Chapter 124: Pre-battle Deliberations and Composed Preparation
The classroom door was pushed open with a "swish," and the figure of Gojo Satoru squeezed in first.
He removed his black blindfold, revealing those azure Six Eyes, and struck an exaggerated pose at the door. With one hand on his hip and the other waving toward the outside, his tone was deliberately dramatic:
"Applause, everyone! Let's welcome the second Special Grade freshman at our Jujutsu High, Rin!"
The three people in the classroom instantly tensed their nerves, preparing for battle.
Panda suddenly straightened his back, his paws clenching subconsciously, and even his breathing softened.
The scene when Yuta Okkotsu first enrolled was still vivid in their minds. That boy hadn't fully mastered his power yet, and the Cursed Energy pressure radiating from his body had almost overturned the classroom, making even them, the upperclassmen, feel suffocated.
Since Rin possessed Special Grade strength that didn't lose out to Yuta, that sense of oppression would likely be even stronger.
Inumaki Toge quietly took half a step back, his pupils fixed on the door. Cursed Energy was already gathering on the tip of his tongue, ready to respond to any potential disturbance at a moment's notice.
Maki also gripped the cursed tool katana at her waist, her body leaning slightly forward, her gaze as sharp as a hawk's.
She was the most sensitive to the pressure of "uncontrolled power." Yuta's Cursed Energy from back then had left a deep impression on her, and she had long since prepared herself to withstand the impact.
The three pairs of eyes focused on the doorway in unison, and even the air seemed to freeze, waiting for that world-shattering Cursed Energy to sweep in.
The next second, Rin's figure appeared at the door.
He stepped one foot into the classroom, the black surface of his shoe landing lightly on the floor without making a sound.
Following that, he walked slowly into the classroom. Carrying a simple backpack, his posture was upright and steady. His blood-red pupils swept across the room calmly, without any deliberate release of Cursed Energy or any unnecessary movements.
The terrifying pressure they had imagined did not appear; there wasn't even a trace of chaotic Cursed Energy fluctuation.
He was just like an ordinary transfer student, quietly walking to Gojo Satoru's side, standing upright, his aura steady to an unbelievable degree.
If they hadn't known his identity and strength in advance, no one would have associated this seemingly cold and reserved boy with labels like "Special Grade Sorcerer" or "participant in the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons."
The tension on the faces of the three froze instantly, their eyes filled with astonishment.
Panda blinked, his paws loosening subconsciously: "Huh? No... pressure?"
Inumaki Toge also relaxed his tense body, softly uttering "Bonito flakes," his pupils filled with confusion. This was completely different from the Special Grade entrance they had imagined.
Maki slowly released her grip on the cursed tool katana, a flash of realization crossing her eyes.
She was, after all, experienced, and she quickly figured out the key.
The reason Yuta had emitted such a terrifying aura back then was because he hadn't yet mastered his full power, and his immense Cursed Energy was leaking out uncontrollably.
But Rin, before them, had clearly polished his own power to be handled with ease. Even at a Special Grade level, he could keep it completely restrained, without showing any signs of it.
This kind of extreme control over power was even more daunting than mere raw strength.
Gojo Satoru watched their astonished expressions and couldn't help but laugh, raising his hand to pat Rin on the shoulder: "How is it? Isn't the new classmate not as scary as you imagined? He's also a very excellent boy, right?"
Facing Gojo Satoru's words, the three below could only manage to squeeze out an awkward smile.
Rin didn't respond, merely sweeping his gaze calmly across the three of them, still maintaining that cold, distant demeanor.
"Don't be so cold" Gojo Satoru didn't mind at all and turned to introduce him to the three: "This is Rin. Although he looks hard to approach, his strength is the real deal—Special Grade! You're all classmates from now on, so get along well"
"Why don't you give a simple self-introduction, Rin?"
Facing the awkward situation, Rin merely nodded slightly in response, his voice short and flat: "My name is Rin."
No extra pleasantries, just a simple name.
Gojo Satoru watched Rin's back as he sat down alone after his cold response, shaking his head helplessly.
He knew all too well the cause of this personality. The walls in Rin's heart were too thick, built layer by layer by his past experiences. Trying to make him truly let down his guard and integrate into this group couldn't be rushed; it could only be worn down slowly over time.
Beside them, Panda, Inumaki, and Maki couldn't help but exchange glances, their eyes full of mixed emotions.
Panda scratched his head and muttered in a low voice: "Why are all the strong Special Grades so eccentric? Yuta was overly reserved back then, but Rin is in straight-up 'keep away' mode..."
Inumaki Toge nodded gently and made a couple of "mm-mm" sounds, as if agreeing with his words.
After all, whether it was Yuta or Rin, both were far from the "enthusiastic and cheerful" peers they had in mind, instead exuding a sense of detachment inconsistent with their age.
Maki also sighed, looking at Rin's back with complicated eyes: "Perhaps the more powerful a person is, the harder it is for them to trust others easily."
Just as the three were whispering, Gojo Satoru suddenly clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention.
He put his black blindfold back on, a familiar, sly smile hanging on the corners of his mouth: "Alright, alright, enough musing~ I have good news to tell you. Starting today, the first years officially have five people! So, for the combat training class this afternoon, you don't have to spar with me anymore!"
"Really?!" Panda's eyes widened instantly, and he excitedly slapped the desk with his paw: "That's great! Finally, I don't have to be pinned to the ground and beaten by you! Every morning when I thought about sparring with you, my heart would jump into my throat!"
Inumaki Toge also showed an obviously relieved expression, his purple pupils full of joy, happily shouting: "tuna!"
Maki's tense shoulders also relaxed a bit, and a rare smile appeared on her face.
No one wanted to be unilaterally crushed by "the strongest" during every training session. Being able to change opponents was undoubtedly huge good news for them.
The three's excitement didn't last for more than a few seconds before Gojo Satoru's next words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing their joy.
"However..." Gojo Satoru drawled, his tone full of the satisfaction of a successful prank: "Your new opponent is Rin. It's a perfect opportunity to let you spar and deepen your understanding of each other~"
"Huh?!" Panda's cheers came to an abrupt end, the smile on his face freezing as if a pause button had been pressed.
He subconsciously looked at Rin, his eyes full of disbelief. Spar with a Special Grade? And with this Rin who looked so unfathomable? This didn't seem much different from sparring with Gojo Satoru, did it?
The joy on Inumaki Toge's face also vanished, and he quietly took half a step back, his purple pupils filled with a bit more tension.
He knew very well the strength of a Special Grade Sorcerer. Even if Rin looked calm, if they really fought, it was likely not something they could easily handle.
The smile on Maki's face also faded, and her brows furrowed slightly.
She wasn't afraid of a challenge, but Rin's strength was an unknown variable. She only knew he was Special Grade, but she didn't know what his cursed technique was or what his fighting style was like. This "information gap" left her feeling uncertain.
The atmosphere in the classroom instantly plummeted from excitement back to solemnity. The three looked at each other, seeing astonishment and hesitation in each other's eyes.
As for the named Rin, he merely withdrew his gaze from the window and looked calmly at Gojo Satoru. There was no surprise, nor refusal, just a flat question: "Training content?"
His tone was too flat, as if Gojo Satoru wasn't arranging for him to spar with three classmates, but rather talking about something as mundane as "having a language class in the afternoon."
Gojo Satoru watched Rin's expressionless face, then looked at the conflicted expressions of the other three, and couldn't help but laugh: "It's nothing complicated, just a simple sparring session. Just stop when things get too heated. It's mainly to let you familiarize yourselves with each other's strength so you can coordinate better when executing missions in the future."
He paused, then turned to add to Panda and the others: "Don't worry, Rin knows his limits and won't do anything to you. Besides, sparring with a Special Grade is a rare opportunity; you can learn a lot!"
Panda opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know how to refute it.
Sparring with a Special Grade could indeed improve their strength, but the problem was, they were afraid of being beaten to the ground before they could learn anything!
Inumaki Toge also softly uttered "Bonito flakes" (meaning "This is so hard"), his face full of conflict.
Maki took a deep breath, suppressing the concerns in her heart, and looked at Rin, her tone firm: "Fine, I will give it my all during the training this afternoon."
Rin nodded slightly, said nothing more, and cast his gaze back out the window.
For him, it was all the same who he sparred with. As long as he could improve his strength through training or familiarize himself with more cursed technique styles, it was meaningful.
Gojo Satoru watched this scene before him and smiled with satisfaction.
This was the effect he wanted.
To let Rin integrate into the group through battle, and to let the other three understand Rin through sparring. After all, in the future, they would very likely be executing missions together, and mutual trust and familiarity were the most important things.