CHAPTER 25: WALKING SWORD

The rain was soft.

But the city burned.

Far from the heart of chaos in Shibuya, in a quieter corner littered with abandoned buildings and shattered glass, a young girl ran—barefoot, bleeding, breathless.

A grotesque curse slithered behind her, its jagged limbs crawling along the walls like broken spider legs. Its jaw widened, drooling something black and sticky. It was smiling.

The girl fell.

She turned.

And the curse lunged.

But before it could strike—

SLASH.

A single blur of silver.

A clean, perfect line.

The curse paused mid-air.

Then its body split in two.

The girl blinked, trembling.

Behind the falling remains stood a boy—tall, calm, his katana dripping with cursed blood.

He had black hair and weary eyes.

He lowered his sword.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

The girl gasped and nodded, tears already swelling in her eyes.

The boy stepped closer and knelt, placing a reassuring hand on her head.

"What's your name?"

"M-Mayuka…"

"You're safe now, Mayuka. I'm here."

She broke down and hugged him tightly, sobbing into his chest.

"T-That thing… it k-killed my sister…"

The boy's eyes saddened.

He wrapped one arm around her, his voice a whisper:

"I'm sorry."

Silence lingered in the ruins.

The boy stood up and looked toward the flames in the distance.

Toward where the city screamed in pain.

"I'll make sure no more families are broken today."

He turned back to Mayuka and smiled gently.

"Can you stay here for a little while? Help will come soon."

The girl wiped her tears and nodded.

"Thank you… mister…"

He turned again, tightening his grip on his katana.

"It's Yuta," he said over his shoulder.

"Yuta Okkotsu."

And just like that, the walking sword of Jujutsu High had entered Shibuya