Tap. Tap. Tap.
A woman strode in confidently, one hand on her hip as her sharp eyes landed on the haggard figure of Geto.
"So, you're Geto, right? Tell me—what kind of women do you like?"
The unfamiliar yet striking face of Yuki appeared before them, instantly putting Geto on guard.
But beside him, Yu perked up with curiosity.
"I like kind and gentle women!" he blurted out.
Just from instinct, he didn't think this mysterious woman was a bad person.
"Oh? Is that so?" Yuki glanced at him, smiling faintly. "Pretty standard answer for a kouhai."
"Eheh… well, I've got something else to do, so I'll leave you two to talk" Yu scratched his head sheepishly and exited with a smile.
Once he was gone, Geto asked, "Who are you?"
"Yuki Tsukumo" she replied.
Geto froze at the name. He thought he'd heard it before — whispers, rumors, none of them flattering.
Seeing his doubtful expression, Yuki pointed to herself with an exaggeratedly lazy look.
"That's right! I'm the special-grade who never takes missions and spends her time abroad goofing off."
She sat casually on a bench, her expression calm.With Gojo and Geto now recognized as special-grades, it was only natural for her, as their senior, to show her face.
"I don't really like Jujutsu High…" Yuki began speaking about her own history with the school.
She compared the way Jujutsu High handled curses to "symptom treatment."
"The school's approach only treats the surface. What I want… is to create a world where curses don't appear at all."
Her words stirred something faint in Geto's vacant eyes. He stared at her blankly, not quite understanding.
"Doesn't make sense, does it?" Yuki tilted her head, then explained:
"Curses are formed from the accumulation of cursed energy leaked by humans.
So, to create a world without curses, there are only two ways:
One—remove cursed energy from all humanity.
Two—teach all humanity to control it"
She went on: "I originally leaned toward the first. After all, cases of people with little to no cursed energy do exist. But… after years of research, I never found a method."
Examples of Heavenly Restriction lowering a person's cursed energy to near zero were plenty, but those with absolutely none at all? Worldwide, she had only ever found two cases.
And despite studying Jinsuke for years, she hadn't produced much… only racked up a mountain of debt.
"So, I've put that direction aside for now." She gave a helpless shrug — she simply didn't have the money to pursue it further.
"Now I'm considering the second option. If everyone can control cursed energy, if everyone becomes a sorcerer, then curses will never be born.
Sorcerers leak very little energy. They circulate it within their bodies, preventing the buildup that spawns curses. It's only uncontrollable negative energy that festers into curses."
Geto fell deep into thought.
For a year he had been exorcising curses, swallowing them—filthy, vomit-stained abominations—while witnessing the ugliness of humanity again and again. His heart had grown fractured, his mind increasingly unstable and extreme.
Yuki's words planted a dangerous seed inside that broken core.
"If we killed every non-sorcerer, that would achieve the second option, wouldn't it?"
Geto muttered in a daze.
At this, Yuki showed no shock at all. Resting her chin on one hand, she gazed ahead calmly.
"That… would be viable."
Clearly, she had thought of it herself before, though never included it in her plans.
"That's actually the simplest way to achieve the second method. A better way would be to put enormous pressure on ordinary people, forcing them to become sorcerers to survive.
In short: keep creating fear and crises until humanity as a whole evolves."
She spread her hands with a sigh.
"But… I'm not quite that extreme. Not anymore. Conscience gets in the way."
"Tell me, Geto... do you hate non-sorcerers?"
"I don't know. If you'd asked me before, I would've said no without hesitation. But lately… I've started to doubt their worth." Geto lowered his head, mind in chaos.
The fragility and ugliness unique to the powerless—he could no longer separate them.
"I don't know anymore… whether scorning non-sorcerers or protecting them is the real me."
"Does it matter which one is the 'real' you?" Yuki said softly. "What matters is that you're finally making a choice for yourself."
She folded her arms, eyes narrowing toward the corridor beyond. A faint glimmer lit her gaze.
"You're here."
The figure of Jinsuke appeared before them, glancing down at the worn-out Geto.
Looks like even if Riko had survived, this kid still would've been tormented — by the ugliness of human hearts and the curses that embodied them.
"...It's you!" Geto's dazed look sharpened into alarm as he recognized the familiar face.
"What are you doing here at Jujutsu High?"
Jinsuke spread his hands with a grin.
"I'm a teacher here. Isn't it natural that I'd show up?"
"A teacher? Impossible. I've never once seen you in class."
"Eh? Isn't it normal for P.E. teachers to skip out all the time?"
"Wow. Disappear for a year, and you've wormed your way into Jujutsu High as a teacher? Must've pulled a lot of strings." Yuki rose, eyeing him strangely. The idea of him as a teacher felt bizarre.
"Let's set that aside. Isn't it about time you settled your debt?"
"..." Yuki puffed her cheeks angrily and turned away.
"Take me out to eat first! Otherwise, don't expect a single yen!"
"Fine. Just didn't expect a special-grade to be so broke she can't even buy her own meal. Geto, make sure you don't turn out like your good-for-nothing senpai here."
Jinsuke didn't mind treating her to dinner.
"Hmph." Yuki snorted cutely as she strode toward the exit.
"Geto, I only came to greet you and Gojo this time. As for the Star Plasma Vessel — you don't need to worry. For certain reasons, Tengen is stable right now."
With that, she bid Geto farewell. Pulling on her helmet, she tossed her motorcycle keys at Jinsuke.
"You can handle it?"
"Who do you think I am?" He smirked at the sleek machine, slipped on the helmet, and mounted it.
Seeing this, Yuki climbed on behind him, naturally wrapping her arms around his waist.
"See you, Geto" She waved as they pulled away.
Jinsuke glanced back at the boy on the roadside, eyes dim and listless.
"Kid, you look pretty lost. So here's some teacherly advice: If you don't know what choice to make, just do what feels right. Do what you enjoy. Smash whoever pisses you off.
Why overthink? If someone screws you, hit back. If you can't, either run or take it. Simple as that.
Sometimes, being a little selfish saves you a lot of trouble."
Yuki rolled her eyes.
"Seriously? You call that teaching? Stop corrupting the kids."
The only reply was the roar of the motorcycle's engine.
Geto stared after them as the pair disappeared down the road. His expression was vacant, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Do what I enjoy…?"