The night was quiet, a stillness rare in Tokyo.
Mahito sat atop the roof of an office tower, legs dangling over the edge. The wind tugged playfully at his golden hair, carrying with it the faint scent of exhaust, smoke, and neon that clung to the city below. He leaned back on his palms, head tilted toward the sky where faint stars barely pierced the haze.
His smile, boyish as ever, never wavered.
'Peaceful, isn't it? Almost strange. Only a week ago, this place was chaos. And now, it feels like it's my chaos settling down into order. My order.'
He hummed, swinging his feet lazily like a child perched on a swing. Below, the streets bustled with scattered life. Ordinary people, unaware, or perhaps willfully ignorant, of the battles that had burned their city only days earlier.
The tragedy of Shibuya was reported as a major gas leak, coupled with a gigantic earthquake. It was easy to cover up a matter when most of the eyewitnesses to it were no longer around.
Devices, phones, camera footage, it was all either destroyed in the chaos, or recovered by the Jujutsu Sorcerers and helpers scouring the debris.
Mahito's mind stretched outward. He could feel them, hundreds of them. His army, woven from souls both willing and unwilling, cursed and human alike. They were scouring Japan, silently swallowing curses that spawned like weeds in forgotten corners.
Already, his creations had spread across the countryside, hunting tirelessly.
'Sorcerers… soon they'll be almost out of work. At least outside the cities. There's less and less for them to clean up now. All because of me. Their cursed society owes me everything, whether they admit it or not.'
He chuckled softly, almost as if sharing a joke with the stars.
But this wasn't just his doing. There had been… arrangements.
Mahito shifted, sitting upright, gaze sharp as he recalled the voice that had echoed in his mind like an ancient cavern.
Tengen.
The ancient, decrepit being whose very existence upheld the barriers across Japan.
Her body, already crumbling without a Star Plasma Vessel. Her form withering closer to something unrecognizable with each passing day. Her voice, resigned, weary, but still commanding, had sought him out.
The deal had been simple.
Access. Full control over the barriers blanketing Japan, in exchange for Mahito's promise to stabilize things. To cleanse the land of curses so ordinary humans could survive.
Mahito's lips twitched into a grin, remembering the bargain.
'She was desperate. Poor old thing. Waiting, praying for someone to uphold their little balance. And I… agreed instantly.'
He leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand.
'Of course I did. Why wouldn't I? My plan was to consume every cursed spirit in Japan anyway. This just gives me a neater way to do it. And the authority… to expand.'
The thought rippled through him like laughter. He could leave Japan whenever he pleased now, barriers no longer binding him. His army could spread across the oceans, taste the world beyond.
And yet…
He gazed down at the neon-lit sprawl, a faint spark in his eye.
'No point in doing so~ I want to be here when Gojo comes back. I want to see Kenjaku awaken Sukuna, see how he pulls it off... I want to face them, to feel their strength, to climb higher off their backs. Gojo and Sukuna, my grindstones, my rivals. This stage isn't finished until they're here too.'
Mahito stretched, arms wide, like a cat basking in the night.
'Freedom tastes better when you have someone to measure yourself against~ Is this what Sukuna felt back then, too?'
His smile lingered as his thoughts drifted to his army's progress. Already, they had captured curses strong enough to impress just about anyone.
A group of Soulsborne, his transfigured soldiers, had proven themselves capable of taking down weaker Special Grade curses, so long as they hunted in numbers. And just recently, his forces had cornered and captured one such creature.
Mahito tapped his chin thoughtfully.
'Soldiers made from Special Grades… they're a different breed entirely. Stronger. Smarter. More refined.'
He thought of the two already in his possession. His favourites.
One, born from Dagon's lingering soul. A husk, emptied of memory, but brimming with Disaster Waters that Mahito had restructured and bound.
The other, a snake curse whose ability was simple but devastating: swallowing and disintegrating any living matter caught within its stomach.
Both had been infused with more than just raw instinct. Mahito had interlaced them with fragments of human sorcerer souls, latent talent coaxed into controlled growth. They could wield their cursed techniques intelligently, precisely.
'They're all blank slates now. No memories. No distractions. Just loyal, obedient, hungering to serve me. Perfection. And yet… still evolving. Still ripening. I'll make them shine brighter than any sorcerer ever could.'
He leaned back again, gazing skyward, humming to himself.
'The army needs space. That's where the real estate comes in. Not just profit, but homes. Homes for my Soulsborne. No longer do I need to burrow underground, carving rooms like a rat. They'll rest in warehouses, in whole apartment blocks. Rows of soldiers sleeping in neat little beds.'
The idea amused him endlessly, the image of rows of twisted creatures tucked beneath city skylines, obedient and waiting.
It was his world now. His rules.
Yet not everyone approved.
He sensed her presence before she arrived. A familiar aura turned much fainter than before.
Mahito smiled without turning.
"Maki."
She had yet to reach the level of Toji Fushiguro, but a bit of hardship would surely bring her there.
The rooftop door clanged open. She emerged, silhouetted by the glow of the city, her figure felt taller, more assured than before.
She walked toward him, her expression unreadable, until she stood a few steps away. The wind tugged at her long hair, but her eyes remained fixed on him.
Mahito tilted his head, grin bright. "You sought me out faster than I expected. Been working on your new strength, haven't you?"
Maki's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she crossed her arms, gaze steady. "It's odd... I feel this strength surging through me. It's almost alien. But I will be fine."
Mahito smiled at that, happy to be able to study yet another example of a Heavenly Restriction with his own two eyes.
Moreover, he was glad to have some eyes on the inside... "So, how are things going back there? Everyone still pissy?"
"Most of Jujutsu High won't even say your name anymore. They've all distanced themselves, especially considering the rumours circulating about you. After you slaughtered the elders… they formed a new council. Younger sorcerers, Tsukumo Yuki included. They don't trust you, but have no choice in the matter."
Mahito only laughed, light and unconcerned. "Trust? That's such a heavy word. I don't need their trust. I need their understanding. And they'll keep following my rhythm whether they admit it or not."
Maki's lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't argue, not yet.
Surprisingly, she hadn't come bristling with rage or vengeance. Her aura wasn't sharp with animosity. If anything, she seemed… calm. Almost approving.
Mahito's eyes flickered knowingly. "You're not as upset as the others, are you? Because my little massacre happened to include the Zen'in elders as well."
A faint glimmer crossed her eyes, but her face betrayed nothing.
He leaned forward, voice sing-song, teasing. "I did you a favor, didn't I? Swept away the garbage standing in your path."
Maki's silence was answer enough. She stepped closer, her shadow stretching beside his.
"I didn't come here to thank you," she said firmly. Her voice carried weight now, steel beneath it. "I came here because I want to talk..."
The night seemed to hush around them, the wind pausing for their exchange. Mahito's smile widened, curious, eager.
"Talk, hm?" His voice was soft, almost delighted. "How interesting…"
He leaned back on his hands again, eyes glittering with mischief. He knew already that she wanted his help with something. He could see it in her eyes, within the depths of her soul.
Thankfully for her, he also happened to want to study how her body had morphed extensively.
"Then let's talk, Maki~ I'm sure we can come to an understanding."