The warm air of Lively Valley shifted as we made our way across the moss-covered paths, its landscape teeming with glowing flora and humming crystals embedded in the cliff walls. It felt alive — as if the valley itself were breathing, whispering secrets in a language none of us could understand.
Boyfriend hummed a cheery melody beside me, head bopping in rhythm to a beat only he could hear. Girlfriend floated just a step behind, scanning the surroundings with bright eyes and a casual sway. They were strange additions to our team, yet their presence was oddly comforting. Something about their carefree attitudes reminded me what we were fighting for.
Miku trailed beside me, her turquoise pigtails swaying as she studied the terrain. Despite the cheery image she often projected, her eyes were sharp — observant.
"The resonance here feels odd," she murmured. "It's like we're being observed."
I nodded slowly. "We probably are."
Then the wind changed.
It wasn't just a breeze. It was a shift in atmosphere — cold, sharp, like reality itself bristled. The sky darkened ever so slightly. Birds scattered in a flurry, and the ground trembled.
From a split in the valley's ridge, they appeared. One by one, black silhouettes emerged through thin air as if the world had glitched.
First was Yuji Itadori, blinking against the strange brightness of the valley.
"Where... am I?" he muttered.
Seconds later, Megumi Fushiguro appeared beside him, his expression unreadable. Nobara Kugisaki followed with a scowl.
"You've got to be kidding me. I was just in the middle of — wait, where the hell are we?"
Last to step through was Satoru Gojo himself, blindfolded and calm as ever.
He cracked a grin. "Huh. Didn't expect to land in fairyland."
We all tensed. Boyfriend tilted his head with a beep of surprise. Girlfriend smiled nervously. Miku stiffened.
Gojo gave a lazy wave. "Don't freak out. Looks like we're in the same mess."
Before we could say anything else, the sky above us rippled — not like thunderclouds, but like a hole being torn through perception.
A figure drifted down slowly, arrogantly, floating just above the jagged crystal spires.
He wore a pristine, custom-tailored suit — deep navy with silver accents. A silver chain swung loosely from his collar, and his pale, porcelain skin glowed under the valley's ambient light. He landed silently, hands in pockets, a twisted smile playing on his lips.
Mahito.
"Well, this is a lovely party," he said, his voice light and taunting. "So many pretty faces. So much potential."
Yuji's fists clenched instantly. "Mahito...!"
"A pleasure, as always," Mahito said, bowing mockingly.
I stepped forward. "You're one of them, aren't you? Jerry's... Pillars."
He grinned wider. "Oh, I like that name. Very dramatic. But yes, I'm flattered to be among his chosen."
Gojo's expression darkened beneath the blindfold. "This isn't your world, Mahito."
"It is now," he said, spreading his arms. "Isn't it beautiful? The way realities bend? The way your fear tastes in a place like this?"
His body flickered — a teleportation so smooth, so instant, that even Miku flinched. One moment he was across the ridge, the next he was inches from Yuji, fingers twitching with cursed energy.
"You all survived Jerry's opening act," he whispered. "Now you'll face his art."
With that, Mahito vanished once more, laughter echoing long after he disappeared.
The tension was unbearable. Gojo finally turned to face us fully.
"Get ready. The game's changed. And Mahito never plays fair."
We didn't speak. We didn't need to.
The valley was no longer safe. Jerry's reach extended further than we feared.
And the Pillars? They weren't just pieces on a board.
They were the storm on the horizon.