Faint ripples of Cursed Energy stirred on the ground beneath Gojo Satoru's feet, like a pebble dropped into water. With his toes as the center, fine circles of blue light quietly expanded. Wherever they passed, gravel and dust were lifted by an invisible force, suspending in mid-air.
"Geto, don't force me." Gojo Satoru's voice was cold as ice, devoid of its usual playfulness, leaving only absolute pressure.
He slowly raised his right hand, palm facing down. Pale blue Cursed Energy pulsed in his palm like fine, fragmented stars, gradually condensing into a rotating point of light. It was the initial state of activating the Limitless. The molecules in the air seemed to be forcibly manipulated, emitting a faint "humming" sound, and even the light around his palm distorted slightly.
But at that moment, Geto Suguru suddenly chuckled, his tone carrying undisguised mockery: "Satoru, do you really want to fight me here?"
He slowly looked up, his hood slipping off to reveal eyes filled with a smile. His gaze swept over the residents passing by outside the corridor; several elderly people were walking by with grocery baskets, and not far away, the laughter of children chasing each other could be heard. "Look, this is a residential building."
Before he finished speaking, Geto Suguru slightly raised his hand, and black Cursed Energy surged from his palm, flooding the surrounding corridor like a tide.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!" In the blink of an eye, dozens of Cursed Spirits of various forms appeared inside and outside the corridor. There were child Cursed Spirits covered in blood, deformed Cursed Spirits with multiple arms, and beast-like Cursed Spirits emitting a foul stench.
Their aura was violent and chaotic, yet not a single one attacked Gojo Satoru. Instead, as if receiving an order, they spread toward the various unit doors of the residential building. Some even climbed onto balconies, baring their fangs at the residents inside.
Gojo Satoru's pupils contracted sharply.
He could clearly sense that while these Cursed Spirits were not strong, they were numerous and widely distributed. If he attacked, he might be able to kill all the Cursed Spirits instantly, but he could not guarantee that none would slip through and harm the residents.
"Are you threatening me?" Gojo Satoru's tone turned cold, the light of the Limitless intensifying, yet his attack remained stalled.
Geto Suguru's smile remained unchanged, but his tone carried a chilling certainty: "I am merely reminding you."
He slowly withdrew his hand. The Cursed Spirits stopped moving but remained in a posture of lunging at the residents, like vipers poised to strike. "Actually, before I came, I guessed I might run into you, so I already released hundreds of Cursed Spirits in a shopping mall a few kilometers away."
He paused, his gaze landing on Gojo Satoru's tense face, and said word by word: "As soon as a fight breaks out here, the Cursed Spirits over there will immediately begin a massacre. You should be able to calculate how many people are in the mall right now, right? The resulting casualties would be something neither you nor I could bear."
Gojo Satoru's breathing grew heavy. He knew Geto Suguru was not lying; given Geto Suguru's personality, if he dared to say it, he must have made thorough preparations.
He could disregard Geto Suguru's life, but he could not watch helplessly as innocent people were killed by Cursed Spirits.
"You really are…" Gojo Satoru let go, his tone filled with helplessness. The pale blue halo in his palm gradually dissipated, and the Limitless was temporarily deactivated.
He stepped back, looking at Geto Suguru, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "To achieve your goals, you are truly capable of anything."
The corners of Geto Suguru's mouth curled into a faint smile: "Likewise." He turned to look at Rin, who was standing to the side, signaling him to follow.
But Gojo Satoru suddenly stepped forward.
Gojo Satoru raised his hand and gently pulled down the white blindfold from his forehead.
The moment the blindfold slipped, those azure, jewel-like Six Eyes were completely exposed to the morning light. Gone was his usual nonchalance, and his tone carried an unprecedented seriousness:
"Rin, you have been silent for too long."
He stepped aside, pointing his finger at Geto Suguru beside him. His voice was involuntarily tinged with a hint of urgency, as if trying to awaken someone who had lost their way:
"Do you know? Just how dangerous is this person beside you? And are you aware of what he has done with his own hands?"
Rin's body stiffened abruptly, his hands at his sides clenching unconsciously, his knuckles turning white.
He looked at the gravity in Gojo Satoru's eyes and swallowed hard, but ultimately remained silent. He had actually guessed those things long ago, but hearing them spoken by Gojo Satoru still felt like a heavy stone crashing into his heart.
Seeing his silence, Gojo Satoru raised his voice a notch, carrying an undisguisable heaviness:
"The Cursed Spirit at the school yesterday was released by him. Those students lying in the warehouse, dozens of vibrant lives, were all killed by the Cursed Spirits he unleashed. He even watched those people die without batting an eye."
At this point, Gojo Satoru's tone softened slightly, with a bit more understanding in his eyes:
"I have already reconstructed the general events that happened at the school through the residual Cursed Energy. You did not kill those who bullied you, and you even let the girl hiding in the warehouse go. Rin, your heart is kind; you shouldn't be led astray by his ideas."
He took a step forward, his azure Six Eyes filled with anticipation, as if waiting for an answer of change:
"So please, don't be stubborn anymore, okay? Do you really want to stay by his side and follow him all the way? Come back to Jujutsu High with me. There are professional teachers there to teach you how to control Cursed Energy, and companions like you to fight and grow with you. You don't need to rely on anyone, much less follow him down a path destined to be filled with bloodshed."
Sunlight streamed in through the corridor window, falling onto Gojo Satoru's face. His gaze softened, and his tone carried a touch of earnestness:
"Your talent is excellent; it shouldn't be buried, and it certainly shouldn't be used to harm the innocent. Give yourself a chance, and give us a chance to help you."
The corridor fell into silence, with only the sound of the wind from outside occasionally drifting in. Geto Suguru did not speak, simply watching Rin quietly, his eyes carrying a trace of imperceptible nervousness.
Rin hung his head.
He remembered the student bodies he saw at the school yesterday, recalled the coldness of Geto Suguru when controlling the Cursed Spirits, and remembered the complex emotions Geto Suguru showed when "paving the way" for him on the rooftop.
After a long while, Rin slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with determination. He looked at Gojo Satoru and shook his head gently:
"Mr. Gojo, thank you for your kindness." He paused, his voice calm yet clear, "But I know what I should do."
"You!" Gojo Satoru was stunned; he hadn't expected Rin to refuse so decisively. "Do you know what you are saying? Following him will only lead you to destruction!"
"Perhaps." Rin's tone remained calm, "But at least for now, I want to follow him." He walked over to Geto Suguru, nodded at him, and said, "Let's go."
A trace of gratification flashed in Geto Suguru's eyes. He raised an eyebrow at Gojo Satoru with a hint of provocation, then turned and walked out of the corridor. Rin followed behind him without looking back.
Gojo Satoru stood where he was, watching their retreating figures, his azure Six Eyes filled with complex emotions. He did not stop them again, only clenched his fists, thinking to himself: Rin, I hope you won't regret today's decision in the future.
The sunlight outside the corridor was still bright, yet Gojo Satoru felt that this sunlight seemed to carry an indescribable chill. Despite bearing the name of the strongest, he felt so powerless when facing all of this.
After a long while, he put his blindfold back on and turned to walk in the opposite direction. He needed to immediately send people to the shopping mall to clear out the Cursed Spirits and, at the same time, investigate Rin's background.