Summary:
What happens when the strongest is no longer untouchable?
A mission gone wrong leaves Gojo stripped of his Infinity, and his unshakable image thrown into chaos. Vulnerable for the first time, Gojo must confront the cracks in the image he's always upheld, the ghosts of his past, and the connections he's always kept at arm's length. As he grapples with the loss of his invincibility, ghosts of the past resurface in the form of Suguru Geto's memory, while an unexpected connection with Nanami Kento challenges everything he thought he knew about love, trust, and his own limits.
A story of rediscovery - of what it means to be human, to be more than just the strongest, and to stand again when the world demands more than you're ready to give.
Set just before the Shibuya Incident.
Author's Note:
Hi everyone! This is my first time writing a JJK fanfiction, so thank you so much for giving it a chance! While I'm fully caught up with the anime, I've only read up to the Shibuya Arc in the manga, so I apologise in advance if some details or worldbuilding don't quite align with canon. I've done my best to stay true to the spirit of the series while avoiding spoilers thus far, but I'm also taking a few creative liberties for the sake of this story. Depending on reception, future chapters will be longer and more detailed as I intend to make this a decently long fic. This first chapter is on the shorter side in comparison to the length I'd like to aim for moving forward. While this fic will also be primarily Gojo/Nanami (especially as the story progresses), but there will also be some elements of Gojo/Geto scattered throughout. I aim to update as often as I can and would love to hear as much feedback as possible (it's been ages since I've written anything)!
With all that said, I hope you enjoy this 'what if' exploration of Gojo's limits, vulnerabilities, and the connections that define him. Thank you for reading! 💙
P.S. Each chapter will also include the song I listened to that inspired/set the tone for the events that take place. Some of them just had the right vibe, but feel more than free to listen while reading!
Song: bury a friend - Billie Eilish
The late afternoon sun hung in a haze of gold and amber, its light draping over the training grounds of Jujutsu High. The air was crisp, the faint smell of decaying leaves hanging in the air signifying the arrival of autumn.
Yuji ducked under Nobara's swing, laughing as he retaliated with a playful jab. Megumi stood a little further away, arms crossed, his face a mix of exasperation and poorly disguised amusement. It was an ordinary moment, one of the rare times their world felt stable and human.
Gojo lounged nearby, back against a tree just on the brim of the training field. His blindfold was pulled slightly askew, revealing a sliver of crystalline blue beneath. Though he looked entirely at ease, the weight of his gaze betrayed how much he took in - every moment, every breath, every flicker of cursed energy…the approach of one Nanami Kento.
He approached with a measured stride, his appearance as immaculate as always, the cuffs of his suit blazer tailored to perfection. Nanami handed over a slim folder. "Mission briefing. I doubt it will be anything you consider challenging, but it may require some manpower beyond myself. The higher-ups insist on you and the first-year students attending."
Gojo opened the folder with a theatrical flourish, pretending to squint at the fine print despite his blindfold being back in place. "Multiple mid-to-high-grade curse sightings. Possible special-grade, to be confirmed…Blah, blah, blah. Urban area. Expected cleanup time…Oh, they've underestimated again. Classic."
Nanami's lips pressed into a thin line. "The details were sparse. It's uncharacteristically close to a populated area, and the residual energy reported doesn't align with the category listed."
Gojo snapped the folder shut, tossing it onto the grass without care. "Sounds fun. The kids could use a proper field trip."
"I'm assuming you mean 'training exercise'," Nanami corrected, though the sharpness of his tone softened when Gojo's grin widened.
"Oh, Nanami," Gojo drawled, turning to face him fully, "you're such a stickler. Relax! With me around, this mission will be like a picnic."
Nanami didn't reply. His gaze lingered on Gojo a moment longer, searching for sincerity beneath the playful facade. When he found none - or perhaps too much of it - he turned toward the students, whatever argument they'd gotten themselves into now devolved into a half-hearted game of rock-paper-scissors to settle the dispute.
"Enough," Nanami called out, his tone firm but not harsh. "There's a mission. You're all coming."
The trio straightened, their earlier levity giving way to curiosity.
"A mission?" Yuji perked up, practically bouncing in place. "Finally, some action! What are we dealing with?"
"Mostly grade twos, perhaps a grade one or more," Nanami replied, tucking his hands into his pockets. "The location is an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city, although the suburb itself is largely populated. Reports suggest a high concentration of cursed energy, likely from multiple entities."
Nobara raised an eyebrow, shifting her hammer to her shoulder. "Multiple entities? Sounds messy. You're sure they didn't just dump a cleanup job on us?"
"That's what it sounded like at first," Nanami admitted. "But the energy levels are unusual, and they seem to be increasing. The higher-ups suspect the presence of a special-grade curse." His gaze swept over them, appraising. "That's why Gojo will be joining us."
The students exchanged glances, their initial excitement now ever so lightly tinged with apprehension. The prospect of a special-grade curse strong enough to require Gojo as well as Nanami was enough to unnerve the most confident among them, but none of them voiced their concerns. Instead, they nodded in unison, their determination growing under the weight of Nanami's gaze.
As the students dispersed to gather their gear, Nanami turned back to Gojo. "If you're not going to take this seriously, at least let me prepare them."
"Trust me, they'll be fine," Gojo reassured with his usual teasing lilt. "You know I wouldn't let them come if I thought they couldn't handle it."
Without another word, Nanami watched him walk away, lazily raising a hand in farewell as he made his way towards where Ijichi would be waiting with the car.
As they made their way toward the city, the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the streets of Tokyo. The chatter slowly faded, replaced by the steady rhythm of the road beneath them, and the faint, unshakable hum of cursed energy in the distance.
Whatever lay ahead, none of them could shake the feeling that this mission was about to test them in ways they hadn't anticipated.
The city outskirts greeted them with an eerie stillness. Once a bustling industrial zone, the area now lay in decay, the remnants of its past life crumbling under the weight of abandonment. The streets were littered with broken glass and rusting metal, the buildings hollowed out. As the group moved deeper into the heart of the district, the cursed energy grew thicker, its oppressive weight settling over them like a heavy fog.
Ijichi's car came to a halt at the edge of the location, the engine's hum fading into the heavy stillness in the air. With a wish for good luck and a reminder that he would be ready when needed to take them back to the school grounds, Ijichi began to lower the veil. The veil continued to drop until it sealed the world around them like a bubble.
"It's quiet," Yuji muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Nobara hummed her agreement, her grip on her hammer tightening. She glanced up at the broken windows overhead, half-expecting something to leap out from the darkness.
"Stay alert," Nanami ordered. His blade was already drawn, the faint gleam of its edge catching what little light remained. "Cursed energy this concentrated often attracts lower-grade curses. They'll likely swarm before we reach the source."
"Swarm?" Yuji asked, his brow furrowing. "Sounds like a lot of them then."
"Yes," Nanami replied curtly. "But they're not the problem. The source of this energy is."
"Perfect," Nobara said, sarcasm lacing her tone. "So we get to deal with cannon fodder and the boss fight."
"Good practice," Gojo chimed in from the back, light and carefree. He walked with his hands in his pockets, seemingly unbothered by the thick miasma around them. "Besides, this'll give me a chance to see how much you've improved. Make your sensei proud," he said, wiping a fake tear from beneath his blindfold.
Ahead of them, Megumi's steps faltered. His Shikigami growled low in its throat, its spectral form bristling as it stared into the distance. "Something's coming."
As if summoned by his words, the shadows around them began to shift. The air grew colder, carrying with it the unmistakable stench of decay. Low, guttural growls echoed around them, growing louder with each passing second.
"Stay together." Nanami positioned himself at the front. "Don't split up unless absolutely necessary."
The curses emerged from the darkness like specters, their twisted forms a grotesque mockery of humanity. Their limbs were elongated and misshapen, their mouths stretched too wide, filled with jagged teeth. Hollow eyes fixed on the group, their hunger palpable.
Yuji cracked his knuckles, a sharp grin spreading across his face.
"Don't get cocky," Nanami warned, stepping forward to meet the first wave. His blade moved with precision, each swing cleaving through the cursed spirits like a knife through paper.
The students followed his lead, their training kicking in with practiced ease. Yuji leaped forward, his fists aglow with cursed energy as he struck down a curse, its body disintegrating with a pained shriek. Megumi summoned Nue, the owl-like creature swooping down to scatter the swarm with bolts of lightning. Nobara stayed close to Yuji, her hammer and nails finding their mark with deadly accuracy.
"Not bad," Gojo mused, leaning casually against a rusted lamp post. "You're almost making me proud."
"Any chance you're gonna help?" Nobara shouted, slamming a nail into the skull of a particularly large curse.
Gojo waved a dismissive hand. "Nah, you've got this. Call me if something exciting happens."
Nanami shot him a sharp look, but before he could say anything, a deep, bone-rattling roar echoed through the air. The curses around them froze, their heads snapping toward the sound. Then, as if compelled, they began retreating, disappearing back into the shadows.
The air grew heavier, the cursed energy spiking to a level that made the ground tremble beneath their feet. A figure emerged from the darkness, its form shifting and fluid, as if it were made of smoke and ink. Its many eyes glowed an unnatural shade of red, each one fixed on the group.
The special-grade curse had arrived.
It stood nearly ten feet tall, its body an amalgamation of sharp edges and flowing tendrils. Its presence was suffocating, the weight of its cursed energy pressing down on them like a vice. For the first time since their arrival, Gojo straightened, his casual demeanor giving way to a sharp, focused intensity.
"Ah, there you are," he said, his voice tinged with something that might have been anticipation - or irritation.
The curse didn't respond. Instead, it raised one clawed hand, and the air around it seemed to ripple. A moment later, said ripple expanded outward, a wave of energy that sent the group staggering.
"Brace yourselves!" Nanami shouted, stepping forward to shield the students. His blade glowed with cursed energy as he prepared to counter the attack.
Gojo raised his hand, sensing his Infinity humming faintly around him. But as the ripple reached him, the faint humming flickered, then vanished altogether. Gojo froze, his hand still raised as the energy passed through him unhindered.
The ripple had passed through him like a knife slipping between ribs - silent, sudden, and almost impossible to stop. For a moment, Gojo felt as if the air itself had turned against him, pressing down with a weight that wasn't physical but something far deeper. Something wrong.
And then it was gone, taking Infinity with it. His technique, always present at the edge of his awareness, had vanished, leaving an eerie stillness in its wake. His chest tightened, cursed energy surging to compensate, but it faltered, the energy feeling sluggish and strained. His body felt like it had been filled with lead, each movement he made feeling like it was met with a resistance that he wasn't used to.
He could feel Nanami's sharp gaze on him, his students' wide eyes lingering too long, searching for cracks he didn't want to let them see.
"Sensei!" Yuji yelled, his voice laced with panic.
Gojo didn't respond immediately. He stared at his hand, his usual flippancy replaced by a look of mild surprise. "Huh," he murmured. "That's…new."
Nanami's heart sank. He tightened his grip on his blade, stepping into a defensive stance. "Gojo, what's -"
Gojo lowered his hand, his expression unreadable. "It seems Infinity's taking a nap."
The words hung in the air like a death knell.
The curse let out a guttural screech, the sound reverberating through the air. Its energy surged, heavier and denser than before, pressing down on them like a two tonne weight. Megumi's wolves growled, their spectral forms flickering as they tried to hold their ground. Nobara stumbled, catching herself against a rusted piece of debris, her breaths coming quicker.
"What's it doing?" Yuji asked, his voice low.
"Adapting," Gojo answered, almost conversationally. "This thing is smart. Too smart."
Nanami moved to intercept the next attack, his blade cutting through a tendril with precision. The curse recoiled, but only briefly - it surged again, this time aiming for Gojo.
With Infinity out of the equation, there was nothing stopping it from reaching him.
"Satoru!" Nanami barked, his voice filled with an urgency none of them had ever heard before.
But Gojo moved at the last possible second, twisting gracefully out of harm's way. The curse's tendrils slashed through empty air, but they struck close enough that a lock of Gojo's hair fluttered to the ground.
"You're not untouchable anymore," Nanami said tightly, stepping back to provide cover for him. "Stop treating this like a game."
Gojo's smirk didn't fade but instead sharpened, becoming something brittle and too bright. "Who said I ever treated it like a game?"
Nanami's jaw tensed, but before he could respond, the curse began to coil again, its form vibrating with energy. The ground beneath them cracked, the air humming with malevolent intent.
"Sensei," Megumi said, his voice low and edged with apprehension. "What do we do?"
Gojo straightened, finally turning back towards the three of them. "You listen to Nanami." His tone was uncharacteristically sharp, clipped. "And when I say run, you run."
Yuji's fists tightened. "We're not leaving you-"
"I'll figure this out. I just need all of you out of my way until I do."
Gojo stood frighteningly still for a moment, his head tilting slightly as if listening to something none of them could hear. Then he turned back towards them, his smile still in place but his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Get ready," he said. "This might be about to get messy."
Author's Note:
So there we have it, the first chapter done! Please let me know any thoughts, feedback, etc! 💙 I hope I've kept their dialogue as in-character as possible, but I'm hoping to improve over the course of the fic.
It won't be long until the second chapter is up, so I won't leave you all hanging for too long ;)
Thank you for reading xx