"Tap, tap, tap..."
A woman strode in, one hand on her hip, and looked at the haggard Geto Suguru.
"You're Geto, right?"
"What kind of woman do you like?"
The unfamiliar yet pretty face of Yuki Tsukumo appeared before them, immediately putting Geto on guard.
But Yuu Hayama, standing beside him, perked up. "I like kind, gentle women!"
On instinct alone, he felt the unfamiliar woman before them wasn't a bad person.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Yuki glanced at him. "That's a pretty standard answer for a junior."
"Hehe, um, I've got something to do, so I'll leave you two to talk."
Hayama scratched his head with a smile and left.
After Hayama had gone, Geto asked, "Who are you?"
Yuki introduced herself. "Yuki Tsukumo."
Geto paused at the name. He seemed to remember it from some unsavory rumors.
Seeing Geto's thoughtful expression, Yuki gestured toward herself with a world-weary look. "That's right! I'm the woman who's a Special Grade but never takes missions, and spends her time fooling around overseas."
Yuki sat down on a stool, her gaze calm.
Since Gojo and Geto had both been promoted to Special Grade, she felt she ought to come by and greet them as their senior.
"I don't really like Jujutsu High..."
Yuki started talking about her own history with Jujutsu High.
She compared Jujutsu High's method of hunting Cursed Spirits to "treating the symptoms."
"Jujutsu High's approach can only treat the symptoms, not the cause. What I want to do is create a world where Cursed Spirits can't be born."
As Geto listened to Yuki, a faint ripple stirred in his lifeless eyes. He stared at her, dazed, unsure what she meant.
"Looks like you don't quite understand."
Seeing Geto's confusion, Yuki explained, "Cursed Spirits are formed from the buildup of Cursed Energy that leaks out of humans."
"If we want to create a world without Cursed Spirits, there are two ways.
"One is to remove Cursed Energy from all humanity; the other is to let all humanity control Cursed Energy."
Yuki continued, "I used to favor the first option. After all, there are people who have no Cursed Energy at all, but... I've researched it for many years and still haven't found a way."
There were plenty of examples of Heavenly Restriction reducing a person's Cursed Energy to the level of an ordinary person. But she had found only two people in the whole world who had no Cursed Energy whatsoever.
Shinsuke Zenin had had her investigate it for years, and she still hadn't come up with anything. She was also buried in debt.
"I've put that line of research on hold for now."
She simply didn't have that kind of money.
"Now I'm considering how to let all humanity control Cursed Energy. If everyone became a sorcerer, the world wouldn't have curses either."
Sorcerers leaked very little Cursed Energy. They could circulate it within their bodies, so they didn't produce Cursed Spirits.
Only when uncontrollable negative energy accumulated could Cursed Spirits come into being.
Geto fell into thought. For a year, he had exorcised Cursed Spirits again and again, swallowed them despite their disgusting taste, like a mouthful of vomit, and borne witness to the ugliness of human nature. His thoughts had gradually grown confused and extreme.
Yuki's words stirred an extreme idea in his fractured heart.
"If we killed all non-sorcerers, wouldn't that accomplish the second option?"
Geto murmured, dazed.
At that, Yuki showed no emotion. Resting her chin on one hand, she gazed ahead and calmly replied,
"That... would work."
She had probably thought of that method too, but she hadn't included it in her plans.
"That's the simplest way to achieve the second option. A better approach would be to put ordinary people under greater pressure, forcing them to become sorcerers in order to survive."
In short, keep creating fear and a sense of crisis until all of humanity evolved together!
"Ah... but I'm not that extreme right now."
Yuki shrugged. Her conscience wouldn't let her put that method into practice.
"Geto, do you hate non-sorcerers?"
"I don't know. Before, I would've answered without hesitation that I didn't. But lately, I've started to question the value of non-sorcerers."
Geto lowered his head, his mind a mess.
He could no longer tell apart the preciousness and the ugliness unique to the weak.
"I don't know which is really me: looking down on non-sorcerers, or protecting them."
"Well, whichever one is the real you doesn't matter. You're only just beginning to make your own choices."
Yuki folded her arms and looked toward the corridor, her eyes lighting up.
"You're here."
Shinsuke Zenin appeared before them and glanced down at the haggard Geto.
It seemed that even with Riko Amanai alive, the ugliness of human nature and the disgusting Cursed Spirits had still put this young man through the wringer.
When Geto saw the familiar face appear out of nowhere, his confusion immediately faded. "It's you!"
He tensed up at once. "Why are you at Jujutsu High?"
Shinsuke spread his hands with a smile. "I'm a teacher here. Is it so strange for me to show up?"
"A teacher? No way. I've never seen you teach a class."
"Oh? Isn't it normal for a P.E. teacher to take a lot of days off?"
"Not bad. It's been a year, and you've managed to get a job as a teacher at Jujutsu High? You must've pulled a lot of strings."
Yuki stood up and gave Shinsuke a strange look.
Somehow, the idea of him being a teacher just felt weird to her.
"Never mind that. Isn't it time to settle your debt?"
"..."
Yuki puffed out her cheeks and turned away angrily. "Take me out to eat, or you won't get a single cent!"
"Fine. I just didn't think a Special Grade Sorcerer would be so broke she couldn't afford a meal.
"Geto, don't you dare turn out like this idle senior of yours."
Shinsuke didn't mind paying for a meal.
"Hmph."
Yuki huffed and headed outside. "Geto, I just came to say hello to you and Gojo. And don't worry about the Star Plasma Vessel. For certain reasons, Tengen is quite stable right now."
After saying goodbye to Geto, Yuki put on a helmet and tossed the keys to Shinsuke. "Can you ride?"
"Who are you underestimating?"
Shinsuke took an interest in Yuki's motorcycle, put on the helmet, and climbed on.
Seeing that, Yuki climbed on too, sat behind Shinsuke, and casually wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Bye, Geto!"
She waved goodbye to Geto.
Shinsuke also turned to look at Geto, standing by the roadside with a vacant look in his eyes, and said,
"Kid, you look a little lost. As your teacher, let me give you a word of advice: if you don't know what to choose, do whatever feels right. Do what you like, and take out anyone you can't stand."
Why think so much? If someone screwed you over, get them back. If you can't beat them, either run or take it. Who cares about all that other stuff?
Sometimes, you had to be a little selfish. It made life a lot less troublesome.
"What kind of teacher says that? Stop leading your students astray," Yuki complained.
"Vroom, vroom—"
The motorcycle starting up was his reply.
Geto watched the two of them gradually disappear, looking dazed. "Do what I like?"
Before you continue