Third Person POV
"Where are they?" Maki muttered, irritation clear in her voice.
She had sent the first-years on a simple errand—just to grab some drinks—and yet, somehow, it was taking far longer than it should.
"They've been gone for what, fifteen minutes now?" Panda chimed in, glancing at the clock.
"Twenty," Maki corrected, crossing her arms. Her patience was wearing thin.
"Salmon," Toge added, seated nearby.
Maki turned her attention to Shiki, who stood a little away from the group, her gaze fixed on the sky. Her expression was unreadable, as always, but the far-off look in her eyes was hard to miss.
"Shiki," Maki called out, breaking the silence.
Shiki blinked, her focus snapping back to the present. She turned her head slightly, acknowledging Maki without saying a word.
"You want to go check on those two?" Maki asked, gesturing toward the direction the first-years had gone.
Shiki tilted her head, considering the question. Before she could answer, Maki's tone shifted slightly, more curious than irritated. "Also… what's with you? You've been staring at the sky for a while now. What's on your mind?"
For a moment, Shiki didn't respond. Then, with a small shrug, she muttered, "It's nothing."
It wasn't true, though. Lately, Shiki had been a little absent-minded. She wasn't sure why, but something felt... off. It was just a hunch, no logical reasoning behind it. But the nagging sensation wouldn't go away, like a faint itch she couldn't scratch.
Maki seemed to notice, but she didn't pry. She knew Shiki well enough to understand that trying to dig deeper would get her nowhere. Shiki was a complicated person, someone who often contradicted herself.
Maki shrugged it off, gesturing toward Panda and Toge. "Let's just go find them."
With that, the four of them—Maki, Panda, Toge, and Shiki—began walking toward the area where the first-years had gone.
When they arrived, Shiki's eyes immediately locked onto a familiar silhouette standing in front of Megumi. Her body tensed as recognition hit her.
It was Todo Aoi.
Something about seeing him made Shiki's blood boil. Her irritation flared into action before her mind could even catch up. Her personality had always been one of action first, think later—and this was no exception.
Before anyone could say a word, Shiki's fist shot forward, landing squarely on Todo's face with a satisfying crack.
The sudden punch silenced the scene.
"Shiki!" Maki exclaimed, her voice a mix of surprise and exasperation.
"Todo Aoi, What are you doing here, bastard?"
Todo staggered back slightly, more shocked than hurt, before a wide grin spread across his face. "Oh? Now this is interesting!"
"You're as annoying as ever, bastard," she said flatly.
Granted, the punch wasn't serious—more of a reflex than a serious strike—but the fact that Todo shrugged it off so effortlessly was impressive. Most people would have been floored by even a casual hit from her.
Todo, undeterred and clearly enjoying himself, cracked his neck. "You've got some fire in you as always, Shiki. How about we settle this properly?"
"I don't have time to deal with your stupidity."
Todo's attention then shifted, and he spotted Panda. "Long time no see, Panda."
Panda crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "Why can't you just wait until the Exchange Event to cause trouble? Go home."
"You don't have to tell me to go home," Todo said, waving off the comment casually.
His gaze landed on the bruised and battered Megumi, and his grin widened. "Looks like I won't be bored the whole time."
He then turned his attention back to Shiki. "What about you? Are you going to participate in the Exchange Event?"
"If you're joining, then no,"
Todo let out a booming laugh, throwing his head back. "No, I guarantee that you will join," he said confidently.
Hearing his response, Shiki frowned slightly. She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but something about his certainty felt oddly unsettling.
Before walking away, he added, "And make sure to pass the message to Okkotsu. If neither of you take part, it'll be boring as hell."
As Todo disappeared into the distance, the three of them—Panda, Toge, and Shiki—exchanged a knowing look.
In unison, they thought the exact same thing. What a pain.
With Todo finally gone, the three of them turned their attention to the wounded Megumi.
Panda crouched beside him, a mischievous grin on his face. "Man, Fushiguro, that was rough.
"Salmon roe." Toge added, a cheeky tone in his voice.
Shiki crossed her arms, her expression as indifferent as ever. "If you're this weak against Todo, maybe I should retrain you from the very beginning."
"Ugh, stop ganging up on me," Megumi muttered, clearly frustrated.
Panda finally straightened up and said, "Alright, let's get you to the infirmary. You're in no shape to keep standing around."
"What about Kugisaki?" Shiki asked.
"Maki's already heading there," Panda replied. "But just in case, you should check on her too. We'll handle Fushiguro."
Without another word, Shiki turned and walked off toward Kugisaki's location.
When Shiki arrived, she was met with an unexpected sight: Kugisaki was grip-locking another girl on the ground. Her gaze flicked to the girl's face, taking in her dark hair and sharp features. It wasn't Maki.
"Mai," Shiki muttered to herself, recognizing Maki's twin sister immediately.
Before she could say anything, Todo, who had apparently arrived ahead of her, spoke up. "We're leaving, Mai."
"Where's Fushiguro?" Kugisaki asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Don't worry," Shiki replied calmly. "The others are with him. Panda's taking him to the infirmary."
Kugisaki sighed in relief, her shoulders relaxing slightly
"Looks like you're having fun," Todo teased as he watched Mai.
"Ngh… Quit joking! I'm just getting started!" Mai shot back, her voice laced with irritation, there was a hint of frustration in her tone as she straightened her posture.
But then, her eyes drifted to Shiki, who had just arrived. The moment their gazes met, Mai froze, visibly flinching.
"Geh… Of all people to show up." Mai muttered under her breath, her earlier confidence quickly draining.
"Long time no see," Shiki said, raising a hand in a casual wave.
"Hmph," Mai replied, crossing her arms and turning her head with a scowl, though it was clear her bravado was slipping.
"Anyway!" Todo's booming voice cut through the tension as he clapped his hands together. "We're leaving, Mai. Unlike you, I still have important business here in Tokyo—my personal handshake event with Takada-chan!"
The announcement hung in the air for a second, and the group—Shiki, Maki, Mai, and Kugisaki—all turned to him with matching deadpan expressions.
Todo, unbothered by their reactions, began walking away with Mai in tow.
"I still can't believe I lost the lottery for the Kyoto event," Todo grumbled, shaking his head in disappointment.
"Don't think you'll get off easy at the Exchange Event!" Mai snapped, glancing back at the group with a sharp glare.
Kugisaki jabbed a finger at her retreating figure, yelling, "Quit acting like you won anything! And leave your uniform behind, damn it!"
Bonk.
Maki brought her polearm down lightly on Kugisaki's head. "Cut it out, idiot. Winning or losing doesn't matter right now. We'll deal with them properly at the Exchange Event."
Kugisaki rubbed her head, mumbling something under her breath but didn't argue further.
Mai shot one last glare at the group before walking off with Todo, muttering about how annoying everyone was.
With a sigh, Shiki glanced at Kugisaki. "Come on. Let's go find Shoko and get this over with."
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As they made their way toward Shoko, Kugisaki glanced at Maki, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Hey, Maki-san… is what she said true? That you don't have cursed energy?"
Shiki's ears perked up at the question. It seemed Mai had said something about Maki earlier—and knowing Mai, it was probably in the most unpleasant way possible.
"It's true," Maki replied without hesitation.
Kugisaki's eyes widened slightly, and Maki continued. "I can't even see curses without these glasses. That's why I use cursed tools. They already have cursed energy imbued in them. I can't pour my own cursed energy into them the way you all do."
"But," Maki added with a sharp edge in her voice, "It's not entirely accurate to say I have no cursed energy at all. I do, but it's so minuscule that you can just practically disregard it."
Kugisaki nodded, digesting the explanation. Then Maki smirked faintly and jabbed a thumb toward Shiki, walking just behind them.
"If you're looking for someone with no cursed energy whatsoever, you don't need to look any further than her."
"Huh? Shiki-san?" Kugisaki turned to her, startled. "You don't have any cursed energy?"
Shiki sighed, shooting a mildly exasperated look at Maki before replying, "It's true. I have zero cursed energy."
Kugisaki blinked in disbelief. "Then how do you even see cursed spirits in the first place?"
Shiki thought back to Gojo's explanation from long ago. It still didn't make perfect sense to her, but it was the only answer she had. "Apparently, because I lack cursed energy, my senses are sharpened to such an extreme degree that I can see curses."
She spoke the words matter-of-factly, but internally, Shiki wasn't entirely convinced. She suspected her eyes played a much larger role in this ability than Gojo had let on. But, in the end, she decided it wasn't worth dwelling on.
"Then...why are you both become jujutsu sorcerer?"
Shiki stopped mid-step; her expression unreadable. For a moment, there was only silence as Kugisaki and Maki watched her, waiting for a response.
She turned slightly, glancing at Kugisaki from the corner of her eye. "Why, huh?"
Kugisaki tilted her head, clearly curious but also a bit cautious. "Yeah. I mean, it sounds like it'd be harder for you two than for the rest of us."
"Let's just say…" Shiki began, her voice calm but laced with an edge of finality, "I've got my reasons. And maybe… I'm still figuring it out."
Kugisaki frowned. "That's vague as hell."
Maki let out a soft laugh. "That's just how she is. Don't expect a straight answer from her."
Kugisaki, turned her gaze to Maki. "What about you, Maki-san?"
"To spite them." Maki
"I can't wait to see the looks on my family's faces when I become a bigshot sorcerer after all the years they've spent looking down on me. I'll climb to the top, even if it's by sheer force of will."
Kugisaki stared at them both for a moment, processing their words. Then, with a small, determined grin, she said, "You know, you're both way cooler than I thought."
Shiki raised an eyebrow. "Cool, huh?"
Hearing that, Shiki's lips quirked up into the faintest hint of a smile. It wasn't much, but it wasn't a bad feeling either.
.
.
By the end of the day, with both Megumi and Kugisaki nursing their wounds courtesy of Todo and Mai's actions, there wasn't much anyone could do but call it a day.
While the others went to rest, Shiki wandered off on her own. Instead of heading back, she followed a quiet path behind the school.
There was a hidden trail there, leading to a small field of grass. It wasn't well-known—just a simple, out-of-the-way place that most people overlooked. Shiki had found it by chance not long after coming to Jujutsu High.
The field was her escape. Whenever she needed to clear her head or just get away from everything, she came here.
Tonight was no different.
Shiki walked to the middle of the field and let herself drop onto the grass. She lay on her back, staring up at the sky.
Her mind wandered back to Kugisaki's question.
Why did she become a jujutsu sorcerer?
She had joined Jujutsu High with the sole purpose of avenging something she had lost—something irreplaceable. At the time, it had seemed like the only path forward.
But now, when she looked back, she realized she hadn't taken a single step forward. The path she thought would lead to closure had instead left her circling the same empty place.
It was exhausting to live like this—haunted by a purpose she no longer felt connected to. She hated it, this hollow existence.
Shiki let out a slow breath, her gaze fixed on the sky above. The vast stretch of stars felt distant, unreachable—much like everything else in her life.
She closed her eyes briefly, as if trying to shut out the thoughts, but they wouldn't go away.
"Revenge, huh?" she murmured to herself, the words tasting bitter.
In the distance, she heard faint footsteps approaching. She didn't bother to turn her head. There was only one person who knew about this place.
"Can't sleep?"
The familiar voice broke through the quiet. It was Maki. She stood a few feet away, arms crossed, her glasses catching the moonlight.
Shiki shrugged. "Something like that."
Maki walked over and sat down beside her, letting out a small sigh. For a while, neither of them spoke.
"You always come here when you're brooding," Maki finally said, her tone half-teasing but not unkind.
"Maybe," Shiki replied, her voice flat. "It's quiet. No one bothers me."
Maki gave a dry laugh. "Except me."
Shiki smirked faintly but didn't reply.
The silence returned, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Maki leaned back, propping herself up on her arms as she gazed at the sky.
"You know," Maki began, her tone more serious, "I used to think being a jujutsu sorcerer was just my way of sticking it to the clan. Proving them wrong. But lately... it's starting to feel like there's more to it."
Shiki glanced at her, curious but not pressing.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is... maybe it's okay not to have all the answers right away," Maki continued. "Even if your reason feels like crap right now, it doesn't mean it'll always stay that way."
Shiki didn't respond immediately. She looked back at the stars, letting Maki's words sink in.
"Maybe," Shiki said quietly.
Maki smirked and got to her feet. "Well, don't overthink it too much. You'll just end up giving yourself a headache."
Shiki let out a soft huff that might've been a laugh.
As Maki turned to leave, she glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, and don't stay out too long. You'll catch a cold."
"...Thanks," Shiki said after a pause, her voice barely above a whisper.
Maki didn't reply, but the faint smile on her face as she walked away said enough.
Shiki remained in the field, staring at the sky a little longer. Maybe she hadn't moved forward yet. Maybe she didn't know where she was going.
But for now, sitting under the stars, it didn't feel so unbearable.
.
.
It was another beautiful day.
Thanks to Shoko's help, both Megumi and Kugisaki—much to their displeasure—were back to full health. And with their recovery came the inevitable continuation of their training.
Shiki had already made up her mind about the Exchange Event. She wasn't going to participate—not even if the higher-ups tried to force her. If they did, she'd simply run away. It wasn't worth the hassle.
Maki and the others watched from a distance as Shiki drilled the first-years into the ground. Their expressions were a mix of amusement and pity.
"Why is she so dead set on training them?" Panda asked, scratching the back of his head. For him, it was ridiculous. Shiki had made it clear she didn't care about the event, so seeing her so invested in training the first-years was… bizarre.
"Mustard leaf," Toge added, nodding in agreement.
"Apparently, it's because of Todo," Maki explained, arms crossed.
Panda blinked. "Todo? Seriously?"
Maki nodded. She had seen the shift in Shiki's demeanor after Todo's arrival. It wasn't hard to figure out what had sparked this sudden change.
It was true—Shiki couldn't care less about the Exchange Event itself. But after seeing one thing she couldn't ignore, her perspective shifted.
Todo Aoi.
With him in the mix, even if she stayed on the sidelines, letting Tokyo lose was out of the question. Losing to him, whether directly or indirectly, was something she just couldn't accept.
That's why she pushed the first-years harder. There was no room for excuses or half-measures—not when the stakes were this high. At least, not for her.
"Done for now," Shiki said simply, her tone as neutral as ever. She didn't even spare them a second glance as she turned toward the others.
She handed the reins back to Maki and Panda with an almost dismissive wave. Her part was done for the day, and she had no intention of lingering any longer.
"I'm heading out," Shiki announced, brushing off the dirt from her uniform. "You can handle the rest."
Maki raised an eyebrow. "You're leaving already?"
"Yeah." Shiki glanced at her, looking unbothered. "I've got plans."
Without waiting for a reply, she walked off, her mind already shifting to her next priority—a shower. She needed one after that brutal session, and besides, her plans for the day weren't going to wait.
Shiki headed straight to the dorms. The faint soreness in her muscles reminded her that she'd been more hands-on with the training than she usually preferred. But losing—especially to someone like Todo—wasn't an option.
Once she was done, Shiki dried off and changed into a fresh set of clothes. She wore here usual traditional yukata, paired with red leather jacket that added a modern edge to her look. Satisfied, she glanced at herself in the mirror.
"Good enough."
Her plans for the day were simple. She remembered the calligraphy shop she had visited once before and decided it was time to drop by again.
As she walked toward the entrance gate, she noticed Ichiji standing nearby, talking on the phone with a stack of papers in his hand.
Shiki approached him and called out, "Ichiji."
Startled, Ichiji nearly jumped out of his skin, fumbling with his phone and the papers in his hand. One by one, the sheets slipped from his grasp and scattered to the ground.
Shiki blinked at him, genuinely puzzled. She didn't understand why Ichiji was always so nervous around her. As far as she could remember, she'd never done anything remotely threatening to him. She wasn't Gojo, after all.
With a sigh, she crouched down and picked up one of the papers.
But as if fate was playing a cruel joke, her eyes landed on a picture attached to the paper she picked up. The description beneath it read:
Incident Report:
Classification: Transfigured Human
Description: Victim of forced cursed technique manipulation resulting in irreversible deformation. Case bears striking similarities to incidents recorded four years prior.
The paper crumpled in her hand.
Without hesitation, she turned to Ichiji and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him forward with a strength that left no room for resistance.
"Where did this come from?" Her voice was calm, yet cold enough to freeze him in place.
"I-It's…" Ichiji stammered, clearly caught off guard by her sudden change in demeanor.
"Talk."
"It's—it's just a report from Nanami-san!" he blurted, his voice trembling.
Shiki's grip tightened slightly, her empty eyes locking onto his.
"I-It's true!" Ichiji continued, his words spilling out in desperation. "The investigation is being handled by a first-grade sorcerer, Kento Nanami, and I was told to submit the report."
For a moment, Shiki said nothing. Her expression didn't change as she picked up the report. She read through it in silence, her eyes stopping when they reached the culprit's description.
Her grip on Ichiji loosened bit by bit.
Her gaze lingered on the paper.
Then, like a broken record, her mind replayed a face she hadn't seen in years.
A faint smile crept across her lips—empty and unsettling.
Ichiji froze. Unlike Gojo, he had no idea how to deal with Shiki, especially when she was like this. The moment he saw that smile; a chill ran down his spine.
Shiki turned away without another word, and slowly walk away.
"Kawasaki City," she murmured, almost to herself.
The smile didn't waver, clinging to her face like a shadow.
"Finally..."
After all this time.
"I found you."
[END]
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That's it for the chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it!
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[Thanks for Reading!]