𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝐆. 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐔

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐈

The morning was still when the alarm shattered the silence. [M/N] blinked against the dim glow of his clock, 4:30 a.m., the time he'd disciplined himself to rise every day. He dressed in silence, lacing up his worn sneakers, and headed out for his daily training.

In the early days, [M/N] could barely last an hour. But now, after years of relentless training, his body and mind had adjusted to the rigor, and two hours flew by in intense focus. Each punch, every calculated step, felt like progress—proof of how far he'd come from those first grueling weeks with Kong.

After finishing his routine, [M/N] wiped off the sweat, breathing in the cold morning air that refreshed his tired muscles. He made his way through the quiet halls of the Association's building to Kong's office, where he found him waiting, coffee in hand.

Kong glanced up with a rare smile. "Early as always."

[M/N] shrugged, leaning against the doorframe. "Discipline is everything, isn't it?"

Kong chuckled, nodding in agreement. "That it is." Setting down his coffee, Kong slid a report across the desk. "Got something for you today. Simple, but I'd still keep your guard up."

[M/N] scanned the details, noting the mission's objective. It seemed straightforward enough—track down a low-level curse user who'd been stirring up trouble. "Understood," he replied, feeling the weight of Shadow's Edge at his side as he left the office.

Outside, the hunt was efficient. [M/N] moved like a shadow, using the techniques Kong had drilled into him, slipping close enough to observe without being detected. When he finally engaged the curse user, his movements were swift, each one honed from hours of training.

The fight was quick but intense. The curse user lunged at him, releasing a blast of cursed energy in an attempt to catch him off guard. [M/N] sidestepped with ease, his movements smooth and calculated. With a swift motion, he drew Shadow's Edge and closed the distance. He feinted left, drawing the curse user's attention, then struck fast from the right. The cursed blade cut through the cursed energy, slicing cleanly.

The curse user staggered, eyes wide in shock, but [M/N] showed no mercy. He aimed a precise strike to the chest, and with one final blow, the fight was over. [M/N] stood there for a moment, catching his breath before turning to leave, his mission complete.

. . .

Afterward, he found himself wandering the city streets. The sun was high, casting a warm glow over the bustling streets. As he moved through the crowd, he noticed three figures walking his way. It was a group of young sorcerers, their energy strong and unmistakable even in the sea of people.

One of them—white-haired, with sunglasses and an arrogant air about him—passed by him closely. The sorcerer, Gojo Satoru, paused slightly as they brushed shoulders, a faint sense of something unusual catching his attention. He glanced over his shoulder briefly, his eyes narrowing in curiosity.

What was that? Gojo's inner voice questioned, feeling a strange presence lingering as the stranger disappeared into the crowd.

But Geto, standing beside him, nudged him forward. "Come on, Satoru, we have a job to do," he said, breaking Gojo's concentration.

"Yeah, yeah," Gojo replied, pushing the thought aside as they continued on their way.

When they reached the abandoned building where Iori Utahime and Mei Mei had been investigating a strange occurrence, the scene was chaotic. The structure had partially collapsed, debris scattered everywhere, and Iori was stuck, struggling on the rocks.

Gojo smirked, surveying the situation. He placed one foot on a fallen stone, resting an arm casually on his knee. "I'm here to save your ass, Utahime," he called out, a mischievous grin on his face.