3 Shards

Leaning back against the wall he heard the grinding of bones against flesh. Pain flared through his chest, and his arms stung with each movement. Looking down at them he saw that they had started to show various levels of bruising. A multicoloured canvas of purples and blues spread down his skin.

God that hurt like a bitch. Letting out a small sigh he couldn't help but grin. The warm feeling of blood against his skin was so familiar yet he never got used to it. "Fuck…" He muttered, his thoughts running rampant, he should have just left when he had the chance. But this was all too new and exciting.

This was a chance to be in a world where the limits were well above human, he could be someone strong enough that no one could mess with him.

Honestly, he didn't even know what year the story started. He knew that he was in 2004 though, future Atlas problems.

Future Atlas was gonna fucking hate him.

Hearing the grinding of bones stop he stayed still. Focusing on keeping his heartbeat steady, he had no idea how good the hearing of Curses was but he didn't really want to test it right now. He wasn't feeling the best.

While his reserves of cursed energy were still quite large he still wanted to be frugal. Also, he didn't know if he could handle another curse on the same level as the one he just fought. Even with the binding vow his energy hadn't increased that much, just enough that he could actually damage it. It was whatever special property his cursed energy had that was doing most of the heavy lifting.

Listening to the soft pad of the curses hands slowly pull off the floor. The sound of sweaty skin peeling off the cold stone surface sent chills up his spine as he watched it come around the corner. Its face was eyeless and a large grinning mouth split its head in half, the horror of it enough to make him hold his breath. Curses were… a lot more gross in real life. The living forms of human hate and suffering. This asylum was a fucking breeding ground for them.

Watching it start to make its way down the corridor he watched it slowly leave his sight, rounding a corner.

Continuing on his way, crouched low and ready to spring into action, his eyes glancing around the room. Taking in everything that could have been a hiding space, giving wide birth to doors. Avoiding anything that could cast his reflection around a corner. Moving with practised purpose and grace. Slow but steady.

Finally finding an exit door he moved over, his hand slowly wrapping around the metal handle, the chill pressing into his skin as he gently tried to turn it. But it didn't budge.

Holding his breath he pushed his cursed energy into it and watched as the cracks formed in space before pulling his energy back, splitting the metal of the door. The clinking of metal shards bouncing off the floor echoed down the hall in an eerie high pitch ring.

Pushing the door open he started to rush up the stairwell, the creak of the door behind him. Stopping suddenly he looked at the metal grate on the stairs. A wire door separates the levels even inside the fucking stairwell… damn security can't just be lacking for once!

God damn it.

Using more of his cursed energy he once more split the lock using the spacial shards, useful but consuming.

Making his way further up he passed through door after door. 10… 20… 27 levels. Before finally seeing the exit door to what he assumed was the surface.

Pressing his ear against the door he listened to any sound from the other side. Hearing nothing he once more focused his energy breaking the lock apart and opening the door.

Seeing the shards rain down he looked up, the slow swing revealing that the sky was a deep black. As if the entire asylum was covered in a pitch-black orb that despite the dark sky still let in the moonlight. A barrier technique. That meant that sorcerers were here, good or bad ones was the question.

Feeling the tension rise in his stomach he glanced around. Trying to spot any signs of someone, or something. But there was nothing but cold empty streets covered in broken glass reflecting flickering fire. The area up here was devastated, a building with one of its sides blown off had fallen over. The smoke coming from inside and the dancing red light were clear signs of a fire that still lingered.

The red light was the brightest source making the shadows dance and flicker in the pale moonlight that was blotched out by patches of cloud he couldn't see from inside the barrier. He needed to get out of it and just hope that he could at least.

Dashing forward he wove between fallen bits of building, smouldering piles of trash that drifted through the air. The smell of smoke filled his nose as he glanced at the billowing clouds of it that poured into the sky. Thick and heavy, the

stillness of the air only increased the tension he felt.

What was going on here?

Dashing towards the barrier he ducked beneath a fallen-over street light. One last look cast back at the ruined wastes of where he was standing. Eyes glancing over the area. Settling on a figure that walked up the shattered glass of the asylums lobby wall. Looking into it. The broken glass scattered around their feet.

They were wearing normal everyday clothes, hands tucked into their pockets. Brown hair falling down to their shoulder. Slim face. Although those details mattered little to Atlas whose eyes even from this distance picked up a small disturbance…

A stitched scar around their forehead. Kenjaku… the main antagonist. Someone he would like to get rid of. But he couldn't right now. Not being this weak.

Soon Kenjaku would take a new form, at least he hadn't done it yet. That was a good sign. Putting his hand through the barrier he carefully watched Kenjaku, his face forming a small smile of relief when the man didn't turn to him. It was only a simple barrier good.

Turning away he left the barrier. Looking up at the clouded dark sky, his face one of resolution. He would become stronger as quickly as he could, he needed to get to Jujutsu High…

--- Officers Perspective ---

Walking around the scene police officers taped the area off. A warehouse had a gas explosion knocking over a large office building nearby, honestly, the scene was pretty surreal but that was what the reports said so it was what was being followed.

An underground storage facility was currently being emptied by high-grade personnel, no one was allowed behind the curtain that had been put up. To protect people from seeing corpses, but something was clearly up. People could tell that the entire scene was off. Just something didn't quite match, facts didn't line up. But it wasn't their job to know, so they would just do what they were told.

Glass scattered around the floor was being swept up and smouldering fires extinguished. The warm golden sunlight took the edge of the cold chill that lingered in the air. Yawning an officer in charge put down the reports, the released breath creating fog in the frigid air. The reports were the people that had gone missing from the explosion. The pile was much too high already...

Rubbing the heavy bags under his eyes he muttered, "It's too early for this shit. God when are they getting a coffee truck in. I was told there would be one." His voice creaked with the tiredness of not having woken up properly yet.

"It got delayed, traffic apparently, I think the bastards are just too lazy to actually show up." Another officer grumbled as he walked into the tent. Putting down another stack of papers. Getting an indignant look from the other officer. "Hey, I'm just moving shit around as I have been told. Don't blame me, man." His voice held an edge of annoyance. Muttering something about how this was the damn builder's fault for not making more reliable structures.

Having delivered the papers he walked outside, looking around. Some of the workers nearby were sweeping glancing over. One of them stopped.

A man with a scar along his forehead. Long brown hair oily from working for a while now.

"Excuse me, sir, I just wanted to ask about a relative that worked here… can I just take a moment of your time. Please. His name was Yomi Hoshi… If you could just ask the man in the tent if his name was on any of the papers it would mean the world to me. Please." The man asked, his eyes sunken with worry, the bags under them large from restlessness.

Feeling a pang of sympathy for the man he sighed, "Alright, go in and ask yourself. Just be quick about it. And bring some coffee when the truck gets here. Deal?" His voice softened from his annoyed tone.

"Yes sir! Thank you, sir!" The scared man eagerly said as he leaned his broom against a wall and ran into the tent, hurried.

Running inside the man looked at the officer who clearly was about to yell at the worker to get out. But before the officer could the man spoke up. "The officer said I could ask about one of my relatives if I brought you coffee when the truck got here. Please. He was a worker around here and I haven't heard from him since the accident, I just want to know if he is alright. Please." His voice was woven with desperation.

Eyes going from mad to sympathetic, the idea of coffee softening the man's expression he sat back down, not even having gotten a word out. "Ah alright, if you were sent then sure. But I better get my coffee… I'm not meant to say anything but a relative you say. Must be stressful… alright what was their name?" The officer asked as he sat down and put his hand on the stack of paper, running over the alphabetic tags that sorted the papers.

"Yomi Hoshi, please, he is my nephew." The man said quickly, leaning forward a bit.

"Sure alright, Hoshi… Hakuta, Hatta, Higashi, Horii, Hosokawa… There isn't any Hoshi here. Whoever your nephew is must have just been out last night. He isn't anyone that was missing from the accident." The officer said, looking in confusion at the pile of paper. Why had so many people not been found? The stack of papers was massive… that was odd. Shrugging he looked up at the man who was… gone?

Looking around he saw that the man was no longer in the tent, he must have left. Odd, he didn't hear him leave. The prick didn't even say thank you. Asshole.

Once more in a bad mood, he wondered if he was even going to get a coffee.

---

Kenjaku sighed as he walked away from the accident site. Throwing the high visibility vest and helmet he was wearing to the side. Combing a hand back through his hair to straighten it out he smiled, a small one. Barely curling the edges of his mouth.

Plans were going optimally so far, but Hoshi had disappeared, and his death or disappearance wasn't even recorded.

This was going to be a pain in his ass. The asylum had been leaked and destroyed. It's patients all having been killed. This wasn't optimal but it was simply a small setback if one at all. He would simply have to find another way to do what he wanted. Another way to move souls between bodies…

He would find one, maybe not soon but in the next hundred years. For now, he would focus on Tengan, preventing the fuse. That was all he needed to do for now.

--- Atlas Hoshi ---

Crouching down next to the man Atlas said, "Honestly man, I was looking for some clothes but I didn't expect this would be how I get them. You alright there buddy?" Patting the man on the cheek a few times. Hearing a groan Atlas smiled and pat the man on the head, "Still breathing, you know some people aren't so lucky."

He had been making his way out of the industrial area that this 'asylum' was in. And he was starting to suspect that this asylum wasn't a normal hospital, who would've thought.

On his way out, however, he had been attacked by Thing 1 and Thing 2. Two bright young lads who had a stunning future ahead of them, surely... After they threatened to kill him if he didn't empty his pockets he showed them that his hospital scrubs were indeed lacking such amenities.

So he took theirs, a bit of cursed energy and a few swings and they were down. He had just hit them hard to give them a nap. Taking the long coat, the thick material faded and worn and throwing it around his shoulders over the dark blue hoodie he was wearing from other lad. Loose jeans a few sizes too big for him tucked into the heavy boots that were also, too big. Pain in his ass but they were better than no shoes at all.

A few lengths of cord and a belt holding the pants up, the torn knees letting the cold air through, less than ideal but it was alright. He would find some more clothes later. For now, he wanted to get out of there and figure out how his power worked.

Now that was going to be fun, he wanted a teacher but honestly finding one wasn't going to be easy. There were not many Jujutsu sorcerers and normally kids got picked up around the age of 15 or something he was assuming when they had cursed energy. And then again most people with cursed energy came from families that had Jujutsu history. He was just a nobody wearing oversized clothes. With no white-haired perfect prince from the manga to come and save his ass after he did something related to special grade he didn't know how he was gonna get into the academy.

More future problems. Man that future guy was gonna fucking hate him.

Time to find a nice sewer to live in.

Throwing the hospital scrubs down onto Thing 1 he heard him groan again and as he stepped over the body he said, "Oh you'll be fine, get your mum to kiss it better." As he walked away.

Pulling the hood up he sighed, it smelt like cigarette smoke… comforting in a way.

From what he had managed to decipher from the leaking memories he was 16 years old. So that meant that he should be a second year, if he was in Jujutsu High that is. But alas, he wasn't. He wanted to get in and get trained, that seemed like the best idea right now but that was a future him problem as stated.

Current problems, getting stronger and figuring out his power.

Closing his fist he looked at the cracks as he let his cursed energy out or more like applied it to the air. And saw the fractures start. If what he saw was true and his energy was somehow leaking into the fourth dimension then that was… wow. That had a lot of possibilities. And he liked all of them.

First thing first, could he enter the fourth dimension himself? Or at least some semblance of it? He assumed his cursed energy had taken properties from his travel here, maybe, being inter-dimensional. Made sense to him, overthinking it was going to hurt the few brain cells he had left. Looking up at the sky he sighed slightly, lots to do. And more to do later.

He would try and find his technique first, practice in a sewer... curses hung out there, right?