Yuki Tsukumo's Conjecture

Suguru Geto looked utterly incredulous.

"Create a world without curses? That kind of thing... how could it be possible?"

Yuki Tsukumo flashed a mysterious smile. "Then let me teach you a lesson!"

"The root of curses is cursed energy. Ordinary people can't control the leakage of cursed energy from their bodies, and over time, that energy turns into curses."

"If that's the case, to create a world without curses, you should start with ordinary people."

"Plan one: eliminate all cursed energy in the world. Once humans no longer produce cursed energy, no new curses will be born. A concrete example would be the Heavenly Restriction!"

"Plan two: make all humans learn to control cursed energy—in other words, become sorcerers. That way, there won't be any leakage."

Yuki Tsukumo spoke with ease, but Geto beside her suddenly said softly:

"There's a third option. Kill all non-sorcerers."

Yuki Tsukumo paused, then smiled. "That method... seems feasible too."

"Rather than feasible, it might be the simplest method. Like in nature—survival of the fittest. But we're not that crazy."

"Not gonna work."

The sudden voice made the two turn around.

Gojo Sawa walked up with a lollipop in his mouth. "Are you two idiots?"

"Killing all non-sorcerers sounds simple, but what then? Can't sorcerers still give birth to non-sorcerers? And vice versa."

"Take you, Geto. Both your parents are non-sorcerers, yet they produced a sorcerer like you. This is just genetic probability!"

"So even if you killed every non-sorcerer alive today, new non-sorcerers would be born later. The world of curses would still exist."

"Besides, sorcerers are only a tiny fraction of humanity. Non-sorcerers are the main group that makes up this world—from food, clothing, housing, and transport, to planes and trains, almost all civilization is created by non-sorcerers."

"Kill them all, and the rest of you live in the mountains like cavemen?"

Gojo Sawa's words stunned the two into silence.

Put that way... it really did make sense!

Gojo Sawa noticed that the light in Geto's eyes visibly faded.

Then Gojo Sawa turned to Yuki Tsukumo. "So, what did you come to see me for?"

Yuki Tsukumo grinned. "Let's set that aside for now. Gojo-kun, what type of woman do you like?"

Gojo Sawa paused. "Well... the gentle, understanding type who knows how to take care of people. Like a doctor or something."

Geto tilted his head. "So the Shoko type, right?"

"Shut up, Geto! Want me to post your embarrassing photos in the group chat?"

Thinking of himself dressed as a cat-eared maid at a convention, Geto wisely shut his mouth.

"Oh right, did Haibara come by earlier?"

"Just left."

Gojo Sawa raised an eyebrow. "I've got something to talk to him about. I'll take my leave!"

Yuki Tsukumo hurried after him. "Hey! Wait! Gojo-kun, your domain is curse energy nullification, right? I have an experiment..."

Geto watched the two leave and let out a faint sigh.

"It won't work after all..."

Hokkaido.

"Earth Deity, Grade 2 Curse."

Kento Nanami looked at the documents in his hand and pulled out a short sword wrapped in talismans.

Beside him, Yu Haibara cracked his knuckles. "Nanami, a Grade 2 Curse must be pretty strong, right?"

Though both were Grade 3 sorcerers, Haibara's technique was support-type, and he'd never fought a Grade 2 Curse before.

Nanami nodded. "Much stronger than a Grade 3. I was lucky to exorcise one back then."

Haibara's eyes went wide. "Huh? Then just the two of us this time—isn't that pushing it?"

Nanami waved his short sword. "Forgot to tell you. I've been promoted to Grade 2 sorcerer."

"Eh? Eh?!"

Haibara was shocked. "When did that happen?"

"Two days ago."

Haibara was happy for Nanami, but also a little dejected.

"Aaah~ Nanami! When do you think I'll get promoted to Grade 2?"

Nanami thought for a moment. "Combat-type support techniques are rare, and ranking up is always hard. Your 'Amplification Technique' is similar to Utahime-senpai's 'Chanting Shrine Maiden' technique."

"Utahime-senpai is a Grade 2 sorcerer now in her third year. As for you, Haibara... you'll probably have to wait until graduation to reach Grade 2."

"...Thanks for the encouragement, Nanami."

"Alright, time to get to work."

"According to the info from the assistant supervisor, the Earth Deity should be a weaker grade 2 cursed spirit. Let's exorcise it quickly and head back to Jujutsu High—I don't want to work overtime."

(His hatred of overtime was a personality trait Nanami developed after experiencing the death of his Jujutsu High comrade and his post-grad life as a corporate slave, but the author found it too amusing, so it's being added here.)

Nanami led Yu Haibara into an abandoned shrine.

The thick cursed energy made both of them feel uneasy.

Nanami swept his gaze across the area, then suddenly spun around and shouted, "Run!"

He grabbed Haibara and bolted outside.

"What's wrong?"

Haibara had no clue what was happening.

Kento Nanami's forehead was slick with cold sweat. "I only glanced, but I spotted two grade 2 cursed spirits!"

"Given cursed spirits' territorial habits, if this shrine is the Earth Deity's stronghold, there's no way it's just grade 2—it's at least grade 1!"

"A grade 1 cursed spirit is something we absolutely can't handle!"

Haibara felt a wave of fear wash over him after hearing that.

The two fled the shrine in a panic, barely catching their breath when the ground suddenly began to tremble.

Rumble—

Then, to their horror, the shrine broke through the earth and rose into the air.

As the dust settled, a massive shadow loomed over Nanami and Haibara.

What came into view was an enormous cursed spirit—the shrine was merely the ornament atop its head!

With that size and that aura, it wasn't just a grade 1 cursed spirit; it was a standout among grade 1s.

Nanami swallowed hard. "Looks like the Mission Department only scouted the shrine and never imagined the Earth Deity's true body was hidden underground!"

At that moment, facing the two "little ants," the Earth Deity let out a deafening roar.

The ground came alive, sprouting countless spikes with razor-sharp tips that shot toward the pair—dense and inescapable.

"Damn it!"

Overwhelmed by the powerful attack, Nanami and Haibara felt nothing but helplessness.

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"

Suddenly, a red orb of light shot out like a cannonball.

A massive hole exploded through the Earth Deity's enormous body, reducing most of it to dust.

"Gojo Sawa-senpai!"

Haibara looked up at the figure that had appeared in the sky, shouting in admiration.

"One hit, instant kill—is this what a special grade sorcerer is?"

Nanami watched the Earth Deity slowly collapse, feeling for the first time that this unreliable senior was actually dependable.