The air around them grew thick—weighted like a storm just moments from pouring down.
Subaru shifted uncomfortably under the pressure, his nerves flaring despite Gojo's relaxed posture.
"So uh… do I meditate? Scream a chant? Or.. like bleed from the eyes or something dramatic?"
Gojo raised an eyebrow, expression unreadable behind his shades.
"You can bleed if it helps you feel cooler. Won't actually do anything, though."
With a light chuckle, he took a few lazy steps back, planting his feet firmly into the soft grass. He stretched one arm outward, hand relaxed but steady—not quite a fist, but not open either.
His tone sharpened, turning from playful to commanding in a heartbeat. "Attack me."
Subaru blinked, his hands dropping to his sides. "Wait—what? Like, punch you? For real? I'm pretty sure hitting a Royal Candidate is like, a 'straight to the guillotine' offense."
"I'll give you a pardon," Gojo nodded, his smirk returning—that insufferably confident, teeth-flashing grin that radiated absolute, untouchable power. "Besides, don't worry about hurting me. You're laughably weak right now."
Subaru's eye twitched.
"Okay, wow. Rude."
"Facts don't care about your feelings, Subaru~," Gojo shrugged, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "C'mon. Don't overthink it. Just hit me with everything your fragile little heart can muster."
Subaru exhaled sharply, his face hardening. He raised his fists—they trembled, but the look in his eyes was pure Natsuki Subaru: stubborn, desperate, and unwilling to back down. With a shout that was more of a primal roar than a battle cry, he lunged.
He swung a wide, desperate haymaker, his entire body weight leaning into the strike—
—and it was casually swept aside.
Gojo's palm glided through the air like a breeze, redirecting the punch with such effortless grace that Subaru's own momentum sent him spinning awkwardly into the grass.
"Eh?!" Subaru blurted out, scrambling to find his footing. "You didn't even move!"
"Don't stop now," Gojo said, his voice flat and unimpressed. "You said you want to protect people. You said you want to stand next to that silver-haired girl. This is where you prove you aren't just talk."
Subaru grit his teeth and charged again. Blow after blow, wild but earnest, fists flying with everything he had. He even threw in a frantic kick—none of them landed. Not even close.
Gojo wasn't using Infinity. He didn't need to. His movements were minimal—a slight tilt of the head here, a parry with the back of a hand there. He was swatting away Subaru's efforts like they were falling leaves.
Huh...
Satoru thought, his Six Eyes tracing the frantic, jagged flow of the Cursed Energy.
He's not completely hopeless. He's got decent reflexes for someone whose only exercise was probably walking to the convenience store.
Gojo cocked his head, a playful, joking smirk tugging at his lips.
He might even be on Suguru's level, heh~
He cut the thought off before it could sting, effortlessly deflecting a final, exhausted punch with a flick of his wrist. This time, he added just a tiny spark of momentum, enough to knock Subaru clean off his feet. The boy tumbled backward, rolling across the grass in an ungraceful heap.
Gojo then clapped his hands together—
"Alright! That's enough. I've seen what I needed."
Subaru pushed himself upright, his chest heaving as he sat cross-legged on the grass. He brushed dirt off his butler sleeves with a scowl.
"You get some kinda kick out of bullying the weak? Is this your version of a hobby?"
Gojo, still standing with his hands in his pockets, let out a short, sharp laugh.
"Not bullying——testing. I had to see if you were a total lost cause or if you actually knew how to move your limbs."
He tilted his head, the sunlight glinting off his shades.
"Good news: you're not the absolute worst I've ever seen. So, congrats on being 'barely functional.'"
Subaru blinked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"…That's the good news?"
"Yup," Gojo gave a nonchalant shrug. "It means we can skip the boring 'how to walk' phase and move straight into the fun stuff. The real 'I might actually die today' stuff."
Gojo stepped forward, the grass crunching softly beneath his boots as he crouched down, meeting Subaru at eye level. Behind the glasses, his gaze felt like it was pinning Subaru's soul to the ground.
"Alright, listen up. As I've said, you've got a ridiculous amount of Cursed Energy bubbling around inside you. There ain't a lot you can do with it yet, but that ain't bad. Regardless, think of it like... a busted fire hydrant. It's spraying out in every direction, wasting all that good stuff you've got stored inside."
Subaru blinked, processing the analogy.
"…So I'm a leaky hydrant?"
"Yup. You've got a lot of energy, but if you even tried to use it now, you'd be wasting way more than is actually required. I guess it's like what I've read about the magic in this world in a sense,"
Gojo grinned, leaning back.
"Your job now is to learn how to seal the hydrant, redirect that pressure, and actually use it. It needs to be a controlled flow, not mindlessly overflowing whenever you feel like it."
He held out his hand, palm up. A faint, steady hum of blue energy shimmered over his skin.
"Cursed Energy is all about control through negative emotion. And we—can weaponize it!"
Subaru furrowed his brows.
"So what, I get angry and then punch harder?"
Gojo clicked his tongue, wagging a finger.
"Nooope. You get angry—and then don't let it show. You feel like crying—but don't let it spill. It's reverse logic. Control over the emotion equals control over the energy!"
He tapped his temple for emphasis.
"Of course, it'll take longer for you since we're just starting, but a pro doesn't waste energy just because they're having a bad day."
Subaru exhaled, trying to sit straighter and channel his inner shonen protagonist.
"Alright. I can do that! So, how do I start?"
Satoru's grin widened into something borderline villainous.
"Easy. First exercise: maintain a constant flow of Cursed Energy through your body. No fluctuations. No leaks. You do that, and I'll know you've got the basics down."
"That doesn't sound hard!"
"You'll fail in the next two minutes," Gojo said flatly. "Maybe one."
Subaru scowled.
"Oh yeah? Watch this."
He closed his eyes, trying to focus. Breath slow, body still. Gojo watched silently, arms folded over his chest. One second passed. Then another. Then—
Flick.
Satoru tilted his head as Subaru's eyes snapped open.
"You failed. Your energy just spiked and dropped... You've got zero control, I guess it's expected but dang man."
Subaru sighed, his shoulders slumping.
"So this is gonna take a while, huh."
"Heh, oh yeah."
He nodded, already turning away to pace a small circle.
"But don't worry—I'm probably a great teacher. I'll break you down juuust enough to build you back up again."
Subaru sat cross-legged, a faint, jagged aura of cursed energy crackling across his shoulders like black mist clinging to the wind. Gojo lowered himself to sit directly in front of him, resting an arm on his knee.
"Alright, we're gonna refine that flow now. I've got really good eyes, Subaru—so I'll know the exact moment you mess up."
He snapped his fingers with mock dramatics.
"And every time you do it wrong? That's one flick. Right to the forehead."
Gojo held up his hand and flicked the air a few times. Each motion let off a sharp, whip-like crack of displaced wind.
Subaru immediately tensed, his eyes bugging out.
"W-Wait, wait, wait! Your flicks hurt, dude!"
"Then don't fail."
Subaru groaned, closing his eyes again.
"You're the worst teacher ever."
Flick.
"AGH!"
Subaru reeled back, clutching his forehead.
"I wasn't even DOING anything yet!"
Gojo shrugged, smirking.
"Uh, yeah, exactly, moron. Cursed Energy isn't passive. You let it go dormant. That counts."
Subaru grumbled under his breath, his forehead reddening.
"You're lucky you're so perfect that there's nothing to make fun of you about."
Satoru chuckled, leaning into the praise.
"Right? Life is difficult as Satoru Gojo... the strongest, most attractive, most badass—"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Subaru grimaced, returning to his focus.
This time, he steadied his breathing. He let the fear rise but didn't flinch. He let the anger swirl but didn't lash out. The cursed energy returned—slow, heavy, and controlled. Gojo leaned in a bit, his smirk softening just a fraction.
"There we go. Keep that rhythm."
A tense moment passed. The aura pulsed, slow and steady, like a heartbeat syncing with his own.
Then—snap.
Flick.
"GAHHHH—AGAIN!?"
Gojo laughed.
"That was a bit better, I guess, but not consistent enough."
Subaru glared at him through watering eyes.
"Why do even your compliments seem forced?"
Gojo leaned back on one hand, raising the other with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Want another?"
"——No!!"
Subaru flailed, desperately trying to rein in his energy. The aura stuttered, then steadied once more, driven by sheer desperation. He drew on the sensation from earlier—the fire, the weight, the grief-turned-power. It began to stir inside his chest. A faint wisp of energy trickled up through his arms.
"Good. Hooooold it…"
Gojo's tone shifted to something surprisingly grounded and instructive.
Subaru's brows twitched—the aura wavered.
Flick.
"OW——YOU BASTARD!"
—————————————
The sun had started to dip low in the sky, bleeding hues of bruised orange and deep violet across the Roswaal estate. The wind had died down to a whisper, leaving the garden in a heavy, expectant silence, save for the distant, rhythmic chirping of birds settling for the night.
Subaru sat cross-legged on the grass. The sarcasm and frantic energy were gone, replaced by a rare, grim seriousness. His eyes were clamped shut, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.
Gojo's voice broke the silence, calm and deliberate, devoid of its usual mockery.
"Alright, I've already told you—stop trying to brute force it. This isn't magic. You're not pumping mana through a gate; you're feeling for the weight of your own soul. Negative emotion is the current. You just have to guide it."
Subaru exhaled, his voice a low rasp.
"Yeah, yeah… negative emotion. Anger. Sadness. Fear. The whole edgy starter pack, I get it..."
Gojo walked in a slow, predatory circle around him.
"Don't just recite the list, Subaru. Don't fake it. Think of something real. Something that cut you deep. Something that makes you want to scream until your throat bleeds."
Silence...
Then, Subaru's fists slowly clenched in his lap, his knuckles turning white.
I've died.
He let out a slow, shaky breath. The weight of those memories—usually suppressed by sheer willpower—began to settle like lead in his chest.
Over and over. Screaming. Alone. No one ever remembered. They just moved on, and I... I can't. I can't move on from the smell of my own blood or the look in their eyes before the world goes black.
Every time I wake up, the pain is fresh. It's clawing at me with cold, unyielding fingers. I've died to enemies, and I've died to people I called friends. It weighs on me unlike anything else. Sometimes I just sit there, wondering, 'Can I keep doing this?' Even though I know I don't have a choice.
I hate how weak I am. How powerless.
I thought I was lucky at first. 'A second chance.' But what good is a second chance if I'm just going to fail again... and again... and again? I hate that I'm the one who always breaks first. The one who stumbles when it actually counts.
Why me?
The question burned inside him, sharp and bitter. Anger rose—hot, heavy, and jagged—threatening to spill out, but he clamped his mental jaws shut.
Gojo said I need to control it. Shape it. But right now, it feels like it's tearing me apart from the inside. But... maybe this is it. Maybe if I can hold this storm still, just for a second... focus all this grief into a single thread...
Maybe I won't be the broken kid anymore. Maybe I can finally fight. Maybe I can finally live—
And then... he felt it.
A low, rhythmic hum in his chest. A whisper of cold fire. A burn that didn't hurt. It crept along his spine like a coiling snake, making his skin tingle as if something deep inside had finally been recognized. It wasn't the "Gate" of this world. It was weight. It was guilt. It was Cursed Energy.
His body began to shimmer faintly with a dark, translucent aura that rippled like ink in water.
Subaru's eyes opened slowly. Tears welled in the corners, but they didn't fall.
"…I feel it."
His voice quivered—not with weakness, but with awe.
Gojo's lips curled into a knowing, genuine grin. He leaned forward and, to Subaru's shock, wrapped an arm around his neck in a quick, brotherly side-hug.
"Nice one, dude! Not gonna lie, you picked that up quick as hell. You've got talent for the dark side."
He ruffled Subaru's hair playfully, messing up the neat butler styling before raising an index finger like a proud professor.
"I always told Suguru I'd be a natural at teaching. Look at me now, eh?"
Subaru blinked, his brow knitting as the dark aura stabilized around him.
"..Right...? Who's Suguru?"
Satoru's grin softened for a fraction of a second, his movements slowing as he straightened up and hopped to his feet, hands slipping back into his pockets.
"My friend," he said, his voice light but carrying a sudden, vast sincerity. "My best friend."
He glanced back over his shoulder, the setting sun catching the white of his hair.
"Anyway! That's enough for today. Remember—it's on you to keep that energy under wraps until morning. I'd rather not stay up all night flicking you like a persistent mosquito."
Subaru let out a dry, exhausted laugh, rubbing the back of his head where Gojo had tussled his hair.
"…Noted."
Flick.
"GAH—!? YOU—??!"
Subaru groaned, his hands flying to his forehead as fresh tears of pain sprung to his eyes.
"You let your guard down," Gojo smirked, already walking away. "Don't forget—you want that control all the time. Even when you're feeling good."
Satoru stepped lightly over the grass, moving with a carefree swagger that didn't disturb a single blade, almost as if he were walking on the air itself.
"Ciao for today, dearest student!"
Subaru stayed on the ground, rubbing his reddened forehead and half-expecting another invisible strike.
But Gojo was already fading into the long shadows of the manor, leaving Subaru alone with the cold, dark power now humming steadily in his veins.
———————————
Subaru rested on his bed, back pressed against the dark ceiling above, a small smile tugging at his lips as he stared up into the shadows.
That… felt good. It's nice… knowing I'm not the only one from Earth here. Though he doesn't feel like he's from Japan like me… He seems way too different!
Restlessness churned inside him, despite everything he'd done today. The training, the flick, the lessons- it all left a spark, but not quite enough to settle his racing mind.
Without hesitation, Subaru swung his legs off the bed and planted his feet on the cool wooden floor. He raised a hand, fingers flexing as if reaching for something invisible.
Alright... control… controool…!!
He let out a deep breath, focusing inward. His palm tensed slightly as a familiar black-and-blue aura began to shimmer, coalescing in a slow, elegant spiral. Like a river flowing quietly, serene but unstoppable, it twisted and danced across his skin.
"It's so weird… this existed on Earth. Like, the hell?"
Emboldened, he took a slight step forward, lifting that single fist and threw a jab—not with desperation, but with emotion.
This time around, however—
SWISH-!
The punch sliced through the air with a sharp, crisp force, rustling the curtains by the window and unleashing a subtle shockwave that rippled outward.
For a moment, silence hung. Then...
"So… cool!!"
Subaru's grin widened, eyes sparkling with newfound fire. For once, he felt like he could actually become something more than just the pathetic shut in.
——————————————
"Heh…"
Satoru chuckled softly, the muffled sounds of a giddy, shadow-boxing Subaru echoing through the walls from a few doors down. It was a pathetic sort of enthusiasm, but rather infectious nonetheless.
So, I'm staying here for a bit.
He stared up at the ceiling of his guest room, the ornate carvings looking sharp and clinical through his shades.
Still don't exactly trust that Roswaal dude, but he's playing the polite host for now—so I'll follow his lead. Until he gives me a reason not to.
Gojo's mind drifted, the Six Eyes replaying the data he had gathered like a high-speed film reel. Each face in the mansion was a unique signature of energy, some more volatile than others.
Emilia...
Her presence was surprisingly vast, but it wasn't just her. There was a symbiotic weight tied to her soul——it felt powerful.
Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing yet. But hey—new world, new rules. I won't jump the gun.
Then there were the sisters. Ram, the pink-haired one, had a strange, jagged concentration of mana around her forehead—like a scar that refused to heal or a limb that had been severed but still felt the phantom itch of power. Rem was similar, but her energy was more stable, albeit suppressed, as if she were holding her breath.
And then—there was Subaru.
Subaru, Subaru... I can't tell if he's hiding something or if he's just blissfully blind to the bomb strapped to his soul.
Satoru's brow furrowed slightly. In all his years, his eyes had never stuttered. But with Subaru, it was like peering into nothingness. There was something in him—something dark, heavy, and fundamentally wrong, like something that did not follow the rules and law of the word——It was a shadow deeper than any Curse he'd ever exorcised, a void that seemed to swallow the information the Six Eyes tried to pull from it. It had taken everything in him to keep his smirk from slipping when he first looked at the kid.
My eyes didn't lie... but they definitely couldn't see the bottom of that pit.
"Haah… whatever..."
He exhaled, letting the tension bleed out of his shoulders.
He sank into the plush mattress with a relaxed sigh, the silk sheets feeling far too expensive for someone used to a dorm bed.
His eyes closed slowly, a faint, crooked grin tugging at his lips as the quiet of the Lugunican night took hold.
Tomorrow's gonna be even more of a mess. I personally cannot wait~