Chapter 8: Chapter 7: The Lunatic Sorcerer, Suguru Geto
"Tsk."
Ryuu clicked his tongue in irritation. He hadn't expected to run into such a dangerous cursed spirit on a simple trip home.
Unfortunately, his current arsenal of attacks was still limited to reinforcing himself and his weapons using the energy within his body.
I need to train more.
Once his Sharingan evolved into the Mangekyō, his combat abilities would expand beyond these limitations. Until then, he had to be more cautious—he couldn't afford to be reckless.
As he adjusted his mindset, Ryuu once again focused on the residual cursed energy left behind by the defeated spirit.
Estimating its strength, he realized it had been as powerful as a dozen average-grade curses combined—a worthwhile experience.
Creak.
The bus, which had been swaying and rattling moments before, slowly came to a stop now that the cursed spirit had been eliminated.
Seeing this, Ryuu turned back to where Kasumigaoka Utaha was still sitting, eyes tightly shut, clearly shaken.
"It's over now, Senpai," he reassured her.
The moment she heard his voice, Utaha's eyes snapped open.
As soon as she saw Ryuu standing in front of her, a wave of relief washed over her, and she immediately stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him.
She was trembling, her body shaking like a frightened rabbit.
Even though Ryuu was well aware of how attractive she was, he wasn't the type to take advantage of the situation.
"It's okay, Senpai," he murmured, gently steadying her.
Carefully, he pulled Utaha along with him, kicked open the bus's rear door, and helped her out.
The moment their feet touched the pavement, the bus behind them let out a soft hiss—then, like black smoke dissolving into the night, it vanished completely.
They were back where they had boarded.
Alive.
Kasumigaoka Utaha stared at the familiar city lights before her, breathing deeply. She had never appreciated the fresh air as much as she did now.
Her entire body tingled with sensation, her skin prickling as if she had just escaped a nightmare. Only then did she realize how drenched she was in cold sweat—her inner clothes clung uncomfortably to her skin.
"Senpai, do you need to rest?"
Ryuu glanced down at her, noticing how heavily she was breathing, her knees nearly buckling beneath her.
"...Yeah," she admitted, still feeling a bit shaky.
Without another word, Ryuu led her toward a nearby park, aiming for a bench where she could sit and recover.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A slow, deliberate applause echoed through the quiet night.
"What a spectacular performance, Ryuu-kun."
A voice, calm and composed, carried toward them.
Accompanying the words were the distinct sounds of footsteps approaching.
Before long, a tall man in a flowing monk's robe emerged from the shadows, his dark hair tied into a neat bun. A gentle, almost serene smile rested on his face.
The moment Ryuu laid eyes on him, his muscles tensed.
He had already suspected that the cursed spirit earlier hadn't appeared by chance.
And now, standing before him, was the answer to his suspicions.
"Suguru Geto," Ryuu muttered.
There was no need for introductions. The moment he saw the man's face, all relevant information surfaced in his mind.
Suguru Geto—one of the only four special-grade sorcerers in the world. His cursed technique, Cursed Spirit Manipulation, allowed him to absorb and control curses, regardless of their rank.
To those unfamiliar with him, his kind face and monk's robe might give the impression of a benevolent spiritual leader.
But Ryuu knew better.
The mere fact that Geto still wore his monk's robes was proof of his radical ideology.
A man who sought to create a world where only sorcerers existed, believing that all non-sorcerers—humans—were inferior beings that needed to be exterminated.
He had even gone so far as to kill his own parents for the sake of his ideals.
In short, Suguru Geto was a complete lunatic.
Though Ryuu kept his expression neutral, internally, every fiber of his being was on high alert. His cursed energy stirred within him, ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice.
At the same time, something clicked in his mind.
The strange energy in his body—different from chakra—the curses invisible to ordinary people…
It all made sense now.
This world was one where Jujutsu existed.
His previous assumptions about "evil spirits" had been far too simplistic.
"Now, now, there's no need to be so tense," Geto said with a chuckle, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't mean you any harm."
"In fact, I was quite impressed by your performance."
He gestured toward where the bus had been just moments ago.
"That curse you exorcised just now—it was a semi-grade 2. Hardly weak. Most sorcerers at your level would struggle against it, yet you handled it with ease. That tells me one thing—your power is different."
His eyes gleamed with intrigue.
"I've been watching you for some time, Ryuu-kun. Surely you must have realized it by now—you are not like those ordinary, powerless monkeys… Ah, I mean, humans."
Geto spread his arms, his voice growing more fervent.
"You have potential. You could achieve something far greater than merely existing among them."
Ryuu narrowed his eyes.
He already knew what Geto was trying to imply.
He didn't need to ask. He understood perfectly well.
And he had zero interest in joining Geto's twisted vision of the world.
"What are you trying to say?" he asked bluntly.
Geto let out a soft chuckle, his expression unreadable.
"I can help you, Ryuu-kun. Your abilities are far beyond what you realize, and with my guidance, you could learn to use them properly."
With a flick of his wrist, a small card slipped from his sleeve and floated toward Ryuu.
"If you're interested, come find me."
Ryuu caught the card between his fingers and glanced at it.
The front bore the name "Star Religious Group." On the back, an address.
Suguru Geto's cult.
Having delivered his message, Geto turned to leave, pausing only to add one last remark.
"Just don't bring the human girl with you."
Then, like a shadow fading into the night, he was gone.
Only when he was completely out of sight did Ryuu let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing.
Utaha, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.
"Ryuu, I think it's about time you gave me some answers."
She crossed her arms, her sharp eyes locked onto him.
"What the hell just happened? And who was that guy?"
Ryuu remained silent for a moment, staring up at the now-dark sky.
"...It's getting late," he muttered. "We should head back. I'll explain another time, Senpai."
His mind was still racing with everything that had happened tonight. Even if he did go home now, there was no way he'd be able to sleep.
Utaha hesitated. Truthfully, she wasn't eager to be alone right now either.
As she glanced around, her eyes landed on a nearby hotel. After a moment of consideration, she made a decision.
"If you need a place to rest, I know somewhere," she said. "Come with me."
Ryuu followed her gaze.
"...A love hotel?"
At his question, Utaha's face immediately turned red.
"Yes," she huffed, her voice firm despite her embarrassment. "Do you have a problem with that, Ryuu-kun? Or was 'rest' just an excuse?"
Ryuu shrugged. Given everything that had happened, it wasn't the worst idea.
---
Inside the Love Hotel
The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom.
Leaning back on the sofa, Ryuu stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Everything that had happened tonight—the cursed spirits, Geto's appearance, the concept of Jujutsu itself—had completely altered his understanding of this world.
Most importantly, it made him rethink the nature of his own power.
The Sharingan evolved through negative emotions.
Cursed energy was born from negativity as well.
Could they be connected?
And if so… how far could his abilities go?
Could he develop something akin to a Domain Expansion?
What would it look like? Tsukuyomi? Kotoamatsukami?
As Ryuu pondered the possibilities, the sound of the bathroom door opening pulled him back to reality.
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