Jujutsu kaisen: King of Seven Shikigami

A cold night cloaked the training field of the Jujutsu Tech complex.

The sky was dark and scattered with stars, but none of their light could warm the biting night air. A chilling breeze swept across the grass, wet with dew, carrying with it a tense silence. At the center of the field, two figures faced each other, their bodies dimly lit by the distant lights of the school buildings.

Tora stood calmly, yet poised to strike. His breathing was steady, his eyes sharp—locked on the opponent in front of him: Panda, a creature that resembled an animal but moved like a man, one of Masamichi Yaga's most mysterious creations.

Panda's body was smaller than in the original canon, but tonight, his movements felt heavy. In contrast, Tora—though leaner—blended into the shadows around him. He moved as if he were part of the darkness itself.

Panda stepped forward, swinging a left punch toward Tora's head.

But—

Tora dodged.

His body moved with lightning speed, tilting his head slightly and letting the blow pass through empty air.

Panda didn't pause. He immediately followed with a right hook, faster and stronger. But again—

Tora was no longer there.

His movements flowed like a shadow in motion, avoiding the strike with a single effortless sidestep.

"Seriously, you're like a ghost," Panda grumbled, starting to lose his composure.

Tora didn't answer. His expression remained calm. His eyes assessed, analyzed. And then, without warning—he struck.

A precise, powerful kick slammed into Panda's stomach.

"Ugh!"

The breath was knocked out of him. His small body lifted slightly off the ground before crashing hard into the cold grass. The earth trembled faintly. Dew splattered.

Panda groaned, lying sprawled. He tried to get up… but his body wouldn't respond.

Tora approached—not in a rush, but like a lion that knew it had already won.

And in the silence broken only by the sound of breathing, Panda raised one hand—half in jest, half in surrender.

"I give up…" he said, exhausted, but with a small smile at the corner of his lips. "You're not just strong… you're smart too."

Tora stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly dropped his stance. He took a deep breath, the exhale turning to mist in the frigid air.

"I just learn from the best," he muttered briefly, his thoughts drifting to the Rainbow Dragon that had wanted to fight alongside him.

The fight was over.

But their story had only just begun.

---

Tora stepped toward two figures now standing before him—Masamichi Yaga and Gojo Satoru. Their presence was overwhelming, but Tora stood tall, masking all doubt behind a composed gaze.

"So…" Tora began, his voice flat but clear in the silence. "Where am I going to live?"

Gojo didn't answer immediately. A lazy smile played on his lips as usual, but his bright blue eyes—those Six Eyes—gleamed with piercing focus.

"Your fight with Panda was impressive," he said suddenly, dodging the question like it didn't matter.

"Your cursed energy control is good for someone your age. But I'm curious—why didn't you summon your shikigami during the fight?"

Tora's brow furrowed. He lowered his gaze slightly, thinking.

'Geez… This guy. He noticed even those few seconds of the fight. Just how sharp are his Six Eyes? If he can perceive detail like that… then how strong must Sukuna's slash have been to deceive even him?'

He took a quiet breath, pushing away the ripple of awe that had crossed his mind. Then, calmly, he answered:

"If I'm going to lose… only then will I summon it."

The statement wasn't arrogant, nor dismissive. It was simply a boundary—an unspoken principle he had set for himself in battle.

Yaga, who had been silently observing until now, finally spoke. His voice was deep, but firm.

"Tora, for now you'll stay with Panda. Later, Gojo will arrange a place for you."

Tora glanced at Panda, who stood nearby, still holding his stomach from the earlier blow but managing a small smile.

"Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other," Panda said cheerfully.

Tora merely nodded. His mind was still circling with thoughts of Gojo, Panda, Yaga… and another figure—Sukuna, and that strike which had made time itself feel as if it stopped.

This new world… was blindingly bright, yet full of deep shadows.

---

A few days later

Midday approached. Soft sunlight filtered through the window blinds of the Jujutsu dormitory room. In the dim interior, Tora lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with tired eyes—the silence above completely opposite the sound filling the room.

GROOORKKHH... GROHHH...

A loud snore echoed from the other side of the room. Panda was fast asleep in his bed, his small body peaceful, expression innocent like a child.

Tora glared at the ceiling in irritation.

"I swear this little Panda is doing it on purpose... His snore sounds like a machine. There's no way I can sleep like this."

He sighed heavily and gave up. He kicked off the blanket, his face wrinkled with exhaustion, hair messy, eyes tired. With sluggish, irritated steps, he opened the door and stepped out of the room.

In the hallway, he grumbled under his breath, "It's been five days and that bastard still hasn't visited me… Have I been forgotten? Is the weapon I'm keeping not that important?"

The corridor was quiet. Only the sound of his footsteps echoed softly.

Then suddenly, a familiar, playful voice cut in from behind.

"Yo~ I've been busy, you know."

Tora spun around immediately, instincts flaring. His body tensed, one hand almost forming a cursed seal, ready to fight.

But what he saw was a tall figure with a smug smile and signature blindfolded eyes.

"Gojo Satoru!?" Tora shouted, his voice caught between shock and anger. "Don't sneak up on me like that again!"

Gojo chuckled, slipping his hands casually into his jacket pockets.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me~ But I guess you missed me, huh?"

"Tch…" Tora clicked his tongue, but there was a trace of relief in his eyes that he didn't put into words.

Before Tora could throw in another complaint, Gojo stepped forward and patted his shoulder casually.

"Yosh, come with me for a bit," he said cheerfully.

And in an instant, both of them vanished—like brushstrokes wiped clean from the canvas of the world.