AN: I've got a quick ask of people who have been enjoying my work! If you have the time and think my fiction deserves it, please leave a review. It really helps optics and promotes my work. But no matter what, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! :)
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"Hey, Kiniro, welcome back!"
Maki glanced over as Panda greeted Kiniro with his signature level of enthusiasm and held up a paw that Kiniro slapped in a high five. "How was your first mission?"
"Took down a curse-user serial killer," Kiniro answered as if it was no big deal, though the grin across his face gave away his true emotions, "I also got to hang out with Hakari and Kirara."
"Salmon Roe?" Toge asked with a curious expression on his face.
Kiniro shook his head, "No, they weren't part of the mission; they got hired on as a protection detail in case everything went south."
"I thought it was odd you got assigned a mission within your first two weeks being here," Panda muttered, "And if it was a solo mission, that means you're a Grade 2 sorcerer, right? Pretty impressive getting that rank right off the bat."
Kiniro blinked, "Panda, do you not know?"
Now it was Panda's turn to blink, "Know what?"
"He's a special grade," Maki interrupted as she walked over, "How do you not know this?"
"W-what?!" Panda exclaimed as he looked back and forth between Maki and Kiniro, "F-for real?!"
"Bonito."
Maki nodded, "Toge's right, the news has been spreading like wildfire through jujutsu society. Two first-years registered as special grades within a week of each other. Though at least we know why Yuta is registered as a special grade. I still don't see why this idiot is taken so seriously."
"It's because you don't let me use cursed energy when we spar," Kiniro said defensively as he crossed his arms, "You've never seen me fight seriously."
Maki opened her mouth to snap back when the sound of heavy breathing and hurried footsteps reached them. Everyone looked over as Yuta sprinted onto the field, a panicked look in his eyes and a sheathed sword slung over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, everyone, I-I slept through my alarm."
"That's your own fault," Maki muttered harshly, making Yuta visibly wilt, "And just so you don't make a habit of it. You're going to spar against Kiniro, with real weapons and reinforcement."
Yuta flinched as he looked up to Maki with wide eyes, "W-what, but what if one of us gets hurt!?"
"That idiot can heal you," Maki replied, "Besides, you won't be any use in a real fight if you're scared of a little flesh wound. Getting stronger should be your only priority, after all you've seen how badly missions can go."
After a second, Yuta nodded and then glanced from Maki over to Kiniro, "A-and you're okay with this?"
"We're not aiming to maim each other; we'll stop before any real damage is done," Kiniro replied confidently, " Besides, I've been waiting for a chance to use my new toys."
"New toys?" Yuta asked hesitantly, only for Kiniro to grin as two blades slid out of his sleeves and dropped into his hands.
Their appearances immediately caught Maki's attention; the knives were slim, almost needle-like; however, one side had been flattened out slightly, allowing the wielder to deflect and parry if needed. The edges were also sharpened, but the knives were clearly designed for thrusting attacks, each being a foot long. The slim handles were wrapped in dark red cloth and ended in a hoop, where Maki could see a chain attached. A spiked chain with thorn-like metal studs on each link.
"Where did you get those?" Panda asked as he stared at the knives.
Kiniro grinned, "My mission was in Seki City; it turns out they're really good at blacksmithing. That's why it took me an extra week to get back."
"They look r-really sharp," Yuta muttered apprehensively as Kiniro started to walk to the middle of the field.
"How about we fight until first blood?" Kiniro offered, "That way all I have to do is nick you a little."
"A-alright," Yuta agreed somewhat hesitantly as he unsheathed his katana from its scabbard and settled into a stance, "I'm ready!"
Staring into Yuta's eyes, Kiniro was surprised to find no small amount of resolve as his hands tightened around the grip of his katana, "You might say that…but are you really?"
Kiniro's question made Yuta's brow furrow as his knuckles turned white, "Maki is right; I should be trying to get stronger, so I won't back down."
Yuta exhaled, and Kiniro watched as a flicker of cursed energy poured from Yuta's soul and infused his katana, "It's good that you want to get stronger, but desire alone isn't going to be enough to push you to your limits. Your soul doesn't have the capacity for such an obsession."
"M-my soul?" Yuta asked, clearly confused, "I-I don't understand."
Kiniro grinned, "The soul is at the core of all Jujutsu Sorcery. While everyone's is different, yours is in a league of its own. So much untapped power."
Yuta's jaw clenched, "It's better for everyone if it stays that way. I can't risk Rika getting out of control."
"I'm not talking about Rika," Kiniro corrected as he pointed one of his knives at Yuta, "You were born as a sorcerer; there is a power inside that belongs to you and you alone. But your precaution is a barrier. As long as you believe your strength to be a curse, you'll never realize your potential."
"But I do want to get stronger," Yuta muttered as he stared at the tip of Kiniro's dagger.
"You can say it all you want, but I can feel your words are hollow. You don't know what they mean," Kiniro said with a shake of his head, "Some men inherently crave power; it's in their nature to seek it out. You are not one of them."
The muscles along Yuta's jaw feathered as he glared at Kiniro, "So what? I should just be selfish and not care about anyone else?"
"No, that wouldn't work either; you're far too empathetic," Kiniro replied with a dismissive wave.
"Then what should I do?" Yuta asked, his voice almost shouting, making Kiniro grin. "Find out what it is you truly crave. What your soul longs for."
Yuta groaned, "That doesn't make any sense!"
"Then maybe I should try showing you rather than just preaching," Kiniro replied with a small smile as he flipped the dagger pointed at Yuta around into a reverse grip, "Let me show you what it means to know the shape of your soul."
Yuta opened his mouth to respond only to freeze as he watched Kiniro's eyes shift, turning bright pink and gaining a star-like pattern. Yuta almost blinked, wondering if he was seeing things, but he resisted the urge and was immediately rewarded for making the right choice.
In an instant, Kiniro's entire demeanor changed, and had Yuta blinked, he might have missed the moment Kiniro took a step forward; his body suddenly swelling with cursed energy.
Yuta's eyes widened as Kiniro suddenly flew across the ground, moving at a speed that shouldn't be possible. 'He's even faster than Maki!'
Gritting his teeth, Yuta swung his sword in front of him, hoping to deter Kiniro's frontal assault. However, instead of moving to avoid the katana, Kiniro held up his knife. Katana and dagger met, sending sparks flying into the air as Yuta's blade slid along the back of Kiniro's knife.
Even with Kiniro deflecting the blow, Yuta still felt an impact tremor shoot up his arms. 'It feels like I'm trying to cut through a wall.'
"Your cursed energy manipulation is lacking," Kiniro muttered almost impassively as, with a dismissive flick of his knife, he parried Yuta's sword, breaking his guard and exposing his center mass, "You're trying to control the flow, but that's not where your potential lies."
Kiniro punctuated his advice with a side kick that hit Yuta squarely in his stomach, making his eyes bulge as his body registered the force behind the empowered blow.
In an instant, Yuta was thrown off his feet and sent sliding back across the ground, but managed to drive his sword into the turf, bringing himself to a stop.
"There are two aspects of cursed energy manipulation: control and output. For most, control is far more important than output as it allows them to conserve their limited reserves."
With a grunt, Yuta swung out with his sword, aiming for Kiniro's voice as he slowly got up on one knee.
"But your reserves are anything but limited, especially with your little friend." Kiniro continued to lecture as he leaned back, avoiding Yuta's wild swing, allowing Yuta a brief moment to recover as he quickly stood back up.
"Is that the reason why you're so strong?" Yuta asked through clenched teeth as he forcefully pulled air into his lungs despite the pain.
"No, if I had your levels of cursed energy, I would be unstoppable," Kiniro muttered as he stared at Yuta, "The shape of my soul allows for perfect control over my cursed energy. Right now I'm individually reinforcing every muscle fiber in my body. So even though I'm investing far less cursed energy, the outcome is far more powerful."
'He's not lying,' Yuta thought as he realized there was no flow to Kiniro's cursed energy, at least no flow he could perceive, 'There's no way I can match that level of precision…which just means I'll need to replace quality with quantity.'
Gripping his katana tight, Yuta reached down to the well of power he had become increasingly aware of with each passing day. Normally, whenever Yuta tried to tap into this well, it felt as if a blockage prevented its flow, keeping it in check. But this time Yuta wasn't ready to give up so easily, 'Just this one time, this one time I can remove it!'
With a surge of confidence he had never felt before, Yuta's cursed energy erupted like a geyser flowing into his blade that started to hum and vibrate like a tuning fork.
Yuta could feel the pushback, and in the back of his mind he realized that an ordinary weapon couldn't withstand so much cursed energy. But his arms were already moving as he carved his sword through the air, leaving behind a bright purple arc of energy that shot forward, slicing through the air at a blistering speed directly towards Kiniro.