April 7, 2017.
Tokyo, Japan.
Deep within an unnamed, ancient, and dense forest on the outskirts of the city, an old temple stood tall.
It was hard to imagine such a tranquil Zen temple nestled in such a desolate, uninhabited place.
From a distance, shrouded in the hazy morning mist, the ancient structure looked like a silhouette floating above the clouds—exceptionally silent and solemn.
The driver pulled the door open, and Taira no Minamoto stepped out from the back seat.
Taira no Shigetoki closed the door, opened the trunk, and placed the luggage beside him.
“Young Master, your luggage is here.
Unrelated personnel are not permitted to enter Jujutsu High.
The Gojo Clan Head has already arrived; please allow me to take my leave.” Shigetoki’s stern voice drifted through the air.
Shigetoki-san is as stiff as ever, Minamoto thought with a sigh.
“Go ahead, Shigetoki-san.
Give my best to my father and mother.” “Understood, Young Master.
Then, I wish you success in your studies.
May fortune favor you on the battlefield.” Shigetoki gave a deep bow, turned back to the driver’s seat, and drove away.
So, this is Jujutsu High.
The place where sorcerers protect the weak and exorcise curses.
Taira no Minamoto had arrived.
He picked up his luggage with both hands.
Though the bags were heavy—packed with a Nintendo Switch, a PS4, and a top-of-the-line PC—his trained body handled the weight with ease.
Seeing Gojo Satoru leaning against the mountain gate, Minamoto couldn’t help but snark, “I thought my house was out in the sticks, but Jujutsu High is literally in the middle of nowhere.
The scenery is nice and all, but…
tell me there’s at least Wi-Fi, Gojo-sensei.” “Yo, Minamoto-kun!
Relax!
Do you really think a place with me, Gojo-sensei, would be without internet?
We’ve got a dedicated fiber line; the speeds are guaranteed,” Gojo said with a look of immense pride.
“You’re the second to arrive.
Your other two classmates won’t be here until tomorrow.
Ah, this year’s first-years are quite the talented bunch!
That makes four of you in total.
Want to go meet your roommate?
You could introduce yourself early.” “Pass.
I’ll meet them when I meet them.
No need for a special greeting,” Minamoto waved a hand lazily.
“Come on, Gojo-sensei, take me to the dorms.
I want a room facing the sun.
I’m done with sleeping on tatami; I want a real bed.” “Go, go, go!
Don’t just stand there at the gate, Sensei.
I brought The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” Gojo turned slowly.
“You might not ‘know’ everyone, you know.
There are surprises in store!
And Minamoto, you’re too slow.
That game came out on March 3rd and you haven’t beaten it yet?
It’s been over a month!
I cleared it in sixteen hours.
As for the rooms, there are plenty of vacancies.
We have so few students you can pretty much take your pick.” Surprises?
Minamoto thought.
Probably Panda.
That’s definitely a surprise for a normal person.
“I’d rather experience ‘surprises’ with my classmates.
Besides, I’m not a completionist freak like you.
Games are meant to be savored.
If I rush through it like you did, wouldn’t I lose half the fun?” Minamoto shrugged.
“And you’re making this sound like a five-star luxury hotel.
As far as I know, the ‘newest’ building at Jujutsu High is the student dorm built over a decade ago—back when the Gojo family funded it for your school years.” They passed through the mountain gate, walking between ancient buildings.
Outside was the dense, old forest; inside were black pebble paths and ivy clinging to the walls.
In the distance, crows took flight from a bell tower, adding a layer of gloom to the atmosphere.
Azure smoke curled in the air, and lanterns hung dimly from red pavilions.
In the darkness, the distorted shapes of low-level Cursed Spirits flickered in and out of view.
A cool breeze swept through, echoing across the campus like a ghost’s whisper.
The arrival of the two men shattered the eerie stillness.
Minamoto looked around.
“Gojo-sensei, look at this place.
People who know better call it a school for exorcism; those who don’t would think it’s a cursed hotspot or a haunted tourist trap.” Gojo dismissed it casually.
“It’s fine.
The school has a barrier.
Ordinary people can’t find the entrance without permission, which is why a massive number of high-threat Cursed Objects are kept in the school’s warehouse.
Even I don’t know exactly where the warehouse is.
It’s normal for a place like this to be a bit spooky.
Anyway, here we are—the dorms.” Looking at the building, which resembled a renovated warehouse, Minamoto felt his excitement dim.
Gojo, however, led the way enthusiastically up to the second floor.
“Quick, Minamoto!
I have a recommendation.
The first room on the second floor.
Not only does it face the sun, but it was my room when I was a student.
The hardware is the best, and it’s closest to the router.
This is a room graced by the presence of Gojo Satoru himself—be honored!” Minamoto deadpanned, “Yes, yes.
Truly honored.” Gojo swung the door open with a flourish.
“Spacious, right?
No one has lived here since I left.
Do you want my treasure?
If you want it, you can have it!
Go find it!
I left everything this room—and the world—has to offer right there!
The One Piece!” “Sensei, that meme is ancient.
How about we challenge the Persona 5 speedrun record instead?” Minamoto held up a controller.
“The age of the meme doesn’t matter; it’s a classic.
I’m down for a challenge, but I have to go drop by the Zen’in estate first.
Play by yourself for now, and don’t be late tomorrow.
Even if you think you know the others, you have to meet the Principal tomorrow.” Gojo waved a hand and turned to leave.
Minamoto shrugged.
“You’re the one who’s always late, Sensei.” “I heard that, Minamoto-kun!” Gojo’s head popped back in through the window.
“Someone will bring your uniform by in a bit.
Badmouthing your teacher is not what a good student does.
I’m really leaving this time.
Bye-bye!” Minamoto stared at the empty window, snarking internally: The man is a goddamn ninja.
The Next Morning A young man in a black school uniform walked through the quiet campus.
This was Taira no Minamoto, sporting the standard-issue Jujutsu High uniform.
He had just finished breakfast on the first floor of the dorms.
He was currently musing over the fact that the school cafeteria was surprisingly decent, though he regretted not asking for a customized hoodie like Itadori Yuji’s; the mountain air in the morning was unexpectedly biting.
When he reached the training grounds, he was greeted by a scene that defied all logic.
A massive, muscular man with a mohawk and a thick beard stood there.
He wore sunglasses, looking every bit like a high-ranking yakuza boss.
To top it off, he was shirtless, throwing punches in a training session…
with a panda.
One would think the panda was the weirdest part, but Masamichi Yaga managed to be even more eye-catching.
This was the Principal of Jujutsu High, Masamichi Yaga.
A Grade 1 sorcerer and the leading authority on Cursed Corpse Manipulation.
He looked like a fierce, terrifying thug, but he was actually a passionate educator at heart.
The panda beside him was, of course, Panda—an Abrupt Mutated Cursed Corpse created by Principal Yaga, often called his “greatest masterpiece.” As for how Minamoto knew all this…
Aside from his past-life memories, he remembered when Principal Yaga had invited the major jujutsu families to verify Panda’s existence.
Minamoto had tagged along out of curiosity and met them then.
Seeing them finish their set, Minamoto walked over to greet them.
“Good morning, Principal Yaga.
And you too, Panda.”