"This isn't the first-grade cursed tool. Give it back!"

  Takuya ched his y right hand, his face clouded with anger.

  He hadn't expected Gojo Shunichi to be so brazen, snatg Sode no Shirayuki from him without a word.

  "Not a cursed tool?" Shunichi arched an eyebrow, the mockery in his eyes deepening.

  "Master Takuya, you must be joking. I tell a cursed tool when I see one."

  To him, this was exactly what he had expected. Even a master fer couldn't resist the temptation of a first-grade cursed tool.

  So, in the end, Takuya was just anreedy craftsman.

  "No, this isn't Yoru. This on was just fed by Satoshi. It's not what you think."

  Takuya's words made Shunichi pause for a moment, before bursting into ughter.

  "A cursed tool fed by Gojo Satoshi?"

  A glint of amusement fshed across his eyes, followed by urained mockery.

  "Are you serious? You expect me to believe that a six-year-old fed a cursed tool?"

  Shunichi shook his head, sneering.

  "When did the standards for Cursed Tool Fers bee so low? If that's the case, why don't we bring in all the other failures of the Gojo family and have them train under you too?"

  "If you turn a six-year-old into a fer, then surely, I should stop calling you 'Master Takuya' and start calling you Grandmaster instead, huh?"

  "Well, Grandmaster Takuya?"

  The biting sarcasm in Shunichi's words made Takuya's face darken.

  Though widely reized as a master fer, he had never successfully trained an apprentice.

  Many had sought to learn from him, only to leave, g they had gained nothing.

  The title of "Master" was nothing but a source of frustration for Takuya.

  —

  Oher side of the room, Satoshi frowned as he slowly opened his eyes.

  His body was still weak from exhaustion, but Shunichi's voice was too grating to ignore.

  This guy never shuts up.

  Master Takuya is the one who taught me everything. If not for him, I wouldn't have reached the level where I could fe my first Zanpakutō.

  And this bastard dares to mock him?

  Satoshi silently sat up, his cold gaze log onto the se before him.

  He wouldn't let this slide.

  —

  Meanwhile, Shunichi tinued his taunts.

  "You expect me to believe Gojo Satoshi fed this? Don't make me ugh."

  "There's no way someone like him could bee a fer, let alone craft a cursed tool at his age."

  "pletely impossible!"

  Shunichi poured his Cursed Energy into the on in his hands, expeg a rea.

  He had only ever used Grade 2 cursed tools before, so this was his first time wielding a Grade 1 tool.

  "This is the perfect ce to test the power of 'Yoru.' "

  However, the moment his energy flowed in, his expression froze.

  Something was wrong.

  Shunichi knew for a fact that this on was a cursed tool. So why wasn't his Cursed Energy having any effect?

  "This doesn't make sense. A cursed tool should always respond when infused with energy… Unless—"

  Could it be that this on urely meant for physical bat?

  No, that wasn't possible. The assassin whinally wielded this on was a sorcerer, not a brute. His fighting style was based on Cursed Energy manipution.

  Then why?

  Shunichi's eyes widened as an uling thought crossed his mind.

  Is this really just a worthless, decorative bde fed by Satoshi?

  It has to be. Takuya must have been blinded by his own bias, thinking it was a cursed tool just because Satoshi fed it.

  Damn it! That means I've been tricked. So where the hell is the real Grade 1 tool?

  With that realization, his frustration boiled over.

  This thing isn't even a cursed tool, it's trash.

  Shunichi scoffed, shaking his head.

  "As expected of a fraudulent master. You call this a cursed tool?"

  "Master Takuya, I wonder how your colleagues would feel if they saw how far you've fallen."

  "If you ck the talent to teach, you should just focus on your work. Stop wasting your energy on a useless failure like—"

  Shunichi's voice cut off abruptly.

  Wheurned his gaze, he realized that Satoshi was awake.

  The boy sat up, his pierg gaze locked onto him with uling calm.

  Shunichi's expression stiffened.

  Although he thought poorly of Satoshi, saying it to his face was different.

  After all, no matter what, Gojo Satoshi was still a direct desdant of the Gojo .

  As long as the Leader did not strip Satoshi of his iance rights, this "failure" could still represent the the future.

  —

  Satoshi slowly stood up, ign the exhaustion in his body.

  "Hmm? Why'd you stop, Shunichi?"

  He tilted his head, his voice mogly casual.

  "You 't remember what to call me?"

  "I mean, I'm just a waste of the Gojo family, right?"

  With effortless ease, Satoshi walked over to Takuya's side.

  "Shunichi, have you already fotten?"

  "The cursed tools you so proudly wield, who do you think fed them?"

  "If Master Takuya hadn't made them, how many of you would've died on missions by now?"

  Satoshi's lips curled into a cold smile.

  "What exactly makes sorcerers think they're so superior?"

  "Let me guess, was it because your parents were sorcerers?"

  " you guarahat your own child will be ooo?"

  His words hit Shunichi like a sp to the face.

  But Satoshi wasn't done.

  "If anything, Master Takuya is too kind. He's spent his life ensuring that ungrateful fools like you could fight and survive."

  "Yet, instead of gratitude, all he gets is disdain?"

  He chuckled.

  "Do you really think the Gojo is some untouchable force?"

  "Do you holy believe that just because Gojo Satoru has the Six Eyes, our future is guaranteed?"

  Satoshi's voice dropped into a sharp, cutting tone.

  "You're an adult, yet you're still so na?ve."

  "If the Six Eyes were truly omnipotent, then why do curses still exist?"

  "Why are there so many powerful curse users?"

  "Why does the King of Curses, Ryomen Suku?"

  His eyes burned with quiet iy.

  "If the Six Eyes were truly uable, then why has every wielder of the Six Eyes met a tragid?"

  Satoshi exhaled, his gaze steady and unshaken.

  "I know you've pced all your hopes on Satoru."

  "But let me tell you something—"

  "Satoru is not invincible."

  "Even with unparalleled talent, even with the Six Eyes, even with the Limitless Teique."

  "He is not invincible."

  "The expectations you p him will only push him down the wrong path."

  Satoshi ched his fists.

  "Satoru will bee the stro sorcerer in this world."

  "But that doesn't mean he should uimate the strength of curse users or cursed spirits."

  "We still have a long road ahead."

  Though his voice was still childish, in that moment.

  It carried the weight of undeniable truth.