"What!? The Kyoto Exchange Event—it's not an event in Kyoto, but an event with the Kyoto campus?"
At the school gate, the Tokyo Jujutsu High students, gathered to formally welcome the Kyoto students, cruelly shattered Kugisaki's illusion the moment they saw the suitcase in her hand.
Kugisaki, who had been buzzing with excitement, suddenly felt her hands and feet turn cold. "Then… my fresh gyoza and kuzukiri?" she stammered.
"No wonder you seemed way too hyped up about this," Maki said, utterly exasperated. "So we were on completely different pages this whole time."
"It's alright, just a little misunderstanding. No need to take it so hard," Itadori offered, giving Kugisaki's shoulder a reassuring pat.
"You seemed pretty excited too, though…" Panda muttered, eyeing the travel pack on Itadori's back and the palpable gloom now hanging over both him and Kugisaki.
He sighed, unable to bear the sight.
"The exchange event is held at the campus of the side that won the previous year. Since our side won last time, it's being held in Tokyo this year."
"Ugh…" x2
"How could you just go and win like that?!" Kugisaki yelled, grabbing Panda by his lapels and shaking him vigorously.
"Wasn't us! We didn't participate last year!"
Panda's voice was distorted from the shaking, but the ever-patient panda calmly explained, "It was Okkotsu who participated last year. I heard it was an overwhelming victory, but we weren't there, so we don't know the details."
"H-How could this be…" Kugisaki and Itadori slumped to their knees in despair, their spirits utterly broken.
"We can just buy some together next time we're on a mission in Kyoto…" Amber said, squatting down to gently pat their backs.
She knew these two weren't truly as devastated as they looked, but seeing them like this, she couldn't help but offer some soft words of comfort.
"That's unlikely," Fushiguro stated flatly. "Just like Kyoto students wouldn't show up for missions in Tokyo. Even though jujutsu sorcerers are chronically short-staffed, we still have loosely defined operational areas."
"Ugh…!" x2
"Fushiguro-senpai…" Amber glanced reproachfully at Fushiguro, seeing the two's expressions edge closer to death.
Fushiguro let out a sigh. "I just mean you don't need to go for a mission. If you want to go, just pick a free day and make a trip of it."
"Well, well, what's this? All gathered here just to welcome us?" A familiar voice that made Kugisaki's eyebrow twitch rang out.
Accompanied by footsteps, Zen'in Mai and the students of Kyoto Jujutsu High appeared before them.
"Okkotsu still isn't here, huh." Todo scratched the back of his head, a flicker of disappointment in his heart. But remembering Itadori was present reignited a spark of his fighting spirit.
The moment Kugisaki saw Mai, her mood soured. Combined with what her own Maki had said about their poor relationship, she held back nothing, her expression becoming a mocking sneer.
"Laugh while you can. Once we get inside, we'll wipe those smirks right off your faces."
"What's with that first-year… She seems kinda scary…" Momo Nishimiya from the Kyoto side, clutching a broom and sporting strange upward twin tails, muttered awkwardly.
She hadn't witnessed the full range of Kugisaki's expressive faces and just found her intensely unapproachable.
"With Okkotsu absent, and two mere first-years, there's no need for concern," a robotic puppet, its entire body clearly non-human, suddenly spoke from the side.
"The only one warranting caution is that vessel." Its gaze settled on Itadori. Despite its utterly lifeless eyes, Itadori felt a wave of intense discomfort.
"Miwa-senpai, how have you been? You don't look too lively," Amber said, catching up with Kasumi Miwa for the first time in a while.
"I've been alright, I guess…" Miwa scratched the back of her head, her forced cheer obvious. Sure enough, she continued, "It's just… I've been getting pulled in for a lot of talks lately…"
"Ah…" Amber didn't need it spelled out. She could guess why.
Since Miwa was the first person to have contact with her, it stood to reason that after the higher-ups found themselves powerless against Amber directly, they'd turn to Miwa for information.
It wasn't that they didn't want to question Todo; it was common knowledge that his thought processes were… unique. Add to that his teacher being Yuki Tsukumo, and the higher-ups largely left him to his own devices outside of missions.
Besides, Todo hadn't witnessed 'Dark Amber' firsthand, so interrogating him was pointless.
That left only two people who had seen Dark Amber: one was Gojo Satoru, whom they couldn't touch, and the other was Miwa Kasumi, whom they could push around easily.
One could imagine the cheerful blue-haired girl had borne the brunt of the higher-ups' scrutiny.
Thinking of this, Amber felt a pang of guilt and sympathy. "Miwa-senpai… I'm sorry. It's because of… because of 'Her' that you're…"
"Ah! No, it's not like that at all!" Miwa hurriedly waved her hands. "This isn't 'Her' fault!"
Even if the higher-ups were pestering her because of the girl, Miwa wasn't so unreasonable as to blame the wrong person.
The girl was her savior; the higher-ups were the real source of her troubles.
"But, regardless, they're giving you a hard time because of 'Her'," Amber insisted, a faint crimson glimmer flickering in her eyes. "So, 'She' will take responsibility."
Seeing the girl's emotions stirred up on her behalf warmed Miwa's heart. She knew, logically, the girl wasn't to blame, but being constantly interrogated inevitably bred some resentment—she wasn't a saint, after all.
But knowing the other was willing to stand up for her made that resentment quickly fade.
"It's fine, really. You've only just become a Special Grade sorcerer. Staying stable is probably more important right now, especially since you just gained recognition…"
While those two were having their heart-to-heart, the mood among the others was considerably more tense, with clear animosity brewing on both sides.
The standoff, however, didn't last long. A woman named Utahime Iori arrived, accompanied by Gojo Satoru and the principals of both schools.
Since Tokyo's third-years were all away on missions, forcing them to field first-years to make up the numbers, a rundown of the rules was necessary.
In short, this year's exchange event was a two-day competition between the two schools. Day one was a team battle. The winning side would be determined by a comprehensive points system based on the grade and quantity of cursed spirits exorcised by each team.
Of course, hindering the opposing team was also permitted during this time, so clashes between the sides were quite common.
However, the rules strictly forbade inflicting serious injury. Jujutsu sorcerers were scarce enough as it was; dying while exorcising curses was one thing, but dying at a comrade's hand was considered a pointless waste.
After the rules were explained, everyone moved into the school to make their final preparations for the upcoming event.
The Tokyo side wasn't feeling particularly tense. Everyone's recent progress was plain for all their teammates to see.
Moreover, not long ago, their own Itadori Yuji had fought their opponent's ace, Todo Aoi, to a standstill.
Sure, Todo hadn't used his technique and probably wasn't going all out, but it still clearly demonstrated Itadori's considerable growth.
At the very least, he could hold Todo off for a short while.
And if Todo could be temporarily handled, the others posed less of a threat to their side. The only real unknown was the Mechamaru unit, who lacked detailed intelligence and might spring an unpleasant surprise.
"Anyway, don't worry. We just need to perform as we normally would," Maki concluded, putting an end to the discussion.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.