Jujutsu Kaisen: Zenin In Shadows

The years in the Zen'in Clan passed slowly, but they weren't idle. By the time Megumi turned fifteen, he had become something entirely different.

Gone was the scrappy, quiet kid with a chip on his shoulder. In his place stood someone colder, sharper—like a blade honed in the fire of relentless discipline. His face had lost its softness, his gaze now piercing and unreadable. He had learned to keep his emotions buried deep beneath layers of practiced stoicism, the kind of control the Zen'in clan valued.

Mastering the Ten Shadows Technique wasn't just training—it was survival. Over the years, Megumi had painstakingly learned to summon and control more of his shikigami

The Divine Dogs were the first. At twelve, he had finally managed to call them reliably, their black-and-white forms snapping into existence like loyal extensions of himself.

Nue came next, its massive wings and jagged talons making it the perfect aerial assault. Summoning Nue had nearly drained him the first time, and he'd collapsed in the training grounds after calling it. But he'd gotten back up and kept trying until the winged beast bowed to his will.

At thirteen, Toad followed, its thick limbs and binding tongue becoming a key tool for both defense and control in battle. Then came the Great Serpent, its lithe body curling through the shadows with deadly precision. The first time he had summoned it, the serpent's hiss had made the hair on his neck stand on end.

By fourteen, Megumi had managed to summon Max Elephant, its immense size and water-based abilities devastating in combat.

Now, at fifteen, Megumi had fully mastered Rabbit Escape, the small swarm of rabbits that darted and scattered in dozens of directions at his command. They weren't a tool of destruction but of strategy—something Megumi had come to appreciate more as he grew.

His latest accomplishments were Piercing Ox and Round Deer. The Ox was a force of pure power, its charge capable of leveling anything in its path. The Deer, on the other hand, had taught him about balance. Its healing properties weren't just a tool to save others but a reminder that strength wasn't only about destruction.

Even with his growing mastery, there was one shadow that loomed over him: Mahoraga. He had read the texts, listened to the warnings. He wasn't ready yet.

His control over cursed energy had become something remarkable. The lessons that had once left him with splitting headaches were now second nature. He could manipulate cursed energy with precision, flowing it through his body to amplify his strikes or strengthen his defenses.

He had mastered reverse cursed technique, a skill that had come at a cost. It wasn't something he had wanted to learn but something he'd needed. The injuries he'd sustained during training had forced him to push past his limits. Now, healing himself was as natural as breathing.

Through years of practice—and under the tutelage of multiple masters—Megumi had also sharpened his ability to detect cursed energy. Even the faintest flicker of malevolence couldn't escape his senses. Though he still struggled with barrier techniques, he could create basic barriers when absolutely necessary.

The Zen'in clan had invested heavily in his growth, and Megumi had learned from a variety of teachers. Kaito had remained a constant, but others had come and gone—sorcerers who specialized in cursed tools, barriers, or even specific combat techniques. Each one had pushed him to his limits, and each one had left him stronger than before.

Megumi's days had become a blur of structure and purpose. Mornings began before sunrise, with mundane rituals like showering and dressing feeling more like checkpoints than moments of reprieve. The day itself was a brutal mix of academic lessons, martial arts, and sorcery training.

The academic lessons were intense, though they often felt pointless. Math and science only mattered when they were twisted into tools for strategy. History was taught with a heavy bias toward the Zen'in clan's legacy. Even literature was filtered through the clan's agenda.

Physical training was relentless. By now, sparring matches were second nature, and his opponents no longer held back. Every fight was a test, and every bruise was a lesson. The Zen'in elders demanded perfection, and Megumi pushed himself harder than they ever could.

The Jujutsu Society lessons were the most draining. These weren't just about rules and politics but about the brutal reality of the world Megumi was being prepared to serve. The hypocrisy of it all didn't escape him, but he kept those thoughts to himself.

His evenings were consumed by lessons with Kaito and the other masters. They weren't just about his cursed energy anymore; they were about refining him into a weapon. Every critique, every harsh correction, chipped away at the boy he had been and molded him into something the clan could use.

Despite everything, Megumi never felt at home in the Zen'in estate. The vast halls and pristine training grounds weren't a sanctuary—they were a cage. The elders spoke of him with pride, calling him a prodigy, but their praise only deepened his resentment.

He wasn't here for them. He never had been.

Late at night, when the rest of the estate was quiet, Megumi would sit by the small window in his room and stare at the stars. His thoughts always drifted to Tsumiki. He wondered if she was happy, if she was safe, if she even remembered him.

I'll find a way out of here, he told himself, over and over again.

For now, he kept playing their game, learning their techniques, following their rules. Because the stronger he became, the closer he came to freedom.

The training grounds of the Zen'in estate were eerily silent. A circle of Zen'in clan members surrounded the sandy clearing, their eyes fixed on the two figures standing at its center. The midday sun bore down on them, casting long shadows across the dirt.

Megumi stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, his posture relaxed but his sharp eyes locked on his opponent. He wasn't tense—he didn't need to be. Not for this. Across from him, Naoya Zen'in cracked his knuckles, his lips curling into a smug grin.

"So, you think you're ready to leave, huh?" Naoya sneered, rolling his shoulders as though the fight was already over. "A brat like you, running off to Jujutsu High with Gojo? You've got some nerve, kid."

Megumi tilted his head slightly, the barest smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, I've got nerve. Unlike you, I don't need the whole clan holding my hand to feel important."

The crowd murmured, and Naoya's grin faltered for a split second before twisting into something darker.

"Big talk from someone who's never beaten me," Naoya said, stepping forward. "You're just a spoiled little failure who only got this far because the clan poured their resources into you. You don't have what it takes to stand on your own, let alone walk out of here."

Megumi sighed, his hands still buried in his pockets. "That's funny, coming from the guy who needs to throw a tantrum every time he doesn't get what he wants. What's the matter, Naoya? Scared I might actually embarrass you in front of everyone?"

Naoya's eye twitched, his cursed energy sparking faintly around him. "Embarrass me? You've got it backward, kid. The only thing you're proving today is that you don't belong here—or anywhere."

Megumi finally pulled his hands out of his pockets, his expression as calm as ever. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, until they were only a few feet apart. The tension in the air was palpable now, the murmurs from the crowd silenced by the weight of their cursed energy.

"Here's the thing, Naoya," Megumi said, his voice even and deliberate. "I don't care what you or the rest of this clan thinks of me. I'm not here to play your games or stroke your ego. I just need to beat you, and then I'm gone."

Naoya laughed—a sharp, biting sound. "Beat me? You can't even keep up with me. You don't have the speed, the technique, or the brains to win this fight."

Megumi raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "You're right about one thing, Naoya. I don't have your speed." He shrugged, his tone mockingly casual. "But lucky for me, I don't need speed to crush someone who's all bark and no bite."

The crowd gasped at the jab, and Naoya's grin twisted into a snarl. His cursed energy flared around him now, crackling with raw power.

"You're dead," Naoya hissed. "I'll make sure you never leave this place."

Megumi's smirk didn't waver. Instead, he tilted his head, his tone dripping with mock pity. "Careful, Naoya. If you get too worked up, you might trip over your own ego before I even have to lift a finger."

The tension snapped like a rubber band. The elders gave the signal to begin, and Naoya shot forward in a blur of speed. But even as the fight started, Megumi's calm demeanor remained. His fingers twitched, and the shadows around him began to stir.

"Let's see how fast you really are," Megumi muttered, his eyes narrowing.

The fight had begun.

Naoya shot forward, a streak of speed so fast that most of the Zen'in onlookers couldn't track him. But Megumi didn't move. He stood still, hands in his pockets, his head tilted ever so slightly, a look of deliberate disinterest plastered across his face.

"Are you just gonna run around in circles the whole fight?" Megumi called out lazily, his voice sharp enough to cut through Naoya's momentum. "I thought the great Naoya Zen'in would actually put up a challenge. Guess I gave you too much credit."

Naoya's smile twisted into a snarl, and he came to an abrupt halt a few feet from Megumi, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, don't worry. You'll regret those words soon enough."

Without warning, Naoya lunged again, his cursed energy flaring as his hand shot toward Megumi's face. Megumi sidestepped easily, not even bothering to use his own cursed energy yet.

"Wow, that was underwhelming," Megumi said, brushing an imaginary speck of dirt off his sleeve. "Is this what the clan's supposed 'genius' looks like? No wonder the Zen'ins are so desperate—they're stuck with you."

The crowd gasped, a ripple of murmurs spreading through the circle of spectators. Naoya froze for half a second, his face a mask of fury.

"You're gonna regret that, you little—"

Before he could finish, Megumi snapped his fingers.

From the shadow cast by his own feet, a pair of sleek, black-and-white Divine Dogs emerged, growling low as they flanked Megumi on either side. Their glowing eyes locked onto Naoya, who scoffed at the sight.

"Just the dogs?" Naoya barked out a laugh. "Are you kidding me? You think those little mutts are going to stop me?"

Megumi shrugged, his tone almost bored. "Why would I waste my energy when this is all it takes to deal with you? Besides..." His lips curved into a ruthless smirk. "They're more than enough for someone who thinks running fast makes them special."

Naoya's cursed energy surged as he blurred forward again, this time aiming to destroy the Divine Dogs before they could act. But Megumi's fingers twitched, and the dogs moved in perfect sync—one darting forward to clash with Naoya's strike while the other circled behind him.

"Predictable," Megumi muttered as the first dog absorbed Naoya's attack, snarling as it held its ground. The second dog lunged from behind, forcing Naoya to leap back.

"You call this fighting?" Naoya spat, his eyes narrowing. "I thought you were supposed to be some kind of prodigy."

"And I thought you were supposed to be a genius," Megumi fired back, his tone dripping with mockery. "But here you are, struggling against two dogs like it's your first day in the dojo. Tell me, Naoya—are you really this bad, or are you just having an off day?"

Naoya's face turned red with anger as he lunged again, this time using a combination of speed and cursed energy to overwhelm the Divine Dogs. But Megumi was already moving, his cursed energy flaring subtly as he intercepted Naoya's blows with his own reinforced strikes.

"Still no technique?" Megumi said, his voice calm even as their cursed energy collided. "Just punching and running faster? No wonder nobody takes you seriously. You're not a fighter—you're a glorified sprinter."

Naoya roared in frustration, his cursed energy exploding as he pushed harder, but Megumi didn't waver. Using reverse cursed technique, he healed any minor injuries as soon as they appeared, keeping himself calm and collected.

"Is that all you've got?" Megumi said, his voice colder now, his sharp words cutting as much as his technique. "All that talk, all that ego, and you're still stuck playing catch-up. You're not even fighting me—you're fighting my dogs."

The Divine Dogs moved in tandem again, their coordinated attacks forcing Naoya to stay on the defensive. Every time he tried to counter, one of the dogs blocked his path while the other nipped at his heels.

"You can't win, can you?" Megumi continued, his voice echoing across the training grounds. "No matter how fast you run, no matter how much cursed energy you throw around, you're still just a one-trick pony. It's pathetic, really. All that potential, wasted on someone who doesn't even know how to use it."

Naoya growled, his frustration mounting as his attacks grew more erratic. "You think you're better than me?" he spat, his voice ragged. "You think you've earned the right to leave this clan?"

"I don't think," Megumi said, his eyes narrowing. "I know. And deep down, so do you."

With a flick of his wrist, Megumi commanded the Divine Dogs to converge on Naoya, their movements blindingly fast. Naoya barely managed to dodge, but the effort cost him. Sweat dripped down his face as his cursed energy wavered, his breathing growing heavier.

"You're outmatched, Naoya," Megumi said, his voice low and unyielding. "And you know why? Because I don't waste my time on arrogance and empty words. I've spent years learning, training, thinking. While you've been too busy stroking your own ego to notice that you're standing still."

The Divine Dogs lunged again, their combined attack forcing Naoya to his knees. His speed couldn't save him now—not when Megumi had already predicted his every move.

"Face it," Megumi said, stepping closer, his tone merciless. "You're not losing because I'm better than you—though I am. You're losing because you're too stupid to realize your own limits. And that's why you'll always be stuck here, while I'm walking out."

Naoya let out a final, desperate roar, throwing everything he had into one last attack. But Megumi didn't flinch. With a wave of his hand, the Divine Dogs intercepted the blow, their combined power slamming Naoya into the dirt.

The training grounds fell silent as the dust settled. The Divine Dogs stood victorious, their glowing eyes fixed on Naoya's crumpled form.

Megumi turned away, his expression unreadable as he dismissed the shikigami back into the shadows. "Thanks for the warm-up," he said over his shoulder, his voice calm and detached. "Next time, try thinking before you fight. Might make it a little more interesting."

"Don't stand in my way next time… you fucking clown."

He hadn't even summoned the divine dogs to their full size–it would have been over-killed. Though he wasn't actually expecting his dogs to win. Albeit with a huge amount of support from him however, they were still the ones to deliver the final blow. 

The coordination of the two-dogs and other shikigami were something that Megumi had been working on severely in his free time and also during lessons. All the hard-work was bearing fruit and the results were proof of that.

Without waiting for a response, Megumi strode toward the edge of the training grounds, the weight of the Zen'in clan's stares pressing down on him. But he didn't look back.

He didn't need their approval. He never had.