"Akiya-ojichan, I'm okay now..."
Fushiguro Megumi had spent a long time nestled on Asou Akiya's lap, held in his arms. By now, his emotions had finally settled, and he had calmed down. It was only when he heard some movement outside the bedroom door that his attention was drawn away.
There were no outsiders in the house on weekends. Most likely, Zen'in Naoya had returned home.
"Do you want to make the vow? Can you do it now?"
The child, who was still a little over a month away from his fourth birthday, shuddered slightly. Instinctively panicking, he clutched Asou Akiya's sleeve tightly.
Asou Akiya realized that the child he had once regarded as a potential liability was, in truth, merely a boy whose parents had both died. Without Akiya's intervention, all he could do was numb himself to the world and muddle through life.
In the original story, Gojo Satoru didn't remember Fushiguro Megumi until he was 19, but by then, it was already too late; Megumi's personality had long since taken shape.
He didn't want to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
He didn't want to join the Zen'in Clan.
He didn't want to leave behind the older sister who was the only family he had left.
The 6-year-old Fushiguro Megumi was an entirely different person from the child before him now. He was gloomy, cold, and apathetic, simply drifting through life without caring what became of him.
"There's no need to rush, Megumi. Give me some time to think about how to word it."
Asou Akiya hadn't been able to save another person who had given up on life, Fushiguro Toji, but this time, he had genuinely begun to care about the child before him. It was no longer just a matter of going through the motions.
Fushiguro Megumi heard a strange, shrill voice and stiffened from head to toe. "Akiya-ojichan... Who's talking?"
Asou Akiya silently shifted his gaze to the top of Fushiguro Megumi's head. Perched on the boy's coarse hair was a low-grade cursed spirit, born from the negative emotions that had festered in Megumi after Zen'in Naoya frightened him by suddenly entering the house. It was chattering away incessantly.
"I hate Dad! I hate my stepmother! I hate Naoya-ojisan ... I hate parents who abandon their children..."
When Fushiguro Megumi heard what it was saying, he clapped a hand over his mouth in horror. "It wasn't me! I didn't say anything!"
Asou Akiya was at a loss for words. Of course he knows it wasn't him. The cursed spirit had been born from the uncontrolled cursed energy within him and was now acting as his mouthpiece.
Fushiguro Megumi began to feel a heavy weight on his head.
Asou Akiya flicked the cursed spirit away. Then, the two of them watched in stunned silence as it flew toward the door, passed straight through the wall, and bravely launched an attack on Zen'in Naoya outside.
From the other side of the wall, outside the children's room, came Zen'in Naoya's startled voice.
"What the hell is this?!
Akiya-kun, why is there a cursed spirit in the house?!"
With a sharp pop, Zen'in Naoya swatted the low-grade cursed spirit out of existence, as casually as if he'd just crushed an annoying fly.
"..."
Fushiguro Megumi sensed the cursed spirit's death and stared wide-eyed. So cursed spirits weren't all hideous and terrifying; some of them were tiny, too!
"I-It was so pitiful..."
For the first time in history, a young jujutsu sorcerer had appeared who sympathized with cursed spirits and could even empathize with them.
Your sins are truly unforgivable, Zen'in Naoya!
Asou Akiya condemned him over and over in his heart. Unfortunately, this fellow was a "variable" he had chosen himself, and he excelled equally at causing trouble and saving the day.
Akiya set Fushiguro Megumi down and helped him overcome his psychological trauma. "Megumi, we're jujutsu sorcerers, you don't need to be afraid of cursed spirits. Just watch how I deal with Naoya in a moment."
Zen'in Naoya pushed the door open and barged in without so much as a hint of politeness. "Akiya-kun, are you badmouthing me?"
"Badmouthing you?" Asou Akiya replied coldly. "You're fifteen years old, and you're bullying a three-year-old child. Do you have no shame?"
Standing beside Akiya, Fushiguro Megumi nodded vigorously, Naoya-ojisan really has no shame!
Zen'in Naoya curled his thin lips into the sort of smile one might expect from someone cold-blooded and heartless. Seeing the two of them ganging up on him, he teased, "You brought up my age. Does that mean you're concerned about my birthday?"
Asou Akiya ignored his narcissism and brought up something else. "I heard you want to buy Tokyo Disneyland?"
Zen'in Naoya didn't see anything wrong with that. "Is there a problem?"
"Not at all," Asou Akiya said calmly. "Please call your father and tell him what you intend to do. Make sure you explain why you tried to sneak in without paying."
Zen'in Naoya's sharply upturned eyes widened little by little.
"That's an order," Asou Akiya added.
Zen'in Naoya forced an awkward smile. "I only did it because I wanted to see you and Megumi as soon as possible. How can you cross the river and burn the bridge after you've already crossed?"
Asou Akiya led Fushiguro Megumi over to the sofa and settled him down. Unable to hide his sarcasm, he said, "Naoya, did I ever tell you to sneak into the park without paying? And it's not as though I've confiscated your salary card. When you make the call, put your phone on speaker so I can hear all about the Zen'in family's approach to raising children."
"Fine, I'll call him! Dad won't blame me!" Zen'in Naoya declared confidently, convinced that the Zen'in clan would belong to him sooner or later.
He dialed Zen'in Naobito's number and switched the phone to speaker mode.
After several tones signaling that the call was connecting, Fushiguro Megumi heard the voice of his great-uncle. He held his breath and, following Asou Akiya's example, kept quiet.
Zen'in Naobito's voice boomed through the phone. "You little brat, run out of money again?"
"Dad!"
Fushiguro Megumi nearly burst out laughing and hurriedly covered his little mouth.
As the saying went, no one knew a child better than his father. Zen'in Naobito demonstrated just how thoroughly he understood his youngest son's spending habits.
"Who was it that claimed a million yen in allowance would be enough? I agreed to let you study in Tokyo, not to turn you into a spendthrift! Without the Zen'in clan's name backing you, you'd never be able to support yourself as a jujutsu sorcerer with the way you spend money."
Zen'in Naoya irritably endured his father's gleeful lecture, then shot Fushiguro Megumi a glare for good measure. "Dad, I went to Tokyo Disneyland today."
Far away in Kyoto, at the Zen'in clan estate, Zen'in Naobito was taken aback. Leaning against the low tea table in his home, he wondered, Has the brat finally decided to indulge his inner child?
Zen'in Naoya continued, utterly unapologetic. "I snuck in without paying because I didn't want to wait in line, but the staff caught me."
Zen'in Naobito: "..."
Zen'in Naoya put on a suitably aggrieved expression, allowing just the right amount of grievance to show. "They looked down on me and treated me like some poor nobody! Dad, have the Zen'in clan buy Tokyo Disneyland!"
Confident in the depth of the Zen'in family's pockets, Zen'in Naoya cast a provocative glance at Akiya-kun, who no longer had the backing of his family.
Zen'in Naobito dug a finger into his ear. Did he hear that right? Was someone actually brazen enough to demand that he buy Tokyo Disneyland?
Hearing no immediate objection, Zen'in Naoya continued to ramble on. "Isn't Tokyo Disneyland just a bunch of things for little kids to play with? My presence alone should be an honor to them! The Japanese shouldn't worship foreign things so blindly. How could those Mickey Mouses possibly compare to our own domestic anime industry..."
Zen'in Naobito slapped a hand against his forehead.
This is what happened when the young master of one of the Three Great Sorcerer Clans grew up completely sheltered from the realities of the world.
Having been raised in a life of luxury, Zen'in Naoya had absolutely no understanding of the true value of money. Or, rather, he understood the significance of small sums but had no grasp of what truly enormous amounts were worth.
Zen'in Naobito cut him off. "Stop right there. First, take out your phone and look up how much it cost to build the place."
Zen'in Naoya curled his lip. "How expensive could it possibly be?"
Zen'in Naobito's voice thundered through the phone. "The initial construction cost of Tokyo Disneyland was 150 billion yen!"
Zen'in Naoya remained utterly unfazed. If anything, he felt that his father's overreaction was making him look bad. "Dad, our family has been around for a thousand years; how could we possibly be short of money?"
Asou Akiya silently watched Zen'in Naoya show off.
Beside him, Fushiguro Megumi counted on his fingers, trying to work out just how big a number 150 billion was.
After giving his youngest son a thorough scolding, Zen'in Naobito turned to the servant standing beside him. "That brat is really getting out of hand! He's got some nerve now, doesn't he? Send someone to bring Naoya back!"
After hanging up, Zen'in Naobito immediately came up with a way to teach his son a lesson. "Contact the bank's headquarters and have him count out what 150 billion yen actually amounts to. If they don't have that much cash on hand, then make him learn the prices of everything on the market. I won't have him going around saying things that make a laughingstock of himself!"
That little brat hadn't even inherited the family business, yet he dared to open his mouth and lecture him on how to handle things. What did he think money was? Did he think it fall from the sky?
As a result of that phone call, Zen'in Naoya was promptly collected by people sent by Zen'in Naobito. He wouldn't be coming out to embarrass himself again anytime soon.
Fushiguro Megumi happily watched as Zen'in Naoya stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
"Akiya-ojichan, where is he going?"
"Home, to get scolded."
Asou Akiya's prediction was spot-on. Even though he hadn't gone far yet, Zen'in Naoya stumbled at the words.
Completely baffled, Zen'in Naoya thought, Dad dotes on me so much, how could he possibly scold me? Besides, my attitude toward money is pretty much the same as Satoru-kun's. The Gojo family doesn't care about this sort of thing either.
When he returned to the Zen'in estate, Zen'in Naoya was immediately subjected to another round of family education. Meanwhile, his father sipped fine wine and watched with amusement as Naoya memorized a list of market prices. The moment Naoya dared to protest, Zen'in Naobito would shoot back, "Who do you think you are, Gojo Satoru? When are you going to learn Reverse Cursed Technique and show me what you can do?!"
Zen'in Naoya muttered under his breath, "As if you know how to use it yourself."
"My potential has already reached its limit." Zen'in Naobito was just as pleased with his youngest son's diligence and eagerness to learn as he was dissatisfied with his current strength. "The times are changing. The jujutsu world grows more dangerous by the day, and cursed spirits keep pushing the limits of their power. If your way of thinking remains stuck in the past, you'll never cross the threshold into Special Grade, not in this lifetime."
Zen'in Naobito straightened to his full height, his broad frame radiating a rugged, imposing presence. "If you can master Domain Expansion before reaching adulthood, then I'll be able to rest easy."
Strengthen the body, cultivate the mind, and temper the will.
The Three Great Sorcerer Clans each had their own methods of training, with a particular focus on grooming their heirs. The bare minimum standard for an heir was to become a Grade 1 jujutsu sorcerer.
Because of the unique nature of Cursed Spirit Manipulation, Getou Suguru's path to becoming a Special Grade sorcerer was entirely different from everyone else's. His method of advancement was not one that could be applied universally. The Three Great Clans had records detailing what a true Special Grade sorcerer was like and the kind of journey it took to become one. Every hundred to several hundred years, each clan was bound to produce a Special Grade sorcerer of its own.
For a thousand years, every individual who had stood at the pinnacle of their era had been a Special Grade sorcerer.
This was no exaggeration.
Only a sorcerer of such extraordinary strength could cultivate their sense of self to its absolute peak, remain true to their innermost convictions, and then construct a Domain Expansion that embodied the very core of their spirit.
This was precisely how the Gojo family trained Gojo Satoru; he was destined to be the strongest, would become the strongest, and had to be the strongest.
Gojo Satoru had never once doubted whether he could master Domain Expansion. To him, it was a foregone conclusion, and anyone who questioned it was insulting him. Born to disrupt the balance of the world, with talent that surpassed everyone else of his generation, Gojo Satoru possessed a firmness of spirit far greater than anyone else's.
The New Shadow Style: Simple Domain was, ultimately, a domain for the weak. It could not stand up to a Special Grade sorcerer or a powerful Special Grade cursed spirit in a direct confrontation.
Within the entire Zen'in clan, Zen'in Naobito was one of the few who didn't care about his son's official grade as a jujutsu sorcerer. He judged a person's strength through his own keen senses.
Zen'in Naoya was improving, and as long as he was progressing faster than he would have within the Zen'in clan, that was enough.
His pride thoroughly doused by his father's words, Zen'in Naoya understood that the older man expected him to accomplish something even he himself had been unable to achieve.
"I understand what you're saying, Dad. Even I've been shocked by the sheer number of missions in the jujutsu world during the summer. I'm fully confident that I can reach your level of strength, but going beyond that... Even I wouldn't dare make any bold claims."
Zen'in Naoya spoke with fierce determination.
"I constantly push myself to improve. If I can't catch up to Gojo Satoru, then I'll aim to reach Getou Suguru's level instead. In my eyes, Getou-kun is the Special Grade sorcerer with the most weaknesses. He can't use Reverse Cursed Technique, and he can't use Domain Expansion either, even Toji could defeat him with nothing but cursed tools. And Dad, you've told me before that, at your full strength, you're roughly on par with Toji; that means the potential I possess isn't all that far from the level of a Special Grade sorcerer. The techniques born in this era aren't going to be meaningless."
As owners of cursed techniques that had emerged in the new era, both Zen'in Naoya and his father had long been the subject of controversy. Many believed that their abilities were inferior to those who possessed techniques passed down through generations.
Zen'in Naoya scoffed at such shortsightedness. Yes, he was talking about that old dog Zen'in Ogi, the one who thought so highly of himself despite having nothing to show for it.
Naoya had been personally trained by his father. Their father-and-son lineage had given him a clear understanding of just how close Zen'in Naobito was to being recognized as a Special Grade sorcerer by the jujutsu world. All he lacked was the ability to use Domain Expansion and Reverse Cursed Technique.
The strongest Grade 1 sorcerer in the jujutsu world—that was Zen'in Naobito!
In the Zen'in clan, the strongest individual was the one who secured the position of clan head!
His goal was to build upon his father's achievements, close the gap between Grade 1 and Special Grade, and safeguard the Zen'in clan in this new era.
"Dad, I'll count the money, I'll learn what money is really worth, and in return, I want you to take this seriously too and teach me the skills you've always claimed put you on par with Toji!"
Zen'in Naobito chuckled. Of all his children, this was the only one who was so rebellious, so ambitious, and so fiercely competitive.
"Keep fighting for it, Naoya."
He had to fight until he was battered and bloodied. He had to keep pushing forward even after running headfirst into a wall, refusing to turn back as he chased the strongest people at the very front.
That was the mindset a Special Grade sorcerer ought to have!
From the very beginning, Zen'in Naobito's favoritism toward Zen'in Naoya had been accompanied by a certain expectation: he wanted his son to take the Projection Sorcery technique to new heights!
The potential of this technique far exceeded the level of a Grade 1 sorcerer.
Naoya was no Ten Shadows user. If a Ten Shadows user emerged in the future, it would inevitably threaten his right to inherit the clan. Simply becoming a Grade 1 sorcerer wouldn't be enough for Naoya to secure his position as the next head of the Zen'in clan. If he wanted to break the clan's rules and make every member bow before him, only the strength of a Special Grade sorcerer would suffice!
Zen'in Naobito saw the state of his clan clearly, yet there was little he could do about it.
The Zen'in clan was gradually rotting from within. In the end, only an overwhelmingly powerful individual could sweep away all its hidden dangers and deep-rooted problems.
The moonlight grew brighter as the night deepened.
For now, the crises plaguing the jujutsu world had yet to reach little Fushiguro Megumi. Even so, when Asou Akiya thought about the child's future, he couldn't help feeling a pang of sympathy.
After Fushiguro Megumi had fallen asleep, Asou Akiya caught the last bus of the night. He bid farewell to the driver, who was preparing to finish his shift, and returned to Tokyo Jujutsu High in the dead of night.
"One, two, three..." He counted each step as he climbed the stone staircase.
So many steps, so many winding paths layered one above another as they climbed the mountain. How many jujutsu sorcerers had set out from this place, spending their entire lives exorcising cursed spirits? How far did an ordinary jujutsu sorcerer stand from reaching Special Grade? And how much of that distance could a Ten Shadows user shave off compared to other sorcerers?
He felt that he was truly a despicable person.
With his own strength so pitifully inadequate, he couldn't think of any better solution. In his eyes, sealing away Makora was the best option available.
Instead of returning to the boys' dormitory, Asou Akiya sat on the flowerbed beneath the moonlight, gazing at the distant, unreachable moon as he wrestled with his thoughts.
Is there really no way to have the best of both worlds?
That night, the images of Ryomen Sukuna and Kenjaku kept resurfacing in Asou Akiya's mind. In his imagination, they looked down coldly at Fushiguro Megumi, who was desperately trying to preserve his own body.
Akiya considered the wording of his first vow.
Have Megumi swear that he won't unseal Makora until he's fifty years old?
Then he put himself in the enemy's shoes and considered how they might circumvent it.
I could find a technique that causes the body to age, making Fushiguro Megumi reach the age of fifty ahead of time. Alternatively, I could have a seance practitioner summon the physical data of a fifty-year-old man into Megumi's body, bypassing the "Binding Vow" and allowing him to use Makora.
Asou Akiya quickly came up with a second possible vow.
Have Megumi swear that he will never use Makora against Gojo Satoru?
It wouldn't work. This would still lead down the same path as the original story, doing nothing to help Fushiguro Megumi grow.
With a trump card like Makora in his hands, Fushiguro Megumi would repeatedly entertain the idea of dragging his enemies down with him, developing a deeply unhealthy mindset. Besides, Ryomen Sukuna hadn't defeated Gojo Satoru by using Makora itself. Instead, he had learned the World-Cutting Slash by exploiting Makora's ability to adapt to the Limitless technique.
Asou Akiya came up with another idea.
Have Megumi swear that he cannot use Makora until he has reached the level of a Special Grade sorcerer?
The very next moment, Akiya rejected his own proposal.
Fushiguro Megumi had a low reserve of cursed energy and numerous psychological weaknesses, while Ryomen Sukuna was a Special Grade among Special Grades. Taking advantage of Megumi would be ridiculously easy for him!
Have Megumi swear never to become a jujutsu sorcerer? To never set foot in the jujutsu world?
Rejected.
Have Megumi swear that he cannot use Makora unless he has the resolve to defeat Gojo Satoru?
Rejected.
Ryomen Sukuna would simply supply that resolve on Megumi's behalf.
Rejected.
Have Megumi swear that he must obtain Gojo Satoru's permission before using Makora?
Rejected.
Asou Akiya's expression grew grave. He thought of the Inverted Spear of Heaven, which had been destroyed, and of the Black Rope that had been destroyed in the movie.
Gojo Satoru was the sort of ruthless man who, once sealed away, left everyone else to discover that he had already cut off every possible escape route.
He could practically imagine Gojo Satoru blithely declaring, "Megumi, I'm not a busybody like Akiya. Go ahead and use Makora to deal with your enemies as much as you want!"
Asou Akiya could feel his blood pressure rising.
Have Megumi make a vow with me, so that he can't use Makora without my permission? Something similar to the Binding Vow between Ui Ui and Mei Mei?
Rejected.
Asou Akiya wanted to become the "switch" that controlled whether Fushiguro Megumi could use Makora, but an enemy would simply choose to pull the plug—in other words, kill Asou Akiya outright and thereby nullify the Binding Vow.
Aside from Gojo Satoru, no one was qualified to serve as the "switch" for Fushiguro Megumi's ultimate trump card, someone capable of protecting him against the underhanded schemes of Ryomen Sukuna and Kenjaku.
But Gojo Satoru...
Asou Akiya closed his eyes, concealing the calculating look within them.
There's no way Gojo would agree to make a Binding Vow with Megumi on my terms.
In the jujutsu world, the strong could look down on everything, while the weak had to rack their brains just to survive.
Fushiguro Megumi possessed the Ten Shadows Technique but couldn't tame Makora. He was no different from a little child carrying a fortune in gold through a crowded marketplace.
...
After sitting motionless through the entire night, Asou Akiya's face had gone blank. Dew clung to his shoulders, and his mind had grown numb.
Megumi, you're really just too weak.