Divine general

Spoilers ahead!!!!! 

DON'T CONTINUE IF YOU DONT WANNA BE SPOILED

The past few months had been a constant source of stress, primarily driven by my insatiable curiosity. I had longed to dive deeper into the enigmatic world of the Zen'in clan, especially as my connection with Mai continued to deepen. However, Satoru, still harboring bitterness from his own past, adamantly refused to let me in on their ways, often dismissing me as nothing more than a "kid."

That was precisely why I decided to take matters into my own hands.

On the day of Cannon, when both Megumi and Satoru would be away, I saw my opportunity. In the ten years I'd spent in this vast Clan house—or what one could scarcely call a home—I hadn't even begun to explore its entirety.

The sprawling expanse, tailored to my comforts by Satoru, often left me feeling lonely. I couldn't help but wonder how he had managed all those years living here.

With resolute determination, I made my way down from the main compound towards Satoru's private quarters. My knowledge of the deep-seated feud between the Gojo and Zen'in clans was limited to the fact that it had originated with the respective clan heads killing each other in a deadly combat.

As I arrived at Satoru's door, an instinctive sense of shifting energy washed over me. "What are you hiding, Satoru?"

Behind this door lay the secret he had guarded so closely from me. I pressed against the door, but it refused to budge from its sturdy wooden frame.

Did it require some sort of ID card?

I concentrated, drawing negative cursed energy from the wells of positive reserves within my body. I multiplied these negatives together to generate a positive output. While normal sorcerers could employ reversed cursed techniques in various ways, those of the Gojo clan utilized it simply by applying red.

A hint of frustration crossed my face as the door remained obstinately sealed, despite my display of mastery over six eyes.

Breaking the door down or attempting to do so was out of the question. The barrier was undoubtedly Satoru's handiwork, and such an attempt would only serve to alert him.

"This would be so much easier if you just told me, Mai," I muttered under my breath. Truth be told, she was growing on me. It wasn't just my six eyes that revealed this to me; something in my very soul told me she cherished the time we spent together. I wouldn't deny it; I cherished those moments too. Her occasional bouts of overcompetitiveness were oddly amusing, and she frequently displayed signs of jealousy.

I'm not oblivious. I knew she had feelings for me, not just from my perception with six eyes but from the way she gazed at me when we were alone, without Fushiguro's presence. Yet, when it came to discussing her clan, she would inexplicably distance herself, avoiding the topic as if it were laden with unspoken warnings. But I couldn't help myself—I wanted to learn more, and she was the sole reason for my curiosity.

My stomach fluttered as I reminisced about those moments.

I glanced at the door once more, my fists clenching in frustration as I realized it stubbornly refused to yield. Had Satoru deliberately set it up this way to keep me out? Or was it simply a cruel twist of fate? Regardless, I decided to leave the room alone that day, understanding that it wasn't my time to uncover the secrets within.

The next day arrived, and as I strolled down the hallway, I wasn't surprised to find Itadori, Megumi, and Satoru engaged in conversation.

"Yo, you're finally awake, Aki," Megumi greeted me, turning his attention toward me.

"I wouldn't have slept so long if it weren't for Satoru-sensei," I replied, stretching my tired limbs.

Itadori, observing my disheveled appearance and evident fatigue, couldn't help but be curious. "Who's this?" he asked.

"This is my friend and another student of Jujutsu High," Megumi casually introduced me.

Satoru, sporting his characteristic grin, chimed in with an intriguing proposal. "I suppose you could come along too."

I raised an eyebrow, curious about Satoru's suggestion. "Come along for what?"

"We're setting out tomorrow to pick up the fourth first-year," Satoru explained, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Sounds good to me, as long as there's no training involved," I replied with a hint of humor in my tone.

000

"How is it that there are only four first years?" Itadori questioned, casting a curious glance toward both of us.

"We're a minority, something of a rarity I suppose you could say," I replied, gazing out at the bustling streets of Tokyo Harajuku.

"Think about it logically, Itadori. Before you crossed paths with us, had you ever encountered anyone who could see curses like you do?" Megumi inquired.

Itadori pondered the question for a moment. "No, not really."

"Exactly, as Aki said, Jujutsu sorcerers are a rare find," Megumi explained.

"Oh, by the way, didn't you say I was the fourth?" Itadori suddenly recalled.

"The final decision for the last slot was made not too long ago. You know how our school operates; everyone has their unique circumstances," Megumi clarified.

"Sorry for the delay," Gojo called out as he approached us through the bustling crowd.

"It took you long enough," I remarked with a sigh.

"Oh? I see both of you have had your uniforms customized," Satoru noted, eyeing our attire as he surveyed the vibrant Harajuku scene around us.

"The design's a bit..." I began, but Itadori, ever exuberant, chimed in.

"Yup, it's a perfect fit! Although it seems like we each have different color schemes and designs. I've even got a hood!" Itadori observed, glancing between the three of us.

"That's because the uniforms can be customized upon request," Satoru explained briefly.

"But I never requested this," I interjected, and Satoru's lips curled into a playful smile.

"That's because I put in the request," Satoru replied casually. Itadori looked down at his jacket, seemingly satisfied with the design.

"Well, it doesn't matter, I guess," Itadori said, clearly not too bothered by Satoru's antics. But Megumi had no intention of letting him off the hook so easily.

I sighed and examined my own uniform. It didn't really matter much to me; at least we had the freedom to change it as we saw fit later.

"Be careful, Gojo-sensei has a habit of doing things like this," Megumi warned calmly before turning back to Satoru. "More importantly, why are we meeting in Harajuku?"

"To meet the new student, most likely," I said with a yawn.

"Bingo! It's what she asked for," Satoru said with a smirk, his eyes scanning the bustling crowd in search of the new student. Itadori's eyes lit up with excitement as he spotted a popcorn stand.

"Hey, popcorn! I want some!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.

...

A brown-haired girl had a vice grip on a modeling agent's collar, refusing to let him go, and I couldn't help but cringe at the sight. Beside me, Itadori seemed to share my sentiments, even though he was sporting his "ROOK" glasses, popcorn in one hand, and ice cream in the other.

"We're about to go talk to her? Man, this is embarrassing," Itadori remarked, seemingly unaware of his own rather relaxed posture.

"Look who's talking," Megumi quipped.

"Heyyy! Over here!" Satoru called out to the girl. For a brief moment, I lost focus. My eyes blurred, and for some inexplicable reason, I struggled to stay on my feet. I tried blinking away the exhaustion, but it seemed determined to linger.

I let out several shaky breaths, eventually managing to compose myself. The last thing I needed was any more restrictions on where I could and couldn't go.

...

"Okay, once again," Satoru asked with his usual enthusiasm.

"The name's Kugisaki Nobara. You should feel honored, boys, you get to hang out with a woman like me," she declared cockily, and my eyebrow twitched at her introduction as she began to appraise the three of us.

"I'm Itadori Yuji, from Sendai," Itadori quickly broke the ice.

"Fushiguro Megumi," Megumi added, his response lacking the same level of enthusiasm as Itadori's. Her annoyance was visible in her twitching eyes.

"Gojo Akito," I added, my hands still in my pockets. I didn't feel the need to elaborate further.

Nobara took in a deep breath, letting out a loud sigh as if she were thoroughly exhausted. "Why does it always have to be me?"

My vision blurred once more, and I let out a shaky breath. I couldn't quite make out what Satoru was saying, but judging by the excitement in their voices, it seemed like they believed we were going on a tour of Tokyo.

A hand rested on my shoulder, and I turned to see Megumi's worried expression.

"Are you okay, Aki?" he asked softly, his eyes assessing me for any signs of distress.

"Don't worry about me; I'm fine," I said, brushing his hand away. My vision blurred once again, and with each passing minute, it became increasingly difficult to even stand up.

... 

As I watched Nobara and Yuji prepare to enter the building, I had been struggling all along to maintain my balance. But at this point, even that proved to be too much for me. My vision blurred, and eventually, everything went black.

I found myself rendered unconscious, unsure whether it was due to cursed energy exhaustion or something else entirely. What I did know was that I was anything but fine that day.

...

"Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga." Those were the first words that echoed in my ears as my eyes fluttered open once more.

What lay before me was a Shibuya devoid of its usual bustling vibrancy, replaced instead by an oppressive atmosphere of dread that hung heavily over the desolate streets.

In my line of sight, Megumi stood, his stance filled with grim determination. Behind him loomed a colossal shikigami, nearly twelve feet tall, its muscular form bristling with power. A complex clockwork mechanism adorned its back, a distinctive feature of the Divine General Mahoraga, the mightiest shikigami within the Ten Shadows Technique. It was said that Mahoraga possessed the uncanny ability to adapt to any and all phenomena, a force to be reckoned with.

With chilling swiftness, the creature struck, and I watched in paralyzing horror as Megumi's bones shattered upon impact. He was sent hurtling into a nearby building, the structure crumbling around him. A scrawny blonde man watched on in shock, a horrified expression overcame his features as Mahoraga reared its head in his direction. I remained frozen, unable to move or speak, as I desperately prepared to confront the looming threat that threatened my friend's life.

But then, reality seemed to warp once more.

This time, a scene unfolded before my eyes that stretched the boundaries of belief. The formidable Mahoraga, alongside Megumi, clashed with none other than Satoru Gojo himself. In a mere heartbeat, Satoru's arm was mercilessly cleaved from his body, leaving an indelible scar on his once-unassailable form.

Yet, before I could even begin to process the incomprehensible, reality twisted and contorted again. Time sped by with ruthless haste, leaving me with no opportunity to process the shocking fate that had befallen my uncle.

As if mocking my futile attempts to grasp the unfathomable, a brilliant, otherworldly purple light erupted over Shinjuku. It seared the sky, casting an eerie, malevolent glow that scarred the battlefield below. Panic and confusion reigned supreme, and I found myself paralyzed by the overwhelming chaos.

Beads of sweat cascaded down my face as my heart raced uncontrollably. The disorienting sequence of events had left me gasping for breath, grappling with the haunting question that echoed in my mind: Just what the fuck was going on!?