Chapter Five: New Atoms

Inside the school, Megumi and Nobara stood in front of the vending machine, waiting for their cold drinks to drop. They both looked exhausted, sweat still glistening on their foreheads from the intense training session earlier.

Nobara sighed as she selected a soda. "Our seniors are really sadistic, aren't they? They're training the hell out of us."

Megumi nodded, pressing the button for a sports drink. "Yeah, it's intense. Only Yuji seems to have enough strength and stamina to keep up with them."

Nobara rolled her eyes. "Of course, Yuji's a freak of nature. She acts like it's just another day at the gym. How does she do it?"

Megumi gave a small chuckle. "She does seem to enjoy it, doesn't she? Maybe it's her way of coping with everything."

Nobara shrugged. "Maybe. But still, I wouldn't mind a little less 'training from hell.'"

As they grabbed their drinks, a tall, muscular boy with a rough, imposing presence appeared at the end of the corridor. His hair was styled in a unique pompadour, and his intense eyes scanned the area. Beside him was a girl with short, dark hair and a confident smirk. They walked toward Megumi and Nobara with an air of authority.

"Hey, you two," the boy called out, his deep voice echoing through the hallway. "I'm Todo, and this is Mai. We're from Kyoto Jujutsu High."

"Hi, Megumi-kun!" Mai chirped in.

"Zenin-senpai," Megumi acknowledged with a nod. Then, he looked at the boy. Megumi recognized the name Todo Aoi from last year's Night Parade. Todo fought like a monster without even using his cursed technique.

Todo continued, "I was here to see Yuta, but since he's not around, I want to know if there are any worthy opponents this year."

Nobara and Megumi exchanged a wary glance. Nobara took a sip of her soda, trying to appear nonchalant. "We're first years. I guess you'll find out soon enough at the Goodwill Event."

Todo's eyes narrowed slightly. "First years, huh? Alright then, let me ask you something important. What type of girls do you like?"

"What?" Nobara exclaimed, looking at Megumi in disbelief.

Todo leaned closer, his voice deadly serious. "If your answer is boring, I'll beat you to death."

Nobara raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by the question. She muttered under her breath, "What kind of question is that?"

Megumi, however, knew better than to dismiss Todo's unusual query. He took a deep breath and answered, "I like strong-willed girls who know what they want and are kind hearted."

"Pathetic, so boring," Todo's face darkened, finding the answer unsatisfactory. He stepped forward menacingly, ready to strike Megumi down. Just as his fist began to swing, he froze mid-motion. A powerful cursed technique had immobilized him.

A figure stepped into the light from around the corner. A girl in a white kimono with pink hair appeared, her bored expression contrasting with the tension in the air. From Todo's point of view, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, second only to his idol.

"Stay away from my friends, or I'll kill you," she said coolly, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. The intensity of her words left no room for doubt.

Todo looked shocked, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. He turned to face her fully, taking in her calm but deadly demeanor. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"I'm Yuji Itadori," she replied simply. Her eyes, however, conveyed a silent but stern warning.

Todo nodded slowly, still processing what had just happened. He glanced over at Mai, who was watching the scene unfold with interest. "We're going to have a good match," he said. "There's finally a worthy opponent."

With that, he turned and walked away, Mai following closely behind. The tension dissipated as they disappeared down the corridor.

Nobara let out a frustrated groan. "Great, just what we needed. More over-the-top opponents. That guy's a total psycho."

Megumi nodded, still shaken but grateful for Yuji's intervention. "Yeah, but at least we know what we're up against now."

Yuji stepped closer, her expression softening. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Nobara said, still a bit shaken. "Thanks for stepping in, Yuji. That was intense."

Yuji shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "Anytime. You guys are my friends. Let's get back to training. We've got a lot to prepare for."

Megumi nodded, still processing the encounter. "Yeah, let's do that. We can't let them get the upper hand."

As they walked back to rejoin the others, they felt a renewed sense of determination. Despite the challenges ahead, they knew they had each other's backs and were ready to face whatever came their way at the Goodwill Exchange Event.

TBC