Jujutsu kaisen: King of Seven Shikigami

A Cold Night in the Takeyama Mountains

The sky above Takeyama was like a pitch-black curtain—no stars, no moon. A thin fog hung between the trees, cloaking the dense forest that rose like a row of silent giants guarding something forbidden. The night air was piercing, slicing through skin down to the bone.

In the near-total darkness, the sound of footsteps echoed along a narrow mountain trail. At the front of the line, Suguru Geto walked with calm, light steps, as if the treacherous terrain meant nothing to him. But it wasn't his composure that made the air feel strange—it was the aura slowly spreading from around him.

From within the mist and shadows, cursed spirits began to emerge one by one. They made no sound, yet their presence rippled through the cold air like waves of heat. Their forms varied wildly—scaly bodies, multiple eyes, misshapen limbs—drifting and slithering through the forest like a dark army, following Geto's every move.

A few steps behind him, Shoko Ieiri observed the scene, a frown on her face. She slowly chewed a piece of gum before finally speaking.

"Why are you summoning this many cursed spirits?" she asked, voice flat but curious.

Suguru Geto didn't answer right away. He kept walking, hands tucked casually in his pockets, as if what he commanded were no more than idle tricks. Only after the last of the cursed spirits vanished into the trees did he speak—without even turning his head.

"My scout spirit was killed," he said calmly, though his tone carried weight. "I'm surrounding the entire mountain. No one gets out… or in."

Tora, overhearing the statement, stepped closer, eyes scanning the spirits that moved like shadows among them.

"So... Grandmother Ogami already knows we're coming?" he asked, voice low with unease and suspicion.

Geto only gave a single nod.

Tora turned his head, taking in the sheer number of cursed spirits under Geto's control. His eyes widened slightly—part awe, part confusion. How deep does his technique run, to command creatures this terrifying…?

And yet, amid the silent awe, Tora smiled faintly.

He raised both hands and formed a hand sign. The shadow at his feet began to churn—like black water boiling beneath him—and from that void emerged a single crow shikigami, its feathers dark as the night sky.

"Shhkkk—!"

The flap of its wings rang sharp as it took off, slicing through the fog and vanishing into the starless sky.

As the crow disappeared into the trees, Tora's eyes changed. His vision shifted—now linked to the shikigami. From above, he watched the dark forest spread out below, scanning the landscape ahead toward the enemy's hidden sanctuary.

In silence, he thought:

"This CRT-type shikigami… if it dies, it's lost forever. I have to be careful."

By now, they had reached halfway to Grandmother Ogami's hideout.

Suddenly, Gojo Satoru halted.

Geto turned around quickly, sensing the sudden change in his friend's demeanor. The blue glow of Gojo's Six Eyes, half-hidden behind his dark glasses, gleamed faintly in the dark.

"Shoko," Gojo said without turning. "Stay here."

Shoko stopped, pulled out a new piece of gum from her robe, and popped it into her mouth.

"Okay."

Geto added firmly, "You too, Tora. Stay."

Tora's head snapped up in protest. "Come on… I'm strong enough to help! I want to be on the front line too!"

But Gojo only glanced at him, smirking.

"Tora, I'm entrusting Shoko to you."

Tora went quiet. He took a long breath, suppressing his frustration, and finally nodded.

"Yeah… alright. But… don't kill my brother, okay?"

No answer.

Only silence.

Gojo and Geto turned and walked deeper into the forest. In a matter of seconds, they vanished—swallowed by the night. Only the sound of leaves underfoot lingered… then nothing.

Tora remained with Shoko, watching the path the two strongest sorcerers of the era had taken. His crow still soared above.

And in his heart… an ominous feeling began to grow.

_______

Deep Within Takeyama – Midnight

Fog thickened between the silent trees, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. There were no owls, no rustling wind. Only the faint echo of chanting, drifting out from the depths of the woods—slow, rhythmic, like an incantation older than memory itself.

At the center of a flattened ritual circle, a crude altar of stone and blood stood. Candles flickered dimly, their flames quivering under the pressure of cursed energy swirling like invisible whirlpools.

Grandmother Ogami, hunched but unshaken, stood tall at the altar. Her voice rasped with age as she chanted, fingers tracing ancient symbols into the cold air—motions only understood by those long immersed in the darkness.

Around her stood her grandchildren—Sora, Yuno, Geno, Toshiro, and from the shadows, Ren's older brother stepped forward.

They watched in silence, eyes unblinking, as the ritual continued.

The chant slithered like venom across the skin.

In her mind, Ogami thought:

"I must survive their pursuit… even if it means sacrificing my pawns."

Her gaze swept across her grandchildren, lingering longer on Ren's brother. There was no guilt in her eyes—only calculated resolve and unwavering belief in her purpose.

With a simple gesture—subtle yet commanding—she gave the order.

Ren's brother opened his palm. Inside lay a small, black, hardened object, the size of a finger—like a bone petrified by time and curse.

Without hesitation, he swallowed it.

And time seemed to slow.

His body began to tremble. He clenched his fists, veins bulging under his skin like tree roots breaking through soil. His breath hitched—but he remained standing.

Then—the transformation began.

His hair grew rapidly, cascading down his back like living shadow. His facial structure shifted—cheekbones sharpened, jawline hardened. His muscles expanded, ripping through the inside of his robe. Ren's brother was no longer a man—he had become a vessel.

The vessel of the original Ten Shadow user.

There was no panic. Not from Sora, Yuno, or Geno. Their expressions were empty, like dolls who had seen this all before. Even Toshiro, clutching his sleeve tightly, did not flinch.

Ogami's chanting continued—now faster, deeper, deadlier.

In her heart, she repeated the truth:

"I don't have much time…"

The candlelight shook. The ground around the altar cracked. The air filled with the scent of metal and cursed incense. The ritual was nearly complete.

And if no one stopped her tonight…

Something long buried by history… would rise again.

______

Edge of the Ritual Circle – Takeyama Forest

Footsteps echoed, steady against damp earth and fallen leaves. The fog parted slowly as two figures emerged from the forest's shadow—Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto. Their presence clashed like storm and stillness—yet tonight, they walked side by side toward one destiny.

The candlelight from the altar flickered, trembling as if aware of their arrival.

Geto paused, eyes narrowing. Cursed spirits began gathering quietly between trees and shrubs, ready. This was no ordinary mission.

Gojo slipped his hands into his pockets, his shoulders relaxed, but cursed energy vibrated around him—poised like a blade.

"I can feel it," Gojo muttered. "Something ancient… and dangerous."

They stepped forward—and stopped at the edge of the ritual circle.

The sight before them froze their steps.

In the center stood Ren's brother—or rather, the entity that had possessed him. His form was towering, hair flowing like living night, eyes glowing violet-black like cursed obsidian. He was no longer human—but a relic reborn, fueled by centuries of hatred.

Gojo narrowed his gaze.

"…Ten Shadow Technique."

Geto gave a single nod. "Not just any user. That's no ordinary man… it's an old spirit, resurrected."

By the altar, Grandmother Ogami paused her chant, looking at them with a weary yet satisfied smile.

"Welcome," she croaked. "You arrived sooner than I expected."

Geto stepped forward slightly, face unreadable.

"Who did you bring back?"

Ogami grinned faintly. "Once known as Shinzo Zen'in… the true bearer of the Ten Shadows."

Gojo chuckled low. "So you toy with time and souls… to bring back something that should've stayed dead?"

Ren—or Shinzo—opened his eyes slowly. His voice echoed with deep resonance, not entirely human.

"You… bearer of Six Eyes."

"So the descendants of weakness now stand before me."

Dark shadows swirled to life around him—from soil, mist, and pure darkness. Ancient shikigami took form—far more grotesque and primal than their modern counterparts.

A giant steel-fanged dog. A horned shadow toad. A three-eyed owl circling above.

Geto summoned a massive cursed spirit to his side—its eyes glowing deep violet.

Gojo stepped forward, his crooked smile intact.

"You really think you can challenge the present with tricks from the past?"

Shinzo laughed—low and venomous.

"I am the shadow you inherited… and I'm here to erase the unworthy heirs."

Then, in a blink—

The ground exploded with cursed pressure.

The battle had begun.

______

Writer's Note:

That was indeed long…Keep me motivated!!