Star | Jujustu Kaisen

they never lose hope when everything's cold (and the fighting's near)

The hallway shook with every impact, the lights flickering overhead as the battle raged on. Dust and debris filled the air, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere. The walls bore deep cracks from every missed strike, and the floor was littered with broken tiles and shattered glass.

"Gemi! Mini!" [Name] exclaimed with vigor. Gemi and Mini floated around them excitedly, giggling despite the chaos.

"Yes, piri-piri?" Gemi asked, tilting his head.

"You two, transform into me now," [Name] ordered, gripping their whip tightly.

"You got it, piri-piri!" Mini squealed. She and Gemi reached for each other, their small hands touching. A brilliant light burst around them, engulfing the space for a moment before thick smoke erupted.

As the haze cleared, a second [Name] stood in place of the tiny celestial spirits, identical in every way except for a slightly different outfit.

Mahito's grin faltered for a brief second, his eyes narrowing as he took in the strange sight. The corners of his mouth twitched, irritation flickering across his face. This is going to be a pain.

Itadori's eyes widened as he pointed at the two figures. "What the—?! Two [Name]s?! No way!"

Junpei, who had just managed to steady himself after dodging an earlier strike, blinked in surprise. Then, despite the tension, his lips curved into an amused grin. "Hah... I have no clue how that works, but I'm not complaining."

The real [Name] twirled their whip, cracking it once against the tile, sending a pulse of cursed energy rippling through the floor. "Not bad, huh? They might not be me, but they're damn good at copying me."

The fake [Name]—Gemi and Mini in disguise—mirrored their stance, flicking their own whip with precision. "We make a good team, piri-piri!"

Mahito's jaw clenched slightly, his fingers twitching as he assessed the situation. "Tch. So now I have to deal with two of you? How fucking annoying."

"You should be annoyed," the real [Name] taunted, taking a confident step forward. "You're outnumbered. Might as well give up now."

Mahito chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "Oh, please. You really think numbers will change the outcome? Don't make me laugh."

"Let's test that theory," Itadori growled, his fists tightening before he suddenly launched himself forward. His cursed energy flared around his arm, his knuckles aimed straight at Mahito's smug face.

Mahito twisted unnaturally, his body bending like liquid to evade the strike. But before he could completely avoid it, Junpei was already in motion. Moon Dregs lashed out, its tendrils shooting toward Mahito's legs.

"Not so fast," Junpei muttered, pouring every ounce of cursed energy he could into his Shikigami.

Mahito's eyes flicked down just as the attack coiled around him, yanking his legs back. Shit—!

Itadori's punch connected, slamming into Mahito's ribs with a sickening crack. The impact sent a powerful shockwave through the hallway.

The cursed spirit crashed through the door of a classroom, slamming into desks and chairs, sending them flying in all directions.

Mahito coughed up dark, tar-like blood, his eyes momentarily wide with disbelief. How?!

Before he could fully recover, both [Name]s—real and fake—struck in perfect synchronization. Their whips snapped through the air, each crackle carrying a lethal pulse of cursed energy aimed directly at Mahito's exposed torso.