"Genius"

"So, what should I do?"

After stepping into the middle of the training ground, Toho Tetsu asked impatiently.

"Don't rush into it. Before we officially begin, there are still a few things I need to tell you."

Utahime Iori picked up a branch from the ground nearby, seemingly intending to use it as a pointer, tapping it idly against her palm.

"Before casting a Curtain, picture an image in your mind. Imagine a complete hemispherical barrier, with clear, stable edges, enclosing both of us within it.

"If you can't picture it, don't make a move yet. Otherwise, you'll just be wasting cursed energy."

Listening to her, Toho Tetsu closed his eyes and began constructing the image in his mind. The next second, he opened them again.

"Then what?"

Utahime had already grown accustomed to his rapid progress, so she did not show much surprise. She simply spoke calmly.

"Next, don't use cursed energy yet. Just imitate my movements. Whatever I do, you do."

After Toho Tetsu nodded, she repeated the movements from before.

"Emerge from darkness."

Their right hands rose from their chests.

"Darker than darkness."

Their fingers passed the highest point, then slowly drifted downward. The motion was neither fast nor slow, like a streak of ink painting across the air.

"Purge all that is impure and unclean."

Toho Tetsu's fingers reached the bottom, and his wrist lightly curled inward.

Watching his performance, Utahime nodded approvingly.

"Not bad. You copied the movements almost perfectly. Even some Assistant Supervisors couldn't do them more precisely than you. Next, add the process of channeling cursed energy into it."

Halfway through, she emphasized a point.

"Remember, keep your hand signs steady and synchronize them with the chant. Let cursed energy flow from your fingertips instead of erupting and expanding like it does in battle."

Accompanied by her instructions and the chanting of the incantation, Toho Tetsu began his first attempt. Although his movements and chant were flawless, a significant flaw appeared when the cursed energy flowed out.

A crack appeared at the top of the Curtain that had spread outward from him, then instantly widened. The unfinished Curtain dissipated completely.

"Don't rush. Recall how it felt when you trained your cursed energy control before. This is the same as that training. You need to keep the process as stable as possible and avoid too many fluctuations."

Utahime's voice came from beside him, not reproachful but instructive.

After steadying himself and adjusting his breathing, he began his second attempt.

This time, he deliberately stabilized his movements and slowed the flow of cursed energy. It felt as though he had returned to that afternoon when he had first gained control over his cursed energy.

This time, the Curtain took shape.

A black dome abruptly expanded outward from him, enveloping an area within ten meters. There were no cracks or gaps, though some parts trembled and rippled slightly.

Watching this, Utahime was beginning to feel numb.

It was happening again. Not only had he learned cursed energy control incredibly quickly, but even Curtain training was the same. He had come close to succeeding after just one failure. It probably would not take him many more days to master the Curtain's use and all its advanced techniques.

Yet the more that was the case, the less she could afford to relax her vigilance or strictness.

"Do you notice this spot? Because there was a slight fluctuation when you controlled the flow of your cursed energy, this area is unstable. You need to correct that habit next time."

She walked to the edge of the Curtain and pointed at an area where the color was noticeably thinner.

Still, she gave him affirmation in the end.

"Still, getting this far on your second attempt means you did very well."

Toho Tetsu smiled. Just as he was about to respond, a somewhat flippant yet curious voice sounded from nearby.

"Huh? What are you doing... learning how to make a Curtain?"

When both of them turned toward the voice, they saw a white-haired boy standing at the edge of the training ground. He wore a black kimono and round sunglasses.

Seeing his unfamiliar appearance, Utahime frowned. She was certain that Jujutsu High had never had a student with such distinct features.

But Toho Tetsu's eyes widened slightly, and the newly formed Curtain immediately became impossible to maintain, vanishing into nothingness.

The boy paused when he saw that, then burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha! What are you doing? You can't even handle something this simple? It broke just because someone looked at it? If all Jujutsu High students are like this, I really have to question how professional this place is."

Hearing his undisguised mockery, the upperclassman instantly bristled.

"What the hell are you talking about?! Do you know how long it took him to learn—no, who are you? Why are you inside Jujutsu High?!"

At her words, the boy's smile abruptly disappeared, as if she had asked something that annoyed him. But it soon returned to that carefree expression.

"Me? I'm Gojo Satoru, the genius of the Gojo Clan. So? Ever heard my name before?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Utahime, who had just been glaring at him in irritation, froze. Her expression turned complicated.

When teaching common knowledge about Jujutsu Society before, she had naturally mentioned the major jujutsu families. Setting aside the lesser-known ones, the most prominent were the three great families at the top.

Gojo, Zenin, and Kamo.

Ranked among the top three of all families, they held enormous influence within Jujutsu Society. It could even be said that more than half of Jujutsu Society's higher-ups belonged to them.

So no matter how displeased she was, she clearly understood the status held by the boy before her as the Gojo Clan's genius.

Seeing her suddenly fall silent, Gojo Satoru found it a little boring.

As expected. Another person intimidated by the Gojo Clan's reputation. If Jujutsu High is full of people like this, the next few years probably won't be very interesting.

Thinking that, he shifted his gaze to the other boy his age, who had seemingly been so startled that he could not even maintain a Curtain.

He was quite curious about the expression on the other's face now.

Would it be the shock of seeing someone important? Or would it be retreat and fear after realizing he had offended the future head of the Gojo Clan?

But when their gazes met, he suddenly froze.

Those eyes were too calm. They were looking at him as though he were an ordinary person. There was even a trace of something he could not understand in them... sympathy?

Looking at the young Gojo Satoru before him, Toho Tetsu indeed felt conflicted.

Although he knew that, following the course of the story, they were bound to meet sooner or later, he had not expected to encounter this boy—who would one day be called the strongest—on such an ordinary morning.

Before experiencing his near-death awakening, his best friend's betrayal, and his sealing in the Prison Realm, what was his first impression like?

He really was a little annoying.

"I think what truly shapes and determines a person's future is still their own choices and thoughts."

As he spoke, he looked at the boy in the distance.

"Family and bloodline are important, and strength matters too. But without those things, do you really know who you are and what you want?"

Upon hearing that, Gojo Satoru, whose face had held a smile all this time, froze. He could barely maintain his expression.

Because at that moment, he felt as though the person before him had seen through his heart.

Honestly... that feeling was pretty irritating.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Facing his seemingly dissatisfied yet faintly curious and probing gaze, Toho Tetsu was just about to say something when a somewhat nervous male voice rang out nearby.

"Young Master Gojo, why have you suddenly come to Jujutsu High? Please notify us before an inspection so that we can better receive you!"

When a middle-aged Assistant Supervisor appeared, drenched in sweat, Gojo Satoru withdrew his gaze from Toho Tetsu and put that lazy expression back on his face.

"Sorry. I wanted to see what Jujutsu High was really like ahead of time, so I made a surprise visit. But..."

At that, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

"There really are some interesting things here."

Though he had no idea what had happened, the Assistant Supervisor could only smile apologetically while sweating profusely.

"Please come with me. Mr. Yaga and the higher-ups have already prepared the meeting room and are waiting for you."

Hearing that, Gojo Satoru had no intention of pressing the matter further. After giving Toho Tetsu one more deep look, he followed the Assistant Supervisor away from the training ground.

Only after the two had completely left the training ground did Utahime finally let out a sigh of relief. Then she looked at Toho Tetsu with a complicated expression. After opening her mouth several times, she finally asked in confusion.

"So why did you just... say those things?"

"Hm? Those things?"

Seeing him deliberately play dumb, the girl immediately got angry.

"You're playing dumb with me? I mean what you said—about not having family, bloodline, or strength, and all that. Aren't you afraid he'll hold a grudge and come after you later?!"

As she spoke, her voice carried a trace of worry that even she had not noticed.

But Toho Tetsu merely smiled indifferently.

"It's nothing. I just thought his arrogant attitude was pretty annoying. And he dismissed me the moment he arrived. Wasn't he also dismissing you, the one who taught me so diligently?

"How could I just stand by and let that happen?"

After hearing him and understanding what he meant, Utahime's ears instantly turned red. She froze as if she had suddenly been struck by Black Flash, then sharply turned her head away, raising her voice slightly.

"Who... who asked you to stand up for me?! Besides, I wasn't angry because he mocked me. I was angry because..."

She stopped halfway through, as if she did not know how to explain those complicated emotions herself. In the end, she simply snorted, crossed her arms, and turned away.

Toho Tetsu did not expose her. He merely stood beside her and watched.

A few seconds later, Utahime finally regained her composure and shot him another glare filled with subtle emotion.

"Alright, stop standing around like an idiot. You haven't mastered the Curtain yet. Continue!"

As she spoke, she picked up the branch that had fallen onto the tree and had been used as a pointer, lightly tapping it against her palm.

"You did well just now, but there's still room for improvement. Do it again. This time, I'll watch every flow of your cursed energy. If you make a mistake, I'll interrupt you and make you start over. Prepare yourself."

"Understood."

After replying crisply, Toho Tetsu began training again.

"Emerge from darkness—"

Meanwhile, behind a window somewhere in the teaching building outside the training ground, Gojo Satoru stood watching the figure on the field, his expression unreadable.

Only when the Assistant Supervisor appeared before him again did he withdraw his gaze and head toward the meeting room.