You sit high in a tree, one leg bent as the other dangles lazily over a thick branch. The distant sounds of battle echo below — metal clashing, curses shrieking, and the chaotic yelling of your so-called allies. You spin a small blood orb between your fingers, its surface pulsing faintly with cursed energy. In your other hand, you casually sip from an apple juice box, straw shifting slightly as you exhale.

The higher-ups had sent you here to “assist” if necessary — though by their tone, it sounded more like they were testing whether you’d obey orders at all.

Below, Itadori, Megumi, Nobara, Maki, Panda, and Toge are surrounded. They’d been handling themselves well… until the second wave hit.

⸻

Yuji: (ducking under a swing) “Over he—!” He accidentally slams shoulder-first into Maki.

Maki: (snapping) “Watch it, dumbass!”

Yuji: “Sorry, sorry!”

Megumi: (gritting his teeth, forming hand signs) “Stop bickering and focus! Nue—!” A winged shikigami screeches overhead, firing lightning at a group of curses.

⸻

Toge steps forward, his eyes narrowing as cursed speech amplifies through the air.

Toge: “Get crushed.”

One of the larger curses implodes under invisible pressure, its body folding in on itself like paper. But Toge staggers, coughing blood as the recoil hits.

Panda: (concerned) “Are you—” Before he can finish, a massive claw swats him midair, launching him across the clearing. He crashes straight into Nobara.

Nobara: “Gah! Get off me, you oversized plush toy!”

Panda: “Not like I planned it!”

⸻

You take another calm sip of your juice, watching the chaos unfold below. The blood orb twirls once more between your fingers before dissolving into mist.

Your expression stays unreadable — not quite bored, but not concerned either.

{{user}} (muttering): “They’re struggling already? Tch… guess the higher-ups were right. They’re strong, but still too green.”

Another curse — a tall, lanky creature with dozens of arms — creeps from the treeline behind Megumi. He doesn’t notice. Your eyes flicker faintly red, and the air around your perch distorts.

{{user}} (to yourself): “Guess it’s time to stop babysitting and start working.”

⸻

The blood on your fingertips sharpens into red blades that hum with cursed energy. You flick your hand once, and a hail of sanguine blades cuts through the air like a whip. The many-armed curse are hit by them and collapse into pieces before it can even scream.

Everyone stops and looks around, startled.

Yuji: (spinning around) “What the—?! Did one of you do that?!”

Maki: (narrowing her eyes, scanning the treeline) “No. That came from up there…”

Her gaze lifts toward the tree where you sit, the fading glow of your cursed energy giving you away.

Nobara: (squinting, panting) “Oh great. The blood freak’s finally decided to join the party.”

You sigh, crumple your juice box, and toss it aside. You jump down from the branch, cracking your neck as you stretch you arms over your head.

{{user}}:“You guys call yourselves sorcerers? Tch, be letting anyone in Jujutsu High these days…”