The walk from the city to the outskirts didn't take long, at least not for someone like Gojo.
He moved with an effortless pace, hands buried in his pockets, his long coat fluttering behind him.
Roy followed a few steps back, craning his neck to take in everything.
The further they walked, the quieter it became, the buzzing of Tokyo fading into the distance.
Finally, the walls came into view.
High stone, weathered but sturdy, covered in creeping vines and moss.
An old gate stood ahead, its frame twisted with age.
Beyond it was a staircase that seemed to stretch forever, disappearing into the canopy above.
Roy whistled.
"So this is it?"
Gojo didn't even slow his stride.
"Tokyo Jujutsu High. Or, y'know, the best school in the world if you ask me."
"It looks… kinda haunted,"
Roy admitted with a sheepish grin.
Gojo chuckled.
"That's the point. Curses and curse users have a hard time even finding this place. Unless you're invited in, you could walk past it a thousand times and never notice."
He tapped his sunglasses into place and added,
"But once you're here? No turning back."
Roy tilted his head up at the seemingly endless stairs.
"…Do I have to climb all that?"
"Yup."
Roy groaned.
"Man, I just fought a curse yesterday…"
But even as he complained, his grin widened, and he took the first step without hesitation.
*
By the time they reached the top, his legs were burning, but the sight before him stole his breath.
The campus stretched wide, old wooden structures sitting comfortably beside stone walkways and towering trees.
It didn't feel like Tokyo anymore.
It felt like stepping into a shrine, a place cut off from the rest of the world.
There was an air of calm here, but underneath it pulsed something heavy.
"Wow…"
Roy muttered.
"Not bad, right?"
Gojo smirked.
"Anyway, let's not waste time. There's someone you need to meet."
Inside one of the traditional buildings, they found Principal Masamichi Yaga.
He sat cross legged behind a low desk, a small army of wooden puppets neatly arranged on the floor beside him.
His sharp eyebrows immediately narrowed on Roy as they entered.
"So, this is the boy you mentioned, Gojo?"
"Yup,"
Gojo said cheerfully, patting Roy's shoulder.
"Fresh off the streets, and already picking fights with curses. Pretty wild, huh?"
Roy bowed awkwardly, not quite sure of the formalities.
"Uh, hi. Nice to meet you, sir."
Yaga's gaze lingered on him.
"Tell me, do you know what your innate technique is?"
Roy blinked, caught off guard.
"No, I don't."
"That's a bit abnormal,"
Gojo said, stepping in.
"But no worries, the info's in there somewhere."
He tapped the side of his own head.
"Just a matter of time before it surfaces."
Yaga grunted.
"Then focus on it later. For now, he needs basics. Structure."
Roy scratched the back of his neck, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.
"Guess I've got a lot to learn, huh?"
"Plenty,"
Yaga said flatly.
Once introductions were done, Gojo stretched his arms overhead.
"Alright then! We'll do the paperwork later. For now, let's get you settled in. I'll take you to where a couple of other students live. You'll like them."
"Other students?"
Roy perked up immediately, trailing after him.
"Like, actual classmates?"
"Sort of,"
Gojo replied, strolling lazily down the hallway.
"You are a few years older than them so try to get along."
Roy tilted his head, confused.
"Five years early…?"
Gojo just grinned without explaining further.
*
The two walked along a shaded path lined with old stone lanterns.
Birds flitted between the branches overhead.
The peacefulness of the place contrasted so heavily with the chaos of Tokyo that Roy almost forgot he was in the same world.
Gojo spoke as they walked, his tone casual.
"You know, being a sorcerer isn't easy. Curses are born from people's fears, grudges, all the ugly stuff in the world. We fight so regular people can keep living their lives without seeing the monsters in the dark."
Roy listened intently, nodding along.
"So basically… you're like superheroes, but with way worse hours?"
Gojo laughed.
"Exactly. And much cooler uniforms."
They walked a bit further before Gojo threw him a sideways glance.
"So what about you, kid? What's your story?"
Roy slowed his steps.
For a brief moment, the truth pressed at the back of his throat, the late night wish, the phone screen going dark, the fact he wasn't supposed to exist here at all.
But… no. Not yet.
It didn't feel right.
Instead, he offered a half truth.
"I've been… homeless, I guess. That bridge back in the city? That's where I've been staying. And it was only recently that I started figuring out how to use cursed energy at all."
Gojo hummed thoughtfully, but didn't press.
"Hm. Not bad for someone who's only just started."
Roy scratched his cheek and laughed softly.
"Heh. Guess I'm a quick learner."
Gojo smirked.
"We'll see about that."
Ahead, the path curved toward a quiet building.
Two figures waited inside, one with dark hair and sharp eyes, the other with a warm smile.
"Looks like we're here,"
Gojo said lightly.
"Time to introduce you to the Fushiguro siblings."
Roy's pulse quickened.
New faces.
New connections.
The next step in this strange new life.