Important Note: This is yet another important chapter for the plot so I advice don't skim over any words please. Also, if you like this chapter then please consider leaving some reviews and votes!
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(1st POV)
"…Shut up. You don't get to remind me I'm… weak."
"I know that," I muttered, unable to hide passive agreement in my tone. "And I'm not proud of it."
Gojo let out a sigh . He didn't seemed annoyed or anything. He looked at me with a form of familiarity, as if he'd mentored too many students who lashed out the same way I just did.
"Look, Rein," he said, his voice calm now, free of taunt or mockery. "I don't get anything out of calling you weak. I'm just a vestige, a ghost of my former self."
Vestige?
So I am inside my own power…like One For All?
Guess using his template too much must've triggered this.
"…Then be honest with me," I said, my eyes narrowing. "Am I really a disappointment? Could someone else have done better than me?"
Deep down, I knew the answer. But I wasn't ready to believe I was a failure.
Gojo pulled down his blindfold, revealing his bright blue eyes I knew too well. He looked…more serious now. .
"I think you've got more than enough potential to surpass almost anyone… if you put your heart and mind into it," he said calmly, and then paused for a second. "But that's the thing, isn't it? The only thing holding you back…is your mindset."
I blinked. "What?"
"You don't know how to bring out your best, do you?"
"Huh? You think I haven't given my best? I tried! I did my best!" I snapped.
"I'm not saying you didn't try," Gojo replied. "I'm saying… you can't."
He paused.
"For example, in your first mission. Why did you sacrifice those innocent people? Was it really just to save your girlfriend? Even if it meant abandoning the very people you promised to protect?"
"I am not a hero, and I am not obliged to save everyone." I shot back.
I knew deep down I wasn't some hero. I'd been doing what I liked. I've been selfish all this time.
"You know…you should keep your promises instead of breaking them right? Otherwise, what's the difference between you and those monsters you hate?"
"Believe me, I know almsot everything about you. And I have enough insight to point out your mistakes." He paused.
I heard every single word. I didn't say anything and reminded silent, reflecting on myself.
"Your problem is that you can't imagine a stronger future version of yourself," he continued. "And maybe that's because of your trump card . You believe in the worst case, using a tier 2 or 3 templates will resolve everything…potentially at the cost of your life."
"…But if that's your mindset? Forget about beating Makima , you won't even measure up to someone like Reze."
His words hit like daggers stabbing my body.
Then Gojo stepped closer, resting a hand on my shoulder like a mentor.
"Take risks….be greedier." He spoke in a calm tone, his words carrying enough weight to make it impossible to ignore.
Take risks.
Those two words echoed in my mind.
I knew I'd been playing it safe until now. My refusal to take risk against Crom Cruach, by stopping him from activating those spells, was proof. I picked the choice he offered instead of fighting him
If I'd taken the risk…
Maybe those people would still be alive.
Wait.
This whole setup feels off.
Why would Gojo's vestige, or whatever the hell he is, even care about me? What's he getting out of this? Wanting to help me?
He has to have an ulterior motive.
I didn't hesitate.
"Cut the crap. What do you want from me?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"I don't buy these motivational speeches unless there's something behind them. Nobody gives them out for free."
Gojo laughed, then grinned as if I had passed some kind of test he set.
"Heh… you're not so naive after all," he said.
"Maybe I do want something.
Or maybe… I actually want to help you…without using you."
He paused, making eye contact with me again.
"Not everyone's out to control you, Rein."
Then his voice dropped slightly, and then he continued.
"But I admit… I do have a task."
I scoffed. "I knew it! That's your real reason huh….Tell me about it then."
"You're heading to Kyoto soon, right? That mission you've been anxious about?"
"…Yeah." I hesitated, then admitted, "I can't shake the feeling that things are about to go horribly wrong."
Gojo nodded slowly, and then continued.
"Then consider this your trial."
"You're going to face enemies stronger than anything you've dealt with. Maybe even trickier than that so-called Evil Dragon. My task for you is simple—"
He looked me dead in the eye.
"Don't use anything above Tier 1 for the entire mission."
I processed his words slowly, fully realizing the weight of what he was asking.
"…And why should I do that?" I asked, cautious. "You can't force me, can you?"
It's true he could not force me. The Blessing of the Great Will ensured no one could force me into unfair contracts or tasks. This was the one thing I trusted the most.
Gojo smirked. "You're right. I can't make you do anything."
"But I can offer something you won't want to let go."
I narrowed my eyes. "…What?"
"If you complete this mission using only tier 1 templates—"
He raised two fingers.
"Then you'll be able to use my template specifically for up to two hours whenever your main power goes into cooldown. Those hours will recharge once your main power refreshes."
My eyes widened in shock.
This was actually… a good offer.
If Path of the Human God is under cooldown, then I'd still have Gojo's template, usable for up to two hours. I wouldn't be completely helpless after all.
But I stopped my wishful thinking. There's no such thing as a free power-up. There's always a 'but' most people undermine.
I looked at Gojo and asked, "What's the catch? If I end up using a higher tier character…what happens?"
He shrugged slightly.
"Oh, nothing much. You'll just lose me, forever. My template will vanish from your arsenal permanently… including the Six Eyes trait you assimilated."
That…that was a big risk.
The Six Eyes trait gave me a massive boost in my base form. Losing that would make me far more vulnerable than I realize, especially when I needed it most.
And losing Gojo's template outright? I would lose more than I realize.
I sighed.
Things are never simple, are they?
"You can walk away from this like it never happened," Gojo said, voice calm but cutting. "Deny it, pretend you never heard it."
He paused, just enough to let the next word hit harder.
"…But if you do, I'm afraid you'll always remain—"
"Weak."
He was calling me out again. Even daring me to stay weak.
I stayed quiet for a few moments, maybe like two minutes. But in my head, I was thinking about the task, weighing every pros and cons.
And then I looked him in the eye.
"…I accept."
Gojo grinned like a kid.
"Yaaay~! You finally grew a pair!" He celebrated like an idiot.
His expression softened for a second.
"Don't be afraid to take risks, Rein. It's part of life," he said.
Then with that familiar smirk, he added, "And hey, best of luck. Hope you don't lose."
That actually made me smile.
"Oh, believe me," I shot back, grinning wide, "I never lose. I'm the strongest, remember?"
Gojo let out a genuine laugh, clearly amused hearing his own catchphrase used against him.
As he turned to leave, he glanced back over his shoulder. "'Til next time… try not to die, will ya~?"
He gave a lazy wave and then everything around me started vanishing.
Without realizing, I fell unconscious again, if that was even possible in a dream.
What I didn't realize then was that this would become the worst decision of my life…
***
In Italy.
Dulio Gesualdo was having a bad day.
Being ordered by Archangel Michael himself to "handle" rogue vampires in Florence sounded easy, but to him it was a pain. They had mastered the arts of supernatural presence concealment. Hunting them required not just supernatural powers, but patience. And Dulio had burned forty-eight hours of his precious time to hunt all of them down.
Forty-eight hours gone.
He thought he could've been at that decade-only exotic food festival in Rome. Missing it was considered heresy…at least to a food lover like Dulio.
He sighed and shifted his gaze to the beautiful sight of the Vatican City, which was radiating subtle holy energy. It should have comforted him, but it did not..not today. Not when he was being summoned by her.
Gabriela.
Or rather, Seraph Gabriel, Heaven's most beautiful woman, disguised as a nun running one of the most advanced hospitals in the world.
The same one she'd summoned him to.
Dulio approached the hospital's entrance, and surprisingly, the atmosphere felt lighter here. He felt as if he was at peace. It was all thanks to Gabriel's angelic presence.
And then he saw her, standing by the reception in a simple nun's outfit, her beauty and curves barely concealed. Blond hair, voluptuous figure, deadly combination that would make any angel fall easily just from her sight.
Dulio, a reincarnated angel wasn't immune either. Sometimes he wondered, why did he not fall when he thought of her…in that way?
He stopped thinking much and averted his gaze.
"Good afternoon, Sister Gabriela," he said, forcing a respectful bow.
Gabriel turned to him, her expression lighting up, as if she was happy to see him.
"Oh! Dulio, I'm so glad you came." Her voice was gentle, her tone could not conceal her joy.
"You asked for me?" He made sure to maintain his tone to not sound disrespectful.
"I did," she said, placing a hand over her chest in gratitude. "But first, thank you. You've always been someone we can rely on."
Dulio stayed silent, nodding. Strangely praise from her didn't excite him this days.
"I'll be traveling to Kyoto in early May," she explained. "There's a public faith initiative to spread goodwill and restore faith in father among Japanese citizens, and I have been tasked by brother Michael to carry it out."
His brow twitched slightly. Kyoto?
"In my absence, I need someone to oversee things here in the Vatican. I'm worried the vampire activity might spiral up while I'm away. I cannot entrust this task to anyone else but you Dulio, our strongest exorcist."
She smiled again,her expression pure and innocent. It should've warmed his heart.
He forced a smile. "I'm truly honored, Sister Gabriela."
"Thank you, Dulio. You're a blessing," she said, giving him one last smile. "Now if you'll excuse me, the children in Ward Four are waiting on me."
As she walked off, Dulio stood there in silence, watching her back.
Then, without a word, he turned and left the hospital. He had another task, one that tasted more of his virtues of patience.
In no time, he arrived in a different city, Milan. In front of an abandoned church, a duo of exorcists stood waiting.
They were clearly exhausted and covered in blood, but it looked like they survived… barely.
The duo was a couple, Elijah and Esther, both in their early twenties. Promising exorcists who also happened to be Sacred Gear users.
"He's late… we were supposed to be supervised by him. We could've died out there. So much for being called the strongest exorcist, huh," Elijah muttered, frustrated.
"Don't be like that, Elijah. Maybe he had something more important to do. He is a busy man-angel, you know?" Esther replied, trying to be reasonable.
As they continued bickering, Dulio finally arrived , and just seeing their state surprised him.
The two turned around, sensing his holy presence. Elijah's expression instantly turned to rage.
"You're late, mister strongest exorcist. We could've fucking died!" Elijah snapped.
Esther quickly covered his mouth, trying to defuse things. "I apologize on behalf of my husband, Sir Dulio!" she bowed.
But Dulio didn't seem angry. In fact, he smiled, it was warm and kind.
"Oh, no worries. I'm just glad you two survived."
He stepped forward and pulled them both into a hug, surprising the couple. A hug from an angel like Dulio was something they couldn't refuse.
"Fighting devils, vampires, fallen angels… I know how hard it is," Dulio said softly. "So many exorcists die in this line of duty, I've cried so much my tears have ran dry."
"But I'm truly glad you two made it out alive. It was my fault I was late."
His voice trembled as he teared up.
Elijah and Esther were visibly stunned. They didn't expect Dulio to care this much about fellow exorcists.
But then…
His grip tightened.
Esther looked confused. "S-Sir Dulio…?"
Dulio looked past them… at the distant crucifix mounted on the church wall.
"Forgive me, Father…"
"…for I am about to sin."
With a deadly grip, he crushed them both to death.
Their eyes widened, coughing blood as soon enough they went still. Their blood splattered across Dulio's face.
He let their bodies fall to the ground. He did not feel remorse, guilt or anything. For an angel like him, this would have easily made him fall…yet strangely nothing happened.
He casually wiped blood from his face and then muttered:
"A Seraph like Gabriel going to Kyoto was already annoying… and now you two."
He crouched beside them, gently brushing their bloodstained hair aside.
"None of this would've happened if you had just behaved."
And then, with cruelty, he crushed their faces with each hands, their skulls shattering like glass.
Standing up, he dusted off his clothes and looked toward the sky.
"I need to inform Master about Gabriel. Immediately."
Dulio Gesualdo was anything but kind.
He may have been called one of the gentlest reincarnated angels in Heaven…
…but in truth?
He was the most cruelest angel.
All because of one person.
Makima.
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Author's Note:
What did you think about this chapter? Do you still believe Makima is not dangerous?