15 The Seeker's Strides
July 25, 2018
The spar began, and I exploded into action. Three weeks of training with that damned bear had honed my instincts and cursed energy enhancement. My body reacted almost without thinking. A lightning-fast roundhouse kick aimed at Gojo's midsection was my opening gambit.
He sidestepped effortlessly, the cocky grin on his face widening. "Gotta do better than that, kid." His counterattack, a jab followed by a powerful hook, came in faster than I'd expected.
Instinct and muscle memory took over. I ducked low, spinning into a scissor kick to take out his legs. Another near miss, him leaping back out of reach. He followed immediately with a flurry of strikes, a whirlwind of fists and feet aimed at breaking through my defenses.
Each blow was parried, countered, another desperate dance fueled by the frustration that threatened to boil over. My focus narrowed; it was me versus the man in front of me. I moved, I reacted, I survived.
A surge of energy shot through me. With newfound speed, I darted behind him, my movements blurred, my form shifting subtly. For a heart-stopping moment, Gojo just looked...surprised. But as I spun to face him again, his composure was back.
Then I shifted back, even faster this time, my leg crackling with a mix of cursed energy and my own weird power - an ethereal mix of black and blue. A roundhouse kick, aimed at his side, crackled through the air.
The kick connected, but not with flesh. A shimmer of blue light, and the cursed energy crackled against Gojo's Infinity barrier. Even with all that force, it held.
"It's not fair," I muttered, the frustration burning like acid in my throat. It was like punching a wall of force and expecting it to break.
We were blurs of motion, an endless loop of attack and defense. Every blow, every counter, it was perfect technique honed to razor-sharp precision.
And then... an idea struck. It was stupid, reckless, but desperate times...
I threw an uppercut, aiming for his face. He parried as expected, then swung back with a counterpunch. I didn't try to block it. With the force of the impact, I let my body turn, absorbed the blow, then used my threads like a catapult.
I rocketed back, and as I flew, those same threads shot out, weaving a thick, sticky cocoon to ensnare Gojo. This wasn't about hurting him, just immobilizing him.
For one heart-stopping moment, it almost worked. Then the threads tensed, pulled taut as they hit the limits of his Infinity. It bulged, strained... then began to tear.
Before me, a vision flashed: Gojo bursting free, a leg sweep aimed perfectly to catch me as I landed. My body reacted before my brain could process it fully: I twisted, flipped, landed back on my feet in a crouch, ready to counter.
And nothing happened.
Gojo stood there, a surprised smile on his lips. "Hmm," he mused, "interesting."
He wasn't attacking. Just... watching. The frustration spiked again, a hot flush threatening to crawl up my neck. I wanted to lash out, to prove I could force a reaction, even just flinch from him. But even in my anger, I knew that would be a trap. He wanted me to lose control.
"Well?" I finally snapped. "Are we just gonna stand here all day?"
His smile widened. "Nice try." He gestured vaguely at the tattered remains of my thread cocoon. "The vision thing, too. That's new."
Damn it. I'd hoped that surprise might have actually worked in my favor. My eyes, my curse... it was all tangled up in a messy knot of potential I barely understood. But hiding them from Gojo? That was impossible.
He casually crossed his arms, settling into lecture mode. "You're getting faster, your cursed energy flow is improving, but you're still fighting like it's just you against the world." A flicker of seriousness entered his tone. "You have to start using that brain of yours more, Kaito."
"If I were smart, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place," I retorted. I wanted to sound bitter, but it came out tired instead.
A flicker of something I couldn't read passed over Gojo's face, then disappeared behind the usual flippancy. "Maybe not. But being dumb won't save you – so start working with what you've got." He clapped his hands. "Let's try again. Focus on thinking five steps ahead. Figure out your limits and break them."
Another wave of frustration washed over me. Easier said than done. But he was right about one thing – standing here fuming wouldn't accomplish a damn thing.
I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. Another glance at Gojo confirmed he was ready, that expectant, infuriatingly playful look on his face. Fine. Round two. It's go time.
(Three Hours Later)
"Alright," he declared, breaking the strained silence. "That's enough for today. Take a breather."
I practically collapsed to the ground. My legs felt like jelly, my vision swimming a bit from overusing my new power.
Gojo strolled over and plopped down beside me, a fresh grin on his face. Even after the relentless beating, it somehow managed to be more irritating than reassuring. "Honestly, you should be proud. Three weeks, and you're landing strikes cleanly, dodging my counters for a second or two... it took Yuta months to get this far."
Another genius he'd trained. I tried to swallow the surge of bitterness. Comparing me to some mystery student wasn't helping.
"Point is," he continued, oblivious to my inner turmoil, "you're coming along at an insane pace. And remember," he leaned a bit closer, his tone turning conspiratorial, "you're going against the strongest, here. No mercy given."
"Knowing that and accepting that are two different things," I mumbled, more to myself than to him. He was right, of course. But between the lingering grief, the physical exhaustion, and the constant reminder that I was still lightyears behind where I needed to be...sometimes the truth was a bitter pill.
Gojo chuckled, but it wasn't his usual carefree sound. "Patience, kid. Being strong is a choice you remake every single day," he said. His expression softened a fraction. "The others… they got a head start. You're playing catch up with the worst odds imaginable. But I'm betting on you."
I stared at him, a mix of surprise and reluctant gratitude churning in my chest. This was...almost the nicest thing he'd said to me. No teasing, no condescending quips.
"Don't get used to it," he added, the playful smirk returning. "Get some rest, we've got a whole lot of work ahead of us."
"We still have like an hour left of training," I rasped, the words catching in my throat. Despite the exhaustion, I hated the idea of throwing in the towel early.
Gojo held up his hands. "I've got a meeting to attend to, so take the rest of the day off. Also," he added, a smirk curving his lips, "don't stay here too long before Kugisaki comes looking for you again."
"Yeah, yeah." I muttered, more resigned than annoyed. He could be insufferably smug sometimes.
With a final wave, Gojo was gone. The silence that settled around me was almost deafening after being constantly bombarded with his rapid-fire instructions and irritatingly cheerful commentary. Exhaustion threatened to drag me down, but I willed myself to my feet.
Before trudging toward the dorms, it was time to check on my status. With a mental command, the familiar screen flickered into existence.
[Name: Kaito Murakami
Title: The Seeker
Grade: 2
Level: 13 (8710/11000 XP)
Techniques:
Enhanced Development (MAX)
Phantom Threads (Lvl 23)
Martial Arts (Lvl 19)
Divine Eyes (Lvl 14)
Attributes:
Strength: A-
Agility: S
Endurance: A+
Vitality: B-
Sense: S+
Curse Energy: SSS+
Cursed Energy Control: B+
Attribute Points: 37
Inventory:
Cursed KatanaGuide to Cursed Energy Control]
Closing the screen, I slung the bear over my shoulder and headed for the dorms.
The common area was surprisingly not empty when I got there. Kugisaki sat on the couch, an unfamiliar girl with long green hair perched next to her.
"Hey," I waved a hand at Kugisaki before she had a chance to start in with some snarky comment.
"Hey Murakami, this is our upperclassman, Maki."
"Hi Maki, name's Kaito Murakami," I offered a tired smile. "Nice to meet you."
Maki raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking between me and the bear. "What's with the bear?"
"Gojo training," I shrugged. Short and sweet explanations were the best defense sometimes.
"Here to make sure his cursed energy doesn't fluctuate," the bear chirped. I stifled a sigh. This damned bear talks too much.
Maki nodded slowly, then a wry smile touched her lips. "So you're the one Nobara's been talking about, huh? The one joining us for the exchange."
"The Kyoto exchange, right? Yeah, I'll be there."
Maki gave Kugisaki a look I couldn't decipher. "Speaking of training, Nobara," she began, "Panda, Inumaki and I are going on a mission tomorrow, so you have the day off."
Kugisaki stared at her, puzzled for a moment, before it clicked. "Oh! Then that gives me a chance to get some shopping done with our first check." Her face lit up with a grin that was almost predatory. I couldn't help but wince a little – poor unsuspecting shops...
"Well, have fun with that," Maki chuckled. "I'll see you later, Nobara. Nice to meet ya, Kaito." She gave a quick nod.
"You too, Maki," I replied.
As Maki's footsteps faded, a slightly awkward silence fell. I shifted a bit on the couch, the exhaustion threatening to win out. Kugisaki glanced at me, then broke the quiet.
"So, how's your training going?" she asked.
"It's going alright," I admitted. "My battle prowess and cursed energy control have improved so much in these last two weeks. And even though Gojo kicks my ass every time, I can feel myself being able to react to his attacks quicker." I paused, a tired grin curving my lips. "What about you?"
Kugisaki nodded. "Same for me. Maki has been training me hard on being able to fight at close range," she paused, then added, "And check this out!"
There was a flicker of concentration on her face, and a second later, a discarded nail on the floor began to levitate. She made it hover forward, back, and even shift slightly sideways, although it wobbled a little precariously.
My eyes widened a bit. I clapped my hands. "Impressive!" I had no idea what she actually did, but with the way Kugisaki beamed this was the least I could do.
Kugisaki's smile widened into a full-blown grin. "Right?" She went on to explain excitedly about how while using her straw doll technique, she could unconsciously make the nails float as she hit them with her hammer.
"But Panda got me thinking," she continued, her voice still buzzing, "was that all part of one technique, or could it be separated? So I tried, and it works! It's shaky for now, but if I keep at it..." Her eyes gleamed with determination. "I could use some of my extension techniques without the hammer, maybe even use both hands in a fight, or wield another weapon!"
An idea sparked in my head, and I couldn't help but interject. "So what if you used this..." I hesitated, trying to find the right words, "...levitating power to control the hammer itself? Like, instead of relying on just brute force, you could guide it even after the initial hit!"
Kugisaki's eyes went wide. "Holy shit, that would be awesome," she breathed, already lost in thought. "Not sure it would work though, for now it looks like I can only do it to the nails..."
"Well… imagine if you get that perfect control, you could even coordinate a whole swarm of nails, like a barrage attack!"
We spent the next few minutes riffing on possibilities, brainstorming combinations of her abilities in a way that felt almost...fun. It was the first time since everything went to hell that I wasn't just focused on training. It felt good, and for a little while, I forgot how tired I was, how far ahead Gojo was, and how hopeless the journey sometimes seemed. Was this what Gojo meant when he said to enjoy life?
"So, whatcha got planned for tomorrow?" Kugisaki asked, breaking into my thoughts.
"Besides training? Not that much," I admitted.
"Then come shopping with me!"
"Why not ask Fushiguro?" I countered.
Kugisaki shot me a deadpan look that made me feel a little stupid. "Fair point." She leaned in, that glint in her eye intensifying. "I'll get you something, and I promise I won't make you carry all the bags."
I considered it. It wasn't like a mission, but it was a chance to get out into town, and I might even get something free out of it. "Alright, I'll end my training at 12 pm. We can go at 1."
A genuine smile replaced Kugisaki's usual intensity. It was so... nice. "Thank you."
My heart gave a little thump. Weird. I forced my focus back to the present, but a sudden shift to my left caught my attention. Muscle memory took over, and I blocked the punch with my hand.
"Yeah, yeah, I know it fluctuated."
(That Night)
Ijichi navigated the sleek car along the quiet mountainside road, the engine's soft hum the only sound breaking the tranquil silence. From time to time, he'd glance in the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Gojo, his usual easygoing aura replaced with a pensive stare.
"You have some time before your appointment with the school principal," Ijichi broke the quiet, a note of caution slipping into his otherwise formal tone. "Would you like to pass by somewhere?"
Gojo leaned back in his seat, contemplating the offer. "Nah," he finally replied, a casual shrug masking the weight of his thoughts. "Let's be early for once."
The car continued its ascent, the winding road mirroring the tangle of concerns in Gojo's mind. Yuji's training was progressing, the boy's raw power and natural resilience starting to find focus. Yet, it was Kaito's progress that consumed his thoughts. The demands placed on him by Gojo and himself were brutal, pushing him relentlessly to the edge of exhaustion. Sometimes, Gojo questioned if he was pushing too hard, too fast, but the intensity he showed made it hard to ease up.
His thoughts drifted towards a darker possibility, one that clawed at the corners of his mind. Sukuna. The King of Curses was no fool. The binding vow that had resurrected Yuji was not offered out of some twisted benevolence. No, there was a price, a catch, and Gojo's instincts screamed that it was only a matter of time before the bill came due.
What vow had Sukuna twisted into those final moments? What sort of hold did it give him over Yuji?
Gojo's senses, honed to pick up even the slightest shift in cursed energy, flared. He snapped out of his contemplation, gaze locking onto a point on the road ahead. "Stop the car," he instructed Ijichi.
Ijichi's brow furrowed. "What? Why?"
"Go without me," Gojo stated, no room for argument. The source of that oppressive energy growing closer with each passing second.
Ijichi's eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. "Are you... testing me?" he managed, the hope that this was just one of Gojo's bizarre games clinging to his words.
A mischievous smile touched Gojo's lips, a flicker of his usual self amidst the rising tension. "What do you take me for?" he countered, but there was no real amusement behind it. This was not a test; this was a threat.
He waited no longer, striding from the now-still car with a grim determination that would have chilled those who knew him better. The car sped away, leaving Gojo alone on the deserted road. His gaze never wavered from the spot where the energy peaked. "Now then," he murmured, half to himself, half in challenge to whatever was about to emerge.
The asphalt cracked, buckled, then exploded as a form tore its way into view. It dropped to the ground, creating a crater where Gojo had stood seconds before.
Gojo didn't blink. "Who are you?" His question wasn't born of fear or confusion, but a cold assessment. Every move the creature made, every shift in its cursed energy, was a piece of information to be analyzed.
A toothy grin split the curse spirit's face, and it answered with a swift, brutal attack. A wave of destructive energy rippled outwards, aimed squarely at Gojo. He moved without hesitation, not in retreat, but in a fluid shift that placed him just outside the blast radius.
The shockwave ripped through the air, and something new exploded into being. From the very wall to his left, a volcano materialized, its searing mouth belching lava and smoke. The ground shook, the air became a haze of heat and ash, yet Gojo walked forward. An invisible barrier shielded him, pushing back the inferno, and his eyes never wavered from his opponent.
"Contrary to my expectations, he was nothing much," the curse spirit croaked, shaking its hand dismissively.
"Who are you saying is nothing much?" Gojo countered, amusement sparking in his tone.
The spirit clicked its tongue, the sound oddly clear over the roar of the flames. Gojo's analysis continued even as he goaded it. This wasn't just some rampaging beast – it was intelligent, communicating with ease. "An unregistered special grade," he noted, a cold thrill running down his spine. "Right now, this guy...might even be stronger than Sukuna."
The creature sensed his scrutiny, mirrored his smirk. "Did I hurt your pride?"
Gojo chuckled, the sound surprisingly genuine. "Nah," he admitted. "I'm starting to have some fun." It was the truth. Despite the chaos, the threat, a dark excitement sparked within him. Strong, smart, and utterly unknown – this wasn't a fight for survival; it was a challenge tailor-made for the strongest.
