Geto's mission was to travel to a mountain village in Nagano Prefecture and exorcise a curse estimated to be Grade 1.
An ordinary task, neither unusual nor particularly dangerous.
Following the assistant supervisor's guidance, Geto Suguru headed to the mountain where the curse was expected to be. Inside a cave deep in the mountains, he found the Grade 1 curse and turned it into a cursed tool.
The problem came next.
At the end of a narrow cave, so tight that an adult man had to crouch to enter, where the villagers didn't even know it existed, Geto discovered a special-grade cursed object.
...A finger of Ryomen Sukuna.
Suguru stared at the cursed object in his palm.
Red, shriveled, long, black, pointed, and indescribably...
Creepy.
Geto wasn't particularly good at distinguishing the characteristics of curse energy like Gojo, but he could immediately tell that this cursed object was special.
'The amount of curse energy is immense.'
Not only that, but the curse itself was extremely malevolent. While no curse is harmless, this one was on a different level.
Suguru felt a chill run down his spine as if he could hear an eerie laughter in his ears. He braced himself, holding his nerves together.
'Why is this here?'
And without any proper seal or barrier.
The King of Curses, whom even the sorcerers of the Heian era, the golden age of jujutsu, couldn't handle.
Ryomen Sukuna.
After his death, all twenty of his fingers became special-grade cursed objects, too powerful to be destroyed by anyone.
If left alone, the curse energy seeping from Sukuna's fingers would continuously spawn new curses, so the higher-ups had no choice but to seal the known fingers with cursed seals and hide them in the vaults of Jujutsu High.
'Some fingers are placed in locations prone to gathering curses, like hospitals or schools, to prevent weaker curses from congregating...'
But this place isn't one of those. Why place Sukuna's finger in a remote mountain cave, and without any minimal sealing?
Geto noticed something strange while surveying the area. Enhancing his vision with curse energy, he saw something that had almost faded with time but still lingered.
Residual taint.
Suguru could only identify its presence, not whose curse energy it was. But he had a hunch it wasn't from Sukuna's finger or the curse that lived here.
'Maybe Satoru will know.'
Geto hurried out of the cave to make a phone call.
...
Gojo arrived at the cave as soon as he received Suguru's call.
Zoro came along too.
"He insisted on coming. I thought he might be helpful."
Since he senses things differently from us. Gojo explained.
However, as soon as they entered the cave, Gojo's face twisted in a grimace before Zoro had a chance to react.
"This is that guy's residue."
"That guy?"
"The assistant supervisor... No, I mean that brain that left stitches on people's bodies like they were rags."
Zoro's face also scrunched up, and Geto's eyes widened in surprise.
"That guy?"
"Precisely, the residue of the curse energy of the assistant supervisor he possessed. Whether it was the brain or the assistant supervisor is unclear."
It seems the residue was left while setting up a barrier. The barrier was probably released when the brain died.
It's faint, but it's impressive that Suguru found it. Observing closely, Gojo straightened up and looked at Zoro.
"Zoro, can you tell whose it is?"
"No."
Zoro could sense the residue's presence but couldn't distinguish whose curse energy it was. He wasn't a sorcerer, didn't constantly use Observation Haki, and wasn't specialized in using it in non-combat situations.
...Plus, there was something else much stronger in the cave distracting him.
Zoro looked at Geto. There was an illusion of crimson-black curse energy swirling around Suguru.
More precisely, around the Ryomen Sukuna's finger in Geto's possession.
A chilling sensation crawled up Zoro's spine, as if someone was observing him. It was an indifferent gaze, almost devoid of malice, but still threatening.
'...Suguru's curse energy isn't small, either.'
Yet the malevolent curse was enough to overshadow even Geto's considerable curse energy.
"Suguru, can you show me that?"
Suguru took out Ryomen Sukuna's finger and showed it to Zoro. Seeing the red, shriveled finger, Zoro's memory stirred.
"That's it."
"What is?"
"I saw one before."
When fighting a special-grade curse in the department store, Zoro had picked up such a finger from the ashes of the disintegrating curse.
'At the time, I didn't know what it was.'
Later, during classes at Jujutsu High, he learned.
"Come to think of it, I had put it in my sash. Where did it go?"
"Shoko recovered it. It's in a middle school in Kyoto now."
Gojo replied, and Zoro frowned.
"Why put it in a middle school?"
Why place such a powerful special-grade cursed object, which even Zoro found threatening, in a place accessible to the general public? Zoro's query was met with Gojo's explanation.
"It's a kind of warding charm. Weak curses don't gather near strong special-grade cursed objects."
"...But using this as a warding charm?"
Unbelievable. Zoro shook his head in disbelief.
'Of course, ordinary curses wouldn't come near.'
It's like having an Emperor control an island so no other pirates could approach. It keeps other pirates away, but if the Emperor starts destroying the island, there's no solution.
Understanding Zoro's reason for shock, Geto spoke quietly.
"...It's an evil practice, but there's no other way for now."
There are too few sorcerers. Without warding charms, the number of curses would only increase.
Although Geto didn't agree with the practice.
'Even if sealed, a special-grade cursed object is still a special-grade cursed object.'
Scattering them in large cities is inherently risky.
'If it falls into the wrong hands, it could be disastrous.'
For non-sorcerers and sorcerers alike.
'Even Zoro fought a special-grade curse in a department store because someone stole this finger when he was five—'
Wait.
Suguru quickly looked at Satoru. Satoru also turned to Suguru, seemingly having realized something.
"Satoru."
"That guy, could it be."
Zoro blinked, not understanding.
"Why? What's up?"
"The first time you faced a special-grade curse a few years ago."
Even with both Toji Zenin and the Gojo family getting involved, it was concluded to be the work of a curse user with a grudge against the Zenin, and the true mastermind was never found.
"It could have been that brain."
Zoro blinked slowly. After thinking for a moment, he nodded.
"That makes sense."
'If it was all his doing, it explains everything.'
The targeted attack on Zoro, who wasn't officially affiliated with the Zenin family, even using a special-grade cursed object.
A mere Grade 2 curse user summoning a special-grade curse in a Tokyo department store in broad daylight.
And why his father couldn't find the mastermind even after intervening.
If the brain had stolen Sukuna's finger and carried out the plan, changing bodies as necessary, it all fits.
Satoru pulled Zoro's cheek slightly and spoke in disbelief.
"It's not something to brush off with 'makes sense.' All the known Ryomen Sukuna fingers are managed by Jujutsu High."
If a curse user has one, it means someone either accidentally leaked the special-grade cursed object, at least its information, to the curse user.
Or did so intentionally.
"There could be a collaborator within Jujutsu High."
"Or it could be the higher-ups."
That place is a cesspool of corruption. Gojo sneered.
Geto, with a pale face, clenched his fists. Could the higher-ups have collaborated with a curse user to kill a five-year-old non-sorcerer or at least aided in the murder?
The calmest person, ironically, was Zoro, the one who had been caught up in the conspiracy. With an oddly serene face, Zoro tilted his head.
"What are you planning?"
"Isn't it obvious? We need to root out all the corruption. Be it in Jujutsu High or the higher-ups. And we need to find out why that brain targeted you. Someone must know."
Satoru's confident words made Zoro chuckle. Truly, he's young.
"Do that if you want to become a curse user."
"Huh?"
"There's no justification."
"Is that important?"
"Yes, it is. Because you are 'sorcerers.'"
Not curse users or pirates who don't care about right or wrong and just rampage.
Unlike Suguru, who seemed to have realized something, Satoru didn't understand and scrunched his face. More precisely, he didn't want to understand.
Zoro patiently explained for Satoru.
"The brain stealing Sukuna's finger, placing it in the department store, it's all our conjecture."
There's no evidence. Even Toji, who had thoroughly searched at the time, couldn't find any evidence. It's hard to believe they could find evidence now.
'There's no way to prove whether the brain placed this finger here or if it was the assistant supervisor.'
The retribution itself would be possible. Just investigate the suspicious ones and take them out.
The problem is what happens after taking them out.
"Taking down the higher-ups and Jujutsu High with that reason won't make anyone follow you."
Even in the pirate world, where pirates do as they please, justification is crucial.
'A pirate crew that can't present proper goals and justification to its members won't last long.'
It's even more so for sorcerers who receive state salaries, belong to the Jujutsu Council, and have a mission to protect non-sorcerers.
"Claiming without evidence that there are collaborators with curse users in the higher-ups and Jujutsu High and sweeping them away will make it look like we're trying to seize power from the higher-ups. Not many sorcerers will follow us."
"...Is it important for others to follow us?"
Looking bewildered, Gojo's Six Eyes sparkled as he stared at Zoro.
"Whether they follow or not, there's no one who can stand against us. We're the strongest."
"Satoru."
Geto tried to calm him, but Satoru continued to stomp the ground angrily.
"Just let this go? Why? Are you scared?"
Even at the provocative question, Zoro shook his head calmly.
"I'll fight anyone when the time comes."
But now isn't the time. They don't even know who to fight yet.
"Besides, you both went through last summer."
The summer of 2007. A summer so infested with curses it was nauseating. Zoro, remembering that sweltering season, couldn't agree with Satoru's plan to overthrow the higher-ups now.
'The jujutsu world would collapse.'
There are many curses and too few sorcerers. Overthrowing the higher-ups now would leave the jujutsu world in peril.
Gojo pouted but didn't argue against Zoro's point.
"So we need to gather evidence of collaboration and train new sorcerers."
"Yes. That way, we can remove the collaborators and achieve the outcome we want."
Removing the collaborators now would only lead to more sorcerers overworked and dying from curses.
Curious as to why the brain targeted him and his true purpose, Zoro knew many things were more important than his curiosity.
"...."
Geto Suguru understood Zoro's words. He also knew that the likelihood of the issues Zoro worried about happening wasn't low.
Even last summer, there were quite a few incidents. Some sorcerers fled the jujutsu world due to excessive work, and some were seriously injured and still recovering.
Despite that, there were fewer deaths than usual because there were more strong sorcerers actively working. Geto had become a special grade, Satoru was special grade, and Toji and Zoro were there.
If the higher-ups disappeared now, the damage to sorcerers next summer would be greater.
So doing as Zoro said was probably the right thing to do.
But he couldn't bring himself to say so.
"Will you be okay?"
Suguru asked cautiously, and Zoro tilted his head in confusion.
"What?"
"Is it okay to just let this go?"
Letting the people who hurt you and might hurt others continue to operate at the top of the jujutsu world.
Zoro shook his head.
"I'm not saying to let it go. Just that now isn't the time to fight them."
Besides, the main perpetrator, the brain, is dead. Zoro said nonchalantly.
"When will you fight?"
"When it's okay for them to be gone."
Unless they cross the line before that. Zoro shrugged inwardly.
Although not as much as Luffy, Zoro wasn't one to think deeply. If he snapped, he might act without considering the aftermath.
'Though I don't know what would make that happen.'
Suguru looked at Zoro with a complicated expression.
"...When is that?"
When is that time?
The question, which no one, including Zoro, could answer, was barely held back from escaping Suguru's lips.
How many years until the jujutsu world has enough personnel? Ten years? Twenty years? Or will that time ever come?
Above all, will the higher-ups leave Zoro alone for that time?
Suguru looked down at Zoro.
Though Zoro was significantly taller and more developed than children his age, he was still far shorter than high schooler Suguru. But Suguru knew the power contained in that small body was immense.
A sorcerer and a non-sorcerer.
The strong and the weak.
Those who should protect and those who should be protected.
Right and wrong.
To Suguru, who could easily distinguish between these, Toji and Zoro were the first exceptions.
Someday, Zoro will wipe out the higher-ups as he said. Zoro shows no mercy to enemies and doesn't care about the significance of the higher-ups in the jujutsu world.
...But how much more will you have to get hurt until then?
Because of the people who should have protected you, but instead caused you harm.
How much more?
"...."
Compared to hundreds or thousands of years ago, the non-sorcerer population has exploded, but not sorcerers. In fact, both the quality and quantity of sorcerers are far below the Heian period.
Naturally, sorcerers are overworked.
Zoro is enduring to protect them.
Suguru reflected on his own long-crumbling but unresolved convictions.
It's right for the strong to protect the weak in a proper society.
Thus, sorcerers protecting non-sorcerers is right,
And Zoro's desire to protect sorcerers is also right.
But at the end of repeatedly doing the right thing, the one who ends up sacrificed is...
...A small child standing before him.
In an endless marathon game.
If what you see at the end is your injured form?
Suguru thought about the scars on Zoro's small body beneath his white shirt, and the sorcerers who survived because of those scars.
It was time to decide the path.
...
[Author's Note]
Vote with your power stones, it motivates me to keep posting chapters.
If you're interested, you can read 20 advance chapters on my Patréon.
patréon.com/fumiaki