"Boom."
With the sliding sound of the massive glass doors, Suguru Geto stepped back into the office from the rooftop terrace.
Tokyo's night remained bustling, but the dazzling neon lights couldn't penetrate the dim and oppressive office.
This was the headquarters of the Star Religious Group.
Once, it was an extremist religious organization filled with ignorance and ugliness that had driven the Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai, into a corner and even cheered frantically after her 'death.'
Now, it had long been purged and seized by Suguru Geto, becoming a massive machine in his hands used to collect cursed spirits, gather funds, and secretly oppose the jujutsu higher-ups.
Suguru Geto tightened the cassock draped over his shoulders and sat down on the large leather sofa.
On the desk lay an intelligence report just delivered by his subordinates.
[BEYOND-CATEGORY SPECIAL GRADE CURSED ENERGY FLUCTUATION DETECTED IN AN ABANDONED PRIMARY SCHOOL IN KAWASAKI CITY. FULL MANIFESTATION OF RIKA ORIMOTO CONFIRMED. ACCOMPANYING PERSONNEL: MAKI ZENIN, YUTA OKKOTSU. OBSERVER IN THE SHADOWS: YORU.]
Looking at this report, Suguru Geto's face, which had been wearing a crazed smile, gradually became calm and deep in the darkness.
"Rika Orimoto..."
"A cursed energy fluctuation of this level... as expected by Yoru."
He gently rubbed his throbbing forehead.
In his narrow eyes, the fanaticism belonging to a curse user vanished instantly, replaced by a fatigue that bordered on exhaustion.
Ten years.
Ever since the 2006 Jujutsu High night festival, where he sat on the stone steps of a secluded shrine with Satoru Gojo and Yoru to hatch that crazy 'fake defection' plan.
He had been lurking in the darkness for a full decade.
During these ten years, he had to wear a mask every day, playing the role of the Most Evil Curse User who 'hates ordinary people and plots to kill all the monkeys.'
He had to act crazy enough, prejudiced enough, and cruel enough to deceive the suspicious Rotten Oranges of the General Headquarters, forcing them to focus all their defenses and fears on him.
More importantly.
He had to be constantly on guard against that thousand-year-old monster hidden in the shadows of history, who schemed to seize his body and Cursed Spirit Manipulation—Kenjaku!
This level of immense mental pressure was something an ordinary person couldn't even imagine.
It was like an invisible mountain pressing down on Suguru Geto's back, making even breathing feel incredibly difficult.
Every time he looked at those foul-smelling cursed spirits he subdued, and every time he made a cruel compromise for the sake of the Great Cause.
His soul was being eroded.
If it weren't for Yoru's guidance back then at that food stall, using the raw reality of the mundane world to shatter his confusion...
And the bonds in his heart—protecting Riko, protecting Yu Haibara, and protecting all his comrades...
Suguru Geto might have long since lost himself in this endless darkness and slaughter, becoming a true monster like Kenjaku.
"A Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit..."
Suguru Geto stood up.
He walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the city that was both brightly lit and filled with sin, and muttered to himself.
"If I can obtain her, the Great Cause can be realized."
He said this intentionally for the Star Religious Group executives waiting outside.
But in his heart, things were as clear as a mirror.
The real purpose of launching this massive war that would soon shock the entire jujutsu world was not some nonsense about 'killing all non-sorcerers and creating a world for sorcerers only.'
He had only three real objectives!
First.
To seize Rika Orimoto, or more accurately... to seal her completely!
Because he knew very well that as long as Rika's absolute power remained within Yuta, that rabid dog Kenjaku would never stop.
Only by personally stepping forward to shoulder all the hatred and drawing everyone's eyes to himself could he allow Yuta to completely leave the center of the storm and cut off Kenjaku's greed.
Second.
To force the General Headquarters to undergo a complete reform!
For all these years, the higher-ups had been sacrificing innocent low-level sorcerers and Star Plasma Vessels without any bottom line just to maintain their own rule and vested interests.
They were like a group of parasites feeding on the world of jujutsu—corrupt, arrogant, and beyond saving.
Only by using an unprecedentedly large crisis to completely shatter their ridiculous sense of security could they be forced to abandon those disgusting rules that treated human life like weeds!
As for the third objective...
It was also the most core and dangerous one!
That was to use Suguru Geto himself as bait to finally lure out Kenjaku, who had been hiding like a shrinking turtle in the shadows!
Only at the most chaotic moment of the Night Parade, when he showed his most vulnerable opening, would Kenjaku be unable to resist jumping out to try and seize his body.
"Yoru, Satoru."
Suguru Geto looked up at the cold crescent moon in the night sky, a look of decisive and crazed murderous intent flashing in the depths of his eyes.
"Everything I can do, I've already done to the extreme."
"The rest is up to you."
"This time, we will definitely crush that rat who has been calculating against us from the gutters for ten years!"
Suguru Geto took a deep breath, suppressing all the surging warmth and resolve in his heart.
When he turned around again, his face was once again wearing the signature crazed smile of the Most Evil Curse User.
The heavy office door was slowly pushed open.
Outside.
Miguel, Nanako Hasaba, Mimiko Hasaba, Larue, and the other core executives of the Star Religious Group were bowed respectfully, their eyes filled with absolute fanaticism and faith.
Waiting for his command.
"My family."
Suguru Geto spread his arms, his smile gentle yet sickly, like a martyr about to lead his followers to a holy kingdom.
"Gather all the executives and assemble every cursed spirit we have collected throughout Japan."
"Tomorrow morning, I will personally visit Tokyo Jujutsu High."
"To deliver a declaration of war to my old friends."
Suguru Geto's voice wasn't loud, but it set off a storm in the empty corridor!
"Geto-sama!"
Nanako looked up abruptly, tears of excitement glistening in her eyes, her voice trembling slightly from extreme exhilaration.
"Do you mean..."
"That's right."
The smile on Suguru Geto's face became even more brilliant, but the madness in his eyes overflowed like something physical, making it impossible for anyone to look at him directly.
"The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons."
"Is about to begin."
With Suguru Geto's command.
This terrifying war machine, which had been lurking in the shadows for ten long years, gathering countless curses and malice, finally let out a deafening roar!
In this massive vortex that was about to subvert the entire structure of the jujutsu world.
How would the 'Cursed-Energy-Less Sword Saint' Yoru, who existed outside the rules, stir up earth-shattering waves in this grand play?