The charred halls of the Jujutsu Hive Headquarters stood still—walls cracked, old floorboards creaking from the weight of war and weariness. The survivors walked in with heavy steps—Yuji, Megumi, and Yuta—expecting little, prepared for anything.
But nothing could've prepared them for what they saw.
A voice called out.
"Took you guys long enough."
Yuji froze mid-step. His eyes widened as the speaker emerged from the corridor ahead—half her face bandaged, one arm still trembling slightly, but very much alive.
"N-Nobara…?"
She gave him a smirk that bordered on smug.
"What? Did you think I'd die that easy, dumbass?"
Yuji's eyes welled up, unable to believe it. He didn't speak—he ran forward, grabbing her into a crushing hug.
"You idiot," he whispered. "You absolute idiot…"
Behind her, another familiar figure stepped out—Maki.
Her skin bore the story of fire—deep burn scars trailing up her neck and arms. They were permanent. But her posture, her eyes… were still burning with purpose.
Yuta stepped forward. "Maki…"
Maki looked at him, her voice steady. "Took a bit more than expected. But I'm still standing."
Yuta gave a rare, heartfelt smile. "Good. That makes six of us."
Just then, the door behind them opened again, but this time with slow, composed steps. A woman entered, her long ponytail swaying as her sandals tapped the floor. There was an air of controlled power in her presence—poise fused with explosive potential.
"So… these are the kids Satoru kept bragging about."
Yuta straightened. "Yuki Tsukumo…"
Megumi glanced at her sharply. "One of the Special Grade Sorcerers."
Yuki crossed her arms. "I came after hearing what Kenjaku's up to. If he's making a game… I want in."
Everyone gathered in a loose circle—Yuji, Megumi, Yuta, Nobara, Maki, and now Yuki. Their expressions varied—exhaustion, rage, resolve, and uncertainty—but they were together.
Megumi broke the silence. "So what do we know about this 'game'?"
Yuki closed her eyes and leaned against the wall.
"Kenjaku never plays fair. Whatever this game is, it won't just be a brawl. It'll be built to expose our weaknesses, exploit our bonds, and push us to the brink."
Maki looked down at her scarred hands. "And he's not going to stop unless we stop him."
Yuta nodded. "We can't sit and wait. We need to find out everything about this game—every rule, every loophole."
Nobara cracked her knuckles. "And then beat him at his own damn game."
Yuji looked around at all of them, the fire in his eyes reignited.
"We're not broken. We're not done."
"We're what's left."
And sometimes, what's left… is just enough