### Chapter 10: Ryota: You Should Pick Something Sturdier Next Time
"Look over there!"
"Is that a special performance by the restaurant? I didn't know they had this kind of program today."
"It looks amazing."
"Are they using props?"
"..."
The table where Ryota sat was against the wall, in a relatively quiet spot.
However, business was booming, and the restaurant was packed with diners.
The commotion caused by Ryota and Fushiguro Toji wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either.
Before long, it attracted the attention of people nearby, and eventually, more and more people in the restaurant began to watch.
Ordinary people generally didn't know about the existence of curses and Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Even if they occasionally sought out sorcerers to deal with Cursed Spirits or Cursed Objects haunting a place, they would only see the curses disappear and the strange events stop occurring.
They still remained ignorant of the true reasons behind the supernatural events and the identities of the Jujutsu Sorcerers.
These ordinary diners also had no idea what the confrontation between Ryota and Fushiguro Toji truly signified.
They just felt it was impressive, even if they didn't quite understand it.
However.
Due to the intense, aggressive aura radiating from Fushiguro Toji and Ryota, although the surrounding people were watching, not a single one dared to get too close.
At this moment, two more people entered the shop.
Two females stood at the doorway.
One was young, likely in junior high school.
She had a cute face, long black hair braided into a single plait, wore a school uniform, and had a white headband.
The other was a middle-aged woman wearing a black short-sleeved dress with a white inner lining and an apron.
Her hair was tied up in a round bun covered by a white cloth cap, secured with a dark string bow.
The junior high school girl named Amanai Riko was attracted by the "battlefield" between the two men:
"Wow, that's amazing, Misato."
"We don't know if those two are Jujutsu Sorcerers or Curse Users. Riko-sama, let's leave for now," Kuroi Misato whispered a reminder.
The date for Riko-sama, whom she had watched over and raised since childhood, to merge with *that* person was getting closer.
Those two were obviously from the Jujutsu world, but it was unclear whether they were Sorcerers or Curse Users.
Most importantly, she didn't know if they posed a threat to Amanai Riko beside her.
For now, it was better to avoid any connection with such existences; completely preventing contact was the best course of action.
They should wait for the people from Jujutsu High to contact them.
Otherwise, she couldn't guarantee that Riko-sama, the 'Star Plasma Vessel' she had looked after since childhood, wouldn't encounter danger.
"Alright then."
although Amanai Riko was just a junior high student, due to her identity as the 'Star Plasma Vessel', she had a bit of *chunibyo* (eighth-grader syndrome).
But she also knew Kuroi Misato was concerned for her.
So, the two turned and left the restaurant.
Back at Ryota and Fushiguro Toji's table.
There was basically no food left on the serving plates; it had all landed in the bowls in front of the two men.
"Hmm?"
At the moment Kuroi Misato and Amanai Riko left, Ryota seemed to sense something, his brow twitching imperceptibly.
Then he returned to normal.
Despite this, Ryota's hand speed didn't decrease.
He was just thinking to himself.
This world might be much more interesting than what he had seen in the original anime.
Before he completed filling the Tailed Beast panel and maxed out his character inheritance rate, he probably wouldn't feel bored for a long time.
"I'm really being underestimated. You dare to get distracted while facing me."
Fushiguro Toji, with his keen five senses, noticed the change in Ryota's expression, and his gaze became much sharper.
"It's just entertainment."
"If I need to be serious for something of this level, then I'd have to re-evaluate you."
Ryota's expression was casual.
Hearing this, Fushiguro Toji grinned:
"This level doesn't even count as entertainment in my eyes."
"But, my view of you, you bastard, hasn't changed at all."
As they spoke, the two struck out an unknown number of times.
Amidst the multiple collisions, the surface of the dining table was covered with dense, spiderweb-like cracks.
Like a porcelain object, it seemed ready to shatter at any moment under the heavy load.
At this moment on the table, apart from the last piece of raw vegetable on the central plate, everything else had been swept clean.
Ryota and Fushiguro Toji looked at each other.
However, the tension from before, the feeling of swords drawn and bows bent, was gone.
It was like the calm before the storm.
The next moment.
Both moved simultaneously.
**BOOM—**
A huge explosion sounded, as if a bomb had been detonated right there.
The surrounding people covered their ears, their facial expressions twisted together from the sudden shock.
Thick dust enveloped Ryota's table.
A figure walked out of the dust somewhat wretchedly, coughing as he choked on the smoke. It was Kong Siu, who had hurriedly left his seat earlier after sensing a bad premonition.
"These two bastards, *cough cough*..."
Luckily he dodged fast, otherwise he'd probably have to rest in the hospital for two days.
"Wha-what happened?"
The manager, who doubled as the head chef and had joined in the cooking due to the booming business, was so scared his arm shook.
The ladle in his hand almost flew out.
He hurriedly put down his work and ran out of the kitchen in a panic.
Looking at the scene revealed as the dust gradually settled, the slightly chubby middle-aged manager had a look of utter confusion on his face.
A waiter beside him said weakly: "Manager, wasn't this a performance you hired?"
"Huh?"
The manager was even more confused after hearing that.
...
The dust settled.
Ryota and Fushiguro Toji remained in their sitting postures.
The difference was that the dining table between them had shattered into a pile of debris on the floor.
Along with the tableware on it, including the bowls and plates originally filled with food in front of them, nothing was spared.
"Tch."
Fushiguro Toji looked at the two broken halves of chopsticks in his hand, his expression unhappy.
By his foot lay half of the raw vegetable piece.
On Ryota's side.
Of the chopsticks in his hand, one was broken in half just like Fushiguro Toji's, leaving only a stub in his fingers.
But the remaining chopstick was intact, and skewered on it was half a piece of raw vegetable.
Ryota stood up with a pleased expression.
He ate that half piece of vegetable, tossed the chopstick aside casually, and walked towards the door.
"You should pick something sturdier next time."