Chapter 81: The Weight of an Ideal
On the way back, the wind from Cursed Energy movement brushed against Rin's cheeks, but he wasn't in the mood to appreciate the scenery. A faint melancholy covered him, and even his steps were slower than usual. That lingering sense of hesitation was even more pronounced than when he had cast the black curtain in the shopping district.
It wasn't until the two stood before the iron gate of the Star Plasma Cult's stronghold that Geto Suguru stopped, slowly turned around, and his gaze fell on Rin, his voice lighter than the night:
"Rin, do you still remember the goal I've always wanted to achieve?"
"I remember." Rin nodded, his tone calm:
"To build a world with only Jujutsu Sorcerers."
Upon hearing the answer, Geto Suguru finally showed a faint smile, as if a heavy burden had been lifted:
"Yes, you're right." He paused, then suddenly changed the subject, a hint of inquiry in his eyes:
"Do you think I deeply resent those ordinary people who can't use Cursed Energy?"
Rin didn't avoid the question and nodded honestly. Whether it was the rumors in the Jujutsu World or the 'plot' he understood, Geto Suguru's impression on the outside world seemed to carry a strong hostility towards Non-Sorcerers.
But his nod was met with a low, bitter laugh from Geto Suguru.
Geto Suguru gently shook his head, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the prayer beads on his wrist, his voice filled with a complex weariness:
"Not at all. I do dislike those 'monkeys,' finding them ignorant and selfish, always taking the Jujutsu Sorcerers' sacrifices for granted, but it's not 'resentment.'"
"I want them to disappear, not out of hatred, but because... I don't want to see Jujutsu Sorcerers persecuted by them anymore, and I certainly don't want to see us, despite having power, risking our lives day after day to exorcise Cursed Spirits born from their negative emotions."
His voice gradually deepened, a flicker of pain in his eyes:
"In my eyes, those ordinary people are not important. As long as they don't affect the survival of Jujutsu Sorcerers, I don't care about their lives or deaths at all.
What's important are those like us, the Jujutsu Sorcerers who, despite having talent, die to protect 'unrelated people.'"
"Do you know? I've seen too many young Jujutsu Sorcerers with bright futures die at the hands of Cursed Spirits, simply because of an ordinary person's complaint or fear."
Geto Suguru raised a hand to press his forehead, his voice filled with unconcealable powerlessness:
"As long as ordinary people exist, Cursed Spirits will continuously appear, and Jujutsu Sorcerers will never find peace.
Why should we sacrifice our lives to protect those 'disgusting things' that only cause trouble? I truly can't bear to see those vibrant lives wasted in these unnecessary places."
Rin stood rooted, slightly stunned, his throat seemingly choked, unable to speak.
He suddenly realized that he might have always misunderstood Geto Suguru. This man, called a "Curse User" by the Jujutsu World, had never changed.
He was still the gentle young man who once wanted to protect everyone, but that gentleness had been worn down by reality, leaving only sharp edges, ultimately focused entirely on the 'Jujutsu Sorcerer' group, his own kind.
Geto Suguru was both great and fanatical.
He carried the future of all Jujutsu Sorcerers on his shoulders, never thinking of stopping, even if this path was destined to be stained with blood, even if he would be reviled by the whole world.
But this 'greatness' failed to move Rin.
He looked at the determination in Geto Suguru's eyes, his mind exceptionally clear.
For him, the future of Jujutsu Sorcerers was not important, nor were the lives and deaths of ordinary people.
In this perilous world, the only things he cared about were himself and those he loved and who loved him.
He would not fight for the 'greater good of Jujutsu Sorcerers,' nor would he sacrifice himself to 'protect ordinary people.'
All his strength, all his schemes, were merely to protect the people he cared about and his own life in this game called'survival.'
Rin remained silent for a long time, finally breaking the quiet of their return, his voice calm and unruffled:
"So, what you're saying, does it have anything to do with today's mission, Teacher?"
Hearing this question, Geto Suguru's body imperceptibly stiffened, then fell into an even longer silence.
The streetlights outside the iron gate cast his shadow long, the flickering light falling on his face, obscuring the complex emotions in his eyes.
After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible hoarseness:
"The boy you met today, Yuta Okkotsu, has a powerful Cursed Spirit, Rika Orimoto, hidden within him."
Geto Suguru's fingertips clenched, his knuckles turning white:
"If I can obtain this Cursed Spirit, my plan might have a chance to be completed, and the 'world with only Jujutsu Sorcerers' I want to build might be realized."
Changing his tone, his voice suddenly deepened, filled with a tearing contradiction:
"But he will absolutely not join us. That means, only by killing him can I obtain Rika.
I must obtain her; only then can the plan possibly advance."
"But what if... to protect 'other Jujutsu Sorcerers,' I have to kill an innocent young Jujutsu Sorcerer first? Does that still have meaning?"
Geto Suguru looked up, his gaze fixed on Rin, with a hint of painful plea in his eyes, as if seeking an answer from the other person:
"What do you think, Rin? Should I do this?"
That gaze was too heavy, as if burdened by countless days and nights of struggle and self-doubt.
Rin could even guess that Geto Suguru might subconsciously be hoping for him to say, "Don't do it."
After all, Geto Suguru knew that Rin had never really agreed with this extreme plan.
But Rin did not answer according to his expectation.
He just quietly looked at Geto Suguru and retorted:
"Teacher, before you agonize over whether to kill Okkotsu for Rika, I want to ask you a question: even if you get Rika, can you really achieve your plan?"
This sentence was like a heavy hammer, striking Geto Suguru's chest hard.
He suddenly widened his eyes, his pupils instantly contracted, and his body swayed, as if all his strength had been drained, and his breathing became rapid.
Rin ignored his reaction and continued:
"To achieve your plan, the first step is to overcome Gojo Satoru. With your understanding of him, let alone one Rika Orimoto, even with ten, can you defeat him?"
His tone was light, yet every word was piercing:
"If you can do it, I won't object to you killing Okkotsu. But if you can't, then what's the point of Yuta Okkotsu's death?"
These words completely shattered Geto Suguru's defenses.
He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word, only standing there blankly, his eyes gradually becoming hollow, as if his soul had been extracted.
The streetlight fell on his face, clearly revealing the confusion and despair in his eyes. He actually already had the answer to this question but had never dared to face it.
Yes, could he defeat Gojo Satoru?
As soon as the thought emerged, the answer clearly surfaced in his mind: no.
From the day he resolved to embark on this path, he knew that he might just be doing something utterly impossible.
He wasn't Gojo Satoru; he didn't possess the power to overturn everything and crush rules.
For years, he had been collecting Cursed Spirits, recruiting allies, and strategizing, but it was all self-deception. He kept telling himself, "I can," "I can do it," but deep down, a voice always lingered:
You can't change anything.