Chapter 5
The game was progressing well with each student gaining confidence and power in their new roles. Kyouka's gaze flipped from Nobara to Megumi as Itadori took on Toga. "Impressed by their strength?" She asked Gojo, who held his focus on Mei Mei.
"I don't doubt your teachings, Kyouka. They've done well in my absence." He smirked, returning to his conversation with Mai. Kyouka rolled her eyes and returned to her analysis.
"Your kids are doing well too, Utahime. The young ladies show great promise." Kyouka smiled, sensing the tension in Nobara's fight.
"Strong women is what this society needs. You heard Nishimiya."
"I actually side with Nobara in that argument. Your backstory, childhood, or previous trauma should not dictate how you rise up in this world." Utahime arched her eyebrows at her comrade, waiting for her to explain further. "I do not come from a revered lineage. However, I am one of the most powerful sorcerers out there. I used my skill to become who I am; would that have been any different if I was born into a known family? If I had been wanted and welcomed into a family? No one knows." Gojo turned his attention to Utahime and Kyouka as she finished her explanation. "Being a man or a woman should never dictate how you live in this world. You live how you want; you want something? Go get it. Work hard for it; crush every obstacle in your way."
"Well said." Gojo smiled, patting Kyouka's knee. They smiled at each other until the wall blew up in red flames.
"Is it over?" Utahime asked, seeing a concerned Kyouka.
"Red also means unregistered spirits. Someone may have gotten through Tengen's field. I will go check on him. Kyouka, Gojo and Utahime, you take Principal Gakugani and protect the students. Mei Mei stay here and pinpoint the students location."
"On your feet, Gramps. You and I are taking a walk; you just had your lunch so you're good to go?"
"He will hit you one of these days, Satoru." Kyouka grumbled, leading the teachers out of the room. "We're in trouble here, I can sense it."
The group ran until the veil around the students came into view. Gojo tried to warp through; but the energy blocked him; however, Utahime could move through. "Okay great. A veil specifically constructed to keep you out. We're in trouble."
"You guys go ahead; I'll stay here and figure this out. Protect the kids." Gojo said, looking over the veil.
"Gojo. I don't think you fully understand what is happening here. Someone has enough skill to create a barrier that can keep only you means all the intel this person has on us is accurate."
"I know, Kyouka. Right now though, the students are a priority. You can move through it, so go." Kyouka's eyes burned into Gojo as she stepped back through the veil only to be met with excruciating pain. "Ahhhhh!"
"Mari?" Gojo called out, grasping onto her arm to keep her from falling. "What happened? Half your body was able to get through."
"Yeah…but it felt like my body was on fire and being pulled in a million different directions." Gojo pursed his lips in thought while Kyouka regained her strength.
"It's successfully keeping me out; but allows you access. But it wants to weaken you. What does this curse user want?"
"They want you in there; but they still want you to suffer. What kind of weird mind game is that?" Utahime asked, grasping onto Kyouka's arm. "Are you sure you want to try again?"
"I need to protect my students. I can do this. I've been through worse." Kyouka groaned, bracing herself for the pain as the veil moved over her body. "Well…maybe not that much worse." The pain dulled as she moved inside the veil with Utahime next to her. "That sucked. Who's this now?" She groaned, seeing a bald man with a cleaver in hand. "He's weak; I don't have the patience for this."
"You ladies go on ahead; I will take care of him. Try not to fight or kill anyone unless absolutely necessary." Gakugangi ordered Utahime and Kyouka before approaching the cursed user.
"I'm going to get a bird's eye view; you keep running and find the students; I'll join you in a moment." Kyouka said to Utahime, before using her energy to float above the tree lines. "Where is that level one curse? I feel it's around here somewhere." Suddenly she felt an overwhelming surge course through her and she knew where to find the source. "Got you."
Meanwhile, Megumi and Maki had the level one curse in their sights; but they were weakening by the second. "It's okay Megumi, we've done our job. Time to tap out." Maki smirked before Toga and Itadori crashed between them and the curse.
"Ah, Sukuna's vessel…interesting." The curse said, noting the strength between the two teens. Megumi blinked the blood from his eyes when Panda approached him with Maki over his shoulders.
"Come on, they got it."
"No. No they don't." Megumi groaned before he sensed a familiar surge of energy approaching. "But she does." Before Panda could ask what Megumi meant, Kyouka crashed down between Itadori and the curse.
"You would do well to let me students go." Kyouka snarled, her energy floating around her in a tense cloud. Her hair glowed as the energy coursed through her, illuminating her entirely.
"I wasn't expecting to meet you, Kyouka Mari. Pleasure."
"We've met; but last time we did you ran away like a coward with your friends' head in your hand." Kyouka smirked, sensing the curse's anger towards her. "Kids, start running. This is an anti-Gojo veil; but we can move freely. Get to safety."
"Sensei! We can help!" Itadori argued before seeing the fire in her eyes glaring back at him. "Or not…we can go."
"Kyo?" Megumi groaned, alerting the sorcerer to his injuries. "Give 'em hell."
"Don't I always?" She smiled, watching the students run from the impending battle. Turning her focus back to the cursed energy, an evil smirk formed as she spoke. "Now, where were we?"
"The veil kept Saturo Gojo out, but not you? Interesting."
"It did hurt like Hell getting in here, I won't lie. But now you have the honor of fighting me." Kyouka smiled, throwing energy towards the curse that it avoided easily.
"I have heard of you. It is an honor to meet Saturo Gojo's shadow." Kyouka froze mid attack and lowered her voice.
"Excuse me?"
"My intel describes you as following Gojo wherever he needs you to, killing those that stand in his way, all while living comfortably in his shadow. A powerful enemy that you are; but you are overshadowed by his reputation. Sad and pathetic that you grovel to his whims." Kyouka's blood bubbled as anger flowed from the deepest parts of her conscience.
Kyouka's face twisted into a look of anger and frustration as her hands lit up in red flames. "My strength and power speaks for itself. However, if you still doubt me; let's see how you fare against me. Curse technique- stolen energy. " The curse yelled out in pain as its energy drained from it to Kyouka. She lunged forward and began throwing curse energy backed punches at the curse, cutting the body of the curse up with each swing. "You made two fatal mistakes when you came here today."
"Huh?" The curse groaned, its face distorted from the abuse Kyouka lay upon it.
"Underestimating me as a sorcerer." She snarled, wrapping the curse into a cursed binding before squeezing the neck. "And hurting my kids." She growled, throwing the curse into the ground below them. The stolen energy returned to the curse as it began to spit up bodily fluid, while Kyouka returned to the ground. "Do you doubt me now? You haven't given me a single scratch or had me break out in a sweat." Her voice was carnal now; the digs into her reputation burning in her head. "I am no shadow. I am the light that this world needs."
Before the curse could respond, the veil above the pair fell as Gojo floated high in the air. "Ugh seriously? My speech was so cool and that's the moment you decide to drop the fucking veil?" Kyouka grumbled, pouting slightly as the curse beneath her groaned. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I am not naive enough to think I can beat Satoro Gojo." And with that, the curse disappeared. Kyouka sighed heavily before glancing back up to Gojo floating above her.
"I'm never going to hear the end of this."
Later that day in Kyouka's cabin, Kyouka was dabbing peroxide on Megumi's injuries with Gojo lounging nearby. "I don't know why you're so upset, Kyouka. No one was seriously injured and it was a good teaching moment for the students." He shrugged, snacking on some sweets. Kyouka kept dabbing peroxide on Megumi's cuts more vehemently before Megumi hissed in pain.
"Sorry kid." She mumbled, squeezing more liquid on the cotton ball.
"He's not wrong for once, Kyo. What is it?" He asked, wincing with each press of the peroxide. Kyouka rolled her eyes at both boys before throwing down the peroxide in annoyance.
"A veil was made specifically for Gojo. That doesn't bother anyone? All the non-listed special grades just appearing doesn't bother anyone? Am I the only one with the sense to be concerned here?"
'It's fine. Nothing we couldn't handle." Gojo said, rolling his neck to loosen his muscles. "Besides, you fought that special grade easily."
"Stupid curse." She mumbled, bundling up the medicine supplies back in the First-Aid box.
"That thing annoyed you, didn't it? I heard your little speech once the veil came down." Gojo smirked, looking over his glasses. "Light of the world or something?" Kyouka growled at him before giving Megumi a final check over.
"You okay?" She asked before Megumi nodded. "Okay, get some rest. Tomorrow we continue with the Sister School event." Megumi looked between Gojo and Kyouka before rolling his eyes. "What?"
"You need to talk without me here; you do this a lot. You've always done it; like you can't trust me."
"We trust you. You do need rest though; that special grade kicked your ass." Kyouka laughed, seeing Megumi grumbled. "I'll check on you later. Eat first, then bed."
"Yes mother." Megumi grumbled, leaving the cabin disgruntled. Kyouka sighed heavily before snatching the sweets bag from Gojo.
"Hey! I was eating that!"
"Yeah, you were eating my food. You don't see me snacking on your food whenever I'm at your place." She grumbled, stuffing the bag back into her pantry.
"That's because you never come over. If you did, what's mine is yours." He smiled, leaning against the kitchen island.
"I'm scared to come over to that brothel of yours." Kyouka teased, rubbing her hands up her arms. Seeing Gojo's puzzled look, she elaborated. "Your extracurricular activities do not go by unseen."
"What are you talking about?" He asked her, a small smirk forming on his lips. Kyouka scoffed as she tapped the side of her head.
"You wear your glasses once school is over because you're about to go on the hunt for your next prey. I know how you play." She giggled, seeing the tips of Gojo's ears blush. "Embarrassed?"
"Nope. I don't regret my activities." He said proudly, causing Kyouka to cackle. "What? You do?"
"Obviously. More so with the men than the women. Men are…whiny." She sighed, leaning on the other counter. "There was this one guy who actually cried when he finished and kept saying it was so beautiful. Pretty sure he lasted three minutes." She laughed, rubbing her eyes to see Gojo staring at her dumbfounded. "What?"
"Can we revisit the confession you've had girls?" His voice rasped. Kyouka chuckled as Gojo's eyes burned into hers. "Mari."
"What? As you know, girls are fun to play with. I do prefer men though; it just feels better. Shoka was a lot of fun; we did it a few times after graduation. Nothing serious." She shrugged, seeing Gojo still staring at her. "There's an image for you to replay in your head."
"Wow. I never thought…wow."
"The great Gojo Satorou is actually speechless." Kyouka teased, running her hand through her hair. "Anyway, we have more things to worry about than our stress reliefs. What are we going to do about whatever is out there?"
"Come here; I can feel your stress from here." Gojo reached his arm out to grasp onto Kyouka and pulled her closer to him. He enveloped her in his arms and stroked her hair soothingly before he felt Kyouka's heart calm.
"I can't help but worry 'Toru." She whispered, finally allowing herself to feel safe. "It's not like I'm afraid for my life or anything. What about the kids? Who else is out there? How can we protect those around us if we don't even know who…"
"Stop." Gojo said, tightening his arms around Kyouka. "We don't know everything; all we can do is handle whatever is thrown at us. No one can get us. We're the strongest."
"What about those that aren't the strongest?" Kyouka asked, looking up at Gojo. Clear worry painted her purple orbs before Gojo patted her head.
"Then we make them stronger."
