Learning and Conclusions(1)

"So, they take my commands without any verbal conversation, just by relying on the connection they have with me! That's pretty convenient!"

Kazuhiko was amazed by his new summons.

Since he was unable to walk, he gestured for them to come closer and inspected their paws, claws, and fangs to gauge their usefulness.

He then sensed that his parents had returned home and were just outside, so he released the summons.

They turned into a formless shadow and vanished from his sight, but he could still feel a strange connection with them.

He knew that he could summon them whenever he wanted.

As he saw his parents holding hands and approaching, he guessed that his father had gone straight to pick up his mother from where she went.

Kazuhiko couldn't help but smile when he saw them, completely unaware of it.

Once again, he decided to play pretend and feigned sleep, not wanting to interrupt their special moment.

As they walked in, they were greeted by his peaceful slumbering face.

"Looks like he hasn't woken up yet..." his father sighed wearily, observing his son.

Lately, he hadn't been able to spend much time with his child due to his demanding workload, but he had no regrets.

Although it saddened him that his son didn't get to spend quality time with his father, he knew it was necessary to protect him.

He had even gone as far as obtaining a fake medical certificate, claiming severe Photophobia, and planned to have his son wear thick sunglasses to conceal his eyes from prying eyes.

"Should I awaken him? He would be extremely delighted to see you, you know?"

Noticing the sadness on his face, Haruko made a gentle suggestion.

Her hand gently rested on Susumu's hip as she comforted him.

"No, let him sleep... I am also exhausted and in need of rest."

Susumu shook his head after glancing at his son's face and then proceeded to their room.

Haruko followed suit, ensuring that Kazuhiko was in a comfortable sleeping position and planting a gentle kiss on his forehead.

'They are such loving parents... and a wonderful couple...'

Kazuhiko couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness as he sensed their affection towards him.

It was something he had never experienced even in his thousand years of past life.

Something he wished to treasure with the utmost care.

He had the option to fake being awake when his father came in and spend some quality time together, but that would mean his father losing out on precious sleep, which would negatively impact his health.

Therefore, he decides to pretend to be asleep.

'My parents don't deserve this...'

It was unthinkable for him to even consider, as the young couple was doing everything they could to protect their son, while he, an ancient monster, got to enjoy his time like an ordinary child.

'Even though I sacrificed everything, I still have my pride as the former strongest... I must quickly become stronger and prove to them that I don't need any protection, reassuring my parents that I'll be fine...'

At the tender age of one, Kazuhiko was unable to exert much control over his physical body or gain knowledge about the curse energy from his parents.

However, he had recently discovered his talent four years ahead of his peers, granting him access to an unknown realm - the true source of his shikigami powers.

Sensing the importance of understanding this space and the true essence of his abilities, he resolved to delve deeper before he could freely navigate within it.

With unwavering determination, he closed his eyes and attempted to reenter the same world he had previously encountered.

Despite his best efforts, he was met with a forceful barrier that prevented his entry.

Undeterred, he focused even harder, striving to once again perceive that realm.

Unbeknownst to him, his shadows grew increasingly shapeless and trembled as he persistently sought entry into that ethereal domain.

***

Just like that time started to pass slowly, and another year have been passed.

It had been two years since Kazuhiko had been reincarnated.

His legs had finally developed enough that he could walk.

And also, he finally started to speak more clearly to his parents and surprised them.

His mother now strongly believed that her son was a genius.

But still, as a baby Kazuhiko couldn't do much.

Figuring that exercise and learning about curse techniques and curses was something that could wait, he had begun learning to read books around the house.

The study of language is a crucial thing; almost one hundred percent of Japanese people are literate in their language, but many of them neglect their study of English or hesitate to interact with people when abroad, so much so that the ability to speak foreign languages is a valued skill.

With that in mind, he decided to make this world's writing and language system his next priority other than learning about the realm of the unknown.

There were numerous books in his household, as his parents began to believe in their son's genius and generously purchased many books for him to read.

Although they still doubted his ability to comprehend a writing system at such a young age, they encouraged him to learn with great enthusiasm.

They seemed to desire him to be more like a regular person rather than a jujutsu sorcerer.

Thanks to their support, he quickly grasped the language.

The written characters were completely different, but the grammar was similar to what he was familiar with, which fortunately meant he mainly needed to learn vocabulary, much of which he had already been exposed to.

His father would read to him, enabling him to easily acquire new words.

He astonishingly learned both Japanese and English at a remarkable pace, leaving his parents amazed.

Susumu, his father, suspected that his six eyes might have something to do with it.

Consequently, his father took a proactive approach by purchasing books intended for children aged 5 to 10, to introduce him to the world of science.

***