"Have you been rated as a Jujutsu Sorcerer yet?"
"No."
Eichi and Suguru gave the same answer.
"Is that so? Then let's go together."
Satoru's tone was calm, making the dangerous Rank Test sound as easy as a child's game.
Though, for Satoru, it really was just a game.
"How does the Jujutsu Sorcerer Rank assessment work?" Suguru asked.
"Well, you just need two people to recommend you, then you fight some Cursed Spirits, and that's it."
"That's certainly a simple and easy-to-understand explanation."
Suguru couldn't help but retort.
"Do I have to have a recommender?"
"Yes, you do."
Suguru looked troubled.
He came from a completely ordinary background, and his parents and elders knew nothing about the Jujutsu world.
He had only learned about it through Eichi and Satoru, which saved him from many detours in this life.
If things had followed the original course of fate, Suguru would have avoided powerful Cursed Spirits, relying on his own fists to subjugate weak Grade 4 ones.
He would eventually have been noticed by other Jujutsu Sorcerers during his continuous subjugation of Cursed Spirits, then come into contact with the Jujutsu world.
But in this life, Eichi's help had changed that trajectory.
The first time they met, Eichi directly gifted him a Grade 3 Cursed Spirit.
At that time, Suguru had just awakened and hadn't yet figured out his abilities. Faced with the choice between fighting with all his might and getting injured to subjugate the Curse or relying on a powerful figure, he chose the latter without hesitation.
Later, he learned a lot about the Jujutsu world from Eichi.
However, the observant Suguru noticed something: Eichi always concealed his presence in the Jujutsu world, intentionally or not.
Because of that, Suguru didn't actively seek contact with it either.
And after meeting Satoru, hearing him constantly call the elders "rotten" and "old geezers," he became even less interested.
Wasn't being a dark hero who silently protected humanity from the shadows also cool?
As a result, when it came time for the Rank assessment, Suguru realized he couldn't find a recommender.
Seeing his tightly furrowed brows and fingers tapping on the table, Satoru, who knew both him and Eichi well, immediately guessed what he was thinking.
"How about this: if you just say 'Help me, handsome and invincible Satoru-sama,' I'll find you a recommender."
Satoru's mischievous smile showed his Six Eyes glittering with undisguised anticipation.
"I refuse."
Suguru refused without hesitation.
"Tch, boring."
Satoru, who had been full of energy a moment ago, deflated like a balloon and slumped in his chair.
"Oh, right."
As if suddenly remembering something, he perked up again.
"What about you, Eichi? Do you want me to find you a recommender?"
"No."
Eichi made an X with his hands in front of him.
Satoru went silent again.
Eichi wasn't worried about finding a recommender. When he decided to join Tokyo Jujutsu High, he had already figured out who to ask.
His previous low profile had been to avoid attracting the Zen'in Family's attention.
After all, the Zen'in Family wasn't weak. If Naobito brought the Hei and the Grade 1 sorcerers of his clan to capture him, Eichi wouldn't be able to win.
Because of the recommender requirement, all Jujutsu Sorcerers essentially had "affiliations."
This wasn't yet the era where Satoru alone suppressed the entire Jujutsu world. Back then, when one of The Big Three Families spoke, they could mobilize enormous power.
But now, things were different. Eichi had already tamed Mahoraga and possessed the strength to face the Zen'in Family head-on.
If he wanted to, he could even crush them single-handedly.
Seeing that Eichi also rejected Satoru's offer so decisively, Suguru realized the recommender issue wasn't a problem for him either.
The tension in his brows finally eased.
"For the Rank assessment, do we start from Grade 4?" Suguru asked.
"No need, you two can directly apply for Grade 1, just like me."
"Grade 1, huh."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I was just thinking, can't we apply directly for Special Grade?"
"Special Grade?" Satoru turned to look at him.
"While it's not impossible to apply for Special Grade directly, those old geezers won't agree, you know."
"Why?"
Suguru looked puzzled.
"Besides strength and recommenders, you also need enough influence."
"What kind of influence?"
"Hmm, the kind of influence those old geezers can't ignore, I suppose." Satoru pinched his chin, thinking.
"You're not planning to make some great achievement and be promoted by merit, are you?" Eichi asked, giving Suguru a strange look.
"Isn't that how it's supposed to work?"
"Haha, as expected of you, Suguru."
Satoru laughed heartily beside him.
"Actually, influence can be understood like this: first, your achievements are so great that promotion to Special Grade doesn't even matter anymore; second, you're powerful and loyal to one of The Big Three Families; third, you're so strong they wouldn't dare refuse anything you say."
"You sure know a lot." Satoru gave Eichi a thumbs-up.
"By the way, in those old men's eyes, 'strong enough' means being able to overthrow a small country."
"I see." Suguru nodded in understanding.
"Oh, right, Suguru, can you withstand a carpet bombing with cluster bombs?"
"Huh? Why are you asking that?" He raised an eyebrow, confused.
"I just remembered that a certain trustworthy Assistant Supervisor once explained Jujutsu Ranks in a way even an idiot could understand."
"What, what? Hurry and tell me. Suguru, listen carefully," Satoru said with a grin.
"According to him, a Grade 4 Curse can be dealt with using a wooden baseball bat; for Grade 3, a pistol is enough to feel safe; for Grade 2, a shotgun can handle it; for Grade 1, even a tank would struggle; and as for Special Grade..."
Eichi paused.
Suguru kept a straight face, though his eyes were full of curiosity.
It was actually quite an interesting way to put it.
"Even a carpet bombing with cluster bombs probably wouldn't work."
Eichi regretted not seeing the reaction he wanted but still gave the answer.
"I see, it truly is an explanation even an idiot could understand. Wouldn't you agree, Suguru?" Satoru nudged his side with an elbow.
"Please don't lump me in with you."
"Ah, so you admit I'm smarter than you, huh?"
Satoru completely ignored his original meaning.
"Alright, next question: what was Oda Nobunaga's most famous battle?"
"Huh? Who would know something that ancient?"
"Next question: in the Battle of Okehazama…"
Every boy dreamed of being a general once.
After the number of Cursed Spirits increased, Suguru also became fascinated with strategy and the tales of heroes.
However, after studying ancient Japanese battles and the Three Kingdoms period next door, he realized something.
Commanding humans in large-scale operations and commanding Cursed Spirits were two completely different things.
The bizarre, often brainless Cursed Spirits could turn all formations into nothing but head-on charges.
Still, that study wasn't for nothing. At least now, he had the upper hand against Satoru.
Although Satoru still insisted that knowing history didn't prove who was smarter.
(To be continued.)