Urgh... I'm so sore, I could spend the day in bed... Sensei should be coming to wake me up any minute now, I'm surprised she hasn't already, usually she just comes into my room screaming about her practice all excited. What time is it? Did I wake up too early? IT'S ALREADY EIGHT IN THE MORNING?!?! Damn it, why didn't anyone come wake me up?
Oh...
right...
The beginning of everything and the test...
How could I forget something so important? What an idiot! Mom probably has a lot more to explain to me and I have to prepare for when Gojo returns... One thing at a time, plus I can ask her for help on this matter. Sigh, I look for some comfortable clothes, I manage to find a pair of jeans and a basic white shirt with sleeves that reach just past the elbow and my dark green sneakers that have three white lines, should be enough. With things in hand, I'm going to do my morning routine, a warm shower, brush my teeth and use the toilet.
...
Now that Mom knows how I feel about my gender, will she help me with the transition? It's so weird being a girl, NOTHING AGAINST WOMEN!!! However, I don't feel comfortable being one, I'm a man! I could be a forty-five-year-old grown man these days... Damn! I get lost again thinking about my past life, it's gone, I died, I must move on, thinking about it will only slow me down, especially with what's to come.
Yes, I am a man, however I must leave my old life behind, I am currently fifteen, not thirty, not forty-five! Urgh... Why is this kind of thing so difficult? Reminds me of the years after my... After my breakups...
...
Even if I wanted to go to a psychologist, which I don't, how can I tell them I'm reincarnated? That I can see invisible monsters? What do I know about the future? They're just going to put me in the hospital, and with very good reasons. Assuming I manage to talk to one who is part of the Jujutsu world, am I really going to tell him the truth? That this is all an anime? That their life is a lie? Can I really do this? Well... I can, but I don't think I want this information to go out to just anyone.
I better go down and see my mum, she might be worried I'm taking too long and breakfast won't eat itself lol. Slowly and carefully I go down the stairs, although I feel much better after the shower, I'm still quite sore, which is not very new for me, samurai start their training from the age of five, in fact the heaviest part starts at eight , but I already practiced a little with a small wooden sword at five.
When I think about it back in the day, at twelve years old someone could already be considered a samurai, I'm so happy that sensei and my mother continued to train me. I wonder if they continued because I'm too slow and couldn't be ready in time or if it's because they felt I was too young to be ready to officially be a samurai, I hope the latter is correct.
- Good morning mother, good morning Keiko Sensei! - I greet both adults.
- Good morning my love. - My mother answers back.
- Hey Hana! Come sit down Masako is making a delicious breakfast, it's yours favorite combination! English bread with butter, strawberry yogurt, black coffee, arugula, pickled peppers and scrambled egg. - The eldest exclaims happily.
- Heh, I hope it still have enough for me, I'm starving. - I say joking.
- But of course there is, you deserve much more, after everything that happened yesterday. - She says with a sympathetic smile.
- Yes... Mother, now that these sorcerers know about my existence and will come after me... Could you tell me a little more about your father and his family? - I ask to prepare myself for what is to come.
- Of course dear, your father is a strong Jujutsu sorcerer, he comes from one of the three main families, the Kamo. Although in the world of sorcerers the family lineage, power and relationships you have are extremely important, I beg you dear, stay as far away from your father as possible, he is extremely conservative, who values ββtradition and blood lineage above all. He can be extremely ruthless and strict, you don't want to be around him! - Mom says looking at me very seriously.
- Okay, I'll try not to approach him and I'll think twice before accepting anything he tells me. - I agreed calmly.
- Good! Changing the subject, let's go to something lighter, I'll give you the Higekiri sword after lunch. Your teacher will leave you alone until then, after that you will train, so you can get used to the new katana. - The young adult woman with dark hair explains.
- All right, I think I'll take a walk around the neighborhood, to think about all this. - I explain while I continue to eat breakfast.
- That's good, just don't take too long, don't go too far. - Mother asks with affection and concern.
- Leave it to me. - I say with an excited smile.
After finishing eating I went out on the street, heading towards the construction site that is almost at the end of the neighborhood... The day is a little colder than usual, it must be because of the cursed spirit nearby. He's been here for a few weeks now, almost a month, but I didn't have the courage to exorcise him, I believe he could be grade two, almost one, which is obviously very powerful, I don't know if I can destroy him... But I must try, my mother passes by when she goes to the supermarket, one of these days she could just be walking and be attacked.
...
Now that I'm going to get a new sword and I'm going to have to go to Jujutsu school, I can't postpone the fight any longer. Even though I'm afraid I must face it, if I want to stay by Yuji's side and protect him I have to be stronger than this curse or the ones to come will easily kill me. I take a deep breath, take one last look at the old building, which is now just burnt-out ruins, and calmly walk back home, kicking a pebble in front of me every now and then.
Just before I open the door of the house, I feel a strong presence, as if someone were watching me, which makes me quickly turn my head back, looking for the person responsible, I observe my surroundings and look for the cursed energy, but it is as if as soon as I turned around the person had disappeared, gone, ceased to exist.
...
A shiver runs through my body, I open it and quickly enter the house, I wait on alert behind the door, for the return of the cursed energy of whoever was spying on me, however the minutes go by and nothing changes, I end up giving up and I go look for my sensei, better don't let your guard down, but I can't just stay there, I have a feeling that the person will come back, so it's just a matter of time.
- Hana! As your kenjutsu teacher and being the one who guided you through samurai teachings, I Saito Keiko, officially declare you a samurai and hand you over to Katana Muramasa. - Sensei says seriously with the sword in hand.
- I Watanabe Masako deliver you to Katana Higekiri and I declare you the newest head of the Watanabe clan. - Complete mother, with the family heirloom in hand, just like the other woman.
- Thank you so much, I will honor you, follow our traditions and guide the Watanabe clan to a bright and remarkable future! - I exclaim with determination and pride.
As soon as I finished speaking I took both swords and the three of us bowed. Feeling better and with a lighter mind, I went to get my sword belt, I crossed my right arm and closed the belt diagonally on my left side, so I could put my katanas on my back. As soon as I start to see myself in the mirror I notice how my hair has grown, it's already a little past my shoulder, it's past time to cut it, I'll ask my mother for help later.
I'm extremely curious about the swords, they both have cursed energy and are obviously cursed tools, I wonder if they were imbued with cursed technique and not just energy. They have a high amount of cursed energy, which reinforces the idea that both can be more than they appear, if so, what do they do? If I remember correctly the Muramasa Katana is known to be a demonic blade with the power to turn people into assassins, while the Higekiri Katana was wielded by the first Watanabe, there isn't much else about it, at least not that I'm aware of.
Hmmm...
Sensei said that later I would be able to train with them, to get used to it, I think I'll take advantage now that I have free time to ask her to take me to our training place, it's a clearing, located in the densest part of the forest behind my house, it's a bit far and there's no lake nearby.
- Sensei Keiko I'm going to go to our training area, can you tell the mother, please? - I ask while I finish getting everything I need.
- Sure! Just make sure you don't come back too late, or Masako will give me a hell of a lecture. - The woman with mint green long hair, tied in a bun says.
- All good. - I say smiling, before waving at her and leaving towards the clearing.
The walk took about half an hour, the forest is very calm today, I hardly heard any birds, no curses around, the sun at one in the afternoon is good and the wind is very weak and warm, a calm and good day for to relax. Upon arriving at my destination, I drop the five-hundred-milliliter PET bottle onto a large cut log, which I normally use as a bench. With everything ready, I remove both swords from my back and observe them before choosing which one to start with, better to train one at a time before trying to use both together, not to mention that the stories involving Muramasa are not good or cool at all , so I must confirm that it's safe.
Deciding to start soon and with the one I have more knowledge with, I focus a little bit of cursed energy throughout my body and try to mentally prepare myself for what is to come, since the stories about this kanata are not good at all. It wouldn't be nice if the tales were true and I was left with an insatiable bloodlust, so the best place to train is here, far away from civilization.
Gathering courage, after all if I don't do it today, I will have wasted time for nothing, I took the sword with one hand on the hilt and the other on the blade. I examine the slide while waiting to see if I feel any different over time.
hmmmm...
...
I'm really feeling more excited for a fight, but I don't feel like killing crowds or anything like that. I will hold it a little longer and train myself to adapt to its weight, if I feel my feelings getting too strong I will drop the katana immediately.
I position myself with my legs slightly apart, the left slightly forward, I send more blood to my arms and I start doing as if I were doing an up and down attacks repeatedly, I do the same movements for what must be about ten minutes, before changing exercises. Now my left leg goes well forward and I bend it, my right leg goes back, slightly bent, the heel of my right foot is raised, in addition to both my arms being very straight, being in the ideal position, I start horizontal movements, from front to back and back to front.
I train each movement for ten minutes, when I finish one I go back to the other, I stay in this sequence for about an hour. Already feeling confident with the sword, I take the opportunity to take a break and switch to Higekiri. The sword I was using now definitely increased my will to fight and maybe, a little, also my bloodlust, however, for me to reach the level of the stories I would have to hold it for days, something unlikely to happen, anyway, I must not forget how dangerous it's.
Before I can put the katana back on my sword belt, I accidentally make a small cut on my hand, I quickly control the blood to continue to stay inside my body, unfortunately I wasn't fast enough as it soiled the blade a bit , but before I can wipe it away, before my eyes I see the blood being absorbed and I feel as if all my tiredness is gone.
...
HOLY CRAP! Those stories were not lies!!! The sword actually feeds on blood! Damn... Okay! I just... I just have to keep an eye out and study more about it, that's it! There's nothing I have to worry about! Yeah... Alright, I better focus on the other sword for now and tonight I'm going to google more things about Muramasa.
I keep the cursed katana and take the Higekiri. After picking up the other sword, Ibegan to examine it, I notice that it is much lighter than it looks, it is a large sword, however I can hardly feel the weight of it in my hands, it has a firm handle, but not rough , like the one above. I get into position and as soon as I start the movements I notice how much easier I can do them than usual, is it because she is lighter? No! There's something wrong, please don't let this be a demonic sword like the other one, please let it just be the cursed energy making it easier, please.
I've never used a cursed tool, but the ones I've seen from the anime were much quieter, they literally didn't drink blood. Maybe I can test it on one of the trees? I mean, just because the sword feels weird doesn't mean it's a cursed bloodthirsty object, like it has cursed energy, but it doesn't necessarily have to be something bad, like that chain that as long as you don't see the end of it, it stays infinite.
I nervously approach the tree and forcefully cut through the middle of the trunk, literally. I know it's not my strength, as it usually takes me at least two hits to cut down a tree and this one is big and thick, harder than others. Does that mean this sword makes me stronger? Is that why she felt so light? If I'm correct, this sword is better than I imagined, it will help me a lot, I have to try to use it together with my cursed technique.
Happy with what I learned, I decided to spar with it for an hour, the same way I did with the other sword, before heading back. I end up getting home around four in the afternoon, feeling much better and more excited than any other time I've trained I've decided to try again to lift the lake behind the house, however this time I'm going to ask my mom to supervise me, I don't want to that the same thing happens as last time.
Before talking to her, I go to the kitchen and grab a delicious chadango, which is honestly better than the Bocchan dango, the famous pink, green and white one, or the Hanami Dango, which is similar but is made with Sakuras and the pink tone is lighter. When I was little I made a point of trying both, since I was reborn in Japan I had a duty to try traditional snacks, I was acting and thinking like the child I seemed to be, lol.
But I don't regret my decision, I managed to fulfill several of my dreams that I never could in my past life, just when I had enough money and found myself in a stable situation, the pandemic began. On second thought... will the pandemic happen in this world? It's 2018, so there's still a possibility, maybe in the future I should let my mom and Yuji know about it.
Damn, I had forgotten. I'll have to talk to Yuji about what's to come, how I always knew everything but never said anything, maybe if I had said something... Why didn't I say anything? I didn't even try to look for other sorcerers, in fact I was trying not to see any sorcerers. Guess I was in denial, huh? I didn't want to believe that this was real... Just like it took me three years to accept that I really had died and been reincarnated...
...
Luckily I didn't sit still and actually trained my skills, both physical and magical. Maybe things could have been different, but I can't keep regretting it, it won't help me at all, in fact it will even get in my way! I'll tell Yuji the truth after I've talked to Gojo and Sukuna, it's better that way and I'm sure he'll understand, it may take a while, however, he would never leave me.
- MOTHER? WHERE YOU ARE? - I scream for her.
- Here! - She says behind me, giving me a big shock.
- DON'T DO IT AGAIN!!! - I exclaim loudly after a scream. - I was thinking about going to train my powers, can you accompany me? The last time I did this was last week when I passed out. - I question the young adult.
- Of course dear, I'm relieved that you called me, besides I'm very curious to see what you can do. - Mom says happily.
I give her a big smile, then sit down and finish eating, before leaving the house I take the opportunity to drink a lot of water, go to the bathroom and get one of the bags of blood that I kept for emergencies, to use it on the demonic sword , which made me feel completely refreshed, I shouldn't overdo it with this skill, but I find that every now and then I can use it, it is as useful as it is frightening.
Once in the lake, I check if everything is ok and if it hasn't lost too much volume, or flooded around it, since I don't remember having released my control over the water that was floating, seeing that everything is right, I position myself in my usual place and I begin to explain to my mother what I am going to do.
- Mom, I'm going to lift as much water as I can, for as long as possible. I already control very well the movement or how hard/physical I can make the water, but it's hard to lift large amounts, it's very heavy and I have to spend a lot of cursed energy for it, so I want you to control the time and tell me to stop if you see that I'm bad. - I explain looking at her with a serious face.
- All right, I'll keep an eye out! - mom exclaims.
- When I can start, let me know, okay? - I ask the woman with long hair.
- You can start! - She warns, after a few seconds messing with her cell phone, probably putting it on the timer.
I let my cursed energy mix with the water, as if it were one thing, and I lift it up, slowing it down as it goes higher, stopping only when it gets close to the end of the trees. I know that one day I may need to lift higher, but I don't want to risk someone seeing what I'm doing. Taking advantage of the fact that I'm not doing much, I shape the water to be thinner, covering a larger area and slightly curved downwards at the edges, as if it were a kind of shield.
I stay like this for a while before I start to get tired and I decide to lower the water, carefully. As soon as I see that I managed to do it safely, I go to a nearby tree, to support myself and regain strength, lifting large amounts of water wears me down physically, it's like I have to support the weight of the amount I lift.
- Is everything okay Hana-chan? - My mother asks worriedly.
- Yeah, don't worry. It's just tiredness, I have to make a lot of effort to keep large amounts of water floating. - I explain to her, with a tired smile.
- I see... It's good to see you dedicated, but don't go too far, please. - She asks me with a face of concern.
- Relax, I know it's not good to make too much effort in the body, or mind. I always try to pass my maximum, but when I see that it is too much I stop. - I reassure the adult.
If there's one thing I've learned as someone who has worked professionally in sports, it's that the stuff we see in anime, movies, and series is constantly pushing yourself as hard as you can, it's extremely bad for your body. An example is Saitama's training, in fact all he does is destroy your body and health, yes we should try to exceed our maximum, however things have a limit and our body needs to rest, exercising every day is bad, what ideal is to train one or two things each day of the week, with at least one day of rest.
- Mom, how long could I keep water in the air? - I asked curious.
- You made it for five minutes and twenty three seconds. - She replied looking at her cell phone.
- Thanks, I think I'll train a little more and then I'll come back, if you already want to go, since I'm going to do something different. - I warn her.
- I think I'll stay a little longer. - Mom says while looking for a place to sit.
- All good! - I agree before going back to training.
I'm going to take a chance and try to see how much weight I can hold with a water shield. I separate enough water to fill a small pool, and make it lift some fallen branches, which are nearby, they are not much, I better look for some big stone or fallen tree. We've just been through the tsuyu, a very wet and rainy period that occurs in Japan before summer, so there must have been plenty of trees or branches for me to use as weight.
After a few minutes of walking around the lake I finally managed to find a large branch, which is more like half a trunk. It should be heavy enough, if all this time I've been able to control the water pretty well and I'm still not tired, then I should be able to lift this branch for quite some time. Feeling confident, I dropped the other sticks and sent the water under my newest training object, as soon as I started to lift it I noticed that it might be a little more complicated than I had initially thought, however, I won't give up on the midway.
With some effort I can lift everything, so I started moving it up and down, similar to having a barbell at the gym. I keep doing this until I get tired and switch to combat moves using water to help, just like the Avatar's waterbending, I keep doing this until I get bored and switch to using the Higekiri katana and training with it.
I decided to go back to when I realized that it was already getting dark. Is my mother gone? She did well, it started to get cold and the wind is stronger, I put the sword on my back, make the water return to the lake and calmly go back, enjoying the little light there is still. The sunset is beautiful, very orange, it reminds me of Porto Alegre, the Brazilian city I lived in my past life, it was known precisely for its beautiful sunset...
I wonder if one day, after all that's to come, mom would agree to take me and Yuji there, our family has a lot of money so that won't be a problem, however she hates trips and the few we did were for moving here, in Sendai and two that we had to do because of her job. Now that I come to think of it I was never interested or asked much about her work, she told me she sold things, I assume it's the cursed tools, but where does she get them from?
- Mom, I'm back! I shouted warning my return.
- That's good dear, I was getting worried, I was thinking about picking you up. - She reveals relieved.
- Mom... I wanted to ask you something... You told me about the cursed tools and I know that you work selling old things, are they what you sell? - I question carefully.
- Yes, why the question? I know there's more there, you can spill it. - She says with a smile on her face.
- Where do you get these objects from? Like I don't remember seeing them, plus they must be expensive. - I finally let go of the question I really wanted to ask.
- As I said before, our family has been working with this for generations, since before the Heian era, one of the most important for the Jujutsu world, because of that we have many weapons, armor and special objects, created to deal specifically with curses. - She explains nervously before being quiet for a few seconds. - You know how I lost my parents even before you were born, so all inheritance, including these things, are mine, they are kept in a secret place, for protection. Shortly before I had you, I was offered the proposal to sell certain items to an important family, since then I continue to do that, as funny as it is The family I sell things to has a certain rivalry with your father's family. - She continues to tell me, ending with a small smile probably because of good memories.
- ... To which family do you sell these things? - I ask extremely curious.
- To the Zenim clan family! - She informs me.
- SERIOUS??? - I question surprised, especially because Satoru didn't seem to know or heard her name.
- Heh, yes, but why such a surprise? - She asks, starting to get worried, as if she noticed something bad.
- Well... Yesterday a sorcerer appeared and he talked a little with me, I think I heard him talk about how important the Zenins are.- I said with a fake smile, trying to correct the slip I made.
- I see... - She says with a firm and serious face. - Why don't you take the opportunity to rest, I'll start making dinner soon. - She asks me.
I obey my mother, obviously my slip has alerted my mother to something, which unfortunately is not good. Dinner passed quite quietly, we only spoke again when I was helping her clean the table and I asked her to cut my hair the next day, luckily she agreed, she even gave me a pat on the head. I would have slept more peacefully if that cursed energy that watched me earlier hadn't returned while I was practicing my cursed technique, it disappeared shortly after I entered the house, I don't know what it is, whether it's a sorcerer or a curse, yet it is strong and I don't think I can defeat them.
The next day started well, my mum cut my hair in a style I liked, she even said I looked very masculine, I know it was to help me but it made me feel a little more aware of how "feminine" I can look. During the afternoon I observed the cursed spirit a little, before training again, but that day I was just in the clearing with the swords and again that cursed energy appeared, observed me for a while, before disappearing.
The four days after it was a similar routine, analyze the curse for a while, go to training, at the lake, or in the clearing, get stalked, go back home, sleep and do it all over again. When it was six days since Yuji ate Sukuna's finger, I was returning after a long day of training, I felt that cursed energy inside my house, with my mother!
Damn it. Maybe if I hadn't left this subject aside she wouldn't be in danger, please mom be okay. I enter the house and with both swords in hand I prepare to attack, but I stop after hearing Satoru Gojo's voice.
- With that your daughter will have the opportunity to be stronger and I can protect her from her father! - He exclaims with his typical happy voice.
- Son! - Mom corrects him.
- Hmmm? - He asks confused.
- My son. Hana is trans! - She explains.
- Oh... - He says nervously. - Sorry, I had no idea. Well, your son would gain a lot by joining Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, plus he could help his foster brother. - Gojo tries to convince her.
- If you're so desperate to get him in, why didn't you approach him? - Mom questions coldly.
- I plan, I'm just waiting for the kid to deal with a problem he's had his eye on for a while. - The taller informs, giving enough intonation in the last part, obviously for me to hear.
- So you've been stalking him for a while. - The woman with purple eyes recognizes in anguish.
- It was... important. - He tries to justify himself.
- ugh... I know I won't be able to keep him away from this, so I'll let him enter that school, however, anything that happens to my boys I'll know! And if something happens, you better be prepared to deal with an angry mother. - She declares extremely serious.
- Don't worry, I'll take care of them. - Satoru promises with a soft smile
Before I can get ready my mother opens the door I was behind, the sorcerer just laughs, shakes my hair a little, jokes that he's not the only stalker and leaves. Mom looks at me with a sad smile before accompanying the man to the exit, making me decide to simply go and prepare some green tea, to help me prepare for the nervousness that is to come, this tea always relaxes me and is very good.
The next day dawns with a gentle but constant rain, perfect for what I have planned. I spend the morning telling myself that everything is going to be okay and that this is the final test to see if I'm fit to protect Yuji. Around two in the afternoon, rested and with lunch already digested, I go to the ruins that are left of the building that inhabits the curse that I've been analyzing for a while, I take a deep breath and I enter the rubble.
I use my cursed technique in the rain to find the cursed spirit, however before I can find him Gojo's energy comes back, along with someone else and a curtain forms across the area. Cool, he planned this... I better not stand still for too long, if I remember correctly the curtain makes the curse show, come out of hiding. With that in mind, I gather as much cursed energy as I can into my body, before it starts to hurt, I activate the flowing red scale and wield both swords.
I don't have to wait long for an attack to come towards me, already ready for that, I momentarily make a wall of water, which as soon as I defend the attack is dismantled, to clear the way for my attack, I use a movement similar to the ninth form of the water breath, to move between the destroyed parts of the building, I use it to propel myself to the second floor, where I attack with the first form, unfortunately the curse is very fast and I only manage to cut the tail.
The curse looks like a gigantic salamander that has a trail of fire on its back, like one of those fire elementals from ancient mythologies. Wasting no time, I use water in a similar way to the Crimson Binding attack, from blood manipulation, to trap him and quickly use the fourth form, landing several blows, which to my surprise do not seem to have affected the curse, since it increases it's fire, vaporizing what held them and quickly heals. Shit!!!
I move away as quickly as possible, even so I almost get hit by a fireball, which causes me a bad landing, as quickly as possible I regain my balance and attack with water in the form of a chakram, just like Slicing Exorcism. The attack goes through the cursed spirit that comes towards me, with a smile I make the attack come back, boomerang style, with the creature distracted I manage to hit its legs, I take this moment to jump over it, what I didn't expect was that the healed tail hit and burn me.
With pain I catch myself on the floor of the second floor and before I can fall I push myself into the first floor, spin a little, before hitting a wall. In a lot of pain, I look at the damage that has been done, luckily it's not much, just a burn on the right side of my abdomen, it doesn't seem very bad, however I better treat myself as soon as this is over.
I use the Muramasa sword to make a small cut on my hand, let a little blood fall on it, which makes me feel better, without tiredness or pain, even though I still have the burn. Getting ready for the curse to find me, I get up, use convergence with the blood that still comes out of my cut, I harden it and prepare myself, as soon as I see the salamander curse I attack it with blood meteorite that hits the creature's head, not losing the opportunity use the remaining water, which has not yet evaporated, to attack it's neck with an attack similar to the first form and decapitate this.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I finally see it disintegrate at the same time as the barrier dissolves. I keep the katanas and move to meet Gojo, when I get there I see him next to Ichiji, who is already in the car.
- I knew you could do it. - The oldest begins to speak.
- Okay, what do you want Gojo? I appreciate that they made a barrier, but why are you here? - I ask without much patience.
- As you heard yesterday, you are going to attend Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, we came to take you there, the director is crazy to meet you. - He says with a smile.
- All right, let's go. - I say getting into the car, knowing very well what Satoru meant with his previous sentence. - I heard that students stay in dorms there, right? Will I stay in one? If so, I'd better get my stuff already. - I declare.
- I don't know! The director will explain everything. - He announces when the car starts to depart.
________________________________________________________________________________
ππ ππ πππππππππ---->