that was frozen in mid-air.

"I see."

【…】

"The main character is Hisahito Itadori."

【…】

The entire system of light solidified.

Seconds later, an incredulous roar erupted from the consciousness space:

【Sumi Kawakawa! You actually tricked me into telling you something?!】

"There's nothing I can do," Kikawa Sumi said, her expression unchanged. "It's your fault for always being unwilling to give me more information."

Those are the rules! The rules!

The system was so angry that it spun rapidly in mid-air.

[You never intended to send Yuuji Itadori away from the beginning, right? You deliberately ruled out Kugizaki first, then started with Megumi Fushiguro's early experiences, making me think you had basically decided on Yuuji Itadori. Then you suddenly overturned your judgment and said that Megumi Fushiguro might be the protagonist—]

"If I continue to believe that Hisahito is the protagonist, you will only continue to remain silent."

Sumire Kawakawa finished the second half of the sentence for it.

"Only when you believe that I have reached the wrong conclusion and are preparing to take actions that could disrupt the main storyline will your core protection mechanisms bypass the confidentiality rules and prioritize stopping me."

system:"……"

Just like how Sumiki Kikawa tore apart her own origin and used the system's protection mechanism for her former host to force it out.

He never expected the system to violate the rules on its own initiative.

He simply created a conflict between the two rules, and then used the one with higher priority to pry open the system's mouth for himself.

You rascal...

The system's light flickered on and off in anger.

You weren't like this before!

It misses the time when it first met Sumi Kichikawa so much.

At that time, Sumi Kichikawa had just become a mission taker and had not yet been "trained" by the demons and monsters of various worlds, nor did she possess the almost terrifying insight she would later acquire.

Although his personality is a bit strange, he believes whatever the system tells him to.

Unlike now.

Once his mental state returned to normal, all the sharpness, caution, and shrewdness he had accumulated from countless past missions came back to him. If one wasn't careful, he could even outmaneuver the system.

I shouldn't have told you so much!

The system retreated towards its core, grumbling and cursing.

[This time it was my carelessness! From now on, no matter what you ask, I won't answer. Even if you say you'll send Gojo Satoru out of the world with you, I absolutely won't fall for it!]

Sumire Kikawa reminded him, "Satoru wasn't originally the protagonist of this world, and he's already crossed worlds with me more than once."

The system paused for a moment.

【Shut up!】

It quickly retreated to the deepest part of its origin, completely concealing its presence.

This time, no matter how hard Kikkawa tried to sense it, she couldn't find its location. Clearly, the system was determined not to show itself again anytime soon.

Sumi Kichikawa did not press it any further.

He has obtained the intelligence he needs most right now.

Although it is only a small part, it is enough to give direction to many previously inexplicable anomalies.

Yuji Itadori is the protagonist of this world.

So, what role does Gojo Satoru play in this main storyline that is still ongoing?

Teacher, guide, protector, or some inevitable turning point in destiny?

Given Gojo Satoru's power and status, he couldn't possibly be just an insignificant bystander.

Especially in the fragmented scenes that Sumi Kikawa once saw, Satoru Gojo's presence was too prominent, even subtly overshadowing Hisahito Itadori, who was the protagonist.

Was the riot in the world consciousness caused by him, an outsider, or by his deepening connection with Gojo Satoru, which might change a crucial outcome?

Sumi Kichikawa's brows furrowed slowly.

Before he could sort out his thoughts, a strange fluctuation of power suddenly came from afar.

That's not magic.

The power was light and pure, carrying the magical aura unique to this world, spreading rapidly from one end of Tomoeda Town like an invisible ripple.

The fluctuation itself wasn't particularly strong, but it had a clear direction, instantly enveloping the area in the direction of the commercial street.

Sikawa Cheng opened his eyes.

The moment consciousness returned to the body, a sharp pain shot through the rift in the source of life once more.

His face was slightly pale. He raised his hand to press his brow and waited for the dizziness to subside before standing up.

The sky outside the window had already darkened.

The direction of the commercial street continues to be shrouded in mystery, its allure fluctuating.

Even without careful calculation, it's obvious that this is likely another part of Sakura's destiny.

Sumire picked up her coat from the side, her gaze sweeping over the bag of candy that Gojo Satoru had left on the sofa.

I've been out all day, it's about time I came back.

He pushed open the study door and walked towards the entrance hall.

It's time to go pick up the cat and take it home.