As they walked through the courtyard, Geto Suguru suddenly asked,
"Does Natsukawa-kun know about the Shinomiya Zaibatsu?"
Ryuu glanced at him.
"I know a little. They're one of the top conglomerates, right?"
Geto chuckled. "That's an understatement. As far as I know, each child in that family has assets worth at least one hundred trillion yen."
Ryuu let that number settle in his mind.
One hundred trillion.
An amount so absurd it might as well be fantasy.
But Geto spoke about it as if it were just another minor detail.
Noticing Ryuu's complete lack of reaction, Geto raised an eyebrow.
"You don't seem surprised?"
Ryuu shrugged. "To be honest, that amount is so far beyond normal human comprehension that I can't even react to it properly."
"Hahaha!" Geto laughed loudly. "That actually makes a lot of sense."
"I remember you said you were interested in money, Natsukawa-kun."
Ryuu nodded without denying it.
"Well," Geto continued with a knowing smile, "that's why I specifically told Shinomiya-sama about you."
Ryuu's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You did what?"
"Relax," Geto said, waving a hand. "All I did was mention your name. That alone should have caught his attention. If things go well, you might soon find yourself connected to the Shinomiya family."
"...Huh. That's actually useful."
---
After a brief pause, Ryuu spoke again.
"But there's something I still don't get."
Geto turned his head slightly, signaling for him to continue.
"The Shinomiya Zaibatsu—a family with unimaginable power and influence—chose to align itself with the Star Religious Group. Why?"
Hearing this, Geto's smirk deepened.
"Oh? So Natsukawa-kun noticed already?"
Ryuu kept his expression neutral.
"It's not hard to see," he said casually. "Sorcerer in this world hold far more power than most people realize. And your Star Religious Group doesn't exactly operate like a normal organization."
"That's a rather bold statement," Geto said, his smile never fading.
But he didn't deny it either.
"Let's just say," he continued smoothly, "that because the Star Religious Group is not bound by the laws of Jujutsu High, we have certain freedoms that allow us to operate in ways others cannot."
"In other words," Ryuu concluded, "the Shinomiya family uses you to handle problems they can't deal with publicly."
"More or less," Geto admitted.
---
By now, they had reached a quiet, empty courtyard.
Geto took a seat on a nearby chair and suddenly asked,
"Tell me, Natsukawa-kun—do you know that humanity is divided into two kinds of people?"
Ryuu gave him a blank look.
"Men and women?"
Geto chuckled. "That's not what I meant."
His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold, almost calculating expression.
"I'm talking about sorcerers and non-sorcerers."
Ryuu remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"Sorcerers," Geto said slowly, "are blessed with immense power. We can do things that ordinary humans could never even dream of."
"But despite this," he continued, "we are expected to protect and serve the weak—those who contribute nothing to the world of Jujutsu."
At that moment, Geto's expression darkened.
"The law of nature is survival of the fittest—yet we're forced to cater to the weak. The strong must obey the weak. Doesn't that sound… absurd?"
Ryuu met Geto's gaze.
"Let me guess—you hate non-sorcerers?"
A twisted grin spread across Geto's face.
"Hate?" he repeated. "Of course I hate them."
"The curse spirits that plague this world?" Geto's voice was cold. "They exist because of the negative emotions of weak humans."
"And yet," he spat, "it's us, the sorcerers, who must clean up their mess—losing our lives for their sake."
"They are the true cause of all this suffering," he growled.
"And that's why," he said, eyes burning with conviction, "I will create a perfect world."
"A world without non-sorcerers. A world without cursed spirits. A world where only Jujutsu Sorcerers exist!"
With that radical declaration, Geto fell silent—waiting for Ryuu's answer.
---
Hearing his words, Ryuu couldn't help but think—
This guy sounds exactly like Uchiha Obito.
For a long moment, he remained deep in thought.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"I don't deny the concept of the strong ruling over the weak."
"Even the idea of the strong being dominant makes sense to me."
Geto's eyes gleamed with interest.
"But," Ryuu continued, "I don't give a damn about rigid ideologies like yours."
"If I want to dominate, I will. If I want to help someone, I will. Everything I do is based on my own desires—not some bullshit philosophy."
"The way I see it," Ryuu smirked, "if you truly believe in the survival of the fittest, then that means the strong should have the power to do whatever they want."
Geto's eyes widened slightly, as if caught off guard.
Of all the possible responses, he hadn't expected this one.
Ryuu leaned forward.
"So if you want to exterminate humanity and create your little sorcerer utopia, that's your choice."
"But personally?"
He grinned.
"I think your plan is stupid as hell."
Geto blinked.
Then, slowly, a deep laugh escaped his lips.
"…Interesting."
His laughter grew louder, before he finally sighed and shook his head.
"In the end, you still refuse to join me, huh?"
Ryuu shrugged. "Did you really think I'd become a raving lunatic like you just because of a little gratitude?"
Geto exhaled deeply.
"I suppose not."
"But, Natsukawa-kun," he said, standing up, "since we're on opposing paths, I'd like to ask for one last favor."
Ryuu tilted his head.
"Which is?"
Geto's eyes gleamed.
"Just as you suspected earlier—there are other forces in the Jujutsu world besides Jujutsu High and the Star Religious Group."
Ryuu's expression hardened slightly.
"And?"
"I need your help in dealing with one of them."
Ryuu smirked.
"Alright," he said. "Let's hear it."