TL Note: Oh, btw, quick question!
Would you guys prefer I use English honorifics or Japanese honorifics?
I know I've been using Japanese honorifics here and there, but only for certain things, and it honestly feels a bit awkward seeing English and Japanese honorifics mixed together in the same translation.
Let me know which style you prefer, and I'll try to keep it consistent going forward.
°°°°°°
Late April. Tokyo. A rented apartment in an old residential building.
"Uncle Akiya, Uncle Naoya."
With a small backpack slung over his shoulders, Fushiguro Megumi stood patiently in the entryway, waiting for the adults who were taking him to kindergarten.
He was still tiny, dressed in a brand-new school uniform with spotless white shoes, a bright yellow kindergarten hat perched on his head. The short brim failed to hide the face that looked like a child-sized version of the "Heavenly Tyrant." He resembled a cool, expressionless take on Nohara Shinnosuke.
Most of Megumi's longing for kindergarten came from listening to the neighborhood children and his older stepsister.
There, they said, he would meet children his own age. No one would care what kind of family he came from. They could eat lunch together, take afternoon naps together, and play together. Only children who were dirty and unkempt would be left out. Everyone liked clean, well-groomed, well-behaved kids.
A smaller part of his expectations came from an anime he had watched—one starring the outrageously outgoing Nohara Shinnosuke.
The thought alone filled Fushiguro Megumi with quiet anxiety.
I really hope there aren't any classmates like that at school.
"Naoya, did you memorize the steps? Next time, make Megumi's breakfast exactly like this."
Asou Akiya emerged from the kitchen, wrapping the lunchbox neatly in a triangular cloth before placing it inside an insulated lunch bag.
"Isn't this supposed to be a woman's job? What about hiring a maid?!" Zen'in Naoya protested as he followed him out of the kitchen, his voice full of resentment.
"If you don't learn how to cook, then next month you can prepare to live on air."
Still smiling, Asou Akiya delivered the merciless ultimatum.
"From now on, out of your one million yen monthly allowance, I'll leave you with only enough for basic living expenses. As for the money you owe me, don't even think about delaying repayment by a single yen."
"Megumi!"
Unable to pick a fight with Asou Akiya, Zen'in Naoya immediately turned toward the child, clearly looking for someone easier to vent his frustration on.
"W-What now...?" Megumi muttered under his breath.
"Don't worry about it. Just ignore him."
Asou Akiya stepped forward and changed into his shoes, preparing to head out. Since he was taking Fushiguro Megumi to kindergarten today, he had deliberately gotten up early and even called Zen'in Naoya out of the boys' dormitory, dragging the habitual late sleeper out of bed.
"Megumi, you're not t some rich young master. You're just an ordinary child, so there's no need for you to learn from Naoya's life experience."
Asou Akiya showed absolutely no mercy as he continued,
"He's just a man-child who hasn't been weaned yet."
"Kamo!" Zen'in Naoya exploded in fury.
"Nobody here has the surname 'Kamo.' If you get my name wrong again, that foul mouth of yours won't be saying anything for a while."
Still holding Megumi's hand, Asou Akiya shot Naoya a cold warning not to speak carelessly.
"..."
Seething with resentment, Zen'in Naoya found himself saddled with yet another speech restriction after only a few short days.
Rule One: He was forbidden from mentioning the Six Eyes or the Ten Shadows Technique in front of Fushiguro Megumi.
Rule Two: He was forbidden from bringing up anything related to the Three Great Sorcerer Clans in front of Megumi.
Rule Three: He was forbidden from mentioning Fushiguro Toji's profession as an assassin.
And now there was a fourth.
Rule Four: He was forbidden from calling Asou Akiya "Kamo."
In truth, Asou Akiya wasn't wrong to rebuke him.
In the original story, Zen'in Naoya possessed the potential to become a Special Grade sorcerer. He was ruthless enough, obsessive enough, and ambitious enough. Yet despite all of that, his aptitude fell just short. Until the day he died at the age of twenty-eight, he never advanced beyond Grade 1.
After his death, however, the overwhelming resentment of being finished off by an ordinary woman transformed him into a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. The scenery manifested by his Domain Expansion resembled a woman's womb, as though it reflected the contradictions buried deep within his heart—a man who had depended on women throughout his entire life while simultaneously looking down on them.
The public Hanaboshi Kindergarten was located not far from the apartment building, only about two hundred meters away.
Holding Fushiguro Megumi's hand, Asou Akiya led him along what would become the shortest journey of his life—and one of the most pivotal.
There were no dark alleys along the way.
No malicious gossip.
No uncertainty about what the future held.
The path Asou Akiya had chosen for Fushiguro Megumi was one bathed in sunlight.
Behind them, Zen'in Naoya casually sliced his hand through the air like a knife, silently eliminating the Fly Heads buzzing around the area, leaving the once-tainted atmosphere noticeably cleaner and clearer.
Fushiguro Megumi couldn't help glancing back.
Zen'in Naoya lowered the hand he had just swung and let it rest at his side. His sharply upturned eyes gleamed with a cold light, reflecting the hidden world of jujutsu sorcerers.
Seeing Megumi's curious expression, the young heir of the Zen'in Clan snorted impatiently.
"It's because you're too weak."
"..."
Megumi fell silent.
Asou Akiya kept his eyes fixed ahead, completely ignoring the barking at his side.
Without realizing it, Megumi began imitating his Uncle Akiya's composure, choosing not to dwell on anything Naoya had just said.
The principal of Hanaboshi Kindergarten had no objections to accepting Asou Akiya's late transfer student.
Someone higher up had already spoken to the school in advance. They had been informed that the child was an orphan who had lost both parents. His legal guardian was his paternal uncle—a fifteen-year-old high school student still attending school himself. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that there was more to this family's background than met the eye.
"I'll be leaving Megumi in your care. If there are any problems or areas where he's lacking, just give me a call."
Asou Akiya wasn't merely being polite.
Fushiguro Megumi's preschool education had been sorely lacking. He recognized only a limited number of characters, but he was exceptionally bright. Given enough time, he would have no trouble catching up to children his own age.
"Of course."
The principal accepted Asou Akiya's phone number.
From that day onward, Fushiguro Megumi finally had a proper place where he belonged during the day.
Every morning, he ate breakfast at home before going to kindergarten. At noon, he had lunch there and took his afternoon nap with the other children. The afternoon was spent continuing his classes, and in the evening, he returned home after school.
He had a neatly embroidered hand towel with his name sewn onto it.
He wore clean, tidy clothes.
Under the guidance of his teachers, he gradually became part of kindergarten life.
Everything around him was both unfamiliar and fascinating.
However, Megumi wasn't the carefree, outgoing type. As a new transfer student, he was rather reserved. When his classmates asked why he had enrolled later than everyone else, he fluently recited the explanation Asou Akiya had prepared for him beforehand.
"I really wanted to come to kindergarten, but I got very sick before I could enroll. I could only start school after I recovered. I'm really happy that I can finally meet everyone."
Compared to the many children who burst into tears the moment they were separated from their parents, Fushiguro Megumi quickly established himself in everyone's eyes as a strong, kind-hearted boy.
Fushiguro Megumi had no idea what kind of impression those carefully prepared words would leave behind.
Even the teachers began looking at him with noticeably gentler eyes.
His homeroom teacher silently made a mental note.
Keep a close eye on Fushiguro and make sure he doesn't fall ill again.
On the bus back to Tokyo Jujutsu High, Asou Akiya reflected that none of what he had done today had been particularly difficult.
The real challenge had been how tedious it all was.
On top of the paperwork and arrangements, he had needed to be constantly mindful of a young child's fragile emotional state. By the time everything was over, he simply leaned back against the bus seat, intending to catch up on some sleep during the ride back.
Asou Akiya had complete confidence in Zen'in Naoya's abilities.
He might not rank among the absolute strongest, but he was more than capable compared to the average sorcerer. A high-speed combat specialist, he excelled at assassination and escape alike, standing at the very peak of Grade 2 sorcerers.
"I'm going to take a nap," Asou Akiya said without opening his eyes. "While I'm asleep, you're responsible for my safety."
The newly appointed bodyguard, Zen'in Naoya, fell silent.
—Go die for all I care.
Although Asou Akiya tried to get some sleep, his wariness toward Naoya still lingered. It was an instinct that refused to disappear, regardless of his conscious intentions.
Keeping his eyes closed, he casually continued the conversation.
"Do most schools in Japan place Cursed Objects on campus to ward off curses?"
Yaga Masamichi had been the one to tell him that Hanaboshi Kindergarten housed a Cursed Object.
There were no other passengers nearby.
Naoya answered indifferently,
"That depends on the circumstances. Cursed Objects are graded according to their quality. There aren't many Special Grade Cursed Objects to begin with, and ordinary ones aren't particularly effective at driving curses away."
Asou Akiya recalled the various places he had visited while trying to awaken his cursed energy.
That was indeed how things worked.
In the original story, the fact that Itadori Yuji's high school had been entrusted with even a single one of Sukuna's fingers was already an extraordinary luxury. It seemed that Kenjaku had also worried that Yuji might be killed by unseen Cursed Spirits before he had the chance to grow stronger.
Taking the opportunity to learn from information that was openly shared within the Three Great Sorcerer Clans, Asou Akiya asked,
"What criteria determine what grade of Cursed Object a school receives, and how long it's kept there?"
Naoya answered succinctly.
"The school's reputation, its university acceptance rate, its student population... and the benefits involved."
Then he recalled something else and, unable to resist stirring up trouble, added with ill intent,
"And it also depends on the mood of the Higher-Ups."
A school that offended the jujutsu world could forget about receiving preferential treatment.
Asou Akiya suddenly opened his eyes.
Tilting his head slightly, with a few loose strands of hair partially obscuring his brow, his dark pupils reflected the lush green forest passing outside the bus window.
"Then I suppose they actually did one good thing."
Zen'in Naoya blinked.
"...Huh?"
The conversation came to an end.
Naoya returned his attention to his phone, browsing online for the latest designer earrings.
After finding a pair he liked, he sent the picture to his father, ordering him to buy them. He even threatened that if his father refused, he would go complain to his mother instead.
Gradually, he noticed Asou Akiya's breathing grow slower and steadier as he drifted into a light sleep.
Even so, Naoya was convinced that if he made even the slightest move that posed a threat to Akiya, those closed eyes would snap open in an instant.
[Obey my orders.]
[Keep my secrets.]
[Protect my safety.]
Everything revolved around these three core commands.
Zen'in Naoya had to tread carefully to avoid triggering the "Binding Vow."
He had already researched methods recorded within the Zen'in Clan for breaking a Binding Vow.
It wasn't impossible.
It was simply extraordinarily difficult.
Throughout history, only a tiny handful of sorcerers had managed to forcibly sever a Binding Vow through sheer force of will. Generally speaking, one first had to master the Reverse Cursed Technique, exploit a loophole within the Binding Vow itself, and survive the experience of standing at death's door before emerging alive.
Naoya still shuddered whenever he remembered his own brush with death.
He had gained no insight whatsoever into the Reverse Cursed Technique.
All he could do was brood over it in secret.
Without realizing it, his gaze settled on Asou Akiya's slender neck.
The blood vessels beneath his skin—those fragile lifelines—were plainly visible.
In stark contrast to the almost terrifying sharpness of his intellect, Asou Akiya possessed a frail body that tired easily, an identity that could never be brought into the light, and a future in which his potential as a jujutsu sorcerer had already been irrevocably sealed away.
Malice quietly welled up inside Zen'in Naoya.
Yet the smile on his face only grew more amused.
Just wait until I graduate.
When that day comes you're finished!
During the Star Plasma Vessel Mission, Asou Akiya had possessed the opportunity to kill everyone.
Instead, he had allowed Gojo Satoru, Getou Suguru, and even Naoya himself to survive.
He was betting that Asou Akiya wasn't as insane as he sounded—that he wouldn't actually dare kill the heir of one of the Three Great Sorcerer Clans...
...Wait...
...betting?
Zen'in Naoya immediately crushed the arrogant thought that had begun to surface now that his guard was slipping.
Damn it, I'm never gambling again!
Grumbling to himself, Naoya tightened his grip on his phone. Fortunately, his father's reply agreeing to pay for the earrings offered him a small measure of comfort.
The red bus slowly rolled to a stop.
Its final destination: [Enzanroku]
The driver, Okamoto Yujiro, had once again fulfilled his routine duty of transporting two students back to the private religious school.
Sitting in the driver's seat, he opened his breakfast and ate leisurely while openly watching the two teenagers in the back step off the bus.
Whenever he saw a new face, he couldn't help stealing a few extra glances.
He had always wanted to know just what kind of admission requirements this school had.
Requirement One: Age.
Requirement Two: Good looks?
Requirement Three: Presence?
It wasn't the first time Okamoto Yujiro had been astonished by the appearance of the students.
After seeing them up close so many times, he had realized that they possessed far more than attractive faces.
Each of them carried an indescribable aura.
Even Asou Akiya, who appeared to be the frailest and most delicate among them, could sometimes silence a fully grown adult with nothing more than a single glance.
There was an air of mystery surrounding these students, reinforced by the golden spiral buttons fastened to their uniforms, making people instinctively want to learn more about them.
Yet at the same time, the way they naturally kept to themselves formed an invisible barrier, as though they instinctively rejected every outsider who tried to draw near.
"This is already my second year."
Okamoto Yujiro waited a little longer. Seeing that no other students were boarding the bus and that the entrance to Tokyo Jujutsu High remained quiet and deserted, he started the engine and set off along his familiar route.
As he drove, the image of that handsome blond, green-eyed boy with his overbearing attitude drifted into his mind.
"Last year's four freshmen are all upperclassmen now. This year's class only has three new students, but those two blond brats are definitely troublemakers. They're pricklier than a cactus."
Without realizing it, he had lumped Nanami Kento into the same category of "people you definitely don't want to mess with."
"Still, the one who stands out the most is that white-haired high schooler. He obviously comes from a wealthy family, but he's become a lot friendlier toward his classmates. He's even learned how to beg for food and act spoiled on the bus. I've been watching him for so long now, and he doesn't glare at me anymore. His white hair doesn't look dyed, and those eyes of his are unbelievably beautiful. He's like some naturally born fantasy prince. I wonder if he'll get a girlfriend while he's still in school. If my niece brought home a boyfriend who looked like that, I bet her parents wouldn't have a single complaint..."
Chuckling to himself, Okamoto Yujiro continued driving.
After privately comparing all of the students, he couldn't help feeling a little wistful that he had never experienced a youth quite like theirs.
Seriously...
Not a single one of the students admitted to that school was unattractive.
That private religious school, which never accepted public applications...
It really was choosing students based on their looks, wasn't it?
Author's Note:
Quanquan was doing some research, and discovered that some Japanese kindergartens teach three-year-olds to recognize Chinese characters and even have them read the Analects!!
Asou Akiya: "... (Unlimited Void) (Falls into silence)"
Fushiguro Megumi: "... (Stunned speechless)"
Asou Akiya: "Well, isn't that convenient? That's right in my field of expertise."