Gojo Satoru knew that it was just wishful thinking but he refused to yield.
"Fushiguro Toji is in the Tokyo First Barrier."
"He even fought with Megumi."
"Fushiguro Toji is no longer a Heavenly Restriction user!"
Geto Suguru's voice grew hurried.
"Although his physical abilities remain the same, he already possesses energy!"
"It's because of Hanami's Cursed Technique."
"He can still conceal himself now, but not because of zero Cursed Energy."
"It's simply because Hanami's technique excels at stealth."
"His combat style hasn't changed, and it's even been strengthened through plant manipulation."
"But he has already acquired Cursed Energy and entered the cycle of destiny."
"He can no longer break it!"
Only a Heavenly Restriction user with absolutely zero Cursed Energy could break the cycle.
Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru had experienced that personally.
The one who shattered destiny back then—
Was Fushiguro Toji.
But now, Fushiguro Toji was no longer a Heavenly Restriction user.
He was a Special Grade Sorcerer.
The Special Grade Sorcerer possessing the Cursed Technique [Forest's Grace]—
Fushiguro Toji.
And now, Maki Zen'in faced the same dilemma.
Geto Suguru stated firmly:
"Maki Zen'in can indeed enter the Dream Walk Migration through transferred points."
"But because she possesses no Cursed Energy whatsoever, she can't even summon Kogane."
"So she cannot become stronger."
"She can't refine Cursed Energy."
"She can't gain points."
"For other Sorcerers, the Dream Walk Migration is heaven."
"But for her, it is hell."
"Unless..."
"...she follows Fushiguro Toji and abandons her identity as a Heavenly Restriction user."
But if Maki Zen'in truly abandoned Heavenly Restriction and embraced an Innate Technique—
Then she would no longer possess zero Cursed Energy.
At that point, she could participate in the final battle.
But...
With Cursed Energy, she too would be drawn into destiny.
"This problem has no solution."
Geto Suguru finally turned and looked at Gojo Satoru.
"Give up, Satoru."
"You have nothing to apologize for."
"Leaving the world to Mahito..."
"If you think about it carefully, perhaps it isn't a bad thing."
"On the contrary, I believe that guy can do even better."
Gojo Satoru thought:
Suguru is right.
Leaving the world to Mahito might truly not be bad.
Although he is the King of Curses, he has never really committed evil.
On the contrary, he restrains Curse Users and educates the second-generation Intelligent Cursed Spirits.
Utahime once said those second-generation Intelligent Cursed Spirits were remarkably well-behaved and reassuring.
Gojo Satoru remembered reading that the ultimate ideal system was the rule of an Eternal Philosopher King.
But such a thing was impossible.
Human hearts change.
Even the wisest ruler eventually becomes stubborn and unreasonable.
Such an ideal existed only in theory.
Yet Mahito had shattered that impossibility.
He is immortal.
He is eternal.
And he truly deserves the title of Eternal Philosopher King.
From this perspective...
Gojo Satoru was the villain.
And in Geto Suguru's eyes, his current persistence probably looked like mere stubbornness.
Gojo Satoru thought:
Since when did I become the stubborn one?
What a joke.
"Suguru."
Gojo Satoru suddenly called out.
Geto Suguru stopped trying to persuade him and quietly looked at his profile.
Gojo Satoru's Six Eyes slowly shifted from the moon in the sky to Geto Suguru's face. His Six Eyes stared into Geto Suguru's eyes, reflecting his face as if he wanted to engrave his best friend's appearance into his own eternal and undying heart.
Gojo Satoru spoke slowly but firmly:
"I am humanity's strongest, and now a new race wants to override and even rule humanity."
"I ask you, Suguru, if it were you, what would you do?"
Geto Suguru answered without hesitation:
"Endure humiliation and wait for a better opportunity."
Did he mean to go into hiding first and only consider resistance when Mahito became weak?
Gojo Satoru felt that was a good approach, and then remembered how Geto Suguru had done the same in the past. He had gathered Curse Users and collected enough Cursed Spirits before launching the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.
Moreover, if Yuta Okkotsu hadn't interfered, and if Geto Suguru had truly entered Tengen's Tombs of the Star Corridor and used Cursed Spirit Manipulation to absorb Tengen, there was no telling what he might have achieved. Even Gojo Satoru might not have been able to stop him in time.
Geto Suguru was indeed someone capable of enduring humiliation, and Gojo Satoru highly approved of his answer.
So Gojo Satoru asked:
"If, in the future, you discover that the race ruling humanity is actually better than humans ruling humans, what would you do then?"
Geto Suguru looked deeply at him.
"A man of character knows how to adapt to the times."
"That is exactly why I must fight Mahito. Do you understand?" Gojo Satoru asked.
Geto Suguru fell silent.
Others might not understand those two statements, but Geto Suguru truly did.
Because he understood Gojo Satoru too well.
He understood his pride, his ideals, and his way of thinking.
That was why, during the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, he had been able to ensure that Gojo Satoru would not interfere with his attack on the Tombs of the Star Corridor.
He truly knew everything about his best friend.
Even after a hundred years, that mutual understanding would never change.
"Are you going to your death as humanity's final backbone?" Geto Suguru asked.
Gojo Satoru slapped Geto Suguru heavily on the back and laughed.
"Don't make it sound so noble. I'm just a stubborn bastard!"
"Even I, recognized as the strongest human of the modern era, have been defeated. So I think future people with ambition will at least believe they need to reach my level before considering rebellion."
"See? Isn't that pretty good?"
"I can be recorded in history as the benchmark for rebelling against a god."
"Mahito doesn't care about that at all," Geto Suguru said.
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have resurrected me."
"After all, I was genuinely part of the Cursed Spirit Extermination Faction."
"The fact that he could resurrect me proves he doesn't care about things like humanity's final backbone."
That was also true.
Gojo Satoru firmly believed that if he raised his hand and declared his surrender, Mahito would welcome him with open arms.
The future world Mahito envisioned would certainly have a place for Gojo Satoru.
Gojo Satoru thought that Mahito definitely wouldn't care about his background.
Even if his existence could easily become a symbol around which others gathered, Mahito would still trust him.
Because Mahito was simply that kind of person.
Perhaps Mahito would even imitate the Navy from One Piece and proudly publicize that a member of the "D" Clan had become a Vice Admiral and might even become a Hero of the Marines in the future.
Whether politically or practically, Mahito would be delighted by Gojo Satoru's surrender.
But—
"I refuse."
Geto Suguru frowned.
"What exactly are you being so stubborn about, Satoru?"
"I'm stubborn about not facing Mahito's threat immediately."
"I'm stubborn about not fulfilling my duty as the strongest of the modern era."
"I'm stubborn about..."
"...being unable to accept the future era!"
Gojo Satoru suddenly roared.
"I'm stubborn because I, a remnant of the old era, should be sitting on a broken ship sinking beneath the ocean, becoming part of the legends buried within the treasure vault of the deep sea!"
Gojo Satoru suddenly stood up and stretched out one hand as though supporting the bright moon overhead.
He said:
"I want to charge one final time, Suguru."
"For the guilt in my heart."
"For my responsibility as the strongest of the modern era."
"And also..."
"...for the unwillingness inside me."
"Suguru."
"I'm going to slay a god."
Or be slain by one.
"This is the future I chose for myself."
"I..."
"...have no regrets!"
(T/N: Satoru is so cool! Mahito is so cool! Heck even Sukuna is cool! This is why I fucking love Fan fiction!)
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Next Bonus Chapter at 700 Powerstones.