On Tokyo's dazzling, bustling streets, Suguru Geto walked alone through the crowd.
"Geto, you've seemed distracted lately. Don't push yourself too hard. Why not take a break for once?"
Yaga-sensei's words echoed in his ears.
Suguru Geto sighed, then irritably raked a hand through his hair.
Suddenly, he stopped and turned to look into a dim alley.
The scent of a Cursed Spirit.
Suguru Geto stepped into the alley, his figure gradually swallowed by darkness and shadow.
As he walked, he heard a man cursing and a woman crying at the far end of the alley.
"You filthy bitch! When the hell are you going to pay me back?"
"I'm sorry! Give me one more month, and I'll pay you back with interest!"
"Boss, that junkie's full of crap. This bitch is still pretty easy on the eyes. Why not sell her to a brothel and recoup some of our losses?"
Clatter—
A can suddenly clanged in the corner.
Suguru Geto emerged from the darkness and swept a blank gaze over everyone present.
Three men and one woman: a scar-faced man holding a knife, with two dyed-hair underlings behind him, and a woman being hounded for money, looking terrified and haggard.
Suguru Geto noticed the needle marks on the woman's arm, as well as the way she kept unconsciously sniffing.
"Hey, kid! Who are you?"
The scar-faced man pointed his knife at Suguru Geto and nodded for his underlings to move in.
The blond-haired one beside him chuckled and pulled a butterfly knife from his pocket, flipping it around a couple of times in front of Suguru Geto.
"Hey, kid, hand over all the money you've got!"
Suguru Geto took a deep breath and patiently said, "Please leave at once. It's dangerous here."
"Huh? You high or something?"
"Is this guy some rookie cop?"
"Hey, hey! Shota! Show the officer some respect!"
They laughed without a care, not noticing the shadows on the wall behind them twisting and warping.
Suguru Geto murmured, his eyes vacant, "Do we Jujutsu Sorcerers risk our lives fighting just to protect people like this?"
"Hey! What the hell are you babbling about?"
"Hand over the money, or I'll—"
Shhk—
It had no skin or hair. Its whole body was deathly white, with long, thin limbs. The only feature on its face was a gaping maw, lined with sharp teeth and spread open like a blooming flower. (Has anyone here watched Stranger Things?)
At that moment, the Cursed Spirit leaped down from the wall and swallowed the scar-faced man whole.
Ordinary people could see Cursed Spirits in the moments before their deaths, too.
The two dyed-hair underlings and the woman, high on drugs, were so terrified they scrambled away on all fours.
"Monster! It's a monster!"
Before they could take more than a couple of steps, the Cursed Spirit's sharp, slender claws pinned them to the ground.
Suguru Geto watched the entire scene impassively.
Jujutsu Sorcerers protected non-sorcerers. That was supposed to be his conviction.
But right now, he had no desire to protect any of them.
Once the three had breathed their last, the Cursed Spirit looked up. Though it had no eyes, it seemed to turn its gaze toward Suguru Geto.
Roar!!!
"So noisy."
Suguru Geto said coldly, waving a hand. Blue flames seemed to ignite across the Grade 1 Cursed Spirit's body, reducing it to ash.
Cursed Energy swirled in his palm, forming a glowing little sphere.
A fissure opened in the space behind Suguru Geto, and a Cursed Spirit's hand reached out, holding a jar of honey.
Suguru Geto reached for the honey, then suddenly froze and sent the Cursed Spirit's hand back.
He stared at the Cursed Spirit orb in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then swallowed it.
"Ugh..."
The familiar taste was as disgusting as a rag used to wipe up vomit.
Summer sunlight streamed through the window, falling across Suguru Geto.
Utterly exhausted, he sat on a bench, enjoying the peaceful afternoon.
"Geto-senpai!"
"Oh, Haibara!"
Facing his junior, who was always so cheerful and enthusiastic, Suguru Geto managed a rare smile.
Though Haibara could be a bit scatterbrained, that passionate attitude toward life was exactly what made Suguru Geto feel that life had meaning.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"I'm honored to have you treat me, senpai! I'll have a Coke!"
Suguru Geto scratched his head helplessly. "You don't have to say you're honored. I'm only one year ahead of you."
"No!"
Yu Haibara raised his voice. "Suguru Geto-senpai became a Special Grade Sorcerer at such a young age and is part of the 'Strongest Trio.' You're a role model for all of us Jujutsu Sorcerers!"
Yu Haibara respected Gojo Sawa and Gojo Satoru, the other members of the "Strongest Trio," but he admired Suguru Geto most of all, since he hadn't been born into a family of Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Even Suguru Geto felt a little embarrassed by Yu Haibara's praise.
"I'm not that great..."
"By the way, senpai, tomorrow I'm going on a mission somewhere really far away!"
"Is that so? Then bring me back some local specialties."
"What kind do you like, senpai? Salty or sweet?"
Suguru Geto stroked his chin. "Hmm... Sawa and Satoru might want some, too. I like salty ones, so bring back a bit of everything!"
"Got it, senpai!"
"By the way, how's the work of a Jujutsu Sorcerer going? Do you ever feel like it's too hard?"
Yu Haibara propped his chin on his hand. "Uh... My brain's pretty simple, so I'm not great at thinking about things like that, but..."
Yu Haibara flashed a sunny smile and gave a thumbs-up. "Doing my best at what I can manage feels great!"
As the two chatted, a gorgeous blonde with a stunning figure suddenly appeared.
"Hey! Long time no see, Geto! What kind of woman do you like?"
Suguru Geto covered his face. "Please don't ask such weird questions at Jujutsu High."
Yu Haibara, on the other hand, raised his hand and answered earnestly. "I like girls who can eat!"
"Um... Haibara..."
"What is it, senpai?"
"...Never mind."
Suguru Geto looked at his innocent junior, at a loss for words.
"Ah! I've got something to do. I'll be off, senpai!"
Yu Haibara glanced at the time and hurried away in a flurry.
"Hahaha! He sure has a lot of energy!"
Yuki Tsukumo nodded as she watched Yu Haibara's retreating figure. "He's such an honest guy!"
"I think Jujutsu Sorcerers should learn to be more suspicious of people."
Suguru Geto shook his head helplessly, then turned to Yuki Tsukumo. "By the way, what brings you back to the school this time?"
Yuki Tsukumo crossed her legs. "Business, of course. I'm looking for Gojo Sawa."
"Business?"
Suguru Geto gave her a disdainful look. "You're a Special Grade Sorcerer, but you never take missions and just laze around overseas. What makes you think you can talk about business?"
Yuki Tsukumo's expression darkened. "Hey, hey! You really don't hold back, do you?"
As she spoke, she flopped back in her chair, and her whole appearance suddenly turned chibi.
"I hate Jujutsu High the most!"
"Throwing a tantrum, are we?"
"No! I'm kidding! I just disagree with the higher-ups. Jujutsu High treats the symptoms, but I treat the cause. I'm trying to solve the root of the Cursed Spirit problem."
"Hmm?"
Suguru Geto looked up, intrigued. "Treat the cause? What do you mean?"
Yuki Tsukumo made a startling declaration. "Instead of exorcising Cursed Spirits like you do, I want to create a world without them!"
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