Chapter 28
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His life wasn't an easy one. It doesn't help the fact that his parents were members of a cult, who set their sights on destroying Japan and recreating it in their own image. But in order to do that, they needed power. Forbidden jujutsu was casted on various cult members, all expecting and due to give birth a short time from each other. As members of this dark arts institution, they did everything they were told by their elders.
There were twenty women in total, each of them had various jujutsus casted upon them, and they were also given a vial of something to drink. But each time they see this action, for it was done once a week, there were fewer and fewer women. From twenty only six survived and managed to reach the final trimester. The one woman they had focused upon was due.
She screamed aloud as various cult members bombarded her with curse energy. She was forced to endure the attacks until finally… she gave birth. In the end, it killed her and yet, her child was born.
The cult members froze at the sight of him, then, greedy grins grew. "This one has potential!" one stated proudly.
"Indeed, raise it well!" said another.
The child was taken, but from what could be seen, his characteristics couldn't be overlooked. He had two faces, two sets of arms.
Even as an infant, he was tortured. Each day, they would prick him with poisons. They had the mothers drink poison to increase the immunity of the child. Sukuna was no exception to this as he was exposed to constant toxins. By the time he could walk, they began to abuse him.
Constant attacks and beatings became a norm for him, he endured them all and never shed tears over it, either he couldn't, or knew he would be punished more if he did.
When he turned five, it was time for the test.
He wasn't the only disfigured one. Those who managed to give birth had also bore deformed children. Yet, as he looked about, there were more and more children, older than himself, and yet they were eyeing him like prey.
"Today is the day, we find out who will be our perfect warrior! For the cause of destroying all of Japan!" they cheered.
The children were taken to a rather shoddy temple, in the middle of it, a trap door opened and they were thrown in without hesitation. Sukuna landed with a thud yet managed to slip out of the way as the others were tossed in along with him. Soon, all the deformed children were in the hole. "We will check on you every few days, only one of you can leave here alive… good luck."
They were cut off from the world, there wasn't a speck of light to be seen, and yet, he could see everything in the dark.
The looks on the other children's faces were demonic; they bore bloodlust grin and then… unleashed it upon the closest figure to them.
Their screams soon filled the small room, it was deafening to him. The smell of blood and then, the feel of it gathering at his feet. He didn't want it, he didn't want to be part of this, Sukuna sought his freedom!
In his rage, he shouted aloud as his lower arms suddenly slashed at the air around him.
He heard flesh tear apart, and then… silence.
All around him, the other children lay dead. He trembled, wondering if this was his doing.
Yet as the bodies laid there, they began to break down into curse energy. Another part of the cult's power, the victor goes all the spoils.
His small body was absorbing curse energy, it burned his. Then, he passed out from it all.
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He would remain in that tiny room for weeks. He wasn't aware of the battle that took place above.
The cult was discovered by the jujutsu society, and were quickly destroyed in battle, but, no one spoke of the children hidden in the shoddy temple.
Sukuna survived off of curse energy, but then, he began to sense something above him. With what he knew, he took aim at the roof and blasted a hole through it.
He paused, wondering if those he sense saw him do such a thing.
Waiting for what felt like years, he saw unfamiliar faces peered down upon him. "What is that!?"
"Is it… it looks like a child?"
"But is it? Such deformities…"
"I'm hungry," Sukuna managed to say.
The men above passed odd glares at each other, but they decided to take the child along with them. Sukuna was given stale bread to eat, but he savored it like a gourmet meal. The council didn't know what to do with him, but they understood that his curse energy was something they have never felt before.
"How could a child have such power?"
"It matters not, we need to decide what to do with it!"
They debated the issue, all the while, they kept him locked in a room, feeding him merely bread and water. He had the ability to leave, breaking the door down was a simple task, yet, this room was oddly warm and comfortable. There was a small pile of hay with blankets, his first bed.
These elders also didn't beat him, they didn't even look at him, which he didn't mind. Yet, what would they do with him?
They informed the emperor of such a child, when it reached his ears he wrote them back instantly, stating that they send the child to Hida Province. Tell the people he is a deity, their matters will be resolved with this god he sends them.
The sorcerers smiled to the news, it was a perfect plan. The Hida Province had been suffering under great hardship. They have turned to the Emperor for assistance in the matter, he has yet to do a thing about it. The land itself is cursed, not even the council could do anything to clean it up. But the people still suffered and sought some sort of light in the darkness they faced.
So the scapegoat was made, using a deformed child, one not seen in the land, he will appear as a god to the people. He won't be able to solve the problem, however it will take the pressure off the emperor to do anything else. It would appear he tried his best by sending a god, but it will be the god's fault if he fails to help the people.
With that, Sukuna was taken from his comfortable room, placed into a wagon and sent on his way to be the sacrificed for the emperor's image.