A few days later, in the first-year classroom, Gojo Satoru stood at the podium, casually tapping his fingers against the desk as his gaze swept across the four students seated before him.
"Alright, time for mission assignments."
His voice carried its usual playful tone.
"Yuji, you'll be teaming up with Kento Nanami for a mission at Sugisawa Third High School. A Grade 2 Cursed Spirit has appeared there, so it's a good opportunity for you to gain some experience."
"Oh! Got it!" Yuji Itadori replied immediately, full of enthusiasm.
"Megumi, Nobara, you two are together. There's a Cursed Spirit disturbance in Shinjuku. The threat level isn't particularly high, but it requires a thorough investigation."
Megumi Fushiguro nodded.
Nobara Kugisaki gave an OK sign.
Finally, Gojo's gaze settled on Sol. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"As for Sol... there aren't any ordinary missions suitable for you right now. You'll remain at Tokyo Jujutsu High, handle campus patrols, and, while you're at it, act as an instructor for your seniors. Sound good?"
The classroom immediately fell silent.
Yuji blinked.
"Huh? Sol's going to be an instructor?"
Nobara raised an eyebrow, glancing between Sol and Gojo without commenting.
Megumi, however, appeared unsurprised.
Based on the strength Sol had demonstrated so far, even if it represented only a fraction of his true abilities, assigning him to guide the second-years was not entirely unreasonable.
Sol himself had no objections.
Remaining at Tokyo Jujutsu High would give him additional time to observe the world's systems, process the gains from his battle against the gods, and continue adapting naturally to his new environment.
He nodded.
"Understood."
"Perfect."
Gojo clapped his hands together.
His grin resembled that of a cat that had successfully stolen a fish.
"Oh, right."
He suddenly seemed to remember something.
"Maki and the others should be at the training grounds. You can head straight there."
Then he added with obvious amusement,
"If they ask, just tell them I sent you. And make sure they learn plenty from you."
The mischief behind his words was impossible to miss.
Sol glanced at him but said nothing.
He simply stood and left the classroom.
The training grounds of Tokyo Jujutsu High were located behind the main campus buildings. The open field was partially surrounded by trees and covered with specialized impact-absorbing material.
Before Sol even arrived, he could already hear the sounds of combat.
Sharp bursts of air.
Heavy impacts.
Controlled breathing.
On the field, Maki Zenin and Panda were engaged in close-quarters combat.
Maki's training staff swept through the air with impressive speed and power. Her attacks were fierce and precise.
Yet Panda's seemingly cumbersome body moved with surprising agility. He either dodged or blocked her strikes with ease, and his occasional counters carried enough force to push Maki onto the defensive.
A short distance away, Toge Inumaki was practicing control over his Cursed Speech.
After lowering his collar, he quietly spoke brief commands toward a row of reinforced wooden targets.
Each word produced visible effects. Cracks spread across the stakes, while others trembled under the force of the technique.
After every use, however, Toge frowned slightly, carefully adjusting his output and monitoring the strain on his throat.
Yuta Okkotsu was still overseas and had yet to return to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Sol walked quietly to the edge of the field.
He did not interrupt.
He simply observed.
Maki's physical abilities and combat skills surpassed most sorcerers of her age. However, her lack of Cursed Energy meant she relied heavily on Cursed Tools when fighting Cursed Spirits.
Panda possessed remarkable durability and strength, though his offensive approach remained somewhat straightforward.
Toge's Cursed Speech carried tremendous potential, but it was clearly restricted by the burden it placed on his body and the precision required to control it.
From Sol's perspective, each fighting style contained numerous inefficiencies and technical flaws.
Several minutes later, Maki leaped backward to create distance.
Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she finally noticed Sol standing nearby.
Her brows immediately furrowed.
"You? The first-year... Sol?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Something you need?"
Her tone wasn't hostile, merely direct.
Panda and Toge also stopped what they were doing and looked over.
Sol stepped forward.
"Gojo-sensei assigned me to campus patrols and instructed me to provide guidance."
"Guidance?"
Maki sounded as though she had just heard a joke.
Adjusting her glasses, she looked Sol up and down.
"Gojo-sensei sent 'you' to guide 'us'?"
She deliberately emphasized both words.
Panda scratched his head.
"What exactly is Satoru thinking this time? A first-year teaching second-years?"
Toge blinked.
"Bonito flakes."
The phrase clearly conveyed his confusion.
Sol wasn't surprised by their reactions.
He appeared roughly the same age as them, perhaps even younger. His presence was ordinary, and there was nothing about him that suggested authority.
The idea of him acting as an instructor naturally sounded ridiculous.
He offered no explanation.
Nor did he attempt to demonstrate his strength.
"This was Gojo's decision," he said evenly. "Continue your training. I'll observe."
Maki stared at him for several seconds.
When she failed to find anything remarkable about him, she scoffed and spun her staff casually.
"Suit yourself. Watch if you want."
She pointed the staff toward the field.
"But we don't need any guidance. We're doing just fine."
It was obvious she viewed the entire situation as another one of Gojo Satoru's bizarre jokes.
Turning back toward Panda, she resumed her stance.
"Let's continue, Panda. You nearly landed a hit earlier."
"Heh, not even close, Maki."
Panda charged forward immediately.
The two resumed their sparring match.
Staff strikes and powerful punches collided repeatedly.
Toge glanced at Sol once more.
Seeing that he truly intended to stand quietly and observe, Toge returned to his own training. Even so, he occasionally stole curious looks at the silent "instructor."
Sol's attention remained fixed on Maki.
Every movement.
Every step.
Every shift in momentum.
Every swing of her staff.
All of it was analyzed instantly.
The Demon Brain continuously processed, calculated, and optimized.
Then Maki attempted another feint.
She tried to lure Panda into exposing an opening, but a slight delay in the transition between movements disrupted her momentum.
Panda blocked the attack and forced her backward.
At that moment, Sol spoke.
His voice was steady and clear, cutting through the sounds of training.
"Move half a step to the left."
"Lower your center of gravity by three inches."
"Tuck your right elbow in slightly."
"Release your force half a breath earlier."
His tone wasn't loud.
His words weren't rushed.
Yet each instruction carried absolute certainty.
Maki and Panda froze simultaneously.
Maki's attack halted midway.
Still gripping her staff, she turned sharply toward Sol.
Behind her glasses, her eyes were filled with disbelief and a trace of irritation.
"You..."
She stared at him.
"What did you just say?"