Tokyo's August weather was already sweltering.
But the first- and second-year students were feeling the heat even more.
Ever since Hajime Kashimo had joined the first years and become a companion to Megumi Fushiguro and the others, he had found excuses almost every day to drag them out to spar, then beat them senseless with all manner of moves.
Panda and Inumaki were faring relatively well. With Inumaki's Cursed Speech providing control and Panda's powerful close-combat abilities backing him up, their constant training had allowed them to keep pace with Hajime Kashimo's attacks and find openings to counter.
As for Maki Zenin, fighting skills weren't what she lacked, so she spent more time training her physical fitness and reflexes than sparring with Hajime Kashimo.
And Megumi Fushiguro and Kugisaki?
Put it this way: even when both went all out with the Ten Shadows Technique and Straw Doll Technique, attacking Hajime Kashimo together, they couldn't gain the slightest advantage.
Hajime Kashimo's lightning cursed technique was like an impenetrable stone wall. Not only could he coat his body with it to block Kugisaki's nails, but he could also spread the current farther out, paralyzing the approaching Divine Dogs shikigami and slowing their movements.
Absolute defense, coupled with Hajime Kashimo's incredible speed, punches every bit as heavy as Panda's, and hand-to-hand skills far beyond Maki's.
Every time Hajime Kashimo fought the two of them, it was a merciless, one-sided beating...
But... it did have its benefits.
Through those grueling sparring sessions, Kugisaki's control of cursed energy became steadier and more proficient the more she used her cursed technique.
Now, she could channel cursed energy precisely into her nails, executing intricate moves that had once been impossible or difficult for her.
That improvement greatly enhanced her fighting ability. Even during routine cursed spirit exorcisms, she could now casually finish missions that had previously required the two of them to work together...
Meanwhile, Megumi Fushiguro's progress was even faster and more varied.
On one hand, the prolonged beatings and hand-to-hand instruction from Hajime Kashimo had improved his ability to take hits while teaching him plenty of close-combat skills.
On the other, as his overall strength grew, he had successively tamed the two shikigami [Rabbit Escape] and [Max Elephant]. At his current pace, he would probably begin trying to tame [Round Deer] in another few days...
As for his [Divine Dog: Black], Megumi Fushiguro had gradually begun to grasp its deeper power as time passed...
In many respects, he was only one final step away.
And today, Satoru Gojo happened to give him that opportunity.
Megumi Fushiguro would accompany Satoru Gojo on a secret training session focused on "cursed energy control"...
Hajime Kashimo, meanwhile, had arrived outside the [Jujutsu Archive].
Ordinarily, as a new student, Hajime Kashimo would have access to very few books and documents, even with Principal Yaga having assessed him as a "Semi-Grade 2 jujutsu sorcerer."
But...
Hajime Kashimo rummaged through his uniform pocket and pulled out a white student ID.
It belonged neither to him nor to any upperclassman.
Because the name on that ID was...
[Satoru Gojo]
He hadn't stolen it, nor had he taken it by force.
Just last night, Hajime Kashimo had contacted Satoru Gojo privately and gone to see him.
He had proposed a [binding vow] to the Strongest of the Modern Era.
In exchange for a piece of "information" that would definitely interest Satoru Gojo, he wanted permission to enter the Jujutsu Archive freely and consult its records.
At first, Satoru Gojo hadn't been interested in the terms of Hajime Kashimo's binding vow.
As far as he was concerned, even though he knew Hajime Kashimo carried quite a few secrets...
In the face of absolute strength, any insignificant or fabricated secrets would be mercilessly ground to dust...
Trading a vague piece of "information" whose authenticity couldn't be verified for access to classified, even top-secret records in the Jujutsu Archive...
No matter how he looked at it, that wasn't a worthwhile deal.
"Well~ Why not work a little harder and become a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer? Then you wouldn't need to use my identity to get in~"
"Besides, everything in there is ancient history and dusty old relics. Reading too much of that stuff isn't good for your brain~"
With an indifferent smile, Satoru Gojo waved the comic book in his hand, lounging on a wooden reclining chair with his legs crossed as he teased Hajime Kashimo.
But a single sentence from Hajime Kashimo soon froze the smile on his face.
"What if I told you Suguru Geto wasn't dead?"
The creaking recliner came to a standstill as Satoru Gojo slowly pulled down his black blindfold.
Every trace of amusement and nonchalance vanished from his icy blue eyes. A suffocating pressure, like being plunged into an ice pit, bore down on Hajime Kashimo, only to be forcibly blocked by the electric arcs protecting his body...
Satoru Gojo's distinctive cursed energy flowed through his eyes in a pale blue glow. He rose from the recliner, his voice as grave as it could possibly be.
"What kind of joke-"
"Do you think I'm joking?"
Before Satoru Gojo could even finish, Hajime Kashimo interrupted him.
"You personally sent your best friend to his death."
"But because of the bond between you, you didn't completely destroy his body, did you?"
"What if there were a cursed technique that could transfer a person's consciousness between different bodies to achieve [immortality], and let them use the new body's cursed technique afterward..."
"Then take a guess. Would a body possessing [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] become a target for that technique's user?"
Hajime Kashimo's words sounded like pure fantasy, but Satoru Gojo's azure eyes told him that this man wasn't lying...
"Give me access to the Jujutsu Archive. Only then can I verify whether this is possible and give you an answer."
"This proposal benefits both of us."
Satoru Gojo's silence betrayed his hesitation.
After considerable thought, he flicked a white "student ID" from his fingertips, and Kashimo caught it.
"I don't know how you know any of this."
"But if you dare lie to me, or if you're plotting something..."
The instant his words fell, Satoru Gojo teleported behind Hajime Kashimo.
With his thumb and index finger shaped like a gun and pressed against the back of Hajime Kashimo's head, Satoru Gojo warned him in the most primitive, most violent way possible.
"Don't try anything."
With the [Six Eyes], [Reverse Cursed Technique], and the overwhelmingly powerful domain [Unlimited Void], Satoru Gojo could kill Hajime Kashimo in the blink of an eye.
An ordinary jujutsu sorcerer might have already cowered under Satoru Gojo's threat.
But he was Hajime Kashimo.
Turning his head, Hajime Kashimo faced him with the fire of battle burning in his eyes—blue-green Thunder spilled out around them.
He had long wanted to fight Satoru Gojo-
But now wasn't the best opportunity.
"If I were really going to fight you, of course I wouldn't try any tricks."
"I wouldn't stoop to that kind of weakling's thinking!"
Hajime Kashimo's utterly fearless attitude startled Satoru Gojo at first, but a moment later, he burst out laughing.
Looking at the strange, rather cocky new student with his hair tied in two buns, Satoru Gojo knew he hadn't misjudged him.
This guy...
Was an absolute freak among freaks!
"But... that's not bad, either."
As Satoru Gojo looked at Hajime Kashimo, he had a feeling that sooner or later, this man would reach the same level as him.
Or perhaps... he was already there.
"Then I'll look forward to your challenge."
"Don't go dying so easily before you even get to challenge me~"
"After all, being this strong gets pretty lonely."
Before you continue