Chapter 3 — Mute?
In Zenin Kyūjō's carefully laid-out plan, the path to the top of this world was clear.
His core strategy? Strengthen his body through Breathing Techniques. But of course, that alone wouldn't be enough. He also had to train his Cursed Energy and thoroughly study Cursed Techniques.
His ultimate goal was to master the pinnacle of sorcery: Domain Expansion.
And when talking about that, one couldn't skip over the very concept of a Domain.
— — —
A Domain was the final, perfected form of a Cursed Technique. It represented the ultimate state—one only reached by truly understanding and becoming one with one's technique.
But the brutal truth was... most sorcerers would never reach that stage in their entire lives.
Even for those who did, activating a Domain consumed an enormous amount of Cursed Energy. It was a high-stakes gamble every time it was used.
But the payoff was just as massive: inside their own Domain, a sorcerer's Cursed Technique would gain guaranteed hit properties.
Every technique they used within it would land—no matter what. On top of that, the power and effects of their abilities would surge dramatically.
In short: if Kyūjō were to be caught inside someone else's Domain, he would be forced to endure their attacks without the chance to dodge.
There was, however, one exception.
Someone like Toji Fushiguro, born under a Heavenly Restriction—with zero Cursed Energy—could not be locked down by the Domain's automatic targeting system.
Without Cursed Energy as a medium, a Domain couldn't perceive or track him at all.
Which meant…
For Kyūjō, mastering his own Domain wasn't a luxury—it was a necessity.
— — —
Without it, every time he faced a sorcerer with a Domain—or worse, a Cursed Spirit with one—he'd be at an overwhelming disadvantage.
Thankfully, Domain users were rare. Even now, Zenin Naobito, the current clan head and one of the Three Great Families' leaders, had never been known to use Domain Expansion.
So for now, there was no need to rush.
Besides, Kyūjō already had a personal theory on how to unlock his Domain.
His Zanpakutō—a manifestation of his cursed technique—was a direct extension of his soul.
In his past life, he had already achieved Bankai: Unlimited World.
So… wasn't it possible that his Bankai was simply the Domain of this world?
The only problem—
Once again, it all came down to his pitifully low Cursed Energy reserves. As he was now, he couldn't even attempt it.
— — —
"Kyūjō~ Let's eat! I made tonkotsu ramen today—your favorite!" called out a cheerful voice.
It was Zenin Mai, his second sister, now seven years old. She bounced toward him with a bright smile.
Kyūjō looked at her, then gave a slight nod, reaching out to gently pat her head.
Only then did he get up and walk down the wooden stairs toward the dining room.
Honestly speaking… tonkotsu ramen wasn't exactly his favorite.
But in the Zenin family, neither Kyūjō, Mai, Maki, nor their mother Zenin Arisa had the luxury of choice.
The four of them were considered irrelevant by the clan. Their meals were predetermined every month—barely enough to be considered proper nourishment.
They weren't starving, but "luxury" was something they could only dream of.
Their father, Zenin Ogi, held a high position in the clan. And yet, not once had he brought his wife or children to dine at the main family table.
To him, the four of them were nothing but a stain—a disgrace.
— — —
The birth of Maki and Mai had marked a bitter turning point in Ogi's life.
That year, as the clan's elders began selecting the next generation's heir, Ogi's twin daughters were born.
In the world of jujutsu, twins were considered an ominous sign. Worse, both girls turned out to be "failures."
Maki had almost no Cursed Energy. Mai had some—but her technique wasn't a valued family inheritance.
At the same time, Zenin Naoya—the son of current head Zenin Naobito—was born with the clan's signature technique: Projection Sorcery.
The contrast couldn't have been clearer.
And with that, Ogi's chances of becoming clan head were shattered, even though he believed his own strength and technique were on par with his older brother Naobito's.
But none of that mattered anymore—his children had ruined everything.
— — —
Kyūjō, who had been secretly observing the clan's dynamics through his Infinity Perception System, understood the situation well.
Still, that didn't justify the way Ogi treated Maki, Mai, his mother—or himself.
In his heart, Kyūjō held tightly to a single conviction:
"I may be small now… but one day, I'll change everything."
— — —
As Kyūjō gently rubbed Mai's head—mimicking their mother's comforting gestures—she pouted and stomped her foot.
But she also knew just how strong her little brother really was. Even compared to Maki, Kyūjō's physical power was impressive.
There was no point in resisting.
— — —
In the dining room, Kyūjō gave a respectful nod to Maki, already seated at the table, and to Arisa, their mother, before quietly taking his own seat.
Yes… Kyūjō had been pretending to be mute for years.
Why?
Because he refused to call those girls "Onee-chan."
And even more than that—he absolutely refused to call Zenin Ogi "father."
So, since the age of just over one year, Kyūjō had created a new "setting" for himself:
A child born without a voice.
When would he speak again?
Simple. When his body was strong enough—that's when he would talk.
But his gentle mother, Arisa, was terribly worried about it.
She still remembered how, before he turned two, Kyūjō would crawl beside her, babbling with adorable sounds.
Then, one day, the sounds stopped. Completely.
Zenin Ogi, of course, didn't care.
If anything, the silence made him even more disgusted with the boy he already deemed worthless.
Lately, he'd even begun considering taking a new wife—one who could give him "better" children to carry on the Zenin bloodline.
Naturally, he never thought to blame himself.
But really—if a child was born with "flaws" or without talent, wasn't the father's genetics part of the equation too?
— — —
Time passed, and Ogi's temper worsened.
He began treating Kyūjō with the same cruelty he once reserved for Maki—perhaps even more.
After all, in his eyes, Kyūjō wasn't just talentless. He was disabled.
But for Kyūjō—armed with Infinity Perception—none of that mattered.
All he had to do was stay out of Ogi's sight long enough to avoid becoming a target.
So far, that strategy had served him well.
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