Chapter 5: Chapter 5

What puzzled me was why I was making more progress in mastering "Blue," which was supposed to be more difficult to control, instead of replicating the "Limitless" technique. I didn't have a clear answer, and that only added to my frustration.I let out a sigh as I gazed at the barely visible night sky through the barrier that covered it. The question that haunted me was why I couldn't progress as quickly as the original Satoru Gojo. Perhaps I had his brain, but not his mind. It was a dilemma similar to the one presented in the movie "Freaky Friday," where two people switch bodies and have to deal with the consequences.If you stop to think about it, what's the real difference between swapping brains and swapping minds? After all, the brain remains an integral part of the body. The mind, on the other hand, is what defines you as yourself, what makes you unique. This reflection led me to a disquieting conclusion: the potential of this body was being held back by me.That idea didn't provide much comfort. I wondered how long it would take for someone like me, a normal person, to fully master this body. The answer that came to mind was not encouraging: it would likely take years of effort.With a sigh, I pulled a notebook from my pocket and began jotting down all my progress and possible theories. I had started keeping a detailed record of my advancements shortly after attending school. I realized that the only way to improve my sorcery training would be through a methodical and organized approach. I noted the spells I had practiced, the results achieved, the possible mistakes made, and the theories I had on how to improve. Keeping a detailed record not only helped me track my progress but also allowed me to identify areas where I needed to work more.I stored my notebook with the notes of my progress and decided to shift my focus. It was time to continue my physical training, an essential part of my development as a cursed energy user.I began with a light warm-up, performing a series of stretches and exercises to prepare my body for the more intense training that would follow....I let out a yawn as I rubbed my temples, trying to alleviate the headache that plagued me. The disadvantage of having the Six Eyes was evident at times like this when I had nothing to cover them. The headache was intensifying, and my tiredness seemed to multiply. It was frustrating not to have proper bandages yet. Being an orphan child had its limitations, and the lack of additional resources was one of them. Despite having the essentials, I couldn't get more than that. But putting my thoughts aside, I focused on what I was about to do.I was perched in the treetop, the same tree where Yui and I first met. I was camouflaged among the leaves, waiting for her arrival. I intended to give her a good scare. Since the day I took the initiative to speak to her, we had started to interact more often, and she even allowed me to call her by her name.Which was surprising. Originally, I had no plans to make friends at school. I thought I wouldn't fit in well with the elementary school kids, and mostly preferred solitude. But Yui was different. Although she didn't talk much and seemed unexpressive most of the time, she really wasn't. She just had difficulty expressing her emotions in a conventional manner, which made her appear like an average teenager.I snapped out of my thoughts as I saw Yui approaching. She didn't seem to suspect anything, which was perfect for my little prank. Yui stopped once she noticed I wasn't in the usual spot. I typically arrived first, so her confusion was evident.Before she could delve deeper into her bewilderment, I suddenly appeared, upside down, my legs gripping the tree branch."Yui!" I exclaimed enthusiastically, trying to startle her as I hung upside down. The surprised expression on her face was all I had hoped for, and I was glad my little prank had succeeded.I laughed at her while pointing with joy. Yui looked at me with a pout on her face, which only increased my amusement. However, my laughter caused my legs, still hooked to the tree branch, to start wobbling. The world around me suddenly spun as I tumbled to the ground, and my laughter turned into a mix of laughter and surprised shouts."Ouch, that hurt," I complained as I lay on the ground after the fall. I looked at Yui, and she seemed to have a small smile on her face."Teasing me after my accident, that's cruel, Yui-chan," I teased, trying to downplay the incident as I got up from the ground. Yui continued to smile mischievously, ignoring my complaints. Despite the fall, I hadn't suffered any real harm, but I couldn't help but groan playfully from the impact.We sat beneath the tree, recovering from the little incident as our conversation began to flow naturally. Conversations with Yui were usually quiet, and I liked that. There was something comforting about the way we could spend time together in silence, enjoying each other's company without the need to talk constantly. But today, I felt the need to share something."Hey, Yui," I started, looking at her with curiosity, "do you have any dreams or aspirations? I mean, something you really want to do in the future."Yui seemed to ponder for a moment before responding, "I don't know. I never thought about it much."Her answer surprised me a little. I was used to hearing kids talk about what they wanted to be when they grew up: heroes, doctors, astronauts, and many other things. But Yui seemed to have given it no thought at all."You don't need to have an answer right now," I told her, trying to reassure her. "You have plenty of time to discover what you're passionate about. Sometimes, things just come to you when you least expect them."Yui nodded with a thoughtful expression. "And you, what do you want to be when you grow up?" she asked, showing her interest in learning more about me.Yui's question made me reflect. At first, my only goal was to be strong enough to have no worries, but that thought seemed too complacent. Why not aim for something more? Why not dream big? After all, I had the potential to do so."I guess I want to be the strongest in the world," I replied with a smile."Do you want to be like All Might?" Yui tilted her head, mistakenly thinking I wanted to be like Johnny Bravo on steroids.I laughed at her misunderstanding. Here, when you thought of the strongest, only one name came to mind: All Might. But I didn't want to be just like him; I wanted to be better. I wanted to surpass the limits of power and strength."No, I don't want to be like All Might. I want to be better than him," I responded with conviction. My goal was to exceed expectations and set a new standard of power. I wanted to be someone who could spit in the face of All for One.Yui nodded, surprised. "That sounds great, Satoru-kun."We chatted a bit more about our dreams and aspirations, sharing thoughts and laughter. Despite our differences, there was a special connection between us. In a way, we were both social misfits, but that didn't stop us from enjoying each other's company.Once the bell rang, I knew it was time to head to our classes. But before I could bid farewell, Yui stopped me."Satoru-kun.""Huh?" I looked at her, curious about what she wanted to say, but for some reason, she seemed embarrassed about something."Satoru-kun... I have something for you." As she spoke, she pulled something from her pocket: a small box that shimmered pink before expanding in size. "You told me that because of your quirk, you get a headache if you don't wear bandages, and I thought I should help you with that."My eyes widened in surprise at Yui's kind gesture. I didn't expect someone to do something like this for me. The box in her hands seemed to contain black bandages."Yui... this is amazing! Thank you so much," I exclaimed with gratitude as I took the box from her hands.She smiled shyly, her cheeks blushing slightly. "It's not a big deal. I wanted to help." Although Yui didn't express it openly, her actions spoke for themselves. We said our goodbyes and headed to our classes, but my heart felt a little lighter that day....I looked out of the van's window as the city passed before my eyes. It wasn't the first time we were traveling back to the orphanage in this vehicle, but today, my mind was occupied with deeper thoughts. I ignored the chatter and laughter of the other children sharing the ride with me."Satoru-kun, those bandages are very nice! Who gave them to you?" the caregiver's voice interrupted my moment of peace."A friend gave them to me," I responded with gratitude. I didn't mention they were from Yui, but I knew the caregiver wouldn't inquire further. The details of my life at school were rarely a topic of conversation with the orphanage staff. I preferred to keep it that way."Um... Satoru-kun," she began with an indecisive expression, "I have something to tell you."It seemed strange that the caregiver appeared to be struggling to say something more. Her voice faltered as if she had trouble finding the right words.My eyes fixed on her, and I worried about what she might say. The caregiver didn't usually talk to me about serious matters. Something inside me was uneasy about what I was about to hear."What's going on?" I asked with a mix of curiosity and anxiety.The caregiver sighed before continuing. "Satoru-kun, you've been at the orphanage for a while, and you're an exceptionally talented child. We're all proud of how far you've come. But... there has been a recent development."My heart raced as I waited for her to continue. I didn't know what to expect from her statement. The caregiver hesitated before speaking."There's been a family that has expressed interest in adopting you. They've gone through a long selection process and meet all the necessary requirements. They are willing to provide you with a home and a family."The news hit me like a blow, leaving me breathless. My eyes widened in amazement as I processed the information. The idea of being adopted had never crossed my mind. All the fanfics I had seen or read always seemed to imply that the protagonist would remain an orphan for the rest of their life, with no changes in their situation. The reality of having an adoptive family was not something I had considered.The rest of the journey passed in silence. The city buildings passed by like shadows as my mind revolved around the idea of being adopted. Despite the caregiver's attempts to cheer me up, I couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by the news.