His height alone commanded an imposing dignity, and every step exuded the nobility and arrogance of the Three Great Families. He wore a black-and-gold wide-sleeved haori over a white shirt with a wide collar. His light-colored hakama draped meticulously, without a single stray crease in his clothes. Every gesture was flawless, precise and sharp, as if executed by a machine.
His dazzling blond hair was perfectly groomed. His eyes were naturally upturned, paired with an array of silver studs in his ears—a look beautiful enough to captivate anyone, yet wrapped in a poisonous, razor-sharp edge.
—Zen'in Naoya.
In him, the concept of "Aristocratic Arrogance" was performed to the extreme, leaving no room for gentleness. His gait, the way he raised his eyes, and that faint, mocking smirk on his lips all radiated the haughty and sinister aura unique to a young master.
"That bastard..."
However, such a perfect appearance was nothing more than a loathsome shell in the eyes of some.
"Phew..."
From the moment Zen'in Mai realized Zen'in Naoya had appeared at the school, she began to suppress her internal rage. Not only in her words, but her behavior was also turning fierce. She clenched her fists so hard they nearly bled, biting her lower lip firmly.
Since birth, Zen'in Naoya had plundered her life with his overbearing presence. From childhood, he had kicked and beaten her, treating her like a lowly servant to be summoned and dismissed at will. Even as a young woman, she still encountered him in her nightmares, dreaming of Zen'in Naoya pulling her hair while laughing loudly.
What broke Mai even more was that this shame and grievance could be told to no one. Her father viewed her and her sister as stains on his life; a mere glance from them would instantly trigger his fury. Her mother demanded that she and her sister serve Zen'in Naoya diligently because he was the next head of the house. For the sisters, there was no need to consider anything else; they had existed solely to serve Zen'in Naoya from the moment they were born.
The only person she could share her joys and sorrows with was her sister, Zen'in Maki. But Maki seemed to have a heart of stone, never showing a hint of weakness. In every humiliation suffered within the Zen'in Clan, Maki hid a seed of hatred in her eyes. That hatred was the fuse that had shattered the relationship between the two sisters.
Mai never thought of resisting. Even when suffering the greatest injustice, she would only choose to bow in submission. Although her suppressed dissatisfaction was at a breaking point, she never dared to lose her temper, choosing instead to swallow her grievances.
Father is father, mother is mother, cousin is cousin—Zen'in Mai carried the blood of the Zen'in Clan, and thus she should be dedicated to the Zen'in Clan until death.
Maki was different. To that cold-blooded, ruthless woman, anything could be abandoned without hesitation, even her twin sister. She left the Zen'in Clan because of hatred, and sooner or later, she would return because of it.
And Mai? She only dared to stare at Zen'in Naoya from the shadows. Looking at her cousin's sharp, arrogant eyes, she wished she could take out a Cursed Tool and stab him blind instantly.
But—everything could only remain a fantasy.
For her sister, learning more powerful Jujutsu was for the sake of killing Zen'in Naoya with her own hands. Reaching a higher status was for the sake of completely erasing Zen'in Naoya from society. The longer her revenge brewed, the sweeter it would become. Maki could live for that sweet moment; enduring a little longer didn't matter.
But the younger sister, Mai, couldn't do it. She knew deep down that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be a match for Zen'in Naoya. Revenge without sufficient preparation would only bring more pain. Therefore, the more Mai felt angry at Zen'in Naoya, the more terrifying her fear of him became.
"...Mai, what's wrong? You're sweating a lot."
Her classmate, Miwa Kasumi, noticed Zen'in Mai's abnormality and turned to ask with concern.
"It's nothing, it's just too hot."
Mai forced herself to remain calm, trying to brush it off.
"Uh... Mai, you really keep yourself in good shape."
Miwa Kasumi thought to herself that Halloween had just passed, and there had been a cold rain recently. Wouldn't today be considered cold? Perhaps because Mai had a good relationship with Senior Todo, she was doing special training with that muscle-obsessed freak?
"That guy is your cousin, right, Mai? I'm so jealous, you have such a handsome older brother!"
Miwa Kasumi didn't dwell on the issue. She looked excitedly at Zen'in Naoya not far away, grabbing Mai's arm and babbling incessantly: "Wow! He's absolutely stunning! Is he a transfer student?! What's his name?! I hope he joins our class! I want to sit right in front of or behind him!!!"
"...Zen'in Naoya," Mechamaru said in a heavy voice from the side.
"I've heard of this guy. I heard he's a Special Grade 1 Sorcerer and was once a famous prodigy in the Jujutsu world. He was often compared to Gojo Satoru, but such remarks basically stopped after Gojo Satoru became the strongest sorcerer of the modern era."
"Uh... Mechamaru, what do you mean?" Miwa Kasumi was confused. Why did the topic suddenly shift to her idol, Gojo Satoru?
"Given his age, it's impossible for him to be a transfer student," Mechamaru analyzed calmly. "He's likely here to be a teacher."
Miwa Kasumi blinked several times. She stood on her tiptoes in the crowd to get a good look at Zen'in Naoya. Looking at that young, wicked, and charming face, she really couldn't imagine that Mai's cousin was a figure from the same era as the famous Gojo Satoru. She thought he was at most a year older than them.
Meanwhile, just like the shocked Miwa Kasumi, Zen'in Naoya was also confused.
"You mean... I'm here to be a teacher at Kyoto Jujutsu High?"
"Exactly."
The principal of Kyoto Jujutsu High, Gakuganji Yoshinobu, nodded his head.
"Although Naobito said you wanted to come to the school to sharpen yourself, for a Special Grade 1 Sorcerer like you, the faculty at Kyoto isn't at a level where they can offer you guidance."
Principal Gakuganji's words were polite. To put it bluntly, there weren't even many Grade 1 Sorcerers among the teachers at Kyoto Jujutsu High! If you really wanted someone to guide you, you'd have to go find Gojo Satoru and become his disciple!
But the young master of the Zen'in Clan couldn't exactly go bow down to the Gojo Clan, could he? Wouldn't that make him a pure traitor to his family?
So, the harsh reality was this: currently in the Jujutsu world, no one was qualified or dared to be Zen'in Naoya's master.
Actually, it was also the original host's fault for having such a personality since childhood. Even a monster like Gojo Satoru went to Jujutsu High honestly. But Zen'in Naoya had received an elite aristocratic education since he was young. As one of the Three Great Families, the Zen'in Clan had their own teaching methods. They looked down on the sorcerer licenses issued by the schools; the Zen'in Clan could issue their own.
The reason a Special Grade 1 Sorcerer was called "Special Grade 1" was that it was a ranking system unique to the Three Great Families, requiring no recognition from the Jujutsu schools. If Zen'in Naoya were a dozen years younger, Principal Gakuganji might have reluctantly agreed to let him attend as a student. But now that he was in his twenties, what would be the point of joining the high school? To steal lunch from high schoolers? If it really didn't work, maybe they should open a Jujutsu University just to satisfy his thirst for knowledge.
Realizing that this identity indeed couldn't be a student, Zen'in Naoya couldn't help but frown.
This was bad. What happened to the plot where he transforms into a transfer student and dominates the campus? Although they were the same age, he hadn't intended to use such a "dimensional reduction strike." But being a teacher was too much!
One must realize that the transmigrator himself had not built a solid foundation as a Jujutsu sorcerer. He only had a set of top-tier theories. Who had the ability to teach students well?
But the matter was set in stone, and he had no room to refuse, so he had to accept the job. After all, this was the first step in changing the original plot line. By being a teacher in Kyoto, he could later get in touch with the main cast from the Tokyo school through the inter-school exchange.
It was a bit of a stretch.
Zen'in Naoya slowly climbed the steps. As the newly appointed teacher of Kyoto Jujutsu High, he had to give an inaugural speech in front of all the teachers and students.
The auditorium was packed with over a thousand people. Students, nobles, teachers... Their gazes converged like spotlights, enveloping the stage. Whether they hated him, envied him, or admired him... those gazes became a physical weight, threatening to crush the transmigrator's spine!
Zen'in Naoya faced it all alone. Before transmigrating, he had never stood at the center of the world, let alone given a speech to a thousand people. However, something strange happened—he didn't feel a hint of nervousness.
Rather, he thought he would be very nervous. But when he was bathed in everyone's sight, the transmigrator felt that everything was only natural. Because in Zen'in Naoya's life, this kind of attention was nothing more than daily routine. It wasn't heavy pressure; it was a manifestation of status.
Because Zen'in Naoya was a chosen son of heaven. There was no need for surprise, and certainly no need for awe. A chosen one should naturally stand high above.
"Hello everyone, I am Zen'in Naoya."
Although Zen'in Naoya's heart was uneasy, he began his speech with composure. He had repeatedly memorized the content of the speech with his eyes closed just now. Combined with the amazing memory developed through practicing Projection Sorcery, Naoya's speech was not affected, and his voice was elegant and loud.
"I hail from the Zen'in Clan, one of the Three Great Families of the Jujutsu world. I am also the successor to the next head of the house, the leader of The Hei, and a recognized Special Grade 1 Sorcerer in the Jujutsu world."
Just this paragraph was enough to make the students below hold their breath.
The Zen'in Clan, one of the Three Great Families.
Leader of The Hei.
Special Grade 1 Sorcerer.
Any one of these titles alone was enough to cause a sensation. The noble young master on stage possessed so many brilliant achievements at once... instantly, the students below felt an intense longing for their future school life. With such a genius figure stationed at Kyoto Jujutsu High, their future achievements would surely be high!
Combined with Zen'in Naoya's unique aristocratic temperament, many female students blushed, feeling unspeakable emotions toward this mentor.
However, unlike the crowd full of expectation, a girl with short green hair in the noisy crowd frowned. She clenched her fists so hard they nearly bled, and her irrepressible anger almost consumed her. The girl suddenly raised her head, her murderous eyes like a bright blade, stabbing straight at Zen'in Naoya's heart!
That sharp gaze naturally did not escape Zen'in Naoya's eyes on stage. The transmigrator's relaxed mood instantly plummeted to the bottom.
Zen'in Mai.
The younger sister of Zen'in Maki and the cousin of the original host. In the original story, it was because of Zen'in Mai's death that Zen'in Maki completely awakened her Heavenly Restriction, eventually leading to the entire Zen'in Clan being slaughtered!
In other words... this green-haired girl would directly cause his death in the near future!
...No, he was in the middle of a speech and absolutely could not be affected by someone of this level. There were too many people who could kill him; a natural weakling like Zen'in Mai didn't have the right to cut the line.
Zen'in Naoya quickly calmed his mind and continued his speech—
"Jujutsu is a miracle that distorts the world."
"A sorcerer can rely on a certain Cursed Technique to change reality through certain means."
A passage full of mystery and the unknown.
"As far back as the Heian period, sorcerers used the name of Onmyoji to chant incantations, form seals, and use the power of gods and ghosts to rewrite reality. At that time, Cursed Energy was at its peak, and even all manner of monsters and spirits had to submit to and fear the Onmyoji!"
"Abe no Seimei, Ashiya Doman, Kamo no Tadayuki..."
"Generation after generation of people standing at the pinnacle of Jujutsu have left behind chapters belonging only to the strong on this land."
Zen'in Naoya paused, then looked around at the students below, a mocking smile curling on his lips.
"But what about now? In today's Jujutsu world, there are too many pieces of trash relying on the techniques left by their ancestors to wait for death, defiling the glory that belongs to sorcerers!"
Such arrogant words instantly caused an uproar in the auditorium. Not only were the students dumbfounded, but even the big figures of Kyoto sitting in the front row couldn't help but frown.
Was the youngest son of the Zen'in family going crazy?!
Inherited techniques were the history of the Jujutsu world and a heritage that all sorcerers should be proud of. To view the techniques left by ancestors as "waiting for death"? Aren't you also relying on the Zen'in Clan's inherited technique to reach your current position?!
However, Zen'in Naoya ignored the dissatisfaction below. He simply said to himself: "In my view, Jujutsu must never become a monopoly of prestigious families. Ancient Jujutsu needs to be eliminated. What will rule the Jujutsu world next is modern Jujutsu!"