"Man~, yesterday was fun, wasn't it!"
"Well, was it? Could be. Might be so...?"
"...In the end, we were forced to do it like they were venting their anger, the talent show and Momotetsu 99 Years. We were made to drink alcohol too... Although Naoya-kun's talent show was amazing..."
"Oh, the one where he made Gojo-senpai and Geto-senpai act out the transformation scene from 'Futari wa Precure'! That was amazing!"
"I thought black and white would fit perfectly... Got beaten up a lot afterwards though."
"However, Haibara, you realized it was 'Precure!' as soon as the senpais started moving, didn't you? I was completely lost..."
"Because I have a younger sister!"
"Come to think of it, you do. I see."
While exchanging such conversation, the trio of new first-years were spending time like high schoolers, passing around and reading Jump in the classroom early in the morning.
Their schedule for today—or rather, the basic curriculum of the Tech High—consisted of classroom learning in the morning and PE in the afternoon.
The classroom learning was basically the standard high school curriculum, so that was fine. The problem was the PE in the latter half. To put it bluntly, this was combat training...
"By the way, Toji-kun's gonna be the PE teacher. Better be careful."
"Toji-kun?"
"Ah, right. Assistant Homeroom Teacher Toji Fushiguro. He's my cousin's older brother."
"Eh!? Is that so? ...You do look a little alike, actually."
"Now that you mention it, certainly... By the way, what exactly should we be careful about? Is there some problem with Fushiguro-sensei?"
"No, no problem really. He's scum, but for my family, he's on the decent side. Just one thing ya gotta watch out for is... he's normally 100 times stronger than me."
"Huh? Fushiguro-sensei was a Grade 1 Sorcerer, right?"
"Does that mean there's a secret beyond the rank?"
"No, that ain't it. You're misunderstandin' Special Grade. That's just the scale of destruction. If ya can overthrow a nation solo, ya get treated as a Special Grade Sorcerer. The point here is that this is strictly a definition of range."
"...Ah, I see. In other words."
"When fightin' one-on-one, a Grade 1 beats a Special Grade to a pulp. That kinda thing happens normally, remember that."
"I see! Thanks for teaching me, Naoya-kun!"
"So Special Grade is merely an exceptional rank distinct from Grades 1 to 4. I see."
"We'll cover this later in class anyway, so ask the details then... Well, yeah. For now, just remember not to underestimate Toji-kun."
-----
Half a day after that conversation. Having safely finished their classroom learning and assembled on the grounds, they found the second-years from yesterday and Toji Fushiguro wearing a jersey.
"Alright, what was it... Ah, right. It's partially to introduce myself, so today is a joint session, of course. But starting this year, since I became the PE teacher, the afternoon PE will be held jointly as a system. The details are in that... thing distributed at the opening ceremony. Black bass?"
"...Syllabus, perhaps?"
"Yeah, that. Read that. ...Well then, let's get right to it. No point in remembering a guy's name anyway. Skip the greetings, just decide the order randomly and fight one-on-one. With me."
Reactions to Toji's statement varied.
First, the first-year trio was blatantly cautious: Nanami and Haibara were slightly hesitant due to the information received from Naoya beforehand, and Naoya hated being first because he simply knew Toji's strength.
Then, the second-year trio was blatantly lacking in tension: Ieiri wasn't enthusiastic about PE itself since she was a healer, not a combatant; Geto looked somewhat unconvinced; and Gojo had his arms crossed behind his head with a completely dismissive attitude.
Among them, the one who spoke up was naturally from the relaxed second-year side.
"Yes Sensei, I think your cursed energy looks below that of an average person though? One-on-one, seriously? Aren't you underestimating us? You're gonna die, you know?"
"Hey, Satoru. That's just rude to a teacher, even if only in title... Though it's true I don't feel any presence of cursed energy at all..."
"Geto, isn't 'even if only in title' super rude too?"
"Ah."
Gojo provoking relentlessly, Geto letting his polite rudeness slip while trying to admonish him, and Ieiri treating it as completely someone else's problem—if this were Yaga, the second-years' attitudes would have sent them straight to a lecture course.
However, against such provocation, Toji responded with a truly relaxed expression.
"Oh, as expected, sorcerers on the 'having' side say different things. Then first, you... uh, the white-haired one. You come first."
"Ha? Are you serious, old man?"
"Obviously I'm serious, right? It's class. What, still need more excuses for when you lose? Then can't be helped, I'll give you one more minute. Fushiguro-sensei is generous, you see."
"I'll definitely make you cry!"
Enraged Satoru Gojo, a middle finger thrust towards the heavens, expanded Infinity, surging cursed energy. The strongest modern anomaly bared its fangs; the atmosphere creaked and the earth trembled at the manifestation of the absolute being.
—However, immediately after.
At the same time Toji Fushiguro's figure vanished from Gojo's field of vision, his fist pierced through the Infinity and slammed a powerful hook into Gojo's lower jaw.
Even though Satoru Gojo possessed natural talent, his body did not deviate from being human. Naturally, receiving a powerful blow to the jaw would result in a concussion and loss of equilibrium.
But the fact that he forcibly maintained consciousness even in such a situation was perhaps something to praise Satoru Gojo for.
"—!?!? Wha—Ha?"
"Yes, too bad. You lost the moment you got provoked by your opponent and snapped. Don't you sorcerers even know that? That's the basics of fighting, right? Or what, is it 'I've never fought because I'm the strongest? I win one-sidedly so I don't need to', huh?"
Squatting beside the collapsed Satoru Gojo and taunting him, Toji held a black rope wrapped around his right hand.
"Wha—That's..."
"This? It's a rare cursed tool from Kenya. It's disposable, but a handy good that can nullify any technique. A woman I know has a hobby of overseas travel. I got about 30cm as a souvenir, but it's quite useful, isn't it?"
"Cough... —Tch!"
"Yes, too bad again. ...Consumed a bit too much rope, but was that 'Blue' just now? The build-up of your cursed energy is easy to read, idiot. You rely too much on your technique and those too-good eyes, building your taijutsu around them, don't you? That's why when both crumble, you end up like this. Severe pain and the taste of dirt are so nostalgic your head isn't spinning right, is it? ...So, how about it. You underestimated me, but did I underestimate you?"
"—Dam, mit."
"...Alright, that's it. Umm, Ieiri, was it? You can use Reverse Cursed Technique, right? Looks like a mild brain contusion, jaw fracture, and scratches from falling. Heal him."
Saying that, Toji stood up and stretched lightly. While bathing comfortably in the looks of overwhelming awe directed at him, Toji floated a grin twisted into a smirk and beckoned the students.
"Now, who's next?"
Against the 'Monster of Heavenly Restriction' saying that, it was naturally unavoidable for the students to shrink back.
Therefore, Toji counted on his fingers like a child choosing cheap sweets, "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," and designated the next opponent.
"Oh, then next is Bangs, you."
—Toji Fushiguro vs. Suguru Geto.
The challenge of the man Gojo called his best friend begins now.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]