What was that?
Honestly, I have no idea. After I woke up, I finished the tasks I had pending with my patients, handed everything over to my shift liaison partners, and went straight to check out. I walked slowly to where my father was waiting to take me home.
After a well-deserved bath, I went to sleep.
I don't think that dream thing will happen again… right?
—Master, what do you think of my children?" Ren asked with interest, his voice as cold and detached as ever.
— Hmm. The Master of Cracks scratched his long white beard thoughtfully.— Kuroha will definitely be able to inherit the domain of Blood Moon. She'll rival that infernal boy from the Gojo clan in strength.
— Didn't you say Shin had potential?
— Oh, that boy. Not much, really. Your other children are useless compared to Kuroha. After all, her mother wielded the Domain of Perpetual Darkness. It shares the same foundations as Blood Moon.
A low growl echoed through the room.
— That wretched woman still dares to challenge me.
Well… maybe it will happen again.
—Those who fear the moonlight know their shadow is not enough.
Who was that voice whispering in my ear?
I let out a tired sigh—I just wanted to sleep again, five hours after finishing a night shift.
I looked at the scene before me, wiped the sweat from my brow.
I should've chosen a different kind of training.
But I have to admit, training with my master was brutally hard, even though he tried not to be cruel.
Still, beyond the physical exhaustion, what hurt the most was being separated from my mother.
Every night, I cried for being away from her.
When sleep finally took me, I dreamed of her voice, her hands combing my hair, her stories, her songs.
They seemed like beautiful dreams… until someone always came into our room and forced me away from her.
I'd wake up screaming, crying, begging to be taken back to her.
And I think the same thing was happening to her.
I heard rumors she wasn't eating.
In less than a week, her physical condition had deteriorated so much that people said she looked like a skeleton.
—Understand this, Ren. If we keep going like this, Kuroha will die along with Isolde.
Remember, you're not the patriarch yet. You can't dispose of their lives so carelessly.
The Master of Cracks was trying to reason with my father. He had asked me to secretly listen to their conversation from the window overlooking the study.
—My father only kept Isolde around to raise Kuroha. It's really nothing extraordinary…
— Are you afraid of Isolde?— the Master's voice was deadly serious.
—What are you saying?
This was my favorite part.
The one I loved writing.
— If Isolde were to regain the power she held in her glory days, she could take away the right to succession. After all, in the Mizuki family, there's no law stating that only the blood-born heir can become the head. The right belongs to the disciple with the greatest skill.
— Master of Cracks,— my father's voice turned hoarse and hostile.— You have one task only: make sure Kuroha fulfills her role in this family and prepare the path for Shin to inherit after me.
— I say the same, Ren. Because the one with the greatest skill is Kuroha. She would be worthy of restoring this family to glory. While Shin… he'll barely keep it afloat, just like you're doing now.
— Silence!— I heard a chair crash to the floor. My father must've stood up abruptly.— Remember, you are a servant of the Mizuki family. Your only job is to strengthen our descendants. Otherwise, I'll exorcise you on the spot.
— Do as you wish. After living this long, the idea of death doesn't scare me… But with that girl and that woman, I think your father will lose his mind if he finds out the only heir… dies of sorrow.
I peeked out just a little. I saw the Master of Cracks vanish into thin air.
My father remained standing for several minutes after he was gone. He gripped the edge of his desk tightly.
— Damn Isolde… it seems she'll always be my Nemesis. And that demon child… it's like she named her just to spite me.
He looked furious. If he discovered me, he'd probably kill me. I slipped quietly into the bushes.
Run, Kuroha. Run and don't look back…
— Kuroha.— the Master whispered to me.— Have faith, little one. I know that someday your father will understand what's happening… and he'll let you return to your mother.
And he was right. Almost a week later, my father requested that I be allowed to see my mother once a week, depending on my performance in training. From that moment on, I did everything I could to improve. I wanted to be with her every single day.
That's how I managed to train at the temple during the day… and return to my mother at night
And he was right. Almost a week later, my father requested that I be allowed to see my mother once a week, depending on my performance in training.
From that moment on, I did everything I could to improve. I wanted to be with her every single day.
That's how I managed to train at the temple during the day… and return to my mother at night.
Even she seemed happier with our new way of life. She was taking her medication again, and had stopped attacking the nurses who entered our room.
Instead, we spent our time lying together, reading and drawing everything I had seen during my training expeditions.
Sometimes, she told me stories about her missions when she was young, and little by little, she began teaching me how to invoke her domain: Perpetual Darkness.
Eight years passed since I was taken out of my crystal sphere. During that time, I had only seen my younger siblings from afar.
I never exchanged a single word with them.
My Master said I didn't need to speak to them.
But I noticed something. One day, by accident, I stepped beyond the temple's boundary. I saw my father playing with two children.
The older one looked about two years younger than me, and the little girl was maybe five. Both were smiling happily as they played with him, tossing a ball back and forth.
—Kuroha— my Master called softly.— Don't even think about showing yourself. If you do, you'll lose all the privileges your father gave you.
— I wasn't planning to.
And I kept training as if nothing had happened.
I had accepted that my life was meant to be training and carrying out missions to eliminate curses.
But through every movement Kuroha made, you could feel her sorrow. She definitely wanted to see her siblings, to talk to them, to get close. But her heart had become an impenetrable shell.
One day, in the middle of a mission…
This was the part that excited me the most.
But I know for Kuroha… it marked a before and after.
— !!!
I felt something strange. Like an electric current running down my spine.
I finished slicing off the head of the massive curse in front of me, using my scythe.
Why a scythe? Because that was the weapon my mother used. She used to say that every curse she cut down was like harvesting peace for everyone.
I wanted to carry on her vision.
— Kuroha! It's all clear. Come eat— I heard my Master's voice.
I gracefully descended from the rooftop and sat on the ground, picking up the bowl of ramen in front of me.
— Master…
— Yes, I felt it too. And in the four hundred years I've been in this world, I've never felt anything like it…
He seemed lost in thought, fiddling with his wooden staff.
— Let's hope your father says something. I have a hunch, but I'm not sure.
— You'll go to Tokyo tomorrow. The high command has decided.
— Excuse me?
The next day, my father summoned me for a new mission. In these eight years, I had never complained about being sent on missions where I could die.
— I bet you felt it yesterday.
— Yes. It was terrifying.
— Sukuna has returned. The leaders have decided that you, along with Satoru Gojo, will be in charge of watching over his vessel.
— Wait…
— I'll warn you of one thing. If he gets out of control, you must be the first to kill him.
You have to prove that the Mizuki clan is the most powerful—the only one that was, and still is, capable of eradicating that plague.
— If Sukuna has returned… why aren't you going, as head of the clan?" I replied.
"Everyone has their destiny. Mine is to protect the family. Yours is to destroy it."
"Will my siblings go?"
"You're the only one who's received specialized training."
"Haha…" I let out a small laugh without meaning to. "Every member of the Mizuki clan receives the same training."
"…" My father looked at me intently.
"Your brother is fourteen. Your sister is ten. Are you really so selfish that you'd let two children step onto the battlefield?"
"Excuse me?" This time, I couldn't stay silent.
"I'm only sixteen, and you're asking me to kill a curse that even the greatest sorcerers of the past couldn't destroy."
"That's because you're the most powerful member of the clan so far," he replied, without even looking at me.
"Then I can claim my position as the next leader."
I slammed my hand against his dark oak desk.
"!!"
His eyes widened in surprise and he stood up.
His aura made me step back. I still felt far too small compared to him.
"If you manage to kill him, I'll consider it.
But remember—you're not the firstborn. That's Shin."
"There's no rule that says only the firstborn can inherit leadership," I smiled with quiet defiance.
"But the strongest can. And you've acknowledged my power."
"…"
I thought his eyes might pop out of his skull from sheer rage.
I turned and headed for the door.
"Remember—we're the only ones keeping your mother's illness under control.
If you walk away from our support, your beloved mother will die in no time."
"…I'll think about it."
I left his office.
As soon as I closed the door, I collapsed to my knees.
The tears I had held back finally streamed down my cheeks.
It was terrifying.
Being in that man's presence always was.
And even if I resisted his orders, I knew he would send me regardless of my protests.
I'd have to face him someday…
But I haven't finished writing the story yet, so…
How will I know what happens next?
Honestly, I haven't thought that far ahead.
I never thought you'd dare confront your father, despite the clear instructions I gave you never to do so," my Master approached, a serious look in his eyes.
The Master of Cracks was someone Kuroha saw as her emotional anchor. I still don't know how his story ends.
— …— I looked down—or rather, Kuroha did— Sukuna has returned. My father has sent me to watch over his vessel.
— What?— He seemed surprised.
— Well… it's inevitable. It's your duty to keep an eye on that demon.
He turned his back to me.
— Get up. We need to prepare your things.
— And my mother? I won't leave her in their hands.
— Don't worry about her. Isolde is protected by your grandfather.
— My grandfather is dying. No one knows when he'll pass— I said as I stood and followed him.
— Then I'll notify you when it happens, so you can come for her.
— You told me I couldn't go far unless I was accompanied by someone from the clan.
— I can do it. But I'll die within an hour.
If I reach you in that time, I'll be able to warn you.
— But… you'll die.
— At last, I'll be free.— he said, smiling.
I stopped.
He was the closest thing to a father I'd ever known.
Despite his frail and aged appearance, he was the strongest sorcerer I'd ever seen.
If he was willing to give his life just to warn me if something happened to my mother… he was someone I could trust.
Noticing I'd stopped walking, he turned to look at me.
— I'm counting on you.— I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady.
He had taught me never to show my emotions.
— All right. Let's go.
I arrived home.
My mother was sitting, gazing at the starry sky and the moon through the only window in the room.
That window was one of the privileges my father granted me after I returned intact from a dangerous mission no one else dared to accept.
— Mom— I called her softly.
She turned and gave me a sweet smile.
— Welcome back.— She opened her arms, and I ran to embrace her.
— Mom… I have to leave for a while.
— I figured. Last night, I felt an overwhelming presence.— I looked up at her. Despite everything she'd been through, and no longer being active, her senses were still intact.— Sukuna has returned, hasn't he?
— How do you know?
— His power is unlike any other special-grade curse. I remember reading that his energy was immense… but I never imagined it would be this intense…
— …
— Even if you don't want to go, your father will force you.— She hugged me tighter— I trust you'll come out of this mission safely.
If things get complicated, you must tell me.
Yamikiri will connect us.
As if summoned, Yamikiri—our scythe—appeared.
Its curved blade, black as the eclipse, and its silver handle shimmered as if reflecting moonlight.
Pale crystals hung from chains of the same color, and the Master used to say that, according to legend, they were the tears of every sorcerer who had wielded it… until it came into my mother's hands, and then into mine.
My mother held it, and the blade shone with a blinding light.
The Master also said it was a weapon not just anyone could wield. Only the one chosen by the weapon itself.
— Yamikiri will tell me when you're in danger.
When that happens, I'll come to help you— my mother said as she handed it to me.
I still needed to perform a special ritual to summon her.
And seeing that my mother could call her just by saying her name…
made me realize how weak I still was.
— Thank you.
Even though my mother knew the danger I was about to face, she let me go.
She trusted my abilities. She believed in me.
And that… made me feel stronger.
That night, we slept in each other's arms.
The sun hit both our faces directly.
My mother sat up slowly and stretched.
— Let's pack.
I didn't have much clothing, so it was easy.
At six in the morning, my father arrived with an entire entourage.
I guess he thought my mother and I would resist.
But he didn't expect to find her brushing my short, chocolate-colored hair while my bags were already packed.
I stood up, hugged my mother, grabbed my things, and walked through the door he had opened.
— Your train leaves in half an hour. Remember—you must be the first to kill that plague. Don't let the Gojo clan win this time.
Since it might be the last time we'd see each other, I thought he'd say something more.
Maybe a few words of encouragement.
Maybe… a hug.
I was naïve.
He said nothing. Not even when he saw me board the train. He didn't say goodbye.
In fact, none of the people with him did.
I guess they only saw me as a sacrifice.
I sat on the train and started taking pictures with the small phone he'd given me.
He told me to use it to call one of the nurses if I ever wanted to talk to my mother.
At least in that… he cared.
After a few hours, I arrived in Tokyo.
Honestly, I didn't expect to travel this far through my own story.
I love these dreams!
Though I still wonder… who was that voice calling to me at the beginning?
Back to the story—
They told me someone from the Sorcery School would come pick me up, but…
— Hey there!— Standing in front of the station was a guy with completely white hair.
He wore a black uniform and had his eyes covered with a blindfold.
I recognized the uniform.
It was from the Sorcery School.
— Hi.— My social skills were… limited.
After all, my only interactions had been with my parents and my master.
— You must be Mizuki Kuroha, right?— he said, tilting his head thoughtfully.
— Yes, that's me.
— Ugh, you're just as grumpy as Ren.
— Eh?— Did he just call my father grumpy?
Well… both of us, actually.
— Doesn't matter. I'm your teacher—Satoru Gojo.— He extended his hand with a wide grin.
— Teacher?— I asked, shaking his hand.
— Yep. You'll be attending the Sorcery School starting tomorrow.
— School…? Me?— I said, pointing at myself.
— Hmm… you don't seem as sharp as Ren. Are you sure you're Kuroha?— He pulled a photo from his pants pocket and examined it carefully — Yeah, yeah, you are. But I thought you'd be smarter."
— Oh… it's just that they told me I was coming to watch over Sukuna's vessel.
No one said anything about school.
— Yeah, that's your main duty.
But they also requested that you be allowed to attend classes.
— Ah…— I had never been to school.
I never imagined I would.
— Come on, I'll take you— he said with a grin from ear to ear.
I stared at him, confused.
— Let's go. I don't have your kind of time.
He didn't wait for an answer.
He grabbed my backpack and started walking, dragging me along.