Fate of the Strongest

The atmosphere at Jujutsu High was suffocating. Despite the progress made in training, tension weighed heavily on everyone. The students had reached a point where their bodies were stronger, but their spirits were fraying under the relentless pressure.

Gojo observed this from a distance, standing on the rooftop of the main building. His eyes scanned the courtyard, where the students were scattered in small groups. They were quiet, lost in thought, and for once, the usual camaraderie seemed absent.

"They're close to breaking," Kaito said, stepping beside Gojo. "Pushing them any further might do more harm than good."

"They need to break," Gojo replied, his voice uncharacteristically cold. "Only then will they realize what's truly inside them."

Kaito frowned. "That's risky. Not everyone comes back stronger from a fracture."

"They will," Gojo said confidently, but his gaze betrayed a flicker of concern.

The training hall was eerily quiet when the students gathered that afternoon. Kaito stood at the front, his arms crossed as he surveyed the group.

"Today's exercise is different," he began. "No teamwork, no backup. Each of you will face a simulated cursed spirit alone. Your job is to survive—and win."

Maki clenched her fists. "Alone? That's reckless."

"It's necessary," Kaito said firmly. "Out there, you won't always have someone watching your back. You need to prove you can handle yourself."

One by one, the students were called into a separate room, where cursed energy constructs awaited them. These constructs, created by Gojo, were designed to mimic the behavior of real curses, complete with erratic attacks and deceptive movements.

Megumi's Trial

Megumi entered the room first, his expression stoic but his mind racing. The construct before him resembled a twisted amalgamation of limbs and eyes, its form constantly shifting.

"Focus," Megumi muttered to himself. He summoned his divine dogs, sending them to flank the construct.

The cursed spirit lashed out with tendrils of energy, striking one of the dogs. It dissipated instantly, forcing Megumi to recalibrate.

He shifted to a defensive strategy, summoning his Nue to strike from above while using shadows to obscure his movements. The fight dragged on, each moment testing his patience and resolve.

Finally, with a decisive burst of cursed energy, Megumi immobilized the construct and delivered the finishing blow. He emerged from the room, sweat-soaked but victorious.

Maki's Trial

Maki entered the next room, gripping her cursed tools tightly. The construct facing her was humanoid, wielding twin blades that moved faster than the eye could follow.

She relied on her physical prowess, dodging and countering with precision. Each clash of blades sent vibrations up her arms, but she refused to falter.

The construct adapted quickly, forcing Maki to push herself beyond her limits. With a roar, she disarmed the construct and shattered its core with a single, powerful strike.

Breathing heavily, she exited the room, her confidence bolstered but her body aching.

Panda's Trial

Panda's trial was different. The construct he faced was a towering beast, its size and strength dwarfing his own.

He shifted into his Gorilla Mode, meeting the construct's brute force head-on. The room shook with each collision, and cracks spread across the walls.

Despite his resilience, Panda found himself struggling to keep up with the construct's relentless attacks. It wasn't until he switched to a more calculated approach, targeting the construct's legs to bring it down, that he gained the upper hand.

Exhausted but triumphant, Panda left the room, his usual cheer replaced by a quiet determination.

Yuta's Trial

Yuta's trial was the most intense. The construct he faced emitted an aura of overwhelming cursed energy, its presence suffocating.

Drawing on his bond with Rika, Yuta unleashed a torrent of attacks, each one more powerful than the last. The construct countered with devastating force, pushing Yuta to the brink.

In a moment of clarity, Yuta realized brute strength alone wouldn't win. He began to outmaneuver the construct, using his cursed techniques with precision and creativity.

When the construct finally crumbled, Yuta stood in the center of the room, his body trembling but his resolve unshaken.

When the trials ended, the students reconvened in the training hall. They were battered and bruised, but a renewed sense of purpose shone in their eyes.

"You all passed," Kaito announced. "Barely. But passing doesn't mean you're ready. You need to take what you've learned today and build on it. The real fight is coming, and it won't wait for you to catch up."

Later that evening, the students gathered in the common room, their usual banter returning. The tension that had plagued them earlier seemed to dissipate, replaced by a sense of camaraderie forged in the crucible of their trials.

Megumi sat beside Yuta, who was wrapping his hands in bandages.

"You did well today," Yuta said.

"So did you," Megumi replied. "But we still have a long way to go."

"We'll get there," Yuta said confidently.

Across the room, Maki and Panda were sharing stories of their trials, their laughter echoing through the space. Even Toge, who usually kept to himself, joined in, his quiet chuckles adding to the warmth of the moment.

In the shadows, Gojo and Kaito observed the scene from a distance.

"They're starting to come together," Kaito said.

"They'll need to," Gojo replied. "Because the storm is closer than they realize."

Kaito nodded. "Do you think they'll be ready?"

"They have to be," Gojo said. His tone was light, but his expression was grave.

Far away, the leader of the curses prepared for their next move. Standing before a gathering of their followers, they raised a hand, their cursed energy pulsing through the air.

"The sorcerers grow stronger," the leader said. "But strength alone won't save them. We'll strike at their hearts and their minds. When we're done, even the strongest will fall."

The curses roared in agreement, their malevolence palpable.

The storm was no longer on the horizon, it was here.