Chapter 1: Cursed Shadows: Itachi's Path in Jujutsu Kaisen
Itachi Uchiha felt the familiar tug of chakra unraveling as he stood before his brother, Sasuke. The world around him flickered, as though reality itself was splintering. But instead of the final release he expected, a sharp pull yanked him into a swirling vortex of energy. His body, once heavy with fatigue and near death, felt light—too light—and then everything went black.
When he awoke, the sounds of a bustling city surrounded him. He opened his eyes to find towering structures of metal and glass, unfamiliar technology, and a pervasive sense of something sinister. Itachi was no stranger to dark energy, but this felt different—not chakra, but something wilder, more uncontrollable.
He rose to his feet, scanning his surroundings with his Sharingan. People moved around him, oblivious to the world of curses and darkness that seemed to cling to the city. A strange feeling settled in his chest—he wasn't in the shinobi world anymore.
Suddenly, a loud noise, like an explosion of cursed energy, rippled through the air. Itachi turned toward the source, his senses alert. In the distance, he saw two figures in the midst of battle, fighting against a grotesque monster. The creature was radiating with what felt like cursed energy, similar to the tailed beasts but more chaotic.
Without hesitation, Itachi moved. In mere moments, he arrived at the scene where two sorcerers were battling the cursed spirit. One of them, a young man with spiky black hair and a serious expression, was barely managing to fend off the curse with his shikigami. The other, a silver-haired sorcerer with eyes hidden behind black sunglasses, stood back, seemingly observing the fight.
The cursed spirit lunged at the spiky-haired sorcerer, but before it could reach him, Itachi intervened. In a flash, he summoned his Susano'o, the ethereal warrior forming around him, its sword cleaving through the curse in one swift motion. The curse let out a horrific screech before dissolving into nothingness.
The two sorcerers stared in shock. Itachi stood there, his Sharingan glowing, as if he had been fighting cursed spirits his entire life.
"Who the hell are you?" the silver-haired sorcerer asked, his casual tone hiding his obvious curiosity. He stepped forward, his hands in his pockets, his grin never faltering. "I haven't seen you around, and I'm pretty sure I'd remember someone who can do... that." He gestured toward the now-gone curse and the fading form of Itachi's Susano'o.
Itachi's eyes met his, studying the man. He could feel immense power coming from him, perhaps even stronger than the Kage back in his world, but it was unfamiliar, like nothing he had ever encountered. Yet, the man didn't recognize him or his abilities.
"I'm... lost," Itachi replied, his voice calm but deliberate. "Where am I?"
The sorcerer tilted his head, clearly intrigued. "You're in Tokyo, of course. Well, the cursed part of it anyway. I'm Gojo Satoru, a jujutsu sorcerer. And you, stranger with the crazy red eyes?"
"Itachi Uchiha," Itachi said simply, not offering any more information than necessary. He had no idea how much Gojo knew about other dimensions, if anything, and it seemed best to keep his background hidden for now.
Gojo's grin widened, but there was confusion behind it. "Uchiha, huh? Never heard of it. And I know pretty much everyone in this world worth knowing." He glanced over to the other sorcerer, who was still watching Itachi cautiously. "Hey, Fushiguro, you know him?"
Fushiguro shook his head, his sharp eyes never leaving Itachi. "No. But whatever he is, he's strong."
Gojo seemed to consider this for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, I don't really care where you're from, but you're clearly not normal. And you just sliced through that special-grade curse like it was nothing. If you're not a sorcerer, then what exactly are you?"
Itachi hesitated for a moment, his mind calculating the best way to approach this. This world's systems, its power, were foreign to him. Revealing too much could be dangerous, especially without understanding his current position. But he needed information.
"I'm not from this world," Itachi finally said, his voice low but firm. "I come from a different place, where we use a power called chakra."
Gojo raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by this new information. "Chakra, huh? Sounds fancy. Never heard of it, but it looks like you know how to use it pretty well." He gestured to the spot where Itachi's Susano'o had dissipated. "That giant thing? Impressive. Kinda reminds me of some high-level cursed techniques."
Itachi nodded slowly. "Your energy here—it's not chakra, but it feels similar. You call it cursed energy?"
Gojo smirked. "That's right. You seem like a quick learner. Well, Itachi Uchiha, if you're lost and new to this world, you're in luck. I just so happen to run a school for people with strange powers. Why don't you come with us? At the very least, you can learn more about how things work around here."
Itachi considered the offer. This Gojo was clearly powerful, but he seemed less hostile than others Itachi had encountered. If this world had its own form of conflict, its own wars against these curses, then perhaps he could learn something valuable. And if there was a way back to his own world, maybe Gojo could help him find it.
"Very well," Itachi agreed. "I'll go with you."
Fushiguro looked at Gojo with a hint of uncertainty. "Are you sure about this? We don't know anything about him."
Gojo waved him off with a grin. "Relax, Megumi. I've got a good feeling about this one."
As they walked, Itachi's mind wandered back to his home, to Sasuke, and to the village he had sacrificed so much to protect. The battles of his world seemed far away now, replaced by the strange energy and curses of this new dimension. But no matter where he was, the same truth remained: He would protect those he could and end the cycle of hatred, even if this world was just as cursed as his own.
