Jujutsu Kaisen: Zenin In Shadows

The thin blanket did little to ward off the night's chill. Megumi lay awake on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling of his small, unfamiliar room. It was silent now, but in his mind, echoes of the day's events replayed endlessly. The jeers of the other children. The snap of the trainer's staff against his ribs. The way Naobito's lips curled into that smug smile, like he'd already won.

Megumi clenched the blanket, his small fingers trembling with a mix of anger and exhaustion. He didn't understand much about his father, but one thing was clear: Toji Fushiguro hadn't cared what happened to him. He'd sold him to strangers who treated him like a tool.

The Zen'in clan wasn't a family. It was a machine, and Megumi was just another cog.

But I'm not going to break, he thought. No matter what they do, I won't break.

When the sun rose, Megumi wasn't ready, but he got up anyway.

The Zen'in training grounds were as unwelcoming in the light as they were in the dark. A dozen children stood in neat rows, their faces hard and cold despite their young ages. Most of them were older than Megumi, but he saw no kindness in their eyes. Only disdain.

"Line up!" the trainer barked, his voice cutting through the crisp morning air. Megumi hurried to obey, his bruises still aching from the day before.

"Today, we test your endurance," the trainer announced. "Run until I tell you to stop."

The older kids smirked, some even laughed. Megumi ignored them.

The first lap was easy enough. The courtyard was massive, and the path curved around sprawling gardens and tall stone walls. But by the third lap, Megumi's lungs burned. His legs felt like they were weighed down by lead.

"Faster!" the trainer shouted.

Megumi pushed himself harder, sweat dripping down his face. He didn't dare stop, even as his vision blurred. Behind him, one of the older boys shoved past, laughing as Megumi stumbled. He hit the ground hard, scraping his palms against the gravel.

The laughter grew louder.

"Get up," the trainer said, his tone flat, uncaring.

Megumi's hands shook as he pushed himself to his knees. He could feel the tears threatening to spill, but he forced them back. Crying wouldn't help. Crying wouldn't make the pain go away.

Get up, he told himself.

He stood, legs trembling, and kept running.

The clan didn't take no for an answer. Megumi knew that every training session would be hard. There was no place for failure – he had to persevere through these challenges. 

However, sometimes he did wonder why he was doing all this. The training was intense and sometimes he hoped that he could call child services but the clan probably had some strings behind the government and other services. The training grounds could easily be infiltrated and he was sure someone had done it before – it was after all in plain view. 

As the other children filed out, Megumi lingered in the courtyard. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the stone paths. For a moment, the world felt still.

He sat on the ground, his back against the cool stone wall, and stared at the faint orange glow on the horizon. The warmth of it reminded him of days that felt like a lifetime ago—days when he'd played in the park, free and unaware of what the world was really like.

He remembered her then: Tsumiki.

Her laugh. The way she always made sure he had enough to eat, even when there wasn't much to go around. She was the only person who had ever truly cared about him.

Where is she now? he wondered. Did she know what had happened to him? Did she miss him?

The thought brought a tightness to his chest, one that he quickly shoved aside. Missing her wouldn't help him here. Nothing would.

"Still sulking, huh?"

The voice startled him. He looked up to see one of the older boys—a tall, lean teen with messy hair and a cruel smirk. Megumi recognized him from earlier, the one who had shoved him during the run.

"What do you want?" Megumi asked, his voice sharper than he intended.

The boy's smirk widened. "I just wanted to see if the little stray dog was still alive. I thought for sure you'd run off crying by now."

Megumi glared but didn't reply. He knew better than to take the bait.

The boy crouched down in front of him, his expression mocking. "Listen, kid. You don't belong here. You're weak, and the clan doesn't keep dead weight. Sooner or later, they'll get rid of you, just like they got rid of your old man."

Something inside Megumi snapped. He surged to his feet, his fists clenched. "Don't talk about my father."

The boy laughed. "Oh? Did I touch a nerve?"

Before Megumi could say anything else, the boy's hand shot out, shoving him back against the wall. Pain shot through Megumi's ribs, but he didn't back down.

"Let him go," a voice cut through the tension.

Both boys turned to see a young woman standing at the edge of the courtyard. Her dark hair was tied back, and her piercing gaze was locked on the older boy. She looked to be in her late teens, her Zen'in uniform pristine and her posture commanding.

"Maki," the boy muttered, his cocky demeanor faltering.

She crossed her arms. "Picking on kids again, Kenta? You're pathetic."

Kenta scowled but didn't argue. He muttered something under his breath before stalking off, leaving Megumi alone with the newcomer.

Rika turned to him, her expression softening slightly. "You okay, kid?"

Megumi hesitated, then nodded.

She crouched down, meeting his eyes. "What's your name?"

"Megumi," he said quietly.

Maki smiled faintly. "Well, Megumi, if you want to survive here, you'll need to pick your battles. But I'll tell you something else."

He tilted his head, curious despite himself.

"They underestimate you now," she said. "Use that. Prove them wrong."

Her words settled in his chest like a spark. He didn't know if he could trust her—or anyone here—but her advice made sense.

"I will," he said firmly.

As Maki wandered into the distance her words re-lit the flame inside him, the determination he had first had but was brutally crushed by the expectations that were dumped on him. 

Even if he didn't have a reason to fight, he wouldn't just sit there like a dog and get devoured by the clan. He wouldn't go down easily. 

The sky was getting dark and the sun was no longer gleaming. It was probably time for him to go back to his lessons. 

He had been given a time-table on what he would be doing in his time in the Zenin clan. The time-table itself was an extremely tight one that was created to monitor his every movement. Even when he went to the toilet – from when he woke up and the amount of time he could spend in the showers. 

The only time that was not strict was Sunday, it was more of a resting day. 

During this time of the day he was told that he would have lessons on Jujutsu society. Which didn't seem all that bad until you realize that these lessons were not always theory but practical as well. 

He had been told that during these lessons he would mostly be working on awakening and using the Ten Shadows to his full abilities. Most of the time he would be working on the theory of the abilities. 

The lesson took place in one of the smaller Zen'in training halls, far from the bustle of the estate. The room was dimly lit by a few lanterns hung along the walls, their glow casting long shadows across the polished wooden floor. Megumi sat cross-legged in front of a low desk covered with scrolls, his small hands resting stiffly on his knees.

Across from him stood Kaito Zen'in, a thin, wiry man in his mid-forties. His sharp features were framed by a graying beard, and his stern expression seemed to weigh Megumi down as heavily as the morning's training had. Kaito didn't carry the air of a sorcerer destined for glory. He wasn't one of the clan's prodigies or battle-hardened elites. But what he lacked in cursed techniques, he made up for with knowledge.

He had spent decades studying the Zen'in family's techniques, strategies, and history. And now, he had been tasked with teaching him—the boy sold to the clan, the outsider no one expected much from.

"Sit up straight," Kaito snapped, his voice cutting through the silence.

Megumi flinched but obeyed, his back going rigid.

"Do you know why you're here?" Kaito asked, his tone cold but measured.

"To learn the Ten Shadows Technique," Megumi replied, his voice low but steady.

"Wrong," Kaito said sharply. "You're here because you've been given a chance—one that others would kill for. The Ten Shadows isn't just a technique. It's a legacy. A responsibility. If you're too weak to carry it, the clan will have no use for you."

Megumi's jaw tightened, but he didn't look away.

Kaito narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the boy's defiance. "Good. At least you're not a coward. Now, pay attention."

He unfurled a large scroll across the desk, revealing intricate diagrams and notes. The scroll depicted the silhouettes of ten shikigami, each one labeled with elegant calligraphy. Megumi leaned forward slightly, his eyes drawn to the two wolves at the top of the scroll.

"These are the shikigami you'll one day summon," Kaito began. He pointed to each silhouette in turn. "The Divine Dogs. Nue. Toad. Max Elephant. And the rest. Each one has its own strengths, weaknesses, and unique uses. Together, they form a complete arsenal—a toolbox for any battle you'll face."

Megumi nodded, absorbing every word.

"But summoning them isn't as simple as willing them into existence," Kaito continued. "The Ten Shadows isn't like other cursed techniques. It requires a bond between you and the shadows. You don't control them with brute force. You shape them, guide them. That requires not just strength, but precision and understanding."

He paused, letting the words sink in.

"Do you know how many Zen'in clan members have inherited the Ten Shadows over the centuries?"

Megumi shook his head.

"Fewer than twenty," Kaito said. "And of those, only a handful ever mastered it. The rest either failed or died trying."

The weight of those words settled heavily on Megumi's small shoulders, but he didn't let it show.

Kaito's gaze softened, just slightly. "The shadows are dangerous, Fushiguro. If you're careless, they'll consume you. But if you're diligent, if you're strong they'll become your greatest ally."

He tapped the scroll again, this time pointing to Mahoraga's silhouette, the faintest and most imposing of all.

"This is Mahoraga," Kaito said. "The shikigami no one has tamed. It's said that summoning it is a death sentence. You'll need to be reckless or desperate to attempt it. Even so, its mere existence reminds us of the Ten Shadows' potential and its limits."

Megumi stared at the silhouette, his brow furrowed. "Why do they keep trying if no one's ever succeeded?"

Kaito let out a humorless chuckle. "Because humans are fools. We're always chasing after what we can't have. But don't worry about Mahoraga now. You're a long way from summoning anything."

He stepped back and crossed his arms, studying Megumi closely. "Before you can summon a shikigami, you need to connect to the shadows. That's your first lesson. The Ten Shadows doesn't rely on raw cursed energy like other techniques. It's about using the darkness around you. Shadows are everywhere, but most people never notice them. You will."

"How do I do that?" Megumi asked.

Kaito walked to one of the lanterns and adjusted it, dimming its light until the room was bathed in deeper shadows. "Close your eyes," he instructed.

Megumi hesitated, then obeyed.

"Breathe," Kaito said. "Focus on the space around you. The shadows aren't just emptiness. They're alive, moving, waiting. Feel them."

At first, all Megumi could sense was the sound of his own breathing and the faint chill of the room. But slowly, he became aware of something else—a faint hum, like a distant heartbeat. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.

"Good," Kaito said, his voice softer now. "You're starting to sense it. The connection between light and dark, the balance. Now, imagine reaching into that darkness. Pull it toward you."

Megumi furrowed his brow, his fingers twitching against his knees. He focused on the hum, willing it closer, deeper. For a moment, it felt like the air around him shifted, growing heavier. But when he opened his eyes, there was nothing.

"Don't rush," Kaito said, his tone sharp but not unkind. "This isn't something you'll master in a day. Keep practicing. The more you connect with the shadows, the easier it will be to shape them."

And with those words, it was the end of the lesson. Megumi had first thought that Kaito would be annoying but now – his opinion of him was completely different. He was a really good teacher and he wasn't a push-over nor was he strict. 

Megumi sat on the edge of his futon, staring at the neatly written schedule in his hands. The thin parchment felt heavier than it should, as though it carried the full weight of the life that had been set out for him.

The day started early earlier than he liked. First came the mundane necessities: brushing his teeth, showering, and dressing for the day. There was nothing remarkable about it, but it marked the beginning of a strict and unforgiving routine.

Next, he would spend hours in a dimly lit classroom, tackling standard subjects like math, English, and science. The lessons were dry, yet precise, and there was little room for mistakes or distractions. Afterward, the real training began.

Martial arts and physical conditioning filled the middle of his day, leaving him sore and drained. The methods were rigorous, with drills that tested both his endurance and mental fortitude. After that came a single hour of respite—a break that felt far too short to recover, but long enough for his mind to wander to places he wished it wouldn't.

The afternoon transitioned into lessons about the Jujutsu Society: its rules, politics, and history. The material was dense and laced with the kind of formality Megumi had always hated. Yet he knew better than to let his disinterest show.

Finally, the day ended with Kaito's lessons. These were the hardest. The older man's sharp critiques pushed Megumi to confront the limits of his cursed energy and his still-dormant Ten Shadows Technique. Kaito's strict demeanor left little room for failure.

As Megumi scanned the schedule once more, he exhaled a slow breath.