The evening sun spilled golden light over the rooftop hideout, casting long shadows across the small gathering.
Suguru Geto stood at the edge, arms crossed as he surveyed the group.
Beside him, Roy leaned casually, his crimson hair catching the fading sunlight, eyes glinting with an intensity only those who had been tempered in countless battles could hold.
The girls, now fourteen and fifteen, busied themselves with preparations, checking supplies and sorting small weapons, while other members moved efficiently around the room, readying for the coming months.
"Rumors,"
Geto began, voice calm but deliberate,
"There's talk of a new Special Grade in Jujutsu High. Heard it's causing a stir among the students and even some sorcerers."
He paused, letting the words settle.
Roy's mind immediately jumped, remembering what year it must be and who that Special Grade would likely be, Yuta Okkotsu.
He didn't speak, didn't betray any sign that he knew.
Instead, he simply tilted his head, studying Geto's expression.
A small smirk tugged at Geto's lips.
"I've got a plan. It'll take time, patience, and every one of you working together. But if we pull this off… things will change. Now, I want everyone preparing seriously for the next two, maybe three months."
Roy nodded silently, but inside, his mind raced.
Every lesson, every hardship, every painstaking day training under Geto's guidance had brought him here.
He wasn't just strong, he was exceptionally strong.
A Special Grade through and through, though unranked.
And yet, despite the freedom he could claim, he remained, side by side with the man who had raised him, the man who had shaped him into what he was now.
Geto's piercing gaze shifted to Roy.
"Come with me. Let's get some groceries."
As they walked through the crowded streets, the air smelled faintly of grilled street food and the distant tang of the ocean.
Roy kept pace easily, each step precise, balanced, and purposeful.
The two walked in silence for a while, the sounds of the city filling the space between them.
"You've grown,"
Geto said finally, voice almost casual.
"Stronger than I ever imagined. No hesitation, no doubt. You've reached the level of a Special Grade, Roy. Even if no one else knows it yet."
Roy shrugged lightly, brushing a strand of crimson hair from his eyes.
"Doesn't feel much different. Just… strong, I guess."
Geto chuckled, a low, amused sound.
"Strong isn't enough, Roy. You're talented, yes, but talent without direction is wasted. Tell me, you think you could take on Gojo?"
A small smile crept onto Roy's face, faint but sharp, like sunlight glinting off steel.
Memories of the past flooded him, the training days, the moments he had sparred with Gojo, the lessons, the laughter, and the frustrations.
He thought for a long moment, weighing each memory, each experience.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"Yeah… I can."
The words carried weight, but also a promise.
Not arrogance, not defiance, simply certainty.
Geto's laughter echoed faintly down the streets, a mixture of pride and amusement.
"Good,"
Geto said, shaking his head slightly.
"Because soon, the real tests begin. I've got a little scheme in mind… and you, Roy, are going to be at the center of it."
Roy's eyes glimmered with a subtle fire, one that had been kindled and nurtured over years of both hardship and guidance.
He didn't tell Geto what he was truly thinking, that when the time came, he wouldn't let Geto fall, wouldn't allow the history he had seen in memory to repeat itself.
The showdown between Geto and Yuta, the events that had unfolded years ago…
Roy would change the ending, and this time, he'd make sure the man who had raised him stood alive and unbroken.
For now, however, they walked side by side, the hum of the city below them fading as the evening light deepened.
Groceries in hand, conversations light but purposeful, and both aware, each in their own way, that the coming months would define them.