Ms. Gojo thought she was dating an ordinary person's boyfriend.

Sukawa Cheng: "...?"

On the long steps, Dr. Kichikawa, who was always inscrutable, stopped in his tracks.

He held the gift bag printed with the old shop's logo, still standing on the last stone step, a blank look on his face.

He was silent for a moment, then asked, puzzled.

"...Do sorcerers always inquire about their opponent's criteria for choosing a partner before engaging in battle?"

A familiar sweet scent and warmth suddenly pressed against my side.

Gojo Satoru casually draped the Kikufuku paper bag he had just bought over Kikawa Sumi's arm, leaning against him like he had no bones, his chest trembling slightly. He was amused by Kikawa Sumi's expression of questioning life and chuckled softly.

"Of course not."

Gojo Satoru pushed up his small, round sunglasses, which had slid down to the center of his nose, with long, slender fingers. He then peered over Kikkawa Sumi's shoulder with great interest into the courtyard, a bright smile on his lips that seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold.

"That's just a unique way some student at the Kyoto school makes friends. Let's go see what earth-shattering answer Hisahito has given."

Kikawa Sumi sighed softly, suppressing the incredulity in her heart, and let Gojo Satoru half-pull and half-pulle her as they turned around the corridor and entered the spacious atrium of the vocational high school.

The dust in the courtyard had not yet settled.

The students from the Tokyo and Kyoto schools stood in two distinct groups.

Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugizaki, Maki Zenin, and others gathered near the eaves of the main building, their expressions more interesting than the last—Megumi Fushiguro's brows were furrowed so tightly they could trap a fly, Nobara's lips twitched slightly, and Maki carried her cursed naginata with a complicated expression.

On the other side, several figures in Kyoto school uniforms stood in the shadows with their arms crossed, with Noriyuki Kamo standing prominently at the very front.

However, at this moment, everyone's attention was fixed on the center of the open space.

A burly, muscular, shirtless boy was relentlessly pursuing Hisahito Itadori with an overwhelming momentum.

That rugged and hard face strangely radiated a kind of almost sacred and fervent emotion.

"boom!"

He smashed the half of the stone lantern beside Itadori Yuujin with a single blow. Amidst the flying stone chips, the boy spread his arms wide and let out a roar full of deep emotion:

"My dearest friend! As expected of you! You actually managed to dodge my attack!"

"I told you not to call me your best friend without my permission!"

Yuji Itadori practically tumbled out from between the flying pebbles, the boy twisting his waist and abdomen sharply, his right hand precisely grabbing the opponent's forearm as it pressed down on him. Using the opponent's forward momentum, he lowered his shoulder and exerted force, trying to lift the behemoth off his shoulder.

However, the tall boy's lower body resembled that of an ancient tree with deep roots.

He suddenly exerted force from deep within his waist and abdomen, not only forcefully dissipating Itadori Yuujin's shoulder leverage in mid-air, but also accurately judging the subtle angle of Itadori's shift in center of gravity in a split second that was imperceptible to the naked eye. He then slammed his elbow down and slammed his iron-hard shoulder into Itadori Yuujin's chest!

"Bang--!"

Yujin Itadori hastily crossed his arms to block, but the violent close-quarters impact sent him sliding several meters along the ground, his shoes leaving two scorching white marks on the hard bluestone slab.

"My dear friend, this level of attack is far from satisfying me!"

"So, this is clearly the first time I've met you!"

"A physical first encounter cannot negate the deep connection of our souls as close friends!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

As Yuujin Itadori screamed in near collapse, he suddenly lowered his body just as his opponent was about to crush him like a heavy truck again, narrowly dodging the incoming punch.

The two exchanged blows several times in the courtyard in an instant. The muffled thuds of their fists colliding were as heavy as thunder, and the turbulent air currents shook the ancient trees around them, causing the remaining leaves to fall in a flurry.

Sumi Kichikawa did not immediately speak up to stop it.

He stood under the eaves for a moment, observing, and a hint of approval gradually appeared in his eyes.

After that period of training, Yuji Itadori's control over his physical strength has become significantly more refined.

In the past, he relied more on his naturally strong physique and amazing reflexes, but now he has learned to actively control his breathing and adjust his center of gravity, and can also leave enough energy to deal with unexpected situations during continuous attacks.

The tall boy from the Kyoto school was equally surprising.

Although the opponent's appearance and fighting style seemed brute and rough, Sumi Kichikawa could see clearly that every time the boy pressed forward and every change in his moves, he was using almost calculated, subtle movements to seal off Itachi's blind spots.

The trajectory of his footwork was extremely precise; even the slightest twitching of his shoulder and back muscles was paving the way for the next deadly move.

Without using any techniques, relying solely on pure physical instinct and impeccable tactical awareness, he was able to fight on par with Hisahito Itadori, and even subtly gained the upper hand in terms of rhythm.

"She has an excellent physique and quick reflexes," Sumi Kichikawa commented softly.

"You have good taste." Gojo Satoru leaned close to him, smiling as he introduced, "Third-year student at Kyoto School, Toudou Aoi. In terms of pure combat ability, he's one of the top students."

Kikawa Sumi nodded slightly.

The two lingered tenderly under the eaves for a while longer, until the two in the arena separated due to the intense physical exertion, each taking a few steps apart.

Fushiguro Megumi was the first to notice the barely perceptible flow of energy in the corridor.

The black-haired youth turned his head, and the moment he saw the two tall, slender figures standing by the corridor, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and he respectfully nodded in acknowledgment.

"Mr. Gojo, Mr. Kikawa."

Immediately afterwards, Kugizaki Nobara also turned around.

When her gaze swept over the exquisitely packaged, bulging paper bags in Kikawa Sumi's hands, her light brown eyes visibly lit up: "Oh! You're back from Kyoto! Are those souvenirs?!"

"Yes, I bought them in Kyoto." Sumi Kichikawa smiled gently at the children. "I'll distribute them to you later."

"Yay!"

Gojo Satoru strode out of the corridor, one hand in his pocket, the other casually raised and waved, his expression relaxed, and he teased loudly:

"Hey~ Kyoto school kids, long time no see! You must have had a long journey~ Did you enjoy Tokyo?"

Kenki Kamo stood at the very front of the crowd.

He had just bid a hasty farewell to the two men in that old townhouse in Kyoto not long ago, and he never expected that he would run into them again at Tokyo College just a few days later.

The boy's back tensed abruptly for a moment, and he bowed deeply to the two of them solemnly.

"Mr. Gojo, Mr. Kikawa."

Good morning, Xianji.

Gojo Satoru took off his sunglasses, leaned down mischievously, and examined the young man's face closely. He then remarked with feigned seriousness, "You look much better after just a few days. It seems the further away you are from those old men from the Kamo family, the healthier you become."

Kamo Kenki's eyelids twitched slightly involuntarily.

Upon hearing this, Nishimiya Momo and Zenin Mai, who were standing behind him, exchanged subtle glances and simultaneously turned their eyes to their team leader.

"Thank you for your concern, Professor Gojo." Kamo Kenki replied in a low voice, his expression unchanged, despite the sudden look of surprise and uncertainty on his companions' faces. "Perhaps it's because of the pleasant air in Tokyo."

"I see." Gojo Satoru drawled, the corners of his lips curving into a particularly wicked smile. "I thought it was because I finally didn't have to listen to certain people crying and begging for mercy on the tatami mats anymore."

"Gojo-sensei." Kamo Noriki's tone finally became a little more forceful.

"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore." Gojo Satoru pushed his sunglasses back up onto his high nose bridge with satisfaction.

Sumi Kichikawa stood aside, calmly nodding slightly to Kenki Kamo, considerately refraining from exposing the Kamo family's true colors, and then gently introduced herself to the students from the Kyoto school.

However, for the group of young sorcerers at Kyoto School, the man before them needed no introduction whatsoever.