Some came from ordinary families.
These teenagers had come here with only one goal: to pass Jujutsu High's selection and become part of the school.
Satoru Gojo turned his gaze toward Kento Nanami, whose arm was still wrapped in bandages, and gave him a look that said, "I've got high hopes for you."
The cursed spirits inside the apartment building were not strong.
Or rather, Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto had already cleared out the powerful cursed spirits, leaving only those that could serve as a test without being quite so deadly. Masamichi Yaga had instructed them to do so.
After all, without systematic training, many jujutsu sorcerers from outside were only amateurs. Many had never even fought a cursed spirit.
Jujutsu sorcerers were scarce to begin with.
Casualties during an examination simply would not be worth it.
Thus, Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto's task was to observe the teenagers' performances from the shadows. If anything unexpected happened, they could intervene in time.
"All right, I won't waste any more words. The examination officially begins now." The apartment building's entrance opened.
Even in broad daylight, the teenagers who had come for the examination could feel the chill and malice coming from beyond the doorway. "N-no, I withdraw."
The youngest girl among the teenagers immediately raised her hand to withdraw. From the faint tear tracks at the corners of her eyes, she had actually been frightened to tears.
"Minako, out!"
Satoru Gojo crossed his arms to signal her elimination. "Now, does anyone else want to withdraw?"
Satoru Gojo swept his gaze over the teenagers, briefly lingering on Kento Nanami. "Okay, okay, looks like you're all pretty determined!"
"Then give it your best, kids!" The examination officially began.
The teenagers stepped through the entrance one after another. "Geto, how are things inside?"
With both hands behind his head, Satoru Gojo lounged on his side on a large tree branch. A blade of grass he had plucked from somewhere dangled from his mouth.
"They've entered the first floor. Don't worry, Satoru. My cursed spirits have been watching them from the shadows." Images flickered through Suguru Geto's eyes from time to time, transmitted to him by his cursed spirits.
Chapter 48: Cutting Away the Uncertainty Within.
"I wonder how many of these ten will manage to get into Jujutsu High." Suguru Geto gazed intently at the abandoned apartment building.
"Geto, you really care about these people."
"I wouldn't exactly call it caring. I just feel that this year's jujutsu sorcerers are somewhat lacking." "If things keep going this way, I can't help being a little concerned about Jujutsu Society's future."
"A world where the weak can survive is how things should be. Help the weak and thwart the strong; jujutsu exists to protect non-sorcerers. Right now, those things are clearly lacking in them."
Suguru Geto's expression and manner were very accepting as he spoke, displaying a kind of "Buddha nature": boundless tolerance and protection for the weak, and a powerful sense of responsibility.
"Haha, not every class can be as strong as ours." "Geto, your expectations are a little too high."
Satoru Gojo spat out the grass stem and shifted into a cross-legged position on the branch. "Still, there's one guy among this year's recruits I have high hopes for." Suguru Geto looked toward him with some interest.
Anyone Satoru Gojo thought highly of...
Had to have something exceptional about them. However...
He did not press further. "It's starting."
Suguru Geto leaped down from the tree. Meanwhile...
Inside the Abandoned Apartment.
Apart from Minako, who had withdrawn earlier...
The teenagers who had entered the building had more or less found teammates of their own. As for Kento Nanami, whose arm was wrapped in bandages...
He had been subtly isolated. That was understandable.
After all, no one knew what dangers lurked inside this building. No one wanted to team up with a burden.
Kento Nanami did not mind, however. Although his arm still ached faintly...
It no longer interfered with his cursed technique.
Besides, that little bit of pain kept his mind alert, allowing him to make sound judgments about any danger that might be approaching. Kento Nanami had taken everything into account.
"Hi, let's get acquainted. I'm Yu Haibara!" A hand suddenly appeared in front of Kento Nanami. He looked up.
Before him stood an energetic, black-haired boy with a bowl cut. "Hello, I'm Nanami."
After a moment's hesitation, Kento Nanami shook the boy's hand. "Great, now we're teammates!"
"Why choose me? You can see the state I'm in." Kento Nanami pointed at his heavily bandaged arm.
"What does that matter? That just makes it more meaningful, doesn't it?" Yu Haibara patted Kento Nanami's shoulder with easy familiarity.
"Besides, you insisted on taking the exam even though you're injured. You're pretty incredible, Nanami!" "Maybe."
Kento Nanami looked at the lively Yu Haibara before him.
He could sense that this boy genuinely wanted to help others. "Nanami, why did you come to take the exam?"
Why?
Maybe so I won't be a burden to anyone.
If I'm strong enough, I'll be able to protect the bar I like and keep anyone from wrecking it, won't I? Kento Nanami shook his head without answering.
Yu Haibara had already begun talking about himself.
"When I was little, before my sister was born, I accidentally made eye contact with a cursed spirit."
"It had a terrible temper. As soon as it noticed me looking, it attacked. I still have an ugly scar on my chest because of it."
"Later, a sorcerer from Jujutsu High noticed something was wrong and rushed over, saving me just before the cursed spirit swallowed me alive."
"I don't want my sister to have an awful experience like mine, and I don't want her fighting ugly things like that, either. I just want my adorable little sister to live an ordinary, happy life."
"So I'm going to join Jujutsu High and become a strong jujutsu sorcerer. Then I'll be able to protect her." Kento Nanami's steps paused.
In Yu Haibara...
He seemed to see a reflection of himself. Before he met the boss...
His daily life had consisted of taking yesterday's leftover side dishes from the refrigerator and making do with them, cheap convenience-store beer, and snacks for a meal.
Then he would turn on the television and watch people who could not even see curses sit in a studio passing judgment. His mood would slowly grow complicated.
I'm someone with no "worth in living."
That was what Kento Nanami had always believed before meeting Chingetsu.
Until Chingetsu appeared, lighting up his world and giving him a reason to love life. "If I become a strong jujutsu sorcerer, I'll be able to keep up with Mr. Chingetsu." Kento Nanami drew a blunt blade from his loose coat.
It was a gift Chingetsu had given him upon learning that he would be taking the examination. Kento Nanami's gaze instantly grew resolute.
A deep blue light spread across the blunt blade.
"Mr. Chingetsu, today I'll use this blade you gave me to cut away the uncertainty in my heart."
Chapter 49: Blunt Blade (Thank You All for Your Support, I'm So Touched). The apartment building Jujutsu High used for its examination had twelve floors and no elevator.
That meant that to reach the top floor...
These teenagers would have to climb a full twelve flights of stairs. Of course...
The entrance examination was not that simple.
Blocking the teenagers' path now was a spider-shaped cursed spirit with human eyes densely packed across its back.
"Satoru, you really outdid yourself. They're bound to get quite a fright when they see what that cursed spirit looks like."
"It's only a Semi-Grade 3 cursed spirit. It just looks scary. If those kids work together, they can take it out easily."
"Is that so?"
Suguru Geto neither agreed nor disagreed as another image flashed through his eyes. "Itsugi, that thing is so scary!"
"A cursed spirit! It's a real cursed spirit! It's terrifying!" "Home! I want to go home!"
"I withdraw! I withdraw! Someone save me! Waaah!" Faced with the terrifying-looking spider cursed spirit...
These teenagers, who had weathered few hardships, were already beginning to crumble psychologically.
Amid the desperate cries and wails, five teenagers had already been declared eliminated and withdrawn from the examination. "Hmm, this guy doesn't look that easy to deal with."
Yu Haibara unobtrusively moved in front of Kento Nanami. "There's no reason to make an injured person stand in front."
Yu Haibara rolled up his sleeves and gave Kento Nanami a thumbs-up. "I'm pretty strong, you know."
Before he had even finished speaking, Yu Haibara had charged up to the spider cursed spirit. "Hey, ugly! I'm your opponent!"
Kento Nanami's eyes flickered. He silently called him an idiot, then raised his blade and joined the fray.
Although the guy he had just met was a little airheaded, there was no denying...
He was far more likable than the others on the team. After all...
Ever since Yu Haibara had charged in to fight the spider cursed spirit, the remaining three had done nothing but watch coldly from the sidelines.
Yu Haibara moved quickly, his cursed-energy-coated fists striking repeatedly at the spider cursed spirit's joints. However...
These attacks barely seemed to faze the spider cursed spirit. After all, Yu Haibara was only one person.
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