Chapter 14 – Suguru Geto on the Edge of Extremity
"Tap. Tap. Tap..."
A woman strode boldly into the room, one hand on her hip as her sharp gaze fell upon the weary-looking Suguru Geto.
"You must be Geto-kun, right?" she asked with an almost playful tone.
"So... what type of woman do you like?"
The stranger's strikingly beautiful face, unfamiliar yet radiant, instantly put Geto on guard.
Gray-haired Yu Haibara, however, perked up with interest. "I like gentle, kind women!"
By sheer instinct, he felt that the newcomer wasn't a bad person.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Yuki Tsukumo glanced at him, smirking. "A textbook answer, huh?"
"Eheh, well... I'll leave you two to talk. I've got something to do."
Scratching his head sheepishly, Haibara left the room with a smile.
Once he was gone, Geto narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
The woman leaned casually against the desk and introduced herself. "Yuki Tsukumo."
Geto froze. The name was familiar—linked to a swirl of bad rumors.
Seeing his puzzled look, Yuki shrugged with a lazy grin and pointed at herself. "Yup, that's me. The so-called 'special grade sorcerer who never takes missions and spends her time loafing around abroad.'"
Sitting down nonchalantly, her expression was calm, almost detached. Since Gojo Satoru and Geto had both recently risen to special grade, it was only natural for her, their senior, to stop by for a greeting.
"I've never really cared for Jujutsu High..." she began, speaking as though musing aloud.
Then she launched into her criticism: comparing Jujutsu High's constant exorcising of curses to little more than "symptom treatment."
"What I want," she declared, "is to create a world where curses cannot exist in the first place."
Geto's empty gaze flickered, a faint ripple disturbing the still water of his heart. He stared at her, not quite understanding.
"Seems like you don't quite get it yet."
Yuki leaned back, explaining calmly:
"Curses are born from the buildup of cursed energy leaking out of humans. To eliminate curses entirely, there are only two possible methods:
First, remove cursed energy from all of humanity.
Second, give everyone the ability to control their cursed energy."
She went on, "Originally, I leaned toward the first option. After all, cases of people with almost no cursed energy exist thanks to Heavenly Restriction. But... even after years of research, I couldn't find a way. Not once.
Complete absence of cursed energy is nearly impossible. In fact, in the entire world, I've only found two such cases."
She had studied Zen'in Shinsuke for years and achieved nothing but mountains of debt.
"I've shelved that line of research for now. Too expensive," she admitted with a wry smile.
"Instead, I'm pursuing the second approach—what if every human could control cursed energy? If everyone became a sorcerer, then curses would never be born."
For sorcerers, cursed energy leakage was negligible. They circulated it within their bodies, preventing the formation of curses. Only when negative energy festered uncontrollably did curses manifest.
Geto fell silent.
In just one year, he had exorcised countless curses, swallowed those grotesque and foul beings as part of his cursed technique, and witnessed again and again the ugliness of human hearts. His thoughts had grown increasingly chaotic, increasingly extreme.
Yuki's words sparked something in his fractured heart—an idea both terrifying and intoxicating.
"So... if all non-sorcerers were killed, wouldn't that accomplish the second option?"
Geto muttered the words, dazed, almost as if speaking to himself.
Yuki didn't flinch. Resting her chin on one hand, she stared ahead, her tone utterly calm:
"That... would indeed work."
She had thought of that method before too, but never seriously considered it for her own plan.
"This idea is the simplest version of the second option. A better method would be to place immense pressure on ordinary people—force them to become sorcerers in order to survive."
In short: manufacture fear and crisis, push humanity into collective evolution.
"But... I'm not that extreme, at least not right now."
Yuki Tsukumo shrugged. Conscience, perhaps, kept her from taking things that far.
"Geto-kun, do you really hate non-sorcerers?"
"I don't know. If you'd asked me before, I would've answered without hesitation—no, I don't hate them. But lately... I've begun to question their worth."
Geto lowered his head, tangled in a haze of confusion.
The fragile beauty of the weak... and their ugliness. He could no longer distinguish the two.
"I don't know anymore. Am I the one who despises non-sorcerers, or the one who protects them? Which side is truly me?"
Yuki folded her arms, her gaze turning toward the corridor ahead. "It doesn't matter which is the real you. What matters is—right now, you're beginning to make a real choice."
Her eyes lit up. "You're here."
From the shadows, Zen'in Shinsuke appeared, his eyes flicking briefly over the haggard Geto.
Even though Riko Amanai had survived, it seemed this boy had still been tormented by the ugliness of humanity and the curses he was forced to consume.
Geto's eyes widened at the familiar face. His dazed expression sharpened into alertness. "You?! What are you doing at Jujutsu High?"
Shinsuke spread his hands with a grin. "I'm a teacher here. Isn't it normal for me to be around?"
"Teacher? Impossible. I've never seen you teach a single class."
"Eh, isn't it normal for the PE teacher to skip out now and then?"
"Wow, so in just one year, you managed to sneak into Jujutsu High as a teacher? Must've pulled a lot of strings."
Yuki rose from her seat, eyeing him suspiciously. The idea of him being a teacher didn't sit right at all.
"Forget that for now. Shouldn't you settle your debt?"
"..."
Yuki puffed her cheeks, glaring as she turned away. "Treat me to dinner, or you won't see a single yen from me!"
"Fine, fine. Just didn't expect a 'special grade sorcerer' to be so broke she can't even buy a meal.
Hey, Geto-kid, don't end up like your good-for-nothing senpai here."
Dinner didn't bother Shinsuke in the slightest.
"Hmph!" Yuki huffed, striding toward the exit. "Geto-kun, I only came to say hi to you and Gojo. As for the Star Plasma Vessel, don't worry. For certain reasons, Tengen is stable for now."
After bidding Geto farewell, she slipped on her helmet and tossed her motorcycle keys to Shinsuke. "Can you ride?"
"Who do you think you're talking to?"
Intrigued by her bike, Shinsuke put on the helmet and climbed on. Yuki followed, slipping onto the seat behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist without hesitation.
"See you around, Geto-kun." She waved as they revved the engine.
Shinsuke turned his head toward the boy standing at the roadside, his eyes dull and lifeless.
"Kid, you look lost. As your teacher, here's a bit of advice: if you don't know which choice to make, then just do what feels right. Do what you enjoy. Take down the people you can't stand.
Why overthink it? If someone screws with you, hit back. If you can't win, either run or endure it. Simple.
Sometimes, being selfish saves you a lot of trouble."
"You call that being a teacher? Don't mislead him like that." Yuki sighed in exasperation.
The only reply was the rumble of the motorcycle engine.
Geto stood there, staring at their fading silhouettes, Yuki's words still echoing in his ears.
"Do what I enjoy...?"