'This fight isn't going anywhere. Itadori looks to be on his last legs with how much injuries he is packing. Even I'm not in that good of a condition. Damn it, what do we do?!' Megumi couldn't help but grumble a bit whilst looking at the battles currently taking place around.
Rewinding back a long while ago, when Megumi and everyone first felt the curtain veil around Shibuya and the stations had been broken through, Nanami had proceeded with a slightly altered plan of attack. They were to head in from around the Meiji-dori Ave exit and East side exit around the Inokashira station Line, in tandem, towards the place where they had deduced Gojō was currently sealed in the underground station.
Yūji and Megumi had been accompanied by Ino towards the East side while Nanami was to enter from the other because he had wanted to find some of the other sorcerers that had been trapped or were seemingly lost in the curtain edges when things had gone south. Ino took a detour mid-way to cover more area while Yūji and Megumi stuck close to each other and entered the station.
But things got even more awry as soon as the two had reached the third level of the underground station. That was when Chōsō encountered both of them and then in the subsequent battle he was able to separate Yūji from Megumi in a battle that seemed to heavily favour the Cursed Womb and the various Cursed Spirits that followed through with the Cursed Womb's attack.
'We got separated on that first ambush but I managed to find Itadori. The transmuted humans and Cursed Spirits took a lot out of me. I hope Ino-senpai has been taken to a safer place, that's the only win we can possibly take, and if it weren't for Nanami's intervention it would've been way worse! This other Cursed Spirit is all kinds of insane too.' A few distance away Megumi watched as Nanami had a really hard time against the vile Cursed Spirit that was Mahito, even with his classmates helping him. (('Even that one's all kinds of bad!'))
Back when Megumi and Yūji were being overpowered and outmanned, Ino had intervened in the battle rather quickly as he had been close by when the attack happened. While Megumi was busy with the Cursed Spirits and even transmuted humans, Ino had been able to find Yūji battling with Chōsō, heavily injured. Ino fought the Cursed Womb but was quickly overwhelmed by its sheer versatile ability to utilize the Kamo clan's Sōden Jutsushiki, Sekketsu Sōjutsu (Blood Manipulation), in ways he couldn't imagine any living Kamo clan members could. This same surprise to the manipulation ability would prove fatal for Ino.
A sneaky attack of condensed and pressurized blood arrow (("Senketsu (Piercing Blood)." Chōsō whispered)) that was launched in blinding speeds had been the first thing that took the sorcerer off guard as Ino got grievously pierced through his sternum with Yūji barely dodging the same attack that also went his way, with it lightly grazing his arms. Yūji was already heavily injured as it is but then things took an even, more, worse turn as Mahito decided to jump in the fray right at that moment and (("Tajūkon: Battai (Soul Multiplicity: Body Repel)!" Mahito exclaimed)) Yūji barely dodged the transmuted human-body attack that Mahito sent out towards him.
The subsequent argument that took place between Mahito and Chōsō due to Mahito's interference had been the moment that Yūji was able to retrieve the unconscious Ino and make a quick dash to a safer spot. Meanwhile Megumi, after dealing with his lot of enemies, had been able to reach Yūji and Ino just in time to escape with Datto and a quick shadow dive after, towards a different location.
"Itadori, get Ino-senpai out of here. I'll handle this one for a while."
"Fushigoro?! But won't y-! (("What is going on right now?!" Yūji turned towards the earpiece he had)) Mechamaru?!"
"Mechamaru?"
"Fushigoro Megumi. So you are here as well, tell me what's going in?"
"Where were you all this time?" Yūji asked urgently.
"I was conserving energy for a while, I would have to do something very quick. Tell me about the situation."
Yūji merely turned the face of the earpiece and it spoke, "Chōsō and Mahito?! How did they get here and against you two?! And how is Ino-senpai that injured?!"
"They are distracted Mechamaru, and Ino-senpai got booked by that blood using Cursed Spirit. You know anything about them?"
"I faced Mahito. It is a Special Grade and it can transmute humans ((Yūji clenched his fists at that)) and if Chōsō can use blood then that would most likely point towards the ability to use the Sekketsu Sōjutsu. (("You know about it?" Yūji asked)) Kamo uses it as well, the same Cursed Technique. It is one of the most prized and treasured Cursed Technique of the Kamo family passed through its generational line.
Closed-quarters, mid to long range, it is hailed for its versatility and overall balance in the arts of combat."
"Then you must know it's weakness as we-!" "I do not know its weakness, Itadori Yūji." "Huh?!"
"Clan secret?" "That is correct Fushigoro Megumi, just like your Tokusa no Kage Bōjutsu is one of the most prized techniques of the Zen'in family, the Sekketsu Sōjutsu is a prized treasure of the Kamo family as well and thus not much is known about it to the outsiders."
"So that would me-!" DhhooOOOM!
A section of the wall near them was blasted away as they felt the two Cursed Spirits get closer.
"No time to talk Itadori. Get Ino-senpai out of here. I'll handle these guys till then."
"Fushigoro-!"
Little did the two know though that Yūji was already marked by Chōsō's blood and so, unknowingly, which is why they were found out so quickly, which had led to the duo's retreating fight and had them at a very big disadvantage due to the injured combatant the duo held with them, on the streets of Shibuya. (("There is no time to argue. Just get it done and run back. I won't die!")) Megumi had then proceeded to distract the two Cursed Spirits with his shikigami as Yūji gritted his teeth (("Listen to him. Let's get Ino-senpai out and we get back here in no time. I can assume the Kyoto detail is also on the move so don't worry." Mechamaru said)) and without much more talk picked up his pace while carrying Ino's body with him, disappearing into the alleys.
"Gyokuken: Kon (Divine Dogs: Totality)." A shadowy black dog-like figure that didn't form into a full-shaped summon, shot out towards Chōsō's direction who appeared in front of Megumi but Mahito, who was well out of the vicinity, dodged, while Megumi dashed towards a different direction.
Summoning Nue, Megumi jumped on its back and flew upwards into the sky right over where Chōsō had torn through the shadow wisp-like shikigami. A big gust of wind from the beating of Nue's wings swept Mahito away as he tried to run towards Yūji's direction but wasn't able to. The gust had also pushed Chōsō back but Chōsō steadied himself and then quickly compressed another pint of blood that he shot towards Megumi.
Lucky or not, Megumi couldn't help but be elated when in the next moment Nanami had appeared out of nowhere and proceeded to cut through and save Megumi from being pierced by the attack of Chōsō whilst Yūji had enough time to disappear with Ino. At least that was what Megumi had thought.
"I'll take the other one. I'm familiar with him. Can you handle this one Fushigoro?"
((Megumi breathed heavily)) "Tch, no sweat Nanami."
No other words were spoken as Nanami gathered Cursed Energy on to his blade and dashed a few steps ahead while slamming down the blade into the ground.
"Jutsushiki Kakuchō: Garagara (Technique Extension: Collapse)."
A huge fissure divided the battlefield that was the streets of the city as Nanami engaged Mahito while Megumi focused on Chōsō. Megumi tried to keep his distance with Chōsō but the Cursed Womb had surprisingly closed the distance between him significantly closer. Megumi dodged the blood arrow by diving into the nearby building shadow but when he appeared back he found Chōsō waiting and Megumi could only proceed to fight close-quarters.
Relentless attacks were being dished out by Chōsō and so Megumi was forced to only keep dodging the blindingly fast melee attacks. Megumi was on the back-foot. In a pure melee brawl, Megumi knew he couldn't stack up to the Cursed Womb unlike Yūji who could go toe-to-toe. Megumi had tried to keep his distance but Chōsō was able to reach him with his better physique and throw a punch which Megumi blocked but he still got sent flying.
'Tch, Itadori escaped with that sorcerer. There's this new guy as well, but Mahito is busy with him. Oh well, I know Itadori will come back, until then, might as well beat this one down.'
Walking into the smoking building Chōsō had to quickly dodge a knife-like weapon aimed at his face as he felt someone's presence behind him. He then dodged the subsequent swipe at his torso while launching a kick that was blocked. Making a few distance, Chōsō saw it was Megumi who then made a new handsign.
"*Gōkuma (Roaring Bear)!"
A shadow fell over Chōsō as the Cursed Womb turned his head over him and saw a shadowed thundering paw punch headed straight towards him. As the punch landed it sent a shockwave around the area while Chōsō disappeared into the explosion. Megumi heaved deep breaths while he watched the smoke.
The shikigami had disappeared quite fast into the shadows as Megumi had sweat and exhaustion catch up. 'I can't use that shikigami for prolonged time still. Shit, my Cursed Energy is getting low as well?!'
As the smoke cleared Megumi saw the Cursed Womb disappear as he spread his senses and instantly felt an attack coming from the right. Megumi dodged the punch by mere centimetres as he dove straight towards a shadow but couldn't. Chōsō caught Megumi's leg and threw him at distance as the Cursed Womb created another blood arrow and launched it straight towards the recovering Megumi. A shadowy incomplete dog intercepted the arrow as Megumi stood and made a run to the opposite side of Chōsō.
'Shit he outmatches me too much in hand to hand. He is too much of a freak physically like Itadori!'
A swipe of blood came in Megumi's vision as he dodged the sailing blood blade that sliced through the building walls he was running through as he kept low and dived out towards the streets. Megumi subsequently dived into the shadows again for a bit of reprieve as he planned for his next move.
'I need to surprise him somehow. He can still sense my Curse Energy when I come out of my shadows and he is always nearby.' Megumi peeked out of the shadow of a bridge as he looked around when the bridge itself got sliced down (("Gama!")) and Megumi had to summon his frog shikigami to get him out of the wreckage as the Chōsō came in view with his arms joined and stretched in front.
'He is going to do that attack again!'
Chōsō shot another blood arrow in blinding speeds as Megumi barely brought up his blade to block the incoming attack. Megumi steadied himself while Gama disappeared as he used the blade stop his tumbles while Chōsō dashed in towards his location. (("Sekirin Yakudō (Flowing Red Scale)." Chōsō whispered)) Megumi only had a moment of notice before Chōsō closed the gap between them (('He got faster?!')) and Megumi swung his blade but the Cursed Womb caught his arms and tried to elbow Megumi's neck. But Megumi dodged the elbow and kicked himself off of Chōsō as he tried to dash in towards a nearby shadow again for a surprise attack.
But Chōsō was faster to recover and he appeared right in front of Megumi who slid under the attack that followed through. Megumi tried to unbalance Chōsō by swiping at his legs but the Cursed Womb merely dodged and then launched a series of punches to the streets that Megumi was forced to dodge and he dodged quite a few, but the last one came up really fast and Megumi braced for impact.
DhmM!
Kicked to the face, Chōsō blocked the surprise attack that had come from the side, but the Cursed Womb still got sent away from the force as Yūji appeared on the scene while Megumi, seeing his teammate, couldn't be more happier for the time being.
"Oy, Fushigoro, you ok? I found Kugisaki and the others on my way and Ino-senpai is currently being taken out of this place."
A raised eyebrow showed the intrigue of Megumi at hearing their other teammate's name, and that they were headed here as well. He couldn't help but be a bit eased learning that more sorcerers were coming.
"That's good. You mind if we take this guy down now, Itadori?"
"I'm, all, ready Fushigoro. Where's Mahito?"
"Nanami came in."
"Got it."
Meanwhile, Nanami kept Mahito busy after the fissure attack from before that split the battlefield. Nanami had singled out the Cursed Spirit to fight against even though he had known from their first encounter, with the same Cursed Spirit, that his own technique was heavily countered by the Cursed Spirit's own technique ability. 'I know my Tookaku Juhō (Ratio Technique) is basically useless against this one. His soul manipulation can overwrite and negate my technique's damage and with only me to face him I cannot seem to do much, then there is his domain as well ((Nanami's eyes narrowed)) so I should only try and buy time for now.'
((Nanami sighed)) "I'm always overworking in this job it seems lately."
He dashed towards Mahito and tried to swipe at him but Mahito dodged and let lose a torrent of transmuted human snakes with massive jaws as Nanami indifferently slashed through a series of them but had to back off and dodge the rest of the torrent as he made a distance between himself and the Cursed Spirit. Mahito meanwhile had been having absolute fun.
"IS that All?! Come on! I know you can do better than that Jujutsu Sorcerer!"
'It seems like I have the advantage here ((Mahito grinned goofily)) Hmm~ Even though I can't seem to reach Itadori Yūji, guess I'll play around with this guy again for a while. From the looks of it, Jōgo is fighting somewhere, hmm. I want to see the look on Itadori Yūji's face when I present him a transmuted sensei. Hehehehe~'
"I told you once didn't I? You'd be the perfect specimen to experiment on with my technique! ((Mahito proceeded to dash forward with a transmuted battle-axe right hand with glee)) I still haven't changed my MIND!"
Dodging the slam from Mahito, Nanami proceeded to wrap around, the sealing wrapper of his blade, in to his right hand as Nanami then proceeded to quickly punch Mahito in his torso but Mahito blocked it with a human rubber shield. Nanami quickly steadied himself and then launched a barrage of slashes and punches that destroyed quite a few monuments and buildings. Mahito dodged all the attacks with mirth.
Quickly covering the distance between, Mahito tried to touch the torso of Nanami but the sorcerer felt him coming in and by a very small margin was able to dodge the touch. Nanami then tried to slash off the head of Mahito which Mahito blocked but his hand got damaged and Nanami was able to kick him away.
'He is keeping his distance from me. He knows he cannot touch me deliberately or let himself be touched so he is keeping me at that blade's length. His Cursed Energy is only growing at this point. Is that the binding vow in effect that he told me about?'
It was pretty much a short stalemate at this point for Mahito but he knew he still had the advantage over the sorcerer in front due to his technique. He had already faced the sorcerer and had him at the palm of his hands once and it was only Yūji's presence that had saved him last time. The only thing he had to fear right now is the fact that he couldn't have Itadori Yūji locked and killed inside his domain like the sorcerer, in front, as that would mean Mahito would need to confront Sukuna. (('But not this sorcerer~'))
The only other major player that Mahito currently worried about was the new sorcerer he had come in contact with before everything went down. The red-haired sorcerer with the poisonous Cursed Energy that ran through his veins, Mahito couldn't help but remember back to the beat down.
'I don't know who that one was and Getō won't tell me more about him, but I could care less now if he is nowhere around, close. Oh well, back to the fight.'
Creating another shield of human mass Mahito blocked the incoming slash and then sent a punch but Nanami turned, dodged and tried to take Mahito's head off but the Cursed Spirit merely made distance jumping away as Nanami also dodged the swipe of Mahito's hand. Mahito steadied himself but Nanami had slashed on to the building behind Mahito as the Cursed Spirit dodged the various huge debris chunks that fell over.
Nanami covered the distance and tried to cut Mahito's arms off but Mahito got in towards Nanami's range by changing shape and then touched the side torso of Nanami. But he, Nanami, had moved at the last minute as well, and as Mahito touched only a small portion of the sorcerer, Nanami on the other hand cut off the hand of Mahito and kicked him away.
It didn't stop a small portion of Nanami's torso from being damaged by that slight touch still as the wound started to bleed out while Nanami heaved deep breaths. He watched Mahito stand up and face him with glee in his eyes as Nanami clutched the blade in his hand. 'Damn it, if it were a direct touch, I'm sure that was the last of me.'
"Haha! You're really trying harder than before aren't you?! Just a fraction of a second fast than me are ya, sorcerer? Hmhm~"
As laughter followed Mahito regurgitated out three small packages (('He still has transmuted humans?!' Nanami wondered as he saw the act)) that changed into three medium-sized deformed humanoid beings with sharp elbow outgrowths, short legs and no facial structure except for a sharp teethed mouth opening.
The humanoids dashed in towards Nanami who gritted his teeth and then dashed towards the humanoids. Mahito grinned as the heaving Nanami punched the first one, then slashed the second into pieces and then sliced and punched the last one but before Nanami could steady himself fully and expect Mahito on his front, (('Hmm!?')) the Cursed Spirit appeared from the side ready to touch the whole face of Nanami.
The moment had stopped for a fleeting second for Nanami as he could only see the five fingered open palm headed straight towards his head, ready to use the technique of the Cursed Spirit, to tear and render his soul and finally put an end to his life.
If only that was how it had went.
SwwWoOOP!
Two nails pierced Mahito's elbow and neck and before the Cursed Spirit could do anything else his body had jerked to a stop, (('What the hell?!')) and Nanami, being the Grade-1 he was, seeing that very short, and slim, chance launched a devastating Cursed Energy focused punch right into Mahito's open front.
"Kokusen (Black Flash)!"
And in that moment of chance, the phenomenon that occurred for the miniscule blessed ones, took hold; flashing black for a moment and then, Mahito was launched through buildings. The distant walls crashed down as Nanami took a breather while under the debris Mahito couldn't make out what had gone wrong, between the rubble and wall he was stuck in to. 'What the hell was that?! It hit that place?! It reached my soul?!'
"Nanami! Are you alright?!" the voice of Maki called out as Nanami turned to his left and saw her following a running Nobara, both moving towards him. Nanami turned fully to receive them as they reached him and replied,
"I'm ok, Maki. It seems you found us at the right time."
"Yeah we heard explosions and felt a lot of Cursed Energy being used around here. Nitta is currently with Ino and we met some other sorcerers who were taking the wounded back, so Nobara and I raced towards you after we met Itadori. The old geezer is here too but he probably went off towards Megumi."
"Hm, that's fine. Thanks to you I was able to fend this one off, for now." Nanami turned to look at the direction Mahito was launched away and continued saying, "If it isn't any more trouble, we should get ready right now. The Cursed Spirit is getting back up."
Surely, Mahito could be seen stretching himself out as he walked out of the rubbles and into the open street again while Maki and Nobara got ready with their Cursed Tools. Briefly turning his head towards the two Nanami said,
"That attack from before, the nails, they seem to have had some effect on him. Seems like we can have an advantage and put some pressure on him this way. ((Nanami gripped his weapon tighter)) He can use Ryōiki Tenkai so be prepared. Let's go, Maki, Kugisaki."
On the other hand Mahito merely watched as the sorcerer from before came in to view with two newer additions.
'Ah, I don't know what that was before, but I guess my guy has two new pals too and they are girls~ ((Mahito grinned in a dopey manner)) My, my, what should I do next, oh wait, one of them probably has that nail attack so I should try and scope out the one who did that first. Itadori can wait for now. I saw one of those girls and she was quite close to Itadori if I remember correctly. What would his face look like when I present him with his friend all deformed and mangled along with his sensei. Hmmhnnnm~'
"Ok ((Mahito stretched himself as he watched Nanami dash towards him with Nobara and Maki)) I guess it's time for round two. Let's see if this one works even better."
Regurgitating even more souls into the palm of his hands Mahito put his arms forward as he clapped once gathering the large amount of souls.
"Tajūkon: Kikon Isetai (Soul Multiplicity: Polymorphic Soul Isomer)."
A pair of transfigured humans stood before Mahito as he grinned and got ready for the upcoming fight.
'Chōsō you have your fun. But the only one to put Itadori Yūji in despair before he dies is going to be me!'
-Metropolitan Expressway Route No.3-
Shibuya Tollgate Line
While Mahito and Chōsō raged their battles on to the far sides of Shibuya's interior, the outer sections had become a silent reprieve for the, once, trapped sorcerers that were now able to make their way out of the different places they were trapped in due to the curtain veil that had fallen prior.
The Expressway that ran through Shibuya had become one of the few spots that had been created to take in the injured sorcerers that were brought in by the many other sorcerers and even some humans. In this particular spot of recovery though, a familiar face was seen walking through the tents displayed up as the figure entered a particularly bigger tent that seemed to have another figure, female, inside it that was seemingly treating an injured sorcerer in one of the beds.
"Oh you're here then, Principal. Let me just finish this and join you."
The female didn't even deign to look at the other as she said the words and then without any other response, the figure merely watched the female figure work for a few more minutes.
"It's surprising that you took the initiative like that, but I think it was for the better. If you hadn't called me in this moment and waited for Nanami I might say that we'd have had a lot more vacant posts to fill, and it's all thanks to you Principal." Shoko said as she and Principal Yaga, both stood outside at the expressway rails overlooking the city down below.
"The curtain is gone.", was the only response from Principal Yaga as he looked towards the city as well.
"Ahh yeah, I was surprised as well. When I met the first of the surviving sorcerers bring in their wounded altogether I was equally baffled to see them running towards me. You told me there was a curtain."
"Yes I did Shoko, and I want to know how this was possible. Did any of the others tell you about anything regarding who did this?"
"Not one of them knows about it. They only say that they felt the curtain banning the entry and exit of sorcerers and even some curtains inside the same vicinity that must've been trapping Gojō in break away in a flash."
"Hmm, somebody must've entered the curtain and broke it away from the inside."
"Couldn't it be one of ours?"
"Then we would've gotten something Shoko."
"A new sorcerer we don't know about?"
"Or a third party that has taken an interest in this mess."
"But then why break the curtains away Principal? Why let the only thing that could potentially keep the sorcerer, or them, hidden for longer break way like that?"
"You are assuming they're a sorcerer Shoko. It could be someone entirely new. The curtain could probably have fallen due to a fight, perhaps?"
"Hmm, either way, if this third party has no interest in our sorcerers then we can potentially let it be for now don't you think so Principal?" As soon as Shoko said that, she pulled out a box of cigarette and proceeded to pick one out and light it.
"It's better to be cautious for now Shoko. You're one of the most integral part of this mess. We will need you in the long run."
"That sounds ominous Principal. ((Shoko looked at Yagi as she puffed out a smoke)) Don't tell me you're about to do something stupid in Gojō's absence."
"Don't make it sound like you haven't been doing the same lately, and what's this? All by yourself in this place, like once before?"
"Sheesh you don't need to tell the obvious. Anyway, if you're so suspicious about the third party why not go in? I'll be fine here."
"Not a chance."
"Hwaahh~ There are Cursed Corpses stationed around here and there nearby, Principal. I'll be fine on my own."
"Even so, there are probably sorcerers of our own that are already in there. They will be enough in my opinion. Nanami is also there, so there is my confidence we will be successful."
"Smart of you on that. It's better that you let Nanami out on the field rather than let him be on his phone duty. It would've been a waste."
"He was already raring to go anyway. I would never stop him like that, but unlike him ((Principal Yaga looked at Shoko)) you are irreplaceable Shoko."
"Is that a fact, aren't you just overestimating my ability?"
"Hmph, never overestimating. You are irreplaceable Shoko. Using Reverse Cursed Technique to heal others is a skill that a lot of sorcerers just can't do. It's something even Satoru can't do but you can. It's a priceless boon that we are very short on and with the events that have been occurring lately, I fear you will be needed a lot more than us old sorcerers."
"Really not, obviously, ominous Principal."
"Ieiri-san!" Someone called out to Shoko from a distance, somewhere, around her right bottom-side.
Nitta appeared with another two sorcerers in uniform who helped her carry an unconscious, injured, Ino towards Shoko and Principal as they made their way towards the small group.
A few moments later, Ino was seen laid out on a bed inside a medical tent as Shoko watched over his unconscious body and proceeded with her diagnostics.
"Whatever pierced him missed the heart by a really small bit, and to break through the sternum?! ((She looked towards the only female sorcerer inside the tent)) You mentioned meeting Itadori, Nitta. What more did he tell you?"
"Ahh! ((Nitta was flustered)) Umm, when Kugisaki-san and the others met Itadori-san he was in a real hurry and only mentioned Ino-san being pierced by some blood attack. (("Sekketsu Sōjutsu?" Shoko whispered)) He really didn't wait long since he told us Fushigoro-san was fighting alone against two Cursed Spirits and he didn't want to leave him like that. That was it, he just bolted after that. The others, Kugisaki-san and all, beside me just followed after towards him while I was let to take Ino-san to you. That was when I met up with the other two."
Concern wrought the face of Principal Yaga as he looked at Ino and heard Nitta say her piece. Shoko meanwhile completed her diagnostic as she exhaled out another puff of smoke and said, "Ino's lucky you know. His chest got totally punctured. I could heal the excess damage but it will be up to him if he can recover fast."
"He will. Nanami has high hopes for him, he will recover. It's thanks to you as well he could be healed at least."
"Again with that?"
"You fail to see your value in this Shoko. Satoru might be powerful but he still got sealed, that brat! I am more concerned about Fushigoro and the others, especially Itadori. It might be for the best that at least the Zen'in clan head is with them. I can only hope that Nanami has gotten into the thick of it to help them as well."
"You can still go you know."
"And like I said Shoko. No chance in hell I am leaving you unprotected or out of my sight. Until this thing gets done, you'll be under my watch. ((Principal Yaga glared a bit)) And I thought you told me that you had quit smoking already and why are you smoking inside with a patient?"
"It won't do anything don't worry. I just felt nostalgic you know, ((Shoko puffed out a smoke and then proceeded to smudge out the cigarette)) just remembering my student years."
-Back with Megumi and others-
The fight that had raged on between Chōsō and the two student sorcerers had been at a stalemate for a while after Yūji had joined the fray. With Megumi's summons and Yūji's own physical prowess, the teamwork that the two boys showed had the Cursed Womb to resort to being on the defensive as Megumi piled on shadow attacks with his summons from unexpected angles while Yūji kept the focus of Chōsō on the brawl of hand-to-hand with him, trying to divide his attention between the two.
"Karibarai (Slicing Exorcism)."
A stream of blood sliced through diagonally whilst Yūji bent forward to dodge it as he then dashed inwards and did a rotating low to high kick towards Chōsō who blocked it, grabbed Yūji's leg and smashed him towards the nearby wall but before Chōsō could follow through he is stopped by Datto again as the numerous rabbit shikigamis piled up in his front and around him.
'Tch, distraction!' Megumi appeared overhead with a slicing motion but at the same time, Yūji appeared and was able to punch Chōsō away when the Cursed Womb went for the dodge from Megumi's attack and came in range of Yūji's (("Keitei Ken (Divergent Fist).")) attack.
'Hmph! A double impact punch again? He uses strange technique!' "Itadori Yūji, ((Chōsō steadied himself)) for being responsible in my brothers' deaths I will kill you as you stand here!"
Byakuren (Convergence), a Kamo clan specialty technique, was prepared as small condensed blood droplets floated around the vicinity of Chōsō. Yūji narrowed his eyes at the blood orbs (('Is he going to do something with those orbs again?')) but he and Megumi had to quickly remove themselves from their previous spot when a Cursed Spirit seemingly appeared out of nowhere distracting them as Chōsō let loose another blood arrow in blinding speeds.
Easily dodging the big mouth of the Cursed Spirit that tried to swallow them whole, Megumi and Yūji destroyed the Cursed Spirit but they did not expect the blood arrow to also pierce through the Cursed Spirit and appear right in front of them. Yūji kicked Megumi away from the arrow trajectory while he tried to block the attack for himself but it pierced through his shoulder as Yūji kissed his teeth. That was the chance that Chōsō had waited as when Yūji staggered in his falling position, the Cursed Womb dashed with hardened blood around his fists (('Close-quarters I'll beat you down Itadori!')) and sent the first punch. Yūji could only side step slowly but the second punch didn't miss and hit his left side although Yūji poised himself still, grabbed the hands of Chōsō and hurled him towards the building walls. Chōsō knocked off a sidewalk water line as he rolled away when Megumi also joined the fray.
"Nue."
Before he could barely register Chōsō felt the surprising summoning of the bird shikigami as it, out of nowhere, blitzed him through a building, at a height, while its wings had some electricity charges around it. Chōsō felt the numbness in his torso as he looked at the shikigami that flew away while he was left at the mercy of gravity. 'Can't move!'
Free-falling, Chōsō found himself close to the ground below and as he fell he staggered for a bit getting up while a big piece of debris got hurled towards him, which he dodged barely. Yūji had dashed in with a Cursed Energy infused punch, where Chōsō appeared at, that got the right side of the Cursed Womb and he was again launched into the nearby building wall. Yūji tried to follow up quickly as he threw a piece of rubble that Chōsō dodged while simultaneously he drove another enhanced punch towards the face of Chōsō but the Cursed Womb had enough sense to dodge barely and let his shoulder catch the brunt of the attack by hardening the blood around the area.
Landing the punch Yūji felt the rebound on his fist as he felt a few of his knuckles crack which gave Chōsō the chance (("Chōshinsei (Supernova).")) to unleash a Chōsō original technique. By condensing the small droplets of blood around the vicinity that had fallen when he took the attack of Yūji, Chōsō unleashed reinforced blood spikes around the back and top of Yūji as he exploded the condensed blood droplets around like a buckshot.
"Itado-!" BZZrK!
"GhkH! What?" the cut off of Mechamaru's voice indicated the problem. Yūji realised that the last attack had destroyed the communicating device that Mechamaru had slipped on to him. Before he could think further though Chōsō had recovered enough sense to proceed with an attack as he drove a hardened blood, fist, right in the guts of Yūji and launched him towards the opposite end of the street. But before Chōsō could follow up he was picked up by Nue again out of nowhere as he was taken in to the air and dropped but that wasn't all.
All Chōsō could do was brace for impact as another huge shadow fell over him and the next moment, an immense sized elephant shikigami had buried him to the ground and Chōsō could only barely hold on to his senses as the force of the fall may have been lessened by him hardening and cushioning himself with another layer of blood underneath him, but the weight of the shikigami had enough force to slightly cave in his bones and body. The shikigami had then vanished off quickly as well. Left in the crater was Chōsō who coughed once and then slowly stood up.
'BhhkKH!, it vanished quickly. It must take a whole of a lot of Cursed Energy to summon it. That's good for me. ((Chōsō took a few short moments to gain his bearings)) The bird is annoying but for now, I can max it up in close-quarters with them more. The other one doesn't have much good hand to hand so I will take care of him first before piling it up on Itadori.'
Inhaling and exhaling once Chōsō focused on manipulating the blood inside his body as the Cursed Womb increased it for a whole new level of enhancement. The marks in his face thickened and grew arrows as his eyes grew much more, full, in color and his fatigue with the injuries slowly regenerated.
"Sekirin Yakudō: Sai (Flowing Red Scale: Stack)."
A step forward (("Here I come, Itadori Yūji.")) and Chōsō dashed in towards the two student sorcerers. Seeing him move Megumi went in for a side slash but Chōsō easily dodged it (('Did he just get faster than before?!')) and tried to grab his hands but Yūji dashed in with a low kick that Chōsō blocked and then locked Yūji in place before turning and sending a concealed small blood arrow towards Megumi whose right neck got grazed as he barely dodged the attack.
Getting free of the lock of Chōsō, Yūji tried to direct another punch but Chōsō was quicker and redirected the punch before sending a palm thrust to knock Yūji away. Megumi rushed as Yūji got knocked away but Chōsō had known and he blocked the strike, caught Megumi's hand and then threw him away towards a wall. Before Megumi could do more Chōsō had already continued on by sending another blood arrow towards his vicinity but Yūji had recovered enough to dash in and make Chōsō miss his aim by tackling him in the torso.
Grabbing the shoulders Chōsō cancelled Byakuren and tried to throw Yūji off but the boy had a tight grip (('Strong!')) and before Chōsō knew it he was thrown to the side and a kick approached his face which he blocked and tried to somersault back to stand up. Yūji seemed to have entered a kind of trance on that few seconds of movement when he just blindingly started to dish out punches towards Chōsō but the Cursed Womb could see all the attacks and had defended enough to not incur any further injuries, although a bit shaken.
'He has been able to land only a few blows on me ((Chōsō redirected one punch and both Yūji and him made distance)) but those blows have been able to leave some major damage. It's only because I hardened some blood all over my body that some of his attacks haven't had much effect, ((Chōsō shook his right shoulder and looked at the unseen shaking left torso of his)) but I can still feel some small aftershocks till now.
Hardening my blood isn't good for the long run though. I can feel some kinks forming in my hands due to the prolonged clotting inside but ((A short memory of Yūji gaining an advantage over him just before plays)) Itadori is injured as well and I doubt he can hold for long. He is too physically resilient himself so he isn't giving out easily either. The other sorcerer is annoying with his summons but I guess the constant summoning and dispelling is slowly catching up to him. Itadori Yūji, you ((Chōsō watched Yūji get ready again)) only you're truly worth every ounce of my hate!'
Another Byakuren is prepped up as seeing that action Yūji merely first observes and just when Senketsu is used Yūji dashes. Able to manoeuvre around the initial trajectory of the attack Yūji is able to close the distance, but bending the trajectory of the attack, Chōsō tried to cut Yūji but the boy was faster this time and tried to swipe at the Cursed Womb's legs. Chōsō dug his legs to the ground as Yūji low swiped him but could only make Chōsō kneel a bit which Chōsō took advantage of to try and send a concealed hardened blood blade right into Yūji's head.
VwwWoOHM!
Except Yūji did not conform to how Chōsō had planned and to the Cursed Womb's surprise, Yūji swiftly changed his trajectory of his whole body, twisting it so that Yūji is able to launch a low to top kick right inside Chōsō's strike zone. Due to planting his feet earlier, Chōsō's response is delayed for a fleet second and he gets kicked in his chin.
'Tch, didn't expect him to do that!' Chōsō brought his hands together again for Byakuren but Yūji merely went for another punch and Chōsō was forced to cancel out the technique to block the oncoming punches. For a few moments Chōsō and Yūji again proceeded to have an intense bout of close-quarters, again with both of them equally dishing out attacks and defending.
'I can do this! Don't worry about yourself you only need to bring time! Fushigoro can't help you at the moment but bringing Gojō-sensei back has not changed. ((Chōsō dodged a punch as Yūji is kicked away)) It is the only thing that matters! ((Yūji steadied himself and had to sidestep but failed to block an elbow))
GhkH!
I only need to buy some more time! Only I am capable of what I do best! ((Yūji blocks the subsequent blood attack but he still gets injured)) Even if I'm destined to die it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I can't be the one to save sensei! ((Yūji clenches his hands around the back of Chōsō and throws the Cursed Womb away as he, himself, steadies his wobbling body)) Take it all in, the pain, the fear, the hatred. ((Cursed Energy flows out of Yūji as he takes poise and focuses)) Take it all in Yūji. Empty your mind of distractions! Turn these emotions into focus. Turn these emotions I feel into Cursed Energy. I understand now. What I truly have to do.'
Dashing in, Yūji redoubled his efforts as he and Chōsō again meet back for an all-out fist fight again.
'PshH, you won't go down easy huh?! I'm still shaking from those attacks I took from you Itadori Yūji. ((Yūji goes for a left jab but Chōsō blocks and goes low to swipe)) You're fighting like a sacrificial lamb now with nothing to look forward to, but that's okay. I will grant you your death that you rightfully deserve. ((Chōsō blocks a double side kick as Yūji goes for a punch)) My brothers will watch as I give them the peace they shall have at your demise.'
Countering the side kick that Chōsō sent out Yūji tried to grab it but Chōsō merely brought in the leg and launched a blood arrow from a blind spot that Yūji barely dodged as it grazed his skull. Staggering a bit Yūji tried to turn and punch but Chōsō already got in position with another Byakuren prepared. But before Chōsō could release Senketsu he felt himself get grabbed from his shadow as his vision got distracted, (('Fushigoro!')) and as his vision shifted Yūji seeing that opportunity (('His left side's open, I'll get him for real this time.')) was able to land a Cursed Energy infused punch from the right side right towards Chōsō's left chest in the moment that the Cursed Womb couldn't react.
GrGhchink!
'Wha-?! ((A small distraction)) Did he have it hardene-!'
But it was all for naught as that small moment of surprise from Yūji as well had given Chōsō enough time to counter quickly with a back hand to the face of Yūji, sending him back a few feet, while Megumi was forced out of his shadow when Chōsō moved to attack him.
While in the open Megumi tried to make a swipe with the blade in his hands but again Chōsō launched Senketsu and Megumi's right side got grazed as he moved to dodge. Chōsō dashed in and tried to punch Megumi but Nue appeared in front and took the brunt of the hardened blood punch and both, the shikigami and Megumi, were launched through a nearby building.
At that very moment, Yūji tried to attack Chōsō from behind but the Cursed Womb was ready, blood enhancement flowing through his body as he ducked, turned behind and let loose a kick that Yūji blocked and sent him back a few feet. Chōsō tried to follow it up with a Senketsu but had to catch a broken door piece hurled towards him. (('Where-!?')) Yūji punched through the door piece but Chōsō turned and dodged on the spot but he didn't realise that Yūji had cleverly planned the next move (('Knew you'd turn! Guarding your left side a lot, thought I wouldn't notice!')) as he launched a surprising jab straight at the left torso of Chōsō.
'Huh?'
An ominous feeling fell as Chōsō grabbed Yūji's fist buried in his torso, locked him in place (('Wait-! He expected me to do this?!')) and Yūji couldn't do anything when Chōsō pulled him in, making the boy lose his footing (('Shit! Gotta take it!')) while Chōsō drove a punch straight to the middle of Yūji's chest.
Eyes widened, Yūji's body stopped at the impact of the punch for a moment as Chōsō (("Too bad.")) didn't even waste any more time before driving another punch straight to the guts of Yūji and launching him away towards a wall. There were no further movements from the boy.
Chōsō approached the motionless Yūji (("Still breathing huh?")) and looked at the boy on the verge of unconsciousness.
'At last, Itadori Yūji, you're at my mercy. Right before my very form.'
"Itadori Yūji ((Byakuren formed in one of his fists)) when you get to the other side, be sure to beg for forgiveness from my brothers."
Senketsu through the head would've followed but then…..
BdDum~
…..at that very crucial moment, a memory was born inside Chōsō. (("What…..is….this?!")) A memory so powerful it stopped his technique and his whole being. Chōsō remembered a day that he knew didn't happen. A memory, it seemed, he never knew existed. (("Why?"))
BbDdum~
A table for four, four figures, Chōsō, his two brothers but the most surprising of all, was the visage of one, Itadori Yūji. (("Why are you there?"))
A past event that had never truly happened formed the complete image in Chōsō's mind while he staggered back from the prone Yūji.
"Itadori Yūji, why are you a part of it?!"
Deep inside the soul of Yūji, a row of grinning teeth only muttered, "Hoh? Interesting."
Meanwhile, nearby, on a different part of the city Mahito had been at an impasse with the three Jujutsu sorcerers the Cursed Spirit was facing. With the two transmuted humanoid beings that he created already taken care of relatively easily by the three sorcerers, Mahito had to reconsider the threat level of his opponents.
'That girl! It's her! The one with those nails! She can hit my soul with them! It's only because of her the others got this much advantage on me!'
Forced to be on the back foot at parts of the fight when he incurred a lot of damage from the surprise attacks of one, Kugisaki Nobara, Mahito could only do hit-and-run techniques for a bit.
Tomonari (Resonance) was an extension technique based upon the innate technique Sūrei Juhō (Straw Doll Technique) wielded by, one, Kugisaki Nobara. A signature move that had been essential for when she had defeated the Cursed Womb brothers of Chōsō along with Yūji, Nobara displayed the most intriguing property of the technique when she had been able to confront the Cursed Spirit that was Mahito. Tomonari, in its basic state, helped Nobara's Cursed Energy attacks to apply damage to anyone and anything with the help of her nails and the straw doll effigy she used.
The technique had a varied response and, also, effects that depended upon the opponent's own skill level, the targeted spot of the opponent and also, the special ability to echo damage back on towards anyone in link or connected to the opponent as well, but that wasn't all. With a myriad ways to target anything with Tomonari, Nobara used a unique property of the technique to reach out and connect to the one thing that could potentially leave long lasting damage onto the Cursed Spirit as seen when he had faced a certain puppet user at the Jujutsu Academy grounds.
It was Mahito's very soul that was targeted during the attack and Nobara had been able to injure him with Tomonari to the point that Mahito had been second-guessing himself the whole fight when Nobara and Maki joined Nanami in the attacks.
That was until a reinforced double of the Cursed Spirit, that he had already created prior to joining the present battle, had appeared and proceeded to face off with the two girls while he, the original, engaged the Grade-1 sorcerer before him who, despite his fatigue and injuries, had been giving Mahito a truly long and drawn out fight. (("Tch, annoying seven-three sorcerer."))
Using his Binding Vow to full effect, Nanami, during the entirety of the fight, he had been able to keep Mahito on his toes and didn't let the Cursed Spirit have an inch of advantage at any occasion while the other two were engaged with the doppelganger.
'His doppelganger doesn't have a Cursed Technique it seems ((Nanami saw Nobara and Maki tag team an attack and sent the copy flying)) or it would've tried to close the gap between the girls even more aggressively. I have already informed them about the hands but the one thing that is irking me is why?! Why are you not using your domain right now?'
Letting loose another slash, Nanami cracked the footpath as Mahito watched the area around him gain marks as the wall beside him collapsed and exploded while Mahito easily dodged them.
'He could've tried and used Ryōiki Tenkai a lot more earlier but he still hasn't used it. Why is it that he hasn't used it? Was the last one a fluke? But domains cannot just be materialized like that, one should have a true culmination of their own technique's knowledge to use it-wait! ((Nanami remembered the way Mahito's veil was broken before)) Could it be that Sukuna has something to do with it? Some kind of injury?'
On the other side, Mahito was recovering from the previous attack and dusting off while the building crumbled behind him.
'Hmm, this one's just too straightforward. He is no fun at all, unlike Itadori, so I can't rile him up like I could the boy. ((Mahito steadied himself)) The past few minutes that girl has been the main problem for my well-being. Oh well~, but they are still his students, right? ((Mahito smiles)) The two girls look like his students and since I already remember that nail girl who was with Itadori as well, I think I can switch targets. But then again, ((Mahito frowned remembering the effects of the attack beforehand)) she is my natural enemy just like Itadori. Wait~ I think this would be even better~'
Dodging the subsequent slash from Nanami Mahito let loose two more transmuted human attack as some sort of an elongated missile which Nanami blocked, turned and then dashed in towards Mahito again who had disappeared. Suddenly, Mahito appeared on the side of Nanami (("Shit!")) and he couldn't dodge the touch that came afterwards, but Nanami still kicked him away and maintained a little distance with Mahito laughing.
'Damn it, he got me there! If it wasn't for me reinforcing that place I would've certainly been unable to continue anymore!' Nanami gritted his teeth as he looked at Mahito's still laughing form while trying to not focus on the singed torso on his right. 'That touch was dangerous as usual. It's a shame my technique cannot seem to do any damage to him at this level.'
"Hahahaha! You were lucky sorcerer! I didn't expect you to expend so much Cursed Energy onto that part. It saved you a bit but not by much still. ((Mahito leered)) You're pretty injured and your Cursed Energy is slowly waning. That binding vow is slowly making your soul gain fatigue, I can see it. ((Mahito gathered Cursed Energy in his hands)) I will only need a few more touches and then, your soul will be a present for Itadori Yūji."
The fight resumed again with Mahito expanding the size of his hands and letting off punches that damaged a whole lot of area around as Nanami, as injured as he was, struggled to maintain his balance while dodging the attacks. Nanami jumped over a ledge and kicked off of it as he struck a nearby wall with Garagara again and let the Cursed Energy imbued debris fall upon the Cursed Spirit.
"Again with that trick sorcerer?! ((Mahito transformed into a bird as he dodged all debris)) Lame!"
Transforming back into normal human form, mid-air, Mahito proceeded to transmute his hands into giant clubs and brought them down onto where Nanami stood as the area exploded but Nanami dashed in from the smoke and let off a kick to the midsection of Mahito which launched the Cursed Spirit away.
'Ah~ I want to use my domain so badly~ ((Mahito sighed audibly)) It's a shame that the fight would be finished as soon as my domain comes out. I don't think this one has it anyway and he doesn't have any tricks like that puppet user which could harm my soul. Even though he is really good for a Grade-1 he looks like your average mule that just reached this level with a competent routine and devotion to his job. Like humans and their need for promotion at workplaces, hehe~ ((Mahito regurgitated two more transmuted humans)) He can't use Kan'i Ryōiki (Simple Domain) from the looks of it so I don't need to worry about that. But who am I kidding? I want to see even more despair on these human sorcerers' faces.'
A Battai was launched at Nanami in blinding speeds as the Grade-1 sorcerer managed to react to the attack quickly and slashed at the giant mouth that approached him (("Boo!")) and he was also ready for the next attack, for Mahito to appear from within the side as the clothed fist, Nanami had, landed straight towards the face of Mahito. Putting his all on to it, Nanami hurled the Cursed Spirit away as brutally as he could. Mahito flew back and then rolled away in the streets but quickly got back up, laughing, and Nanami tried to catch his breath.
'The last time we met he was very inexperienced, a child-like disposition looking in to his abilities and learning, growing even. It should've been then that I exorcised this Cursed Spirit and now, his abilities have grown further more problematic and he had learned a lot more new things it seems. Humanoid soldiers, doubles, enhancements and worst of all, the ability he hasn't shown ti-!'
"Ryōiki Tenkai."
The very thing Nanami feared (('Shit, now?!')) it happened all of a sudden as Nanami tried and tried but he couldn't escape the hands of darkness and confinement that fell over him. Nanami saw the night sky darken even more as the veil fell over him and a few moments later, Grade-1 sorcerer, Nanami Kento, had been captured and sealed inside the barriers of one's own innate domain, a domain created by his enemy. A domain created by a Cursed Spirit.
"Jihei Endonka (Self-Embodiment of Perfection)."
The pinnacle of Jujutsu Techniques for any kind of sorcerer, Nanami sighed as he watched the various hands amongst the blackness of the veil and his very form stand upon the palms of a hand. "I'm back in it huh?"
"BffKh!"
"Hmm?"
KrrrrrraaaaaaaaassccchhH!
Outside before the domain was wrought upon Nanami, a few yards away Maki and Nobara had kicked the doppelganger right into the alleyway exits that lined the streets. Laughing, the doppelganger merely tried to use mostly hit-and-run tactics and had been successful at that but that seemed to only irritate the girls more. Nobara had been able to keep the Cursed Spirit on its toes and the Mahito double could only make a run for it with laughter as it tried to maintain distance.
'That girl's technique is more or less annoying. The other girl though, her soul is quite different, and she has really good raw strength but she has no Cursed Energy. What a surprise and she still wants to fight~ Sorcerers are really stubborn bunch.'
"Think you want to get serious Patch-face! You know you're famous for always running away from fights. Oh wait! You're a freaking double! Of course you're weak!"
"Ahahaha! And still you can't seem to catch me or beat me!"
It all seemed to be fun and games for Mahito doppelganger on the other hand as the slightly reinforced aura around it, courtesy of the revival ritual right before its original made it, gave it quite a few enhancements. Normally, it was a slightly better double than the original had intended. Ducking the overhead swipe of a long pole's blade the Mahito double tried to dash in and try to smash Maki who came around its side but Nobara dropped an ad-board upon the Cursed Spirit.
The double caught it but then a rattling was heard over the other side of the board as the board seemed to explode with various nails covered in Cursed Energy blasting towards it but the double merely let it go and then shrinking itself it slipped past the two girls while Nobara landed near Maki.
With another swipe of the long pole Maki tried to cut off the hands of Mahito but the Cursed Spirit changed its hand shape and then tried to dash in before having to dodge two more nails headed straight towards its head. Maki made for another sweep but had to block the enormous spiked ball for a hand as she was slammed away while Nobara sent a few more nails that Mahito dodged some but caught one or two as well.
"Seriously, you two have the advantage for range currently and yet you feel so damn boring to play with. I don't know what difference you were making before, but I might just end you two now and show your corpses out."
"Big talk Patch-face when you haven't even tried getting closer. You don't have your Cursed Technique to begin with and it's likely that you can only use it on yourself. Typical of a double, making bad decisions."
"Hmmm, well you've been missing all this nails in the end. I guess you're just too good~"
"You think I missed?" ((Nobara smirked))
"Hmm?"
It was a quick instinctual reflex that had the double Mahito jump away from the swipe of the long pole by Maki but as it was thinking about the dodge (("Kanzashi (Hairpin).")) the numerous littered and the missed nails that were stuck to the walls all around the alleyway and the vicinity suddenly detonated with an explosive amount of Cursed Energy that engulfed the double along with the rubble that fell all around.
Changing its shape quickly enough, the double had been able to find an escape route and when it came into the open, Nobara had been waiting in the front (("Kanzashi.")) and the nails that littered around were instantly shot up as Nobara sent a reinforced nail that hit the ground and sent the littered nails flying around through the double as it felt each and every piercing of the explosive nails while turning back to normal size.
'Ghkh! Clever~ ((Maki appeared to the side and kicked him towards Nobara)) That was pretty nice. Now what com-! A domain by the original?!'
Distracted by the sudden feeling of a domain being expanded Mahito double never saw it coming.
SwooShhHH!
The strike of a nail to the front of his head, right to the center of his forehead, with an ability it underestimated quite a bit. A technique that was only to occur at the time of perfect alignment of everything, a state of balance and synergy between the body and mind as the Cursed Energy of Nobara flowed outwards in concentration to her technique; and it was when she had reached the peak of the flow, the phenomenon took place as did activate her technique.
"Tomonari/Kokusen!"
As the sparks blessed the attack, Mahito double could only feel the imminence of death over its soul that it toyed with and that was the moment two major things happened.
Tomonari could echo around the linked parties and thus when Nobara activated it on the double, it truly caught its soul in the attack and when it did, the damage had been relayed back to the original's soul striking a pivotal place in their soul, right in their mind. At that very moment, unknown to Maki and Nobara, the original had sustained a critical hit to their system and thus the first miracle occurred and the domain that the original had put up, it shattered all around as Nanami could barely believe his luck for a moment.
Secondly, as the domain was destroyed and the original sustained the hit, Tomonari displayed another interesting aspect about it as before Maki and Nobara could proceed to do anything more, the double in front of Nobara suddenly convulsed and its head well and truly exploded partially around its front as the double could only reel in absolutely shock. (("What-?!"))
The damage had rebounded from the original right back towards the double that faced Nobara and Maki.
"Huh? So I was able to do it again. ((Nobara gathered Cursed Energy as she grinned at Mahito)) Whatever I did with that flash of black energy, it seems like you're in a pinch against us weaklings, Patch-face!"
And it most probably was.
The Mahito double hacked and coughed out copious amounts of its blood as it stared into the ground with its busted open forehead while it slowly tried to mend and regenerate the part that was destroyed. (("Just like then!")) The double couldn't help but remember back to when he had faced the puppet wielding sorcerer as it tried to make sense of what happened.
'A rebound and that flash, they both took out a portion of our souls! Shit, did she find the core essence of her technique and is evolving? This is bad. ((The double decided)) Ah well, I guess it's time to get back with the original then. We've been split so we aren't even working on full capacity.'
With that thought on its mind the double made a beeline straight towards where he felt the original was at but the path was blocked by Maki (("Where do you think you're going stupid shit?!")) who wanted to split the double up by an overhead slash but then the double split itself right when the slash dropped. (("What the-?!")) The various splits ran in different directions when Nobara sent out various nails again and activated Kanzashi but it was for nought as the double was able to trick them by using the latent Cursed Energy it had.
'Hmhmhm~ It stings a bit that I couldn't manage to kill these girls but I guess the original would do the job, hmm~'
The girls gave chase to the one split piece that they found had taken the lead in its retreat as the others just exploded harmlessly around. Nobara and Maki could only follow as they gave chase and reached the place where Nanami was, blade in hand with heavy injuries with the original Mahito slowly healing himself up again and getting ready to attack.
The original was truly shocked when the attack had happened out of nowhere as he was about to use his domain technique. The soul piercing attack that Nobara did upon his double had reached the main source and it hurt like hell. It had also left Mahito vulnerable enough and injured to actually fully deactivate his domain due to his concentration breaking away.
'Tch, that sorcerer girl really is a pain. She can also relay the damage?! Sheesh, my domain broke again.' Mahito only grinned madly as he coughed out blood and his forehead bled out as well but he kept his eyes upon the now, breathing heavy, and lucky, sorcerer in front of him. 'So lucky you~'
Just then, as the split reached the vicinity of the original, (("No you don't!" Kugisaki shouted)) Mahito merely grinned and let the split assimilate itself back with him. Healing himself up in tandem, the Cursed Spirit ignored Nanami completely in favour of dashing in towards the direction of Nobara and Maki. With far more speed than usual Mahito crossed the distance, whilst he healed himself completely, and tried to grab Nobara but she could dodge the swipe and Maki followed in by trying to slice Mahito's hands off. He dodged.
'My technique still needs time to come back. The cooldown should be out in a moment.((Mahito kept up with the pressure)) But I don't think they expect me to go in.'
Mahito retracted his hands from a potential slash, blocked a few more hits of the long pole and then, he had some hidden transmuted humans in between his fingers, which he proceeded to use and pretended to send a point blank Battai upon both of the girls. Nobara stopped her counter but Mahito wanted exactly that as he kicked her away. Maki was able to cushion Nobara but Mahito's technique had already recovered as he sent a real Battai towards them, exploding around the vicinity and sending the two girls flying off.
Fearing the worst Nanami was running towards them, slower than usual due to his injuries, but as the smoke and dust settled he saw, Maki's pole arm had been broken with injuries on her person being a few cuts on her face but otherwise, it seemed to Nanami that the girls had blocked the attack successfully for themselves.
The three sorcerers would've proceeded with another set of attacks upon the Cursed Spirit as they got back their footing…
FwooooOOoShcchhHHKK!
…out of nowhere, a huge column of ice had frozen more than a few blocks worth of space in the city as Nanami along with the other three as well, everyone turned towards the place where they could feel a chill beginning to form while looking at the enormously frozen city-line. As the temperature dropped for everyone around the vicinity they had no idea of the very end they were moving on to as a certain player had seemed to have decided to move ahead with their own plans.
"Now what fresh hell is this ice I wonder?" Nanami could only speak this with a sigh as the temperature dropped and the chill fell along with a foreboding sense of dread.
Back at the end of Chōsō, he had tried to understand the vision that he had; tried to understand what it meant as Yūji drifted between conscious and unconsciousness before him but he couldn't bring himself to even think of anything as he just, sort of, had a mental breakdown right in the middle of the streets. Megumi had been nowhere to be found for a while but it seemed that Naobito had been able to reach the vicinity.
He had just started to jump in when someone else, with a monk's attire, had entered the field and then started to advance towards the seemingly unconscious Yūji laying in the streets. Naobito saw the other Cursed Spirit seemed to be having a breakdown so he had tried to first engage that opponent but something about the other one had the Zen'in clan head feel anxious.
This led Naobito to change his opponent mid-way but he found his folly. The monk, Uraume, had proceeded to use their ice technique and freeze the whole of the alley and beyond, with everyone caught in it, whoever was in the range of the attack.
-Near Exit A4-
Shibuya Chikamichi, Dōgenzaka
Around the time that Uraume had proceeded to attack and interfere in the fight that included one, Itadori Yūji, on the other hand it was surprising for fake Suguru that Mei Mei seemed to have changed and decided for a completely different approach towards the entirety of the game this time around than before when she met him back again. Complete opposite of what fake Suguru had expected.
'My, she really did a number on me. It was surprising what that axe could do, I didn't know it had that kind of property.'
After she had dealt with the one Cursed Spirit that the fake Suguru had her to fight and exorcise, Mei Mei had reached the place where the fake sorcerer had been waiting. Not so surprised but equally not so happy about the quickness of her previous battle, fake Suguru had been waiting for her as he mentioned earlier. He waited for her to challenge him but it seemed, as if she had had a revelation during, her, fighting the Special Grade he had summoned for her.
Memories of Getō Suguru painted Mei Mei as an avaricious female, with much of their interests that lay in the monetary side of things. She loved doing business and had advertised herself as an ally for anyone with the means to pay big. She valued usefulness equal to one's, as she had titled, service potential and fake Suguru himself, simply for mere humour, had pitched in a business offer himself as well, just for a slight mischief to the side of things in his words. But Mei Mei had outright seemed to reject the offer absolutely and had mentioned just a simple thing.
"You're not worth much than the one I am focused to meet with Getō, or are you even him?" Mei Mei had laughed after that and then proceeded to engage in their battle with much ferocity. Fake Suguru was intrigued by the way Mei Mei fought and had to give her credit as she was a much more interesting sorcerer to have appeared before him. Her Innate Technique wasn't anything special to begin with but she was an absolutely crazy combatant physically and close-quarters. Even more intriguing was the axe she carried for her Cursed Tool which seemed to have a whole different story to consider though.
'The aura of that energy in her axe was acutely similar to the one that I had already felt when I was looking over the remains of and also healing back Mahito after his confrontation with Shimizu Takumi. ((fake Suguru looked at the torn helms of his own attire)) It could even stop Reverse Cursed Technique application which was pretty annoying. I don't seem to remember or even Suguru remembers she could do that.'
Mei Mei had some really choice words for Getō Suguru but fake Suguru knew she had already deduced out the fact that he was a fake after all so he could make out the references.
The fight they had though, even if it was short, was a very destructive brawl that had "redecorated" the entire basement levels of the underground station that spread out in the centre beneath Shibuya. Fake Suguru hadn't used anything else except for Suguru's very own innate technique but Mei Mei had somehow upgraded herself, it seemed to fake Suguru. Fake Suguru narrowed his eyes as he remembered that, during battle, with every cut and slices that axe of hers seemed to glow and reeked bloodlust of its own.
Mei Mei had mentioned that she could remember why, slowly but surely, (("I'm slowly starting to get small things back. Like memories, as clips. It's like a replay that just started off slow with these supposed clips from my past after you mentioned that name. It's slowly making sense now. This axe of mine, I know, and remember, that there was a rune carved into it at one place." Mei Mei had mentioned)) memories unfamiliar, yet so close to her. She remembered how her axe gained the ability to sharpen its edge every time it was smeared in blood. She remembered the name that the fake Suguru kept throwing around yet she still seemed to not remember the face it belonged to.
The short fight the two had between them, mostly due to fake Suguru having multiple options in store and bombarding the area with Semi-Grade 1 or higher Cursed Spirits without making any loss of time was still, as fake Suguru called it, a hard-fought battle where he had emerged the, mostly disputed, victor still but he knew, for sure, that the female sorcerer was not dead yet.
'Hmph, that little brother of hers is a convenient mule for her to drag around. Such a unique relationship yet it has the most merits and benefits in the sense of the Jujutsu world. Family connections always had some advantages after all in this society.'
Not even finding it in himself to look for, if the female sorcerer was truly dead and gone, fake Suguru merely turned and walked away from the place where he had blasted the female sorcerer with a concentrated, condensed, Uzumaki (Uzumaki) and had caved in the floor level of the station. A Gokunoban Jutsushiki (Maximum Technique), which were said to unleash the greatest potential of their innate techniques besides a Ryōiki Tenkai, fake Suguru had unleashed that attack upon Mei Mei and seemingly blasted her off along with anything in the level they were in.
Mei Mei had been able to reach him though, before that, and she had declared the fact that she was interested in finding out more about this Shimizu Takumi that had awakened her intrigue and that she wanted to invest some more time in this place and stay instead of her old plan of just bailing out quickly as soon as her part was done. (("I don't know why but the name, it gives me the same feeling as when someone mentions Gojō when he is about to fight." Mei Mei mentioned)) She was here due to the job for Gojō and now, she wanted to stay for Takumi.
This new player in the game had brought a whole new ball game on the very court that fake Suguru had created for himself and fake Suguru was truly intrigued by him due to the fact that nobody seemed to have any clue over his existence.
As fake Suguru made his way towards the streets above he kept his thoughts fixed on whatever he could remember or connect over the name of Shimizu and the person known as Shimizu Takumi. Fake Suguru had sealed off Gojō Satoru away for the game that was upcoming in this next few weeks, he at the very least wanted nothing to interfere anymore in the plans he had for the future and it seemed that the future plans were already looking quite different even though it was going as much as predicted.
'Hmph, it seems like balance, as they say, is always brought in for stability. I would've hoped that sealing Satoru away would make it all simpler but it just brought in new faces.'
It was obvious for fake Suguru. He needed more information.
'Hmm, ((fake Suguru walked out into one of the nearby benches and sat down)) the Shimizu clan, as far as I remember, were exiled or they self-exiled themselves to the outskirts of Kyoto near to Osaka during the precious era of Kamakura, right after Heian ended. All I can remember is that they were ostracized for their beliefs and also their basis upon why they wouldn't follow the Jujutsu authority that was slowly forming around a century earlier during the golden age. If I remember correctly, they weren't called Shimizu then. ((fake Suguru's eyes narrowed)) Also, they were cursed for it, the exile.'
"Hmm, it would seem that a travel will be needed for me, ahh~ I guess I will probably have a conversation or look into the family records for it. There should be something. Shimizu Takumi, what an anomaly you are. ((fake Suguru merely looked intrigued)) It would be an experience looking into your history before I decide whether you are worthy of looking into the new world that is to come."
Satisfied, fake Suguru nodded to himself and started walking but suddenly he felt the sensation of someone, an awakening, in the inner parts of the city as the sensation spread outwards.
"Hmm? Sukuna has been released?"
The very next moment, fake Suguru felt something else as well from the opposite side (("Huh, a domain just collapsed.")) and he grinned even more as for him, this was just getting exciting now.
"Such an interesting turn of events, but I say, Tengen, you sure are still so ancient with your thoughts. It seems the threads of fate have changed and so shall the outcome. You seemed to have something of a new card in your sleeve as well Tengen, and now that it's been brought out in light I say, good move."
A few moments later as fake Suguru was walking, (("Hmm?")) he felt the aura of Takumi race past him in a distance as it seemed to approach the place (("So he has that in priority than Satoru?")) where he felt Sukuna was centred in. He also felt a familiar aura move a few blocks underneath the city as he chuckled, (("My, my, this is certainly getting interesting. It is so unnatural of you Mei Mei, but at the same time, I can't wait to see through this intriguing turn of events.")) and just proceeded to keep walking towards the place where he felt Sukuna's aura erupt from.
-Present-
Bunkamura Grand Hall
Dōgenzaka, Shibuya City
KRraaAaAaSssSHH!
The roof of the grand hall building of Bunkamura crashed down as smoke rose in the air while a chuckle emerged from the lone figure that came into view as the dust subsided, standing on rubble, while debris fell all around him. A maniacal grin on a tattooed face with four eyes and pink hair with a slight brown tinge to it Yūji, who had been taken over by Sukuna, kept looking into the moonlit view as something else followed from the skies above.
DhuuuUUmMsSF!
A titan followed the path as it stood over the tiny human beneath it as the wing-faced shikigami, Mahoraga, stood at its splendid glory again.
"Now that's more like it. (('Hmm, before, that was the Taima no Tsurugi (Sword of Extermination). A deadly blade for Cursed Spirits as it is filled with Positive Energy. That could've been a problem.')) So you sent me flying, what's next?"
As if the shikigami knew what Sukuna had said, Mahoraga blindingly swung down its bladed right hand as it destroyed even more of the building they were currently in. Sukuna had been in the air (("Kai (Dismantle)")) when he used his technique and the shikigami suddenly had laceration lines appear bursting with blood in a criss-cross design from its head to torso. The shikigiami stood still for a moment as Sukuna landed.
KinhK!
The wheel took a one handle turn as (("Oh?!")) Mahoraga slowly stood up again with its wounds incredibly healed and then towered over Sukuna. (("Hmm, that's neat. You looking down on me?")) Sukuna activated Kai again but to his absolute surprise the shikigami deflected it to the outside. Sukuna's eyes widen as his face gained an intrigued smile.
'Wait, you can see it! You can actually see my Cursed Technique, enough to deflect it!'
The next moment Sukuna had to lean in a bit to block the swipe of the shikigami's bladed hand as the force behind the punch launched Sukuna away from the building again and through several other high rise.
One more building through and then stopping at a wall, denting it, Sukuna chuckled (("Good one.")) as he got ready for the counter but the dashing in shikigami was sent flying downwards into the streets as another figure appeared in front of its dash and kicked it straight to the ground. For a moment Sukuna was confused.
"Huh? Now who's this trash?" Sukuna growled as he jumped out the building and into the streets right as he watched the shikigami get trapped by the large spikes emerging from the ground pierce it through. It seemed to be that the figure Sukuna saw, a few feet, ahead of him was responsible for the situation as the figure turned to look back at him while the shikigami struggled to get free.
Red wavy hair wearing a modified black Jujutsu High uniform with a green tinge and a slightly high neck collar Takumi grinned, standing in front of Sukuna as Mahoraga, in front, was slowly carving itself out of the spikes.
"Yo, so you are Sukuna now, correct?"
Sukuna merely raised an eyebrow at that as he put his hands in his pockets and replied, "Ohh? And what is it to a small fry like you?"
In truth, Sukuna was intrigued, just for a bit, at the sorcerer in front as it matched a certain description he was given by Uraume after he had awakened
'There is a new sorcerer out there, Master. Red hair and green eyes. It seems like he can manipulate the elements and ((Uraume shuddered)) he seems to be able to turn Cursed Spirits into Cursed Tools. I am just letting you know about an interesting adversary of this era, my Master.'
((Takumi chuckled)) "As expected, of the King of Curses. No one else is to be respected when one is at the top. ((Takumi faced him fully as Mahoraga had freed itself and the wheel behind it started turning)) Well, I want to face this shikigami because I have a pending challenge left. ((Mahoraga got ready to swing its sword hand)) Don't mind my presence, King of Curses."
WhhhHAaaMgGH!
Swinging down its hand, Mahoraga seemed to keep an enjoying grin on its face but Takumi was flying in the air, right above the shikigami as it then slowly turned to look above its head.
The Shimizu clan was a clan of rejects. A clan of cursed shamans degraded by the Jujutsu world at large. For that very reason, the techniques that the clan had for its wealth were unknown to everyone in the Jujutsu world. The clan had unknown techniques but when Takumi was born, the chain of fate that bound the clan seemed to have shattered, similar to how, one, Fushigoro Tōji did for the thread of fate that bound the Six Eyes and the Star Plasma Vessel with Tengen.
The day Takumi was born was the very moment history was changed for the Shimizu clan.
As everything came undone with new history to be made, it was back from the start now and Takumi had grasped that very principle when he learned about his Innate Technique. As the world moved slow for Takumi, his mind focused upon the intricateness of everything that mattered for the technique he was about to activate. Cursed Technique, Reverse Cursed Technique, no, at that moment in time, all that mattered to Takumi as his aura rose, was one clear thing in life. A sole action, one action, that starts from nothing; how it brings about the first step in change.
"My technique is whole and for that sole notion, I am one, true. ((Takumi extended his right hand downwards to Mahoraga as he floated above it while his aura gathered)) Gokunoban….
((An enormous amount of white energy with black borders and a bright yellow shine condensed into the palm of Takumi as he uttered the technique name))
….Rei (零, Zero)."
fwwWoOM!
A towering blast of white and yellow energy reached the night skies of Shibuya as the shockwaves sent debris and rubble, with vehicles and other things, flying as well as destroying parts of the buildings in the vicinity while shockwaves tore through the outer parts of the blast radius and shook the entire city.
Watching with wild and excited eyes, Sukuna merely grinned at the grandiose display of destructive technique in front of his eyes (("Hoh? That is some firepower you have boy.")) He merely moved in towards the receding smoke from the crater that remained in the streets as he came upon the form of a mangled Mahoraga looking truly worse for wear as the smoke receded from around its body. He noticed the Dharma wheel upon its back didn't seem to have taken any sort of damage at all.
'That wheel. Every time I attacked, it had its wheel turn and the injuries were all healed ((Briefly, Sukuna remembered a recent event)) it could even see my Cursed Technique after that. Only then it could've deflected it there is no other reason. Even the sword. The first time it attacked me it had positive energy wrapped over it. The second time it sent me flying the energy wasn't positive, it was Cursed Energy. Does it learn as it tanks the attacks? The wheel, turning, it's like Yamata no Ōrōchi. Adaptation to any phenomena? ((Sukuna got even more intrigued by the minute)) Wait, could it be possible?' An idea seemed to have formed in Sukuna's mind.
"Hehe, Fushigoro Megumi ((Sukuna grinned as it watched the shikigami groan and try to stand up slowly as the wheel on its back seemed to glow a bit)) it seems you have truly shown me the way."
'But it's strange now. ((Sukuna noticed something)) It's taking quite a bit of time to regenerate this time though. That attack ((Sukuna's eyes narrowed at the floating Takumi)) it had almost no Cursed Energy.'
"Seems like there are new pioneers in this new era as well, how very interesting. It is good you let me know Uraume. Now I will have ample bugs to squash."
The next thing Sukuna spoke was only word.
"Open."
Meanwhile, Takumi landed a few distance away as he watched the smouldering form of Mahoraga slowly try and stand up while the wheel on its back started glowing and slowly moving. (('It still wasn't enough? Even a Gokunoban Jutsush-!)) Before Takumi could think further ahead he felt a searing heat near him as Takumi instinctually activated another technique that barely redirected the attack, that seemed to approach his vicinity, off of him straight to the still recovering Mahoraga.
ffccChhoOM!
Adapting to any and all phenomena was something that was quite literally overpowered if truly utilized well. Gaining immunity to anything that could potentially defeat or kill you just by getting hit by it once was something that could change any fight's course. Sukuna had deduced the one thing as did everyone who knew about and faced Mahoraga as well.
The only way to defeat it was to slaughter it with a new attack before it could start to adapt.
A big flaming blast exploded from the place where Mahoraga was again as Takumi covered his face with his hands while shockwaves and winds blew around the street sending debris flying again. As the smoke cleared again, Takumi seemed to realise it was the end for Mahoraga as only the wheel was left in the smoking crater that had been left in its wake. Takumi could only sigh at the situation in hand.
"It seems I was late to attack and you found the perfect lucky angle. ((Takumi gazed at the wheel for a few more minutes before he turned towards Sukuna)) Looks like you want a fight now King of Curses. A literal thief in the night. Should I be amazed?"
"It looks like there can never be enough human vermin to splatter in any kind of era."
"Ironic that you're stuck in a human vessel King of Curses or should I say, the sealed King who can't even win in a soul battle against a mere teenage boy."
"Heh, but the thing is the brat's asleep so who cares? You feel different than all the sorcerers I've met. I think I'll have fun smashing your brains in while learning about your technique."
"You can try King of Curses. It seems Satoru would have to wait. ((Takumi seemed to contemplate)) Hmm~ nah, yeah, he can wait. Who cares so much about Satoru right now, let him have his vacation. So ((Takumi focused on Sukuna)) you challenged me alright?"
"Is that so?"
FwpP!
Takumi's eyes narrowed as something just flew past his vicinity, getting redirected much more difficultly as the far destroyed buildings behind him with the streets in front, all had three slices running down there front and the ground.
"Hoh? You're able to redirect Kai, just like that Gojō guy. ((Sukuna grinned maliciously)) I think I'll have fun slaughtering you for the time being I'm in control."
"Oh my Sukuna~ ((Takumi's eyes glowed as he grinned)) that's a proposal I could get behind~"
The New World Sorcerer and the King of Curses grinned at each other as the city of Shibuya never could imagine –
…..the disaster that was to occur in a short while.