Ultimate Man [JJK X SOL]: Loading Golden Entries at The Start

Ryuji raised a hand, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"As for your cursed energy, once it reaches the level of a Grade 2 sorcerer, you should be ready," he said, his voice calm.

Saki's current strength placed her at the level of a Grade 3 sorcerer. There was still some distance to cover before she could reach Grade 2, but it wasn't out of reach.

"Really? That's great!" Saki's face lit up with excitement.

Although she wasn't quite there yet, knowing that she was only one rank away filled her with confidence. She resolved to take her training more seriously and work harder. If she could put in the effort, she believed it wouldn't take too long before she could start learning the Simple Domain technique Ryuji had mentioned.

"Hehe!" With a cheerful laugh, Saki suddenly leaned closer and hugged Ryuji's arm playfully.

"It just so happens that I made a little money today. How about I treat you to dinner after school, Ryuji?" she asked, looking up at him expectantly.

It was clear to everyone what Saki was really thinking. The offer of dinner was just an excuse; her true goal was to spend time alone with Ryuji.

"Really?"

Before Ryuji could respond, Mai appeared seemingly out of nowhere. With a bright smile, she slipped in and latched onto Ryuji's other arm.

"Saki's treating Ryuji to dinner? That sounds great! Let's all go together," Mai said sweetly, her tone as smooth as honey.

"…"

Saki froze, her mouth twitching slightly.

She hadn't invited everyone. She had only meant to invite Ryuji.@@novelbin@@

"I—" Saki tried to say something, but before she could explain, the other girls in the room caught on and chimed in.

"Thanks for the treat, Saki!"

Both Utaha and Yumiko spoke at the same time, their smiles radiant as they joined the conversation.

"Where should we go? Should we head out straight after school?" Utaha suggested casually.

"I heard there's a new dessert shop nearby. Why don't we check it out?" Yumiko added, already making plans as if the decision had been made.

"…"

Saki was left speechless as the discussion quickly spiraled out of her control. It was clear that her original plan to invite only Ryuji was no longer an option.

In the end, she could only glare at Mai, her frustration evident.

"Hmph!" Mai noticed Saki's glare but remained unfazed. She gave a soft huff, acting completely natural, as if she hadn't done anything wrong.

There was no way Mai was going to let Saki have an opportunity to take Ryuji out alone. The mere thought of it was enough to make Mai act preemptively.

Are you kidding me? Mai thought to herself. You really think I wouldn't notice what you're up to? Like I'd ever give you that chance.

Though Saki was reluctant at first, as the meal progressed, her irritation began to fade.

In the end, it was hard to stay upset when everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves. After all, they had all come together in the Service Club because of Ryuji. It was because of him that they had become sorcerers, and their shared experiences had brought them closer.

The room was soon filled with lighthearted conversation and laughter.

---

"That reminds me," Ryuji said suddenly, his tone thoughtful as something seemed to occur to him. "If any of you are interested, you might want to start learning more about management."

"...?"

His words caught everyone's attention. For a moment, the girls looked at him in confusion, unsure of what he meant.

Until now, Ryuji had only shared information about the higher levels of the sorcery world with Mimiko and Nanako. The others were still in the dark about many of the specifics.

"Management? Like reading up on it?" Utaha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Ryuji confirmed.

Though they didn't fully understand his reasoning, the girls trusted him enough not to question it too much.

"Alright," Yumiko said with a nod. "I'll start researching."

"Same here," Mai agreed. "If Ryuji says it's important, then it probably is."

The others quickly chimed in as well, each one readily agreeing to put in the effort.

Seeing their enthusiasm, Ryuji couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He began explaining further, giving them a glimpse into what he meant.

Originally, none of them had given much thought to the idea of management. But as Ryuji described the responsibilities that would come with overseeing the sorcery world in the future, the gravity of his request began to sink in.

"Wait… you want us to manage the sorcery world?" Saki asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"That's right," Ryuji said simply.

"But… can we even do that?" Mai added hesitantly. "Managing all the sorcerers in the world… that sounds impossible."

The sorcery world was filled with individuals who were not only powerful but also notoriously difficult to control. Sorcerers were often prideful and headstrong, and convincing them to follow orders would be no small feat.

Ryuji noticed their uncertainty and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he said calmly. "You don't need to handle everything alone. I'll be here to back you up."

Those few words carried a quiet but unshakable confidence.

With Ryuji's strength and authority, they wouldn't need to fear any opposition. If someone refused to cooperate, Ryuji would handle it himself.

"Besides," he added, "Mimiko and Nanako will be there to help as well. You won't have to do this on your own."

Thanks to Ryuji's use of Idle Transfiguration, Mimiko and Nanako had grown significantly stronger. Both had recently reached the level of Grade 1 sorcerers, and they were on the verge of becoming special-grade.

Mimiko, in particular, had already developed a prototype for Domain Expansion. While it wasn't fully complete, it was only a matter of time before she mastered it.

With the twins' growing strength, even the most rebellious sorcerers would have second thoughts about causing trouble.

Hearing this, the girls' expressions softened slightly.

"If Nanako and Mimiko are with us, then… maybe we can do it," Utaha said, her voice more confident now.