Chapter 10

**Ghost of Mater** (メイターの幽霊, *Meitā no Yurei*?) is the tenth chapter of the *Jujutsu Shori* series.

## Plot Outline

A ghost dwells in the lonely, deserted, ancient city of Mater in Southern Italy. An investigation was launched to probe the mysterious urban legend local farmers spoke of. The ghost was apparently once a resident of Mater. It is said that the hatred it feels towards its fellow residents who abandoned the city is reflected in its horrifyingly ugly face. To ease his loneliness, the ghost lures children that dare come near the city. Allen and Kanda read this in their mission packets on board a train.

Allen asks what all this has to do with Hallows and cursed wombs. Kanda doesn't really want to answer and "tsks" Allen, but reluctantly does reply. He says that mater is a paranormal hotspot for some reason and whatever it might be is attracting the Earl's puppets. In this case, they believe it has something to do with the Ghost of Mater. Allen wonders if the urban legend is true and Toma claims to have seen the Ghost of Mater with his own eyes,

Meanwhile, in Mater, the clown Hallow named Pierrot continues to hunt for something in a broken-down building. He says it's cramped and like a maze but the thrill of the hunt is fun. He cheerfully exclaims that he's going to find the Ghost. The remaining windows are hidden away in a small room with the ghost and a small girl. They're out of places to run and say it's only a matter of time before the clown finds them. Guzol, the ghost, tells the child with him to run. However, the child refuses to and says Guzol is the only person who accepted her. They're interrupted when Pierott slowly opens the door to the room and reveals his face in a creepy fashion.

Allen, Kanda, and Toma are headed on foot to the village after getting off the train. Allen thinks about what he learned from the remainder of the packet. The Ghost of Mater is apparently a doll. Surrounded by a rocky terrain and dry weather, Mater was dubbed the Land Abandoned by God due to the harsh environment. The people living in despair created dolls to make them forget about their hardships. The dolls gained semblances of sentience and sung and danced to entertain their masters. However, after hundreds of years the dolls were abandoned but it's said they can still be heard singing to this day.

Kanda claims that they must be cursed corpses but that doesn't connect them to the Earl. They arrive at the edge of a cliff that overlooks Mater. Allen notices a cold feeling and worries when he doesn't see any windows. Kanda says Toma's radio couldn't get through so the windows are probably dead. While Allen laments, Kanda tells him the cold reality. He claims that he'll leave Allen for dead if hinders the mission and not to think of him as a friend. Allen doesn't take kindly to Kanda's attitude.

There is suddenly an explosion when two grade 3 Hallows appear and open fire on one of the houses. The building is destroyed with Periott overlooking the destruction. Inside the windows sacrificed themselves and used their projectors to place a seal around the Ghost and the child to protect them. Periott commends them for their quick thinking and the only remaining finder claims they'll never let them win. Periott crushes his head with a stomp, enraging Allen who rushes in to strike the clown. However, Periott grabs Allen's activated arm and counterattacks with a powerful kick that sends him through a building wall. Kanda watches with Timcanpy from above and calls Allen an idiot for being so reckless.

Periott notices Allen's strange clothing and that his hand has been injured. This makes Periott realize his opponent is a jujutsu sorcerer. Allen recovers from the heavy hit, lifting blocks of rubble off of him as he gets back up, His cursed eye is active and he's angry that this clown killed the scouts before they could be rescued. Kanda continues to watch from above, annoyed with Allen for not thinking about the consequences. Allen is fighting against a semi-grade 2 Hallow now, far more powerful than grade 3 and below. Kanda also considers the fact it may have manifested a cursed technique.

Kanda surveys the area and notices the doll being protected by the four talisman projectors. He draws his sword and decides his best course of action is to take out the two grade 3 Hallows and secure the doll. Kanda imbues his Demon Dreamer blade with cursed energy and readies himself to attack. Periott revels in the thrill of battle at the thought of fighting a sorcerer. Allen is surprised this Hallow has a sense of self. He can see the condition of the soul inside is deteriorated compared to a grade 3.

They're both taken by surprise when Kanda cuts down the other two Hallows in an instant, flying through the sky and striking with his Illusionary Sword Style. Periott is surprised to see there's another jujutsu sorcerer. Kanda gets the disarm code for the shield projectors from the dying scout. He reveals the code is 'have hope" and Kanda moves to disable to shield. Periott gets frustrated and expresses an extreme desire to kill all of a sudden.

Kanda takes the doll and the little girl away after telling Allen he won't help since Allen needs to clean up his own mess. Allen says it's fine if the Ghost is with him and he'll catch up after destroying the Hallow. Allen and the crazed clown run at each other, clashing and knocking one another back at the same time. The clown recovers quickly and Allen digs his claw into the wall he crashed into. He breaks it apart and throws the rubble at Periott. The clown smashes it with his fist but Allen hides himself, riding above Periott on the largest piece of debris. He lands a finishing blow that appears to cut Periott in half. However, Allen's cursed eye lets him know that isn't the curse's real body. He turns around, but he's too late as a copy of himself stabs him from behind.