Chains of Control

The silence of the east wing was shattered by a chilling scream echoing down the hallway. My heart pounded in my chest, and I broke into a sprint. If someone was still alive, they were in danger. Time seemed to distort as I tapped into the well of my newfound eye power.  The pressure in my skull built, the world around me blurring slightly.

Rounding the corner, a massive, grotesque curse loomed over four students, their faces twisted in abject terror. 

With a flick of my wrist, I conjured my Phantom Threads. They shot forward, not with the usual silvery shimmer but tainted with a subtle crimson hue. The threads sliced through the creature in a flash, severing its monstrous head in a spray of purple blood.

There was no time to savor the victory.  My eyes still blazed with crimson as I spun, infusing my limbs with cursed energy, blurring the line between technique and pure physicality.

The remaining curses, smaller and less grotesque, turned towards the new threat. Too slow. My fist slammed into the first curse's misshapen torso with bone-shattering force.  I pivoted on my heel, my elbow a battering ram that crumpled the ribcage of another.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flicker of movement in the far hallway. Three curses trying to escape. I wasn't done yet.

A cold smile twisted my lips. "Moirai," I hissed, the word like venom in my mouth. The crimson tinge in the air coalesced into three arrows of thread, hovering eerily in front of me. These weren't just my Phantom Threads, but infused with something far more potent.

With a single thought, the arrows shot forward, tracing deadly arcs through the air. The fleeing curses never had a chance. The arrows pierced them with uncanny accuracy, each one obliterating its target in a burst of dissipating energy.

The last curse collapsed, and the room fell silent once more. The pressure in my head was building to a painful level, the crimson stain on my vision slowly fading.

A flicker of movement caught my eye. The students I'd saved were staring at me, their expressions a chilling mixture of awe, terror, and a glimmer of hope. A wave of nausea washed over me, and I instinctively grabbed my head.

"Looks like I can't use those new eyes for too long," I muttered. Was this power boost worth the toll it demanded?

A groan escaped one of the students, pulling me back from the brink of my spiraling thoughts. Their faces were pale, their eyes too wide. I needed to get them out of here. Now.

Taking a steadying breath, I approached the students, my voice low and as reassuring as I could manage. "It's okay, we need to get out of here."

They huddled together, their fear clinging to the air like a foul odor. I could do nothing about that right now.  My eyes flickered back to the carnage behind me, a testament to my newfound strength. Get the kids to safety, and deal with the fallout later. One step at a time. That's how I'd made it this far, right? 

=====

The gentle rhythm of the waves against the shore couldn't soothe the storm brewing in Geto's mind.  The Hakone plan... it was a mere blip of a setback in the grand scheme of things. At least, compared to the pans he'd been a part of centuries ago. 

His gaze drifted to his companion, her hair, like a moonless night, flowed down her back, catching the last of the dying light on a strange, flower-like ornament. Her clothing, a mix of crimson and white, seemed to mirror her own aura - elegant yet subtly dangerous.

"Hakone was a setback," Geto admitted, a thread of bitterness in the word. "I'd hoped for a new recruit for our cause."

The woman turned, eyes a startling lavender that held both amusement and a chilling understanding of the world they moved in.  "Chaos is like the tide, unpredictable," she said. "Remember, even the most meticulous plans could be swept away with a single, well-timed attack."

A ghost of a smile twisted his lips.  "Indeed. But we learned from that... which is why this era is going to be different."

Her gaze sharpened, considering his words. "The tide was against us here, true. But the ocean holds many secrets. There are other ways."  

His gaze drifted back to the twilight horizon. "Yes," he murmured, "untapped potential is everywhere. We merely need to seize it. Allani, I need you to find out who thwarted us in Hakone. I dislike surprises, especially with what I have planned next month. This feels... different from the Kamo experiment, doesn't it?"

Her eyes sharpened, the amusement fading slightly. "It does. Shall we alert Mahito?"

He shook his head, chuckling darkly. "Mahito will be occupied. No, what truly concerns me lies beyond those cursed spirits."

"As you wish, Lord Kenjaku. The shadows we command are vast, touching places Mahito cannot even understand."

They turned away from the endless waves, leaving the darkening beach behind.  The pristine sand seemed untouched by the darkness stirring in those two figures, the plans they formulated promising a storm far more devastating than anything nature could conjure.

=====

The hum of the car's engine became a low thrum in my mind as Akari drove us back to Tokyo Jujutsu College. Streetlights flashed past the windows, blurring into streaks of neon.  But my mind wasn't on the mission we'd just completed. Instead, I found myself replaying a different fight, one against an impossible opponent.

Flashback

My body slammed into the mat with a force that jarred my teeth. Another failed attempt to even graze Gojo during our sparring session.  Frustration burned in me - why, with all this training, was he still so far out of reach?

"Why... why can't I still not touch you?" I gritted out, pushing myself back onto my feet.

Gojo chuckled, extending a hand to help me up.  "Getting there, but remember, I'm Satoru Gojo."  

"Yeah, I know who you are, but knowing and accepting are different."

He regarded me, that infuriatingly confident smile melting slightly.  "Winning isn't the goal here. Not against me, not yet. It's out there you'll see the change," he swept a hand in a grand gesture towards the world outside the training room, "after your first real mission." 

I met his gaze. "And if I don't?"

His answer was immediate. "You will. I've seen the fire in you, Kaito.  It's not just your technique, or that ridiculous pool of cursed energy. It's your drive."

That memory replayed in my mind as we cruised back towards the college. The ease with which I'd destroyed those curses... it was proof.

The car slowed to a stop, the headlights illuminating the imposing buildings of Tokyo College. We were back.

Akari turned off the ignition, the silence jarring at first.  But I was no longer restless. There would be more threats, bigger challenges. With each one, like that sparring match against Gojo, I'd climb another level. 

In front of the main building, I spotted Ijichi, the ever-present coordinator, fidgeting with a stack of papers.  Probably the dreaded post-mission paperwork. His eyes flicked up as he spotted me and Akari approaching.

"Ijichi," I said, offering a nod, "the principal wants a briefing?"

He nodded back, a hint of his usual anxiety in his voice. "He does. Full report on what happened."

Should I go with Akari, or...? "They asked for just you," Ijichi added, as if reading my mind.

'They'? That meant higher-ups, not just Principal Yaga. Shrugging, I turned to Akari. "Thanks for the ride," I said, offering a small smile.  "Get some rest."

Turning to follow Ijichi, a question tickled the back of my mind. "Will Gojo be there?"

"Gojo is on another assignment.  Principal Yaga, and a few others."

No surprise there.  Gojo's schedule was a mystery even to himself, most times. We continued towards the main building.

The walk was silent, and I was grateful for it. Ijichi was probably organizing his notes; I was already replaying the mission in my mind.  I'd done well, but could I have done better?  The fact that this debriefing included higher-ups meant they were taking my progress seriously.  

We reached the meeting room.  One breath to steady myself... facing a cursed spirit was one thing. This was something else entirely, and I needed to be ready.

The meeting room seemed to shrink a little when I stepped inside. It was functional, with seals etched into the walls the only decoration.  Principal Yaga sat at the head of the table, his expression as unreadable as ever. Beside him were several older figures, their jujutsu robes impeccable.  They held copies of Ijichi's report, skimming it. The scrutiny was palpable... This wasn't just about what had happened in Hakone, but what I was.

Principal Yaga cleared his throat.  "Murakami, your actions have been commendable in regards to the Hakone mission. Lives were saved." He paused, and it felt like the pause grew into a vast chasm.

Finally,  a heavyset man with a nose like a hawk's beak leaned forward. "Let's be frank, Murakami.  Your display of power... it was, ah, unsettling. Not even the higher grades move with such ease. Plus, you are not a child from the big three. Where did it come from?"

It wasn't a question framed out of curiosity, it was an accusation. "Gojo's training,"  I said, my voice steady. "I've pushed myself, worked to control my cursed energy..."

Before I could finish, a slender woman with a sharp haircut cut me off.  "Satoru Gojo trains many. Few results are so... extreme. Are we to believe this was all achieved in mere weeks?"

The council room hummed with murmurs of agreement. My frustration flared, but I tamped it down. Losing my temper here would make things worse. "I never said I was as strong as Gojo.  But yes, he's pushed me far, and fast.  My actions prove that."

The hawk-nosed man snorted.  "Prove, yes, but also create doubts. Power this sudden often leads to... instability.  Are you a liability, Murakami?"

"I'm not." My voice was tight. "I know the risks of my power.  Everything I did in Hakone was calculated, focused on neutralizing the threat."

The woman's mouth twisted in disdain.  "Calculated? After the fact, it's easy to say. But in the heat of things, do you have such control?"

A white-haired man with a monocle joined the fray, his voice softer but no less concerned. "Power is dangerous, boy.  We need sorcerers to protect. If that power turns destructive..." He trailed off, the implication clear.

I was starting to see why Gojo hated these higher-up meetings.  The next words came out almost as a snarl, "I'm in control. More control than some of you realize, maybe."

The room went very still.  Had I gone too far?

Finally, Principal Yaga spoke, his voice calm yet cutting through the tension like a well-honed blade. "Gentleman, ladies, let's not lose sight of the purpose of this meeting.  Kaito Murakami acted in defense of innocents. His actions in Hakone were necessary."

I felt a surge of gratitude towards the Principal. Was he defending me out of kindness, or something more? 

He continued, "Our duty is to foster talent, not stifle it with doubt.  We face threats that most of the world cannot comprehend. That unity is what will protect us."

Some of the council members shifted uncomfortably in their seats. It seemed a few agreed, maybe understood what it was like to fight for your life, and then be questioned by those who'd never risked the same.

"We must trust each other,"  Yaga concluded, his gaze sweeping the room, daring anyone to disagree. "Our power is best used against the enemy, not turned inward."

The meeting broke up soon after that.  The council members filed out, some glancing back at me with looks I couldn't quite decipher.

Whatever it was, this wasn't over.  The questions would simmer below the surface, and I had a feeling my power, and the secrets behind it, would be scrutinized even more closely from now on.