Yuki Tsukumo glanced over at Yoshinobu Gakuganji, asking in a flat tone, "Are these the three genius boys you mentioned?"
Gakuganji's eyes narrowed, the wrinkles on his face deepening. Before he could answer, someone shouted from the crowd.
Shion Gojo suddenly noticed a large group of people approaching the teaching building. His voice dropped into a low growl.
Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto snapped back to full awareness and immediately let go of each other. The three of them stood up, brushed dust off their clothes, wiped the blood from their noses, adjusted their cracked sunglasses, and glanced around with guilty expressions.
The atmosphere felt awkwardly quiet.
"Oi! Principal Yaga, you're here too!" Satoru called out loudly to Masamichi Yaga, his voice unapologetically casual.
Yaga, trying his best to seem invisible in the crowd, stiffened at the attention. As dozens of elders and sorcerers stared down at him, he kept his serious expression, though internally he had already checked out.
It wasn't just Yaga feeling this way. The higher-ups from the Gojo Clan were also silently regretting being present.
A stern voice cut through the tension.
"Is this how the Gojo Clan raises their heirs?" Zen'in Ogi snapped, glaring at the trio.
Geto knew better than to argue with someone of Ogi's standing among the Big Three Families, so he just kept an impassive look.
Satoru, however, wore his usual playful smirk. He met Ogi's glare with blatant disrespect, spitting on the ground in front of him. Ogi's face tightened, his patience clearly fraying.
Shion stepped forward, patting Satoru on the head and chiding, "Bro, this is an elder from one of the Big Three Families, so mind your manners."
At once, Ogi's chest swelled with self-importance.
"…Finally, a junior who understands etiquette," he said, just as Shion continued, "Though with that skinny frame, it's clear he won't live long anyway, so we should at least be considerate of his remaining years."
Ogi's face turned beet red, and he nearly reached for his sword in fury.
Yuki Tsukumo laughed loudly, clutching her stomach in amusement. These old men frustrated her regularly, yet had never been easy to confront — until now.
Gakuganji cleared his throat to regain control of the crowd, "Let's not forget why we're here today, this is the Goodwill Event between the two schools."
At that, Ogi took a steady breath, closed his eyes, and let the matter drop.
Soon, the students from Tokyo and Kyoto lined up for the commencement of the event. Compared to Kyoto's lineup of over twenty eager sorcerers, Shion's trio looked small and unimpressive.
Masamichi Yaga stepped forward to explain the rules.
"Within the competition area, several Grade 3 Cursed Spirits have been placed, along with one dangerous Grade 2 Cursed Spirit," he said loudly.
"The rules are simple. The first team to exorcise the Grade 2 Cursed Spirit wins. If neither side succeeds within the time limit, the team that exorcises more Grade 3 Cursed Spirits will be declared the winner."
Yaga paused, then added, "Provided no one's life is endangered, interfering with the opposing team's progress, or temporarily disabling them, is permitted."
As he glanced over at Shion and the other two, his expression darkened.
"Alright, dismissed!"
At once, the Kyoto team surged into the dense forest ahead.
Shion, Satoru, and Geto stood for a moment, then turned and strode into the competition area at a relaxed pace.
"Hey, Bro did you bring any snacks? I'm starving," Satoru said cheerfully.
"Shut up, Satoru, I still haven't forgiven you for stealing my hagiki last time," Shion teased right back.
Geto laughed and added, "Honestly, I don't understand how you two don't get sick of sweets all the time. Real food beats that any day."
Their light-hearted chatter continued as they walked.
Suddenly, a streak of dark blood shot forward like an arrow, aimed straight at Satoru's back.
But the blood streak shattered in mid-air just before reaching him, as though it hit an invisible barrier.
The three stopped and turned, looking back casually.
From behind the trees, four students stepped forward: two from the Zen'in family and two from the Kamo family.
One of the Kamo students smiled smugly, clapping in satisfaction, clearly pleased with what he had seen earlier.
"As expected of the Gojo Clan's renowned Limitless technique, it's truly remarkable," he said with pride.
Shion smirked. "Not bad yourself."
The boy's brow twitched in confusion. "Wait, was my attack that impressive?"
Shion simply smiled wider. "No, I was complimenting your taste in what you admire."
Satoru and Geto stifled laughter nearby.
The Kamo student blustered in anger, "Don't mock me! Look closely, this is the Kamo Clan's inherited technique, Blood Manipulation!"
He concentrated, and suddenly thin streaks of blood shot out like bullets from his hands.
Shion raised an eyebrow and flicked his finger, sending the blood projectiles flying harmlessly away.
"What?" the Kamo student muttered in shock.
"As far as I know, the Kamo family hasn't produced many skilled Blood Manipulation users recently, have they?" Shion said with a grin.
The Kamo student called out to his companion, who stepped forward and activated his own blood attacks.
Meanwhile, the two Zen'in clansmen around them summoned shadowy figures that twisted into canine forms.
"Tentative Divine Dogs," one of them murmured — clearly intending to mimic the Zen'in Ten Shadows technique, though these beasts looked far from the refined creatures Megumi Fushiguro commands in canon, and more like poorly formed shapeshifters.
Shion, Satoru, and Geto exchanged baffled glances.
"What kind of off-brand techniques are these?" Geto muttered.
Before the makeshift summons could approach, Geto immediately called forth a defensive Grade 2 Cursed Spirit that intercepted them with ease.
"This 'Blood Manipulation' and those weak Divine Dogs," Geto said with a shrug, "if they're supposed to rival Limitless, they're a disappointment."
Shion chuckled and added, "Might as well call them pseudo-versions."
---