Double update for today!
I've been playing in the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Qualifiers over the past few days, which is why updates have been a bit slower. I'm currently about halfway to qualifying for Regionals, so here's hoping I can make it in. It sounds like it'd be a lot of fun to compete there.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy today's chapters!
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The next day, at 4:00 in the morning, the boys' dormitory was completely quiet.
BANG BANG—! Gojo Satoru's knocking was truly in a class of its own.
The commotion, loud enough to tear the house down, jolted Asou Akiya awake from his sleep. He stared blankly at the ceiling for several seconds, unable to fathom why Gojo Satoru possessed such boundless energy. Was indulging in lewdness truly the only thing capable of draining the other person's emotional reserves?
His eyelids fighting a losing battle, Asou Akiya was forced out of bed to open the door. Outside stood the white-haired youth, fully dressed and ready to go.
The other's eyes sparkled with a brilliance like a smartphone camera pointed at a clear blue sky.
"What is it?" Asou Akiya asked, utterly drained of energy.
"Akiya, give me the car keys." On a sudden whim, Gojo Satoru wanted to ride a bicycle back to his family's estate in Kyoto to look for ancient texts.
Asou Akiya promptly handed over the bicycle keys, then shut the door, turned around, and collapsed back onto the bed to continue sleeping.
Gojo Satoru kept knocking. BANG BANG! "Akiya, let's go to Kyoto together!"
[Not going.]
Asou Akiya pulled the blanket over his head, as though he hadn't heard a thing.
Gojo Satoru realized that if he knocked any harder, the doorframe might crack. With an unhappy expression, he stopped his house-demolishing antics.
Immediately after, the bang bang sounds came from the room two doors down.
Asou Akiya closed his eyes. "You have my sympathies, Getou. This is the physical toll you must pay."
On the other side, Getou Suguru, who had been frightened awake in bed: "Who is it?"
Gojo Satoru wanted to drag Getou Suguru away in his loungewear. Fortunately, Getou Suguru's mind had cleared enough for him to quickly beg for mercy, securing himself time to change his clothes. In the end, he followed the other out the door in his school uniform.
Asou Akiya's bicycle was commandeered by the two of them.
Getou Suguru's eyes narrowed into slits as he prepared to sit on the back seat, planning to catch up on sleep during the ride.
Who would have expected, just as he was about to close his eyes—Gojo Satoru, holding the bicycle, called out: "Suguru, don't slack off. Sit in the front."
Getou Suguru's face was blank with confusion as he walked to the front and sat down properly, becoming the standard rickshaw puller. "Exactly who is the one slacking off here?"
Gojo Satoru hopped onto the back with a cheeky grin, deliberately gripping Getou Suguru's clothes tight.
"Go! Let's set off!"
"...You navigate for me. I don't know the way to Kyoto."
"Got it!"
Gojo Satoru chattered noisily from behind. "The morning markets in Kyoto have all sorts of delicious things. We'll bring some back for Akiya and Shoko—they'll definitely be jealous that we got to go to Kyoto so early in the morning."
Getou Suguru's expression gradually went numb. No, they wouldn't be jealous. They would only praise you with a single sentence while eating and drinking.
On this beautiful spring morning, Getou Suguru pedaled the bicycle at high speed with a passenger, overtaking buses, overtaking private cars, overtaking traffic police officers whose faces were frozen in bewilderment.
Whoever witnessed this scene would have to praise it—
What youthful vitality!
Getou Suguru ignited his cursed energy: [I have to make it back before first period!!!]
Gojo Satoru shouted: "Keep it up, Suguru! You're so fast—we can get to Kyoto in the shortest time possible!"
For the morning classes, the two of them successfully arrived… late.
In the classroom.
Getou Suguru was slumped in his seat, his eyes lifeless, a children's cooling patch that Asou Akiya had prepared in advance stuck to his forehead.
On the desk surface, a large pile of ancient texts emitted the scent of years gone by.
Gojo Satoru didn't like reading books, so he tossed the difficult task of reading them to Asou Akiya: "These are ancient texts related to Cursed Spirit Manipulation. The servants at my place spent several hours digging them up... Here, this is all of them."
Asou Akiya pulled out a large sack from his drawer, packed everything inside, and planned to look through them after returning home.
Gojo Satoru leaned down, deliberately peering into the other's drawer. "Are you Doraemon? How do you have every strange thing under the sun?"
Well-rested and in high spirits, Asou Akiya replied, "No, I'm simply preparing for a rainy day."
Getou Suguru said resentfully, "It seems I haven't learned the essence of your approach? Teach me next time too."
Asou Akiya ate the pastries they had brought back. "It can't be taught. Haven't you noticed you're getting softer and softer on Gojo?"
Getou Suguru was struck with horror in an instant.
It had only just been the start of the semester, and the one who had been giving in to Gojo Satoru's every request was clearly Asou Akiya!
Getou Suguru's face was twisted in struggle. "What kind of technique is this?"
Asou Akiya fabricated a technique on the spot that made Gojo Satoru beam with delight: "The legendary 'Gojo Manipulation Technique.' Its effect is specifically designed to attack the mental defenses of classmates. The stronger one's abilities, the more powerful the attack's effect."
Among the four of them, the ranking of strength was: Gojo Satoru, Getou Suguru, Asou Akiya, Ieiri Shoko.
Getou Suguru's soul practically left his body. "Shoko, were you attacked too?"
Ieiri Shoko supported Asou's claim. "Yes, I was attacked. I'm currently concentrating on eating while praising Gojo."
Ieiri Shoko: "Gojo, will you keep bringing takeout next time?"
Gojo Satoru grinned and made his demand. "I want a reward from Shoko!"
Ieiri Shoko, in a rare display of mercy, extended her hands, brought her palms together, and white light emerged. She treated Gojo Satoru's brain, which had been affected by the technique.
"Here's your reward."
"Shoko is the best! Reverse Cursed Technique is the best!"
Gojo Satoru cheered. Getou Suguru lay there like a corpse. Asou Akiya calmly took a sip of water to prevent the pastries from going down the wrong pipe.
After finishing eating, Asou Akiya poked Gojo Satoru's soft cheek. "Go back to your seat. Stop harassing Shoko and me."
Gojo Satoru swaggered back to his seat.
Asou Akiya spoke up. "Teacher, please continue the lesson."
Beneath the lectern, the utterly unnoticeable assistant supervisor crouched down, scrolling through his phone to read the news, then glancing at the group chat where memes were being spammed with abandon, his expression cheerful. Hearing that the students wanted to have class, he only then stood back up and entered the teaching phase as though it were the most natural thing in the world. As long as he kept a level head and learned to love slacking off, he felt absolutely no sense of being ignored whatsoever!
One of the owners of those memes, Gojo Satoru, had skin thick enough that he didn't take this matter to heart at all.
He simply thought he was too cute. It couldn't be helped if other people liked him!
On April 7th, before Friday's dismissal, Yaga Masamichi held them back for an impromptu extended class, drawing Gojo Satoru's indignation. "Yaga, I have to go buy game cartridges after school! Tomorrow is Saturday!"
"Hmph. Wait five minutes before leaving." Yaga Masamichi pulled a brand-new student ID card from his pocket and said, without any ceremony, "Today, we will be issuing the second Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer certification in the history of Tokyo Jujutsu High."
Gojo Satoru instinctively spread his hand open, fingers facing upward, expecting to receive something. "Mine?"
Yaga Masamichi spat back in disdain, "No!"
Gojo Satoru deflated.
An expression of gloom and wretched misery appeared on Gojo Satoru's face for the very first time. The joy he felt while lying flat was matched only by the frustration of losing to someone else's hustle. Gojo Satoru cast a pitiful gaze toward Asou Akiya, a plea for help radiating from behind his sunglasses, hoping Asou Akiya would say something to wipe that smile off Getou Suguru's face.
Asou Akiya saw that he was a bit pathetic and decided to make him break down just a little more.
Asou Akiya said sincerely, "Getou, congratulations. I admit I overestimated Gojo and underestimated you."
Gojo Satoru was pierced through the heart by a single arrow.
Asou Akiya apologized with feigned guilt. "As expected, someone who only runs their mouth really can't be relied upon."
Gojo Satoru was pierced through the heart by a second arrow.
Asou Akiya tenderly held out his phone. "I've formed a new interest group. It's called [Tokyo Jujutsu High's Diligent Duo]. From now on, we'll be the most hardworking people in the class. I'll learn from you. You're the first male friend I've made at Tokyo Jujutsu High."
[A-am I not your friend???]
Gojo Satoru was pierced by a third arrow... a critical hit! His health bar emptied!
The white-haired youth collapsed onto his desk, no longer looking at anyone. This world no longer needed Gojo Satoru, for the time being!
[Satoru, you finally got your comeuppance!]
[Akiya, you're too good with words. Say a little more!]
Getou Suguru felt so refreshed that it was as if his fringes were jumping around with joy. His soul elated, eyes narrowing into slits once more, his smile stretching to its widest arc, and his face carrying a hint of delightfully unhinged glee.
Hahahahahaha, he had finally beaten Gojo Satoru fair and square!!!
Ieiri Shoko: "Getou, watch your image."
Asou Akiya advised, "It's fine. Let him laugh and release some stress. I know how hard Getou has worked. This is the reward he deserves."
Getou Suguru reined in his excessively exaggerated smile, yet a trace of the bitterness of cursed spirit orbs and the spiritual satiety of being understood welled up in his heart.
If anyone else had spoken those words, he would have at most taken them as mere pleasantries. But it was Asou Akiya who said to him, "I know how hard you've worked."
Getou Suguru knew—the other truly saw clearly, truly understood!
[I have a classmate who can see straight through people's hearts.]
[Fortunately, we became friends. He is paving the way for me everywhere, no longer treating me with cold indifference.]
"Akiya, change the first contact in your phone to me."
—Getou Suguru seized the position by force.
"Alright."
—[DK Suguru] replaced [DK Satoru].
"You're calling me by my name, just like that time when we made up a parallel-world scenario for Gojo."
— It's Suguru, not Getou.
"As you wish, Suguru."
— People who become friends always earn certain privileges, and one of them is how they address each other.
Asou Akiya fulfilled Getou Suguru's wish once again and again, bringing a perfect close to the day on which the Special Grade sorcerer had finally received his official certification.
Getou Suguru was happy.
Gojo Satoru continued to emanate a low-pressure atmosphere.
Yaga Masamichi coughed once, pulling the students' attention back. "Don't play too hard over the weekend. Everyone rest well. The missions next week will be heavy."
Yaga Masamichi handed the student ID card to Getou Suguru and patted him on the shoulder. "Class dismissed."
Getou Suguru kept it safe, tucking it into his wallet.
At the classroom door, Gojo Satoru was the first to sling his bag over his shoulder and walk out, head held high and chest puffed out, his strides enormous, as though a Special Grade cursed spirit awaited exorcism up ahead. He didn't wait for the other dawdling classmates behind him.
Asou Akiya said to Getou Suguru, "Shall we celebrate?"
Getou Suguru thought for a moment, then said somewhat sheepishly, "Let's talk Satoru into coming back. I don't want to be without him. He'll only get angrier."
Ieiri Shoko saw through the ways of the world. "Getou, so you actually have a motherly personality type?"
Getou Suguru's face darkened. "I do not!"
Getou Suguru analyzed Gojo Satoru's situation. "Akiya, he seems furious. Is it directed at me, or at you?"
Asou Akiya packed up his school bag and replied amiably, "Of course he's angry. But it doesn't matter."
Gojo Satoru was a man of remarkably stable emotions, with a powerful mental core and nerves as thick as reinforced concrete rebar. In his entire life, the only things that elicited any peculiar psychological reaction from him were things he had lost.
Constantly yielding and making concessions was a futile endeavor—it only served to fuel Gojo Satoru's caprice and arrogance.
"Let him endure it today and take a small loss. There won't be another opportunity this good in the future."
"..."
Getou Suguru felt a pang of sympathy, thinking that Gojo Satoru would suffer setbacks far more numerous than just today's. This certainly wouldn't be the only time.
Setting aside the pressure of what lay ahead, Getou Suguru threw an arm around Asou Akiya's shoulders—a rare display of camaraderie.
"What shall we go eat?"
"Soba. All kinds of delicious soba."
Asou Akiya's answer was, as always, perfect, striking right at the heart of what Getou Suguru wanted. Ieiri Shoko, walking behind them, clicked her tongue in amazement.
Ieiri Shoko: [Gojo, if you keep sulking like this, you're going to lose your spot.]
In that moment, Ieiri Shoko decided that Gojo Satoru absolutely needed to exist. Otherwise—Getou Suguru would have monopolized Asou Akiya's company for the entire afternoon!
She tightened her grip on her bag strap and hurried after the two high school boys, heading out for their group meal.
[Tokyo Jujutsu High Foodie Duo]
[Gojo Satoru: Little tangerine, stinky tangerine, bad tangerine! How dare you abandon me and run off with Getou!]
[Gojo Satoru: I heard you! I heard everything!]
[Gojo Satoru: The moment I get promoted to Special Grade, I'm changing your contact name back immediately! I'm your number one!]
[Gojo Satoru: Check your phone! Don't walk so far away—don't you dare get on that bus—]
[Gojo Satoru: …]
[Gojo Satoru: Remember to take photos of the food. Congratulate Getou on my behalf too…]
[Gojo Satoru: Come find me when you get back tonight... I'm not eating... I'll be waiting for you two to come back.]
Late at night.
A large takeout order of midnight snacks was left outside Gojo's dorm room door.
Gojo Satoru padded barefoot to the entrance. He turned to look back, watching the black-haired youth vanish at the far end of the corridor, unwilling to stay up through the night with him.
A bitter, indescribable emotion churned in Gojo Satoru's chest. "Both Getou and I are the 'strongest.' He used to praise me and me alone as the 'strongest.' Getou was always dissatisfied, always challenging that. Is he really going to decide that Getou is the 'strongest' just because I lost to him once in a promotion? Has Akiya's analytical ability finally failed him?"
Subconsciously, Gojo Satoru had grasped Asou Akiya's tendency to admire strength, yet in reality, he refused to admit that his own standing had slipped.
"He also said he admired Zen'in Toji."
"That was clearly to provoke me, to make me stay vigilant against the outside world."
"This time it's definitely the same thing! I only lost to Getou by accident—it's not like I'm going to keep losing to him forever!"
Having reasoned through the cause of it all, Gojo Satoru picked up the takeout and carried it back to his room to eat.
Midway through his meal, he was scorched by the spice of the grilled skewers—
He couldn't find any cola. When he saw that the takeout only contained orange soda, his negative emotions finally exploded.
"Akiya clearly knows I hate orange-flavored soda!"
He took a long swig anyway.
It doused the fire in his mouth, but the dissatisfaction in his heart twisted itself into an even tighter knot!
...
In his dream, Gojo Satoru imagined a world where he had never slacked off, where he had diligently completed every mission, and where he had been promoted to Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer alongside Getou Suguru.
Once again, they advanced shoulder to shoulder. Neither had managed to pull ahead of the other.
Faced with their joint promotion, Asou Akiya heaped praise upon Gojo Satoru. Those ordinary, commonplace words of praise brought him far greater joy than they ever had before. The certification of Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, which he had never cared much about, now carried a unique, haloed significance in Asou Akiya's presence—the strong were indeed worthy of praise.
In Asou Akiya's phone contacts, the first name belonged to Gojo Satoru.
["You're the most outstanding one, Gojo."]
["The two of you have become the 'strongest' in every sense of the word. I'll always be cheering you on from behind the scenes."]
["The future of the jujutsu world rests on the two of you working hand in hand!"]
Upon waking, Gojo Satoru realized it had all been a dream. Furious, he pummeled his pillow. Then his Six Eyes detected that Getou Suguru had brought breakfast for Asou Akiya? What was that about? Akiya was an extremely disciplined person with a preference for spicy flavors—he didn't like traditional breakfast fare at all.
Silently, Gojo Satoru flipped his middle finger in Getou Suguru's direction.
—Squinty eyes, weird bangs, home-wrecker!
—So annoying.
[Author's Note]
Second update.