The first day at Tokyo Jujutsu High passed peacefully.
After introductions with Ieiri Shoko and getting familiar with the campus, the day came to a close.
On the second day, Yaga Masamichi gave them a brief explanation of the school's history and what they would be learning over the next few years.
It had to be said, the explanation was as boring as a principal saying, "Let me just say a few words."
Satoru, who was nearly dozing off, suddenly perked up at one sentence.
"Now, let's head to the training ground so I can assess your skill levels. I'll base the upcoming curriculum on that."
After speaking, Yaga led them to the training field.
"Come on, Eichi, all of you, come at me together."
Before Yaga could make arrangements, Satoru impatiently ran to the center of the field.
"Yaga-sensei, I'll go first."
Eichi turned and asked.
It was rare to have such an open opportunity to beat up Satoru.
"Hmm. Keep in mind, this match is just to assess your level. Stop before causing serious injury."
"Understood."
Eichi stood across from Satoru, hands in his pockets.
"Oh, just you alone? Not calling Saber?"
Last night, during a snack party in the dorms, Satoru had said that Artoria's name was too long and asked if he could call her "Ria," like Eichi. Artoria rejected both Satoru's and Suguru's suggestions.
After that, Satoru and Suguru simply started calling her "Saber."
"I'm enough on my own. Ready to get beaten up?"
Eichi gave a mischievous smile.
Both of them grinned with anticipation.
"Then, begin."
At Yaga's signal, Eichi and Satoru launched into a high-speed exchange of blows.
Eichi slightly bent his body, blocking Satoru's heavy punch with his right arm.
His left fist, kept behind him, swung toward Satoru's chest. Satoru leaned back, letting the fist graze his uniform.
In the next instant, Eichi's right fist followed up.
Satoru's Six Eyes turned, his cerulean pupils locking onto the attack.
He bent back to dodge, then threw a side kick at Eichi's waist.
Eichi blocked with one arm, grabbed with the other, taking the kick head-on.
Then, gripping Satoru tightly, Eichi forcefully threw him away.
Satoru spun midair, landed smoothly, and charged again.
As he approached, he jumped, hurling a powerful punch.
No way to dodge.
Eichi crossed his arms and blocked. The blow pushed him back several meters.
Satoru didn't let up. He stepped forward and unleashed a rapid flurry of punches that landed squarely on Eichi's guard.
This style... it resembled Wing Chun. Now that he thought about it, Satoru had used something similar when fighting Miguel.
In that case—
Eichi leaned back, planted his hands, and twisted his body, landing a kick on Satoru.
Using the momentum, he pushed Satoru back and created distance again.
Fists, palms, legs, elbows.
Over the next few minutes, Eichi didn't hold back, turning his entire body into a weapon. He unleashed a barrage of attacks with everything he had.
Satoru could feel the intensity behind each strike and responded in kind, trading blows without reservation.
Neither was willing to yield.
Bang.
Both landed clean hits at the same time, their bodies flying in opposite directions.
Eichi got up, shaking off the numbness in his arm, and looked at Satoru with blazing eyes.
Satoru returned the look with one of equal fighting spirit.
"You're pretty good, Satoru."
"You too, Eichi. You've lasted longer than I expected."
"Hey, Satoru, want to make a bet?"
Eichi smirked.
"What kind of bet?"
Satoru looked intrigued.
"If I beat you without using Mahoraga, you have to follow one command from me. If you win, I'll do the same."
"Deal. You're the one who's going to lose, anyway."
Satoru raised his chin.
"After all, I am the strongest."
That unparalleled confidence shone in his cerulean Six Eyes.
"Then starting today, the title of 'strongest' will be mine."
Eichi grinned wildly, bordering on madness.
"If you can, then come and take it."
"Round two. Begin, Chimera!"
Eichi formed a hand seal, and a Vicious Beast appeared behind him. It had wings on its back and sharp horns on its head.
"What is that?!"
Shoko was startled by the Chimera's terrifying aura.
Though she had seen many gruesome injuries, she had never encountered a Vicious Beast like this. Just looking at it sent chills down her spine.
"That's the Chimera, a fusion of Eichi's Ten Shadows Technique shikigami."
Suguru stepped in as a temporary commentator.
Yaga, standing nearby, clenched his fists as soon as the Chimera appeared.
He felt things were starting to go beyond what he had anticipated.
Satoru tossed aside his sunglasses, Limitless already activated.
"Roar!"
A fierce wind erupted, sending sand and stones flying as it surged toward Satoru.
Eichi subtly formed a hand seal, then followed closely after the storm, initiating Tiger Funeral.
Satoru raised his right hand and swung it, creating a cerulean orb that followed the arc of his movement.
The orb, like a miniature black hole, absorbed the raging wind in an instant.
Then Satoru lifted his right hand high and slammed it down.
The blue orb followed his motion, crashing from above toward the Chimera.
The Chimera spread its wings. Purple lightning formed an arrow, firing directly at the orb, followed closely by the fierce wind. The lightning struck first, destabilizing the Blue, while the wind detonated it midair.
"Oh?"
Satoru looked amused, then began to form a second Blue.
The tactic was reminiscent of Itachi's counter to Chibaku Tensei.
While Blue mimicked a black hole, it was still just Cursed Energy. As long as its stability was disrupted or its limit breached instantly, it could be neutralized.
That's exactly what the Chimera had done.
Using the piercing nature of lightning to interfere with Blue's stability, and the wind to strike when the energy was unstable, they exploded the orb before it could land.
Before Satoru could launch a second Blue, Eichi had already closed the distance.
A Cursed Energy-infused punch slammed into the Limitless in front of Satoru.
Satoru's counterattack appeared instantly before Eichi's eyes.
Black Divine Dog shot from the shadow beneath Eichi, claws slashing toward Satoru.
Eichi took the opportunity to spin and land a roundhouse kick, then coordinated with Black Divine Dog to create distance.
Satoru prepared to chase, but then he felt a strange fluctuation in Cursed Energy.
Behind him, White Divine Dog, still in spirit form, appeared and attacked.
Eichi and Black Divine Dog launched another pincer attack.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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