It was a short discussion since everyone decided to follow protocol and report first before waiting for instructions.

They contacted Nitta Akari, their proxy for the higher-ups, and explained their situation in detail, especially the potential danger represented by the unknown sorcerers and the situation with Masao and the [Thousand Shattered Reflections Mirror].

After that, they changed location to a less populated space, so that if they were attacked while they waited for further instructions, they could fight without occurring civilian fatalities.

A few minutes after, they received a phone call which Katsuo picked up.

"Yes, Nitta-san?"

"T-Tetsuo-kun, the higher-ups d-decided to..."

By the hesitation of Nitta's voice, Katsuo could already tell that he probably wouldn't like it.

"Destroy the mirror. According to them, in the hostile environment that you currently situate yourselves in, there's a high chance of the cursed mirror being taken away by other parties, so they ordered to destroy it."

Katsuo froze, it wasn't like he didn't expect to someday receive an order that he wouldn't like, but for it to be so soon.

He was silent for a few moments. He was starting to understand better why Gojo acted as he did, so, as Gojo was his teacher, he decided to learn from him.

"CsHHSsh, csHhSH, Moshi Moshi? Nitta-san? I didn't hear the last phrase, there's a bad connection here, I will call you later"

Katsuo turned off the phone and saw his classmates looking at him with wide eyes and slightly open mouths. Panda was the first to talk.

"Katsuo, wasn't expecting that of you, you looked like Gojo-sensei for a moment, what did they ask us to do?"

"Their order is to destroy the mirror so that it doesn't fall in other hands."

Katsuo looked at Masao, who was again trembling.

"But I won't do it"

Katsuo looked at Panda, Maki, and Toge.

"I won't ask you to disobey it with me, but can you at least pretend that it didn't happen, or give me a headst..."

Maki interrupted with a wide grin, making Katsuo's heart skip a beat.

"What are you saying Katsuo? The connection was bad wasn't it, we are just doing what is the most appropriate in this situation. Right, guys?"

"Shake!"

"Hmm~, that's right Katsuo. We didn't hear that stupid order so we can only do the best action decided by ourselves."

Katsuo silently but gratefully nodded at them while Masao was moved by their actions and tears were streaming down his eyes.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Thank you, really. Thank you!"

Masao understood that they were disobeying orders, which would probably cause them to be punished, and risk their lives fighting the other people with superpowers, for him.

Nobody had ever shown such kindness to him before. He wiped his eyes with his arm and made up his mind.

He, for the first time in his life, would be brave. If the situation reached the point where they could lose their lives, he would find a way to lose his first. That way they would lose the reason for fighting and they would be safe.

"I won't get in your way."

Katsuo looked at his determined eyes, he looked like he was ready to die.

"... Oogami-kun, you aren't thinking of something weird, are you? Remember we are doing this for you to live. Don't worry, we are strong, believe us!"

Masao was a little embarrassed he was seen through, so he only nodded while looking at the floor, his eyes losing a bit of the earlier determination but having more happiness instead.

Panda spoke.

"Let's contact Gojo-sensei. This was, obviously, a trial to us before but even he couldn't have predicted things going this way, so the best way to resolve this is by having Gojo-sensei help us."

Masao was a little confused but his only answer was that Gojo was the strongest sorcerer, which awed him quite a bit even though he didn't know how strong is that.

They contacted him and put him on speaker.

"Moshi, Moshi?"

"Gojo-sensei, it's us."

"Oh, my cute students, what is it?"

They recounted what they had been through and states their intention of taking back both the mirror and the teen named Masao.

"You disobeyed orders just because of a kid you just met. That's hilarious! Let's make it this way, if you can take him to the base, I will protect you and support him."

Katsuo was relieved. With Gojo's help, he was sure that everything will be alright, now they only had to complete Gojo's task.

For some reason, he remembered fake Shikamaru's white eyes and felt that he and his associates would most likely interfere in some way, Katsuo only hoped that the worst-case scenario doesn't happen.

That worst-case scenario being that those sorcerers think the same was as his higher-ups.

'If I can't have it, no one else can.'

Currently, the base was ten minutes away if they moved at Katsuo's top speed, but that's impossible for all in his team so Katsuo thought for a moment and told the team the best course of action they could take in his opinion.

"Based on the information we collected we have a few choices but the safest way in my opinion is that we stay in the defensive for around two weeks. By that time, my Binding Vow would have ended and those sorcerers would stop being a danger.

If I'm right about the man with future sight, he can only see his own future in the short term, meaning that his ability is only effective if, in the near future, he receives information about us, so if we remain undetected and information about us doesn't spread, we can remain relatively safe."

After hearing the first plan, Maki gave her opinion

"That could be the best way, but I don't like the fact that those bastards are pushing us this far."

"Well~, Maki, the ones that we fought are not as strong as us, but the problem is that they have a numerical advantage and they are somewhat capable.

Katsuo, based on that and what you told us, I think your plan is difficult to execute because If he has more companions like the ones we faced before, their most effective way to catch us is to spread out and serve as an information network that will comb through the city and share all that they had seen with him."

"Shake."

This argument of Panda stomped the best of Katsuo's plans to trash, so they got back to thinking.

Suddenly a someone with a timid voice gathered his courage and spoke out.

"How about we use decoys."

Everyone looked at Masao.

"If things go as Panda said then if we give them a lot of false information, we can confuse them, or in the best outcome, even fool them."

They thought for a moment and Maki said.

"It's not perfect but that could work, nice idea Oogami."

Masao blushed a little at being complimented and participated more actively in the perfecting of their plan.

In that way, he learned a lot about the Jujutsu world as he heard them, and he felt that this was his opportunity to become someone that he wouldn't be ashamed of.

'I only need to survive, and that will gradually become true.'

Masao thought hopefully.