Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Times

"...Tokyo Jujutsu High is not a place for someone like you to just muddle through!"

Maki's words cut through the hallway air like the edge of her naginata. Yuta Okkotsu stood stunned, her words hitting something raw within him.

Panda, watching the new student shrink into himself, couldn't bear it. "Maki, that's enough," he said gently.

Inumaki Toge gave a concerned glance as well, his rice ball vocabulary limited but meaningful: "Salmon."

Maki let out a faint "tsk," lifted her weapon case over her shoulder, and walked on. "Whatever. You're all too soft."

Yuta kept his eyes down. "It's fine," he muttered. "She was telling the truth."

A hand landed on his shoulder. It was Shingen Genichi, smiling lightly. "Don't take it personally. Maki's rough, but she cares about her teammates deep down."

"Genichi—!!"

Shingen flinched. The angry roar came from down the hall.

"I just remembered I left the stove on!" Shingen waved frantically and dashed in the opposite direction. "You guys carry on! Gotta go!"

…

Elsewhere, Gojo Satoru sat leisurely on a desk, as carefree as ever. "This mission's a little special," he said, waving a manila folder at Shingen. "It's not just Cursed Spirits—we suspect Curse Users might be involved. Grade 2 or Grade 1 level, at most. Think you can handle it?"

Shingen Genichi nodded without hesitation. "No problem."

Gojo gave a sly smile. "Good. If you complete it, a Grade 1 promotion is on the table."

"But I'll need a close-combat cursed tool," Shingen added, "Besides Extermination. Got anything good?"

Gojo chuckled and gestured toward the door. "The Repository's got one you'll like. Already had it set aside."

Before long, Shingen had a newly issued sword-shaped cursed tool strapped to his side. Though technically school property, it was assigned to him for the mission.

His partner was Nitta Akari, a bright-eyed young woman with medium-cut golden hair, fashionable attire, and a lively demeanor. Despite her youthful appearance, she was a responsible Tokyo Jujutsu High Supervisor.

The case itself was grisly.

Five young women, all between 20–25 years old, had disappeared over the past few weeks. Each one found later—mutilated in disturbing, almost ritualistic ways. But with no sexual assault and no parts missing, revenge and lust seemed unlikely.

More disturbingly, one of the last attacks was caught—partially—on a street surveillance cam. That footage was what triggered the higher-ups to escalate the investigation and assign a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

"It might be a Curse," Akari explained as they reviewed case files en route to the small town. "But the consistency in the targets and method makes us suspect a human... a Curse User."

Shingen Genichi leaned back in the passenger seat. "All beautiful women, all at night, all mutilated but not killed on the spot... yeah, this reeks of a twisted serial killer. And if it's a Curse User, then they're completely unhinged."

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Could be someone like Suguru Geto…"

Nitta blinked. "The Special Grade?"

Shingen nodded. "Massacred over 100 people. Used to be Gojo-sensei's classmate. If this one's even a tenth that bad, we can't underestimate them."

…

Upon arrival, the duo began searching the town.

They checked alleyways, rooftops, old buildings, and crime scenes. But aside from faint traces of residual Cursed Energy, they found nothing.

Even the locations of the traces were scattered—offering no useful pattern.

Nitta Akari was beginning to frown. "Could the user have gone into hiding?"

"No." Shingen shook his head. "They kept killing even when Police attention was at its peak. This kind of maniac won't stop. They're arrogant—used to being in control. I'd bet they're still nearby."

Then, Shingen glanced at Akari, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Ms. Nitta… how do you feel about being bait?"

"…Excuse me?" she blinked.

"You fit the victim profile perfectly," he said casually. "Young, attractive, dressed stylishly—and your Cursed Energy is faint. If the suspect is watching for a new target, you're ideal. All you'd have to do is walk alone and wait."

Nitta Akari paused for a long moment.

"…I'll do it," she finally said. "The sooner we stop this creep, the better."

Shingen gave her a rare, respectful nod. "Don't worry. Once I confirm it's him, I'll be on him faster than you can blink."

…

That night, the trap was set.

Under a lonely streetlight, Nitta Akari walked down a narrow road, heels clicking, makeup perfect, outfit classy. She feigned tipsy swaying and clumsiness like she'd just come from a bar.

From the shadows, a figure began tailing her. A man,Tall, Hands in his coat pockets.

Nitta staggered slightly, clutching her bag. "I… I'll call the police… Stay back…"

The man chuckled. "Relax, miss.I just want to help you…"

Shingen, watching from the roof of a convenience store, narrowed his eyes. Not using Cursed Energy... he might be harmless.

The man eventually gave up and faded back into the darkness.

Akari kept walking, relieved—until she heard footsteps again.

Same guy?

But when she turned toward the street corner, she saw it: a taxi, oddly parked.

Perfect timing. She walked toward it.

The man following her stopped.

Nice, she thought. If I talk to the driver, the guy'll lose interest.

She bent down to speak to the driver, but something strange happened.

The rear door opened.

Her body moved… on its own.

She was in the taxi.

"What the hell…" she thought, panic rising.

The driver turned slowly, his face still hidden beneath the rim of a cap.

"Welcome, beautiful lady."

Akari's heart dropped.

It wasn't hypnosis. It was Cursed Technique.

The seat beneath her was subtly pulsing. The door closed with a heavy thud. A slow, invisible pressure blanketed the vehicle.

"Genichi-san…" she tried to move her fingers, but it was like lifting weights.

The man smiled again.

And the taxi pulled away from the curb.

…

From the rooftop, Shingen's eyes narrowed. "A taxi?"

He watched her enter and frowned.

"She wouldn't abandon the plan. Not like that…"

Then it clicked.

"That's not a normal taxi."

In a blink, Shingen was gone—vanishing into the night with a trail of blue light behind him.

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Word Count:1,020