Fate of the Strongest

The atmosphere at Jujutsu High grew heavier with each passing day. The students trained relentlessly, their determination hardened by the looming threat. The faculty worked behind the scenes, strengthening the school's barriers and planning strategies for the inevitable conflict. Even the usually lighthearted Gojo seemed more focused, his jokes fewer and his blindfolded gaze often lost in thought.

Megumi stood in the courtyard, his hands clasped in a summoning gesture. Black energy swirled around him as the form of Nue, his shikigami, appeared above him. The creature let out a screech before diving toward a training dummy, electricity crackling around its talons.

"Fushiguro, you're going to burn yourself out," Panda called from the sidelines.

"I'm fine," Megumi replied curtly, dismissing Nue and summoning his next shikigami, the serpent.

"Fine doesn't mean effective," Yuta chimed in, stepping forward. "You're not pacing yourself. That'll cost you in a real fight."

Megumi glared at him, his tone sharp. "If I don't push my limits now, I won't survive when it counts."

Yuta sighed. "You're not alone in this. Stop acting like you have to do everything yourself."

Their conversation was interrupted as Gojo strolled into the courtyard, his blindfold pushed up onto his forehead, revealing his piercing blue eyes.

"Ah, nothing warms my heart like the sound of bickering students," Gojo teased, clapping his hands. "Megumi, Yuta, Panda—pack it up. Time for a little group training."

Megumi raised an eyebrow. "Group training?"

"Yup," Gojo said, his grin widening. "You're good individually, but teamwork? That's where you're lacking. And trust me, the enemies we're facing won't give you the luxury of one-on-one battles."

The students followed Gojo to the training grounds, where they found a wide-open area marked with glowing talismans. A heavy sense of cursed energy hung in the air.

"What is this place?" Yuta asked.

"A little something I whipped up," Gojo said, gesturing to the talismans. "It's a controlled environment where I can create simulated curses for you to fight. Think of it as a really intense video game—except if you lose, you feel it."

Panda raised a paw. "Define 'feel it.'"

Gojo chuckled. "Relax. I won't let you get seriously hurt. But a little pain can be a great teacher."

With a snap of his fingers, the talismans activated, and the air shimmered as three humanoid curse constructs materialized. Each one radiated a distinct aura, their forms crackling with unstable energy.

"Your mission," Gojo announced, "is to take them down together. No solo acts, no heroes. Work as a team, or you won't stand a chance."

The first curse lunged at them without warning, its claws aimed directly at Panda. He blocked the attack with his forearm, gritting his teeth as the impact sent him skidding backward.

"Megumi, I need backup!" Panda shouted.

Megumi summoned his divine dogs, the twin shikigami darting toward the curse and sinking their teeth into its arms.

"Yuta, now!" Megumi yelled.

Yuta leapt forward, his katana gleaming as he struck the curse's core, shattering it into pieces.

"Not bad," Gojo called from the sidelines, lounging on a nearby rock. "But don't get cocky. There are still two more."

The second curse was faster, its movements almost a blur as it darted between them. It lashed out at Yuta, who barely managed to parry the attack.

"This one's different," Yuta said, breathing heavily.

"It's adapting," Megumi noted. "We need to corner it."

"Leave that to me," Panda said, slamming his fists into the ground. The shockwave destabilized the curse's movements, giving Megumi enough time to summon his serpent.

The giant snake coiled around the curse, immobilizing it. Yuta wasted no time, delivering a precise strike to its core.

"That's two down," Yuta said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"And here comes the finale," Gojo said with a smirk.

The third curse was massive, its body covered in jagged, crystalline growths. It roared, the sound reverberating through the training grounds.

"This one's not going down easy," Panda said, taking a defensive stance.

"We need a strategy," Megumi said, his mind racing. "Panda, draw its attention. Yuta and I will go for the core."

Panda charged at the curse, dodging its heavy swings and delivering powerful blows to its legs. Meanwhile, Megumi and Yuta moved in tandem, flanking the creature from both sides.

Megumi summoned Nue, the shikigami's electric attacks stunning the curse long enough for Yuta to strike its core. But the creature didn't fall.

"It's regenerating!" Yuta shouted.

"Time to step it up," Megumi said, summoning his most powerful shikigami, the Max Elephant. The massive creature appeared with a thunderous roar, slamming into the curse and pinning it to the ground.

"Yuta, now!" Megumi yelled.

With one final strike, Yuta destroyed the curse's core, its body disintegrating into fragments of cursed energy.

The students collapsed onto the ground, exhausted but triumphant.

"Not bad," Gojo said, strolling over. "You're starting to get the hang of this teamwork thing."

"That was brutal," Panda groaned.

"That was necessary," Megumi corrected, his breathing heavy.

Gojo crouched beside them, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "You're getting stronger, but don't forget—this is just training. The real fight will be much harder."

"We'll be ready," Yuta said, determination in his eyes.

Gojo smiled, standing up and adjusting his blindfold. "Good. Because the enemies we're facing won't wait for you to catch your breath."

That night, as the students rested, Gojo met with Yaga in the principal's office.

"They're improving," Gojo said, leaning against the desk. "But it might not be enough."

Yaga frowned. "You think the students can't handle what's coming?"

"They're talented," Gojo admitted. "But the curses are evolving faster than we expected. And whoever's leading them—they're smart. Smarter than anyone we've dealt with before."

Yaga nodded, his expression grim. "We'll need more allies. Did Kaito agree to join us?"

"They did," Gojo said. "But we'll need more than just Kaito. The curses are coming at us with everything they've got. If we don't match their strength, we're done."

Yaga's gaze hardened. "Then we'll do whatever it takes."

As the moon rose higher in the sky, a figure watched Jujutsu High from the shadows, their presence cloaked in cursed energy.

"It begins soon," the figure whispered, their voice laced with malice. "Let's see how the strongest handles what's coming."