I Play Ninjutsu in Jujutsu Kaisen! Chapter 28

"No way!"

"..."

The next day, Natsu Hiraku woke up as usual, glancing at Shura still sleeping in bed. He smiled without disturbing him, quietly got up, grabbed the clothes by the bedside, dressed, and headed to wash up. After freshening up, he downed a large bowl of goat's milk and left, grabbing the chipped blade by the door on his way out.

Today was the sparring match with Megumi Fushiguro. He wondered how much the kid had grown in the past half-month, but at least he wouldn't be as passive as last time—he'd get in close and hammer him!

5:30.

Normally, everyone would still be asleep, but today there was a show to watch and something to learn. The group got up even earlier than Natsu Hiraku, arriving ten minutes early to sit on the sidelines of the training ground.

Megumi Fushiguro stood in the middle of the field, warming up. From the confident look on his face, it was clear.

This time, victory was his!

Panda yawned and asked, "Maki, who do you think'll win?"

"No idea. Hiraku's eyes are too strong. Even after teaching Megumi for half a month, I'm not sure he'll have an edge."

Maki Zenin leaned on her wooden staff, analyzing. "But from what I saw last time, Hiraku's technique has a big flaw—he needs both hands to form hand signs fast. For at least one or two seconds while he's using it, he can't attack."

Yuta Okkotsu chimed in, "So if someone gets in close and sticks to him, he can't use his technique?"

"Probably. Who knows?"

Maki Zenin smiled and said nothing more.

Toge Inumaki just sat there watching Megumi Fushiguro warm up, not saying a word—he couldn't really add anything anyway.

As for Gojo Satoru... he hadn't shown up. He was still in bed, sleeping in. He'd just notified everyone of the sparring time; knowing the outcome already, he didn't need to come watch.

Natsu Hiraku arrived at the training ground and spotted Megumi Fushiguro ready in the field. He called out, "You're here pretty early. Want to make a bet?"

"What kind of bet?"

Megumi Fushiguro asked curiously. He'd been about to propose a wager himself, but Natsu Hiraku beat him to it.

"If I win, you lend me your dogs unconditionally. If you win, you don't have to call me 'big brother' anymore. Deal?"

"Lend... my dogs?"

Megumi Fushiguro's brain didn't catch up for a second.

"Your Divine Dogs. I want them, so hand them over."

Natsu Hiraku hoisted the blade onto his shoulder and walked into the training ground, taking a stance as he waited for Megumi Fushiguro's reply. Honestly, Megumi's two dogs were pretty impressive—last time they'd cornered him and left him helpless. If he could use them to train Shura, it'd definitely speed up his growth.

"No problem."

Megumi Fushiguro agreed readily. After all, this bet didn't cost him anything—if needed, he could just summon them back. Plus, he'd already found Hiraku's weakness, and with Maki-senpai's half-month of training, he was sure he could suppress him!

"Then... start!"

The moment Natsu Hiraku shouted, Megumi Fushiguro pressed his hands together, forming the shape of a dog's head, and charged forward, yelling:

"Divine Dogs, corner him!"

A black and a white Shikigami emerged from the shadows, rushing at Natsu Hiraku as he drew his blade.

Megumi Fushiguro didn't stop there. He prepared to summon Nue next—as long as he didn't let Hiraku free his hands to use a wide-area attack technique, there was nothing to fear. The simplest, crudest method was to gang up on him!

"Tch, trying to keep me from using my technique and box me in?"

Natsu Hiraku smirked. He knew it was ninjutsu, but to them, it looked like a cursed technique—a weird one at that. No matter how he explained it, it was the same, so he might as well go with the flow.

Cursed energy surged into his pupils. In an instant, his black irises turned red—Sharingan activated in a flash. Red cursed energy flared across his body's surface, then dissipated, strengthening his physique.

His right hand gripped the hilt, veins bulging along his arm. He hurled the blade straight at Megumi Fushiguro, who was still summoning his Shikigami.

"Shwoosh—"

The long sword broke through the sound barrier, shooting forward like a bolt.

The two Divine Dogs saw the blade flying toward their master, stopped in their tracks, and turned to bark a warning.

"What the hell?!"

In the end, he had too little real combat experience. He never imagined a sword could be used not just for slashing, but thrown like a spear!

The blade slammed into Nue as it was about to emerge. A sharp cry rang out, and the owl didn't appear—only a pool of red blood stained the ground.

"Nue..."

Before he could finish, two dog barks rang out. Megumi Fushiguro looked up to see Natsu Hiraku gripping both Divine Dogs by the throat, having seized the moment they were distracted.

What the hell had Hiraku been through this past half-month?

He'd been training too, so why was the gap only widening? Every one of his moves had been read clean through—he'd lost the moment he made his first move.

"So? Still want to fight?"

Natsu Hiraku wasn't squeezing hard on the Divine Dogs' throats, and they cooperated perfectly, their legs planted stiffly on the ground, not daring to move.

His training with those soldiers over the past few days was no joke. Sure, he could overpower them with cursed energy if he had to, but he'd picked up their dirty tricks fast—and he knew exactly how to counter this situation.

Summoning a Shikigami always required some focus. The moment Megumi thought his summoned Divine Dogs had Hiraku pinned, he'd already lost.

Megumi Fushiguro stayed silent. He'd gained another Shikigami, but it couldn't turn things around now. He was thoroughly beaten.

"I give up..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Natsu Hiraku let go of White Dog's neck, dragged Black Dog along, and walked off, saying, "This Divine Dog is coming with me today. Summon it back tonight. Peace!"

"..."

Black Dog's heart was full of refusal. It didn't want to follow this big demon. It turned its head to look at its owner and companion.

They both looked away to the left in perfect sync, pretending not to see it.

"Woof... woof... woof...! (Save me! Master! I don't want to go!)"

"No, go in peace, Black Dog."

Megumi Fushiguro silently recited in his heart.

"Go in peace, comrade. As long as I'm alive, that's enough."

White Dog mourned.

"That ended so fast. It was over in an instant."

Yuta Okkotsu, who hadn't understood what happened, complained.

"Hiraku-kun's gotten so strong. In every sense of the word."

As soon as Panda finished speaking, Toge Inumaki chimed in, "Salmon."

"That guy Hiraku... how many combat techniques did he copy in that half-month out?"

Maki Zenin sighed in frustration. "He learns everything just by looking, and he's so hardworking. How am I supposed to hate him?"

"Ooh! Is Maki in love? Want me to ask Hiraku-kun what type he likes?"

Panda gossiped.

"Love my ass. I'm just complaining about how fast he learns."

Maki Zenin whacked Panda over the head with her staff and sighed again. "If only I had eyes like that."

"No way, Maki. You can't use cursed energy."

Panda's words hit Maki Zenin right where it hurt. She swung her staff and shouted, "That's it! I'm definitely killing you today! The Washington Treaty can't save you!!"

"Maki can't use cursed energy?"

Yuta Okkotsu asked, puzzled.

Toge Inumaki: "Salmon."

Faced with Inumaki's reply, Yuta Okkotsu didn't understand and didn't know how to respond.

Natsu Hiraku dragged the reluctant Black Dog all the way home. Seeing Shura lapping up goat's milk, he grinned and said, "Once you're done eating, we'll start today's training plan."

Hearing the word "training," Shura nearly stumbled and fell on his front paws. Last night's training was still vivid in his mind. He didn't know why his claws were fine, but his paws hurt so much.

"Woof... (Can I sleep?)"

Shura tried to get by with a pitiful look, but Natsu Hiraku sternly refused. "No can do. The friendly match with the neighboring school is coming up soon. We need to train hard."

Black Dog muttered inwardly, "This demon even trains a dog that's only two months old. Is there no humanity left in him?"

"Woof... (I can't run anymore.)"

"Tch."

Looking at Shura lying on the ground with a pitiful face, Natsu Hiraku was actually stumped. He'd set the training plan, but the dog wasn't cooperating. This dog was hopeless—it had no idea that hardship comes before reward.

"Ah, forget it. Since you don't want to train, take a day off. Tomorrow I'll take you to eat some dog meat."

"Woof...! (Meat!)"

Shura's eyes lit up, and his tail wagged fast.

"Growl...! (It's dog meat, you idiot!)"

Black Jade reminded him.

"..."

Hearing it was the meat of a fellow dog, Shura instantly wilted in fear and lay on the ground whimpering.

"Be good, go train." Natsu Hiraku crouched down and patted his head, speaking gently. "You don't want to be a useless dog, do you? If not, hurry up and train. Don't make Daddy unhappy."

"This demon. Who treats a dog like this?"

Black Jade complained inwardly.

"Alright, I'll draw up today's training plan." Natsu Hiraku stood up and said to Black Jade, "Shura's still young and might not understand what I say. I'll just tell you. There's a little over a month until the Exchange Event. Black Jade, you teach him how to identify enemy positions by scent in the morning. In the afternoon, you can go back. Simple, right?"

"Woof..."

Black Jade nodded to show he understood.

"In the afternoon..." Natsu Hiraku thought for a moment, as if he'd come up with something fun, and continued, "In the afternoon, it's better if I handle it. Keep it up, son. Don't worry about saving my cursed energy for me. It's not like I use it for training anyway."

And just like that, the two dogs were kicked out of the house. Natsu Hiraku whistled as he started cleaning up.

Shura stared pitifully at Black Jade and said, "I want to rest."

"..."

If you get caught slacking off by that demon, I'll definitely be in deep trouble.

Black Jade quickly cut in, "No, you don't."

For Natsu Hiraku, a morning passed quickly. After cleaning the house, it was around six-thirty. He stepped outside to check if his son was slacking off, watched for a full half hour, and only then left satisfied.

At the time, Black Jade had sensed Natsu Hiraku's presence. Its heart was in its throat during training, terrified that the little brat might suddenly slack off and drag it down. After all, it had no desire to be grabbed by the neck by that right hand again.

At seven, Natsu Hiraku arrived at the training ground to warm up, jogged with Maki and the others, then drilled the physically weaker Yuta Okkotsu. In the middle of it, Maki Zenin even beat him upside the head with her staff.

After all, without using cursed energy, he was just a Level 6 fighter—slightly better than Yuta's Level 4, not by much, but enough.

He trained until eight, headed to the cafeteria for a meal, rested a bit, then continued training. It felt dull, but Natsu Hiraku was enjoying himself.

Afternoon.

Natsu Hiraku walked down the street in clean clothes, with Shura trotting happily behind him, tail wagging.

It had just realized how good its master was to it. The morning training hadn't been tiring at all—like playing.

Turning to look at his cheerful dog, Natsu Hiraku taunted, "Tonight, you're scratching the tree again. Don't even think about stopping until I say so."

"Woof?! (What?!)"

Shura's tail, which had just perked up, drooped to the ground, its face full of despair.

To train his dog, Natsu Hiraku had specially bought a small cart, loaded it with ingredients for the evening meal, and made Shura drag it all the way home—without giving it any cursed energy.

Saved on delivery fees and gave the dog a workout. Man, I'm too clever.