A deafening *CRACK* echoed across the crater.
Aiden and Yuji both flew sideways, stumbling as Aoi Todo's monstrous palm connected squarely with their cheeks. The slap wasn't just physical—it was a psychological reset button, snapping them out of their guilt-induced trance instantly.
"WAKE UP!" Todo roared, his voice trembling with barely contained rage.
Both Aiden and Yuji stumbled, clutching their smarting cheeks, the violent shock finally snapping the loop of horror in their minds. Todo loomed over them, vibrating with fury, his normally confident expression replaced with sheer, unbridled rage.
"Are you two seriously having a fucking pity party while people are *still dying*?!"
Todo's voice boomed across the ruins, cracking with emotion. "You think sitting there feeling guilty fixes anything?! You think crying about what happened changes the fact that Sukuna is STILL standing?!" He grabbed Aiden by the collar, then Yuji. "You two are my BROTHERS! The strongest sorcerers I know! And right now you're acting like pathetic children!"
Todo's fury didn't stop. "Listen to me, you two! Mahito is STILL out there! That coward hasn't shown himself yet, but he's watching! Waiting! And right now, every second you waste feeling sorry for yourselves, he's finding more victims!" He shook them both violently. "You want redemption? You want to fix this? THEN FIGHT!"
The guilt instantly hardened into resolve. Aiden wiped the blood from his lip, the horror fading into cold determination. Yuji clenched his fists, his expression shifting from despair to burning rage. The pity party was over.
Todo stepped back, nodding firmly. "There they are. My brothers." He pointed toward the lingering aura of malice in the distance. "Mahito is waiting."
*CRASH.*
A body slammed into the cracked earth between Aiden and Yuji. Dust and debris flew everywhere as a figure rose from the impact crater—scars covering his entire body, eyes slanting with malice, hair pale and wild.
Mahito grinned that shit-eating grin, fingers twitching as he straightened up. "Missed me, boys?"
The absolute mockery in Mahito's expression set something off instantly. The scarred cursed spirit stood there, looking entirely too pleased with himself, knowing full well that the destruction of Shibuya had happened partly because the two boys had been distracted.
Aiden and Yuji weren't grieving anymore. They were fucking furious.
Todo placed a hand on both their shoulders. "There he is."
Without hesitation, both Aiden and Yuji launched themselves at Mahito simultaneously.
Aiden's **Cleave** carved through the air with blistering speed, aiming to bisect him vertically. At the same moment, Yuji threw a devastating straight punch enhanced by his cursed energy.
Mahito's grin only widened. "Finally—some entertainment!"
Mahito barely dodged Aiden's Cleave, the slash missing his face by inches—but Yuji's punch connected squarely with his jaw. The impact sent Mahito skidding back, his mouth splitting open.
"Beautiful!" Mahito laughed, blood dripping from his chin as he twisted his neck back into place with a sickening crack. "The two little vessels finally fighting together!"
Todo didn't hesitate—he launched himself into the fray with terrifying speed. His massive fist came down like a falling skyscraper, aiming straight for Mahito's skull.
The cursed spirit's eyes widened—this was three opponents now. He barely rolled sideways, the ground where he stood cratering instantly.
"THREE?!" Mahito hissed, his grin faltering.
Mahito's jaw unhinged with a sickening *crack*, stretching impossibly wide. From the depths of his throat, a torrent of mutated limbs and distorted faces poured out—a river of Transfigured Humans screaming as they spilled onto the battlefield. They were mindless weapons, twisted flesh and bone under Mahito's absolute control.
"Party time!"
Aiden slammed his palms into the ground, black shadows erupting like volcanic ash. From the darkness, a monstrous silhouette rose—towering, muscular, with three heads: one lion, one serpent, one wolf—all roaring in unison.
**Agito**
Agito launched forward like a living catastrophe. Its three heads tore through the transfigured humans like a scythe through wheat. The lion head crushed torsos beneath its jaws while the serpent head whipped around decapitating multiple targets in a single swing. The wolf head shredded through mutated limbs with feral ferocity.
The screeching symphony of the transfigured humans echoed across Shibuya as Agito systematically eradicated every single one.
While Aiden's Agito tore through the transfigured humans, Mahito used the distraction—blurring at impossible speed directly toward Todo. The massive sorcerer barely had time to register the movement before Mahito was right in his face, fingers already reaching for his chest.
Mahito's palm slammed against Todo's left hand, his transfiguration technique flaring to life.
*CRUNCH.*
The sound of severed bone echoed through the battlefield. Todo didn't even flinch, watching calmly as his own hand, now nothing but a severed stump, dropped to the ground. His face betrayed no pain—only cold calculation.
"Cute trick."
Mahito stared at the stump, his grin faltering for the first time. "What the—?"
Before Mahito could react to Todo's brutal counter-move, Yuji's fist connected squarely with his ribs. The sound was sickening—a wet, cracking impact that sent Mahito flying backward through three buildings, each structure crumbling like cardboard.
Mahito skidded across the asphalt, coughing up blood. He tried to laugh but only sputtered. "You..."
Mahito pushed himself up from the wreckage, his form shifting and twisting. The scars and grotesque features that made up his face became smoother—almost beautiful in a terrifying way. His entire body transformed, the grotesque mask of flesh replaced with something sleek and inhumanly elegant.
His eyes widened with a sick, childish delight.
"This is it,"
Mahito's body contorted into a rigid, muscular carapace—an armored shell that looked like a twisted blend of martial artist and demon. Horns sprouted from his head, his eyes glowing with a terrifying intensity. His limbs were now powerful and jointed unnaturally, ending in razor-sharp claws.
"Now," Mahito whispered, voice deep and resonant, "nothing holds me back."
The air cracked around him. Todo cursed, pressing the stump of his wrist against a bandage. Yuji dropped into a fighting stance, cursed energy flaring around his fists. Aiden recalled Agito, knowing this fight just got five times harder.
Mahito lunged. Not at Yuji.
Aiden moved with lightning speed, his hands wrapping around Mahito's ankles mid-air as he lunged at Todo. The cursed spirit's momentum carried him forward, but Aiden's sudden grab twisted his trajectory. Mahito yelped in surprise as he was suddenly dragged downward instead of crashing into Todo.
The world slowed.
Aiden's fingers lost grip. Mahito's hand suddenly flickered with black sparks—the unmistakable crackling energy of a Black Flash. The impact sent Aiden flying across the battlefield, crashing through three buildings before finally stopping.
He lay in the rubble, chest heaving, vision swimming with black spots.
Todo didn't hesitate—his cursed technique activated.
The space around Mahito warped violently as Todo forced the cursed spirit forward, manipulating his position like a chess piece. The trajectory was precise—aiming directly at Yuji's waiting fist.
Mahito, trapped by the sudden movement, couldn't dodge.
*CRACK.*
The world flickered in black.
The armored carapace shattered like glass. The horns cracked, the muscular distortion melted away, and Mahito collapsed back into his scarred, patchwork humanoid form. His breathing was ragged, his body trembling violently as his cursed energy reserves bottomed out.
He lay broken on the asphalt, his transformation completely undone. Todo leaned heavily against a pillar clutching his severed wrist.
The subway station was eerily quiet, the flickering lights casting long shadows across the cracked tiles. Eso and Kechizu—now in their transfigured female forms, looking like ethereal, deadly beautiful women with flowing hair and elegant features—stumbled upon the scene.
Choso sat slumped against a pillar, his blood manipulation tattoos pulsing faintly. His head was in his hands, breathing ragged.
"Brother..."
The voice was soft, almost delicate. Choso blinked, looking up. Before him stood two beautiful women—one with cascading dark hair and sharp features (Eso), the other with softer curves and innocent eyes (Kechizu). Their transfigured forms were elegant, feminine, and completely unlike the monstrous shapes they'd once held.
Choso stared blankly.
"Eso... Kechizu..." Choso's voice was barely a whisper, his mind racing. The last time he'd seen them, their cursed energy signals had disappeared—completely vanished from his perception. He'd assumed they were dead, absorbed by stronger curses or destroyed in battle.
He stared at their elegant, feminine forms, completely unable to reconcile the beautiful women standing before him with the monstrous brothers he had mourned. The logic of Curse Spirit Manipulation dictated that their disappearance meant death. Yet here they were, very much alive.
"How?" Choso whispered, clutching his chest. "I felt your signals vanish... I thought you were dead."
Eso stepped forward, her voice now feminine and melodic. "Aiden... he's the one who changed us. He kept our essences intact when the signal disappeared. He... loves us, brother."
She tilted her head, exposing a graceful neck. "He treats us like his women. His... wives, really." Kechizu nodded, her softer features glowing under the subway lights.
Choso's eyes widened, processing this new information. His brothers—once towering, grotesque figures of muscle and sinew—were now these elegant, breathtaking women standing before him. And they spoke of Aiden with such devotion, calling him their husband.
His mind reeled. "So you're... still you? Just... transformed?" He reached out hesitantly.
Eso gently took Choso's hand, her skin unnaturally smooth and warm. "Essence remains, brother. Aiden... he saved our souls. The signal disappeared because he kept us hidden. He loves us deeply—we are his partners, his women, his everything."
Kechizu nodded, her feminine form swaying gently. "He remade us. He wanted beautiful wives."
Choso stared at their transformed bodies—Eso's sharp elegance, Kechizu's soft curves. "And you're okay with this? Being... women? Being his?"
*Back at the battlefield:* Mahito groaned weakly, trying to push himself up. Yuji stood over him, fists clenched. "Give it up, Mahito. It's over."
The atmosphere suddenly shifted. A casual stroll, footsteps echoing—Suguru Geto (Kenjaku) stepped out from the shadows, eyes fixed on the broken Mahito.
The Cursed Spirit Manipulation technique activated instantaneously.
A vortex of cursed energy erupted around Mahito. He struggled, reaching out with clawed hands, screaming in protest—but it was too late.
Aiden blurred across the battlefield, moving faster than the eye could track. He slid in front of Todo just as Kenjaku finished absorbing Mahito, shielding the disabled fighter. Todo was pale, swaying dangerously on his feet and clutching his severed wrist, his immense strength drained.
Kenjaku adjusted his sunglasses, a small smirk playing on Geto's lips.
"Aiden, how pleasant to see you again. Though I must say, your companions seem to be in quite the predicament." Geto's voice was smooth, almost friendly—yet underlying it was an icy threat. He tilted his head, studying Todo's wounded state. "I could end this quickly..."
The situation flipped instantly.
Panda slammed into the battlefield with the force of a tank, flanked by the entire Kyoto student contingent: Mai Zenin, Noritoshi Kamo, Kasumi Miwa, Toge Inumaki, and Mechamaru.
They immediately formed a protective barrier around Todo, Yuji, and Aiden.
Panda stood tall, arms crossed. "Looks like we missed the party." Mai gripped her rifle, eyes locked on Kenjaku. Kamo positioned himself strategically, Miwa unsheathed her katana, and Inumaki muttered "Salmon" while assessing the threat.
Kenjaku's smirk widened—absorbing Mahito had given him a massive power boost. "More sorcerers?"
A soft, almost playful voice cut through the tension. "Ara ara~ I think that's enough excitement for one night."
Uraume emerged from the shadows, fingers delicately tracing the air. An instant later, every person on the scene—except Kenjaku—froze completely mid-motion. Todo collapsed forward, frozen mid-stagger.
The battlefield went deathly silent. Everyone was paralyzed—Aiden, Todo, Yuji, Panda, Mai, Miwa, and even the Kyoto students. Their bodies encased in unbreakable ice, trapped in whatever pose they'd held.
Uraume stepped forward, frost swirling around her elegant fingers. She walked slowly, admiringly, past the frozen sorcerers.
Choso appeared in a blur, his blood spear slicing through the ice encasing Aiden and Yuji with surgical precision. The frozen layer shattered, releasing them. Aiden stumbled forward, regaining his footing instantly while Choso's other hand freed Yuji.
Eso and Kechizu—still in their transformed feminine forms—arrived behind him.
Yuji blinked, still processing the sudden rescue. "Are... are you on our side?" He asked suspiciously, eyeing Choso and his accompanying curses—Eso and Kechizu—warily. Aiden stood tall, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana, ready for any threat.
"We are brothers," Choso stated firmly, his blood manipulation tattoos pulsing. "He is the one who shares our blood. Our brother."
Eso and Kechizu stepped forward, their beautiful feminine forms swaying elegantly as they nodded. "We are part of the same family," Eso added, her melodic voice unmistakable. Yuji's jaw dropped.
"You have quite the family yuji."
Kenjaku chuckled coldly, his eyes narrowing. "What an amusing family tree. A curse and a human, and even curses that act like wives?" He sneered, his fingers twitching impatiently. "But I don't have time for games. I have plans to attend to, and these children stand in my way."
Before Aiden could even draw his weapon or surge forward, Choso extended a bloodied arm, blocking his path. The eldest brother's expression was dark, murder radiating off his aura. He stepped in front of Aiden, placing himself directly between his younger brothers and the monster wearing Geto's face.
"Stay back," Choso commanded, his voice low and trembling with suppressed rage.
"Fine I will handle Uraume."
Aiden nodded silently, respecting Choso's seniority. He turned toward Uraume, who still stood frozen in place watching the chaos unfold.
Uraume's eyes narrowed dangerously as Aiden approached. "Oh? The boy who plays with shadows wants to challenge my ice?" She smirked, raising her fingers. "You'll find my frost doesn't thaw so easily."
"Trust me, I'm more than that." He didn't waste any time using idol, transfiguration eyes are turning into a blade going straight for the kill.
The atmosphere turned electric. Aiden moved—not like a sorcerer, but something faster, more primal. He vanished in the blink of an eye, a blur of speed that defied logic.
Uraume's eyes widened—too fast, too direct.
She couldn't react quickly enough. His blade already hummed past her defenses, aimed straight at her throat.
Uraume gasped, her icy composure shattering as death rushed toward her. Her fingers twitched—she couldn't freeze him. He moved faster than her technique could cycle.
Her throat was exposed, her reign of terror hanging by a thread.
Behind her, Kenjaku's eyes widened—he hadn't expected Aiden to discard everything and go straight for the kill.
In a split second, Kenjaku abandoned the confrontation entirely. With a sharp snap of his fingers, he instantly recalled Uraume, snatching her out of the path of Aiden's killing stroke just as the blade would have connected.
The duo flickered out of existence, warping away via Cursed Spirit manipulation. The battlefield fell instantly silent, the tension popping like a bubble.
"Todo you should not be moving."
Todo waved him off stubbornly. "I've had worse—" He stumbled, his severed wrist still bleeding heavily, cursed energy reserves dangerously low.
Aiden's gaze darkened—he knew Todo was barely holding together.
Meanwhile, the Kyoto students were regrouping cautiously, weapons still drawn. Mai glared at Choso—whom she still distrusted.
"Go, Yuji, go."
Yuji hesitated only a second, realizing Aiden wasn't arguing. He squeezed Todo's hand briefly before pulling back.
Choso immediately grabbed Yuji, pulling him tight. Eso and Kechizu flanked them, surrounding their brother protectively.
Without another word, the siblings vanished—blood manipulation carrying them away instantly. Aiden turned his full attention back to Todo.