"Naomitsu Zenin! I'll remember this!"
Noritoshi Kamo did not return until that afternoon, still seething. Teacher Tachibana had lectured him all morning, and he also had to write a thousand-word reflection on his misconduct.
If Teacher Tachibana heard another report from Naomitsu that he had been bullying him, his parents would be called in.
That finally made Noritoshi Kamo admit defeat. Especially after learning that even the name Naomitsu had given him was fake, he was utterly beside himself with rage.
"Just you wait!"
His opportunity came quickly, arriving that very afternoon. The one who announced it was Teacher Tachibana.
"Everyone, let me introduce the teacher who will be leading you today: Ms. Utahime Iori from Kyoto Jujutsu High."
"Hello, everyone!"
Utahime Iori walked in through the doorway, carrying a sword. With a smile on her face, she warmly greeted the children.
Utahime Iori was a composed, dependable person who genuinely cared about her juniors. It was just that Satoru Gojo could easily get under her skin, making her seem rather hot-tempered.
"Hello, Ms. Iori!"
Looking at the adorable children before her, Utahime Iori felt wonderful. Instead of working at Kyoto Jujutsu High, all she had to do was teach these children.
She could simply find a few grade 4 cursed spirits and explain some basic cursed energy techniques. A lesson like this was a breeze for her.
"Come on! Follow me outside!"
There was actually a Cursed Spirit House at this elementary school. It only held very low-grade cursed spirits, however, with the strongest being a grade 3 cursed spirit.
That was more than enough for teaching children from the sorcerer families.
"Your first practical lesson today will be on how to use cursed energy to exorcise cursed spirits!"
Once they reached the Cursed Spirit House, Utahime Iori wasted no time and got straight to the lesson.
A cursed spirit was brought over. It was small, a grade 4 cursed spirit of the sort specifically used as a teaching tool.
"Watch closely!"
Utahime Iori did not use a weapon. She used her fist. Just like Naomitsu had done that day, she destroyed and exorcised the cursed spirit with a single punch.
"This is how you use cursed energy."
Next, Utahime Iori began giving a broad explanation of how to use cursed energy. Naomitsu committed every word to memory.
"Cursed energy! You can release it, infuse it, coat yourself in it, conceal it, reverse it, expand a domain, layer it with precise timing, control cursed objects, and activate innate cursed techniques."
The other students only half understood what they heard. Naomitsu alone understood it all.
The applications of cursed energy he had already learned were release, infusion, bodily coating, and Black Flash-in other words, precise timing and layering.
He knew about Reverse Cursed Technique and domains, but he had never looked into concealment or controlling cursed objects. He did have experience using cursed tools.
Maybe... it means things like cursed corpses made into something like Panda?
"Ms. Iori! What do precise timing and layering and activating innate cursed techniques mean?"
Naomitsu understood, but many of the students did not. Utahime Iori then gave another explanation.
This explanation had the little ones listening with rapt attention. Especially when she spoke about domains, every one of them began imagining themselves expanding a domain and crushing everyone around them.
"Ms. Iori! Can you use a domain?"
The sudden, tactless question nearly made Utahime Iori lose her temper. But remembering that they were only children, she forced her anger back down.
"No, I can't. I'm a grade 1 jujutsu sorcerer."
The student wanted to keep asking questions, but Utahime Iori silenced him with a lethal glare. She was afraid that if this continued, she would no longer be able to maintain her gentle-teacher image.
"All right, everyone. Now we'll begin the practical lesson. Each of you will exorcise one grade 4 cursed spirit. Make sure you exorcise it completely."
Seemingly worried that the students might be scared, Utahime Iori began encouraging them again. Her voice was gentle and caring, like an older girl from next door.
"Don't worry, everyone. Grade 4 cursed spirits are very weak. Even an ordinary person with a baseball bat can drive these timid cursed spirits away."
After reassuring the students, Utahime Iori seemed to remember something. Her gaze searched through the students before finally settling on Naomitsu.
"Um, Naomitsu Zenin, you don't need to take part. Just watch for your first lesson."
Teacher Tachibana had specifically told Utahime Iori that Naomitsu was only three years old. There was no hurry to make him fight; letting him get used to things first was the priority.
Naomitsu was happy not to participate. These grade 4 cursed spirits were too weak to interest him at all.
After all, when he was two, Toji had already tossed him into the Cursed Spirit House alone to fight hundreds of grade 2 cursed spirits by himself.
"Fight!"
One student charged forward, shouting something about fighting. Everyone expected a fierce battle, or perhaps both sides ending up injured.
Instead, he killed it with a single punch.
"Huh? This cursed spirit was that weak? Hahaha! Am I just too strong? Ms. Iori! Let's go a round!"
The boy stood with his hands on his hips. He was the one who had just asked Utahime Iori whether she could use a domain. Now he actually fancied challenging her.
"Come on, then, little guy."
This time, Utahime Iori did not hold back. This arrogant little fellow needed a proper lesson in humility.
"Ow! Ow, ow, ow!"
A minute later, the one-sided beating ended. The boy behaved himself now, having learned how strong Utahime Iori was-and how weak he was.
"What's wrong? Bored?"
Returning to the corner, Utahime Iori looked at Naomitsu, who was yawning. The little boy was adorable, and quiet, well-behaved children like him were her favorites.
"Ms. Iori! Are there any students at Kyoto Jujutsu High who know Reverse Cursed Technique?"
Faced with such a polite question from Naomitsu, Utahime Iori's attitude was completely different.
"Not at Kyoto Jujutsu High, but there are a few at Tokyo Jujutsu High. Why do you ask, little guy? Do you want to learn Reverse Cursed Technique too?"
Naomitsu nodded. "Ms. Iori! When will a teacher come to teach me Reverse Cursed Technique?"
Utahime Iori smiled and shook her head, resting her hand on Naomitsu's little head.
"Little guy, you've barely even started. Reverse Cursed Technique isn't that easy to learn. You need to start with the basics and take it one step at a time."
Naomitsu raised his hand, and cursed energy appeared. His words rang like a thunderclap in Utahime Iori's ears.
"But I've already learned all of them! Cursed energy release, cursed energy infusion, and cursed energy coating."
As he spoke, Naomitsu demonstrated each one. The cursed energy in his hand obeyed his every whim, and his movements were thoroughly practiced.
"You little rascal! You're not seriously telling me that, are you?"
Naomitsu nodded, gathering cursed energy in his hand at the same time. The powerful cursed energy cannon kept compressing, from 10 to 100 to 1,000, until it reached 10,000.
That blast was already powerful enough to obliterate a semi-grade 1 cursed spirit.
Could it be... that our Kyoto Jujutsu High will one day have a genius like Satoru Gojo too?
Gradually, Utahime Iori's eyes lit up. She stroked Naomitsu's head even more affectionately, her delight and admiration plain on her face.
"Don't worry. I'll pull every string I can to find you a good teacher."
Before you continue