Zenin Maki's circumstances were even harsher than Leon's had once been.
Leon—formerly Kamo Notsuna—had at least lived comfortably until the age of eight. Maki, on the other hand, had never known a single easy day. Her inability to naturally perceive cursed spirits had practically disqualified her from becoming a sorcerer in the eyes of the traditional families. And among the Three Great Clans, the Zenin family was infamous for valuing cursed techniques above everything else. It wasn't hard to imagine how she had been treated growing up.
By all traditional standards, Maki should have remained trapped in that system forever.
Instead, she walked away.
"If I don't have cursed techniques, I'll use cursed tools. If the Zenin family refuses to acknowledge me, I'll prove myself somewhere bigger." That was the path she had chosen. Her ultimate goal was to one day become head of the Zenin clan and overturn the outdated system that had rejected her.
Leon found that determination quietly humbling.
"You chose the hardest possible road," he said.
"At least it's better than giving up," Maki replied.
She tossed the broken polearm shaft aside. Leon caught the remaining section effortlessly, rotated it once in his hand, and snapped it cleanly in half.
"First lesson," he said. "Stop using weapons like this."
The original blade itself had been fine. For ordinary fighters, wooden shafts offered flexibility and balance. But sorcerers weren't ordinary fighters. When reinforced with cursed energy, their physical output could reach extreme levels—far beyond what normal materials could withstand.
"I see," Maki said, nodding. "The instructor who taught me martial arts wasn't a sorcerer. I never considered that."
"There's more," Leon continued. "Because you lack cursed energy, your preparation has to exceed everyone else's. Equipment, tools, backup plans—you need answers for every situation: large curses, fast curses, swarms, human enemies. Against human opponents, you should triple the tactical considerations I mentioned earlier."
Maki hesitated for a moment.
"Still thinking about fairness?" Leon asked.
"No," she said. "I was thinking about what happens if I face someone who can ignore technology and cursed techniques alike. Someone who can't be stopped by conventional methods. What then?"
Leon gave a sharp grin. "Then you break their limbs first and ask questions later."
Gojo burst out laughing nearby. "You two should team up and overthrow the Three Great Clans already."
"Your Gojo clan is one of them," Leon replied dryly.
"Doesn't matter. If someone surpasses me, I'll be thrilled."
Panda's eyes lit up. "Team 'Defeat Gojo'?"
Maki turned back to Leon seriously. "Assistant Instructor… do you think it's actually possible for someone like me?"
"The probability is extremely low," Leon said honestly. "But not zero. Push your physical ability to the absolute limit. Build tactics designed specifically for top-tier opponents—movement denial, battlefield control, escape prevention, extreme close-range pressure…"
"As long as it's not zero," Maki said quietly.
"I'm in too," Panda added, raising a paw.
"Salmon. Mentaiko," Inumaki agreed—Count me in. Be careful.
"Then let me add a little motivation," Gojo said, suddenly more serious. "Every method Leon just mentioned exists because someone once used them against me. I nearly died. If he'd been just a little more ruthless—if he hadn't allowed me the chance to activate Reverse Cursed Technique—you wouldn't be talking to me right now."
Maki stared at him. "Someone pushed you that far? Who was he?"
"A man with no cursed energy," Gojo replied quietly. "Just like you."
"Where is he now?"
"He died about ten years ago." Gojo waved his hand casually, ending the topic. "That story's for another time. I've got something else to handle. Assistant Instructor, the rest of the lesson is yours."
He turned and walked away.
Leon watched him go, saying nothing. He knew exactly who Gojo had been referring to—and he also knew that it wasn't his place to elaborate.
"Forget that unreliable teacher," Leon said, turning back to Maki. "Second piece of advice: learn to sense curses. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean you can't perceive them. Vision is only one sense. Humans have many ways to detect presence—and a sixth sense beyond that. If you can perceive curses without relying on special glasses, your combat awareness will improve dramatically."
Maki blinked. "That's possible?"
"I've seen it done more than once," Leon said calmly.
One example had nearly killed Gojo Satoru.
Another had been an otherwise ordinary man with no notable talent—except for the ability to sense what others could not.
And that alone had changed everything.