Failed Both of you.
The words hung in the air as a heavy reminder.
Sora's mind churned.
Why did he fail?
Yuji's reaction was much more animated.
"But why did we fail, Masamichi-San?"
Masamichi stood up from his chair and kept his sewing kit aside.
"Both of your belief is what's the problem."
"The work done by Jujutsu sorcerers are not something a normal sane man can handle. Deaths are frequent and insanity common..."
Masamichi swept his gaze over the two.
"Your resolve of saving others because someone said so and doing this work because you feel like it..."
"Shows that you lack the bearings for a being a proper sorcerer."
Masamichi finished talking.
But the reason left both the young sorcerers stupefied.
Masamichi grabbed a Kappa doll and a horse doll.
And threw it at the two.
Yuji and Sora grabbed the dolls.
Yuji was simply confused by the dolls.
Sora was however thinking.
The dolls were not ordinary at all.
They were infused with curse.
Just as the thought hit his mind, a punch also hit his head.
BAM!
BAM!
Yuji was flung back slightly from the punch delivered by Kappa.
Sora blocked the punch which was aimed at his chin and threw the doll away.
The dolls were still fine.
"For jujutsu sorcerer, dying is common and abandoning duty and others is the first thing that comes to mind.."
Masamichi started talking again.
"What's the difference between you and the others?"
Masamichi finished talking but the dolls were still rearing to go.
Each doll lunged at the their respective targets.
Sora was targeted by the horse.
Yuji was braced himself and got into the fight with the Kappa.
Swooosh!
The horse flew past his head.
"Shit! Its fast"
The horse was faster than the Kappa who was only durable.
Sora was hit with an epiphany.
Maybe the real test was this fight.
The room snapped alive.
Not with noise but with intent.
The kappa lunged again, squat body bursting forward with surprising force.
Yuji Itadori braced then met it head-on.
BAM!
Their fists collided.
The impact echoed through the wooden room.
Yuji slid back half a step.
"…This thing's tough!"
The kappa didn't stop.
It swung again.
Wild energy mixed with artificial prowess.
On the other side—
The horse doll blurred.
Fast.
Too fast.
Haragane Sora leaned back—
SWOOSH!
It sliced past his face, missing by a breath.
"I can't grab on to it."
His eyes sharpened.
Tracking the movement.
Masamichi's voice cut through the chaos.
"You speak of reasons."
"Then prove they are not empty."
The kappa charged again.
Yuji clenched his teeth.
"Damn it—stay still!"
He stepped in instead of back.
Closed the distance.
Grabbed.
The kappa thrashed.
Much stronger than it looked.
Its limbs hammered against Yuji's arms and shoulders.
But Yuji held on.
Locked in.
"…You said I don't have a reason, right?"
His grip tightened.
His voice steadied.
"It's not 'someone' who told me to save people."
A breath.
His eyes sharpened.
"It was my grandpa."
The kappa struggled harder.
Yuji didn't let go.
"He told me—"
His voice rose.
Clear.
Unshaken.
"'You're strong. So help people.'"
A slam.
He drove the kappa into the floor.
"'When it's your time to go—'"
Another slam.
Harder.
"'Make sure you're surrounded by others.'"
The kappa cracked against the tatami.
"I don't want to die alone!"
Yuji roared.
"And I don't want others to die alone either!"
He twisted—
Locked the kappa in a grapple.
Pinned.
Overpowered.
"So yeah—"
His voice dropped.
"That's my reason."
CRACK.
The kappa went still.
On the other side—
Sora exhaled slowly.
Watching the show of resolve.
"…Not bad."
The horse darted in again.
Faster than before.
Sora stepped forward.
This time—
Not dodging.
The hoof swung—
He blocked.
Barely.
The force traveled through his arm.
"Fuck! I forgot. F = MA."
The horse twisted mid-air.
Came again.
Sora's hand moved.
Liquid shimmered.
Metal flowed out.
Thin but durable.
It didn't attack.
It spread.
Across the floor.
"…You want a reason?"
His voice was quieter.
But the ferocity was still there.
The horse lunged again.
Full speed.
Sora didn't move.
Not yet.
"…I don't have anything noble like that."
"I don't have a family to call my own from the moment of birth."
"But I have a family awaiting for my return in Kyoto."
"My reason is simple..."
"I just hate losing things."
The horse closed in—
His foot shifted.
Just slightly.
The metal beneath the floor rose.
Just enough for tripping it.
The horse's leg caught.
It stumbled.
"…Friends."
A step forward.
"Family."
The horse tried to recover—
Too late.
Sora grabbed its neck.
Slamming it into the ground.
"And I don't like backing down."
The horse thrashed.
Fast and violent.
Metal snapped upward—
Binding its legs.
Then its body.
Locking it in place.
"…And I'm petty."
A faint smirk.
"If someone messes with me…"
He tightened the bind.
"…I'll get right back at them."
The horse cracked.
Struggled.
Then went still.
Silence returned.
Both of them stood there.
Breathing slightly heavier.
But steady.
Sora glanced sideways at Yuji.
"…You're too loud. Try to think about the companion's ear."
Yuji scratched his head.
"…You're weird."
Behind them—
Masamichi Yaga watched.
Not their strength.
Not their technique.
Their reasons.
And this time—
He didn't speak immediately.