Enrollment Season, the New Generation

The summer cicadas rang throughout Jujutsu High. It was that time of year again: enrollment season for the new students.

Zenin Clan.

Wearing a training uniform and holding a naginata, the girl had her hair tied in a ponytail. Behind her glasses, her gaze brimmed with incomparable determination.

Seated before her was a vigorous, sharp-eyed old man: Naobito Zenin, head of the Zenin Clan.

"I'm going to Jujutsu High and becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer like the Strongest Trio. Then I'll destroy the Zenin Clan!"

The girl brazenly declared her rebellious intentions, but Naobito Zenin didn't get angry when he heard her.

Instead, he let out a hearty laugh. "Hahahaha! Is that so, Maki?"

As he gazed at Maki Zenin, Naobito seemed to catch a glimpse of that man's shadow.

"Good! Then go do it, Maki!"

"I'll be here, waiting for the day you come back!"

Inumaki Clan.

"Little Toge! Make lots of friends at school, and get along with your classmates!"

"Salmon!"

"Remember to listen to your teachers, and call Mom and Dad whenever you have time!"

"Salmon!"

"Just thinking about how we won't see our little Toge for so long makes Mom so sad! Wahh..."

"Mustard leaf!"

Sunshine Cafe.

Suguru Geto smiled wryly as he dealt with the police officers before him.

"Um... The three of them are my adopted children. I swear, this shop isn't illegally employing child labor!"

Behind him, Nanako Hasaba, Mimiko Hasaba, and Rikyu Negi huddled together and whispered.

"This is the fourth time this month, isn't it?"

"Those customers see us, leave the shop, and then call the police!"

"That's why I said we should put up a sign!"

"Did you forget? We're going to Jujutsu High tomorrow!"

"By the way, why haven't Big Brother Geto and Big Sister Haruko gotten married yet?"

"..."

The next day, Jujutsu High.

Beneath the gate at the school entrance, a hulking panda lay lazily beneath a tree, rubbing his fluffy belly.

The panda was named Panda. He was a special Cursed Corpse created by Masamichi Yaga using his Cursed Technique, Cursed Corpse Manipulation.

He was special because Panda possessed not only an independent mind and emotions, but could also generate and absorb Cursed Energy on his own.

That was practically the domain of a creator.

Since the higher-ups had seen Panda's potential, they had been pressuring Masamichi Yaga, both openly and behind the scenes, to hand over his method of creating panda Cursed Corpses.

If Panda could be mass-produced, they would have an army under their command.

That was unacceptable to Masamichi Yaga, who saw Cursed Corpses as his children.

So he had resolutely refused, claiming Panda's creation was a fluke and that he couldn't replicate it.

The higher-ups, of course, didn't believe him.

But since three of today's four Special Grades were Masamichi Yaga's students, and all had a good relationship with him, the higher-ups didn't dare use force. They could only keep trying to wear him down.

"Ahhh... haah... This is taking forever!"

Panda yawned and couldn't help grumbling.

Just then, a boy with grayish-white hair and a high collar covering his mouth appeared at the school gate.

At the same time, a tall girl with a ponytail came over, carrying a naginata. When she saw Toge Inumaki, she raised a hand in greeting.

"Hi! Are you a new student? I am too. My name's Zen... Just call me Maki!"

"Salmon!"

"Hm?"

"Salmon! Salmon!"

Maki stared at him with puzzled, bead-like eyes and tilted her head. Toge did the same.

After they stared at each other for a while, Toge seemed to remember something and took a piece of paper that looked like a résumé from his backpack.

Maki took it and had a look. "Oh, Toge Inumaki! So you're a Cursed Speech User! We're classmates from now on. Nice to meet you!"

"Salmon!"

Maki clapped Toge on the shoulder, carefree as ever, and caught sight of Panda nearby out of the corner of her eye.

"Huh? Does the school keep pandas?"

Panda waved. "Hey! Nice to meet you! I'm Panda!"

Maki and Toge froze in unison.

"The panda talked?!"

"Seaweed!"

"No need to be so surprised. I'm a Cursed Corpse!"

Panda held his forehead and explained, looking utterly exasperated.

"A Cursed Corpse?!"

Only then did Maki remember that Masamichi Yaga, principal of Jujutsu High, was known as "the greatest master of Cursed Corpse Manipulation."

That explained it.

Suddenly, Toge and Panda whipped around to look toward the school gate.

Maki, whose Cursed Energy was almost nonexistent, belatedly turned with them.

Then, through her special glasses, she saw a terrifying surge of Cursed Energy drawing closer, powerful enough to pierce the heavens.

Maki was stunned. "That's..."

"A Special Grade!"

Panda shrugged. "It's got to be one of those three!"

"Seaweed!"

Soon, the three of them saw who was approaching.

Suguru Geto was slowly making his way into Jujutsu High with Nanako, Mimiko, and Riku.

Curious about the school, the three looked around. They soon spotted Maki and the others.

"Wow! A panda!"

Suguru Geto greeted him. "Long time no see, Panda!"

Panda looked at Nanako and the others. "I didn't expect you to come see them in person, Geto-sensei!"

Geto scratched his head. "Sawa and Satoru are coming too, and I haven't seen them in a while, so I figured I'd stop by."

"Geto Suguru..."

When Maki learned that the visitor was Suguru Geto, she looked at him with admiration.

The Strongest Trio were legendary figures in Jujutsu Society. They had once made a bold declaration outside the Tombs of the Star Corridor, rubbing the faces of the Three Great Families in the dirt.

To Maki, who had endured abuse at the hands of the Zenin Clan, their audacity was practically heroic.

That was why the three of them had become Maki's ideal role models as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

"Hi, I'm Nanako Hasaba!"

"I'm Mimiko Hasaba!"

"Rikyu Negi."

Their personalities were just as distinct as the number of words they said.

But since they were all students, they quickly warmed up to each other.

Just then, a cheeky laugh rang out.

"Geh-heh-heh! Geto! Long time no see!"

Suguru Geto smiled helplessly. "Yeah, Satoru, long time no—"

"Look, look! This is my student, Megumi Fushiguro! The heir to the Ten Shadows Technique! He's exorcised seven Grade 1 Cursed Spirits so far, and he's already a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer before even starting school!"

Gojo Satoru held Megumi Fushiguro by the shoulders, showing him off nonstop.

Megumi was mortified. With nowhere to hide, he ducked behind his dad, Toji Fushiguro, looking disgusted.

"You came too?"

Suguru Geto ignored Gojo's relentless boasting and looked at Toji Fushiguro.

Toji scratched his head. "He's my son, after all. I was bored, so I tagged along to take a look."

Suddenly, Toji's gaze sharpened as he looked toward Maki in the crowd.

At the same time, Maki sensed his gaze, looked up, and met his eyes.

The scar at the corner of Toji's mouth slowly curled into a smile that was hard to read.

"Heavenly Restriction?"