After obtaining special grade tool "Onamazu," I trained relentlessly for days on end without CE attempting to swing the damn thing consistently but lord, is it heavy! I'm not so sure if I'm even doing it correctly but since it has the same overall shape, I could use a staff to imitate a fighting style.
In the meantime, Maki and I were sparring in the field early in the morning. Of course, this was good for both of us since I didn't know how to use my own weapon and I was virtually a moving sandbag for her.
"Alright, round 2! Let's go!" I yelled as I sprinted towards Maki with a wooden staff. Maki waited eagerly as I approached her, but surely she wouldn't expect me to do this new move!
I launched myself in the air, spinning my staff and hopefully aiming to break her guard a little bit.
But, to no avail.
Maki pointed her staff at me and poked at my staff, which did indeed throw off my balance.
But it doesn't matter! Now I'm grounded and can try to land a smooth blow on her.
We began duking it out with our staffs, hitting each other's sticks quickly, making excellent maneuvers.
"So you've ACTUALLY been learning over our training sessions! How about that?!" Maki exclaimed while clashing at my own weapon.
I was so intensely locked in, determined to land a single hit on her. After blocking a more direct hit, I shoved her a little backwards and tried swinging at her feet. I planned on using the momentum of the swing to catch her midair as she jumped to avoid it, but to my surprise, she easily pulled her staff upwards and striked my chin.
I dropped my staff and stumbled back onto my ass, rubbing my chin.
"Damn, almost had you there.." I groaned as I layed on the grass, exhausted as can be.
"Hm, I guess you were a bit closer than your previous attempt. Just try harder."
Maki walked over to me and reached out her hand, which I gladly grabbed. She pulled me up with ease.
"I think we're done for today, I'll continue throwing you around tomorrow morning." She patted my back and began walking back to the steps, where our water was located. I followed her shortly after stretching a bit.
"So, your new special grade cursed tool. You've been training really hard lately; that much I can tell. But what's the progress looking like?" Maki took a sip of her water.
I remembered how I was starting to benchpress, deadlift, and curl the weapon itself to try to build some muscle instead of swinging it. Before I could try actually using it effectively, I need the body for it first. Luckily, I have gotten noticeably bigger since I started attending JJT.
(A/N: Will be referring to "Jujutsu Tech" as "JJT" from now on)
"Well, I've mostly been lifting the weight of the tool and swinging it to the best of my ability. Outside of that, not much progress has been made."
"Let me have a try." She insisted.
And so, we made our way out the field and across the campus to the dorms. As we entered my lovely, well kept room, Maki stepped through and surveyed around. She noticed my abundance in western artist posters and a calendar with the artist Kali Uchis on it.
"Todo would like you.."
I have NO idea who that is but if she saw my calendar and instantly related it to them, I'm sure we'd be great friends.
Anyways, I sat on my bed while I watched Maki notice the long, metallic oar standing near the closet. As her hand reached for it, I could feel some foreboding weight emitting from the cursed tool.
"Wait."
She stopped in her tracks abruptly, and asked "What?"
"Be careful, that's all."
Maki whipped her hair and grabbed the oar. When she attempted to pull the tool, it quite literally didn't move in the slightest. Like, not even a budge.
But I'm having a hard time understanding. How could Maki, the most physically gifted individual among the first years, have trouble lifting something that I can lift.
Then I remembered what old man Naobito said.
"That girl could NEVER be able to wield Onamazu effectively."
Maybe it wasn't just some misogynistic spite, but something I wasn't told has to be causing this. There should be no other reason why I can and she can't..
Then it clicked.
CURSED ENERGY!
It would explain why I could lift the oar but Maki could not. To test my theory, I texted the groupchat that me and the other first years had, telling them to come over to my dorm for an experiment. Shortly after, Panda, Yuta, and Toge all arrived simultaneously.
"I think only those with a certain level of CE can actually lift this tool but I'm not too entirely sure."
"So you want us to try to pick it up?" Panda asked.
I just pointed at it, sitting in my rollie chair beside my desk.
And so, Panda attempted to lift the oar, and was successful! However, he had an obvious struggle managing to move around with it.
"This thing is damn heavy! You're gonna use this full time?!" Panda struggled and set it back against my wall.
Then Toge tried next. He was able to move it better than Panda by a noticeable margin, but still struggled with it.
"I…kura.." Toge strained as he set it on the floor
(A/N: Ikura is like saying "fuck"; just an expletive)
Lastly, Yuta crouched to grab the oar. Everyone in the room stared silently because if my theory was correct, he should be able to carry the oar with ease.
He wrapped his fingers around the object and picked it up like a barbell with no weights attached. He's waving it like a stick he found outside!
"That isn't heavy to you, Yuta?" Maki asked in astonishment.
"Well, it isn't that heavy I suppose, just feels like any other staff that I've held.
If Gojo and Yuta can wield it with ease, then I'll probably be able to as well. I guess an abundance and moderate control over said CE is the prerequisite for using the oar. Maybe I shouldn't have been trying to wield it without CE this whole time…
But it's no wonder it was locked up in a cellar for God knows how long— No one has been able to use it since ancient times!
Though, now I have an identifiable goal that I can achieve in the near future!
________________________________________
After little more chatting with my peers, Gojo knocked on the window and welcomed himself in. He pointed at me and Yuta.
"It's tiiiiiiiimeeee… for FURŌ'S FIRST MISSION WOOOOHOOO!!"
Me and Yuta looked at each other with suspense and excitement.
It was finally time for my first mission!