Shattered | Gojo Satoru

𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 : 𝓉𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒

The moment the call goes dead, Gojo's entire world seems to tilt on its axis. His chest heaves, his pulse racing in a way that only happens when he's on the brink of losing control. The silence in the room thickens, pressing against him, amplifying the echoes of Miyu's last words.

"I'm tearing it down."

He can still hear her voice reverberating in his mind, soft but unyielding, as if she were already pulling at the threads of the barrier even before the call ended. His vision blurs for a second as a surge of panic and anger knots in his stomach.

"Kiyoko!" Gojo's voice rips through the air like a lash, his usual controlled demeanor shattered. His feet are already moving, crossing the room as if standing still will suffocate him. "Trace her. Now."

Kiyoko looks up from the corner, her usual calm expression faltering under the raw desperation in Gojo's voice. She nods, her fingers immediately flying over the map and intricate runes she's been working on, trying to locate any shred of Miyu's presence.

"Give me a second," Kiyoko mutters, her voice steady despite the rising tension in the room. The others—Nanami, Shoko, Yaga, and even the quieter ones—watch in heavy silence. Everyone knows what's at stake, but the weight of it now feels unbearable.

Gojo stands still for a brief moment, his fists clenched at his sides, jaw tight. Each second stretches out like an eternity. The room feels thick with anticipation, his skin crawling as if the air itself is taunting him. How could he have let this happen? How did it come to this? The regret claws at him.

For what feels like forever, the only sound is the frantic rustle of Kiyoko working, mixed with Gojo's labored breaths.

Then, it happens.

A shift.

It's subtle at first, almost like the drop in pressure before a storm hits. But then it sweeps through the room like a tidal wave—an oppressive, heavy shift in energy that washes over them all. Gojo's eyes narrow, his head snapping to the side as he feels it, raw and familiar.

Everyone around him straightens, their expressions tightening in response to the sudden shift. Nanami's brow furrows as he takes a step forward, his eyes scanning the room. Shoko's hands tighten into fists, her usually composed face drawn with concern. Yaga stands rooted, his eyes locked on Gojo, knowing what this means.

Kiyoko's fingers freeze over the map, her breath hitching. Her eyes go wide, pupils dilating as if she's just been hit with a rush of clarity. "No..." she whispers, her voice trembling with realization. "It's... the barrier."

Gojo's heart skips a beat.

"It's gone," Kiyoko breathes, still staring in shock. She turns to face Gojo, her lips parted in disbelief. "She... she did it."

The words sink in like stones dropping into the pit of his stomach. For a moment, everything seems to slow, as if the weight of those words is too much for the room to bear.

"She really tore it down," Shoko murmurs, her voice almost inaudible, filled with disbelief and a tinge of fear.

Gojo feels like he's been punched in the gut. His mind races, scrambling to comprehend the enormity of what just happened. The barrier—his barrier—that he had placed on Miyu, the one thing keeping her hidden, safe from whatever was out there, from whatever twisted plan was in motion, is gone.

And she did it herself.

"I can feel her," Kiyoko continues, her voice shaky. "She's... she's been at her apartment this whole time."

Gojo's eyes snap to hers, his heart pounding violently in his chest. "What?"

Kiyoko nods, her eyes wide with disbelief. "She wasn't lying. She's been there, Satoru. She's been waiting for you."