As the car drove off to its destination, Ichiro couldn't help but ask Gojo about the reason for going to the Zenin Clan.
"Um, Gojo Sensei, can you tell me the reason why you brought me along with you?" Ichiro asked, nervousness laced in his voice.
"We were discussing on the phone about Megumi," Gojo replied calmly.
"Megumi?... Why? Didn't you cut off the transaction between my father and the Zenin Clan?" Ichiro inquired, wanting more details.
As they drove, Gojo listened to Ichiro's concerns about the Zenin Clan's persistence in acquiring the Ten Shadows.
"Well, yes, they are quite persistent," Gojo agreed, glancing at Ichiro. "They'll do anything to get their hands on the Ten Shadows, even if it means dirtying their hands."
Despite doubting the Zenin Clan's ability to take Megumi away from Gojo's care, he found the situation intriguing, a smirk playing on his lips. Gojo noticed the expression, silently amused.
After a few hours, they arrived at their destination, greeted by people bowing on both sides of the path. A man in his 60s, wearing a yukata, stood before them.
"Hello, Gojo," Naobito greeted.
"Yo," Gojo replied playfully. They exchanged short greetings before heading inside. Walking through the long corridor, Ichiro marveled at the grandeur of the place. He observed people training together, reminiscent of scenes from Chinese movies.
As they continued, Ichiro noticed a group of girls picking a fight with a pair of twins.
'Hmm? Oh, it must be them, Mai and Maki,' ichiro remarked upon seeing the twins.
"You shouldn't look at them; they are the curse of this clan," a man's voice suddenly interjected from behind. Both Ichiro and Gojo turned to see a man with an x-shaped scar on his face.
"Jinichi, what are you doing here?" Naobito inquired.
"Just got curious," Jinichi replied vaguely, evading the question. He then turned his gaze towards Ichiro.
"So, this is Toji's eldest son," Jinichi stated, looking Ichiro in the eyes. Ichiro met his gaze, but Jinichi sensed a lack of interest in Ichiro's demeanor, which irritated him. However, he kept his expression neutral.
"You've certainly inherited your father's gaze," Jinichi remarked, his eyes keenly studying Ichiro.
"Why, thank you," Ichiro retorted playfully, a hint of pride in his voice. On the sideline, Gojo observed the exchange with a smirk, thoroughly entertained by the interaction.
"Gojo, let's continue our discussion in that room" Naobito suggested, gesturing towards the direction they had come from.
"Alright, Ichiro, you're coming?" Gojo turned to Ichiro with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah, yes—" Ichiro began eagerly, but his words were cut off by Naobito's firm interruption.
"Children are not allowed in this room," Naobito stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Ichiro nodded understandingly. "Oh, I see. Well, you can stay here, Ichiro," Gojo reassured him, patting him lightly on the shoulder.
"You don't have to worry about him. I'll ask some lower-rank members to show him around," Naobito assured Gojo.
After a few moments, two lower-rank members arrived and bowed respectfully before Ichiro. "Please, follow us," they said, indicating for him to join them. Meanwhile, Jinichi quietly followed behind
"So, when are you gonna stop following me?" Ichiro finally confronted Jinichi after a few minutes of walking.
" I just happen to be walking in the same direction as you," Jinichi replied casually, but Ichiro could sense the underlying intent in his words.
'As if. I know how your mind works. You're observing me to assess if I could be of use to you. I know you're just a greedy man, you're one of the reason why Mai, maki and megumi were branded as rebel for trying to release Gojo in the prison realm' Ichiro accused, his tone sharp.
"I see. Have it your way then," ichiro responded nonchalantly
As they continued walking, Ichiro came across a training ground. He noticed the twins sitting on the sideline, and in the middle, a group of people wielding weapons surrounded a man who appeared to be around 22 years old.
'That guy must be Naoya,' Ichiro thought to himself. He watched the scene unfold with interest, wondering what was happening in the midst of the training ground.'
As Ichiro continued to observe Naoya, he sensed the gaze of ichiro landed on him.
"What are you looking at, brat?" Naoya's voice cut through the air, sharp and confrontational.
Ichiro remained composed, responding calmly, "I'm sorry if I offend you. I'm only looking at this place, and you happen to be in my line of sight."
Before Naoya could retort, Jinichi interjected, introducing Ichiro, "This kid is Megumi's older brother. His name is Ichiro Fushiguro."
Naoya clicked his tongue inwardly, feeling annoyed by the intrusion.
'tsk another pest'
He then returned to his training, brushing off Ichiro's presence as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Ichiro decided to take a seat. His guides looked puzzled.
"Um, aren't you going to look around?" one of them asked.
"I'm kinda tired, so I want to rest here," Ichiro replied with a smile, accepting the snacks and drink they offered.
After the guides left, Jinichi also took his leave, leaving Ichiro alone to contemplate the events of the day in the bustling training ground.
"Sigh, finally some peace," Ichiro muttered to himself as he enjoyed the tranquility, savoring his snack.
As he sat there, Ichiro couldn't help but notice the curious gazes of those around him, including the twin. Maki's unwavering stare caught his attention, but she made no move to approach him.
Finishing his snack, Ichiro stood up, intending to leave, but before he could make his exit, he heard Gojo's voice calling out to him.
"Hey," Gojo greeted him as he approached.
"Oh, Gojo Sensei, are you done with the negotiation?" Ichiro inquired, turning to face his mentor.
Although Ichiro hadn't witnessed the negotiation firsthand, he could gauge from Naobito's expressions that things hadn't gone as planned for him. He observed the subtle signs of frustration and disappointment on Naobito's face, confirming his suspicions
"Yeah, so let's go?" Gojo asked, ready to leave the bustling training ground.
As they exited, they got into the car and drove off. During the journey, Gojo turned to Ichiro, seemingly curious about his opinion of the Zenin Clan's compound.
"So, how was it? Did you like the place?" Gojo inquired.
"No, it was dreadful. I can't even imagine staying there for an hour," Ichiro replied honestly, his expression reflecting his distaste for the environment.
"I see. Oh, by the way, we will resume our training tomorrow, okay, and also there's something I'll be giving you tomorrow so look forward to it" Gojo informed him.
"Yeah," Ichiro agreed, mentally preparing himself for the rigorous training sessions ahead. He glanced out of the window, already eager to leave the Zenin Clan's domain behind and return to the familiarity and comfort of their own training grounds.
After arriving, Gojo invited Ichiro to eat in a nearby restaurant. However, due to the amount of snacks Ichiro consumed in the Zenin clan, he found himself quite full. Understanding Ichiro's predicament, Gojo decided to leave him on his own as he had something urgent to attend to.
"Whew, I'm so full right now. I think I ate too much," Ichiro remarked to himself while walking down the hallway. Despite his full stomach, he made his way to his room and decided to take a quick nap.
An hour later, Ichiro was awakened by a sudden knock on his door.
"Hmm?" He groggily stood up, reaching the door and opening it before saying, "Who is it?"
"Yo, where you sleeping?" Gojo's voice came through the door.
As Ichiro rubbed his eyes, he responded with a yawn, "Yeah, what is it, Gojo Sensei?"
"Here," Gojo said, immediately handing Ichiro a uniform and an ID.
Ichiro blinked, a bit confused. "What's this for?"
Gojo grinned. "You're officially joining the Jujutsu High School as a student. Consider it a surprise enrollment!"
Ichiro, seemingly oblivious to what was happening, asked Gojo about the sudden enrollment. Gojo noticed Ichiro's confusion and decided to explain.
"Well, I asked Yaga Sensei, and he immediately agreed," Gojo explained, a hint of amusement on his face.
However, Ichiro still couldn't comprehend the reason for his enrollment. "Isn't it too vague? Could you give me a more detailed explanation?"
Gojo chuckled. "Well, no need to sweat the small stuff. The important thing is, you are now a student."
Ichiro nodded slowly, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. "I see," he said, accepting it as it was. Deep down, though, he couldn't shake off the feeling of curiosity about the sudden turn of events.
With excitement in his voice, Gojo urged Ichiro to put on the uniform.
"Now, hurry up and wear it, Ichiro!"
"A-alright," Ichiro stammered, feeling a mix of confusion and eagerness. He closed the door behind him and began to change. As he reached for the uniform, his eyes caught sight of his ID. It looked like a typical ID at first glance, but one thing stood out—printed on it was.
"Special Grade, huh," Ichiro muttered to himself, feeling a rush of pride and anticipation. With a sense of determination, he continued to don the uniform. As he finished putting it on, he stood before the mirror, examining his reflection. The uniform was predominantly black with striking red lines accentuating the neckline, giving it a bold and formidable appearance.
Feeling a surge of excitement and determination coursing through him, Ichiro couldn't help but grin at his reflection.
After showing off his uniform to Gojo, Ichiro received a thumbs up from his sensei. Together, they stepped outside.
"Gojo Sensei," Ichiro began, curiosity lacing his voice.
"Hmm? What is it, Ichiro?" Gojo replied, his attention fully on his student.
"Um, what are we doing outside exactly?" Ichiro inquired, still slightly puzzled.
"We're going to train, of course," Gojo answered with a grin.
"I see," Ichiro said, nodding in understanding.
"Now then, let's begin," Gojo declared, signaling the start of their training session.
As the days passed, a month flew by in the blink of an eye. Ichiro's departure was now nearing, and in an airport terminal, a man with striking white hair and a blindfold was seen conversing with a young kid whose height could easily be mistaken for that of a high schooler.
"So, Ichiro, over this month, you've improved quite a lot. You've become even stronger than last month. You even easily beat Panda, now even in his Gorilla mode, and you've helped exorcise curse spirits," Gojo complimented Ichiro's dedication to his training, a proud smile gracing his lips.
"Well, I couldn't do all this without your help, so I'm very grateful to you, Gojo Sensei," Ichiro responded humbly, bowing deeply to express his gratitude towards his mentor.
"It was my pleasure to help you grow, Ichiro," Gojo replied warmly, his voice reflecting pride in his student's progress.
As Ichiro straightened up, he took a moment to soak in the last few moments of his time with Gojo.
"Well, I'll be going now, Gojo Sensei," Ichiro said, a hint of sadness tingeing his voice as he prepared to depart.
"Yeah, take care of yourself, Ichiro," Gojo replied, his tone filled with genuine concern for his student's well-being.
As they bid farewell at the airport, Ichiro boarded the plane and embarked on his journey back to Africa. After hours of flight, he safely arrived at the airport where Kyle was eagerly waiting for him. They exchanged small greetings before entering a car and driving home.
Upon reaching home, Ichiro began unpacking his luggage before heading downstairs to the living room where Kyle was seated.
"Hey, Kyle," Ichiro called out, catching Kyle's attention.
"Yeah, what is it?" Kyle responded, turning to face Ichiro.
"I'll be heading out for a bit," Ichiro announced, prompting a curious look from Kyle.
"Where are you going?" Kyle inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, I want to see the place since it's been a month, and I kinda miss it," Ichiro replied, wearing a forced smile as he offered Kyle a fake excuse.
"I see. Then be careful, okay?" Kyle said.
Kyle, seemingly oblivious to Ichiro's excuse, permitted Ichiro to leave the house. Ichiro stepped out and started walking away. After a few minutes of walking and surveying the surrounding area for any signs of life, Ichiro summoned Griffin, his loyal shikigami. With a graceful leap, Ichiro mounted Griffin's back, and they soared through the sky towards the familiar battleground where he had fought countless shikigami before.
As they descended upon the familiar landscape, Ichiro couldn't help but notice that the place hadn't changed at all. The air was still thick with the scent of cursed energy, and the eerie atmosphere hung heavily around them.
"Hmm, this place didn't change at all," Ichiro remarked to himself, his eyes scanning the area with a sense of determination. "Since I've now gotten stronger, I guess it's time to continue my shikigami conquest."
Griffin let out a low, rumbling growl of agreement, understanding his master's intentions perfectly. With a confident nod, Ichiro urged Griffin forward, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead in his ongoing quest to conquer the shikigami and hone his skills as a powerful sorcerer.