"So awesome, Nanami! You exorcised a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit so easily!"
Itadori and Nobara, leaving their earlier hesitation behind, gathered around Kento Nanami, showering him with praise.
Nanami's expression remained calm and unshaken.
"This Special Grade Cursed Spirit was relatively weak. With Haibara and I responding promptly, it was exorcised quickly," he explained.
Yu Haibara rubbed his nose, grinning. "Hehe, thanks for the compliment, Nanamin!"
"It's not a compliment," Nanami corrected, adjusting his goggles. "I'm stating facts. You've improved significantly, Haibara."
He then spoke seriously. "From now on, remain on high alert. Facing a Special Grade Cursed Spirit so early in the mission means it will only get more dangerous. I cannot guarantee your safety."
With that, Nanami walked ahead, short sword in hand, leading the team. His composed, authoritative demeanor only increased the three's admiration.
"Even so, I don't want to be protected all the time!" Itadori pounded his right fist into his left palm. "Senior Nanami, we want to help too!"
Nanami turned to them, and the tension in the air thickened. The three swallowed nervously, like students awaiting their grades. After a moment, Nanami nodded.
"Fine. But you must follow my orders."
"Yes, yes!" The three chorused eagerly.
Soon, they reached a street swarming with Transfigured Humans and Cursed Spirits.
"Haibara!" Nanami called.
"Understood!"
Yu Haibara formed hand signs, radiating Cursed Energy onto everyone.
Amplification Cursed Technique: Multitude!
Itadori and the others immediately felt their Cursed Energy surge dramatically.
"Ino, handle the enemies on the left."
"Got it, Nanamin-san!"
Summoning Technique: Visiting Auspicious Beast!
Takuma Ino, bandit-style head covering in place, charged the horde of Cursed Spirits. His right hand formed a golden beast horn covered in talismans, flying through enemies like bullets and piercing both Cursed Spirits and Transfigured Humans alike.
"The seniors are strong! I can't fall behind!"
Itadori surged forward, his fist wrapped in Cursed Energy, punching a Cursed Spirit to pieces. Due to his extraordinary physical abilities, the energy struck twice, causing double the impact—a technique he learned at Jujutsu High: Divergent Fist.
"Divine Dogs!"
"Straw Doll Technique!"
Fushiguro Megumi and Nobara joined the fight, their attacks precise and calculated, showing the difference between trained sorcerers and Itadori's raw power. Together, the group gradually cleared their assigned sector.
"Hmm?" Nanami stopped abruptly, holding up a hand. "There's a strong Cursed Energy fluctuation ahead. Likely above Grade 1. Be careful."
Boom!
A clothing store's glass window shattered. A shirtless man, kicking a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit in the abdomen with a flying kick, emerged.
More Cursed Spirits followed, surrounding him. Yet he remained unfazed, flashing a confident smile as sweat glistened across his eight-pack.
"Bastard Aoi!" Momo Nishimiya flew in on her broom, shouting at Aoi Todo, who was effortlessly demolishing Cursed Spirits.
"You're the team leader! How can you abandon your teammates?"
Aoi's grin revealed sharp white teeth as he punched another Cursed Spirit apart. "You're just too slow!"
"That's harsh, Senior Aoi Todo!" Kasumi Miwa drew her sword, slicing a Transfigured Human cleanly. Nanami murmured under his breath, "New Shadow Style?"
Other Kyoto students arrived one by one—Mechamaru, Kōichi, Zen'in Mai, Kamo Noritoshi—greeting Nanami's group with cautious politeness.
Zen'in Mai's gaze settled on Nobara. "Isn't Zen'in Maki from your Tokyo Jujutsu High?"
Kugisaki blinked. "Who are you calling 'hey'? And so what if she is?"
Mai mocked, "Your Tokyo Jujutsu High lets a Grade 4 sorcerer lead the Sixth Team? That's reckless!"
"Senior Maki is a good-for-nothing?" Nobara snapped.
Mai sneered, "She has a Heavenly Restriction, almost no Cursed Energy, can't even sense Cursed Spirits. All she can do is swing swords and spears!"
"Shut up!" Itadori roared. "That's nonsense! Senior Maki is strong!"
Suddenly, Aoi shouted, having thrown a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit into Itadori's path. Furious, Itadori's punch exploded with Cursed Energy, obliterating the enemy instantly.
"Huh? Did I do that?" Itadori blinked.
Nanami observed calmly. "Although Aoi had already incapacitated it, the fact you broke through a Grade 1's defense is impressive."
"Hahaha! That was a nice punch!" Aoi beamed, walking over. "I'm Aoi Todo. You're Itadori, right?"
"Oh, hello. I'm Itadori Yuji."
Aoi grinned. "Yosh! I have a question."
Mai, Nishimiya, and the others groaned, covering their faces.
"What question?" Itadori asked warily.
"Itadori, what kind of girls do you like?"
"Huh???"
"Answer seriously. It's important!" Aoi's expression left no room for joking.
Itadori thought for a moment. "Well… I like tall girls with big butts, like Jennifer Lawrence."
Aoi's eyes widened as memories of heartbreak flickered in his mind—a fantasy of rejection at a sunlit campus, kneeling in defeat as his crush walked away.
Itadori appeared beside him. "You failed again, huh?"
"Shut up! Love is a battlefield!"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm hungry. Want ramen? My treat."
"Let's go!" Aoi laughed, and the two walked shoulder to shoulder, passing posters of curvy beauties under the setting sun. The shadows of youth stretched long behind them.