Ronova had every intention of fleecing the rich.
She promptly accepted Suguru Geto's bank card.
Geto left soon after.
That left Ronova alone with the card, wriggling happily on the bed.
Money really could heal the soul.
"You're far too easy to buy off."
"Looks like you really are an evil little Cursed Spirit by nature. I ought to—"
Satoru Gojo's voice rang out, and Ronova froze mid-wriggle.
She looked up. Sure enough, there he was, watching her with a grin.
Oh no. What do I do now that I've been caught playing both sides?
After a thorough grilling, Ronova set her attitude straight and swore she would never be a double agent again.
Her eyes shone with the resolve of someone about to join the Party. Gojo's mouth twitched.
What a shameless little scoundrel.
He was somewhat annoyed by Ronova's "You'll have to pay me more."
But Gojo knew she hadn't had much choice.
Her identity was too unusual.
Being unable to reveal it was Ronova's greatest vulnerability.
If word got out that she was the Death Curse Spirit, the whole world would turn against her. Everyone would want her dead.
The Death Curse Spirit was too extraordinary, too far beyond reason.
She was a Cursed Spirit that should never have existed.
Under those circumstances, Ronova had no good way to deal with Geto's threats.
What could she do besides agree to cooperate?
Kill Geto?
Still, understanding was one thing.
That "You'll have to pay me more" had nearly done Gojo in.
So he had to give her a proper grilling.
She needed to know who called the shots!
After that grilling, Ronova came to a profound understanding of her mistake.
She offered a sincere self-criticism, too.
Only then did Gojo let her off.
Ronova cautiously asked, "Since you were watching the whole time..."
"Why didn't you just take out that annoying guy?"
"With your strength, you should've been able to."
Gojo's expression stiffened for an instant.
Then he cleared his throat and said seriously, "Do you know who he is? That's Suguru Geto."
"The guy who used to be considered my equal."
"Even I'd have to put in some work to take him down, all right?"
"And you were there. What would've happened to you if we'd started fighting?"
Gojo sounded reasonable, but it was all nonsense.
Geto might once have been evenly matched with him.
But after Gojo mastered Cursed Technique Reversal and Hollow Technique: Purple,
Geto would have been finished in an instant.
Gojo's reason for not killing him certainly had nothing to do with strength.
The bond between them was probably getting in the way.
Fair enough. They had been partners once.
Ronova knew that, but she still muttered, "So you couldn't do it."
A vein bulged on Gojo's forehead.
What did she mean, I couldn't?
How could she say I couldn't?
But after what he had just said, Gojo could only pretend he hadn't heard.
That came back to bite me fast.
He cleared his throat again and launched into another explanation.
Geto's plans were more complicated than they looked. They needed to let him run so he could lead them to bigger targets.
It all boiled down to one thing.
Gojo didn't want to make a move against Geto yet.
Once Gojo had said his piece, Ronova brought up her own situation. "What do I do from now on?"
"Do I really play double agent, or do I cut ties with him?"
Gojo thought for a moment. "Stay in contact with him for now. See what he's really up to."
"And find out how many people are backing him."
Geto wasn't working alone.
For one thing, that cult under his control was no small matter.
It was powerful and had connections everywhere. Even cabinet ministers had dealings with it.
And there were bound to be Jujutsu Sorcerers among its members.
Find them and root them all out.
That was what Gojo wanted to do.
It was Ronova's assignment, too.
Ronova nodded.
Got it. A double agent.
I'll betray both sides.
Once Gojo had finished giving instructions, he prepared to leave.
Before he went, he glanced at the bank card in Ronova's hand.
After a moment's thought, he took it. Ronova's protests got her nowhere.
His reason was that Ronova didn't need money.
Shoko Ieiri already took care of her food and everything else she needed.
Besides, Ronova couldn't go out freely because of her unusual identity.
She couldn't spend the money even if she had it.
At that moment, Ronova yearned more than ever for Lord Sukuna to descend.
She wanted him to hit that detestable Gojo with a World-Cutting Slash.
Losing a fortune crushed Ronova's spirits.
She had no energy at all.
She looked utterly wilted.
When Shoko Ieiri came home and saw her like that, her heart nearly broke.
She hurried over. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
As she spoke, she reached toward Ronova's stomach, apparently to check her temperature.
You'd better really be checking my temperature.
Ronova caught Shoko's wandering hand and promptly told on Gojo.
"I'm fine. I just had a little sparring match with Mr. Gojo."
"It's my fault for being too weak. That's why Mr. Gojo hurt me."
"Really, don't blame him."
To make her story more convincing, Ronova even coughed twice.
Shoko's eyebrows shot up.
That Gojo. How dare he?
If he could hit a child as cute and well-behaved as Ronova, what wouldn't he do?
Someone like him deserved to be dealt with harshly.
She was already deciding how to settle the score with Gojo.
Poor Gojo had no idea his good days were over.
Gojo came by again the next day.
Ronova welcomed him with nothing but an eye roll.
Still, good looks really did let a person get away with anything.
Even rolling her eyes, Ronova looked stunning.
That's what a top-tier character design looks like.
"Why are you here again?"
Gojo paid no attention to Ronova's resentment.
"Get ready, then come out with me."
"It's time to see what you've learned."
That was all Gojo said.
Half an hour later, they arrived outside a haunted house in Tokyo.
Ronova gave Gojo a speechless look.
"You're not planning to make me exorcise a Cursed Spirit, are you?"
Gojo nodded. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"
Ronova didn't even know where to begin.
She was the Death Curse Spirit, the future queen of Cursed Spirits.
And he wanted her to exorcise one?
That was going too far!
In the end, Ronova went inside anyway.
It wasn't because she had no choice while living under someone else's roof.
Watching a Cursed Spirit die could also increase her Cursed Energy.
Hee-hee. You smell delicious, my friend.
And as the future queen of Cursed Spirits, Ronova understood the importance of a good reputation.
Any bad apples among the Cursed Spirits had to be weeded out without mercy.
Even if she got past Gojo, the Tiger Heavenly Emperor would be waiting in the future.
And after the Tiger Heavenly Emperor, who knew? There might be a Demon Heavenly Emperor or a Sukuna Heavenly Emperor.
The facts were clear: villains had no future.
The right move was to clean up her image and make a firm break with those evil Cursed Spirits.
Before you continue