Ultimate Man [JJK X SOL]: Loading Golden Entries at The Start

First, they built a small campfire by the trail.

For three sorcerers, this wasn't a difficult task.

Then, they improvised, using materials they could find nearby.

"We're not seriously eating this, are we?"

Nobara stared at the crude stone pot placed over the fire. Inside were a few boiled leaves, looking less like food and more like survival desperation.

"Hey, there's nothing else we can do. The river didn't even have a single fish," Yuji Itadori said, scratching the back of his head with a helpless smile.

While he had found a river, it provided nothing except water. There were no fish, no insects—nothing living at all. All they could do was gather some leaves to make a weak soup.

"..."

Nobara didn't respond immediately, her lips pressing into a thin line. She wasn't someone spoiled by luxury, but even so, this was a new low.

Her gaze shifted to Maki, who sat silently, showing no sign of complaint. Nobara sighed inwardly. If Maki wasn't grumbling, it didn't feel right for her to say anything either.

Reluctantly, she dipped her spoon into the "soup" and took a sip. It was bland, unappetizing, and barely enough to stave off hunger.

"It's not enough," Maki said suddenly, standing up after finishing her portion.

"We don't know how long we'll be trapped here. Even as sorcerers, we can only go so long without proper food. Hunger won't kill us immediately, but we can't keep this up forever."

Maki grabbed her sword and glanced at the forest.

"I'll go scout around. Stay here and keep the fire going."

Before either Nobara or Yuji could stop her, Maki had already disappeared into the woods.

"Damn it…" Yuji muttered, frustrated at her sudden departure.

All they could do now was wait and hope Maki returned safely—and, ideally, with something edible.

"I'll gather more firewood," Yuji said after a moment, breaking the tense silence.

The campfire needed to stay lit, and with the forest surrounding them, there was no shortage of wood. It was better than just sitting around doing nothing.

---

Yuji didn't wander far, staying close to the camp. As he moved, he used the opportunity to practice his physical techniques.

"Ha!"

With a loud cry, Yuji slammed his fist into the trunk of a nearby tree. His punch was powerful enough to break the trunk in half, sending the tree crashing to the ground.

"Hah…"

Exhaling deeply, Yuji straightened up, wiping sweat from his brow.

"My Taido is getting better," he murmured with satisfaction.

Taido was the martial art Gojo had taught him. For someone like Yuji, who hadn't yet awakened a cursed technique of his own, physical combat skills were his greatest strength.

If he could master Black Flash in the future, Yuji was confident he'd even be able to take on low-tier special-grade curses.

"Hahaha!" Yuji chuckled to himself, his usual optimism shining through.

"..."

Back at the campfire, Nobara glanced in his direction and rolled her eyes.

"Doesn't he ever get tired of showing off?" she muttered.

Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she had to admit Yuji's progress was impressive. Gojo's teaching had paid off, and Yuji's raw talent made Taido an excellent fit for him.

It was a smart move on Gojo's part. Since Yuji's only cursed techniques came from Sukuna and were therefore unusable for obvious reasons focusing on physical combat was the best option.@@novelbin@@

For Gojo, teaching Yuji Taido had probably been little more than a passing whim. But for Yuji, it had become the foundation of his strength.

---

"Alright, that should be enough," Yuji said after gathering a good amount of firewood.

He returned to the campfire, adding some of the wood to keep it burning steadily. Then he sat down next to Nobara, both of them waiting for Maki to return.

But as the hours dragged on and the sun began to set, worry started to creep in.

"She's been gone for too long," Yuji said, his voice tense.

"Do you think something happened to her?"

Nobara didn't answer right away. Though she shared his concern, she forced herself to remain calm.

"There's no point in panicking," she said finally. "And just because she hasn't come back yet doesn't mean she's in danger. With Maki-senpai's strength, if something had happened, there would've been some sign of it by now."

"..."

Yuji nodded slowly, taking some comfort in her words.

Maki might lack cursed energy, but her physical abilities more than made up for it. As a Heavenly Restriction user, her raw strength and skill placed her on par with a quasi-first-grade sorcerer.

The only reason she still carried the rank of a fourth-grade sorcerer was due to the Zenin family's interference. They couldn't accept someone with no cursed energy rising through the ranks, as it would reflect poorly on the family.

***

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