A Positive Twist

by Nasha Rei-Kun

He wanted to change the system they lived in. To allow people like Mai, Maki, and people like Toji to thrive with their own talents or desires. Naruto wanted to become a grade even become Special-Grade to work alongside his ridiculous cousin to change how the world worked. Naruto Uzumaki, 'Defect' of the Gojou Clan, wanted to put a bit of a positive twist on the Jujutsu world.

3. Misunderstandings

~NRK~

"So," Kushina began as their entire group sat in Satoru's room in Jujutsu High. "What do you plan on doing, Naru-kun?" She asked her son.

Wearing a long orange cheongsam with black borders, black pants with yellow ornate circles on the thighs, and black ninja sandals, Naruto adjusted his Ryu-Bang on his lower back before tightening a pouch on his thigh for Sage's Talisman.

"I mean, well, talk to the guy," he said like it was the simplest thing in the world. "I'm already wearing mom enhanced clothing."

"I'm surprised you knew how to do that, Kushina-san," Utahime said. "I didn't think anyone but our uniform makers knew how to make those."

"I did act as one for a bit," Kushina said, surprising most of the group. "I've made over half our clothes like that. I want my family as safe as can be, thank you very much."

"That's why we're both going," Minato said with a smile.

Wearing a similar outfit to his son but with dark blue, silver, and gold in place of orange, black, and borders/accents, Minato had a box on his thigh full of talismans of his own making.

"Ah, here," he opened the box up before taking out a pair of talismans before giving them to his son. "Just some barrier talismans."

Naruto blinked at the blue with white scripture items before nodding.

"They're fitted for you," Utahime said, black bags beneath her eyes that had Naruto wincing. "No, no, it's fine, I promise! I-I just… making those in time took a few all-nighters."

"Hmm, we'll need to do something for Hime-chan," Kushina said as the woman in question smiled tiredly, listing a bit to the side before Satoru's finger pushed her back.

"Okay, I know you said it'd be better for uncle to go but why?" Satoru asked with a small pout as Geto shook his head.

"Do you honestly need to ask that?" He asked him. "Satoru, you're the shining lamb of your clan and one with both Cursed Techniques in over a hundred years. The last time someone like you and a Zenin met, it ended in a double homicide."

"... And?"

"Oh my God. Shoko, please."

"Stop being an idiot," the third positive energy user in the room said. "Ignoring that, you'd likely make the situation more tense than it needs to be, Minato-san is a proven smooth talker. Right now, Naruto just needs to talk with Naobito Zenin while his dad just needs to keep the situation under control."

"Your belief in me is staggering," Satoru said, messing with his new slicked-up and back hairstyle. "Fine, fine, I'm not an idiot, I just want to be sure we've got deterrents from any antsy guys."

"That's what this guy is for," Naruto said, a small brown toad shikigami sitting on his shoulder. "You guys can see the situation from here while we're in there. Anything crazy happens-"

"You're one application of my Technique away," Minato said with a smile as Satoru felt the dimly glowing Hiraishin Talisman on his bicep. "It'd be rough revealing that card of ours but anything for the sake of keeping the situation in our favor."

Mei Mei hummed. "Well, when did you say you'd meet him?" She asked.

"I know what you mean," Minato nodded. "We'll be going there several minutes ahead of time. It's good to show we're punctual while also making him realize he might be taking up our time."

"There's the businessman," Riko said. "Time to hide your tail, Naruto-kun," she said, fox ears still on her head but tail gone. "I-I kinda wish mine were the other way around."

As it turned out, she could make her tail disappear thanks to Naruto's tutelage but that was it. Her ears stayed no matter how much her powers were hidden or even sealed.

It was something she'd just have to deal with, sadly.

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, the extra limb vanishing without any effort. "Alright, pops, let's go and see a Zenin."

"I'm sure there will be more," Minato said. "All the research we could all do led to the conclusion we'll be sitting before a series of either their elders and Hei squad or the five toughest members of their clan. Either or, really, they shouldn't be seeking a fight, just some grandstanding though not for our favor," they got up with Kushina and Satoru getting up with them.

"Let's go."

~NRK~

~Zenin Clan Estate~

Walking to the Zenin Estate was curious.

Especially because of the amount of land the clan had.

"Whoa," Naruto blinked at it all, Minato nodding as a shikigami falcon flew around from above, form barely a blur to those not used to high-speed combat.

The Zenin Estate wasn't small in the least. After walking up a large number of cleanly-made stone steps and pathways, you ended up at a large lake with a series of bridges within it, dotted by Zenin family members, that led towards what was an enormous amount of homes and buildings.

The homes were uniform in color and style, interconnected by well-made external pathways filled with more Zenin family members, while looking to the sides would allow the blondes to see even more land.

Minato's shikigami appeared by the man, landing on his shoulder where he noticed its wing was clipped.

"I see," he dispelled it with a smile. "He really told his whole family about this," Minato said as Naruto folded his arms behind his head before father and son began to walk towards the main house.

"There's a couple of 'em in the water," Naruto said as they passed by a few of them. "2, 4, 6… ten of 'em, they're not feeling angry but cautious," he told Minato who nodded before noticing Naruto's wrists.

"Still wearing them?"

Naruto blinked before perking up. "Oh, yeah, I didn't think about taking them off."

"Didn't you just get the next set of pounds?" Minato cupped his chin with interest. 'If I'm right…' His son's internal abilities were truly something to be feared even at his current age.

"It's just, I was wondering if they're supposed to set in or not."

'Scratch that, Naruto's limits have likely skyrocketed,' and there was something else. 'Those who lose cursed energy typically become physical monsters.'

Even before all of this, Naruto had been over thrice the strength of a seven-year-old with his weights on. With them off, the boy was faster than an olympic athlete at seven.

So, with his new power…

"M-Maki! Get back here!"

The two blinked before turning their heads to the side to see a girl hurrying after what looked like a floating ball.

"I-I can get it!" 'Maki' said as she reached for the floating object. "I-"

The running girl tripped with a wince hands still reaching out for the ball in the river-

Before blinking as she was set back on her feet by Minato, the man laughing a bit as he handed her back her toy.

The entire Zenin family members around flinched.

Too fast. WAY too fast!

The girl, Maki, looked up at Minato as Naruto landed behind him.

"Good work, dad," he grinned as his father nodded.

"Thanks, now, young lady," Minato crouched down to 'Maki's level. "Please, be careful. You might have ended up with a cold because of such a fall," he said as he observed her for bruising.

She was about as short as Naruto was with chin-length dark green hair, fair skin, and brown eyes that shot him a look of disbelief.

Wearing a white shitagi, black hakama, tabii socks, and zori sandals, the young female Zenin gasped.

"Hmph," Minato nodded before standing to his feet, allowing the girl to see the man's grinning son. "Alright, please be careful next time, Maki-kun," he smiled before turning around and walking off with his child.

"Later!" Naruto waved back with a chuckle before turning back around. "Oh, there are more of 'em in the water over here."

Maki's eyes widened. 'He can see them?!' Her mind ran awhirl with thoughts, remembering what the entire family had been told about their visitors.

"M-Maki!" Came another girl's voice, one who looked nearly the same as Maki, herself.

Her only real difference was her hair which had begun to become 'fluffy' as she liked to call it.

"A-Are you alright?" The other girl, her twin, asked with a look back at the two blondes. "... dad's gonna be mad," she said as her head fell before she found a ball in her face.

"Here!" Maki grinned as her sister stared in shock before taking it with a small smile. "I know but it's your favorite ball," she said as their mother ran up to them with a horrified look. "... I know, mother."

The woman grimaced, looking away with what Maki had long since realized was 'shame'.

She hated it. The look, the expression, and being the one who caused it.

~NRK~

Back with the father-son duo, they'd reached the doors of the main clan building, both sides of it having a guard.

Wearing a pair of black pants tightened by the ankles and shins with white wrappings, black martial artist slip-ons, and white robe tops with the wrists secured by black forearm guards, they wielded a pair of spears that sat crossed above in front of the door.

"We're here to speak with Naobito Zenin-san," Minato said simply and matter-of-factly.

"We're all well aware of your invitation," one of the two men said with a frown, the two of them lifting their weapons as a voice came from within the home.

"COME IN!" The guards jumped a bit, looking concerned, while Minato and Naruto nodded before giving in to the command.

Sliding the double doors apart, they found a huge dojo within their first steps.

Sitting within it were five individuals.

Naobito smirked at the father-son duo, dressed as he always was, while a teen sat beside him with a raised brow.

He was older than Naruto by likely a decade, bearing fair skin with a slightly angular chin, calculative brown eyes, and black hair with a dyed-blonde-center.

Wearing a pair of black hakama, tabii socks, a dull-green haori, and white shitagi, he shot the two a look of disinterest.

'Oh, you're gonna be fun,' Naruto thought as he saw Ogi and Jinichi. 'They're the other two and that right guy's the one with an experiment,' he wanted to roll his eyes.

But his attention went to the last person in the room, a young man who might have been only five years Naruto's senior.

He was around half a foot taller than the short blonde with spiky black hair that had a small ponytail at the back.

He had fair skin like the rest of his family, black eyes, and a welcoming expression. Wearing a white shitagi, black hakama, and tabii socks, he was essentially the one person in the room who seemed even remotely happy to see them.

"Ah, I'm surprised they sent you, Minato Uzumaki," Naobito said as the doors behind the two closed. "Knowing that rambunctious brat, I expected Satoru to follow along."

"We're well aware that's a bad idea," Minato said with a smile, he and Naruto coming over before sitting in front of the five. "Satoru-kun is young and a bit brash, he needs time to become the man he's meant to be."

"Hmm… curious."

"You, blonde boy," Jinichi spoke up without a single breath passing. "What is the truth of the matter between you and Toji?" He asked without preamble.

The boy sitting directly next to Naobito's eyes widened. "What?!"

"In time, Naoya, let your cousin speak," Naobito said as he smirked.

The young man, Naoya, had his eyes narrowing before they landed on Naruto. 'This kid?' What did he have to do with Toji?

What had happened?!

"I don't follow?" Naruto said in confusion. "... Wait, he's that guy who cut me down, yeah?"

"Hmph, that failure couldn't even do that right," Jinichi said as Naruto's mental eyebrow ticked. "Yes, that man. What is it? Did he not hit your vitals properly?"

"I don't… you guys probably heard this already but I was barely alive. I'm pretty sure I passed on for a bit there."

"Hmm… it wouldn't be impossible."

"So, what exactly did ya call me for, Naobito-jiji?" Naruto asked without issue, Naobito laughing as Naoya stared at the boy in confusion.

Ogi grimaced.

"Well, well, well! I heard you were friendly but a 'jiji' out the gate? That's quite bold of you!" Naobito smirked as Naruto grinned without remorse. "Hmph, curious, perhaps this won't be uninteresting… First things first, what do you say to a spar between you and Ranta-boya here?" He gestured to the boy next to Jinichi.

"Good morning!" Ranta declared with a puffed-out chest and a bright grin. "I am Ranta Zenin, my cousin wished for me to learn what true combat is… n-not to offend but you are five years my junior, I'm not sure if such a match would be… noteworthy," the boy began before wearing an uncomfortable look.

"Hmm, look, Ranta, I have no problem sparring with you. No offense but I've already fought and beat people bigger and stronger than you before," Naruto said without remorse as the older boy perked up.

"R-Really? How?"

"I was giving some amazing shikigami by Uta-nee and Yaga-bro," noticing the boy's look of confusion, Naruto chuckled nervously. "Oh! Um, Utahime and Yaga Masamichi?"

"Really?" The other boy looked intrigued. "I… Are you their student?"

"Mostly Utahime-nee-chan's but I've sparred with Yaga-bro's cursed puppets before."

Ranta looked pensive, considering his words. "... Then, if you would, please have a spar with me at a determined date," the boy grinned. "I believe this might be interesting. Are you primarily a shikigami user?"

"Nope, I also practice hand-to-hand with my cuz, Yaga-bro's puppets, and even my dad sometimes," Naruto nodded sagely.

"Ah, yes, you're a sorcerer, Minato-kun," Naobito said with a raised brow.

"I am, my wife brought with our marriage more interesting things than I could imagine," the former Hokage said. "That said, Jujutsu has been rather fascinating to me and my own Cursed Technique brought with it more odd ideas."

"Hmm?" Naoya frowned while crossing his arms. "We didn't ask about that, you're a known quantity," the young man frowned as Naobito snorted.

"Aren't you supposed to be polite?" Naruto asked him without missing a step, Naoya's eyebrows furrowing. "Besides, I don't think anyone asked for your opinion," he told him with a frown.

"I'd say the same."

"I'm sorry, what kinda host are you again?"

Naoya's hackles raised a bit. 'This insolent little insect!' His eyebrow twitched as Jinichi smirked a bit while Ogi huffed.

"Boy, don't waste our time," the second-oldest in the room frowned. "We're the hosts as you said, don't disrespect the hospitality brought to you."

"You're not wrong, Ogi-san," Minato said. "As one father to another, you're not wrong to imply politeness and kindness… but Naruto is correct. What Naoya-kun said can be construed in a number of ways that aren't hospitality-driven."

Naoya and Ogi felt their eyebrows twitching at the man's logic, Naobito snickering a bit at that.

"Hmm, I'd enjoy the show you'd all bring but this is about my talk with the boy, right?" He asked with a smirk. "Jinichi got his student his fight-to-be, now is my time."

"... Apologies, father," Naoya said but, inside, he was seething. 'These insubordinate plebeians!' It made his blood boil to have such words thrown at him. "..." His eyes went to Naruto-

Locked gazes with Naruto, the boy's single visible eye staring back at him without a hint of fear or reverence.

How infuriating.

"Hmph, apologies, Naobito," Ogi grimaced. 'Annoying, all of them,' it never failed to make him despise those in the room.

Minato Uzumaki seemed to so easily add himself to that criteria and yet his boy bothered Ogi on a fundamental level.

The boy gaining attention he didn't rightfully deserve because of those ridiculous claims made Ogi furious.

"Apologies, Naobito-san," Minato said with a sheepish smile. "Things might have gotten off-track."

"I can see but it was of little importance, I can tell wrongdoing from my own clan with but a gaze," Naoya and Ogi grimaced while the old man grinned. "Now, I do have words for your boy. Satoru Gojou and Geto Suguru have had a lot to say about him, Minato-kun, it's quite curious."

"Ask away," Minato deferred the questions to his son who nodded.

"What's on your mind, Naobito-jiji?" Naruto asked as the old man hummed.

"You seem to grasp a lot of our tradition and older motives so I'd ask, what do you believe is the change you want to subject us to?" The old man asked as Naoya frowned.

"... I think that, right now, we've got a good foundation," Naruto said with a nod. "But that's it. A foundation's great but you have to build on it. Like with what happened to Riko, why did they think it'd be a good idea to just throw a teenage girl into what is basically a dungeon and act like it'd be a good idea?"

"Oh? You'd know, then, that this has happened a few times before. Those who became Tengan-sama's vessel have never altered our course."

"But those people were actual individuals who knew what they'd be getting into. Riko, at the time when she was chosen, only knew for, what? A couple days? She was being strong about it but she had nothing but fear after getting to Jujutsu High and that wasn't even after she'd gotten attacked."

"It'd matter little," Jinichi added with a huff. "She and Master Tengen would become one, his own feelings on the matter would usurp her sentimentalities."

"And you think that's fine?" Naruto asked him without missing a beat. "I'd ask everyone I know what they became a sorcerer for and what a sorcerer does. Because, last I checked, we're Jujutsu Sorcerers because the normal people of the world can't handle all of this. Curses, Tengen, enemy organizations, Cursed Techniques and Big Families? The world would fall to chaos due to people with unusual Techniques that might very well be put in danger because they have them," his eye narrowed as Jinichi locked gaze. "We keep things to a minimum because it's for them, right?"

There was silence for a moment, Naobito humming at Naruto's words as Jinichi's eyes closed in thought.

"And you'd have us let Tengen-sama fall to his cursed nature?" Ogi had to break this silence.

The boy was garnering too much respect, no matter how small, from the two other men. It'd be madness to let his words ring for as long as they did!

"Instead of just letting it happen," Naruto shot back as the man growled. "Instead of literally just sacrificing someone else, why not, I don't know? Try something different?"

"Things have been this way because this is how they have become," Jinichi said. "Is that enough for you?"

"You say that but then let me ask this," Naruto countered. "When was the last time anyone tried to help Tengen without trying to merge him?"

There was more silence as Naobito's hums grew louder.

"You believe we've not tried enough?" The man asked openly.

"Yes."

Well, well, well, color him impressed.

A brave fool with conviction in his ambitions. Naobito hadn't met such a person with those qualities in a long time, especially not in one so young.

Naoya's cheek twitched.

"Amongst all else, things have changed like I said at the meeting with the superiors," Naoya choked in disbelief while Ogi's fists clenched. "Do you guys honestly not want to try again? Really? Was giving up really your best idea?"

"..." Jinichi frowned at that. "Tengen-sama's situation isn't normal even amongst the Jujutsu world, Uzumaki."

"You're right but neither is aniki," Naruto said. "Neither am I. Neither are people who are born with Heavenly Restrictions, something that didn't happen like it did in the early days of Jujutsu, right? Things have changed, there has to be more methods to try to help the world while not trying to sacrifice the people in it. That's what I believe amongst all else. The moment you give up, that's it, you're basically leaving him alone to his fate… I'd even bet Tengen-ojiji was lonely down there. I think that might also be another reason he might want these mergers. Because he can experience the world outside that he can't outside of just his senses."

Ogi frowned.

"Feeling the sun? Going to meet other people? Family? With how long he's been down there, I'd bet he has no idea what those things are even like anymore."

Naobito closed his eyes with a shrug. "Perhaps."

"He needs more than just to be renewed, he needs people just like anyone of us."

Minato smiled at that, staying silent as his son reaffirmed who he was.

And how he viewed their world.

"... I see, this is what that Geto boy meant," Naobito said with another shrug. "Honestly, these next generations truly are filled with odd children like my son," he smirked as Naruto chuckled a bit. "I'll give your words some thought, no promises, but it'll be interesting thinking of counterarguments," Naruto sweatdropped.

"Whatever, old man, I'll argue with you anyday of the week."

"Haha!" The Zenin head grinned. "I like you, boy, you've got fire! These ought to be a curious last couple of decades on this earth. Now, as for other things, tell me more. Can you respond-"

The man vanished… but he hadn't left the blondes' sights.

"To thi-Hmmm?," Naobito's face appeared behind them only to find the two staring at him, both blondes. "Oh, that's interesting."

Ogi's eyes snapped open while Jinichi's narrowed in interest.

Naoya's eyes narrowed while Ranta gasped.

"Y-You can… see Zenin-sama?" He asked Naruto in shock. 'Could he really follow him?'

Naobito cupped his chin with a smirk.

The two blondes' heads snapped to the side where he reappeared before going to Naoya where Naobito laughed, his son grimacing as he barely kept up.

As he TRAILED BEHIND A CHILD in reacting to his father.

His fists trembled.

"And you, Minato-kun, I didn't expect it," Naobito smirked. "You wouldn't happen to be a true combatant, would you?"

"..." Minato smiled. "I might be if you're asking for the truth."

"Yes, I'd like to know."

"We could designate a day if you wish."

Naobito Zenin looked excited while Ranta was simply floored and awed.

"C-Cousin, will our fight be fair?" Ranta asked Jinichi who smirked like his uncle.

"No, we'll have to see. Will you prevail? Or will the Gojou boy's senses overtake you? These are the battles you must face, Ranta. They will make you stronger," Jinichi said with a gleam in his eyes. "But now I'm interested in the boy's father, no mere mortal can just react to Naobito's speed, much less a not-trained one."

"B-But isn't he trained?"

"... Hm, hm, I'm sure he is."

Ogi and Naoya grimaced in their minds.

'Of course, a Gojou would cause such a disturbance in my family,' they thought with narrowed eyes that landed on the young blonde. 'He's a problem.'

They needed to figure this situation out and untangle it lest it taint their clan.

The quintet of Naruto, Naobito, Minato, Ranta, and Jinichi spoke at length for possibly an hour before things calmed down.

Enough for Naobito to invite them for BRUNCH.

Naoya and Ogi were utterly flabbergasted.

~NRK~

Naruto smiled a bit as he sat on a meditating stone that was held within the Zenin Estate, his father speaking with Naobito about his ideas and understanding of cursed energy.

"I'm glad this worked out," he said to himself and the toad shikigami. "Honestly, this went way better than I expected."

"Huh?" Came a voice from behind him, confusing the blonde before he turned around to find a familiar sight. "Y-You survived?!"

"Maki, right?" Naruto asked her, turning around to face the girl who'd shot him a pout. "... no, wait, you're not Maki," she didn't 'feel' the exact same.

With how much he'd used his sensory skill throughout his lifetimes, Naruto had become pretty good at sorting through signatures and presences.

This girl before him, even if she looked and felt like that Maki gal, wasn't Maki.

She perked back up in surprise. "H-Huh? You can tell?!" The girl asked in shock and a little bit of excitement? "Hehe~"

Naruto was just confused.

~NRK~

"There's no way this is heading where I think it is," Satoru said as Kushina, Mei Mei, and Utahime chattered excitedly about the little 'meeting'. "Geto, back me up here."

"... I-I mean, Kushina-san did kinda jinx us with that 'marriage' comment," the cursed spirit user said with a shaky grin as Shoko rolled her eyes.

Riko was just in disbelief. "How in the world is this kid doing it?" She asked the three who shrugged.

~NRK~

Naruto blinked as the girl grinned slyly at him. 'What's happening now?' He wondered with a squinty-eyed expression.

The girl's eyes widened at the sight, scrambling up onto the rock to stare at his foxy looks. "You're so foxy," she giggled as he blinked before pouting.

And, yes, it did make him look more foxy!

"Yeah, well… thanks," he said awkwardly. "So, you're not 'Maki', what's yer name?"

"Mai!" The girl, Mai, said with a grin. "Maki's my twin sister."

"I'm figuring that out right now."

"What were you guys called here for?" Mai asked right out the gates as he blinked. "Um, Zenin-sama doesn't usually call guests over that aren't…" She leaned in while looking around. "Old."

Naruto snorted before laughing at that. "Oh, I can bet, God, I really do think old people like talking to old people. I can never figure out why but I think it has to do with telekinesis," she grinned slyly at that.

"They always have candy."

"Never stop trying to pinch your cheeks."

"They like old picture shows!"

"I think I caught one of the old Gojou guys trying to dance at one point."

They snickered at the examples they had to share.

~NRK~

"Whelp… that kid's never living this down."

"Talk about digging your own grave."

Shoko sweatdropped at Geto and Satoru while the 'older members' squealed.

"Riko-chan."

"Yep, they're being boys."

~NRK~

"Huh," Mai kicked her legs back and forth over the edge of the meditation stone. "Y-You're like Maki."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked before remembering something. 'Wait, didn't they say that Ogi dude complained about having defective children?' He wanted to groan but Mai wasn't deserving of that. "Oh yeah?"

"Y-Yeah, she doesn't have cursed energy and stuff," Mai pouted.

"I guess people don't treat her nice, huh?"

"No… A-And I do but…" Mai grimaced and Naruto frowned. "It's no good."

"What? What is it?" Naruto asked, curious.

Mai blushed before holding out her hands only to flinch. "I-I can't do it, I'd be so stupid and dumb and-"

"You're not any of those things…" Naruto didn't like the picture that was forming and changed topics. "How about you just tell me about it?"

Mai considered him for a moment, his welcoming smile getting a grumble out of her. "W-Well… I can make things with my cursed energy b-but I can only do it once!" She whined.

"... hmm, why? Is there, like, something different about your cursed energy?"

"I… I-I don't know. The adults keep saying it's because we're twins…"

"Huh? Why? I mean, I don't get it," how did being twins change anything. "... Oh, wait," he considered something as she shot him a look of disbelief.

"Y-You know why?!" Mai couldn't believe it.

She just told him! How could he figure it out?!

"Well, from what I know about the whole twins thing," Naruto began as she nodded rapidly. "You guys were originally one baby cell thing that turned into two," Mai's eyes widened. "So, when you put it like that, it's like your souls and stuff are linked. That might be why."

Mai was floored at his words, trying to find the problem with them but coming back with nothing. 'Is that true?' If that was the case, she understood why the adults called them misfortune. "H-Huuuu…"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I mean… isn't Maki super strong and stuff?"

"... She is."

"So, she can be amazing all on that alone, don't let some jerks tell you you can't be amazing," he said with a sagely nod as she pouted.

He didn't understand, truly, he was 'blessed' if only because he didn't live in this family.

Mai felt 'green' for the first time in her life.

"And so can you," Naruto added.

She perked up in confusion. "W-What?" How could he say that? "Naruto-kun, I don't get it, how?"

"Duh, Mai-chan, just because your Cursed Technique does that doesn't mean you can't find other ways to improve your skills. Hell, here, see?"

He summoned Sage, alarming the girl who saw the flexing oni. "H-How?! I thought you… So, Maki can…"

"Yep, though, it's different for her," Naruto said, confusing her. "How can I put this… Maki seems to still have some cursed energy but it's no more than a normal person's. My dad was a normal person but he had above-average cursed energy so when he and my mom were married, he joined in."

"Y-Your dad wasn't a…" No way, right?

How? How would a Gojou marry a normal person and not feel angry?!

"Naruto-kun… didn't people hate your dad?" Mai asked, gripping her pants leg.

"Oh, God, they really don't like him," Naruto told her with a frown. "But, the thing is, they already didn't like me, Mai-chan. So, you can consider it like lumping on two things they didn't dislike. Heck, my mom, me, and pops moved because those old goats were really pressuring her and aniki," he tapped his bandage-covered eye. "They're the main reason I cover this bad boy while I'm here."

"I thought you got hurt!"

"Nope, just covered. My left eye's like Satoru's but I don't have the Six Eyes and, trust me, they ain't happy about that."

Mai kind of understood him! He did get it then, right?

About how the expectations of those in the family made your life hell… but that wasn't true, not fully.

His parents still loved him, his cousin did as well, Naruto's amazing cousin.

She pouted a bit before being broken out of her painful place, again, by him.

This bright-haired boy.

"Back on your technique, Mai-chan," he said seriously with a smirk as she blinked. "So, like, the things you make, are they there forever?"

"W-What? No, of course not," that would have been useful.

Mai's life wasn't so convenient.

"Okay, next idea."

She stared at him in confusion. "Even though that one would have been the best?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto blinked before smiling. "Let me tell you something I literally just told Naobito-ojiji," despite herself, Mai giggled. "Yep. So, I told him this when it came to Tengen, you know that dude?"

"You met him?" Mai gasped as Naruto grinned shakily.

"I met his next vessel," he clarified. "Anyway, I was talking to him about what I thought about it."

He went on to reiterate his words, thoughts, and feelings about the situation to the girl who covered her mouth in shock.

'Uncle just listened?!' That sounded impossible. 'What did you do?' She wondered even as she considered Naruto's words. 'How special are you really that Zenin-sama listened to you?' How blessed?

Something had to be special about Naruto for Naobito to listen to him, surely.

"So, like I told him, you can't just stop trying if you really want to help someone," Naruto said with a frown and closed eyes. "Keep trying, learn stuff, go try things out. While I'll accept that Tengen might have had it rough in the past, nowadays, things are different and full of new ideas and abilities. I'm sure there's a way to help him so, like that, I'm sure there's a way to give you more ideas."

Mai covered her mouth with her sleeves. "... Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to be a sorcerer."

"... Oh," Naruto rubbed the back of his head as she scrunched inward a bit. "No, seriously, that's fine. I guess I just got carried away."

Mai couldn't believe he'd still give her the time of day if she deflected his help. "Probably not so cool, huh?"

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to live a normal life. It's not my job to control your life. No one can control your life except you. People help shape who we are but, in the end, when the chips are down, only you can choose how your life you just go along with something or fight against it. I want to become a Special Grade Sorcerer… no, something bigger than that," Naruto said with a determined gaze as Mai's eyes widened at him.

"B-But that's the greatest title a sorcerer can have!" Even among being clan head.

Being a Special Grade meant so much more than even that. It was a nearly impossible 'utopia' that most sorcerers couldn't imagine.

"Yep and I'm gonna train like nobody's business to be that and more," he said simply.

Now she understood.

The boy before her was clearly insane… like Maki.

"..." Mai looked down in thought. "W-Well, I guess it'd be nice for you to talk with Maki, she wants to be a sorcerer."

"There's nothing wrong with you being a sorcerer, come on, being normal ain't too bad. I'm just a weirdo. All Special Grades are, I'd bet."

"Really?"

"Oh, definitely, I'm sure my cuz and his friend could be Special Grades and they're the biggest weirdos I know."

~NRK~

"OI!" Geto and Satoru balked as Shoko laughed.

Kushina smirked as Satoru held his heart, looking the most offended.

"That brat!"

~NRK~

"I all of a sudden feel like I just got in trouble," Naruto sweatdropped as Mai tilted her head. "... Ahh, it was probably nothing important."

The yell of indignation that rocked the universe simply didn't reach the blonde.

Mai just raised a brow.

"Still, Naruto-kun, that's gonna be dangerous," Mai couldn't imagine what it took to become even a Grade 1 Sorcerer, much less a Special Grade. "H-How would you even do it?"

"... So, I got something but we can't say it yet," Naruto whispered seriously as her eyes widened. "Yep, I can't tell ya, nobody yet, but once I'm good enough, it'll be out."

"I-Is it a Cursed Tool?"

"Nope but I do have one of those," he gestured to the item on his waist. "I got it from my belated master."

Mai winced as Naruto nodded with a solemn smile. "I… I don't know anyone who died," and it's not like she'd feel much for most of those people. "... what about before that?"

"Well, duh, training," he raised his wrists before showing his ankles. "These are weights. My master had me originally use some of his own kind before he passed. I recently got heavier ones but I think they're defective. They don't really feel like much."

Mai just observed him. "I'm sure Maki would like some of those," she said with a blush.

"Sure, she could have some of my old set."

~NRK~

"Wow," Mei Mei sweatdropped as Kushina grinned nervously and Utahime shook her head. "Is he that easy?"

"H-Hey, hold on, Naruto-kun is just clueless!" The boy's mother declared.

"I don't… I guess?" Utahime began to say before shaking her head once more. "That boy needs help if he's ever gonna find a wife."

Satoru was just contemplative. 'Those weights work,' he knew that much. 'So, how strong did he really become after gaining his positive energy?'

~NRK~

Mai just fiddled with her fingers some more as the two of them sat on the meditation stone.

"So, what do you want to do, Mai-chan?" Naruto asked her with a curious look.

Mai just looked at him with interest, brown eyes landing on his sole visible eye and how it seemed so… nice.

How nice he was compared to her family members. How different he was compared to what she knew sorcerers to be.

How he was nearly exactly like Maki but seemed so much more… lighthearted, she thinks.

Naruto just seemed nice and 'light' for lack of a better word.

"Um, well…" Mai burned up. "I don't know yet," she lied, face colored red. 'I-I can't just say that to a boy I just met!' That'd be the worst thing to do!

"Well, I'm sure you can find something. I know if I didn't want to be a sorcerer, I'd just be a martial artist," Naruto said, surprising her a bit.

"You've thought about not being a sorcerer?"

"Yeah, I've thought about it. Especially because, well, it's not like there are back-to-back-to-back missions. One of our students literally just came back from a mission she was on for a month before she was supposed to be on vacation."

"A female sorcerer?" Mai was surprised.

Women weren't necessarily treated well in Jujutsu society due to 'old tradition' of them being housewives and maids.

It was painful at times but Mai also didn't want to be a sorcerer and, if honestly asked, she did like to cook. Though, Mai wondered if she couldn't make more 'handsy' food someday.

"Yep, I know quite a few, actually."

"Is your mom one?"

"... Kinda?"

~NRK~

Kushina sweatdropped. "To be fair, I haven't gone on a mission in years so I'm less of a Jujutsu sorcerer and more of a researcher."

"That honestly sounds interesting," Shoko said, tapping her chin in thought. "The thing is, I feel like that should totally be something we should have. Like a Jujutsu R&D."

"Hmm," Riko crossed her arms in thought. "Does something like that exist, sensei?" She asked Utahime before sweatdropping at the woman's soft snores. "Yeah, she really needs some sleep."

~NRK~

Moments later, the two were walking around the lake, Naruto having Sage walk around with them-

"You can come out now, God, if you're just gonna keep on stalking me I'd like to know why," Naruto said as they stopped walking, Mai shooting him a confused look. "Let me see… You're that Naoya guy."

There was a huff before someone appeared over the large stone outcropping that surrounded the area they were in.

Naoya Zenin's eyes narrowed as Mai hid behind Naruto. "Hmph, I'd assume your senses likely have been increased," he said with a conflicted look. 'He's like Toji,' well, not sporting the man's ridiculous strength but Naruto was just a child.

There was a high chance he'd gain such strength as he grew up.

"Most likely," Naruto said. "So, what's up? You've been following us since we were on the stone. I guess you've got something to say?" The guy rubbed the blonde the wrong way for a large number of reasons.

Naoya frowned before his arms crossed. "..." He observed the boy before looking at Mai, the girl shying behind the blonde. '... It'd be a slight against my clan,' allowing this little 'thing' to bud wouldn't do them any good… but he was like Toji. "I'm simply here to see what your claims to strength are."

Not lying, odd. "Well, how?"

"There are some members who have shikigami that can contend with a Grade 3 Cursed Spirit, I'd like to call one of them here if only to observe your current skill set."

"... Alright," Naruto grinned and Naoya nodded, raising his fingers to his mouth to whistle a sharp screech. "Mai-chan, you're gonna have to stay by Sage," he whispered to the girl who stared at him in shock.

"... A-Alright."

---

Naruto blinked at another one of those guards that appeared, the man speaking to Naoya in hushed tones before he threw out his hands.

A trio of shikigami, a two-headed dog, a crow, and a floating umbrella, appeared moments later, the blonde's senses raised.

'Huh, he was telling the truth the whole way,' these shikigami weren't all that impressive but the blonde couldn't take them for granted.

With Sage standing by Mai behind him, the blonde considered taking off his weights before thinking otherwise, removing Ryu-Bang off his back and allowing the weapon to extend to half his size.

Naoya was surprised. "That was a Cursed Tool," he said with a frown, leaning forward a bit while staring at it. 'It doesn't seem familiar,' perhaps it was an unknown kind? The boy had said this master of his had gifted it to him, hadn't he?

Or was there another tool?

The blonde held it aloft in one hand with a nod. "So, which one am I fighting?"

"Each of the shikigami are, in a way, an internal grade within Grade 3," the man who'd summoned them said. "The umbrella one is the weakest of the three."

"So, the dog's the strongest?"

"Yes."

"... Give me the dog," Naruto said as he felt that particular shikigami's cursed energy. 'It's the closest to Grade 2,' he'd get some kind of idea on his level.

"Very well," the man returned the other two shikigami before stepping back, kneeling, and lowering his head. "Naoya-sama."

"Hmph," Naoya smirked a bit at Naruto's confidence. 'Okay, he is a bit more like him than I expected,' what a nice surprise.

If only Maki could do the opposite, life would be grand.

"Hmm, this match will end when either one side is destroyed," Naoya said. "The other can't continue. There's no time limit and I shall decide when enough is enough, Naruto-san."

"Alright," Naruto nodded at that, crouching low to the ground with his weapon held behind him. 'It's probably decently fast,' he'd have to prepare his body.

"Then let the match…" Naoya said before raising his arm.

It dropped.

"BEGIN!"

The first thing Naruto did was rush the shikigami.

'He's decently fast for his age,' Naoya noted as the two-headed dog charged seconds after the boy did. 'And the shikigami started second.'

The canine's form met the blonde's and they crashed together… no.

Naruto's hand slammed out into the shikigami's head, halting its charge with a grunt. His feet dug into the ground for a moment before the bottom of his staff slammed into the two-headed animal's neck, jostling it.

He pushed the stunned shikigami back and up before aiming his tanbo-sized staff.

"YAA!"

The stab slammed into the spirit's chest before sending it flying back to hit the stone barrier, the creature bouncing off it before hitting the ground.

Naoya clapped a bit at that, smirking as the shikigami got up on its shaky paws. "I see," the boy's strength wasn't small.

A Grade 3 curse could easily overcome an adult male, much more so a physically fit athlete.

And the boy manhandled it, somewhat, an amount of strength no child could possibly have.

The two-headed dog spirit got up before beginning to stalk the blonde in a circle, the boy watching it all the while until it went behind him.

Naruto's ears twitched as it came to a stop.

He sidestepped the lunge at his back before tilting out the way of the cursed spirit's follow-up slash with its claws, the two-headed canine's attack tearing up the ground.

They continued to play that game of cat-and-mouse, Naruto's eyes closed the entire time.

'So, this is a Grade 3,' it really didn't feel that complicated but there might have been more to this than he knew. "Naoya? Be real with me-"

The boy's palm found the shikigami's throat before bringing it to the ground, flat on its back.

"How strong is a cursed spirit Grade 3 to Grade 2? Because this honestly doesn't feel that hard."

Mai was just shocked as she held onto Sage's shoulder in a piggyback fashion. 'H-He beat it so easily!' Maki couldn't do that!

Was this really the difference between a boy and girl?

"They are usually one-to-one but not always. Ao-kun isn't exactly great at replicating their pure strength," Naoya said matter-of-factly, the man who'd summoned the shikigami not disagreeing in the slightest. "So, these might only be that powerful in cursed energy, not so much physical might."

Naruto nodded to that. "Well, I mean, this fight's basically over," he told the son of Naobito who hummed.

"It'd be for the best to exorcize it."

Naruto sighed.

And his weapon jammed its way through the shikigami's chest, hitting its 'core' somewhat.

The dog vanished, his summoner sighing a bit.

'Sorry, dude,' he apologized to the man. "Alright, that was interesting," the blonde said before two figures landed by the group.

"Impressive," Naobito said as he and Minato observed the latter's son. "A Grade 3 shikigami, though not as perfect in the hands of Ao, is still a decent feat, boy."

Minato just smiled. "My son's determined, trust me, he's going to be a big deal one of these days."

"We shall see, huh?"

~NRK~

Mai watched as the two blondes left alongside her Uncle and cousin.

"That boy's quite something," Naobito said with a gleam in his eye as he shot a look at the staring-into-the-distance Mai. 'There's no way that'd work,' while he might not care, the rest of the clan would.

Whatever happened in her case, it wasn't his business.

Naoya was more intrigued by Naruto's possibilities. 'He's only seven, I don't know what Toji-kun was like by his age,' he'd have to check.

Mai just felt like the world grew a bit colder as she watched Naruto go. 'C-Come back, soon,' she said in her head as the boy and his father disappeared. 'Naruto-kun.'

~NRK~

They returned to the Jujutsu High campus quickly enough, Naruto's thoughts on the Zenin Clan apparent.

"I seriously hope they take my words to heart," he said.

"... I can't make a promise that they did," Minato admitted, ruffling his son's head of hair. "But your words weren't wrong. I've considered Tengen-sama's situation a couple times with Kushina before. Nothing like solutions but I've observed it."

"Oh yeah? What do you think?"

"I think his position, while important, is dangerous," Naruto blinked before nodding after a couple seconds. "The very fact Tengen-sama needs a merger is already concerning. Satoru-kun was born with both powers of your clan as well and now there's you, Naruto. I don't know but I believe that the future's a bit worrying."

Naruto understood what he meant. "Well, all we can do is become as great as can be. I know I'll do my best, dad."

"I know, you're special in more ways than one."

They opened the door to the dormitories where Naruto was besieged by most of their female compatriots.

"What happened?!" Mei Mei asked him with a star in her eye, Naruto beginning to sweat.

"N-Nothing!"

"Oh, Naru-kun," Shoko chuckled from beside a smirking Satoru and chuckling Geto. "You're so clueless sometimes."

"... Yeah," Naruto admitted.

~NRK~

~One Year Later~

Geto rubbed his hair out of his face, cleaning off in the showers.

'They're progressing well,' he thought about his 'students' with a sort of somber smile.

Naruto, Megumi, and even the not-really-into-it Tsumiki were growing well into the arts of Jujutsu they'd chosen to partake in.

With the girl only really caring about normal life but albeit bonding with her brother, Tsumiki hadn't done much in the arts but did understand them. Almost beyond well.

With no Cursed Technique in her name, Tsumiki still commanded an amazing knowledge of their side to help her brother and Naruto. The girl even went as far as to accept working in talismans to make 'charms' that'd give the two protection. In that regard, who else but Minato to handle her studies?

And that spoke well as Tsumiki seemed well-versed in being able to cast Curtains, Barrier Talismans, and shikigami. Her lacking aggressive nature possibly being some form of foreshadowing to these skills.

'She's only a child and yet she's so bright,' he chuckled a bit.

Megumi, meanwhile, had been applying his body, mind, and energy to training with Divine Dogs to the utmost. Naruto suggesting something that'd help the boy immensely even with that.

The two would practice Fake Exorcisms, as in, Megumi would summon his future shikigami-to-tame and the two would fight them so, even if the ritual would be null and void due to another's involvement, Megumi could gain some manner of insight on the creatures and their requirements.

It was downright ingenious and had no lack of praise thrown Naruto's way. The fact remained, though, the two wished to get strong in the meantime to face such a challenge.

And, last but certainly not least, was their little 'Positive Boy', Naruto Uzumaki.

Being honest, Naruto's positive energy control hadn't really become a thing yet, the boy doing simple things like physical training, studying much to his chagrin, applying Sage well, and learning from Yaga.

Yes, that wasn't to be understated. It'd be a secret that likely went to the two's graves but…

Yaga had deemed the blonde worthy of learning his secrets, at least, the big one: Corpse Puppet Creation.

It'd been something Yaga only told him, Satoru, Shoko, and Naruto. This was a secret that not one of the five would reveal and they'd all been willing to accept a Binding Vow.

The way Yaga's face had contorted on that fact… Geto doesn't think he'd ever seen such a look of relaxation. The man had probably been carrying on this weight for a long time.

It made Naruto's efforts so fantastical because, in this one year… He'd made one.

The blonde had made another shikigami-corpse puppet for himself.

'He's the one with the most ridiculous nature,' Geto thought, turning off the shower. 'Satoru's growing as well.'

His friend's ability to auto-reflect items on a danger scale had provided no end to his own genius and was one of the reasons he'd become a Special Grade. Geto himself had been given the title due to the sheer number of curses at his disposal and his ability to manipulate them.

'So, why do I feel like this?'

With their new 'titles', he and Satoru had begun taking solo missions.

Exorcize, consume, swallow. How many times had he done that in the past year alone? Geto wasn't sure.

That disgusting sensation of an old rag filled with vomit made him, even now, want to hurl… and then the monkeys.

Those filthy non-sorcerers, he couldn't… his own words from a year or so back made him feel an intense amount of shame, guilt, and self-hatred.

What was wrong with him?

~NRK~

He found himself sitting in a small outpost of Jujutsu High, an area where a 'road' of sorts led down the mountain and towards normal civilization.

Wearing a white shirt and black pants with sandals, Geto leaned back on a bench, his hair out of its usual neat bun.

'What's going to happen to me?' He didn't know, or like, even a hint of the answer. 'I'm not…' Geto's eyes closed.

He thought about 'Those Three', the ones who seemed to understand him in ways that made life somehow feel a bit more worth living.

Satoru.

Shoko.

Naruto.

The three had somehow kept him sane, the first and third the most.

"My life's gotten weird," he chuckled humorlessly. "I've let a child teach me wisdom that I might have sorely needed."

"Senpai?" Came a voice from one of the entrances, Geto blinking as he turned his head to see a grinning young man. "Senpai!"

Geto smiled a bit at another 'change' that'd taken place recently.

He'd begun to mentor this young man, a second-year at Jujutsu High, who'd been a help with another first-year, Kento Nanami, for their big mission with Riko.

He was tall with fair skin, big black eyes, and a slightly glossy black bowlcut haircut. Wearing a pair of dress shoes, black slacks, a white shirt, and an open black jacket, he walked over with a big grin that had Geto smiling a bit.

"Afternoon, Geto-senpai!"

"Haibara, how was your last mission?" Geto asked him.

"Oh! It went well! Though, uh, it was a week ago, sir. The thing is, I've got another mission coming up tomorrow."

Geto was surprised before remembering what time of the year it was and smirked. "Oh?" Haibara chuckled in embarrassment. "It's almost time to be promoted, Grade 2 Sorcerer-to-be Yu Haibara."

The younger man blushed but looked excited by the idea. "I-I hope so!" He grinned again and Geto chuckled. "It's supposed to be a faraway assignment, apparently it's due to some religious area."

"..." Geto's eyes widened for a moment before he swallowed his horror. "Y-Yeah? Um, did the superiors say anything weird about it?"

"Nope," the older student sighed in relief. "It's apparently a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit that's been eating followers of the area. They seem to think that the two of us should be enough since me and Kento are Semi-Grade 2s."

"It shouldn't be too hard then. Nanami-kun's been getting more precise and you have been learning how to apply your reinforcement better," the cursed spirit user wore a relieved smile. "You'll be great…" Geto's eyes lowered a bit. "But don't be too gung-ho, alright?"

"Yes, sir… though, Geto-senpai, I've been meaning to ask, are you alright?"

"... Hmm… I sometimes get tired of it, you know?" Geto admitted. "Are you… tired of being a sorcerer, Haibara-kun?"

Haibara blinked at him, Geto rubbing the back of his head, before he grinned.

"The way I see it is that if I can give my all in every way that I can, it'll be a great feeling no matter what!" Haibara said with a thumbs-up and incredible smile.

Geto snorted. "Of course, what else did I expect?" He smirked before sitting up. "And you can come out, now. You've been listening in, I bet you've been waiting for your perfect chance to cut in?"

"Well, I guess you're Special Grade for a reason!" A woman said as she strutted on in before hitting a pose. "Tell me, Geto-kun! Haibara-kun! What kind of women do you like?!"

Silence reigned supreme as Geto's eyebrow twitched in disbelief.

"I like girls with healthy appetites!" Haibara answered as Geto stumbled in disbelief.

"H-Haibara!"

"She doesn't seem like a bad person," the younger male said. "I mean, I'd say I'm an amazing judge of character!"

Geto's eyebrow rose at that, a sardonic smile forming on his face. "Present company included?"

"Of course!"

The odd woman who'd arrived laughed as Geto rolled his eyes before patting his student on the back.

"Alright, alright, I guess she wanted to talk to me, Haibara-kun," Geto told his fellow student who nodded, getting up and bowing to the two.

"Have a nice talk!" He told them before hurrying off. "I've got a bag to pack!"

"Hm, hm, hm, he's a good kid," the woman declared, allowing Geto to give her his full attention. "Name's Yuki Tsukumo, one of us three Special Grade Sorcerers," she grinned with a wink.

She was tall, even if she was wearing light tan platform boots, with tight white jeans, a sleeveless black turtleneck, and a black biker jacket thrown over her shoulder by one hand.

Her complexion was white and her eyes blue, her light-colored hair long and parting by her forehead to give her a pair of asymmetrical bangs on the sides of her face down to her cheeks.

"... You," Geto realized who she was moments later. "You're the…"

"You're the what?~" She grinned smugly.

"The no-good sorcerer who doesn't take missions."

"Oi!"

~NRK~

~Jujutsu High Training Field~

Naruto had been going through some staff forms with Megumi, the boy using a wooden staff as his own weapon.

"I think it went like this," Megumi tried.

He held his spear firmly before bringing his back foot in towards his forward on and then sliding forward with that leg.

The thrust was textbook and a bit shaky but Naruto was nodding all the while.

"Yep," he grinned, Divine Dogs currently training with Sage a bit away near a sitting Shoko, the now 19-year-old woman reading a medical textbook. "You're getting this down, Megu."

"Thanks," the other boy smiled a bit. "Still, I want to know how to use a lot of weapons," he told Naruto who nodded.

"We'll ask the others if they're down for some weapons training-Geto-bro?" Naruto began to say, nodding in determination before blinking as a pair of people came into the clearing. "Huh? Who's this?" He asked, gaining Shoko's attention.

"Huh… W-Wait! Aren't you Yuki Tsukumo?!" The doctor-to-be asked in disbelief as Yuki grinned a bit, Geto rolling his eyes at her reaction. "What the heck-Well, I guess since Geto and Satoru are Special Grades now, I'd bet you guys just wanted to meet."

"Ooh, a sharp one," Yuki chuckled, looking over the area to find Naruto and Megumi staring at her in matching dark blue hakama and shirts. "Hello, boys~" She grinned before trotting on over as Shoko got up and followed suit.

She reached Geto as Yuki did Naruto and Megumi. "Uh, yo, what the hell is going on?" Shoko asked him as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Ideas? There's a concept that Yuki wanted to talk to Naruto about," he explained. "She doesn't know about his true powers but his Heavenly Restriction is important to her."

Shoko raised a brow.

With Naruto, the boy raised a brow at the woman with Megumi. "You want to study my Heavenly Restriction? I mean, I don't mind but how would you even do that?"

"Well, it's more like a long-term observation. If anything, I'd also like to meet your cousin to see if he wouldn't mind helping out," Yuki said with a grin, crouching to the boys' level. "Still, it is nice to meet you, Golden Boy."

"Yeah I-" Naruto had begun to say only to freeze. "U-Uhh? What?"

"You need to be careful of the underside of the Jujutsu world," Yuki said as Geto and Shoko flinched. "Things for you might be getting troubling," she explained, one eye closed. "There are rumors about a certain group on the lookout for the Gojou Black Sheep."

"How?!" Geto grimaced. "We checked every single one of their hideouts, destroyed them, and we still couldn't find that leader!"

"Yep and he's around," Yuki explained with a frown as Naruto followed suit. "You're nice big nee-chan, right here, has been following them because I thought it was curious and that led me to a sorcerer who could give divinations. Turns out, that person is now dead."

Shoko looked down with an intense look. "So, that lead's out."

"..." Geto cupped his chin. "Yuki-san, what exactly did you hear about Naruto? If we know, it'd make our lives easier." So they'd begun to make their moves again?

The Time Vessel Association.

"All the gossip is about some big money on his head," Megumi grimaced. "They want him badly and they're paying some serious yen to get him… but, as luck would have it," she smirked. "I handled it pretty easily."

"How?" Naruto asked with crossed arms. "How could you-"

"Duh, I took it," she said like it was the easiest thing in the world, the boys stumbling in disbelief. "You don't seem to know it but Special Grade isn't some small thing that is just important inside the school."

"H-Huh?" Megumi blinked. "What do you mean?" What did his friend's cousin's title have to do with this?

"The thing is, the Jujutsu world sees 'Special Grade' in a big light. It's not wrong to say, having the title of 'Special Grade' essentially makes you a big-time celebrity and hotshot. With that, I could basically hog the entire quest to myself… but that's where the oddness continues," Yuki frowned. "They put a time limit on it."

"What?" Geto stared in disbelief.

"Yea but that's all I know. The time limit is nine years from now," Yuki grimaced. "In 2018 on October 31st."

"Halloween," the significance wasn't lost on anyone there, especially not Geto.

One of the many days where cursed spirit manifestation was at an all-time high, right up there with Christmas or, somehow hilariously worse, Valentine's Day.

Truly, no sorcerer was more overworked than on the day love was made and viciously broken.

"Something's going to happen on that day," Yuki told them. "I don't think it's wrong to think that way, we just need to figure out what to do when that day comes."

"Still, what happens after that?" Megumi asked. "Aniki's bounty will get lifted?" He asked hopefully.

"I don't think they're going to care for secrecy at that point," Geto admitted, sighing at Megumi's downtrodden look. "I know, Megumi-kun, but we have to be prepared for the real possibilities."

"He's right, Megu," Naruto ruffled the similar-height boy's head of hair. "Besides, we don't know how strong I'll be by that point. And if I'm guessin' right, they know something about me will be vital for that day, that's why they want me. They want to keep me to themselves."

Megumi blinked, considering his words.

"For now, I guess we don't have to worry about those guys," the blonde continued. "We have to get strong enough to protect our world as big a scheme as that might sound."

"Hmph, well, aren't you a planner?" Yuki giggled a bit before grinning. "Alright then how about this?" She offered the group, standing back up. "I'm sure Satoru-kun is training you with Geto-kun but I can offer you a type of training you seem capable of. Shikigami training."

"Huh?" Megumi perked up. "W-What do you mean?"

"The thing is, there are still paths to greatness through the methods we have today," Yuki explained. "Shikigami, talismans, cursed energy manipulation, Cursed Techniques, Maximum Techniques & Domain Expansion, barriers, and more. There are many of us big shots who can handle the pinnacle of some forms of these. I'm not sure where I stand on the shikigami usage scale but I'd say I'm pretty good at it."

"... How do we do this?" Naruto asked with determination.

"There's one easy thing you need to do to learn how to make better shikigami," she whispered to them. "I never told the higher-ups because we're on bad terms but, right now, there's a dying tree in Japan that could help you. The Vak Vak Tree, a tree of life & shaman spirits that is said to be guarded by the shikigami of an old shaman. The thing is, well, I don't know where it is. It's said that it used to be the stuff the Golden Era of Jujutsu used to make their talismans and shikigami."

Geto cupped his chin. "But then how would he find it?" He asked.

"Sadly, that's part of his training. He has to find it but I can give ya a hint," she said. "Shikigami most attuned to the land are said to be some of the best when it comes to finding natural landmarks of Jujutsu. Right now, you need to-"

"Oh, that's perfect then," Naruto grinned as she stared at him. "No, well, I think me and Riko-nee-chan will have to do it since she's harboring Kurama."

"Huh? Naruto-kun?" Shoko blinked at the boy who rubbed the back of his head. "What do you mean… OH! You mean that new one you made?!"

"... Okay, so, do you guys remember what I told you about how my sensing works?"

Geto's eyes narrowed in thought. "... You sense life…?!" His eyes widened as Naruto grinned.

"Not just 'life' but nature. I can sense trees, animals, the waters, and so on. Well, not all of that so clearly but I can feel it. My sensory skills were never really Jujutsu-based but nature-based," he explained as Yuki's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "And my first-ever shikigami, Kurama, could enhance my natural senses. That's what that golden energy was, Natural Energy."

What? "Are you implying there's another energy in the world only you can access?" Yuki asked him, crouching back to his level.

"Well… Yeah," Naruto said. "The thing is, the Natural Energy of the world is tainted with the cursed energy of every living being, the moment I try to pull it in, I'm essentially pulling in-"

"Cursed energy?" Shoko looked confuzzled. "And what happens?"

"Nothing," Naruto shrugged as she sweatdropped. "I couldn't do anything with it before the thing with the Star Plasma Vessel happened and trying to do it now is like trying to suck thick syrup through a straw. I feel everything that energy comes from, the emotions, the origin, and who it comes from."

Yuki's eyes narrowed in interest. "Naruto-kun, I think you are the best one for this job," she grinned wickedly. "Perhaps, if you find the tree in time, you'll be able to make a shikigami on par with the Divine General, itself," she chuckled before standing back up. "Alright! Oh, goodness, I should really have you meet, Todou-kun, he'd get along well with you!" She smirked.

"Todou?" Megumi asked. "He sounds weird," he pouted.

"Oh, like you'd never believe!"

The boy sweatdropped.

~NRK~

~One Day Later~

The following day, with everyone there and Haibara & Kento on their mission, the rest of their inner circle was filled in.

Utahime looked shocked but intrigued along with Yaga and Minato.

Kushina hummed curiously with Kuroi and Minato.

Mei Mei looked excited by the prospect for worrying reasons.

And Satoru… well.

"The hell? So you're gonna look for a tree?" He asked with a flat expression as Naruto shrugged. "Naru, i-it's a tree!"

"Yep but if it helps when it comes to my shikigami, I have to at least look into it," Naruto said, considering Yuki's words. "Right now, despite how much time she gave us, we now have to worry about Halloween in nine years. That's far off but way too serious to ignore."

"It's certainly not good timing," Minato said. "Hmm… around that time, you'll be seventeen."

"Yep."

"It seems like this might be an odd undertaking, Naruto-kun," Yaga said. "If you're going to do that, when?"

Naruto considered the question with a frown. "... I don't know… maybe I'll do it a couple years before I'm in Jujutsu High?"

"So, around when you're thirteen?" Tsumiki asked. "F-Fourteen, maybe?" She offered.

He shrugged. "All I know is, right now, I gotta pick this time carefully. Maybe Yuki-nee'll come back and I can see if she has a good idea. For now, more training! It's almost time for me and Megumi to go and learn about his to-be Shadows."

Megumi nodded, the boy's eyes focused.

"... I think it's time that you two got to taste a bit more of the sorcerer life," Satoru said after some consideration. "Honestly, with Hime-chan around, you might want to follow her on a hunt before she's a teacher for the rest of her life."

"..." Said woman's eyebrow twitched at his emphasis. "And what's that supposed to mean, Go-jou?"

"..." The man looked to be considering his answer. "... Come on, we both know why-"

"God-freaking," the woman's temple throbbed. "Ignore him, you're coming with me, Naruto-kun."

Satoru pouted and she didn't look the least bit bothered.

Mean.

~NRK~

~Zenin Estate One Day Later~

Naruto hurried over to the Zenin Estate with a grin.

"This is gonna be a far-off mission," he'd need to tell Mai about not being able to be here for a week.

Naruto hurried up the steps before finding a familiar pair of girls there.

"Mai-chan! Maki-chan!" The boy greeted with a grin, landing on the step platform with a nod.

"Naruto-kun!" Mai grinned back with a sly look while Maki crossed her arms with a tilt of the head. "I thought you'd be here tomorrow?" She tilted her head with a smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "What? Couldn't wait to see me?" She asked teasingly as her sister shot her a look of disbelief that had her giggling.

"You're not that cute," Naruto said without remorse as her jaw dropped and Maki started laughing. "Gotta mind that ego, Lord knows where it's going," he added with a smirk as Mai pouted at him.

She stomped over before poking him in the chest constantly, still pouty.

"Mister."

"Ma'am."

Maki began to wheeze.

"Alright, alright, oh gracious beautiful times ten goddess Mai," Naruto said dramatically as she blushed before mumbling. "I'm just here to tell you guys I won't be here for a week."

"Huh? Why?" She asked as Maki wiped a tear from her eye.

"Y-Yeah, why?" She asked with a grin as Mai muttered unpleasant things beneath her breath. "Don't be rude now," Maki teased.

Naruto chuckled. "I'm going on a mission with Utahime-nee-chan tomorrow and it's supposed to be a long-term trip," he said. "So, for now, I'm not gonna be here early tomorrow morning. Just letting you know."

"Yeah, well… c-come back safe," she muttered that last bit, confusing the blonde.

"Huh?"

"Nothing, knucklehead, what are you doing now?" She huffed, getting a shaky grin out of the blonde.

"Nothing, really, I figured I'd fill ya in before I left-"

"Alright then, come on, we're playing 'Ghost' Game."

The blonde allowed her to pull him along. Anything for a friend.

~NRK~

~Three Days Later~

Mai spent the first three days of her friend going away just doing her chores and relaxing on the meditation stone.

'I wonder what he'll fight,' Mai didn't want to be a sorcerer but that didn't mean she wasn't curious. "I bet Maki would have wanted to go with him-"

"Every time, it's like you don't get it!"

Mai flinched, skin dropping in color before she scrambled to her feet before hurrying off.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Oh God, let it not be what she thought it was-

She rounded the corner behind the main clan building and froze.

No, that's right, God wasn't listening right now.

He couldn't be if she was currently seeing her sister being essentially bullied by their cousin.

"You should remember that you're the woman of the house," Naoya said with a huff, taking his shoe off Maki's head and walking off. "All these pathetic things you're doing? They're going to stop, Maki."

Mai flinched as the teen passed her by.

"You're doing the right thing, Mai," Naoya said without even looking at her. "Don't forget your place."

With that, he left, leaving her scrambling over to her sister.

Trembling hands reached out for Maki and her twin sister looked at her with a weak but resolute stare.

"T-That bastard," Maki trembled as she pushed herself up to her knees, gasping for breath, face bruised, lip bloody, and eyes full of hate. "I'm going-"

Please, stop talking.

"To kick his ass!"

Please stop getting hurt.

Mai bit her lip as she helped her twin sister to her feet before acting as her crutch, leading her to that familiar clinic of the Zenin Estate.

Please stop fighting against your fate…

An image of a grinning resolute blonde reached her mind and Mai's tears fell silently behind her sister's back.

Only those blessed could do that.

~NRK~

~A Day Later~

Maki grimaced as Ogi stood with his back to her, Mai sitting right beside her with her head down.

"Every time, why? You're a woman of the Zenin Clan, you know your roles yet you refuse to cease," the man looked angrier than usual. "Every time, I let you have these fantasies, these little foolish dreams, and I am made a fool of," Ogi's shoulders tensed. "Do not make me lower my head once more, Maki, lest you feel your father's wrath."

Maki didn't flinch, her head fell but it didn't tremble with fear.

No, Mai knew more than anyone else that it trembled with disgust, anger, HATRED for their own kin.

Mai had felt it before, numerous times, seeing her sister like this, beaten down, verbally tossed around, and utterly made to be pacified had done numerous things to the girl's psyche.

But then it all fell away, not because of some nonsense like 'hatred is meaningless' but because it was all meaningless.

They'd never get anywhere like this. Being defiant, angry, hateful? It wasn't worth the beatings, the words, the pain, and just the shame.

Mai knew she'd long since given up on those kinds of things.

She'd be a housewife and, hopefully, leave this horrible place. Maki could, too.

It's not like their fates aligned with much else.

~NRK~

~Four Days Later~

When Naruto returned, Mai had to hold her tongue with a bandage on his cheek and the wrappings around his left bicep.

"H-Hehe, I went in too deep and got surrounded by some cursed spirits," he'd told her, looking apologetic, like he'd wronged her.

It made her angry for reasons Mai hadn't understood at such a young age.

She'd left him without a word that day and kept her silence no matter how much it pained her.

To do this to her friend. To hold in these feelings about Maki.

To see that lost look on his face that likely meant he thought he'd done something wrong.

She couldn't deal with it that day.

And yet it was the very next day she'd learned that a sorcerer, a young one of Jujutsu High's own, had died. Apparently, he'd been the student of one of her friend's mentors.

She hadn't seen Naruto for a couple weeks after that.

~NRK~

~A Month Later~

The news broke like wildfire.

No one could have predicted it.

No one could have seen it even being possible… but it happened.

One of their very few Special Grades, Geto Suguru, had… had taken a human life.

No, not one life but many, over a hundred lives. The cause? Unknown.

The reason, unknown.

His statements? Unknown.

All Mai knew was that, at that very moment, her blonde friend was probably torn-up on the inside… but she couldn't… s-she didn't deserve to see him.

She didn't want him angry at her like all the other males in her life. She knew he'd be upset because she was ignoring him for no reason.

Her father, cousins, and uncles had been right.

She was stupid. She was dumb and pathetic.

Mai wallowed in her emotions until the day came to an end.

~NRK~

Naruto and Satoru stared at Yaga as he broke the news to them.

"W-What?! You're joking!" Satoru wouldn't, couldn't, believe this.

This all had to be some kind of sick joke!

Naruto wasn't much better, the blonde looking terrified. '... Was it Haibara?' Was that it? Had that pushed Geto over the edge?! 'What the fuck happened?!'

Yaga couldn't hold a neutral face, fists clenched, eyes slammed shut, and head down.

"I… I don't know anymore than you do," he told them and the younger man flinched, head looking down and away from his teacher's disheartened gaze. "I don't know what happened."

~NRK~

They'd left Jujutsu High almost a minute later, Naruto and Satoru leaping across rooftops with only the words of Yaga left whispering in their minds.

"I don't… Only you two can find out what really happened. I'm no use here."

That look on his face made their heart tighten.

This had to be solvable. There had to be something that was wrong!

Something that forced their friend's hand into killing people.

~NRK~

They'd found him in under four hours.

"Naruto-kun," Geto said with a small smile as Naruto shot him a miserable look, the two in a forest. "I want to say I'm surprised, I do, you told Satoru the location of the cursed spirit I released but not me," he spoke as the two of them sat on a tree branch.

"Geto-bro… What the hell happened?" Naruto had to ask. "This! The killing! The mission! What went wrong when you had to take all of their lives?"

"Hmm…" The older male closed his eyes in thought. "They were unnecessary, Naruto-kun."

The area was silent as Naruto stared at him in disbelief. "W-What-"

"The world doesn't need all of these non-sorcerers," Geto continued without letting the boy get a word in. "These people… they're sickening, they don't know the consequences of their actions, they'll follow things like religion, dreams, and goals even if it causes mayhem in the end."

Riko. "Bro, this isn't about-"

"That's why the world only needs Jujutsu Sorcerers," Naruto wheezed at Geto's resolute expression, the man's relaxed look causing a wrench to turn in the blonde's heart. "I finally realized that I wasn't prepared to just give my everything to these people. They don't care about the lives that are lost in their wake, they just keep on moving every day."

"Thinking only about what others are thinking."

"Speaking like them."

"Just copying the next human."

"In the end," Geto said. "They're all just monkeys," he grinned brightly and brilliantly.

It made Naruto sick that this was his true feelings on the matter. "Your family as well?"

"I have more than just non-sorcerer parents. It'd be hypocritical of me to not kill them."

"So, what did you feel when you did?" Naruto asked him, eye shaded by his bangs but his gaze locking onto Geto's closed-eyed frown. "Did you feel right? Did it all of a sudden feel good to just kill people for no reason."

"There is a reason."

"WHAT REASON?!"

The area rumbled with a power that couldn't be tapped into, not yet.

Not right now but damn if it wasn't spilling at the seams.

"Those people didn't need to die. You stained your hands, your very soul, for what?!"

"Two girls' lives," Geto said softly as the boy froze, the man looking up at his expression with a searching look. "Tell me, Naruto-kun, if faced with their lives and those people's, would you really be able to choose?"

"... Yes."

"... Hmph, I'm sure I knew your answer," Geto sat up and leaned forward, eyes searching the blonde's visible one for something. "You believe in the good in people. You don't believe in bloodshed that, in your eyes, is avoidable. You want to right the wrongs without having to go too far… but I can't," he told him with a small, sad, smile. "Naruto-kun… the world has broken me and I need to fix what's broken."

"And killing people is going to 'fix' what's 'broken'?" Naruto asked him, already standing on the branch they were on. "Every innocent man, woman, and child, you're going to kill them? And, tell me, O' so Great Geto, what exactly did they do that tells you you should kill them?"

"... Nothing at all. It's unfortunate."

Naruto's body twinged.

"They didn't ask for this."

Something was holding on by a thread.

"But it needs to be done-"

The harsh 'SMACK' hadn't been unexpected, hell, Geto's head had barely turned to the side.

"... Hmm, even now," he began as Naruto's slowly-becoming-vertical pupil came into view. "You really are one of the kindest people I've ever met."

"I'm going to stop you," the blonde said with a grimace, hands clawing up before they froze and went limp. "I'm going to stop you, so is aniki. We'll ALL stop you. Not because it's just wrong, not because it's to save people," Naruto pointed at Geto's face with an eye that glowed with power untapped. "We're going to stop you because we won't let you bloody your hands again, we'll stop you because you don't deserve to fall into darkness alone. God damn it all, we're gonna stop you because we're-"

"Family," Geto finished for him, the whisper coming from a smiling mouth. "I know… I'll go and find Satoru now, I'm sure he's waiting for you to be finished."

The raging aura of cursed energy could have been felt by anyone, the origin coming from a roof nearby.

"I, myself, wished things could have been different… but I would have gone mad," Geto grinned. "Unless I have already."

He vanished, a shadow shooting overhead and taking the broken man to his friend, likely for one last time as an ally.

---

Up above it all, Satoru found himself at his wit's end.

No noise, no people, no distractions could reach the two of them up here at his command and yet he felt like he was further away from Geto than ever before.

"Impossible!" He answered that last bit of nonsense. "A world where only sorcerers live, are you serious?! Don't try to make an impossible thing like that a goal to kill people!"

"... Impossible?" Geto frowned. "I guess this would be your arrogance," Satoru frowned. "... You and Naruto would be perfectly capable of creating a world in which my ideals would be possible. Naruto's powers, as they grow, will likely change the landscape of the world itself… and then there's you. Are my ideals an impossibility? Or is it simply because I'm not as strong as you?"

Satoru stared at him, confused. "..."

"..." Geto turned away from his friend. "You all were like a second family to me and I know for a fact that Naruto was at the center of all of that," he smiled. "Goodbye, Satoru, whether you kill me now or not is also fate."

Satoru's raised hands flinched as Geto got on a familiar manta ray spirit.

It went off and into the horizon in a few moments, leaving the 'Greatest Sorcerer Alive' trembling for a bit, Naruto's form landing on the roof moments later.

"... Come on, let's go home."

~NRK~

Their return hadn't been quick, the two not wanting to arrive to the confused if not crestfallen eyes and words so readily.

So, they'd instead hit up a hotel for the day and would go back in the morning.

Sitting on his bed after a nice shower, Naruto wore a white bathrobe while drying his hair with a towel.

'This went so badly,' he didn't want to think about it.

He'd failed someone doing the exact. Same. Thing. SASUKE HAD and not only once but TWICE.

Toji and now Geto, what the hell was with his luck this time around?

He spends his entire ninja career stopping one friend from being left alone and now he was in this situation.

'And aniki's probably so hurt,' Naruto sighed at that, done with his rubbing but letting his towel sit on his head. "God, this bullshit got out of hand without us being able to do anything."

"Yeah," Satoru said as he exited the bathroom in his own bathrobe, a towel around his shoulders and one on his head. "... Fucking, Naru, I want to tell you so much that this isn't what it is but-!"

"Aniki, I know, you're probably taking this the worst of all of us," Naruto said, stopping the man from ripping his own hair out. "... I don't know what Geto-bro's trying to do, this is crazy, he's clearly gone a bit insane because this is insane. He even knows that he's doing it for his own selfish desires but he's still gonna do it?"

Satoru grimaced before grumbling as he walked over and sat on the blonde's bedside. "This entire thing got so out of hand," he flopped back as Naruto sat cross-legged in the middle of his comforters. "What happened?! He didn't say anything, he didn't even try to talk to you and we all know that Geto talks to you when he's feeling philosophical!"

Naruto nodded to that, frowning. "... I think… it had something to do with Haibara," he said softly.

Satoru froze, eyes widening before he shot up with a grimace. "I-I didn't… Fuck but just that?"

"There's gotta be something else," the boy said with his eyes on his palms. "Something happened, I don't know what it is but there had to be something…"

Satoru frowned at that, leaning back down-

No. It hadn't been then had it?!

He shot back up with a pale face, Naruto looking confused.

"During the Summer… I thought he was losing weight but he said it was fine! UGH!" The Gojou Clan Head slammed his hands into his face before flopping back. "THAT'S gotta be it!"

"Wait, what happened that Summer?" Naruto blinked. "I was gone for like half of it, what could have changed?"

"We became Special Grades, remember? Then, we began to go on solo missions."

Naruto frowned before remembering some of his own words from when he spoke to Naobito. "Was he lonely?" He wondered as Satoru groaned. "Sorry, aniki, but that's all I can think of."

"I guess going solo wasn't something he liked doing… or maybe," Satoru frowned. "... Haa," he sighed before just dropping into the bed. "Dammit."

Naruto agreed.

Dammit indeed.

~NRK~

~A Day Later~

Entering through the torii gates of Tokyo Jujutsu High, Naruto and Naruto spent barely a few minutes walking in before being besieged by a series of individuals.

"... You're the guys from the Zenin Estate," Naruto realized as one of the members came forward before brandishing a scroll. "?" He frowned.

Satoru and Naruto read the item for a few moments before wearing grimaces.

"Zenin-sama is looking to meet with you two, now."

~NRK~

~Zenin Estate~

Watching the two be escorted to the main clan building, Mai froze, looking a bit pale.

The look on Naruto's face wasn't one she knew too often.

A look of failure and annoyance. The boy didn't look on the verge of tears but he looked a bit 'darker' than he usually was.

What… happened?

"... I guess things didn't work out," Maki said with a frown as the two of them watched the Gojou duo enter the main clan building. "What in the world is happening? I don't understand."

Mai was the same, this all felt like things had taken a steep sharp turn.

~NRK~

Standing before Naobito Zenin, Naoya Zenin, and Ogi Zenin, Naruto had a feeling this wouldn't be a great conversation.

"Zenin-san," Satoru spoke first, taking the lead. 'Don't ruin this for Naruto,' that was basically the main goal here.

Satoru couldn't fail two people again. It'd… It wouldn't end well.

"Why did you hide the fact that Megumi Fushigoro was on the campus?" Naobito asked with not a pleased expression but neither an unhappy one.

Just neutral. Likely something that meant he was on the fence.

"..." Satoru considered his words.

"Because he didn't want to be known by the Zenin Clan," Naruto answered, sitting down directly in front of the Zenin head. "We went to find him after some words from Toji Zenin about his kids being left alone," not fully true but it wasn't wrong.

Toji had essentially entrusted their safety to him and Satoru, Naruto couldn't say otherwise.

Satoru considered his cousin before doing as he had, Naobito's eyes processing the two.

'Likely the mission didn't end well,' not to say he cared but Naobito wasn't a fool.

They were still reeling, likely having to do this conversation wasn't helping them.

He couldn't find it in him to give a damn, though. Things were now in an odd space that needed clearing out.

"Hmm, you didn't know, I'd suppose," the old man said. "Then, you both should know, Megumi Fushigoro was promised to the Zenin Clan due to a contract based on his blood."

"... But he's dead," Satoru said without a frown as Naoya frowned. "So, that contract is effectively null and void. You didn't pay him, obviously, and his kids aren't exactly aware of this contract."

Ogi and Naoya didn't look bothered, the two seeming rather apathetic to this news.

'It's Toji's son,' Naoya didn't know how to feel.

On one hand, this boy was simply unimportant, not like he'd be more than, if he was strong enough, a Hei member.

Still, this was Toji's son and Naoya felt obligated to ensure the boy lived long enough to attempt to live up to his father's power.

'The boy's worthless,' Ogi thought with a huff. "Their words aren't wrong, Naobito-sama."

"Hmm," Naobito considered it but there was something there. "Has the boy's Cursed Technique manifested?"

Naruto and Satoru's expressions were unreadable as they looked at one another.

"Yes," they said in unison, backs straight. "It has."

An energy filled the room, one that alarmed Naoya and Ogi.

"..." Naobito closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "You know for sure what it is, don't you?"

"Yeah, we do," Satoru said.

"... Hmmm."

"What is it?" Naoya asked. "Why are you hesitant?" He asked his father with a frown.

"... If it's what I think it is," Naobito's eyes opened. "You two will probably be unwilling to part with Megumi-shounen."

"Megumi… he doesn't care, you know what I mean," Naruto said. "He knows the entire deal of our Big 3, he just wants to make his sister, Tsumiki-chan, happy."

"That girl?" Ogi frowned. "Why would she be so important to this? She'd be blessed to work in the Zenin Clan."

The look Naruto shot him, the look of disappointment, had Ogi grimacing.

"That, for sure, is gonna be a big 'NO' from him. That attitude? Megumi would sooner kill himself than try to follow it."

Ogi's face contorted in anger that Naruto didn't care about.

That visible eye of his shot the father of two a look that'd deny any argument.

"No offense, jiji, but even if we were to just tell him to go, he'd never do it," Naruto said with a steely gaze. "He's not gonna want a damn thing to do with your family if this is how it is."

Naobito hummed as Ogi grimaced while Naoya frowned.

"That's not for you to decide, Naruto-kun," the second-youngest in the room said.

"You're probably right but, at the same time, Megumi had no choice in the contract in the first place. The boy deserves to choose the life he wants," Satoru said as Naoya wore a conflicted expression. "Besides, he's still going to be a sorcerer, we're training him."

"That's how we learned of this betrayal," Ogi said as Naobito hummed. "It should have been told to us that the Fushigoro child was on the premises."

"And then we'd just have this conversation but with an uncomfortable Megumi in the mix," Naruto said.

"Hmph, the point does stand that the boy knows about us and Toji's connection, has that not invited some form of interest?"

Naruto and Satoru shot one another a look. "No, seriously," they said as Ogi blinked in confusion.

"Megu-kun only really cares about his sister, taking care of her, and making her happy as Naru said. Hell, she's the same way back," Satoru said. "Outside of training, the only interest he really has is in seeing how it can progress."

'Ah, so it's true,' the boy had the coveted Ten Shadows. 'Damn it all, so Toji dying wasn't to our benefit,' Naobito could concede that point.

The man being alive was better in the long run but now that was as these two said.

Null and void.

"I can assume you had a Binding Vow, jiji," Naruto said and the man shrugged.

"Couldn't, the man's lack of cursed energy made that utterly impossible," Naobito said, minding the boy's look of acceptance without a hint of surprise. 'Ahah, I guess you got comfortable,' so this child and Toji were close somehow…?

His eyes went to Naruto's wrists, what were clearly metal black bands jogging his memory a bit.

'... My word,' he barely kept his reaction in check. 'The bastard was training him.'

Those 'shackles' were similar to the ones Toji would wear around the time he was in the Zenin Clan. Personally made here to lower his ridiculous strength and speed.

And the boy had them.

"That's rough," Naruto said with sincerity and the old sorcerer really wondered if this was why Toji had grown attached to the boy.

This sincerity was surprising to the old man, especially with the current touchy topic. Who could so easily put that aside to speak with such emotion yet still look willing to argue the previous point in an instant?

'They're training him,' likely both of them, call it a hunch. "... there was another contract I'd have to inform you of that isn't dead yet, though."

The four others looked surprised but none more than Naruto who was the target Naobito's gaze. "... Alright, you want to tell me specifically, don't you?" The boy said as Naobito nodded.

Naoya stared at his father in disbelief. 'What is it?' There was something odd about this, why did Naruto seem to gain some odd favor from his father? "... Should we leave?"

"It'd be prudent of you all," Naobito said as Ogi grimaced but got up regardless.

"I got this, aniki," Naruto told Satoru. "I have a feeling this is gonna be a secret that won't be passed between anyone else," he added as the Gojou head hummed before nodding.

"This is yours, I'm sure," the man said before getting up and leaving with the three. "You best mind those fingers, Naobito-san," Satoru said without a hint of heat or venom.

But the air seemed to vibrate for a mere moment, the man not even stopping to issue the 'threat'.

Really cementing a fact that'd been the reason he was a Special Grade.

"Hmm," Naobito smirked a bit as the other three left. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind trying to trade blows with the supposed best of your generation," he said to Naruto who chuckled.

"Well, he's the best of his generation, maybe," the blonde grinned as the old man laughed with an intense stare.

"Oh, surely, how could I forget?" Truly, these kids would be something to be feared.

They were those types. The ones who'd either become utter fools or truly stand atop the world.

He looked forward to it.

"So, what was it about Megumi you wanted to talk about?" Naruto asked curiously.

~NRK~

Floating a centimeter above the water of the Zenin Clan's lakefront, Satoru focused under the 'intense stares' of Mai and Maki.

"You're that guy," Maki said with a squinty-eyed look, Satoru grinning a bit as he turned around clockwise before floating upside-down. "Hmph, showoff," she pouted as he chuckled.

"I am 'that guy'," he said with a grin as Mai barely held back her smirk but her eyes danced with amusement. "What's up, gal pals?"

"?" Maki blinked. "Hmm, maybe it's just a Gojou thing," she muttered as he raised a brow while Mai wore a nervous look. "You're Naruto's cousin."

"I am that."

"Do you know what's been up with him recently?"

Satoru blinked. 'They can't mean about… him,' so, this was something before all of this? "Wha…" He began to say only for his gaze to go to Mai.

The girl's look of misery but pleading had him cupping his chin.

"What?" Maki asked.

"Well, sorry, that's probably my fault," Satoru said, righting himself before rubbing the back of his head as Mai wore a look of… well, not relief.

But guilt, something had likely happened between those two that Satoru might need to ask about.

"Oh, I guess he was too busy," Maki looked a bit out while Mai sighed. "He used to train with us a lot but he kinda vanished."

No, seriously, was this what Naruto had been doing? "Once again, sorry, ya see," he grinned a bit. "Naru's gonna go and find a tree-I know how that sounds," he quickly said at Maki's raised brow, even Mai looked confused. "He's gotta do it to improve his two shikigami."

"Two?" Mai's eyes widened. "I-I thought he only had one."

"He made a new one after stern training. I'm pretty sure he would have told you guys that you could try that stuff."

"Ugh, he did," Maki groaned as Satoru snickered. "I just can't… I'm not allowed to," she grit her teeth as the Special Grade's snickers died and left a frown in their place.

'Of course, we literally just spoke of this,' that was gonna be rough for her. "Sorry, even if I have no idea what it's like for you."

"... It's whatever. Naruto typically just makes us workout while Mai tries to use her cursed energy to keep up," she grinned as her sister pouted. "She got a lot better, too."

"Hmph… maybe," Mai admitted.

'Playing' with Naruto was always so physically intensive that he told her she could use cursed energy reinforcement to keep up at any time. Thank God he had because trying to match her sister and him physically was a pain in the ass.

… but it had results, worryingly. She got a bit better at it over the year of their friendship and even had a little fun with it on her own when she wasn't busy with chores.

"Well, I can tell your control is around the same level as Megumi's," Satoru said. "He's a boy we've been taking care of with his sister and training with over the past couple of months."

"God, are boys that good at this?" Maki asked with a groan.

"Nah, nah, Megu's been training almost every day for the time he's been here, that wouldn't be fair to you."

Maki could maybe accept that. "Still, can you talk to Naruto? It'd be nice to not have to deal with this damn house every now and then."

"I'll look into it," Satoru said with a smile as the boy in question came out of the main clan house and walked over to them.

Mai froze before hurrying off. "I-I'm gonna go and do some chores!"

Satoru's jaw dropped a bit while Maki groaned. "I don't want to think about that," she said but her eyes locked onto Naruto's approach.

The boy didn't look harmed or bothered, just curious, and it all fell away into surprise as he saw her. "Huh? Maki-chan?" Naruto said before hurrying over. "It's been nearly a month and a half."

"She's just been wondering when your tree search would give ya time to place," Satoru said with a fake grin. 'Okay, how to manage this situation.'

Naruto observed him as Maki nodded. "You haven't been around, I guess this tree's pretty big business," she said to him. "You ever gonna come around, though?" She asked.

Naruto considered the entire situation. "Sure, I, um… God, Maki-chan, right now we've gotta deal with some… haa, news," he frowned as Satoru's expression became neutral, the girl blinking in surprise.

'What is he…?!' Her eyes widened and she grimaced a bit, holding her arm. "Oh."

"Yeah, we'll… it might be a bit, sorry. We just have to deal with all of this," Naruto admitted to her.

"I understand," not fully but Maki could read him pretty well.

If the normally excitable and energetic Naruto was looking so reserved, the situation with Geto Suguru was probably… bad. Very, very, bad.

"Take care, alright?"

"I will, thanks, Maki-chan."

They left moments after that, the two Gojous disappearing from sight down the staircases away from the Zenin Estate.

From afar, Mai watched with a conflicted expression before slinking off.

~NRK~

~Tokyo Jujutsu High Dormitories~

The news had been received as one would have expected.

Utahime looked down along with Yaga, Kuroi, and Riko.

Minato grimaced at the very idea of it all. 'It's Obito all over again,' but this time it wasn't due to the machinations of a madman. 'He chose this.'

Mei Mei sighed as Shoko's fists clenched, her fellow student's grin shaky and fake.

"I-I guess this is what he chose," she said but her voice wobbled, her chest trembled, and the two were quickly sitting down against the walls where she scrunched in on herself. "Goddammit."

"O-Oh," Tsumiki looked down with a shaky breath. "G-Geto-sensei," she whispered, hugging a small rabbit shikigami, her shikigami.

Megumi grimaced as Divine Dogs looked at him with concern, nuzzling the boy's shins.

Kushina sighed, hugging Satoru from behind. "You two were right to tell us," she said. "You shouldn't be suffering with this alone."

Satoru's fists clenched before they slackened, Naruto's shoulders held by Utahime.

"Yeah," they said in unison. "We know."

"For now, we'll use the week to rest," Minato said. "And time to accept what's happened. Alright?"

"We will."

~NRK~

~Three Days Later~

Naruto laid down on his futon in a pair of green shorts and a white shirt with a toad on it. Lacking his usual wrappings, his two eyes stared at the ceiling in thought.

"..." He raised his hand and stared at it. 'If I'd had my powers, could I have done anything?' He wanted to say 'yes', he did so much.

But like with Sasuke, all the power he could have maybe mustered would have meant nothing because it wasn't the problem. People were complex and sensitive, this was something that had likely bothered Geto for some time… maybe around since the Summer so maybe for a few months.

A month right before his birthday, what a present.

"Dammit," he groaned, not giving the opening door to his room much attention. "Hey, Megumi. Tsumiki-chan-"

"N-Naruto-kun," Naruto blinked before sitting up in shock, turning his head to see none other than Mai standing there along with Maki, Megumi, and Tsumiki. "... hey…" The girl whispered, looking uncomfortable and concerned.

~NRK~

Sitting in the forests outside of his old home, Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"We haven't seen you in a while," Tsumiki told him, wearing a white shirt and long black skirt, the girl's shikigami hopping up to him before sitting on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I just… I'm sorry," Naruto said to them all, Maki shooting him a look.

"You're not like yourself," she said as Mai fiddled with her fingers, the two in their usual clothes. "No wonder that guy had to call us, you're usually the one who does this," Maki grumbled as Naruto blinked.

"That guy?"

Dressed in their training uniform, Megumi cringed.

"Gojou-sensei," Megumi said, getting a bit of a wince out of the blonde who looked guilty. "No! Don't do that, I… we hate it when you're like this," the boy admitted, looking down as Divine Dogs sat at the sides of the children, shooting Naruto pleading looks.

Naruto didn't want that. His precious people should be happy and not like this because of him of all people.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want you all to feel like this," Naruto sighed as his eyes roamed over the group.

His and Mai's gazes caught, the girl biting her lip mouthing something he blinked at.

"I… I need to do something," the blonde said as Tsumiki blinked before smiling a bit. "Yeah, um, I'm not good at staying in the dumps if you guys are willing to go out of your way to tell me. I probably should have known better since that's the case."

"Y-You're allowed to be unhappy, too, sometimes," Megumi muttered with a bit of a pout before Naruto grinned. "It's just better when you're… not."

"I'm glad you care, I do," the blonde said before closing his eyes and crossing his arms. "I've been in the dumps long enough, that's the thing I need to accept, I shouldn't spend a week moping when I can be doing something to never let this situation happen again," Naruto declared, eyes opened and revealing a determined expression. "I just need to do something to bring everyone else's spirits up."

"Really?" Tsumiki blinked before smiling brightly as Naruto grinned.

"Yep. Someone's gotta help 'em, might as well be me… a-and, well," he blushed before grumbling. "I might have an idea but after I talk to Mai-chan about something."

---

Now a couple feet away, with Sage now out and about to chat with the others, Naruto and Mai sat by the back of a tree, out of sight of the others.

"What's going on, Mai-chan?" He asked her gently, the girl pulling up her knees and allowing her forehead to fall between them. "... Does it have to do with what's been going on between us for the past month?"

The girl scrunched in further before nodding.

"... Did something happen, Mai-chan?"

"... I…" She slowly lifted her head so he could see her grimace. "I-I was just angry."

"I doubt it," Naruto frowned as she flinched. "I know how the Zenin Clan runs things, Mai-chan, I literally had to talk with your uncle about this and why Megumi wouldn't want to join."

"H-Huh?!" The girl stared at him in shock before Naruto blinked before gasping and chuckling sheepishly. "W-What do you mean!?"

"Well… Megumi is the son of a guy by the name of Toji Zenin," she choked as he nodded. "Yeah but he changed his name to Fushigoro due to falling in love and having Megumi. That guy… haa, he's dead now, unfortunately, and since he essentially left it up to me and aniki, we chose to help Megumi and his sister."

Mai was floored. "T-That sounds crazy," she said as he nodded.

"It's the truth."

"..." She considered his words before sighing. "Yes, it's because… I-It's because of my family," Mai's head flopped back between her knees while her hand grabbed his.

Naruto blinked before closing his eyes, allowing her to grab his hand as much as she could.

Mai intertwined their fingers before letting out a shuddering sigh.

They sat there for a few seconds, the girl applying different bits and kinds of pressure to their handhold.

After the ten-second mark, she released him and stuffed her steaming face into her knees.

Naruto just chuckled a bit and she grumbled.

"... Sorry," she said to him, face bright red and expression a bit disheartened. "I wasn't a great friend."

"We all have those kinds of days, I wasn't exactly being a great friend recently, either," Naruto smiled for her and she pouted.

'Why can't you just…' Let her be sorry? Be angry?

Why did he have to make her happy? Was it something he liked doing? Or was it all his 'charm'?

Mai 'feared' the answer with a red face. "W-Whatever, what about your idea?"

Naruto blushed before moaning, confusing her.

"Well… L-Let's go back to the others, this is probably gonna be the worst for me above all of us."

~NRK~

~Two Days Later~

Satoru had chosen to spend the fifth day of his personal self-isolation just walking around.

Wearing some baggy black clothes and black sandals, he aimlessly trekked along a path by the dormitories, mind elsewhere until he came to an odd sight after going further in.

Utahime sitting by a small pond, one that he knew held a few fish she'd personally brought.

Sitting in a black t-shirt, shorts, and brown sandals, he raised a brow at her now 'un-pigtailed' hair currently 'laying' down her back.

He blinked behind his blindfold before pulling the item down to allow him to see her fully.

"Hmm, hm hm hm-hm, hmm, hmmm~" She hummed a small tune that he blinked at, finding it to be… a song from an anime he was sure she didn't watch.

Butterfly.

He sat down by a tree near her, dampening his movements with Limitless, and just… listened.

To an alternate version of a rather somber upbeat song he realized he might have needed to listen to, crazily enough.

'I'll probably buy an MP3 soon,' it'd probably help. 'Still, I…'

He looked at Utahime as she kept humming that tune.

By the end of it, she sighed, likely still taken ahold of by their recent betrayal.

Then there was a beep from their phones, the woman's form flinching as her head turned to see him.

He rubbed the back of his head as she blushed a soft pink that fascinated him before he focused on his phone-

The moment he'd pulled it out, he'd seen a notification from Naruto. A video?

Satoru blinked before opening it up, wondering what it was-

"... Snrt," he snorted a bit as she blinked, pulling out her phone in an instant and looking at…!

Utahime's eyes shined at the kids trying their best to play instruments and sing along with them.

Satoru snickered as he listened in, eyes turning to see-

The sacred eyes of the Gojou clan widened at the giggling woman's own bright set, Utahime's demure posture but brilliant expression getting a silent wheeze out of him.

'Whoa!' He turned back around ASAP. 'O-Okay, nothing crazy, she's just giggling at the video!' He thought in a higher octave.

God, this was weird.

~NRK~

~The Next Day~

Naruto kept slamming his head into a pillow as Kushina started laughing with the others, the other kids looking embarrassed as well.

"It was a good song," Utahime smiled as the boy groaned.

"Y-Yeah… well," Naruto groaned before putting his pillow down. "I gotta keep the energy," he admitted as they all blinked in surprise. "Despite what just happened, I needed to do my job to make sure my precious people were doing fine. I wasn't doing that until my pals kinda woke me up," he nodded to himself. "What happened with Geto sucked. That's the truth but we can't just dwell on being sad and stuff. It's fine at times but we've gotta take these experiences and keep moving on. I'm not sure what he's thinking… but I will find him and, when I do, I'm gonna beat his pretty boy face into the dirt until he can give me a good reason for all of this."

Satoru's eyebrows shot into his hairline, eyes wide behind his blindfold before rubbing the back of his neck while Minato smiled proudly.

Yaga crossed his arms before nodding. "You're right. Doing nothing but delving into despair isn't right," he admitted as Kuroi smiled brightly. "And… well," he began as the others looked at him and the maid. "You all might like to know that we… Kuroi is-"

"Pregnant," the caretaker said as Yaga covered his face.

The entire room's jaws dropped. "WHAT?!" They shouted in unison as Satoru stumbled in disbelief.

"Huh?!" He gawked as the women crowded the proud Kuroi. "I… what?"

"Well, that certainly worked well," Naruto said with a look of surprise. "Huh… ya think he's gonna make 'Panda' before or after this kid?"

"Who?"

"... Oh, right, uh… you'll learn about it in a month."

Satoru was left flabbergasted as Megumi blinked before smiling a bit while Tsumiki giggled.

Maki huffed, looking a bit… not 'inspired' but certainly electrified while Mai just seemed happy.

Like she'd complained about before, Naruto seemed to just have that effect on her.

A boy who sought the happiness of others and did his damndest to ensure it flourished.

Yeah, she kinda got it now.

~NRK~

And that's a wrap on several important events.

For one, the meeting with the Zenin clan went well enough despite the latter half of this chapter.

Naobito's interest and character I hope I kinda got? I never was good at writing characters who didn't really give a fuck about others, that runs counter to who I am as a person on a fundamental level.

This man who'd easily propagate the mindset of 'woman belong in the kitchen' while, we're not sure, being mostly okay with Naoya's treatment of his own family members would also be a man of some reason, wisdom, and age. He's a complex character with issues and tradition. I just hope I can get better at character-handling with figures like him.

Next, we meet Mai and Maki, a narratively important event. Mai has been said to be a troublemaker in the wiki, which I'd believe. As a child, it's not fully manifested, especially because she's not motivated by anything like Maki's departure to be such a troublesome kid but we'll see bits and pieces of it.

Next, well… yeah, we have the year-long change of Geto and the introduction of Yuki Tsukumo.

Sadly, we still don't know what her deal is. What her powers are nor what made her a Special Grade but I can assume, on the front of what we have seen, she's got an obscene skill with shikigami. We know that Todou became an incredible Grade 1 by the time he was a third-year due to her training while receiving an odd scar.

She took a normal kid and turned him into a monstrous sorcerer, that has to mean she understands methods to getting stronger. Perception, speed, knowledge, technique, Simple Domain, and more. She's clearly well-versed in the Jujutsu World.

I just hope we can get more about her before I need to flesh her techniques out.

Next, what else would it be? Geto's betrayal, his reasoning, and our two Gojous trying, failing, and coming to terms with it.

Geto's reasoning is clearly partially insane because he's not as 'burnt out' due to having more connections that'd help him. He was closer to Haibara Yu, had a philosophical bond with Naruto, and him, Satoru, and Shoko were, in fact, best friends.

It's a lot less cut-and-dry here, his reasoning. I seriously hope we learn more about him before I have to get to a specific event with him in this story.

Next, Yuki informs Naruto about a way to enhance his shikigami. I'm pretty sure this tree thing won't be too problematic canon wise, there are trees said to have such spiritual ability. Hell, maybe I'll be predicting the future in JJK, never know.

Second to last, Megumi's existence becomes known by the Zenin Clan and Naobito's got words to share. If you're keeping up with the manga, you know what the words he told Naruto are and what contract he's speaking about. It's easy to find out.

Last but not least, Naruto's funk is dispelled by the other children, the former-teen's positive effects really spreading out and returning to him just so he can help spread it again.

That's the point after all, the 'positive twists' he has on canon. At present, the biggest changes:

-Megumi is more aware of who Geto is, was trained by him, was his student, and has a friend he can have help him learn and master his shikigami

-Mai and Maki have a friend outside of the clan, adding some kind external input from a male. I always felt like if Maki had as bad an upbringing as she did, she and Mai might have held some form of 'hate for men' that would need dispelling. I could see Yuta doing that for her and, for Mai, well… Todou is a class act on 'Respecting WAHMEN'. I'm sure that if it'd be something in their characters, these two would have helped their perspective.

-Yuki's got Naruto as a prime subject for the type of world to help create. The same's for Geto but in a different fashion

I hope this was all fun for you guys, I've got things to do.

Ciao.

~NRK Out~