A new student?

After lunch that afternoon, Akutagawa Shang still could not move at all, so Maki carried him back to the field, ostensibly to "keep his legs from giving out."

"Since you warmed up this morning, now it's time for real sparring." Maki set him down in the middle of the training ground.

"Since we're sparring, I can't let you fight empty-handed. Pick something that feels comfortable to use as your weapon today. Once you get the hang of it, you can pick out a Cursed Tool that suits you at Jujutsu High for missions, too." Standing with her staff held horizontally, Maki pointed at the ground.

A number of bamboo weapons lay scattered across the ground. They looked like the kind found in a dojo and seemed to be specifically for training.

He tried every one of them, finally choosing a bamboo sword of moderate length.

"That one? Going with a sword? Then you might be in for a rough time today." Looking at him and the sword in his hand, Maki could not help laughing.

"By the way, how's your body feeling now? I suggest you get yourself ready before we start. Better run Reverse Cursed Technique through your whole body again, or your legs might give out before I even start putting any strength into it."

"Uh, okay."

Akutagawa Shang did not argue. He simply let the white light of Reverse Cursed Technique flow through his entire body.

A moment later, Akutagawa Shang spoke. "Okay, ready."

"Good. Since you're ready, training starts now. Your first goal is to land one hit on me."

But Maki did not move as she spoke. She simply stood there, watching him with a smile all over her face.

"Then you'd better watch out."

Without hesitation, Akutagawa Shang raised his bamboo sword, took his stance, and leaped forward, bringing the sword down at Maki with all his strength.

Yet Maki's expression did not change in the slightest before that seemingly ferocious slash. She merely raised her staff and easily parried the full-force strike.

"Hiss..."

Instead, the recoil left Akutagawa Shang's arms numb, and he stumbled as he landed. At that very instant, however, Maki suddenly ducked down and fiercely attacked his lower body.

Maki swept his legs out from under him, sending Akutagawa Shang straight to the ground, then casually jabbed his forehead with the end of her staff.

"Akutagawa Shang, out."

"Ah-ow, ow, ow! I was already down! Why'd you have to poke me too?" Akutagawa Shang clutched his forehead and wailed.

"Tch. If this were a real fight, you'd already be dead. I'm teaching you a lesson."

"And what was all that? Your stance was wrong, your grip was wrong, and you don't know how to swing. You were practically nothing but openings. And what was that jump supposed to be? A reminder not to forget to attack your lower body?"

"..."

"Come on, get up! Stand straight!"

"Oh." Hearing her, Akutagawa Shang hurriedly got up and stood at attention.

"Pick up your sword. Do exactly what I tell you. First, fix your grip." As Maki spoke, she steadied his hands with her fingers.

Maki stood very close, adjusting his posture with her own hands. Akutagawa Shang could even feel her burning body heat through their uniforms.

"Why are you gripping so hard? Is that a handrail you're clinging to? Why are you so tense? Relax a little. Hey... are you even listening to me?" Maki tapped his sword hand with her staff.

"Ow. Oh, oh, right." Akutagawa Shang snapped out of it and began making adjustments under Maki's guidance.

"Mm, now you look halfway decent. Come on, keep going. Attack me." Maki returned to her original spot and quietly waited for Akutagawa Shang's attack.

"Whew. Okay!!!" Akutagawa Shang took his stance again and charged at Maki.

Compared with his awkward stance last time, this was clearly much better. This time, instead of a slash, he chose a thrust that was harder to defend against.

Yet just as the tip was about to strike her, Maki moved again. Holding the staff in one hand, she knocked Akutagawa Shang's thrust upward, then immediately brought the staff down.

Having learned from his unstable footing last time, Akutagawa Shang kept his feet on the ground throughout this attack. With all his strength, he hauled the deflected sword back across his head and forcibly blocked Maki's downward strike.

"I did it!!!" Akutagawa Shang shouted excitedly.

Though a staff had greater reach, it was far less maneuverable than a short weapon.

At that moment, the sound of clashing weapons rang out across Jujutsu High's field.

Akutagawa Shang held Maki's staff at bay above his head, leaving her unable to attack again anytime soon.

And now, all he needed was one more thrust to land a hit on her.

In other words, Akutagawa Shang had won.

But the next second...

Thud.

With a loud crash, Maki discarded her staff and kicked Akutagawa Shang flying. After skimming several meters over the ground, he collapsed again.

Maki walked over and crouched in front of him with a smile, patting his cheek.

"Not bad. At least you've improved since last time. You even know how to seize an opening now." Maki smiled and patted his face in encouragement.

"You only overlooked one thing. I didn't have my staff anymore, but that didn't mean you could beat me. All right, get up. Let's keep going."

Maki held out her hand and pulled him up.

Their figures continued clashing on the field like that.

Again and again, round after round, but to sum it up, the process basically went:

Akutagawa Shang took his opening stance,

Akutagawa Shang began his attack,

Akutagawa Shang's attack was parried,

Akutagawa Shang was sent flying and fell,

Akutagawa Shang got back up and attacked again.

The cycle repeated like this,

But as he was knocked away over and over, each cycle kept getting longer.

He was blocking more and more moves, too.

Perhaps he had not even realized it himself, but compared with when he started, he had already undergone a world of change.

Finally, after blocking another of Maki's attacks, he seized the instant she froze and struck fiercely. Though Maki reacted, she could no longer stop what happened. The bamboo sword hit her abdomen, successfully forcing her back.

Maki was a little stunned, seemingly unable to process the fact that she had been hit.

A moment later, Maki raised her head and fixed her gaze on Akutagawa Shang, her voice seemingly carrying excitement she could barely suppress. "Hey, you're still up for more, right? Your next goal is-"

"Beat me!!!"

"Okay!!!"

He gave only that one reply to Maki's question.

The corners of Maki's mouth rose high, her smile no longer containable.

This time, she did not stay where she was. Instead, she raised her staff and charged at Akutagawa Shang.

Sword in hand, Akutagawa Shang also charged head-on into Maki's attack.

Their figures collided on the field once more, stirring up a gust of air. The sound of bamboo sword striking staff echoed across the empty grounds...

"Pretty intense, huh?" Panda and Inumaki sat nearby, holding popcorn from who knew where, eating as they watched the show.

"Salmon."

"Akutagawa-kun's improving really fast, though. He was still getting beaten senseless just a little while ago."

"And Maki, too. No one could ever spar with her using weapons before. I've never seen her smile this happily. Looks like she's really happy today."

"Hehe, maybe this is their own spe~cial~kind~of~romance."

"Go for it!!! Akutagawa, you've gotta win!" Panda, the chief shipper, shouted at the pair.

"I'll win!!!" Akutagawa Shang shouted back.

Time passed, and before they knew it, the sunlight had slanted.

Maki and Akutagawa Shang had fought to exhaustion. They finally stopped and lay on the grass, their shadows stretching ever longer.

"That felt so good!" Maki shouted toward the sky. This was the most fun she had had fighting since entering Jujutsu High.

"Oh, sounds like today's training went pretty well?" Satoru Gojo had arrived at the field at some point.

"Gojo-sensei, you're here?" Surprisingly, Maki did not call him a white-haired bastard today. Perhaps it was because she was in a good mood.

"Akutagawa-kun, how was it?"

"That fight felt amazing."

"Oh, right, there's something I need to tell you. A transfer student will be arriving in a couple of days. Just letting you know in advance."

A new student? Could it be Yuta Okkotsu? Akutagawa Shang thought to himself.

"Another new student? Counting Akutagawa-kun, that makes two this month, right? Aren't there way too many new students in this class?" Panda was very puzzled.

"Bingo. This one's a Jujutsu talent personally discovered by Gojo-sensei."

"Good news, Akutagawa-kun. From now on, you won't have to take beatings alone."

"Something that good can happen?" Before Akutagawa Shang had finished speaking, he felt an elbow jab his waist.

"Hmph."

Maki turned her head away and huffed.

"Oh, right, Akutagawa-kun, come pick him up with me tomorrow."

"Me?" He pointed at himself.

"That's right. This new student is a little unusual. He might be a bit withdrawn. Since you're new too, you can get acquainted while you're at it."

"Okay."