Three years later, a young boy with spiky green hair—slightly shorter than his peers—walked down a busy street, navigating through the bustling crowd of people going about their daily tasks. Standing at about three feet tall, his eyes were concealed behind a blindfold. He was dressed in a navy blue short and a sea-blue top, moving with purpose, though some onlookers couldn't help but stare and whisper as he passed by.
"Such a charming child! He's rather handsome for his age. But why does he have his eyes covered? Is it some sort of illness?" a high school student whispered to her friends as they walked past.
Suddenly, two men appeared, running in a panic as they searched for someone. At the centre of their frantic pursuit was Taro, his sharp eyes scanning the street. Upon spotting the green-haired boy walking nonchalantly through the crowd, Taro immediately called out.
"Gojin, what are you doing out here? You can't be on the street!"
Hearing his voice, the boy immediately broke into a sprint. "I've been cooped up in that dreary palace for two years without seeing the outside world! I'm not going back!" Gojin muttered under his breath, moving surprisingly quickly for his age.
The three men gave chase, running as fast as they could, while bystanders watched in confusion, some even assuming the boy was being kidnapped. Taro, undeterred, increased his speed, eventually catching Gojin by the top of his head and lifting him off the ground. Despite Gojin's frantic squirming, it was futile—Taro's grip was unyielding. Gojin crossed his arms in frustration, resigned to being returned to his confinement.
Earlier that day,
Gojin had woken at an unusually early hour, 7 AM, which in itself was quite surprising given that he usually slept until noon. It was no accident, however; he had been planning his escape while the workers inside the massive estate—more akin to a palace—were preoccupied with their daily chores. The grand estate, complete with its sprawling gardens and towering walls, had been progressively fortified to prevent Gojin from fleeing. The walls had only been built higher and higher due to his constant attempts to break free. Even guards had been stationed around him.
As the workers went about their tasks, the exorcists held a meeting in the nearby chambers. Ryu and Yuki, having noticed Gojin's growing restlessness, had conspired to help him escape. They promised they would allow him to leave for just a few hours to explore the world beyond the estate's walls. After all, they were fond of their younger sibling. With their help, Gojin had slipped past the distracted guards.
But as the hours passed, Gojin had overstayed his allotted time. More than three hours had passed, and Ryu and Yuki began to worry. Now six years old, they rushed to find Taro and inform him of Gojin's escape, triggering a search effort.
Two minutes later,
They arrived at a park where two sleek black cars were parked. The two men quickly climbed into one vehicle, while Taro and Gojin entered the other. Inside, the driver was waiting, and another man sat in the front seat.
"Let's head back; we've found him," Taro instructed, and the driver immediately started the car, pulling away with the other vehicle closely following behind.
"If you don't try to escape again, I might take you on my next quest. Would you like that?" Taro's voice carried a note of promise, though it was tinged with his usual dry humour.
Gojin, his anger subsiding, could not suppress a grin. He turned away from the window and looked up at Taro. "Yes!" he responded eagerly, his voice sounding higher than usual in his excitement.
"Good. I have a raid scheduled for this afternoon, but you must promise not to try to run off again. Ryu and Yuki will be accompanying the other exorcists, as they begin their training soon. They'll be heading to the academy in a year, and you must grow quickly too," Taro added, ruffling Gojin's hair.
The Clan's children, as well as those from allied clans, were all required to complete a year of basic training before attending the prestigious Exorcists Academy, Kōkai Gakkō, for a six-year programme. Afterward, they would undergo two additional years of exorcism training for handling low-ranked spirits. Only after completing their education could they be recognised as fully-fledged exorcists.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the grand gates of the Seren Clan's palace. The man seated beside the driver opened the door for Taro and Gojin, allowing them to exit. The two cars parked in the designated garage while Taro and Gojin entered the palace.
Ryu and Yuki spotted them immediately, rushing over with worried expressions. They had grown taller now, standing about two feet taller than Gojin. Both of them seized his hands, a mixture of relief and concern evident in their faces.
Taro, seeing the situation was now under control, released Gojin to his siblings and headed off to meet with Satoshi and the Clan's head to report the incident.
"You said three hours, but you've been gone for six. I won't let you out again, Gojin," Yuki declared, her voice firm.
Ryu immediately chimed in, "We'll be out for a while, so you'll have to follow the rules. But if you do, I'll let you play a VR game with me."
Gojin's excitement soared, and he decided to comply, knowing that the promise of a reward awaited him if he adhered to the rules. His siblings dropped him off in his room before heading to the relaxation hall, as they would be leaving shortly.
Once alone, Gojin made his way to the tiny chair at his desk, where six books sat, all above his reading level. Yet, he could read them effortlessly, his mind already beyond his years.
"Stats!" he called out mentally, summoning the system's response.
Two small screens materialised in mid-air before him:
Name Given: Gojin Yamamoto
Title: God of Doom and Chaos
Rank: Special Rank
Ki present: 89, still able to obtain more
EXP: 10
Techniques: None
Skills: The Heavenly Six Eyes: Doom
Host can go on quests to receive more EXP, techniques, and skills
The second screen displayed:
Store: Locked
Book Tab: Currently unavailable
Main Goal: Become the acclaimed Celestial in a God's rank
Level: God Beginner
Vault: Reach level! The Overlord
"That's understandable. Can I control or even restrain my gaze?" Gojin asked.
Yes, Host can restrain the power of the Heavenly Eyes. The Host must obtain a special technique known as RUNO for restraint.
Difficulty in obtaining: Easy
"Yes! So, by going on quests, I can acquire that technique. But when will I receive quests?" Gojin inquired eagerly.
Quests will be issued by the system.
With a satisfied nod, Gojin closed the system tab with a thought. His gaze drifted to the window outside, and he stood up from his chair, contemplating his next steps. A teddy bear, tied to the bedside, caught his attention. He approached it, bent down to its height, and opened the left side of his blindfold. His green eye—glowing like an emerald—was revealed, and as soon as his gaze landed on the bear, it exploded in a burst of fluff, sending soft stuffing scattering across the room.
Quickly, Gojin closed his eye and lay down on the warm floor, lost in thought.
The sliding wooden door opened, and Taro entered, a smile on his face and a katana in hand. "It's time; let's go."
Overjoyed, Gojin quickly grabbed his notepad, where he had been keeping detailed records of everything he had observed so far.