Chapter 6

First Day (初日) is the sixth chapter of the Jujutsu Shori series.

Summary
Allen arrives on his first day of class to an empty classroom. He's never been to school before but this isn't really a traditional experience regardless. Lena walks in and says she's glad it's not just her and Sid in class anymore. Allen asks if that's the teacher's name to which Lena confirms. Lena believes Sid will arrive any minute. but in walks Reeves Wenham. Allen nervously introduces himself to "Mr. Sid" but Reeves clears up the confusion. He shakes Allen's hand and introduces himself as one of the assistant managers.

Lena asks if Sid's out or something but Reeves reveals that there was some kind of accident and they haven't been able to find him. She gets annoyed and asks if it had something to do with her brother's experiments but Reeve denies this. Reeve does however share that he heard a rumor that there is someone going around the tower attacking people. Everyone who's encountered them has described them as a zombie.

Allen is comically frightened by the idea of a zombie lurking around the school. Lena tells him to relax says it's probably just a dumb rumor, lots of crazy stuff happens around the tower. Lena asks Reeves if he is implying that the zombie might be Sid. Reeves denies this, replying that it's just a rumor like she suggested. Whether it's related to research or training, low-level curses are released throughout the building all the time. The attacks could just as likely be the cause of mischief to that rather than Sid's disappearance.

Allen realizes that this is just the kind of place the Tower of God is and not a normal school at all. Reeves moves on and apologizes for getting off-topic, adding it's a decent segway into lessons for today anyway though. Since it's Allen's first day he introduces him to the curriculum, taking papers out of his briefcase and putting them on his desk. The classes are demonology, grimoire literature, curse pharmaceuticals, and practical jujutsu training.

At practical training/p.e. class, Allen and Lena Lee run around a five-sided deep-dish arena with steep walls. There is also a bridge spanning the radius of the ring and it is connected to several cages using chains underneath it. Inside these cages are Reapers, large frog-like curses. There are four cages but only one reaper is released, shackled by the chain with just a bit of leeway it chases the students. Lena asks who in the world is afraid of frogs while Allen struggles to keep pace behind her. Reeve yells from the bridge telling Allen to watch the giant frog's movements. He laments about not being a proper teacher like Sid.

Allen admits to himself that he's no good without his claw. At the same time, Reeve gets a notification from his golem. He pulls the lever restricting the chain that drags the frog back into its cage. He excuses himself and asks them to wait patiently while he helps Gil fix something. While Reeve is away, Lena asks Allen to spar with her, embarrassing and surprising him at the same time. He's not comfortable with fighting a girl but Lena says he really needs to build up his body if he hopes to become an effective jujutsu sorcerer. Allen understands that Lena is a jujutsu sorcerer in training as well and he should respect that regardless of her gender. He accepts and Lena agrees not to use her cursed technique if Allen doesn't activate his big claw.

Allen agrees and they begin the sparring match on Lena's mark. Allen runs straight for her and he's shocked by how quickly she gets right in his face. He attempts to swing at her but she ducks down suddenly with all her weight on her upper body. At the same time, she kicks her leg over the back of her head, smashing Allen in the face with her heel. Suffering a direct hit between the eyes, Allen tries to recover quickly but Lena closes the distance quickly again. She extends her hand covered with cursed energy that Allen can recognize even while squinting from the last hit. He goes to block it with his deactivated cursed arm but Lena grabs it instead and kicks Allen in the side body where his guard is now exposed.

The impact of Lena's kick sends him flying to the side. Before he can even get up Allen opens his eyes to see Lena about to land on him. She misses on purpose, frightening Allen before helping him back to his feet soon after. Lena asks if she won and Allen nods in exhausted agreement. Allen asks if she really wasn't using her cursed technique and answers that she wasn't, only reinforcing her body with cursed energy. It's the most basic skill a sorcerer can learn and the first thing they'll need to teach Allen. As Allen says he's glad to be learning alongside Lena, a zombified hand suddenly reaches for the lever in the background.