In The Academy As Sukuna

Ch 72 - Sukuna Reawakens

"One's strength shown by how he acts when he is at his weakest."

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(Many Years Ago...)

It was a seemingly normal day in the Yamazaki clan. The birds were chirping like usual, far off in the sky, the sunlight filtering in through the open peak of the mountain, falling onto the hundreds of houses built inside it.

However, today would be a day celebrated in the clan for years to come. Today, Yamazaki Yasoshi was born to a woman who had to sacrifice her own life for his.

He grew up motherless, only the attendants and his tens of cousins to keep him company.

The father, Yamazaki Shingen, would never meet him... he didn't even know about Yasoshi's existence. He hadn't even seen him once in his life.

It was like he was an unreachable being, at a place so close, yet so far away.

The structure where the head lived, a place which could hardly be called a house, but was more like a giant cube, was only a few steps away. But to him, it felt as if it would take him all his life to get even close.

He was never a bright fighter, nor was he a quick learner.

His lack of aptitude made him a subject of mocking by all the children of the clan... except for one.

Yamazaki Koru, the elder brother of Yasoshi from the same mother.

Koru, at first, had a grave dislike for Yasoshi. Despite being only around 3 years old at the time, he understood very well that his mother had died while giving birth to his younger brother.

He subconsciously made him the cause of his mother's death, the hate being buried deep in his heart.

But, there was one truth he couldn't avoid. His affection for his brother overshadowed his hate, always.

Every time he saw Yasoshi being mocked or bullied, his blood would boil. But he couldn't do anything while everyone was watching.

The 'hope of the clan' being seen together with the useless son was an unspoken prohibition, so was the truth in the Yamazaki Clan.

But, it all changed one day, when Yasoshi truly awakened.

Koru was hurt while training. It was not a big injury, just a torn muscle. However, Yasoshi couldn't bear to see his brother in pain.

Involuntarily, he activated his healing ability, fixing the torn muscles within seconds.

And that day, "Yasu, how'd you do that? That was cool!" He received praise for the first time, and that too from the brother he admired with all his heart.

It was only an upward curve from there. The hate buried deep in him from the years of bullying resurfaced after he cemented his position in the clan.

He murdered anyone and everyone that even touched him in his childhood, his actions heavily contrasting with the nature of his ability—to heal.

And then, one day, he met the person who he had been a shadow to all his life—Shingen.

The first time he saw him, it was as if he was a mere ant in front of an elephant. He felt extremely weak, as if all the strength had been drained from his body.

The monstrous appearance of his father only strengthened the sinister impression of him he had in his mind.

He knew that he had no chance to reach their level, much less to surpass them, and he was more than happy to stay in their shadows.