Chapter 181 : Don't Want Tomorrow, Only Want Today
The vast galaxy stretched endlessly. Ryomen Sukuna's expression looked somewhat grave, but showed no panic whatsoever.
As the King of Curses, his emotional control had always been excellent, able to remain calm when facing various unexpected events.
At this moment, it was merely his domain being broken, entering a temporary technique burnout period. He just needed to wait for reverse cursed technique to repair it, then counterattack. Ryomen Sukuna thought casually.
Besides, this domain before him didn't seem to be an offensive domain, with limited killing power.
During the brief burnout period when his domain was broken, he couldn't use techniques, but could still mobilize cursed energy.
Ryomen Sukuna attached cold cursed energy to his palms, preparing for an unexpected close combat later.
While Malevolent Kitchen hadn't completely shattered yet, he stepped on the swirling flowing white river of the domain, quickly using instant movement to approach the black-haired youth's side, his right fist carrying fierce cursed energy as it viciously smashed toward his face!
Jiang Lai stood there motionless, directly raising one hand to forcibly catch Ryomen Sukuna's attack with his antique book!
"Bang!"
The right fist condensed with explosive cursed energy burst out intense shockwaves the moment it contacted its target, stirring up waves in the domain's long river.
However, Jiang Lai's posture holding the book remained steady as a rock, with only his navy blue sleeves fluttering in the wind.
The antique book's blank pages fluttered in the gale, with no signs of separation or damage on its surface.
......Special defensive cursed tool?!
Ryomen Sukuna's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he couldn't detect the slightest trace of cursed energy from that thin booklet.
The surprise attack failing, Ryomen Sukuna didn't retreat, because retreating had no meaning under the domain's sure-hit effect.
He adjusted his posture to punch again in response. After his technique burnout was repaired by reverse cursed technique, he directly raised several sharp small cursed blades, slashing horizontally toward the other's neck!
Jiang Lai flipped his wrist to again use the book to block Sukuna's fierce cursed energy punch. He ignored the cursed blades cutting toward his neck, because the thin layer of spatial techniques covering his body was sufficient to block those sharp attacks.
However, before that, a palm moved even faster to block in front of him.
Slender five fingers suddenly grasped those cursed blades, wearing them down and extinguishing them in his palm!
Gojo Satoru with flying white hair seemed to teleport beside Jiang Lai, using his palm to catch the crisscrossing cursed blades at incredible speed. The small [Blue] gathered in his palm dissolved Sukuna's killing intent in a fraction of a second.
Gojo Satoru raised his pair of crystal blue eyes, his voice slightly drawn out: "Don't forget about me standing beside you."
Ryomen Sukuna clicked his tongue with displeasure, just as he was about to activate a simple domain to neutralize the sure-hit effect of Jiang Lai's domain, Gojo Satoru fired a [Red] aimed at Ryomen Sukuna!
Ryomen Sukuna raised his arms to block. Taking this opportunity, Jiang Lai activated his technique, unilaterally targeting Ryomen Sukuna with space-time reversal!
The sure-hit effect within the domain was unavoidable. Just as Ryomen Sukuna's slashing attacks in his Malevolent Kitchen domain couldn't be defended against by Gojo Satoru's Limitless, this time when Jiang Lai activated space-time reversal, Ryomen Sukuna also couldn't dodge.
Ryomen Sukuna had prepared reverse cursed technique to heal injuries, but he hadn't expected that Jiang Lai's domain effect wasn't an attack causing injuries, but a reversal of body and consciousness.
Such reversal effects couldn't be healed with reverse cursed technique at all!
The navy blue figure standing in the center of the vast domain turned his wrist. Black and white rivers above and below flowed in circles, rippling sun, moon and stars seeming to rise and set accordingly. Countless hazy scenes flashed by rapidly like slides.
In the stellar reversal, even though unwilling, Ryomen Sukuna had to admit his consciousness was being forcibly suppressed.
The black markings covering his body gradually faded, revealing the originally clean face belonging to the cherry-pink haired youth.
Realizing he couldn't change the shift in primary consciousness, Ryomen Sukuna grinned at the last moment, his claws aiming for this body's heart!
As a curse, Sukuna losing his heart wouldn't kill him, but Itadori Yuji as a human was different.
In the original story, Ryomen Sukuna used this to make a revival deal with Itadori Yuji in the innate domain.
But this time, an invisible space prevented his action first.
Jiang Lai remotely controlled spatial code, stopping Ryomen Sukuna's final self-harm.
He gracefully leaped in front of Ryomen Sukuna, calmly meeting those still-struggling fierce crimson eyes.
"Go back."
Jiang Lai lightly tapped the other's temple with his book, his posture neither disrespectful, like an elder's instruction.
Those crimson eyes irresistibly gradually closed. When they opened next time, they had changed to their original golden-orange color, containing only blankness.
"......Eh?"
Itadori Yuji, who had regained control of his body and consciousness, looked like he hadn't realized what happened. The sun, moon and stars reflected in his vision as he opened his mouth slightly: "Where is this?"
"My domain." Jiang Lai nodded in reply, waving his hand to dispel this vast domain.
After the brilliant galaxy receded, the scene revealed the original broken walls and ruins.
Itadori Yuji stared in shock at the ruins before him, pressing his lips straight: "Did Sukuna come out just now?" His eyes widened, his arms visibly trembling. "I, I......"
"It has nothing to do with you." The white-haired man strode over with his long legs in a few steps, his posture dashing and casual. He pointed backward with his thumb: "All this ruined scenery was my doing. Pretty impressive, right?"
Jiang Lai: "......" Using such a proud tone to say this kind of thing is really strange!.jpg
Hearing this, Itadori Yuji was first stunned. He looked at Gojo Satoru for two or three seconds before seeming to suddenly react, saying in surprise: "Could you be that strongest cursed user, Gojo-san?!"
"That's me~~" Gojo Satoru replied with a grin.
"This is Kyoto? I remember you issued a warning very early, and the citizens here evacuated early." After his initial surprise, Itadori Yuji calmed down again. "So you and this black-haired gentleman fought with that Ryomen Sukuna guy together?"
He scratched the back of his head, lowering his eyes: "I......I'm sorry. Sometimes I can't control him. Although you said you caused all this, I know there must be reasons related to that Sukuna guy."
Gojo Satoru didn't respond, just raised his eyebrows: "You don't seem very afraid of me."
"Because Gojo-san helped me suppress Sukuna before, and you don't seem to have killing intent." Itadori Yuji blinked, speaking honestly. "You're quite different from the cursed user image in rumors."
Gojo Satoru laughed: "What should the cursed user image in rumors be like?"
"Uh......dark and terrifying, having killed countless people?"
"Then I fit that perfectly." Gojo Satoru's voice stretched out as he crossed his hands together, those sky-blue pupils looking somewhat cold. "It's just because you haven't directly faced those things. The wanted posters clearly note my 'great achievements,' right?"
Facing the strongest cursed user's cold aura, Itadori Yuji instinctively stepped back half a step, but then stopped and spoke bravely:
"Even so, those were all noted by the higher-ups. I heard Nanami and Okkotsu-senpai, as well as Ieiri-san, talk about some of your matters. He said the wanted posters have exaggerated elements, and you actually didn't do things that cruelly."
Gojo Satoru's eyes curved: "Haha, is that so." He murmured ambiguously to himself. "The high school......"
"I think you should be someone with your own goals. It's just that we don't quite understand why you do those things, Gojo-san."
Itadori Yuji hesitated, then boldly asked: "Will you continue destroying cities like this next?"
"Oh, no." Gojo Satoru raised one finger, making a shushing gesture, his voice light: "Next step, I want to go to Tokyo Jujutsu High."
"High, high school?" This was obviously an answer Itadori Yuji hadn't expected.
Jiang Lai, who had been quietly listening nearby, also raised his eyebrows slightly, somewhat surprised by this: Why would he want to go to the high school? Could it be that Satoru had finally figured it out and decided to return to his teaching career?
That would be good. Jiang Lai thought. It meant Satoru had pretty much regained his rationality. On this basis, with further persuasion, he could gradually pull him back to the original world line's thinking, then escape this world.
Planning this in his heart, Jiang Lai immediately heard Gojo Satoru's next sentence.
"I've figured it out. I had the wrong priorities before."
Gojo Satoru smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, making it seem somewhat elusive. "I'm not the type to save all living beings......The first step of liberation I grant should naturally go to those I care about most."
These words sounded somewhat strange. Itadori Yuji's expression was a big question mark.
Jiang Lai's mood gradually focused, keenly detecting something amiss.
"Ah, but don't be afraid." Gojo Satoru's pure white eyelashes lifted slightly, his Six Eyes deep and distant. He suddenly smiled: "The freedom I grant won't have any pain."
He abruptly reached forward, two fingers together carrying cursed energy as they pointed toward Itadori Yuji's brow.
"Satoru!" Jiang Lai's heart tightened.
The next second, he saw the cherry-pink haired youth's form sway twice, instantly losing consciousness and stumbling forward.
Gojo Satoru caught him with one hand, then gently placed him on the ground.
"Just temporarily unconscious." Gojo Satoru put the other down and stood up. "I'm still waiting for him to go back and deliver a message~~"
Jiang Lai's previously tensed body relaxed slightly. His gaze fell on Gojo Satoru.
At this point, the battle had ended. Only the two of them remained conscious on scene, or perhaps, only Jiang Lai was truly conscious.
"What's wrong? Looking at me with that expression?" Gojo Satoru turned his face, his lips curved in a smile.
Under those glass bead-like blue eyes' gaze, Jiang Lai felt a long-lost chill rising from the bottom of his heart.
He knew what the other said was true. The next target he would attack was really Jujutsu High.
When Jiang Lai arrived at the battlefield, he had seen that Gojo Satoru's emotions weren't quite right at that time.
He had immediately used everyday operations and words to restore the other's sanity, skillfully interrupting the dark progression.
But interrupting didn't mean removing.
Those suppressed gray emotions still accumulated in Gojo Satoru's heart, leaving him suspended on the edge of imminent collapse.
Jiang Lai was silent for half a second, then spoke: "......Did something happen before I arrived?"
"Met a few acquaintances." Gojo Satoru replied vaguely.
Acquaintances......those who could be called this by Gojo Satoru, could it be Geto Suguru?!
Jiang Lai immediately reacted. It must have been arranged by those Supervisory Committee bastards, further messing with the Six Eyes' mentality in this situation!
Gojo Satoru's words mentioned "a few," meaning there were other characters on scene.
The outer barrier would prevent people on Gojo Satoru's side from entering, so those present were probably Supervisory Committee members.
Like Yuikawa Kurisu.
Someone who had been sealed in the real world but whose name was quite active here.
This guy's personality was very good at messing with people's mentality. Perhaps it was something he mentioned about the high school in his words that made this Gojo Satoru's target suddenly shift toward the high school.
The "immortal" tool Geto Suguru remained the shadow of the Crossroads Tower's Gojo Satoru. If the Supervisory Committee used this point to indicate their next step would be to do the same to other people at the high school, then Gojo Satoru......
Although he was the strongest, what he could do, even if painful and torturous, was to preemptively kill close friends marked with incomplete tags, letting them escape the curse of "immortality."
And the Supervisory Committee was precisely targeting the high school people to deal with him. Gojo Satoru understood this in his heart, and precisely because he understood, he became even more pained.
If the Gojo Satoru who became a cursed user planning events everywhere still had his own rational logic, then when he was forced to kill those close to him to grant freedom, he would completely descend into madness.
Although he wasn't at the scene, Jiang Lai also reacted extremely quickly to deduce everything.
Jiang Lai once again sent out an emoji: Supervisory Committee, you've done nothing but evil!.jpg
"Helping me like this, do you know what I'm going to do next?" Gojo Satoru put both hands in his pockets, speaking methodically. "In your delusions, the people at the high school are also very important, right?"
"Will you understand my next actions, or will you stop me?"
Jiang Lai's brown eyes reflected the other's figure. He didn't reply to this, instead asking softly:
"Are you asking for my help?"
Gojo Satoru could have completely avoided mentioning his plan. The strongest, accustomed to bearing burdens alone, always carried secrets, solving all problems with ease and arrogance.
But at this moment, he not only spoke out, but even exchanged several words with Jiang Lai.
Although his surface attitude was one of not listening to anything or caring about anything, those words "stop me" were incredibly clear, indicating the subconscious contradiction in the person before him.
Hearing Jiang Lai's words, Gojo Satoru's eyes lifted: "Hah? Help?" He laughed. "What are you talking about?"
"This world has brought you too much unnecessary pain. I know these are shadows that have always swayed in your heart."
Jiang Lai's expression was gentle as he said seriously: "All the past events that happened weren't your fault. All wounds have been mended, and you've never been alone, so there's no need to linger here anymore."
"Go back. Stop hurting yourself." Jiang Lai reached forward, his eyes resolute. "Let's go together."
"......" Gojo Satoru's eyelashes fluttered as his gaze fell on Jiang Lai's outstretched hand.
After a second of silence, he laughed with a low voice, the sound seeming to come from a distant place:
"I don't understand."
The white-haired person raised his face, his expression no longer as cold and hard as before. Waves rose and fell in his sky-blue pupils.
"I don't understand, I don't comprehend, I can't see."
"I am the strongest, I have Six Eyes that can see through everything, but I can't tell if this world is real or fake, and I can't tell if you're real or fake."
"If this world is real, then why is it that every time I make up my mind, you appear to shake my resolve?"
"I can't accept one-sided words, but I also hope everything you say is true. But if everything you say is true, then is my being trapped here foolish behavior? Is the pain in this world all fake? Are all my actions meaningless?!"
The white-haired man's voice carried laughter, but the churning emotions revealed a madness with no foundation.
He rarely exposed himself so directly. Those wide blue eyes were like glacial lakes, like deep sea caverns, devouring everything they saw.
"I don't understand."
The strongest's surging emotions and madness could even shake the cursed energy in the air. The entire ruined area was heavily pressed down half a meter by this invisible force!
Jiang Lai withstood this cursed energy pressure. He lightly raised his book and suddenly tapped the other's head when his words reached their end.
Limitless couldn't block the book. The hard spine knocked on his head without ceremony.
Gojo Satoru's shaking emotions were abruptly interrupted, leaving him caught off guard and momentarily bewildered.
"Alright, I understand." Jiang Lai withdrew his book, his tone natural. "Restrain your cursed energy a bit. This place is already ruins. With your pressure releasing outward like this, I'm the only one bearing it."
"......" The white-haired person paused, his eyelids drooping slightly. In the end, he still contained his outwardly leaking cursed energy.
"Before, my unilateral desire was too strong, and I didn't properly sense your thoughts." Jiang Lai's eyes were gentle. "I'm sorry, Satoru."
His navy blue kimono sleeves swayed as he clasped his hands together and once again expanded the endless galaxy domain.
"Let's talk here. No one will disturb us, and no one will eavesdrop."
The radiance of sun, moon and stars flowed. Jiang Lai stood within them, glancing sideways with a light smile, his voice warm and bright.
"So what are you persistent about, and what kind of ending do you want? I'll achieve it together with you."
Gojo Satoru stood in the stellar sea domain.
Here, he felt no threat, only deep tranquility.
Within the domain, the sky overhead was filled with twinkling bright stars. Point after point of light connected together, gathering into boundless hope and brilliance.
They hung in the sky, illuminating the earth below.
Gojo Satoru's sky-blue pupils reflected the stellar sea overhead. In a trance, he seemed to witness them falling one by one, their burning tails streaking across the sky, creating a spectacular meteor shower that captured the world's attention.
But he didn't want that momentary magnificence. He just wanted those stars to hang there forever.
Just like the friends and students beside him.
Jujutsu sorcerers don't have deaths without regrets. He didn't want to witness the brief brilliance when lives burned out, only wanted to laugh and play with them for a long time, turning a moment into eternity.
Tomorrow was distant and uncertain, only today was in hand. He didn't want endless waiting, only wanted to quickly break through regrets.
His sky-blue pupils were brilliant and dazzling, twinkling together with the galaxy. Unconsciously, Gojo Satoru had already opened his lips:
"......Don't want tomorrow, only want today."