Toji Zenin

Sawa's sudden remark left Naobito and Ryushin speechless.

The Great Elder hurriedly covered Sawa's mouth and smiled apologetically at the heads of the two clans. "The young one doesn't know any better. Please forgive him!"

"Hmph!"

The two clan heads each snorted and swept away.

Seeing this, the Great Elder let out a breath of relief. "Young Master Sawa, these two are the heads of the Three Great Families. Even you need to watch your words!"

Sawa shrugged. "I can't be bothered with the pleasantries."

He wasn't being arrogant. With his strength now, he was no weaker than either clan head—and might even surpass them.

Besides, he had no interest in the insincere socializing between the Three Great Families.

The exchange was only a minor interlude.

Naobito and Ryushin had clearly picked up on Sawa's attitude and didn't try to force a friendly conversation again.

To the younger members of the Zenin and Kamo Clans, Sawa and Satoru were like "someone else's kids"—the sort of people they could only look up to.

That sense of distance made them hesitate to approach and get acquainted.

Sawa and Satoru didn't mind. They even rather liked the peace and quiet of not being bothered.

Though people occasionally cast curious glances their way, the two treated them like they weren't there and continued searching the banquet for snacks they liked.

"Yuck! Why is this pastry salty?"

Gojo Satoru set down a piece of Salt and Pepper Pastry, his face scrunched up.

"Oh, foolish little brother!"

Gojo Sawa shook his head and reached for a piece of Cherry Pie.

Perhaps because they were twins, or perhaps because their Cursed Techniques consumed so much energy, Gojo Sawa had become just as fond of sweets as Gojo Satoru.

Just as Sawa's hand was about to touch the Cherry Pie, a small, fair hand reached out from beside him and touched his.

Sawa paused and turned to look. A brown-haired little girl beside him was staring at him just as blankly.

"Ieiri Shoko?"

Gojo Sawa blurted out.

"You know me?"

Ieiri Shoko tilted her head.

The "Six Eyes Twins" were famous throughout the Jujutsu Society, so Shoko had naturally heard of them.

She just hadn't expected the older brother of the illustrious "Six Eyes Twins" to know her name.

Sawa nodded. "I've heard a little. You're a born user of the Reverse Cursed Technique."

At that, Ieiri Shoko understood.

That made sense. The "Six Eyes Twins" were famous, but she had been born with the Reverse Cursed Technique and was hailed as a "national treasure"-level noncombatant Jujutsu Sorcerer.

Though her shine was overshadowed, she was still somewhat well-known.

As she pondered this, she saw Gojo Sawa pick up the Cherry Pie.

"Uh..."

Ieiri Shoko immediately furrowed her brow.

Gojo Sawa glanced at her, then split the Cherry Pie in half.

Ieiri Shoko's big, adorable eyes lit up, and she held out both hands to Gojo Sawa.

"Satoru, this one's sweet."

Gojo Sawa handed the half in his hand to Gojo Satoru, who was standing beside him.

"Huh?"

Ieiri Shoko's hands froze in midair, and her big, adorable eyes turned into two little dots.

"You... Huh?"

Shoko was just about to speak when Gojo Sawa held out the remaining half of the Cherry Pie to her.

Shoko carefully accepted the dessert. "Th-thank you! What about you?"

"Me? Anything's fine!"

Sawa casually picked up an even bigger piece of Cherry Pie from the table.

"Huh???"

The gratitude that had just welled up in Shoko's heart vanished in an instant.

That guy had managed to surprise her three times in ten seconds!

"What an... unpredictable guy!"

Ieiri Shoko grumbled inwardly, then took a fierce bite of the dessert.

After chewing a few times, her expression turned rueful.

"Just as I thought. Sweets are still too rich!"

And so, at the largest social gathering in the Jujutsu Society, hosted by the Three Great Families, three little figures wandered around looking for food as if no one else were there.

The current head of the Ieiri Clan, Ieiri Inako, was a little surprised to see her daughter mingling with the Six Eyes Twins.

"Can you say that geniuses are drawn to one another?!"

Soon, the banquet entered its second phase: each family's chance to show off its new generation.

For the occasion, the Three Great Families had even prepared a spacious dojo on the hotel's top floor.

But Sawa and Satoru had no interest in these childish sparring matches.

Still, as the center of attention, they were forced to take the stage and spar with the younger generation of the Zenin and Kamo Clans.

These clan elders were just like parents who insisted on making their kids perform in front of relatives at New Year's.

The result was, of course, beyond doubt. Sawa and Satoru displayed remarkable strength without even using Limitless or Blue.

Relying only on their physical skills and the Six Eyes' perception, they thrashed every opponent—and made them cry.

After all, they were just little kids of six or seven.

As Naobito and Ryushin wore dark expressions and the Gojo Clan elders laughed in smug delight,

the banquet finally reached the part Gojo Sawa had been looking forward to most: the auction.

After passing over the flashy but impractical trinkets, they finally reached the auction for the Special Grade Cursed Tool, Playful Cloud.

Playful Cloud was a three-section staff, vermilion in color, with black patterns at both ends of each section.

As a Special Grade Cursed Tool, it had no special Cursed Technique enhancement. Its effect was purely physical force.

Simply put: sturdy, tough, and capable of delivering critical hits!

"Five hundred million!"

While Sawa was distracted, someone in the hall placed a bid, immediately outbidding everyone else.

Gojo Sawa looked toward the man, his pupils contracting sharply.

"Fushiguro... No, he should be called Toji Zenin now!"

"What's wrong, older brother?"

Satoru followed Sawa's gaze. The man had a broad, muscular back.

His body had no trace of Cursed Energy, yet it filled Satoru with immense pressure and a sense of danger.

Satoru's heart turned cold. "That man... He's strong!"

Sawa smiled. "I told you ages ago: there are heroes everywhere. Don't keep thinking you're invincible."

"Tch!"

Satoru pursed his lips.

The man was strong, but Satoru didn't think he would lose.

Sawa said nothing more. Toji and Satoru's twisted fate could wait until later. For now, the most important thing was...

"Six hundred million!"

Sawa's bid caused an uproar.

Toji frowned and turned to look at Gojo Sawa, muttering, "What a troublesome brat!"

"Seven hundred million!"

"Eight hundred million!"

"Nine hundred million!"

"One billion!"

"..."

Toji was starting to lose his composure.

He looked at Playful Cloud on the stage, then thought of the meager belongings he'd painstakingly saved up.

Forget it. When it came to money, how could an unwanted "wild monkey" from the Zenin Clan compete with the favored Six Eyes child of the Gojo Clan?

In the end, Sawa bought the Special Grade Cursed Tool for the staggering price of one billion.

As the auction came to a close, the banquet neared its end.

"Sawa, Satoru, until we meet again!"

Ieiri Shoko said goodbye to her two new friends.

Sawa and Satoru waved back, then got into a black car.

Not far away, Toji Zenin watched Gojo Sawa and Gojo Satoru leave, an inexplicable stirring rising in his heart.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he followed them.

The car stopped outside the Gojo Clan estate. Beyond that was a stone path through the woods.

Sawa and Satoru's mother, dressed in a kimono, came to meet them. She took them by the hand, and the three slowly made their way home.

Against the drifting snow, the three kimono-clad figures looked almost picturesque.

Toji Zenin appeared abruptly several dozen meters away, arms folded as he turned his face toward Sawa and Satoru's retreating backs.

At that very moment, Sawa and Satoru turned around at the same time. Their pale-blue eyes met Toji's slightly surprised gaze.

"For the first time, someone sensed my presence from behind!"

"And there were two of them!"

Watching the figures grow smaller in the distance, Toji Zenin suddenly felt that this winter was especially cold.