Out of options

Before they knew it, afternoon had arrived, and classes at Jujutsu High began as usual.

Today was Masamichi Yaga's theory class. It was short, one of the few relaxing parts of their daily training, and all four arrived in the classroom on time and took their seats.

Satoru Gojo started nodding off the moment he sat down. His head bobbed, his chin propped on one hand, and his blindfold nearly slipped to the tip of his nose. His mind wandered the entire time, and he did not take in a word of the lecture.

He had stayed up late gaming last night, then spent all morning running around. Now he could no longer hold out and openly went to sleep.

Shoko was not much better. She took out an unrelated book and laid it open on her desk. Though she appeared to be sitting properly, her eyes stayed on its pages the whole time. Occasionally, she raised a hand to cover a small yawn, languid and relaxed, quietly slacking off without the slightest interest in the theory being taught up front.

Suguru Geto, meanwhile, sat ramrod straight, his gaze focused on the lectern. His pen never stopped as he carefully recorded the key points, meticulous in every detail, the picture of a model student.

Qingxiao listened just as attentively, his eyes full of curiosity.

The structure of Jujutsu Society, the principles behind Cursed Techniques, barrier construction... I've had far too little exposure to these things.

Throughout his training, he had mostly relied on grueling physical practice and finding his way through actual combat, all of it hard-earned skill. His understanding of Jujutsu Society's theoretical knowledge and basic framework was sketchy at best.

Compared with repetitive physical training, this systematic knowledge felt particularly fresh to him.

Today, Masamichi Yaga's main topic was the fundamentals of Barrier Techniques, a basic ability every Jujutsu Sorcerer needed.

Masamichi Yaga explained everything thoroughly and accessibly, clearly breaking it down step by step, from the paths of Cursed Energy flow and the logic of barrier frameworks to basic incantations and deployment methods.

The theory class, only a few dozen minutes long, soon ended, its content concise and packed with practical information. After covering every theoretical point, Masamichi Yaga did not dismiss them. Instead, he took all four to the Outdoor Training Ground for practical instruction.

"Barrier Techniques hinge on Cursed Energy flow and control over space. Understanding the theory doesn't mean you've mastered them. You have to practice them yourself."

Masamichi Yaga stood in the center of the grounds, his expression solemn, and recited an incantation in a low voice.

As the incantation ended, Cursed Energy flowed through his palm, and an invisible force spread out instantly. In the blink of an eye, a translucent barrier enveloped an area several meters across. Its boundaries were clear and its patterns orderly, isolating the entire area into two separate spaces, one inside the Curtain and one outside.

"This is a basic Curtain. Take turns trying it. Each of you will deploy a basic barrier."

Once Masamichi Yaga finished his demonstration, the four stepped forward in turn.

Satoru Gojo went first. He had barely listened to the lecture, but his talent was beyond question. He casually raised a hand, activated his Cursed Energy, and rattled off the incantation. The barrier formed instantly.

Shoko followed. Although she had slacked off throughout class, her fundamentals were solid, and she was already proficient in basic Cursed Techniques of this kind. A neatly formed barrier spread out steadily, her movements practiced and fluid.

Last came Suguru Geto. He had listened most attentively and followed the steps most precisely. His Cursed Energy flowed evenly, and his barrier unfolded, stable and orderly, perfectly matching every detail taught in class. It was a textbook demonstration.

All three succeeded on their first attempts, the entire process smooth and effortless.

But when Qingxiao's turn came, he hit a complete standstill.

He had firmly memorized the incantation and steps from class and followed them diligently. Settling his mind, he activated the Cursed Energy within him and tried to draw on the power of space to construct a barrier framework.

Yet no matter how he circulated his Cursed Energy or repeated the incantation, the power inside him seemed unable to find an outlet. It never resonated with space, much less spread into a barrier.

Once, twice, three times... he tried several times in succession, and every attempt ended in failure.

On the open Training Ground, everyone else had succeeded easily. Only he remained standing there, unable to make his barrier take shape.

"Hahahaha! So there are things you can't do too, Qingxiao!"

Satoru Gojo instantly perked up, laughing so hard he rocked back and forth. He came over and teased him relentlessly, his tone full of mockery. "You crushed me in hand-to-hand combat this morning, but you can't even put up the most basic Curtain? Turns out you've got weaknesses too!"

As the noisy teasing ended, Shoko frowned slightly and stepped forward to speak up for him, her voice gentle but firm. "Satoru, stop laughing."

She turned toward the slightly stiff Qingxiao and explained softly, "Barrier Techniques depend heavily on talent. Qingxiao just happens not to be good at constructing barriers. That's perfectly normal."

Suguru Geto stepped forward too, his expression gentle, without a trace of mockery. His tone was sincere and patient. "Would you like me to explain the rhythm of my Cursed Energy flow just now? Maybe you simply haven't found the right way to apply your power to Barrier Techniques. It doesn't mean you can't learn."

Their three very different reactions eased some of the awkwardness.

Qingxiao raised a hand and stopped trying. He let out a soft breath and slowly withdrew his circulating Cursed Energy, his fingertips tingling slightly.

A trace of disappointment inevitably crossed his heart. He had always been used to effort paying off, to growing stronger through hard work. Whether it was hand-to-hand combat or Cursed Energy control, he could steadily make breakthroughs through sweat. This was the first time he had tried over and over without achieving anything at all.

Looks like I really don't have much talent for Barrier Techniques.

A basic barrier that others could form with a casual gesture proved extraordinarily difficult for him. He could not find a way in at all.

But that disappointment did not trouble him for long. Qingxiao soon adjusted his mindset and gave a helpless chuckle, taking it in stride.

It's perfectly normal that I'm not good at techniques like Barrier Techniques, which focus on spatial construction and fine control.

"It's all right." Qingxiao gently shook his head at Suguru Geto and smiled, letting it go. His eyes seemed accepting, but thoughts quietly churned within him.

Is my talent for Barrier Techniques really that bad?

What worried Qingxiao was Domain Expansion. Through Masamichi Yaga's explanation, he had learned that solid proficiency in Barrier Techniques was a prerequisite for Domain Expansion.

Every complete, closed-loop domain with an inherent sure-hit, sure-kill effect was built upon a precise barrier framework.

If I can barely deploy even the most basic Curtain, and my talent for barriers is so poor, will I really have a chance to cross the ultimate threshold for Sorcerers and successfully expand a domain in the future?

A spark flashed through Qingxiao's mind as he suddenly remembered something.

No.

A domain doesn't necessarily have to be a closed loop!

Jujutsu Society did not have only traditional closed domains. Knowing part of the plot, he was aware that Open Domains existed too, such as Sukuna's!

An Open Domain discarded orderly barrier boundaries and the framework of closed-loop confinement. It required no precise spatial construction, so naturally, it did not have to rely on talent for barriers, and its ceiling was higher.

Qingxiao quickly settled on the direction of his future training, silently deciding to study the logic behind constructing an Open Domain. Perhaps Tengen could help me?

With that thought, he looked up at the others. "I probably just have an uneven skill set. Conventional Barrier Techniques really aren't for me, so there's no need to trouble yourselves."

He calmly accepted his weakness, neither stubbornly dwelling on it nor becoming secretly dejected.

Seeing that he had let it go, Suguru Geto did not try to persuade him further and simply nodded in silence.

When Satoru Gojo saw that he was neither discouraged nor taking it to heart, he found the teasing had lost its fun. He shrugged and stopped smiling.

Shoko nodded too, clearly approving of his optimistic attitude.

Masamichi Yaga took in all their expressions and let out a soft breath, remembering his own days at Jujutsu High and the companions he had once had.

"Everyone's talents lean in different directions. There has never been a fixed path for a Sorcerer." Masamichi Yaga slowly stepped forward, his voice steady and gentle, carrying a teacher's understanding and hopes. "Don't be discouraged by a weakness in barriers. The pinnacle of Jujutsu has never followed a single template. Finding a path that suits you is far more valuable than copying someone else's."

Qingxiao responded solemnly, "I'll remember that, sir."

The practical lesson ended there. They left the Training Ground together, the warm autumn sunlight spilling gently over their shoulders, soft and warm. Summer's sweltering heat had faded, leaving only refreshing tranquility.

Satoru Gojo had already completely forgotten his teasing. He bounded along, chattering about tonight's new game and clamoring for Suguru Geto to join him in climbing the ranks. Suguru Geto smiled helplessly and went along with him, occasionally looking back and slowing down to wait for the two behind them, gently matching his companions' pace.

Shoko walked beside Qingxiao at an easy pace. She glanced at his calm expression out of the corner of her eye and offered no further words of comfort.

She could tell that this boy never needed much reassurance from others. He could always process his own emotions and walk his own path with clarity and determination.

Qingxiao walked slowly among the group, his companions' scattered laughter and chatter in his ears, feeling particularly at ease.

He had completely abandoned the idea of a conventional domain, and the path in his heart grew ever clearer.

He did not need to fixate on a closed domain or agonize over intricate techniques he was not good at. Developing his body, honing his brute strength, and studying an Open Domain uniquely his own was the most correct, most suitable path of training for him.

He sighed inwardly. Sure, an Open Domain has a higher ceiling, but it'll definitely be harder too, and there'll be fewer examples to reference. I'm really out of options. I'll have to train in it whether I want to or not.

The autumn wind brushed through the woods, stirring up a few yellowing fallen leaves and bringing autumn's unique crisp dryness, while also blowing away every lingering trace of frustration and confusion.