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In the seemingly endless darkness, a majestic castle loomed in the distance, its towering structure built from ancient wood and weathered stone.
From the front, it appeared like any grand fortress, but from the side, its architecture stretched infinitely, as if time and space itself twisted to accommodate its existence. Its gates stood imposing, lined with intricate carvings of lost civilizations, and its walls bore the scars of untold battles.
'...Where am I?'
Kane's consciousness stirred, his thoughts sluggish and distant. He gazed at the fortress before him, its eerie beauty mesmerizing. An inexplainable pull urged him forward, compelling him to reach out and touch it—but he couldn't.
'Where is my arm?'
A slow, creeping horror settled over him as he attempted to move, only to realize he couldn't feel anything. His limbs, his body—they were gone. He was a mere fragment of existence, stripped of physical form, reduced to thought and awareness alone. He couldn't even scream.
'sigh. I should've never believed him in the first place of course he would dec—'
"Kane? Why the fuck are you here?"
A voice, rough yet familiar, echoed through the emptiness. A figure materialized before him, glowing faintly with an ethereal blue aura. He looked human... well almost. His presence flickered, translucent, like a specter caught between realms. His long, unkempt beard, the aged yet commanding gaze—it took a moment, but recognition dawned upon Kane.
'Old foggy? Since when did you die? Where are we? And what the hell happened to your bea—'
" SHUT UP, WILL YOU! Your mouth is always the same—it never stays shut. And for the record, I'm not dead. Well... actually, yeah, technically I am. But also, not really. It's complicated." The old man's expression soured. "Now tell me, why are you here?"
Kane would have crossed his arms if he had any. 'Old foggy... don't tell me... you died while doing it with her?'
"..."
The silence was loud.
"Did fighting your father damage your brain? You dumbass. I'm here because of circumstances beyond your comprehension. And call me 'Uncle,' kid."
Kane would have winced if he had a body as the old man flicked him—or at least, what was left of him. The sensation was strange, a phantom pressure against his formless state.
'Fine, fine. So basically, 'he' sent me here. He told me the portal he created would lead me to another universe. Speaking of which... how can you even hear me? I'm not even talking. And what the hell happened to my body?'
The old man chuckled. "Oh, you're gonna love this one." He raised his hand, and a mirror appeared from thin air, its surface rippling like liquid before solidifying.
Kane stared—and his nonexistent stomach twisted.
'Uncle... tell me you're messing with me.'
In the reflection, a pale blue orb floated where his body should have been. A small, insignificant soul.
"Relax, Kane. That old bastard wouldn't do anything without a plan. Tell me everything."
Kane relayed his story—the battle, the deal, the shattered universe. He spoke of the Law of Life, of the task laid before him, of the chance to bring her back.
The old man's expression shifted from intrigue to realization, then to something unreadable. "So that's his game... He sent you to me, the Guardian of the Soul Palace? What does he wan-oh. Wait. Don't tell me... Did he say something about an 'informant' joining you?"
Kane hesitated. 'Yeah. How'd you know?'
A bitter smile crossed the old man's face. "That bastard. Peeling back old wounds. Your father... he created me as his first experiment in creating life. The moment I gained awareness,we fought. And you could guess by my state i lost...badly."
My punishment? He sealed me here, saying, 'Your life will serve its purpose when you must guide my son.'" He let out a dry laugh. "Well, looks like his 'son' has finally arrived. But damn, Kane, your soul is weak. Small enough to fit in my hand."
Kane ignored the jab. 'Uncle, enough of this. You have a purpose, right? Guide me to another universe. Also, what do souls have to do with universe-hopping?'
The old man scoffed. "Brat, you really talk a lot. But fine. Ever wondered what happens when you swap places with a soul in another universe? You'd control their body, regardless of where they are. Normally, this is impossible without destroying at least one of the souls. Buuuuut you have me. Your very own 'assistant.'"
'Tch. Just do it already. Also, why do you have a body while I don't?'
"Because your soul is weak. Even a normal soul can manifest a body here. You're an anomaly." He turned, striding toward the towering gates of the Soul Palace. The creaking sound echoed ominously as he pushed them open.
Kane expected grandeur. He got dust.
'Uncle, have you ever clean this place? There are cobwebs everywhere. Aren't souls supposed to be... cleaner?'
"I thought they fit the aesthetic," the old man grumbled. "Now, moving on. These are all the souls of this multiverse. Every being that has ever lived or died."
Kane's gaze swept across the endless expanse. Billion—no, trillions—of black orbs floated, clinging to the ever growing palace walls. They pulsed faintly, as if whispering their forgotten stories.
'This many... , I killed this many people?'
The old man sighed. "Roughly a sixth of them. That day... it was chaos. But we're not here to reminisce. Pick a number. 2 to 6. You already destroyed Universe 1."
Kane hesitated, then answered. '4.'
"Heh. Good choice. Now let's find a compatible soul for you."
With inhuman speed, the old man shot through the palace halls, an afterimage in the void. Kane barely processed it before they arrived before four distinct soul orbs, each radiating a different energy.
"Choose one."
Kane didn't hesitate. 'Third one.'
The old man raised an eyebrow. "You don't even want to know who they are?"
'Luck is my bitch. Where's the fun in life if everything is decided at birth?'
A slow smirk spread across the old man's face. "No wonder he calls you his real 'son.' Both of you are the same."
He raised his hand. Energy crackled.
"Before we begin... aren't you curious about the name of the universe you're about to enter?"
Kane's soul pulsed. '...Fine. Speak. Can't leave everything to luck.'
The old man chuckled faintly. "It's called... Jujutsu Kaisen."
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