Chapter 29

Plans never go as they intend to.

Along the way, the wagon was attacked many times over, they lost more and more sorcerers until finally, Sukuna was the only one left. Despite his age, he fought off bandits rather well, he learned quickly how to use a sword, bow and arrow and a spear to protect himself. Yet, as he found he was alone, he didn't know where to go, how to get there let alone if he would survive.

He took shelter in a hallow tree, wondering what to do next. He didn't understand this power in him, how it was growing each day and how to use it. It was startling for him.

In the tree, he took his time to rest when he could, he would hunt when hungry, but at the moment, he wanted something or someone to be at his side.

"It's over here!"

His body froze to the voice. Someone was coming this way?

But he couldn't reveal himself. The others that he has tried to approach ran from him in fear. This would be no different than the last. He peered up from hiding his face, when he froze.

A boy the same age as him, was looking at him fearlessly!

Sukuna slipped deeper into the tree, but the boy wasn't scared of him. "I won't hurt you," he said gently. He then turned. "PAPA! OVER HERE, IT'S A LITTLE BOY LIKE ME!"

Suddenly, others came. They gathered at a distance, but they all could sense something off. "This power… isn't natural isn't it?"

They sensed this surging strength in him? Then again, he began to feel the same thing among those who gathered. They… they were like him too?

"No, this is special, very special" whispered another.

"Let me see."

The voice was deep and commanding, a shutter went down his spine as a woman appeared to be on fire came forward. Those around them were quick to step back and lower their heads as she peered into the hallow.

Sukuna froze at the sight. "We're not so different are we? Come, everyone here is a friend, would you like to join us?"

He was greatly confused, the woman… sounded like a man. But as she… he… they said, they weren't so different? Slowly, he slipped out of the tree and stood before the small band of sorcerers. Some were surprised by his appearance, others amazed.

"Wow… you're big!" the little boy said.

He shied away.

"Child, are you alone?"

He nodded.

"I heard that the Emperor was sending a deity to the Hida Province. Do you think…"

"That wagon we saw had the emperor's seal, no doubt…" said another.

"Strange, we were just heading there ourselves, weren't we?"

The family was speaking aloud, not in hushed whispers that he was use to. "Then it is fate,"

The young boy approached him once more. "What's your name?"

He was shy at first but then spoke. "Sukuna, Ryomen Sukuna…"

"Sukuna… I'm Ryoto!" he said proudly. "Ryoto Tooru!"

"Tooru?" he asked.

"My clan name!" he said and then pointed to everyone around him. "Everyone here is my family,"

He nodded, but then turned to the woman with the blazing hair.

"Oh, right you haven't met yet. This is Ryujin! Ryujin is a dragon, but he is possessing my older sister. He has to hide himself or people will come after him, they want to hurt him," he explained.

The blazing woman nodded. "My host name is Kaida. And what the young one has said is true, she is accommodating me, I don't have a body of my own. But there are those who wish to use me to harm others… so I keep hidden."

He nodded in understanding. "Can he come with us?" Ryoto asked.

No one in the family appeared leery of him. They were nodding their heads and smiling at the notion. "You have always wanted a friend, haven't you Ryoto." Said an older woman, she appeared to be with child. "I think he would be a good friend for you."

Ryoto's eyes beamed with happiness. "You hear that, you can come with us!" Ryoto said with great pride. "Oh… sorry… would you like to? I can't just assume you will…"

"Please," he whispered. "Please, let me go with you…"

Then, his stomach rumbled.

Sukuna blushed at the notion, but the family snickered in laughter. "I do believe it will be a good time to eat. Kaida will need to recover after this, let's use this moment." Announced Ryujin.

The family agreed as they set up camp. Sukuna watched on as everyone worked together. He has never seen a family before, and began to wonder, if this is what one is? Ryoto however was pulling his right dominate arm. "Let's help! Let's go hunt!" he insisted.

"Ryoto, he's hungry, he won't have the strength!" said the woman from earlier.

"Oh… sorry mother…" he said. "I forgot you are hungry…"

"I… can hunt," he said meekly once more.

"No, you say here and save your strength. Ryoto, with me." Called an older man.

That must be his father?

He didn't know what a father was either.

He sat there and watched on as the people gathered wood, started a fire, took out pots and various ingredients they kept from their travels. Ryoto and his father returned a short time later with prey, a large collection of hares by the looks of it, they were quickly cut up and tossed into a pot, making a thick stew.

He salivated at the sight.

It took no time for it to cook, when it was ready, the first bowl was presented to him.

This stunned him, before, he would always be the last to eat at the cult when he was small, there was hardly any food left when he got some. But this, this was a feast fit for a king!

He devoured it all in a single sitting, his bowl emptied before the first family member could even gain some! They froze at the sight of this, as he appeared embarrassed once more. Ryoto was the next to get his meal, but he gave his share to Sukuna. "You must be really hungry, here,"

Generosity… he has never seen such a thing first hand until now. In the end, he ended up eating the whole pot of stew to himself!

He was shamed by it all, so much so he stood up and left, announcing he would be back soon.

"Why did he leave? We have plenty of dried meat," Ryoto wondered aloud.

Sukuna wasn't gone for too long, he returned in merely twenty minutes, with two massive boars on his dominate arms.

He tossed down the prey before offering it to the family. "You fed me, I wish to return the favor."

The family was stunned, but accepted the meat.

"You're a really good hunter!" Ryoto stated. "Let me show you how to dismantle it!"

He was taken into the Tooru family with ease, from there, he traveled with them towards the Hida Province, where he was to be presented as a deity.

But now, the plan has changed…