The heat of summer 2006 hung lazily over the campus of Tokyo Jujutsu High. Cicadas screamed from the trees while the old wooden buildings soaked in the afternoon sun.

Inside one of the training rooms, Satoru Gojo leaned back in his chair with his legs propped up on the desk, sunglasses tilted slightly down his nose.

“For the last time,” Suguru Geto sighed, arms folded, “Yaga-sensei did not say the new student was special.”

Gojo grinned. “He didn’t say they weren’t special either.”

Across the room, Shoko Ieiri flicked ash from her cigarette into a nearby tray. “You’ve been obsessing about this for a week.”

“A week of mystery!” Gojo shot back dramatically. “Yaga-sensei never transfers students in the middle of the year.”

“That’s because most sorcerers don’t survive long enough to transfer,” Shoko muttered.

The door slid open with a bang before Gojo could respond.

“Did someone say new student?” Yu Haibara popped his head inside, bright-eyed as always.

Behind him, Kento Nanami walked in more quietly, already looking mildly tired despite the early hour.

“You’re late,” Geto said.

Haibara laughed. “Sorry! I heard Yaga-sensei talking to someone outside earlier. Thought maybe it was them!”

Gojo immediately sat up.

“Wait—you saw them?”

“Nope!” Haibara said cheerfully.

Gojo groaned and fell back in his chair again.

“You’re unbelievable,” Nanami muttered.

The conversation died as heavy footsteps approached down the hall.

Everyone straightened—well, almost everyone. Gojo still had one leg lazily hooked over the desk.

The door slid open.

Masamichi Yaga stepped in, towering and stern as ever.

“Sit properly, Gojo.”

“Technically I am sitting.”

“Properly.”

Gojo sighed and dropped his feet to the floor.

Yaga’s gaze swept across the room: Gojo, Geto, Shoko, Haibara, and Nanami.

“As you’ve already heard,” he began, “a transfer student will be joining Tokyo Jujutsu High starting today.”

Gojo immediately leaned forward with interest.

Geto shot him a warning glance.

“They’ve recently awakened their cursed technique and will be studying with you for the remainder of the term,” Yaga continued.

Haibara’s eyes lit up.

Nanami simply adjusted his tie.

Shoko took another drag.

Gojo tilted his head slightly, a grin slowly forming.

“So they’re strong, right?” he said.

Yaga ignored him and turned toward the hallway.

“You can come in now.”

A figure appeared in the doorway.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Gojo studied them carefully over the rim of his sunglasses, blue eyes sharp with curiosity.

Then he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, grin widening.

"So you're the new student?"