It was chaos in front of one, Fushigoro Megumi.
"MhehehAhahHAHAHAHAAHAHA!"
A maniacal laughter shook the streets of Shibuya as Megumi, huffing with exhaustion and injuries, focused on the enemies in front that had brought up the chaos in this instant. An injured Nanami with an exhausted Nobara and Maki, and the old Zen'in clan head Naobito stood gazing at the spectacle that was occurring in front as a laughing Itadori Yūji faced the two buildings he had slashed through, destroying their top half; a kneeling Uraume beside him while Chōsō sat a few meters beside the two, seemingly shaken, with Mahito a few steps back.
'Shit, if it weren't for that old man and Kugisaki, Nanami and Maki-senpai would've been a goner the next moment.' Megumi gritted his teeth as he tried to catch his breath.
Uraume had appeared out of nowhere, freezing the entire battlefield in his vicinity and had went on ahead to feed a fully frozen, half-beaten, Itadori Yūji, Sukuna's fingers. With the current state of everyone on the sorcerer's end as seen by Megumi he was sure they were in a very tight spot when Sukuna had quickly taken total control of Yūji.
'This is bad! That guy had so many fingers and we just let Itadori get fed!'
Megumi couldn't help but blame himself a little bit as he watched the spectacle happen. The battles had been one shit-show after shit-show as they were being pressed from all sides. The country had been turned upside-down as soon as the news of Satoru's sealing had spread like wildfire, and it didn't stop just there. It was huge, a moment of turnaround for the many Curses and Cursed Spirits around the whole of Japan, as they had all heard and felt it as well.
Gojō Satoru's sealing opened up a whole new can of worms and Megumi could feel it right now, the pressure that mounted over him and all the other sorcerers in the country. Megumi knew all too well, of how much the sealing was of importance to the beginning of something bad.
He knew the enemy would be bolstered up with confidence. Over the news that the most powerful sorcerer was currently out of the picture so they all felt like they could wreak havoc all around more easily. A barrier had even been put up to stop the sorcerers from being able to help but then it happened. It had been only some time but they had all felt the barriers around the station being broken through. It was a surprise for everyone but Megumi and company didn't waste time and headed out to confront whoever it was that had sealed Gojō Satoru.
But that plan was derailed as soon as they had come face to face with the Cursed Womb, Chōsō, who then proceeded to face off against Yūji. Megumi and Ino had tried to help but Ino was taken out of the fight rather quickly, and Mahito had surprisingly joined the fray as well, as the two students were forced to take a detour around the city, fighting the two enemies while fending off the other low level Cursed Spirits and transmuted humans of the district with an injured Ino on Yūji's back. Nanami had intervened rather quickly and the others had joined the fray as well after a while but they knew it was only for a short reprieve. They just had one plan then which was to stall, and they were able to keep it up for a moment as they knew they were on the losing end.
But, Uraume happened.
'The more time we waste on these fights the more we lose our chances of finding Gojō-sensei. Firepower on the other side is busted as hell. Kugisaki and Maki-senpai are here but I doubt we can even do more than just tickle, even with that old clan head geezer. Also, Kugisaki is running low on Cursed Energy from that last fight, Nanami is injured as well. Itadori was our one small chance but he is also already possessed so what the hell do we do?'
Currently, Megumi did not like his and his team's chances. They were being wrecked and, right now, surrounded on all fronts by the enemies that stood before them. (('I can't believe I couldn't see this coming!')) Gritting his teeth Megumi's thoughts raced while the possessed Yūji, now Sukuna, turned to face the sorcerers in the streets that were with Megumi.
'We need to regroup, fast. The old geezer had joined but they were too late. Maki-senpai may have escaped that blast, by whatever this Mahito had become, due to Kugisaki but Nanami is not in a good shape. Ino-senpai had been charted off that's the only good thing that had come out of it. We have more wounded on our team so it won't be beneficial for anyone here to prolong this fight and now….
….we got Sukuna, of all people, to worry about along with whoever that guy was beside him. He seems to be able to create ice, hella powerful ice at that. We need more sorcerers here! Damn it, if Gojō-sensei was here. (("ttch!"))'
"Fushigoro, stay focused." Nanami's calm but strained voice cut through.
"Nanami?"
"The only thing that currently matters is the survival of each and every student sorcerer and the remaining humans in this place, including you and Itadori, by any means necessary. ((Nanami got ready clenching his Cursed Tool)) There was a domain activated somewhere around the station, we all felt it. That would mean that someone had just encountered a powerful foe. We also haven't come across any person that would indicate who broke the barrier veils so we can assume they are probably somewhere in Shibuya."
'The mysterious person who broke through the veil?' Megumi nodded at Nanami's deduction as he asked,
"You think they are allies? So we should try and stall for time?"
Furrowing his eyebrows Nanami replied, "There are a few other Grade-1 Sorcerers out and about Megumi, especially Mei-san. I can only hope she knows what is going on around here."
"You don't seem to have much confidence on her."
"Well, her avarice can be a bit disconcerting." Megumi merely scoffed as he kept his focus on the front towards the enemies as Nanami continued,
"Do not lose hope, Megumi. We do know that someone had broken through the veil. That is one of the most unexpected blessings in disguise for us as that would mean we can take our wounded out and bring in reinforcements now. We only don't know if that person is a friend or foe so we will not assume anything upon whoever it is. Best thing to do right now, with the way things are looking, is to try and stall this for anyone who can reach here to help us out.
Also, I have it in good faith that Shoko Ieiri is in Shibuya. If we can survive this we can fight another day. Only thing left to do now is try and figure out a way to get off this mess. Also see if Itadori can be brought forth in control like before." Nanami replied. Megumi was relieved, slightly, at the fact that Ieiri was in the vicinity. (('Well I guess Ino-senpai will be in good hands atleast.'))
Still he sensed a clause in Nanami's words.
"But…?"
"But I don't think we can do that because we might not have enough firepower currently to deal with that." ((Nanami pointed at the entourage that stood behind Sukuna))
Before Megumi could respond, Zen'in Naobito spoke, "The King of Curses, Sukuna, huh? So the wretched thing is currently in control of that boy again?"
"He got fed fingers before this. You saw that!" Megumi spoke out while Nanami focused on Naobito.
"Your assistance was a little late Supreme Grade-1 Zen'in but still appreciated. Your presence here can help to mitigate some things but still we cannot afford to take this battle on. We have injur-!"
As soon as Nanami paused, he felt a disturbance right in the corner of his peripherals. This wasn't your typical thing you sensed with Cursed Energy sensing or all that, no. This was that moment when every cell in your body would react to a certain instinctual stimuli when danger approached, a stimuli, that led to Nanami screaming out,
"EVERYBODY DUCK!"
The moment that everybody touched the ground, three huge horizontal slashes destroyed the buildings behind them as Sukuna laughed wearing Yūji's face.
"It's been such a long time since I felt this elated. The freedom of the skies, the screams of horror and terror, ahahahahahahahahahaHAHAHAAHAHA!"
Megumi shifted, bringing in his hands together. Naobito quickly tried to respond with some melee attacks but Sukuna merely dodged and then punched the Zen'in clanhead away while mocking him. Nobara tried to help but Nanami had to block the high-speed punch that was set to take Nobara's head off but instead Nanami intercepted it; additionally getting his hands broken while he was bodily tossed away to the sidewalks.
'This guy! We can't face him like this. Sukuna is merely toying with everyone right now! Itadori is out and Sukuna won't let him take over easily.'
It was the truth because Megumi had witnessed the part when Itadori got force-fed the fingers. There were a lot of them in the monk's hand which led to Megumi's doubts as to whether Yūji would be able to take back control as the potency would surely increase with each increasing number of fingers fed to him; on top of that Yūji was already on the verge of losing consciousness as well due to the fight beforehand.
'It's truly chaos around here right now as I watch all this things happening. This is not something we can make a strategy out of. We need something to create confusion and chaos as well. Sukuna is the chaos here we didn't account for. We need something that would give us ample time to react, something that would change the battle scene, something that nobody expects.' "A wildcard."
A fleeting statement of Gojō Satoru rang in the back of Megumi's head as he had an epiphany of sorts.
(("Give it all, your very best. It's okay to be selfish Megumi. Don't die and win. Die victoriously."))
'I still have that.'
"So much potential." Sukuna's voice rang close to Megumi's left as Sukuna continued saying, "It's a shame you're wasting yourself, Fushigoro Megumi."
Widened eyes merely looked to Sukuna on his left when Naobito appeared with Nanami and tried to apprehend him, but it was for naught. Megumi moved as Nanami and Naobito co-ordinated their strikes, kicking up a huge blast of dust and dirt.
Sukuna was able to block the kick by Nanami and the punch by Naobito as he launched them both away with brute force but not before Naobito's technique, Tōsha Juhō (Projection Sorcery), had been able to stop Sukuna's movement, just for a split second, which had been enough for Megumi.
"Datto (Rabbit Escape)!"
A swarm of rabbit shikigami piled over the area where Megumi was which distracted the motionless Sukuna and as Sukuna recovered rather quickly, Megumi had already retreated from that vulnerable spot. (("Ho! A new kind of Sorcery! That old geezer! Haha!"))
"Any other ideas?" Maki asked as she held her naginata tight while Nobara and the others watched Sukuna merely shrug off any kind of attack that the Grade-1 Sorcerers were dealing upon him. She couldn't deny she was a little bit intimidated by the appearance of the King of Curses.
"I got one."
Maki turned towards a darkened corner of the street as Megumi appeared slowly from the shadows. Exhausted Megumi said, "I have an idea which is both crazy and really, really, stupid."
"What have you got Fushigoro?!" Nobara asked him as she kept her gaze on the fight ahead.
"It's called can't back the F down! I've got a treasure, a wildcard."
"Megumi?"
"You know about it Maki-senpai. In the history of the Zen'in clan ((Maki just grinded her teeth together when she heard the name)) the Tokusa no Kage Bōjutsu (Ten Shadows Technique) has been used to collectively use Shikigamis to fight with. Shikigamis that we have to exorcise first and only then will we be able to use them."
"Hmph, keep going Megumi, and?"
"Do you remember the one treasure that had never been exorcised, Maki-senpai?"
Maki had to raise an eyebrow as her forehead crunched up trying to remember something, which had then slowly clicked for her after just a short moment.
"Exorcised? Megumi, you can't mean-!"
"Please forgive me senpai, but right now that is our best shot at making something out of this situation."
Maki did not the like the odds of the plan that Megumi proposed but then again, with the way Nanami and Naobito were being currently handled and Sukuna in the midst of it all, it Maki wondered if the risk was worth it.
"Megumi, you do know the conditions right?" "Oh yeah I do, that's why I warned first."
Deep within, her heart had already made up her decision.
"What is it Fushigoro, what's got Maki-senpai like this?" Nobara asked from the side, seeing the expression that came over Maki's face.
"Bet you never thought it would come to this Kugisaki. Haah, but I hope you can brace yourselves for this because in a matter of moments we're all gonna have to pull ourselves together for this one. This is my wildcard."
"Tch, well if it's been led to that."
GhRRDHoOOM!
Maki got ready as she turned to look at Sukuna, who had already seemed to have dealt with Grade-1 Sorcerers, Naobito and Nanami, whom she saw looked even, more, worse for wear than before; but he was nowhere in her sight again. Megumi merely took position when Sukuna appeared in front of Nobara and him, completely ignoring Maki to the side.
"You can't run that easily from me Fushigoro Megumi."
"Who is running?" Sukuna merely raised an eyebrow but his eyes widened in wonder as the next words of Megumi registered in his head.
"With this treasure, I summon….."
A line of howling wolves, a bright light in the center; a divine intervention summoned from the wails of the moaning night dogs, everyone could only stand and stare for a moment as Megumi spoke the name,
"….Yatsuka-no-Tsurugi…." A divine wheel is seen as the towering body appeared.
"..Ikaishinshō…" A glowing blade in its right hand and four wings instead of eyes with a tail in the back of its head as its whole body gets summoned from the anti-thesis of shadows.
"..Makōra."
((Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga))!
-UNIQLO, Near Exit A0-
Dōgenzaka st over Tokyu Den-en-Toshi Line, Shibuya
"MMMFFF! MMHH MMH MMMHHHH HHMMM MMMMMMMHHHH!"
Three figures, one of them being dragged behind the other two by some kind of rope, could be seen scaling the rooftops of the buildings around Dōgenzaka. Tsubaki had been able to hitch a ride upon the back of Panda after they had all witnessed the destruction over in a distance. They had decided to move quickly with Kusakabe already barking for them to move.
Except, Kusakabe didn't want them to move towards the fighting but away from it, to supposedly look for stragglers, and had proceeded to argue with Tsubaki over the fact whether they should mostly investigate the explosions from the outskirts or fight the enemy themselves before it is too late. Kusakabe just shrugged Tsubaki's arguments off as if she were a child, which compared to him she was, technically, who only needed to be evacuated and kept safe.
Of course that didn't sit well with Tsubaki.
"MMfFF!"
"Can you shut up Oji-san? This is just embarrassing for you as an adult. Is this the level of Jujutsu Sorcerers in the academy, a teacher at that too?" Tsubaki spoke as she watched Kusakabe being bound by thick white binding cloth piece that covered his whole body right up to his nose, leaving his eyes and hair out in the open.
Similar to a cocooned sac being dragged around Tsubaki merely had Panda heft the man on to their left hand and kept moving towards the destination.
"You know he is still a teacher and I might get into trouble for all this later?" Panda spoke up as they reached the streets below. Panda had to admit, Kusakabe had been a bit too aggressive when he had spoken about them retreating back towards the other parts of Shibuya instead of trying to investigate. The argument had been a mess and the aftermath was an even bigger mess.
"You are adorable Panda, don't worry. It's just a binding cloth nothing more and he shouldn't have talked about retreating when something big seems to be going on at that ((Tsubaki nodded at the distance where smoke and dust coupled with few flames lit the skyline)) place."
All three of them could feel the intense presence and clashing of various Cursed Energies around the vicinity. The fight could be felt till their spot and Tsubaki wondered, "Those are some fiery Cursed Energy bursts mixed in with the evil aura. Whoever's fighting must be pretty strong there, and also really dark from the feel of it."
"Strong or not, I can only hope Maki and the others are safe." Panda replied. The way they had felt that ominous Cursed Energy envelope the place, Panda was worried if his classmates were already engaging there or were, more, safer in other places.
"They your friends?" Tsubaki asked.
"We are all part of a team. Me, Maki and one other, Inumaki Toge. We also have another teammate but he is currently somewhere else on a mission, I think. His name is Okkotsu Yūta."
"Cool." (("Don't ignore me you brats!"))
Kusakabe had been able to, out of nowhere, get out of the bindings as he steadied himself, straightened his clothes and threw away the binding cloth strips that he cut off. "Damn bindings. ((Pointing the hand that held his Katana at Tsubaki)) Don't you ever do that to me again little lady, understood?!"
Tsubaki didn't even heed his words again as she engaged with Panda (("Tell me about your Principal. You said he created you?")) while Kusakabe's eyebrows twitched in irritation at being completely ignored again as Panda tried to ineffectively defuse the current volatile, odd, situation. Kusakabe walked up to the pair while they all started to walk a steady pace towards the battlefield. The girl was an oddity.
Kusakabe had doubts but he couldn't detect, or, till now, see a smidge of any kind of trap around the girl when she had tagged along after him and Panda met up with her back in Shibuya Mark. Kusakabe noted she had a well and efficient Cursed Energy flow around her and that blade that she carried on her back, it gave off the impression of being more than a normal Nōdachi. Kusakabe also noted that her Cursed Energy output control was impeccable.
'Her Cursed Energy levels are low, currently, but I doubt she has it truly that low. She is definitely strong. If this Shimizu Takumi is her sensei then this Shimizu must be a sorcerer as well.'
All in all, Kusakabe could say that the girl was obviously combat-trained. Amongst all this things though, one thing that had Kusakabe give the girl a chance was that Tsubaki reminded Kusakabe of the soft visage that was of his sister, which is also the reason why when he saw her, he didn't want the girl to get caught up in the serious situation in Shibuya; but he wouldn't let this one reason be known to anyone except himself.
'Tch, I try to reason with her over the fact that we shouldn't be hanging around those kinds of heavy hitters and what does she do? She wraps me up like some fly caught in a spider's web and then takes me building hopping like it was a joyride of sorts! Ridiculous! I doubted she was strong before but her speed was off-the-charts!'
The girl in front had effectively incapacitated Kusakabe before he could even complete a technique of his which had led to the ridiculous mess of him being pulled around in a cocooned sac, hopping over buildings and ledges. Tsubaki surprised the faculty member of Jujutsu High as she was able to wrap him from head to toe completely in just a few short and fast movements.
But now, it wasn't time to think about those times. Now, Kusakabe needed to, somehow, get the two sorcerers, especially the girl, before him to agree with some of his plans so as to minimize their own chances of facing strong opponents.
"Sigh~ Listen here, Tsubaki." Kusakabe started as they were walking through a street but he couldn't complete his sentence as someone spoke up from a height.
"You are Jujutsu High Sorcerers right?"
A female voice interrupted the three as they turned collectively towards a ledge of a building where they could spot two figures standing, looking over them. Kusakabe merely raised an eyebrow as the other two just looked on while the male spoke,
"Why don't you guys give up already? Isn't it over for you now that Gojō Satoru is sealed? I really don't want to kill a Sorcerer too now?"
"Hmm?" Kusakabe stood still and hummed for bit and then merely shrugged while Panda whispered from the back, "Kusakabe, I smell four around the area."
"I can sense them, there are probably more hidden around the place as well." Kusakabe replied back in a low voice but turned towards the other two sorcerers. Inside Kusakabe was somewhat giddy and so proceeded to speak out loud,
"Oh well, I don't wanna kill a bunch of ladies and boys tonight as well and I don't wanna be killed either, but I simply can't say "For sure!" y'know! So please, take your time and tell us your story for all this."
For Kusakabe this was merely stalling again. It was a blessing for him that they were confronted themselves instead of Kusakabe's team finding them. As mentioned before Kusakabe did not want to go towards the place where the big fights were seemingly happening because deep down Kusakabe had decided, he had no chance against the power houses of this battlefield and so he did not want to contest any fights and get injured. Or worse, even die.
'Better to get these ones to keep talking and waste my time than deal with anything that's going on at the far side of this street corner. They don't seem Special Grades and all the others seem to have piled over on the outskirts of Shibuya instead of the station.'
"We have inherited the will of our Master Getō. For students and alumni like you who attend Jujutsu High I imagi-!"
Suddenly a holy aura mixed in with the most powerful Cursed Energy output swept the place in a wave as the area where the five stood came to a standstill for a reason while also stopping the female's speech. A cold tremble in the spine to the raised hairs on one's body, everyone could feel it, a summoning. All at once they turned to look at a certain part of the district, they knew. Something had appeared and it was powerful.
"Oh yeah, you can keep trading stories but I'm bailing out." Tsubaki spoke out with wide eyes as she narrowed her gaze towards the city where she could feel the epicentre of this energy output.
"Panda, I hope you can keep up. I'm going." ("Hm?")
With that said, Tsubaki, without any other kind of warning or signal, made a dash (("Huh, that girl?!" Kusakabe reacted late)) towards the place where she felt the energy wave come from. (("STOP HER!")) Three masked figures swooped in to the streets to cut her path off and take her on when Tsubaki merely clenched her sword handle.
"Iaikata: Hifūun (居合型: 秘浮雲, Sword Drawing Form: Untold Words in Floating Clouds)"
SHnKtwooOSH!
Before anyone could blink, the three assailants had seemingly been slashed through their bodies in two halves as Tsubaki didn't even deign to stop and look back. (("What the-! Who the hell is that girl?!" Kusakabe spoke grumbling as Panda meanwhile looked shocked)) Another two assailants appeared to which Tsubaki merely dodged their attacks while piercing through one's torso; she proceeded to rotate and catch the other in her left knee and broke his neck while she withdrew her sword from the former assailant and then pierced it through the head of the second. She pierced the head of the former assailant too right after.
All the while she didn't even stop for a second as she merely kept her pace, swiping away the blood from her sword and then sheathing it while she scaled another building top. Tsubaki had no fear of what was to happen next. Taking lives had been something she became insensitised to when her own family had been in the profession for a living.
All her life, Tsubaki had only known the four walls of an underground bunker, the weapons made of iron and steel, the fake displays of affection and the bright, dazzling, lights of the mansion that she lived in; until the day she had met her sensei. She was destined for something else, to watch the world through darkened lenses but it all changed when he came for her. Shimizu Takumi, the man that would later on become her teacher, changed her life.
In one night, Takumi had destroyed her destiny and had shown Tsubaki what she had always been obscured from. A world more beautiful than what she was told of, a world that she never would've known if she were still the same Saito Tsubaki as before. It had been around four years since they started travelling, and one thing Tsubaki could truly attest to, was the fact that Takumi had become a very essential part of her life.
More than a teacher, Takumi was someone Tsubaki felt she could truly trust and rely on, and he had always been the rock for her in all their travels and training. Now, her sensei's friend was currently indisposed and her sensei proposed an adventure. She had come asking for another wild ride of sorts, an event that her sensei told her she could truly enjoy, and so far it had been a true wild ride.
Everything since they had entered the veil had been all about non-stop action since the beginning. Cursed Spirits, Curse Users, different techniques, it was all diverse and so interesting, but deep inside Tsubaki still knew it was just starting to get interesting.
RRAAaaaAAAAAaaAAAHHHHHHH!
'That is what is getting interesting, ahehehehe~'
The monstrous yell that came out of nowhere left Tsubaki faltering a bit but that excited look on her face never even diminished as she paced herself through, forgetting about her previous companions. Another jump towards a ledge later the scene before her left her in wide wonder.
A monstrous being with wings in its head and a sword tapped to its right hand, and then the giant floating wheel. A being of pure unadulterated raw power stood towering over the streets below.
Then there stood four figures right beneath and around the monstrous being. Four figures, amongst which Tsubaki was able to single out the evilest signature right away (('Is that who I think it is?')).
Looking at the scene before her with wonder eyes, the only thing that went through Tsubaki's mind was,
'Sensei really upped the level on his adventure senses!'
-Around an Hour ago-
Railway Tracks near B5F
Between Meiji-jingumae and Shibuya
"It's been a long time now hasn't it, Mei?"
"You have guts to say that after you sent all those assassins my way, Getō."
Brown eyes narrowed at the Cursed Spirit user standing a few feet in front of her as Mei Mei replied to the small talk but her mind had already started grinding out possibilities of the sorcerer before her due to the sheer disbelief that flooded her mind for just an instant.
Around the time that Takumi had been pre-occupied with Jōgo and Uraume, Mei Mei and her brother Ui Ui were already walking down the rail tracks of the nearby underground metro station platform. The two had entered from a different route when they sent Itadori Yūji to help inform any and all sorcerers around of the news of Gojō's sealing. Mei Mei could only shake her head thinking about the events that had led up to the sealing but, she couldn't help but feel elated and intrigued too when the veils were torn down out of nowhere.
Now, facing off against an old, junior, alumni Mei Mei couldn't help but feel that something was wrong, something was amiss. Mei Mei had been aware of the incident in Kyoto that had Getō and Gojō right in the middle of a civil war. The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons had been a very widely known incident that shocked the Jujutsu world for a time but Mei Mei also knew one thing.
'Did Gojō mess up the last time? Why is it that Getō is still alive?'
Getō Suguru was already killed by Gojō Satoru at the aftermath of that incident, everybody had been informed about it and Gojō himself testified. It was undoubtedly taken as a fact that Getō Suguru was executed by Gojō Satoru after the fight against Okkotsu Yūta. It made Mei Mei suspicious as to truly why someone, who is supposed to stay dead, can still be alive right now?
'Are Gojō and Getō in an alliance? No, no~ that is unlikely. If Gojō wanted to he could kill everyone in this country with no problems, he can't be joining Getō like that. I don't think Gojō is petty enough to even give a thought of Getō that much after that whole drama.'
"You know I had my money on you rather than on Gojō? Your soft smile and that nihilistic charm that you exuded. You could've been so much better but I guess with time people change. Youngsters become adults and they think they know all. Sometimes kōhai's tend to go overboard…"(('From what I can figure out from past events…))
"…it's only fair that they are reprimanded well. It's a shame I will have to squash your potential right here too Getō." ((….this Getō is most definitely a fake.'))
Mei Mei couldn't believe for a second that the Getō in front of her was the Getō she knew because she always rechecked her investments. It was what business and money was all about after all, if not careful they could all slip away. Mei Mei had exclusive proof of the fact that Getō was killed and thus she kept her vigilance up as the fake Suguru smiled with that eye-smile of his.
"Ahh Mei, it seems like we are one and the same in the way we think."
While saying that, fake Suguru proceeded to summon something in front. "For shame, to think that I would have to kill a former senpai of mine."
VwOoooOM!
A Cursed Spirit, long dull hair covering its upper part and head, two tusks extending from its mouth, arms covered in pox bumps, a sphere in its lower portion that ended in a tail, floated besides the fake Suguru.
"Special Grade, Disease Cursed Spirit, Hōsōgami (Smallpox Deity)."
The summoning brought the worst of dilemma, for a moment, to Mei Mei as she watched the Cursed Spirit summoned in front of her. This was actually surprising. She was caught off-guard at the fact that the fake could even perform Cursed Spirit Manipulation, it seemed, as it was an innate technique and she knew innate techniques couldn't be replicated just like that. (('Huh, maybe I'm wrong. He can use Jurei Sōjutsu too so he could be someone like Getō?!'))
Gripping her axe tight and getting ready to fight, fake Suguru merely continued speaking, "It is a shame that I lost quite a few Cursed Spirits at my disposal last year. Unfortunate as it is that I had lost so many I assure you though, the quality hasn't suffered. If it weren't for that I would assume Shimizu Takumi would've been troubling when we met."
'Shimizu Takumi?!'
"There, I see something in those eyes of yours Mei, a recognition! You know him too!"
The name, for a moment, brought everything to a pause for Mei Mei at that small gap of time. Unseen by many was a small seal that flickered just for a split second at the far end of the axe Mei Mei held in her hand.
"It is really interesting, how a name could bring such expressions and incite such a response. This Shimizu Takumi seems to be a known entity yet no one has ever mentioned him once. But whenever I try to remember, it is always like I have known him."
Narrowed eyes focused at fake Suguru as he said that while Mei Mei's mind ran many theories and reasons as to the significance of the name that had brought her to a halt.
Before meeting up with the fake Suguru Mei Mei had waited for a few moments and tried to figure out how the curtain veils had been broken through like that, but she didn't have to wait long when she felt a fight occur right in the lowermost levels of the station she was walking down to with Ui Ui. She didn't witness the fight but she had watched the many, more powerful Cursed Spirits all converge upon one energy signature she could feel shining like a sun above the ground. An energy she could feel a very distinct familiarity to.
The name the fake Suguru said and the energy that she felt explode above, even now, Mei Mei figured he must be someone she had known, someone she had met and forgot about or else she wouldn't have felt it so damn calming, so damn familiar in a way; and that was unforgivable that she could forget about something like that. 'No! Shimizu Takumi, I know him. I know the name! I know the face! It cannot be that I can forget that stupid cute face, no way! Could it really be?' (("How interesting things have become."))
The underground walls shook as the fights above seemed to have increased in intensity while fake Suguru spoke.
"The fights above have been getting pretty intense as well but I do have a schedule to keep to. ((fake Suguru turned around whilst keeping his eyes focused at Mei Mei and Ui Ui)) For now, I am going to leave you here with this. I'm letting the humans in B5F stay as they are."
Fake Suguru started walking away as the Cursed Spirit seemed to make some sort of preparation. "I might be waiting for you ahead Mei so why don't you try and exorcise this one, and then, I will be your next opponent."
As soon as that was said, before Mei Mei could muster a response; a burst of Cursed Energy later, Mei Mei found herself standing amongst various gravestones in a patch of ground with a barrier in the edges. 'Ryōiki Tenkai?!'
The next moment, Mei Mei had been sucked inside something congested and dark (('Oh this could be troubling.')) as Hōsōgami made a hand-sign and trapped the sorcerer in a black coffin of sorts. Ui-Ui shouted (("Nee-chan!")) but Mei Mei had already been trapped.
"Grave."
A ceremonial tombstone dropped over the black coffin as the coffin disappeared from sight after the explosion of dirt and dust. Ui Ui watched with disbelieving eyes while the Cursed Spirit started to seemingly count down from 3. The countdown never reached the end as Mei Mei eventually escaped the tombstone by destroying it altogether from the inside sending shockwaves in the vicinity.
"Oh my!" Mei Mei started, "I wonder how long it has been since I've found myself in danger, even for a moment?" (("Neee~-chaaaan~!" Ui Ui exclaimed wriggling))
-Nine Years ago-
Near Shōden-ji Temple, Kita ward, Kyoto
KrrRusScH!
"Hwuuaah~! It truly is exhausting to work alone!"
In the forests that surrounded the area around the temple of Shōden-ji a veil shattered in a certain part. A much younger Mei Mei in her Jujutsu High female uniform, rocking a ponytail for her hair, stretched herself out as she walked out of the veil that was slowly disappearing behind her.
"But it seems like I've got way better pay-outs for being a solo act. My ~ look at all those zeroes. Pay me more like this, you, business morons."
Smiling at the screen of her phone that she took out, Mei Mei enjoyed the notifications that had popped up on her screen which mostly dictated new income. 'Oh well, time to have a small break for a few more weeks. I wonder if I will have to take permission again.'
Closing her phone and putting it in her pocket Mei Mei was about to walk away when suddenly she felt a spike of Cursed Energy coming from around her vicinity. 'Wait, did I miss something?!'
Turning in her vicinity she let her eyes roam the surrounding for any disturbance when suddenly she felt something loom over her.
ChHeyyuuUoosSSH!
She felt the intent of an attack as she instinctively dodged, barely, the abnormally fast thrust from some sort of a tongue that could be used as a weapon (("Wha-?!")). Aimed straight towards her head Mei Mei had to move, bending her body in a way she never did, to dodge the attacker.
Kicking away from the place of the attack, Mei Mei looked at her attacker as it came into focus before it seemingly disappeared off in front of her eyes, but Mei Mei's eyes narrowed, 'Hmm? It can camouflage?! Well, well~'
For the brief moment that Mei Mei saw it, the Cursed Spirit looked like a mutated toad with enlarged head and small limbs with a sort of abnormal growth on its back seemingly with a tear running through its middle back. It had disappeared into the background foliage, as if melding into it, while Mei Mei kissed her teeth. 'Seriously?! This job was only about a single big one with a couple of small fries, not two big ones. I better get some bonus for this~'
She initiated the use of her Innate Technique but had to cancel it quickly when she felt the intent to attack, again, coming straight form her front (('Full frontal?!')). She had to open her eyes as the appendage from before was thrust on to her direction from the, now, visible Cursed Spirit and seeing it Mei Mei had to pull out a bladed weapon she kept on her person and try to slash the appendage. The Cursed Spirit had retracted the appendage quickly though, while Mei Mei steadied herself. The Cursed Spirit disappeared from her view again.
'Hmm, I can't use my Innate Technique while trying to keep track of this thing at the same time. I've already used a lot of Cursed Energy while exorcising the first one before this.'
The previous Cursed Spirit had been a Grade 2, surprisingly bordering Semi-Grade 1, in powers as it was able to trap Mei Mei in an incomplete Domain of its own but Mei Mei had been able to defeat it far too quickly before it could even use the incomplete sure-hit effect of its technique. The fight had exhausted Mei Mei off a little of her reserves but she was far more annoyed by the current situation she faced.
The hide-and-seek game being played by the Cursed Spirit irritated Mei Mei more than worried her as it made the Cursed Spirit a very tricky opponent to fight. Confident in her skills, if the previous Cursed Spirit hadn't been a surprise Semi-Grade 1, Mei Mei knew she could've, most probably, defeated this new Cursed Spirit with ease, even though it also gave off a Semi-Grade 1 aura after the few scuffles that they had been through currently.
At these times Mei Mei merely remembered back to the moments when she would be berated by Utahime for putting herself in danger quite deliberately. "I do miss Iori's presence by my side a little bit.", Mei Mei muttered to herself.
The Cursed Spirit appeared a few distance to her right as Mei Mei grasped its position (("There you are!")) and made a dash towards it even though it had already sent an attack towards her.
Manoeuvring herself in an angle to not be grazed by the bullet-like appendage she got inside the vulnerable zone of the Cursed Spirit, and before it could even think of retracting its appendage Mei Mei grinned and cut off the whole tongue appendage of the Cursed Spirit from right near its mouth as it howled in pain and tried to disappear.
"Oh no, you don't!" Seeing the slowly disappearing Cursed Spirit trying to escape, Mei Mei merely moved and then proceeded to stab and slice the Cursed Spirit with a few kicks as well before it could even complete its camouflaging technique. Howling in pain, the Cursed Spirit was sent flying a few distance, away, (('Now, better to end it fast before it can use any kind of new surprises it has.')) and Mei Mei went in for the kill-shot.
But it seemed the Cursed Spirit had another new trump card up its sleeves, as the outgrowth on its back tore open, all of a sudden, from the middle and various thin tendrils erupted from the inside right at Mei Mei whose eyes widened (('What is that?!')) at the scene in front of her.
Screeching sounds followed as the tendrils launched towards Mei Mei in blinding speeds which caught her off guard and despite Mei Mei trying her best to dodge and weave through, they were numerous, and some of the tendrils were able to pierce through some places in her body. Mainly two, one in her left side of the gut and the other in her right shoulder while the others were missed, small, cuts. (("Ghhhkh!"))
It was a mistake by Mei Mei, something she took in stride at that moment but it did not quell the amounting rage inside her that had overtaken, at being injured by a Cursed Spirit of all things! Dangling in the air with two pierced tendrils on her, the other tendrils proceeded to quickly wrap around Mei Mei tightly as the Cursed Spirit opened its mouth wide for her.
GHhHrrRdhoOM!
Out of nowhere, two giant, spiked, blocks of earth squashed the Cursed Spirit in front of Mei Mei like a bear trap locking in (("Huh?!")), sending dust and debris everywhere with the subsequent explosion. Mei Mei fell from the air as the tendrils loosened and she was able to cut loose from the binds. With the Cursed Spirit seemingly exorcised, landing on the ground Mei Mei winced at her injuries but kept her focus on her surroundings.
"Yo! You need a hand there lady?!"
A young male voice shouted from the top edge of the two giant earth blocks as Mei Mei turned her gaze upwards at the direction of the voice and saw a silhouette crouched.
The figure jumped down from the top and as he landed in front of Mei Mei she saw the features more clearly now. (('A redhead? What are the odds?')) A modified, dark blue Jujutsu High uniform with a higher neck-raise and slightly short pants with black-and-white designed shoes belonging to a certain wavy red haired, green eyed teenage boy.
"Woah! A real life blue haired babe. You were all the more worth saving."
Mei Mei couldn't help the incredulous expression on her face, on that statement, that turned into a giggle as she grabbed the hand which was offered to her. The boy stood there for a moment, holding her hand and staring at her, whole, (('Ohhh~ Is he starstruck?~ Oh boy~')) before blinking once then he pulled her up, steadying her lightly in a better position as he, to Mei Mei's surprise, started using Reverse Cursed Technique to heal her wounds.
'Is he a new entrant at the school? He looks so young and is able to use Reverse Cursed Technique of all things!', It wasn't a stretch to say that Mei Mei was quite impressed, for that part, as she knew about the intricacies of using that technique and she also knew, that not many sorcerers could perform it in such a high level as, she observed, the boy in front was doing.
"Name's Shimizu. Takumi Shimizu." The boy said while healing her wounds.
It wasn't the fact that the introduction had Mei Mei laughing but the accent, manner, and tone with the dead eyes, the now named, Takumi used while introducing himself that had taken her off-guard due to a certain resemblance with a specific spy movie character. "My, my~ Shimizu-kun~ (("Call me Takumi.")) AAh? Takumi-kun…~
...aren't you bold enough to pick an older girl like me up in a place and time like this~"
"My timing needs work but you, my dear, aren't just an older girl. You're a work of art." A bright shine later, it seemed the healing had been finished of Mei Mei by Takumi.
"Really? ((Mei Mei saw her wounds were already healed enough and she could breathe better than before)) Thank you for this, although I am pretty sure I don't recognize you except for the uniform. Tokyo? Oh where are my manners! ((Mei Mei pointed at herself)) Takumi-kun, my name is Mei Mei."
"Mei Mei, more like Mommei." Takumi whispered under his breath but Mei Mei had heard his grumbling whisper and her smile grew even more. "Nice to meet ya, and yeah, I'm a second year in Tokyo Jujutsu High. You look like someone from Jujutsu High as well though, judging from your actions and what you were doing around here."
"Hmhm~, well we do have another sister school right here in Kyoto." (('He looks quite young for a second year in Jujutsu High. Younger than even Gojō was if I remember correctly.'))
"Oh yeah, Satoru-yuung told me about it. Now that I think about it, he did mention someone named Mei Mei a few times, as a senpai of sorts, alongside some Music Princess that he can't seem to take seriously for some reason." Takumi merely smiled at her.
Mei Mei laughed at the 'Music Princess' part because she knew exactly who the sorcerer was talking about.
"So he talks about us does he~? Gojō-kun?~" Mei Mei couldn't help but show more of her mischievous smile at hearing about that.
"Not frequently but sometimes." Takumi replied continuing, "I'd appreciate his company more if he talked about girls like you but he only tends to mention you when throwing shade on Music Princess. Then there is Yuki-naaooo too who is an A but she is off-campus and I miss her already."
She loved the kid already. (('This boy really doesn't play around, does he? Such a refreshing brand of confidence!')) An intrigued expression ran along the face of Mei Mei as Takumi talked about the things that the Jujutsu High alumni knew for a fact he couldn't have known much about if he weren't a true student, especially when he mentioned Yuki with such familiarity. (('I didn't know Yuki knew someone from Tokyo like him. Oh well, she hasn't stayed long in the country for much anyway.'))
"Hmm, so Takumi-kun, if you're a student of Tokyo then what brings you to Kyoto? Thinking of changing schools?"
"Mmm, nah, I actually have some things to take care of in Kyoto and then I'm heading down to Osaka. I had actually wanted to see the temple area again cuz it was in my route but then I sensed a spike in Cursed Energy. ((Takumi pout his lips)) And well, then I found your gorgeous self."
"My, you sure know flattery~ But that's okay. ((She leaned in)) Because you seem like you're worth your own words from the looks of it and I like that potential I'm seeing." Mei Mei was sold. 'I like your style, Shimizu Takumi.'
With the small doubt of the boy, in front, being some kind of an enemy, now, mildly settled in the back of her mind, Mei Mei had to ask one more thing before she proceeded forward. Something that had popped up in her head when Takumi had mentioned Yuki as well.
A particular news or rumour that had been floating around the place, about a young, new, Special Grade Sorcerer, that had been admitted in Jujutsu High other than the first three that were Yuki, Getō and Gojō. A new powerful ally or an enemy?
'Is this boy him? The name, now that I think about it, seems familiar as well.' "Say~ Takumi-kun. ((Mei Mei leaned in towards Takumi)) Are you the new boy that was designated a Special Grade license that I've been hearing Gojō-kun seemingly brag about this past few months?"
"Satoru-yuuung brags about me?!" Takumi asked back incredulously.
"Hmm? ((A chibi Gojō Satoru says, "Ya, ya Mei Mei! You see, we got this cool kid here! Super strong, super cool jutsu! You all should come make it here next Goodwill and bring that weakling princess too! We'll be doing cool jutsu battle, me and him! Even Getō can't match him now hahahaha~!")) Yeah something like that."
"Nice. ((Takumi smirked)) And yeah, I was listed as "Special Grade" because I am one of those special kinds anyway."
"Seems like you know your worth well."
"Lady~ I am godlike."
And that was the first meeting between the Special Grade Takumi and the Kyoto alumni Mei Mei in the forests of Kyoto.
-Present-
Before Sukuna's Revival
Around Shibuya Center Gai, Udagawacho
"BANSHŌ (MAX ELEPHANT)!"
GhrrRRooOOOOMMMMM!
Fatigue was something Yūji never had many problems with. Ever since he could remember he had always been active, always full of energy, always ready for any kind of action in his life; and he had never gotten tired. It's always been him that everybody in the sports and track teams wanted back in his old High-school and it had always been him that had broken records with no sweat.
But today, as he watched the giant elephant shikigami that Megumi had summoned right on top of Chōsō while he was being pulled back from his spot by another toad-like shikigami of Megumi named Gama (Toad) whose tongue had got a hold of him, Yūji could surely appreciate his blessings for he felt himself lose some of the vigour he had always been proud of as his eyes struggled to stay awake. (('Shit, that attack really got me in the guts and my head is fucked up. Can't seem to stay awake, shit!')) Yūji was not happy.
'Damn it, I lost even Mechamaru's earpiece in that fight!'
With Chōsō seemingly crushed by the shikigami, Banshō, under its weight with a big explosion of dust and debris erupting right after, Megumi rushed towards his shikigami that had an, almost, half-dead Yūji with it while keeping his eyes on the spot where Chōsō was last seen. Megumi gritted his teeth in frustration while his thoughts raced,