Chapter 20
Four days would pass. Geto wondered about this strange and odd place.
He learned that this was old land that Sukuna had when he was alive and mortal for that matter. This was the last jujutsu he casted before he went insane. To preserve the land he ruled over. As Geto walked about, he paused as he saw some children at a distance.
There were those training hard on their abilities, and then there were the little monkeys, those who are human with no curse energy. "What's the point," he muttered lowly and glared at them.
The human children were also working hard too. They were lifting weights, sparring with each other through hand to hand combat. Yet what was odd was the curse users never mocked them for their training, or flaunted their power. Stranger still was when they began to train together.
"Okay, we have the exercise Sensei Suiryu gave us, remember, we are not to strike!" one of the older children said. He took the led and ran down the details to what they were doing.
To help those with no curse energy sense it, they use those who can and launch some attacks. But they never aim to hit the person. He watched the one leading them take the youngest. She was placed a small distance away and stood at the ready.
The first attack was launched.
The boy aimed for her left, she jumped as the dirt suddenly kicked up. "Remember, try and sense where it's going, that's half the battle!" he said in an encouraging tone.
The little girl put on a brave face and tried again.
The attack came right before her. She jumped forward though and nearly was stuck by it! "NO!" the boy scolded. "Jump BACK"
"Sorry…" she said meekly. "I… I'm trying!"
The boy sighed but nodded. "I know you are, let's try someone else okay. I think you need to watch a little more."
She nodded and stepped off to the side. Another girl came forward, but there was a look in her eyes… she was determined. "Ready when you are" she insisted.
This little one… nearly impressed him.
She knew where the energy was going, and avoided all the strikes with ease. The other kids were impressed to her insight as the boy who was running this whole training exercise was grinning from ear to ear. "Nice!" he cheered.
The girl smiled and bowed. "Thank you,"
As the boy turned to address the other kids, he froze as his eyes came upon Geto. He smiled warmly and waved to him, yet the boy wasn't certain. Suddenly, all the kids moved away oddly, those with curse energy stood at the front, protecting those without. "You are an impressive teacher," Geto said. "What's your name?"
The child merely glared at him. "You first," he said in a warning tone. "We haven't seen you here, sensei Suiryu or Todo never introduced you to us!"
'Ah, I see, they don't trust strangers that easily.' He thought.
He tried to speak, but was interrupted. "Students!" came a powerful voice.
"YES SENSEI TODO!" they shouted back respectfully.
Geto sort of remember this guy, yet he still didn't quite understand who this sorcerer was and why out of all the others, he is the teacher!
Todo paused and glared at Geto. "I wish to introduce you to his man. His name is Suguru Geto. And yes your reaction to him was correct and valid. Good job in organizing your strengths!" he stated.
The children bowed. "Thank you sensei!"
"What makes you worthy of being called sensei?" Geto asked.
Todo merely smirked to him. "Students, Mr. Geto will be assisting us around here for a while, however as I said before, your stance and your ideas of him are valid… I won't be allowing him to assist in your lessons until he proves to me he's worthy of your time."
"Excuse me?!" he demanded of Todo. "Unlike you, I am special grade!" he protested.
"And I give a damn about that?" Todo asked of him rather carelessly. "Okay, let's break for lunch, I do believe we will be assisting Sensei Eso in the kitchen for dinner today aren't we?" he asked.
"YES! OUR TURN FINALLY!" the children cheered.
"Off you go,"
The students were dismissed, Todo then turned to Suguru. "So, observing my students huh?"
"Just… passing the time until I figure out how the hell I get out of here…"
He snickered to the comment. "I doubt you will be going anywhere… you do realize had it not been for Suiryu, you would still be in suspended animation?"
"What? No, I was killed… again… some how…"
"Yeah, you were, at the same time. The elders took your body back and were attempting to extract your technique. Also, I doubt a belly full of curses would have been any better to deal with." Todo said and snickered. "But that's besides the point, I was told to keep an eye on you, and I am going to do just that. After all, you harmed my brother, I don't take kindly to that."
"What brother!?"
But he then paused. "I have yet to ask you… what kind of women are you in to?"
Suguru sneered. "Oh… You're HER student aren't you? I haven't answered her yet, so I won't be answering you…"
Todo sighed aloud. "What a boring old man you are…" he let the situation go apparently, Todo walked off and caught up with his students, Suguru sighed aloud and continued on. "Why the hell am I even here? Like I am going to help those… People." He said catching himself before uttering the word monkey.
"You want to get out of here too huh?"
He turned fast to confront him. Toji Fushiguro stood against one of the buildings as his eyes peered about the place. "This is all too… convenient isn't it?" he asked aloud.
Suguru nodded as he lowered his stance slightly. "Yeah, it is… Not to mention, if this place was saved with curse energy, the elders should have been able to find it without incident." Still, he looked about. "Something isn't right here, it's almost like another barrier is over this place. But it's not curse energy…"
"You think it's the dragon kid?"
Suguru was silent, his head as been throbbing over the notion as he was introduced to Yuuji Itadori. How could someone as young as that kid… he shook his head to it all, unable to find rhyme or reason to it. "Who can say at this point, I don't even know what he is capable of, I sense no curse energy coming from him and yet… I know he is powerful… very powerful…"
"Yeah, I got that too," Toji said aloud as he scratched his stomach. "The thing is though… if he is so damn powerful, why is everyone bending over backwards to protect him?"
He wants to know the answer to that too. By the sounds of it, everyone here uprooted themselves to protect the Itadori boy. Why? What gain was it for them to have and shield him?
Perhaps there is more to this than meets the eye.
"Are you two done chit chatting?"
They jumped as he stood behind them. Suiryu.
His arms were crossed as he glared at the two of them. "I know you are both thinking about leaving, and I say fine, good riddance." He stated.
"Wait, we can go!?" Goto asked with amazement. "I… I can leave?"
"Sure," Suiryu stated. "On one condition."
"Name it!" they stated.
"You beat me,"
The two paused. "What?" demanded Toji. "We just have to kick your ass and you will let us go?"
"Simple right? However, you lose, you stay here and work security detail for me until I find your services no longer needed." He said with this rather smug look on his face. "What will it be?" he asked in a teasing tone. "I'll even let the two of you assholes team up, sound good?"
"Team with him!?" they demanded at the same time. They glared at each other shortly after. "I refuse!" once more, in unison.
Suiryu snickered. "Okay then… Suguru, you go first. Meet me over there," Suiryu said as he pointed to the open field, it was a little distance away from where the dragon child rested. But perhaps it is to prevent collateral damage.
"Very well then, let me fight for my freedom"
#
They gathered.
Somehow, before the duel even started, those living here were gathering to watch the spectacle of it all. Gojo stood before the more mature students and explain. "You have seen Sensei Suiryu fight a little, but this is going to be an all out war!" he said and laughed. "What you have seen him do is NOTHING compared to what he can do. So keep a close eye and watch his movements."
"What's this a lesson!?" Geto demanded.
"Yep!" Gojo explained. "Suiryu insisted,"
There was over 30 students seated and ready to watch. Then they cheered aloud, turning around, Geto paused as he saw Suiryu lingering behind him and taking a rather odd bow towards the crowd. "Good, everyone's here. Now, for today's lesson since this is going to apply to ALL of you." He announced. Stepping forward, he looked to each of the students and said. "I don't care how strong you get, I don't care if your abilities will classify you as a special grade in the future. What I want you all to remember is this. No matter how much power you have, it's worthless if you don't using it properly!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Suguru demanded of him. "Because of this, we are stronger than a mere human!"
Suiryu sarcastically pointed to Geto. "You become like him, bitter, angry at the world and believe your ideas are top shit… they aren't!" he stated.
One student put up their hand. "Sensei, what about you? We are told you are strong too aren't you?"
He nodded to them. "What was the first history lesson everyone here got? It was on Ryomen Sukuna and what he did, right?" their heads nodded. "What you don't know is this. I came from him."
The students froze as their eyes widened in shock. He told them the tale as to how he came to be, yet at the same time, explained that his experiences made him who he is now. "I don't follow Sukuna's notion of how to use curse energy. He wanted nothing more than for people to suffer and the world to bow to him. Now, some may think, what's wrong with that? If you are powerful why not use it this way?" he said aloud.
A few of the kids appeared to have agreed with the notion!
"So, if that's the case, let me ask you this. If you crush, destroy and take everything from this world, leaving no one to become your equal, let alone allowing anyone to get as strong as you, what does that leave for you?"
As stupid as it sounded, the question began to make sense. "Sukuna never learned that, despite his ability to understand curse energy, he never understood life let alone lived for that matter. All he thought about was power, how much stronger could he become and how to get more while crushing anyone who gets in his way. Now, with MY experience, I admit, I shared some of his tendencies. At the same time, I learned how to live thanks to my brother. There is more to life than power, don't get me wrong either. I want everyone to become strong, so strong that no one will try and harm you or those you care about again. But we cannot allow this power to go to your heads or you will be no better than Sukuna or this asshole right here, and you won't know true happiness. Is that understood?"
"YES SUIRYU SENSEI!" the children shouted back.
"Excellent, now, watch me kick his ass."
Suguru was ready for this, he has seen Itadori fight through the sorcerer who possessed him, as well as know Sukuna's style. He just needs to overwhelm him with curses and then catch him off guard. Granted, many are going to be sacrificed for this, but he can always gather more.
Suiryu kept turning to the students. "Now, I want everyone to watch how we battle, notice the method, technique as well as execution of each person's ability. Suguru is able to take curse spirits, condense them down and consume them. When they are consumed, he has control over them." He explained.
"Will you shut up and fight already!" Geto demanded.
"Sure, whenever you are ready," Suiryu said as he turned back to the students. "Now, keep in mind…"
Geto sneered as he began to call up the strongest curses he possesses. Curse energy began to manifest behind him until the curse strolled out.
Much to his shock it was a stitched up looking man with light blue hair. Suiryu turned and smirked. "Oh? What do we have here? He survived the absorption?"
"S… Sukuna… here?!"
"Hey Mahito…" Suiryu said and smirked. He turned to Geto. "I won't be fighting him just so you know. Someone else dibbed him"
"What are you…" suddenly, there came a powerful blast of air. He landed not too far from where they were, but his eyes were black in rage. It was a rather skinny looking kid, yet the curse energy coming off of him couldn't be ignored.
Mahito froze at the sight of him. "Wait, isn't that the brat…" he muttered.
"Suiryu… this is the real one isn't it?"
"Yes it is Junpei,"
Mahito froze as he looked about. "Where… this isn't Shibuya…"
"No, that was years ago, but this will be where you die, so don't get too comfortable." Suiryu stated rather bluntly. He turned back to the students. "Okay kids, this is a special grade curse. His name is Mahito, and don't worry, you won't be tested on him. His ability is being able to reshape the souls of those he touches…"
Geto jumped as he saw Mahito grab on to Suiryu. "You… you're not really Sukuna, which means…" and tried to use his manipulation technique.
Suiryu however didn't pause from the lesson. "Now, as you may have noticed now, he is trying to transfigure me. He does this to a human being and it can kill them. My brother Yuuji has made a way to take this kind of curse energy off the soul and render them human again…"
Suddenly, everyone jumped as Mahito was suddenly thrown back, he skidded along the earth but was quick to regain to his feet. "What the hell!" he demanded.
"Now, this method is powerful, but, if one's soul is stronger, then it doesn't work at all."
"What the hell is in you?" Mahito demanded. "That wasn't the same as before when you repelled me!"
Suiryu turned and glared at him. "Dude, I was made FROM Sukuna… so I can do the same thing he can," he said.
However the look of fear didn't change from Mahito's face. "No… no that's something else…" he insisted and trembled. Whatever he found, terrified him.
Suiryu didn't care at this point. He turned to Junpei. "You can take him, he's all yours." He turned back to the students. "Now, you may wonder why I am allowing sensei Junpei to take it from here. You see, this curse killed him and his mother, I had always promised Junpei after his resurrection that if he allowed me to train him, I would teach him the many ways of killing that asshole."
"STOP, STOP COME ON KID, IT WAS JUST A JOKE!" Mahito shouted. Yet he was covered in a blood sphere, from there Junpei took to the skies with Mahito in tow.
"So, now we are going to let Sensei Junpei take it from here on that guy…" he turned to Geto and smirked. "What else you got?"