The relentless drone of summer cicadas echoed across the sprawling grounds of Tokyo Jujutsu High. It was that time of year again: the season of fresh beginnings and the arrival of a new generation of sorcerers.
Inside the sprawling estate of the Zenin clan, a young woman stood in her training whites. She gripped a polearm with white-knuckled intensity, her ponytail swaying as she adjusted her glasses. Her gaze, sharp and unyielding, was fixed on the elderly man sitting before her.
Naobito Zenin, the head of the clan, sat with a bottle of sake in hand, his muscled frame radiating a deceptive vitality.
"I'm going to Jujutsu High," Maki Zenin declared, her voice ringing with defiance. "I'll become a sorcerer like the 'Strongest Trio,' and then I'm coming back to tear this clan down to the studs!"
It was a treasonous proclamation, yet Naobito did not roar in anger. Instead, he let out a booming, boisterous laugh that echoed through the dojo. "Hahaha! Is that so, Maki?"
As he looked at her, he saw a flickering ghost of a man who had once stood in that very same spot. The resemblance was haunting. "Very well! Then go and do it, Maki! I shall be right here, waiting for the day you return to try!"
In the Inumaki household, the atmosphere was significantly softer.
"Toge-chan! Make sure to make plenty of friends at school. Be kind to your classmates!"
"Salmon!" Toge replied, his high collar pulled up to his nose.
"Listen to your teachers, and call your mother and father whenever you have a spare moment!"
"Salmon!"
"Oh, I can't bear the thought of not seeing my little Toge for so long! Waaaah!"
"Mustard leaf!" Toge patted his mother's arm reassuringly.
At the Sunlit Café, Suguru Geto was wearing a polite but strained smile as he dealt with the local authorities.
"Officer, I assure you... these three are my foster children. This shop is absolutely not in violation of child labor laws. They just like helping out."
Behind him, Nanako, Mimiko, and Toshihisa Negi huddled together, whispering.
"This is the fourth time this month, isn't it?"
"The customers see us working and call the police the moment they step outside."
"I told you we should have put up a sign!"
"Forget the sign. We're heading to the High School tomorrow anyway."
"By the way, when are Suguru-sama and Miss Haruko actually going to get married?"
"..."
The following day, at the gates of Jujutsu High.
A massive panda lay lazily beneath the shade of a cherry blossom tree, contentedly rubbing its furry belly. This was Panda, a unique Cursed Corpse created by Masamichi Yaga through his Puppet Manipulation technique. Panda was a miracle of sorcery: he possessed an independent consciousness, real emotions, and the ability to generate his own cursed energy.
The higher-ups in the jujutsu world saw Panda as a goldmine. They had spent years subtly and overtly pressuring Yaga to reveal the secret of his creation. If Panda could be mass-produced, the elders would have an army of loyal, immortal soldiers at their beck and call.
Yaga, who viewed his corpses as his children, had flatly refused. He claimed Panda's birth was a one-in-a-million accident that he couldn't replicate. The elders didn't believe him for a second, but because the Three Strongest—Souma, Satoru, and Suguru—were Yaga's former students and current protectors, the higher-ups didn't dare use force. They were reduced to a game of endless, grumbling negotiations.
"Ahhh... so slow," Panda yawned, stretching his paws.
Just then, a boy with ash-blonde hair and a high collar appeared at the gate. Almost simultaneously, a tall girl with a ponytail and a polearm marched up. She spotted Toge and gave a casual wave.
"Hey there! Are you a freshman too? I'm Zenin... actually, just call me Maki!"
"Salmon!"
"Huh?"
"Salmon! Salmon!"
Maki tilted her head, her eyes turning into confused dots. Toge mimicked the expression, his own eyes turning into dots as well. After a long moment of staring, Toge remembered something and pulled a printed sheet of paper—a sort of linguistic resume—from his bag.
Maki scanned it quickly. "Oh, Toge Inumaki! You're a Cursed Speech user! Well, we're classmates now. Look forward to working with you!"
"Salmon!"
Maki slapped him heartily on the shoulder, but her gaze was suddenly drawn to the large animal nearby. "Wait... does the school keep a pet panda?"
Panda raised a paw in greeting. "Yo! Good to meet you! I'm Panda!"
Maki and Toge froze in unison.
"The panda talked?!"
"Kelp!"
"Don't be so surprised. I'm a Cursed Corpse," Panda explained, rubbing the back of his head with an exasperated sigh.
Maki recalled that the principal, Masamichi Yaga, was the foremost master of Puppet Manipulation. It made sense, though it was still a bizarre sight. Suddenly, Toge and Panda snapped their heads toward the school entrance. Maki, who had nearly zero cursed energy, followed their gaze a second later.
Through her specialized glasses, she saw it: a towering, piercing aura of cursed energy approaching like a tidal wave.
"Is that..." Maki whispered.
"Special Grade," Panda muttered, shrugging. "It's definitely one of those three."
"Kelp!"
The group soon came into view. Suguru Geto led the way, followed by Nanako, Mimiko, and Toshihisa. The three youngsters were looking around with wide-eyed curiosity until they spotted the trio at the gate.
"Whoa! A real panda!"
Suguru smiled and waved. "Long time no see, Panda."
"Suguru-sensei," Panda replied. "I didn't expect you to drop them off personally."
Suguru scratched his head. "Souma and Satoru are coming as well. It's been a while since the three of us hung out, so I figured I'd walk the kids in."
Suguru Geto... Maki's eyes filled with a quiet reverence. The "Strongest Trio" were legends who had once stood outside the Star Corridor and mocked the entire Three Great Families to their faces. To Maki, who had been crushed by the Zenin clan's traditions, such men were nothing short of heroes. They were the benchmark for what a sorcerer should be.
"Hello, I'm Nanako Hasaba!"
"Mimiko Hasaba."
"Toshihisa Negi."
The three were introduced, their personalities as distinct as their names. Being around the same age, the group began to relax into a natural conversation.
Suddenly, a high-pitched, mischievous laugh echoed through the air. "Ehehehe! Suguru! Long time no see!"
Suguru let out a resigned sigh. "Satoru, it's been—"
"Look, look! This is my disciple, Megumi Fushiguro! Heir to the Ten Shadows! He's already exorcised seven Grade 1 curses and secured a Grade 2 rank before even starting school!" Satoru held Megumi up by the armpits like a prize-winning kitten.
Megumi's face was a mask of pure embarrassment. He tried to hide behind the towering figure of his father, Toji Fushiguro.
"You came too?" Suguru asked, ignoring Satoru's antics to look at Toji.
Toji shrugged. "It's my kid. I was bored, so I figured I'd see him in."
Suddenly, Toji's gaze sharpened. He looked directly at Maki. Sensing his stare, Maki looked up and met his eyes. Toji's scarred lip curled into an unreadable, predatory smile.
"Heavenly Restriction, huh?"
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