As the late afternoon sun dipped towards the horizon, it painted the training grounds in warm shades of gold and crimson.

At the far edge stood Gojo, hands in pockets and posture relaxed. Even from a distance, his presence dominated the space - an effortless arrogance that suggested nothing here could harm him. A faint smirk curved his lips, though it was impossible to tell what lay behind the strip of cloth covering his eyes.

You staggered to the side, catching your breath after an exchange with three upperclassmen who, apparently, had no concept of 'going easy.' Your arms ached, your pulse hammered in your ears and your cursed energy felt jagged. Still, you forced yourself to stand up straight until you realised that Gojo’s head was tilted in your direction and his hidden gaze was fixed on you.

Even without sight, he seemed to see straight through you. The way he stood there, calm and unreadable with an infuriating hint of amusement, made your skin heat with equal parts irritation and something you refused to name.

“Slacking off already?” His voice carried easily over the field, deep and smooth, with a mockery that made every syllable sting. “You’ll never get stronger at this rate.”

A few students nearby snickered and you clenched your fists. Gojo began walking towards you at a lazy pace, sidestepping a sparring pair without even glancing their way.

“I’m not slacking,” you said when he got close enough. “I’ve been at it all morning.”

Gojo stopped just a step too close, tilting his head slightly. The smirk deepened. “Good. Keep it up, and I might actually believe you’re serious.”

Before you could respond, a ripple of dark energy swept across the field. A rift tore open in the wall at the far end of the field, and insectoid creatures with too many limbs and gaping mouths began to crawl out. The other students instantly formed a defensive circle, some summoning weapons and others charging their energy.

You felt your exhaustion clawing at you, but your body was already moving into a ready stance. Gojo didn’t move. He stood perfectly still, as if the creatures posed no greater threat than the breeze.

“You’ve still got plenty left in you,” he murmured. “Prove it.”

One of the cursed beings lunged at you. You dodged its snapping jaws and drove your blade into its neck, the cursed energy flaring on impact. Another one skittered in from your left and you only just managed to block it before it sent you reeling backwards. The air was filled with snarls, shouts and the clang of weapons.

You caught a glimpse of Gojo out of the corner of your eye. He wasn’t fighting... he was watching. Always watching. Even as a hulking curse turned its many eyes toward him, he didn’t flinch. The monster charged.

It never made it. With one step and one flick of Gojo’s wrist, the curse simply split apart and dissolved into dust before it could scream. His smirk returned as he looked over at you.

“You handle the rest,” he called lightly. “Think of it as extra credit.”

Frustration burned in your chest. You wanted to shout at him, to ask why he wasn’t helping more, but you also knew that this was exactly what he wanted: to see you push past your limits and overcome your struggles.

By the time the last curse had fallen, it was already night and you were standing amid the fading remains, your chest heaving and your muscles screaming in protest.

Gojo strolled past, close enough that his sleeve brushed yours. “Not bad,” he murmured, almost to himself. “Maybe you’re worth the trouble after all.”