HRU: Chapter 201/202

Chapter 201: Jujutsu High Has an Entrance Exam?
"Hello everyone, I'm Gojo Satoshi."

"Starting today, I'll be joining Tokyo Jujutsu High as your classmate." The white-haired youth gave a relaxed smile, tone sincere.

Though they were old acquaintances, it was only natural to reintroduce himself after a nine-year absence.

"G-Gojo Satoshi… he's really awake!"

The instructor's breath caught as he stared at the two nearly identical faces. Satoru's calm confirmation made the absurdity all too real.

His mind blanked for a moment, as if a bomb had gone off in his head. He saw nothing but mushroom clouds.

Suguru's expression shifted slightly. He instinctively took two steps back.

This guy… the one even weirder than Satoru... has woken up!

Suguru's scalp tingled.

Beside him, Shoko's lashes lifted in quiet surprise.

Satoshi finally woke up.

Her gaze briefly passed over Satoru but settled on Satoshi. Her lips twitched into a small smile.

Sunglasses look way better on Satoshi than on Satoru.

The girl nodded subtly, the corners of her lips curving.

The middle-aged instructor's face grew complicated, but as a professional, he quickly composed himself.

Using Satoru's tardiness as an excuse, he ordered him to bring in his own table and chair. Soon, all four first-year students were seated.

Except for Satoru, who was muttering under his breath while dragging furniture into the room, his face sour.

Not long after, Yaga Masamichi entered.

He swept his gaze over the four students.

His expression softened.

"I'll be your homeroom teacher this term. I'm Yaga Masamichi."

"Welcome to Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College. You are now officially preparatory students."

Yaga's voice was steady.

"Preparatory students?" Satoru blinked. "So we're not full students yet?"

"Correct. You must still pass the entrance exam to officially enroll," Yaga replied as he chalked the words Entrance Exam onto the board.

"...Entrance exam?"

The room fell quiet. Everyone's expression tensed slightly.

Even Satoshi looked a bit surprised.

So it's not that easy to get into Jujutsu High?

But rather than discouraged, Satoshi looked intrigued.

Before his slumber, he had instructed Kumaen to collect Sukuna's fingers and search for Itadori Kaori. He wondered how much progress had been made.

He had a strong hunch that the exam was connected to those efforts.

At the podium, Yaga continued.

"The entrance exam is divided into five standard levels: A, B, C, D, and E, from highest to lowest."

"Your exam results will not only determine whether you can officially enter the school but also your initial certification rank within the sorcerer community."

"Completing an E- or D-rank mission grants you a Grade 4 certification."

"C-rank, Grade 3."

"B-rank, Grade 2."

"A-rank, Grade 1."

"However…" Yaga paused, scanning their faces. "Choosing a mission that's beyond your current ability not only means failing to enter the school, it could also cost you your life."

"Choose carefully."

Yaga set the chalk down and crossed his arms.

"Now, you're free to discuss among yourselves. If you have any questions, ask."

The room fell silent again.

Suguru and Shoko gulped nervously.

This entrance exam sounds brutal… life-threatening even.

Their hands clenched slightly.

"Teacher," Satoshi raised his hand. "If there are standard levels, are there also… non-standard ones?"

This kind of rank wasn't just symbolic. At Jujutsu High, each level came with privileges and authority.

Naturally, Satoshi had his eye on the Special Grade certification.

After all, just clearing an A-rank would only earn him Grade 1. That wasn't enough.

He had long since surpassed that level.

"Non-standard level?" Yaga repeated, blinking.

"Satoshi, are you saying even A-rank isn't enough for you?" Satoru chimed in, expression exaggerated.

The others inhaled sharply.

They looked at Satoshi's calm, composed face. Somehow, the idea didn't seem that absurd coming from him.

Suguru frowned slightly.

That's just arrogance. Even if it's Satoshi, there's no way he can become a Special Grade sorcerer right out of the gate. That's practically unheard of.

But Suguru's opinion didn't hold much weight here.

So everyone turned to Yaga with anticipation.

Yaga was silent for a moment. Then he sighed.

"There is a non-standard level."

"There's one level above A: S-rank."

"If you complete an S-rank mission, you'll receive an official Special Grade certification from the Jujutsu Association."

"There really is one?" Suguru's eyes widened. His heart began to race.

Getting a Special Grade title on your first day… that would be historic.

But Shoko frowned slightly and glanced toward Satoshi.

If Yaga didn't mention it at first, it probably means the S-rank exam isn't suitable for new students at all.

"But," Yaga continued, "in the history of Jujutsu High, many talented sorcerers have attempted S-rank missions."

"What happened to them?" Satoru asked.

Everyone leaned forward slightly, tension rising.

"No one has ever succeeded." Yaga drew a large X on the board, his tone grave.

Just as I thought.

Suguru's pupils shrank, and he instantly gave up the idea of taking the S-rank challenge.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 202: I Choose S-Class
Jujutsu High had stood for generations.

Across the years, it had produced countless prodigies, but not one had ever completed the S-rank entrance mission.

That alone spoke volumes about its difficulty.

Even someone as daring as Satoru had hesitated when the time came to make a choice.

But then—

A voice, bold and abrupt, rang out through the auditorium like a clap of thunder.

"Teacher, I want to choose S-rank!"

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice, only to find Satoshi standing tall, both arms raised with calm resolve.

"Satoshi, are you insane? The S-rank mission is too dangerous, you literally just woke up!" Shoko grabbed his arm, her expression filled with worry.

After all, Satoshi had only just recovered. He needed time to regain his strength. Taking on an S-rank entrance exam in that condition was madness.

"She's right. No one's ever cleared it." Suguru, for once, tried to dissuade him.

Though he wasn't as close to Satoshi as Satoru was, he still owed him. Satoshi had forged Hōzukimaru for him and had even helped him subdue the Rainbow Dragon nine years ago.

He couldn't stand by and let Satoshi throw his life away.

On the podium, Yaga Masamichi narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Satoshi's serious expression.

After a long pause, he asked in a heavy tone, "Gojo Satoshi, are you certain?"

"I've already told you how dangerous an S-rank mission is..."

He held his breath, waiting for Satoshi's answer.

"Satoshi, are you really going to pick the S-rank mission?" Satoru's voice turned solemn. "If you fail, you'll die!"

Seeing his brother choose the most difficult path filled Satoru with anxiety.

Satoshi rolled his eyes. "Why are you all so nervous? Aren't records made to be broken?"

"If you're so scared, then let me, Gojo Satoshi, be the one to shatter this myth that no one has passed the S-rank exam!"

"Teacher Yaga, no need to hesitate. I'm choosing S-rank."

"Besides, don't I still have my Zanpakutō?" he added confidently.

Yaga Masamichi paused for a moment, then finally declared,

"Gojo Satoshi, mission level—S!"

"What about the rest of you?"

Shoko hesitated for a long time. "Teacher Yaga, I'll choose A-rank."

She'd originally considered B-rank.

But if she wanted to walk beside Satoshi, she couldn't lag too far behind. In the end, she gritted her teeth and picked A-rank Awakening.

"I choose A-rank," Suguru echoed.

Yaga recorded their selections, then looked to Satoru.

Satoru kept his head down for a long while, silent.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, revealing the struggle within.

"Teacher... I'll choose S-rank too." His voice was low, firm.

"My choice is also S-rank, Teacher Yaga," he repeated with certainty.

Since Satoshi had chosen S-rank, how could he, as the older brother, back down?

"Satoru..."

Though Suguru had expected this, hearing Satoru say it still shocked him.

"No one's ever completed this mission at Jujutsu High," Suguru muttered, frowning.

Shoko wanted to speak again but held back.

She knew Satoru too well.

Once Satoshi picked S-rank, there was no way he'd settle for anything less. She didn't even waste her breath.

Satoru casually waved a hand. "Don't worry, Suguru. Since no one's done it before, I'll just be the first."

It was undeniably difficult. But now that he'd mastered Infinity and Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue, he was confident he could handle almost any opponent.

Even against Satoshi—unless he activated Hōzukimaru—he believed he wouldn't lose out.

Since his brother had chosen S-rank, there was no room for him to pick anything lower.

In fact, he not only wanted to pick it.

He wanted to complete the mission faster and score higher than Satoshi.

He had to be the first one to clear the S-rank.

That was the pride and competitive spirit of an older brother.

Most importantly, he wasn't being arrogant. His duel with Satoshi at the Tombs of the Star had only been a sparring match.

If he were fighting cursed spirits for real, the power he'd unleash would far surpass what he showed there.

That was the source of his confidence.

Yaga Masamichi gave Satoru a serious look, then nodded.

"Gojo Satoru, S-rank!"

Normally, S-rank difficulty wasn't open to students. But these five did have the potential to succeed.

Yaga trusted his own judgment.

Once all the students had confirmed their mission levels, he moved on.

"Once your exam level is confirmed, it cannot be changed."

"Are you all sure?"

"Confirmed," everyone replied in unison.

At this point, there was no turning back.

"Alright. Once you sign this contract, I'll announce the mission objectives for your entrance exams," Yaga said calmly.

He handed them a document.

The moment they read it, everyone's expressions changed.

"Teacher Yaga, this isn't a contract. This is a life-and-death agreement!" Shoko exclaimed, her brow twitching.

The others frowned as well.

The clauses were indeed extreme, more akin to a death pact. The only safeguard was the live broadcast linked to the mission.

But none of them complained for long.

They were seasoned sorcerers. They understood that Jujutsu High wasn't a place for the faint-hearted.

Without protest, they all signed their names.

Satoshi glanced at Yaga. He already had a few guesses about what an S-rank entrance exam would entail.

But only Yaga's official announcement could confirm the truth.

At the side, Satoru grew impatient and urged him,

"Teacher! We've already signed!"

"So, what's the S-rank mission?"

Though Suguru and Shoko had chosen A-rank, they were also curious about what made the S-rank so terrifying.

How difficult must a task be that no one had completed it since the school's founding?

Yaga Masamichi looked at their eager faces, then sighed.

He spoke, slowly and clearly.

"High-level special mission."

"Retrieve the Special Grade Cursed Object: Ryoumen Sukuna's Fingers."

The moment the words left his mouth, Suguru, Shoko, and the others were stunned.

(To be continued.)