Two months passed faster than expected.
Six of us sat in neat rows inside the training hall, each with the thick manual the elder had given us at the beginning of the class resting on our desks.
The room smelled faintly of old paper and incense.
Tomogui sat to my left. Daichi and the others filled the remaining seats.
At the front of the room, the elder clasped his hands behind his back and looked over us.
"Today," he began, "we will confirm whether any of you actually read and understood the assigned material."
A few students shifted nervously.
He picked up the first book and opened it.
"Let's begin with the basics."
Barrier Techniques – Fundamentals
The elder looked toward the class.
"Let's start with barrier techniques. Give me a proper explanation of what a barrier technique is, and two ways it can be used."
Daichi straightened in his seat.
"Barrier techniques are methods of shaping cursed energy into defined spaces with specific rules," he said. "They can be used defensively, like creating protective barriers, or functionally, such as concealing areas."
The elder nodded.
"Correct."
He continued.
"How are Domains and barrier techniques related?"
Ren answered.
"A Domain Expansion is the highest application of barrier techniques. It combines a sorcerer's innate domain with a constructed barrier to manifest a personal space with guaranteed effects."
"Good," the elder replied. "Without a barrier, a domain cannot exist in the real world."
Then he turned toward me.
"Futago. What determines the strength of a barrier?"
I answered carefully.
"The refinement of the domain's barrier depends on the user's control, imagination, and understanding of their innate domain. A more refined barrier will override a less refined one, even if the opponent has more cursed energy."
The elder nodded.
"Exactly"
He turned to Tomogui.
"And what are the weaknesses of barrier techniques?"
Tomogui responded calmly.
"Barriers are strong from the inside, but vulnerable from the outside. Most barriers can be broken if attacked from the outside"
A brief silence followed.
"Very good," the elder said. "Now something more specific."
Anti-Domain Techniques
The elder flipped a page.
"Name the primary methods of defending against a Domain Expansion."
Daichi answered first.
"Simple Domain and Falling Blossom Emotion."
The elder nodded.
"Explain Falling Blossom Emotion."
Hibiki hesitated, so the elder gestured toward me.
"Futago."
I answered.
"Falling Blossom Emotion is a traditional anti-domain technique used by the big three clans. Instead of trying to overwrite a domain, it coats the user in a shroud of cursed energy that automatically counterattacks incoming sure-hit effects."
"Correct," the elder said. "It is not a barrier technique, but a reactive defense."
"However, it only works on simpler more tangible sure-hits. More complicated and less intuitive sure hits ignore Falling Blossom Emotion"
Tomogui added quietly,
"Can you move while using Falling Blossom Emotion?" The elder asked Daichi immediately afterward.
"Theoretically you should be able to if you are capable of maintaining that shroud of cursed energy without to much focus"
I remained silent, pondering on the idea.
Binding Vows
The elder flipped to the next section.
"What is a binding vow?"
Daichi answered.
"A binding vow is a self-imposed restriction that strengthens cursed techniques or cursed energy by trading one advantage for another."
The elder asked suddenly,
"Are binding vows useless at higher levels of jujutsu?"
A student answered incorrectly.
"Yes."
The elder corrected him immediately.
"No. Binding vows are fundamental to jujutsu."
He continued with a completely straight face.
"Countless figures in the history of jujutsu used binding vows"
Then his gaze settled on me.
"Futago. Why are binding vows powerful?"
I responded.
"Because jujutsu operates on an equivalent exchange. By willingly accepting a disadvantage, a sorcerer creates a condition the world itself enforces."
Tomogui added quietly,
"Breaking a binding vow brings consequences far worse than any normal backlash."
"Good," the elder said. "Many advanced techniques rely on vows to function. Remember that."
The elder closed one book and opened another.
"Next topic."
He looked around.
"What is a shikigami?"
Tenken answered.
"A shikigami is a cursed-energy construct given form and function by a sorcerer."
"Correct."
The elder asked another question.
"What determines the strength of a shikigami?"
Daichi replied.
"The amount of cursed energy invested and the purpose of said shikigami. Shikigami are heavily limited though, so most sorcerers don't rely on them for combat"
He turned to Tomogui.
"Are shikigami always 'heavily limited' "
Tomogui answered.
"No, some people's techniques have shikigami specialized for their cursed technique, although most sorcerers don't have specialized shikigami"
I raised my hand.
"Are shikigami independent of the user?"
The elder responded.
"Usually no. If the user loses focus or runs out of cursed energy, the shikigami disappears. Although there are exceptions"
Another student asked,
"Can shikigami be used inside domains?"
The elder clarified.
"Yes"
After several more rounds of questions, the elder finally closed the book.
"That will be enough for today."
The students let out quiet sighs of relief.
He looked at all of us carefully.
"You have a basic foundation now. Over the next several months, you will practice applying these concepts in real combat."
We bowed our heads in acknowledgment.
As we gathered our things, Tomogui glanced at me.
*Five months until the tournament,* he whispered. *Think you'll really manage a domain by then?*
*Probably not, in 2 months I have had almost no process in bringing my innate domain out, even though my connection with my innate domain has become more clear.*
The elder cleared his throat before anyone could leave.
"Not so fast."
We paused halfway through packing our things.
"Starting tomorrow, your training will no longer be limited to books and lectures," he continued. "Understanding theory is important, but jujutsu is ultimately learned through application."
He clasped his hands behind his back.
"From now on, you will be divided into two groups. Each group will focus on a different form of practical development."
A small murmur went through the room.
The elder ignored it.
"Daichi, Hibiki, and Futago—you three will be assigned field work. For the next week you will be sent into the outer forest to exterminate cursed spirits that appear near the estate."
My ears perked up.
"Your task will be simple," he continued. "Locate and eliminate five curses. Once you have done so, you are free for the remainder of the week until I issue a new assignment."
That sounded almost too reasonable.
Then his gaze shifted.
"Tomogui, Ren, and Tenken—you three will focus on internal refinement. You will study barrier construction, from your own quarters. I will check your progress by the end of the week, if it's satisfactory you will move on to curse exorcisms."
Tenken blinked.
"So… no field work for us?" he asked.
"Not yet," the elder replied.
I glanced at Tomogui.
Great.
Of course we ended up in different groups.
"Assignments will rotate periodically," the elder added. "This arrangement is temporary."
Temporary or not, it meant one important thing.
Tomogui and I would be spending a lot less time together.
"Tomorrow at dawn," the elder finished, "the first field group will report to the southern gate. Dismissed."
We bowed and began filing out.
As we stepped into the hallway, Tomogui let out a small sigh.
"Looks like we're getting split up after all."
"Just for a bit," I replied. "Five curses a week is easy, I'll finish it tomorrow, and be free for the rest of the week"
He gave me a flat look.
"Just take your time… If you finish early you probably will interrupt my studying"
"I don't do that, also shouldn't you be worrying about me. I'm going into a forest full of killer cursed spirits"
*The cursed spirits in that forest are worthless, they couldn't cause you or me any trouble*
It was pretty clear Tomogui didn't seem to think the forest would be any threat
And neither did I. Who could possibly imagine that this simple assignment, five curse exorcisms in a quiet forest…
Would lead to anything unusual.