Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Times

"It's said that if you walk the main stairwell of the teaching building at midnight… a nonexistent thirteenth step appears. And if you step on it—just once—you'll be dragged from the human world… into hell."

The lights were dim in the Occult Club's little room, the curtain only half drawn. Keisuke's voice carried a deliberately eerie tone. The other three club members leaned forward, captivated.

But across from them, Yuihara Nao blinked and casually asked, "Everyone knows that one. Did anything actually happen?"

Keisuke's spooky expression faltered. "Well... there are stories," he muttered, scratching the back of his head. "But the one I know happened four years ago. I only heard about it secondhand from some upperclassmen."

He cleared his throat and continued, "A night security guard went missing. Vanished while patrolling the main building. The surveillance footage? Nothing. Not a trace of him leaving. They searched the entire school, and still... no body, no clue."

"Horror rumors exploded. Some said he was cursed and buried beneath the playground. Others said he became a vengeful spirit and now haunts midnight wanderers. Eventually, the school tried to shut everything down. They banned discussion of the incident."

"And ever since... our school's guards have rotated more frequently. People say it's connected."

He paused, then looked seriously at Yuihara Nao. "Nao, don't tell me you're planning to mess with this legend? Sure, you've never flinched before on our ghost hunts, but this one... it's different."

"Everyone else is just scared of shadows. This one's got weight. You know that group—Risa and her gang from Class Three? Word is, they dared a girl to test it the other night. The girl freaked out. Badly. I don't know the details…"

Yuihara Nao frowned. "Wait... You mean Ayako? That delicate-looking girl in my class?"

Keisuke tilted his head. "I think so. Risa and her friends are the type to bully quiet students. Rich parents and rotten attitudes. Wait...is Ayako your friend?"

Yuihara Nao nodded, worry knitting her brows. "I noticed she's been acting strange lately. I didn't realize..."

She stood abruptly. "Keisuke, thank you. I'm going to find her."

"Oi—Nao! Don't do anything stupid!" Keisuke called after them, but she was already out the door with Shingen Genichi.

They found Ayako in her classroom. There were only a few students left at that hour. Shingen stayed in the corridor while Nao slipped inside, greeted by familiar voices, then emerged with a girl in tow.

Ayako was quiet. Timid. She kept her gaze down, hiding behind Yuihara as soon as she spotted Shingen Genichi. "Nao-chan… who is that?"

"A friend," Yuihara said, guiding her outside. "He's here to help."

Shingen silently followed, instrument case in hand, eyes scanning the building for lingering Cursed Energy. Nothing yet. According to Keisuke, the last incident was four years ago. Nothing recent. If a Curse existed, it had to be subtle. Dormant.

At a quiet vine-covered pavilion, the three sat. The air was still and shaded.

Yuihara hesitated, then asked, "Ayako… were you bullied by Risa and her group?"

Ayako trembled, her fingers curling tight around her skirt. Then, after a pause, she whispered, "I,I,I...I don't want to talk about it"

Yuihara puffed out her cheeks, indignant. "Those girls are awful! I heard they made you test that thirteenth step legend!"

Ayako flinched. "No—please. Nao-chan, don't ask anymore. Because…"

Shingen spoke up calmly from the side, "Because it's true. Isn't it?"

Ayako's mouth opened slightly, as if to deny it, but she fell silent.

Yuihara gently squeezed her hand. "Don't worry. Genichi-kun is a pro handles things like this. If you know anything… tell him."

There was hesitation—but also trust. Ayako nodded slowly.

"I didn't see anything," she began. "But… it was there. The step. I stepped on it. And... I heard something. Like crying. Like something in the dark... watching."

"Risa and the others ran. I collapsed. Couldn't feel my legs. I thought I was going to die. But I dragged myself away. I didn't see it, but I knew—it was real."

Shingen gave Yuihara a small look. She nodded and stayed to comfort her friend, eventually escorting Ayako back to the dorms and arranging a leave of absence.

When she returned, her voice was firm. "So? What now?"

Instead of answering, Shingen tilted his head. "You're still coming with me?"

"Of course," she said immediately.

"Good," he replied. "I'll teach you the basics before nightfall."

They returned to the Minamoto estate. After retrieving Shirone and regrouping with Sugihara Riko, Shingen cleared a private courtyard and began training Yuihara.

They started with basic control—drawing out Cursed Energy and reinforcing the body. Nothing fancy, but enough for self-defense.

Yuihara, eager and fast to learn, was thrilled. By evening, she could enhance her body enough to boost her strength. It made her beam.

Meanwhile, Shingen made arrangements with the school, via Gojo Satoru. Staff and students were moved to the dorm side of campus. The teaching building was left empty.

As the sky darkened, the two stood beneath the looming building. Shadows stretched long across the pavement.

Shingen stepped forward, fingers forming a mudra. "Born from darkness,blacker than darkness. Purify that which impure" A black veil fell, concealing the area from normal eyes.

Yuihara stared at it, wide-eyed.

Shingen turned, retrieving the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi and the smaller blade, Extermination, from the violin case. Then, they entered the stairwell.

"One, two… thirty-two," Yuihara counted as they ascended.

"Still twelve steps," she muttered, disappointed. Shirone sniffed around but remained relaxed.

They climbed to the rooftop. Still nothing.

Yuihara glanced at her watch. "It's not quite midnight. We're early."

Maybe the legend required exact timing? A Curse with a Binding Vow?

They returned to the first floor, waited.

And then… the air shifted.

A ripple in the spiritual pressure. Shirone growled low in his throat.

"It's here," Shingen said.

Before them, another step materialized—seamlessly nestled atop the twelfth.

"The thirteenth step…" Yuihara whispered.

Nothing looked unusual. There's no scary sound or cold wind.

But there it was. A step that didn't belong.

"Could be a trigger. An innate domain activated by stepping on it."

To test it, Shingen released a burst of Cursed Energy. The phantom step cracked.

But moments later, it regenerated, black mist swirling around the broken edges. Like flesh, it reformed.

He tried again—more power this time. The stair exploded.

But again, it came back, now hovering in mid-air. No anchors. Just floating like that.

Shingen summoned his Time Wheel – Reverse Technique. The steps reconstructed instantly.

Yuihara blinked. "It's like magic…"

Shingen said nothing, just nodded once.

"It's time."

He stepped forward. "We do this together. If we get separated, you hold on to Totsuka-no-Tsurugi."

She blinked. "Me?,Why?"

He placed the cursed blade in her hands. "If anything happens, defend yourself. You've got this."

They stepped forward.

And the world shifted.

Like falling through a camera lens—zooming out, pulling away from reality.

When it stopped, they stood in a corridor that shouldn't exist. Doors lined both sides. Endless, silent. Cold.

Shingen gave a quick signal. Shirone padded ahead.

Suddenly, the dog growled.

The first door ahead clicked.

The knob turned.

A pale hand pushed the door open. A figure stepped out—male, student uniform. Dead eyes. Wrong… everything.

Yuihara gasped. "Is he… a Curse?"

But Shingen was already gone.

He reappeared behind the figure.

The boy's knees buckled—severed.

No blood. Only black ichor oozed out.

"Not human," Shingen muttered. "Mimicry, an animated remains or worse."

With a quick thrust, he pinned the creature's skull to the floor. Cursed Energy pulsed through Totsuka-no-Tsurugi. The thing writhed, then turned to ash.

Shingen turned the blade over, frowning.

He barely felt resistance.

Was it just weak? Or was Totsuka-no-Tsurugi something more?

A new sound interrupted his thoughts.

Doors opened. One after another.

Figures emerged—dozens of them.

Yuihara gulped.

Shingen handed her the sword. "These are yours."

"M-Me?"

He smiled, giving a thumbs-up. "You'll be fine. These are just fragments. Nothing strong. Just channel your Cursed Energy like I showed you. You've got sword training, right?"

"Just a little…"

"Good enough."

She squared her stance, holding the cursed blade tightly.

The creatures began to shuffle forward—misshapen, twitching, tumor-faced husks.

Yuihara gritted her teeth.

"Okay…"

"I'll give it a try."

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