Toji Fushiguro was gone.
Reluctantly, but out of gratitude for Sawa Gojo saving his life, he swore on his late first wife's name to quit his "sorcerer killer" job.
"What? You're retiring?"
Broker Shiu Kong's voice blared through the phone.
Toji sighed. "Gave my word I can't go back on it, right?"
"Plus, with those three monsters in the jujutsu world, this line of work's probably done for."
"Huh? What're you babbling about?"
Toji didn't bother explaining, snapping his phone shut.
He glanced at the sky, a bird soaring across the horizon.
"Be a good role model for the kid, huh…"
…
Suguru Geto toyed with Yurei, now back in his hands.
This Special Grade cursed tool, bought on installments from Sawa, still had unpaid debts—no way he'd let Toji keep it.
"Say, bro, how's your Reverse Cursed Technique healing others? Mine only works on myself."
Satoru Gojo scratched his head, puzzled. Their techniques were identical; their Reverse Cursed Techniques should be, too.
Suguru smirked, taunting Satoru. "Mine's like Sawa's—works on others. Guess Sawa and I are selfless saints, while you're the selfish jerk!"
"Huh? Getting cocky just 'cause you cracked Reverse Cursed Technique?"
"Takes one to know one."
As the two bickered, Sawa cut in, exasperated. "Both of you, shut it! We've still got Tengen and Riko to deal with!"
The squabbling duo quieted down.
"But first, let's pay a visit to the Pan-Star Cult."
Sawa's eyes glinted with icy resolve.
Before leaving, Toji had revealed his meeting spot with the cult.
Sawa had no intention of sparing those scum.
At that moment, the Pan-Star Cult gathered in a cramped room.
Hands clasped, they prayed fervently around a waist-high stone altar—perfect for… a body.
But as time dragged on, impatience grew. "Where's the Star Plasma Vessel's corpse? Isn't Toji coming?"
"He's not."
The cultists gaped as Sawa, Satoru, and Suguru appeared, oblivious to what had transpired.
Facing their numb, hypocritical faces, Sawa's expression was blank, but a chilling, murderous aura radiated from him.
Satoru stepped forward. "Bro, let me handle this. I won't feel a shred of guilt."
Suguru blocked them, urgent. "Wait, Sawa, Satoru! The mastermind's gone. Killing them's pointless!"
"Pointless? Does that matter?"
Satoru's face darkened.
Suguru clenched his fists. "It does… to sorcerers."
Schlik—
Satoru and Suguru froze, stunned by the scene before them, unable to process it.
In an instant, every Pan-Star Cultist was pulverized into gore.
Blood, brains, and guts splattered the once-clean floor and walls, a vision of hell.
Sawa, the cause, didn't even blink.
Satoru's jaw dropped. "Bro, you…"
"Sawa, these were non-sorcerers!"
Shock mixed with anger in Suguru's voice. Sawa's slaughter of non-sorcerers clashed with his ideals, and it could bring trouble—maybe even a jujutsu world manhunt!
Sawa turned to Satoru and Suguru, his face graver than ever.
"Satoru, Suguru's right. Meaning matters to sorcerers. But, Suguru, I don't buy your ideals."
"Sorcerers protecting non-sorcerers? The strong shielding the weak? Get real! What if that non-sorcerer's a murderer? Would you save them?"
"No duty's a given. Honestly, I don't care who lives or dies. But if I have a creed, it's this…"
"Sorcerer or not, scum should go to hell to repent!"
Suguru was speechless.
He wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come.
Deep down, a darker thought took root.
Yeah… we sorcerers risk our lives fighting cursed spirits for these idiot monkeys? Why?
Satoru broke the heavy silence.
"Yo, bro, why so serious? It's done, right?"
Sawa dropped his stern look, patting Suguru's shoulder. "Snap out of it. Let's go."
Suguru blinked, giving a wry smile. "Got it."
Sawa and Satoru left, Suguru following. At the last moment, he glanced back at the blood-soaked room, murmuring, "Scum should go to hell to repent…"
…
"Uh… can I come out now? It's stifling in here!"
Masamichi Yaga paused, glancing at the rabbit cursed corpse, Riko Amanai's voice muffled inside.
"Sorry, time was tight, so comfort wasn't a priority when crafting this corpse."
Misato Kuroi soothed, "Miss, hang in there. We don't know if those bad guys are still tracking us."
Yaga wiped his sweat. "There's a safe house nearby with plenty of barriers. We'll be fine once we get there!"
"Ugh, wonder what punishment I'll get when this blows up… Those three troublemakers always drag me into their mess!"
As they moved, dozens of figures suddenly blocked the road ahead.
Yaga and Misato halted, instinctively shielding the rabbit corpse.
Yaga scanned the group, his heart sinking, sweat soaking his back.
Jujutsu High's higher-ups and elders from the Big Three Families!
Leading them was Yoshinobu Gakuganji, his cloudy eyes glinting with cunning.
"Masamichi, what are you doing here?"
Yaga faltered, at a loss for words.
Gakuganji's gaze shifted to Misato.
"If I recall, you're the Star Plasma Vessel's caretaker, yes? Which means…"
His eyes locked onto the rabbit corpse behind them.
"The Star Plasma Vessel is hiding in that cursed corpse, isn't she?"