AN: Window- a person that can see curses but don't use CT or CE
AN: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Mahoraga, A bright purple light that decimates Shinjuku...
I blinked awake, struggling to sit up in a daze.
Beside me, Megumi and Satoru exchanged concerned glances before masking their worry with nonchalance.
"This feels like déjà vu," Megumi deadpanned, his gaze meeting mine. Satoru chuckled, the lines of concern still etched in his features, though he tried to play it off with a bright grin.
"You've got a special relationship with hospital beds, Aki. You managed to land in one this time without even throwing a punch," Satoru teased, but the tension in the room remained tangible, underscoring my weakened state.
"So...why are you guys here instead of handling the new sorcerers? Is Shoko tied up?" I asked, gripping the edge of my blanket, trying to make sense of the whirlwind of information flooding my mind.
"You actually called us while you were out cold. Shoko thought it would be best if we stuck around and chatted with you while you recovered," Megumi explained casually, his hands buried in his pockets. He was dressed in a laid-back black sweater and cargo pants instead of his usual uniform.
"I did?" I responded, mulling it over. Considering I had witnessed my best friend's life slip away and my supposedly invincible uncle losing a limb, it seemed plausible that I would reach out to them. "Well, it does make sense that I'd call out to you two..."
A searing wave of pain flooded my mind, a throbbing pressure threatening to burst my skull. I couldn't help but groan, my hands instinctively finding their way to my temples.
Satoru's demeanor shifted at my words, and even Megumi's facade of nonchalance crumbled, revealing their underlying concern.
"What do you mean, Aki?" Satoru inquired, his usual black blindfold absent, his deep blue eyes meeting my own, mirroring their hue.
"I saw...something," I confessed, and for the second time since that fateful incident during his student days, Satoru's composed facade faltered. It was a fleeting moment, imperceptible to anyone but us. "I think."
The truth was, I had only finished watching the first season, unaware of any developments beyond that. What I witnessed was shrouded in uncertainty, unsure whether it was part of the storyline or a figment of my imagination.
Satoru appraised me, signaling to Megumi to hold back his barrage of questions, before focusing entirely on the information he was about to receive.
"What did you see?" he asked, his attention honed in on the details I was about to reveal.
"It was a colossal shikigami with intricate clockwork on its back. It... it took down Megumi, or at least that's what I thought," I recounted, watching as realization dawned in Megumi's widened eyes.
"Mahoraga," he murmured.
"Yeah, that's what I heard when you called out its name. What the hell was that thing!?" I roared, flinging the blanket aside as I struggled to rise and reach for Megumi, but my body betrayed me, leaving me on my knees.
"It's a shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique. Its ability allows it to adapt to any and all phenomena," Satoru explained in place of Megumi.
"And why the hell was I kept in the dark about this!? Aren't we friends, Megumi!" I exclaimed, my accusatory gaze making Megumi falter, his eyes tinged with regret. Every step he took backward seemed laced with uncertainty before he finally managed to speak.
"I'm sorry..." was all he could muster.
"I instructed him to remain silent. Megumi did what he did on my behalf," Satoru said calmly. "If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at me, not Megumi."
"This does confirm that your premonition may be true after all. Could you provide more details about what Mahoraga did?" My jaw clenched, unwilling to let this matter go so easily.
Satoru helped me to my feet, and I took a deep breath, attempting to steady my nerves before speaking once more. "After Mahoraga incapacitates Megumi, it goes after a blond man he had been fighting," I recounted, the details of my vision brief but vivid.
"That's where the vision seems to end, before I'm taken into another one. Reality warps, and I can only catch fragments of what's to come," I explained, outlining the characteristics of the future sight.
"What else did you see?" Satoru asked again.
"I saw Megumi fighting alongside Mahoraga and another cursed beast to kill you," I revealed, the tension growing thicker as Megumi and Satoru's gazes locked. "With one strike from Mahoraga, your arm was cut clean off."
"And where did both fights take place?" Satoru inquired.
"The first in Shibuya and the second in Shinjuku," I answered swiftly, even as Satoru guided me back into bed.
"Was there any significant time difference between these two fights? Did both Megumi and I appear older?" he continued to inquire.
"No, Megumi seemed slightly older, but not enough to be a second-year student," I responded promptly.
Satoru placed his hand on his chin, releasing a light chuckle. "Mahoraga's ability to adapt... It's not surprising that it could adjust to my Infinity. After all, it did take down a Six Eyes user from the past."
"What's so damn amusing!? You're going to die, Satoru. This is no laughing matter!" I shouted, attempting to swing a punch at him, only to find my fists halted just before his Infinity, intensifying my concern.
Ever since Satoru Gojo's birth, the delicate balance of power had been disrupted. Cursed spirits had grown stronger, attempting to equalize the scales.
Satoru Gojo.
The strongest, and someone capable of besting that strongest was a threat. If Satoru were to perish, all would be lost. It was then that the realization hit me. My previous calm and carefree attitude had stemmed from my supposed knowledge of the future. But now, with everything uncertain, that certainty and carefree demeanor vanished like mist in the wind.
"A fight that I lose! That's what I find amusing!" he retorted with a smirk. "Based on the nature of what you've explained, I believe someone else is controlling Megumi, probably Sukuna."
"But he's trapped in Yuji's body, Gojo sensei!" Megumi interjected, countering Satoru's argument.
"For now, but even I'm unsure of the precise conditions required for his escape. For all we know, merely consuming one of his fingers could set him free," Satoru animatedly explained.
"These are all possibilities that my Six Eyes have envisioned and speculated upon," he continued, his tone growing more serious as he turned back to me. "Did you witness my eventual death after I lost my arm?"
I shook my head, recalling the fragmented scenes that had unfolded during that dreamlike state. "I saw a brilliant flash of purple light that obliterated Shinjuku."
"Hollow purple, most likely. But an impact like that would kill even you, the caster," I retorted, anticipating any attempt at downplaying the threat. Satoru was competitive, and he was steadfastly convinced of his superiority over Ryoumen Sukuna.
"I've been wielding cursed energy at that level for years now. I'm more than confident my body has adapted to my own cursed energy. However, I won't deny the potential damage from my own attack," he replied casually.
"So, you and Sukuna engage in a showdown, and he utilizes my body in an attempt to eliminate you..." Megumi stated, taking a deep breath. His calm facade retained its air of resignation as he finally spoke up. "All we have to do is prevent any of that from ever happening,"
"I suppose this confirms that you're not a Six Eyes user," Satoru remarked, placing his hand to his chin with a thoughtful hum.
"What do you mean?" I inquired, but before he could elaborate, he simply flicked my forehead.
"I'll explain later. Get some rest," he instructed, and before I could protest, I slipped into unconsciousness.
Megumi's Pov
I sat up in bed, my gaze fixed blankly on the wall in front of me. Akito's words reverberated in my mind, leaving me unable to think clearly, consumed by the idea that I might be the one destined to end Gojo's life.
My phone buzzed beside me, and I picked it up to check my messages, half-expecting a barrage from Itadori and another from Mai. What in the world did she want now?
Mai: what the hell's going on with Aki, he's not replying to my texts?
Me: your boyfriend's hurt and needs some rest.
Mai: FFS, we're ONLY friends!
I couldn't help but snort at her message. The boy she had been eyeing since they first met? The one she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of was just a friend, apparently.
"Yeah, right," I muttered.
Me: sure, sure, whatever. I'm busy right now. I'll let you know when he's up.
Mai: make sure he calls me when he wakes up, understand!?
Me: yeah, don't worry.
I exhaled deeply, attempting to release the tension and worries that had taken root in my mind.
With Akito injured, he wouldn't be able to participate in the upcoming mission. But was I truly ready for it myself, when so many things could risk what occurred in Aki's vision?
I glanced down at my hands, clenching them tightly as if trying to suppress the tumult of emotions within me.
No matter what lay ahead, no matter if I were on the brink of death or even closer to it.
Mahoraga would never be summoned.
12 hours later...
Itadori's pov
"Where is he!? Where's my son Tadashi!?" A woman's anguished cries reached me, and I fought back the urge to well up with tears.
The Window approached, lowering his voice to ensure the woman wouldn't hear. "She's a Guardian who was here for a visit."
"Please step back. There's a possibility that someone has spread poisonous gas," the Window calmly advised as he moved closer to the woman. "We cannot share any more details at this time."
His words shattered her spirit, and she broke down in tears. "No... Why? Why is this happening!?" she wailed.
I swallowed the sorrow that threatened to overwhelm me, clenching my jaw and balling my fist as I steeled my resolve.
"Fushiguro, Kugisaki... We're going to save them!" I declared fervently.
"Damn right we are," Kugisaki affirmed, and Fushiguro nodded.
...
I took my first steps forward as we readied ourselves to venture deeper into the center. The Window cautioned us before raising the veil, and I watched in astonishment as the sky seemed to darken as if painted with an ominous hue.
"It's getting dark!" I exclaimed, still brimming with energy, as the dome of cursed energy entirely cloaked the outside world.
"It's a veil. There's a residential area nearby, so this conceals us from the outside world," Fushiguro explained in brief.
"That's incredible!" I remarked in awe.
"Ignorant," Nobara interjected condescendingly at my enthusiasm.
"By the way, why isn't Gojo-sensei's nephew here with us?" I asked suddenly. Fushiguro remained silent, choosing instead to delve further into the center without us.
"He's hurt, that's why. Besides, don't ask sensitive questions like that. You saw how he was before coming here, right? He wasn't entirely focused," Kugisaki chided in a hushed tone.
"Demon dogs," Fushiguro called out, summoning a white wolf adorned with a distinctive symbol on its head from seemingly thin air.
"Whoa..." I couldn't help but mutter in amazement.
"He'll be able to detect cursed spirits," Fushiguro explained, and I eagerly reached out to pet the wolf.
"Good boy, good boy," I cooed as we prepared to enter.
Stepping inside, I was taken aback by the sight. It wasn't a typical Juvenile center as what seemed like multiple apartment buildings were fitted and compressed into this singular structure. The crimson-tinted lights casted an eerie glow, though I paid no mind to it.
"What... What is this?" Nobara asked, clearly bewildered by the situation.
"This is a two-story dorm, right?" I suggested.
"No, no, it's a maisonette," Nobara corrected me, but before I could reply to reaffirm my initial assessment, Megumi suddenly shouted.
"Watch the door!" he called out, swiftly turning back. When we followed his gaze, the door had vanished.
"Huh, the door's gone!" I exclaimed, noting the door's abrupt disappearance.
Nobara pointed, still trying to process the situation despite her greater experience in dealing with such matters. "How!? We just came through there, didn't we?"
I nodded, and together, Kugisaki and I circled around, echoing each other's frantic murmurs of "What do we do? Ah, what do we do?"
"Calm down, the dog remembers the scent of the entrance. We'll be alright," Fushiguro interjected. My gaze fell on the dog as I hugged it once more, and this time, Kugisaki joined in.
"Good boy, good boy," I repeated, running my hand through its pristine white fur.
"Want some jerky? No, have all the jerky you want!" Nobara shouted.
"You guys are way too calm," Fushiguro exclaimed, although there was no real anger in his tone.
"You're so dependable, Fushiguro. Thanks to you, we'll be able to save others and ourselves," I said with a smile, and I truly meant every word.
Fushiguro processed my compliment but chose not to dwell on it. "Let's keep moving," he simply stated, regaining his composure.
As we ventured further, we emerged through another doorway, and there, at the center, lay the body of one of the Juveniles, the entirety of his lower body no longer present. I hurried over, examining the body and quickly locating the name tag.
"Atrocious..." Kugisaki muttered at the sight of his lifeless form.
"That's three people, right?" Fushiguro stated calmly.
Okazaki Tadashi—the name of the woman who was desperately searching for her son.
"We're taking the body back," I declared suddenly, and Kugisaki looked at me in disbelief. "It's that woman's son."
"Even so...?" Nobara countered.
"His face isn't that disfigured. She won't just accept it if we go back and tell her that her son is dead."
Fushiguro's steps slowed as he pulled me away from the corpse. "We have to find and verify two more. Leave that body behind."
"Stop joking around, Fushiguro! We turned around on our way in, and the exit was gone. How would we find it on our way back!?" I shouted as Fushiguro grabbed my collar.
"We won't. I never said we'd come back for it. I said we'd leave it behind!" he retorted forcefully. "He's not even worth saving alive. Why the hell would I save his dead body!?"
I stared at Fushiguro in shock, my grip tightening on him. "Not worth saving!? What do you mean by that!?"
Fushiguro's hold intensified. "This is a detention center, and Jujutsu sorcerers are granted access to all sorts of information about a scene beforehand," I could sense the anger and fury seething through his tightened grip. "This Ozawa Tadashi killed a little girl while driving without a license, and that was his second offense for driving without a license. I understand your dedication to saving people and allowing them to have proper deaths, but what will you do when someone you saved kills someone else in the future?"
I mulled over his words, uncertain of how to respond. What he said did make sense, but I wasn't about to back down, quickly retorting, "Then why did you save me!?"
Fushiguro remained silent as the two of us glared fiercely at each other.
"Cut it out!" Kugisaki's voice echoed as she walked over to us. "Christ, what are you idiots doing!? Have you both lost it!? This isn't the time or the place—" Her words were cut short as she suddenly seemed to lose her footing, as if falling through the floor beneath us, though there were no signs of any external damage.
"Kugi...saki?" I murmured, still slightly stunned, as Megumi's face twisted with concern, quickly turning towards me.
"Itadori! We're running! We'll search for Kugisaki la—" Before he could finish his sentence, both of us simultaneously sensed the presence of a cursed spirit that materialized just between us. It was a humanoid creature with a piece of purple fabric covering its lower body. Its upper body bore a lifeless grey color, devoid of a nose, but its mouth resembled ours. Etched lines, halting at its forehead, adorned its face, two of which housed multiple cursed eyes.
My body froze in fear, a primal instinct surging within me, warning that any sudden movement would result in my demise. My grandfather had urged me to help people right before his death, and here I was, paralyzed with fear.
I was overcome by fear and I struggled to reach the blade fastened at my hips, but when I finally managed to do so, I swung at the curse with all the strength I could muster. A clean slash was made, but it wasn't across the curse's arm; instead, it was my own limbs that bore the brunt of the strike.
No, it wasn't my limbs that bore the brunt of my own strike, the cursed spirit had struck me at such a speed, that my eyes simply couldn't process the velocity of the strike. I glanced over, shock freezing my features, at my dismembered hand still tightly gripping the blade.
"Huh?" I gasped, noting the blood spurting from my severed hands. I grabbed my uniform's belt and hastily tightened it around the wound. Since I had come this close, there was no way I could escape.
"Hey, Sukuna! If I die, you die too, right? If you don't want that, then help me out here!" I pleaded in a panic, the curse's mouth manifesting on my face.
"I refuse. Even if the parts of me inside you die, I still have eighteen fragments of my soul left. Moreover, I'm not in control of this body. If you want to switch, go ahead and switch, but as soon as you do, I'll kill that friend of yours before this cursed spirit can," he replied with wild enthusiasm. "As soon as I've done that, I'll find that woman. She's got spunk. I'll have fun with her!"
"Like hell I'll let you do that," I retorted, my resolve firm against his threats.
"I bet, but if you get too distracted with me, your friends might actually die," he warned, and I gritted my teeth at the amusement he found in a situation as shitty as this. The Special Grade cursed spirit in front of us didn't let me continue speaking to Sukuna any further, puffing out its chest and releasing a ball of orange cursed energy in the form of a projectile displaying its raw power.
I glanced back at the trail of destruction it had left behind before focusing my attention back on the looming threat.
"Fushiguro! Fushiguro!" I called out, but he appeared to be in a trance, captivated and apprehensive at the curse's overwhelming strength.
"FUSHIGURO!" I roared again, and this time he snapped out of his daze, turning his gaze in my direction.
"Take Kugisaki and get out of here! I'll keep it busy until you two are clear. As soon as you're out, give me some kind of signal. Once you do... I'll switch with Sukuna," I declared, laying out my plan. Fushiguro didn't seem to be on board with the idea.
"There's no way you can do that! Not with only one arm and against a Special Grade," he argued.
"Look at it, it's toying with us, underestimating us. Buying some time shouldn't be impossible," I replied, feeling the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
"No way!" Fushiguro countered.
"Fushiguro!" I called, mustering a brave smile before facing him directly. "Please."
Fushiguro bolted in the opposite direction, his steps pounding against the ground like a desperate echo. My gaze remained fixed on the curse as I steeled myself for the impending battle, my heart racing with a mixture of fear and determination.
The curse ripped off its pants, revealing a fully formed humanoid figure. "Easier to move around in your undies, huh?" I taunted, attempting to feign confidence despite the overwhelming uncertainty gnawing at my insides. Truth be told, I had no solid plan. I couldn't wield cursed energy, which was fine for now since my only goal was to stall for time.
With a single blow of its fist, a blinding yellow radiance enveloped me, slamming my body into the wall with bone-crushing force. Disoriented, the rush of adrenaline barely managed to mask the searing pain that coursed through my body as the curse showed no signs of mercy.
A second strike followed, hurtling me through the concrete and into the next room like a discarded puppet. Darkness threatened to engulf my consciousness, but as I sensed the curse's energy surge even higher, my eyes snapped open.
It charged up a colossal, bewildering attack, a fusion of raw cursed energy and crackling lightning hurtling toward me in a blinding yellow blaze. I attempted to intercept it with just one arm, the searing pain in my fingers threatening to consume me.
The pain, the regret, the haunting memories—they all coalesced in that agonizing moment. "It hurts, it hurts so much," I whispered, the words a desperate chant in the face of overwhelming agony.
Why did I even... if only I hadn't picked up that damn finger back then if only I hadn't eaten it...
"No, don't dwell on it now," I scolded myself, trying to push away the haunting thoughts that threatened to cripple my resolve.
"No, no!" I repeated, the panic rising within me like a relentless tide. I want to run. I don't want to die! If I die here... would that be a fitting end?
I clenched my teeth, forcing back the flood of panic, and mustered every ounce of strength left within me, refusing to succumb to despair.
"STOP THINKING!" I roared, my own voice lost in the thundering chaos around me, a futile attempt to silence the rising tide of fear that threatened to engulf me. But my cries fell on deaf ears as the curse's raw energy continued to overpower me with unrelenting force.
My body soared and crashed against a nearby wall, the searing warmth of blood trickling down from my forehead. I raised my hand, the remnants of my once-intact fingers now reduced to charred stubs. "I thought I was strong. Strong enough to meet my end on my own terms," I murmured, the bitter taste of defeat tainting my words. "But I'm weak. Far too weak to choose my own fate."
Struggling to my feet, the heavy realization of imminent death settled upon me like a suffocating shroud. "I don't want to die!" I cried out, but the futility of my plea hung heavily in the air, the resignation creeping into my voice. "But I'm about to..."
"Red." The word, a mere whisper in the chaos, barely registered before a sudden burst of energy shattered the walls beside the cursed spirit. A luminous red sphere erupted through the veil of dust, catching the curse off guard as it was engulfed in the pulsating brilliance. An intense surge of cursed energy swept through the air as the ball collided with the curse, triggering an explosion of unfathomable force.
From within the dissipating dust clouds emerged the familiar Jujutsu High uniform of Akito Gojo. His untamed midnight black hair fell in disarray just beyond his ears, perfectly framing his features. His piercing blue eyes shimmered with an otherworldly glow as he fixed his gaze on me.
"You're not dying, Itadori. You're not a pushover. You've got fire," he declared, his voice carrying a steadfast resolve. "Don't worry about the rest. I'll handle it from here."
Akito Gojo, like a guardian spirit summoned from the depths of my desperation, bursts onto the scene!