Curse Returns: Eight Extraordinary Skills? I lack nothing.

Yu Ren stood by the window, looking at the old osmanthus tree in the yard.

New leaves have sprouted, tender and green, swaying gently in the morning light.

There was a bird's nest in the treetop. A sparrow flew back with an insect in its beak, and the baby birds chirped merrily. The sunlight was warm, falling on the courtyard wall and making the moss in the cracks of the stones glow a vibrant green. He watched for a while, then turned and left the canteen.

On the training field, Itō was squatting on the ground tying his shoelaces. Shunpei stood next to him, holding a notebook in his hand, his fingertips lightly tracing the cover.

Wild Rose leaned against a tree with her arms crossed, her short orange hair fluttering slightly in the morning breeze, her eyes half-closed, as if waiting for someone.

Footsteps came from outside the training ground. Kusakabe Atsuya walked in, yawning. He was wearing a light brown long trench coat over a black suit, and always carried a Japanese sword at his waist.

He walked to the center of the training field and stood there, his gaze sweeping over the three men's faces, lingering longest on Huzhang before moving away.

“My name is Kusakabe Atsuya.” He spoke in a flat tone, as if stating a trivial fact. “I’m the homeroom teacher for the second year at the Tokyo school.”

Pupil raised his head, while Wild Rose lowered her arm, her smooth fingertips resting on the notebook cover, remaining still.

"I know a little about your background, but I don't care."

Kusakabe sat down on the steps of the training ground, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out and put it in his mouth, but didn't light it.

Before I teach you, let me make this clear: I have only one request—don't die in front of me.

A moment of silence fell over the training ground. Itachi glanced at him, his smooth fingertips lightly tracing the cover of his notebook. Wild Rose raised an eyebrow but didn't reply.

Kusakabe didn't speak again, nor did he teach them anything. He just sat on the steps, a cigarette dangling from his lips, gazing into the distance as if waiting for someone.

After standing there for a while, Itachi couldn't help but speak. "What are you waiting for?"

Kusakabe raised his eyelids and glanced at him. "Wait for the other two."

Footsteps echoed from outside the training field again. Higashido Aoi walked in through the entrance, taking long strides, swinging her arms as she went, a toothpick dangling from her mouth, her face relaxed.

"Yo!" Toudou Asakabe waved. "Good morning, Kusakabe-sensei."

Kusakabe ignored him, took the unlit cigarette out of his mouth, and put it back in the cigarette case.

Toudou turned to Itadori, a grin spreading across his face. "You're Itadori Hisahito?"

Haddō was momentarily overwhelmed by the overwhelming aura, but still nodded. "Yes."

Dongtang's gaze swept over Huzhang from top to bottom, his eyes filled with the scrutiny of someone selecting prey.

Then he turned his head and his gaze fell on Fushiguro Megumi.

Fushiguro Megumi walked over from the administration building, still holding the unfinished rice ball in his hand. He stood expressionless at the edge of the training field, not approaching.

Dongtang withdrew his gaze, turned his attention back to Huzhang, and nodded in satisfaction.

Then he squatted down in front of Tiger Stick, his tone suddenly becoming extremely serious, his eyes shining brightly, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Huzhang opened his mouth, his mind racing, wondering what this guy was up to.

"What type of woman do you like?" Dongtang asked.

Kusakabe's voice drifted over from the steps, his tone flat, as if he were both giving a rebuke and stating a fact. "Toudou, tone it down."

Dongtang ignored her, continuing to stare at the Japanese knotweed. Wild Rose nearly burst out laughing beside her, but held it in, turning her face away to stare at the sparrows in the distant bamboo grove. Shunping lowered his eyes, looking at the cover of the notebook in his hand, as if there was something on it worth studying repeatedly.

Uruga opened his mouth, his mind racing, and finally said, "The tall one."

Dongtang's eyes lit up.

"Big butt," Huzhang added.

Todo was silent for a moment, then stood up, patted Itadori on the shoulder, turned to Kusakabe, and said with certainty, "It's fine, he's qualified."

Kusakabe, a cigarette dangling from his lips, remained expressionless. Toudou stood to the side, arms crossed, his gaze sweeping over Nobara before quickly shifting to Fushiguro Megumi.

"Ten types of shadow magic," Dongtang said. "Can we fight them?"

Fushiguro Megumi didn't answer immediately. He placed the unfinished rice ball on the steps and straightened up. "I can fight."

Dongtang grinned and stopped asking questions.

Maki walked in from outside the training field. Her short hair was tied in a low ponytail, a tassel was tucked into her waistband, and her steps were neither hurried nor slow. She wasn't wearing goggles, revealing her narrow, almond-shaped eyes.

His gaze swept over the group of people on the training field, pausing briefly on Itajō, then on Shunpei, then on Nobara, before finally settling on Fushiguro Megumi.

A thought flashed through Huzhang's mind.

This guy doesn't look like someone you want to mess with.

Wild Rose straightened up and lowered her hands from her chest.

Shunpei also raised his head, his gaze falling on Maki. There was no fluctuation of magical power emanating from her, but the oppressive feeling that emanated from her very bones was stronger than that of any sorcerer.

Kusakabe stood up from the steps, took the unlit cigarette from his mouth, and put it back in the cigarette case. "Everyone's here."

He stood opposite the freshmen with his hands in his trench coat pockets, with Toudou and Maki behind him.

Sunlight streamed down the training field, casting the shadows of four new students and three instructors onto the ground.

Kusakabe didn't give a long lecture; he simply gave a few brief instructions.

Starting today, the instructors will take turns leading them.

Todo was in charge of physical combat, Maki was in charge of swordsmanship and basic combat skills, and he himself was responsible for experience and survival skills.

He glanced at Khajiitsu, Junpei, and Noboru. "As for Fushiguro Megumi, he has his own training schedule."

Itadori was somewhat stunned. He hadn't yet witnessed the level of Toudou and Maki, but one of them was a martial arts master recognized by the special-grade mage Kusakabe, and the other was a near-first-grade mage who could withstand so many rounds from Yuuto. Their strength should not be lacking.

As for Kusakabe himself, his ability to hold onto his position as a second-year homeroom teacher at the Tokyo school certainly wasn't due to his perpetually listless face.

On the steps beside the training field, Yuuto's figure appeared at some point.

He didn't go over; he just sat on the steps, watching the group of people in the center of the training field from afar. Gojo Satoru leaned against a pillar, holding a coffee in his hand, watching the scene unfold alongside him.

Chapter 128 Training 2

"Tell me," Gojo Satoru's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, "how many of this year's students will survive?"

Yuuto did not answer, his gaze falling on Itō, then on Junpei, and finally on Wild Rose.

How many survived? He didn't know. War was approaching; the Cursed Spirits Alliance, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and the other forces were all vying for power.

“At least for now,” Yuto said, “they’re still on the training field.”

Gojo Satoru didn't reply. He raised his coffee cup to his lips, took a sip, and looked away from Yuuto, returning his gaze to the training field.

On the training field, Maki stood before the new students. She drew her sword, Beacon, the blade reflecting a cold light in the sunlight, causing the pebbles on the ground to vibrate slightly.

“Starting today, I will teach you the basics,” she said.

Huzhang asked, "What basic skills?"

Maki didn't look at him; her gaze fell on the white-haired figure at the edge of the training field before returning to it. She turned and walked towards the center of the training field, her pace neither fast nor slow.

"Those who don't know how to use magic power, first learn how to concentrate it in your fists." She stopped, turned around, and looked at them. "Those who don't know close combat, first learn how to use a knife. Those who don't know how to coordinate, first learn how to watch their teammates' movements."

..........................................

The pebbles on the training ground were gilded with a dark gold in the twilight, and the last few rays of sunlight peeked through the gaps in the bamboo forest, casting long shadows of the figures who were packing up their equipment.

Huzhang sheathed his wooden sword back into its scabbard at his waist and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Wild Rose squatted down, picked up the scattered nails one by one, counted them, and put them into her pocket.

Shunping put down the knife, took out a notebook from the side pocket of his backpack, opened it and closed it again, as if to make sure something was still there.

Kusakabe listlessly said "Dismissed" and left first. Toudou patted Itajitsugi on the shoulder, said nothing, and strode out of the training field. Maki carried Feng Huo on her shoulder, glanced at Fushiguro Megumi, then at Itajitsugi, said nothing, and turned to leave.

The group went their separate ways and quickly disappeared into the shadows of the school building. Only Itajō remained standing, watching Yūto.

“Mr. Kasuga,” Itadori called out, walking towards him. “One of the instructors is absent today.”

Yuuto leaned against a pillar in the corridor, tilting his head slightly upon hearing this: "Who?"

"It's the one you mentioned. He said he was busy with other things. Kusakabe-sensei mentioned him, but he didn't show up at all."

Yuuto leaned against the pillar, not responding.

"Say no more." Huzhang scratched his head, didn't press the matter, and turned to follow Shunping's footsteps.

Wild Rose walked at the front, her short orange hair fluttering slightly in the evening breeze. She held the box of nails in her arms, glancing down occasionally as if to confirm the quantity was correct.

Shunping walked beside her without saying a word. He had already put his notebook into his backpack, and the zipper was zipped up tightly.

Fushiguro Megumi walked at the very back, her shadow stretched long by the streetlights, her footsteps soft.

Yu Ren watched as the young figures crossed the stone bridge, passed through the bamboo forest, and disappeared at the end of the stone path leading to the dormitory area.

Gojo Satoru suddenly appeared from behind a pillar, holding a cup of now-cold black coffee. He twirled the cup between his fingers for a moment, then stopped. "How many of you do you think will survive this year?"

Yuuto didn't answer. This wasn't the first time he'd been asked this question, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Gojo Satoru didn't ask again either, finishing the remaining coffee in his cup and leaving with the empty glass.

Night crept in from the bamboo grove, swallowing the pebbles on the training ground piece by piece. The streetlights came on, casting small patches of light on the bluestone slabs, their edges jagged by the bamboo shadows.

The lights in the administration building were still on.

As Yuuto walked down the corridor, Kusakabe was coming out of the archives, carrying a stack of documents, his face still bearing that listless expression. He saw Yuuto and paused.

“Mr. Kasuga.” Kusakabe’s tone was no different from usual. “Those freshmen are all quite talented. Itajimaru’s physical fitness and reflexes are beyond question, Fushiguro’s foundation in magic is very solid, Nobara’s combat intuition is very strong, and Junpei’s progress has exceeded expectations. Given time, they will all be able to stand on their own.”

After saying that, Kusakabe left, the hem of his trench coat swaying briefly at the end of the corridor before disappearing around the corner.

Yuuto pushed open the door and entered the brightly lit room. Gojo Satoru was sitting by the window, his legs propped up on the table, flipping through an outdated weekly magazine. Seeing Yuuto enter, he tossed the magazine onto the table and patted the chair next to him.

"What's wrong?" Yuuto sat down.

Gojo Satoru put his legs off the table, turned around, and stared directly at him with his azure eyes. "Liao Ao!"

Gojo Satoru had removed his blindfold at some point, and his six eyes gleamed faintly under the light. He stared at the light tube on the ceiling, his voice low, but every word was clear.

"I've looked into the medium he used for brain transplantation; it requires a living body with a magical pathway."

Furthermore, he needs a long adjustment period after each brain transplant. He was severely injured by you in Songjiang last time; it's impossible for him to get another body in such a short time.

“So he’s still in that body,” Yuuto said.

“He’s still here.” Gojo Satoru’s lips curled up slightly, but there was no real smile. “And because Okita Souji’s body was so badly injured by you, he’s in very poor condition right now.”

Yuuto recalled the white figure standing in the center of the pillar of light on the Songjiang battlefield, and how he calmly used the reversal technique to repair his injuries even after his arm was severed.

The text appears to be a jumbled collection of characters and symbols, possibly from different sources. A direct translation isn't meaningful without further context or clarification.