I am Overhaul in Jujutsu Kaisen World

Maki frowned. "Yeah, this doesn't sit right with me either. That kind of concentration… it's no coincidence." She raised her weapon, squinting into the distance. "Either this neighborhood's been cursed… or someone gathered them here on purpose. But why?"

Toge suddenly snapped his head toward the end of the street, as if he'd heard something. He tugged lightly at his collar, ready to speak, but before he could utter a word, Maki held up a hand.

"Wait… you feel that?"

The air around them seemed to freeze, heavy and oppressive. The silence that followed was almost surreal, like the entire neighborhood was holding its breath. Maki tightened her grip on her naginata, her eyes scanning the shadows.

Something churned in her gut. It wasn't fear—Maki knew fear well and had learned to conquer it. No, this was different. More primal, as if every nerve in her body was screaming at her to turn back, to run now.

"This isn't normal," she muttered, her jaw clenched.

Toge gave a slow nod, his hand still hovering near his collar.

Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through the empty streets, rattling rusted signs hanging over abandoned shops. The sound wasn't natural—it was almost like whispers, voices speaking in an unknown tongue.

"Toge, can you track where it's coming from?"

He lowered his gaze, focusing. His lips moved slightly, though no sound escaped. After a moment, he silently pointed toward a dark alley to their left.

Maki sniffed the air, then moved forward cautiously.

They navigated the narrow alley and stepped into a small, deserted square. At its center stood an old stone statue, weathered and cracked, yet somehow watching them with an unsettling intensity. Dark marks, resembling claw scratches, marred its surface. At the statue's base, a swirling vortex of black energy pulsed like a grotesque, living heart.

"So that's where they're coming from…" Maki whispered.

Toge approached, his expression grave. He twisted his collar sharply and said, "Dissipate."

A wave of light rippled outward from him, but to their shock, it had no effect on the dark vortex. Instead of fading, the energy quivered violently, emitting a deep, ominous hum.

"What the hell is this thing?" Maki growled, her fingers tightening around her weapon's shaft.

A low rumble echoed through the square. Slowly, something began to rise from the swirling void. At first, it was just a formless shadow, but then came massive arms, razor-sharp claws, and eyes that burned with pure, unrelenting hatred.

Maki took a step back before planting her feet firmly.

"Toge, no holding back this time."

Maki's frustration boiled over as she adjusted her stance.

Toge murmured with deliberate weight:

"…Grilled salmon."

That single word carried a chilling gravity. It sent a shiver down Maki's spine. She tightened her grip on the naginata, her eyes darting to every corner.

A metallic clang echoed behind them. Toge spun around instantly. A slender figure, almost human but grotesquely contorted, emerged from the corner of the alley they had just crossed. Its limbs bent at impossible angles, and its face was a featureless mask, as though sculpted from black clay.

Maki raised her weapon.

"Is that what's controlling this circle?" she murmured.

The creature didn't respond. It simply stared at them in silence. Then, slowly, it raised a bony hand, pointing directly at them.

Toge tilted his head slightly and said calmly, "Vibrations."

The ground quaked as a deafening sonic wave burst forth from him, ripping toward the creature. But instead of recoiling or taking damage like other curses, it absorbed the attack. A surge of black energy rebounded, slamming into Maki and Toge and sending them flying.

They quickly got to their feet, brushing off the dust. Maki shot the creature an irritated glance.

"Toge, no more testing. We're taking this thing down now."

She charged. The creature lunged forward to meet her, its claws gouging deep furrows into the cobblestone. Their clash sent a shockwave through the air, shattering the walls around them.

Toge repositioned himself behind Maki, ready to support her assault.

Beyond the plaza, shadows gathered in the dark alleys. More curses were converging on their position, drawn by the power of the circle.

Maki growled under her breath, narrowly dodging a vicious swipe from the creature. She drove her blade into its torso, but instead of collapsing, the beast twisted and reformed around the wound, ejecting the metal as though it were a mere splinter.

Toge seized the opportunity.

"Crush," he intoned, his voice rumbling across the plaza.

The ground fractured, chunks of stone rising and smashing into the creature from all directions. This time, it was hurled backward, crashing against a statue.

"Still not strong enough, huh?" Maki said, panting.

The creature moved again, preparing for another assault.

And then a scream echoed from down the street.

It was coming from Yuta's direction.

---

A searing pain shot through Yuta's body as an invisible blade struck him. He screamed at the top of his lungs, collapsing to his knees as his left arm dangled uselessly at his side, severed at the shoulder. Blood poured freely, staining his uniform and the ground beneath him.

"YUTA!" Panda roared, ready to charge to his aid.

But before he could move, massive shadows erupted from the surrounding alleys, rushing toward him. Panda fought back, hurling several creatures away with sheer force, but their numbers kept growing, an overwhelming tide crashing down on him.

Yuta, his teeth clenched, tried to stem the unbearable pain by pressing his wrist against the gaping wound. His vision blurred, each breath a struggle.

Then, something strange happened.

His ring began to glow with an eerie energy. A bright light burst forth, and a curse materialized before him. It let out a guttural cry, its gaze filled with both rage and sorrow as it turned toward Yuta.

"Don't... cry..." Yuta whispered weakly.

The curse let out a low, mournful wail. Its movements were frantic, filled with desperate anger, but instead of attacking, it knelt beside Yuta, pressing what resembled formless hands against his bleeding chest.

Suddenly, an unexpected sound pierced the chaos.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The sharp, deliberate echo of applause cut through the mayhem.

TO BE CONTINUED!

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Next Chapter on 29 January 2025 : Could you please Die? (4)