The final individual battle was set at Training Field No. 5—a flat, open area with no extra facilities. It was a place where victory depended solely on one's mastery of Cursed Techniques.
Sōjun Minamoto stood on the steps, not stepping onto the field himself. He simply pointed with one hand, signaling for the students to enter and experience it on their own. He remained at the edge with Masamichi Yaga, Yoshinobu Gakuganji, and Yuki Tsukumo, either sitting or standing on the surrounding tiers of steps.
They watched the students in silence, an air of seriousness settling over them. It was clear something important was about to be discussed, but no one was willing to speak first.
Sōjun Minamoto stayed quiet because Masamichi Yaga had previously said he would handle communication with Gakuganji. So, he waited for him to begin. The others seemed to be waiting too, and a strange tension started to build.
After a long pause, Masamichi Yaga finally spoke.
"Cursed Spirit incidents are becoming more frequent, and Curse Users are starting to get bolder. The students are being forced to take on more missions, leaving little time to study. This talent gap is becoming the norm..."
He glanced at Yoshinobu Gakuganji, referencing something the man had said earlier, hoping to steer the conversation further.
"There may be more Cursed Spirits, but we've gained two new Special Grade Sorcerers. That's enough to keep society balanced," Gakuganji replied, shooting a look at Sōjun Minamoto and Yuki Tsukumo. He tapped his knee, his tone dismissive.
"Curse Users? Just a bunch of barking dogs. Nothing worth fussing over."
"As for the students, starting missions early is a good thing. They can start building experience sooner."
He stroked his graying beard, his deep-set eyes drifting toward the field.
"It's too late to patch things up once something's already happened," Yaga said with meaning.
"It's never too late to fix things."
"And the dangers they face? The constant threat of death?"
"Which sorcerer isn't in danger? Isn't that the very philosophy you promote?"
"Meaningless death is not something I stand for."
Sōjun Minamoto gave the two a glance. What was this—some kind of riddle game?
"We want to nominate Yaga-sensei as the next principal, and strengthen cooperation between the two Jujutsu High campuses. Unify every force we can and bring greater stability to the Jujutsu world."
"What will it take for you to support Yaga-sensei?"
He cut into the ideological clash between these two—one a reformist, the other a traditionalist. They'd never agree on approach, but their goals weren't at odds. Both wanted peace and stability for the Jujutsu world.
That meant there was room for cooperation.
Sōjun Minamoto got straight to the point, clearly stating the reason for this meeting and asking what the other side wanted. Cards on the table—whether they could work together would be obvious.
Yoshinobu Gakuganji didn't hesitate in the slightest.
"I support him."
He pointed at Masamichi Yaga.
"This guy's been meaning to talk to me for a long time. Years passed and not once did he bring it up. Now that he's finally getting some stability in his position, he comes to me."
You were the one pushing him behind the scenes, weren't you? I knew he wasn't the type to act first.
Sōjun Minamoto looked at him. "So that's a yes?"
"Yeah, but I've got one condition..."
Of course...
Sōjun Minamoto had anticipated that. He waited to hear the request, only for Gakuganji to say:
"How about joining my band as a drummer?"
"?"
Gakuganji gave Sōjun Minamoto a once-over, nodding to himself in satisfaction.
Good look. Actually, more than good. With a bit of serious practice, and paired with his own well-honed skills, the old-and-young combo would be a rare and effective gimmick.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
He could already picture it—band blowing up, headlining the Nippon Budokan in a year, the Tokyo Dome in two. Not just a dream anymore...
"This is also a little payback for recommending you for Grade 1 promotion. What do you think?" he added.
After a brief interaction, he'd come to see the man was very straightforward—someone who believed in equivalent exchange. So he sweetened the deal.
The sudden change in topic caught Sōjun Minamoto off guard. Starting a band in the world of jujutsu? That was something he'd never even considered.
He fell into thought.
Whether or not he could play music didn't really matter. For a sorcerer like him, learning an instrument would be easy. That wasn't the issue.
The real question was—what could he gain from it?
He had no interest or motivation for things that didn't offer real value. If he was going to commit, there needed to be something tangible in return.
Maybe he could study the man's Cursed Technique?
That had some appeal, but not much. Snippets of information about the technique flashed through his mind.
Using his own body as a speaker to amplify melodies from instruments and convert them into Cursed Energy attacks—sonic waves like wind blades. It wasn't just about Cursed Energy; musical skill played a key role too.
A very rare technique type.
Projecting Cursed Energy through sound could be worth observing, but that alone wasn't enough to justify joining a band. He could just watch and learn—no need to actually be part of it.
"Your band? How many members do you have now?" Sōjun Minamoto asked.
"With you, that makes two." Gakuganji lit up with enthusiasm.
...?
"Light music, right? Guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, and vocals—you'd usually need at least three to four people."
Sōjun Minamoto didn't have firsthand experience, but he had a general idea. A band with too few members could work, but it would be tough. Too many would be hard to manage. Three or four was the ideal number for a well-rounded light music group.
"You can split yourself, can't you?" Gakuganji suddenly said.
"...Huh?"
You call this a band? If I pick up an electric guitar, I won't even need you anymore, will I? Sōjun Minamoto was speechless. This old man's schemes were practically echoing in his head.
"Mind if I ask—where are your previous bandmates?" From the way the old guy talked, he clearly had years of experience. No way he hadn't been in a band before.
"They're all dead."
Sōjun Minamoto frowned at that and started to think...
"Principal~~"
The students on the field started heading their way. One girl from Kyoto campus even waved halfway over.
After standing around for so long with no fight breaking out, the students were bored and frustrated. They decided to consult their principal early to go over strategy for the exchange event, building up their spirits for a decisive blow against the opposing school.
As for the Tokyo campus, their students had always handled things themselves.
After all, they had a hands-off principal and an equally hands-off teacher. Back when Satoru Gojo and the others were around, they were so strong they never needed to consult Masamichi Yaga—so the tradition stuck.
Neither man brought up the band again and turned their attention to the students.
Unexpectedly, a male student strode straight up to Sōjun Minamoto, stopped in front of him, and said,
"I heard you're a Special Grade sorcerer? I've exorcised a few Grade 1 Cursed Spirits myself. I was wondering—how big is the gap between Grade 1 and Special Grade?"
A playful smile appeared on his face.
Sōjun Minamoto blinked in surprise, then smiled and shot a look at Yuki Tsukumo, who was also Special Grade. Before he could say a word...
Riko Amanai had already stepped up to stand beside him, looking down at the boy from the same level. She said nothing, but the contempt in her expression said it all.
She had a knack for taunting—and anyone she taunted was always the first to get hit.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake