The hospital wing of Tokyo Jujutsu High had rarely been so full. Beds stretched from wall to wall, filled with sorcerers who had survived Shibuya's crucible. Each face carried exhaustion, each body bore scars. The atmosphere was heavy, as though grief itself had seeped into the walls.
Shoko Ieiri moved briskly, her gloves stained but steady. Yuji lay pale but conscious, his arm strapped tightly against his ribs. Inumaki dozed uneasily, his throat wrapped in thick layers of gauze.
Nanami was silent, eyes half-closed, his body wrapped with bandages from legs to head. His limbs were recovered thanks to Shoko's Reversed Cursed Energy, but he was still injured.
Due to the number of patients, Shoko moved to apply first aid to each one respectively.
Kusakabe shifted irritably under his own wrappings, frustration plain in his jaw. He had also taken some damage fighting Dagon, but out of everyone there, he was the least injured.
Still, the atmosphere was sombre, as Yuji had had a mental breakdown just earlier, seeing the world through Sukuna's eyes, the amount of destruction he commanded Jogo to create as he tried to fight Mahito...
He blamed himself for it all. Thankfully, Mahito had been able to shake Sukuna enough to allow him to take over again and pass out.
The door opened eventually.
Mahito entered with Yaga at his side, and just behind them, Yuki. Draped across Mahito's back was the limp figure of Megumi Fushiguro. The boy's stillness was unnerving, his breath shallow, his skin pale.
But he looked healthy otherwise. How could he not? He was healed directly by Mahito. The very person who had stolen a part of his soul.
Mahito's steps were light, almost casual, but his movements were careful as he lowered Megumi onto a free bed. He adjusted the sheets with an odd gentleness, then stepped back, grinning at the others.
"There. Delivered safe and sound. Not sure when he'll be waking up, but his body is stable. He carried out his kamikaze attack. I did manage to save him, thankfully."
Shoko immediately swept in, her hands precise, her expression unreadable. She checked Megumi's vitals in silence. Mahito, instead of hovering, wandered to the centre of the ward and clapped his hands lightly.
"Well," he said, voice bright, "Surprisingly, we all survived. Some in better shape than others, but at least we're all alive."
Yuji's head turned toward him, his face easing at the sight. "... Thank you... For stopping him."
Mahito's grin widened. "Of course. I had to keep my promise, didn't I? Someone has to keep you in one piece."
Yuji's lips twitched in the faintest of smiles. The memory of Mahito dragging him out of the depths of his mind resonated within him. Whatever doubts he had once carried about this man or curse, the bond forged in survival weighed heavier.
Nanami gave a small grunt, his voice hoarse. "We somehow escaped alive, yes. But Shibuya is gone. Thousands are dead."
Mahito's gaze softened, just slightly. "Yes. A tragedy. But one we did our utmost to lessen. Had we not been there, had you not fought as you did, the number would be far greater." He looked at Nanami with something that almost resembled respect. "You should all take some pride in that."
He didn't care to mention that he made no effort to lessen the casualties. At the end of the day, casualties that were not caused by him were none of his business. So what if Jogo decided to burn through the entire district and Dagon flooded the underground of the city? Those actions had nothing to do with him.
Kusakabe snorted, though it lacked bite. "You talk like you are handing out medals."
Mahito's grin only grew easier. "Not medals. Recognition. You all faced calamity itself and lived. That deserves a moment, does it not?"
Even Shoko paused briefly before returning to her work.
Yuki leaned against the wall, arms folded, watching Mahito with a narrowed gaze. She remembered the man who had walked coldly away from her, the sharp edge of his dismissal. But here he was, standing tall, words flowing like balm across the room.
'He plays the part well. Almost too well. But is it a mask, or is this what he has been planning all along?'
Yaga's voice broke through her thoughts. "We need to discuss Kenjaku. The one using Suguru's body."
At that name, everyone's attention sharpened. Even Yuji pushed himself more upright.
Yuki frowned. "That was not Geto. I only spoke with him once, years ago. He was flawed, but he was not… that."
Mahito tilted his head, feigning thoughtfulness. "Kenjaku has been weaving this web for years now, decades even. Gojo's sealing was no spur-of-the-moment trick. It was calculated, inevitable. And Gojo… well, he was too confident to see it coming."
Yuji's jaw tightened. "You knew?"
Mahito nodded lightly, not defensive, not smug. "Obviously. The Prison Realm being stolen was no secret. I tried to warn Gojo once, but…" He shrugged. "The Strongest hears only what he chooses. He believed himself untouchable."
Nanami's expression did not change, but his silence carried weight.
Mahito's tone grew firmer, his playfulness shading into something steadier. "But Gojo is gone now. That is our reality. Which means someone must step into the space he left. Someone to anchor us, to keep things moving forward."
His gaze swept the room, meeting each pair of eyes in turn. Yuji. Nanami. Kusakabe. Even Shoko, briefly. Then he spread his arms.
"I will take on that role."
The room stilled.
Yuki's brow rose, but she said nothing. Yaga frowned slightly but did not interject.
Yuji blinked, then let out a short laugh. "Honestly… I kind of figured you would say that."
Mahito looked at him with mock offence. "Oh? Do I seem so predictable?"
"You just… You never really back down, not even against Sukuna. And someone has to lead." Yuji met his eyes with sincerity. "If you say you will do it, then I will follow."
Mahito's grin softened into reassurance. "Not to worry, I won't lead as tyrant~ Not as Gojo's shadow. But as someone who understands what must be done. I will guide, I will bear the weight, so that each of you can do what you do best without being crushed by expectation."
Kusakabe muttered, "Sounds convenient for you." Out of everyone, he had interacted the least with Mahito, so it was no wonder that he was somewhat apprehensive at them all having to look up to a curse.
Mahito laughed, light and easy. "Convenient? Perhaps. But also necessary. You all feel it, do you not? The vacuum Gojo left. The hesitation, the uncertainty it creates. That void cannot remain. I am simply… filling it."
Nanami's tired gaze lingered on him for a long moment. Finally, he said, "And what do you intend to do, then, Leader?"
Mahito's smile held steady, though in his mind shadows coiled.
'What I intend is to build an army. From the souls I have gathered, from the remnants the world discarded. I will craft soldiers who will not falter, who will not die in vain. As for the Elders... Heh, I am afraid they may not get to meet Gojo when he comes out.'
Aloud, he said smoothly, "First, we recover. We gather strength. We prepare for Kenjaku's next move. And then, we make certain that this city, this nation, never suffers Shibuya again."
It was lofty. It was exactly what they needed to hear. And it was delivered with confidence that could almost make one forget who was speaking.
Yuki exhaled softly, shaking her head with a rueful smile. "You really do like grand speeches, do you not?"
Mahito winked at her. "Only when the moment demands."
The sudden buzz of Yuki's phone interrupted them. She frowned, answered, listened. Her expression shifted. Anger. Frustration. Disbelief. She lowered the phone slowly, silence hanging around her.
"What is it?" Yaga asked.
Yuki's voice was taut. "…The higher-ups. Seems they've received the latest reports rather quickly. They have issued immediate orders. Mahito is to be executed. And they are preparing the same for you, Principal Yaga. And Itadori Yuji, as Sukuna's vessel."
The words dropped like stones into water, sending ripples of unease across the ward. Yuji's face went pale. Nanami's lips pressed thin. Kusakabe muttered a curse.
Yuki's eyes flicked to Mahito, uneasy.
But Mahito only smiled. Calm. Unruffled. Almost amused. "Execution, is it? How very predictable. With Gojo gone, they believe themselves free to swing their hammers as they please."
He glanced around at them all, voice carrying warmth rather than menace. "Do not worry. This is no crisis. Only a misunderstanding. Call for a meeting with the elders. I will go to them myself, and I will do my utmost to convince them."
Yaga's frown deepened. "You think words will sway them?"
Mahito's grin curved, a glint in his eyes that he quickly masked. "If they are reasonable, they will listen. If not… I will still find a way. But this is for me to handle. Alone. You all should focus on recovering."
Yuji sat up further, his voice firm. "Then I will trust you. You saved me once already. If you say you can handle this, I believe you."
Mahito turned to him, his expression warm. "Good. Hold on to that trust. It will be needed."
There was conviction in his tone, the kind that invited belief. For a fleeting moment, Yuji felt steadier, as if someone had caught the weight he carried and shared it.
Yuki studied Mahito, conflict in her eyes. But she said nothing.
Mahito clasped his hands behind his back, rocking slightly on his heels, grin bright once more. "Well then. Rest, recover, heal. Leave the elders to me. They will come to understand soon enough~"