"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 pce 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 retly ranked first in his grade, and through versations with her friends, Marin had heard about him in passing. But she hought that Ryuji, who looked like a normal high school student, could have such extraordinary strength.

  Ryuji, oher hand, nnized her. "Kitagawa Marin"? She was the protagonist of "My Dress-Up Darling". Though he reized her, it didn't particurly matter. He had seen enough people with familiar faces from his old life to not be too ed about it now. (T/N: Kys huimes bro)

  "I see. Hello," Ryuji replied calmly before looking away, his i fading.

  "High school student?" Utahime, who had been listening in on their versation, seemed to focus on one key detail.

  Sobu High School? That wasn't a pce where sorcerers were trained, was it? inally, Utahime thought Ryuji might have been a secret on trai Jujutsu High. But hearing he was just a regur high school student made her rethink that theory.

  Kyoto Jujutsu High and Tokyo Jujutsu High had long been rivals, but after years of petition, it was clear Tokyo had the upper hand. After all, they had the uable Gojo Satoru on their side.

  "Have you fotten?" Mei Mei suddenly chimed in, notig 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 ected the dots. She stared at Ryuji in disbelief. "You're not… the genius sojo mentioned, are you? The one he said might even be more talehan 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 pyful grin. "Don't uimate him, Utahime. Ryuji here is more than just some 'genius.'"

  "..."

  Uimate him? How could anyone possibly do that? The way he had effortlessly taken doecial-grade curse spirit was still fresh in Utahime's mind.

  She g 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 ugh. 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, stretg his arms and preparing to move on. He wasn't oo waste time.

  He turned around and started walking away.

  "Wait for me!" Mei Mei called out, quickly catg 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 versation 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 pced a f hand on Miwa's shoulder. "You did well. But you o 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 lohe area was still uhe prote of the barrier, and the up crews would soon take over.

  "That's it?" Marin asked, watg as they prepared to leave. "You're just… leaving?"

  Utahime turo her. "You're safe now. You 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 ging.

  "You'll find out soon enough," Utahime finally said, a touch nation 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 souoo surreal. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would've thought it was some eborate 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 dowreet, just like those victims of cursed spirits.

  At least she was safe for now. But that didn't fort her much. After a moment, Marin began walking away, her mind rag with thoughts of how she'd front Ryuji at school tomorrow. She needed answers.

  "If I had known, I wouldn't have skipped css today," she muttered. Some things, she realized, were probably better left unknown.

  ---

  Meanwhile, Ryuji was handli another special-grade cursed spirit. After easily defeating it, he activated his teique to devour the spirit.

  "Soul Dev!"

  Without hesitation, the cursed spirit was swallowed up, and Ryuji felt the rush of power fill his body once again.

  After ing 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 satisfa. He had almost fotten what it felt like to eat too much, and now he could feel the cursed energy digesting inside him, ready tthen 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 someoeique, are you?" Mei Mei asked, clearly curious. She had seen him use several different teiques, something unheard of for most sorcerers. It was on 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 pyful gre as they tinued walking.

  "Are we going to deal with more cursed spirits ?" she asked, her voice casual.

  "No," Ryuji replied. "It's getting te. I o head back."

  After all, Yukino was waiting for him, aill ime to fully digest the cursed spirits he'd absorbed today.

  Mei Mei gnced up at the darkening sky and nodded. "Yeah, it's te."

  She paused for a moment before asking, "Want to e over to my pce? 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 dario crify.

  Mei Mei smirked back, uerred. "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 sed. She wasn't someone who backed down easily, even when faced with a challeill, this was different. There yful tensioween them, but she knew better than to rush into something for the sake of bravado.

  "Wait, wait," Mei Mei ughed softly, stepping back slightly but with no real fear in her eyes, just caution. "Maybe aime. Don't think I'm that easy."

  Ryuji chuckled, letting her go without resistance. "ime, huh? Don't think you'll escape then."

  "Who says I'll be running away?" Mei Mei smirked, rec quickly from her momentary hesitation.

  ***

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