After angering Gojo Satoru enough to chase him off, Asou Akiya remained behind with the teacher, grading the exam papers.
Yaga Masamichi gave up his own seat and moved to the sofa nearby, idly fiddling with a felt toy in his hands. He did not take Asou Akiya's alarmist warnings too seriously; he trusted in the speed at which students grew. If Gojo could not win now, then he would be able to later.
The so-called "Sorcerer Killer," no matter how well he understood Gojo Satoru's standing among the Three Great Families, might not even have the nerve to make a move against him.
What was more, the defensive capabilities of the "Limitless" technique were beyond reproach.
"After you graduate, are you interested in becoming a teaching assistant, Akiya?" Yaga Masamichi asked, thoroughly absorbed in poking and prodding the little toy.
"Not for now," Asou Akiya replied.
He pulled out a blank sheet of paper and began recording the three students' answers, grading them individually.
The answer to the first multiple-choice question was: [ABD].
Asou Akiya's comment read: "'Heavenly Restriction' types are all a bunch of unlucky souls; not a single one lives a complete life."
(Gojo Satoru: 0 points. Getou Suguru: 0 points. Ieiri Shoko: 0 points.)
The answer to the second multiple-choice question was: [B].
Asou Akiya's comment read: "Lord Tengen is female—rumor has it she's even a beauty. Certain people should go home and flip through some ancient texts."
(Gojo Satoru: 0 points. Getou Suguru: 0 points. Ieiri Shoko: 0 points.)
Before writing his commentary on the third multiple-choice question, Asou Akiya slyly glanced at their answers. Gojo Satoru and Getou Suguru had both chosen [A], Ieiri Shoko had chosen [B], and not a single person had selected the [D] he himself had predetermined.
Asou Akiya thought to himself, Didn't expect that, did you? I don't even know the correct answer either—I just used this question to fish for Gojo Satoru's intel!
This particular question had been designed specifically for Ieiri Shoko. It deliberately stepped outside the scope of canon events and established information, its true purpose being to probe the hidden risks faced by someone who possessed the Reverse Cursed Technique, and to subtly heighten Ieiri Shoko's sense of crisis.
In Asou Akiya's view, the potential of the Reverse Cursed Technique was enormous, and Ieiri Shoko showed just the slightest tendency toward giving up and coasting along.
My dear Shoko, he thought, I'm not expecting you to pull a Mahoraga and condense the power of the Reverse Cursed Technique into a white demon-slaying sword, but at the very least, you should strengthen your technique—be better than your original self. Ganbatte!
The answer to the third multiple-choice question was: [A].
Asou Akiya's comment read: "I don't actually know the answer either—many thanks to Gojo for providing such an in-depth explanation for Ieiri!"
(Gojo Satoru: 2 points. Getou Suguru: 2 points. Ieiri Shoko: 0 points.)
The answer to the fourth multiple-choice question was: [D].
Asou Akiya's comment read: "Congratulations to Gojo, and to Getou who changed his answer—you got it right. Just like the option states, as the one who set the question, I believe there is no such thing as completely eradicating cursed spirits from this world."
(Gojo Satoru: 4 points. Getou Suguru: 4 points. Ieiri Shoko: 0 points.)
The answer to the fifth multiple-choice question was: [BCD].
Asou Akiya's comment read: "All incorrect—no one answered correctly. Don't ask me why. Have Gojo go home and flip through some ancient texts; there should be quite a few historical cases of sorcerers turning into cursed spirits after death. This world is endlessly fascinating—read more history."
(Gojo Satoru: 4 points. Getou Suguru: 4 points. Ieiri Shoko: 0 points.)
The answer to the sixth multiple-choice question was: [ABD].
Asou Akiya wrote his commentary: "Congratulations to Gojo for answering correctly—you earn 2 points. Shoko got half of it right and earns 1 point. Getou answered incorrectly and gets 0. The essence of multiple-choice questions is this: take whatever points you can get, instead of obsessively chasing a perfect score. Getou, you need to pay attention to your mindset. Sorcerers carry blades in their hearts, and murderous intent can arise in an instant, but cases of impulsive killing must always be judged based on their causes and consequences—capital punishment cannot be handed down lightly."
(Gojo Satoru: 6 points. Getou Suguru: 4 points. Ieiri Shoko: 1 point.)
The answer to the seventh multiple-choice question was: [ABC].
Asou Akiya's commentary read: "Congratulations—you all got this one right. This was a bonus question that practically hands out points, since you picked the option involving the inherited techniques of the Three Great Families."
(Gojo Satoru: 8 points. Getou Suguru: 6 points. Ieiri Shoko: 3 points.)
The answer to the eighth multiple-choice question was: [ABCD].
Asou Akiya wrote: "Congratulations to Getou and Shoko for guessing correctly—you each earn 2 points. Gojo, take a moment to reflect on yourself: why did you dare to guess ABC, yet hesitate to include D in your answer? You only get 1 point. As for the incident where the 'Six Eyes' and the 'Ten Shadows Technique' perished together, I share your regret, but based on my analysis, the death of the previous 'Six Eyes' was caused by a combination of complex factors. And as for what Mahoraga is… go look it up yourselves! Explaining everything one by one would exhaust me to death."
(Gojo Satoru: 9 points. Getou Suguru: 8 points. Ieiri Shoko: 5 points.)
The answer to the ninth multiple-choice question was: [ABD].
Asou Akiya commented: "All incorrect. You all chose C, so no one scores any points. Once a sorcerer is restricted by 'technique burnout,' there are only a few options left: wait out a twenty-four-hour cooldown period, find some friends to drink and mess around for a day, or damage the brain's frontal lobe and then repair it."
(Gojo Satoru: 9 points. Getou Suguru: 8 points. Ieiri Shoko: 5 points.)
The answer to the tenth multiple-choice question was: [D].
Asou Akiya wrote: "All correct—2 points each. Ryoumen Sukuna is universally acknowledged as the King of Curses."
(Gojo Satoru: 11 points. Getou Suguru: 10 points. Ieiri Shoko: 7 points.)
The eleventh multiple-choice question…
Asou Akiya heard Yaga Masamichi ask from behind him, "How far have you gotten with grading? Anyone scoring high?"
Asou Akiya smiled as he replied, "I'm still grading the multiple-choice section—we're not even halfway through yet. For now, Gojo is in the lead by one point. That guy has an advantage when it comes to questions about capital punishment in the jujutsu world."
Yaga Masamichi strode over in surprise. "No way. He's leading? I thought first place would be Getou."
Asou Akiya glanced again at the fill-in-the-blank answers from the three of them. One of the questions involved the [Kuroi] family, and both Getou and Shoko had inexplicably written the wrong information, losing two points, while Gojo had filled it in correctly. As for the final long-answer question, there was no need to look closely—what all three had written was almost identical, clearly the result of discussing it together and then collectively copying Shoko's mini-essay.
His expression turned subtly complicated. "Getou and Shoko underestimated Gojo. He might actually pull off a surprise win."
Getou, Shoko—how did you two end up getting played by Gojo?
With Yaga Masamichi observing from the side, Asou Akiya swiftly finished grading all twenty-five multiple-choice questions. Getou Suguru never managed to close the gap, and Gojo Satoru firmly occupied the top spot.
(Gojo Satoru: 23 points. Getou Suguru: 22 points. Ieiri Shoko: 19 points.)
Asou Akiya reflected to himself, "Gojo's desire to win is strong as well. The 'Six Eyes,' by collecting information about his classmates and the jujutsu world, really can compensate for certain disadvantages. Unexpected, yet reasonable."
The answer to the first fill-in-the-blank question was: the clan assemblies of the Three Great Families are held every year in [winter]. During the assembly, light snow falls from the sky, and snow accumulates throughout the forest. This year, the three young heads of the Three Great Families met. Their strengths were comparable: one had blue eyes, one had [green eyes], and one had black eyes. Among them, the heir of the [Gojo] family held the highest status, followed by the heir of the [Zenin] family, and lastly the heir of the [Kamo] family. The meeting ended on bad terms, and the atmosphere was unbearably awkward.
Asou Akiya wrote in his commentary, "Congratulations—you all answered correctly and earn 10 points. However, Gojo's answer was a bit more detailed."
(Gojo Satoru: 33 points. Getou Suguru: 32 points. Ieiri Shoko: 29 points.)
The answer to the second fill-in-the-blank question was: once every [500] years… it becomes necessary to merge with a girl possessing the [Star Plasma Vessel] constitution, in order to refresh the body's information. To express gratitude for Master Tengen's thousand years of contributions to the jujutsu world, the jujutsu society facilitated the establishment of the [Kuroi] family… ensuring that they would be able to live out their entire lives without want for food or clothing.
Asou Akiya commented, "Gojo answered perfectly and earns 6 points. Getou and Shoko made mistakes and can only get 4 points—it's [Kuroi], not [Kuroda]!"
(Gojo Satoru: 39 points. Getou Suguru: 36 points. Ieiri Shoko: 33 points.)
The answer to the third fill-in-the-blank question was: because they can see the existence of cursed spirits, wild, unaffiliated jujutsu children generally struggle to [survive]… if a jujutsu child experiences a surge or loss of control over cursed energy, indirectly causing the deaths of multiple jujutsu sorcerers during the process of exorcising curses… the higher-ups sentence this individual to [death] as punishment—should the executioner show mercy?
Asou Akiya wrote his comment: "4 points. We won't debate whether this judgment is right or wrong, but if you encounter a similar situation in the future, weigh it carefully in your own hearts."
(Gojo Satoru: 43 points. Getou Suguru: 40 points. Ieiri Shoko: 37 points.)
The answer to the fourth fill-in-the-blank question was: at the end of the Taishō era, a child born of the Kamo family's lawful wife overheard a conversation between his parents. The father looked up at the night sky—no stars were visible, yet the bright moon hung high—and softly murmured the widely circulated phrase ["The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"] The mother blushed deeply… and later gave birth to a younger sister for the child.
Asou Akiya commented: "Congratulations, all correct. I'll add 2 points for your literary cultivation."
(Gojo Satoru: 45 points. Getou Suguru: 42 points. Ieiri Shoko: 39 points.)
The answer to the fifth fill-in-the-blank question was: five hundred years after the Heian-kyō period, the world entered the Sengoku era, the final age of brilliance for the jujutsu world. Master Tengen would meet a [boy] and a [girl]—was it fate? Were they inextricably bound?
Asou Akiya wrote coldly: "All wrong. No one answered correctly. Gojo, go home and look it up in the ancient texts."
(Gojo Satoru: 45 points. Getou Suguru: 42 points. Ieiri Shoko: 39 points.)
The answer to the sixth fill-in-the-blank question was: in an age where gods and Buddhas were worshipped together… during the Heian period, Ryoumen Sukuna once declared to the jujutsu world, "Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the Honored One." This line originates from [Shakyamuni] and was spoken at the moment of the Buddha's birth… please interpret Ryomen Sukuna's mindset from your own perspective: [...].
Asou Akiya: "Uh."
He leaned over to read the three of their attempts at interpreting Ryoumen Sukuna's inner thoughts—and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
On Gojo Satoru's exam paper, the answer read: [I'm number one under heaven, the strongest in the Heian era!]
Getou Suguru's answer sheet read: [All living beings are equal; yet I alone stand supreme.]
Ieiri Shoko's answer sheet read: [All of you are food that can be eaten. I'm the only exception.]
Asou Akiya wrote his comments beneath their papers and said, "I'll count all of that as correct. Four points."
（Gojo Satoru: 49 points. Getou Suguru: 46 points. Ieiri Shoko: 43 points.）
As for the final major question, Asou Akiya never intended to let them pass in the first place. After all, this group had cheated openly and shamelessly, copying from one another without the slightest regard for exam discipline or dignity. He therefore awarded a perfectly fair score.
For the final major question, everyone received exactly half the possible points: 10 points.
Final results—!
（Gojo Satoru: 59 points. Getou Suguru: 56 points. Ieiri Shoko: 53 points.）
Asou Akiya added one last annotation: "Good news: the passing score is 60. Bad news: congratulations—you all failed."
...
"Seven days from now, prepare yourselves for the make-up exam."
The following day, Yaga Masamichi handed the history test papers back to the three of them.
The moment Getou Suguru received his paper and saw the eye-searing, soul-crushing '56 points' written on it, he immediately shut down emotionally.
Ieiri Shoko wasn't doing much better herself. In silence, she decided that after school she would go smoke a cigarette, then find Utahime for a drink, just to loosen up and recover a little.
After all—
what better way to drown one's sorrows
than to embrace utter self-destruction?
Suddenly, amid the gloom weighing down the two of them, a discordant element appeared.
Gojo Satoru shouted, "Akiya, you and Yaga did this on purpose, didn't you? I was just one point short of passing!"
Getou Suguru jolted in alarm—had Gojo Satoru really achieved the astonishing score of fifty-nine?
A sinister premonition crept over him. Turning toward the white-haired classmate on his left, he cautiously asked, "Satoru… can I take a look at your test paper?"
Gojo Satoru shot him a glance and immediately hid the paper away. "Nope, I refuse. We're all failing together anyway."
Getou Suguru narrowed his eyes.
Ieiri Shoko casually brushed her fingers against the scalpel tucked in her pocket.
Asou Akiya said with a smile, "Take a closer look at my comments. I clearly marked the different questions each of you got wrong."
Asou Akiya exchanged a glance with Yaga Masamichi. Neither of them bothered to inform the three students that the make-up exam a week later would be written by Yaga Masamichi himself, that the content would be relatively easier, and that the goal was simply to help them pass so they could enjoy winter break with peace of mind.
Honestly, under Asou Akiya's supervision, the fact that they had managed to cooperate their way into the fifty-point range was already impressive enough.
Ten minutes later.
Getou Suguru was so furious his face darkened, veins bulging at his temples, as he locked an arm around Gojo Satoru's neck. "Kuroishi? Kuroame? Kuro-da?!* Satoru, you were the only one who filled in 'Kuro-i,' weren't you?! And you still had the nerve to say you were about to pass?! If I'm failing, you're failing with me!!!"
*{Note: "Black Stone," "Black Rain," and "Black Da"}
Gojo Satoru: "AAAAAHHH!!!"
In the end, the two "strongest" problem children skipped class—
and met on the athletic field instead.