39 The use of Power

The world was dark, he felt it. A brief searing pain in the edge of his mind. A hot knife pierced through his head before the cracking of his own skull hit his ears as the blade drove into his mind.

Then there was darkness, it was so quick. So instantaneous it was jarring.

One moment he was alive. The next he was dead.

Floating through the black void Hoshi couldn't understand his own thoughts, they all just seemed to halt at that moment. A moment of pause and reflection. A moment to look back at the life that he had and had taken from him. By Kenjaku, the man that cursed him to be like he was…

It was cruel, that his one chance was ruined. Maybe he would get another try, but he wasn't sure that was going to happen.

He didn't think he was lucky enough to get a second try.

Some part of it hoped for it, however.

But in this moment of reflection, he couldn't help, but regret his choice.

Maybe he should have fought back against Kenjaku and tried to kill him. Bring him to justice for his actions. He wasn't Atlas though, he wasn't good at taking action. But why couldn't he be…

He started to remember moments, brief flashes of who he was. Someone that had grown up fairly normally until it had all gone wrong. His father had worked in the industrial district nearby… Hikaru, Hikaru Hoshi. That's right…

He had been a good man, never really said what he did as a job though. Well, not that it mattered. He brought the food home and brought it with a smile on his face.

Feeling tears run down his cheeks he felt something, brush at the edge of his mind. And he cursed it, he cursed Kenjaku for all that he had done, for all that he was. He wanted him dead, he wanted him to die painfully, he wanted to crush him under his heel. He wanted to make him suffer the same way he had.

He wasn't ready to die yet. But he had already made his choice.

Feeling something, a faint thread connecting him to the real world Hoshi screamed, no. He would not die just yet. Not until that man had cried blood.

Something washed over him. He had already given his body and his soul. His soul was still bound to this world in Atlas' body. He couldn't move on.

His mind would not be lost, even if he came back. His mind was his, he had learnt to keep it his own.

And something else, something within him. Cursed energy, whatever his cursed technique was. Whatever feeling was in his chest he brought it forth. Bringing it out as he felt it wash over his mind.

Before the world around him lit up like he was in the core of a star. A burning light seared his mind from all around him trying to burn away parts that made him, him but he held onto them. Desperate to maintain who he was. What he was. He was not going to come back a curse, even if he had the body and soul of one he would keep his mind.

Something, something about his technique was shielding him from the chaos. Letting him hold on for that burning eternity.

Before his eyes flew open.

Staring before him all he could see was Atlas, ethereal tendrils of light connecting them. He was bound to his old soul. He could see the light of his soul.

Hearing words spoken he couldn't register them. It was like he was underwater, adjusting. Where was he? What… that was right. He had died, he had just come back.

He was back, half human, half cursed spirit.

---

"Hoshi, can you save her?" Atlas repeated, looking at the dazed cursed spirit that stood to his right. He knew that this was Hoshi, he could feel it, some sort of connection between them. Something was different about him, however. Wondering if he had lost his mind like most spirits do Atlas got ready to put his friend down if he needed.

Seeing Gojo get ready to attack Atlas simply held a hand in front of them. "Wait…"

"Yeah, I can help her…" Hoshi said slowly as he knelt next to the body. His head tilted to the side as he looked over her. Like he was seeing something that he wasn't meant to.

Hoshi looked odd, he still looked like a human his flesh was just folding in on itself like a mirror. Constantly wrapping and warping around itself in an odd continued loop that made it look like he should be expanding. It was hard for Atlas to describe because he didn't really know what he was seeing. It was similar to what happened when he broke dimensional barriers, the folding glass shards that showed reflections of other planes.

Watching, Hoshi put his hand on Riko's chest, his hand resting just above her heart before he closed his eyes. It didn't take long before her eyes fluttered open. As she looked around she frowned for a moment before freaking out when she saw Hoshi.

"AH! What is that! A spirit!" Leaping back away from Hoshi, jumping behind Gojo who she recognized as a friend. "Gojo what is happening. Why is a spirit and a human here… are they here to kill me too?"

Her voice is wary as she looked between both of them over and over again.

"May I go back now Atlas?" Hoshi suddenly asked, seeming eager to not be a part of whatever this was. "I wish to rest…"

Something about him had clearly changed so Atlas wasn't going to hold anything against him. It made sense that he just wanted to get some rest and think over his thoughts. Also, Atlas could tell one thing. For whatever reason Hoshi couldn't last in this plane for extended periods.

It was as if reality was rejecting him in a way knowing that he shouldn't exist.

Not questioning it for now as he would try to figure out what it was later when he talked to Hoshi about what happened he said. "Of course, we can talk later."

Getting a nod Atlas waved his hand and suddenly the space around Hoshi cracked slightly before the spirit was gone as if he had never been there.

"W-Who was that?" Gojo asked, looking really confused, he had just been beaten easily by Atlas who he finally thought he overtook and then the man had brought back someone from the dead with the help of a spirit that he seemed to know?

He was way over his head right now.

"He is a friend, you don't need to know any more than that and I would prefer that you keep it a secret for now. Hello Riko, I'm Atlas, Gojo's senior at Jujutsu High and probably the only person that can beat him. It's a pleasure to meet you." Atlas said, smiling slightly as he saw Gojo's annoyed look.

"Wha? Who the hell are you? And where am I? I was just in the tombs and now I am here. What happened?" She asked, putting her hands on her hip.

She didn't remember death, that was good. Well, that did make things easier. "You were knocked out by a bullet in the tombs and Gojo here came to save you from the man that shot you," Atlas informed as he waved his hand in the air and a crack appeared.

"Let's go back to Jujutsu High, Geto will be worried about both of you." Following them through the crack as they started to argue about her not being protected properly Atlas kept a careful eye on Gojo. He knew that Gojo changed a lot after this event for the better. He just hoped that his influence wouldn't change that.

Walking out of the crack in space suddenly Geto was before them. Having been running out of the school as it happened to try and find Riko and Gojo who he had learned was alive.

Seeing both of them walk out of space in front of him with Atlas following behind he froze, not knowing what to do, or how to react.

Running up to Riko he said, "You're alive?" His voice filled with concern as he looked at Atlas and Gojo. Seeing the former shake his head slightly he tried to calm down, he would try and get answers later.

"Of course I am? I was just knocked out by a rubber bullet?" Her voice was condescending as she looked at Geto. "Did you get hit in the head to Bangs?" Using her mocking nickname of Geto as she pushed him away from her.

"No, but I did get beaten pretty badly," Geto said, not really knowing what else to say.

"This talk is good and all but Riko needs to get to the principal. The merge won't be happening anymore." Atlas said, his voice shocking the three of them.

"Why? I thought you would make it happen?" Gojo suddenly asks, he thought that the only reason Atlas came here was to fix the mission that they had messed up. After all why call the strongest sorcerer alive and let him come back here.

"I'm not here to fix your mission, I am here to help the both of you. The Higher-Ups don't want me back here yet, but what are they going to be able to do… label me a curse user?" Atlas said, his voice containing a hard edge as his face hardened.

"Come on, let's get to the principal's office. We have some talking to do." Atlas finishes before starting to walk, the three kids following behind him somewhat confused but going along with it.

Geto looked at Gojo confused as if to ask what was happening but the latter just shrugged. He didn't really know what was going on either.

Atlas had shown up and kicked some sense into him. Then fucking brought someone back from the dead. What was he meant to think?

This had been the longest and most confusing day of his life.

Struggling to wrap his head around what was happening he just followed his mentor silently. He could ask later when Riko wasn't around. But he had seen her die… he had seen the entrance and exit wound, there was no way that she would have been able to survive that.

She should be dead.

He was following a ghost.

---

The talk with the principal had become heated, to say the least. But Atlas didn't care, he stayed in control of the conversation until he made it clear that he wouldn't be letting the vessel merge. That he had already sorted something out with Tengen.

Being forced to come to a meeting with the Higher-Ups he agreed. He had no reason to refuse and he needed to make his stance with them clear.

It wasn't long before he was standing in the centre of a dark room. The only thing around him was seven screens. He knew that Gakuganji was behind one of them but that was it, he didn't want to nor did he need to know who was behind the others.

The only thing that mattered was that he couldn't feel Kenjaku around him. Nothing indicated that the man was here. He was tempted to have a look behind each screen but didn't. There was no way that Kenjaku would get so close to him after his awakening.

Starting to speak one of the Higher-Ups started to say, "Hoshi. You have aband-"

"Atlas, my name is Atlas. I don't go by Hoshi anymore." Atlas interrupted. Staring at the screen that spoke.

"You would do your best to show more respect. Atlas." Another spoke, his voice annoyed.

"Or what old man? Are you going to send me to China again? I have already spent enough time there. I tolerated your shit for long enough. I am staying here, of course. You can try to make me leave… but I can promise that none of you will survive that happening." Atlas threatened. Hearing nothing but silence in return.

He knew that in the later parts of the manga, just after Gojo was unsealed he killed all the Higher-Ups. And he was thinking of moving that forward. But really, they weren't a threat. And as soon as Gojo grew up they would be even less of a threat.

He didn't want to become wanted just yet, after all, if he did that then he would become hunted. For now, he knew that they wouldn't make him a criminal without a really good reason to, they couldn't afford to do that. And feeling his current power they wouldn't take the risk.

He was safe for now.

"Tengen will be fine if that is what you are worried about, I can promise you that and even if they are not then I can either deal with them or possibly fix them. There is no threat right now and Tengen will keep on functioning as normal." Atlas said, noting their extended silence.

"If you have nothing else to say I will take my leave." Moving himself to another plane he waited, seeing if they would continue to talk.

"We must contact Joben, if he cannot deal with Atlas we are at risk of losing our authority…" One of the voices said, a solemn silence filling the air. Soon the rustling of clothes was heard as they made their way out.

Seeing that this was done Atlas teleported back to Jujutsu High. He had never heard the name Joben before but he was sure that it was the name of Kenjaku's current body.

Starting to make his way back to his room Atlas found Geto waiting out the front of it. Knowing that this conversation would have happened sooner or later he waited to let Geto start but didn't expect what he said.

Geto had known something was wrong ever since the night when he appeared in his room freaking out and covered in ash. Now he was certain, after he had woken up he had seen something, something he couldn't get out of his mind.

The power that he thought was used for good was used to protect a criminal.

"Atlas… why was Frank in the tombs protected by your power."