**Chapter 23: The Fujiwara Anomaly**
The air in the chamber was thick enough to chew, heavy with the scent of old wood, melting wax, and the palpable weight of secrets. Six figures sat in silent judgment, their forms obscured by the ornate, lacquered screens that partitioned the room. Each screen was a barrier, not just of wood and paper, but of lineage and power, representing the ancient families that held the jujutsu world in their cold, calculating grip. In the center of this geometric arrangement, a lone man knelt on a simple tatami mat, his head bowed, the focus of their unseen scrutiny.
"I refuse to believe it," a voice rasped from behind the screen directly opposite the kneeling man. It was a voice like grinding stones, belonging to Gakuganji, the head of Kyoto Jujutsu High. "A boy who just set foot on campus grasps Reverse Cursed Technique, a Maximum Technique, and that… that bizarre 'refining' ability of his. It's absurd."
"Absurd or not, it is the truth," the kneeling man replied, his voice steady despite the oppressive atmosphere. He was a representative, a witness sent to report the impossible. "I saw it with my own two eyes. The raw, uncontrolled power was undeniable."
A different voice, smoother and more feminine, cut through the tension. "That is what makes him dangerous. He is a weapon without a sheath, a power without a master. He does not belong to one of the Big Three clans. He has no leash."
There was a long pause, the flicker of candlelight the only movement. "His last name," the grinding voice of Gakuganji pressed. "You said it was Fujiwara?"
"Hai. Fujiwara," the witness confirmed.
"Is it possible…" the smooth voice began, a hint of something ancient and fearful creeping into her tone, "that he belongs to *the* Fujiwaras? The ones from before the binding vows?"
A third voice, sharp and dismissive, chimed in. "Impossible. That line was extinguished centuries ago. A cautionary tale told to children about the dangers of unrestrained ambition. You're chasing ghosts."
"Then who promoted him to Special Grade?" Gakuganji demanded, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Such a designation does not come from a whim."
"It was Yaga," the witness stated. "But it is more than that. The Gojo clan's first-born is backing him. By extension, the Gojo clan itself is now involved."
This revelation sent a visible ripple of tension through the room, a collective intake of breath heard from behind the screens.
"I heard whispers," the sharp voice said, "of an assassination attempt. An ambush, while he was under the Gojo heir's protection."
The silence that followed was profound. Six pairs of eyes, hidden in shadow, stared into the same unseen space, their minds racing. The attempt was not just a threat to a boy; it was a direct challenge to the strongest clan in modern jujutsu history. And it had failed.
"What should we do now?" the smooth voice finally asked, breaking the heavy quiet.
"Nothing," Gakuganji's voice boomed, final and absolute. "For now, we do nothing. We watch. We gather information. Keep your eyes on him, and more importantly, on the Gojo clan's movements."
"Should we arrange a meeting? Assess the boy ourselves?" another voice suggested, a cautious, measured tone.
"No," Gakuganji shot back instantly. "We will not interfere. Not directly. To approach him now is to poke the bear that guards him."
"Hmph," the sharp voice scoffed. "Agreed. That young head of the Gojo clan is utterly insane."
A voice, quiet until now, spoke with a tremor of genuine fear. "Are you… afraid of him? The boy who inherited the Six Eyes and the Limitless?"
Gakuganji let out a dry, humorless laugh that echoed in the small chamber. "Afraid? Ha-hah. Fuck yeah, I'm afraid of him. Only a fool wouldn't be. The boy is a walking natural disaster, and he's decided this Fujiwara child is his new favorite toy."
"We should let the situation breathe," the smooth voice concluded, trying to regain control of the narrative. "Let the boy grow, let him make his moves. We will react, not act."
"Are we all in agreement?" Gakuganji asked, his voice sweeping across the room.
One by one, from behind the screens, came the quiet, resigned replies.
"Hai."
"Hai."
"Hai."
"Hai."
"Hai."
"Hai."
The consensus was reached. The meeting was over. For now, the anomaly named Fujiwara would be allowed to exist, a ticking time bomb in the heart of their world, watched from the shadows by the very people who feared to light the fuse.
Back to Isshin
"So you want me in your group but you want me to and you, you, you." Isshin spoke as he pointed at the girls one by one. They had explained that they wanted him to join their group or peerage. In exchange for anything he wants be it money, power or influence etc.
"I like your efforts, interests and honesty hence I will answer in kind. Not interested for a foreseeable future." Isshin spoke in a composed and decisive tone. "Not because you are lacking or anything. I have a dream and wish of my own that might cause each one of you."
They calmly listen to his words. Grasping his point of view. "Moreover, joining a fraction will hinder my growth."
"Hm interesting I never met a person who rejected us all. You are quite arrogant or something else." Rias spoke with a smile as if she was expecting such an answer. No one argued back or tried to convince him respecting his decision.