Satoru Gojo had just reached the edge of the dormitory area, his hands tucked casually into his pockets while he hummed an off-key tune.
Then he suddenly stopped.
The relaxed grin on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by rare disbelief.
He slowly raised his hand and stared at his fingertips.
A massive surge of cursed energy exploded within him without warning.
It flowed violently through his body like a river that had shattered through a dam after years of restriction. The increase did not stop there either, it continued rising steadily.
This was not a simple breakthrough.
It felt as though the limit of his own power had been forcibly expanded by something external.
The path he once believed had already reached its end suddenly stretched forward again, revealing possibilities he had never imagined before.
"What the hell is this...?"
Gojo removed his blindfold, revealing the glowing blue eyes beneath.
His Six Eyes activated immediately as he tried to analyze the sudden transformation occurring inside him.
No one understood his own strength better than he did.
This level of growth could not have come from natural development or training. It felt more like the "ceiling" of the entire world had suddenly been raised, and he had simply been carried upward along with it.
That realization only made the situation stranger.
The limits governing the world itself seemed to have widened.
It was not Gojo surpassing his limits.
The limits themselves had changed.
And as the strongest sorcerer alive, he was naturally the first to feel it.
"Sukuna inside Itadori?"
Gojo's first thought went toward Ryomen Sukuna.
But he dismissed the idea almost immediately.
Although Sukuna was special, the amount currently sealed within Itadori was nowhere near enough to influence the rules of the entire world.
So what caused this?
Gojo narrowed his eyes slightly.
His gaze drifted unconsciously toward Sol's room.
The new student's cursed energy still felt weak, barely more noticeable than a flickering candle flame.
Yet this bizarre phenomenon had started only after Sol and Itadori entered Tokyo Jujutsu High.
"Coincidence?"
Gojo tilted his head before the familiar smirk returned to his face.
"Interesting. This is actually getting interesting."
For now, he chose not to investigate further.
Instead, he shoved his hands back into his pockets and continued walking toward the teachers' dormitory while humming again.
No matter the reason, becoming stronger was never a bad thing.
Especially for someone who had already stood at the top for so long.
If the world truly had become larger, then maybe there were finally new heights worth reaching.
And maybe, just maybe, someone capable of standing against him.
Inside his room, Sol had already noticed Gojo's reaction.
With his perception, the sudden rise in Gojo's strength stood out like a blazing torch in darkness.
"So merely existing here is enough to raise this world's ceiling."
There was no surprise in Sol's eyes.
Everything was happening exactly as expected.
The laws and power contained within his existence far exceeded what this world could naturally contain.
To adapt to him, the world itself had no choice but to expand its limits.
And after those limits increased, Gojo, the current strongest, naturally became the first person to benefit.
Others would follow eventually.
Sol did not particularly care.
He completely suppressed his aura once more, leaving behind only the appearance of an ordinary first-year sorcerer who had recently awakened cursed energy.
What mattered right now was observation.
Learning.
Understanding the structure of this world.
Then integrating it into his own evolution.
After devouring gods, even Sol himself was uncertain how far his strength had risen.
Still, he knew one thing clearly.
If he stopped suppressing himself carelessly, this world might not survive it.
Keeping himself only slightly stronger than Gojo should be enough for now.
The next morning, shortly after sunrise, loud knocking came from outside his room.
"Sol! You awake?" Yuji Itadori shouted energetically from outside. "Gojo-sensei wants us at the front gate!"
Sol opened the door.
He had already changed into the dark blue school uniform.
Itadori stood there grinning brightly, looking genuinely excited about his new school life.
"Let's go!"
Sol nodded and followed him toward the entrance.
At the school gate, Gojo leaned lazily against one of the pillars.
"Yo~ Right on time."
Although his expression looked the same as usual, Sol could tell the cursed energy within him had grown even further compared to yesterday.
The world's adjustment was still ongoing.
Gojo's gaze lingered on Sol briefly.
Weak cursed energy.
Stable flow.
Exactly what a newly awakened sorcerer should look like.
And yet...
That strange feeling remained.
Like there was an invisible current hidden beneath still water.
"Maybe the kid's just talented," Gojo muttered casually before dropping the thought again.
"Gojo-sensei!" Itadori asked excitedly. "Are we picking up another classmate?"
"That's right~" Gojo snapped his fingers. "Our last little friend should already be waiting."
Just as he finished speaking, another figure approached from inside the campus.
Messy black hair that resembled sea urchin spikes.
Sharp eyes.
Dark blue uniform.
It was Megumi Fushiguro.
"Fushiguro!" Itadori waved enthusiastically.
Megumi gave a small nod before his eyes shifted toward Sol.
A trace of scrutiny flashed through his gaze.
He had never seen this person before.
"Alright, introductions." Gojo casually slung an arm around Megumi's shoulder. "This is Megumi Fushiguro, another first-year. Technically your senpai since he enrolled earlier."
Megumi looked toward Sol.
"Megumi Fushiguro."
"Sol Mirek."
The two exchanged brief greetings.
Sol's dark red eyes swept across Megumi for a moment.
His cursed energy, technique structure, and even the faint traces of his shikigami contracts were immediately visible within Sol's perception.
Good potential.
Still inexperienced, though.
"Perfect, everyone's here." Gojo clapped his hands together. "Let's get moving!"
He turned and started walking down the mountain path.
"Destination, the station! Time to pick up our final classmate, Nobara Kugisaki!"