"What about you, Senior Okkotsu?" Yuji asked quietly.
"If Gojo Sensei wins, I will continue following him."
Yuta Okkotsu's voice was frighteningly calm.
"If Gojo Sensei loses, I intend to defect to the Lord of Curses' faction and serve under him."
"With the Binding Vow in place, a Special Grade Sorcerer like me should receive quite favorable treatment."
Yuji stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you serious, Senior?"
"If the King of Curses wins, he will undoubtedly ascend into a god."
"Serving beneath a god..."
"...how is that not the most promising path?"
Yuji stared at Yuta's expressionless profile.
Even someone as simple-minded as him could tell something was wrong.
He studied Yuta carefully before turning back toward the battle between Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru.
"No matter what you're planning," Yuji said, "the King of Curses is definitely smarter than you."
Yuji suspected that Yuta was planning some sort of assassination.
After all, Yuta Okkotsu respected Gojo Satoru more than anyone else.
Yuji simply couldn't imagine him openly betraying his teacher.
It made no sense.
Placing his hands on his knees, Yuta quietly said:
"You misunderstood."
"If Gojo Sensei loses, I truly intend to join the King of Curses."
"Why?"
"Because I want to see..."
"...what kind of future is watered by Gojo Sensei's life."
"And the place closest to that future is beside the Lord of Curses."
"That's why I want to go there and witness it."
Yuta Okkotsu was the one who respected Gojo Satoru the most.
But he was also the coldest.
In the original work, he was the one who proposed using the Brain Exchange Technique to utilize Gojo Satoru's corpse.
And when others couldn't accept it, he shouted that if no one else was willing to enter the darkness, then he would.
He was a pessimist.
And his pessimism always became reality.
That was true in the original work.
And it was true now.
When the situation deteriorated beyond repair, Yuta no longer focused solely on increasing their chances of victory.
Instead, he thought about securing a backup plan.
That was simply the kind of person he was.
Just as always.
For the third time, Itadori Yuji fell silent.
He suddenly realized he couldn't refute a single word.
Yuta had already considered every terrible possibility and even prepared for the worst outcome.
Yuji felt that he was truly getting to know the man named Yuta Okkotsu.
They were complete opposites.
When faced with despair, Yuji would charge forward with everything he had.
Yuta, meanwhile, would think about how to avoid it—or pry it open from another angle.
As a Sorcerer, Yuji couldn't tell whose approach was correct.
For a moment, he even felt nauseated.
Not because of Yuta's thoughts—
—but because despite sharing the same will, their understandings were so completely different.
"As for me..."
Yuji clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"I'll continue participating in the Dream Walk Migration."
"No matter how long it takes, I'll eventually win once."
"And then..."
"...I'll use the Lord of Curses' 'infinite possibilities' wish to resurrect Gojo Sensei!"
Yuta Okkotsu suddenly turned toward him.
Yuji lowered his head and stared at his own feet.
"I know it's selfish."
"Gojo Sensei has become the King of Curses' absolute enemy."
"If the Lord of Curses wins, even if he has the ability, he would never resurrect Gojo Sensei."
"But since the Lord of Curses himself declared that the Dream Walk Migration would have multiple sessions, and since the 'infinite possibilities' wish supposedly has no restrictions..."
"...then resurrecting Gojo Sensei should be possible, right?"
"If a future without Teacher Gojo allows the majority of people to be happy, then reviving Teacher Gojo would become a sin," Yuta Okkotsu said.
"I don't care," Itadori Yuji replied.
Yuta Okkotsu stared at Itadori Yuji, then slowly looked away.
"Perhaps you won't have any friends," he said.
"I don't care," Itadori Yuji repeated.
Both sides fell silent.
This silence lasted until the spar between Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru ended.
Itadori Yuji hurried forward to tell Gojo Satoru the information he had obtained from Ryomen Sukuna. As Gojo Satoru wiped away his sweat while listening, he smiled and said:
"I understand."
"Huh?" Itadori Yuji was puzzled. "What do you understand? Sukuna is very wicked. Although he told me how to slay a god, he only gave me the theory and didn't explain anything specific. Does Teacher Gojo already understand?"
"Among all Cursed Techniques, there is only one that can accurately divide the cycle of positive and negative energy," Gojo Satoru looked at Itadori Yuji and smiled. "That is Sukuna's own technique: Malevolent Shrine."
"It was mentioned in the Dream Walk Migration that the number of Innate Techniques a person's brain can engrave is limited. Three is safest, while four may produce severe side effects. Even Kenjaku wouldn't dare go that far."
"My brain currently contains two techniques: Limitless and Tsukumogami Manipulation. I still have room for one more."
Itadori Yuji suddenly understood.
"The final technique Teacher Gojo intends to engrave... is Malevolent Shrine!"
"If you engrave that technique, Sukuna will be the happiest person of all, because he is its true master and can use it better than anyone. Sukuna is playing you, Teacher Gojo!"
"Even if it's a trap, it's a necessary one." Gojo Satoru wore a defiant smile.
"Isn't this perfect?"
"Ryomen Sukuna is known as the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer in history, and I am known as the strongest of the modern era."
"I've wanted to test the strongest version of this guy..."
"...for a very long time."
'Come,' Gojo Satoru thought.
'Whether it's Destiny, God, or even the title of The Strongest...'
'I'll transcend them all!'
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Next Bonus Chapter at 700 Powerstones.