Jujutsu Kaisen Fan fic part 2/6, ''Forward Phase" [PREVIEW: needs ending lmao]

"Suzuki Takao, nineteen years old. Your Cursed Technique is Forward Phase, which allows you to teleport yourself and any nearby objects a short distance in any direction. Is that correct?" Masamichi Yaga, the Director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College—otherwise known simply as Tokyo Sorcery High—asked, his voice stern yet indifferent.

Suzuki nodded, his heart racing. "Y-yes, sir," he stammered, standing rigidly in the Principal's office. The weight of the Director’s gaze bore down on him. "My Technique is very powerful. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

Masamichi didn’t flinch. "No."

The response came cold and abrupt. Silence filled the room. Suzuki felt his stomach tighten, the words sticking in his throat. He waited for more, hoping, praying for a chance.

Then came the blow. "You’re not needed here. At present, we already have a second-year student with a near-identical Technique. There’s no point in training someone whose ability brings no unique advantage. Your application is rejected."

Suzuki’s blood turned to ice.

Rejected?

He blinked, staring at Masamichi, his mind scrambling to make sense of the words. "What?!" he choked out, a rush of panic and anger building. "You can't do this! I’ve trained my whole life for this!"

Masamichi stood, his expression unchanged. His voice, like the weight of finality, cut through the room: "Then you’ve wasted your life, Suzuki."

A flash of fury surged through Suzuki, clouding his thoughts, his hands trembling. "This is wrong—"

"You have no place here," Masamichi continued, moving toward the door, unfazed by the emotion boiling beneath Suzuki's surface. "I suggest you find a job. You won’t get another chance. You’ll need it to survive." With that, the door closed behind him, leaving Suzuki alone in the oppressive silence of the Principal's office.

The words echoed in Suzuki’s ears, each one twisting the knife deeper into his pride. Rejected. Unnecessary. A waste.

His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles went white. Without thinking, he snapped his fingers, muttering under his breath, "Forward Phase."

In an instant, he stood outside the office, the cool air hitting his face. Masamichi was nowhere to be seen—an absence Suzuki silently thanked. If the director had stayed, Suzuki wasn’t sure he could’ve stopped himself from lashing out, even if it meant a fight he couldn’t win.

But Masamichi had known better. He had walked away, as though accustomed to these moments of confrontation, knowing full well that rejected sorcerers often lashed out. And if they did? Suzuki’s gut twisted. They didn’t live to regret it.

Suzuki stood alone, fists still clenched, staring out at the empty courtyard of the prestigious school that had just cast him aside. At that moment, something inside him snapped. This rejection—this failure— he wouldn't let it break him, he thought, walking down the hallway with a stern look on his face, but the words still echoed deep within his soul, a deep wound slowly forming, "Then you’ve wasted your life, Suzuki...", even for a regular student, these words would have meant the end of the world, but for someone like Suzuki, the one who was supposed to bring the unknown Takao clan out from the obscure, the one who would define the future for his people, it meant more than that, this rejection, it would mean his execution. Suzuki's chest tightened as the weight of the rejection settled in. He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat, but the sting of Masamichi’s words burned too deep. He wiped at his eyes, but the tears came anyway—hot and bitter.

Things only seemed to get worse from that moment on, as he received various text messages from fellow members of the Takao clan, asking how his interview had gone, and some others, the ones he knew would hate him most, were already congratulating him for his acceptance into the  Curse Technical College. He sighed, defeated, he had no idea of what to do, so he decided to return to his hometown and accept his fate. It would be another from his clan who would save their reputation, he knew it, but who? "Perhaps it'll be Misato, her ability to control metal is impressive..." he murmured to himself, his inferiority crushing him, the idea of all the other sorcerers in his clan, the very ones he believed to be inferior, now towering presences, undefeatable enemies, it was simply torture. He did as he had done to get to Tokyo: purchased a train ticket, and sat alone in the farthest end of the car. As he stared out the window, watching the urban landscape slowly give way to the nature of the fields, the train picking up speed, his mind raced with memories, the happiest memories of his life, playing with his mother when he was just a small child, discovering his Cursed Technique and using to escape from home, steal candy, getting trained in all kinds of martial arts by his father, "To make the most out of a technique that allows you to close gaps between you and your opponent, it's important to know what to do once you've closed the gap. You'll be a dead man if you teleport to the face of a Spirit but don't know what to do" he was told before every session, a phrase Suzuki made sure to always remember. His mind suddenly switched to the words of his grandfather, a respectable man and leader of the Takao Clan for many years, he remembered a story he always told to the children, but that deep down, was aimed at Suzuki specifically: "The Takao clan had once been respected, but the years of decline, marked by failed sorcerers and wasted potential, had left us teetering on the edge of irrelevance. We were supposed to be the ones to surpass other powerful and renowned clans, instead, we were forced to watch our supposed best fail and die over and over. The Zenin in particular, were the first to ridicule us. Their Ten Shadows Technique humiliated our Spacial Phase many times, and it ended with the best warrior we ever had dead. But when a special boy was born, he could wield a combined version of both Techniques our clan is known for, Wormhole, the ability to teleport objects, and Swift Step, the ability to teleport oneself, into a single ultimate Technique: Forward Phase. He will be our savior, the one to make the Takao clan feared once again." However, alongside this story, also came memories of what happened to those who failed their missions, but were unlucky enough to return with their lives. These kinds of people, the ones who failed, were considered nothing but scum, and they would be publicly executed, by none other than Suzuki's Father, Daichi Takao. But he wouldn't use his technique, that would be far too merciful of an end for such lowly beings, instead, they would be boiled alive with herbs and spices, and then be fed to the first Cursed Spirit that was found, or if the failure was considered too great, the same Spirit they failed to defeat.

As the train sped through the countryside, its rhythmic clattering did little to soothe Suzuki’s spiraling thoughts. The rejection still seared in his mind, the weight of failure heavier with each mile that brought him closer to home. He thought of his mother, the warmth in her smile when she’d encouraged him, convinced that he would restore the Takao name to greatness. Then his father—stern and proud—who had pushed him harder than any other, drilling the fundamentals of combat into his bones until he bled. And above them all, his grandfather, whose words had both inspired and haunted Suzuki for as long as he could remember.

"A savior for the Takao clan."

That’s what they called him—what they expected him to be. But now? He was nothing. He couldn’t face them, not with the failure of Tokyo Sorcery High hanging over him like a curse.

The train screeched to a halt at his stop, and Suzuki hesitated before stepping off. The familiar landscape of his village felt different now. Gloomier. Less welcoming. He could already hear the whispers in the streets, the murmured judgments from his clan. He could almost see the disappointed stares of the elders, and feel the disgust in his father’s eyes.

What would they do to him now?

With a shudder, Suzuki began the walk back to his village. He knew the fate of those who failed. The Takao clan did not tolerate weakness. He had witnessed it many times—executions carried out with cruel precision, failures boiled alive and fed to the very spirits they were meant to exorcise. It wasn’t death that frightened Suzuki. No, it was what death would mean: complete and total dishonor.

As he approached the village, a sickening knot formed in his stomach. He could see the elders already gathered outside the main hall, waiting for him. His father stood at the forefront, arms crossed, his face an unreadable mask. Behind them, the faint glint of the family’s ceremonial cauldron gleamed ominously in the fading light.

“Suzuki Takao, you’ve returned.” His father’s voice was cold, devoid of emotion. “Step forward.”

The young sorcerer’s heart pounded in his chest as he did as instructed. He could feel their eyes on him—every single person who had once looked to him as the clan’s future, now seeing him as nothing more than a disappointment.

"I failed," Suzuki said, forcing the words out, his voice barely more than a whisper.

His father’s eyes narrowed. "Failure is unacceptable."

Suzuki braced himself, preparing for the worst. His father stepped forward, his face inches from Suzuki’s. "You know what happens to those who return in disgrace."

The memories of those horrific executions flooded back. The screams. The heat of the cauldron. The gleaming eyes of cursed spirits waiting to feast.

But before his father could pass judgment, something strange happened. The air grew heavy, thick with a presence Suzuki had never felt before. A suffocating malice filled the atmosphere, chilling his very soul. It was as though something dark had crawled into the village, its very essence warping reality.

The elders stirred, looking around, unsettled.

A low, guttural growl echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down the spine of everyone present. The shadows around the village seemed to deepen, coalescing into something far more sinister. And then, from the thickening darkness, it appeared—the cursed spirit, the one that had deployed the Veil that engulfed the village, like the jaws of a beast.

It was unlike anything Suzuki had ever seen. Tall and gaunt, its limbs twisted and elongated, moving in unnatural jerks. Its body seemed patchwork, stitched together from fragments of cursed energy, and its head… a dog-like visage, hollow-eyed and ripped straight from the nightmare of some forgotten flyer.

The creature waved slowly as if mocking the fear it inspired. Its steps slow yet thundering.

The elders tensed, sensing the danger. "Prepare yourselves," one of them commanded.

But Suzuki couldn’t move. His heart pounded in his ears, drowning out everything else. His mind raced—how? How could a spirit this powerful have appeared here, in his village? And worse, why now?

The cursed spirit moved with an eerie grace, its gaze locked on Suzuki. The air around him felt like it was suffocating, crushing him under its weight.

"You are marked," a voice—soft, barely above a whisper—breathed into Suzuki's ear. He turned, but no one was there.

The cursed spirit lunged.

Chaos erupted. The elders immediately called upon their techniques, barriers forming, incantations ringing through the air. Objects flying toward the beast, But it was too late. The creature was too fast, too powerful. It weaved through their defenses with horrifying precision, tearing through them like paper.

One elder screamed as the spirit ripped him apart, turning his flesh into paper-like ribbons that fluttered in the wind. Another attempted to strike, but the creature caught him mid-air, twisting his body into something unrecognizable before tossing him aside like a broken doll.

Suzuki’s breath caught in his throat. He had seen death before, but never like this. This spirit was playing with them, savoring their terror.

"Move, Suzuki!" his father bellowed, but the words barely registered.

The cursed spirit turned toward Suzuki, its hollow eyes locking onto him once more. There was no escaping its gaze, no avoiding the confrontation that was barreling toward him like a freight train.

"Forward Phase!" Suzuki’s instincts kicked in. In a blink, he teleported away, narrowly avoiding the creature’s grasp as it lunged. But the spirit was fast, too fast. It turned, its grotesque body twisting unnaturally to follow his movements.

Suzuki teleported again—faster this time, further. He tried to create distance, to regroup, but the spirit was relentless, matching his speed with ease.

"I can’t keep running," he thought, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His heart raced, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He had no choice. He had to fight. He had trained for this his entire life, but could his ability—his Forward Phase—be enough?

The spirit lunged again, its long arms stretching out toward him like tendrils. Suzuki phased forward, closing the distance between them. His father’s words echoed in his mind: "Close the gap. Strike with purpose."

As Suzuki reappeared behind the spirit, he thrust his hand forward, pouring every ounce of his strength into the attack. But the spirit was ready. With a sickening smile, it twisted its head around, dodging the strike by a hair’s breadth.

In that moment, Suzuki knew—this wasn’t a fight he could win with brute force alone. He needed to outthink it, to use his ability in ways he had never considered before.

The cursed spirit lunged again, and Suzuki teleported backward, dodging its vicious strike. As it turned to follow him, Suzuki gritted his teeth, concentrating harder than he ever had. With a flick of his fingers, he phased—not forward, but up, reappearing several meters above the ground.

Gravity took hold, and Suzuki plunged downward. In a split second, he phased again, this time behind the spirit, his fist connecting with its back, sending a shockwave through the air.

The creature howled in pain, its body shuddering as Suzuki’s attack landed. But it wasn’t enough. The spirit twisted, its hollow eyes filled with a newfound fury. Its patchwork limbs snapped toward Suzuki, ready to tear him apart.

This time, though, Suzuki was ready. "Forward Phase" he muttered again, snapping his fingers, the creature turned around once more, expecting to find Suzuki trying to attack from behind, but instead, it was received by a large wooden spear, the weapon pierced the creature's head, it howled in pain, even louder this time, it clawed desperately at the weapon, ripping it's own flesh to shreds trying to remove the object from its skull. Suzuki saw a chance in this distraction, maybe if he got close enough, he could try and phase the Spirit's organs out of its body, a risky tactic, but one sure to work. He sprinted toward the creature, but his heart sank as he saw it slowly pull the spear out of its skull, he snapped his fingers to attempt to teleport away, but it was useless, the weapon flew through the air, at a speed too great to dodge, and fast enough that he wouldn't be able to Phase away in time. Suzuki closed his eyes, expecting death to come, he knew it was guaranteed anyway, what difference did it make if a spirit was that cause? However, when he expected the spear to make contact, nothing happened. He opened his eyes in confusion, staring at the now empty space between him and the beast, seemingly as confused as everyone who was still alive to observe the event. Then, it was made clear who had been the one to deflect the weapon: Hajime Takao, his grandfather, "See what you've caused, Suzuki. Most of the elders are dead. Run away. You've caused enough harm" he said, as he snapped his fingers, the Spirit's legs instantly phasing through the ground, trapping for a brief moment, "But, I do not want to run. I want to defeat this enemy!" he shouted back, determined to save those who had survived, "No! It's you it wants, don't you get it? The pain in your soul brought it here, this Special Grade Curse will not stop until we are all dead. Escape, be the one to carry the legacy of the Takao Clan. Be our special, like you were supposed to be" Suzuki hesitated, his heart pounding, and he yelled once again "I will stay! I will save those who remain! I might have failed before, but I won't fail once more, not when everyone needs me!" he said, causing Hajime to lightly smirk, "Very well. Let's end this together" he said, shaping once again, teleporting the beast ten meters in the air, Suzuki snapped too, teleporting himself on top of the best, punching it with all his strength, blood spurting out from the cavity in it's head, it's movements now slow, but still determined to grab and kill Suzuki. However, the spear flew through the air once more, thrown by Hajime, the distant sound of another shout, a different voice, filled the air, "Wormhole!" shouted a woman, one that Suzuki knew more than well, his mother Kazue, the spear re appearing now inside of the beast's arm, instantly straightening it, making the beast unable to move it's left arm. Time slowed down as Suzuki and the Spirit plummeted toward the ground, the impact threatening to end them both, however, another shout from afar filled the air, a gritty and powerful male voice, "Swift Step!"

it said. In a flash, Daichi had teleported by his son's side, "Father! Why would you come to help? I am a failure, you were supposed to execute me" he asked, fearing his father had come to aid the Curse in it's purpose, "I heard Hajime, he told you to run away, to leave us to die, but you didn't. You stayed, you wanted to protect us even if it meant your demise. There is nothing more honorable than that, son" Suzuki smiled, "Then help me finish the job" he replied, both father and son rose their fists, ready to strike, enveloping them in Cursed Energy in order to land the perfect strike, "Black Flash!" they shouted, as charcoal black sparks flew and a dark red explosion followed, the beast flying down toward the ground. The curse barely moved now, twitching and convulsing slowly, Hajime walked toward it "It seems it was my mistake to consider this a Special Grade. It barely is Second Grade, however, it is heavily dangerous and must be finished off. Forward Phase" he ended, snapping his fingers once more, the creature's head suddenly disappeared, however, a loud thud indicated it re-appeared somewhere in the distance.