FYI
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
[Flashback/Recording/Quotes]
Other Communication
(Notes)
Abilities
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Note: COTE Year 2 Volume 12.5 and JJK Full Manga Spoilers
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Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood, leaning against a wall outside the building as Horikita Suzune stood beside him. They had just been officially recognised as Class A students and had entered their third year. The night sky was above them. The stars shone in the sky, illuminating their forms.
Horikita looked happy, but a part of her was also disappointed in herself for having to rely on Ayanokoji again. She sighed, asking, "Are you really choosing not to participate any more? You're acting like Koenji."
Kiyotaka gave her a monotone look and said, "Even I'll be insulted if you compare me to someone like Koenji."
Suzune gave a slight smile and said, "Perhaps I took it too far."
Kiyotaka looked at her seriously and said, "And yes. I intend to spend this last year here in peace."
Horikita looked at him, her feelings uncertain, and said, "I've always depended on you. I..."
Kiyotaka looked to her and said, "You've learnt enough from watching me, haven't you?"
Horikita sighed and said, "You're right. I'm acting spineless. You gave me Class A. It's up to me to maintain it."
Kiyotaka looked to her and said, "You'll struggle. I'm sure of that. But I've given you everything you need. It's up to you from now on."
Horikita looked to him and asked, "Is this all you really wanted? Wasn't there anything else?"
Kiyotaka looked to her and said, "The truth is that I've been invested in your growth. I want to see what you've become. To see what you're capable of without me."
Horikita looked at him and asked, "So... I've been a training project for you?"
Kiyotaka shook his head and said, "Not at first. At first, I didn't really acknowledge you."
Horikita looked annoyed before sighing, thinking, 'That makes sense.'
Kiyotaka however didn't allow that thought to remain and he continued, "Then I talked with your brother, and he convinced me that there was something special about you. Something that once I saw I wouldn't be able to ignore."
Horikita looked at Kiyotaka, thinking, 'Brother said something like that?'
Kiyotaka sighed and said, "At first, I was sceptical, but I saw it. Your potential for growth. You started out massively less capable than the other leaders in many facets, your strengths overshadowed by your weaknesses, but... now with minor intervention on my part... you're on par with them."
Horikita looked at him, confused, saying, "That kind of weakness. That's not at all something to be proud of."
"Humans don't change easily, yet you do. It's impressive. Your brother told me to leave a mark on this school. You are that mark."
Horikita looked at him, shocked at his acknowledgement. Something she knew deep down she yearned for.
Horikita looked to him, uncertainty in her eyes as she asked, "Why are you telling me all of this?"
Kiyotaka looked at her and said, "I'm telling you this because I want you to match our expectations in this final year."
Horikita nodded and said, "Very well."
She felt a warmth inside her as she said this.
Kiyotaka looked to her and said, "I don't see you as some kind of test subject anymore."
Horikita looked surprised and asked, "You... don't?"
Kiyotaka shook his head and said, "For some reason, things are different with you. I'm sure of it now."
Horikita looked at him with a blush and asked, "What are you implying by that?"
Kiyotaka looked to her and said, "I was able to smile with you. I'm not usually the type to express myself. I'm not sure about my feelings, but... at the very least I consider you a friend."
Horikita smiled at this and said, "I've thought of you as a friend for a while... Kiyotaka."
Kiyotaka's eyes widened slightly in surprise at her forwardness. It was uncharacteristic for her.
Kiyotaka showed a slight smile as he said, "I'm glad to hear it, Suzune."
Suzune blushed at this, thinking, 'He's so troublesome sometimes.'
They began walking back to the dorms when they noticed some first years with a box in their hands sneaking towards a building. Suzune sighed, thinking, 'What nonsense are they up to?'
Suzune moved to follow. Kiyotaka chose to follow behind her, interested in how she would resolve the situation.
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The first-year students entered the classroom and set down the box on the table. The boy smirked and asked, "What do you think is in it, Tamaki?"
Tamaki sighed and said, "Shoya, don't you think this is a bit childish? You should have handed it to the school."
Shoya sighed, saying, "Come on! Have some fun for once."
Shoya opened the box as he saw something wrapped in seals.
Shoya's black eyes focused on it as he tried to unwrap it, but that was when he heard a voice call out.
"What do you think you're doing here after hours?"
Suzune stood there, clearly not amused.
Shoya froze, exclaiming, "President Horikita?!!"
Tamaki looked to Suzune and stuttered out, "We were just um..."
Suzune sighed and said, "Put it down and go back to your dorms."
The two nodded as Shoya put down the object, and they rushed off. Suzune walked towards the box and the object, thinking, 'I'll put it back in the box and hand it over to the school.'
She reached over to the object as the seal tore.
Suzune sighed, thinking, 'Thanks to them this... thing. Whatever it is, it's damaged.'
Kiyotaka stood there and asked, "What is it?"
Suzune looked to him and replied, "I don't know. I'll hand it over to the school."
She put the object back in the box only to be flung into the wall, coughing from the impact as the box tumbled down next to where she was pinned.
Kiyotaka's eyes widened, thinking, 'What?!!'
Suzune was pinned to the wall and unconscious.
Kiyotaka stood there in shock when another first-year student rushed into the room, shouting, "Demon Dogs!"
Kiyotaka looked at him, confused, thinking, 'What is he doing?'
He could not see the Curse or the Shikigami.
The Demon Dogs began biting the Curse as it was exorcised. Kiyotaka ran over, catching Suzune mid-fall and checking her vitals.
'Alive and breathing. No irregularities from what I can tell. Maybe a concussion.'
Kiyotaka finished looking over her, carefully laying her on the ground before looking to the first-year student.
"You are... Class 1-A student, Fushiguro Megumi."
Megumi looked to Kiyotaka and said, "It looks like everything is okay. How's President Horikita?"
"She's fine, but what is this all about?"
Megumi sighed and said, "You two were attacked by a cursed spirit. I've exorcised it."
Kiyotaka looked to Megumi and asked, "So you can see it but not me?"
Megumi nodded, saying, "That's right."
Megumi looked to Kiyotaka and thought, 'He has... no Cursed Energy at all? Is he... like Maki? No... even Maki-Senpai has some Cursed Energy. But... something about him feels weird.'
Kiyotaka looked to Megumi and asked, "It was after that object, right? Can I ask why?"
Kiyotaka looked around, keeping an eye out for any abnormalities, as Megumi then responded, saying, "Cursed Spirits would want to eat it to gain more Cursed Energy."
Kiyotaka looked to him and asked, "How do I counter these creatures if it's possible for me to ask?"
Megumi sighed and said, "It's not possible for you. Maybe with a Cursed tool, but on your own, you can't."
Kiyotaka looked to Megumi and thought it through.
'It might have to do with what he calls [Cursed Energy].'
Kiyotaka picked up the box and reached out, ready to hand it over to Megumi, saying, "Thank you for your help."
Megumi reached out to grab it, saying, "You don't have to thank me. Keep President Horikita safe while I secure..."
He didn't finish what he said as he looked up, seeing a Grade 1 Curse and pushed Kiyotaka away as he was punched through the floor and down to the ground level.
Kiyotaka's eyes again widened, thinking, 'They're... that strong? And how did it manage to avoid my senses? Are they that difficult to detect?'
Kiyotaka jumped back to avoid the falling debris as he looked back to see Suzune still lying there.
Kiyotaka ran out of the room with the finger, thinking, 'Why am I doing this? Drawing it away? Even if I've grown to value her, isn't this taking things too far?'
Kiyotaka then heard a pained voice as he looked back and saw Suzune floating in the air. Kiyotaka sighed, thinking, 'I can't see what's going on, but I don't really need to be able to see. Taking a hostage? They're smart, aren't they?'
Kiyotaka felt a drop of sweat fall from his head as he tossed the box to the side, and the Curse let go of Suzune as Kiyotaka caught her and saw the box float. He set down Suzune as he calculated the speed and compared it to his own, and he contemplated his next move.
'I can't outrun it with Suzune on my back. Drawing it away from her isn't possible, as it will take her hostage. I don't have Cursed Energy, so... I can't kill it...'
Kiyotaka looked at the finger. The box was a decoy. He had thrown it as a distraction.
'If I let the Curse eat this, it'll probably get stronger and just kill us.'
Kiyotaka sighed, saying, "If I die from this, then I want you to know that you created a turning point for me, Horikita Suzune. Thank you for that."
Kiyotaka unwrapped the object, revealing a red finger as Kiyotaka swallowed it. It took a second as several Curses appeared at Grade 1 Level. They swarmed towards Kiyotaka, only to be sliced to bits with ease as a second pair of eyes appeared on Kiyotaka's face along with tattoos all across his body.
Kiyotaka walked towards the window, kicking it as it shattered, and shouted out in a voice that wasn't his own, "Oh, this is great!!! A new vessel for me to live in! Hm...? This kid... how interesting."
The being controlling Kiyotaka's body looked out the window and shouted, "So it's a new era. How marvellous! Women and Children are crawling all over like maggots! It'll be a massacre!"
That's when Kiyotaka grabbed his own chin, saying, "Stop making such a fuss. You'll wake everyone in the school up."
The being seemed confused, thinking, 'Wait, he's suppressing me?!!'
Kiyotaka looked annoyed, a rare emotion for him, and he said, "My head suddenly has this weird information. Give me my body back already."
The being looked surprised and said, "Oh? What an interesting Cursed Technique. Heh heh."
Kiyotaka sighed and said, "That's what it's called, huh? A Cursed Technique. I'll be making good use of it."
Megumi finally made his way back up the stairs, still a bit bruised but standing, and that's when he saw the tattoos, thinking, 'No way! The Special Grade Curse was... reincarnated?!!'
Megumi sweated as he looked at Kiyotaka and thought, 'Why... why can't I see his Cursed Energy? He should be overflowing with it!'
Megumi made a hand sign and shouted, "Demon Dogs!"
Kiyotaka looked and saw the shikigami dodging the attacks and asked, "What are you doing?"
Megumi looked at him seriously and declared, "Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. As per Jujutsu regulations. I will now exorcise you as a Cursed Spirit!"
Kiyotaka looked at him darkly and said, "With this power, I'm sure of it. There are things I can accomplish now that I couldn't before. I am not willing to die."
Megumi made a hand sign, but Kiyotaka ran towards Megumi, whose eyes widened, thinking, 'This is not good. He's fast!'
Megumi took a step back as Kiyotaka rushed at him and threw a punch that Megumi blocked with both his arms. He didn't even feel Kiyotaka's fist hit him. It was like something else had hit him first as he was flung back into a wall.
Megumi refocused, thinking, 'What the hell? What kind of striking force is that? It's not as strong as Maki-Senpai's hits, but still!'
Kiyotaka looked to Megumi and said, "There are people I can deal with. Consequently, getting rid of them will make other people's lives better. I'm not going to claim to be a saint, but I refuse to die. I'll drop out and come with you. There must be some kind of alternative right?"
Megumi hesitated replying, "I... No. You can't be allowed to leave this place alive!"
That's when Gojo teleported onto the scene to see Megumi catching Kiyotaka's fist as he bled from his hand. There was also blood dripping from Megumi's arm.
Gojo looked at them and asked, "What's going on here?"
Megumi jumped back and said, "The Special Grade Curse has been reincarnated."
Gojo deadpanned, asking, "Eh? Seriously?"
Gojo looked to Kiyotaka and thought, 'He's suppressing Sukuna? Impressive. The blood from Megumi's hand and arm. A normal strike shouldn't cause that. Is it some kind of Cursed Technique? No... I can't see any Cursed Energy on him at all.'
Gojo smirked, stretching his legs and saying, "Hey, kid. Let him out for 10 seconds."
Kiyotaka looked at him and asked, "Are you sure?"
Gojo smiled, saying, "Don't worry. I'm the strongest."
Kiyotaka sighed and said, "Fine. If that's what you want."
Kiyotaka relinquished control, thinking, '10 seconds.'
Sukuna gained control as he rushed towards Gojo, who teleported, appearing behind him and sitting on his back, saying, "My student is watching, so I'm going to show off a little."
They went into an exchange of strikes that was completely one-sided, but Gojo noticed something. Sukuna was able to touch him despite Infinity, as he then realised it. He and Sukuna thought the same thing at the same time.
'This kid's Cursed Energy is... invisible! In addition, it has actual physical mass!'
Gojo quickly overwhelmed Sukuna, who clicked his tongue, thinking, 'Not enough, huh? Sorcerers are so annoying, whether they're from back then or from now.'
Gojo smiled and said, "10" as Kiyotaka retook control.
Sukuna looked annoyed, thinking, 'Who the hell is this kid?'
Gojo smirked, thinking, 'Invisible Cursed Energy that has physical mass. Something not even my Six Eyes can detect. Now that's something!'
Kiyotaka sighed and said, "If you're going to apprehend me, then go ahead. I know there's no point in resisting."
Gojo walked over and tapped Kiyotaka on the forehead as he fell unconscious. Gojo turned to Megumi and asked, "So Megumi. What do you think we should do?"
Megumi sighed and said, "Standard Jujutsu regulations say we should exorcise him as a Cursed Spirit."
Gojo smiled and asked, "But?"
Megumi sighed and said, "But he did try his best in the worst situation. He didn't abandon President Horikita when it was his best bet to sacrifice her. He's insane but... I guess I'd say that he isn't a bad guy."
Gojo smiled and said, "Alright. I'll handle it."
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Kiyotaka sat tied to a chair as Gojo sat in front of him and said, "Well, we weren't able to cancel your execution."
Kiyotaka deadpanned and said, "You wouldn't wake me up and tell me all of that if you didn't have some kind of solution, so what is it?"
Gojo smiled and said, "You see this finger?"
Gojo held up one of Sukuna's fingers. He threw it at the wall and attacked it with Cursed Energy, but it was unharmed.
"We can't destroy them. You see, our elders are cowards, which is why they want to execute you immediately, but... if you ate the other fingers of Sukuna and then died..."
"Sukuna would die with me?"
Gojo smiled and confirmed it.
"That's right! 100 points to you, Kiyotaka-kun!"
Kiyotaka deadpanned and asked, "Can I use the 100 points to cancel my execution?"
Gojo laughed and said, "No, but you can use them to delay it until you eat all of Sukuna's 20 fingers."
Kiyotaka sighed and asked, "Why would I agree to anything if I'll just be executed?"
Gojo sighed and said, "Kiyotaka-Kun. I'm looking to gather powerful allies. Will you be my ally?"
"I have no reason to trust you that much. If you can't give me reassurance, then..."
Gojo sighed and said, "I can't stop the execution. I can only delay it."
Kiyotaka looked to him and asked, "That look in your eyes... you're planning to delay it indefinitely?"
Gojo looked surprised and said, "We can make a binding vow between the two of us."
"A binding vow?"
Gojo smiled and said, "It's a contract that can't be broken. I will delay your execution indefinitely, as best as I can, and in exchange, you will protect innocent people from Curses to the best of your ability."
Gojo held out his hand, freeing Kiyotaka with a single motion before offering it as a handshake. Kiyotaka took his hand, shaking it and said, "Very well. I'll join you as an ally."
Kiyotaka felt a difference in his soul, confirming the binding vow's placement.
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To Be Continued
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