"Begin!"
With Satoru Gojo's command, the atmosphere on the training ground instantly ignited.
"Divine Dog: White! Divine Dog: Black!"
Megumi Fushiguro struck first. As he formed a hand sign, two massive shikigami dogs leapt from the shadows.
One from the left and one from the right, like streaks of black and white lightning, they lunged at Yoru.
At the same time, Yuji Itadori moved as well.
"Oooooh! Here I come too!"
The kid's physical prowess was practically a glitch in the system.
Without any reinforcement from Cursed Energy, relying solely on the explosive power of his muscles, he actually shattered the stone tiles beneath his feet the moment he took off.
Like a humanoid tyrannosaur, he followed close behind the Divine Dogs, swinging his fist directly at Yoru's face.
One in front, one behind—a perfect coordination.
Despite it being their first time working together, the combat intuition they displayed made Maki, watching from the sidelines, nod in silent approval.
"Not a bad pincer attack."
"They've sealed off his escape routes to the left and right, and the front is covered by Yuji's freakish strength."
"Even an ordinary Grade 1 Sorcerer would likely be hard-pressed for a moment."
However, faced with this seemingly perfect pincer maneuver, Yoru's reaction defied everyone's expectations.
Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, his toes lightly tapping the ground as his body moved like a weightless leaf.
The instant before the Divine Dogs could sink their teeth into him, he slipped through the gap between the two shikigami in an unbelievable display of agility.
"What?!"
Megumi's pupils constricted.
'So fast.'
It wasn't just raw speed; was it some kind of prediction?
It was as if Yoru already knew where the Divine Dogs would attack and had moved to evade in advance.
This was the combat instinct brought by Total Concentration: Constant at a 2% synchronization rate.
In Yoru's eyes, while the Divine Dogs' movements were fierce, their trajectories were clearly visible.
After dodging the dogs, he was met head-on by Yuji Itadori's fist.
"Take this!"
Yuji roared, the wind from his punch whistling through the air.
If this punch landed cleanly, it could punch a hole through a steel plate.
Yoru didn't meet it head-on. He flicked his wooden sword with a subtle twist, striking Yuji's wrist joint with surgical precision.
"Ow!"
Yuji felt his arm go numb, and the fierce momentum behind his punch instantly dissipated by half.
Following the momentum, Yoru spun. His wooden sword traced a graceful arc through the air, lightly tapping Yuji on the back.
*Thud.*
With a dull thud, Yuji lost his balance and stumbled forward a few steps, nearly face-planting on the ground.
"He's... he's so strong!"
Yuji stabilized himself and looked at Yoru in shock.
"He neutralized my attack without using any Cursed Energy at all?"
"Don't get distracted!"
Megumi shouted, commanding the Divine Dogs to attack again.
This time, he didn't let them lunge directly. Instead, he utilized their shadow-like nature to weave around Yoru, searching for an opening.
Yuji also learned his lesson, no longer charging blindly but coordinating his harassment with the Divine Dogs.
For a moment, the battle seemed deadlocked. Yoru held his wooden sword, strolling leisurely through their combined assault.
With every swing of the blade, he precisely neutralized their offenses.
A flick, a parry, a redirect.
That ordinary wooden sword seemed to come alive in his hands, keeping all attacks at bay beyond a one-meter radius.
"Incredible..."
Nobara Kugisaki watched, dumbfounded.
"Is that the transfer student? He clearly doesn't have Cursed Energy, so how is he playing those two monsters like a fiddle?"
Satoru Gojo stroked his chin, his sky-blue eyes flashing behind his sunglasses.
"It's more than just that."
"Pay attention to his breathing."
Breathing? Everyone paused and looked closer.
They saw that throughout the intense battle, Yoru's breathing maintained a strange, consistent rhythm.
Long, deep, and carrying a unique cadence.
With every breath, his chest rose and fell rhythmically, as if he were accumulating some kind of power.
"That's..."
Maki narrowed her eyes.
'Total Concentration: Constant.'
Yoru thought to himself.
Though it was only at a 2% synchronization rate, he could barely maintain this breathing style for a few minutes.
As a massive amount of oxygen flooded his lungs, every cell in his bloodstream seemed to cry out in joy.
His body temperature began to rise, and the world became even clearer in his eyes.
"That's enough."
Yoru spoke softly.
Looking at the incoming Yuji and Megumi, he let his wooden sword drop slightly.
"Warm-up's over."
Hearing those words, an ominous premonition surged in Megumi's heart.
"Yuji! Get back!"
But he was too late.
Yoru moved. This time, it wasn't a defensive counter.
It was an active offensive!
He took a deep breath—it felt as if the air around him was being vacuumed up—and swung the wooden sword with a violent force.
In that moment, an illusion flashed before everyone's eyes.
On that otherwise unremarkable wooden sword, did flames just ignite?
No, it wasn't real fire. It was sword intent!
It was an image projected onto the spiritual plane by techniques honed to the absolute limit!
"Hinokami Kagura: Waltz!"
*Whoosh!*
A circular trail blossomed in the air. Though there were no real flames, to Megumi and Yuji, the strike was as blinding as the sun, carrying an irresistible wave of scorching heat as it surged toward them.
"Wha—What the hell is this?!"
Yuji cried out in terror. Instinctively, he tried to block with his arms, but the sheer presence of the attack made him feel like a moth flying into a bonfire.
Megumi's expression changed drastically.
He tried to recall the Divine Dogs for defense, but the speed of that flame was simply too fast—so fast that even the shadows couldn't react in time.
*Boom!*
The wooden sword sliced through the air with a thunderous crack, and a powerful shockwave radiated outward from Yoru.
Yuji and Megumi were sent flying like kites with their strings cut, swept away by the force of the air.
*Thud.*
*Thud.*
The two slammed heavily onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Silence fell over the area. Everyone's mouths hung open as if their jaws had been dislocated.
The spear in Maki's hand fell to the ground unnoticed. Panda rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had misseen.
Even the smile on Satoru Gojo's lips froze for a second before becoming even more brilliant.
In the center of the training ground, Yoru maintained his follow-through posture. There wasn't a single ripple of Cursed Energy from him.
The wooden sword in his hand remained perfectly intact, without even a singe mark.
But that scene just now—the flames that seemed capable of burning everything—was etched deeply into everyone's minds.
"Cough, cough..."
Yuji scrambled up from the ground, dusting himself off. Although the fall hurt, his thick skin and sturdy build meant he wasn't really injured.
However, on his clothes, there were faint traces of singed, curled fabric from the heat.
Megumi also stood up, his pupils trembling as he looked at the charred corner of his sleeve.
"No Cursed Energy..."
"There really is no Cursed Energy..."
"Then where... where did those flames come from?"
This was the question on everyone's mind. If such supernatural phenomena could be produced without relying on Cursed Energy...
Then wouldn't all these Jujutsu Sorcerers, who risked their lives to cultivate Cursed Energy, just be a joke?
Yoru slowly sheathed his sword, exhaling a long, heavy breath.
White mist billowed from his mouth, lingering in the air for a long time.
Because he had just used Hinokami Kagura, his body temperature was currently terrifyingly high. His skin was slightly flushed, and a layer of fine sweat had broken out on his forehead.
But in the eyes of the onlookers, this only added to his mysterious aura.
"That isn't a Cursed Technique."
Satoru Gojo walked over, breaking the silence.
He looked at Yoru, his interest nearly overflowing.
"That is... a technique pushed to its absolute peak."
"When skill transcends the limits of the physical body, it can trigger miracles."
"However..."
Gojo leaned in close to Yoru and poked his hot cheek.
"Yoru-kun, won't you really consider teaching your teacher?"
"I want to learn this flaming sword style too!"
Yoru helplessly dodged Gojo's finger.
"Sensei, that's a Breathing Style."
"Breathing Style?"
Everyone repeated the unfamiliar term in unison.
"That's right."
Yoru nodded. Although he didn't want to explain too much, he needed to lay some groundwork so he could use his abilities openly in the future.
"By using a specific breathing method to strengthen cardiopulmonary function, the blood can absorb a massive amount of oxygen in a short time, allowing the body to explode with power beyond its limits."
"This is Total Concentration Breathing."
Hearing Yoru's explanation, everyone was impressed but confused.
Even if it sounded scientific, whose breathing could produce fire?!
This is clearly just magic!
"Alright, alright. Whatever style it is, anyway..."
Satoru Gojo clapped his hands and announced:
"Yoru-kun passes the entrance exam!"
"As of today, he is the fourth student of our first-year class!"
"Everyone, give him a hand!"
*Clap, clap, clap.* Sparse applause broke out.
Though everyone was now thoroughly convinced of Yoru's strength.
The feeling of having their worldview shattered made it difficult for them to process things for the moment.
Maki, in particular, looked at Yoru with an unprecedented fire of determination in her eyes.
'Breathing Styles...'
'A way to become stronger without Cursed Energy...'
If I can learn it too... will I finally be able to prove those old geezers in the Zenin clan wrong?
Yoru seemed to notice Maki's gaze. He turned his head and gave her a gentle smile.
That smile was like the warm spring sun, causing Maki's face to flush again in spite of herself.
"Tch, what are you smiling at?"
She turned away and muttered under her breath.
"I'll be in your care from now on... you freakish freshman."