Chapter 187 : Forum - Famous Quotes and Scenes
After finishing the manga update, Jiang Lai casually clicked into the latest plot discussion thread in the Chinese section of the Jujutsu Kaisen new series forum.
【The Crossroads Tower arc is over! Those who've been waiting to binge can feast now!!
Front row keyword hints: overly familiar, delusions, strongest cursed user, earth-moving father-son bond, father and son fighting together break through gold, 5t5's embarrassing history memes like a poked cat (dog head.jpg)】
【? I haven't read it yet. Did the former Gojo family head appear in this chapter? Satoru and his father fighting enemies together?】
【Dying of laughter, these keywords are truly classics ahhhh! Those who haven't read won't understand, those who have understand completely!
To avoid spoilers, I can only tell you upstairs that this father-son bond isn't a blood relationship, it's the meme between divine God Lai and divine child 5t5
Besides these golden quote keywords, there's also a collection of famous scene emojis:
(You stay here and don't move, I'll go buy you some rice balls.jpg)
(Old man: So you're the ones eating here, huh.jpg)
(Gojo white big cat: Poked by embarrassing history becoming a chrysalis.jpg)】
【Hahaha, so this chapter is light comedy? Then I can read it with peace of mind】
【Wait upstairs don't go! Don't be fooled by these memes, this chapter isn't light comedy at all—
Wuwu, the Crossroads Tower is a blade if-scenario.
The Gojo kitty here is so pitiful, Suguru is also so tragic, and Shoko too...... Supervisory Committee, you've done nothing but evil!
Really, I totally understand the cursed user Gojo Satoru's madness inside. Close friends becoming tools, only death being salvation and such concepts would drive a person insane.】
【How to put it, in this extremely mad world, thankfully there's the cat-petting master God Lai's existence (certain)
The 5t5 in the Crossroads Tower was emotionally very unstable, but every time God Lai could smoothly soothe him, making Gojo kitty return to a well-behaved cat state that doesn't get fierce, doesn't make noise, doesn't tear up the house】
【Grass ah, dying of laughter, upstairs is from what Cat Virtue Academy.
But God Lai really, people who are gentle by nature can bring healing anytime......
Love God Lai so much Ww whether it's "madmen match best with madmen" or using his sleeve to wipe the disheveled kitty's face on the battlefield, all have such healing vibes wuwu】
【One-eyed cat can also draw healing? (suspicious face.jpg) This is licking sugar on a blade tip, family members!!
Don't you all think the starry sky from that domain expansion in Kyoto looks very familiar? This is recreating that scene from Heian-kyo a thousand years ago!
Although Gojo Satoru's memories related to God Lai were blocked, surely deep in his memory he still remembers the time spanning thousands of years......
Also that "don't want tomorrow, only want today," I'm crying to death. The strongest doesn't want to lose but is always losing. Subconsciously he doesn't want to witness friends disappearing again, right?】
【Gojo kitty already has tomorrow PTSD 2333, honestly I also have see-you-tomorrow syndrome now (sad) getting old and can't handle these three words】
【Family members, the key point is the domain combination afterward! So cool!
I declare, for this year's top scene voting in my heart, first place goes to the scene when Limitless Thousand Autumns Hexagram was expanded!】
【Rational plot analysis.
Domain combination is a newly appearing concept. The prerequisite for casting is mutual trust between two people, plus God Lai's [Existence] trait. After expansion, the domain fuses both their cursed energy and can combine domain effects.
[Limitless Thousand Autumns Hexagram] has been built up so much, it definitely won't only appear this once. Most likely it will play an important role in the final battle later.
For example, if the Supervisory Committee stockpiles a large-scale conversion formation, attempting to suddenly drain people's lives during the final battle to supplement core members' power, God Lai and 5t5 can reverse the effect, protect ordinary people and break the Supervisory Committee's conspiracy】
Reading this, Jiang Lai's thoughts paused for a moment. He thought: This method is feasible, but it must be unexpected.
If the Supervisory Committee knew about the domain combination in advance, they would be prepared. They might even use this to drain their cursed energy, since domain expansion consumes massive amounts of cursed energy.
So matters regarding domain combination should be kept as secret as possible. Unless absolutely necessary, it shouldn't be used lightly.
【The Correct and Reverse Tower is indeed on Yuji! I guessed it before and actually got it right.
But following the timeline, there should have been another carrier before Yuji.
Looking among the story characters who have appeared now, I'll bet the previous Correct and Reverse Tower was Gojo Kyufuin—thinking about it, only he has lived the longest and maintained contact with the Supervisory Committee consistently.
However, based on this assumption, Gojo Kyufuin should also have some trait that fits [Correct and Reverse].
Could it be that under his gentle exterior appearance, he has a twisted heart, so he fits [Correct and Reverse]? Seems to make some sense hahahaha】
Jiang Lai also pondered along.
The previous Correct and Reverse Tower carrier could indeed be Gojo Kyufuin.
Regarding this person, Jiang Lai basically knew information from indirect sources. What caught his attention most was information Tengen had provided—Kyufuin had once known [Birth] and seemed to have a good relationship.
The [Correct and Reverse] aspect was very abstract. The forum's speculation had some merit. Or there might be deeper reasons that just hadn't been discovered yet.
Jiang Lai thought. Intelligence on other aspects had been collected sufficiently. Perhaps the next step could be finding a way to contact Gojo Kyufuin.
Most of the forum's later content was crying, memes, and similar intelligence speculation. After Jiang Lai generally scanned through it, he exited the Chinese section forum from the Detective Conan world.
He hadn't forgotten to report his safety to his Detective Conan world friends.
The group had shared many related intelligence analysis website links again. Jiang Lai clicked through them one by one, organizing the intelligence information he currently possessed.
The search bar beside the website browser showed Detective Conan news items.
【#Contemporary Sherlock Holmes Detective Kudo solves another major case! Click to see interview records#】
Seeing information about his Detective Conan world friend, Jiang Lai couldn't help clicking in.
Kudo Shinichi truly lived up to being a famous detective, successfully solving a very tricky case. In the photo, a black ballpoint pen hanging from his shirt pocket looked somewhat familiar.
Jiang Lai stared at that pen, taking a few seconds to realize why it looked familiar—wasn't this merchandise from the stationery series that just came out during the early part of the new series? This style seemed to be his merchandise.
Jiang Lai: ......Thank you Detective Conan world friends for your constant support, but witnessing it in the news somehow feels inexplicably embarrassing!.jpg
【#Male burglar caught breaking and entering, reason turns out to be getting absorbed reading Jujutsu Kaisen Crossroads Tower manga from the original homeowner's bedside table, not noticing the homeowner come home!#】
【#Merchandise trading boom controversy, fox mask navy kimono figure auction ends at high price#】
Jiang Lai: "......"
He chose to silently close the browser.
Whether these browser news items were exaggerated or real, Jiang Lai couldn't help feeling mysteriously embarrassed.
Normally seeing such news, he might not have much reaction, but when the news was about himself—and the two-dimensional version of himself—it became spine-tinglingly awkward.
Jiang Lai silently built up his psychological defenses, deciding to train his cringe tolerance, then let his thoughts wander for a moment.
He wondered if after returning to the Detective Conan world, he would become the best cosplayer of God Lai—after all, it would be the original appearing in person.
Maybe when everything settled down, he could try it.
Through this mental wandering, Jiang Lai's originally tense mood relaxed considerably as he put down Little Sheep's phone.
The express yacht ran smoothly on the sea surface. Today's sunlight was excellent, with waves rippling on the sea, sparkling with glittering light, beautiful and dazzling.
Jiang Lai half-squinted his eyes, leaning back against the chair, actually feeling somewhat drowsy.
Let's rest for a bit. Jiang Lai closed his eyes. When he woke up, they'd be about at the docking point, from where they'd transfer to a plane for quick return to Japan.
They'd probably reach Tokyo tonight.
……
The cool early spring evening wind was constant. In Tokyo Jujutsu High, which had few surrounding buildings, the wind seemed particularly strong, making the grass and trees outside rustle loudly.
Itadori Yuji lay on his back on his dormitory bed, eyes staring straight at the ceiling. It was already late at night, but he felt no drowsiness.
These past few days, Okkotsu-senpai had been staying at school constantly. Nominally to guard the special-grade cursed spirit Choso while waiting for Gojo Satoru to return and handle it, but actually, Itadori Yuji keenly sensed the other's lingering was also related to himself.
When Okkotsu-senpai had pulled out a piece of paper to look at, his expression had changed.
Itadori Yuji didn't understand what this represented, but his natural intuition let him sense the complex emotions in Okkotsu-senpai's gaze toward him.
Perhaps something was wrong with Sukuna, or he himself carried something bad. Itadori Yuji thought this way. That's why Okkotsu-senpai was so troubled.
He wasn't afraid of death, just regretted not being able to continue forward with people he cared about.
If his getting off the train midway could let more people reach the final station, he was willing to actively stand up and leave life's train.
Itadori Yuji had privately sought out Okkotsu Yuta. With his usual cheerful smile, he had said directly:
"Is there something troubling Okkotsu-senpai? If the day comes when I need to be executed, I'm willing to cooperate."
The cherry-pink haired youth's eyes were sincere as he patted his chest confidently: "I'm not afraid. If execution is needed, please trouble Okkotsu-senpai or Gojo-sensei to carry it out."
Okkotsu Yuta's expression had frozen slightly. He turned his face, paused, then placed his hand on Itadori Yuji's shoulder.
"......Things haven't reached that point yet." He had said softly. "Trust them."
Trust them? Who did "them" refer to? Itadori Yuji had blinked. He could guess Gojo-sensei was definitely included, but he wasn't sure who the others in that plural were.
Inexplicably, the black-haired youth's figure had surfaced in his mind again.
Itadori Yuji had shaken his head almost imperceptibly, thinking perhaps it was because Choso had mentioned that person to him that the figure had inexplicably risen in his heart at this moment.
Before sleep, he had gone once more to the room covered with talismans, chatting through the door with Choso inside for a while.
The cursed spirit with twin tails and a purple mark across his nose was completely different from the cursed spirits in his impression. But because Itadori had once seen that black-haired youth special-grade cursed spirit, he had accepted the friendly-natured Choso quite quickly.
Choso said they were brothers and told him some things about the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings.
Itadori Yuji couldn't fully understand, but he sat outside, quietly listening.
Was his birth controlled and premeditated? Itadori Yuji felt somewhat confused.
Had he been born as a vessel? If so, didn't some of the sins Ryomen Sukuna created also have his share of responsibility?
But Choso told him that whatever happened wasn't his fault. Everything was the conspiracy of that person with stitch marks on his forehead. That person was the true center of all misfortune.
Choso said he was the older brother and would always protect his younger brother.
Itadori Yuji hadn't responded at the time. He had remained silent, feeling this emotion was too heavy.
Just like when he heard about the black-haired youth from Choso, he had been similarly bewildered.
Brothers...... Itadori Yuji thought. Was he someone who had brothers?
Having never seen his parents and being raised by his grandfather, Itadori Yuji had never considered this question. Since his grandfather's death, he had no relatives.
The cherry-pink haired youth gazed at the ceiling overhead. In a trance, some vague fragments seemed to pass by—in the depths of distant memory, there seemed to be a figure in navy kimono with flowing long hair.
Itadori Yuji rubbed his temple with one hand. The chaotic thoughts were giving him quite a headache.
He turned over, planning to change position and try to fall asleep quickly.
But he tossed and turned like a fish being fried, ultimately still unable to sleep.
Ryomen Sukuna emerged from his cheek, shouting loudly: "Hey, having insomnia, brat? Look at your stupid appearance."
"......" Itadori Yuji originally didn't want to acknowledge Sukuna.
Usually he remained silent and slapped him away, but at this moment, perhaps due to insomnia's influence, after tossing about, he actually started talking with Ryomen Sukuna.
"......I seem to be someone who has brothers." Itadori Yuji murmured. "But I can't remember."
Ryomen Sukuna's voice was as lazily contemptuous as always as he mocked: "So what? Just this little thing is making you lose sleep, brat? How ridiculous."
Itadori Yuji felt somewhat angry. Actually, every conversation with Sukuna was unpleasant—their values were incompatible, with too many differences.
He said: "You don't have any brothers, so you don't understand at all."
Hearing this, Ryomen Sukuna laughed heartily. That single crimson eye floating on his cheek curved with laughter. His laughter was very grating, especially clear in the silent night, echoing through the room.
Itadori Yuji raised his hand and slapped hard at the mouth on his cheek, wanting Sukuna to shut up.
But Ryomen Sukuna had prepared and switched positions, emerging again from Itadori Yuji's hand back.
"Maybe you don't want to know specifically who your brothers are." Ryomen Sukuna's voice carried mockery and malice.
What did "specifically who" mean......? Did this Sukuna guy know a lot? But why would he know so much? It was probably another lie.
Itadori Yuji paused, then coldly replied: "None of your business." He didn't trust Ryomen Sukuna.
Itadori Yuji now somewhat regretted talking to this guy earlier. He shouldn't have exposed any of his thoughts to Sukuna.
"Oh—none of my business." Ryomen Sukuna let out another inexplicable laugh. "How unfortunate, I just happen to know quite a bit that you don't."
"......" Itadori Yuji didn't respond. He ignored Ryomen Sukuna and turned toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
"Maybe only you are desperately searching while the other has long forgotten you." Ryomen Sukuna's voice was full of malice.
Then he said nonchalantly: "Want to make a deal? Establish a binding vow—I'll help you find the brother you're looking for, but in exchange, when you meet him, you let me out for one minute."
"Impossible." Itadori Yuji refused without thinking, his attitude resolute. "I could never let you out. I know you could kill countless people in one minute."
"Fine, fine, brat. Then I can add another binding condition." Ryomen Sukuna seemed to sigh as he added: "I promise I won't harm any [humans]. How about that?"