Jujutsu Kaisen: The Sorceress of Control

Makima smiled with an unsettling calm. Her eyes sparkled with a glimmer of contained malice as she finally responded, uttering a single word with a naturalness that masked everything behind it: "Tokyo."

Tengen nodded, though he couldn't help but feel a small spark of curiosity creeping in. "Any specific reason?" he asked, trying to probe the young woman's thoughts before him, knowing that although she appeared as a child, the reality was quite different.

Makima slightly tilted her head, as if considering the question. After a brief silence, her lips formed a faint smile while her eyes remained focused on Tengen. "Satoru Gojo is there, isn't he? One of the few people who could teach me something."

The mention of Gojo didn't surprise Tengen, though he hadn't expected her to say it so plainly. With a small gesture of his hand, he lifted the seals in the room. The heavy barrier that had kept the place hermetically sealed during their conversation dissipated. A soft whisper, like a distant echo, filled the air as the door slowly opened, revealing the exit.

Makima stood with the same calculated elegance with which she had been seated. She quietly drank the remaining tea, leaving the empty cup on the dark wooden table. Unhurried, she walked toward the exit. As she moved, her silhouette was cast against the light now streaming in from the hallway, a small figure radiating an unsettling authority.

"A pleasure doing business," she said, briefly glancing at Tengen with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Then, without waiting for a response, she turned and exited the room.

Tengen let out a deep sigh, as if with each step Makima took toward the door, a part of him filled with uncertainty. When the door closed behind her, her barely audible whisper resonated in the empty room. "I hope she doesn't abuse the deal… If she does, it will be another burden on my already long list of regrets." He gently clenched his fists, knowing there was something sinister in the agreement he had just made. He had struck a deal with a demon, and although she was the worst kind of demon, she was one he preferred to have on his side.

Outside, Rika, who had been waiting anxiously, ran toward Makima the moment she saw her. Her eyes scanned every inch of her body, searching for any signs of harm or something unusual. Although Makima was not one to show vulnerability, Rika knew the meeting had been strange. The girl hadn't felt the usual connection she maintained with Makima most of the time, and that unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

"Are you okay, Makima?" Rika asked, her worried eyes seeking a reassuring answer.

Makima watched her for a moment, her golden eyes reflecting Rika's image with the typical controlled coldness she always had. But this time, something was different. Her smile—that smile that usually seemed mechanical, forced, like a well-placed mask—now appeared genuine. It was a small difference, barely noticeable, but to Rika, who knew her well, it was as if there was a more human spark behind those eyes.

Without saying a word, Makima extended her hand and took Rika's chin between her fingers, squeezing her cheeks slightly in a manner that seemed playful, something she rarely did in public.

"Hey, hey, save that for when we're alone," a teasing voice suddenly interrupted. Gojo, leaning against one of the nearby walls, observed the scene with a broad smile on his face, clearly enjoying the moment.

Makima shifted her gaze toward him. Her eyes locked onto Gojo's for a moment, as if analyzing him with precision, yet without the slightest hint of admiration or fear. Before her stood Satoru Gojo, the man whom everyone called the strongest sorcerer of the present day. But Makima, true to her character, showed not a shred of emotion. To her, he was just another individual with abilities that could be useful.

"I forgot you were still here," she commented, her tone cold and distant, slicing through the air like a sharp blade.

For a moment, Gojo frowned, but his pride quickly recovered. Still, Makima's words had managed to unsettle him briefly, something that few people could do. "Well, forgetting me is hard, but not impossible, I suppose," he joked, trying to regain his usual composure.

"So, you're going to be a student here, huh?" he added, with that carefree smile that masked the seriousness of his words. Though he wouldn't openly admit it, he knew that having someone like Makima in Tokyo was not just an academic matter. She was much more dangerous than she appeared, and that intrigued him.

Makima made no effort to prolong the conversation. She simply nodded, confirming her next destination without placing much importance on it.

"Uh, well, your studies start in two years, but I guess I'll take you home now," Gojo added, though he couldn't help but keep wondering what her true motive for transferring might be.

But, as always, Makima had her answer ready. "Actually, I'll be going to the facilities in three days."

Gojo raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "Three days? Why?"

"Tengen says he wants me monitored… or something like that," Makima replied with the same calm she had shown from the beginning.

Gojo sighed, bringing a hand to his forehead. "Great, another Zenin to take care of at the school where I work," he muttered to himself, though with a teasing tone that showed he didn't take it too seriously deep down.

As they walked, Gojo leading the way and Makima following closely with Rika behind, the strongest sorcerer in the world couldn't shake the feeling that there was more behind that decision. It was evident that Tengen wanted to keep Makima under control, but was that really all? Gojo wasn't convinced. He sensed that something about the young girl was eluding him, and though he wouldn't admit it aloud, it concerned him.

"Coming?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder with a smile that tried to seem relaxed, though it was clear he was evaluating Makima.

Makima simply nodded and continued walking behind him. Rika, at her side, kept a close watch, her eyes alert, though her mind was already drifting into the myriad of possible scenarios that could unfold from that meeting.

As the group moved forward, the future unfolded before Makima like a chessboard. Every movement of others, every word spoken, every gesture observed, all were being stored in her mind. To her eyes, the world was a strategic game where sorcerers and their powers were pieces in her intricate web of plans and manipulations. And as Gojo walked ahead of her, with his unwavering confidence, Makima was already envisioning the countless ways she could use him to her advantage.

What others didn't know was that, for Makima, this wasn't simply a new chapter in her life as a student. It was an opportunity to expand her influence, better understand those around her, and, above all, ensure that the deal she had just made with Tengen worked in her favor. After all, there was something Tengen hadn't considered: in the game of domination, it doesn't matter how much power you have if you don't know how to use it.