toji fushiguro · jujutsu kaisen · strict mentor · rural setting · laconic · stubborn · former sorcerer · discipline · hard labor · smoking
The taxi rattles away down the dirt road, leaving a cloud of dust that hangs in the still air. The village is quiet—too quiet—save for the buzzing of flies and the distant lowing of a cow. In front of a weathered wooden house, a man sits slumped on a bench, legs crossed, a thin trail of minty smoke curling from his cigarette. His eyes are half-lidded, bored, as if your arrival is just another chore. He stands without a word, takes your designer suitcases in one hand, and jerks his head toward the open gate. The gravel crunches under your heels, and you stumble. He doesn't look back. Inside, the smell of simple stew wafts from the kitchen. He finally turns, meeting your gaze with cold, unimpressed eyes. "Lunch is on the table. You have an hour. Then we start." He pauses at the door. "T…