Deep within Jujutsu High Headquarters, the dark, stifling room reeked of heavy incense, as if trying to conceal the rot of those holding absolute power.
Behind folding screens sat five withered figures—the higher-ups of the jujutsu world—whispering among themselves about the report just brought in from the Three Great Families Banquet.
“Limitless and the Ten Shadows appearing simultaneously in a single generation…
The balance of the jujutsu world is crumbling.”
“Do we need to intervene?
They are only six years old, yet their destructive potential is already like this.
If they reach adulthood, Special Grade won’t even be enough to define them.”
The higher-ups were terrified.
Their power was built entirely on control, and uncontrolled geniuses were the absolute greatest threat to that structure.
“For now, let the Gojo and Zenin families keep each other in check,” a raspy-voiced old man—the most authoritative among the group—declared.
“The four-hundred-year grudge between those two houses is the best poison available.
What I want you to focus on…
is the ‘anomaly’ that emerged right after.”
“You mean…
the child with the Six Eyes and Heavenly Restriction?”
“Precisely.
Gojo Kaito.
A person without a shred of cursed energy who managed to defeat a Grade 1 sorcerer.
The Six Eyes on a defective body…
should have been a laughingstock, but reality proved otherwise.”
“Is it because of that strange sword?”
“Yes.
Summoning an ice dragon, creating defensive barriers, even sealing an opponent…
All contained within a single blade.
According to intelligence, the kid called it a Zanpakutō—a Soul Cutter Blade.
And the most terrifying part: he forged it himself.”
Just one of those three abilities would be considered powerful enough; this sword held all three.
The room sank into a prolonged silence.
No matter how formidable the Ten Shadows or Limitless were, they still represented the strength of a single individual.
But if a six-year-old child could manufacture Special Grade-level weapons…
that meant he had the potential to raise an entire army of monsters.
“Investigate this thoroughly!” One old man slammed his hand on the table.
“If there is someone guiding him behind the scenes, drag them into the light.
If the brat forged it himself, we must force him to hand over the method at all costs.
Enticement, threats, abduction…
I do not care.”
“We cannot act recklessly,” the head old man warned.
“Even if many factions within the Gojo family despise him, he remains part of the main house.
Furthermore, the Gojo First Elder is still shielding him.”
“The First Elder is old; a dying flame cannot hold a fire for long.”
“If you’re so confident, go face Limitless yourselves!”
Arguments broke out instantly.
Some sought to seize the weapon; others feared bloody retaliation.
In the end, a tacit agreement was forged:
“Let us continue observing.
I suspect that weapon was merely a fluke, a useless brat hitting a stroke of luck.
If it truly is a fluke, we simply wait for the right moment to…
‘recover’ it to its proper place.”
The five old men nodded in unison, shadowy smiles spreading across their faces.
They were still clinging to the grand illusion of holding power for decades to come.
At the Zenin estate, Tobu was savoring her rare days off.
Following her shocking performance at the banquet, the children of the clan now viewed her with completely different eyes: gone were the mocking remarks, replaced by a silent, awestruck reverence.
A whole week without tedious theory lessons or archaic etiquette—for Tobu, these were the happiest days she had known since birth.
On the very first day, Tobu intended to summon her Nue to float peacefully in the open sky, far above the bleak grounds of the Zenin estate.
However, Zenin Ogi, who had just regained consciousness from his coma, was still stewing in the sheer humiliation of being knocked out cold by Kaito.
Within the Zenin mansion, the name “Gojo Kaito” had become a strictly taboo topic.
“Tobu!
Where do you think you’re going?” Ogi growled, his face still pale.
“Your father is still nursing injuries—stay here and tend to me!”
Tobu paused, glancing back at the man desperately clinging to his hollow authority.
“Are you really that weak?
The Head of the Clan gave me this week off; you have no right to interfere.
Instead of looking for me, you should spend your time training—unless you want to be frozen unconscious again next time.”
The servants standing nearby turned pale with fright; none of them expected the little girl to rub salt into Ogi’s raw wound so directly.
Tobu casually flew off, leaving Ogi behind, his teeth grinding so hard they made a sharp cracking sound.
The arm that Hyōrinmaru had frozen was still throbbing with a piercing ache.
Seeing her husband fly into a rage, Sakura rushed over in a panic, her eyes filled with pure concern: “Dear, your body is still weak, please don’t move around so much.
Let Tobu go; I will tell her to take care of you later…”
Sakura was perhaps the only person who had tirelessly tended to Ogi since he was hospitalized, her devotion far surpassing that of his primary wives. This chapter was copied from novelping.com without permission.
But to Ogi, it was merely expected—and even an utter nuisance.
As if a sore spot had been touched, he swung his arm and landed a devastating slap directly across her face.
“It’s all because of a woman like you!
If you had disciplined her properly, I wouldn’t be in such a pathetic state!”
Ogi vented all the resentment and bitterness he had harbored over the past few days onto his wife.
Despite his injuries, the physical power of a Grade 1 sorcerer against a fragile non-sorcerer remained overwhelmingly destructive.
In his warped mind, Tobu’s refusal to acknowledge him as her father was the very reason the Gojo clan held him in such contempt.
It was twisted logic, but it was the true nature of Zenin Ogi.
A barrage of punches and kicks rained down mercilessly, targeting the vital areas of Sakura’s body.
Scenes of a husband beating his wife were not uncommon within the Zenin house, but this time it was far more vicious and unhinged.
The servants could only lower their heads and walk past, not a single one daring to step in.
Sakura offered no resistance.
She simply curled up, her faint whimpers dissolving into the air: “I’m sorry…
my dear, I’m sorry…”
After more than thirty minutes of relentless abuse to satisfy his fragile ego, Ogi turned on his heel and walked coldly back toward his study, leaving Sakura curled up on the cold stone courtyard, her breath ragged beside the fresh smears of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Tobu was completely unaware of the violent rage unfolding back at the Zenin estate.
She flew higher and higher, letting the wind whistle past her ears, attempting to wash away the stifling gloom and suffocation of that rotten clan.
That was the true meaning behind her name, “Tobu”—the deep desire to spread her wings in a vast sky where prejudices and chains did not exist.
When her stomach began to rumble, she landed in a familiar street where her favorite food stall was located.
There, she happened to run into Toji, who was just returning from a mission.
He was currently working as an independent curse hunter to build up his own finances.
“Ah, Brother Toji!”
“Why are you here, kid?” Toji raised an eyebrow.
“I’m enjoying my vacation.” Tobu gently dismissed Nue, landing beside him with a bright expression.
“Just finished a job?”
“Yeah, a boring assignment, but the pay wasn’t bad.”
Tobu didn’t miss the opportunity, immediately pestering him: “In that case, buy me some Takoyaki!” As the inheritor of the Ten Shadows with a massive allowance from Naobito, she still preferred the feeling of her older brother treating her to street food.
Toji clicked his tongue: “This kid…” But he still bought ten skewers anyway.
He handed eight skewers to his sister, keeping only two for himself.
Holding her favorite snack, Tobu devoured it with utter satisfaction: “This is definitely the best!”
“Is that so?
Inheritor of a prestigious family eating roadside food—aren’t you afraid people will gossip?”
“If anyone has a problem with it, I’ll just beat them up!” Tobu declared proudly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Walking a bit further, she suddenly asked: “Are you staying long this time?” Tobu wanted to take advantage of her days off to ask him for private training.
“Just grabbing a few things before heading out again.
I plan to go meet that ‘Heavenly Restriction’ kid from the Gojo family.”
“Him?”
The image of the Gojo brothers surfaced in her mind once more.
Satoru—arrogant yet insanely powerful; and Kaito—calm, mature, wielding that “Zanpakutō” weapon.
Remembering how Kaito had humiliated her garbage father, Tobu couldn’t suppress a feeling of sheer vindication.
“Are you planning to ask him to forge a sword for you?”
“Heh, not sure yet.
Besides, it’s not like the Gojo clan will easily let a weapon like that out of their hands,” Toji mused.
Friendship was a luxury to him, and even though Kaito shared a similar plight, he remained an unknown variable.
“I believe it’ll work out.
You two will definitely become good friends.” Toji didn’t answer, merely letting out a faint smirk.
The two walked casually toward the estate while finishing their food.
“Then wait for me to pack my things!
I’m coming with you!”
“Is that fine?
You just got back.”
“Of course!
I have a whole week off; I have to make the most of it!”
With that, Tobu excitedly dashed off toward her quarters, her heart full of hope for an upcoming journey.
Toji watched his little sister’s receding figure, let out a helpless sigh, and turned to retrieve his own gear.
Despite enjoying special privileges, Tobu still chose to stay in her old room to remain close to her mother.
Yet, an invisible abyss seemed to be carving a deep divide between mother and daughter.
Stepping into the room to grab a few items for her trip, Tobu froze.
Her mother was lying curled up on the bed, wrapped tightly under a heavy blanket.
“Mother?
What’s wrong?
Are you sick?”
Recognizing her daughter’s voice, Lady Sakura panicked, pulling the blanket higher to cover herself completely, her voice trembling: “I’m fine, sweetheart…
just caught a mild cold.
Don’t worry about me.”
A bad premonition shot through Tobu.
The sight before her caused the blood in her veins to freeze solid: dark, purplish bruises covered Sakura’s entire body, heavy internal bleeding marked vital areas, and her face was so swollen it was almost unrecognizable.
“Was it him?
It was him again, wasn’t it?”
“No, it isn’t…
I just fell down the stairs…”
That clumsy lie only served to fuel the burning rage in Tobu’s eyes.
She turned around, an intense murderous aura radiating from her as she stepped out of the room.
“Don’t, Tobu!
I beg you, please don’t go!” Sakura could only call out desperately in tears from behind.
Reaching Ogi’s study, two guards from the Hei unit stepped forward to block her path.
“Young lady, the master is working, please do not enter right now…”
“Get out of my way.”
“Please understand, young lady.
If you refuse to leave, we will be forced to…”
One of the guards prepared to use physical force against the six-year-old child.
However, he was gravely mistaken.
“Divine Dog!”
From the shadows, two dark forms shot out, their razor-sharp fangs sinking directly into the guards’ legs.
The sound of splintering bone echoed alongside agonized screams.
Tobu walked right past the two writhing bodies, kicking the door wide open.
Inside, Ogi was indulging himself beside a concubine, casually flipping through ledgers.
Seeing Tobu, he panicked: “How dare you barge in here?”
“Impacting, isn’t it?
Too weak to win outside against real opponents, so you come home to beat your wife?
You truly are the absolute pinnacle of scum.”
“Divine Dog!”
This time, the twin wolves manifested in their full, giant forms, their breath heavy with the scent of death.
The concubine and servants fled in terror, abandoning Ogi in the middle of the encirclement.
“You…
you wretched brat, I am your father!”
“Are you worthy?
Did you remember you were a father when you were beating my mother?”
At Tobu’s command, the Divine Dogs lunged forward to maul him.
Even at full health, Ogi was no match for the Ten Shadows, let alone in his current crippled state.
Desperate screams echoed through the hallways.
By the time the Zenin elites and Naobito rushed over, the study was covered in blood, and Ogi was reduced to a barely breathing mass of broken flesh.
“Stop, Tobu!” Naobito called out, his voice heavy with fatigue.
“Hmph.
Out of respect for you.” Tobu recalled her Shikigami, her cold eyes glaring down at the man on the floor.
At that exact moment, Sakura dragged her battered body over.
Tobu quickly ran over to support her: “Mother, why did you come out here?
I took care of him; from now on you don’t ever have to…”
SLAP!
A dry, resounding slap echoed sharply through the silent corridor.
Sakura had struck her.
Tobu froze, her small hand cupping her reddening cheek.
“Why do you always have to be like this?!” Sakura sobbed bitterly.
“Why can’t you just endure it?
Why can’t you be obedient?
If you just listened, wouldn’t we have a peaceful life?!”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, but Tobu did not bow her head.
She looked straight at the woman before her, her voice terrifyingly flat: “There’s still another side—do you want to slap that one too so it matches?”
Realizing what she had just done, Sakura panicked: “I’m sorry, Tobu…
I just…”
But Tobu no longer wanted to hear it.
She turned her back, leaving behind the sobbing whimpers and the absolute rot of what was called a “family.”
The moment she stepped outside the gates, she saw Toji standing there, silently witnessing everything.
Her strong facade finally shattered into pieces.
Tobu buried her face into his chest, bursting into uncontrollable, sobbing tears like the young child she actually was.
“Sob…
waaa…
waaa…”
Toji said nothing.
He simply scooped her up into his arms, gently patting her trembling back: “Cry it out.
You didn’t do anything wrong.”
As if escaping from a pit of filth, Toji carried Tobu away, leaving the Zenin estate far behind.