Chapter 24: The cycle of curses

Tokyo Cultural Exchange Arc – Part 2

Sirens wailed in the distance, but beneath the noise was something heavier — a pressure crawling along the skin.

It felt wrong.

Third-year sorcerers sprinted across rooftops toward the city center. Below them, cursed spirits flooded the streets.

But they weren’t attacking civilians. They were running-all in the same direction.

Ava blinked out of sight.

She reappeared mid-air, palm extended.

“Now!”

Nathan landed beside her, eyes cold and calculating.

Fugaku came down behind them, blade drawn.

Ava teleported again — reappearing behind a cluster of grotesque spirits — slicing through two before they could react.

Nathan placed two fingers against his temple.

“Information Overload.”

Then the cursed spirits froze mid-stride.

Their heads swelled unnaturally.

Pop.

Pop.

Pop.

And burst.

Blood and fragments rained down.

But Nathan didn’t flinch. A dark smear streaked across his cheek. A thin line of blood slipped from his nose.

But even as bodies collapsed, more spirits ran past them, Ignoring them.

Ava landed beside Nathan, breathing hard.

“They’re not fighting back…”

Another wave rushed past — not attacking, not defending.

Just moving.

“Where are they going?” she asked.

Nathan didn’t answer.

He was already looking toward the skyline.

Toward the city center.

Fugaku’s grip tightened around his weapon.

“…It’s her.”

Nathan’s eyes shifted.

Fugaku swallowed.

“That presence.”

A beat.

“She’s been possessed by him.”

Nathan moved instantly.

His hand shot out — grabbing Fugaku by the collar and lifting him off the ground.

“And how would you know?!"

Fugaku struggled for air.

“I—I felt it when I fought her.”

His voice cracked.

“That thing inside of her… it's awake.”

Nathan’s grip tightened.

For just a second.

Then he released him.

Fugaku dropped to his knees, gasping. Nathan turned away, whileAva stepped forward.

“Was it a good idea to send Jason and Kyo alone?”

Wind howled between the buildings.

More cursed spirits rushed past them — one even tripped, clawing its way forward desperately, as if drawn by something magnetic.

Fugaku stood slowly.

“I can vouch for Kyo.”

He wiped blood from his lip.

“He’s the fastest sorcerer in Japan.”

Nathan didn’t look back.

“…And we can vouch for Jason.”

A pause.

“He’s the strongest out of all of us.”

Another First-grade cursed spirit suddenly stopped mid-street. It turned, not toward them. But toward the city center.

It dropped to its knees, and bowed its head, as if in worship. 

The three sorcerers felt it at the same time.

Something in Tokyo had awakened.

And everything was answering to it.

The split mountain stood like a broken crown.

At its peak— stood Jaden with Ashley beside him.

Wind howled across the arena, carrying ash and dust through the air.

Below them, hundreds ofcursed spirits gathered.

They did not attack.

They bowed.

Up.

Down.

Up.

Down.

Low roars rolled through the valley like worshipping chants.

Ashley glanced sideways at him.

At the body he was wearing.

“…It’s still weird seeing you like this.”

Jaden looked down at his hands — flexing unfamiliar small fingers.

A small smile reached his face.

“I know, right?”

The body felt different.

He had lent Cyan fragments of power before.

But this was different.

This was occupation.

Ashley looked down at the spirits kneeling around the boulder.

“What are they doing?”

Jaden laughed softly.

“They think I’m their king.”

He tapped his temple.

“King of Curses. Remember?”

The cursed spirits roared louder, as if they understood.

Ashley stepped away, facing the distant city skyline.

“So what now?”

She didn’t turn around.

“You only have temporary control.”

Jaden closed his eyes.

The wind stopped. Birds scattered violently across the sky, clouds darkened, and the horizon bled red.

He inhaled.

“Extend.”

His cursed energy detonated outward.

The mountain beneath them cracked, and the air warped.

Cursed spirits closest to him were forced into the earth — crushed into a widening pit by invisible pressure alone.

A wave of energy rippled outward.

Two kilometers- and everything within that radius—

He could see.

Every building, every insect, every pulse of cursed energy.

A slow smile formed.

“…There are two interesting sorcerers heading this way.”

Ashley’s eyes sharpened.

“From Jujutsu High?”

A beat.

“…Think it’s Elle?”

Jaden opened his eyes.

Red light flickered within them.

“No.”

If it were her…

He would have known.

Then, two figures landed at the edge of the arena.

Dust rose.

Jason and Ryo appeared, Jason stepped forward first.

"So this is the King of Curses?" asked 

Jaden tilted his head slightly.

"Interesting."

He disappeared

Jason’s pupils shrank—

But it was too late.

Jaden stood between them.

Calm.

“Don’t mistake confidence for arrogance.”

His fist moved barely an inch.

A short, compact strike to Jason’s abdomen.

The air exploded outward.

Jason’s body bent unnaturally- blood sprayed from his mouth as he was launched across the arena, skipping across rock like a stone over water.

The mountain cracked again where he landed.

Ryo reacted instantly.

Hands moving into position—

“Proje—”

But Jaden’s foot was already buried into his stomach before Roy cluld complete his chant.

Ryo’s breath left his body in a violent gasp. His boy was launched mid-air and crashed into a stone floor.

Once the dust settled, Jason staggered to his feet, couughing blood, but still standing.

Jaden walked toward him slowly, each step echoing through the arena.

“Know your place.”

He raised two fingers.

The air around Jason shimmered.

“Dismantle.”

 The invisible slash tore through the air—Jason twisted at the last possible moment.

A thin line opened across his ribs. He grabbed Ryo and pulled him back, to create some distance.

Ryo stood, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

Jaden tilted his head.

“What are your techniques, boys?”

Both of them froze for a split second.

Jason’s eyes narrowed.

The king of should be more terrifying. He’s asking questions.

Jason frowned.

“…Why should we answer that?”

Jaden smiled faintly.

“That way your output doubles, no?”

Understanding flashed across Ryo’s eyes, and stepped forward.

“Projection Technique.”

His cursed energy sharpened.

“I divide one second into twenty-four frames.”

The world seemed to stutter— Ryo vanished. He reappeared in front of Jaden.

Strike.

Elbow.

Knee.

Palm.

Twenty-four calculated movements per second.

Relentless and precise 

But Jaden matched him, for the first few frames. Rocks shattered beneath their feet as they exchanged blows faster than sound.

Ashley watched from above, but even she struggled to follow.

Then— Ryo’s hand touched Jaden’s shoulder.

The world snapped, and Jaden froze- for ore.full second. That was all Jason needed.

He stepped in.

His cursed energy condensed around his fist.

“I can increase my velocity,”

He drove his fist forward.

“and also my mass.”

The force detonated on contact. Jaden was launched backward, smashing through a massive boulder.

The arena shook, dust swallowed everything.

Then the stone shifted, andJaden stepped out, unharmed.

But his expression had chchanged.It he seem was interested.

Jason and Ryo didn’t hesitate, they rushed him together.

Frame control and momentum bursts, and perfect coordination.

And this time— Jaden couldn’t keep up.

A strike grazed his jaw, another clipped his ribs, a third sent him skidding across stone.

Ashley’s eyes widened slightly.

They’re forcing him to adapt.

Jaden wiped a trace of blood from his lip.

Then— He smirked.

“Shadow Garden.”

 The words weren’t loud.

They didn’t need to be.

The shadow beneath Jaden did not spill—

It smoothly unfolded- like silk being laid across the world.

Darkness expanded in a perfect circle at his feet, and where it touched the arena floor, stone lost its color, and erased into matte black.

From that blackness—roses bloomed, growing outward.

Petals layered in glossy shadow. Thorns long and symmetrical, glinting like curved blades. Vines slithered across the ground with silent purpose, weaving through broken stone.

Ryo’s breathing became distant to his own ears.

Jason tried to speak, but his voice died inches from his mouth.

The Garden had rules now- and Jaden was the gardener.

He raised his hand slightly.

“Gravity Fold.”

Their shadows moved, Ryo felt it first. His shadow peeled a fraction away from his feet—then it grabbed him.

An Invisible gravitational force slammed him downward. His frame control shattered instantly and he was hit the ground.

Jason staggered back— but it was oo late.

His own shadow stretched unnaturally behind him before snapping forward, wrapping around his legs. His knees struck stone with a sickening crack.

Jaden stood untouched in the center of the blooming shadow roses.

Breathing became difficult for Jason and Ryo. The pressure increased exponentially. They tried to move, but they couldn’t.

Jaden walked toward them. Each step more effortless than the last. As if gravity did not apply to him.

He crouched between them, placed one hand on Ryo’s torso, and the other on Jason’s shoulder.

“Cleave.”

Ryo’s torso split where Jaden’s hand rested— flesh and bone separating cleanly. Jason’s shoulder tore open violently, blood erupting as muscle tore apart.

Their screams echoed through the arena, they collapsed- barely conscious.

Jaden stood over them, as Ashley landed beside him. She looked at the two sorcerers struggled to breathe.

“…Should I finish them?”

Jaden watched them for a long moment.

"No,"

He walked towards Ashley before saying.

"Jujutsu sorcerers are interesting, no matter the generation.”

He turned away.

“We have better things to do.”

Ashley followed him.

Inside Daisuke’s Domain

The sky inside the Domain fractured like stained glass, gravity tilted at unnatural angles.

Sound echoed twice- once forward and once backward.

Elle stood at the center of it, breathing hard.

Across from her— stood Megumi.

Beside him—Mahoraga.

Above—Nue.

They circled her.

She couldn’t rely on reflection. Mahoraga had already turned that against her.

She couldn’t rely on refraction. Megumi had adjusted his timing.

She couldn’t rely on light-based attacks, Nue dispersed and could refract them now.

Every advantage she had was now gone.

Elle teleported a few meters back, her cursed energy flickered.

Megumi’s breathing was uneven.

Mahoraga’s wheel turned slowly behind it.

Click.

Adaptation complete.

They rushed her simultaneously, from three angles, with perfect coordination.

Elle took long, deep breathes. The Domain’s distortion faded from her perception. The world slowed.

First—

Nue descended, lightning exploded toward Elle. She tilted her head, and the electricity passed inches from her cheek.

Then— Mahoraga’s fist cut through the air like a cannon. She stepped inside the strike, and parried it, twisted her hips, and landed a clean uppercut.

Mahoraga was launched through the fractured sky of the Domain, crashing into invisible boundaries.

The wheel spun violently.

Megumi was already there, with the Soul-Splitting Katana drawn. He threw a precise thrust toward her blind side.

Elle pivoted, and the blade grazed fabric. She stepped into his guard, and launched short and compact chain punches.

Each strike landed before the previous recoil finished: Ribs, solar plexus, jaw.

Megumi’s eyes widened. His body lifted off the ground from accumulated impact. He was sent flying across the Domain, skidding through broken terrain.

Mahoraga was recovering.

Nue circled.

Megumi forced himself upright.

Then he saw it.

Flashes of golden energy flickered around Elle’s body like solar flares trapped under her skin.

Her breathing had changed. It was calm and centered.

Megumi’s grip tightened around the katana.

“…Damn it.”

The realization settled in.

“This must be the Zone Tengen warned us about.”

The air around Elle shimmered.

For the first time since they entered the Domain— She was dictating the fight.