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

The three first-year students on the sidelines fell completely silent.

Itadori's eyes widened, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground: "W-Wow, that's amazing..."

Kugizaki muttered to himself, as if questioning the meaning of life: "This...this really didn't use any magical power?"

Fushiguro Megumi remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on Kikkawa Sumi, trying to discern every single movement he had made.

Gojo Satoru stood to the side, his smile growing wider and wider, even carrying a hint of pride.

Indeed, Sumi Kichikawa did not use those mysterious powers that even the Six-Eyed One could not fully analyze.

He used only pure physical techniques, which were based on absolute control over the human body's weaknesses and the flow of power.

Inside the arena, Maki gritted her teeth, enduring the pain, and picked up the cursed artifact from the ground again, shakily standing up.

"Continue." She gasped for breath, but her eyes remained defiant.

Kikawa Sumire parted the thorny vines and turned to look at her.

"There's no need."

Maki sneered, wiping the dust from the corner of her mouth: "What? Scared?"

Sumi Kichikawa remained completely unaffected by her provocation and answered calmly.

"I said it wasn't necessary because the result was already obvious."

Maki's eyes darkened, and she gripped the gun barrel tightly.

Kikawa Sumi continued, her voice not loud, but every word was like a knife:

"If you weren't Wu's student, you would have died many times over just now."

The training ground fell silent instantly, so quiet that even the sound of the wind could be clearly heard.

The panda had just gotten up from the ground when it heard these words, and its huge body stiffened slightly.

Maki's fingers tightened around the cursed tool, her nails almost digging into the wooden handle.

Sumi Kichikawa gently patted the dust off her hands and commented in a calm tone:

"You guys are fast and have quick reactions. Your close-range judgment is much better than your peers."

This sounds like a compliment.

But the next sentence was utterly merciless:

"But continuing to provoke others when you are less skilled is a very dangerous habit."

Maki's forehead throbbed violently, her anger surging to the top of her head: "What did you say?!"

Kikawa Sumi frowned slightly, looking at her with a perfectly timed hint of doubt in her eyes: "Didn't you hear me when I spoke so loudly?"

panda:"……"

Dog-Curl Thorn: "..."

Gojo Satoru: "..."

He never imagined that his gentle and kind doctor could have such a provocative side.

Maki seemed to be enraged by his calm attitude. Her reason snapped, and she roared, raising her gun to attack again.

"Okay, okay~"

Gojo Satoru finally smiled and stepped forward, grabbing Maki's spear as she was about to thrust it out, and then taking Sumi Kikawa's wrist to separate the two.

He knew Maki's temper all too well. If he let them continue talking, today's meeting would really turn into a one-sided feud.

"That's enough," Gojo Satoru said with a smile.

Maki glared at him coldly: "Get out of my way."

Gojo Satoru blinked innocently: "If we keep fighting, no one will be able to participate in the afternoon training, and Principal Moth will scold me."

Maki gritted her teeth: "Don't give me that!"

Gojo Satoru ignored her, turned to look at Sumi Kichikawa, and softened his voice: "Sumi?"

Sumi Kikawa glanced at him, the coldness that had gathered in her eyes because of Maki's disdain slowly receding.

"Hmm," he replied indifferently, no longer looking at Maki.

Maki was clearly still angry, her chest heaving violently.

But she is not someone who can't accept defeat.

The difference in their brief exchange was too obvious; she simply couldn't deny that this man truly deserved to stand here.

His strength far exceeded her initial estimates.

With a cold expression, she forcefully retracted the spell artifact and stared intently at Sumireki.

"A consultant, right?"

Kikawa Sumi lowered her eyes slightly and looked at her.

Maki gritted her teeth and said, "Next time, we'll keep fighting."

Sumi Kichikawa calmly replied, "No need, I don't really like competitions that don't offer any challenge."

Maki: "..."

Seeing that Maki was about to go berserk again, the panda quickly used its massive body to block her path.

"Calm down! Maki, calm down! He's probably just being direct! He didn't mean any harm!"

Dog-Curl Thorn silently glanced at the panda, who was covered in sweat.

"Bonito flakes".

The panda lowered its voice, on the verge of tears: "I know, this isn't just direct, it's downright sarcastic..."

Gojo Satoru couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing. He grabbed Sumi Kichikawa's hand and started walking outside.

"We'll be going now, you guys keep training hard!"

Maki gave a loud, cold snort from behind.

The panda wiped away its cold sweat, watched the two figures walk away side by side, touched its furry chin, and sighed with lingering fear, "Wu seems to have really picked up some incredible people this time."

Dog-Curl nodded in deep agreement: "Salmon."

Maki didn't say anything.

After a while, she lowered her head and looked at her wrist, which was still slightly numb and even trembling. Her face was still very pale.

But that was no longer just simple anger.

More than anything, it's the undeniable clarity that comes after being utterly crushed by overwhelming power, and the yearning for even greater strength.

On the other side, Gojo Satoru pulled Sumi Kikawa along for a distance until they passed through a grove of trees and were sure that the second-year kids couldn't hear them anymore before finally stopping.

He turned around, turned his head to look at Sumire Kichikawa, his azure eyes filled with obvious curiosity and inquiry.

"Xiao Cheng."

"Um."

"How is it?"

Sumire Kawakawa knew he was asking about the evaluation of the second-year students.

He paused for a moment, then dropped his sharp-tongued demeanor and gave a very objective evaluation:

"Not bad."

Gojo Satoru raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised: "Oh?"

"Maki has a good foundation in close combat, and her reaction and courage are stronger than those of ordinary mages. Given time, she will become an outstanding warrior. Panda has good strength and resilience, and her teamwork is also good. Dog-Tsubaki's timing for casting spells is very accurate. If the opponent is not familiar with his abilities, it is easy to find his weaknesses."

Sumi Kikawa paused for a moment, then concluded, "They are indeed students with great potential."

Upon hearing this, Gojo Satoru's smile deepened, even his eyebrows showing delight: "Sumiko has a high opinion of them. I thought you hated them."

"It's just stating the facts."

"Then why were you angry just now?" Gojo Satoru pressed on.

Sumi Kichikawa did not answer immediately.

The two stopped under the dappled shadows of the trees. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves.

In the distance, the sounds of students resuming training could be faintly heard from the training ground. Panda seemed to be patiently trying to calm Maki down, while Kugizaki and Itadori's loud voices would occasionally drift over.

Kikawa Sumi lowered her eyes and looked at the overlapping shadows of the two people on the ground.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Gojo Satoru simply bent down, leaned close to him, looked up into his eyes, and spoke with a hint of reassurance:

"What's wrong? Maki's words were indeed a bit harsh, but everyone's used to it. She didn't mean any harm; she's just a straightforward person."

Sumire Kichikawa raised her eyes and looked at him quietly.

"I don't like the way she talks to you."

Gojo Satoru paused, his smile freezing for half a second.

Sumi Kichikawa continued:

"They're used to it, so they don't see anything wrong with it."

"You're used to it, so you don't get angry."

"But I don't like it."

Sumi Kichikawa had been vaguely worried that Gojo Satoru's frivolous and casual attitude, which had no bottom line, would bring closeness, but would also inevitably lead to contempt.

Gojo Satoru is too strong, so strong that he is used to taking all the burdens, all the criticisms, and all the disrespect lightly and laughing them off.

Therefore, when those minor acts of disrespect and those taken-for-granted accusations fall upon him, even he himself feels indifferent.

He probably doesn't need anyone to feel sorry for him.

But Sumi Kichikawa would be unhappy.

He couldn't bear to see the person he cherished so dearly treated with such a dismissive and disrespectful attitude.

Gojo Satoru stood there quietly, looking at the man in front of him who was angry because of him.

Then, he suddenly couldn't help but laugh, and his laughter softened.

He bent down again, getting close to Sumi Kichikawa, his azure eyes seemingly filled with shattered starlight.

"So, Xiaocheng was being so fierce just now because she was protecting me."

Kikawa Sumi looked away, a barely perceptible blush rising to her ears, and remained silent.

Seeing his awkward expression, Gojo Satoru's heart melted. He leaned over and gently kissed the corner of Kikkawa Sumi's tightly pursed lips.

Kikawa Sumi paused slightly, then turned to look at him: "This is a school."

"So just one kiss, right?" Gojo Satoru said matter-of-factly, then quickly leaned in and gave the same spot a heavy kiss again.

"That last blow didn't count; it was too light."

Kikawa Sumi sighed helplessly, raised her hand to touch his shoulder, trying to create some distance: "Satoru."

Gojo Satoru didn't back away. Instead, he smiled and took Satoru's hand in his own, lowered his head, and pressed his cheek against Sumire's knuckles, gently rubbing it.

"Thank you, Xiaocheng." His voice was low and hoarse, filled with deep affection.

Kikawa Sumi paused for a moment, then reached back and grasped his hand, gently stroking the back of his hand with her fingertips.

"I just think you're a good person."

Gojo Satoru's smile faltered, and he looked up at him.

Sumire looked into his eyes and said softly:

"No matter what they say, no matter how others see you... I think Wu is great."

Gojo Satoru did not speak immediately.

After a while, he smiled brightly again, opened his arms, and hugged Kikawa Sumi tightly, resting his chin on Kikawa's neck and taking a deep breath of his scent.

"Xiao Cheng."

"Um."

"Mr. Gojo is deeply moved and needs extra comforting." His muffled voice came from his neck, with a hint of coquetry.

Kikawa Sumi remained silent for a moment, but did not push him away.

He simply took Gojo Satoru's hand gently, lowered his head, and placed a soft and devout kiss on his slender fingertips.