Sister School Exchange Event.
As the name implies, it refers to the exchange event between the only two Jujutsu High Schools in Japan.
Held once a year, it lasts for two days.
Given that the profession of a jujutsu sorcerer involves fighting against curses and cursed users, the theme of the exchange event is also combat.
The first day is a team battle, where participants form teams based on their schools to exorcise curses, competing to see who can exorcise more, faster.
The second day is an individual battle, which is the most common one-on-one flag-planting PK (player kill).
It's a very straightforward setup, without any obstacles to understanding. The only issue is—
"Aren't jujutsu sorcerers always in short supply? Is it really okay to pull so many people out at once?"
Before Yuta Okkotsu entered Jujutsu High, he would have never dared to ask this, partly due to Rika and partly because of the typical Japanese school atmosphere.
Fortunately, Jujutsu High doesn't have such concerns. Everyone is used to speaking their mind directly. If you don't, Maki Zenin will force you to spill the truth.
Akira's initial impression when he joined the school, "Everyone here is talented and speaks so well," wasn't just a joke.
"That's a good question. Scientific research shows that human emotions fluctuate with the seasons, and the activity of curses is closely related to human emotional changes. In other words, the workload of jujutsu sorcerers also has peak and off-peak seasons."
As Satoru Gojo explained:
In spring, when all things revive, humans experience a certain degree of discomfort due to the environmental changes.
Physically, this manifests as colds, the spread of infectious diseases, and autonomic nervous system disorders.
On the mental level, the depression accumulated during the cold and oppressive winter is released as the temperature warms up.
There's also Japan's unique "May sickness."
Japan's new fiscal and academic years start in April, and after newcomers enter schools or companies and work or study hard for a month, they immediately face the long Golden Week holiday at the end of April and early May.
After the break, the initial enthusiasm disappears, and the goals set at the beginning can't be immediately achieved. Due to the gap between expectations and reality, as well as unsatisfactory interpersonal relationships, people often experience fatigue and exhaustion.
Under the influence of these factors, curses enter a concentrated outbreak period after the beginning of summer, making the jujutsu sorcerers' work much busier.
Once the curses are dealt with and human emotions return to normal, the relatively calm off-season follows.
Some jujutsu sorcerers choose to take a break to adjust their body and mind, and it's during this time that the two Jujutsu High Schools in the east and west have time for exchange and collaboration.
"But isn't the exchange event for second and third-year students? We're just first years," remarked Panda, the Tokyo Jujutsu High's information specialist.
"That's because we're severely understaffed," Satoru Gojo responded with a pained expression. "Panda, you should be aware of the situation with the upperclassmen."
Panda let out an "Ah" and said, "There's only one second-year, Senpai Hakari, and the third years are slightly better off, but… they seem to be injured recently, and it's unclear if they'll recover in time for the exchange event."
"Which is why we haven't seen any upperclassmen," Maki Zenin suddenly realized. "Looking at it this way, it's a miracle that Tokyo Jujutsu High hasn't been shut down."
"That's because Tokyo Jujutsu High has its popular idol, Satoru Gojo. To save the school from closure, Satoru Gojo, still a student at the time, debuted as an idol and quickly became the rising star of the jujutsu world."
Satoru Gojo struck a heart pose like a girl idol, with the words "Praise me!" practically written on his face.
The students, used to their teacher's antics, couldn't bear to look at him.
Just then, a crow flapped its wings and flew by, letting out a series of "Aho, Aho, Aho" sounds.
Tsk, so Japanese crows really do sound like that.
"What's the situation at Kyoto Jujutsu High?" Akira was more concerned about this since there was far less information about them available and he needed to gather it himself.
"Although they don't have many people either, they're still in a better position than us. After all, it's the stronghold of the old conservatives, home to two of the Three Great Families and many jujutsu sorcerer clans. The heir to the Kamo family will also participate this time, and he's one year ahead of you."
As he said this, Satoru Gojo specifically glanced at Akira.
The boy who was once known as Kamo Noritoshi remained expressionless and coldly added, "Let's settle the 'Simple Domain' issue first."
"I know, no need to remind me," Satoru Gojo waved his hand, not bothering to hide his disdain. "They're either stubborn old men or lazy bums worse than Nanami. I really don't want to deal with them."
Akira thought for a moment—most likely, the "stubborn old men" referred to the current head of the Shinkage-ryu, and the "lazy bum" might be… the second-year homeroom teacher, Kusakabe?
"In any case, you all focus on training. I'll get you all to Kyoto and decide how many people to send depending on the situation."
A perfectly logical and correct instruction, but the students didn't feel pressured at all.
"No need to send too many people, right? Akira, Yuta, just pick one. Does Kyoto have any Special Grades or Semi-Special Grades? We're going the elite route. We can't match them in numbers, but they can't match us in quality."
Maki was counting herself among them.
It wasn't that she looked down on Kyoto, but Special Grades were simply beyond the norm.
Even though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she knew deep down that she could only engage in close combat with these two. If they started summoning allies for a righteous beatdown, Maki would have no chance of winning.
Especially Akira, who seemed to get a new Pokémon every so often, each with exceptional growth potential, with no upper limit in sight.
What's more, he was incredibly smart, and most of the first-year tactical strategies were taught by him.
Maki had a feeling that defeating Akira even once might be harder than a "first-time kill" on Satoru Gojo.
If someone as familiar with Akira as she felt this way, what about the students at Kyoto Jujutsu High, who didn't know him at all?
"I think so too."
Satoru Gojo laughed, full of joy.
It had been ten years since he graduated from Jujutsu High and set the goal of reform.
During these ten years, no one, not even his closest friends Shoko Ieiri and Masamichi Yaga, knew just how much he had gone through or how many hardships he had endured.
Waking up early, fighting curses outside, battling conservatives within, the physical exhaustion was only matched by the mental fatigue.
Due to his ideals, Tokyo Jujutsu High once faced the dilemma of being unable to recruit new students, forcing him to leverage his connections with the Gojo family to scout and bring in people.
There were times when he felt disheartened, depressed, and even considered giving up, but he persevered.
If he didn't keep going, he'd be letting down those who supported him and, even more so, his only true friend who had gone astray due to an overly pure heart.
Fortunately, all his efforts had been worth it.
His investment had paid off, with both the quantity and quality of students in the past two years showing significant improvement.
The so-called "standing shoulder to shoulder" had a motivational element to inspire the younger generation, but it also contained Satoru Gojo's earnest expectations.
In his mind, Akira's casual words echoed like a shout from the mountaintops, reverberating endlessly.
—We should all become strong and then do something for this world.
Yes, that's the responsibility of the strong.
"Go ahead and give it your all. Don't kill anyone, and don't inflict any incurable injuries. Other than that, do whatever you want. If there's a problem, I'll take the heat."
"Okay."
Maki hoisted her spear, Panda raised his paw, Inumaki nodded, and Yuta and Rika exchanged a smile.
Akira strapped on his black sword, while Gardevoir, Pancham, and Darkrai lined up beside him.
Their aura was as intense as the blazing sun overhead, impossible to ignore.
PS: Correction: Tokyo Jujutsu High has two teachers—Satoru Gojo and Atsuya Kusakabe, a New Shadow Style master and Grade 1 Sorcerer. Due to his few appearances and the fact that Kyoto has Maki, who uses Shinkage-ryu, I mistakenly thought he was from Kyoto.