The council chambers of Tokyo's Jujutsu Headquarters were suffocating. Air conditioners labored in vain, trying to cool the thick tension that hung heavier than any physical barrier.
Cross leaned against a pillar at the far end, the image of Maru carefully maintained in his disguise. He watched every official, every elder, every sorcerer. Their movements were precise, but their eyes betrayed fear—fear of the unknown, fear of the Simurians, and fear of the boy who could adapt to anything.
Maru, or rather Cross inhabiting Maru's form, spoke softly, voice smooth as silk. "Humanity has already crossed a threshold. Do you realize what your actions have caused?"
A younger official, face pale, stammered. "We… we did what was necessary! They could be… a threat!"
Cross's eyes, hidden beneath the guise of Maru, darkened. "Threat? Do you know what a threat is? You call the unknown a threat because your morality is convenient. You exorcise, you control, you destroy, but you fail to see the cost."
From the observation balcony above, Dabura's silhouette appeared, massive and menacing. His claws glinted under the dim lighting, a palpable aura radiating from him like a living storm.
"You dare," Dabura's voice rumbled, echoing off the stone walls, "to harm those who have done no wrong?"
Usami's jaw tightened. "Chieftain Dabura… this is a human facility. Your intrusion—"
"Human facility?" Dabura interrupted, his claws slicing the air, tearing through wards with ease. "This is a violation of sacred law. Exorcising Kalyans, interfering with Mul residues… humanity is blind, and I will no longer allow it."
Yuka and Tsurugi exchanged a glance. Yutsumi's hands flexed subtly, cursed energy flowing beneath his skin in preparation. Even adaptive energy couldn't predict how Dabura would react in person—he was a force of Simurian will, and every strike could reshape the battlefield.
Cross, still in Maru's body, stepped toward Dabura, calm as ever. "Your wrath is noted. But escalation benefits no one—humans, Simurians, or your kind. Consider the consequences of immediate action."
Dabura's eyes narrowed. "Consequences?" He moved with terrifying speed, slicing through defensive barriers with a single sweep. "I decide consequences. You will cease your exorcisms. Or you will pay."
Chaos erupted. Sorcerers scrambled, wards flared, and alarms screamed. Yuka gripped Yutsumi's arm. "Get ready," she hissed. "This isn't a drill."
Tsurugi stepped in front of them, blade extended, energy crackling. "Stay behind me."
Yutsumi shook his head. "I'm not staying behind."
"Then don't get yourself killed," Tsurugi muttered, though there was no real threat—Yutsumi wasn't a child in the ordinary sense. Adaptive Perfect Copy had matured faster than anyone could anticipate.
Dabura struck again, a slash that sent waves of energy across the room. Sorcerers fell back, wards shattered. Cross countered, manipulating energy subtly to avoid direct confrontation while still maintaining the illusion of control.
"Human arrogance," Dabura growled. "You think power is yours to wield. You will learn…"
From the side chamber, Nobara Kugisaki stepped forward, her expression grave. "Stop!" she shouted. The sound carried cursed authority, amplified by her innate energy. "Yuji Itadori is alive. And you all—human or Simurian—would do well to remember what that means."
A hush fell. Even Dabura paused, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
Nobara continued, voice unwavering. "Yuji's survival defies your calculations. Immortality has changed him—he is no longer the boy you think you know. And any attempt to weaponize, control, or destroy him will fail. He's not a tool, he's not a deterrent… he's a force you cannot ignore."
Yuka felt a shiver run down her spine. Even at a distance, Nobara's words carried weight. Yutsumi's energy flared faintly, reacting to the sheer magnitude of intent behind the testimony.
Cross, still calm, adjusted his tone. "You see? Even your allies warn you. Yuji exists beyond your comprehension. And your fear will make mistakes."
Dabura's claws flexed, energy swirling around him like molten metal. "Enough words! I will enforce my decree!"
Maru's body—actually Cross—shifted subtly, raising a defensive barrier. Yutsumi read the pattern instantly, analyzing the flow, syncing his energy with the subtle pulses of the barrier.
Yuka whispered, "Yutsumi… now's your chance to test yourself. Don't hold back."
He nodded, letting adaptive energy flow naturally. The barrier strengthened subtly, countering the initial shockwaves from Dabura. His body moved instinctively, aligning with Tsurugi and Yuka's energies, creating a triad of synchronized power.
The air vibrated. Even Cross paused, impressed by the subtle manipulation. "Remarkable," he murmured. "The boy coordinates instinctively, integrating multiple energy flows. This… is beyond mere copying."
Dabura roared, a sound that shook the foundations of the building. "I do not negotiate! I do not yield!"
Yet even as his claws lashed, the adaptive field around Yutsumi absorbed, redirected, and harmonized the destructive force—not through force, but through understanding.
Nobara, stepping closer, watched in awe. "He's… holding his own against a Simurian champion?"
Yuka gripped his arm tightly, almost as if she were physically tethering him to life. "You can do this," she whispered fiercely. "We're here. Together."
Yutsumi's eyes met hers. Adaptive Perfect Copy surged, not to mimic Dabura, but to integrate, adjust, and harmonize. The air around him shimmered subtly, a calm in the storm of energy.
Dabura's strikes slowed, confusion flickering in his expression. For the first time, he realized the boy was not just a variable—he was a stabilizing force, a pivot between human and Simurian energies.
Cross's shadow shifted behind him, voice low and contemplative. "The variable… is evolving faster than predicted. But evolution attracts attention. And attention brings challenge."
The chamber's alarms continued, the hum of cursed energy mixing with Mul resonance and human fear. Outside, Tokyo waited, its Inhuman Makyo stretching, anticipating the next wave.
Yuka's hand pressed against Yutsumi's. "We're not letting anything happen to you," she said, tone unyielding.
He nodded, letting her presence anchor his adaptive energy. "I know."
Dabura's claws struck again, but this time, Yutsumi's harmonized field absorbed the energy without collapsing. Tsurugi moved with him, slashing through residual cursed energy. The coordination was perfect—not mimicry, but symbiosis.
Cross observed silently, a smirk hidden beneath Maru's guise. "He is ready," he murmured. "But the world is not kind to those who adapt too quickly. Soon… he will face challenges that even adaptation cannot prepare for."
And far above, in the shadows, Yuji Itadori remained, watching, waiting, his role in the unfolding chaos yet to be revealed.