The night pressed softly against the city, neon veins coursing through Tokyo like blood, spilling color onto the streets below.
Mahito sat where he always did, legs dangling lazily over the rooftop edge of the office tower. The air was cool, the sky dimly bruised, and the hum of cars below blended with the gentle whistle of the wind. He tilted his head, golden hair shifting with the breeze, lips curled into his usual smile.
He was at ease. The king of a game only he seemed to be playing.
Far in the distance, a shadow moved. Across rooftops, cutting clean through the skyline, Maki Zen'in darted with sharp, efficient strides. Her figure was small at first, but her direction was clear, toward the Zen'in compound.
Mahito's smile widened.
'Ahh… there it is. The smell of desperation on the wind. She's in such a hurry, isn't she? Like a moth drawn to fire. How exciting.'
He leaned back, resting on his palms, his gaze following her faint silhouette leaping from roof to roof. It wasn't every day that someone came to him of their own accord much less someone with her particular pedigree.
The Zen'in Clan. How utterly boring.
When he had killed Naobito in his little spat with the Elders, it had been an afterthought. A whim. That bloated drunk had practically thrown himself into Mahito's hands, irrelevant to anything larger. Mahito hadn't even remembered his name until afterward.
But his death had carried ripples. With Naobito gone, the balance in the clan had shifted, and by rights of lineage, and due to the dealings of Zen'in Toji, the next leader was decided instantly: Megumi Fushiguro, comatose yet powerful, the Ten Shadows Technique giving him absolute authority over the clan.
Mahito chuckled at the absurdity of it all.
'I barely even touched the Zen'in, and look at them, already unraveling. No matter how things change, they seem to stay the same too~'
Maki knew it too. That was why she had come to him. Not out of trust, not even respect, but out of necessity.
-
-
-
She arrived without hesitation. The rooftop door clanged open, and her figure emerged, sharper in person than from afar. Her presence was clean, but fleeting; she had grown stronger, steadier, though still raw.
She approached him without flinching.
Mahito's grin widened. "Maki-chan~ You move so quickly these days. What's the rush? Could it be… the Zen'in compound?"
Her eyes narrowed, lips pressed in a thin line. She didn't answer immediately. She only stood before him, arms folded, gaze firm, until finally she spoke.
"I need something from you."
"Oh?" Mahito tilted his head, his grin boyish, almost innocent. "That's very bold of you. Most people show up begging me not to hurt them. You, though, straight to business."
Her tone remained flat. "I want assurance. No outsiders. No interference. I'm going to scour the Zen'in armoury. For Megumi. Maybe one of the cursed tools stored there can help, since his state may be linked to the 10 Shadows technique..."
Mahito's grin twitched. 'For Megumi, she says… but her eyes tell another story. She wants a blade for herself too. Can't stand fighting bare-handed forever, hm? Clever girl.'
Aloud, he hummed. "The armoury, you say? That dusty old treasure box the Zen'in have been hoarding for centuries… Oh, how exciting! And here I thought you only aimed to check on your poor little sister."
Her composure cracked, just slightly, a flicker of emotion in her eyes. Mai.
Mahito's smile softened, but not kindly. "Still asleep, isn't she? They dragged her back into the compound, tucked her away like a broken doll. You'll get to see her too, then. How heartwarming."
Her fists clenched, but her voice remained steady. "This isn't about heartwarming. I need cursed tools, and I want to make sure Mai is safe."
He leaned forward, chin in hand, golden hair catching the city lights. "So serious, Maki-chan. So desperate. And you came all the way here to me? I'm flattered."
She did not blink. "You're the only one who can guarantee what I need. The new council isn't ready. Principal Yaga even told me to hold still for now, but I just can't. I need political protection. I need you."
Mahito laughed. Light, amused, ringing across the rooftop like a child's chuckle.
'Oh, how lovely. She admits it outright. How rare, how refreshing. I could almost grow fond of her honesty.'
He leaned back again, casual, as though this conversation meant nothing to him at all. "I'll help you, Maki-chan. But nothing comes free, you know that."
Her jaw tightened. "Name your terms."
"Ohhh, I like this part~" His voice lilting, playful. "First… I want to study you. A fully realized Heavenly Restriction, a body stripped bare of cursed energy, it's fascinating! Let me poke and prod, see what makes you tick. I'll be gentle~"
Her expression soured, but she didn't speak.
"Second," Mahito continued, wagging a finger, "you'll be my eyes and ears at Jujutsu High, since my presence seems to be a tad unwelcome. You'll just be a little bird perched on the inside. Nothing too dangerous, just whisper things my way. Easy, yes?"
Her silence stretched, taut like a drawn bowstring. She didn't look away, but her arms folded tighter, nails digging faint crescents into her skin.
If she refused, she knew what it meant. The Zen'in would close their gates indefinitely, Mai's fate would remain unknown to her, and the armoury would never open. Worse, if she fought them without protection, the entire clan would brand her a traitor to the Jujutsu World.
Maybe she could cut them all down, but she would just be branded a monster instead. The disapproving faces of her peers appeared in her mind.
The very thought made her jaw tighten.
"...You want to study me like I'm some specimen," she said at last, her voice low, controlled. "And you want me to be your eyes at Jujutsu High. You know damn well that's asking me to sell more than my pride."
Mahito only tilted his head, smile unfading. He had lived among them already, having Maki report to him from time to time was the least aggravating part of thier deal.
Maki exhaled through her nose, sharp and heavy. The words tasted like iron on her tongue. "But if I don't… I may lose everything else."
Finally, she exhaled. "…Fine."
Mahito's grin blossomed into delight. He clapped his hands together like a child receiving a gift. "Perfect! Oh, how exciting, how fun! This is going to be so entertaining."
He rose, stretching languidly, as if sealing a pact of no consequence to him.
'A deal with a desperate girl. A family about to eat itself alive. And me, with a front-row seat… Truly, life spoils me.'
Maki turned, preparing to leave, but Mahito's voice stopped her.
"One more thing, Maki-chan."
She paused, glancing over her shoulder.
He smiled wider, eyes gleaming with mischief. "When you find something interesting in that armoury, do bring it back for me to play with. Sharing is caring, after all~"
She didn't answer. She leapt away, her figure slicing again across the skyline, headed straight for the compound.
Mahito watched her go, humming to himself.
'She agreed so easily. Truly, desperation paints the most beautiful colours. She'll walk into that pit, fight her little battles, slaughter her clan one-sidedly more than likely, and after that, who does she have to return to? Me. Ahh, the Zen'in… How quickly their grand legacy will crumble.'
The night wind tugged at his hair, carrying his laughter outward.
"Entertainment until Kenjaku shows his hand… how delightful. Culling Games may be off the table, but at least I have this~ An entire clan about to collapse, a new council fumbling in the dark, and me, sitting pretty on my throne. I wonder what kind of faces they'll all make when the walls come down~"
He leaned back once more, legs swinging lazily over the edge. The stars above were faint, nearly drowned out by city light, but Mahito's eyes glittered brighter than any of them.
No one knew how far he had gone just yet. How many souls had he already consumed?
Morally, he believed he was just. In fact, he was performing a commendable act by giving the souls of victims, or those who had lost hope, a second chance at life.
A life serving under him. What could be better?
His smile never wavered. And it wouldn't for a long time...