There was also another second-year student from Kyoto Jujutsu High, Momo Nishimiya.
She was a petite blonde girl, small in just about every way. However, what left the strongest impression on Akira was her broom.
Her hairstyle was strange enough on its own. The middle looked almost bald, with most of her hair gathered toward the sides, making it resemble a broom that had worn down in the center.
To make matters worse, she was actually carrying a broom.
Looking at her, Akira couldn't help thinking that Hogwarts must have opened a branch in Japan and sent her over as its representative.
As for the other second-year student, he was someone Akira knew quite well.
Noritoshi Kamo.
His half-brother and the biological son of Akemi Aki.
Like Akira, Noritoshi had narrow eyes, and nearly half his facial features resembled their mother. Anyone familiar with Akemi Aki would probably notice the similarities if they looked carefully enough.
Noritoshi was also one of Kyoto Jujutsu High's student representatives.
After Mai Zenin and Kasumi Miwa finished welcoming the visitors, he naturally stepped forward to handle the introductions and coordinate with the Tokyo students.
His movements were calm and measured, and even his posture showed the upbringing expected of someone raised in one of the great Jujutsu families.
"Welcome, everyone from Tokyo Jujutsu High, to Kyoto Jujutsu High."
His greeting was polite and proper.
Unfortunately, the Tokyo students were probably the last people who would appreciate that kind of formality.
Kinji Hakari, who was also a second-year, glanced over the Kyoto students before speaking with obvious disappointment.
"Where are your third-years? Don't tell me this is everyone. Doesn't look very impressive."
He didn't even bother hiding his lack of interest.
Noritoshi's expression remained unchanged. His narrow eyes stayed closed as he answered in the same polite tone.
"Since the upperclassmen from your school are absent, our seniors didn't see much reason to come out early. They will participate once the exchange event officially begins."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Unlike Tokyo Jujutsu High, our school is quite stable. We don't have a habit of changing our plans at the last minute."
"..."
What a polite way to insult someone.
Kinji Hakari had provoked them openly, while Noritoshi Kamo had returned the favor without raising his voice.
Every word sounded reasonable, but the meaning behind them was obvious.
The effect was immediate.
Kinji Hakari clenched his fist.
Beside him, Maki Zenin also looked ready to hit someone.
The Kyoto students weren't much better.
Momo Nishimiya raised the broom in her hand, looking at the Tokyo group with clear dissatisfaction.
"Not cute at all," she muttered.
Mai Zenin was even more direct.
With a flick of her wrist, a revolver appeared in her hand. It was the kind of weapon rarely seen these days, and she pointed it straight at Maki from a distance.
"Want to fight?"
Maki's expression immediately darkened.
The two sisters stared at each other.
For a moment, it seemed like the exchange event might begin a day early.
Akira looked at the scene and felt a little speechless.
He had thought Tokyo Jujutsu High was already full of troublesome people.
Apparently, Kyoto Jujutsu High wasn't any better.
At times like this, someone with a clear head had to step in before things got out of hand.
Coincidentally, there were two such people present.
One belonged to the Kamo clan, while the other belonged to the Ake clan. Despite their different family names, they were half-brothers.
Almost at the same time, Akira and Noritoshi raised their hands.
"That's enough."
"There's no point fighting here. Save it for tomorrow's exchange event."
The two spoke one after the other, causing everyone nearby to pause.
Akira turned toward Noritoshi.
Noritoshi also looked at him.
Their eyes met.
For Akira, this was hardly surprising. He had already expected something like this to happen.
Noritoshi, however, felt a strange sense of familiarity.
He was certain he had never heard the name Akira before.
And yet, looking at the young man standing opposite him, he couldn't shake the feeling that they had met somewhere.
Where had he seen that face?
He couldn't remember.
Of course, eight years had already passed since they were children. Their appearances had changed considerably, so it was only natural that Noritoshi failed to recognize him.
Neither brother said anything more.
With both of them stepping in, the tension between the two schools finally eased.
At least, nobody seemed ready to throw the first punch anymore.
The teachers standing nearby had naturally witnessed the entire exchange.
Yoshinobu Gakuganji looked at Akira for a moment before turning toward Masamichi Yaga.
"That student is quite good."
Coming from the old principal, it was already a rare compliment.
Utahime Iori had a similar reaction.
She glanced at Akira, then looked toward Satoru Gojo.
"I didn't expect you to have such a sensible student."
Gojo immediately straightened up.
"Of course. I taught him well."
He said it with such confidence that anyone unfamiliar with him might have believed it.
Utahime stared at him.
"..."
How shameless.
She couldn't even be bothered to argue.
Utahime was one year older than Gojo, and the two had known each other since their student days. After more than ten years of dealing with him, she understood his personality far too well.
In fact, she had disliked him ever since they were students.
And after all these years, that opinion had only grown stronger.
Gojo didn't seem bothered by her reaction.
Instead, he turned around and noticed something interesting.
Akira had been glancing toward Utahime several times.
Gojo's mouth curved into a smile.
He casually pulled Akira aside and lowered his voice.
"Hey, Akira. Why do I get the feeling you've been looking at Utahime more than your own brother?"
Akira turned toward him.
Gojo leaned closer.
"What? Teacher-student romance? Want me to help you?"
"No."
Akira rejected the suggestion without hesitation.
It was true that shrine maiden outfits were one of his preferences.
And Utahime's appearance certainly suited that preference.
However, appreciating someone's appearance and falling in love at first sight were two completely different things.
He hadn't been staring at her for that reason.
"I was just thinking about something."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Women sing, men... play guitar."
"?"
Gojo looked at him.
What was that supposed to mean?
Akira didn't explain immediately.
If he remembered correctly, Utahime Iori's Cursed Technique was related to singing, while Yoshinobu Gakuganji's Cursed Technique involved playing an electric guitar.
One singer and one guitarist.
Wasn't that already the foundation of a band?
And if they performed a song like *Lost in Paradise*, then added a few handsome guys and pretty girls to dance along with the music...
Akira imagined the scene.
The conservative principal playing guitar, Utahime singing, and a group of Jujutsu Sorcerers dancing in the background.
Wouldn't that be perfect?
More importantly, he could use the opportunity to verify one of his guesses concerning Pokémon memes.
As for whether Gakuganji and Utahime would agree to such a performance...
Well, that was a problem for another time.
***
The first day of the Kyoto Goodwill Event was the group battle.
Unlike an ordinary competition between students, the exchange event required both teams to enter a designated area and exorcise Cursed Spirits.
It was meant to test their combat abilities, cooperation, and judgment under pressure.
Before noon, all participating students gathered to hear the official rules.
Yoshinobu Gakuganji, the principal of Kyoto Jujutsu High, personally delivered the announcement.
"The rules for today's group battle are simple."
His voice carried clearly across the gathering area.
"A Grade Two Cursed Spirit has been placed within the designated competition grounds. The first team to exorcise it will be declared the winner."
He looked over the students before continuing.
"There are also numerous Grade Three and lower Cursed Spirits scattered throughout the area. If neither team defeats the designated Grade Two Cursed Spirit before nightfall, the team with the higher total number of exorcisms will win."
In other words, finding the Grade Two Cursed Spirit was the quickest way to secure victory.
However, simply rushing around the grounds wouldn't necessarily be enough.
Both teams would also have to deal with the weaker Cursed Spirits, especially if they couldn't locate the main target before the time limit.
Gakuganji continued explaining the method used to record the results.
Special talismans had been attached to every Cursed Spirit participating in the event.
These talismans reacted to the Cursed Energy of the sorcerer who exorcised them, allowing the organizers to determine which team had earned the points.
Kyoto Jujutsu High was represented by blue.
Tokyo Jujutsu High was represented by red.
There was also a special consideration for unregistered Cursed Energy.
Because of Maki Zenin and Akira, the talismans had been set so that energy without a registered signature would also register as red.
This ensured that their contributions would still be counted toward Tokyo's results.
After explaining the scoring system, Gakuganji moved on to the final rule.
"There are no other restrictions."
His words immediately drew the attention of several students.
"Interference with the opposing team is permitted. Direct confrontation is also allowed."
In other words, students could attack members of the opposing school if doing so helped their team win.
Of course, there were limits.
"However, killing your opponents or causing irreversible injuries is strictly prohibited."
Gakuganji's expression grew serious.
"Keep that in mind."
After making sure everyone had heard the warning, he finished his announcement.
"That concludes the explanation. You are dismissed until the match begins at noon."
With those words, the opening ceremony of the Kyoto Goodwill Event came to an end.
Or at least, that was how it was supposed to go.
As the host, Yoshinobu Gakuganji had handled the announcement properly.
Although he was already quite old and belonged to the conservative faction of Jujutsu Society, his voice remained strong, and his way of speaking was direct.
He didn't waste time on unnecessary formalities.
Putting aside their differences in ideology, Akira couldn't say that the old man had left a particularly bad impression.
Unfortunately, having a good impression of the principal didn't mean everyone was willing to behave during his speech.
Especially when it came to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
After all, there were more unusual people than normal ones at that school.
Kinji Hakari and Maki Zenin, the two students who might as well have been called delinquents, had looked openly impatient throughout the explanation.
Neither seemed particularly interested in listening to a long speech.
Satoru Gojo was even worse.
He had actually been whistling during the announcement.
At first, Gakuganji tried to ignore him.
But as the speech continued, the old principal's expression became darker and darker.
By the time he finished explaining the rules, the look he gave Gojo was practically murderous.
Gojo, naturally, acted as though he hadn't noticed anything.
The Kyoto students weren't much better.
Several third-years had gathered together, whispering among themselves.
"One second-year and five first-years? Isn't that giving them too much of an advantage?"
"Maybe they're not as confident as they pretend to be."
"Or did someone disappear?"
Their voices were low, but they made little effort to hide their mockery.
The absence of Tokyo's older students had clearly become a convenient topic for the Kyoto side.
Mai Zenin, who was watching from outside the participating group, had an even stronger opinion.
She stared toward Maki, her expression full of dissatisfaction.
"If I'd known she was coming, I would've applied to participate too."
Mai crossed her arms.
"I would've taken her down myself."
Her hostility toward her older sister was obvious.
Standing nearby, Kasumi Miwa was quite different.
She stood straight with an energetic expression, looking every bit like a serious student who was ready for the upcoming event.
However, anyone who followed her gaze would notice something strange.
Her attention wasn't on the competition grounds.
It wasn't even on the other students.
She was staring at Satoru Gojo.
Her eyes were practically sparkling.
The strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer was standing right there!
For Kasumi Miwa, that alone was enough to make the day special.
Compared to these people, the most reliable member of the Kyoto group turned out to be a wooden robot.
Its body resembled an armored hero, and its movements were accompanied by the mechanical sounds of its joints.
After hearing Mai's complaint, it turned toward her.
"There will be a chance next year."
Its tone was surprisingly calm.
Akira glanced at the robot.
So this was Ultimate Mechamaru.
Tokyo Jujutsu High had Panda, a self-sustaining Cursed Corpse.
Meanwhile, Kyoto Jujutsu High had a mechanical puppet that looked as though it had walked straight out of a science fiction anime.
Jujutsu Society really did have all kinds of strange people.
And this year, there seemed to be even more than usual.
Ultimate Mechamaru was an anti-Cursed Spirit combat puppet controlled through Jujutsu.
The person operating it wasn't actually present on the competition grounds.
His real name was Kokichi Muta.
Thinking about Kokichi, Akira couldn't help feeling a little troubled.
The boy's circumstances were extremely harsh.
If Akira had to compare him to someone, he would probably choose one of the more miserable characters from Naruto.
Kokichi had been born with severe physical limitations, and even something as simple as going outside to enjoy the sunlight was beyond him.
His name sounded as though it should belong to someone blessed with good fortune.
Yet his actual life was the exact opposite.
Among the many unfortunate characters in Jujutsu Kaisen, Kokichi Muta could easily compete for the title of the most miserable.
Akira had thought about helping him before.
The problem was that he still hadn't found a suitable method.
He had several Pokémon at his disposal, each possessing abilities that would be considered extraordinary in the world of Jujutsu.
Unfortunately, none of their current abilities seemed capable of properly addressing Kokichi's condition.
That was why Akira still hadn't decided what to do about him.
Even with his knowledge of the original story, there were problems he couldn't immediately solve.
For now, he could only continue looking for a possible solution.
Of course, while Akira was thinking about Kokichi Muta, the person giving Principal Gakuganji the biggest headache was someone else entirely.
And that person hadn't even shown up.
After the rules explanation ended, Gakuganji immediately approached Utahime Iori.
His expression was far from pleasant.
"Utahime!"
"Yes, Principal?"
"Where is Todo? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"
There was obvious irritation in his voice.
The exchange event was about to begin, and one of Kyoto Jujutsu High's most important students was missing.
Worse, nobody seemed to know where he had gone.
Before Utahime could answer, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted.
"Maybe he overslept?"
Satoru Gojo had somehow appeared nearby.
He offered the suggestion with a completely innocent expression.
Unfortunately for him, Masamichi Yaga was standing right beside him.
Yaga reached out without hesitation.
The next moment, Gojo found himself caught in a joint lock.
"Ow, ow, ow! Principal, that hurts!"
Of course, everyone present knew that an ordinary joint lock wasn't going to do much to Satoru Gojo.
Still, Yaga clearly had no intention of letting him interrupt the conversation again.
Utahime watched the scene with a satisfied smile.
Seeing Gojo getting restrained was always pleasant.
After enjoying the sight for a moment, she finally answered Gakuganji's question.
"Todo didn't come back last night. I've tried calling him, but his phone is switched off."
"...What?"
Gakuganji's eyebrows twitched.
"He didn't come back last night?"
"That's right."
"And you're only telling me now?"
A vein appeared on the old principal's forehead.
He was already irritated by Todo's absence, and having to deal with it in front of Satoru Gojo only made matters worse.
After all, Gojo was exactly the kind of person who would remember this incident and bring it up whenever he got the chance.
Utahime, however, didn't seem particularly surprised by Todo's disappearance.
She gave Gakuganji a helpless look.
"Well, because it's Todo..."
She stopped there.
There was no need to explain further.
Anyone who knew Aoi Todo's personality would understand.
It was Todo, after all.