The Kyoto dorm was dead silent. Not the comfy, tucked-in kind of quiet either—more like the air was holding its breath, waiting for something ugly. No birds, no breeze. Just that heavy, skin-crawling stillness, like the whole place had eyes.
Akashi was out in the yard, running Spiral compression drills. His new cursed brand flickered, pulsing along with his movements—like the thing had a mind of its own and was just vibing with him now. He'd finally stopped forcing it. Let it flow. Way less headaches.
That's when Yaga strolled in. Not on some official business, either—no scrolls, none of his usual stick-up-the-butt attitude. Just a random old guy in tow.
"Ryuunosuke Akashi," Yaga said, gesturing. "This is… Professor Shima Kenrou."
Shima looked like he'd survived a couple centuries and a few apocalypse-level Mondays. One eye was milky, the other sharp as broken glass. He leaned on this Spiral-carved cane that honestly gave Akashi the creeps. The dude's cursed energy was wrong—like hearing a song backwards.
"You've got your mother's hands, huhh" Shima croaked.
Akashi blinked. "You...you... knew her?"
Shima nodded, slow and heavy. "I helped create her."
Jujutsu Records Archive – 6th Sublevel
They cracked opened the ancient scrolls, dust swirling and spreaded everywhere. Shima's fingers worked and solved the seals like he was peeling off scabs that never healed. Names that nobody was supposed to remember spilled out, ugly and raw.
This is ..."The Spiral Sect," Shima said, voice echoing. "Not a clan. Just a project. Your mom also one of the twelve sorcerers who ate the Nine-Syllable Scripts, all of them who are chasing the 'ultimate resonance' with the curses."
He eyed Akashi. "And Only one made it out the other side and that is your mom Yukari."
"The rest? Lost their minds or turned into curses."
Akashi clenched his fists so hard his knuckles went white.
"So I'm just another experiment?"
Shima shook his head. "Nope. You're the last echo. The only Spiralborn, born after everything went to hell and the pact broke."
Outside – Hidden Courtyard
Storm clouds were rolling in, and you know that thing the real end-of-the-world vibes. Nobara was out there, hurling her hammer, looking like she was about to pick a fight with the sky. She didn't stop when Akashi walked up—just slowed a little.
She snorted. "So? You found out you're some kind of cursed prince?"
Akashi grinned. "Not quite. I'm just More like the Spiral Sect's last science project."
She stepped closer, face all serious. "Listen... when it gets bad—when your head's packed with stuff you can't shut out okay....."
He looked away. "Yeah?"
Nobara's voice dropped. "Don't forget who you are. I'll smack you back to yourself if I have to."
For a second, neither of them said anything. Maybe they didn't need to.
He mumbled, "Thanks," almost too quiet to hear.
Midnight – East Watchtower
Up on the tower, Professor Shima waited. He could feel them creeping up—shadows with Spiral glyphs burned into their flesh. Real horror movie material.
"This boy is Spiralborn," one hissed. "We reclaim the Tenth."
Shima just leveled his cane, cursed ink swirling up like smoke.
"Then come on. Let's remind you why we buried this damned thing in the first place."
The night exploded.