"That's really mean. Don't you have any respect for your elders or care for the young?"
Naoya Zenin wore an extremely punchable smile.
"Your cousin traveled all this way, and not only do you not welcome me warmly—look at you. You won't even face me?"
"I have nothing to say to a guy who only evaluates women by their butts."
Maki Zenin turned around, pointing the tip of her wooden training sword at Naoya.
"The exchange event doesn't start until tomorrow. You shouldn't be here. Get lost."
"..."
A flicker of displeasure crossed Naoya's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. His gaze swept across Maki's face, that arrogant smile still lingering on his lips.
"Oh my, little Maki. Your face is so cute."
He raised his hand, gesturing lazily in the air.
"It's a pity you have no self-awareness as a woman. A woman who doesn't walk three steps behind a man might as well be stabbed in the back."
"Compared to you, Mai is much better." Naoya shrugged. "Although Mai-chan also likes to act tough, deep down she knows her place as a woman."
Whoosh—
Before he could finish, a wooden training sword flew straight at his face. But Naoya merely tilted his head, and the sword brushed past his hair without touching him.
"Don't you dare mention Mai, you piece of trash."
Maki glared fiercely at Naoya, veins bulging on her forehead.
Mai Zenin. Maki Zenin's twin sister.
The two had grown up together and originally shared a close bond. As the older sister, Maki had always protected Mai.
But the Zenin Clan was a garbage dump that only valued jujutsu talent. In that garbage dump, the underperforming Maki and Mai were naturally bullied by everyone.
Including Naoya Zenin. When Maki was a child, Naoya had tormented her relentlessly. At his worst, he'd stepped directly on her head, grinding her face into the floor while hurling insults without restraint.
The bullying the sisters suffered in the Zenin Clan was no less severe than what Junpei Yoshino had experienced. Perhaps even worse.
As the younger sister, Mai loved her older sister deeply. But her timid personality made her want to stay in the clan with Maki—living a humble but stable life.
But Maki refused to accept that. She wanted to prove to everyone that she, Maki Zenin, was neither a failure nor the trash they called her. So she left the Zenin Clan to train at Jujutsu High.
"Oh my, oh my. Are you angry?"
Naoya raised his hands in mock surrender.
But his attitude remained contemptuous. "Want to fight? Little Maki, let me see how much you've improved during your two years at the Tokyo school."
"Hey! What are you doing!"
As the tension between them escalated, a deep voice came from the nearby forest. Naoya turned and saw two figures approaching quickly under the streetlights.
"...Panda?"
A burly figure resembling a panda stepped in front of Maki, shielding her. Beside him stood a white-haired boy whose face was hidden by his collar, leaving only his eyes visible.
Grade 2 sorcerer, Panda.
Grade 2 sorcerer, Toge Inumaki.
Both lowered their stances, wary of the blonde man before them.
"The young master of the Zenin Clan? Go back. Now. If you keep picking fights, we'll tell Satoru Gojo about today and let him deal with you."
"Salmon."
"..."
At Satoru Gojo's name, a flicker of apprehension crossed Naoya's eyes.
The three people before him were only Grade 2 sorcerers. Naoya was a standout among Grade 1s. Even if all three attacked together, they wouldn't be a match for him. But Naoya definitely didn't want Satoru Gojo coming after him.
"I'll take special care of you at tomorrow's exchange event, little Maki."
He turned, that arrogant smile returning to his lips, and disappeared into the forest.
"Look forward to it."
The training ground fell quiet.
Panda sighed and patted Maki's shoulder. "Don't let it get to you. That guy's just like that."
"Mustard leaf."
Toge also offered comfort.
Maki shook her head, eyes resolute.
"I won't lose at tomorrow's exchange event."
The sky had completely darkened. The gate of Jujutsu High looked particularly solemn under the streetlights. Stone lanterns on both sides emitted a dim yellow glow, casting long, twisted shadows from the ancient pine trees.
"Yoshino-kun, I'll go park the car first. Feel free to look around, and we'll meet back here shortly."
The auxiliary manager poked his head out the car window, gave some instructions, then drove through the school gate.
"Okay. Thank you."
Junpei Yoshino nodded, gripping his phone and luggage as he stood by the road, looking around.
It was 9 PM. After saying goodbye to his mother, Junpei had set off.
This was his first time at Tokyo Jujutsu High. The surrounding buildings and scenery felt unfamiliar yet fascinating. Rolling mountains in the distance. Scattered school buildings nearby. The air carried an ancient, solemn weight—completely different from Yokohama's streets.
He walked while looking down at his phone, opening LINE and tapping on his chat with Yuji Itadori.
"Itadori-kun, I've arrived. Where are you?"
The reply came quickly.
"I'm out eating with classmates. I'll hurry back. Feel free to look around, but don't wander off."
"Okay."
The unknown always breeds curiosity. Junpei chatted while walking, the corners of his mouth curling upward slightly. Because the road was so empty, he didn't pay attention to what was ahead.
BANG—
"Ah!"
Junpei suddenly collided with something solid. He fell backward, his phone clattering to the ground.
"Hss... ow, ow, ow..."
He rubbed his forehead, looked up—and saw a figure looming over him.
Blonde hair. Black haori. Hands in pockets. An impatient expression.
Naoya Zenin.
"Are you a first-year?"
Naoya looked the black-haired boy up and down as he sat sprawled on the ground. He reached a conclusion.
Trash.
"So weak. Your cursed energy is practically nonexistent, and your constitution is no different from a normal person's." He shook his head, tone dripping with undisguised disgust. "Someone like you is fit to be a jujutsu sorcerer? In the Zenin Clan, you'd be expelled on the spot."
Junpei was stunned. "Who... who are you? What gives you the right to say that!"
"Me?" Naoya raised an eyebrow. "You're not worthy of knowing my name."
"But I have a question. Were you raised without manners? I asked you something, and you answer with a question?"
"You bumped into me just now. Aren't you going to apologize?"
Naoya looked down at Junpei with casual contempt.
"Get on the ground. Kowtow three times. Then leave."
"...?"
He hadn't expected to encounter someone this terrible right after arriving at Jujutsu High. Fear flickered across Junpei's face.
But having survived the ordeal with Mahito, he had completely shed his cowardly former self. The black-haired boy gritted his teeth, pushed himself to his feet, and looked Naoya Zenin directly in the eye.
"I won't."
"This road is wide enough for a dozen people to walk side by side. Bumping into someone is almost impossible. I was looking at my phone and didn't notice—but you deliberately didn't move out of the way. That's why we collided."
"Moreover, what you just said severely offended me. I need you to apologize."
Junpei held Naoya's gaze. That defiant look made Naoya's temper flare.
"Hey, hey. Are you kidding me?"
Naoya's voice turned cold.
"What are you? You think you're worthy of mouthing off to me?"
He raised his arm, fingers clenching into a fist. Cursed energy gathered on its surface. With Junpei's current constitution, a punch from Naoya would hospitalize him with serious injuries at minimum.
"Take this—"
Naoya threw a heavy punch straight at Junpei's face. Junpei gasped and instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.
But at the critical moment, a third party intervened.
SMACK!
A hand caught Naoya's wrist, stopping his fist cold. It couldn't advance an inch.
Naoya was surprised. He tried to pull free, but the grip was iron. The blonde man turned his head—and saw a pink-haired boy standing beside him, amber eyes fixed on him coldly.
"The young master of the Zenin Clan. Naoya Zenin, right?"
"Are all the guys from the Big Three Families this rude? Reduced to bullying a junior who just arrived."
Naoya was momentarily stunned. Then his signature smile spread across his face.
"Oh my. You're Sukuna's vessel—the genius who defeated a Special Grade curse right after enrolling?"
"Looks like you're not much either. You're far worse than Toji."
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