My father let out a booming laugh before continuing.
"Hahaha! It seems the Gojo Clan is eager to flaunt their Six Eyes and Limitless user. They must know by now that a Ten Shadows user has been born into the Zenin, yet they clearly still believe they hold the upper hand."
"They must be looking down on us. The Six Eyes is, after all, a truly singular phenomenon."
It wasn't an unreasonable stance. In the future, there truly wouldn't be a single sorcerer capable of standing against Satoru Gojo. Yet, I still believed I could win. Satoru Gojo being 'The Strongest' was a tale of the future. In a battle between unrefined children, there was no telling how the scales might tip.
"Perhaps. But I have faith. I believe you will be the one to shatter the Gojo Clan's misplaced confidence. I trust in your talent, Touya—in your potential to become stronger than anyone else."
At times, such unwavering trust felt like a heavy burden. But for someone like me, who desired to stand at the pinnacle, it served as a necessary beacon. For that, I was grateful.
"I'll have to train even harder until next month then. You'll help me, won't you?"
"Bwahaha! Indeed. Shall we begin again, Touya?"
"Divine Dogs."
------
While continuing my sessions with my father, I also maintained my physical conditioning under Toji's tutelage. Toji, as usual, maintained his haughty air, mocking me at every turn.
"And how does it feel to be the heralded Ten Shadows user? Lord Future Clan Head? It's enough to make me sick."
"It feels great, obviously. Why even ask? It's rated as the finest among the Inherited Techniques passed down in the jujutsu world."
"Tch. Boring answer. Can you actually apply that technique to close-quarters combat?"
"Yes. I can channel the properties of the shikigami through my own body. It'll be more than enough of a help."
"Is that so? Good. Then I'll just have to beat you more thoroughly so you can learn how to apply it properly."
"That wasn't a slip of the tongue, was it, Toji? You're just stating your true intentions."
"Quiet. Get over here."
I lunged toward Toji. Manifesting the properties of Nue within my frame, my speed surged in an instant. I closed the distance and threw a straight punch right at his face.
"Hmm. Did you actually use a technique? It felt like a little static, I suppose."
Toji caught my fist with one hand, his feet rooted to the spot. Then, he swung a casual counter-punch.
'If even one of those lands, it's game over...'
I threw myself backward, narrowly avoiding the blow. I immediately summoned Rabbit Escape to clutter his vision and hinder his movements, aiming for an opening. However, Toji parried my follow-up as if he had read it from the start.
"With that level of skill, do you really think you can beat the Gojo brat? I hear you can't even touch the guy."
"That's exactly why I'm sparring with you, Toji. My attacks don't exactly 'reach' you either, do they?"
I wove a hand sign, manifesting Nue to feign a frontal assault. Simultaneously, I used the shadows beneath Toji's feet to momentarily ensnare his movement.
"How's this, Toji?"
As he tried to shift his weight, his momentarily pinned leg caused a flicker of surprise—an opening. I dispelled Nue, re-absorbed its lightning properties into my strike, and drove a heavy blow into Toji's midsection.
"Hah. You can do that too? Techniques really are convenient, aren't they?"
The price of closing in was being sent flying by Toji the moment he broke free from the shadow trap. My consciousness flickered as I tumbled across the ground, but Toji's final words engraved themselves in my mind.
"You pass, kid."
------
By the time I came to, Toji was sitting beside me, casually helping himself to the fruit that had been prepared for my recovery.
"You're awake? You were out for quite a while."
He looked remarkably natural peeling a banana while talking—a thought I chose to keep to myself. To say it out loud would have been strange.
"Let's call it a day. I'm going to go satisfy my curiosity and see the Gojo brat."
"What? Gojo? Why are you going to see him?"
"Do I need a reason? Just for fun. I'm curious. I heard there was another brat out there as insufferable as you, so I figured I'd go take a look."
'Typical Toji. Now that I think about it, the original story mentioned Toji went to see Satoru Gojo before he eventually left the clan.'
"Then I'm coming too. I have to face him eventually anyway. Might as well get a preview of the face."
"Whatever. Do what you want. Might make things interesting. I'm leaving now, so get ready."
I hurried back to my room and had an attendant help me change.
"Young Master, where are you going? Without even a word to the Clan Head..."
"Keep it a secret from Papa. I'm just going for a bit! I'll be back soon!"
I slipped out, leaving the confused attendant behind. Toji was waiting by the gate and began walking as soon as he spotted me. I caught up, matching his stride.
"So? What are we doing once we get there? Just lurking in the shadows?"
"Why? Should I just kill him while I'm at it? That'd make your life easier, wouldn't it, kid? One less rival to worry about."
"Ugh. Don't even joke about that. You look like you'd actually do it, which makes it terrifying."
"Heh. Quit being so dramatic."
"Toji. What if we get caught while spying? Do you even know where the Gojo estate is?"
"That won't happen, so shut up and follow me. You're awfully chatty today. Are you that excited to see him?"
'I'm telling you, you're definitely going to get caught...'
"Well... sure. I'm curious to see what kind of face the Gojo heir makes."
A part of me wondered if Satoru Gojo might have turned out to be a girl in this timeline too, much like Naoya. I'd been obsessing over that possibility ever since Naoya's birth. Honestly, their gender didn't change anything for me, but I wanted to know. This was the perfect chance to check.
After what felt like an endless trek through mountain paths following Toji, the sprawling Gojo estate finally came into view.
"It's closer than I thought?"
"I suppose. Makes it convenient if a war ever breaks out between the clans."
"Not that that would ever happen."
Well, if I could handle Satoru Gojo, the rest of the Zenin would easily overpower the other Gojo members, but I saw no reason for such a conflict.
"There he is. Hmph. He looks flashy enough. So that's the Six Eyes?"
I looked where Toji was pointing. There he was. A boy roughly my age, walking amidst a literal sea of attendants. Satoru Gojo... the true protagonist of this world. It was our first meeting. Based on the short hair, he looked like a boy. Though with such refined features, it was hard to tell based on face alone. We watched him in silence.
Suddenly, Satoru Gojo turned his head and looked directly at us, his eyes widening in shock.
'And there it is. Caught. His vision really is incredible. I wonder how Toji will react?'
I turned to look at Toji, whose mouth was agape in genuine surprise.
"Toji. I told you. I told you we'd get caught."
"No... that brat is the first person to ever notice my presence. Well, other than you. So that makes two of you. This Six Eyes business is seriously unfair, isn't it, kid?"
"A kid is still just a kid. If you actually decided to kill him, Toji, it would be over in ten seconds."
"Hey. Hearing that come out of a toddler's mouth feels damn weird. What do you take me for? A murder machine?"
...Were you not?
-----
'Those two staring at me from over there... who are they?'
Satoru Gojo's mind raced. He had looked at the adult-looking one first and was shocked to see someone with absolutely zero cursed energy. But the child beside him was even more incomprehensible.
The sheer volume of cursed energy held by a boy his own age was unbelievable. It felt like even more than what Satoru possessed himself. It was a sight he had never witnessed in his young life.
'Whatever. They'll still end up beneath me. Cursed energy capacity isn't everything for a sorcerer.'
"Those two... who are they?"
"Pardon? My Lord, what are you referring to? I see nothing there."
"Hah. Never mind. I was just talking to myself."
Despite his words, Satoru couldn't take his eyes off the pair.
As they slowly turned to leave, Satoru continued to stare at their retreating backs. Just before they disappeared, the smaller boy looked back at him and mouthed a message.
'See you soon.'
Watching them vanish, Satoru Gojo felt a surge of curiosity—a sensation he had never felt before.
"Who the hell are they...?"
----
Meanwhile, back at the Zenin Estate.
"What's goin' on? Hey! Where'd my big brother go?"
"That... Young Master Touya has gone out for a walk with Lord Toji."
"Whadda ya mean? He was s'posed to play with me today! Grrr, Toji! What's so great about that man that Touya likes him more than me?! Just wait 'til he gets back! I'm gonna skin him alive!"
Young Lady Naoya's fury had finally caused her speech to break into her full dialect.