—Flashback—
Shadow darted silently across the station perimeter, his form blending seamlessly into the night. His crimson eyes flicked left to right, scanning the dimly lit surroundings with surgical precision.
Nothing.
No abnormal aura. No one in sight.
Yet his instincts prickled.
Clang!
A steel flash slashed toward his back.
Shadow's sword spun behind him instantly, blocking the incoming strike with a hiss of friction.
He smiled. "So I'm guessing… you're not from our side."
The figure stepped back, chuckling.
"Kukuku… I am the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony. Lye Batenkaitos. And you?"
Shadow's blade twisted into twin crowbars, then shifted again—back into sleek obsidian swords.
"I am… Shadow."
Lye sneered, eyes wild with ecstasy. "Slimes? Slimes wielding swords? You'll entertain me wonderfully."
Shadow's eyes narrowed. "Restraining you… will not be a problem."
They vanished.
A flurry of strikes echoed through the alley, metal against metal, sparks bursting with every blow. Shadows leapt across walls. Sword trails flashed.
Lye licked his lips mid-duel. "Delicious, delicious memories! You've eaten so many stories!"
Shadow parried, spinning midair and kicking off a lamppost. "You're a parasite."
Suddenly—CRACK!
Shadow's phone was sliced from his pocket, skidding across the pavement.
Lye looked confused to what he was seeing. "A magical devices?"
A soft ding from the screen.
> Email To: Cid Kagenou — "Your recent parcels have been delayed. Estimated reshipment in 3–5 business days."
Shadow dove for it.
Lye's boot stomped down. "Too late."
—Flashback Ends—
—Penthouse—
"Okay, explain this to me again," Denji said, chewing seaweed ramen with a single chopstick. "You guys think someone existed, then stopped existing?"
"Not stopped. Forgotten. Like…" Kazuma waved a hand, trying to form words. "Like a plot hole you don't notice unless you rewatch the episode fifty times."
Gojo leaned back, sunglasses slightly tilted. "Plot holes don't dress in dark capes and talk about atomic powers."
"He was real!" Subaru barked.
Makima, unbothered, took another bite of yakisoba. "Are you absolutely sure this isn't a case of collective delusion? You've all suffered severe exposure during the fight with Antares. Not to mention, you're legally a braindead person, Kazuma."
Senku chimed in. "From a scientific standpoint, memory tampering via spatial rift exposure is plausible. A being with unstable quantum coordinates could theoretically phase in and out of consensus reality. Or just a memory eating enemy."
Kazuma blinked. "Okay that sounds like Shadow."
Subaru nodded. "Yup. Definitely him."
Saiki sighed, levitating with arms crossed. "This is all pointless conspiracy. You're arguing over a person who may not even exist."
Subaru snapped. "Then who was in that alley, huh?!"
Saiki raised a hand. "I had a precognition."
Everyone paused.
"I did see someone yesterday. Just… too overwhelmed to react. He was tall, blonde, sharp features, long nails… unusual tie."
Gojo leaned forward. "You remember the tie?"
Saiki nodded. "The kind of detail your brain burns into your retina because it's so out of place."
Gojo grinned. "Got it. Suguru, you and I are going hunting."
Suguru groaned. "At least let me finish my fries first…"
—Two Hours Later — Shinjuku—
Gojo and Suguru circled the area for what felt like forever. No leads. No aura. Just noise.
Eventually, they plopped down on a rooftop McDonald's with a family-sized fries between them.
"You think what Kazuma and Subaru said is true?" Suguru asked, casually munching.
Gojo shrugged. "Nah. But they believed it. That alone makes me nervous."
Silence.
Then Gojo brightened. "Let's play a game."
Suguru side-eyed him. "Oh god."
"We mock random civilians below. Like that bald guy with a beard—pick a struggle, bro. And that couple breaking up? Yikes."
Suguru sighed. "Stop—"
Gojo froze mid-laugh, finger pointing across the rooftop.
"Tall. Blonde. Sharp face. Long nails. Weird tie."
Suguru followed his gaze.
Kira Yoshikage.
"You're joking," Suguru whispered. "You found him with that stupid game?"
Gojo cracked his knuckles. "Guess I'm just built different."
They moved.
Gojo got close, arm outstretched—
Kira turned.
He grabbed Gojo's shoulder.
"Hey man—"
"Killer Queen. Detonate the bomb."
BOOM!
"SATORU!" Suguru shouted, jerking back.
A voice echoed behind him.
"Look over here."
Suguru twisted on instinct. His hand flung a summoned curse behind him.
BOOM!
Smoke and fire filled the air. Gojo emerged, dazed but unharmed—clothes shredded, pride slightly bruised.
"Okay," Gojo coughed. "That was new."
Kira ran.
Suguru gave chase. Gojo floated beside him with Infinity back online.
"He touched me and whispered something—then boom."
Suguru nodded. "When you exploded, something else popped up behind me. I didn't see it—just heard that voice. I think it was another bomb."
Gojo clenched his teeth. "He doesn't just plant bombs… he is a walking chain reaction."
"Then we don't let him touch anything again."
They vanished into the shadows, hot on Kira's trail.
A sharp smile.
---
End.