Surpass Your Limits

by NeonZangetsu

To live as a jujutsu sorcerer is to walk hand in hand with regret. To what end? We strive, we struggle and we suffer-for what? Sadness and sorrow? An early grave? Wrong! Tell me, what makes us obligated to meet such perfection or such absurd demands? Forget what those old geezers think! Prove them wrong! Don't give up! Smile! Stand! Surpass Your Limits! Save them all! Narutoxharem.

4. You Are My Special

A/N: I am alive...if only just, and I'm finally on the mend.

Apologies for my absence, you may consider this THREE chapters in one due to my unexpected week-long absence. Sorry for the delay, as you all know I got very sick. Turns out it was COVID and it nearly did me in. Still not fully recovered, but I'm back, and

I've been writing and watching some movies/shows while recovering, including Shadow Garden. That one was...entertaining, if nothing else.

Not sure why folks want me to write a crossover with it; Cid's a hoot!

Of all the characters, I'd say my favorite would be Delta.

Somehow, this surged past five hundred reviews very quickly so here we are, ANOTHER early update!

Feedback really does kick me into high gear; if this chapter gets a good reception as well, then I'll do my best to update early once more. Do let me know!

Of course, it helps that I've been watching the latest episodes of JJK and reading the manga. If you thought Mahito was a menace, you're really not prepared for Kenjaku.

Alas, in other news depression's starting to hit real hard these days. Seriously. Like a sledgehammer paired with concrete. Sometimes I wonder why I do anything at all. can't claim to understand what's going wrong with my head anymore. I don't even know why I'm feeling this way! One moment I'm fine, then my mood craters for a few hours, then I'm back again for a bit, and the cycle repeats. On and on, round the bend, forever and without end! Its rather annoying; as though I've become a prisoner in my own mind sometimes.

Sure, what's one more mental problem on the pile. Not like I don't have enough, what with already being this old. Feels like every day is a battle sometimes. Meanwhile, my doctor insists that I'm fine. Take a health walk he says. Go fishing. You'll be fine.

But for now, I'm still here, still writing. Quick Q&A ahead:

Q: I caught those hints from Gojo's perspective! Is *SPOILER* and *SPOILER* kicking around in this universe?

A: You'll have to read and see.

Q:...Naruto, sorry, Naoya, is kinda giving me Makima vibes.

A: Good. Those are intentional. He's all about keeping control in this second life. Control of the clan, control of his technique, control his enemies. All to protect his precious people. But he's playing a delicate balancing act. How strong is too strong? How much control is too much? How will the Jujutsu world shake out like this?

Time will tell.

Q: Timeskips please? It would do to see things move a bit faster.

A: ...as you wish.

As ever, I own no quotes, references, quotes, themes or memes! They're simply tributes to legends far greater than I.

I'm just an old man who writes as a pastime. I don't make any money doing this, not a single cent.

This is ALL done for free. Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story.

Simple as that. In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!

Remember, as stated last chapter, the names for Naoya's brothers are:

Naome (Eldest Son)

Natsuo (The Middle Child)

Natoshi (Second Youngest Before Our Boy)

Had to get a bit creative what with Slifer and the rest being so busy.

Chapter title, is of course, a reference to that infamous opening.

Hope that helps! Now then...HERE SHE COMES.

Who is she, you ask? Read and see~!

"I can't stand it! That damn brat thinks he's better than us! All because of some Unknown Cursed Technique! And he's showing favor to those failures! Its a disgrace!"

"Patience, dear brother. Your temper is showing again. Remember the plan. Naoya may be riding high as Clan Heir for now...

"Yet we shall bring him crashing down. The fool knows not what awaits. Arrogance will be the death of him."

"I concur. After all, we may not be able to harm him, but those around him are a different story."

"He's going on his first unsupervised mission soon, isn't he?"

"Yes, it would be a shame if an accident happened."

"Indeed, such a shame. A true tragedy."

"Are we all in agreement, then?"

"I have no objections to this."

"So long as the brat DIES.

"Very well, then. Now..."

~Now it Begins.

You Are My Special

"You've improved, brat."

Toji almost grimaced as he said the words.

Damnit, did the kid have to look so PROUD just now?

Because he had improved over the last two years, much to his surprise.

Covered in dirt and bruises, missing an arm and eye besides, Naoya Zenin nevertheless dragged himself up off the ground and stood tall, as if there were nothing wrong at all.

In a moment, there wasn't.

A quick flex of the Reversed Curse Technique had his eye regenerating, his arm growing back, and his wounds closing; like he'd never been injured in the first place. He rolled his shoulders once as he cracked his neck and exhaled sharply, a brief plume of steam leaving his lips in the brisk morning air...then smiled at him.

"What can I say?" he almost sounded like he meant it, too. "I have a good teacher."

Tch. Flattery wouldn't get him anywhere.

That said... Naoya was a good pupil.

He didn't ask any questions, didn't poke, didn't pry, and better yet took his lumps like a champ and came up swinging. Every. Damn. Time. Kid was a born fighter. It was in his blood. For all his espoused dislike of the clan to which he owed his heritage, he was a true Zeni'n. Dogged. Implacable. Relentless.

Almost made him him think of another-no, no, no.

Stop. Don't think about Megumi.

Easier said than done.

He couldn't help but compare the two. Was this what it felt like to be a father? To have a son? To act a proper parent? Sure, he only ever trained Naoya on the weekends, and only then in between jobs, but despite his best efforts to the contrary, his little shit of a nephew had started to grow on him.

It almost made him want to go back. To try.

Maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe he could go back. Maybe...

.

..

...no. Megumi was probably better off without him. To tell himself otherwise was a lie.

Toji would be the first to admit he was a shitty father. There it was. The honest truth. He'd tried giving it a shot once, really, he had, but then she died and everything fell apart. He'd married another woman since and left the brat with that broad and her daughter. It was better this way. Better for to Megumi barely remembered his Father's own name, let alone his face.

Damnit, thinking about him made him angry. It was better when he didn't care!

"Don't just stand there, brat." he growled at Naoya. "Come at me."

His nephew obliged.

A fist whistled in at his face one he caught, but only just. His arm bent backward as the boy twisted, levered himself up around the limb and drove his skull into his face. His nose yielded with a wet crunch as a geyser of hot blood -his blood!- flew through the air. Stars flashed before his face and Toji momentarily forgot about his son, about his mistakes, about everything but the exasperating boy before him.

Better this way.

Grinning like the killer he was, Toji drove a fist upward, only for his nephew to vault off him and snap a kick into his neck. He accepted the blow, caught him by the ankle, and immediately broke his leg in recompense for his temerity. Naoya grunted in annoyance more than pain but made no move to resist as he dangled him upside down by the ankle.

A feral grin stretched across the boy's whiskered cheeks.

Why was he smiling like that? Unless...?

"Gotcha~!"

He realized his mistake a heartbeat later; a heartbeat too late as the blond's open palms slammed down on either side of his head.

No matter how much one strengthens their body, they can't do anything about their internal organs. The same can be said for one's inner ear.

Toji Fushiguro was superhuman thanks to his Heavenly Restriction. It was a testament to the special nature of his body that his eardrums didn't burst on the spot.

Still hurt like a bitch, though.

Pain flared through his skull and broke his concentration; the second he doubled over, Naoya twisted tearing his own leg off as leaped away, leaving Toji clutching the now-useless limb in his fist.

His nephew alighted upon his good leg not a yard away, balancing upon it only for a moment. Even wounded as he was, his smile never faltered...and Toji soon saw why. In a burst of smoldering steam, Naoya regrew his missing foot and launched himself right back at him in a blistering ax-kick. A nimble quickstep brought him out of harms way, but the resultant plume of dirt and dust blinded him all the same. No matter. He knew the kid was hiding in the and grabbed at where he knew his arm would be.

Much to his annoyance said arm gave way, leaving him clutching a useless sack of meat once more-gack?!

His eyes bulged as said disembodied hand latched onto his throat and squeezed, trying to strangle him. He tore it free quickly enough, but the damage was done. Not to his body of course-he was too strong to be choked out by some damn kid- but his pride had taken a beating, there.

A muscle jumped in Fushiguro's brow, throbbing alongside a vein in his temple as he cast the arm aside.

That damn regeneration of his was really getting out hand!

Since when could he control his severed limbs?!

Even he had to admit the Reverse Curse technique was absurdly broken in the right hands. Almost made him wish he had it. No matter how strong he might be, a fatal wound was a fatal wound. If someone blasted a hole in his torso-unlikely as it may seem-that was it. He was done. There would be no coming back from an injury like that.

But this kid...he'd seen Naoya recover from things that should've killed a sorcerer twice his age. Nothing short of complete and utter defeat -stabbing him in the heart alongside a very thorough beheading- would put him down and even then he wasn't entirely sure. Maybe if you disintegrated him completely, but the kid was too cagey for that. Even as his "apprentice" he never fully lowered his guard in his presence. Not once. Not even now, when he clearly had the advantage.

...someday, he would have to fight him for real. Only one of them would walk away, that day. It would be a good fight.

"Uncle?"

...thoughts for another day.

"Good work." He drew the Inverted Spear from the Cursed Spirit at his shoulder. "But you failed to follow through."

Naoya huffed and planted both hands in his pockets. "Because I don't wanna kill you."

A rusty laugh tumbled past Toji's lips. "Thanks ever so much. However...

He stepped forward and flickered into motion.

...you really ought to try!"

Naoya's hand snapped up behind his back, narrowly diverting the the dagger-like weapon before it could drill into his head. Toji barely had time to be surprised; even as he balked the blond whirled and drove an open palm into his torso. Pain blazed up his side and caused his body to seize, but even as it did, he was given no reprieve.

...sorry, Lee. Wanna test something." he heard the blond mutter those words to himself, just as he kicked off his shoes...and the weights within. "First gate...Open."

Gate? What was he on about now?

Toji soon had his answer.

The next punch that came packed the power of ten men and damn near caved in his ribs. Blood fountained forth from his lips as he crashed backward, tumbled once, and smashed into a tree. He'd only just begun to right himself when a boot filled his vision; a rousing flying kick that both snapped his head back and ripped his feet from the floor. Up he went, tumbling end over end into the air; akin to a bird with broken wings, grinning like a madman all the while, wholly unconcerned with his plight.

Yes. That was more like it. There was the killer instinct he'd so tirelessly cultivated in him.

He couldn't hope to raise a kid, let alone two, but training one?

That he could do.

"PRIMARY!

A triumphant shout echoed somewhere above him. He only caught the tail end of it. Almost sounded like...

"LOTUS!"

Naoya's attack crashed down into him from on high like the fist of an angry god, denying his short-lived flight to send him crashing back to earth. Even then Toji Fushiguro remained the master of his own fate. Anyone else would have been defeated instantly. Not him. Earth cratered underfoot as he caught himself, alighting in a pointed crouch at the last second. What had the kid called it? A superhero landing? Damn thing was hell on the knees and he wasn't getting any younger-

'Above!'

His instincts barked a warning, then his nephew struck in a thunderbolt, slamming down at him with fire and fury. His fist sheathed itself in the earth, burying itself up to the elbow, no, deeper now-

Impossibly, his grin grew wider.

"Second gate!"

-just before he ripped a towering rock from the dirt and launched it headlong at him with a mighty roar.

A flick of Toji's weapon cut it in half; the blond barreled through those severed halves to tackle him.

His fist found his face and pain blossomed across his knuckles. "Did you just bite me?!

A toothy grin was his reward before he kicked him away.

Bloody berserker!

This damn brat wasn't even using his cursed technique right now! Just pure physical strength! Was this what pride felt like? Pride not in himself, but someone else? If so, he'd never been more proud. After all the time he'd spent beating this one into shape- at no small expense to himself!- his time was finally paying off.

He'd even spirited him away fro the odd hunt for rogue Curse Users disturbing the peace-not proper registered Jujutsu Sorcerers, he knew the brat would welsh on him if it came to that-and he'd proven himself a dab hand when it came to killing. Throw in those Eyes of Creation and he ranked right up there with Satoru Gojo himself.

Maybe higher!

Movement danced in his peripherals. Toji twisted and parried a blow that made his entire right arm creak. Naoya grinned up at him, veins pulsing in his facewaitwhywasitred-

"THIRD GATE!"

BOOT!

Toji's mind got rather stuck on that last word as a heel clipped his chin, clicked his teeth together with a painful clack and rattled his brain. His body went airborne. Another boot found him there then another, and another, another still as he found himself batted back and forth in the sky like some kind of mad racket ball between two champion players. Not once did his smile fade. There was nothing he could do, no defense he could possibly hope to muster until-

There!

A blood-red fist filled his peripherals. Toji twisted his neck, evading a knockout blow that would've stove his face in and driven down to the ground. The sheer shockwave behind the punch obliterated his right ear from raw air pressure alone. An annoying ringing filled his skull; he grit his teeth against it and used the pain to fuel his next attack. The Inverted Spear of Heaven swept in to stab his nephew in the gut, exploding out his back in a shower of gore.

Naoya gasped and doubled over, crying out in a rare moment of boyish pain.

Toji fought down a wince. It wasn't a fatal wound he reminded himself, he had deliberately avoided the boy's vitals; he'd be able to heal from that with the reverse curse-

A fist gripped his shirt, reeling him in close as they plummeted to the earth.

Naoya was still smiling up at him, bloody teeth all. "Falcon...

Toji's face went white. Ohhhthatlittleratbastard!

He'd let himself get stabbed deliberately!

Let it be known that Toji Fushiguro had never played video games in his youth. Not a once. As such, he was utterly unaware of the particular homage his eccentric little nephew was about to make. Flame filled the blond's fist, taking on the familiar shape of the boy's favorite bird. Here at last Naoya used his Cursed Technique, rearing back to deliver a devastating...

"PUNCH!"

Clenched knuckles made their home in Toji's face and bought property there. His body became a comet and smashed down into the the already fractured earth like a falling star, leaving a towering plume of smoke in his wake. If it weren't for the Veil, folks might've noticed that explosion just now. As things stood, they felt a gentle tremor in the earth. Nothing more.

Toji felt a whole lot more than that.

Wedged within the ground, he turned his head with a groan.

His legs wouldn't respond. Neither did his arms, for that matter. 'Hmm. I think the brat broke my back.

Resigning himself to the annoyance, he laid there in his Toji-shaped crater, gazing at the clouds, watching them until Naoya finally stopped flying about and circled back in. The kid had been agile before but he was a right speedy little shit now, even with his weights still on. Without them-well, he hadn't understood why the brat insisted on wearing them until he took them off. Apparently they made for hand missiles. The look on the last bastard's face when he kicked them off was priceless...well, right before he'd torn their head off.

The kid was a killer, through and through; truly the life of a Sorcerer was wasted on him.

Naoya alighted beside him, uncaring of the dagger still wedged in his gut. He walked over to him, touched a hand to his ear, and mended it for him alongside his back. That much Toji allowed. It was a damn pain being unable to move, let alone going without an ear. When he made to so the same to his lip, however, he waved him away.

"Nah, leave it."

"You sure?" the kid's face faded back to its regular pallor. "This'll scar.

"Good." he'd have something to remember the kind by, at the very least. "...I wish my son was like you."

That got a blink from his student. "You have a kid?"

Shit. He should've kept his damn mouth shut instead of running it. But now Naoya was looking his way and there was something so familiar about that expression...

Meh, what was the harm in it?

Not like he could change anything, right?

...yeah." he stood and stretched with a languid sigh. "Megumi. He's still a runt, but in a few years, I might sell him to the Zeni'n clan."

Naoya made a face. "Why would you wanna do that?"

Honesty was the best policy, Toji found. Besides, the strong had no reason to lie. "The clan was a shitty place for me, but he has the Ten Shadows Technique. First one in generations. They're bound to welcome him. And besides," he turned a dark eye on his apprentice, "You're there, aren't you? You'll keep anyone from taking advantage of him and his sister."

His ear twitched at the mention of Tsumiki. "That may be so, but...

Not enough, eh? Time to sweeten the pot.

"You familiar with the nmae General Mahoraga?"

The older boy froze. "Your son can summon that monster?!"

"Not now, but he'll be able to someday." Every user of the Ten Shadows could. "I'm told the knowledge is instinctual. You're something of a summoner yourself right?" he flicked a challenging grin his way. "I've seen those creatures of yours. Thinking of swiping it out from under him?"

"Me? Taming that beast?" Naoya flopped down opposite him, folded both legs beneath him, and laid a hand against his chin. "The thought hadn't my mind for a second."

"Ha!" a mirthless chuckle fled from his lips. "Don't lie. I know how you work; you're always looking for more power."

His surly little nephew scoffed and drew the dagger from his gut. "To protect those I care about."

"Riiiight." Power was power. You could never have enough; only the strong understood that. "So, whaddya say? Wanna buy him?"

Something sharpened in his gaze. "Would it kill you to be an actual father?"

"Probably." What?! He was being honest! "I don't know the first thing about being a parent. His mother's not around anymore." old memories. painful memories. Ignore them. Shut them down. Bury them deep. "I tried marryin' another broad so someone could look after the kid, but she up and vanished on me. Least he got a sister out of the deal.

"Again, why ask me this?" wait, why did the Kid look angry with him? "I'm surprised you didn't just go to the old man."

"Naobito? Why would I? We both know you're the clan head in all but name these days."

Naoya made a noncommittal noise but didn't rise to the bait he'd set.

Ho? Maybe his position wasn't as secure as it seemed. Bah, who was he kidding? 'Course it wasn't. The kid was only twelve. Nobody wanted to take orders from a kid, no matter how powerful said brat might be. The Zenin were particularly stubborn in that regard. His older brothers were probably stirring up trouble. They might not take too kindly to Megumi and Tsumiki.

Too bad. If they made trouble for his kids.

Not that he cared.

Not at all.

Ordinarily the other great sorcerer clans would've been waiting in the wings, ready to take advantage of such strife for themselves. Spying, infighting, kidnapping and worse. His poor nephew would've been at his wits end dealing with that mess. Thankfully they were distracted at the moment.

The Kamo had their own share of blessings and problems in equal measure; on one hand, they were much too busy fawning over their precious princess with her wicked deathly eyes. But on the other, they had themselves a little bastard boy who someway, somewhere, somehow inherited the clan's vaunted blood manipulation. A blessing in one hand, a stain upon the other.

The Gojo household needed no introduction; they were by far the most stable of the bunch at the moment. Naturally. It was given since they had Satoru Gojo himself. By all accounts he was on good terms with Naoya and those little cousins of his. If they became the respective heads of their clans, it would go a long way to easing tensions in the Jujutsu world.

There were other up-and-coming-rumors to be heard in the Jujutsu World if one had but the ears to hear; he'd heard tell of a boy capable of switching places with just about anything simply by clapping his hands. A little girl in the countryside who went about whacking cursed spirits with nothing but a hammer and nails. And then, perhaps strangest of all, a wild lad with a fixation for all things gambling, one who beat Cursed Spirits to death with only his fists.

Those were just the ones he remembered off the top of his head! There had been others, too. Something about a woman with a scarred forehead and someone else with white all seeing eyes...? Feh, he couldn't remember the rest.

Regardless, the Jujutsu World and the Three Great Clans were balanced...for now.

But in a few years...

.

..

...well, he could see that balance tipping in all sorts of ways. Oh yes, the future promised to be interesting, if nothing else, but only so long as he lived to see it.

"Want me to kill a few of your detractors for ya? I'll give you a discount."

Frankly he could use the exercise; his body was getting rusty.

Naoya clicked his tongue, drew his canteen, and took a long swig from before responding. "Thanks, but no thanks. This is something I need to handle on my own."

"My offer stands. Keep it in mind."

He passed the canteen off to him. "I will."

Ah, nothing like cold water after a long day's workout. "How're your cousins?"

"You mean your nieces?" Naoya fixed him with a stern glare. "Maki and Mai are doing well. They'd be better if you agreed to train them-

"I told you to make them strong."

He couldn't afford to care for anyone else these days. It was miracle Naoya had managed to worm his way into his heart as is; and he'd only managed that by dint of sheer strength and persistence. Taking on any more than him was akin to courting disaster. Caring was emotion. Emotion was weakness. The more bonds you had, the more could be taken from you. He'd learned that lesson well.

"Stupid boy," A familiar, ugly voice from his youth jeered at him. "I thought you knew better after I took your mother out back AND-

Toji flinched at the memory.

His right hand clenched at his side.

No one would ever take from him again.

"At least come by and see them sometime, yeah?" Naoya patted his arm with one hand -Toji fought down the impulse to break it- and accepted the canteen when it was returned to him. "You might find yourself pleasantly surprised. They've improved by leaps and bounds since you saw them last."

Toji avoided meeting his gaze. "Sounds like an awful lot of work to me."

Naoya merely hummed. "The best things in life often are."

Damn but the kid sounded old for a second there.

Wast it just his imagination? Must be.

Still, he saw an opportunity.

A cool fall breeze whistled between them, blowing away dead leaves.

-I'll be taking on another job pretty soon. Gonna be a long one. Mind looking in on the brats while I'm away?"

Naoya balked. "Ha? I ain't no damn babysitter! Find somebody else to watch your kids for the day!"

Toji was well-prepared for his counter. "Do that, and I'll assess Maki and Mai.

The blond sputtered. "Of all the ham-fisted arguments...fine!"

He pressed his advantage. "I want a binding vow."

Naoya made exasperated Naoya noises. "Why?!"

"Because. Are you in any position to refuse?"

In the end, he agreed, of course.

...you drive a hard bargain."

---

(.0.0.0.)

---

Had he really lost two years already?

Time passed, as all things eventually do. Such was life.

In truth, Naruto was somewhat nonplussed with just how quickly it all went by.

Childhood was something to savor, but at this rate he'd soon be leaving his second one behind before he truly got used to it. Two years. Twenty Four months. Seven hundred and thirty days gone by, just like that. He made a mental note to be more aware of future events, lest he be caught unawares again. Better safe than sorry.

'Although...

He paused at the threshold of the clan compound, looked down at himself, and heaved a sigh. Reversed Curse Technique was undoubtedly useful enough to let him outright ignore most injuries, but alas, it didn't do a damn thing for his clothes. He'd regrown an arm and a leg today, but inadvertently left the sleeves for both behind, to say nothing of the dirt and blood all over him. He could reliably recreate and open four of the eight gates in his body and while it hurt like hell, he knew he hadn't reached the levels of Lee and Gai. Not yet. Someday he would. But until then...

Maybe...a change of clothes was in order before he sought out Maki and Mai. Wait, what was that smell?

He sniffed and winced at the stale scent of sweat. Probably a hot shower, while he was at it.

A shake of his head spattered some still-damp blood upon the floor.

.

..

...better make that a long shower.

Maki and Mai hated seeing him in such a state. The last time he'd come home in such a state, the twins were beside themselves with worry and had summarily tried to jump Toji the next they saw him. They didn't succeed of course, but it had proven amusing watching them flail at the older man's kneecaps. Worth it~!

Toji Fushiguro may be an unholy terror to sorcerers everywhere, but he genuinely didn't know what to do with those girls.

Was that a weakness he could use in the future to draw him further to his side?

No, no, no. Shower and new outfit first, plot later.

In the end, it took the better part of an hour to make himself presentable. He would've preferred orange and black but it seemed the servants had wised up this week and swapped out all his usual clothes with ugly green-on-grey garments befitting of the Zenin Clan Heir -phooey on them!- while he was away this weekend. Petty acts like that real ground his gears.

Creation of All Things was useful, but he hadn't figured out how to create clothes yet, much yet dye them.

Ah, but once he did! His future allies were going to get some badass outfits once he finally solved that particular puzzle.

And once he figured out how to make said outfits curse-proof, weapon-proof, bullet-proof and...well, everything proof, watch out~!

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he tucked his hands into sleeves.

Yessir, the future was looking bright!

Things had quieted down here in the clan as of late; Naobito had learned his place since his last beating, and no one dared mess with him since. Not overtly at least. His obnoxious elder brothers had made no attempt to challenge him as clan heir; in fact, they'd been curiously absent as of late; they'd been avoiding him, which meant the three of them were up to something.

After all, he couldn't very well humiliate them if they were "taking extended leave" overseas now, were they?

Well, he could, but he didn't like the idea of leaving Maki and Mai alone for that long.

Unacceptable! They'd never forgive him if he left them behind in Japan and-

"Welcome home, little brother. Still playing at being the Heir, I see."

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose.

Deep breaths. Must not kill.

Even if he wanted to!

He'd expected a greeting upon his return, that wasn't out of the ordinary. Maybe from Maki or Mai -they could be sneaky when they wanted- but not from one of his brothers. Never them. Not anymore.

...Natoshi." he turned to face inclined his head in a demure nod. "Its been awhile."

The man before him smiled. "No kind words for your older brother?"

"...sure. Roll over and die."

"Now, now, don't be crass. Are we not family?"

He bit back a sigh. "You're so quick to say that when it benefits you. We share the same blood, nothing more."

There was at least some small familiar resemblance between the two of them in their face and eyes, but beyond that, this lean, haggard-looking man was every bit as much a stranger to him as the regal blue kimono he wore and the strange sword stowed in his sash. A shame, really. He'd been one of the nicer ones before the elders discovered his cursed technique. Not quite kind, few in the Zeni'n clan truly were, but Natoshi hadn't been cruel. They say power corrupts and absolute power absolutely. Perhaps it did.

The ugly sneer on his face would certainly attest to that. "Still dying your hair, I see."

Was that his best? "Still being a twat and smelling of smoke, I see."

"Why you...?!"

"Go ahead." he planted his feet as his "brother" reached for their sheathed sword. "Draw your blade. Give me an excuse to cull the competition."

Much to his annoyance, Natoshi didn't oblige. Instead he straightened up with that sickly smile of his, that poisonous facade that had once been so sweet when they were younger. It saddened him. Naome and Natsuo had always been something of a lost cause in his eyes, but there had been a time when he'd actually thought there was hope for this one.

Perhaps that was his old naivete rearing its ugly head. In his heart of hearts he was still a dreamer. More fool he.

"When will you cease this pointless rebellion." sure enough his faux-sibling sneered, seeking a new avenue of attack. "Keep this up, and Father may name someone else Heir."

Oh, so they were onto veiled barbs and less-than-subtle-warnings now, were they? "...is that supposed to threaten me?"

"Not at all. Everyone has a weakness, Naoya. Yours are simply more visible than others."

His fist slammed into Natoshi's chest...and his brother exploded into smoke.

"Temper, temper." The elder Zenin chided, reforming behind him. "Have you forgotten my cursed technique? Or did you think I would be fool enough to confront you myself?

Naruto rubbed his arm, mildly annoyed by the burns there. "I thought you'd finally grown yourself a spine, yes. How disappointing."

If looks could kill, he would've been a pile of ashes upon the floor. "You'll eat those words, brother."

It was too much to hope his idiot brothers wouldn't plot anything against him. If anything, he was surprised it had taken them this LONG to act. That implied a plan of some sort; they must have one if they felt confident enough to confront him out here in the open, but he still couldn't see what they were up to. If they somehow successfully ousted him as clan heir and installed someone more pliable, he would simply spirit Maki and Mai away, kill the clan, and be done with it. Surely they realized this...?

Nor could they easily go after Maki and Mai-not anymore. One had Shukaku, and the other Matatabi. They might be small pale shadows of their former selves, but they were mighty in their own right. Moreover, they were a part of him; if anyone attacked them he'd sense it in an instant and come running.

...which meant whatever trap his "dear older brothers" were planning, he'd be walking right into it.

Fine. Easier for him any day. He planted both hands in his pockets and walked away.

"Naoya."

He paused. "What now? If you're not going to attack...

"Take care, little brother. The Zeni'n won't tolerate your actions much longer." there it was, that insufferable smirk he'd slowly grown to despise over the last twelve years of his life. "For all your power, you're no Sukuna. Nor are you Satoru Gojo. You're just a boy in over his head."

Well, that was a veiled threat if he'd ever heard one, and hardly subtle at that. Fine. Two could play that game.

He craned his neck over his shoulder and looked Natoshi's smoke doppelganger square in the eye.

"Tolerate?" the word escaped him in an ugly rasp. "How unsightly."

Natoshi bridled. "Pardon?"

"You speak as if you any say in the matter." he turned to face him fully, betraying not an ounce of emotion. "You do not. You're weak." the very air thrummed with killing intent as he spoke; he needn't raise his voice; there was no need; a simple stare silenced Natoshi surer than any shout. "I could tear your entire world down around your ears; the only reason I haven't is because I thought you might be better than the rest, that somewhere deep inside you, some small semblance of goodness might yet exist. Unfortunately, you've proven me wrong. Congratulations. Do you know what that means?"

In that moment, his smile would've made the King of Curses proud.

"It means," he clarified, placing his hands together with a wide, face-splitting grin, "That I can crush you, grind your bones to powder, put you in a stew, feed you to your brothers...and feel nothing but satisfaction. Do you understand?"

His brother tried to speak, to lash out, to defy him.

All that escaped him was a wordless gurgle.

Naruto hummed. "You may nod."

Natoshi did so, numbly.

Projection sorcery was useful for all sorts of things, but it held one inherent weakness. A visual projection carried feedback to whomever was commanding it at the time. They shared senses. Sight. Smell. Sound. It was a two way street. Anything the doppelganger experienced, so too would the user. Natoshi's jujutsu revolved around the use of smoke; his mastery was such that he could even shape it into his own likeness and shared said senses with it. Ordinarily, that wasn't much of a drawback. However...

"Good, good." his smile grew, eyes crinkling. "Now one last thing before I go...

He grabbed the sorcery by its face and squeezed.

"Know your place."

His brother's jujutsu tumbled to its knees -as did the man himself, miles away- leaving him with his smile.

Maki and Mai would be safe.

No one would hurt them.

So he swore.

To be honest, Naruto really wished he had more time for them; more of himself to give. The twins were growing like weeds; they seemed taller every day, but no less energetic and rambunctious for it. Stronger, too. The precious few hours he got with them just didn't feel like enough, but he was constantly busy due in no small part to the burdens he'd set upon himself. He had a plan you see, and as a result his life had become something of a regimen as of late.

First and foremost, he had training with Toji on Tuesdays and weekends while Mei Mei got Mondays -long live Mei Mei Mondays!- and Gojo got the rest of the week to smack him him around to his heart's content. Between all that he delved into his own personal training, further strengthening Creation of All Things. It was a brutal cycle, one that paid dividends for him in terms of strength, but honestly if it weren't for the Reverse Curse Technique, he'd be a broken, sobbing mess.

Gojo's efforts on that front were coming along nicely-the training bit, not the crying.

Frankly, he didn't think the man could cry.

He'd never seen him sad. Not a once!

He hadn't been able to wrangle Nanami, Utahime, or Haibara into his plans yet -he was absolutely fascinated with that one's Cursed Technique!- but not for lack of trying. They were coming around. He was certain it would be only a matter of time now. After all, they were allies, weren't they? Shouldn't they train together and pool their knowledge? Surely they realized they were stronger together, no? And if observing their techniques helped give him insight into his own, all the better!

Of course he would pay them back in spades for this.

He'd already lent Isobu to Shoko as thanks for her showing him some tricks with Reversed Curse Technique. Thanks to her, his regeneration speed was nigh unmatched these days; hence the reason he could easily discard his own limbs like candy and go full berserker in a fight. She really was such a nice girl, teaching him how to numb his nerves like that.

And Gojo said she was bad at explanations! Feh!

Likewise, he'd given Geto a small Son Goku-strictly on a probationary period depending how the older sorcerer behaved-in exchange for detailed lessons on Cursed Spirits. From him he'd learned it was possible to tame a Cursed Spirit without Cursed Manipulation, though extraordinarily difficult. Hopefully the four tailed monkey would keep Suguru in good spirits, while also acting as a sort of tether for him going forward. Wouldn't do for that one to lose heart now, would it? Not with that spark of darkness in his heart...but nevermind that! His mind was already off on a different tangent.

'Ah, I wanna tame a cursed spirit! Maybe a wolf? Probably best to start with something small and see if I can raise it to Special Grade status...

A whisper caught his ear, ruthlessly clawing him from his many, many plans.

"Its that boy again...

Craning his neck, he looked over his shoulder. Some of the older clansmen and women were muttering to themselves as he walked by. The younger ones bowed readily enough, happily even, but it was the old fogies and callous crones who glared daggers at him, all the while muttering behind their sleeves. He wasn't blind to it; he was no stranger to the averted eyes and harsh whispers.

A lifetime ago he would've hollered at them and tried to show his worth to them, but now...he felt no such urge.

What need had he to prove himself to the likes of them? It seemed laughable.

'Was I ever that immature?'

Maybe he was. Perhaps he'd simply matured in this strange second life of his. But what choice did he have? The Zeni'n were a bunch of bigoted brats who couldn't see the forest for the trees; so stuck in their ways that they couldn't even contemplate the concept of change. They would rather let the clan sink into the mud than allow it to rise to glory.

Tough! He would control it all. Everything would be his.

"Good afternoon~!" He made sure to wave their way, knowing it would drive them to distraction. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

Ah the sound of grinding teeth. Could there be anything sweeter? Maybe Gojo had a point. Teasing was fun!

"By the way," he looked to a nearby maidservant, "Have you seen Maki or Mai?"

She bowed her head. "They were near the training pit, honorable heir."

"Hmm, thanks." he waved a hand. "That'll be all-

His detractors were still staring at him.

All he had to do was tilt his head their way, raise a finger, and put just a liiiittle cursed energy into it; that was all it took to scatter them like so many mice. He watched them flee with a bemused smirk. What did he care for the whining and winging of wastrels? If they had a problem, they could challenge him to a fight. Oh right, they couldn't! Because he'd win. He always won. Honestly, maybe it would be better to just kill them and start over. Blasted old fogies.

"A man from Jujutsu High also came by looking for you, but you were out." the maid bowed and presented him with a sealed envelope. "He told me to relay a message for you...something about it being showtime?"

Naruto twitched. No, surely not. A flick of his fingers opened it and allowed him to scan its contents.

His right eye began to twitch. "Satoru, I swear to god...

He could just imagine his voice now as he read:

"Hello, my dear Kouhai!

"Its finally time for your very first solo mission! I managed to fob off the Higher Ups with excuses for the last two years, but they're finally started digging their heels in saying you needed to start contributing. So I found you a niiiice cozy little forest shrine near the clan compound. Seems simple enough, didn't really look into it. Probably just a harmless little second grade. Should be easy, right? I would've killed it myself awhile ago, but I've been saving it for your debut! Aren't I an awesome senpai? Wait don't answer that, we both know I am! Do well, and I'm sure you'll become a Special Grade Sorcerer in no time!

Oh, and we're sparring later today. Remember to pack your gloves!

By the way, when am I getting one of those pets of yours?

Ever your awesome Senpai,

~Gojo.

He crumpled the note, snapped his fingers and set in on fire.

So his had finally begun, eh?

It was inevitable.

Missions.

Yes, he had killed curses before, even shadowed other Sorcerers on their missions but ever in a controlled environment. This would be his first time undertaking that task alone. And at the ripe age of twelve. It rankled a little, knowing what the Higher Ups were trying to do. They thought they could just throw him at powerful curses until he died, did they? Well, they had another thing coming.

Grade Four Curses were absolutely no match for him.

Grade Three Curses he cut apart like a hot knife through so much butter.

Grade Two Curses fared a bit better at running away and often did when he faced them.

Grade One Curses could be a bit annoying if they had a particularly troublesome ability...yet they still died like all the rest.

He longed for a proper challenge; something to gauge his newly refined skills against. Ah, but Special Grade Curses! Those were supposed to be rare for a reason. The one he'd killed years ago had been something of an exception; both a surprise and weaker than expected; it had broken into his room and he broke "it" after only a few hits. No one "knew" he had killed it. He suspected someone had sent the darn thing after him for some reason or another, but as another attempt was never made, he let it slide.

Most of the "Special Grades" supposedly a cut above the rest, though he found the title of "Special" to be something of a misnomer.

Any curse could gain sentience under the right conditions; you didn't "have" to be Special Grade to be unique.

Of course by that very definition, little Shukaku and Matatabi qualified as Special Grades, though they could be seen by just about everyone Most assumed they were simply exotic pets

Most died when they tried to take them.

And speaking of trying-

"Hiyah!

A noise caught his ear as he rounded the bed, hopped off the porch, and...yup.

Sure enough, he found Maki nearby. She wasn't training in the pit like Mai, being unable to see curses as she was -and thus defend against them- but she didn't let that get her down, no sirree. His little cousin was a brutal blender of motion, long ponytail flying about her in a whirl as she danced between her targets, blade in hand. Truly she was the scourge of training dummies everywhere. She'd nearly pounded this one to powder already under Shukaku's watchful eye.

"Hit it again!" the tiny tanuki shrilled angrily at her. "Its still standing!"

She lopped the dummy's head clean off with a vicious backswing.

Thatta girl.

Naruto took some small measure of pride in her progress. For just as Mai wished to improve, so did she.

And my, they were improving!

Very quickly at that!

Almost too quickly.

Whenever one of the Twins made strides in one area, the other succeeded in another almost exponentially. He had a theory about that -probably had something to do with their Twin aspect- but he wasn't certain yet. The theory would take more time to cultivate, let alone realize.

'That said, I'm gonna have a gaggle of girls following me around at this rate. Hell, two of them are already being trained by me.' The corner of his mouth curled in a small, bittersweet smile, vaguely recalling an anime he'd once seen in his younger days. Japan had no shortage of those. "The hell is this, Shadow Garden or something-

"Yo, boss!" Shukaku raised a paw from his perch, startling him. "Come to check on us?"

"Hmm." he feigned a noncommittal shrug with a hum besides. "Something like that."

Maki perked up and dropped her shortsword, golden gaze gleaming. "Naoya?"

"Yo, Maki." he raised his right hand. "Been a bit. You've gotten stronger."

Her eyes lit up. "NAOYA!"

Brace for impact!

He planted his feet, caught hi excitable cousin by the waist when she lunged, swung her round once and set her down. The second he did she latched onto him and buried her face into his jacket. Huh. Her head almost came up to his chest, now; just another sign of how tall she'd become someday. Maki's grip was a whole lot stronger than he remembered it being, and she had even less cursed energy than he remembered. Was she unknowingly becoming just like Toji, or perhaps...?

"You were gone for awhile this time!"

"Not my fault." he patted her head, drawing a pleased hum from her as he ran his fingers through her green hair. "Toji dragged me all the way up to the mountains and left me there. I only just got back." he paused, remembering what he'd come here for, and beamed."I brought you something.

Attention acquired!

"You got me a present?"

"Don't tell Mai." He whipped out his hands and conjured the "gift" in question from the hammerspace where he'd been keeping it. "Tada!"

Contrary to popular belief, cursed tools weren't easy to make; anything he created using Creation of All Things was forged from his own energy, and that in turn, took time to regenerate. Ironically it was easier for him to make weapons; he knew weapons, making those and imbuing them with an effect was easy enough once you knew the trick. They were essentially a one off; but delicate material like this took a softer touch...he wasn't used to soft. He broke things, he smashed things, hell, most of the things he recreated these days were meant to cause pain.

But not this.

Never this.

No.

Maki squinted at the item in question. "Are those...?"

"Glasses!" he beamed. "My latest creation! They'll allow you to see cursed spirits. Useful, right?"

Maki stared at hm. She stared hard. "And these ones aren't prank?"

How rude! He'd only tricked her, what...three times?

"Well, if you don't want them...

"Yes! I want!" She swept them out his hand and donned them quick smart, "...how do I look?"

Time...skipped. That was the best explanation for what happened next. For a single blessed moment Naruto got a good glimpse of the future and saw just what -who!- little Maki would grow up to be, glasses and all. That settled it; she was going to be a monster in the BEST of ways. He blinked and the moment was lost, leaving him wearing a cheshire grin. Right, she'd asked him a question, hadn't she? And a loaded one at that.

'Oh no you don't! I'm familiar with this sort of event!'

Rather than fob her off with an excuse, he flicked her a thumbs up. "You look great! Especially with long hair!

Much to his confusion, Maki's pale face burned a pretty shade of red and she suddenly found her shoes fascinating. "You think so...?

"Definitely!" he reached down to tousle her hair, heedless of the tiny little squeak she made. "You still using those training weights I gave you?"

She nodded once, a quick jerky bob.

"Great!" he drew her in for a quick hug, slightly baffled by her sudden silence. "Be sure to keep them on unless its an emergency. They'll make you that much stronger." Another thought occurred to him. "By the way, do you know where Mai is?"

...down in the pit, training." she began fiddling with her ponytail and still refused to look at him.

Naruto slapped a hand to his forehead. "Again?! Honestly, that girl...! I keep telling her she's not ready for that. Those cursed spirits will eat her alive if she's not careful...

He left Maki behind with Shukaku and a quick goodbye, her face steaming, mumbling to herself.

The second he took his eyes off her, she snatched up the tiny tanuki and bolted

Ah, Naruto, still so dense...

---

(.0.0.0.)

---

Maki smashed her face into pillow and hollered at the top of her lungs.

He liked girls with long hair.

'Gotta marry him!'

---

(.0.0.0.)

---

"What have we learned today, Mai?"

...that you're an ass?"

"Language."

Maki's other half hauled herself out of the pit with an aggravated gasp, flopped down onto the ground, then promptly turned a baleful look upon him when he made no move to help her up. Matatabi promptly curled up on her battered back and fell asleep, much to her owner's ire. For his part, Naruto weathered Mai's anger with practiced indifference. It was the least she deserved after pulling a stupid stunt like that.

"You didn't have to interfere, I had it under control...

"Did you now?" he crouched down on his haunches to regard her. "That why those curses were gnawing on you?"

Mai made an angry noise and looked away. Awww, she was mad at him for cutting into her training?

Tough.

He'd told her not to take on too much at once, but it seemed his warnings had fallen on deaf ears this time around. You didn't throw yourself into a pit full of Grade Two cursed spirits and expect to emerge unscathed. Not at Mai's level and definitely not with a puny revolver like that. What did she think would happen? He let her squirm a moment more before offering her a hand. Matatabi bounded up it and claimed a perch on his shoulder, leaving her owner to look on sullenly.

"Well?" he inquired. "You gonna lay there all day feeling sorry for yourself, or are ya gonna tell me what's wrong?

Mai draped an arm over her eyes and bit her lip. Ah, the classic tsundere pout. He knew it well.

...I can't catch up."

"Catch up to whom?" he prodded ever so gently.

"Maki!" the word burst out of her in an explosive rush. "She's leapt past me again!"

Ahhh. Sympathy softened his features. Now he understood.

Jealousy.

He hadn't forgotten this feeling.

"Of course she's leaped past ya. She's not you.

Mai made a noise trapped somewhere between a snarl and a sob.

"You are not Maki," he reached town to take her arm and peel it away from her face, revealing her teary eyes, thereby forcing her to look at him. "And likewise, Maki is not you. You're two different people, no matter what anyone says." his thumb flitted down, wiping away her tears. "You can see curses. She can't. You have a cursed technique. She doesn't. You have your keen mind, and she-

"Is a damn gorilla?" Mai tried, voice hoarse.

"Ha!" Laughter burst out of him, high and sharp. "Well, she's certainly stronger than one! Now are you gonna lay there all day feeling sorry for yourself, or are ya gonna get up and kick some ass?"

A spark came back to her damp golden eyes, faint and weak. "You won't leave me behind?"

Was that her fear? "Wouldn't dream of it." he winked her way. "Now, then...?"

His hand inched closer.

Mai seized his palm desperately, frantically, like a drowning girl lost at sea, clinging to him for dear life. That once dull spark in her eyes had ignited into fire, flooding them with life once more. It was a good look for her, he mused. From there he hauled his surly little cousin up to her feet and gave her a once over with the Reversed Curse Technique. She watched him intently the entire time as only a fascinated child could.

...I want that."

"You really don't." he sighed as he closed a tear in her arm. "Its a pain in the ass to learn, and healing someone else is harder than healing yourself. Hands." she obediently held them out -she was missing a finger on her right with two on her left- and he went about mending those as well. "You have to work hard at it-no, harder than hard just to understand it and-

She latched onto his chest. "Then teach me!"

"Maybe later."

Just as quickly she released him.

"You got Maki a gift." It was not a question.

He quirked a brow at her. "And you know this how?"

She's my twin." she glared golden daggers at him. "I know.

Ah, adorable little Mai. He couldn't help but tease her. "Lucky I got something for you too, then."

Her anger faltered at that. "You did?"

Indeed he had! He'd anticipated this very event!

Lesson one when having twin cousins! Always treat them equally! If you get one a gift but not the other, they'll be sure to spite you!

Of course, that was easier said than done. He couldn't very well get Mai glasses she didn't need, so in lieu of senselessly buying her the same thing, he'd gone with something a bit more...eccentric. A mere revolver would not do, not for his precious cousin. It had to be something versatile, a weapon that would Creation of All Things came in clutch once more. It had taken months of studying to understand the intricacies of this weapon and countless failed attempts but he was certain if anyone could use it, she could.

He swept out a decently-sized black box from his hammerspace and held it out to her as a prince might their princess.

"Aaaaand you're forgiven!" Mai squealed, clutching it closed to her chest. "What is it?"

"Its a secret!" He replied. "You're not allowed to open it until after I leave today."

If her eyes had been bright before, they were sparkling now. "You mean...?"

"Yup." he walked away. "Meet me out in the yard. Time for a spar."

"Oho?" Matatabi yawned from atop his shoulder. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to leave me out of it-ugnyah?!"

Her refined speech piqued into a yelp as Mai dragged her down into her arms and raced after him past the patio. She really was too easy to placate; he'd give Matatabi a bunch of treats later to make up for this. Maybe Shukaku as well. They both had their hands full these days

"You've gotten stronger, sure, but your fighting has absolutely no finesse." he stopped three paces away from Mai and beckoned. "We'll work on that. Come at me."

Matatabi squirmed out of Mai's arms and bolted for the safety of the porch. "Do it without me! I just cleaned my fur!"

Credit where it was due, Mai didn't hesitate. She launched herself at him like ballistic missile.

"Lesson one." he swayed back from her clumsy lunge and tripped her up, sending her her sprawling. "Concentrate a minimum amount of cursed energy in your feet for a burst of speed."

Mai righted herself with a growl and came at him again with a yowl.

"Lesson two," he caught her wrist before she could open fire on him then dragged it up, forcing the shot to go high. "Once you've gained the proper distance from your opponent, speed and strength are unnecessary." his fingers bit into her arm, forcing her to drop her pistol entirely. "You can deflect, yes, but against a human adversary, pressure points are key. Like so-oh?"

She planted both feet against his chest and kicked; curious to see what she would do, he let her go, allowing her to launch herself backward.

Click.

He looked down, mildly amused to find the several shells of unspent ammunition at his feet.

Ammo she'd supercharged with her own cursed energy. "...clever girl."

They went off like firecrackers, blinding him.

"That's much better!" he grinned into the smoke. "Are you ready for the third lesson?!"

Mai burst through the smoke at his back, swinging a baton at his neck. Very good. She didn't make a sound; better yet, she'd suppressed her cursed energy to near nonexistence-a proper sorcerer would have been terribly hard pressed to sense her.

But he wasn't a true sorcerer now, was he?

He could sense her life force, her determination, her burning need to prove herself. Almost made him let her land a hit-but no. Giving her a freebie here would only make her arrogant. Couldn't have that now, could they? Humming happily, he reached back behind his head with both arms, caught her just under the armpits, and spun her right round, dangling her upside down before his face.

"Lesson three," he hummed, reveling in her startled expression as he dug his fingers into her sides hers. "Never, EVER give your opponent time to think! Now surrender!"

"Give!" she squealed as he tickled her. "I give up! How are you so fast?!"

A wink was her reward. "Pushups, situps, and plenty of juice."

"Not that excuse again!" She stuck out her tongue. "I hope Gojo-Senpai smacks you around this afternoon!"

Satoru probably would.

"Don't let him hear you say that." he lowered her to the ground, then drew her in for a quick hug. "He'd be over the moon to know someone else was calling him Senpai, the absolute dolt."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"It is! He's already arrogant as is. Last thing he needs is another ego boost.

...m'kay." she muttered against his chest. "I almost hit you back there, you know. I got reeeaaally close!"

"So you did." he drew back, ruffled her hair, and held up a finger. "Listen, Mai." when she tried to speak, she held up a finger. "Your technique is called Construction for a reason. You're not giving it, or yourself, enough credit. Its kinda like mine in that can create things, but you're limiting yourself in terms of cursed energy. We're goingto fix that. This is why your training is different from Maki. Remember. There's nothing wrong with wanting to get stronger, so long as you have a proper purpose for getting stronger.

Her eyes lit up. "So you're teaching me stuff she can't learn?"

He flicked her forehead. "Yup."

...can I open my gift now?"

"Still not yet!"

"Boooo...

---

(.0.0.0.)

---

"So when do I get a pet?"

"Pet?" Naruto faltered. "What're you talkin' ab-ack?!

He should've known better, the moment he mistimed his block, Gojo showed no mercy.

An iron-hard fist scythed through his guard, struck him just under the ribs, and blasted the air from his lungs. He didn't crumple to his knees-too stubborn for that!-but still found himself stumbling backwards nevertheless as he clutched his stomach and choked. Reverse Curse Technique could repair the worst of the damage, but it couldn't do anything about his body's refusal to breathe for a few seconds. Good to know. He'd remember this feeling in the future.

Satoru must've seen the look in his eye too; because he hesitated. "You're mad, aren't you?"

Naruto smiled as a thin line of blood sluiced down his chin. "I'm not mad."

"Right?" he beamed. "I haven't done anything to make you angry."

"How on earth does Utahime put up with you...?!"

"In small and measured doses~!"

"Measure this!"

His hand slashed out at speed, bleeding a we of snarling of slicing shadows, around Gojo's guard. Shikamaru would've been proud of the feint that followed; even as Satoru batted them away with Limitless, he failed to see a thin tether burst out his own shadow. A scarlet cut opened across Satoru's cheek...and closed a second later with a rush of steam.

Naruto paused, somewhat taken aback.

Huh. He actually managed to hit him. No, wait, that wasn't the important part!

"Aha!" he thrust a finger at him. "You finally pulled off the Reverse Curse Technique! When were you going to tell me?!"

"Busted~!" the older student tilted his glasses down to grin at him. "Yeah, I figured it out about three days ago. It only works on small wounds for now, and I still can't manage to must a proper Red buuut I suppose its a start," a thumb brushed his cheek, flicking a bead of blood away. "I'll have to practice until I can regrow an arm or an eye like you."

Blue eyes bulged. "Why would you want to?! That shit hurts! Don't get yourself injured like that in the first place!"

"Don't worry," much to his chagrin, Satoru merely waved a hand his way. "I can take a little pain. Ideally, I'd like to be able to regrow my entire torso and internal organs if someone cuts me in half...or punches a hole in my throat."

This guy...!

Naruto's twitch returned with a vengeance. "That sounds strangely specific, senpai."

"What can I say?" Gojo tipped his glasses back, hiding his eyes once more. "You've taught me to be prepared. And hey! I finally got you to say it!"

Shit. He really had, hadn't he? He'd never live it down now.

Naruto looked away. "Say what? I said nothing."

"Sure you did," Satoru slung an arm over his shoulder. "So about those pets of yours...

"They are not pets!"

Gojo threw a quick punch while he was distracted; this one he managed to deflect, only for a pulse of Blue to yank him forward. He dug his heels in and booted a wall of earth Satoru's way. It shattered against his Infinity of course, but he'd been prepared for that, having seeded it with dust beforehand. Using the cloud of smoke that followed, he twisted his head and spat fire.

The yard went up in a rush of flame.

"Achoo!" Satoru stood in the center of it all, fanning his face with one hand. "C'mon, a dust explosion, really?" Then his smile returned. "Say, I wouldn't mind an ox or an octopus if you've got one of those handy?"

Naruto's brain fizzled out spectacularly; so much so that he nearly got himself hit again. Oh god, now he was imagining Gojo rapping like Bee! They even had similar shades! The corner of his mouth twitched and he bit it to stifle a laugh. He didn't succeed; a treacherous little snort escaped him, moreso when he saw Gojo's pout.

"Are you," he coughed into a fist to hide a snicker, "Are you jealous?"

Satoru recoiled like he'd been slapped. "Me? Never!"

"You are!"

"Alright, maybe just a little." his exasperating senpai made a pinching motion between his thumb and forefinger. "I mean c'mon. You gave one to Shoko, for crying out loud. Shoko!" he flung up his arms with a shout. "She barely goes on missions these days! That's favoritism right there, I tell you! Favoritism~!"

"No, I lent Isobu to her." he prodded the Infinity between them as Gojo pouted. "Its a temporary contract. There's a difference."

"And what about Suguru?"

What about him? He almost said the words, very nearly did, really.

Instead, his lips sealed into a thin line, refusing to give Gojo the satisfaction he sought. "He looked lonely."

...which is why you gave him a four-tailed-monkey-demon to pal around with?"

"Hey, hey!" He stabbed a finger at him. "Don't diss Son Goku!"

Gojo elbowed him. "Like that Goku? The manga one?"

"What?" he scowled. "NO! That's different."

"Well, technically they're both monkeys...

"One more word and I will stab you."

...you know what, nevermind. By the by, though," Wuh-oh. He didn't like that look in Gojo's eye. "How many more of those can you make?

He really shouldn't give him any hints but Gojo clearly wasn't going to let up anytime soon, so...

...I've got four out right now, so...five?" he shrugged. "It takes a lot out of me."

Gojo's grin proved decidedly cheesy. "Aha! So you can give me one!"

"I could," he planted a fist on his hip, "but why would I? You're damn near invincible. You don't need a buddy right this second."

"But they're so cute!"

Stubborn bastard! "I'm still building up my reserves. No means no!"

And he was. At present he felt four tails was his limit. But he grew stronger every year.

Each beast took more from his reserves. Shukaku and Matatabi's recreation had been tiring. Isobu and Son Goku exhausted him. Kokuo and Saiken would probably take more from him yet. Then came Chomei and Gyuki, draining though that would be, and finally...Kurama. Recreating his old friend would probably take the most energy from him yet; it might even kill him if he wasn't careful. He'd already sworn never to recreate the ten tails, no matter what, not when it meant the sacrifice of his friends.

He wondered if any of them would ever remember him.

Neither Shukaku nor Matatabi had shown any signs of recovering their memories, even two years after their rebirth. Nor had Isobu and Son Goku for that matter. It was alright if they didn't, he'd never been particularly close with the other tailed beasts, not even Gyuki, but Kurama...surely he'd recognize him when the time came. He had to, right?

'I want to be remembered not just as Naoya, but as Naruto, damnit. They can't just forget me. Isn't there someone who-

"Naoya?" Gojo's hand waved before his face. "Earth to Naoya! Anyone home~!?"

Naruto blinked quickly and batted his hand away. "M'fine...

"No, you're not. You look like you're about to cry."

His face burned. "You're imagining things."

Gojo quirked a pale brow.

"You're not going to let this go are you Sssssatoru." Too close! he swore inwardly. I almost called him Senpai again! Gotta watch that! He'd never live it down otherwise. "Don't worry about me."

No. Such. Luck. Gojo grabbed his should again and reeled him in like a fish. "Tell you what, lets go get some ramen before that mission of yours. My treat. How's that sound?"

"That sounds...He sniffled a little, wiped his face and rallied. "Grand."

---

(.0.0.0.)

---

The mission seemed simple enough on paper.

His very first assignment, should he choose to accept it-not that he had any choice in the matter-was to investigate a spate of recent disappearances near a certain dilapidated shrine. It wasn't far from the clan compound, which was a bit strange, but then again, Gojo had chosen it for his first solo mission, so who knew?

"Knowing him, he probably planned this out, but...

He peered upward with a sigh. Alone in the forest, with nothing but the moonlight to see by, and even that was scarce with the cloud cover. He'd be operating under darkness mostly. Not terribly encouraging, but he had worked with worse. A simple "Creation" added to his eyes granted him near flawless night vision. It wasn't hard. You just had to know what to tweak and he knew his body very well.

That said, this seemed like the perfect opportunity for his Brothers to interfere.

Would they try to jump him here, he wondered? They wouldn't get a better opportunity than this. He was alone. Isolated. Sorcerers died on missions all the time. If an "accident" were to befall him here, no one could claim otherwise. But if this was their idea of a trap, then he'd simply spring it and be done with it. Simple as. Just as an accident could happen to him, so too could the same be said of anyone who followed him. After all, these wood weren't safe at night. Everyone knew that.

Of course, he had no proof it was a trap...until he sprung it.

"Well," he shrugged, "Nothing ventured...

Nothing gained, as they say.

By contrast it wasn't hard to find the shrine; although it soon proved even more dilapidated and abandoned than he'd first feared.

Naruto slipped up the stone steps, soundless as a shadow, head bowed ever so slightly as he passed beneath the looming red arches above. They'd been bright scarlet once, but now their lovely luster had faded with time, the paint dull and cracked. Torn tags draped across lengths of frayed string swayed in the breeze, their power long since spent. Lingering residuals of cursed energy hung in the air to taunt his senses. Something had been here. Recently, at that. He'd gauge it as Fourth Grade, maybe Third at a stretch, hardly worth his effort really.

That said, this looked like a place of worship.

Perhaps that clan had celebrated here once in ancient days? Feh, who was he kidding. The clan celebrated strength and nothing else...

.

..

...so why the shrine, then?

Another breeze blew by, scattering dead leaves and trash underfoot. He thought he heard a faint moan.

Something scuttled by in the dark. A blue eye peered over his shoulder.

He was being watched. But by what?

He spied a larger building near the back. When no attack proved immediately forthcoming, he approached it at a leisurely meander. The sliding door was unlocked and parted with minimal effort on his part. Suspicious in and of itself, but maybe the old owners didn't bother to lock up. He pushed it aside.

Slipping inside, he conjured a small flame to his palm and peered into the gloom.

The fire revealed a spacious chamber beyond and a series of small ascending steps; atop which he glimpsed a ceremonial altar, a raised dais with white cloth draped across it.

Something was there.

A small item, smaller than his palm, folded in pale cloth. He approached it at a brisk walk and waved the dust off it.

Scraps of paper? Someone had peeled them aside, revealing a-

He squinted at the ugly red thing. It almost looked like-

"A finger?"

No. It couldn't be. Why was this here?"

His hand brushed it and he opened his senses-

CutkillcleavemurderdeathlaugtherpainDESTRUCTION.

Something brushed his mind. "You dare touch my soul? Know your place."

Pain spiked through his skull and he doubled over. Had he heard a voice just now?

What was one of Sukuna's Fingers doing out here?! It needed to be sealed away again before it attracted-

His sixth sense shrilled a warning too late.

"...!"

A shadow fell over him.

Oh. Ohhh and now he understood his brother's schemes.

Something impossible large moved overhead in the shadows.

A towering shape came crashing down from the ceiling above with a bloodcurdling shriek, trying to crush him. Instinct took over He sidestepped and whirled, driving a sandal-clad foot around into where he presumed his attacker's ribs would be. A pained shriek was his reward as his would-be killer crashed backward, blasted through a wall, and tumbled outside. Moonlight spilled through and snatching up the Finger, he waltzed out after it, lazily conjuring a staff into his hand as he went.

"No use hiding, now!" he sang. "Come on out!"

Sure enough, the curse came slithering out of the shadows ahead of him, crawling low upon its belly, dragging itself forward with clawed hands.

At first glance he thought this was some depraved serpent, but no, it was some mad union between an emaciated woman and the lower torso of a snake. All its flesh was an ugly stone grey, eyes hidden by a tangled mess of hissing blood-red vipers. Whatever it was, it was large, easily twice the size of a grown adult, but its cursed energy...oh?

This wasn't the second grade he'd been promised, not by a long shot. How very intriguing.

No, this wasn't what he'd signed up for. It was annoying, but...

Better let Gojo-senpai know just in case.

"Ya know," Banishing his staff, he drew out his phone, placed it to his ear and he tilted his head to regard the beast. "You're close to a special grade. Interesting. Did you eat something you shouldn't have?"

Its tail lashed out at him and he alighted upon it, sliding down its length to deliver another bruising kick to the beast.

"What's wrong?!" he whistled at the creature as it went sprawling. "Try harder!"

"Arrogant little thing, aren't you?"

That voice again!

Ignore! It!

Unfortunately the Cursed Spirit took full advantage of his distraction; its head snapped up to glare furiously at him. For a moment, he glimpsed baleful bright eyes burning beneath that messy mane of snakes. His body twisted aside on instinct, putting a red pillar between them at the last second. Even then something struck him. He felt his right arm stiffen. A perfunctory glance confirmed his suspicions. The flesh of his arm was even now hardening into chalk-white stone before his eyes, fingers going stiff as they dropped his and his now crumbling phone with it. The curse was spreading, quickly at that.

"A petrification curse?" he breathed, delighted by the discovery. "Nice! I haven't seen that one before! However...

He drew in a deep breath, pulling on the natural energy in the air.

Golden eyes inverted, pupils warping into horizontal slits.

...I've got some experience with this sort of thing."

Grabbing his ruined arm, he tore it at the shoulder before the stone could consume and lobbed it around the tree at the curse. The Curse whipped its head to the side, tracking the sudden motion like the wild animal that it was-

Stupid. You never, ever took your eyes off your adversary, much less allowed them to distract you.

He'd already regrown another arm by the time he reached it.

His palms flitted out, conjuring a pair of white bone spikes into either hand.

It had only just begun to turn when he vaulted upright, alighted upon its chest, and drove those iron-hard bones through its eyes.

The Curse went berserk, yowling and thrashing about to no avail. Blind, it may as well be harmless.

Well, mostly harmless.

"Do you like it?" he smiled down at the writhing creature as it spasmed on the ground. "I'll admit, I didn't see much of that bone bastard when I fought him. I don't even remember his name. Kimmi something or other. But I remember his technique. I've been doing that a lot, lately, ya know? Remembering. Practicing." A finger tapped against his skull. "After all, if I can recreate the techniques of my friends, then why not those of my enemies? There's so much to choose from!"

The Curse screamed wordlessly, pale flesh beginning to bubble over its eyes.

"Ah, but you don't really understand me, do you. That's fine." he lazily blinded it again for good measure. "Your compliance really isn't a factor here."

It reeled back, clutching at itself.

"I've been dealing with a lot of stress this last year," A small smile stretched across his face. "And now I'm facing the very real possibility that my oldest friend might not remember me. Which is why...

A fist smashed into his face.

...I'm going to vent on you a little."

His palm rocketed up, rasengan in hand, and struck the curse in its chest. It went flying but some reason the technique slid right off its scales. Intrigued, he bounded up to it and smashed a knee into its torso. Almost at once, it doubled over with a wheeze.

"As I thought. Even if you don't have proper lungs, a hit like that can stun you. You'll make for a good guinea pig. So lets run some tests!" it tried to glare at him again, which suggested some small measure of intelligence, but he simply sidestepped it and blinded it a third time. "I've contemplated catching curses ya know, seeing if I can tame them like Suguru does.

He clapped his hands and vanished in a plume of smoke as the curse ran him through.

It goggled at the log now embedded in its tail. Less so when he reappeared behind it, arms spread wide.

"I know I can use Shikamaru's technique, but I wonder if...?" He thrust a fist forward. "Akimichi style. Partial Expansion Technique!"

Clenched knuckles the size of a small building barreled into the curse and sent it sprawling.

"Hmm, hmm." he hummed as his arm shrank back down. "That's another success. Creation of All Things really is useful. Lemme see here...

He placed his hands in a seal he'd once seen Ino's father use. From there it was a simple matter to flinging his energy at the curse, wrapped it round its mind, and set its very being against it.

"Mind Destruction~!"

The poor creature went mad, smashing itself across the shrine in a frenzy, until he finally took pity on the screaming soul.

"Alright, that's enough testing for one day." he conjured a black iron rod to his right hand and a large scroll to the other. "I think I'll capture you."

His staff slammed down and he swept the scroll wide open with both hands to reveal the yawning abyss within. The curse never stood a chance; broken as it was, it managed to muster a meager resistance before it found itself sucked inside. From there he snapped it shut sealed it. Capture complete! He'd work on taming it later. Surely it couldn't be that hard.

Sealing a spirit had proven a little draining, but still, he had plenty left in the tank...even if he had burned a bit by regrowing his arm.

Shame about the phone, though. That was a total loss.

"I know I said I wanted to tame a wolf first," he scratched at his chin, "But starting with a serpent might be fun too~! And if I can learn how to replicate that petrifying curse...!"

Thump.

What was that?

Thump thump.

That strange noise...

Thump. Thump. Thump.

...it sounded almost like footsteps.

Naruto turned slowly, and his brow promptly shot straight into his hairline at what he found there.

A towering humanoid figure encased in white armor strode up the steps at a leisurely pace, face spiked trees where its eyes should be. Or where those horns? And why was its right arm sealed up like-no, no, that wasn't important right now; what was important was the absolute power that encompassed him in that moment. Its presence, its aura, everything about it was a cut above the spirit he'd just quelled in every way.

"Oi, oi, oi!" he hissed out a breath. "That's not a Grade One at all! I'm pretty sure that's a...

His heart skipped a beat.

...Special Grade."

Weren't those supposed to be rare?!

What were the chances of meeting one here?!

Why, it almost sounded like the Voice from before was laughing at him from the beyond.

The same voice he'd heard when he touched that finger.

Sukuna's finger...

.

..

...crapbaskets.

'I swear, if I somehow accidentally made contact with the freaking King of Curses, I am going to...!'

"Oh my," the Special Grade spoke up, words distorted, yet somehow he understood it enough to be distracted nevertheless, "Are you all by yourself?"

He was. With no backup in sight and no way to call for any. No uncle Toji, no Gojo-senpai to save the day. He was completely, utterly alone.

His jaw clicked open, closed, then opened again. Maybe a bluff would work? "Would you believe me if I said no?"

"Brave, brave little boy." For some reason that seemed to amuse the monster. "You're a credit to your species." it paused just short of him, then looked to the Finger jabbed in his belt. "I don't suppose you would be willing to part with that? " it lumbered closer. "I might let you live if you do..."

Just like that? His mind raced. No, waitaminute. Why possible use could a Special Grade have for one of Sukuna's fingers...?

Nothing good, that much was for certain. It was tempting to hand it over; if only to stop hearing his voice...

...who knew what they might do with it? And it would be his fault. No way could he give it up.

He knew what was coming next. Was he ready for it?

.

..

...one way to find out.

"Sorry," he brandished his staff. "No can do."

The Special Grade stared at him for a long, ponderous moment. "Is that so?"

Its cursed energy swelled, bearing down on him with frightful strength.

The Special Grade raised its arm almost lazily. "Then you will die."

A towering wall of roots erupted before Naruto's vision.

A/N: Hanami fight next chapter!

Aaaaaand scene. Hope you enjoyed the absolute chaos that is this story.

You ain't seen nothin' yet. I'm really motivated.

That said, would you like weekly updates?

Do you want this to remain a story? Yes? No? Maybe so? Make yourselves heard! Really need to hear from you, here.

Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this particular story, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself isn't popular? Well...I'll not continue it. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy.

So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.

Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly? Hope you enjoy the previews.

We've got some new ones and some are...intense.

They've been expanded and then some!

I cut down on them to not spoil things.

Read at your own risk:

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

SPOILERS AWAIT YOU!

YE BE WARNED!

(Previews)

Hanami realized her mistake a moment later when the boy blew out a quick, angry breath and climbed to his feet.

"Nice trick," he rasped, tearing the wooden spike out his shoulder. "Lemme show you one of mine."

He brought his palms together.

---

"Listen. That technique of yours is powerful, sure, but its also risky. And I told you to call me Gojo-senpai~!"

"I categorically refuse! Does it matter anyway? You have your Limitless, I have my Creation of All Things. We were born with these abilities."

"Maybe, but think of it like this. Dying to win and risking death to win are two completely different things. With a strong foundation, and a little bit of sense, imagination, even a pinch of regret, it just takes the slightest trigger to change a person...after all, this isn't your first life, is it, Naoya?

Wait, you know? How did you figure it out? I thought I did a good job hiding it from Maki and Mai.

You did for the most part, but its the eyes. People say eyes are the window to the soul.

Now, that we've determined that. Are you going to tell me you really are?"

Alright, fine. You win. My name, my real name is...

---

The woman had a scarred forehead.

"Its a pleasure to meet you, Naoya Zeni'n. I've heard great things.

---

Have you all bothered to think about what kind of person you're trying to curse?!

---

His head tilted. "This is where you're weak, right?"

---

"Need a hand?"

---

"Oi. That's my friend. GET YOUR FILTHY MITTS OFF HER."

---

Finally, he had the cocky little brat. "Idle Transfiguration."

A fist barreled into Mahito's face, cratering it.

"WON'T WORK ON ME!"

---

His head snapped up with a wild grin, eyes gleaming. "Gotcha!"

The curse swore. "How did he-

And then there was pain.

EDIT: Hope you enjoyed! Looking forward to your feedback~!

Hope you have a great day,

~Nz.