JJK: Wheel of Time

"Panda!"

In the distance, a towering, human-sized panda was waving excitedly. Despite its large size, it looked quite cute and charming beneath its fluffy exterior.

The panda waved and called out, "Shin!" Shin Shuichi put down his luggage and embraced the big, fluffy panda. The panda was clearly much taller than him.

After catching up, Panda helped carry some of Shin's luggage and patted him on the shoulder. "Originally, Gojo-sensei was supposed to pick you up, but you know how he is… Let's get you settled in your dorm first, and then you can meet the other first-years. They're all super interesting!"

Shin picked up the rest of his luggage, walking beside Panda, chatting as they went. Panda responded enthusiastically, "Really? That's the newest stuff! I can't wait to try it out."

As their voices faded, Panda led Shin to his dorm room. After dropping off his belongings, they headed to a classroom.

Panda pushed open the door and called out, "Hey, Maki, Toge, we've got a new student!"

Inside the classroom were a boy and a girl, both in Jujutsu High uniforms. The girl had a neat ponytail with dark green hair, her sharp features slightly obscured by her old-fashioned round glasses. The boy had short silver hair, and most of his face was hidden by his high collar, but he appeared quite delicate.

Maki and Toge glanced at Panda, who was leading in a white-haired boy. He wore a warm smile and stylish sunglasses that couldn't completely hide his striking appearance. However, there was something oddly familiar about him, a feeling they couldn't quite place.

"This is Shin Shuichi, the one I always mention." Panda introduced him with a big grin, one hand raised high and the other low.

Maki and Toge had heard of Shin before. Not only from Panda's occasional comments, but also due to his connection with Gojo-sensei.

Remembering something Gojo had once said, Maki internally groaned: 'He must be an adopted kid, right? He has that same punchable face as Gojo…'

'Though, he seems better than that idiot with the blindfold.' Maki thought to herself, watching as Shin politely removed his sunglasses and greeted them with a bow.

"Kelp!" Toge greeted back, and Panda continued introducing the others to Shin: "This is Maki. She doesn't like being called by her family name, and she's super strong at hand-to-hand combat."

"Toge Inumaki! Because he's a Cursed Speech user, he can't speak normally, so he usually talks in rice ball ingredients." (A/N: EVERYBODY DANCE NOW! Inumaki is a cursed speech user, his speech amplifies the power and compulsion of words. He limits his vocabulary to keep others safe.)

Panda, being an old friend of Shin's, didn't need much introduction. Although Toge couldn't speak freely, he was easy to get along with, and even Maki, with her tough exterior, wasn't as distant as she seemed.

After chatting for a while, they heard the sound of the wooden door sliding open. Gojo Satoru strolled in, hands in his pockets.

Arriving several minutes late, Gojo showed no sign of guilt as he clapped his hands with a smile, drawing everyone's attention.

"So, have you all gotten to know each other?"

Panda and Toge were the first to respond, while Maki looked exasperated. She had already seen enough of Gojo's unreliable side to have her ideal image of him shattered and rebuilt multiple times.

As for Shin, he was used to this. Gojo was notoriously absent-minded about routine matters, and it was clear by now that he was unpredictable—and somewhat annoying.

"Alright, alright, since you're all familiar with each other, I won't waste time on the basics. For your first big challenge, I've found two tasks just for you. Expect to hear good news soon!"

"Exciting, right? Let me think… Maki and Shin will team up, while Panda and Toge will be the other team. You've got a few days to get to know each other."

"Huh?" Maki's face darkened. It wasn't that she minded fighting curses, but this felt way too sudden. What kind of teacher sends new students off on a mission so casually?

Panda scratched his head, "Whoa, that's kind of abrupt. And why am I not teamed up with Shin?"

"Salmon." Toge chimed in.

Gojo raised a finger and explained, "Because Maki and Panda are both close-combat types. A balanced team needs variety!"

Panda drawled, "This isn't a video game, Gojo-sensei."

Shin didn't mind. Gojo's unpredictability didn't surprise him anymore. He was eager for some real action, having practiced cursed techniques and martial arts for so long without a proper outlet. Now, the chance for real combat was finally here.

"Alright, let's start training! I'm free today, so I can personally guide you."

...

In the training ground, the four of them stretched before getting ready to spar. Maki stood across from Shin, wielding a wooden staff, while Shin held a wooden sword. She asked, "Gojo-sensei said you're not good at hand-to-hand combat?"

Shin twirled his sword a few times before scratching his head. "It's not exactly like that. My technique involves speed, and I'm decent at enhancing my body with cursed energy. I just haven't mastered any advanced techniques. You know how it is—training with Gojo doesn't teach you much. He's too strong."

Maki effortlessly swung her staff, producing a sharp sound as it sliced through the air. "Let's see how you do in a match, then."

"No problem! Please go easy on me," Shin said with a bright smile.

The sparring began quickly, and after a few rounds, Maki couldn't help but silently complain. This was no "average" fighter—his strength and speed were remarkable. Even though neither was going all out, Maki was impressed.

Her body was naturally stronger than most due to her unique circumstances, but Shin wasn't wrong. His technique wasn't refined, and he struggled in evenly matched combat. However, under pressure, his defense and counterattacks were exceptional.

But... does he also have ranged abilities?

After their sparring match, Shin gained a newfound respect for Maki's combat skills. The intensity of her attacks made it feel like facing a relentless storm. Up close, it was much more overwhelming than anything seen in the media.

Shin's humility in asking for advice also improved Maki's opinion of him. Meanwhile, Panda and Toge's match was less eventful. Due to Toge's unique fighting style, they couldn't properly spar, but they at least got to know each other.

Gojo then offered his "personal guidance," which, to Shin, meant he just wanted to have fun. But this time, everyone else would be his "toys" too, and Shin was happy to pretend not to notice.

As expected, Gojo invited everyone to attack him together. He easily dodged and deflected all their attacks, occasionally countering in ways that were frustrating but not too painful.

Maki's intensity didn't change the tide of battle, and even Panda, who initially wanted to slack off, had to get serious after Gojo singled him out. Of course, it didn't help much.

Toge couldn't use Cursed Speech against Gojo without risk of self-harm, so he was the only one who could openly "take it easy."

Meanwhile, Shin wielded a bow called Extinction, using ranged attacks to support Maki and Panda while testing out his new combat style.

Shin found that Extinction was quite impressive. When he channeled cursed energy into the bow, a blue string of energy would form, and after pouring in more energy, a deep blue arrow appeared on the string.

The attack power depended on how much energy he used, though the bow had its limits.

The cursed arrows that Gojo dodged would explode on the ground, leaving sizable craters. Shin had nearly hit Maki and Panda with his first few shots, so he toned down the power after that.

When Maki and the others dropped out of the fight, Shin had no choice but to put away his bow and take on Gojo's "affectionate" lessons in close combat.

After Gojo had "thoroughly guided" everyone, he stretched with satisfaction and flashed a bright smile at the exhausted group. "Today's session was super productive! I'm off now—enjoy your free training time."

"Finally—he's gone!"

"Salmon!"

Panda and Toge groaned in unison. Maki, however, recovered quickly and found herself warming to the idea of being paired with Shin.

In combat, Maki could fight up close while Shin supported from a distance with arrows strong enough to blow craters in the ground. Not to mention, his close combat skills weren't to be underestimated.

Though most curses weren't too bright, any that tried to rush Shin would be in for a surprise.

As Shin caught Maki's expression, he felt a bit uneasy and cleared his throat. "I'm going to grab some drinks. Anyone want something?"

Panda immediately sprang up. "Cola! The colder, the better. Thanks!"

"Katsuobushi."

Panda translated for Toge, "He probably wants room temperature water to protect his throat."

Toge nodded, confirming Panda's guess. When Shin looked at Maki, she replied, "Hmm… green tea's fine. Anything works."

Shin went back to the dorm and grabbed drinks from a portable fridge before returning to the training ground.

The four of them drank their drinks, shaking off the fatigue from earlier, chatting casually. After fighting side by side earlier, their initial acquaintance had already deepened into a stronger bond.

Panda was the type to scheme mischievously with Shin, while Toge, though typically quiet, was the kind of person who could instantly join in with Shin and Panda.

Maki, though she wouldn't "stoop to their level," enjoyed watching the chaos from the sidelines, as long as it didn't involve her. She was also the kind of person who cared deeply for and trusted her comrades.

"Not to mention, she's a top-notch fighter and makes you feel totally safe!" That was what Panda said. As Shin watched Panda's small eyes squint in an attempt to wink, for some reason, his hands itched to give him a smack...