𝑬𝑴𝑷𝑰𝑹𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑮𝑶𝑳𝑫 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐋 - 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐋𝐒 (𝐈)

GOJO SATORU WAS THE STRONGEST SORCERER ALIVE.

This fact had been drilled tirelessly into his head since he was a small babe, still suckling at his mother's breast, the bitter taste of milk lingering on his mouth. Gojo Haruko died shortly after with this conviction still etched into her psyche, Satoru being the last golden egg her frail body was able to produce before she eventually faded away, her other children paling in comparison to her masterpiece, her tired body joining those of their ancestors in the family crypt where it would sit idly, slowly decomposing into nothingness.

This affirmation had been repeated to him constantly throughout his childhood. First when he was four, training quietly at the edge of the property, then when he was six, the beginning of Limitless already making its appearance, the Cursed Energy flowing inside of him strong enough to topple the balance of the universe.

Sometimes it was a passing comment by one of the servants tending to the estate, marvelling at this quiet boy with such powerful eyes, always hidden behind a makeshift blindfold or a piece of cloth. Other times, the ones he'd learned to dread, it was said as a compliment or a stern reminder by one of his tutors, the expectations that came with the title already feeling heavy on his head.

Gojo Satoru was the strongest sorcerer alive.

He'd heard it so many times, he almost began to believe it. Or he would have, were the eyes of The Magistrate, the highest council ruling over the Jujutsu Society, not trained somewhere else, to the twins of the Kinzoku family.

They were always referred to as the twins, their individual identity of little to no importance to those up the chain of command. One boy and one girl, born mere minutes apart, a couple of months before Satoru himself came into the world. There was nothing remarkable about the pair aside from their lineage, but for some unfathomable reason, the eyes of the entire Jujutsu Society were trained on them, as if expecting something incredible to happen.

Months passed, then years, and the buzz around the twins soon died out. The Magistrate's attention never left them, but the expectations soon faded into nothingness. Satoru never heard about them again, whatever gossip usually involved them disappearing quickly from the estate, whispers turning into silent stares and then vanishing altogether. Time moved on, and the world forgot about the twins just as easily as it had focused on them on the first place.

It wasn't until Satoru's eight birthday came around that the world shifted again. The party had been stale, not suited for a boy his age, a grand gathering of sorcerers from all over the world and overzealous political figures wandering around the ballroom. The Gojo Clan were known for their ostentatious taste, and the invite had been extended to anyone who wished to witness the young prodigy.

The music was bland, the violinists stuck in an endless loop of Vivaldi and Bach's more known pieces, the guests intertwined in small chatter, their expensive dresses and fine jewellery perfectly matching the flamboyance of the evening.

The child's father was nowhere to be seen, probably too entranced in a conversation about Jujutsu politics or simply revelling in the wine selection the servants had prepared for the occasion. His grandmother, the matriarch and current head figure of the Gojo Clan, was not in attendance that night.

It was during that same party that the whispers started again, guests chatting quietly between one another, the hushed whispers somewhat drowned by the quiet tune of the violin and the practiced steps of those dancing the waltz.

Satoru's entire world shifted, tilting on its axis so violently he almost lost his footing. The murmurs about the twins were back, except that whatever conjectures had been made about their abilities were now being referred to as fact.

The boy stood there, the tuxedo his servants had dressed him in uncomfortable and unfamiliar as he listened to the hushed words whispered around him. The two women were too entranced in their conversation to notice him, so he inched closer while keeping his posture calm and relaxed, the glass of water he held in his hand tilting slightly towards the two.

"Did you hear about the Kinzoku twins?" The first woman asked, leaning close to her friend, worried her whisper might be overheard.

Satoru recognized her as one of the foreign dignitaries his grandmother had invited, her navy-blue dress brushing the polished marble floors with each nervous step she took, the broach attached to her front just as exquisite, the gemstones also blue in colour. She looked like a flamboyant songbird, the green of her eyes matching the detail at the bottom of the dress.

"Oh, yes." Her friend answered. "The girl, right?"

The question felt flat, but Satoru did not move away from the conversation, already intrigued at the mention of whom he'd assumed to be the lesser twin. Although the Jujutsu Society did not regard women any differently than it did men, throughout history it had become quite clear that those of the weaker sex did not make strong sorcerers. Satoru had always assumed the male twin to be the target of The Magistrate's attention, however, it seemed he'd been wrong to make such a leap.

"I hear she's awakened Endless."

The Gojo heir frowned, arms going slack at his side as he processed the words. Although he'd heard the name of the Cursed Technique thrown around several times at the estate, he was still unfamiliar enough with it to not recognize it. The two women continued with their conversation, still unaware of his eavesdropping despite the fact he wasn't even bothering to conceal himself, blatantly standing in the middle of the room and clearly not entertained by any of the diversions the clan had prepared.

Still, the fact that the girl had awakened her clan's flagship Cursed Technique did not seem impressive enough to warrant such a reaction, so Satoru kept himself in place, refusing to move from his spot as he continued to follow the conversation.

"As if that wasn't impressive enough," The first woman spoke again, resuming her walk and clutching her champagne flute tightly. "She's also mastered the Everlasting technique."

The other woman blanched, halting her steps to look at her friend with a disbelieving look. She was also wearing a similar outfit, her dress a bright orange while her purse was lined with precious shiny stones. Unlike the blue lady, this one was clearly a sorceress, the Cursed Energy coursing through her body strong enough for Satoru's Six Eyes to take notice even with the blindfold impeding his sight.

"Everlasting?" She repeated, somewhat unconvinced, her purse saddled under her arm, her ugly orange dress standing out against the navy of her friend's. "Young Mikazuki is full of surprises, isn't she? I hope she lives to her full potential."

She smiled, but her tone didn't quite match her words. Satoru shook his head, deciding to move on and treasuring whatever information he'd just learned. The party was still in full bloom, and although he wasn't particularly enjoying himself, he'd gladly pretend for the sake of his clan. At least, there was one clear thing he'd learned from tonight's gossip, and it was that Kinzoku Mikazuki was already strong enough to challenge him and his position as the strongest sorcerer alive.