Itadori felt an impact hit his arm, but he didn't seem fazed by it as he simply counterattacked with a swing of his wooden sword.

Maki, prepared for this, promptly blocked, moving back with a push of her legs.

Itadori Yuji was, in Maki's eyes, certainly someone fun.

They both shared the desire to gain strength, and even though neither of them knew the reason behind this desire, they respected each other.

That's why she was so excited to train with him.

Because by wielding their swords, they could understand...

They could understand each other's desperation.

!

With her wrist struck, Maki's sword flew away. The woman growled at this, but she didn't give up, using a precise kick to push Itadori back far enough for her to run and catch the sword in midair.

But she was surprised when, upon turning around, she had to raise her sword to avoid being struck.

Even though they respected each other, Maki couldn't help but feel a little envious.

She, who fought against her clan, was born without talent, endowed only with a decent physique that any sorcerer could achieve by enhancing their body with cursed energy.

But Itadori, in front of her, was the definition of the word "talent."

He had dived headfirst into the world of sorcerers and curses less than four months ago, and yet, he had shown monstrous talent, being able to surpass someone like Megumi.

But his abilities with cursed energy weren't the only things that set him apart; his combat intelligence and abnormal physique did as well.

It took him no more than a week to handle a sword adequately, which was impressive.

And with his physique, he was able to match her, who had trained with swords since she was young.

This made her feel a little... defeated.

"Hey, Maki." But while she seemed lost in her mind, she quickly abandoned her thoughts when she raised her sword to block an attack, her attention turning forward when Itadori called her. "Can I ask you something?"

Naturally, as if he wasn't even in a fight, he asked, skillfully moving back to avoid a low kick.

Maki growled but didn't ignore his question while staying on guard. "Ask."

!

Attacking her defense, Itadori initiated a power struggle, quickly overpowering her and pushing her back. "Why did you decide to become a Jujutsu sorcerer?"

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Maki was surprised by the question, but she didn't get distracted, promptly guiding one of his attacks to the ground, creating an opening to strike him with a full-force elbow.

Itadori felt his nose crack, but he didn't flinch, using the close distance between them to grab her arm and throw her away.

"Damn... Did that question upset you that much?" He joked, a small smile on his lips as he wiped a drop of blood from his nose.

"Well, it's not my fault you let your guard down." With a mocking smile, she got ready again. "Well, to answer your question..."

!

Seeing her burst toward him, Itadori raised his sword just in time to block an attack, his instincts kicking in as he caught her foot at the last second, preventing her from kicking him in the stomach.

Taking advantage of this, he attacked with his fist, his eyes widening in surprise when she let herself fall, pulling him to the ground and holding his head with her legs.

'Is this turning into an MMA fight?'

Feeling her thighs tighten around his neck, Itadori nervously smiled as he tried to push her legs away with his hands. 'She has more physical strength than Megumi.'

Feeling the grip on his neck loosen, he barely reacted when a knee hit his jaw, his body rolling to the side before he got up.

"I want to become a sorcerer to prove to those idiots in my clan that they were wrong..." Getting up, the girl changed her expression for a moment, as if thinking about her next words. "No, I can't say that's why... I just want to become a Grade 1 sorcerer as a way to disrespect that clan of old fools."

Itadori nodded, understanding what she meant.

He knew about Maki's situation and the Zenin clan, but he wanted to hear from her what her goals were in becoming a sorcerer.

He could respect her for that, after all, she was born without talent and was completely disrespected in her clan, seen only as the future wife of some random idiot.

But she didn't accept that fate and decided to carve her own path.

In this, he and she were very similar. Itadori, like her, had decided to shape his own destiny.

He wouldn't be a tool, not like the original Itadori was supposed to be. He would crush anyone who said otherwise, just as Maki would do to anyone who tried to stop her from proving her worth.

Itadori recognized Maki's strength.

"I understand..." Lowering his sword, he smiled, a small smile full of admiration that she could notice. "Well, if you need help with your clan, don't forget about us.

We're sorcerers, but before that, we're comrades. We don't have to solve everything alone."

Turning around, he put his wooden sword in a holder.

"Hey, where are you going?" The girl watched him hide his hands in his coat pockets, walking towards the dorms.

"I'm going to take a shower; maybe you didn't notice, but the sun has already set." He pointed to the dark sky, making the girl blink in recognition. "We can train again tomorrow. With that said, goodnight."

Walking away with a wave of farewell, he headed down one of the corridors, leaving a Maki staring at his back with a distant look.

"..."

After a few seconds, the girl just sighed, a small glint appearing in her eyes as she walked away from the training field. "Idiot..."

.

Walking through the corridors, Itadori was startled when he felt his arm suddenly pulled, his eyes hit by a bright light before he recognized that he had been taken into a room.

"Hey, I thought you two would never stop training."

Itadori blinked upon hearing the voice, lowering his head to find a Nobara staring at him while Megumi sat in a corner of the room with a book in hand.

"Huh? What's this?" He looked confused for a moment.

"Movie night." But surprising him, Megumi was the one who answered, Nobara nodding with a satisfied smile.

"..."

Itadori watched them in silence before just sighing as he sat down.

"What are you guys? Two kids?"

"Says the lovesick teenager."

"It's just training."

"Sure."

Itadori rolled his eyes at the girl's antics, his attention turning to Megumi.

"By the way, what are you reading?"

Megumi didn't immediately respond, his eyes moving up for a moment. "Twilight."

Itadori choked, barely noticing Nobara holding back laughter behind him.

"So that's where you get that demeanor of yours!"

"I said the same thing!"

Megumi felt a vein pop on his forehead... Seeing the two laughing uncontrollably, he felt a strange urge to perform an exorcism right there.

'Damn, I thought it was odd that Gojo Sensei was laughing when he recommended it.'