Suguru Geto froze at those words, his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes widening slightly. Clearly, he had not expected Li Shunchen to change the subject so abruptly, veering without warning toward a sparring match.
As far as he remembered, Li Shunchen had always kept his edge deeply concealed. He could even be described as someone who was low-key to his very bones.
Apart from taking the initiative once when he had first entered Jujutsu High, demonstrating his exquisite control of jujutsu that surpassed both Geto's and Satoru Gojo's, the boy had never since deliberately displayed his strength or challenged anyone to a fight.
Even when Satoru Gojo occasionally issued those arrogant challenges because he was itching for a fight, Li Shunchen had always refused outright without hesitation, never participating in such pointless contests of pride.
But compared to the fiercely competitive Satoru Gojo beside him, who spent all day clamoring to settle their rankings with their fists, Suguru Geto did not actually have such a strong desire to prove how powerful he was.
He turned his head and happened to catch the almost tangible envy and resentment in Satoru Gojo's gaze. Then, recalling Li Shunchen's strange state, with its hint of eeriness and deathly stillness, Geto privately considered that if he went along with Gojo's wishes today and let that reckless fellow be the opponent, there was no telling what unmanageable mess his scatterbrained personality and refusal to lose might cause during their sparring.
After weighing those pros and cons, and looking into Li Shunchen's utterly calm yet bottomless black eyes, Suguru Geto finally let out a slow breath and answered with some resignation and compromise.
"Well... I suppose it's not out of the question."
In truth, even as he said this, Geto's throat bobbed. He very much wanted to pursue his