Early the next morning, sunlight pierced the thin mist, casting a golden glow over the edge of the forest surrounding Tokyo Jujutsu High.
The Team Competition was held in a primeval forest east of Tokyo Jujutsu High. The forest was vast, its trees tall and dense, its interior dim and shrouded year-round in a thin veil of mist. A week earlier, Jujutsu High staff had set up a barrier around its perimeter, marking off an area several kilometers across as the competition grounds. Dozens of cursed spirits of varying grades, ranging from Grade 4 to Grade 1, had been released throughout the forest.
Both schools' teams had already assembled at the entrance.
There was little time for preparation, and the members of both teams warmed up individually.
Utahime rolled her shoulders, walked over to Zhiyan, and finally asked the question she had been holding in for so long.
"Zenin, what's our strategy?"
Before Zhiyan could answer, Satoru Gojo finished twisting his waist and leaned over from the side.
"Oh! Strategy!" His eyes sparkled, his voice brimming with the confidence of someone on familiar ground. "Simple-you and Wana handle the quacking."
Utahime froze.
"Quacking?"
"Quacking," Satoru Gojo repeated with a perfectly straight face. Then he held up two fingers. "Zhiyan, Xian Di, and I handle the slaughter."
He raised a third finger and pointed at Suguru Geto.
"Geto eats all the cursed spirits."
He lowered his hand, planted both hands on his hips, and lifted his chin.
"Well? Clear and simple, right?"
Utahime's brow twitched violently. She took a deep breath and asked cautiously.
"You're... not planning to spawn-camp them, are you?"
Satoru Gojo's eyes brightened even more. He gave Utahime a thumbs-up, his smile as radiant as the summer sun.
"Congratulations! You got it!"
Utahime felt no joy at having