The venue moved to the school plaza.
Since it was a school specifically established to train Jujutsu Sorcerers, the plaza was even larger than those at ordinary schools.
Combined with the great barrier covering the entire school, its durability far exceeded anything in the outside world.
Kinji Hakari and Yuki Tsukumo stood about fifty meters apart.
They didn't start immediately but began to warm up.
The other students ran to sit on the large outer steps, preparing to watch this top-tier clash of the Jujutsu world.
Satoru Gojo had once introduced Kinji Hakari, stating himself that if Hakari was in peak condition, even a Special Grade Sorcerer would be no match for him.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsukumo was a recognized Special Grade Sorcerer in the Jujutsu world.
This was, without question, a battle of Special Grades.
Before this, although they had a general understanding of the concept of 'Special Grade' because of Satoru Gojo, this was the first time they would witness such a direct battle.
Satoru Gojo stood beside the warming-up Kinji Hakari and laughed.
"Your juniors are all watching, so don't embarrass me."
"It's just Yuki Tsukumo—give her a real thrashing!"
Kinji Hakari couldn't keep a straight face.
"Mr. Gojo, do you actually know what you're saying?"
"I'm one of the King of Curses' people!"
"You're cheering for the enemy, you know that?"
Satoru Gojo suddenly said, "Kinji, you will definitely become a Jujutsu Sorcerer who stands by my side in the future."
"I have never doubted that."
The topic shift was abrupt, but Kinji Hakari understood Satoru Gojo's meaning in an instant.
He fell into silence, recalling the time he had spent with Satoru Gojo.
Satoru Gojo might not be a good teacher, but he was certainly a good friend because he wasn't influenced by worldly conventions.
He would support you unconditionally, even if you went against the mainstream of society.
He would stand up for you, protect your freedom, and endure unseen pressures on your behalf.
In front of you, he was always grinning, as if he could lightheartedly hold up the sky for you even if it were falling.
Kinji Hakari respected Satoru Gojo more than anyone else; there was absolutely no lie in that.
In the past, he would have responded firmly to Satoru Gojo, saying: Me too, Mr. Gojo, please let me become your strength!
But now, he could never say it.
He pressed down on his legs and said softly:
"Mr. Gojo, I cannot lie to you... and it's not because of a Binding Vow."
"I have seen the light—a light guided by Mahito."
"I was supposed to wander in the deepest darkness, where even a tiny bit of starlight would have been enough comfort, but now a massive beam of light is shining upon me..."
"I can't go back."
"What's all this about light?"
"Hakari, are you still in your chuunibyou phase?" Satoru Gojo said with a chuckle.
"Let's just say that's it."
Kinji Hakari began doing chest expansions.
His voice sounded slightly strained due to the exercise as he said, "The Jujutsu world is already decrepit; that's a reality even you admit, Mr. Gojo."
"In the future, you will lead our juniors to change all this, and I believe in that too."
"But even so, it won't last long."
"After you die, Mr. Gojo, how long can the future you lead actually endure?"
"I can't help but be pessimistic about that future."
"I remember you being a very optimistic kid," Satoru Gojo said.
"Reality forced me to change," Kinji Hakari said flatly.
"Just as I once firmly believed you would bring me justice, I didn't resist immediately when the Jujutsu world came to arrest me."
"When I was hiding in that abandoned parking lot, I also firmly believed my wanted notice would be revoked before long."
"But until Mahito came to find me, until I officially joined Mahito's camp, the justice the Jujutsu world was supposed to give me still hadn't been realized."
Kinji Hakari didn't mean to blame Satoru Gojo.
On the contrary, the more he interacted with this Jujutsu world and understood how the mainstream rejected him, the more he could feel Satoru Gojo's care and the more he cherished his kindness.
Satoru Gojo was already among the few standing at the very top of the Jujutsu world, yet he couldn't protect the student he favored, leaving Kinji Hakari saddled with an unjust wanted notice.
Of course, because Kinji Hakari was no pushover and because of Satoru Gojo's pressure, the wanted notice was effectively meaningless.
But having a wanted notice versus not having one were two different concepts.
Satoru Gojo had failed in his duty.
"I once promised you that all the injustice you encountered would be cleared away by me."
Satoru Gojo's smile vanished, and he said seriously, "I still haven't changed my promise, as long as you return to my side."
These words were sincere; Kinji Hakari could tell.
But he didn't look back, only saying flatly:
"America was beautiful before the collapse of the Soviet Union—so beautiful that people today can't even imagine it."
"Their blue-collar workers could support a family of six just by working in a factory."
"They had the most comprehensive medical security, no one worried about their future, and their union systems weren't corrupt; everyone united their strength to speak for their group."
"It seemed as if the world would be this beautiful forever."
Kinji Hakari moved to his next set of warm-up exercises, but his voice didn't stop.
As he exercised, he said:
"But since the collapse of the Soviet Union, everything changed."
"America officially became the world hegemon."
"It started wars, it wantonly insulted other nations, it—"
"—made promises freely only to tear up the contracts the next month."
"Its perfect union system instantly turned into a monopolistic business, making everyone who joined miserable."
"It's like a greedy dragon, unscrupulously breathing out a flood to drown the world, including the saints."
Kinji Hakari straightened his arms, stretching his lumbar spine:
"I believe that if I were truly turned back by you, the Jujutsu world would be ecstatic."
"They would agree to any promise, even if it meant coming before me personally to kneel and beg for my forgiveness—I'm willing to believe they could do it..."
"But if Mahito is destroyed, I also believe they would immediately turn on me."
"They would return the humiliation they suffered a hundredfold, treating me like a chamber pot in the night—stinking and unbearable."
Satoru Gojo couldn't refute him, because even he felt that what Kinji Hakari said was the inevitable future.
Satoru Gojo sighed.
"Then, what exactly did the King of Curses promise you?"
"He didn't promise anything," Kinji Hakari smiled.
"Nothing?"
"Right, nothing at all."
"He promised you nothing, yet you're so loyal to him?" Satoru Gojo asked in disbelief.
"I never knew something was wrong with your head too?"
"Mahito... he is a good person," Kinji Hakari said slowly.
"A good person?"
"He's a Cursed Spirit!" Satoru Gojo emphasized.
"I know the King of Curses has more of a human touch than a Jujutsu Sorcerer."
"Since his appearance, I haven't heard of him going out of his way to harm people."
"Although he's allied with Curse Users, the truth is that the Curse Users allied with him have also stopped their harmful activities."
"The whole world seems to only have those newly born Cursed Spirits left; it's peaceful and quiet."
"I don't doubt for a second that he's a 'good person'."
After a pause, Satoru Gojo said solemnly, "But in the end, he is not human!"
"As a Cursed Spirit, no matter how 'good' he is, he cannot become the king of humans."
"Human society must ultimately be ruled by humans; that is the bottom line."
"And the King of Spirits... has crossed that line."