Chapter 3

A Decisive Hand is the third chapter of the Jujutsu Shori series.

Summary
Allen recalls meeting the Maker for the first time by Mana Walker's grave. Allen and Mana weren't related by blood. Allen was born with a deformed left arm and abandoned as a child for being cursed. Mana Walker, a clown, found and raised Allen in the Garvey Traveling Circus. One day, Mana mysteriously died. In hindsight, Allen assumes he was cursed.

Depressed and waiting to die by Mana's grave, a young impressionable Allen was approached by the Maker. He offered to revive Mana. He had Allen curse his death and transformed him into one his puppets. Cursed, Mana had no choice but to attack Allen, cutting out his left eye. In order to save his life, Allen's left hand transformed and exorcised Mana automatically.

Amused, the Earl disappeared in the darkness and Allen's cursed arm finished off Mana on its own as Allen watched in horror. A soul cursed to be a puppet of the Maker is doomed to be his toy forever. They can only be freed through exorcism. Shortly after the incident, Allen was found by a jujutsu sorcerer who was hunting the Maker: Cross Marian.

Cross treated Allen's wounds and apologized for being too late to save him. In return, Cross decided to take over raising Allen. He taught him how to control the curse in his arm and set him on the path of becoming a jujutsu sorcerer. The Maker plays with people's hearts, forcing those close to each other to betray the dead, transforming them into his toys. Allen states his conviction, cleaning he will free all those cursed by the Maker so they don't share his suffering.

The Maker believes he should have killed Allen back then. He gets on top of the puppet made from Leo's mother's soul and opens fire. Allen uses his cursed claw to block all of the bullets this time, telling the Maker not to underestimate him. His arm, deemed the "cursed cross" by Cross himself, is extremely tough and reinforced by cursed energy,

The Maker calls Allen impudent and summons several more curses to his side. John is afraid but Allen assures him he can exorcise them all. He rushes forth as Leo recalls his mistakes. He thought he knew it all from reading about curses in books. He dragged Leo into it by telling and apologizes for not understanding people's hearts. He passionately calls out for Allen to destroy them and Allen exorcised all the curses with his special technique: Cross Grave!

The Maker is surprised and admits grade 3 isn't a match for Allen. However, this is apparently only the beginning as his toys will continue to evolve. Allen tells the Maker to face him but the evildoer levitates in the air. He responds to the Maker but he goes by many names including the Alchemist. Now he officially goes by his favorite title: The Millenium Earl. He will eliminate their puny god and bring the world to it's knees. A jujutsu sorcerer, a soldier for life can't ever save the world is what the Maker says as he disappears.

Three days later Allen is healed up inside Leo's house. John promises to stay out of trouble and asks Allen to become a strong jujutsu sorcerer.