Chapter 54: About Me Being at the Starting Point of a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
"I'm so envious of Yuta and Tatsuro; they get to go to Kyoto Jujutsu High soon to bring honor to the school."
Zenin Maki complained while eating in the cafeteria.
"It'll be the same next year. It's held annually anyway," Panda consoled her. "This year they go to Kyoto; next year, Kyoto might come to Tokyo Metropolitan. Besides, Tatsuro-kun and Yuta train really hard. There's no need to be envious about this."
"Salmon!" Inumaki Toge chimed in agreement.
"I know, I know they're improving quickly and training hard, but... I want to go have fun too! Maybe I could even run into Mai and give her a good thrashing." Zenin Maki scratched her head, grumbling, "Ah! So annoying."
"What's troubling you? Let me hear it."
Tatsuro pushed the door open and entered, placing the drinks he was holding on the table. He looked at Zenin Maki with an expectant expression, as if saying, "What's bothering you? Tell me so I can have a laugh."
Okkotsu Yuta went directly to get food. As he passed Tatsuro, he asked, "Tatsuro-kun, what are you having for lunch?"
"One extra-large pork cutlet and one portion of egg fried rice, thanks."
"Mm, got it."
Tatsuro looked at the dejected Zenin Maki and continued, "If something's bothering you, just tell me. This professional is here to alleviate your worries and solve your difficulties."
"..."
"No... it's nothing." Zenin Maki couldn't stay angry looking at Tatsuro's sincere face. Then she remembered the seniors Gojo-sensei had brought and asked, "How are the seniors?"
"They're both pretty good. Except, there's no female senior, only male ones."
After speaking, Tatsuro sat down in an empty seat, twisted open a bottle cap, and took a sip of his cold drink. This statement made Inumaki Toge, who was eating, choke on his rice.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Panda quickly opened one of the cold drinks Tatsuro had bought, handed it to Inumaki Toge, and said, "Quick, quick, drink some water, you'll be fine."
"Not a female senior?" Zenin Maki asked in surprise.
"Nope, he's a male senior with a great personality," Tatsuro explained. "His name is Kirara Hoshi. The other senior is Kinji Hakari; he's cheerful. Maybe you'll get along well with him, Maki!"
"Are you talking about the seniors?" Okkotsu Yuta walked over carrying a blue tray. He placed the egg fried rice in front of Tatsuro and the extra-large pork cutlet in front of Shura, then smiled and patted Shura's head.
"Yeah, one of those seniors has a very imposing aura. I was just a bit curious," Panda said.
"Is that so? Well, the only comment I can offer is that they're good people," Okkotsu Yuta said with a slight smile, then sat down to the side and began to eat heartily.
Everyone quickly finished their lunch. After resting in their seats for a moment, Tatsuro led them towards the training grounds to meet the seniors.
Honestly, having been at Jujutsu High for so long, this was also their first time speaking with upper-year students. They couldn't help but feel a little expectant.
Currently, at the training grounds.
Kinji Hakari was shirtless, throwing punches under the scorching summer sun. He firmly believed that only when he was strong enough could he shut those higher-ups up.
What could be more passionate than this? Could there be anything more thrilling than training hard and defeating those corrupt higher-ups?
Kirara Hoshi sat watching from the shade nearby. Due to the specific nature of their cursed technique, they didn't need to participate in physical training; besides, building muscle wouldn't be very aesthetically pleasing.
Although Inumaki Toge, by rights, didn't need to train his body either, because of Maki, he usually exercised and had the requisite muscles.
Panda had truly embraced "lying flat"; after all, his upper limit was set the moment he was born, already sealed.
"Good afternoon, Hakari-senpai!"
Tatsuro's voice reached Kinji Hakari's ears. He stopped his punches and waved, shouting, "Good afternoon."
Kirara Hoshi glanced at the newcomers and offered a faint smile.
They didn't usually smile at outsiders, not even upper-year seniors. To them, Hakari was their true confidant. However, this batch of juniors was very sensible, and they had a rather good impression of them.
Zenin Maki looked at the sweat on Kinji Hakari's body, and the desire to spar with him arose in her heart. She couldn't help it; she craved battle with the strong. Her own group was too weak, not enough for a real fight.
Kinji Hakari also saw the fighting spirit in this junior girl's eyes at a glance. After all, people with strong personalities always attract each other; there was absolutely no mistake about that. He too had the desire to fight the strong... no, it should be said, he always had!
"Hey, junior girl, want to have a spar?"
"Hee!" A smile touched the corners of Zenin Maki's lips. She took off the black backpack from her shoulder, unzipped it, and pulled out a brownish three-section staff. "Of course!"
"Maki, are you sure you want to fight? He's a senior, you know?" Only Yuta was still worried. The smart ones had already found a shady spot, ready to watch the show.
Panda shouted, "Yuta, Maki's hands get itchy if she doesn't fight! Hurry up and come watch the show!"
Inumaki Toge agreed, "Salmon, bonito flakes."
"Shura, go to our fridge and get the frozen watermelon. You have one minute to get back here, or it's more training tonight."
Tatsuro, the "big brain," was even more prepared; he had already activated his Sharingan to spectate, and with chilled watermelon at that.
Eating ice cream in the scorching summer was rather bland; only gnawing on watermelon could make him feel alive, even though autumn was approaching...
Shura looked disdainfully at its master, who only knew how to order his dog around, making it drag vegetables under the guise of exercise, and lying on its back to gaze at the sky whenever he had free time.
But it couldn't refuse to go. Otherwise, training was a certainty. Gotta go, gotta go.
"..."
Are you guys really okay doing this...
Okkotsu Yuta looked speechlessly at the group already seated in the shade watching the spectacle. He glanced at Maki, said "Good luck," and then walked away.
"..."
Zenin Maki felt a mix of emotions. She both loved and hated this bunch of unsupportive friends, especially Tatsuro, the "king of grind," who was already using his eyes to copy taijutsu at a time like this...
Although it was normal for him, it still felt a bit annoying.
Meanwhile, Tatsuro's heart was screaming, "Fight! Fight! If you don't fight, how can I get stronger!"
Honestly, it was his first time seeing a first-grade sorcerer in action, especially fighting Maki. Anyway, he himself couldn't beat Maki; she cut through him like vegetables.
His taijutsu was completely suppressed, his Sharingan showed no signs of evolving, and Maki had him all figured out. He even suspected Maki deliberately went easy on him when he used ninjutsu, just to see him breathe fire.
Truthfully, his crowd control abilities were inferior to Inumaki Toge's, he couldn't beat Zenin Maki in a close-quarters duel, he had less cursed energy than Okkotsu Yuta, and he wasn't as durable as Panda.
Although he wanted all-around development, it seemed he was still at the starting point...
Commonly known as: still a noob sorcerer.