"What is love? What are these humans I love?" Dio countered, then supplied his own cold, exacting definition. "Though I consider myself both humble and tolerant, there are three kinds of people I simply cannot accept-"
He raised one finger:
"First, those who order me around."
A second finger:
"Second, those who oppose me."
"Third, the weak who cannot even protect themselves."
"If others force a person into a life beyond their control, then surely fighting to the death is the only proper course.
Even if they have no hope for the present or the future, they can die whenever they want-so first, they should try taking a step forward.
I utterly despise those who refuse even to try, preferring to stay where they are and wait for death.
That is precisely why I have said many times that I will not save all humanity."
Dio's tone softened slightly as he revealed another part of his plan:
"Besides, I don't intend to reach the heavens in a single bound.
My plan includes a necessary preliminary step: greatly increasing the sorcerer population, aiming for at least one in every thousand humans.
That process alone may take twenty years-an entire generation.
Then, with them as our backbone, we will keep spreading the spark, paving the way for more people to awaken."
"Heh, heh heh-hahaha!"
Satoru Gojo burst out laughing, his laughter brimming with delight and agreement.
"One step at a time... that's a sensible approach!
I'm glad we can agree on that.
After all, the only people we can save are those already prepared to accept help from others!
When are you and Geto planning to act?"
"Soon. We won't give those old fossils at Jujutsu Headquarters time to prepare."
Dio gazed into the distance, his eyes seeming to settle on those ancient buildings with their tangled connections, then turned back to Satoru Gojo.
"I don't know the exact list, but... some of them may belong to the Three Great Families. Satoru, you won't stop us, will you?"
"Of course not~ Hurry up and sweep them all away. I couldn't ask for anything better."
Satoru Gojo put his blindfold back on, his tone as breezy as if they were discussing what to have for dinner.
"Besides, it's about time the whole world learned you're the new 'strongest.' A battle to settle this clash of ideals-I can't wait!"
"Good, then." Dio nodded slightly. "Incidentally, I've already thought up a recruitment speech for our newcomers-"
His voice was calm and penetrating, as though he were reciting an oath:
"Every vengeance and every debt shall be mine to repay. Every reward and every punishment shall come from me.
You shall become my new family. From this day forth, you must love and protect one another.
Once, we stood alone, no different from the dead. From this day forth, we shall share in new life."
He paused, then added.
"As for potential sorcerers with fulfilling lives and happy families, let's not drag them into this.
Help them awaken safely, then let them return to their own lives.
The people we want to recruit are primarily those dissatisfied with reality, who yearn for change."
Satoru Gojo waved a hand in agreement, lightening the mood:
"There's nothing wrong with that recruitment approach. We don't like ruining other people's happiness either.
How about this? I'll head over to Kyoto first and 'touch base' with Principal Gakuganji, Utahime, and the others.
Though that old man Gakuganji will definitely throw a fit and object, won't he?
I'm only proposing an idea, anyway. He can't punish me just for saying it. See you in a bit~"
As his words faded, his figure shot upward, then vanished silently into the drifting clouds as though erased.
"Then," Suguru Geto said, looking at Dio and Yuta, "shall we find Toge Inumaki first so you can both copy Cursed Speech? Yuta, what exactly does your technique require?"
Both men's gazes settled on Yuta Okkotsu.
Yuta pressed his lips together and said quietly, "I need... Rika to consume part of a sorcerer's body. It's a... very cruel condition."
"What happens if, immediately after she consumes it, we use Reverse Cursed Technique to heal and regenerate the missing part?" Dio asked.
"I don't know." Yuta Okkotsu shook his head, his voice growing softer. "Because the condition is so cruel... I've never tried it."
"Then let's try."
Before Dio had even finished speaking, he raised his left hand without hesitation, held the fingers of his right hand together like a blade, and let a flicker of cursed energy flash-
Snap.
A severed little finger fell, and he calmly held it out to Yuta Okkotsu.
Immediately afterward, the faint glow of Reverse Cursed Technique swirled around the stump on his left hand. Flesh and bone writhed and grew at a visible pace, and in the blink of an eye, a brand-new little finger had been restored, whole and unharmed.
"Huh-?!" Yuta Okkotsu was stunned by the almost horrifying decisiveness of the act, unable even to refuse in time.
But the Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit-Rika Orimoto-had already followed the instincts of the technique and her craving for cursed objects. Her enormous, bony hand reached out to take the severed finger, which she swallowed in a single bite.
A brief silence followed.
After carefully sensing the result, Yuta Okkotsu shook his head, his expression conflicted. "...It didn't work, but thank you anyway.
A body part fully healed and regenerated by Reverse Cursed Technique seems to lose its 'value' in terms of jujutsu...
But, Mr. Dio... doesn't it hurt?"
"Hurt?"
Dio looked at his intact left hand, as though the severed finger had never left it.
"That sort of thing doesn't matter. Figuring out the exact mechanics of your technique is more important.
Every special grade is indispensable. Your combat strength is crucial to our future plans.
If I don't do this, someone else may have to do it someday. In that case, it might as well be me."
He looked at Yuta Okkotsu, whose eyes still held lingering shock and distress, and softened his tone:
"You simply haven't experienced enough yet. Remember, no one is an island. You are connected to me and to everyone else. The warmth you experience will gradually change the way you see the world.
As more and more kindness fills your heart, you'll gain the determination and resolve to break with convention. Then, when you look back at the things you once feared and struggled to understand, they won't seem so frightening anymore."
With that, Dio reached out and gently patted the boy's slender shoulder.
When the three finished their conversation and strolled back to the classroom building, Satoru Gojo had already returned ahead of them and was waiting there, having used his high-speed movement to make the round trip.
He was also carrying a bewildered boy with sea-urchin hair who clearly still hadn't quite grasped what was happening-Megumi Fushiguro.
Everything that followed fell naturally into place.
Dio successfully made contact and completed his copies of Cursed Speech and the Ten Shadows Technique, filling all his cursed technique slots.
Thoroughly satisfied, he took his leave for the time being, eager to plunge into studying and assimilating his newly acquired techniques.
Meanwhile, Suguru Geto began another round of "haggling" with Principal Yaga, arranging the enrollment of Mimiko, Nanako, and Megumi.
Jujutsu High, a place that had always kept its numbers small, suddenly had three new students to accommodate, two of them young girls with unusual pasts. The campus immediately became much livelier than usual.
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