Hayashi knew that Itadori Yuji would ask the question, so he turned around and showed Itadori his back, where the black katana, Black Steel, was revealed. "This is my cursed tool."
"Huh?" Itadori scratched his head in confusion. "How did you get a cursed tool? Is it from the school?"
"It's a family heirloom," Hayashi replied, sticking out his tongue. Gojo Satoru already knew about the sword, so there was no harm in Itadori finding out as well.
"Stop teasing him," Gojo chuckled. Even he couldn't help but feel that Hayashi was messing with Itadori too much.
"Hahaha," Hayashi laughed as well, but his thoughts quickly returned to Hanami, who had just escaped. He realized now wasn't the best time for jokes.
Gojo rubbed his chin and smiled. "So, those high-level cursed spirits are gathering together. How exciting."
"Indeed, and we may even encounter an unexpected familiar face. I wonder if it's true."
This familiar face had a particular significance only Gojo understood, carrying with it a complex mix of emotions.
"And Hayashi, you performed well. Your time spent training outside wasn't for nothing. From what I've seen, you're more composed than Yuji," Gojo commented, praising Hayashi's growth. It wasn't empty praise—Gojo had noticed a change in Hayashi since picking him up earlier.
There was something different, though Gojo couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Even with his Six Eyes, there were things he couldn't fully grasp, adding to the mystery that surrounded his student.
"Ah, sensei! Why are you always picking on me? Is the difference between Hayashi and me really that big?" Itadori pouted, feeling a little disheartened.
Gojo waved it off with a smile. "No, no, don't take it that way. You're doing great too. I just want all of you to grow strong enough to deal with curses of that level."
Itadori immediately thought back to the volcano-headed curse, Jogo. Such a powerful opponent—he wasn't sure when he'd be able to reach that level.
Seeing Itadori's troubled expression, Gojo playfully raised a finger and said, "The more specific your goal, the better. I'm glad I brought you here today."
Hayashi struggled to hold back his laughter. Gojo, at times, really acted like an overgrown child, whether it was his tone or his gestures. Yet, it was this unique personality and style that had shaped Gojo into the strongest jujutsu sorcerer, the ultimate figure in the jujutsu world.
Hayashi didn't know much about Gojo's past, but he figured once he unlocked the power of the Space-Time Mirror, he would gain a clearer understanding of him. The Space-Time Mirror had an intriguing description—it allowed one to traverse the past, though not the future, and could even transport its user into a mirror world.
Just that alone was enough to captivate Hayashi. His future plan was to acquire the Space-Time Mirror, enter the mirror world, and challenge opponents he wouldn't dare face in real life. If he couldn't win, he could always retreat, avoiding death in the real world.
Though the specific rules were still unclear to him, he would find out once he actually acquired the Space-Time Mirror. For now, it was all speculation.
To Itadori, though, Gojo seemed nonsensical. Was he really serious?
"Once you set your goal, just go all out to reach it. Let's move things ahead a bit," Gojo pointed at Itadori. "Over the next month, you'll be watching movies and fighting me."
"Fighting you for a whole month? Will I even survive?" Itadori asked, a bit worried. He then glanced at Hayashi. "Why don't you train with me, Hayashi? After all, you already know I'm alive."
"No, no, no. I'm focusing on training Yuji solo. Hayashi doesn't need my help," Gojo waved his hand. "Afterward, it's all real combat. You'll be completing some significant missions, mastering both fundamentals and applications. And then, you'll shine at the exchange event!"
Hayashi watched the two of them with some amusement. Their bond as teacher and student was really strong. Though he was also Gojo's student, he could never quite charm his teacher the way Itadori could.
Oh, wait—perhaps there was one area where Hayashi excelled: his cooking skills. That was something Hayashi was quite confident in.
"I have a question, Sensei!" Itadori suddenly raised his hand, looking adorably clueless.
Gojo pointed at him, trying to look serious. "Ask away, Yuji."
"What's this exchange event you're talking about?" Itadori asked with a blank expression.
"Huh? Didn't I tell you?" Gojo blinked in confusion.
"Nope," Itadori nodded vigorously.
"Well, we'll explain it when we get back," Gojo clapped his hands, then turned to Hayashi. "There's still a month left. Keep working hard. Want to head back with us, or should we drop you off where you were before?"
"I'll head back on my own, no need to trouble you, Sensei," Hayashi replied. He didn't plan on returning to school just yet—he wanted to continue his training, primarily to accumulate more points. Learning more jujutsu techniques once he returned to school sounded much more appealing.
"Come on, Hayashi! Come back with us. I've been craving your cooking for so long! I nearly thought I'd never get to eat your food again when I was about to die!" Itadori pleaded with puppy eyes.
"Yeah, it's been a while since I've tasted your cooking. I wouldn't mind having some again," Gojo chimed in, instinctively licking his lips.
"Don't worry. You'll get to eat it soon enough. I'll be back in no time," Hayashi declined their invitation. He couldn't afford to delay his growth just for the sake of cooking a meal. There would be plenty of opportunities for that later.
"Well, if you insist," Gojo said, raising a hand to stop Itadori from continuing. "But let me at least take you where you need to go."
Hayashi wasn't one to argue for the sake of it. Since Gojo offered to give him a ride, he accepted. After all, Hayashi didn't even know where they were, and he certainly wasn't fast enough to get back on his own.
"This is as far as we'll take you. We're heading back," Gojo said after dropping Hayashi off.
"Wait a minute," Hayashi called out, walking up to Itadori. "Yuji, if you run into any trouble, feel free to call or text me. No matter what it is, you can always count on me."
Hearing this, Itadori felt genuinely touched. He nodded without hesitation.
"Keep at it, Hayashi. I look forward to the day you surpass me!" Gojo said with a wide grin, giving Hayashi a firm pat on the shoulder before vanishing with Itadori in an instant.
Watching them disappear, Hayashi chuckled to himself. "I wonder… will my Time Flash be faster than Gojo-sensei someday?"