"Do you know me?"
Ryuji was a little surprised that she called out his name, especially since he didn't remember meeting her before. He took a good look at her. She had a delicate face, stylish makeup, nail polish, and a few pieces of jewelry that made her look like a typical trendy girl. She seemed familiar, as if she could be a character from an anime. But at this moment, he couldn't quite place her.
"Hello, senpai! I'm Kitagawa Marin, a freshman at Sobu High School. I've heard about you!" she said with a bright smile.
After all, he had recently ranked first in his grade, and through conversations with her friends, Marin had heard about him in passing. But she never thought that Ryuji, who looked like a normal high school student, could have such extraordinary strength.
Ryuji, on the other hand, now recognized her. "Kitagawa Marin"? She was the protagonist of "My Dress-Up Darling". Though he recognized her, it didn't particularly matter. He had seen enough people with familiar faces from his old life to not be too concerned about it now. (T/N: Kys hundred times bro)
"I see. Hello," Ryuji replied calmly before looking away, his interest fading.
"High school student?" Utahime, who had been listening in on their conversation, seemed to focus on one key detail.
Sobu High School? That wasn't a place where sorcerers were trained, was it? Originally, Utahime thought Ryuji might have been a secret weapon trained at Jujutsu High. But hearing he was just a regular high school student made her rethink that theory.
Kyoto Jujutsu High and Tokyo Jujutsu High had long been rivals, but after years of competition, it was clear Tokyo had the upper hand. After all, they had the unbeatable Gojo Satoru on their side.
"Have you forgotten?" Mei Mei suddenly chimed in, noticing Utahime's puzzled expression.
"Didn't Gojo mention him before? Even if it's not widely known, I'm sure Kyoto Jujutsu High must've gotten wind of it by now."
"Huh? What did he say?" Utahime was trying to remember Gojo's words.
Mei Mei smirked. "Gojo said there was a student whose talent could surpass his own."
Utahime's eyes widened as she connected the dots. She stared at Ryuji in disbelief. "You're not… the genius sorcerer Gojo mentioned, are you? The one he said might even be more talented than him?!"
Ryuji scratched the back of his head, looking a bit amused. "So that's what Gojo's been saying about me, huh? Well, if there's no other Ryuji, then yeah, I guess I'm the one."
Mei Mei, who had been standing nearby, casually draped an arm around his shoulder with a playful grin. "Don't underestimate him, Utahime. Ryuji here is more than just some 'genius.'"
"..."
Underestimate him? How could anyone possibly do that? The way he had effortlessly taken down a special-grade curse spirit was still fresh in Utahime's mind.
She glanced at Mei Mei's coat and realized it wasn't hers.
"Wait… weren't you just—" Utahime began.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Mei Mei cut her off quickly. "I was just saved. That's all."
Utahime raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "I didn't say anything."
Mei Mei rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. The two of them had known each other for years, and Utahime could read Mei Mei's emotions pretty well. But Utahime knew better than to push it further, especially when Mei Mei had her pride. Mei Mei wasn't the type to be easily embarrassed.
"Okay! We still have other cursed spirits to deal with," Ryuji interrupted, stretching his arms and preparing to move on. He wasn't one to waste time.
He turned around and started walking away.
"Wait for me!" Mei Mei called out, quickly catching up to him. "You know, it's not very gentlemanly to leave a girl behind like that."
"Sorry," Ryuji responded without turning back. "I never said I was trying to be a gentleman."
"Good," Mei Mei quipped with a smirk. "I don't like gentlemen anyway."
The two of them walked away together, their conversation fading into the distance.
"Phew!" Miwa finally exhaled, her nerves settling. "I thought I was dead for sure."
For a moment, she had truly believed it was the end.
Utahime placed a comforting hand on Miwa's shoulder. "You did well. But you need to grow stronger, Miwa."
Miwa nodded, her determination clear. "I'll definitely get stronger, Sensei!"
Utahime smiled, feeling proud of her student's resolve. Although Miwa still had a long way to go, her spirit was strong.
"Let's head back," Utahime said. With the cursed spirits taken care of, there was no reason for them to stick around any longer. The area was still under the protection of the barrier, and the cleanup crews would soon take over.
"That's it?" Marin asked, watching as they prepared to leave. "You're just… leaving?"
Utahime turned to her. "You're safe now. You can go home."
"But what about all of this?" Marin waved her hands at the ruins around them and the world she'd just been exposed to sorcerers, cursed spirits, all of it.
Utahime hesitated. In the past, ordinary people like Marin wouldn't have known about sorcerers or cursed spirits, and efforts would have been made to keep it that way. But times were changing.
"You'll find out soon enough," Utahime finally said, a touch of resignation in her voice. "It won't be long before everyone knows."
With that, Utahime and Miwa walked away, leaving Marin standing there, stunned.
"I…"
Marin wasn't sure what to say or do. Sorcerers, cursed spirits it all sounded too surreal. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would've thought it was some elaborate dream.
"This world… is way more dangerous than I thought," Marin muttered to herself. She stood there for a while, staring at the wreckage around her, processing everything. Maybe one day, she'd disappear while walking down the street, just like those victims of cursed spirits.
At least she was safe for now. But that didn't comfort her much. After a moment, Marin began walking away, her mind racing with thoughts of how she'd confront Ryuji at school tomorrow. She needed answers.
"If I had known, I wouldn't have skipped class today," she muttered. Some things, she realized, were probably better left unknown.
---
Meanwhile, Ryuji was handling yet another special-grade cursed spirit. After easily defeating it, he activated his technique to devour the spirit.
"Soul Devouring!"
Without hesitation, the cursed spirit was swallowed up, and Ryuji felt the rush of power fill his body once again.
After consuming four or five special-grade cursed spirits, the sky was starting to darken.
"I'm finally starting to feel full," Ryuji remarked, patting his stomach with satisfaction. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to eat too much, and now he could feel the cursed energy digesting inside him, ready to strengthen him even further.
"You're something else," Mei Mei said with a smirk. She had watched him take down several cursed spirits today, and each time it still amazed her. With strength like his, surpassing Gojo didn't seem like such a far-fetched idea anymore.
No, perhaps he'd already surpassed Gojo.
"You're not copying someone's technique, are you?" Mei Mei asked, clearly curious. She had seen him use several different techniques, something unheard of for most sorcerers. It was common knowledge that a sorcerer could only awaken one ability. So how was Ryuji doing it?
Ryuji just smiled. "You'll find out one day."
He wasn't about to reveal his secrets that easily.
"Stingy!" Mei Mei shot back, giving him a playful glare as they continued walking.
"Are we going to deal with more cursed spirits next?" she asked, her voice casual.
"No," Ryuji replied. "It's getting late. I need to head back."
After all, Yukino was waiting for him, and he still needed time to fully digest the cursed spirits he'd absorbed today.
Mei Mei glanced up at the darkening sky and nodded. "Yeah, it's late."
She paused for a moment before asking, "Want to come over to my place? You know, to hang out?"
They had only spent one day together, but Mei Mei found herself oddly drawn to Ryuji. Whether it was because of his strength, his attitude, or something else, she wasn't sure. But she liked being around him.
"Hang out? Or are you suggesting something else?" Ryuji asked with a mischievous grin, leaning in slightly as if daring her to clarify.
Mei Mei smirked back, undeterred. "And what if I am?"
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her boldness. He stepped closer, pulling her into his arms.
"If that's the case, then I won't hold back," Ryuji said with a teasing grin as he drew her closer.
"I—" Mei Mei hesitated for a moment, but only for a second. She wasn't someone who backed down easily, even when faced with a challenge. Still, this was different. There was a playful tension between them, but she knew better than to rush into something for the sake of bravado.
"Wait, wait," Mei Mei laughed softly, stepping back slightly but with no real fear in her eyes, just caution. "Maybe another time. Don't think I'm that easy."
Ryuji chuckled, letting her go without resistance. "Next time, huh? Don't think you'll escape then."
"Who says I'll be running away?" Mei Mei smirked, recovering quickly from her momentary hesitation.
***
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