The Gojo clan was legendary.

Their name carried power, influence, and an unbroken lineage of sorcerers with abilities that defied logic. To be born into the Gojo family meant inheriting a legacy of strength. It meant eyes that could see beyond the realm of ordinary humans. It meant carrying the burden of expectations.

For Kaito, that legacy had always been a double-edged sword.

He stood at the top of a hill within the vast grounds of the Gojo estate, gazing out over the horizon. The sprawling mountains and forests beyond the estate walls seemed distant, disconnected from the world he knew. This was his home, where he had trained, grown, and learned the ways of his family, yet something about it always felt... confined.

The estate was beautiful in its own way—traditional buildings with sloping roofs, expansive gardens, and courtyards filled with the echoes of generations long past. It was a place that echoed with history, and every corner held stories of powerful sorcerers who had come before him.

But for Kaito, it was also a cage.

His Six Eyes had manifested at birth, a sign that he would inherit the ultimate technique of the Gojo clan: Limitless. From the moment his family realized he possessed the same abilities as the legendary Satoru Gojo, Kaito's life had been set on a path he hadn't chosen.

For years, he had trained relentlessly, studying every nuance of the techniques his ancestors had perfected. The weight of their expectations pressed down on him every day, especially from the elders, who watched his progress with an intensity that bordered on suffocating.

Kaito was only sixteen, but the world had already marked him as the next Satoru Gojo. It didn't matter that Kaito barely remembered his distant relative, or that he didn't share the same swagger that had made Satoru infamous. All that mattered was that he had the Six Eyes. He had Infinity. He had the Gojo name.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the estate, Kaito turned and made his way back toward the main house. Inside, the air was cooler, filled with the scent of incense and the soft sound of paper sliding doors opening and closing as attendants moved through the halls. It was quiet today—too quiet.

His father, Kiyoshi Gojo, was away on a mission. He had been gone for over a week, and while that wasn't unusual, Kaito had always felt a sense of unease when his father was away for too long. Kiyoshi was a powerful sorcerer, well-respected among the elders, but even he wasn't invincible.

Kaito's mother, Kaede, was seated in the inner courtyard, sipping tea under the shade of a cherry blossom tree. Her long, dark hair was tied up in a traditional style, her pale blue kimono fluttering slightly in the evening breeze. She looked serene, as she always did, but Kaito knew that behind her calm exterior, she was as worried as he was.

"Still watching the horizon, are you?" Kaede asked, a soft smile playing on her lips as Kaito approached.

"Just thinking," Kaito replied, sitting down beside her. "I've been hearing things."

"Oh? What kind of things?"

"The elders. They've been talking about sending me away. To Jujutsu Tech."

Kaede's smile faltered for a moment, and she set down her cup of tea. "I see."

"They think I'm ready," Kaito continued. "But I don't know if I am. And some of them... they don't even want me to go. They think it's too dangerous."

Kaede looked at her son carefully, her gaze softening. "Kaito, the world outside this estate is dangerous. But you know that better than most. You've trained for this your entire life."

"I know, but…" Kaito hesitated, glancing down at his hands. "What if they're right? What if I'm not ready? I don't feel like Satoru Gojo. I don't even feel like I should be carrying this name."

Kaede's expression softened further, and she reached out to gently touch Kaito's shoulder. "You are not Satoru. And you don't have to be. No one expects you to be him."

"That's not what the elders think."

"The elders... want what they think is best for you. But they don't always know what's in your heart. And you need to trust that."

Kaito looked up, meeting his mother's eyes. "It's not just about that. It's the pressure. The responsibility. If I fail, I'm not just letting myself down—I'm letting down the whole clan."

Kaede sighed softly, a look of sadness crossing her face. "Your father once felt the same way. When he was younger, he struggled under the weight of this family's expectations too. But Kaito, you are strong. And you're not alone in this."

Kaito looked at her, surprised. "Father? He never talked about that."

"He wouldn't," Kaede replied with a small smile. "Your father is a proud man. But even he had doubts when he was your age. The important thing is that he learned to trust in his abilities, and in the people around him."

That evening, Kaito walked through the hallways of the Gojo estate, his thoughts still churning. The sky had darkened, stars flickering to life above the estate's grand architecture. He passed the council chambers, where muffled voices could be heard from behind the closed sliding doors. He paused for a moment, straining to hear the conversation.

"...sending him to Jujutsu Tech is a risk," one voice argued, gruff and sharp.

"And keeping him here is a waste of his potential," another voice countered, calmer but firm.

"He's not Satoru Gojo," the first voice snapped. "We can't expect him to live up to that legacy. If we send him out there and he fails—if he dies—then what was all this training for? We should keep him here, where he's safe."

"And what? Let him stagnate?" the calmer voice replied. "He will never reach his full potential if we hold him back. He needs to see the world, experience the dangers out there. It's the only way he'll grow. Satoru himself wasn't confined to the estate, and look at what he became."

There was a long pause, and then a third voice, older and more authoritative, spoke up. "Enough. We will make our decision soon. Kaito Gojo's future cannot be delayed any longer. The boy needs to know where he stands."

Kaito clenched his fists. It was as he thought—they were still debating his future, treating him like a piece on a chessboard. He couldn't escape the legacy, the expectations. But what was worse was the uncertainty—was he ready for the outside world?

He walked away from the door, the council's voices fading behind him. Tomorrow, they would give him their decision. Whether they sent him to Jujutsu Tech or kept him in the clan, one thing was certain: the weight of his family's name would follow him wherever he went.

But Kaito knew one thing for sure—he didn't want to be a prisoner of the past. He didn't want to be confined to the shadow of Satoru Gojo. He had to find his own path, no matter where it led.