[You pick up the letter.] [“To everyone at Jujutsu High, it has been a long time.
I hope you are all in good health.”] [“More than ten years have passed since I left the school, and I find myself deeply missing my former classmates.
Therefore, I plan to host a banquet in Kyoto three days from now to entertain everyone.
I do hope you will grace me with your presence.”] [“–Yours sincerely, Sugumi Geto.”] [Satomi Gojo shrugs, taking the letter back from your hands.] [“See that?
The gal claims she’s hosting a banquet, but it’s basically a declaration of a jujutsu terrorist attack.
Haven’t seen her in all these years, and she’s actually learned how to put on grand airs, eh, Sugumi?”] [–The name Sugumi Geto is one you definitely recognize.] [An ex-Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer who defected from Jujutsu High over a decade ago to become a notorious curse user.
Her Innate Technique is the incredibly rare Cursed Spirit Manipulation–an ability on par with the scarcity of Cursed Speech–which allows her to absorb and control curses for her own use.
Having spent over ten years hoarding spirits, she is practically equivalent to an entire army.] [You had previously heard fragments of stories about Sugumi Geto from Shoko.
Apparently, before her defection, she and Ms.
Gojo were best friends.
Unable to endure the reality of “sorcerers protecting non-sorcerers who lack cursed energy,” she fell into darkness, desiring to eradicate all non-sorcerers from the world–but none of that explains why she is issuing an advance notice of an attack right now.] [The Grade 1 Cursed Spirits she controls–even if you throw in one or two Special Grades–would basically amount to nothing more than gunk stuck to the bottom of the modern strongest Satomi Gojo’s shoe.
If she’s actually foolish enough to wait around in Kyoto for Satomi Gojo to arrive, it’s no different from jumping into the middle of the highway just to give a speeding truck a light jump scare.] [“It’s a diversion to draw me away, isn’t it?
After all, besides me, no one else at Jujutsu High can kill her.
The issue is that her true objective remains unclear…
If it were just me, it would be simple.
But if she’s targeting Jujutsu High’s warehouse, or Yuna, or even Master Tengen in the Tombs of the Star, and I’m not on the field, things are going to get exceptionally messy.”] Outside the simulation, Rui is also scratching his head in confusion.
“I remember the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons was supposed to be a December thing.
Why is it happening so much earlier?
And the scale doesn’t seem anywhere near as massive as the original timeline either.
Is this a butterfly effect caused by me?” [System Notification: Replying to Host.
Sugumi Geto originally intended to unleash Cursed Spirits to test Yuna Okotsu during her initial missions, aiming to verify whether the rumors of Rika possessing infinite cursed energy were factually accurate.] [However, in this simulation, after Yuna Okotsu copied the Host’s Construction Technique, her practical combat prowess advanced far too rapidly, allowing her to handle ordinary Cursed Spirits without ever needing to summon Rika.
Consequently, Sugumi Geto was forced to pivot to this alternative method of testing.
If Yuna matches her expectations, she will skip straight to attempting to absorb Rika.] “This is a bit of a pickle…
Does this mean Yuna has to fight Sugumi Geto when she’s only been enrolled for five months?
That’s way too brutal, isn’t it?” Rui can’t help but grimace, casting a sideways glance at Rika, who is currently floating right in front of him in a state of suspended time.
In the light novel version of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Sugumi’s personal Special Grade Cursed Spirit, “Tamamo-no-Mae Incarnate,” was capable of temporarily bottlenecking Rika.
If that holds true here, the battlefield might split into Rika vs.
Tamamo-no-Mae, and Sugumi Geto vs.
Yuna Okotsu + Rui…
Furthermore, who knows if the Sugumi Geto of this era can already fire off the instantaneous, miniature version of “Maximum: Uzumaki” that Kenjaku used later down the line.
If she can, the insect armor on both of them probably won’t hold up.
His attention returns to the simulation interface.
[“Can’t you just stay behind to guard the Tokyo school, Ms.
Gojo, and send the others to handle Kyoto?” you ask Satomi Gojo.] [“That would be one way to handle it…
Unfortunately, those old geezers in the higher-ups are definitely going to demand that I go to Kyoto to execute Sugumi.
Allowing a curse user with Cursed Spirit Manipulation to wander freely outside is, to them, like a monarch refusing to strip a rebellious prince of his power.
Their rotting, ancient brains can’t comprehend tactical strategy.
Sugumi said she’s attacking Kyoto, so they will only think to send me to Kyoto.”] [*Wow, Ms.
Gojo is surprisingly well-read,* you think.
She specifically chose an analogy that perfectly mirrors how the higher-ups view the balance of power in the jujutsu world.] [“Which means the defense of the Tokyo branch will have to be left to someone other than me.
Don’t look at me like it’s none of your business either–yes, the melancholy beauty Miss Okotsu right over there, I mean you!”] [“Eh?”] [The singled-out Miss Okotsu snaps to attention.] [“You are strong.
Though you should already have some awareness of this yourself…
let me state it clearly once more: you are a sorcerer who will eventually grow to stand at the exact same height as me.”] [Satomi Gojo pauses for a second, her lips curling into a smirk.] [“The only things you’re missing right now are the right mindset, real combat experience, and a tiny bit of technique.
Understand?
I’m highly looking forward to your performance.”] [*What’s with this atmosphere where it feels like I’m the only one who’s a total failure?*] [You feel completely glossed over by Ms.
Gojo, giving you a subtle prickle of annoyance.
Even though you are fully aware that your innate talent can’t hold a candle to Yuna Okotsu’s, you still make a quiet mental vow: if the day ever comes where you can beat Ms.
Gojo in a fight, you are going to mock her relentlessly.
She’s nothing more than a fraud who failed to awaken the Construction Technique!] [Of course, you’re only thinking it.
After all, the you inside the simulation has no idea that you are actually carrying a cheat.] “Imagine a literal simulator roasting me,” Rui mutters under his breath, tossing out a casual complaint.
[Satomi Gojo doesn’t say anything more.
However, right before making her exit, her sharp eyes spot the taiyaki resting on your nightstand, and she nabs it in a flash–her speed is so blindingly fast you don’t even have time to defend your food.] [The room suddenly plunges into quiet.] [“…It feels a little bit surreal.”] [Yuna Okotsu speaks up softly.
It’s only then that you notice the warm, delicate sensation brushing against your knuckles; at some point, both of her hands had wrapped securely back around yours.] [“We were just sparring together this morning, Tachibana-kun, and suddenly they’re telling us we have to face the most sinister curse user…
I don’t really understand why Miss Geto would think that way.
I can’t even begin to imagine what a world populated exclusively by jujutsu sorcerers would look like, nor do I think there’s anything good about it.
For me, just being able to live here makes me incredibly happy.”] [You don’t offer a reply.] [Ms.
Gojo mentioned earlier, “If Sugumi Geto is targeting Yuna”–to put it more accurately, she is definitely targeting Rika.
Since her Innate Technique is Cursed Spirit Manipulation, forcibly ripping a curse away from its vessel might not be entirely outside the realm of possibility for her.] […If that truly is the case.] [If the enemy is fully prepared to slaughter Yuna Okotsu just to seize Rika, what exactly should you do?] [“Tachibana-kun…
Tachibana-kun?
What’s wrong?
Your expression looks so strange…
Are you feeling unwell?
Ah, could it be that…
you’re feeling the pressure…
or something?”] [Yuna gently squeezes your fingertip.] […From the cold, calculating perspective of a jujutsu sorcerer, if Sugumi Geto manages to obtain Rika, the entire Jujutsu world could be turned completely upside down.] [If you think about it through that lens, you ought to possess the absolute resolve to protect Rika at all costs.
And that “at all costs” doesn’t just apply to your own life; if the situation demands it, even sacrificing Yuna Okotsu would be acceptable to prevent Rika from being absorbed by the enemy.] [Yet within your chest, a feeling is blooming; one that doesn’t belong to a jujutsu sorcerer, but belongs purely to a “human”—] [“It’s going to be okay, Tachibana-kun.
You’re amazing…
You’ve helped me through so many things up until now.
Even the parts of me that I found absolutely repulsive, Tachibana-kun accepted them all.
Even today, you’re letting me s-suck your blood like this…
I owe you so many debts.
While I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay them, I really want to be of use to you, Tachibana-kun.”] [“So,”] [Yuna Okotsu pauses briefly, her grip tightening as she reinforces her words.] [You absolutely do not want her to die.] [“—I will protect you.”] — LanLi: She raised the flag.