Chapter 6: Flesh Breaking the Sound Barrier, Bare-Handed Claw Strikes
On the other side, Geto Suguru had already brought Amanai Riko to the Tomb of the Star Corridor.
After a final farewell with Kuroi, Amanai Riko and Geto Suguru passed through the tunnel and entered the main hall.
Layer upon layer of structures stood stacked together, representing the foundation of all barriers.
Geto Suguru stopped in front of the stone-arched passage.
He could only escort her this far. "After you go down the stairs and pass through the gate, walk straight ahead to the roots of the great tree. The barrier there is different from the one covering Jujutsu High. Only those who are summoned can enter."
"There, Lord Tengen will protect you until the assimilation is complete."
Geto Suguru gave his final instructions in a heavy tone.
Amanai Riko listened calmly, her eyes slightly dim. She had long prepared herself, and didn't show much emotion about what came next.
But Geto Suguru's next words made the light return to her eyes.
"Or… you can choose to go back."
"Go home with Miss Kuroi."
Geto Suguru's face stayed calm as he looked at Amanai Riko.
Even before meeting her, he and Gojo Satoru had already decided: if Amanai Riko didn't want to assimilate with Tengen, they would do everything to send her back.
Even if that meant going to war with Tengen, or with the entire world.
When Yaga Masamichi gave them this mission, he emphasized that assimilation was, in a sense, erasure.
Which meant this would weigh on their consciences.
Amanai Riko went blank, unable to believe what she'd heard. She stared at Geto Suguru, stunned. "W-what… did you say?"
"It's fine. No matter what happens, Gojo and I will guarantee your future."
Geto Suguru repeated it, seriously.
No matter what happened, there would be a way. After all, he and Gojo were the strongest.
At that moment, Geto Suguru and Amanai Riko didn't know that the strongest, Gojo Satoru, had already fallen in a pool of blood. Still, after this incident, he truly would become the strongest.
Looking at the man she'd only known for two days, yet who was willing to become the enemy of the world for her sake, Amanai Riko trembled all over, unable to speak.
From the very beginning, she had never imagined she could refuse.
Ever since she was born, she had been called the Star Plasma Vessel.
Carrying the mission of the Star Plasma Vessel, doing everything she could to avoid danger and stay alive, had become the meaning of her existence.
She could no longer clearly remember the scene of her parents' deaths. She had long grown numb to loneliness and sorrow.
Sometimes, she even felt that separating from everyone after assimilation wouldn't be such a big deal.
No matter how painful it was, as time passed, sadness and solitude would eventually fade.
Sob…
Tears and snot poured out as if they cost nothing, and Amanai Riko burst into loud sobs.
As a young girl in her early teens, how could she not cling to this world?
Thinking of what she'd experienced over the past two days, she cried out,
"I still want to! I still want to stay with everyone a little longer!"
Hah…
Hearing that, Geto Suguru looked as if a weight had lifted. Smiling, he reached out his hand, answering the girl's longing for this world.
"Riko, let's go back."
Bang!
A bullet fired from the upper platform shattered the beautiful atmosphere.
It tore through the air, headed straight for Amanai Riko's head.
Just as it brushed her hair, a figure burst in from deep within the tunnel, producing a series of exaggerated sonic booms.
In that instant, his speed crossed the sound barrier.
Crack!
Veins bulged along his arm. A callused hand reached Amanai Riko and caught the bullet that was about to punch through her skull.
The wind from his movement knocked Amanai Riko off balance. She stumbled and sat hard on the ground.
"Ah!"
Amanai Riko hadn't even processed what happened. She only heard a sharp crack, and then she was on the floor.
Geto Suguru's expression froze. He stared at the man who had appeared out of nowhere, goosebumps rising all over him as he instantly entered combat mode.
He moved to Amanai Riko's side, pulled her up, and dragged her behind him.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay!"
Amanai Riko shook her head. Aside from her butt hurting a little, she wasn't injured.
"Hah… perfect timing. That was close—almost watched a young girl die right in front of me."
The newcomer was Zenin Jinsuke. He opened his palm, and a flattened bullet lay quietly there.
He let out a deep breath, and his slightly reddened skin returned to normal.
Toji appeared on the upper platform. He stared at the man who had shown up, his gaze stiffening as he froze for a moment.
Zenin Jinsuke looked up at Toji and gave a gentle smile. "Toji. Long time no see. Did you miss your big brother?"
"Tch. Bastard. If you left, you shouldn't have come back."
Toji showed no happiness. Instead, he was inexplicably angry. With a gloomy face, he turned around and left, abandoning the job on the spot.
For this brother who had left without a word, resentment still sat in his heart.
Why leave alone. Why leave him behind.
"Uh…"
Zenin Jinsuke scratched his head with a bitter smile. Looks like his little brother had grown up—no longer as easy to fool as when he was a kid. He'd have to smooth things over properly.
He turned to Geto Suguru, who was on full alert, and smiled. "Sorry. My brother caused you trouble."
"As an apology, I'll quietly tell you a secret."
Zenin Jinsuke lowered his voice, full of sincerity. "Actually… even if that old man Tengen doesn't assimilate with the Star Plasma Vessel, it's fine."
With that, Zenin Jinsuke chased after Toji, leaving one more line behind. "Don't tell anyone I said that."
Watching him leave, even just his back radiating pressure, Geto Suguru finally let out a breath.
"What kind of guy is he…"
Even setting everything else aside, his speed alone was beyond Geto Suguru's imagination.
"Um… what do we do now?"
Amanai Riko still hadn't recovered. A second ago, she'd had one foot in hell. If that stranger hadn't appeared, she'd probably be dead.
"Let's leave first."
Geto Suguru frowned slightly, keeping his focus razor-sharp, guarding against anything unexpected.
Right now, he just wanted to find Gojo Satoru. Please don't let anything happen…
As for what Zenin Jinsuke said about Lord Tengen, he didn't know whether it was true. He would think about it slowly later.
Outside the Jujutsu High barrier.
Zenin Jinsuke caught up to Toji. Seeing that sour expression, he stepped forward and slapped a hand onto Toji's shoulder.
"What, that face when you see your big brother? Want to experience some big-brother love?"
Zenin Jinsuke narrowed his eyes, raising a fist in mock threat.
A disobedient little brother—he had the right, as an older brother, to educate him.
In front of Zenin Jinsuke's massive frame, well over 190 centimeters, even Toji looked a bit small.
Smack!
Toji knocked Zenin Jinsuke's arm away and said expressionlessly,
"Do you think you can still beat me now?"
He wasn't the Toji of back then. Don't think being his brother meant he still had the strength to teach him a lesson.