Principal Calls

Noritoshi closed his eyes for a moment, visibly irritated, before turning around slowly.

"So, you're the so-called prodigy Todo can't stop talking about."

Still sitting on his bed, Ryosuke frowned and crossed his arms.

"And that gives you the right to barge into my room and assault me? Seriously, just because you're a senpai doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"

Noritoshi let out a small sigh, running a hand casually through his long black hair.

"Assault? I merely wanted to see for myself if you lived up to your reputation. I admit I was... impatient. No matter—I'll have the chance to test your abilities soon enough."

With that, he turned on his heel and left, closing the door behind him.

Ryosuke jumped out of bed, rushing to lock the door with a double turn. He leaned against it, breathing heavily, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple.

"Phew…" he muttered to himself. "One more second, and I might've…"

He stopped, a shadow flickering across his gaze. Shaking it off, he made his way to his desk.

"All right, I've got to perfect this technique. If something like that happens again, I might…"

He sat down, furrowing his brow as he dove into his notes with renewed determination.

Outside, Noritoshi descended the stairs at a leisurely pace, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He glanced at his right wrist.

"Interesting…" he murmured to himself. "Very interesting."

---

The sun was fully up now. Ryosuke, dressed in his uniform, strolled through the academy's main hall with a casual air, his bag slung carelessly over one shoulder.

Kasumi called out to him with a bright smile.

"Ryosuke! So, how was your duo mission?"

Ryosuke glanced around the room quickly before heading to the last row by the window without a word. He dropped his bag on the desk, crossed his arms, and leaned back lazily in his chair.

"Our window was eliminated," he finally said in a detached tone.

Kasumi blinked, visibly taken aback.

"Really?"

Before Ryosuke could answer, another voice cut in.

"Tch. Sounds like you guys had a tough mission," Mai said, seated three rows ahead.

Ryosuke raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Not really," he replied with a shrug. "Let's just say I got careless… because I'm too strong."

Mai narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed.

"You're insufferably full of yourself."

Kasumi, sensing the tension, tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"By the way, Ryosuke, do you know what happened to Mechamaru? It's strange he's not here this morning."

Ryosuke sat up slightly, fixing Kasumi with a sly smile.

"You'll get the chance to ask him yourself soon enough."

Kasumi opened her mouth to ask more, but Ryosuke turned his gaze to the window, his expression distant. The topic was clearly closed.

Mai, still irritated, rolled her eyes before pulling a textbook from her bag.

"Seriously, that guy…" she muttered under her breath.

The classroom door swung open abruptly, and Utahime stepped inside.

"Good morning, everyone," she said in a calm yet firm tone.

Immediately, Ryosuke, Kasumi, and Mai stood up respectfully. Utahime nodded at them, offering a faint smile.

"Take your seats."

As Ryosuke moved to sit back down, she called out, "Not you, Ryosuke. The principal wants to see you."

Ryosuke blinked, visibly surprised, but quickly nodded.

"Understood."

Utahime turned to the rest of the class.

"Your instructor will be here shortly. You'll have a theory lesson today," she added before leaving the room, motioning for Ryosuke to follow her.

In the hallway, after a few moments of silence, Utahime glanced at him.

"So, Ryosuke, how are you settling in after these past few days here?"

Ryosuke shrugged, clasping his hands behind his head.

"It's been fine, honestly. It's nice being around other kids who get what it's like to have… let's say, a unique set of skills."

Utahime nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that."

Her tone shifted, becoming more somber. She paused, her gaze hardening slightly.

"About that… I wanted to apologize for what happened during yesterday's mission. I never anticipated things would escalate like that."

Her voice faltered briefly, and she looked away.

"Miss Ito… She didn't deserve that."

Ryosuke glanced at her, his usual aloof demeanor softening.

"That's why the principal wants to see me, isn't it?"

Utahime remained silent, her eyes fixed straight ahead.

Ryosuke looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets as they continued walking in silence.

They stopped in front of a large, imposing door. Utahime placed a hand on the handle and turned back to him one last time.

"Tell me, Ryosuke—why do you want to become a Jujutsu sorcerer?"

Ryosuke stayed silent for a moment, his hands still buried in his pockets. His gaze lingered briefly on the massive door before he shrugged slightly and replied in a calm voice, "Why not?"

Utahime frowned, clearly dissatisfied with his vague response. She stared at him intently, hoping he would elaborate.

Ryosuke sighed and straightened up, folding his arms.

"Look, I don't have some grand heroic cause or personal vendetta driving me. It's just… something I'm capable of. And if I can help people or get a little stronger along the way, that works for me."

Utahime studied him for a few seconds before nodding slowly.

"Fair enough. I suppose we all find our reasons along the way." She opened the door and stepped aside. "The principal is waiting for you."

Without a word, he stepped inside.

The room was spacious but dimly lit, illuminated only by the soft light streaming through tall, curtained windows. Behind a large desk stood an elderly man with a bald, elongated head. His long, thick, white eyebrows curved around the edges of his face, complementing a sharp white goatee.

The man wore several piercings: a nose ring, two piercings on his lower lip, three on each upper ear, and one on each of his large earlobes. His attire consisted of a white nagajuban over a stylish black T-shirt, paired with a purple hakama, light-colored tabi, and zori sandals.

His name was Yoshinobu Gakuganji.

"My child," he said in a deep, steady voice. "Come closer."

Ryosuke obeyed, stopping a few feet from the desk.

"I heard you wanted to see me. So, what did I do this time?"

The principal gave a faint, amused smile at his casual tone.

"It's not about what you did, but rather what you might do," he said, rising slowly from his chair. "I've heard about your actions during yesterday's mission. Defeating a Special-Grade Curse… That's impressive. But I'm curious…"

He walked closer, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Is what happened afterward really true?"

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next Chapter: Can You Kill Him...?