[22]: Mission

"Hahaha!"

Aoi Todo let out a hearty laugh, his large body exchanging blows with the nimble figure opposite him. Their punches and kicks cut through the air with a sharp whistling sound. It was clear that Todo was having the time of his life, completely absorbed in the fight. If it weren't for the bruises on his face and the various wounds across his body, the scene would have been almost perfect.

Of course, Shin Shuichi wasn't much better off. His ribs ached, and there was still some blood at the corner of his mouth. Earlier, Todo had realized that feints and tricks didn't work on Shin, so he decisively chose to go for a head-on, blow-for-blow exchange.

Amidst the flurry of punches, Shin landed a clean uppercut on Todo's jaw, causing his head to snap back. Todo quickly blocked the follow-up elbow strike but was pushed back by a straight punch to the chest, creating some distance between them.

Todo took a deep breath, looking utterly exhilarated, and then opened his blazing eyes. "Shin Shuichi, out of respect for you, I'll now use my full power! No cursed techniques, just pure fist-to-fist combat—this is the true passion of battle!"

Shin, slightly regretting things, started wondering whether he should just use his technique to end the fight. Raising an eyebrow, he responded, "Todo, there's something you got wrong earlier. Cursed energy may have a limit on how much it can enhance the body, but... everyone's limit and cursed energy are different. Let's settle this once and for all!"

Todo's grin grew wider, and the cursed energy around him began to surge. Shin's figure blurred as he suddenly appeared in front of Todo, raising his leg high for a powerful downward strike.

With a loud crash, the solid ground shattered beneath the blow, sending dust and debris flying everywhere, obscuring the view. Todo dodged the strike and widened his eyes as the dust cloud billowed upward.

"If the dust shifts with the movement of the air, I can track where he's coming from!" In an instant, Todo processed the situation and saw the dust change direction—toward him!

Counterattack!

Todo clenched his right fist, pulling back as if drawing a bow, then unleashed a powerful punch toward the dust cloud. The sheer force of the punch blew the dust away, revealing Shin's silhouette.

At the same moment, Shin's hands darted forward, grazing Todo's fist before locking onto his joint. His other hand followed swiftly, gripping Todo's arm.

Using his momentum, Shin pulled Todo in, breaking his defense. With a twist of his body and a surge of strength from his waist, he lifted Todo's massive frame and threw him forward.

Todo could only manage to assume a defensive posture mid-air before crashing to the ground, causing the earth to tremble and leaving cracks in the surface.

Without hesitation, Shin leaped toward Todo, aiming a stomp at him. Todo rolled twice to evade the heavy strike, then pushed himself off the ground with surprising agility, performing a sweeping kick to create distance before standing up.

Todo said nothing as he kicked a piece of debris toward Shin, then charged like an arrow shot from a bow.

Shin casually raised his hand to block his face, letting the stones strike his body without flinching.

With steam rising from his mouth, Todo threw his full weight behind a punch. The cursed energy around his fist began to twist, and black light started flickering from it.

"Now this is getting interesting…"

Shin felt a surge of excitement as he, too, infused his fist with cursed energy. That feeling of being one with the energy, completely unified, welled up inside him.

Black light also began to glow from Shin's fist, distorting the space around both fighters. Students and teachers watching from the sidelines widened their eyes as the two prepared for a Black Flash collision.

"Shin Shuichi, even though we're not best friends… the bond between us is real. This is fate!"

Sitting next to Satoru Gojo, Shoko Ieiri chuckled. "These young people are something else. Gojo, your student still hasn't used his technique, has he?"

Gojo, lounging like he was watching a movie, replied, "Of course not. He's my student, after all. It's just a friendly match between students. He wants to enjoy the fight without using his technique. Otherwise, it'd be no fun."

While the two conversed, Shin and Todo's fists collided. Their Black Flashes clashed with a terrifying force, causing the ground beneath them to shatter and cave in.

The result was immediate. Todo was sent flying, while Shin, with slightly more cursed energy, won the Black Flash contest. Though Todo lay on the ground, bruised and battered, he still smiled in satisfaction.

"No regrets… no regrets at all."

With the final match decided, Shin grabbed Todo by the pants leg and began dragging him toward the rest area, intending to have Shoko Ieiri heal them both.

Principal Yaga then announced the result: "Shin Shuichi wins. The final score is 6-0. Tokyo Jujutsu High wins this exchange event."

"Nice!"

After Shoko healed their mostly superficial wounds, Shin returned to be greeted by the others. With a smug smile, he lightly touched his forehead and chuckled. "It's nothing… I wasn't even using my full power."

Panda crouched beside him, making funny poses, while Toge Inumaki gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Salmon!" Yuta simply congratulated him quietly, sitting down afterward. Maki, who had been smiling, froze at their antics and gave them a look of disdain. "These two must've caught the same stupidity from the blindfolded idiot."

And so, the Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event came to an end, with Tokyo Jujutsu High securing another victory. This meant that the next exchange event would also be hosted by Tokyo.

After the busy days of the event, the five first-year students went with their teacher, Satoru Gojo, to Shinjuku for some well-deserved fun. Of course, the generous Gojo-sensei covered all the expenses.

They went to a high-end restaurant to enjoy premium wagyu beef and a variety of gourmet dishes. Naturally, the whole place was reserved, as Panda would attract too much attention otherwise. In a ridiculous twist, Panda had a zipper decoration on his front, making people think he was just a large mascot.

Even though the hot weather made such a thick costume seem odd, no one suspected otherwise during their short walk. Inside the restaurant, with the place fully reserved, there were no prying eyes. Gojo casually mentioned that the place might be one of the Gojo family's properties—just another display of his extravagant wealth.

After the meal, Gojo took them to his favorite dessert shop, treating everyone to various sweets. He even packed some to-go, saying he had to leave for some business. Before leaving, he tossed a card to Shin, telling him to use it freely.

Being a powerful sorcerer, Gojo naturally had no shortage of money, and as the head of the Gojo family, he could afford such luxuries. Shin didn't hold back either, leading the group to explore the vibrant streets of Shinjuku. Surprisingly, amidst the eclectic crowd, Panda didn't look out of place. In fact, his adorable appearance even drew attention from some girls who wanted to take photos with him.

At first, Panda happily obliged, but after a few too many requests, he grew tired of it and began declining. However, with the group surrounding him, they managed to keep up the ruse that he was just a big mascot.

In truth, none of them had much they wanted to buy. Maki wasn't the shopping type either. In the end, Shin led them to pick up some new seasonal clothes. After all, they couldn't wear their school uniforms all the time.

Shin also bought some of the latest video game titles, not that he'd have much time to play them, but he just wanted to have them. As the night fell, they continued to explore, and Shin even picked up some street snacks.

Though the gourmet meal had been great, it felt like something was missing. Later, at a massive electronics store, while Maki and Yuta were trying out VR equipment, Shin found an old arcade machine and indulged in some nostalgia.

Suddenly, Shin heard footsteps approaching and looked up, surprised to see all six students from Kyoto Jujutsu High walking toward him.

"Well, what a coincidence!"

Shin greeted them warmly. Dressed casually, it seemed they were also out for some fun. Kamo Noritoshi spoke up, "We were out enjoying ourselves and happened to see you, so we thought we'd say hello. I see you're all here."

Mai glanced at Maki, who was engrossed in the VR experience, and couldn't help but smirk at her sister's "embarrassing" behavior. But… she also kind of wanted to try it herself.

Since Shin had been playing "King of Fighters" alone and felt bored, he enthusiastically invited them to join him. The first to respond, of course, was Aoi Todo.

"Well, there's still some time before Takada-chan's handshake event, so I'll play with you for a bit!"

Predictably, Todo was utterly crushed. As a seasoned gamer, with his reflexes and coordination enhanced by his current body, Shin made quick work of Todo, the "noob."

Excited, Miwa Kasumi and Kamo Noritoshi also gave it a try, but the result was the same—total defeat.

"Being unbeatable is… so, so lonely…" Shin boasted, his voice dripping with exaggerated sorrow as he teased the Kyoto students. He continued, "Unbeatable~ so lonely… so, so lonely…"

But the Kyoto students weren't ready to give up just yet. Yuta and Maki, finished with their VR experience, noticed the commotion and decided to challenge Shin themselves.

"You're getting too cocky," Maki said with a grin, cracking her knuckles. Yuta, who had quietly been observing, stepped up next to her.

However, just like their Kyoto counterparts, they, too, were utterly defeated. As one by one they fell, Shin couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He was a true gamer at heart. It wasn't often he got to have fun like this with friends, and the thrill of being unbeatable in the game filled him with glee.

As the last challenger fell, Shin leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms triumphantly. "Puny mortals! You've yet to experience true gaming greatness," he declared, laughing maniacally.

Maki, sitting next to Yuta with a smirk, couldn't help but shake her head. "Don't let it get to your head. It's just a game."

Shin waved her off with a grin. "Victory is still victory, Maki. You can't deny that."

Yuta, watching Shin's playful demeanor, chuckled softly. "It's rare to see him like this. We should let him enjoy it while it lasts."

The Kyoto students, though having lost in the game, weren't bitter about it. In fact, they had enjoyed the impromptu challenge. Todo, nursing his bruised pride, clapped Shin on the back with his usual enthusiasm. "You've earned this, Shin Shuichi! I'll accept this defeat… but only for now. One day, I'll crush you!"

Shin winced at the force of Todo's hand on his back but grinned in return. "I'll be waiting for that day. But don't expect it to come anytime soon!"

With the arcade games behind them, the group decided to call it a night. Kyoto's students bid their farewells, with Todo excusing himself to attend the Takada-chan handshake event, while the rest of the Kyoto crew headed back to their dorms.

Shin, Maki, Yuta, Panda, and Inumaki wandered around the bustling streets of Shinjuku for a while longer, stopping at a few shops and enjoying the lively atmosphere. Eventually, they decided to head back, with their bellies full and bags loaded with some fun new purchases.

---

The days following the exchange event were quieter, with classes and missions resuming as usual. Shin found himself assigned more and more solo missions, with his reputation for handling curses quickly spreading.

While the frequent missions were good for building up his skills, Shin started to feel the wear and tear from constantly dealing with curses. As the workload piled up, he decided to slow things down. "Money can always be earned later," Shin thought to himself. "I'm not a machine. Gotta enjoy life, too."

He adopted a new principle: for every mission completed, he would take time off to relax and unwind. This balance between work and relaxation allowed Shin to maintain his energy while keeping the monotony of constant missions at bay.

During one of his rare days off, Shin was lounging in his dorm room, thinking about what game he'd play next when a familiar figure appeared at his door.

"Shin, I've got a task for you," Satoru Gojo announced casually, leaning against the doorframe with a relaxed grin on his face.

Shin raised an eyebrow. "A mission? You had to come to deliver it yourself? Must be something important."

Gojo chuckled. "You could say that. You might be getting a new classmate soon."

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