Naobito kept his word and let Akira Zenin rest properly for a full week, but the congenital, lingering drowsiness showed no real sign of easing.
After that banquet, the once openly hostile Gojo Clan and Zenin Clan began finding all sorts of excuses for "friendly" sparring matches, all for one simple purpose: to keep Satoru Gojo entertained.
And just like that, eleven years slipped by.
Akira Zenin was sprawled atop a familiar tree, resting. The hedgehog-like hair of his childhood had grown into smooth, long black locks. Unfortunately, the ever-present dark circles beneath his eyes and his lifeless, dead-fish stare somewhat undermined his otherwise handsome features.
A figure suddenly appeared in his courtyard.
Satoru Gojo dragged over a chair from the side, deliberately scraping it across the ground with an ear-piercing screech that made Akira Zenin grit his teeth. Then Gojo flipped himself onto it backward, perching there like a stick insect.
"Akira-chan~~ Interested in coming with me to Tokyo Jujutsu High?"
The moment he heard that nickname, a vein popped on Akira Zenin's forehead. This guy used to be so aloof when they were kids. Did he take the wrong medicine at some point? How did he end up like this?
"This is the Zenin Clan residence. Sneaking in like this isn't exactly appropriate."
"They won't notice. And even if they do, they won't dare catch me. And even if they dare, they still won't be able to!"
How could he say something like that with such confidence? Akira Zenin had no desire to meet Satoru Gojo's gaze and stared at the ground with his usual dead-fish eyes.
"Boring."
The word had barely left his mouth when a flash of white appeared in front of him. Satoru Gojo was sprawled on the ground, using [Blue] to pull himself directly into Akira Zenin's line of sight.
"Hey~ why so cold? What, are you hungry and out of energy?"
"Joining Jujutsu High would get a lot more people to acknowledge your strength. You'd have way more freedom at home, too."
Akira Zenin rolled his eyes helplessly and turned his head away.
"Do you really need other people's approval?"
Satoru Gojo, swaying back and forth on the chair as if he hadn't heard a word, drew a quiet sigh from Akira Zenin.
"You've already been in school for two months. Why come looking for me now? I don't need a school to get a sorcerer's status. And going to school means early mornings and early nights."
Satoru Gojo slid down the tree like a snake, straightening his upper body until he formed an odd L-shape, then met Akira Zenin's eyes again.
"It's not a big deal."
He pushed his sunglasses down slightly, peering over the frame at Akira Zenin as his tone turned more serious.
"I just think staying in the Zenin Clan like this is pretty pointless. And with how extreme the Zenin Clan is, it'd be a shame if you accidentally picked up the stench of those old fossils."
Akira Zenin covered his head.
"So what you're saying is, if I don't go, you'll keep coming over here and annoying me to death, right?"
"How could I do something that cruel~~? Take a guess."
...
Tokyo Jujutsu High, officially known as the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical College, is one of only two jujutsu educational institutions in all of Japan. On the surface, it operates as a private religious school.
Many jujutsu sorcerers begin their careers here after graduation. Beyond education, it also handles missions and provides support, making it a critical hub of the jujutsu world.
At this moment, homeroom teacher Masamichi Yaga frowned as he looked over the new student file Satoru Gojo had just handed him.
The pressure was almost identical to when he first accepted Satoru Gojo, shooting straight to the top of his head. Even though Gojo claimed this student didn't have the usual baggage of a major clan, just hearing "Zenin" and "Ten Shadows" was enough to make anyone's head ache.
Downstairs in the Jujutsu High building, Satoru Gojo was introducing Akira Zenin to his two classmates.
He first introduced the students to Akira Zenin.
Pointing at a short-haired, lethargic-looking girl with a tear mole at the corner of her eye and a cigarette dangling from her lips, he said,
"This is Shoko Ieiri. She was born with [Reverse Cursed Technique] and can even heal others externally. A national treasure-level talent."
Then he pointed at a black-haired boy with a topknot, side-swept bangs, and perpetually narrowed eyes.
"This is Suguru Geto. His technique is [Cursed Spirit Manipulation]. Just like it sounds, it lets him absorb and control cursed spirits."
Suguru Geto's face darkened as he listened. He squinted, tilted his head, and even his bangs seemed to curl into the shape of a question mark.
Satoru Gojo ignored him and pointed straight at Akira Zenin.
"Ta-da! Behold, the legendary heir of the Zenin Clan's Ten Shadows Technique, a perpetually unmotivated detail-obsessed shut-in, and a caretaker so trusted by small animals that they'll literally entrust their bodies to him. Zenin! Akira!"
"Hey, you're really just flipping all my cards face-up like that? And your wording is seriously weird."
"Eh~ You don't mind anyway, right?"
Akira Zenin lifted a hand and gave the two of them a listless wave.
"Hi. Don't listen to him spouting nonsense. I'm really weak, so please don't think about relying on me for anything."
Shoko Ieiri let out a soft sigh.
"Why does the new student sound so negative…? And wow, did you not rest properly at all?"
Suguru Geto narrowed his eyes, a faint smile on his face.
"Don't sell yourself short. Getting a positive evaluation out of Satoru's mouth is already no small feat."
Satoru Gojo suddenly grabbed Suguru Geto and leaned in, whispering loudly right next to his ear.
"This guy's understanding of techniques is really interesting. And you both specialize in numbers-based tactics. Wanna spar a bit and trade a few moves?"
Suguru Geto's ears rang from the shock. He rubbed them hard, clearly suffering.
"What happened to your sense of decorum? Don't shout right into someone's ear!
I am a little interested in sparring, but the new guy did just arrive."
Satoru Gojo deliberately lowered his voice.
"It's fine. Once everyone's tired, we can just take him to the dorms together. Haven't you always wanted to exchange experience with 'shikigami users' and that type of sorcerer?"
Even with his voice lowered, Akira Zenin had already leaned in.
"Oh, I get it now. You dragged me here just to make me sparring practice for this squinty-eyed bangs guy, huh?"
Suguru Geto put on a polite smile. Why were people from major clans always so careless with their words? Still, he wasn't as stiff as expected. He looked at Akira Zenin.
"Then I'll be counting on you."
Sensing the tension in the air, the laid-back girl Shoko Ieiri immediately left the training grounds.
But she wasn't going to find a teacher. Instead, she headed into the school building, sprawled against a window, ready to enjoy the show.