The first-year student was becoming increasingly difficult to read.
The vehicle drove smoothly back to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
The mission report was submitted by Maki, who attributed the Cursed Spirit's destruction to a self-collapse caused by core instability. She made no mention of Sol's seemingly accidental fall.
By the time the report was finished, dusk had begun to settle over the campus.
"You worked hard today," Maki said to Sol. "Your observation skills and reactions helped a lot."
Sol nodded. "Just doing what I should."
He offered no further explanation and turned toward the dormitories.
The setting sun stretched his shadow across the ground. That seemingly ordinary figure somehow gave off an unfathomable presence.
Maki, Panda, and Toge Inumaki stood where they were, watching him leave.
"Do you think..." Panda asked quietly, "Sol was really just lucky?"
"Bonito flakes," Inumaki replied, shaking his head.
Maki adjusted her glasses, their lenses catching the fading sunlight.
"Who knows," she said at last. "Either way, he's on our side."
For now, that was all that mattered.
The following morning, the training grounds were already occupied when Maki, Panda, and Inumaki arrived.
Sol stood alone in the open field.
He wasn't training.
He simply stood there, feeling the cool morning breeze.
"Morning, Sol!" Panda called, waving enthusiastically.
"Kelp."
Inumaki nodded in greeting.
Maki spared him a glance before beginning her warm-up routine.
Training proceeded as usual, but something had changed.
During breaks, Maki occasionally found herself looking toward Sol. Panda and Inumaki were no different.
They seemed to be waiting for something.
Sol did not keep them waiting long.
After one of Maki's sharp thrusts, he spoke calmly.
"Lower your wrist slightly. It'll reduce air resistance and increase the speed of the strike."
Maki paused.
She adjusted her grip and thrust again.
The weapon sliced through the air with a noticeably sharper sound.
A flash of surprise crossed her eyes.
Panda immediately leaned over.
"What about me? Advisor Sol!"
Sol glanced at him.
"Your left shoulder naturally sits a little higher than your right. It's shifting your center of gravity. Lower it slightly and your force distribution will be more balanced."
Panda tested several movements.
His eyes widened.
"Oh! It really does feel different!"
Inumaki looked over as well.
After a moment's thought, Sol said, "When using Cursed Speech, try concentrating more cursed energy at the tip of your tongue instead of your throat. It should reduce the strain on your vocal cords."
Inumaki quietly tested it.
His eyes widened.
Then he gave Sol a thumbs-up.
"Salmon."
From that point on, Sol's guidance naturally became part of their daily training.
He still spoke very little, but whenever he did, his advice was precise and immediately useful.
Gradually, the three second-years became accustomed to relying on his frightening level of insight.
A few evenings later, training ended.
Maki wiped sweat from her forehead and spoke as casually as she could while Sol packed up his equipment.
"The Kyoto students are arriving tomorrow. The Goodwill Event starts the day after."
"Mm."
"You'll be participating with Itadori and the others, right?"
Sol looked up and glanced at the three of them.
"Yeah."
Maki seemed to relax slightly. The faint smile that appeared on her lips vanished almost immediately.
"Hmph. Good. It'll be a chance to show Kyoto that Tokyo Jujutsu High isn't something they can look down on."
With that, she rested her staff on her shoulder and walked away.
Panda grinned.
"The Kyoto students are in for a huge surprise this year. We've got a secret weapon."
He winked at Sol.
"Pickled mustard leaf."
Inumaki sounded unusually excited.
Sol merely watched them leave, his expression unchanged.
The day of the Goodwill Event arrived.
Tokyo Jujutsu High was far livelier than usual.
Teachers and students from Kyoto Jujutsu High had arrived.
At the front of the group stood Mai Zenin.
The moment her gaze met Maki's, an invisible clash seemed to spark between them.
Noritoshi Kamo carried himself with obvious pride.
Aoi Todo looked thoroughly uninterested until his eyes landed on the Tokyo students.
"Yo! Brother!"
Without warning, Todo strode directly toward Yuji Itadori.
"What kind of woman is your type?!"
Yuji blinked in confusion.
"Uh... someone tall with a nice figure, like Jennifer Lawrence."
"Ohhhhh!!"
Tears instantly streamed down Todo's face.
At the same time, countless imaginary memories flooded his mind.
School days spent together.
Shared struggles.
An unbreakable friendship.
In that moment, Todo had already accepted Yuji as his brother.
He slapped Yuji's back hard enough to nearly send him stumbling forward.
"Excellent taste! I acknowledge you, my brother!"
His booming voice echoed across the area.
Megumi Fushiguro silently looked away.
Nobara Kugisaki stared in complete disbelief.
After a brief opening ceremony, the Goodwill Event officially began.
The first competition was a team battle centered on Cursed Spirit extermination.
The rules were simple.
The team that eliminated the most Cursed Spirits within the time limit would win.
As the event began, students from both schools entered the designated forest.
Sol selected a high vantage point and quietly observed from afar.
To him, the entire competition moved almost in slow motion.
Every movement was clear.
Every action was easy to follow.
Among the Kyoto students, Aoi Todo immediately took the lead.
His massive frame charged through the forest without the slightest concern for teamwork.
His wild laughter echoed among the trees.
"Too slow! Too slow! Cursed Spirits at this level aren't even enough for a warm-up!"
A single punch reduced a lurking Cursed Spirit to scattered remnants of cursed energy.
Todo rampaged through the forest like a human tank.
Wherever he passed, Cursed Spirits fled in panic.
There was no finesse to his fighting style.
Only overwhelming strength and speed.
Yet the efficiency was undeniable.
"That idiot is completely ignoring the plan!" Momo Nishimiya shouted from atop her broom.
Noritoshi Kamo frowned but made no move to stop him.
"Leave him. His brute force is useful for clearing weaker targets. The rest of you, follow the original strategy. Move in groups and focus on locating Grade 1 Cursed Spirits."
The Kyoto students immediately split up.
Meanwhile, on Tokyo's side, Megumi quickly assessed the situation.
"Todo leaving his team creates an opening."
He looked toward Nobara.
"Nobara, you're with me. We'll circle around from the left and avoid direct contact with Todo. Prioritize Grade 2 Cursed Spirits."
Nobara tightened her grip on her hammer.
"Got it."
"Maki-senpai, Panda-senpai, Inumaki-senpai, take the right flank and focus on locating Grade 1 Cursed Spirits."
"Understood."
Megumi nodded before turning to Yuji.
"Yuji, you..."
Yuji's eyes remained fixed on Todo's distant figure.
His expression sharpened.
"That guy's strong."
A grin slowly appeared on his face.
"And he looks like he's coming straight for me."
He cracked his knuckles.
"I'll stop him and buy everyone else some time."
===
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