Akoto positioned himself between the two leaders with a relaxed, almost nonchalant posture. His gaze was calm, devoid of any trace of tension, while Cursed Energy flowed steadily from his hands—dense and perfectly controlled. The atmosphere around them, however, remained charged with intensity, as if the very air were being compressed between the three presences.
It didn't take long for both clan heads to notice a crucial detail.
'The symbol of Master Tengen's Temple…?'
The thought crossed Naoto Zenin's and Satsugi Gojo's minds almost simultaneously.
As Akoto's haori swayed gently in the wind still sweeping through the shattered corridor, the emblem engraved on his back became impossible to ignore. The Manji (卍)—the unmistakable mark of Tengen—stood out clearly against the dark fabric, carrying with it a historical and spiritual weight no sorcerer could afford to disregard.
'Wait… a young man bearing that symbol…' Naoto felt a chill run down his spine. 'Is he one of the heirs?!'
The idea was unsettling. An heir of Tengen—far too young, yet strong enough to stop, with his bare hands, a simultaneous attack from both him and Satsugi. It defied any reasonable expectation.
Slowly, Akoto's Cursed Energy began to dissipate, like a tide receding after displaying its strength. He noticed the shift in the two leaders' demeanor. Open hostility had given way to caution.
"I see you've both calmed down, Naoto-dono and Satsugi-dono. That's good," Akoto remarked, clapping his hands together as if brushing off dust or invisible dirt. "I would hate to upset Master Tengen over a childish quarrel."
His tone was polite.
The meaning, however, carried a clear warning.
"Very well, Akoto." Tengen's voice suddenly echoed through the corridor, her figure appearing beside Ashiya and Ijicho as though she had always been there. Her expression was serene, though a sharp glint shimmered within her ancient eyes. "Is your training yielding overwhelming results?"
"Yes." Akoto answered immediately, bowing slightly in respect. The gesture was proper, almost automatic, yet his expression did not convey complete satisfaction. He naturally lifted his gaze soon after, adding with cold honesty, "However, I believe it is still not enough."
"Hm…?" For a brief moment, Tengen seemed genuinely confused, as if those words defied any acceptable logic. Soon after, she sighed, bringing a hand to her face. "You truly are abnormal, boy."
Meanwhile, just behind them, Ashiya and Ijicho remained motionless.
Father and son were in complete shock.
Their minds had gone blank, yet their spirits trembled—shaken by what they had just witnessed.
Ashiya was the first to try to rationalize it. Again and again, he replayed the moment Akoto had simply vanished from the room, shattering walls and crossing the palace in the blink of an eye.
'Was that… Cursed Energy Reinforcement?' he questioned silently, his heart racing. The image repeated in his mind. 'No… it can't be. It must be his Innate Technique. It has to be.'
Ijicho, on the other hand, sweating cold, reached the opposite conclusion.
'That was Cursed Energy Reinforcement, without a doubt.' His stomach churned as he analyzed the details. 'The initial step, the absurd acceleration… everything points to reinforcement. He's already reached that level?!'
Before any further thoughts could take shape, a new presence asserted itself.
"I thank the Heir of Tengen for protecting this Palace." The solemn voice of Emperor Kanmu resonated as he appeared in the corridor. Hexagonal panels of energy slowly dissolved around him, vanishing like shattered glass turning into light.
'Hm? An empty barrier?' Akoto noticed immediately, narrowing his eyes slightly. 'Ah… that makes sense.'
He had known from the beginning that a barrier surrounded the Imperial Palace, but only now did he grasp its true nature. Looking more closely, he realized it was a pure barrier—extremely refined. It was not merely a common defense, but a superior technique of Tengen's, capable of containing and structuring other barriers within itself. Something akin to absolute dominion over barrier techniques, where every rule had been defined by her.
'Within this barrier… Tengen can do anything she wishes.' The thought came with a faint spark of intellectual excitement. 'Could I ever do the same?'
For now, Akoto pushed the idea to the back of his mind and refocused on the present.
"Thank you, Emperor Kanmu." He bowed with genuine respect. "However, I destroyed the meeting hall and several walls in the process. I apologize."
'I was careless…' he admitted to himself. 'I need to optimize my speed.'
The Emperor merely waved a hand, unconcerned. A few walls and a hall were a trivial price compared to the possibility of the entire Palace being reduced to rubble.
"So, where are we holding the meeting?" Satsugi said, sticking a finger into his ear in a careless gesture. The act drew looks of disgust from several of those present.
Tengen took a few seconds to consider, her gaze drifting into the distance before she spoke.
"How about the Imperial Garden? There's more than enough space for all of us." She then turned to the Emperor. "Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, Tengen-san. Let us—"
Before anyone could even take a single step, hexagonal panels of energy rose around them all. In a single second, the world seemed to fold in on itself. When the sensation faded, the group was no longer in the palace corridors, but standing within a vast central garden—spacious and immaculately maintained.
"Hmm." The Emperor let out an indistinct sound, almost a thoughtful grunt.
With the exception of Tengen, every sorcerer present felt a bead of sweat slide down the back of their head. One by one, their gazes shifted toward the one responsible for the barrier.
"What?" Tengen asked, genuinely puzzled by their reactions.
'She still has the audacity to ask 'what'?!'
...
After several minutes that felt far too long for an event of such importance, the artificial tranquility of the Imperial Garden was broken by the approach of new presences. The cursed energy of two distinct groups made itself known before they could even be seen—a faint pressure in the air, subtle yet unmistakable to any experienced sorcerer.
Kamikake Fujiwara appeared first, walking with measured steps and impeccable posture. He wore traditional garments adorned with ancient symbols of his clan. His gaze was refined, silently analyzing the surroundings, while behind him followed his two heirs, alert to every movement. Shortly after came the Grade 1 bodyguards, maintaining a calculated distance.
Not long after, Tenzo Abe emerged from the opposite side of the garden, his expression carrying a mixture of curiosity and restrained irritation. Unlike Fujiwara, Tenzo did not bother hiding his surprise at seeing that the meeting was not being held in the designated chamber. His heirs walked just behind him, exchanging subtle glances, while the bodyguards remained rigid, assessing everyone present as potential threats.
"What happened?" Tenzo asked, breaking the silence. His voice echoed softly among the carefully tended trees of the garden as his eyes swept across the gathered faces, lingering for a moment on the distant palace walls still marked by recent destruction.
Before any of the clan heads could respond, Emperor Kanmu spoke.
He was already seated at the forefront, his presence imposing absolute authority—not only political, but symbolic. His expression was calm yet firm, making it clear that there was no room for questioning.
"That doesn't matter. The meeting will be held here," he declared, in a tone that ended any discussion before it could begin. Then he made a simple gesture with his hand. "Sit. We will begin now."
The command was enough.
One by one, the clan heads obeyed without protest, settling into carefully arranged positions that formed an almost ritualistic configuration. Tengen took her place at the front beside the leaders, her calm posture contrasting with the lingering tension in the air. Behind each clan head, their two respective heirs assumed their places.
Further back, the bodyguards positioned themselves in silence, as they held no voice in the proceedings. Among them, Akoto remained composed, observing everything with attentive eyes.
"First topic: the number of sorcerers has increased considerably. Consequently, more Curse Users are emerging. How have you dealt with the situation?" Emperor Kanmu asked in a demanding tone, direct and unmistakably serious. It was clear this was not a rhetorical question.
As the clan heads reflected, something specific in that sentence caught Akoto's attention. It wasn't merely the content, but the way it had been phrased.
'So there is no "we," huh…' Akoto thought, watching the Emperor closely. The word you echoed in his mind, too heavy to ignore. 'Even if they work together, in the end, they remain separate. The Emperor doesn't see himself as part of this.'
The realization made Akoto narrow his eyes slightly, taking in the true dynamics of that meeting more clearly.
Naoto Zenin was the first to speak. He raised a hand to his face, casually stroking his mustache as if the matter were nothing more than a recurring inconvenience. Then he straightened his posture and spoke with the confidence of someone long accustomed to deciding the fate of others.
"We can proceed in two possible ways. One option is to offer them a place within Jujutsu Society, organized as subordinates to the Five Great Clans—or even allow them to form their own groups, so long as they remain under our authority." As he spoke, Naoto raised one finger to mark the first possibility, then continued. "Or simply… we execute them."
The ease with which he stated the last option made the air feel even heavier.
Satsugi Gojo clicked her tongue, visibly irritated. Her gaze shifted briefly, as if restraining something between disdain and boredom.
'Did he reach the same conclusion, and that's why he's irritated?' Akoto wondered, observing the almost instinctive reaction from the head of the Gojo Clan. 'Seems old relics really do think alike.'
His eyes then drifted to Tengen's back. She remained silent and motionless, as though above such a superficial debate.
'In any case, Master Tengen wouldn't offer the temple as an option.' Akoto continued to reflect. 'She doesn't know what lies in people's hearts… Opening the temple's doors could easily turn it into a haven for criminals and murderers—and we wouldn't even realize it.'
In this era, reality was cruel. Most sorcerers were neither heroic nor idealistic. They were violent, pragmatic—and often bloodthirsty. The Five Great Clans, with the clear exception of the Abe Clan, were no different. Zenin, Gojo, and Fujiwara in particular had built their histories upon violence, power, and domination.
Akoto observed the faces around him with renewed attention. Noriaki Kamo remained in absolute silence, his gaze lowered as though he had no intention of participating in the discussion. Tenzo Abe, on the other hand, seemed indifferent—comfortable with whatever decision was made, as long as it did not directly affect his clan.
'Pacifists…' Akoto thought for a brief moment before nearly sighing. 'No. Ignorant.'
The silence stretched longer than expected.
That was when Akoto decided to act.
"Master Tengen, may I say something?" he asked, his voice calm yet firm enough to cut through the heavy atmosphere.
Gradually, Tengen's attention turned toward him. Several clan heads also shifted their gazes, surprised that one of the heirs had chosen to speak at such a moment.
"Speak."
"Quantity over quality makes no sense." Akoto's voice carried clearly through the silent garden. He did not raise his tone, nor did he attempt to assert dominance, yet the truth in his words was impossible to ignore. "We should evaluate their potential first. If the majority are Grade 3 or 4, it would be better to execute them."
He rested his elbow on his knee, maintaining a relaxed posture, as if merely stating something obvious. In his mind, the judgment had long since been decided. Akoto had never truly believed that there were more Grade 2 and above sorcerers than lower ranks. Reality had always been far too cruel for that.
"We cannot fill our foundations with weak pillars," he continued, his gaze sweeping across the clan heads one by one. "If we do, the current structure of Jujutsu will collapse easily."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Tengen absorbed her successor's words with unusual attention. She did not outwardly display surprise, yet internally she could not deny that his point was solid. Cruel, yes—but consistent with the reality of this era. For the first time since the meeting began, Tengen realized that Akoto was no longer thinking like a mere heir.
The other clan heads, however, did not hide their surprise. Some widened their eyes; others frowned deeply. The heirs behind them reacted in different ways—shock, discomfort, even unease. It was rare—almost unacceptable—for an heir to speak in such a manner at a meeting of this level.
And yet—
"Silence, insolent child." Kamikake Fujiwara suddenly spoke, shattering the atmosphere with a voice laced in disdain. His gaze fell upon Akoto as though evaluating something beneath him. "Heirs are meant to observe."
Akoto did not even bother changing his expression. He simply rested his cheek against his hand, eyes half-lidded, visibly bored.
"You arrived late and still expect to have a voice?" he replied with irritating calm. "A descendant of Michizane Sugawara placing his pride upon a golden pedestal—how fitting."
The air around Kamikake seemed to grow heavier.
The head of the Fujiwara Clan clearly did not appreciate that. His eyes narrowed, and his cursed energy flickered faintly.
"Hm? What did you say?" he growled, taking a step forward.
"Has old age taken your hearing as well?" Akoto responded, finally meeting Kamikake's gaze directly—his own empty, filled with nothing but pure boredom.
Behind them, Ijicho observed everything in silent focus. At that moment, a thought surfaced in his mind with undeniable clarity:
Akoto Kisaragi possessed a peculiar talent.
He was a specialist in irritating people older than him—especially those who were accustomed to never being contradicted.
When Kamikake seemed on the verge of acting, his bodyguard quickly seized his shoulder with firm restraint.
"Kamikake-sama, please calm yourself," he said in a low yet urgent voice. "We are in the Emperor's presence."
The head of the Fujiwara Clan bit down on his lip, his jaw tightening before he clicked his tongue in restrained frustration. His fists clenched for a brief moment, but in the end, he yielded—albeit unwillingly.
"And as for you, young man—"
"Shut up." Akoto cut him off without raising his voice, yet the coldness in it sliced through the air. "I don't have the patience to listen to you—or anyone else—complaining about my actions."
He slowly straightened, abandoning his relaxed posture. When he continued, his gaze was steady and firm.
"Do me—and everyone here—a favor. Step back and observe."
The Fujiwara bodyguard frowned, clearly displeased at taking an order from someone so young, but he obeyed nonetheless, retreating and resuming his position.
"Hm." Akoto muttered at last, adjusting his stance as if nothing had happened.
In the end, Akoto's proposal was deemed acceptable, and his method would be implemented from that point forward.
The second topic concerned the exponential rise in curses—Grade 1 and above. It was unprecedented.
"Considering the immense flow of cursed energy now circulating through my barriers, the emergence of such powerful curses is to be expected," Tengen commented with a sigh. "My successors have observed that the energy disperses rapidly. Because of that, I will erect three additional Special Pure Barriers."
Confusion spread among the leaders; none of them knew what Pure Barriers were.
Before Tengen could elaborate, Akoto spoke first.
"They are barriers created through a Binding Vow that allows any human—whether possessing cursed energy or not—to pass through freely. In exchange, they suppress cursed spirits and reinforce the basic barriers of specific individuals." At that final remark, Akoto glanced toward Ashiya. "At present, there is one Special Pure Barrier within the Imperial Palace."
(Author: Considering that the Heian Era was the Golden Age of Jujutsu, I imagine that this applies to both Sorcerers and Curses. I believe that the Golden Age ended due to the creation of the Pure Barriers that flooded Japan in 2018. My theory gains further support when, 68 years later, the cursed spirits evolved even further in Tokyo due to the concentration of energy, probably due to the weakening of the barriers and the death of Tengen, causing the Pure Barriers in Tokyo to disintegrate.)
"Unfortunately, constructing the new Pure Barriers will cost me time," Tengen remarked.
"How much time?" Emperor Kanmu asked.
"Hmm… three hundred years," Tengen estimated. She herself had taken a full century just to construct the Special Pure Barrier within the Imperial Palace. Fortunately, she had time.
Even so, the others present were visibly unsettled. Some frowned, others crossed their arms, and a few averted their gaze—clearly dissatisfied with the idea of handling a growing problem for centuries.
Despite that, no one could present a better alternative.
The creation of the Pure Barriers was, at present, the only viable long-term solution to contain the advance of curses. Until they were completed, however, it would fall upon the clans and Jujutsu Society to prevent the exponential growth of cursed spirits from spiraling completely out of control.
After that point in the meeting, Akoto fell silent alongside the other heirs.
It wasn't for lack of opinion—quite the opposite. He had enough objections to carry half the discussion on his own. What he lacked was the will. Speaking with old men too proud to see beyond their own lineage simply wasn't worth the effort.
As the clan heads continued debating strategies, resources, and jurisdictions, Akoto observed.
The Gojo and the Zenin were, without question, the most vocal. They were also the ones proposing the most plans, counterarguments, and courses of action. Yet the more they spoke, the more something almost comical became apparent.
'They're the same.' Akoto kept his face neutral, though inwardly he nearly laughed. 'They share the same neuron… how ironic.'
Both sought supremacy. They differed only in method—never in essence. To them, power was synonymous with stability. And stability meant absolute control.
The Fujiwara and the Abe, on the other hand, were quieter.
But their silence was not the same.
'Fujiwara…' Akoto reflected, watching Kamikake from the corner of his eye. 'Too arrogant to agree with anyone. He doesn't want equality. He wants superiority—undisputed.'
The Fujiwara Clan did not submit easily, yet neither did they truly cooperate. Their silence was not neutrality—it was restrained pride, waiting for the right moment to assert dominance.
As for the Abe…
'They simply don't care.'
Tenzo Abe maintained a calm, almost indifferent expression. For the Abe Clan, political decisions hardly altered their central purpose. Their duty would remain the same regardless of the direction taken by the other clans: the containment of Cursed Spirits. They did not seek expansion or supremacy. They simply upheld their function.
And then there were the Kamo.
The quietest of them all.
Noriaki Kamo had barely spoken on any significant matter. His posture was upright, his gaze attentive, yet emotionally distant.
'Cold-blooded…' Akoto thought.
Metaphorically speaking.
The Kamo were the most calculating. They did not react, did not grow heated, did not compete for space in the discussion. They observed. They waited. And when they acted, it was because the decision had been made long before any words were spoken.
Akoto closed his eyes briefly, mentally organizing everything he had learned from that meeting.
The Five Great Clans were not a single entity.
And they never would be.
After two more hours of endless discussions, political adjustments, territorial redefinitions, and implicit agreements disguised as cordiality, Emperor Kanmu finally raised his hand.
The gesture was simple—but enough to silence the entire garden.
"With the official matters resolved, we shall proceed to the unofficial ones."
'Huh?' Akoto thought, opening his eyes slightly. 'This isn't over yet?'
A different glint appeared in the eyes of certain clan heads. For the first time since the meeting began, political tension gave way to something more direct.
More primitive.
The Emperor then declared, with satisfaction he barely bothered to hide:
"The Battle of Heirs!"
The air seemed to freeze for a second.
'What?' Akoto's mind stalled briefly. 'What does that have to do with the meeting?!'
He wasn't the only one surprised. Some heirs exchanged glances; others immediately stiffened. As for the clan heads… some of them had clearly been waiting for this.
Satsugi Gojo allowed a faint smile to curl at the corner of her lips. Naoto Zenin crossed his arms with a satisfied expression. Kamikake Fujiwara straightened his posture, as though something finally worthy of his attention was about to begin.
Tengen, on the other hand, simply observed.
"Tradition demands that the heirs of the Five Great Clans demonstrate their worth," the Emperor continued, his firm voice echoing through the garden. "Not merely in words—but in power."
Now it made sense.
It wasn't just entertainment.
It was a measurement of strength.
But mostly entertainment.
Akoto inhaled slowly.
'So that's it…'
The meeting had never been only about decisions. It was also about reaffirming hierarchies. Showing which lineage had produced the most promising heir. Who would dominate the coming years.
The bodyguards shifted slightly, clearing space at the center of the garden. The wide area transformed as empty barriers manifested, and all the first in line for succession were moved into the improvised arena.
Akoto finally sighed.
'Old men… they can't decide the future without turning everything into a competition.'