Summer cicadas droned across the grounds of Tokyo Jujutsu High. It was enrollment season once again.
The Zenin Family
A girl in training clothes stood tall, a naginata resting in her grip. Her ponytail swayed slightly as she adjusted her glasses. Behind the lenses, her gaze burned with resolve.
Across from her sat a vigorous old man with a powerful build, the head of the Zenin family, Naobito Zenin.
"I'm going to Jujutsu High," she declared calmly. "I'll become a Jujutsu Sorcerer like the strongest trio. Then I'll destroy the Zenin family."
The words were rebellious, even reckless. Yet Naobito did not flare up in anger.
Instead, he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Is that so, Maki?"
For a fleeting moment, he saw the shadow of someone else in her stance.
"Very well. Go and do it."
He leaned back, eyes sharp despite the smile.
"I'll be here, waiting for the day you come back."
The Inumaki Family
"Toge-chan! Make lots of friends and get along with everyone at school!"
"Salmon."
"Listen to your teachers, and call Mom and Dad when you have time!"
"Salmon."
"Just thinking about not seeing you for so long makes Mommy sad!"
"Bonito flakes."
Sunshine Coffee House
Suguru Geto maintained a strained smile as he spoke to the police officer standing in front of the counter.
"Yes, officer. Those three are my adopted daughters and son. The shop is not illegally employing child labor."
Behind him, Nanako, Mimiko, and Riku huddled together.
"Isn't this the fourth time this month?" Nanako muttered.
"Customers call the police the moment they leave," Mimiko replied.
"I told you we should put up a sign," Riku added flatly.
"We're starting at Jujutsu High tomorrow anyway."
Nanako tilted her head thoughtfully.
"By the way, why aren't Big Brother Suguru and Sister Haruko married yet?"
The three fell silent.
The Next Day, Tokyo Jujutsu High
Beneath the entrance gate, a massive panda lay under a tree, lazily rubbing his stomach.
His name was Panda, a special grade Cursed Corpse created by Principal Masamichi Yaga through Puppet Manipulation.
He was unique. Panda possessed independent consciousness and emotions. More importantly, he could autonomously generate and replenish Cursed Energy.
Such a creation bordered on the divine.
The higher ups had pressured Yaga repeatedly, hoping to obtain the method behind Panda's creation. An army of obedient Cursed Corpses would shift the balance of power completely.
Yaga refused without hesitation. To him, his Cursed Corpses were his children.
He claimed Panda's birth was an unrepeatable accident.
The higher ups did not believe him, but considering that three of the current Special Grade sorcerers were Yaga's former students and stood firmly on his side, they refrained from drastic measures.
"Ahh, they're so slow," Panda muttered with a yawn.
At that moment, a boy with ash white hair stepped through the school gate, his high collar concealing his mouth.
A tall girl with a ponytail followed, naginata slung over her shoulder.
"Hey! You're a new student too, right? I'm Maki."
"Salmon."
"Huh?"
"Salmon, salmon."
Maki blinked in confusion. Toge Inumaki tilted his head, eyes turning blank as well.
After a short staring contest, Toge seemed to remember something. He pulled out a neatly folded sheet from his bag and handed it to her.
Maki scanned it.
"Toge Inumaki. Cursed Speech user, got it. Looks like we'll be classmates."
"Salmon."
She clapped him on the shoulder with easy familiarity. Her attention then shifted to the large figure under the tree.
"Does the school keep pandas now?"
The panda raised a paw.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Panda."
Maki and Toge froze.
"The panda talked?"
"Seaweed."
"No need to panic," Panda sighed. "I'm a Cursed Corpse."
"A Cursed Corpse?"
Maki immediately recalled that Principal Masamichi Yaga was renowned for his Puppet Manipulation Technique.
That explained it.
Suddenly, Toge and Panda turned toward the school gate at the same time.
A second later, Maki followed. Through her special glasses, she sensed a surge of Cursed Energy so intense it felt like it split the sky.
Her breath caught.
"This is…"
"Special Grade," Panda said casually. "One of the three."
"Seaweed."
Soon, figures came into view.
Suguru Geto walked in, accompanied by Nanako, Mimiko, and Riku. The three younger students looked around curiously until they spotted Panda.
"Wow! It's a panda!"
Geto smiled.
"Long time no see, Panda."
"I didn't expect you to bring them personally, Geto-sensei," Panda replied.
"Satoru and Shion are coming too," Geto said. "It's been a while since we all gathered."
"Suguru Geto…"
Maki's eyes lit up.
The strongest trio were legends in the Jujutsu world. Their defiance toward the higher ups had humiliated the great families publicly. To someone like Maki, who endured life within the Zenin clan, that kind of audacity was inspiring.
They were her goal.
"Hello, I'm Nanako."
"Mimiko."
"Riku."
Their personalities showed even in their introductions, but as fellow students, the ice melted quickly.
A bright, teasing laugh echoed across the entrance.
"Ehehe! Suguru! Long time no see!"
Geto's smile widened.
"Yeah, Satoru, long time no…"
"Look at this! This is my disciple, Megumi Fushiguro! The successor of the Ten Shadows Technique! He's already exorcised seven Grade One Cursed Spirits and became a Grade Two sorcerer before even enrolling!"
Satoru held Megumi forward proudly, as if presenting a trophy.
Megumi's face darkened with embarrassment. He shifted closer to his father, Toji Fushiguro, wishing the ground would swallow him.
"You came too?" Geto asked, glancing at Toji.
"He's my son," Toji replied lazily. "I was bored, so I came to take a look."
Then his gaze sharpened.
Across the courtyard, he locked eyes with Maki.
She stiffened as she felt the weight of his stare.
A slow, knowing smile curved at the scar on the corner of Toji's mouth.
"Heavenly Restriction?"
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