Jujutsu Kaisen: Mystic Eyes of Death Perception

Chapter 23: A Familiar Encounter

Third Person POV

In the dimly lit room, the soft flicker of lanterns cast long shadows on the talismans that lined every wall. Shiki stood next to Gojo, her eyes fixed on the unconscious figure of Itadori Yuji, slumped in a chair and bound by thick ropes that snaked across the floor.

The talismans, meticulously placed to suppress cursed energy, seemed almost excessive to Shiki. She had dealt with curses, yet this setup struck her as overkill. She remained silent for a moment, her gaze lingering on the boy's peaceful face, then turned her attention to Gojo.

"What's with the over-containment?" she muttered, her voice laced with quiet curiosity. "He's just a kid."

"Well, that 'just a kid' also happens to be the vessel for Sukuna, the King of Curses," Gojo replied.

"You're wondering why we didn't just cut him down right there, aren't you?"

"Not really? Megumi wants him alive, so there's that."

She wasn't interested in the moral dilemmas of keeping Sukuna's vessel around. If Megumi wanted the Itadori boy alive, that was enough for her.

"Haha, that's so very like you, Shiki. But you can guess how the higher-ups reacted when they heard the news, right?" Gojo's tone shifted between amusement and exasperation as he folded his arms, glancing at her.

Shiki gave a slight nod. The higher-ups, ever paranoid, would see Itadori as nothing more than a ticking time bomb. She knew they'd prefer to eliminate him rather than gamble on containing Sukuna. Yet none of that stirred any emotion in her. If anything, the situation was just another example of the twisted logic behind the Jujutsu society's decisions.

Not that she was against it, though. If she thought logically, eliminating Itadori made sense. A vessel for the King of Curses was a liability, a threat that could spiral out of control at any moment. But the fate of the Jujutsu world? That had nothing to do with her.

"They probably wanted him dead the moment they found out," she said flatly, her voice devoid of surprise.

"You're not wrong." Gojo let out a small chuckle.

The room fell silent again, the soft rustle of the talismans the only sound breaking the tension. Shiki shifted her stance, her gaze drifting back to the unconscious boy.

For now, she'd watch and wait.

"Oh, he's waking up"

"Morning" Gojo

"Huh...? What's going on?" Itadori blinked, groggy and disoriented. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the talismans, the lanterns, and the two figures in front of him.

"So, which one are you right now?" Gojo asked, his eyes narrowing playfully behind his eyes cover.

Itadori's gaze focused on Gojo, recognition slowly dawning in his expression. "Aren't you..." he began, the memories of their previous encounter coming back in pieces.

"Gojo Satoru, I'm in charge of the first years at Jujutsu Tech, and this one—" he gestured toward Shiki, who stood quietly to the side, her arms crossed "—is Ryougi Shiki, a second year."

"Jujutsu... Fushiguro... Senpai!" Itadori's voice spiked with panic as he suddenly recalled the fight. He tried to lurch forward, but the chains binding him held firm.

"Huh?" Itadori grunted in surprise as he struggled to move, only now realizing he was tied down.

"What is this...?" He tugged at the thick ropes, confusion written all over his face.

Gojo leaned back in his chair, a casual smile tugging at his lips as he addressed Itadori. "I'm not sure you should be worrying about others, Itadori Yuuji."