The Crash Course

Early the next morning, the first-year quartet had already gathered on Jujutsu High's training field.

Maki, Inumaki, and Okkotsu were jogging around the field to warm up, while Panda cheered them on from the grass.

He was a Cursed Corpse created by Principal Yaga, so physical exercise was useless to him. All he could do was sit and wait for their teacher.

"Looks like everyone's up early."

Before long, Shinsuke Zenin arrived.

He and Satoru Gojo had worked out a schedule: physical training in the morning, and Gojo's Jujutsu lessons in the afternoon.

He'd increased their workload, so Gojo wouldn't get off easy either.

"Teacher Zenin, you're here."

Panda got up and walked over to Shinsuke Zenin.

Looking at Panda, who was about as tall as he was, Shinsuke rubbed his chin. "You're Principal Yaga's masterpiece, right?"

"That's right. Principal Yaga created me, so he's basically my father," Panda said, scratching his head.

"Quite a remarkable creation."

Shinsuke admired Masamichi Yaga's abilities. He'd created Cursed Corpses that could gather Cursed Energy on their own, think independently, and even feel emotions. Wasn't that practically the ability to create an army of sorcerers?

If Masamichi Yaga had taken Geto Suguru's place, could he have achieved the goal of eliminating all non-sorcerers?

Shinsuke couldn't say. But he knew that if the two of them worked together, even Satoru Gojo might not be able to stop them.

"Clap, clap."

As the thought crossed his mind, Shinsuke clapped his hands and called out, "All right, stop running. Let's get straight to it."

At the sound, Maki and the others stopped and gathered in front of Shinsuke.

"Master, what are we doing next?"

Maki sounded excited.

Shinsuke had often given her pointers on hand-to-hand combat, but he'd never formally taught her like this before.

Shinsuke looked over the four of them. The Inumaki Clan's sole heir, the principal's son, Satoru Gojo's relative, and his own student—what a lineup.

"Night of a Hundred Demons is just over a month away. Your job is to get as strong as you can.

"Starting today, you'll fight me every morning.

"You can only use hand-to-hand combat. But I'll make an exception and let you use Cursed Energy and weapons."

Combining Cursed Energy with hand-to-hand combat would help them get used to their bodies. Maybe they'd even have a chance of mastering Black Flash.

The others didn't object. They all knew Teacher Zenin was there to teach them hand-to-hand combat.

Maki, though, pursed her lips in annoyance. She couldn't use Cursed Energy.

"Come on, let's start. If you can land even one hit on me, you can finish class early."

Shinsuke held out one hand and beckoned them over, keeping the other behind his back.

The message was clear: he'd only use one hand.

"Master, don't underestimate us!"

Maki charged first, thrusting her polearm at Shinsuke.

She'd never fought her master before, but when she was a child, she'd seen him battle other sorcerers.

Her master was strong, sure—but wasn't using only one hand a little insulting?

The blade thrust forward. Shinsuke merely tilted his head and flicked a finger against it.

"Clang!"

The blade rang sharply.

A violent vibration jolted through Maki's hand, and the weapon flew off to the side, throwing her off balance. The handle nearly slipped from her grasp.

She quickly steadied herself and switched the weapon to her other hand. Her first hand had gone numb.

Pushing up her glasses, Maki's grave expression took on a hint of wild excitement. This was her master's strength. Could she reach this level someday, too?

"Everyone, be careful! Watch your teamwork!"

Maki shouted and charged again.

"I'm in!"

Panda roared, his massive frame as nimble as a rabbit. He didn't have any particularly special Cursed Technique; hand-to-hand combat was his greatest strength.

This was the perfect chance to see how he measured up against Jujutsu High's strongest hand-to-hand fighter.

Seeing that, Okkotsu and Inumaki exchanged a glance, then joined the assault on Shinsuke.

But to Shinsuke, their movements were barely any different from elementary schoolers'.

Of course, even Satoru Gojo would look no different from an elementary schooler if he fought Shinsuke using only hand-to-hand combat.

"Clang!"

"Thud!"

Before long, an hour had passed. The four were starting to feel tired, but they still hadn't landed a single hit.

"Don't just focus on fighting. Look for your weaknesses as you go. Strike fast, true, and hard. Don't hesitate. Aim for vital spots. Are you afraid you'll hurt me?

"Maki, did you skip breakfast? Why are you so weak? Okkotsu, you're a Special Grade Sorcerer, for crying out loud. How can your hand-to-hand combat be this bad? Are you planning to rely on Rika for every fight?

"Panda, Inumaki... You know what, never mind. I was expecting too much from you two."

He thought for a while, but couldn't figure out how to put it.

From his point of view, they had far too many openings. Their stats might not be great, but their technique wasn't either. He'd have his work cut out for him in the days ahead.

"ROAR!! How dare you say that about Okkotsu!?"

A furious roar rang out behind Okkotsu, and terrifying Cursed Energy poured forth.

At Shinsuke's words, Rika suddenly went berserk.

What did he mean, Okkotsu shouldn't rely on her? She'd make Okkotsu rely on her all the more!

"Rika, don't lose your temper! Teacher Zenin's only trying to help me!"

Seeing Rika in a rage, Okkotsu hurried to soothe her, afraid she might start fighting their teacher.

"Oh, a yandere?"

Shinsuke looked at Rika, who'd been provoked by a single remark, and felt his hands itching for a fight.

With that terrifying amount of Cursed Energy, how much vitality would he gain if he killed her?

"Never mind. I'm a teacher, after all. I'll let it slide this time. Just don't do it again."

Shinsuke gave Rika a strange look. She might have been a curse born from a little girl, but to him, she was just a cute upgrade material.

Rika stared at Shinsuke for a moment. The eye in the middle of her head slowly closed, and she returned to Okkotsu's body.

If she weren't doing it for Okkotsu's sake, she'd have made that guy pay.

How dare he look at her like that?

"That's enough for today. You can rest. Go over today's fight carefully, and we'll continue tomorrow."

Shinsuke didn't push them any further. He didn't want the kids getting too discouraged.

"Yes!"

The four of them were finally free. They collapsed onto the grass to rest. An hour of getting beaten down had worn them out, physically and mentally.

"Clap, clap."

Satoru Gojo appeared beside Shinsuke and clapped his hands.

"Everyone, I'll be teaching Jujutsu in an hour. Make sure you're ready."

The four of them looked utterly defeated. Why had things suddenly gotten so serious?

Hadn't Jujutsu High always been relaxed with its students?

What happened to fun learning? Where was the fun?

Apparently, Satoru Gojo simply thought that if Shinsuke was taking things so seriously, then he had no reason not to.

The two teachers had simple priorities: all they had to do was teach their students to get stronger. Maki and the others, on the other hand, had a lot more to think about. After all, they were the ones who had to get stronger.