Maki Zenin, born into the Zenin family, one of the Three Great Sorcerer Families, had a worse fate than even Kamo Noritsuna.
While Noritsuna had a decent life until he was eight, Maki had never had a single good day since she could remember. The fact that she couldn't see cursed spirits sealed her fate as a jujutsu sorcerer.
Worse yet, the Zenin family was the most extreme among the Three Great Families in terms of their belief in the supremacy of jujutsu. You can imagine the kind of treatment Maki endured.
One of the individuals Akira used as a benchmark in the Zenin family was Maki.
According to the Zenin family's traditions, Maki was supposed to be oppressed like this until her death, but she refused to give in.
Who said that without cursed energy or cursed techniques, or the ability to see cursed spirits, you couldn't become a jujutsu sorcerer?
She was determined to prove them wrong. No cursed energy? Then she would compensate with cursed tools.
If the Zenin family didn't accept her, she would leave and prove herself on a larger stage.
Her ultimate goal was to become the head of the Zenin family, to change its outdated and stubborn ways, and to make everyone look at her with respect, to vent all her pent-up frustration.
Akira admired her resolve, feeling somewhat inferior in comparison.
Although it wasn't the most efficient or smartest path, and had little to do with the "best" or "optimal" choices, throughout history, those who achieved great things often had this sort of stubbornness.
"You've chosen the most difficult path," Akira said, not without a sense of admiration.
"No, it's still better than giving up without even trying."
Maki casually discarded the broken staff that Akira had interrupted, hurling the remaining piece at him like a projectile.
Akira easily caught the weapon, dispersing its force.
"In that case, you must understand that you need to put in much more effort than others, with far less room for mistakes. First off, stop using these childlike weapons."
With that, he snapped the remaining wooden staff in half with a forceful twist.
There was nothing wrong with using long weapons—they had the advantage of range.
There was also nothing wrong with using a wooden staff—it balanced weight well and allowed for a blend of hardness and flexibility, truly worthy of its title as the "thief of all weapons."
But that was true for ordinary people. It didn't apply to jujutsu sorcerers.
Skilled jujutsu sorcerers could deliver hits with the weight of tons. Ordinary materials couldn't withstand the immense strain of high-level cursed energy.
"I understand. My master who taught me martial arts wasn't a jujutsu sorcerer, so I didn't account for this."
Maki nodded, acknowledging that her defeat wasn't due to her own lack of skill, but because her weapon was too fragile.
"Anything else?" she asked.
"Yes, quite a bit."
The students at Jujutsu High were all straightforward and honest, and Akira didn't mind speaking plainly.
"Since you don't have cursed energy, you need to invest heavily in equipment and tools to make sure you're never left helpless in any situation—against large cursed spirits, small cursed spirits, fast ones, or many at once."
"And also against jujutsu sorcerers. Unlike cursed spirits, who you can't see or touch without cursed energy, humans can be fought with a wider range of tactics. Whatever advice I gave to Toge, triple it for you."
"That's…" Maki hesitated.
Akira looked at her knowingly. "What? Are you still thinking about some notion of fairness? Don't forget your situation and your inherent disadvantages."
"No." Surprisingly, Maki shook her head. "I was just thinking about how to respond to those kinds of people. How about this? I'll say, 'If even the technology you look down on can stop you, then jujutsu isn't that impressive after all'—how does that sound?"
Akira clicked his tongue with a grin, "Nice! Just make sure they're on the ground when you say it, and if possible, break their arms and legs."
"Hahaha," Gojo Satoru was already laughing like a machine, unable to stop. "That's perfect! You two should just team up and overthrow the Three Great Families."
"Isn't the Gojo family part of the Three Great Families too?" Akira pointed out.
"Doesn't matter. If you can surpass me, I'd be thrilled."
Gojo flipped his hair, practically ready to blast music from a speaker while singing "Being invincible is so, so lonely…"
"Team up?" Panda's eyes sparkled, "Pika-pika."
Maki, however, didn't give it much thought. "You said it, Assistant Instructor. Do you think I can actually do it?"
"The chances are slim, but not zero, if you're fully prepared," Akira said with a dark smile. "First, you need to develop your physical abilities to their absolute limit, then prepare strategies to counter cursed techniques, domain expansions, the extreme techniques, and preventing your opponents from escaping."
"As long as it's not zero," Maki said, clenching her fists, eager to get started.
"I'll help too," Panda raised a paw.
"Salmon roe!" Toge chimed in, meaning "Count me in," but also cautioning them to be careful.
"Let me give you all some extra motivation," Gojo added, joining the "How to Beat Gojo Satoru" planning committee. "All the examples Akira mentioned, there are cursed tools for that. I've been beaten nearly to death before. If my opponent had hit a bit harder and not given me time to use Reversed Cursed Technique, you wouldn't be seeing me now."
"Someone actually managed that?" Maki was shocked. "What kind of monster was that?"
"A person just like you, who had no cursed energy," Gojo's expression was complicated and hard to read. "Maki, when you applied to the school, you said you didn't need sympathy. I told you it wasn't sympathy—I really believed in you. That's why."
"Who was he? Where is he now?" Maki asked.
"He's been dead for about ten years. It's all in the past. I'll tell you more when the time comes. I've got something to attend to, so the rest of today's lesson is up to the assistant instructor."
With a casual wave, Gojo Satoru turned and left.
Maki was curious, but since Gojo wasn't talking, she couldn't press further.
As for Akira, he knew exactly who Gojo was referring to.
That person was the second Zenin family member Akira had modeled himself after, the only one who had ever pushed Gojo Satoru to the brink of death. The advice Akira gave to Maki was based on this individual's experiences.
However, the relationship between that person and Gojo was complicated. Since Gojo didn't bring it up, Akira wouldn't pry.
He knew well what to say and what not to say, which jokes to make and which to avoid.
He said, "Forget about the incompetent teacher. Maki, my second piece of advice is to learn how to sense cursed spirits. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean you can't feel them. Vision is only one of the five senses, and beyond that, there's a sixth sense. If you can learn to 'see' cursed spirits without relying on your glasses, your understanding of cursed spirits, your control over yourself, and everything related to your abilities will reach a new level."
"That's something I never thought of before," Maki admitted, sounding determined. "Is it really possible?"
"Of course. I've seen more than one person do it," Akira answered with absolute confidence.
One of them was the man who had nearly killed Gojo.
The other was a completely ordinary waiter with no jujutsu talent whatsoever, not even worthy of a name.