A flickering red sphere of pushing pressure stood right at Yasushi's temple as he looked at his brother, Gojo Satoru.
(What now?! How do I even explain this?!… He called Mera a vengeful spirit? Is that how this world perceives her, or is he just confused?… I need to say something!) His trembling weak body could barely keep him up even in his stiff state.
Needles and tubes were coming off him as he stood in the now black sludge pool of liquid in his bathtub like a pod, its lid having been open the entire time.
A darkened expression wrinkled further as the air in his lungs, which was no longer burning, was still scalding, and the blades of an air breeze felt more like scratches. However, in the weak, he was not in the best of conditions; a mere bout of stress blurred his vision once more.
"Hahaha! You should totally see your face, say cheese!" Gojo pulled out his phone with his free hand and took a selfie with his siblings at that moment. Even so, the red sphere at the end of his other hand never left.
The dark room was lit up momentarily by the flash of the camera, which only further confused the senses of the already fried Yasushi.
There was a pause, a moment of silence as he closed his eyes and fell off the pod due to the sudden action, unable to keep his balance at all.
(This body!! I can't believe I'm reduced to this by this clown! A bastard who can't even live for himself! He's the worst kind of guy! I will taste vengeance for this!!! But everything must come at its own time… For now, pacify the threat, he looks like he's playing, but he's still deadly.) He looked at Gojo with a frown that only deepened as he tried to get back up, but his body spasmed before he fell further to the ground, lying flat.
A moment of pure humiliation that had him blushing profusely as he gritted his teeth to contain what could just come out, but his mind was not one to lose him in such a way.
"You still haven't answered though, lil bro, you'll break my heart if you start hiding things from your dear big bro, but I do guess you are at that age, though I must say, you made a bigger mess than any other kid your age could, I mean, if I smelled that, it would surely not be pleasant." Gojo covered his nose even though the smell could not reach him at all, instead going around him, as if it had reached a wall.
(What will I say?… I know! My innate cursed technique!) He pushed through forcing his body to sit up even through the pain.
The red flicker found its way back to his face, still ready to shoot at any moment.
"I didn't sell my soul… It was… I awakened my innate cursed technique and it allowed me to… Huh… connect to this vengeful spirit and well… I gained benefits from it… It's a binding vow of sorts, so it pushed my body to a better state, and in exchange, it grows with me, we're companions with our lives linked." Yasushi spoke with half-truths woven into the narrative he had created, a remnant of his earlier blush, and a hesitant tone, used to sell the story.
To the side, a quiet Mera with her arms crossed silently watched as she flew above them. Her reluctant expression turned into a smile as soon as she heard his retelling of the events.
Two feelings had collided, the need to help him to preserve herself and the fear she had never felt when her power was nigh-absolute, now she was frail, even if logically her only choice was to help, mortal emotions never cared about rational.
However, that was a wall she did not have to climb just yet, as he, who in her eyes was the perpetrator of this disaster had just burst through that obstacle without so much as having to acknowledge her dilemma.
Again, a mere mortal acted as if she were not a factor.
How dare he?!
"Hah? I see, my little brother is completely insane. Truly the mark of a special grade sorcerer, at least in spirit. Let's say, I bite and believe you are indeed still my brother. Not that I could say, you were a little absent so far… Why should I allow such a unique combination to roam around?" Gojo tilted his head, as he looked at him from various angles almost like he was looking for something, as if the red sphere near his finger was not dangerous at all.
There was a blank expression on his face as Yasushi looked at him, though the increasing trembling of his body was not due to pain.
Before he could say anything however, the fairy interfered.
"You're quite neglectful for a sorcerer, as expected of Gojo Satoru. However, you don't stand on the ground to interfere here." Mera flew in front of him, flying just at eye level with her arms crossed.
"Oh! Is that so? Do elaborate then, I'm quite a curious guy, you see." Unfazed by her, he smiled even though the red sphere only grew in size.
"You want to see change in the world of sorcery? Then bet on your brother, he alone will surpass you. Isn't that much more interesting?" Mera smirked as she leaned in to say.
"Surpass me? My brother? Hahahaha!…" Gojo could barely contain his laughter and smiled widely at this possibility, at the mere idea of it. "That would in fact be interesting, and you're saying you can make that happen?"
"I'm not just saying I can, I'm saying I will." She held her head high as she looked down at him.
"A lot of confidence in such a small body, and you barely have cursed energy… Don't tell me you used it all up to give him that body?… I see, a sacrifice, that could explain it… But if that's true you must have been a real big shot before you were reduced to this. What is your name, little Vengeful Spirit?" Gojo grabbed her by the wings without any care in the world with his free hand, treating her almost like she was a toy.
Seeing this raised an eyebrow from the trembling Yasushi, who pushed himself to stand up again despite the cracking, spasms, and contractions.
"I would not do that to her, she was a spirit born from my ICT, and all the trashness that piled up from understanding I have to live with my weak body, she might be weakened, but she could rival the Queen of Curses, maybe even the King," Yasushi commented as he forced his own body to take steps forward as veined bulged like they would pop.
"Big claims all around." Once again Gojo pointed the red sphere at his brother.
Even still, the grueling steps didn't stop at all.
"Shot if you must, but I made my decision and I'll follow my own path to the top, no matter what." Stopping right in front of it, his forehead centimeters away from the red sphere, blood began to drool from his mouth and nose, yet he did not allow himself to fall.
At that moment, Gojo stopped for an instant, simply blank, before a small smile forced, and the red sphere intensified in brightness.
"Fine, in that case, I'll have to get you registered as a sorcerer. Can you handle that world? Your body is still very weak." Gojo finally let go of the red pulling back on the technique, dispersing in bright particles.
"Let go of me!!! You heard that bastard!" Mera yelled after letting out a breath of relief.
"Feisty. You should try taking it easy, in your state, you might just die with that attitude." Gojo replied with a rich chuckle, one that reeked of wealth.
"Hmph! I don't need your advice, human! Go die!" She snorted as she flew behind Yasushi with her arms crossed yet again.
"You have a lively companion, that's good, at least you'll keep that spirit strong during dire moments. You didn't answer me though, are you ready to carry the burden of a sorcerer, no, that's not the right wording, are you ready to die for this burden you'll now have to carry?" Gojo asked as he walked towards him, before simply putting his hand on his brother's shoulder.
Pushing his barely hanging head to look up at Gojo, Yasushi got himself through the heavy breathing and replied. "I will slam you to the ground and parade your defeated body through all of the world. I'm always ready for a challenge like that! I-"
Just then, his eyes blanked out, and he fell on Gojo.
"Huh, teenagers… I guess you are 18 by now… Urgh, in some ways you're still at that edgy age. Still, it's something else to push your body like that. Maybe you do have the spirit of a sorcerer, you love to see it in the family, but only time will tell if you have everything it takes." Gojo picked up his body with relative ease, making it levitate.
"Careful with that bastard, if you wave him around too much, you might just kill him," Mera complained as she flew after him.
"Ah, so you do care?" Gojo chuckled as he asked dragging his brother's body through the air.
"Tch! As if!! We are linked, so I need that bastard! I don't have a choice, otherwise, I would not be happier than to see him burn alive!!!" Mera reddened as she yelled at him.
"Crude. If that's the case, then look out for my brother, for your own sake. I and the Gojo family will be quite thankful for that." The blind folded man asked with a slightly softer voice.
There was no response, but somehow, there was an understanding.
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From then on, Yasushi was put to rest, and as soon as he woke up, he underwent basic medical trials.
As he lay there on an examination table, a woman with brown hair, a tired expression, and heavy eye bags stopped and stepped back.
"You can dress back up." She said in a rather monotone voice.
To the side Gojo watched with his head leaning on his hand, his blinded face making the fact he was looking right at them feel almost odd.
On top of his head, Mera was just lying down as she watched with disinterest.
"What do you gather? Is this sustainable?" Gojo asked with a curious tone.
"Depends on how you define, sustainable. If you are asking if he's going to die from it? No, as surprising as it might sound, I didn't find any signs of his body further deteriorating. In fact, it seems like the heavenly restriction was well, restricted…" She responded with the same tone as she began removing the plastic gloves and lowering her mask.
"Restricted? Like a barrier is protecting him? Is that it?" Gojo questioned an eyebrow raised under the blindfold.
"Close, but not quite. It was reduced to a smaller effect on him, less like a barrier, more like a force, not cursed energy, is pushing against it, and so far, it seems stable enough, a bit soon to rule out danger, but at least for now, he's around a somewhat normal healthy person. He just needs some time for his body and maybe even his mind to catch up to this change." She shook her head as she explained.
"Hmm? So the possible outcomes still include death?" Gojo asked calmly.
"As I see it, there are three most likely results: the good, the bad, and the ugly." She nodded her head and walked next to him, taking a seat.
"Lay it on me." Gojo sighed as he turned to her.
At the same time, Yasushi dressed up in a white shirt, and black pants that Gojo had bought him. He was still wobbly and sluggish in his movement, but leagues better than before.
(She's awfully perceptive, I guess that should be expected of the top-tier medic of this world.) He watched them talk in silence.
"So much drama again this, I know what I'm doing. He will be fine." Mera rolled her eyes at this.
However, her words were ignored.
"The bad is the most likely in my opinion, which is that this force gets overpowered, and overwritten by the heavenly restriction, and returns to his original state, though it might end up relatively worse than before, since it will come with extra impact, but I won't know until I see it. The ugly one is the second most likely… both forces fighting for dominance hit a stalemate and well, no more Yasushi… Boom! Like fireworks. Then finally the least likely outcome, the good one, this unknown force in him wins and I assume his body continues improving, to what extent? Again, I won't know until I see it." She responded in detail a slight frown on her face.
"As expected, no easy win in the world of sorcery. Well, at least most times. Anyhow, clues on what this mysterious energy that defies the rules of sorcery is?" Gojo got up walking next to Yasushi and ruffling his white hair.
"Not for sure, but my hunch so far is that it's related to stamina and vitality, for a few reasons. 1. His body is functioning and recovering faster than the current structural integrity of his body should allow. 2. His body didn't just start healing in the usual sense, it improved from how it was before. 3. While I can't see through it, at least not yet, the closest thing to it I know is regeneration like reverse cursed energy, I would assume it's that if we weren't talking about someone with a heavenly restricted body and more glaringly, the lack of cursed energy present in the process. I checked multiple times all over the body, even with his large pool, none of it moved you at all, it's at rest, so it's not the cause." She detailed with a groan before huffing and pulling out a cigarette from the pack, then reaching out for her lighter after it was placed in her mouth.
"Thanks Shoko-Chan! That was very helpful! Now I can register him as a sorcerer safely with an easy conscience." Gojo waved at her with an easy smile, as he pulled his little brother towards the exit, and then turned to him. "Now, you just have to survive long enough to slam my face, and parade my body, was it? Ha!"
"This was a waste of time. That woman only gave one correct outcome, the rest was rubbish." Mera stretched, still on Gojo's head.
(I think that Shoko lady is quite impressive, figuring out that much from a single exam, is commendable.) Yasushi pushed himself away from Gojo, but his weak body didn't allow him to budge then again, even if he had normal strength it would not matter.
"I live by my words, laugh while you can." He rolled his eyes.
"You sure are a lively little brother, almost cute! Now. It's time I register you, and I know just who to pair you up with for your first mission." Gojo dragged him along with a big smile on his face.
The journey in this world of curses was just beginning.