"Are you Gojo Satoru?" Seiryu glared fiercely at Suguru.
"No, I'm Geto Suguru, an ordinary first-year at Tokyo Jujutsu High. Satoru is so strong that sorcerers like you wouldn't last a single move against him, so I'm here to spar in his place." Suguru said with a squinting smile.
Seiryu's brow furrowed.
"Take this!"
Seiryu's left fist, accompanied by a terrifying gale, reached Suguru's face in an instant. This strike could potentially exorcise a weaker Grade 2 Cursed Spirit.
Suguru remained calm, slamming his knee into Seiryu's left arm joint. Seiryu winced in pain as his arm was forced to bend backward.
The next second—
Bang!
Seiryu's fist slammed into his own face.
"Geto Suguru... I'm getting serious now."
Blood trickled from Seiryu's nostrils and he clearly realized he couldn't keep up with Suguru's speed.
But it didn't matter!
Among the Curses Seiryu had exorcised, many were known for their speed. Once he used his technique...
Before Seiryu could do anything, a ten-meter-long snake-like Cursed Spirit opened its massive maw and lunged straight at Seiryu's face. Its terrifying Cursed Energy, mixed with a bloody gust, threatened to swallow him whole.
"What! A Grade 1 Cursed Spirit!"
"Can he control Cursed Spirits?"
"What a terrifying snake!"
"It has so many eyes. How was this thing tamed?"
"Yamamoto-san isn't as... as the rumors say..."
"Hah, just a brute with dead muscle. You have to train for flexibility. Coincidentally, I have a very powerful technique here—Five Consecutive Lightning Whips."
At that moment, Seiryu's mind was flooded with the noise from the stands and his body's own warnings. If he took this hit head-on, he would likely be severely injured.
Should he surrender?
"Never!"
Seiryu knew he had to end this quickly. He could feel that Suguru wasn't holding back, he wanted to end the spar in one blow.
He couldn't win.
From that initial testing punch, it was clear: Suguru's physical strength and Cursed Energy were both terrifying. Furthermore, he could control a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit. Seiryu was only a Second-Grade Sorcerer, the gap between them was a chasm.
Buzz!
A surge of Cursed Energy caused ripples in the air, and smoke covered the entire stage.
"Next." Suguru said with a squinting smile, waving at the Kyoto Jujutsu High group.
When the smoke cleared, Seiryu's body was covered in blood and he stood silently in place. Renji could hear a faint heartbeat coming from that massive frame, he had lost consciousness. If this had happened in a real battle against a Cursed Spirit, he would already be dead.
Gasps echoed from the surrounding stands.
Before the chatter could even begin, another Second-Grade Sorcerer jumped onto the stage.
"I am Motoha Raichi, please take care of me. Take my Thunderous..."
Bang!
"Next."
"I am Izuna, known as the Mad Dog. Once I activate my ultimate..."
Bang!
"Next."
As the sounds of Cursed Energy explosions continued, in less than two hours, only Naoya was left on the Kyoto Jujutsu High side.
A commotion broke out in the stands by the stage.
"Holy crap, are the Tokyo Jujutsu High first-years even human?"
"I'm a first-year too. Am I even the same species?"
"First Gojo Satoru speedran in an hour, and Geto now Suguru speedran in two hours. Was Kyoto Jujutsu High just auto-cleared?"
Naoya narrowed his eyes as he looked at Suguru on the stage, thinking to himself, 'He has more than one Grade 1 Cursed Spirit. Facing him, I can only use my technique to restrict him. There's no way to restrict his Cursed spirits, I can't win.'
If I want to win...
Right!
I just need to challenge that fake Special Grade Sorcerer, right?
Projection Sorcery can barely keep up with his speed. As long as I limit his terrifying speed, I'm sure to win.
"Geto Suguru, right? I want to challenge Tokyo Jujutsu High." Naoya said, an arrogant smile on his lips.
Suguru glanced at Naoya.
He naturally knew he was the next head of the Zenin clan, but...
Would someone who hung out with Satoru care about The Big Three Families?
"Come." Suguru said in his usual tone, taking this chance to vent some frustration for Renji.
Everyone looked at Naoya but Naoya didn't move an inch.
"If you're scared, you can just surrender." Suguru yawned.
"No, I want to challenge... that guy." Naoya pointed at Renji, who was eating a Croquette brought by Utahime.
Suguru tilted his head. "You guys can't even beat me, let alone Renji, a Special Grade Sorcerer."
"Oh? Geto, are you saying that your Tokyo Jujutsu High sorcerers look down on us Kyoto Jujutsu High sorcerers? You sent people for a spar, yet one of them hasn't fought a single match?"
The surrounding first-years seemed to realize this as well and began to chime in.
"Yeah. Why won't the other guy fight? Is he looking down on us?"
"So what if he's a Special Grade? A Special Grade shouldn't look down on other sorcerers."
"Tokyo Jujutsu High sure is putting on airs."
"Get that guy on the stage already."
Naoya immediately started making accusations, escalating the conflict to the level of Tokyo Jujutsu High versus Kyoto Jujutsu High. Although this was a competition, the two schools were sister schools and generally had a good relationship.
Suguru clicked his tongue.
He hated it when people made such accusations.
At this point, if this wasn't handled well, it could lead to a deterioration of the relationship between the two schools, and Masamichi would have a headache for a while.
"Geto, let me do it." Renji said, looking at Suguru.
Suguru was a bit hesitant. He hadn't seen what had happened yesterday, and no one had told him. He only knew there was some friction between them. He was naturally worried about Renji. Losing was one thing, but getting injured was another.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Renji stood up and landed on the stage.
Seeing Renji like this, Suguru couldn't say much else. "Stay safe."
However, at this moment, Renji's mental calculator was clicking away.
The next head of the Zenin clan should know quite a few techniques, right? This is the perfect chance to expand my collection. If my Copy happens to learn something, wouldn't that be a win?
In the distance, Naoya saw Renji jump onto the stage and couldn't help but show a triumphant smile, thinking to himself, 'The fish has taken the bait. As long as I can beat this fake Special Grade Sorcerer, I can wash away the humiliation I suffered from Gojo.'
I, Zenin Naoya, have never looked up to anyone.
Except for that man.
Zenin Toji.
(End of Chapter)
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