"Panda!"
A bipedal panda — massive, fluffy, and towering over most adults — waved enthusiastically from across the campus courtyard. Despite his formidable size, he radiated an infectious charm.
"Genichi~!"
Shingen dropped his bags and ran up with a grin, slamming into a soft but powerful hug. Panda was even taller than before, and definitely stronger.
After a quick reunion, Panda slung one of Shingen's bags over his shoulder and patted him on the back with his huge paw. "Gojo was supposed to pick you up, but, y'know…" He rolled his eyes with a smile. "Anyway! I'll show you your dorm first — then, you'll meet your new classmates. You're gonna love 'em!"
"Lead the way," Shingen replied, grabbing the rest of his luggage and falling into step beside his old friend.
As they walked, the two caught up. Their conversation was full of back-and-forth banter.
Panda's voice echoed, "Wait, seriously? That many girls? Man, you really are living on hard mode!"
The laughter faded as they turned down a hallway, stopping in front of a traditional wooden sliding door. Panda gestured dramatically. "Your home for the next few years."
They dropped off the luggage, and before long, Panda dragged Shingen to a nearby classroom, pushing open the door with a theatrical yell.
"WHOA WHOA WHOA! Maki! Inumaki! The new guy's here!"
Inside were two students already in uniform.
The first was a tall girl with dark green hair tied in a neat ponytail, glasses perched low on her nose. Her sharp gaze and crisp posture gave her an unmistakably strong presence.
The second was a silver-haired boy sitting calmly, half of his face obscured by the high collar of his uniform. His eyes were observant, focused, and kind.
Shingen stepped inside, sunglasses glinting under the lights, wearing a soft, confident smile. His dyed white hair gave him a striking, nearly ethereal appearance. He looked more like a model than a Jujutsu student.
...Why does he look so familiar? Maki squinted.
Then it hit her.
That expression... that slightly punchable smirk... There's no way—he looks just like Gojo!
But she had to admit — Shingen did carry himself better than that idiot with the blindfold. Marginally.
"This is Shingen Genichi," Panda said proudly, holding one hand high and the other low like presenting a prize on a game show. "The one I told you about!"
Inumaki raised a hand politely. "Kelp."
Shingen bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you."
Panda turned to introduce the rest. "This is Maki — don't call her by her last name, she hates it. Super strong in hand-to-hand."
Maki gave a curt nod.
"And this is Inumaki Toge! He uses Cursed Speech, so he doesn't talk normally — only rice ball ingredients."
"Salmon," Inumaki said agreeably.
Shingen blinked. "Got it. I'll learn the dialect."
They spent the next few minutes exchanging introductions, chatting casually. Shingen quickly found Maki a bit blunt but dependable, and Inumaki easy to get along with despite his unique way of speaking. The group chemistry clicked surprisingly fast.
Then, right on cue, the classroom door slid open.
"Good morning, my beloved students~!"
Gojo Satoru strolled in, hands in pockets, white hair spiking in every direction, bandaged eyes flashing mischief even through cloth.
He clapped dramatically. "So! Everyone acquainted? Excellent. Maki's from the Zen'in clan, Panda's our special case, Inumaki's got inherited Technique, and Shingen here's already had early training. So~ no need to cover the boring basics!"
Shingen raised an eyebrow. So much for structure.
"Now!" Gojo grinned wide. "To celebrate your first school year, I've got two missions lined up. It'll help you bond and get some real experience. Maki and Shingen are one team, Panda and Inumaki the other!"
"Eh?!"
Maki's face darkened. "That's way too sudden."
Panda scratched his head. "Why am I not with Genichi? We've known each other for years!"
"Salmon?" Inumaki added.
Gojo waved it off. "Balance, people. Team composition! Maki and Panda are both close-range tanks. This way, we get one fighter and one support on each team. Professional synergy, y'know?"
Panda deadpanned, "This isn't a video game, Gojo-sensei."
Shingen just chuckled. He wasn't surprised by any of this. With Gojo, chaos was the syllabus.
"Now, before the missions, let's get some sparring in!" Gojo announced. "Teacher is totally free today, and super ready to teach!"
•••••
Training Ground, Later That Day
The four students stood across from one another on the open field. Maki held a wooden staff in her hands; Shingen, a wooden sword.
Maki eyed him coolly. "Gojo said you're not very good at martial arts?"
Shingen spun the wooden sword a few times, smiling sheepishly. "It's not that I can't fight. I just haven't learned many techniques. Most of my training was with Gojo-sensei... which is like fighting a boss without a tutorial."
Maki smirked and twirled her staff. The whooshing sound it made was sharp and clean. "Let's test you out, then."
Shingen brightened. "Please go easy on me!"
The match began.
Maki came in like a storm — fast, aggressive, precise.
But Shingen wasn't some rookie. His reflexes were sharp, enhanced by subtle acceleration from his Time Wheel Technique. He dodged narrowly, countered where he could, and gradually adapted.
Maki frowned. This isn't "decent"—this is skilled. His base form is fast, and he's slippery... He's built for reactive combat, not brute strength.
Meanwhile, Shingen was learning, too. Maki's strikes were overwhelming — she pressed forward like a hurricane. The kind of offense that didn't stop until it crushed everything in its path.
It excited him.
When the match ended, he bowed respectfully. "That was incredible. You're way stronger than you look."
Maki raised an eyebrow, pleased. "You're not too bad yourself."
From the sidelines, Panda and Inumaki sparred in their own way. Inumaki couldn't speak freely, so they mostly shadowed techniques. Somehow, they understood each other perfectly.
Panda tilted his head. "Bonito flakes?"
Inumaki gave a thumbs-up.
Then came the real sparring session.
Gojo stood before all four students. "Alright, kids — ATTACK ME."
They did it without hesitation. Especially Maki, she really wanted to smash that annoying face
And Gojo?
He dodge it effortlessly
No matter how fast, coordinated, or clever they were, Gojo made them look like toddlers playing tag.
Shingen launched Cursed Energy arrows from Extermination, his cursed bow. The sleek weapon formed a shimmering string of blue light as he channeled his energy. Each shot manifested glowing dark-blue arrows, which cracked the air as they flew.
But Gojo just smiled and moved, avoiding every one. The arrows exploded behind him, shaking the ground — powerful, but not dangerous enough to land.
"Careful with those," Panda warned. "One almost hit me!"
"Sorry!" Shingen shouted back, adjusting his output. He narrowed the energy flow, focusing on control instead of power.
Even with the balance adjusted, Extermination was terrifying in his hands. Maki began to appreciate their synergy: she fought up close, and Shingen rained precision artillery from behind.
Eventually, everyone was knocked flat. Gojo waved cheerfully as he departed.
"Well done, students! I'm off for snacks. Train hard! Peace~"
As soon as he was gone—
"Finally!" Panda groaned.
"Salmon!" Inumaki muttered, face-first on the dirt.
Maki stretched and glanced at Shingen, thoughtful. He's more than just flashy. If any Cursed Spirit comes for him first thinking he's just the long-range guy… they're in for a surprise.
Shingen noticed her gaze and scratched the back of his head. "I, uh… I'm going to grab drinks. Anyone want something?"
Panda popped up instantly. "Coke! Coldest you've got!"
"Bonito flakes!"
"He means room-temp water," Panda interpreted. "Gotta keep the throat healthy."
Shingen glanced at Maki.
"Green tea. Thanks."
He nodded and jogged off. Minutes later, he returned with a plastic bag full of cold drinks and handed them out.
They drank on the training ground, still catching their breath, still half-drenched in sweat.
The group had formed.
Panda was the prank mastermind. Inumaki was quiet but loyal — the type to jump into trouble with his friends without hesitation. Maki stood apart but not distant, calm and observant, always ready to help.
And Shingen?
He fit right in — part strategist, part chaos agent, part big brother (when he felt like it).
The year had just begun, and their journey together was only getting started.
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Word Count:1,375