Opportunity slipped away in an instant

Aikawa Kaze refused to give up. He made several more calls, then sent texts and emails. Once he confirmed that none of it worked, he had to abandon the idea of asking Satoru Gojo for help and message someone else.

All he could say was that plans never kept up with fate!

If he had discussed it with Satoru Gojo immediately yesterday instead of waiting for a more suitable moment, he would not have been in such a bind now.

An opportunity could slip away in an instant!

He would remember this lesson.

Aikawa Kaze resolved never to make the same mistake again, but figuring out how to handle the Yasohachi Bridge incident was still a major headache.

"If you really can't talk them out of it, I have a suggestion." Aikawa Kaze smiled sympathetically. "We can stop them from going some other way."

"I've already tried things like inviting them to an amusement park, but they're only interested in places with creepy legends..."

"No, I think we can be a little more direct."

"Huh?"

"We can make them see 'reason' through physical means. Knocking them unconscious until classes start next week would be a pretty good option."

Whether they would go looking for death again afterward was none of Aikawa Kaze's concern.

He was not their parent. He did not have to watch over their safety twenty-four hours a day.

If they still insisted on heading toward their own deaths after escaping this disaster, that was their choice. Surely no one could be expected to watch over them forever?

All Aikawa Kaze and the others could do was remind people to patrol those locations as frequently as possible.

Of course, that would be difficult to achieve. There were so few jujutsu sorcerers, after all.

Aikawa Kaze thought his idea was pretty good, but when he looked up, he found two pairs of eyes staring at him with indescribable expressions.

Megumi Fushiguro instinctively stepped forward, placing himself between Aikawa Kaze and Tsumiki Fushiguro, and coughed awkwardly.

"Ahem. Sis, Kaze's still young. Don't hold it against him."

"Heh. You really are brothers! I think you actually agree with his suggestion, don't you?"

"..."

Tsumiki Fushiguro's expression darkened. Remembering the school bullies Megumi had subdued by force, she drew a deep breath.

She did not think Megumi was wrong to intervene in school bullying, but surely there were better ways? Why did her little brother always prefer violence?

One look at Megumi Fushiguro's evasive eyes told Tsumiki that he actually agreed with Kaze's suggestion. If he had not known her so well, he probably would have done exactly that.

"Absolutely not! They're my friends! How could you use such brutal methods?! Besides, that's a crime! If you get caught, how are you going to explain yourselves?"

"If we don't get-"

Wouldn't it be fine if we didn't get caught? Besides, at worst, we could talk to the police and have them give those brats' parents a scare.

Aikawa Kaze had just opened his mouth when Megumi Fushiguro suddenly tugged his sleeve, giving him a pointed look with his green eyes.

Acting on some instinct, Aikawa Kaze swallowed his explanation and tried a different approach.

"Oh, then there's no other choice. Megumi and I will have to go together." Aikawa Kaze sighed. "But Megumi's only as strong as a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer, and I'm not much better. Our opponent this time could be very powerful... It might even become special grade."

Despite what he said, Aikawa Kaze did not actually think they would be unable to handle it.

The plot had not started yet, so the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings probably would not appear now.

Besides, the native cursed spirit in the anime had only reached special-grade strength because Yuji swallowed Sukuna's Finger, triggering resonance in the other fingers and causing it to evolve.

That cursed spirit definitely would not be so strong right now.

Even so, the cautious, rational Aikawa Kaze would never stake his own life and his little brother's on a group of strangers without good reason. He had other contingencies and alternatives.

He had only said that to make Tsumiki Fushiguro face reality and learn to make a choice.

Aikawa Kaze's eyes were clear as he quietly waited for Tsumiki's decision.

To be fair, he did not dislike selfless, righteous "good people" like her. But that sort of personality was fatal in this world-dangerous to both Tsumiki herself and Megumi.

He did not expect her to change her views or her worldview. At the very least, though, he hoped Tsumiki would become more open-minded and understand Megumi Fushiguro a little better.

Take the school bullying incidents. Tsumiki thought they could intervene in gentler ways, such as telling a teacher or calling the police. But would that really help?

Aikawa Kaze had encountered similar situations himself. He knew very well that Tsumiki's thinking was too naive.

Neither the police nor the teachers could protect the students all the time.

Unless everyone from top to bottom was truly determined to stamp out bullying, those vulnerable students would only suffer worse abuse wherever the adults could not see.

But everyone wanted to avoid trouble. Who would act unless they were forced into it or had experienced some major upheaval?

Convincing every school administrator was far harder than beating up a few delinquents.

By comparison, Megumi Fushiguro's approach was the simplest, most direct, and most reliably effective.

Their current predicament was no different.

They had neither the justification nor the ability to make Jujutsu Society's higher-ups investigate immediately.

So, knowing there was danger, if Tsumiki could neither persuade her classmates nor accept physical intervention, their only option was to "risk their lives" and go along.

Megumi Fushiguro had agonized over his sister's inability to understand his values. Wasn't this a perfect opportunity?

At a time like this, would she still worry about their methods being "improper" and let her family take the risk?

Aikawa Kaze silently waited for an answer, seemingly hoping for the answer he wanted from this "good person."

"Drip... drip..."

The sound of water hitting the ground jolted Aikawa Kaze out of his thoughts. He looked up and went rigid at the sight of tears sliding down Tsumiki's face.

"I'm sorry... Megumi, all this time... I'm sorry..."

Tsumiki Fushiguro suddenly stepped forward and hugged Megumi Fushiguro, choking back sobs.

"I'm such a useless sister. I always wanted to protect you, but... I can't do anything..."

"...Tsumiki, that's not true! Sis!"

Flustered, Megumi Fushiguro hugged Tsumiki and patted her back to comfort her.

Faced with this impossible choice, Tsumiki had indeed come to understand many of Megumi Fushiguro's actions. But more than that, her own helplessness hurt her.

Jujutsu Society was even crueler than ordinary society. When it came to incidents at school, Tsumiki could just about lecture him that there were better ways to handle things. Only when confronted with cursed spirits did she realize how harsh reality was.

In essence, though, they were the same.

It was not that better solutions did not exist. It was just that the best, safest, and most effective solution was not something an ordinary person could accomplish.

Aikawa Kaze opened his mouth to apologize, then decided this was not the time to interrupt. After all, he had done it deliberately-even if making her cry had not been his intention, his goal...

In the end, he quietly left a note and slipped away without disturbing them, leaving the brother and sister holding each other tightly.

An impostor like him was better off staying out of sight at a time like this.

What a shame. His affection score had probably dropped into the negatives, and he had not even gotten to pet Megumi's fluffy companions yet!

Still, at least Tsumiki had grown a little, hadn't she? Their relationship should be stronger now, too.

With a little regret and satisfaction, Aikawa Kaze left without taking so much as a cloud with him.

"Who would've thought I'd get lucky? Mr. Geto actually has some free time?"

Aikawa Kaze opened his phone and read Suguru Geto's reply.

Indeed, with Satoru Gojo unavailable, he had naturally thought of Suguru Geto. This was a Special Grade Sorcerer. As long as he was not up against Gojo, the Strongest, there was nothing to fear.

"Not only that, I happen to be nearby. What a coincidence, isn't it?"

Aikawa Kaze had only walked a few steps when he spotted Suguru Geto sitting on the neighboring courtyard wall, legs crossed, watching him with a faintly amused expression.

"Running away after making a little girl cry? Careful, Satoru might come after you when he gets back."

"It's fine. People have to grow up through their tears."

"Speaking from personal experience?"

"If that's how you want to put it, I won't argue."

Aikawa Kaze mentally worked out the timing. Barely ten minutes had passed since he sent the message, and Suguru Geto was already here.

No, judging by his words, he had overheard the earlier exchange. He must have arrived even sooner. That hardly seemed like a coincidence.

Could Suguru Geto have been monitoring Megumi Fushiguro's movements-or his?

Whatever. Regardless of his intentions, a special-grade curse user was useful.

Aikawa Kaze pushed those distracting thoughts aside and nodded at Suguru Geto.

"Sorry for the trouble, Mr. Geto, but I'll need you to come to Yasohachi Bridge with me."

"I don't mind." Suguru Geto casually tossed a Cursed Spirit Orb as he teased, "Aren't you going to apologize to that little girl?"

"No need."

"Good. Looks like that monkey hasn't turned your head."

"..."

He had been calling Tsumiki a little girl just a moment ago, and now she was a "monkey." Was that really necessary?

Aikawa Kaze looked speechlessly at Suguru Geto, who offered his explanation without the slightest embarrassment.

"I haven't given up on recruiting you. If you cared about her, I'd make a small concession for your sake. Since you don't, I'll say whatever suits me."

"...Ordinary people don't just generate negative-energy cursed energy. They can also generate positive-energy spirit power."

"I know. You and Satoru both told me."

"You don't believe it?"

"What difference does that make?" Suguru Geto's voice was cold. "So what if their faith can create gods? Aren't the cursed spirits born from their malice still killing our fellow jujutsu sorcerers?"

"..."

Well, it seemed trying to change Suguru Geto's thinking by convincing him that ordinary people had a reason to exist was a dead end.

Aikawa Kaze nodded and made no further attempt to persuade him.

After all, he did not care about Suguru Geto's worldview, as long as the man followed the plan. Judge people by their actions, not their thoughts. If thoughts were the measure, no one in history would qualify as a saint!

"Let's go! We'll get this sorted out quickly."

Aikawa Kaze took one last look at the nearby Fushiguro Residence, grateful he had brought nothing with him. It made leaving easier.

He did not want to come here again.

To reiterate, he truly did not dislike "good people" like Tsumiki, who selflessly cared for and helped others. He even felt a sense of warmth toward her.

At the same time, however, he simply could not like her.

Yes, he was different from Megumi Fushiguro. He did not dislike such people, but he did not like them either.

Because Aikawa Kaze's own real parents had been the same kind of "good people."

He had enjoyed a happy childhood for a time, until his "good" parents both died saving others, leaving him an orphan.

He did not hate his parents, and he acknowledged that they might have done something "right and just." But he hated "good deeds" that exceeded a person's capabilities.

When they sacrificed themselves, had they remembered the young child waiting for them? Had they regretted it?

Aikawa Kaze did not know the answer. He could only accept what had happened and grow up through his tears.

After growing up, he had chosen to be an ordinary, law-abiding person, helping where he could within his means and simply ignoring anything he knew would harm him.

If something was dangerous, he could just refrain from doing it. Why force himself?

Aikawa Kaze had grown up with that mindset. Yet after transmigrating, he seemed to have stepped onto another dangerous, thorn-strewn path.

Aikawa Kaze and Suguru Geto arrived at Yasohachi Bridge. The density of cursed energy here made him grateful he had called Suguru Geto over.

This was no small fry!

"Why? You're not exactly overflowing with a sense of justice, nor are you particularly eager to be a hero, are you?"

Before they stepped inside, Suguru Geto suddenly posed the question.

"This isn't a mission, either. You barely know those people. They're just irrelevant strangers. Why risk yourself for them?"

"With a special grade like you here, it hardly counts as a risk. If you weren't here, I'd call the police and have them seal the place off first."

"Hmph. What a slippery answer. You know what I mean."

Suguru Geto scoffed and continued evenly.

"I really am curious. Why did you become a jujutsu sorcerer? You've heard the saying, haven't you? No jujutsu sorcerer dies without regrets."

"Really? I thought Gojo Sensei would have told you everything about me."

Aikawa Kaze shrugged indifferently.

"The reason I gave when I enrolled was true! I was just tired of a boring everyday life and wanted a different kind of excitement. And most importantly..."

Aikawa Kaze paused.

He recalled Tsumiki Fushiguro crying and Megumi Fushiguro frantically comforting her. When they held each other, their closeness left no room for anyone else.

"There's no one left in this world who loves me unconditionally, who would suffer over my death."

Aikawa Kaze had no especially close friends, no family who depended on him or whom he depended on, and no responsibilities he had to bear.

Alone, he was free of all restraints. Or, put another way, utterly solitary.

In that case, what was wrong with doing as he pleased for once?

Now, he had no attachments at all. Perhaps this version of him was the strongest instead.

"Ah, is that so? Maybe I can understand."

Suguru Geto stared steadily at Aikawa Kaze, thinking of his dead parents, then of Satoru and Shoko.

He realized that, if this was true, then in a sense, this "Aikawa Kaze" might be even more terrifying than him if he ever went mad.

But...

Alone? No bonds or restraints?

Suguru Geto received a message from the scout cursed spirits he had placed along the way. Two dogs, one black and one white, were following their scent.

Perhaps not.