In the flickering candlelit room, a sudden burst of intense cursed energy erupted. It surged and then quickly subsided. Everyone watched as a layer of bright blue armor, formed from cursed energy, appeared over Hayashi's body.
"What is this?" Yuji Itadori stared at Hayashi in astonishment. "That armor looks so cool!"
"An armor made of cursed energy? That's not something just anyone can do. In fact, most people will never be able to do it. It's a unique... bloodline talent." Gojo Satoru nodded thoughtfully, stroking his chin. Indeed, this was something Hayashi could rightfully take pride in.
Principal Masamichi Yaga now understood why Hayashi had spoken so boldly. He truly had the right to be a little arrogant. Cursed energy techniques often relied on one's innate talent and bloodline, and it was clear that Hayashi belonged to this select group.
"Young and full of energy, but you should be cautious about showing off your power. It's fine to demonstrate your strength here to prove yourself, but you know that revealing such abilities outside can be dangerous, right?" Principal Yaga no longer pushed for Hayashi to leave. The world was in dire need of strong jujutsu sorcerers, and Hayashi's talents and abilities were evident. Jujutsu High needed him, but character was also essential.
If he had been someone with nothing but empty boasts, Yaga wouldn't have bothered. But now, he could see Hayashi had potential. Whether he could truly live up to his claims of surpassing Gojo Satoru remained to be seen, but time would reveal the truth.
"I understand," Hayashi replied, his expression growing more serious. "Maybe what I said earlier was exaggerated, but I'm still young. As long as I don't meet an early end, there's still a chance."
Hayashi knew the saying "the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled." He had already experienced that once and had no intention of making the same mistake again.
"Well, you have courage," Yaga remarked, turning to Gojo. "Gojo, take them to the dorms and show them the security measures."
Yuji Itadori blinked in surprise. Did that mean...?
"You've passed. Welcome to Jujutsu High," Principal Yaga said with a faint smile.
Yuji glanced at Hayashi, realizing they had both been accepted!
Hayashi was just as pleased, but he pointed at something near Yuji's feet. Yuji looked down to see a fist the size of a sandbag swing toward him, knocking him flat.
"Oh, sorry. I forgot to release the technique," Yaga shrugged as the cursed puppet danced in place, laughing gleefully.
Afterward, Gojo led Hayashi and Yuji to the dorms. On the way, Gojo grinned, "Congratulations to both of you for officially joining Jujutsu High. Make sure to get along from now on."
"Thank you, Gojo-sensei!" Hayashi expressed his gratitude. This wasn't just for bringing him to Jujutsu High, but also for saving him earlier. Without Gojo's intervention back then, Hayashi wouldn't have made it to this point.
"You've got guts, kid. Even though we haven't known each other long, you sure know how to talk big," Gojo chuckled. "But a man's words should always carry weight."
"Of course!" Hayashi gave a thumbs up.
"Hayashi, I didn't expect us to have so much in common. I look forward to working with you," Yuji said with a laugh, playfully bumping shoulders with Hayashi.
Hayashi knew what Yuji was referring to and smiled. "Don't worry, you'll meet someone who'll match you even better soon enough."
"Eh? Who's that?" Yuji asked curiously. It didn't seem like Fushiguro would be the one, so who could it be?
"Don't look at me," Gojo said nonchalantly when he noticed Yuji's gaze. "We've arrived. These rooms are yours to choose from. They're all pretty much the same."
The buildings, whether the main school or the dormitories, followed a traditional architectural style that was quite common in Japan, especially in Kyoto, known for its classical charm.
Hayashi chose a room in a quiet corner. It was peaceful, with a view of the forest outside the window, making it feel like he was secluded deep in the mountains. The room was simple but had everything he needed, though it was clear there was no space for cooking.
Gojo noticed this as well and said, "By the way, to make sure your cooking skills aren't wasted, you'll get your own private kitchen just behind this building. You can cook there."
"That's perfect," Hayashi replied happily. He enjoyed cooking and found it rewarding.
"Cough, cough..." Gojo lightly cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his hand before saying, "If you don't mind, you could cook a bit more and let the other students and upperclassmen join in. Don't worry about the cost of ingredients."
"No problem. As long as I have a place to cook, it doesn't matter how much I make," Hayashi smiled. He knew Gojo had grown fond of his cooking. After all, the way to win someone over is often through their stomach.
"Great, then it's settled." Gojo clapped his hands together, excited at the thought of regularly enjoying Hayashi's food. It seemed he had made the right decision, not only finding a great cook but also a potential powerhouse like Fushiguro.
"What's settled? What are you two talking about?" Yuji asked as he walked over, noticing the happy expressions on both Gojo and Hayashi's faces.
"Oh, nothing much. Just that our meals are going to be a lot better with Hayashi cooking for us," Gojo replied with a grin.
"Wait, is the school food bad?" Yuji asked before realizing that Hayashi could cook—and apparently quite well. "Hey, Hayashi, you can cook? And Gojo-sensei has already tasted your food?"
"The taste is excellent, Yuji. If you want to eat well, you'd better get on Hayashi's good side," Gojo teased.
"It's nothing, really. Just average," Hayashi said, feeling a bit embarrassed by all the praise, though he didn't deny it. After all, his cooking skills were top-notch.
"That's amazing! We're around the same age, but you're so skilled. I really want to try your food now," Yuji complimented him again.
"All right, stop buttering him up," Gojo laughed. "The second- and third-year students are out right now, but you'll meet them soon enough. There aren't many of them."
Then, turning to Yuji, Gojo said, "By the way, you don't need to worry about fighting. Hayashi and Fushiguro can handle finding Sukuna's fingers. You can just wait here."
It might have been a bit difficult before, but with Hayashi now on board, things would be a lot easier.
"No way! I said I'd help, and I will. It'd be ridiculous if I just sat around while Hayashi and Fushiguro came back beaten up, delivering the fingers. Besides, Hayashi still needs to handle cooking for us! We can't let him get too tired, right?" Yuji joked, looking at Hayashi.