Chapter 40 — Fourty Punch
After Saitama left, Gakuganji Yoshinobu remained seated on the sofa in the small reception room. His hands rested on his knees, silent, his eyes once again shrouded in shadow.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a knock came at the door.
"May I come in?"
Standing at the reception room doorway was the principal of Tokyo School, Yaga Masamichi. He politely sought Gakuganji's permission.
"Oh, it's Yaga. Come in," Gakuganji said slowly, turning his head to glance at him. "After all, this is your Tokyo School's territory too."
Once granted permission, Yaga stepped into the reception room and sat opposite Gakuganji. His eyes briefly fell on the teacup Saitama had used, but he did not touch it.
"So, what happened?" he asked.
Gakuganji's long white eyebrows twitched slightly.
"Haven't you already heard everything?" His voice carried the nasal drawl characteristic of his age. "Why don't you just ask that kid Gojo Satoru? He's the one who sent you, right?"
A moment of silence followed.
"What do you make of Saitama?" Yaga asked.
"Hmph…" Gakuganji's tone turned slightly acidic. "Just another ungrateful brat, that's all."
"…Do you plan to report this to the higher-ups?"
Saitama's lack of cursed energy had surely been discovered. At this question, Yaga's nerves tensed, waiting for Gakuganji's response.
"Ha, what's there to say?" Gakuganji snorted through his nose. "I won't report it to the higher-ups. But don't misunderstand, Yaga. I'm not doing this for you. It's just that I haven't given up on recruiting Saitama to our Kyoto School."
"The idea of letting Saitama stay at Tokyo Jujutsu High this way—I won't acknowledge it. And letting him stay with Sukuna's vessel is even more absurd." Gakuganji stood, leaning on his cane, its tip striking the floor with a crisp sound. "Saitama will understand one day that the path Kyoto School has planned for him is the best choice."
"As for Sukuna's vessel, just let him live a bit longer," Gakuganji warned. "Although for some reason, Sukuna has been unusually well-behaved, he is Sukuna after all. Curses cannot coexist peacefully with humans."
"I'll be watching you, Yaga."
…
Gakuganji left Yaga behind and exited the meeting room.
The sound of his cane echoed leisurely down the corridor. Yaga's expression was as calm as still water as he followed. Suddenly, he stopped.
By the vending machine ahead stood a black-haired boy.
"You are…" Gakuganji paused mid-step, speaking slowly.
The black-haired boy, selecting a drink, turned at the sound. Seeing Gakuganji, he immediately recognized him as the principal of Kyoto School and straightened nervously. "Yes!"
Gakuganji gripped his cane, his eyes hidden in their deep sockets, carefully assessing the boy.
From memory, this child was Yoshino Junpei, a first-year student who had entered Jujutsu High later than Saitama. It had been only a few days since his official enrollment.
What standards does Tokyo School use to select students that they end up with a prodigy like Saitama? This intrigued Gakuganji greatly.
Now presented with a perfect opportunity, he decided to test him…
Gakuganji's gaze sharpened. A hand hidden beneath his sleeve flicked slightly, sending a sharp burst of cursed energy flying straight at Yoshino Junpei.
—An ordinary cursed energy attack, without any additional technique. Not aimed at the boy's body, but at a strand of hair near his temple. The intent was clear, the angle tricky, and the speed exceptional.
A typical Jujutsu High student would panic, dodge, or use cursed energy to shield themselves. A stronger student might counter with cursed energy—or even a technique. How would this boy respond?
The cursed energy attack drew closer, and Gakuganji's eyes sharpened further.
With a "whoosh," the attack sliced past Yoshino Junpei's ear, severing a strand of jet-black hair.
"W-what…"
Under the light streaming from the skylight at the corridor's end, Yoshino Junpei stood motionless, green eyes fixed on Gakuganji, showing no trace of alarm.
A posture of absolute calm—an unshakable composure only a strong individual could possess.
In that instant, a possibility flashed through Gakuganji's mind.
Could this seemingly slight boy have already predicted the attack's trajectory the moment it was launched, realizing it would not hit him?
—How could this be! The reaction speed and judgment required were terrifying! And this was one of Gakuganji Yoshinobu's finely honed cursed energy attacks!
"May I… help you?"
At that moment, Yoshino Junpei spoke. His green eyes sent a chill down the spine, and the question caused a bead of sweat to form on Gakuganji's back.
"…Nothing. That was just an accident," Gakuganji rasped, tightening his grip on the cane. Then he averted his eyes and quickened his pace, exiting through another corridor.
First Saitama, now this unfathomably powerful boy. Then there was the genius second-year cursed user Fushiguro Megumi, and Sukuna's vessel Itadori Yuji… Tokyo School's students—all monsters!
He realized that upon returning, he would have to make his own students train harder. Otherwise, in future joint missions or activities, Kyoto School would be utterly crushed by Tokyo School, with no chance of recovery!
In that moment, Gakuganji understood something.
While he had been leading Kyoto School and focusing everyone's attention on Itadori Yuji, Tokyo School's students had all been watching ahead. That's why their growth had been so rapid.
Constantly watching others prevents one from growing oneself.
Kyoto School had never once been regarded seriously by Tokyo School.
Thinking this, Gakuganji gazed at the bright sky outside.
Yaga Masamichi…
After so many years as principal of Kyoto School, he had been outdone in magnanimity by a junior with far less experience.
"Ha, enough already…" Gakuganji sighed.
He realized he would need to push his students to train harder.
…
Yoshino Junpei stood in place, dumbfounded, watching Gakuganji's figure disappear at the end of the corridor.
The old man had appeared, said a few inexplicable words, then vanished—truly bewildering.
Scratching his head, Yoshino Junpei turned back to the vending machine and finally selected a grape soda.
—Having only just learned to use cursed energy, Yoshino Junpei had not noticed the old man's eagle-fast attack.
---
The results of the electronic fighting tournament were finally announced one afternoon.
After Saitama was instantly defeated by Kamo Noritoshi, the battle between the two schools remained at a stalemate. Meanwhile, Itadori Yuji faced Todo Aoi.
"Saitama getting eliminated so early… really disappointing," Todo Aoi muttered, his fingers manipulating the controller, quickly scrolling through character selections.
"I'll go with this one." When the page highlighted Bikini Koala, Todo pressed confirm.
"Of all choices… a bikini character? Pfft—that's some perverse taste!" Kugisaki Nobara rolled her eyes, booing beside him.
Todo Aoi diverted his gaze, ignoring her.
Girls like Kugisaki Nobara didn't understand. He crossed his arms, eyes closed, and thought with a hint of solitary pride: Bikini Koala had height, long legs, and—most importantly—the figure he liked.
However, just as Todo Aoi indulged in this thought, Kugisaki Nobara's jeers suddenly stopped.
"No way…" a voice full of disbelief rang out. It was Nobara Kugisaki. "It can't be… Yuji—"
Aoi Todo slightly opened his eyes and glanced toward Yuji Itadori, then his eyes widened in shock at what he saw.
On the Tokyo School's side, character selection had just ended. On Yuji Itadori's screen, the character that appeared was none other than Bikini Koala Miss.
"Oh!" Yuji Itadori then looked toward Aoi Todo, a surprised expression on his face. "Did we… pick the same character?"
Two identical Koala Miss characters stood on their respective screens, striking their poses. Todo, still stunned, instinctively asked Yuji: "Why did you choose Koala Miss?"
"Ah… if you want to know why…" Yuji scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "it's because… Koala Miss…"
At that exact moment, Todo also instinctively spoke. Both of them said the same line simultaneously:
"She's tall… and has a very full figure."
Yuji froze immediately after speaking, while Todo felt an overwhelming rush of emotion that left him momentarily dumbfounded.
He sniffed hard and said, "…I see. Yuji… so you're… my brother…"
"Huh?" Yuji was completely confused.
"But even so, I won't go easy on a close friend," Todo said.
Sniffling back his nose (much to Nobara's disgust), Todo grabbed his controller, took a deep breath, and stared at Yuji with unwavering determination. "Let's fight, my brother! Victory in battle is the medal of honor!"
The battle between Todo and Yuji continued for a long while. Ultimately, Yuji, with slightly faster reflexes, narrowly won. After the match, the two somehow formed a deep friendship and came to call each other brothers.
However, after that, the matches began to tilt heavily against Tokyo School—Mai Zenin turned out to be a master of fighting games. Panda and Maki Zenin both lost to her. After her character got K.O.'d, Maki Zenin stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "Mai… when did you become a fighting game fanatic?"
"You've been away from home for too long to know," Mai Zenin sneered. "Not just a hobby. Be it your first love or your techniques, I won't tell you anything."
After Maki left the Zenin family, Mai, who had been used to always being with her sister, suddenly found herself alone—like a pair of matching teacups, now with only one left. While carrying the pressure left by Maki to survive in the Zenin household, she would often lie awake at night, restless from loneliness and fear.
Eventually, she developed the habit of playing games whenever she couldn't sleep. She remembered the first game she played: Demon Slayer RPG. The colorful pixel characters jumped endlessly across the screen, and immersing herself in the game chased away the lonely nights.
After Demon Slayer RPG, there was Literary Publisher and Taisho Little Chef… night after night passed in a similar way. Reluctantly admitting it, Mai had indeed become a skilled gamer.
"First love?" Maki raised an eyebrow. "Quite capable."
"…." Mai didn't get the reaction she expected, and a vein twitched at her temple.
Fueled with determination, Mai prepared to take down all of Tokyo School in one go. The next player, Toge Inumaki, also fell to her insane combo output. Soon, only Nobara Kugisaki remained on Tokyo School's side.
"Once I finish you, we win, right?" Mai lifted her chin. "Pick your character, and I'll end this."
Nobara rolled up her sleeves. "Heh heh…"
And then, she defeated Mai Zenin.
Afterward, Momoko Nishimiya and Kasumi Miwa were no match for Nobara. Kyoto School gave Mai a single opportunity to re-enter the match, and she switched to a different Pokémon-style character, but the result remained the same. Nobara secured an overwhelming victory.
In the end, the winner of the exchange event was Tokyo School.
---
After the exchange event, Saitama followed Gojo Satoru's instructions and went to the principal's office.
"So… what exactly do you want me to do here?" he asked, standing in the center of the office.
On the other side of the desk sat Tokyo School's principal, Masamichi Yaga, wearing a serious expression. Gojo Satoru stood beside him, raising a hand to greet Saitama: "Yo, right on time."
"Saitama, we called you here for an important matter," Yaga said, folding his hands on the desk. "…Regarding your sorcerer rank."
"Oh." Saitama was slightly startled, and his expression instantly became serious.
"Saitama, your current sorcerer rank is 'None.' So, prior to the exchange event, we discussed this and decided to upgrade your rank after the event concluded."
"As you know, rank promotion requires recommendation. To be promoted to a certain rank, you must be recommended by two sorcerers of that rank or higher, and then complete a task of equivalent difficulty to successfully upgrade."
"Moreover, since teachers cannot recommend their own students, neither Gojo nor I can recommend you," Yaga explained. "Therefore, we have decided that Fushiguro Megumi, who is already a Grade 2 sorcerer, will serve as one of your recommenders."
"The other recommender," Gojo said casually, "I asked Grade 1 sorcerer Mei Mei. You haven't met her, but she watched the team matches during the exchange event and was impressed by you."
Even so, getting Mei Mei to agree as Saitama's recommender had cost Gojo ten million yen. He thought to himself it wasn't necessary to mention this.
Choosing Fushiguro as one recommender and Mei Mei as the other was deliberate. In the sorcery world, a very few sorcerers do not belong to any faction yet maintain smooth relations with all sides. Mei Mei is one of them—she openly stated that the only thing she cared about was money. As long as the payment is sufficient, she will never betray or report anyone.
"That covers the recommenders. Considering that a task must be completed after the recommendation, we've selected a companion for you."
After finishing speaking, a man sitting on the office sofa stood up and approached Saitama.
"This is Grade 1 sorcerer Nanami Kento."
Nanami Kento was tall and lean, dressed in a formal suit. The color combination of his shirt and tie was bold, subtly reflecting his personal touch within the rules.
Nanami's blond hair was neatly combed, and he wore the glasses typical of sorcerers. His cheeks were slightly sunken, with visible hollows below the cheekbones. His thin lips were pressed straight, with the corners slightly downturned, reflecting his serious mindset.
"Hello, I'm Nanami Kento," he said in a low voice. "You must be Saitama, whom Principal Yaga and Gojo have praised so highly?"
"Yes." Saitama's bald head reflected the light in the office, slightly shining. "Ah… did you just look at the top of my head?"
"Ahem," Nanami coughed lightly, averting his gaze slightly.
"Although Principal Yaga and Gojo have asked me to lead you on this task and praise your abilities, the proper procedures must still be followed."
Nanami pulled a notebook from his suit pocket and opened it. "After the recommendation process is completed, the recommendee must complete a task appropriate to the rank. To prevent cheating, the recommendee cannot accompany the recommender on the task. Therefore, over the next two days, you will act alongside me."
"Oh, that's fine." Saitama's gaze stayed as blank as ever as he looked at Kento Nanami. "Anyway, after the exchange event, I'm still pretty free."
"But speaking of which…" Saitama scratched the top of his head. "If that person called Mei Mei is Grade 1 and Fushiguro is Grade 2, and they're recommending me…"
He excitedly pointed to his nose with one finger. "Does that mean I'll at least be Grade 2 afterward?"
Kento Nanami was silent for a moment, then glanced at Masamichi Yaga and Satoru Gojo.
Yaga remained motionless, while Gojo flashed a mischievous grin and gave a thumbs-up, clearly signaling no intention of interfering.
"We plan to recommend you for Grade 4," Kento Nanami finally said, pushing up his glasses.
Saitama's finger remained frozen in midair: "…"
"If a sorcerer's rank jumps too much at once, it can easily attract unwanted attention. Saitama, you were able to enroll because of Tokyo Jujutsu High's cover, but the rest of the sorcery world isn't so lenient. If they discover your zero-curse-energy constitution, you might be forcibly expelled, and all the effort Principal Yaga and Gojo have put in so far would be wasted."
Kento Nanami summarized, "To be safe, it's better to rise rank by rank, in a subtle way."
In truth, for an anonymous, unrecognized student like Saitama to receive a promotion recommendation just a month after enrolling at Jujutsu High was already considered extremely fast in the sorcerer world.
"The missions for Grade 4 are simple. You won't face any particularly strong opponents, so it shouldn't be difficult for you."
That was the official explanation. In Nanami's mind, however, he knew the real mission behind this assignment.
They were to investigate the aftermath of a cursed spirit invasion. On the surface, this seemed like ordinary cleanup work suitable for a Grade 4 sorcerer, but in reality, it contained hidden clues.
Thanks to Gojo's timely intervention, the enemies who attempted to steal a Special Grade cursed object at the warehouse didn't have time to cover their tracks, leaving behind residual cursed energy. Following these traces was the true objective of the mission.
According to Gojo, the enemies had prepared defenses specifically for him, including barriers only he could not bypass. However, they didn't realize that Saitama, a first-year, was inside the maze. This oversight allowed him to defeat the Special Grade cursed spirit Hanami with a single punch, proving that no insider at Tokyo High had aided the enemy.
From this, it was concluded that the enemy's insider was likely from Kyoto High, who had no knowledge of Saitama.
Thus, the true, hidden mission was to identify the Kyoto High insider based on the clues left at the scene.
Nanami looked at Saitama, who, with his usual blank expression, had lowered his finger and was now scratching his head, seemingly unaware of what had just been explained.
Nanami frowned slightly.
This bald head… did he really possess the amazing strength Yaga and Gojo claimed?
"I operate on a strict 'no overtime unless necessary' principle and efficiency maximization—this mission counts as special overtime work. Therefore, I will be requesting triple compensation from Gojo," Nanami reminded him. "Also, I hope you understand that I'm sacrificing my personal time to help you get promoted, so please cooperate as much as possible."
"In short, we're about to begin. Kyoto High's members will be boarding their 7:30 PM flight tonight right after the exchange event," Nanami adjusted his tie and pushed his glasses up. "We've already booked seats on the same flight. We'll be on the same plane as them."
"Exactly!" Gojo clapped his hands happily. "The exchange event is over, but the enemies failed to retrieve either of Sukuna's fingers and suffered huge losses. They'll immediately try to contact their insider. Your job is to monitor Kyoto High and identify anyone coordinating with those cursed spirits!"
"Before boarding, you still have time to grab some essentials from a convenience store. Bon voyage! We'll be waiting here for good news!" Gojo waved cheerfully at Saitama and Nanami, like a soft, plush mascot bear.
Saitama looked at him, slightly speechless. "Bon voyage? You still owe me dinner, remember?"
---
"Oh, I didn't expect first-class meals to be this good!"
Saitama followed Nanami through the airport, flipping through the airline's promotional booklet and looking at the flight meal section with anticipation. "I wonder what kaiseki-style cuisine is like on a plane… even if it's just a bento version."
Nanami casually replied, "Even though Gojo booked us first class, no matter what, a bento can't compare to a real restaurant meal."
Saitama tilted his head. "Really? Well, I've never eaten anything that fancy, so I probably couldn't tell the difference anyway."
They had arrived at the airport. It was past 7 PM, and the space was filled with the hum of passengers, boarding announcements, and occasional airplane roars overhead. Travelers wheeled luggage back and forth, filling the terminal.
Among the crowd, Kyoto High students stood out in uniform, while faculty wore coordinated kimonos.
Nanami glanced discreetly at their location and immediately looked away. Sorcerers are highly sensitive to being watched; direct eye contact might alert the Kyoto High group.
That should prevent Kyoto High from realizing they were being followed.
Nanami raised his eyes and saw Saitama, who had changed out of his blinking hero outfit, but his shiny bald head still shone like a lightbulb in the crowd.
Saitama noticed Nanami's gaze and blankly stared back. "Huh?"
Nanami: "…"
He silently scanned the area and then led Saitama into a souvenir shop inside the airport.
Five minutes later, he emerged and walked straight to Saitama, who was waiting outside.
"Here, put this on." He handed Saitama a bag.
"Eh, what's this?"
Saitama looked puzzled, opening the bag and taking out a knit cap embroidered with "I [heart] TOKYO."
"…" Saitama held the hat, expressionless, staring at Nanami.
Nanami avoided his gaze, adjusted his glasses, and explained, "Everyone at Kyoto High knows you, so you need to disguise your appearance. This is part of what sorcerers should get used to."
"Really…" Saitama muttered, pulling the cap over his bald head. "I feel like this is just targeting my head."
Nanami took a deep breath and didn't respond. He glanced at the Kyoto High members entering the boarding gate, loosened his tie, and his expression turned serious.
He strode forward, leading Saitama—with his knit cap and vacant eyes—toward the gate, emanating a sharp, commanding presence.
For a brief moment, the scene froze. Nanami was the protagonist stepping onto a path to protect something precious.
And what he aimed to protect—was the freedom of not working overtime.
"Let's go. To finish work quickly and get some rest, we'll make this a swift mission!"