Chapter 2

**The Maker** (造り手, *Tsukuri-te*?) is the second chapter of the *Jujutsu Shori* series.

## Summary

Allen moves on from the town with the cursed church, hitching a ride with a traveling circus he's familiar with. Timcandy, a small cursed corpse called a "Golem", has found his back to Allen after the cat who ate him died. Some of the acts in the circus ask Allen how he's grown up since Mana passed. He's quiet at first when he thinks about Mana but then responds that it's been... interesting. He recalls Cross ditching him not long ago.

Three weeks ago Cross deemed Allen ready to become a jujutsu sorcerer. However, first, he must attend Jujutsu High and make his way there alone. Cross apparently hates that place and knocked Allen unconscious with a hammer before disappearing.

On his way to Jujutsu High, the cursed church and this next town were two hot spots Allen wanted to hit. Allen notices a boy calling someone else cursed in the crowd of town and hops off his ride. He arrives to the boy apparently crying wolf, causing the crowd to leave him behind. The man attempts to silence the young man but Allen notices he's a cursed corpse and exorcises it.

Allen talks to the young boy, who's been able to see curses since he was young but no one would believe him. Allen urges him not to do anything dangerous that could the attention of the Maker. John shows off his onion bombs by hitting Allen in the face with one to assure him that he can fight off the evil spirits just fine.

Afterward, John meets with a friend who's been acting differently since his mother died, Leo. Leo is the only person who ever believed John about curses and they've been best friends for a long time. John tells Leo that he got a look at the Maker when he was preparing one of his puppets today. He starts drawing when suddenly there's a knock at the door.

Allen followed John to Leo's house, determined to stop him from getting the Maker's attention. When the door opens, Leo's maid answers but she's pushed over onto Allen by John, who runs away with Leo. Allen's eye awakens as they passed him by and he tries to warn John about his friend. They run away quickly out of Allen's view and he comments that he might meet the Maker sooner than expected.

Leo leads John to a cemetery where the Maker is waiting for them. John tries to use an onion bomb to escape but the Maker isn't affected. He claims that it's too late for Leo, he's already one of his puppets. John refuses to believe it but Allen's voice says it's true. He arrives at the cemetery and reveals that Leo is cursed.

Allen explains that it's just like the man earlier. John saw the Maker place one of his skeletons inside the skin of that man. Leo is the same but John refuses to believe it. The Maker asks if Allen is a jujutsu sorcerer and begins to say it's nice to meet you when suddenly he gets a familiar feeling. Allen reveals that he's the Maker's "nemesis" and activates his cursed claw. He prepares to attack Leo but John stops him. John still doesn't believe, but behind him the cursed corpse sheds its skin and rises. It immediately transforms into a large metal shell with canon tanks aimed at Johns back. They fire, but Allen makes it in time to save John.

However, Allen is hit several times because he sued his arm to only protect John. Leo realized that Allen's body has been cursed from being hit. The Maker calls out John for being foolish and reveals that Leo came to him looking to revive his mother. He cursed her death, bringing her soul back from the dead to be sued as another toy for the Maker. John can't believe it but Allen reveals he can see her soul suffering inside the curse.

Allen stands up despite the curse drawing John's concern. Allen assures him it's okay because his master didn't teach him much be he taught him that only a curse can destroy a curse, and Allen is already cursed. He puts his left hand on his chest and dispels the curse within his body, restoring his health and stamina. This surprises the Maker as Allen explains someone dear to him was turned into another one of this man's toys. It attacked Allen and since that day his eye has been cursed and he can see the soul trapped inside the Maker's curses. The Maker realizes who Allen is, recognizing him as Allen Walker, the boy who cursed his own father!