"Well then, if there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave."
Suguru Geto waved toward Mirai, who was sitting inside the supercar.
"Goodbye to you too, Shoko. If fate allows, we'll meet again."
Looking at Shoko, who had just hung up the phone, Geto said his farewell with a smile.
With that, he stepped into the flowing crowd without the slightest hint of hesitation.
Watching Geto's departing back, Shoko froze for a moment. Her expression dimmed briefly.
"Miss Shoko," Mirai said, "are you planning to wait for your friend, or head back?"
Shoko gave him a meaningful glance.
"As long as the message gets delivered, that's enough. I have no intention of waiting under the sun for that scumbag."
"So what—planning to give me a ride back?"
Mirai smiled.
"My pleasure."
The perceptive driver quickly stepped out and opened the rear door.
With the summer convertible open, a gentle breeze brushed past their faces.
Brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Shoko looked at the scenery outside and spoke.
"Does the head of the Zenin clan like to show off?"
"It's alright," Mirai replied. "A convertible makes it easier to fight, doesn't it?"
"Ordinary people might not see curses, but if they suddenly noticed a giant hole in the roof of the car, they'd probably panic."
Mirai spoke softly without turning his head, his voice clear despite the rushing wind.
Shoko nodded slightly and asked another question.
"So today's meeting… was it just a chance encounter on the street?"
Mirai smiled faintly.
"Not exactly."
"I simply had someone follow you from the entrance of Jujutsu High."
"Oh?"
Shoko shifted her gaze from the scenery outside to the back of Mirai's head. Her tone carried a hint of surprise.
She had suspected something like that, but she hadn't expected him to admit it so openly.
"But I didn't sense anything. The assistant supervisors should have checked too."
Mirai chuckled.
"It's normal that you didn't notice. The person following you wasn't a sorcerer."
"Jujutsu High still seems to rely solely on cursed energy to determine threat levels. It looks like they haven't learned their lesson."
Shoko's face showed agreement.
"That's true."
"The death of the Star Plasma Vessel… Toji Fushiguro's assassination…"
"After everything that's happened, the higher-ups at the school haven't changed at all."
"The idea that non-sorcerers aren't even considered people… perhaps that belief doesn't only exist within the Zenin family."
Despite being followed, Shoko didn't seem bothered at all.
Instead, she spoke calmly with Mirai.
After hearing her thoughts, Mirai smiled.
"From the moment a sorcerer awakens their power, most of them stop viewing themselves as the same as ordinary humans."
"Take Toji, for example. He possessed strength not inferior to Gojo Satoru at the time, yet he was never recognized by the Zenin clan."
"Meanwhile, I only revealed a small portion of my talent as a sorcerer, and even at such a young age I became the head of one of the Three Great Families."
Shoko nodded thoughtfully and murmured softly.
"The arrogance unique to sorcerers…"
Then she asked directly:
"So what's your real objective?"
"You followed me to find Geto, and conveniently dealt with the 'rats' targeting you?"
"Or… do you actually intend to cooperate with him?"
The grand display during his outing had clearly been meant to lure out the curse users hiding in the shadows.
He had deliberately dismissed the Zenin bodyguards in front of Geto, forcing the hidden enemies to attack.
Then, naturally, he displayed that unknown Special Grade curse.
On the surface, his target appeared to be the curse users.
But in reality—
his true target was Suguru Geto.
If the Zenin clan hadn't been planning this behind the scenes…
Shoko appeared calm on the surface, but in her mind she kept raising the danger level of the precocious boy in front of her.
As if sensing her caution, Mirai smiled and explained:
"Relax."
"I don't have dangerous ideas like killing all non-sorcerers."
This statement contained no exaggeration—it was completely sincere.
After all, curses born from human negative emotions were endless nourishment for growth. Why would he ever want humanity to go extinct?
"You don't?"
Shoko blinked in surprise.
"If you don't share that ridiculous idea, why propose cooperation with Geto?"
"Or did you make such a grand show just to mess with that idiot?"
Mirai replied calmly:
"Cooperation doesn't necessarily mean exterminating humanity."
"Perhaps there are other directions where he and I might get along."
Shoko narrowed her eyes but asked no further questions.
She could tell that from this point onward, the conversation no longer carried the same sincerity as before.
The sun gradually set.
The clouds glowed as if set ablaze, painting the sky a brilliant orange-red.
The sunlight was no longer harsh or scorching—only gently warm.
"Ha… ha…"
Still unable to use long-distance teleportation freely, Satoru Gojo had rushed all the way from Jujutsu High to Shinjuku.
Spotting the familiar figure within the crowd, he shouted breathlessly:
"Geto!"
Walking against the current of pedestrians, Suguru Geto paused slightly.
"Shoko should've already told you."
They stood ten meters apart, separated by a large crowd, but their softly spoken words—enhanced by cursed energy—carried clearly.
Gojo tore off his sunglasses.
Even though he already knew the truth, he still found it impossible to believe.
"Kill every human who isn't a sorcerer?"
"Even your own parents?!"
With his back to Gojo, Geto kept his hands in his pockets and answered calmly:
"Even parents… shouldn't receive special treatment."
"Kill all humans and create a world where only sorcerers exist?"
"That's impossible!"
Gojo waved his arms in agitation, shouting angrily.
He couldn't understand.
The best friend who once avoided meaningless killing…
The Geto who used to lecture him about how the strong should protect the weak—
Why had he become like this?
Gojo simply couldn't comprehend it.
"Impossible?"
"If it were you, you could probably do it."
Geto turned around and looked directly into Gojo's eyes.
"If you can do something, does that mean others definitely can't?"
Then he added with a faint smile:
"You're really slow."
"I've already chosen the path I'm going to walk."
"From here on, I'll do my best to realize the 'foolish dream' you think I have."
After saying that, Geto turned as if to leave—then paused slightly.
"Oh, right. The mysterious head of the Zenin clan appeared today as well."
"An eleven-year-old Special Grade sorcerer."
"It seems even that guy understands me better than you do."
With that quiet remark, Suguru Geto stepped into the crowd.
Only a lonely silhouette remained.
Watching his best friend leave, Gojo clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked.
After hesitating for a long time, he ultimately gave up the idea of attacking.
At the entrance of Jujutsu High, the red supercar shone brilliantly.
"Miss Shoko," Mirai said, "until we meet again."
Shoko pushed open the car door.
She looked deeply at the boy in the passenger seat before answering softly:
"If fate allows… goodbye."
Once she had walked far away, Mirai murmured quietly:
"Don't worry. It won't be long before we meet again."
"Perhaps by then, our relationship will be a step closer."
The driver glanced sideways but wisely chose not to ask any questions.
"Let's go," Mirai said.
"Back to the estate."