Chapter 3: The Quiet Before the Storm
Hage Village was a place where time usually stood still. But for a three-year-old with snow-white hair and a blindfold, every second was a race.I sat on the massive, weather-worn skull of the ancient demon, the wind whistling through its hollow eye sockets. In my right hand was a bottle of High-Grade Mana Essence; in my left, a piece of dried fruit Sister Lily had given me.Gulp.The potion went down like liquid starlight. I felt my internal "well"—which had started as a dry puddle when I first arrived—expand by a fraction of a millimeter.[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[Mana Capacity: 1.2% of 'Elf-Lord' Tier.]
[Daily Potions Consumed: 142/200]"A bit slow, isn't it, Master?" Aether manifested, floating cross-legged in the air. He looked like a tiny, regal emperor draped in shimmering silk. "At this rate, you'll only be able to flatten a small country by the time you're ten. I expected more from a 'Gojo'.""Shut it, Aether," I muttered, leaning back. "I'm three. If I grew any faster, my internal organs would turn into mana-crystals. Besides, I have twelve years of 'boring' ahead of me. I intend to enjoy the naps."I adjusted my blindfold, the Rikugan (Six Eyes) scanning the horizon. Far to the North and East, beyond the neutral zones, I could see the "Ripples." In this version of the world—Timeline-099—the map was crowded. I could see the distant magical signatures of scouting parties from the Solar Empire and the Iron Duchy.They were lurking just outside the Clover Kingdom's borders, their scouts perched on high ridges like gargoyles. They weren't attacking; they were measuring."They're terrified of Julius," I noted, watching a distant scout retreat the moment a Clover Kingdom border patrol flew by. "The Wizard King in this world is a beast. As long as he's at his peak, these hundreds of kingdoms will stay in the shadows.""And when he falters?" Aether asked."Then the shadows move in," I said, my hand instinctively dropping to the hilt of the Tang Dao resting beside me. "But that won't happen for a long time. Not until the plot actually kicks off. Not until we join the Black Bulls.""GOJOOO! FIGHT ME!"A roar echoed from below. Asta was sprinting up the demon's skull, his tiny legs moving like pistons. Close behind him was Yuno, who was literally gliding an inch off the ground using a rudimentary form of Wind Magic.Thanks to the Strength Potions I'd been sneakily adding to their meals, Asta was a terrifying ball of pure kinetic energy. At three, he could already crack a boulder with a headbutt. Yuno, influenced by my presence and my "advice" on mana-sensing, was already far beyond any noble child his age."Not today, Asta," I said, standing up and stretching my small limbs. "You're still too slow.""I am NOT slow! I'm faster than the wind!" Asta lunged, aiming a chubby fist at my stomach.I didn't move. I didn't have to. I used a tiny spark of Air Magic to create a localized high-pressure zone. Asta hit an invisible wall an inch from my shirt and bounced back, rolling down the skull's "nose" with a shout of frustration."Control, Asta. Not just power," I teased.Yuno landed softly beside me, his golden eyes fixed on my blindfold. "You're doing it again, Gojo. Drinking those 'vitamins' that smell like magic.""Growth spurts, Yuno. They're a pain," I replied smoothly.Yuno looked out at the horizon, toward the same ridges where I knew the scouts were hiding. "The wind feels... crowded today. Like there are too many eyes watching us."My smile twitched. Damn, Yuno's intuition is sharp. "Don't worry about it. As long as we're here, Hage is the safest place in the world. Let's go back before Sister Lily realizes we swiped the extra bread."As we walked back to the church, I looked up at the sky. For the next twelve years, this world would be peaceful. The "Hundred Kingdoms" would stay behind their lines, the scouts would keep their distance, and Julius would keep the shield held high.I had twelve years to turn my "negligible" mana into a sea of infinite power. I had twelve years to master the Tang Dao and the Six-Leaf Grimoire that existed in my mind.I looked at Asta and Yuno, who were racing each other back to Father Orsi. They had no idea that in twelve years, the world was going to try and swallow the Clover Kingdom whole."System," I whispered.[Yes, Master?]"Order another ten thousand mana potions. And set a timer for twelve years. I want to be ready the second we step into the Black Bulls' hideout."[Ding! Order placed. Timer set. Enjoy your childhood, Host. The peace of Timeline-099 is... delicate.]I smirked, sliding my hands into my pockets. "Delicate? Maybe. but as long as I'm here, it's unbreakable."