Chapter 23

Hideki was taken to the council room the moment he arrived. "Will my students be okay?" he whispered.

They didn't reply. However, he was expecting this as well. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made.

They came to the room the door sealed with both curse and divine markings ensuring their words don't leave the room. "We came as you said, however you won't utter a word to us as to what become of the dragon vessel. So tell me, why the secrecy?"

The oldest of the council members cleared his throat. "We didn't say anything for we don't know ourselves. Yuuji Itadori, the demon vessel has altered drastically. He is no bigger than an infant and appears to have the mindset of one. He's been likes this for at least a month to our knowledge. Suiryu… the clone of Sukuna, claims he is cultivating to the next step, whatever that is. We were told to ask you."

Hideki froze.

He has only heard of such a state through tales from the elders and books that have long since decayed to dust. They have become mere fairy tales to children of the divine, but he has to tread carefully at this point. One wrong move and he could perhaps ruin a golden opportunity. "Is there anything odd about him? Strange markings? Appendages?" he asked.

"Wings," said one. "He grew fleshy wings, but they look like that of a bat or something."

"I wouldn't say bat, it's more demonic" said another. Yet they shuttered at the thought of it. "He also sounds odd, like a baby alligator…"

'This is it!' he thought. They knew Itadori was altering before, but now, his body has followed suit! If he is able to break out of this stage, he will become a dragon himself! "What do you know of this? Is there any stage beyond a demon sorcerer that one could become?" he asked.

They shook their heads. "No one has been able to cultivate to Sukuna's level. We are keeping a close eye on some followers of his, but they don't appear to be as strong as he was."

"It's the divine energy in him that turned Itadori. Gentlemen, he is cultivating to become a dragon," he announced.

They were silent. "A what?!" they demanded.

"A dragon, he's becoming a dragon. It's a legendary stage in the divine, mere rumors and fairy tales, but the moment I see this with my own eyes, I can confirm whether or not he is."

"Very well then, we will assist you in searching for the demon vessel…"

"Dragon vessel… there's a great difference between the two"

#

"Really?"

"Yep, look,"

Nobara came a little late to the party, yet the moment she arrived, the five divine user students were seated before Suiryu as he lectured them! "Your energy is similar to that of a curse user, but different wave lengths as well as source. However, I can still train you,"

Nobara didn't know how this all happened. Fushiguro explained to her that he faced them all, one on one and handed them their asses. "The short one with the curled hair he's been calling Goldilocks. She has been giving him attitude ever since they started, however the tall one there, he's been listening to everything he says." He whispered discreetly.

She nodded as the short girl protested. "Why would you help us!" she demanded of him. "You're a curse!"

Suiryu ho humed the notion. "Honestly, I'm board around here. I can only teach the students so much before they go off on their own and want to do it their way. Jujutsu is a strange beast, and practice makes perfect. Same with divine. I have kicked a lot of your asses in recent months, and noticed the similarities are all the same. You rely too much on summons than your own damn power! Then again, a lot of you have virtually NONE of it unless you get summons… and still, you don't get a lot since it's a forced contract." He explained. "So Goldilocks, you lost all your summons. What do you do next?"

She smirked rather proudly. "I'll get more and get stronger ones!" she decreed. "Easy!"

"Yeah, no" Suiryu snapped back. "One, those that were released, are going to spread your name to others. They won't give you the time of day and know to avoid you. Second, your lesson isn't sinking in. Third, what the fuck did I just tell you before bitchcakes?!" he demanded.

Nobara snickered as Suiryu took notice of her. "Hey," he said. "You want a turn or something in lecturing them?"

"Nah, you enjoy this too much," Nobara replied. "All you"

"Why are we even listening to him!"

"Because, I can use curse speech on you and make sure you stay put either way. So it's best you cooperate." He said and smiled a devious grin.

"He actually has good ideas and notions that none of the other teachers have" said Bo.

"You can stay, we're leaving!"

The short girl and three others stood up and walked away. Suiryu shrugged his shoulders but peered at Bo who continued to sit there and listen. "There's potential in you," Suiryu stated flat out. "You don't have summons, you are training your divine energy, it's greater than those four put together, and you are aware right?"

He merely nodded his head. "Sir… What can I do to get stronger? I have been told to get summons to do so, but with the way I have seen it done… It doesn't sit well with me."

Nobara was impressed too. "Really, someone still is able to think out of these divine users?" she whispered to Fushiguro.

"That, I can't answer for you," Suiryu stated. "But if you are to get summons for yourself, do what you think is the proper way. If what is done is bothering you, find another way." He simply stated.

The kid was taken aback but nodded in agreement. In fact he peered towards the woods that surrounded the school. "May I be excused?"

Suiryu nodded as he got up and went to the woods on his own. "Seriously, you were helping them?" Nobara demanded.

"That one… has a chance. The others are lost causes, as for helping them. Nah, I was merely distracting them. They have yet to realize what Yuuji is, they are students after all… ah… three… two… one…"

"SUKUNA CLONE! SHOW YOURSELF!"

"My adoring public…" he said in a mocking tone. Nobara snickered as did Megumi. Suiryu turned and saw the councilmen and the teacher from the divine school.

"Where… is the demon vessel?" one councilman demanded.

Checking his watch, Suiryu nodded. "Nap time," he explained. "So, NO ONE is seeing him at this point, any other questions?"

The divine user stepped forward. "What… is becoming of him? The council told them to ask me, but I have to see first hand myself."

"Oh bullshit you do!" Suiryu snapped back. "You assholes have known for a while, you ain't wrong if that's what you think. He's cultivating to become a heavenly being… and there aren't many to become. So…" Suiryu said and gave him a glare.

He froze. "It's true then, he's… he will become a dragon if he gets pass the first stage…"

"Yeah," Suiryu stated. "So, any other reason why you are here?"

He fell silent. "Perhaps it's best we give you a tour of the school for now, where are your students?"

"They wondered off, I don't give a shit about them if you are asking me where they are." Suiryu said offhandedly. "Besides. I got other things to do besides host your… guests."

Suiryu turned to the others and nudged his head.

Nobara and Fushiguro began to leave before they heard Suiryu whisper behind them. "This isn't the end of it, this was a mere scouting mission,"

"So what do we do?" asked Nobara.

"Don't turn around, pretend we are still on the move, for now, keep your back up. The five students were merely a distraction for us, the teacher… the council is using to get answer from and he is confirming for the divine users as to what Yuuji is becoming. This is just the start…"