Nothing would change

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the gym's tall floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled light and shadows across the floor.

The air rang with the shrill squeak of rubber against the floor and the thud of the orange-red basketball striking the rim.

This was a rare moment of leisure at Jujutsu High, but the atmosphere on the court gradually grew tense as the two boys spoke.

"That's what I'm saying, Geto."

Satoru Gojo stood beyond the three-point line, holding the basketball in one hand and spinning it with a disgruntled look, his tone thick with undisguised disdain.

"Forcing reasons and responsibilities onto someone else's power-that's what weak people do. Stop getting off on all that 'jujutsu sorcerers are so great' crap. It makes me want to puke."

"Satoru, watch your language."

Suguru Geto stood beneath the basket, his brows knitted and his expression serious.

"A society where the weak can survive-that's how things should be. If those with power don't protect the weak, they're nothing but thugs. Jujutsu sorcerers exist to protect non-sorcerers. That's our duty."

"Huh? Duty? I didn't get stronger to babysit a bunch of people who can't even see curses!"

Neither of them would give an inch, and invisible sparks seemed to fly between them.

Watching this, memories of the previous simulation suddenly flashed through your mind.

Back then, you had sat in a corner of this court, listening to the exact same argument.

Suguru Geto had asked for your opinion then, but Satoru Gojo had cut him off. "Don't force a question that isn't his concern onto him."

What you had felt at that moment wasn't relief at being spared, but deep humiliation and anger.

Because you knew the implication of those words was, He's still too weak. He doesn't qualify to join this discussion.

You had loathed Suguru Geto's condescending notion of "charity from the strong" and resented Satoru Gojo's arrogant belief in "the supremacy of the strong," but what you had hated most was yourself, powerless to argue back and able to exist only as part of the scenery.

But this time was different.

Satoru Gojo suddenly stopped spinning the ball, his azure eyes looking straight through his sunglasses at you as you sat on the courtside bench.

Suguru Geto turned his head at almost the same time, his gaze settling on you. This time, there was no ignoring you, no shutting you out.

"Hey, Shunchen."

Satoru Gojo casually tossed the basketball over with considerable force, but it was a sign of equal standing.

"Quit playing mute over there. You've gotten a lot stronger this past year. You're still no match for me, but you count for something among jujutsu sorcerers now."

"What do you think? Do you support Geto's hypocritical moralizing, or do you think I'm right?"

Suguru Geto also gave a gentle smile with a hint of curiosity. This time, he didn't stop Satoru Gojo from asking. He was truly waiting for your answer.

"I'd very much like to hear what you think too, Li. After all, you're the hands-on type who can complete missions through unconventional means."

The ball landed in your hands, heavy and faintly warm.

You stood without looking at them and dribbled toward the basket on your own.

You used no cursed energy and made no flashy moves. You simply jumped for a layup like an ordinary high school student.

The basketball swished through the net, bounced a few times on the floor, and rolled into a corner.

"How should I put this..."

You pushed up your glasses and turned to look at the two boys who stood at the pinnacle of Jujutsu Society. Your voice was calm, without either your former anger or any unease at facing the strong.

"Geto, I don't agree with your view."

Suguru Geto froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting such a blunt rebuttal.

"You say 'the strong protect the weak,' but in this world full of curses, who gets to define who's weak?"

"Are ordinary people without cursed energy weak? If so, why is it precisely their overflowing malice that creates the curses that kill us?"

"If one day, a weak ordinary person creates a special grade curse out of ugly desires, and it kills a powerful but gentle jujutsu sorcerer, is that kind of protection really justice?"

Suguru Geto's pupils contracted sharply. The weak could do evil too. Your ruthless exposure of that blind spot made the perfect edifice of morality in his heart tremble for an instant.

"As for you, Satoru."

You turned toward the white-haired boy, who had raised his eyebrows and seemed very interested in what you had to say.

"I don't think you're cold-blooded. You just hate being swept along by some abstract greater good. You don't want your power turned into a tool for other people's moral blackmail. You want to live freely, and there's nothing wrong with that."

"But I don't completely agree with you either. Absolute freedom is chaos. If your power has no direction, if you don't even want to protect the people you care about, then what are you getting stronger for?"

"Hah, so what exactly are you trying to say?"

Satoru Gojo curled his lip, seemingly finding this criticism of both sides equally boring.

"You won't take either side. Are you trying to play peacemaker?"

"I don't know."

You spread your hands, giving what seemed the most irresponsible answer but was, in fact, the most honest.

"What's right and what's wrong-that's a philosophical question only the strongest, like you two, have the leisure to define."

"Right now, I'm just an ordinary person too. I don't have the ability to shoulder the fate of all humanity, and I have no interest in being some savior."

You walked over, picked up the basketball that had rolled away, and tossed it back to Suguru Geto.

"All I know is that I'll do what I can. If someone tries to kill me, I'll kill them back. If someone needs me to save them, and it's within my ability, I'll lend a hand."

"Whether they're weak or strong, all that matters is whether I want to cast my vote for them. That's it."

"Besides, I think the direction of your argument is meaningless to begin with."

"You're arguing over how to deal with water-whether to dam it up or let it flow away... but neither of you is thinking about the faucet."

"The faucet?"

Both of them looked puzzled.

"Curses are born from humans' negative emotions."

You calmly delivered that most weighty conclusion.

"As long as humans are alive, as long as they still feel fear, jealousy, and hatred, there will always be more cursed spirits to kill."

"No matter how well Geto protects people or how quickly Satoru kills, you're only clearing away an endless stream of garbage. It's like constantly mopping the floor in a leaking house while no one fixes the roof."

"If you don't solve the fundamental problem of cursed spirits being born, even if you two argue for a hundred years, even if you argue until you die..."

"Nothing in this world will change."