Unreality (Gojo x Reader)

Chapter 4

As the dimly lit room closes around you, you find yourself trapped with nothing but the eerie wheezing of an old man for company. His white robes are yellowed around the cuffs and collar, remnants of drool and food beard around his lips, yet he's undeterred at clutching to the last tether of his life force.

Shifting on the balls of your feet, your eyes darting around the room, it appears more like a chamber than a waiting room for there are no windows nor reprieve of natural light. Just the flickering wicks teasing the moats of wax for their impending doom, casting unnerving shadows to creep around the shafters, digging their claws into the beams. The withered decorations cling in memory of the past, of better days then, gathering dusty cobwebs that simply disintegrate as the large wooden doors behind you creak open.

Yaga approaches in his typical dark work attire and those characteristic shades that seem pointless and unnecessary under the candlelight. He's carrying a large leather-bound book across his chest, and the closer he becomes, the clearer you can see the intricate detail engraved into its body. However, Yaga pauses the moment he becomes within arms distance and bows to a gravely ninety-degree angle, curiously you turn to watch the old man easily hunch to a stand. His lips move, yet no coherent sounds escape but his long-threaded eyebrow arches upwards despite the sagging flesh weighing the expression down.

The old, dusty smell travels with him as he departs from the chamber, leaving you and Yaga alone.

Yaga turns to you, his face immediately displaying his displeasure.

"Let's begin." He adds whilst ascending the altar and placing his large rump into the wooden throne.

The book resting on his lap.

"Who the fuck was that?" You ask, after having spent the better part of your breakfast with the old sod.

Yaga sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"That was the principle."

Oh, well, he probably needs to start thinking about stepping down and letting someone else call the shots if he's already acting like that.

"I'm guessing 'that' has something to do with why you called me here?" Pointing towards the book in question.

Yaga places his hand onto the cover and looks down at the old, dark leather-bound book with a mixture of sombre and resignation as he hands you it.

"Upon your arrival, I took it upon myself to look into your background and with the help of my assistant director we found that in hidden deep within the archives." He says.

It's heavy and more fragile than you initially thought, with the dark almost black looking leather being scuffed around the edges, peeling in some areas and deep welts splitting the leather. Twine steeped in some kind of wax holds the crumbling pieces altogether.

"What we found was gravely disturbing, however enlightening, it might bring some comfort into your past." Yaga continues, watching you.

Your eyes follow the intricate engravings and, when the light hits it just right, appears a figure with four arms curving up and around its head and its hands forming a pyramid.

"Do you know why I placed you into your second year and not the first. It's because not of your power and skills but what you can do with it, having already witnessed your capabilities myself. I thought you could balance out the two that already seem so out of reach for others." Yaga reaches down beside him, finding a basket of yarn and two wooden knitting needles.

Does he take the grounds of Jujutsu tech as his playground?

"Using me will get you nowhere." The conviction within your voice mirrors that of a mountain.

Unwavering.

"No, I don't want that. I want you to challenge them like many might right now. You are an anomaly and in the small-time that we have before the rest of the world discovers that, I want you to use everything within your powers to keep the two of them on the right path." Shifting in his seat as he gets comfortable looping and hooking the light blue yarn around the knitting needle.

A dry humourless laugh croaks out, Yaga pauses, glancing up.

"What is the right path when we're all a bit fucked in the head anyway. I guess keeping them from killing each other or everyone else is what you have in mind, but I'm no prison warden, I'm only here for one reason." Digging your fingers into the book, uncaring whether it breaks or not.

"That is the answer." Pointing the tip of the needle towards the book again.

Looking down at it, it's no bigger than a standard hardback book, however it appears the paper within is thin and worn down despite how it strains your fingers to grip onto it. The book itself does look old enough to be from the dark ages, seeing how scholars back then took great pride in preserving scripture.

"About a thousand years ago there was a shaman, a man, born with great power, he was discarded by his clan and left to rot. However, he grew to have immense power, enough to challenge the five great houses within that era. There is speculation amongst the scholars in our world that he managed to successfully conceive a child, but no other text mentions of it but what is found within that book." He places down his knitting equipment and rubs at his temple.

"If it is true, then that child managed to survive the very extermination brought upon its father and hidden from history until now, until you. I believe that child is your ancestor, and that man was Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses."

The tension in the room is stifling, and you feel your blood run cold at the ever-mentioned curse that once brought you nightmares in your childhood. Those days have long since passed, however the intrinsic terror remains that somewhere within you is a piece of him.

"The likelihood of that statement being true is near zero, but an avenue, nevertheless. There is another source of input that can be found here on the grounds of Jujutsu tech, Master Tengen but refrain from seeking him out during this time as he's shrouded in occult-like groups and his merger is approaching soon." Yaga leans forwards, linking his fingers together and placing his chin onto his knuckles.

Eyes narrowing trying to find an excuse for all of this, but there is none that can hide the fact that now that you've become aware of this, you'll spiral down a rabbit hole until you're satisfied with the outcome. He's cursed you with this information and whether you like it or not you're going to have to abide by his rules for the time being.

Or until an external factor forces your hand.

"As if he's becoming something new. How can he help me then if I can't speak to him now."

"Very soon you will be able to alongside the other two." He adds cryptically.

"Geto and Gojo?" Last you heard that those two were sent onto an important mission.

"Those two are currently transporting the star plasma vessel, Amanai Riko, Master Tengen's new host. You will be with the two first years, Haibara Yu and Nanami Kento as reinforcements."

Sighing.

Being given two missions in one day sounds exhausting, however exhilarating the first one sounds. Wringing the two strongest sorcerers within your year does sound like a blast, despite how both still view you as inferior, soon they will know their place within the grand scheme of things. But now being lumped in with first years after having been told how adverse you are to sorcery is a blow to your ego.

A miscalculation that all great masters experience at least once in their lifetimes.

"But please try to keep a low profile." Yaga expresses deeply as you begin to turn towards the exit.

"Because people like you tend to find themselves closer to death than anticipated." Gulping at the weight of his words.

Turning your attention to the book in question, your only disposable evidence to your existence and your connection towards the King of Curses himself, Sukuna. It wouldn't hurt to take a small peak of it when it's only been a few hours since you bid your farewells to Gojo and Geto.

~*~

Backstory chapter le gasp...