Teach them Jujutsu?
That question came out of nowhere.
Sōjun Minamoto paused, then thought—it wasn't impossible.
He needed to familiarize himself with various techniques, but that didn't mean he had to assimilate them. Assimilating a technique meant relearning and adapting it all over again. He hadn't even fully explored his own Cursed Techniques yet.
He did have plenty of avatars, which made developing multiple techniques simultaneously possible—but wouldn't it be better to focus his efforts in one direction?
Sōjun had always believed that every Cursed Technique was like an iceberg—what you saw above the surface was only a tiny fraction. The real potential was hidden deep below.
That was especially true for his Unlimited Cursed Technique.
There was no way to fully develop all of it.
Sometimes, having too many techniques could be more of a headache than an advantage.
In truth, he preferred expanding on his own abilities—like with Puppet Manipulation. Without full assimilation, he could use accumulated knowledge and combine it with refined control to achieve the same effects.
As his development continued, this puppet-style usage would become more natural and powerful, eventually surpassing the limits of the original technique. If he kept going down this path, simply deepening his own techniques would naturally make everything else stronger too.
He weighed the idea of teaching.
Exchanging ideas with younger sorcerers could be a great benefit to him.
As for the time commitment Nanami Kento had mentioned—that was the easiest part to manage. All it took was assigning another avatar.
Sōjun made up his mind.
"Sure," he said casually.
Nanami let out a visible sigh of relief, and Yu Haibara brightened up instantly.
Riko Amanai had performed exceptionally well during this mission. Her use of techniques, her control over Cursed Energy... even just the Curtain she cast stood out.
And that Curtain? She learned it from Sōjun.
When Nanami and Haibara heard that she still regularly sought Sōjun out for guidance, they were intrigued. On a whim, they'd asked—and to their surprise, it actually worked.
Riko suddenly sat up.
Part of her reason for bringing Nanami and Haibara today was just that—hoping her friends could grow stronger, so they wouldn't end up in another close call like this one.
She was happy Sōjun agreed.
Haibara scratched his head with a guilty smile. "Ah, if I'd known, I would've brought another gift."
The others chuckled at that.
Sōjun smiled too. He'd originally wanted to learn and grow alongside them as peers—but they placed him on a pedestal so quickly that he found himself cast in the role of teacher instead.
Only Riko felt a little conflicted.
Even though Sōjun had been teaching her Jujutsu, she didn't want to admit he was her sensei.
They were all about the same age—she had just started a bit later.
She was working hard to catch up to him.
Still, she quickly shoved that stubborn feeling aside. She hadn't even given him her gift yet.
My turn, my turn.
She pulled a small box from her pocket, cleared her throat, and drew everyone's attention. Once they were looking, she was ready to make her grand presentation...
But Sōjun suddenly stood up and turned to Nanami and Haibara, cutting in first:
"Let's go."
Now that he'd agreed to teach, he needed to understand their techniques, fighting styles, strengths, and weaknesses. See where they stood.
Techniques grow sharper through impact—especially with newcomers like them. Their minds were still open, unhindered by fixed thinking, which meant sparks were more likely to fly.
He'd read through the Jujutsu High archives before. The documents listed most known Innate Techniques in the Jujutsu world—including his and Nanami Kento's.
The Ratio Technique—dividing the target at a 7:3 ratio to forcibly create a weak point.
Now that was a technique worth studying.
Sōjun was eager to try it.
What was the mechanism behind it? How exactly did it create weak points? Innate Techniques were perfectly suited to their users—how far had Nanami taken his?
He really wanted to experience it firsthand.
He looked at the bangs over Nanami's forehead—also parted in a 3:7 ratio, covering one eye. That eye would occasionally peek out as he moved, only to vanish again under his hair.
Then he turned to Haibara. No Cursed Technique. Judging by his frame, his hand-to-hand skills… didn't seem great. He wasn't especially strong—muscle mass was average for a sorcerer. But his Cursed Energy reserves were solid.
Sōjun now had a rough idea of where the two stood.
"Where to?" the two asked, a bit confused.
"Training Field No. 5. Let's test your abilities."
With that, Sōjun Minamoto led them out of the attic and toward Training Field No. 5.
Riko Amanai's introduction was cut short. She stood frozen for a moment, then burst into fury when she saw them leave. Slamming—no, placing—the gift box on the table, she grabbed a pen from the living room, drew a big, exaggerated grimace on the box, clapped her hands, and hurried after them.
Just you wait—I'll show you how strong my technique really is.
She seethed at the thought.
...
By the time they arrived, Training Field No. 5 had already been repaired, looking as good as new. The ground had been leveled, and the perimeter wall rebuilt.
Sōjun walked to the center of the field, while the other three lined up facing him.
"I'm going first!"
Riko Amanai could barely hold back.
Oh? So we're doing this one at a time?
Sōjun didn't respond. He just stood there lazily, letting them decide for themselves.
It wasn't that he was underestimating them. He simply preferred to counter rather than take the initiative—especially in non-lethal sparring.
Behind that looseness was restrained violence.
But his thirst for combat was still sharp.
Riko stomped hard on the ground, lowering her center of gravity. She dashed forward almost hugging the ground, wind surging behind her as she closed in on Sōjun.
This was what happened without a real sense of danger.
The three of them had worked together well against the two Grade 2 Cursed Spirits, yet now, faced with a Special Grade like him, they chose to fight one-on-one.
Because they knew they wouldn't die.
As her fist loomed in his vision, Sōjun sidestepped, caught her wrist in passing, and followed with a plain but clean knee strike to the stomach. His knee sank in slightly before separating from her soft abdomen—the collision of force lifting her body into the air for a split second.
"Ugh—!"
She coughed up blood, clutching her stomach and stumbling backward. Her knees gave out, and she dropped to the ground, unable to speak.
She shakily pointed a trembling finger at Sōjun.
You… you…
"Ugh—!" Another mouthful of blood.
"Let's do it together."
Sōjun spread his arms slightly, turning his body sideways as he glanced at Kento Nanami, Yu Haibara, and the kneeling Riko Amanai.
He suddenly smiled and said softly, "You all know I can use Reverse Cursed Technique, right?"
"…So basically,"
"As long as I don't kill you, I can heal anything else."
His smile deepened.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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