Capítulo 99: Goals
Arai thought as he looked down at them. 'So they dealt with Uraume when I fought Sukuna. Smart.'
Shoko shook her head. "I really didn't want to believe it, but it is true. You are no longer with us."
Itadori looked at Arai and noticed the tattoos all over him. "He's been taken over by Sukuna."
"No, he hasn't." Itadori looked to Shoko who said this.
"What do you mean? That's clearly Sukuna's markings."
Kashimo interjected. "Isn't it obvious, kid? The one casting the domain isn't Sukuna. Sukuna's domain doesn't use a barrier. The kid you've all been trying to save is separated from Sukuna, and a guy you thought was dead is now here in his place. There's only one possibility: Arai separated Sukuna from the boy and took his power. He might just be the strongest in the world!"
Kashimo said that last part with excitement.
How could he not be?
The man he was told to be the strongest was now gone. Replaced by an even more formidable foe.
His blood boiled from just the thought of clashing with such a being.
"Is he like me, then?" Itadori muttered.
Malenia corrected him. "No, when you're in control, there are no markings. He seems to have full control of Sukuna through his cursed technique. It'll be like fighting a combined version of himself and Sukuna."
"And not just that—he also has Kenjaku's abilities since he took his head." Yuta added, sharing what they'd just learned.
"Why are you doing this, Arai?" Malenia questioned. "You didn't have to assimilate with Sukuna after defeating him or attack Yuta to gain Kenjaku's powers. What's your end goal?"
Arai didn't answer. Instead, he looked up at the sky, where clouds veiled the sun's light from the city below, as if trying to obscure its devastation.
Men often need reassurance and justification to do what they've always wanted to do. One push is enough to set them in motion.
Isao Arai now had both the justification and the reassurance.
As the clouds parted, sunlight shone down on him, as if validating his resolve.
Arai looked at them. "Simple. I'll grant the world the peace it deserves."
Arai looked at the people before him. "Simple really. I'll just grant the world the peace it deserves."
Arai pointed to the destruction around them.
He gestured to the ruined city around them. "This place is no longer livable. Even if the residents survived, where would they go? Their hard work—all of it vanished, thanks to Sukuna. Selfish, violent fools like him cause people to suffer. Sukuna may be gone, but what happens when another like him appears? Can we face someone as evil as Sukuna once all of us Special-Grades are gone? Who will protect the world then? You? No, you're too weak—in strength and mind. All of you."
Arai turned towards Shoko. "If only you did what was needed to be done and rid yourself of Geto's body. Now it has come back to bite us. Do you know how many people have indirectly died because of your actions? Or lack thereof."
Shoko looked away, shamed.
Arai then addressed Itadori. "Or you—you let Mahito go. Instead of reveling in your victory, you should have killed him. Right there and then. But that's not what happened, was it? Instead of finishing him, you celebrated your victory. Or how about you being alive? Being the host of Sukuna, countless people have died because of you. If it were me, I would have killed you after the Shibuya Incident."
Itadori looked down, fists clenched, guilt overwhelming him.
"That wasn't his fault! My brother was exhausted from all that fighting!" Choso defended Itadori.
"Of course, it wasn't!" Arai scoffed. "That's the point! Fifteen-year-old kids shouldn't even be in this field. They are kids who should be enjoying their youth, playing with their peers. Not out here fighting atrocities! So I will make the world a place where people don't have to worry about that."
"And how do you plan to do that?" Hakari asked.
Arai smiled, glad someone asked. "I've discovered a power greater than cursed energy. With it, I can make a world free of cursed spirits. But I need the world's help to achieve this. It will be a perfect world without cursed spirits. In this perfect world, evil will have no place. Criminals will be prisoners of my law, and only order and peace will remain."
"Wrong." Shoko interrupted, earning a glare from him.
"What was that?"
Shoko walked up to Arai and only stood a couple of feet from him. "You intend to use your cursed technique on everyone, don't you?"
Her words shocked them all.
Arai's technique, [Contract], could put contracts on everyone regardless of their will if the power gap was wide enough. In theory, he could force the entire world to submit.
Arai merely smiled at this revelation. "You understand me well, Ieiri."
"Hmph, you've changed, Arai. Before, you'd have tried to convince me you weren't going to do that."
"That's because I don't need to hide anything anymore. I'm the strongest. Schemes, hiding, manipulation? All of that is unnecessary. Because the outcome won't change."
For the first time in his life, Arai truly felt like a free man. He could say and do what he wanted. No one could stop him.
He advanced toward them.
"With the power of Imagination, I'll make a world without cursed spirits. A world without criminals."
"And most of all—" Arai's gaze softened. "I'll bring back my daughter. With the will of the world in my hands, I can make everyone believe she was always alive, restoring things to how they should be."
"Criminals will be executed, and cursed spirits will cease to exist. I'll create a world where my daughters won't fear danger. Isn't that what you've all been fighting for?"
Shoko scoffed. "Sounds ideal in theory. But what happens when power corrupts you, and you kill simply because someone opposes you? When has absolute power ever benefited the populace? You'll only be a tyrant."
"Or a savior." Arai countered. "No one will need to fight anymore! They can rest easy knowing that I will punish all evil. I alone will carry the burden of justice. Everyone else can live in peace."
Arai looked at Itadori. "You, of all people, should understand, Itadori Yuji. You've only been on this field for less than half a year and yet you've seen all sorts of despicable actions. Caused by monsters, but these monsters aren't only in Jujutsu society! They're also in human society. All evil needs to be punished by the law."
Itadori considered his words briefly before clenching his fists, his cursed energy flaring.
"Ideas don't always work out. Just like the cursed spirits who fed on humans whose goal was to bring about a change and make themselves the ruler. You're just another tyrant seeking to rule. I won't be part of your plan."
Arai looked at Itadori. There was no wavering. He was standing his ground like a mountain.
He could only sigh in defeat. "Well, I expected this. No matter."
Arai's cursed energy exploded, blurring everyone's vision of him. Everyone could feel the enormous power emanating from Arai. It even dwarfed that of Sukuna, making everyone tensed and stressed.
Everyone but one man.
"I was beginning to get bored with all of that moral talk! Let's fight!!"
Lightning erupted out of Kashimo's body and he dashed to Arai.
"Damn it! There he goes again!" Kusakabe cursed and deployed his [Simple Domain].
Hakari and Yuta went after Kashimo while Ino launched his attack.
[Auspicious Beast Summon: Kaichi!]
The cone formed from Ino shot out at Arai.
Arai karate-chopped it apart, destroying it instantly.
Kashimo's two arms smashed down at Arai who blocked it with his arm.
Arai could feel the electric spark coursing through his body from the blow.
'Pretty good. Seems that Hakari isn't the only one with cursed energy properties.'
Hakari and Yuta came to each of Arai's sides and launched their attacks, but Arai was already prepared. He crossed his arms and pointed at the two and activated his technique.
Slashes sliced through their body. Visible deep cuts emerged from all over their body, but they quickly healed. Yuta reeled back from the attack but Hakari didn't care for anything and charged through.
Arai knowing about Hakari's immortality didn't bother trying to damage him and instead unleashed a wave of cursed spirits towards him to buy himself time. They all came charging at Hakari and even under his powerful cursed energy output, he couldn't stop them all from being pushed back.
'So he's already able to use Sukuna's and Kenjaku's techniques to this extent?' Yuta thought as he gritted his teeth. He unleashed Rika.
"RAAGGHH!!" Kashimo discharged the electricity he accumulated onto Arai. This resulted in an explosion that pushed both Arai and Kashimo back.
Arai fought back, too. He threw a [Dismantle] at Kashimo, forcing him to duck. When he did, a kick to the face awaited him, sending him flying back.
A spiral of cursed spirits appeared behind Arai.
[Maximum: Uzu-!]
Arai couldn't finish his attack because Rika arrived and smashed down on his head with her fist. But the only thing she had hit was air.
Arai appeared behind her and threw [Dismantles] at her, but Yuta lunged and deflected the slashes with his sword. Both opponents rushed at one another, but just when they were about to clash, Yuta jumped high in the air.
Arai looked at Yuta's figure only to see three shadows covering him from the sun.
"Bloom, crimson lotus."
[Blood Manipulation: Piercing Blood!]
Malenia and Choso attacked Arai. Her crimson lotus bloomed spreading the rot imbued in her technique to him and Choso's blood flew at supersonic speed to reach Arai, but the attack was no threat to him as he backhanded it away while dodging the rot.
Arai prepared to launch his slashes, but quickly realized an anomaly with his danger sense. Itadori burst out of the lotus. Itadori, immune to the rot, broke through and landed a powerful [Black Flash] on Arai.
Arai was quick in his response and tried to counter his assailant.
But what happened next troubled him.
Itadori seemed to have predicted this and dropped low to the ground. Using his hands to stabilize his balance, he delivered a manji kick to the face causing a [Black Flash] to erupt throwing Arai back.
Even in his newly acquired power, Arai had to admit that the blow caused some damage. Not only that, but the strike stirred his soul.
'Is he trying to separate me from the body?' Arai frowned.
Arai's body was not his own. Mai's cursed technique made it, so it technically didn't belong to him. Not only that, but the body contained three foreign souls. This meant Itadori now could rid of the three entities in the body.
Seizing this opening, Malenia entangled one of Arai's legs.
Kashimo, who had charged up, sent a bolt of lightning that ripped through Arai's hand. The hole in his palm was now charred, and electric sparks appeared.
Choso also helped. He made chains made of blood and bound them around Arai.
Ino used his [Auspicious Summon Beast] to make a dragon that bit Arai on the shoulder.
Itadori charged cursed energy into his fist and struck Arai in the chest.
[Black Flash!]
This strike hurled him backward, coughing blood.
"Now!" Shoko shouted.
Behind a battered Arai, the air distorted revealing Ui Ui who had just teleported here, and beside him was Higuruma with his golden blade.
Higuruma contemplated carefully. 'I used my technique to give the death penalty to Sukuna, not Arai. But since he has absorbed Sukuna into himself, even if this strike doesn't kill him, it should kill Sukuna getting rid of the [Shrine] technique. This is my role in all of this!'
"Do it! Higuruma!!" Itadori shouted.
This was the plan orchestrated by Shoko and Yuta. With Sukuna's power gone, there will only be the merging from the [Curse Manipulation] technique and the blurry effect caused by the curse energy property.
Of course, that is if they would be able to get rid of Sukuna.
The attack was perfect, but there was something they hadn't foreseen.
Arai sneered. "Shoko, never trust a schemer like me."
*Crunch!*
The sound of flesh being torn was heard by all parties. Everyone turned back to see Malenia with her sword deep into Yuta's chest with her crimson lotus rotting him from inside. Yuta could only look down at the sword bursting from behind him in shock.
"What?"
"Malenia!!"
Everyone was shocked by this betrayal, but the one who was the most shocked wasn't any of them.
But Malenia herself.
She stared in disbelief at her blood-stained hands. "What... did I just do?"
Arai scoffed. "I always have backup plans."
A betrayal none could have expected—even the betrayer herself—had turned the tide of battle.
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