Fate of the Strongest

The next morning, the usual hum of activity at Jujutsu High seemed subdued, weighed down by the tension from the previous day's events. Ame was still fast asleep in the infirmary, her tiny form curled up under a heavy blanket. Shoko had sedated her to ensure she could rest without nightmares.

Gojo sat in the faculty lounge, a cup of coffee in hand, his blindfold pushed up to reveal his piercing blue eyes. Across the table, Principal Yaga stood, holding an ancient scroll in his hands. Its edges were frayed, and the paper carried the weight of centuries, its faded ink scrawled in an archaic script.

"Where did you get this?" Gojo asked, his voice casual, though his gaze was anything but.

"One of the elders at the Kyoto school sent it over," Yaga replied, laying the scroll on the table. "They've been researching old prophecies related to cursed energy. This one, in particular, caught my attention."

Gojo leaned forward, scanning the text. Though he wasn't fluent in the script, he recognized a few key phrases: balance disrupted, the strongest must fall, and a reckoning of power.

"Convenient timing," Gojo remarked, leaning back in his chair. "Do they think this is related to the attack yesterday?"

Yaga nodded. "It's possible. The elders believe this prophecy speaks of an imbalance caused by an individual's overwhelming strength. It claims that the existence of such power attracts forces of destruction, seeking to restore equilibrium."

Gojo smirked. "So, I'm too strong for my own good, and the universe wants to kill me? Sounds dramatic."

"It's not a joke, Satoru," Yaga said sharply. "If this prophecy is accurate, the curses won't stop. They'll come at you with everything they have, and they won't care who gets caught in the crossfire."

Gojo's smirk faltered, but only for a moment. "Let them come," he said, his tone lighter than he felt. "I've faced worse."

Meanwhile, Megumi and Yuta were in the training grounds, going through sparring drills. The clash of their weapons echoed across the empty field, the sound sharp and rhythmic. Despite the intensity of their practice, Megumi's thoughts were elsewhere.

"Do you think there's any truth to that prophecy?" Yuta asked, breaking the silence.

Megumi hesitated, his movements slowing. "I don't know. But if curses are targeting Gojo-sensei because of his strength, it puts everyone around him at risk. Including us."

Yuta nodded, his expression grim. "He makes it look easy, but yesterday was different. That curse was strong, and there's no guarantee they won't send something stronger next time."

"That's why we need to be prepared," Megumi said, his grip tightening on his weapon. "If Gojo-sensei is the target, we'll be the ones standing between him and whatever comes next."

Yuta grinned, a flicker of determination in his eyes. "Then we better make sure we're ready."

In the infirmary, Ame stirred awake, her wide eyes blinking against the morning light. Shoko was seated nearby, flipping through a medical journal.

"Good morning," Shoko said, her tone gentle. "Did you sleep well?"

Ame nodded hesitantly, clutching her stuffed toy. "Where am I?"

"You're at Jujutsu High," Shoko explained. "This is a safe place for people like you—people who've seen the monsters."

Ame's gaze dropped to her lap. "They took everything. My family, my friends… even my village. Why did they leave me?"

Shoko hesitated, unsure how to answer. Before she could respond, the door opened, and Gojo stepped inside.

"Because you're special," he said, his tone light but sincere. "You survived something most people wouldn't, and that makes you stronger than you think."

Ame looked up at him, her expression skeptical. "I'm not strong. I'm scared."

"Being scared doesn't mean you're not strong," Gojo said, crouching to her level. "It just means you're human. And being human is what makes you special."

Ame's grip on her toy loosened slightly, though her fear didn't entirely fade.

"Why were they after you?" she asked quietly.

Gojo's smile dimmed. "That's what we're trying to figure out. But I promise, as long as you're here, nothing will hurt you."

Later that day, Gojo gathered the group in one of the training halls. The scroll was laid out on a table in front of them, its cryptic text drawing curious stares from Megumi and Yuta.

"This," Gojo began, gesturing to the scroll, "is supposedly an ancient prophecy about the strongest sorcerer upsetting the balance of cursed energy in the world. Sound familiar?"

Megumi frowned. "It's talking about you."

"Bingo," Gojo said with a grin. "Apparently, my overwhelming awesomeness is a problem for the universe."

Yuta leaned closer to examine the scroll. "What's it say about the outcome?"

Gojo's grin faded slightly. "That's the fun part—it doesn't. Just vague warnings about 'reckonings' and 'falling.'"

Megumi crossed his arms. "So, it's basically saying the stronger you are, the more chaos you attract?"

"Pretty much," Gojo said. "But we already knew that, didn't we?"

Yuta looked troubled. "If curses are acting on this prophecy, they won't just target you. They'll come after everyone around you."

"Exactly," Gojo said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Which is why we need to be ready. This isn't just about me anymore—it's about all of us."

That evening, as the group dispersed, Megumi lingered in the training hall, staring at the scroll. His mind raced with questions, his unease growing with each passing moment.

"You're worried," Yuta said, stepping up beside him.

Megumi nodded. "Gojo-sensei acts like it's no big deal, but this prophecy… it feels too specific to ignore. And if he's right about the curses organizing, we could be facing something we're not prepared for."

Yuta placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out. Together."

Megumi glanced at him, a small flicker of hope breaking through his doubt.

"Yeah," he said softly. "Together."

In his private quarters, Gojo sat alone, the weight of the prophecy pressing on him more than he cared to admit. His blindfold lay on the table beside him, and his piercing eyes stared out the window at the moonlit campus.

He'd always known his strength came with a price. It had made him untouchable, yet isolated, revered yet resented. Now, it seemed, that price was catching up with him.

"The strongest must fall," he murmured to himself, the words echoing like a curse in his mind.

But if falling was his fate, he wouldn't do it quietly.