Chapter 70 — Study Plan
Tokyo Jujutsu High — Hospital Room 302
"Tsumiki."
"Ren-senpai."
"How are you feeling?" Ren asked as he walked into the room, dressed in a white coat with a notebook tucked under his arm.
"I'm fine. I feel great," Tsumiki replied with a gentle smile, shifting slightly on the bed.
Recently, Ren had been studying the finer applications of Reverse Cursed Technique under Shoko Ieiri. At the same time, he had been helping out in the hospital, assisting with the surge of injured patients caused by increased cursed spirit activity.
Among them, Tsumiki Fushiguro—whom he was personally overseeing—had become one of his primary patients.
"Want me to open the window? Some fresh air might help."
"Yes, thank you, Ren-senpai."
Tsumiki pushed herself up slightly, nodding softly.
Her gaze followed him as he walked to the window and pulled open the blinds.
Warm morning sunlight streamed in, bathing her soft, pale features in a gentle glow.
Ren turned back, a helpless smile tugging at his lips.
"By the way… why do you insist on calling me 'senpai'? I told you, you don't have to."
"Because," Tsumiki replied seriously, her lips curving slightly, "it's proper etiquette."
"You're one year above Megumi and the others," she counted on her fingers. "And I'm in the same grade as them now."
"…If you keep that up, I'm going to start calling you Tsumiki-nee."
"That works too," she said with a bright, playful smile. "Then we'll just call each other whatever we like."
She added, with mock seriousness:
"Ren-senpai."
Ren was completely defeated.
He walked over and sat beside her bed.
Aside from monitoring her recovery, he had also taken on another role—
teaching her the basics of jujutsu, mainly the practical aspects.
Originally, that responsibility should have fallen to Megumi. But he had insisted:
"Senpai, your control over cursed energy is exceptional. Please guide Tsumiki in this area."
Ren could tell what Megumi was thinking.
He wanted the best possible instruction for his sister—especially in anything related to real combat. He didn't want her to suffer because of any gaps in her training.
So Ren agreed.
Besides, Tsumiki herself had already asked him to guide her in understanding the Construction Technique.
At the moment, Ren's lessons focused on two areas:
First, the fundamentals of cursed energy control—his specialty.
Second, introductory knowledge of the Construction Technique. Ren had previously researched it while helping Mai improve her technique, so he had a basic grasp. However, beyond foundational guidance, further mastery would depend on Tsumiki's own efforts.
Ren explained everything carefully.
Tsumiki listened attentively, her eyes fixed on him, occasionally showing signs of deep thought.
Halfway through, Ren noticed her subtly pressing her lips together and swallowing—she seemed a bit thirsty.
"Want an apple?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes," Tsumiki nodded softly. "Thank you, Ren-senpai."
Ren was starting to feel a bit speechless.
No matter how many times he told her otherwise, Tsumiki stubbornly insisted on calling him "senpai." What puzzled him most was that she was actually older than him, yet she clung to that form of address with unwavering determination.
Still, after her repeated insistence, he was gradually getting used to it.
He picked up a fruit knife in one hand and reached into the basket with the other, grabbing a bright red apple.
But just as he was about to start peeling it, Tsumiki suddenly leaned forward slightly and said, a little shyly, "Senpai, let me do it. It's only my lower body that can't move—my upper body is perfectly fine."
"That won't do," Ren shook his head. "How can a patient peel an apple for her doctor?"
"Then," Tsumiki smiled, "how can a teacher lecture a student while peeling an apple at the same time?"
"And besides, senpai," she added softly, "I might be faster."
Ren raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
Before he could respond, she had already deftly taken the apple from his hand.
She placed it in her palm—but instead of reaching for the knife, she simply focused her gaze on it, her eyes sharpening slightly.
In the next instant, a strange device materialized out of thin air in her palm, completely enclosing the apple.
With a soft whirring sound, the device began to spin.
A moment later, the top lid flipped open, and a small stand lifted up—
revealing a perfectly peeled apple, glistening with juice, smooth and flawless.
"Tada!" The usually gentle and composed girl now beamed with rare excitement. "An automatic apple peeler!"
"This is my token of appreciation," she said, presenting it to Ren with mock formality. "Please enjoy it first, Ren-sensei."
Ren couldn't help but laugh.
"This is amazing," he said, taking a bite of the apple before handing her another unpeeled one. "Every hospital bed should have one of these."
"Your technique has serious potential," he added, mimicking her exaggerated tone. "You should partner with the school—launch a business project: Automatic Apple Peeler™, CEO Tsumiki!"
Tsumiki burst into laughter.
Jokes aside…
After the laughter faded, Ren's gaze sharpened as he looked at the small "automatic apple peeler" in her hand.
This technique's potential was no joke.
He realized he had been thinking about it the wrong way all along.
Previously, he had been influenced by Zenin Mai's limitations. Even with extreme cursed energy precision—on the scale of constructing something like "ten thousand bullets"—he had still considered the technique somewhat underwhelming.
But what Tsumiki had just demonstrated was completely different.
Over the past few days, Ren had begun reassessing the true potential of the Construction Technique.
And based on Tsumiki's performance so far, its ceiling was nothing short of extraordinary.
She could easily create objects of considerable size—something that would have utterly exhausted Mai multiple times over. And if that were combined with ultra-high precision in cursed energy control…
Ren's thoughts began to shift.
He was now reconsidering his training priorities.
Between the Ten Shadows Technique and the Construction Technique…
which one should he learn first?
Both had incredibly high ceilings—and both were extremely difficult.
In terms of potential, Ren personally felt that the Construction Technique ranked higher. After all, it could quite literally create anything.
But in terms of complexity…
Especially after seriously studying it, he realized that the Construction Technique might actually be even more intricate than the Ten Shadows Technique.
Which, in hindsight, made perfect sense.
After all—it was the power to create reality itself.
"So…" Ren murmured inwardly.
"Maybe I should start with the easier one first…"
"The Ten Shadows Technique?"