Upon making a pact with Sukuna, the determination in his actions was evident on his face, despite his cursed energy no longer going wild as it had before during the two times he fainted from apprehension. It signified that, at last, the fragments of his soul since, in the end, Sukuna was one with him had reconciled.
At that moment, he appeared calm, slowly opening his eyes. However, as he did so, he felt that those small openings, which his ignorant soul, cleansed of its memories, had thought were birthmarks, were actually small marks that gradually opened, revealing eyes that scanned the surroundings in search of something interesting.
'You reincarnated into vile poverty, brat ' Unlike before, a mouth no longer materialized on Yūji's cheek when Sukuna spoke; instead, he heard him mentally, as if there was an unrecognized personality within him.
From now on, he would regard Sukuna as his cynical, war-loving persona and the husband of death.
' I told you, this place is very different from the era I was in before. In fact, it feels like it's from many, many years in the past. ' The redhead agreed, remaining calm as he sensed Sukuna scanning the area with those small materialized eyes.
' It reminds me of the Heian era; everything here is quite similar. ' Sukuna told Yūji after observing the type of yukata the child wore and the structure of the house.
In silence, Yūji remained in place. Though he hadn't thought much about it before, something about it felt strange.
' Sukuna, I have a question. ' Not hearing the curse's voice prompted him to continue speaking.
' That time when I separated you from Megumi, I ate you because I planned to die, thinking my body could still be sealed by my companions. Why did your soul bind to mine? Your fingers were supposed to be your soul, but they shouldn't have intertwined with mine... '
Yūji couldn't comprehend it, his face showing clear confusion.
' Ugh. 'Hearing Sukuna's bored and disinterested voice always sent chills down his spine. ' You're still just a brat who only fought and never understood anything about Jujutsu sorcery. Do you even know what a soul is? ' This time, Sukuna spoke calmly. Unlike before, in this small conversation he was having with Yūji, he truly attempted to take over his body, as he had previously done with his ultimate vessel, Yūji. However, he couldn't do anything, not even move a finger.
Yūji recalled Mahito's words: ' Souls come before the body, and emotions are the soul's metabolism '
' You were close to the right answer. I can't believe you know nothing about the basic knowledge of Jujutsu sorcerers. A thousand years and they haven't evolved...' Sukuna spoke in Yūji's mind.
The boy flushed, but angrily continued listening.
' I'm sure what you're referring to is that curse I defeated, Mashit, or whatever its name was. In simple terms, the soul is the body, and the body is the soul. Do you even know why I needed a vessel like you despite all these years? '
Yūji thought for a moment, but he truly had little knowledge about souls.
' My fingers were my body and my soul; they contained all my power. What made you an exceptional vessel was the fact that your soul and my soul were linked. Your own soul was the bridge that allowed me to use your body as well. But since your soul was bound to your body, that's why I could only take over for a short period before you regained control. The body and soul are the same; they just function in different terms. The reason I ended up bound to you was due to my moment of weakness. You ate me. Do you know what I did at my peak of power?... '
' I ate people. I ate sorcerers with great cursed energy to take over their innate techniques, inherited techniques, and vast reserves of cursed energy. As you said, the soul influences human emotions, the more negativity, the stronger the core of cursed energy becomes '
Yūji's eyes widened in shock at Sukuna's words.
' By eating me in my moment of weakness, you also consumed my soul. Unlike my reincarnation through my fingers, I had already resurrected, I was in my complete form. And by devouring me, being my main vessel, you assimilated my soul along with all my cursed energy, my cursed techniques, and all my peak knowledge. It became a symbiotic relationship. That explains why, even though you've reincarnated, despite being a soul without any past memories, I was hidden in the depths of your new soul. It also explains why, after your rebirth, your physical appearance didn't change, because, as I said, the soul and the body are one. ' With that, Yūji no longer had doubts about why Sukuna was still with him.
' That means that in every incarnation I have, you will follow my soul wherever I go... Shit, I made a huge mistake. I cursed myself for my entire life and my future lives. While I might lose my memories, you could still act and... '
Sukuna's laughter echoed in his mind.
' I WILL REINCARNATE AND TAKE OVER YOUR BODY! HAHAHA! '
The crazed laughter of the curse rang in his head. Yūji gripped his head tightly with his hands, overwhelmed by Sukuna's voice.
After a moment of silence, he once again heard Sukuna's calmer voice. After imparting his knowledge and realizing he had no means to manipulate the brat's body, he simply closed his eyes in boredom. ' When the time for a fight comes, I will watch. Live like an insect until then. ' The disdainful voice, as if a king were addressing his servant, disappeared from his mind.
The boy's eyes went blank at the sheer disinterest in the voice of the former King of Curses. ' Son of a bitch... '
This time, however, Yūji continued lamenting dramatically, his posture showing his regret for his reckless decision before his death, binding Sukuna to his soul and cursing himself forever.
With that, Yūji let out a deep sigh and got up. It was better to clear his mind, and he decided to focus on cleaning what would be his new home with Karin.
A few hours passed before he finished, but he was surprised at how energetic his body felt. Despite never having trained, his stamina was noticeably greater than before. This time, he felt so full of energy that he just wanted to move.
As he busied himself cleaning, he didn't notice the woman with red clouds standing at the door. Konan carried food in leather bags, her expression calm as she watched the boy. When he finally noticed her presence, he grew excited and ran straight to her, taking the bags and setting them on the floor. As he unpacked the food Konan had brought, he heard her voice again.
" Yūji-chan, I have something to tell you. " Konan spoke in that serene tone of hers.
Yūji slowly turned toward the woman, his demeanor peaceful.
" Yes, Sister Konan? " The boy appreciated the gentle smile she gave him.
" You said you wanted to train, right? "
The boy's eyes lit up. " Yes! I want to train! But now I think it will be more difficult... My sister was attending the ninja academy in Kusagakure, but now that we've left, I don't know if there's a ninja academy here in Amegakure. At least, that's what someone mentioned before we left. "
Without a doubt, Yūji was a bit frustrated. He ran his hand through his hair, a habit he had already developed.
He really had little knowledge of what was used in this place. He wanted to learn but didn't know the right methods. Besides, he preferred to be shown rather than experiment on his own as he had done in his past life. Without a doubt, Gojo-sensei had been a terrible teacher, he had basically taught himself everything. He could focus on training his new body with his cursed energy again, but for the other energy coursing through him… he needed help.
Konan noticed the boy's determination.
" Of course, there is a ninja academy here. I also oversee it. But, you know, I can make an exception for you help you develop your training. I can also help your sister so that both of you can learn to fend for yourselves. "
She had already spoken with Nagato about assisting the two children. Perhaps, in the future, they could become essential to the organization a great asset to achieving their goal.
Everything for the sake of peace.
" Really?! Then that's perfect! Thank you so much, Sister Konan! " Yūji expressed his gratitude from the bottom of his heart, seeing how the woman's eyes now curved into a soft, barely noticeable smile.
" Tomorrow morning, I will come to pick up both you and your sister. I will guide you to the academy, and after that, I will begin training you. "
She spoke calmly as she watched Yūji smile with excitement. It seemed he was finally on the path to training, which thrilled him more than anything.
" Yes, of course, Sister Konan! "
The boy felt happy. This time, Konan nodded serenely, noticing that the girl had not spoken. She realized that Karin had woken up but chose not to address her until she felt comfortable.
" So... you are the one my younger brother told me about? "
Karin seemed a bit reserved, observing as Konan gave her a kind and understanding look. She carefully stood up, and upon noticing, Yūji immediately went to help her. The red-haired girl had mixed feelings until she blushed in embarrassment.
" I appreciate that you protected us. We will always be in your debt... "
Konan looked surprised as the girl bowed deeply, showing her gratitude toward such a kind person. They were lucky to have found someone with dual intentions.
" You don't need to thank me. On the contrary, I dedicate myself to protecting people. You just needed help, and I provided it. "
The robed woman spoke with solemn calmness. Karin simply straightened up to look at the violet-haired woman, offering a small smile.
" So, you will train us? " she asked, now more engaged.
Konan nodded.
" Every day after classes, I will help you both grow stronger, so you won't have to run away like you did before, and you won't be easy prey for the ninjas who have attacked you. "
She saw how Karin grew slightly embarrassed but didn't fall behind her brother's displayed resolve. Konan noticed how her gaze became more determined.
After all, both siblings had the same goal: to become strong enough to protect each other so that no one could hunt them down.
" We appreciate it, Miss Konan, " the red-haired girl spoke again, now with a smile, as she felt Yūji beside her nodding firmly.
Everything was beginning to improve for the siblings.
With her usual serene aura surrounding her, Konan left the place in peace. Ever since she and Nagato had killed Hanzō, she had taken responsibility for Amegakure, slowly remedying the survival of the fittest conditions that had once plagued the village.
The siblings were fortunate to arrive at a time when Amegakure had stabilized into neutrality.
When Karin saw the woman walk away, she let out a sigh of enviable relief. She turned to her side and found Yūji watching her curiously.
" I'm hungry. "
That one phrase was enough to make Karin laugh a little her brother's words revealed just how inflexible he was about serious matters.
" Yūji! You should have told me! Well, at least we can make something simple. " Karin carefully stood up. To her surprise, she no longer felt as much pain as before, and Yūji noticed it.
" Sister, are you feeling better from your injuries? "
Yūji was curious. A wound like that should have taken at least a week for a normal person to heal properly.
But seeing how Karin already had good mobility made him realize that, just like in his past life, they also had exceptional physiques in this one.
" Yes... It doesn't hurt as much anymore. Don't worry, Yūji. " She gently ruffled her brother's abundant hair, smiling at him calmly. In just a night, almost two full nights Karin could already move freely. That was surprising to the boy.
The redhead simply nodded in silence, and with that, his sister moved to prepare something quick to satisfy their hunger.
_______________________________
It had been at least a few days since Yūji entered Amegakure's ninja academy. The academy had a gloomy appearance, but by that time, he had already gotten used to it, as his sister Konan had taken him to see it beforehand.
He ran alongside his older sister. At the age of four, Konan had made an exception for him to enter, as the minimum age was usually six. Karin would also be there for her brother, though the redhead was surprised that he wanted to join the academy at such a young age.
When Yūji entered, he looked around with curiosity. The place was deteriorated but very clean. He noticed that there were very few children in the room, after all, he had already realized that the village of eternal rain had a small population. He said goodbye to his sister, as she was more advanced than him. Karin smiled and wished her younger brother luck before heading to her own classroom.
Yūji peeked softly through the door, seeing that the teacher was inside, waiting for him. It seemed that he had already been informed about a new special student.
There he stood, noticing how a Jōnin was looking at him. It was a man with dark green hair, purple eyes with several rings inside the iris, a somewhat masculine face, and a black-and-white outfit. He had bandages wrapped around one leg and a pouch on his side containing all his ninja equipment. He also wore a black sleeve around his right arm and a forehead protector with the symbol of Amegakure. The teacher's name was Rokushō Aoi.
The man gave the child a soft smile, observing his most striking feature his red hair.
He knew that hair perfectly. It belonged to the Uzumaki clan.
" Listen, kids, today we have a new classmate joining us. " Rokushō spoke calmly, encouraging the boy to step forward. With his violet eyes, he looked at little Yūji and smiled. " Come on, don't be shy. You can introduce yourself and tell us your goal for being here. "
Yūji pressed his lips together timidly but responded with maturity. " My name is Yūji, and my goal is to become the strongest of all. " His tone was serious as he spoke.
He didn't understand why the children around him started laughing at him. Even his own expression showed his confusion, but he didn't say anything to refute them. He was in a hurry to learn and understand this new energy within his body.
" Come on, Yūji, feel free to take any seat. " the teacher said.
The red-haired boy slowly walked to an empty seat, still hearing soft murmurs and barely audible mockery. However, his sharp hearing allowed him to catch every word.
He didn't even pay attention to them. The moment he sat down, Yūji stared intently at the teacher.
" Well, since we have a new classmate today, it seems I'll have to explain the basics of Chakra before moving on to other lessons. " Rokushō said. The children groaned in protest, which amused him slightly, though he didn't show it.
Everyone complained except Yūji, who was eager to hear what his sensei had to say.
" Alright then, does anyone remember what Chakra is? " the green-haired Jōnin asked calmly. When he saw a child raising her hand, he spoke. "Yes, Shiya?"
The girl, who seemed studious, answered before they moved on to further lessons. " Chakra is the vital energy that combines physical strength and spiritual energy. Ninjas use chakra to perform ninjutsu, oh... ah, and genjutsu. " she added, thinking for a moment at the end.
Rokushō nodded approvingly. " Well done, Shiya. As you said, chakra is a vital part of our body and mind. It connects the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of oneself. With it, we can perform various ninjutsu techniques using hand seals. These seals help us mobilize our energy more easily and learn how to channel it. " the Jōnin explained calmly. He then efficiently formed several hand seals to demonstrate the function of chakra.
" Bushin no Jutsu! "
Two identical figures appeared beside Rokushō, like phantoms, exciting the children. Yūji felt the same way his wide smile reflected his excitement.
' This interests me. ' Sukuna's voice echoed within him. He felt a slight sensation on his left cheek, as if an eyelid was opening. Yūji casually rested his head on his hand to hide the cursed eye, which was watching the clones more intently.
' So, this is how they mobilize that energy... Interesting. Everything is done through hand seals… Unlike cursed energy, this has to be channeled and learned to be felt... But does that mean I've already learned to sense chakra? ' Yūji pondered.
' It seems that my eyes can perceive how he moves this so-called chakra. It's such pure energy that it disgusts me,' Sukuna spoke within the boy's mind. 'It has multiple extensions, it's like a complete nervous system, but instead, it's a network spreading from the head to the feet. There isn't a single spot untouched by these chakra pathways. ' the curse analyzed, studying the energy within the man.
To his perception, the Jōnin hadn't noticed his observation.
Everyone possessed both cursed energy and chakra, but what was curious was that no one used cursed energy, only chakra. It was as if no one was even aware of the second synergy within them. Chakra was Yin, while cursed energy was the Yang present in all bodies.
' This place... will be fun. ' Sukuna thought to himself, a wicked smile forming within. He had a feeling that there would be plenty of adventures ahead filled with blood, an abundance of blood along the way. And without a doubt, he would enjoy seeing that brat suffer once again.
All just to mock him.