章 46: Kamo Clan
"He was possessed and controlled by a man named Kenjaku, a man who for years has been using the Kamo clan to push the conservative faction and influence the Jujutsu Society on a level higher than just one man could. He has set up countless things in place over the past hundreds of years to further his goals." Atlas explained, putting down his cup as he looked at the Kamo Clan Head who sat across from him.
"I hope you understand how far-fetched this all sounds?" Kamo said as he picked his own cup up. His face was one of deep contemplation. The idea of removing Noritoshi from their family history and erasing his name was something that he was very eager to do… however, Joben had been good to him.
Giving the man a while to think Atlas let his thoughts move for a while before speaking up himself. "Trust me, I understand, how much do you know about my technique?" Atlas suddenly asked, taking the conversation by the reins.
"Not much at all? I know that you can teleport and are practically impossible to hit." Kamo said, raising an eyebrow.
"Very good. Yes, it has something to do with dimensions. The person who created me was Kenjaku, through some means he was able to control to an extent what technique I was born with." Atlas explained giving some context to his point. "I believe that whatever connection that was made with him through all of this has been the reason that I have been able to see visions or glimpses of other realities," Atlas said measuring the reaction he received.
"What are you saying?" The Clan-Head replied, his voice sounding a bit curious.
Responding Atlas leant forward a bit as if he was sharing a secret that was to be kept between the two of them. "I have seen snippets of the past involving Kenjaku. I have also seen glimpses of the future… would you like me to show you one?"
Hesitating for a moment the man nodded his head.
It was time to get creative.
Reaching his hand out Atlas put it on the forehead of the Clan Head and with a single thought, pulled them into another dimension that he emptied beforehand. Leaving them floating in a subliminal space that endlessly folded like countless mirrors. Spiralling outwards into infinity and nothingness.
This was going to be hard. Disappearing from this plane Atlas left the Clan Head alone, shocked for a moment by the sudden disappearance of reality, looking around in fright.
Atlas needed to concentrate so he couldn't be there himself, but he was able to briefly construct scenes, flashes of moments that reflected events he saw in the Manga. Show the man part of the future involving the fall of the Kamo clan.
He didn't want to show that he knew a version of the future but that version had already changed tremendously. he would be a fool not to use it to his advantage.
And if Kenjaku heard of this and thought that he could see the future then the man would become even more paranoid. The slower he was to act the more time Atlas had.
---
The Clan-Head floated in a space he didn't understand, it was filled with nothing but hundreds of reflections of himself all spiralling outwards. It was as if he was the only one in this plane, the only thing that could be seen at least.
Then everything around him changed, ethereal blue forms and figures started to create a broken scene. Like a poorly constructed movie, something that was made from memory but wasn't quite right.
He saw his son all grown up, his hair long and clothes kept in a traditional style, marks of battle were worn on his face. "Don't tell me you've forgotten the face of the next clan head." His son, Noritoshi Kamo said, an unfortunate name to be stuck with but it was still the name of his son who he loved.
"Brat you can't trick me. I may be senile, but I would never mistake the face of the clan head. You look nothing like Noritoshi (ancestor)" An old man said, his skin so worn and hanging that it was impossible to tell how old he really was.
"But… I am-" Noritoshi (son) started to say, confused as to why this elder didn't recognize him. After all, he was called Noritoshi.
"Shino's wandering about 150 years in the past right now. Don't mind him." A figure said, Suguru Geto. Lounging in a chair and looking a peace. "You're late… No, perhaps it's to be expected, after all, Tokyo's transportation infrastructure isn't working right now." Looking over at his son he said in a lower voice, "Noritoshi."
"Suguru Geto!" Noritoshi exclaimed as he was taken about by the man who was sitting in the clan head's room.
"That name is no longer needed. You should've already learned my true identity at Shibuya." Kenjaku said.
Looking at his forehead the Clan-Head who was watching the ghostly scene widened his eyes in shock. Geto had a scar running across his forehead…
Was Kenjaku really real? Was any of this real?
Suddenly things flashed like fire and smoke, something changing, minutes being skipped. Kenjaku said words that he couldn't make out.
Finally, the images sharpened once more, Kenjaku was standing up with his hand over his heart. A smile on his face as he said. "Thus the mother of the conservative faction, the Kamo clan, is me. The 25th Clan-Head's mine too." Kenjaku revealed, having been the one to have killed him.
"There's no place for you here now, and we'll never meet again." Kenjaku finished, banishing his son from his own clan after taking it over by killing the current Clan Head... him.
Watching as the images disappeared leaving him floating in the infinite mirrors again he couldn't help but stare out into infinity as his eyes widened.
Something about that felt… too real.
If Kenjaku was indeed real then what Atlas explained before about him wanting to take over Geto's body lined up with this and various things that Joben had done and pushed for also made sense. Things that Atlas shouldn't have been able to know about.
This was just… things fell into place a little too well for him to just be able to not even give it some thought.
---
As if reality shattered for a moment there was the sound of cracking before the Clan-Head appeared in the spot he was sitting in previously.
Seeing Atlas sitting across from him panting heavily he watched in a bit of shock.
"Sorry about this… it takes a lot out of me to affect other planes so greatly and show reflections of realities that I have seen. It is exhausting. Sorry, I could not show you more but I had to keep it to the important parts." Atlas explained as he shakily took a drink from his cup.
Of course, he was fine, he just didn't want to be asked to show more.
"Was all of that real?" The Clan-Head said, asking to make sure, carefully studying Atlas as he answered but the confidence the boy answered with was shocking.
"Yes, I can make a binding vow to tell you the truth and repeat everything that I have said. I am confident that it is real. I am sure, that the vision I just showed you was something that happens in the future if things go according to Kenjaku's plans. It is one of the only two visions I have had, but it was enough for me to start figuring out who this man was." Atlas explained.
He would prefer if people didn't know that he could see the future but it did have its uses. It also made it easier to win over the Kamo Clan, if he wanted to remove the influence that Kenjaku had made within the Jujutsu Society he needed to get the Higher-Ups to declare him a traitor and curse-user and make it almost impossible for anyone that had a scar on their forehead to move around seen.
Of course that was the easy route. But if they didn't he would have to do it the hard way.
He had to force Kenjaku to lose his power no matter what.
He had stayed inactive because of fear for too long but now wasn't the time to do that. Yes, he may lose people, but that was a sacrifice he would deal with if the time came.
Sighing Atlas leant his forearms against the table, letting the Clan-Head think as he did so. Waiting for a while Atlas heard him clear his throat as he looked up. "You seem to have a lot of thoughts on your mind. I will take one worry away from you, however. You will have my support at the upcoming meeting."
Smiling Atlas held his hand out and as they shook hands Atlas said. "That is good, be careful of people until then. Don't trust anyone with a scar on their head and if you are in danger break this Talisman and I will come and help you. Kenjaku might try to do something before the meeting so I am trying to take precautions." Atlas explained before standing up.
After goodbye formalities were exchanged Atlas disappeared from where he was sitting. Vanishing into thin air.
Staying where he was for a bit he waited for a while, watching as the Kamo clan started to go about their business as normal. The Clan Head met and talked with a few trusted elders about the discussion as well.
He was mostly staying around to make sure the classic Villain appearing after the Hero left thing didn't happen. He knew the Kamo clan had deep ties with Kenjaku after all…
---
Appearing in Jujutsu High once more Geto was already waiting for him. His talk hadn't gone as smoothly but he had managed to get the Zenin Clans support.
Nodding his head, happy with the results it didn't take long to make sure that Gojo also knew what was going on as he was going to be representing the Gojo clan as the current head, alongside his advisor who was one of the Higher-Ups since he wasn't of age yet. Of course, Gojo had more say in the end.
With everything in place, Atlas stepped into another dimension. Arriving in an empty plane that just had a reflection of his room at Jujutsu High. Laying on the bed was Frank, the talisman still over his eyes. His sleeping form was seemingly at peace. His chest wasn't rising and falling, his body was in stasis however, his mind was still unfrozen.
"How is he?" Atlas asked as he sat on another seat next to Hoshi who was sitting beside the bed. While he was in this plane he just looked like himself. A normal human boy, his hair was still long and his skin still pulled tight over his skeleton but it wasn't so pale anymore. As if he had life in him once more.
The most outstanding thing about him was his iris' burning a powerful orange like the surface of the sun. His gaze was constantly a bit wide as if he was seeing things beyond this world.
"He is okay, his mind is worn and paths have been forcibly changed, wearing and cutting some connections and doing some damage that might not be fixable but he should be able to recover. Someone will just need to enter his mind like I entered yours and help untangled the cursed Technique that Kenjaku left behind. Luckily it shouldn't be that hard with Joben dead." Hoshi explained.
"The remnants of the technique are being supplied by Frank's own cursed energy, drawing from it to sustain itself just like the effects Kenjaku had over me did. He must realize they are not real, must realize that his memory was altered before he can change anything though." Hoshi finished. Turning to look at Atlas who was staring at Frank ever since he sat down.
After a moment of silence, Hoshi broke it and said, "You have called me your best friend more than once since I saved myself. Why? We do not know each other that well." He questioned, his voice a bit confused.
"We are one and the same are we not? You gave me your body to save yourself. And in return, I have done my best to save your mind." Atlas stated, wondering where he was going. "I feel we know each other far better than anyone else will ever know us, I know you better than Toji, better than Frank, better than Geto or Gojo. To me, you're like a brother." Atlas said, turning to look at Hoshi.
"We are connected by something deeper than even blood. That night, after we came down from the roof. And actually spent some time exploring the streets of China in what we both thought were your last moments I think we both did become friends. It felt natural… Like I've known you longer than I had." Atlas continued.
Nodding his head Hoshi responded after some thought, "I suppose you're right. Thank you, for being willing to save me and not just erasing me." Hoshi said, smiling slightly as he looked at Frank. "I always have wished I had a brother. I'm glad that I decided to try and live a little longer."
Looking at Frank a few for a bit longer he remembered how he had reacted to seeing him after the fight with Kenjaku, how panicked he had been. How sadly the name Hoshi came out of his mouth. "Do you remember anything before I took over your body?" Atlas suddenly asked.
Seeing Hoshi's eyes sadden a bit as he knew why he was asking the question he said. "No… well I do, but the memories all feel grey. Of a normal family, me going 'crazy' and ending up in the asylum. There are too many gaps. I know they're not real but I can't remember anything else." Hoshi explains, looking at his hand.
"That's alright… I don't expect you to remember and if you never want to then don't try to. You have a new life now." Atlas said.
He had never really felt awkward around someone, but there was a level of that between him and Hoshi. The tension that might or should be there was replaced by misunderstanding. Like two best friends that hadn't seen each other for years and just… weren't clicking like they used to.
It was weird, but they would get over it shortly, he hoped. After all, there were a lot of things that had happened between them.
"Well, I have a meeting with some old sleaze bags. When my name is cleared we can go explore Toyko together." Atlas offered, standing up as he walked over to the door, he didn't know why. After all, he could just leave this plane but it felt… right in some odd way?
"Cya around, that sounds awesome. I'll keep you informed if I find anything else. Thanks for your help once again." Hoshi offered, clearly affected by the somewhat odd mood.
Nodding his head Atlas just left, disappearing as he went back to deal with the Higher-Ups.
Staring at Frank Hoshi put his hand on his forehead again and closed his eyes. It was still there. Another soul… he could pull it out and activate it. He knew what it was, a cursed object and some sort of linking mark that Kenjaku had left behind in Frank's body.
Another soul lived in the object… waiting to be awakened. To be able to push out Frank's soul.
He had put up barriers to keep Frank safe and he would need to tell Atlas soon but right now his friend had enough on his plate. He would let him know shortly. But for now, it was best to not add unnecessary stress to Atlas.
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