The world inside Mahito's palm was a nightmare of distorted souls, a kaleidoscope of agony compressed into 0.2 seconds. But before the sure-hit effect could rewrite their existence, a barrier of simple light erupted. Todo's Simple Domain bought them a heartbeat of safety, a single breath in a vacuum of death.
Todo: "Go!"
Shin and Yuji didn't need to be told twice. They were already moving, two bullets fired from the same gun. They charged through the expanding flesh of the domain, aiming for the patchwork curse at the center. But Mahito, evolving with every second of combat, was faster than he had ever been. He weaved through Shin's staff strike with liquid grace, his body contorting in ways that defied anatomy, before lashing out with a whip of hardened soul-flesh.
The impact sent both Yuji and Shin skidding backward, their shoes carving trenches into the concrete. As they regained their footing, shaking off the concussion of the blow, they looked up in horror. Mahito wasn't aiming for them. He was rushing Todo.
Shin scrambled to intercept, but the distance was too great. He watched, helpless, as Mahito's hand brushed Todo's palm. It was a light touch, almost gentle, but the result was immediate. The flesh on Todo's hand began to bubble and warp.
Without a flicker of hesitation, Todo brought his hand down. Chop.
Blood sprayed into the air as Todo severed his own hand at the wrist, discarding the infected limb before the transfiguration could spread up his arm.
Shin: "Todo!"
Mahito, sensing victory, lunged for the finishing blow. But Todo, a warrior born of pure instinct and madness, did the unthinkable. He slapped his remaining hand against Mahito's outstretched palm.
Clap.
The sound of the Boogie Woogie technique echoed. Mahito froze, bracing for the swap. But nothing happened. The world didn't shift. It was a bluff, a desperate gamble on the curse's reflex.
And that split second of confusion was all Yuji needed.
Yuji: "BLACK FLASH!"
The impact was like a cannon shot. Space distorted around Yuji's fist as it connected with Mahito's unguarded torso. The curse was launched backward, crashing through pillars and debris, his body crumpling under the force of the spatial distortion.
Shin rushed to Todo's side as the dust settled. The large man was on his knees, clutching the stump of his wrist, his breathing ragged.
Shin: "You alright Todo?"
Todo: "I only came into contact with his hand for a second. Luckily, this is all he did to me."
Shin looked at the wound; it was grotesque, cauterized by cursed energy but devastating.
Shin: "Jesus, where's Ms. Shoko at a time like this."
Todo looked up, a wild grin still plastered on his face despite the sweat pouring down his brow.
Todo: "Your name was Shin, right? I would ask for your type of girl but for now, I need you to help carry me towards them."
Without questioning, Shin quickly helped Todo onto his feet, hoisting the larger man's weight.
Across the battlefield, Yuji and Mahito were now going full assault. While Shin was not looking, Mahito had changed his form, morphing into a hulking, armored monstrosity—the Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing. While they made their way toward the fight, it was clear that Yuji was at a disadvantage. Mahito slammed Yuji into the ground, creating a massive pit.
Seeing this, Shin and Todo quickly made their way to the edge of the pit. Todo stood tall, looking down at the cursed spirit.
Todo: "Listen closely, Cursed Spirit. There is no way you do not know this. An arm is merely a decoration. The act of applause is an acclimation of the soul!"
Todo clapped both his damaged stump and his remaining hand together to applause.
Clap.
Mahito flinched, expecting the swap. He struck blindly away from Yuji, but again, nothing happened. The confusion left him wide open.
Yuji: "BLACK FLASH!"
Yuji's charged strike connected, sending Mahito flying quite a distance away, his armored form shattering. Todo and Shin watched as Yuji slowly chased after the crawling, weeping Mahito. Yuji was shouting, crying out the raw emotion of the battle, ready to end it.
But suddenly, a heavy silence fell over the world. A figure stepped out from the shadows.
Geto Suguru, a Special-Grade curse user, was now standing before Mahito.
Shin was about to quickly run over to assist Yuji, sensing the shift in danger, but he had to stop to check on Todo as the large student suddenly collapsed against him.
Shin: "Todo?"
Todo: "Don't worry, I just reached my limit."
Shin froze. He stood paralyzed at the crossroads. Yuji was alone against a Special Grade sorcerer and a weakened Mahito. But if he left Todo here, in this condition, Todo would die.
Suddenly, someone touched his shoulder.
Turning around, Shin was happy to meet Panda, who had arrived with Noritoshi Kamo.
Panda: "Hey Shin, you look worn-out. Ms. Shoko is that way, take Todo with you."
Relief washed over Shin. Without question, Shin picked up Todo and headed toward Ms. Shoko's direction, leaving the battlefield behind.
About two days later.
The silence that followed the Shibuya Incident was louder than the explosions. Shin only knew of what happened after he left from word of mouth, piecing together the catastrophe from whispers and frantic reports.
The plan to rescue Gojo was a failure. The imposter "Geto" got away, but not before releasing a mass of thousands of Cursed Spirits into the heart of Tokyo. The city was in ruins.
But the politics were worse than the destruction.
The official decrees came down from headquarters:
• Satoru Gojo was declared an accomplice in the Shibuya Incident and exiled. Unsealing him was a criminal act.
• Principal Masamichi Yaga was sentenced to death for supposedly inciting the chaos.
• Yuji Itadori's suspended execution was resumed immediately.
• Tokyo was designated a demon-infested hazard zone.
As if that was not bad enough, the government had come out to announce the existence of cursed spirits but claimed they only existed in Tokyo to contain the panic.
Shin tried to regroup with the rest of the group. He called Megumi. Straight to voicemail. He called Maki. No answer. Nobara… no one knew. Desperation clawed at his throat.
Desperate, Shin marched straight into the belly of the beast: The Jujutsu Headquarters. He tried clearing the misunderstanding regarding Principal Yaga's execution, pleading his case to the council. But all attempts were immediately denied with mockery and threats.
Elder: "If you continue pestering us, Shin Zenin, you too will be sentenced to execution. Your association with Gojo makes you suspect."
Shin stands in the center of the room, harsh spotlights shining on him, staring into the tatami floor with a blank expression. The paper screens hiding the elders loomed over him like tombstones.
Shin: 'Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! They did nothing wrong. This doesn't make sense. Why, Why, why, why! Oh. Gojo is not here to retain the power-balance… Gojo is sealed. Gojo is. Not here. He is not here…'
The realization hit him with the force of a physical blow. They didn't care about the truth. They didn't care about saving the world. They only cared that the Strongest who kept the rats in the walls was gone.
Head Elder: "Remove him. And if he resists, kill him."
Just before the guards could step forward to order Shin to leave immediately, their demand was suddenly interrupted.
Shin let out a loud satire sigh. It wasn't a sigh of defeat; it was the sound of a man realizing the punchline to a very cruel joke. He stretched his neck, cracking it loudly.
Elder: "How disrespectful—"
BOOM.
Feeling disrespected, the room filled with anger, but before anyone could do anything, one of the higher-ups behind the center screen had their head blown away. The wet sound of the impact echoed in the chamber.
This silenced the room before chaos and screams replaced it.
On November 2nd, the day in which the stable balance shifted to Anarchy more than ever in the history of Jujutsu, the Zenin Clan began desperately seizing power. And Shin Zenin…
Shin Zenin was gone, missing after this, leaving nothing behind but a room full of corpses and a message written in blood.
"Those who agreed with the ruling of the now deceased higher-ups can come find me, Shin Zenin, in Tokyo."