New equipment

After several days of intensive training, Yuta Okkotsu and Akutagawa Shang worked together with increasing coordination, and their progress was plain to see.

Without using cursed energy, the two could even hold their own against Maki for short stretches. Compared to how they had been sent flying at the start, this was already a tremendous improvement.

Seeing that the time was about right, Satoru Gojo beckoned Yuta Okkotsu and Akutagawa Shang over.

"Oi... Akutagawa, Yuta, come here a second."

Akutagawa Shang glanced back, then swung his blade again to deflect Maki's attack.

"Maki, something's come up. Practice on your own for a bit. I'm taking Yuta with me." Akutagawa Shang led Yuta Okkotsu toward Satoru Gojo.

Maki puffed out her cheeks, looking a little unhappy.

She scanned the field, seemingly searching for a replacement to vent on. Panda, who had been enjoying the show from the sidelines, had the misfortune of meeting her eyes.

Oh, crap. This isn't good. Panda's heart sank.

Before he could slip away, Maki blurred into motion and moved behind him like a ghost.

"Yo, Panda. You seemed to be having a great time chatting with Akutagawa earlier, huh? Come spar with me."

And so Maki dragged the desperately struggling Panda toward the training area.

"Save me, Inumaki." Panda helplessly appealed to Inumaki for help.

Inumaki could only look at him, powerless to help.

"Salmon."

Satoru Gojo led the two to a small room with its door tightly shut. He removed the seal at the entrance, opened the door, and gestured for them to enter.

"After you, gentlemen."

The two waved their hands in front of their noses, dispersing the stale smell peculiar to storage rooms.

Satoru Gojo switched on the light, revealing countless cursed weapons gleaming coldly before them.

"Whoa." Yuta Okkotsu could not help exclaiming.

"I heard from Akutagawa-kun that you want to resolve Rika's curse."

"Yes." Yuta Okkotsu nodded, his gaze firm.

"But exorcising a cursed spirit as powerful as Rika Orimoto is practically impossible. Undoing the curse, however, is another matter. You observe thousands upon thousands of cursed energy connections and untie them one by one. Only the person under the curse-you-can do something like that."

Watching Satoru Gojo speak in riddles, Akutagawa Shang did not quite know what to say either.

"So how exactly do I do that?" Clearly, Yuta Okkotsu had not understood either and could only ask helplessly.

"Yuta, pick one you like." Satoru Gojo pointed to the many cursed tools before them.

"Can I really?" Yuta Okkotsu looked eager.

"Of course." Satoru Gojo nodded, indicating that he could take his pick.

Yuta Okkotsu spent a long time choosing. Perhaps because of his training over the past few days, he ultimately selected a tachi.

"What about me?" Akutagawa Shang raised his hand, apparently hoping to snag one too.

"Didn't I already give you a sword?" Satoru Gojo rubbed his chin and began playing dumb.

"Huh?" Akutagawa Shang looked disappointed.

"All right, enough teasing. Here, take this." Satoru Gojo tossed him something pitch-black.

"What's this?" Akutagawa Shang caught it and took a look. It was actually a black glove with an attached sleeve.

"I had it prepared especially for you. Try it on." Satoru Gojo pointed at the glove with a smile.

Akutagawa Shang put on the glove. As he infused it with cursed energy, the originally loose glove rapidly contracted, clinging tightly to his arm like a second skin.

Akutagawa Shang excitedly swung his arm and found that he could move with exceptional ease. The glove did not impede his movement in the slightest.

Just as Akutagawa Shang was trying out his new glove, Satoru Gojo suddenly raised a hand, sending a mass of compressed cursed energy hurtling toward him.

"Huh?" Yuta Okkotsu cried out in surprise.

Akutagawa Shang instinctively raised his hand to block, and the cursed energy slammed squarely into his gloved palm.

"What are you doing?" Akutagawa Shang shouted at Satoru Gojo.

But Satoru Gojo said nothing, merely pointing at the hand he had attacked.

His palm was actually completely unharmed by Satoru Gojo's attack, and Akutagawa Shang could feel that the glove seemed to have absorbed and stored that cursed energy.

Akutagawa Shang stared at the glove in delighted surprise.

"Judging by your previous performance, besides letting you absorb cursed energy, your ability seems to give you considerable resistance to attacks made of pure cursed energy. This glove can help you block attacks and store the cursed energy they carry. Infusing it with cursed energy can also create a cursed energy barrier around your body. Combined with your own resistance to cursed energy, it can push your ability to take a beating to the limit. Uh, to put it simply, it boosts your defense and gives you a shield."

"Holy crap." Akutagawa Shang stared fixedly at the glove, utterly unable to suppress his grin and all but itching to plant a few kisses on it. It was clear that he was extremely pleased with this gift.

"Well? Aren't I good to you?"

"Yes, yes, yes. Gojo-sensei is the best teacher in the whole world."

"In that case, as repayment, I'll be counting on you to line up at Kikusuian tomorrow and buy me their latest daifuku, Akutagawa-kun." Satoru Gojo grinned cheekily and patted Akutagawa Shang on the shoulder.

"Huh? Ah... fine." There was no helping it. Having accepted the gift, Akutagawa Shang could hardly refuse, so he could only take on the errand.

"Oh, now for your situation, Yuta."

"A curse is only at its most stable when attached to an object. At the hospital, you connected with Rika through your ring, which gave you a channel. As long as you accept Rika's curse and pour it into your sword for your own use, repeatedly practicing to increase your capacity for the curse, one day you'll be able to control it freely. When that time comes, both you and Rika can be free again."

"Pour the curse into the sword..." Yuta Okkotsu murmured.

"But you're still too weak right now. Your swordsmanship and control over cursed energy both need proper training." Satoru Gojo rubbed his chin as he sized up Yuta Okkotsu.

"Akutagawa-kun," Satoru Gojo called.

"Yes," Akutagawa Shang answered.

"I'm leaving Yuta's training to you from now on. I think your training with Maki has produced some very good results in his hand-to-hand combat. As for teaching him cursed energy, that'll be up to you. After all, you have your own unique insights into controlling it."

"Yuta, a jujutsu sorcerer's battles aren't just about swordsmanship. Using cursed energy is the key. I'm leaving your cursed energy training to Akutagawa from now on. Ask him whenever there's anything you don't understand. I'm really looking forward to seeing just how far you can grow." Satoru Gojo patted Yuta Okkotsu on the shoulder, his tone brimming with anticipation.

"Yes! I definitely won't let you down, Sensei!!!"

After Satoru Gojo left, Yuta Okkotsu's desire to grow stronger burned even more fiercely. He grabbed Akutagawa Shang and raced back to the field, where Panda was taking a one-sided beating from Maki.

Seeing the two return was like seeing his saviors. His enormous body bounced off the ground and flew behind them.

"Save me, Akutagawa! Maki's about to go crazy!"

When she saw the two return, a smile finally returned to Maki's face.

Akutagawa Shang and Maki exchanged smiles, assumed their opening stances at the same time, and charged at each other.

Yuta Okkotsu raised his sword and threw himself into training as well.