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"You look worn out," she whispered, gently brushing her fingers against his cheek.
Sasuke gave a small, tired smile. "Wandering does that to you sometimes..." His voice was soft, weathered by the weight of years. The pain behind his eyes said more than the words ever could.
Then, without warning, he pulled her into a tight embrace, an embrace that spoke of longing, of burden, and the comfort of a home finally found. His arms wrapped around her as though afraid she might vanish, his breath steady against her neck.
After a few seconds, he slowly let go, almost reluctantly, the warmth between them lingering. He turned, his dark eyes now focused beyond the hallway, where familiar voices echoed toward him.
"BOSS!!"
"Good to see you again, Boss!!"
The booming voices of his soldiers shook the building like thunder, their excitement unrestrained. Several of them even ran forward, stopping just short of him, eyes alight with admiration and relief.
Sasuke offered a rare, genuine smile and raised a hand in a slight wave. "Good to see you guys too…"
-
Minutes later.
The room was small, circular, dimly lit by a single lantern swaying overhead. Shadows clung to the edges like spirits eavesdropping from the corners.
Around a modest round table sat Mei, Megumi, and the six Pillars. Sasuke stood at the center, his presence anchoring the room in silence. The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on, anticipation held tight like a bowstring drawn to its limit.
No one spoke at first.
Sasuke's expression was heavy, as if he carried not just years but worlds on his shoulders. Finally, he exhaled and lifted his gaze to the people he trusted most.
"Three years," he said, voice low, each word carefully measured. "Three years of travel. I went across Europe, Africa, Asia... following a trail of blood, whispers, and cursed energy."
He paused, letting the weight of that time settle in their minds. "I tracked Kenjaku through ruins, battlefields, underground temples. I followed every corpse trail, every shattered barrier. And still, I failed to kill him."
He clenched his fists, the knuckles turning pale before releasing the tension with a slow, controlled breath.
"But I didn't return empty-handed." His voice dipped. "I saw what he was doing. I uncovered his plans, the scope of his twisted ideals… and the atrocities he committed to achieve them."
Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment. Behind the lids flickered images of horror, towns turned into cursed playgrounds, children with sewn mouths and soulless eyes, bodies warped by unnatural rituals. Souls torn apart and used like fuel.
"Kenjaku is not just dangerous… he's evil incarnate." His tone had darkened now, iron in his voice. "His cursed technique makes him nearly impossible to track, and even harder to corner. He wears faces, manipulates bloodlines, turns the dead into weapons. I've seen it all."
Silence cloaked the room. Even the flickering lantern seemed to dim at the gravity of his words.
Then Sasuke straightened, voice sharper now, like steel unsheathed.
"We're on the edge of a war. One he's orchestrated from the shadows. This is the moment I trained all of you for. The reason this family was formed."
His gaze swept across the room, each face meeting his in solemn understanding.
"With the power he's acquired… he's preparing to do the unthinkable. Summon extraterrestrials into our world."
The silence was thunderous. Time itself seemed to hold its breath.
"If that happens..." Sasuke let the silence finish the sentence.
Sayaka, ever composed, adjusted her glasses and finally spoke, her voice quiet but laced with urgency. "He's planning to summon extraterrestrials? That would explain the tremors we've been detecting in the barriers across Eastern Asia. He's weakening the boundary between worlds."
Sasuke gave a short nod. "That's one of the reasons I returned, despite failing to kill him. I couldn't risk being too late."
Daisuke, the monk among the Pillars, shifted uncomfortably. His eyes moved from Sayaka to Sasuke. "Sasuke-dono," he said slowly, "when you say 'extraterrestrials'... you're not referring to just powerful cursed spirits, are you?"
Everyone turned toward Sasuke, except Mei, who had already guessed the answer. Her eyes were already on him, watching.
"No," Sasuke said. "They're not of this world."
He paused, then continued. "It's high time you all knew. These extraterrestrials are not your ordinary invaders. They're a divine race… beings that feed on the natural life energy of planets, destroying them in the process. They are the Otsutsuki."
Gasps filled the room. Even Sayaka's hand twitched, and Megumi's eyes narrowed in recognition of the name.
Sasuke pulled a chair, the wood creaking slightly under him as he sat. Reiji, the quietest of them all, squinted at him.
"What does it mean to feed on the energy of worlds, exactly?"
Sasuke's expression darkened. "It means exactly what it sounds like, Reiji. They are a nomadic race of supernatural parasites. Planet-hopping invaders. They plunder life force, devour entire civilizations, and leave behind wastelands. More than a decade ago, one of them crash-landed on Earth… a scout, probably. He came looking for a planet to conquer. And Kenjaku found him."
He rested his elbows on the table, folding his fingers. "He tore the being apart, dissected him for research. Mixed the divine Otsutsuki DNA with cursed spirits and humans, trying to create perfect weapons. Monsters."
"I found the crash site myself. Confirmed everything."
A long, tense silence followed, broken only by the flicker of the lantern.
Himari, the fiery Pillar, finally broke it. "Divine?" she asked. "Like gods?"
Sasuke met her gaze. "Exactly. The Otsutsuki are descendants of a true god. Their powers are beyond comprehension, but they aren't omnipotent. I've trained you with that in mind."
He looked around the table. "The lower-ranked ones are powerful, yes. Think large-scale destruction, mountain-level at worst. But the high-ranking members of their clan… they can destroy moons. Planets. Maybe more."
Gasps again. Even Mei's eyes widened. A chill swept through the room.
"But don't panic," Sasuke said calmly. "I trained you for this. The lower-ranking ones are within your reach. That's what this family exists for. That's why you each bear techniques I designed myself."
Nagito, seated cross-legged and still cloaked in his yellow aura, looked up, his expression unreadable. "What if we find Kenjaku and stop him before he finishes whatever ritual he's performing?"
Sasuke shook his head. "It's too late. His plan is already in motion. The window to stop him passed months ago. All we can do now is prepare... and hope we're strong enough when the time comes."
Nagito leaned back, eyes shadowed with thought. Sasuke could see the frustration flickering across his face.
Sasuke continued, voice low but firm. "He's not just trying to open our world to the Otsutsuki. While they make their descent, he's going to destroy Jujutsu."
The table shook, not from impact, but from the collective reaction. Megumi leaned forward.
"Why would he do that?"
"Because he knows Jujutsu will stand in his way," Sasuke said. "And he's been planning this for more than a century. He's infiltrated bloodlines, manipulated clans, planted ideas and fear. When the moment is right, he'll bring it all crashing down."
Sayaka rubbed her temples, processing the scope of what Sasuke had just said. "With the way Jujutsu society is fractured right now, uniting them against someone like Kenjaku would be next to impossible. And…" she hesitated, "…there's something else."
Sasuke looked up, eyes narrowing. "What?"
Sayaka's voice dropped to a whisper. "Word is… Geto Suguru has returned. And he's declared war."
Sasuke's eyes widened. "The Night Parade of a Thousand Demons…"
Mei nodded slowly. "I received word from Utahime and Ieiri. He's gone rogue.."
Sasuke palmed his face. 'Damn it… I got so caught up tracking Kenjaku, I forgot about the story's timeline altogether.'
"Do you think it's part of the plan?" Mei asked, her voice quiet. "To pit Gojo and Geto against each other? To tear them down from within?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, deep in thought. "Yes. And worse... I think it's a trap...." Sasuke knew exactly how Kenjaku was going to benefit from this. Gojo killing Geto and then stealing his body for his new vessel. The question was, with his involvement shifting the plot, just how extreme was Kenjaku going to go to get Geto's body, and how exactly would Geto's powers serve in his plan..
Gasps rippled again. Ryouji, who had remained silent, finally spoke up, his deep voice breaking the tension.
"So we're going to have to work with those Jujutsu bastards now, huh?"
Sasuke looked up at him, then nodded slowly. "If it comes to that, yes. If truly, Kenjaku is the one behind Suguru Geto's attack and unleashes his abominations onto the world, we won't have a choice. But until then… we stay hidden. We observe. And we strike only when we understand how this chaos will serve his greater plan."
The flickering lantern seemed to burn brighter in that moment, as if sensing that war was no longer a distant threat.
It had already begun.
A/N: You thought it was over huh. Thought so too. Came back and found that this fic had crossed over one million views. Incredible. I'm resuming posting. Preferably twice a week. I'm back baby🔥