Chihaya Anon didn’t linger.
She tucked the CD carefully into her bag, said goodbye to Uchiha Ayato, and walked out the door with a noticeably springier step.
Uchiha Ayato watched her go from the doorway, then swung the door shut behind him.
Between the two of them, some wordless understanding had already settled into place.
They both felt it without saying it — stopping here today was exactly right.
As for whatever came after…
That could ferment at its own pace.
The room went quiet again.
Uchiha Ayato sank back onto the sofa and stared at the ceiling for a while.
Then he closed his eyes, planning to get some rest.
About ten minutes in, the doorbell rang.
He sat up and looked toward the front door, blinking with vague confusion.
Even with the length of the living room between him and the door, the crushing, suffocating weight of the cursed energy on the other side came through clearly.
He opened it.
Satoru Gojo’s face — sunny, cheerful, entirely too much for a Sunday afternoon — was right there, as expected.
“Heya, afternoon Ayato-kun— hm?” Gojo had started off with his usual grinning wave, but stopped cold in the next second.
He actually took off his blindfold.
Studied Uchiha Ayato from head to toe like he was looking at something he’d never quite seen before.
“Interesting, interesting.
Compared to yesterday, your cursed energy has doubled again.” “Ayato-kun, are you some kind of monster?” “Anyway, that’s a good thing.” He slipped his blindfold back on and asked offhandedly: “How was the idol event yesterday?
Fun?” “Genuinely delightful, Gojo-sensei.
I think I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.” Uchiha Ayato kept his expression perfectly neutral and stepped aside to make way.
“Speaking of which — what brings you here, Sensei?” “Sorted out the Yuji situation?” “Ah, more or less.” Gojo nodded, making no move to actually come in.
“After a warm and friendly chat, Yuji has accepted his fate as a vessel and is ready to step into hell.” “He’ll be transferring into Jujutsu High.
I’m heading back to Sendai with him shortly — his grandfather’s funeral arrangements aren’t done yet.” Uchiha Ayato: What?
If you’re taking someone to handle a family member’s funeral, maybe focus a little?
Why are you making a side trip to my apartment in the middle of that?
Listening to Gojo, Ayato felt a twitch develop near his eye.
“So…” “Since the schedule is that packed — what exactly are you doing here, Sensei?” “For you, obviously!” Gojo said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“I’m a responsible teacher.
Can’t play favorites.” “Got Yuji sorted, so I can’t just leave your development unattended.” “That’s why, before I head out, I carved out some time to give you a special training session.” “Special training session?” Uchiha Ayato tilted his head, not especially convinced.
“Before this so-called ‘special training session’ starts, mind telling me what it involves?” “If it’s basic stuff — how to refine cursed energy, how to manage emotions — then I’d rather take a nap instead.
Sweating pointlessly isn’t what smart people do.” Hearing that, Gojo’s smile got brighter.
What an arrogant little punk.
But that was precisely why he found Uchiha Ayato so agreeable.
“I’m not going to teach you anything a child could pick up on their own.
What I’m planning to teach you is…” Gojo raised one finger and wagged it slowly, his smile going cryptic.
“The core of cursed energy.” Before Ayato could respond, Gojo clapped both hands together.
“If you can keep up, follow me.” The next moment, that tall figure dissolved into the air — leaving behind nothing but a ripple of displaced wind.
Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue.
Compressing the distance between two points with extreme attractive force, achieving something close to instantaneous movement.
Uchiha Ayato activated the Sharingan immediately and replicated the exact same energy flow pattern in chakra.
The space ahead collapsed inward.
A massive pull dragged his body forward.
In an instant he was standing on the rooftop of another building, and before his fe