Chapter 8: Chapter 7: The Past at the Onmyoji Bureau, One Year Ago
Outside the Gymnasium.
After enduring the brainwashing-like speeches from Yamamoto Kenshin and the other board members, the clock struck noon.
"I'm hungry, so you're all dismissed for lunch. See you later!"
With that, Gojo Satoru vanished in a blur, sprinting out of sight so quickly that within a blink, he was a small black dot on the horizon.
His sheer speed left the students dumbfounded.
At this rate, he could be a professional sprinter…
But such thoughts quickly gave way to a more pressing matter: Lunch is the top priority!
Outside the School, at a Chinese Restaurant.
"What?! Onii-chan, you're actually working as a teacher at Sobu High?"
Across the table, Umaru stared at her brother in shock, her mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.
Just moments ago, Gojo had called her out for lunch, and while ordering food, he casually dropped the bombshell: he was teaching at Sobu High as the homeroom teacher of Class 1-F.
"What, don't believe in your brother's teaching abilities?"
Gojo glanced at Umaru with a bored expression as he shoveled rice into his mouth.
Given his all-encompassing talents, teaching wasn't a problem for him. He could rival the professors at the University of Tokyo if he wanted.
"That's not it…" Umaru quickly shook her head.
"But, Onii-chan, what about your old job? Did you quit?"
"Nope. I just decided I was tired of it, so I'm taking a vacation to reward myself. Besides, life's been boring lately, so I figured I'd have some fun as a teacher at Sobu High."
Gojo's tone was so matter-of-fact, as if his reasoning were entirely normal.
Tired of it… Reward yourself with a vacation…
"Onii-chan, just admit you didn't want to work anymore and quit. Why dress it up so much?" Umaru thought, rolling her eyes internally.
Of course, Gojo had a good idea of what was going through her mind, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he chuckled quietly to himself.
One Year Ago.
When Gojo first arrived in this world, his curiosity had been boundless.
He told Umaru a simple excuse: "I've found a high-paying, easy job, so I might be out often. Don't worry about me."
In reality, though, he was experimenting with the depths of this world.
Using his Six Eyes, he observed and twisted reality between this world and Magano with his immense cursed energy.
The moment he stepped into Magano, he encountered two people: Mitejima Subaru and Tatara, members of the Twelve Guardians with the titles "Heaven Empress" and "Soaring Snake," respectively.
Initially, they were cautious of this unknown intruder, ready to subdue him and take him to Kyoto for questioning.
But before they could act, the Basara they had been tracking appeared.
That was when Gojo realized what he was up against.
This must be one of the highest-ranking Impurities—the Basara—from Twin Star Exorcists.
Its defining brown skin, single blood-red eye, and disgusting cursed aura left no doubt about its identity.
Curious to test his abilities, Gojo began by taunting it.
The Basara, unable to endure the provocation, launched an attack.
What happened next could only be described as a tragedy.
No matter how it attacked, the Basara couldn't lay a finger on Gojo—not even his clothes were damaged.
With a simple, charged palm strike using Limitless, Gojo obliterated the Basara's body, leaving only its head intact.
He then grabbed the head, swung it around, and kicked it like a soccer ball.
Watching this display, both Mitejima Subaru and Tatara fell silent.
The Basara was the highest level of Impurity—one even the Twelve Guardians would avoid fighting alone.
Afterward, at Subaru's invitation, Gojo traveled to the Onmyoji Bureau in Kyoto.
There, Subaru vividly described Gojo's overwhelming power to the other Twelve Guardians, while Tatara's exaggerated emotive gestures and emoji-like expressions added flair to the tale.
This led to an unprecedented meeting where all the Twelve Guardians, including Arima Tsuchimikado, gathered to witness Gojo.
To test the truth of Subaru's claims, Arima proposed that one of the Twelve Guardians spar with him.
Leaning casually against a wall with his signature smile, Gojo responded:
"Don't bother deciding who will fight me. Why not all of you come at me together?"
"Oh? What do you mean by that…?" Arima narrowed his eyes, his tone turning cold.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I just wanted to say… you're all pretty weak."
The air grew heavy.
Even Cordelia Kasukami, the most reserved among the Twelve Guardians, felt a surge of anger. The others were visibly fuming.
To be insulted by some unknown individual and challenged to a fight by all of them—it was outright arrogance.
"Hahaha, interesting, very interesting…" Arima laughed darkly, covering his face with one hand.
"Well, since you're so confident, a fight with some casualties seems inevitable, doesn't it?"
"Enough talk. Bring it on!"
The Gate to Magano opened, and the battle began.
That day, Gojo fought all twelve Guardians, including Arima, in a fierce and prolonged battle that lasted an entire day.
Of course, throughout the fight, Gojo maintained the upper hand, overwhelming all of them.
While fighting, he carefully observed their techniques.
Rather, he didn't even need to actively observe—the Six Eyes automatically analyzed and deconstructed the principles behind their techniques.
This was precisely why Gojo had provoked them in the first place.
He wanted a thorough understanding of this world's power system.
Otherwise, he could've ended the fight in an instant by using Domain Expansion: Infinite Void.
Without a domain equally strong to clash with his, none of them could have escaped.
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Author's Note: Yowai mo...