There was no denying that Satoru Gojo liked to play fast and loose.
But he wasn't an idiot.
Once he learned what Ronova could do,
no matter how reckless or confident he was,
there was no way he would truly let his guard down around her.
After all, Ronova was a Cursed Spirit, not a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Gojo could trust Yuta Okkotsu and Yuji Itadori unconditionally
because both were human.
Ronova wasn't.
So why was Gojo protecting Ronova as if he'd lost all sense?
Because Ronova had used All Things Die to kill his hostility and wariness toward her.
Gojo had underestimated All Things Die.
Then again, Ronova's ability was absurd.
What normal person would imagine she could kill something as abstract as "hostility and wariness"?
But she had done exactly that,
without anyone noticing.
All Things Die wasn't a flashy Cursed Technique to begin with.
It worked in silence,
just like death.
It often came without a sound.
And Ronova hadn't tried to kill Gojo himself. She had only targeted his hostility and wariness.
Those feelings hadn't been particularly strong in the first place,
so killing them had been easy.
That was why Gojo had insisted on protecting Ronova, even if it meant defying the Jujutsu Higher-Ups.
It looked as though Gojo was charging ahead at full strength, ready to do whatever he pleased.
In truth, he'd quietly fallen into Ronova's trap.
As for Shoko Ieiri...
Ronova's expression turned strange at the thought of her.
She swore she hadn't done anything to Shoko.
She hadn't killed anything belonging to her, either.
So why was Shoko so nice to her?
Ronova couldn't figure it out.
Don't tell me Shoko is actually into girls?
Her blissful days of freeloading were bound to be short-lived.
Soon, Ronova encountered the person she least wanted to see.
Suguru Geto.
That day, Shoko had gone to work at Jujutsu High as usual.
Ronova was at Shoko's home, drinking the soda Shoko had bought, enjoying the air conditioner Shoko had paid for, and happily playing on Shoko's computer.
Then Geto's irritating voice rang out. "A Cursed Spirit born from the concept of death, yet you aren't keen on causing it."
"Honestly, I'm surprised!"
Ronova eyed the suddenly appearing Geto with open wariness.
At the first sign of trouble, she planned to use her old trick: kill the "distance" between herself and somewhere safe, then flee.
Geto was far too dangerous for a Cursed Spirit.
Geto noticed her wariness, too.
He took the initiative to explain. "Don't misunderstand. I bear you no ill will."
"Yes, my Cursed Technique lets me control Cursed Spirits, but I would never do that to you."
"You have unparalleled potential, and I have a grand ambition. I would never be foolish enough to destroy what makes you valuable!"
"In fact, I've come to propose a partnership!"
Geto genuinely didn't want to kill Ronova.
Her Cursed Technique was already nearly impossible to counter.
But that wasn't enough.
She herself was still too weak.
Even if he brought Ronova under his control, could he use her to defeat Gojo? Could he use her to change the world?
Of course not.
And if he couldn't, he had no reason to kill her.
On the contrary, he'd come to help Ronova grow stronger.
He'd come to work with her!
As a classic villain, Geto had everything he needed to become one.
A tragic past, for instance.
He had witnessed a comrade's gruesome death.
From then on, he'd begun to question the ideals he'd once held.
He also had a grand ambition.
He wanted to create a world with neither humans nor Cursed Spirits.
The part about Cursed Spirits was easy to understand. One had killed his comrade.
But why did humans have to go, too?
Because Cursed Spirits were born from humanity's fear and other negative emotions.
If humanity went extinct, wouldn't that put an end to Cursed Spirits forever?
Naturally, everyone thought Geto was insane.
Everyone tried to stop him, too.
That was how Geto had become a traitor to the Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Once Ronova understood his plan, she understood why he didn't want to kill her yet.
He wanted to use her power to carry it out.
As a Cursed Spirit born from the concept of death, Ronova undoubtedly had the potential to kill all of humanity.
But she needed to grow.
At her current level, she couldn't possibly do it.
So Geto wouldn't harm Ronova. He would find ways to help her grow stronger, and quickly.
Cursed Spirit Manipulation could control Cursed Spirits,
but a Cursed Spirit brought under its control lost the ability to grow.
Geto wouldn't control Ronova. Even if he eventually did, now wasn't the time.
That would have to wait.
And so, when Geto said he wouldn't hurt Ronova,
he sounded remarkably sincere.
Ronova almost believed him.
Almost. By the tiniest margin!
While listening to Geto's nonsense, Ronova thought about how to escape.
She'd have to be out of her mind to listen to him and join forces with him.
She might as well walk straight into a tiger's den.
Still, she kept the conversation going.
"Oh? A partnership? Let's hear it."
"It's simple. I'll help you grow stronger, and all you have to do is a few trivial things for me."
Ronova nearly laughed out loud.
Trivial things?
You mean you want me to go on a killing spree!
She'd have to be insane to do that.
But to stall for time, she asked, "Trivial things? Could you be more specific?"
Geto answered vaguely, "Don't worry. I'd only ask you to do what you're best at."
For a Death Curse Spirit, what she was best at was obvious.
Ronova put on an excited expression.
"So you're going to find me a pro team?"
"I knew my skills were too good to waste! I should be making a name for myself on the pro circuit, not cooped up here like a shut-in!"
"What's our team called? How much funding do we have? Who's on the roster?"
Geto's ever-present, courteous smile vanished.
Blank confusion took its place.
What on earth are you talking about?
I'm a Special Grade Sorcerer, a villain plotting to wipe out humanity.
Why would I invite you to play video games professionally?
Before you continue