March 6th, Monday. The students returned to school.
Getou Suguru didn't stay long. He took on a pile of missions and left in a hurry, as if Gojo Satoru was hot on his heels trying to kill him.
Gojo Satoru: "???"
Suguru, you're being too dramatic. Are you rushing to the bathroom or something?
Gojo Satoru occupied Getou Suguru's desk and leaned in close to Asou Akiya. "What are you reading?"
In the classroom, Asou Akiya closed a bilingual edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales with Danish text. If anyone wanted to understand a country's culture and language, the most essential thing to read was that country's representative works.
He had just finished the chapter of The Little Mermaid.
In the story, the mermaid princess saved the prince, yet the prince never knew of her deed. She abandoned her fish tail, transformed into a human, danced upon knife points, performed her final dance for the prince she deeply loved, and chose to leap into the sea to become a wisp of foam.
Love was beautiful.
But the way the mermaid princess pursued love was foolish.
Asou Akiya's heart ached with sourness. This was the lingering aftertaste that classic works brought—no matter how many times he read it, it still hurt.
"Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales."
"Akiya, how old are you, still reading fairy tale books? I stopped reading this kind of stuff when I was ten."
"..."
Asou Akiya made no comment on who the truly childish one was.
"What did Suguru go off to do?" Gojo Satoru couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked about Getou Suguru's schedule.
"Doing missions." Asou Akiya was concise and to the point, omitting the crucial information: doing missions that would allow him to promote to special grade.
Gojo Satoru lay sprawled across the desk, so bored that he drew a turtle inside Getou Suguru's drawer.
Asou Akiya subconsciously stole a glance at his male classmate.
The spring school uniform ran on the thicker side, with a low collar that let one see the Adam's apple on his neck. The white-haired youth had a slender figure, a narrow waist and long legs. His shoulders showed the first signs of maturing, and his previously flat chest and abdomen now had the faintest hint of definition.
His attention lingered on the white-haired boy's hair.
Because of the birthday celebration for Getou, the shaved-undercut section at the back of Gojo's head hadn't grown back yet.
Hmm... Baldy...
Suddenly, an eraser came flying at him.
Asou Akiya closed his eyes and let the eraser, utterly lacking in destructive force, hit the bridge of his nose, bounce off, and roll across the desk surface.
After throwing the eraser, Gojo Satoru said, "Why didn't you dodge?"
Asou Akiya: "If you bully me once, I'll remember it. I won't accept you treating mischief as the norm."
Gojo Satoru: "...Are you some petty little girl who holds grudges?"
Asou Akiya: "No."
He confiscated the eraser and drew a cat on it. Gojo Satoru immediately reached over to snatch it back, but Asou Akiya blocked him. He then said, "After class, could you teach me how to use a dagger?"
"If I don't have a mission, sure." Gojo Satoru agreed readily, and only then did Asou Akiya return the eraser.
At the lectern, the assistant supervisor carried on with the lesson normally, ignoring the troublemaker. Asou Akiya stopped talking and began doodling on his paper, appearing leisurely to the extreme. In reality, he was stealing moments of rest from his busy schedule, trying to lower his own sense of restlessness on a workday.
He wanted to go practice assassination techniques at the school gate to maintain his proficiency, but Gojo Satoru at school was seriously hindering him.
He didn't want anyone other than Tengen to see that he was preparing to assassinate someone.
There was simply no way to explain it.
After class, Ieiri Shoko was the first to leave, not waiting for the two male classmates who had things to do.
Asou Akiya took out his dagger and swung it at the air, while Gojo Satoru adjusted the angles of his arms and movements.
Gojo Satoru never pried into other people's business, nor did he ask why he was learning to use a dagger.
The Six Eyes were the ultimate auxiliary tool.
Asou Akiya cherished this training time. Without a cheat ability of his own, he simply made Gojo Satoru his cheat.
Several days later.
Getou Suguru was nowhere to be found all day long, and Gojo Satoru had started complaining about boredom to anyone he saw.
Asou Akiya felt a flicker of guilt for one second. Spring was a low season for curses, and all the high-grade curse missions had been snatched up by Getou Suguru. Low-grade curse missions weren't worth Gojo Satoru's time, leaving him as a grade-one sorcerer with nothing to do.
Immediately afterward, Asou Akiya thought to himself: [You're the one with free time, why should I feel guilty about it?]
During the day, a surprising sight appeared on the training grounds, one that left Yaga Masamichi utterly astonished.
In order to find something to pass the time, Gojo Satoru unexpectedly picked up a cold weapon and began sparring with Asou Akiya.
An inch shorter, an inch deadlier.
Gojo Satoru's first time handling a dagger, and he took to it instantly. Their blades clashed, striking sparks that only high-speed slashes could produce.
Asou Akiya felt the pressure mount in an instant. He focused intently, observing every move his opponent made. Occasionally, he would get his vision dazzled away by the brilliantly gleaming Six Eyes and suffer Gojo Satoru's mockery for it, but for the vast majority of the time, he was absorbing experience from this perfect template of a fighter.
The two of them did not use cursed energy. It was purely a training session in cold weapon techniques.
Asou Akiya's rate of growth was clearly slower than Gojo Satoru's.
Gojo Satoru started coming up with terrible ideas: "Why not use a Binding Vow? Whoosh, and you'd learn it in a flash?"
Asou Akiya struck back viciously, driving his dagger straight at Gojo Satoru's neck, only to be effortlessly dodged.
"This kind of training relies on accumulating skill day by day!"
"Does it?"
Aside from Reverse Cursed Technique, nothing had ever given Gojo Satoru any trouble. He pursed his lips and once again confirmed that Asou Akiya's efficiency was low, that without pushing himself to the brink, he would never return to a "normal" level.
In Gojo Satoru's eyes, everyone in the world was a mediocrity.
Asou Akiya truly admired Getou Suguru. One "we are the strongest" from Gojo Satoru, and Getou Suguru actually took it to heart. Though Getou Suguru's learning speed was also excellent, Gojo Satoru was, for fuck's sake, not even human!
In order to land a hit on Gojo Satoru for once, Asou Akiya made the rare move of siding with Getou Suguru, constantly stuffing missions into his hands.
That evening, Asou Akiya noticed that the light in Getou Suguru's dormitory was on.
He hurriedly brewed a cup of honey ginger water to relieve nausea. After waiting ten minutes, he knocked on Getou Suguru's door.
Getou Suguru's face was as pale as a Sadako's face.
"Is something the matter?" Getou Suguru forced himself to perk up. Asou Akiya handed over the honey ginger water, wanting to give him something to settle his stomach. "It doesn't taste very good, but it can help you get something in your belly."
Getou Suguru took a sip and nearly spat it out right then and there. This was the worst display of the other's cooking skills yet.
Asou Akiya apologized: "Sorry, there's no helping it. I'll figure out how to improve it next time."
Asou Akiya patted Getou Suguru's back. Getou Suguru's low coughing continued unabated, muffled sounds escaping even through the hand covering his mouth.
Suddenly, a Cursed Spirit Orb rolled out from Getou Suguru's bulging pocket.
Asou Akiya picked it up. It was a palm-sized, round orb, cold to the touch, with filthy, murky colors swirling across its surface. The mere thought of Getou Suguru having to swallow Cursed Spirit Orbs raw sent a phantom pain through his own throat.
Getou Suguru forcibly suppressed the urge to retch. "Give it to me."
Asou Akiya joked, "Sure, here you go. You're the Cursed Spirit Orb Master—can't even let a classmate touch your precious treasure."
Getou Suguru smiled, but the speed at which he stuffed the Cursed Spirit Orb back into his pocket didn't slow one bit.
"I'm fine. Good night."
Getou Suguru pushed Asou Akiya out the door.
"Tch."
Asou Akiya hadn't originally intended to linger, but being driven out like this only stoked a flicker of contrariness in him.
This guy wanted to become a special grade sorcerer, wanted to be his friend, yet wouldn't let him step into the perimeter of his own dorm room?
By contrast, Satoru had given him his dorm key ages ago.
Asou Akiya braced himself hard against the door, smiling as he said, "Suguru, when the juniors come to visit their seniors' rooms later, are you going to hide and cover things up then too?"
Getou Suguru could feel that Akiya's physical strength had grown. In the past, he could have pushed him out with ease.
"Akiya, we'll talk about later when later comes."
"Was Tomie's red lips fun to play with?"
BANG—!
Getou Suguru suddenly unleashed a burst of force to resolve everything, blasting Asou Akiya out the door.
Asou Akiya didn't keep his balance. The door opened again, and Getou Suguru downed the awful honey ginger water, stuffed the cup back into Akiya's hands, and—
BANG—!
The dorm door slammed shut a second time.
Asou Akiya's face went dark.
Getou Suguru, you can hide for a moment, but can you hide for a lifetime?
Asou Akiya headed back, his sharp ears catching the sound of Gojo Satoru's door opening. The other was peeking outside, craning his neck, his Six Eyes glowing like two lamps in the corridor. That face watching the drama was written all over with the meaning of "look who's having a bad day now."
"Satoru, there's something tasty here." Asou Akiya raised the empty cup. "Pity there's none for you."
Gojo Satoru: "..."
Asou Akiya: "I specially added honey. It should be nice and sweet, perfectly suited to your taste."
Gojo Satoru no longer provoked Akiya, who was still fuming from the run-in with Getou. He shut the door and burst out laughing. "Go lie to a ghost. I heard Suguru's coughs shaking the whole dorm's floorboards!"
Asou Akiya's face remained expressionless. Tch. This guy is not so easy to fool anymore.
No matter. They had all the time in the world.
The early cherry blossoms of mid-March bloomed upon the branches. In Tokyo, the length of day and night were nearly equal. On the weekend, when Yaga Masamichi notified Asou Akiya to come to the school gate, Akiya had actually already arrived. He was pacing around the nearby steps, loosening his limbs, preparing to let his body become intimately familiar with every blade of grass and every tree in this place.
Five minutes later, Yaga Masamichi drove up to the school gate to pick up Asou Akiya, surprised. "Have you been here the whole time?"
Asou Akiya pulled open the car door and settled into the passenger seat. "I've been practicing explosive power around here lately."
Yaga Masamichi drove out of Tokyo Jujutsu High. "The school gate keeps changing. I can't get used to how it looks."
Asou Akiya smiled but said nothing.
From dense groves of trees to low shrubs, then to flat grassland—the security level rose step by step.
He propped his cheek against his hand, gazing at the reflection of the "black-haired youth" in the car window.
In the original story, Fushiguro Toji had wanted to pierce Gojo Satoru's heart in a single strike at the school gate, but Gojo Satoru had managed to avoid the vital point. Asou Akiya couldn't gamble on Gojo Satoru always being able to dodge the fatal blow, so increasing the difficulty of Fushiguro Toji's assassination was a necessary move.
In other respects, Asou Akiya didn't dare make random changes, for fear that Fushiguro Toji would switch to a different assassination location.
"Today we're picking up two new students. Non-clan backgrounds. I told you before, you'll have three juniors. One has a Danish grandfather, a mixed-race child. The other is a Japanese high school student, and his younger sister can also see cursed spirits..." Yaga Masamichi explained the new students' family situations. "By the way, is the Zen'in young master's dormitory renovation finished?"
Asou Akiya replied, "The renovation is complete. The Zen'in clan's construction team has already withdrawn from Tokyo Jujutsu High."
Why was it wrapped up so quickly? Gojo Satoru. He found the noise annoying.
Yaga Masamichi asked, "Do you think it would be appropriate for me to pick up the Zen'in young master on April 1st?"
Asou Akiya wore an expression of knowing full well. "Appropriate."
Yaga Masamichi set his mind at ease.
However, Asou Akiya did not tell Yaga Masamichi that he wasn't afraid of campus cold violence—he was afraid the campus violence wouldn't be vicious enough to let Zen'in Naoya deeply experience the "joy" of attending school.
Zen'in Naoya wanted to bully commoners? Sorry, he didn't have that capability.
Their first stop was the Shinkansen waiting area.
A blond-haired mixed-race boy stood among the crowd, his expression cold, side-swept bangs tucked behind his ear, unexpectedly eye-catching.
From the corner, Yaga Masamichi asked in a low voice, "What's this new student's temperament like?"
Asou Akiya answered just as quietly, "He looks very foreign, seems extremely punctual, pays close attention to time—he's glanced at his phone more than once. If we don't go over soon, we might leave a bad impression."
Yaga Masamichi: "Is he a troublemaker?"
Asou Akiya said with absolute certainty, "No. He'll definitely be easier to talk to than Gojo and Getou."
Nanami Kento, nicknamed Nanamin, a future grade-one sorcerer, and a rare sight in the jujutsu world—a genuinely normal person!
Except this man's bias against Gojo Satoru was severe.
Yaga Masamichi felt immensely reassured. The biggest troublemaker among this year's new students was Zen'in Naoya. If he got another Gojo or Getou type, his blood pressure would be in serious danger.
The two of them straightened their appearances and walked out one after another.
"Hello, are you Nanami Kento?"
"...I am."
The blond mixed-race boy answered upon hearing his name, turning to face the newcomers. He saw the teacher and student from Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Yaga Masamichi repeatedly confirmed Nanami Kento's identity, presented his credentials, and verified everything. This serious, earnest, and punctual attitude left an excellent impression on the new student.
As for the other person—
Nanami Kento subconsciously assumed he was another new student.
The other party introduced himself: "I'm Asou Akiya, one of Teacher Yaga's students and your senior. I'm only one year above you. I've been curious about my juniors for quite some time now."
Though the black-haired youth was slightly shorter in stature, his voice was warm and mellow when he spoke, his demeanor measured and appropriate. Clearly, this was a senior who was relatively easy to get along with. Nanami Kento stopped judging by appearances and adopted the Japanese custom of using honorifics: "Asou-senpai, I am Nanami Kento, a new student invited to enroll at Tokyo Jujutsu High this year. Please guide me well."
The black-haired youth smiled like a spring breeze, with vibrant vitality deep in his gaze, perfectly in tune with the season. His clothes were clean and neat, and standing beside Yaga Masamichi, he looked exactly like an exemplary student with excellent grades and proper manners.
Nanami Kento had to admit—all his doubts about Tokyo Jujutsu High had been completely dispelled by this senior one year above him.
This was exactly how a student of the jujutsu world ought to be.
Mentally stable, physically healthy, with outstanding bearing—no less impressive than students from any domestic or international university.
The other party extended his hand for a handshake, briefly conquering his aesthetic sensibilities, as if welcoming him into a warm and relaxed campus environment.
"On behalf of the seniors and upperclassmen of Tokyo Jujutsu High, welcome, Nanami-kouhai."
...
Welcome to the jujutsu world, where overtime is complete and utter dogshit.