Chapter 26

"Huh?"

"Can you see anything different about me? ANYTHING out of place?"

What D'angelo said made Suiryu concerned. So, there was little choice but to go and see Satoru. He could tell instantly if something were off about him. Yet, of course. Satoru being who he is, didn't take the request all that seriously.

"You think something happened to you? Such as?"

Suiryu paused. "I don't know, there has to be something about it. D'angelo… the photographer I pose for… mentioned something. At the same time, there is more to him than I know. I can't help but feel like he was trying to warn me."

"He's not a curse user, is he?" Gojo asked.

Suiryu shook his head. "If he were, he would know who I was instantly. I am starting to believe he is more of a divine user, but I have never seen him use his power or call upon summons."

Gojo shrugged. "Well, since you asked nicely…" he peered out of his blindfold and looked Suiryu over, his eye darted all over the place and yet, he said not a word as he covered his eyes again. "I don't see anything out of place, but I am sensing a change of some sort. It's weak but maybe nothing to worry about. Why do you ask?"

He explained to him the guy named Freaky Fred and how they embarrassed him live on air, he came to him with a peace offering. A bottle of Sake, he took one glass but it was rancid and didn't drink anymore. D'angelo then offhandedly mentioned that Adonis carried a bottle like that a few days ago. "I got tricked, didn't I? With booze no less!"

"I am sure I would have done the same if it was mochi." Gojo snickered, but stopped himself, as Suiryu didn't share the joke. "Ahem, I will keep a close eye on it, but for now. Sleep on it, then we can go kicked those bastards in the ass tomorrow!"

That sounded good to Suiryu.

He went to bed that night, his mind was tired and he drifted off to sleep easily.

He had anything but a dream.

Suiryu found himself in a very familiar space. The cow skulls were a dead giveaway. "Shit, this dream again. I thought I stopped having these a while ago…"

"So you STILL think about it,"

He froze. Suiryu turned and saw him, sitting contently on his throne of skulls. Sukuna!

"What the fuck are you doing here? I don't have dreams about you! Ugh, worst form of masturbation there is…"

Sukuna huffed. "This is what became of that part of me?" he said in a disappointed tone. "Pathetic."

Suiryu froze as he took in the place. This wasn't a dream anymore, his glare came upon Sukuna who now bore a devious grin. "You see it now, don't you? How thoughtful of you to find a new body for me. I knew you weren't that much of a waste of space!"

"You won't take over me," Suiryu stated. "I won't let you harm anyone here, you won't hurt Yuuji AGAIN!"

"Such big words from a mere speck."

Suiryu's body froze. He felt this deep pit form in his gut. "What… what is this…"

"Insurance," Sukuna said. "Even though you were purified from my body, you are still no less a part of me. That loathing you had for yourself, cursing the notion that you came from me… It makes certain I always had a way in should we ever meet again. I had also casted a binding vow upon myself, how strange it took this long for it to trigger in you. Should I ever come to life once more, I take over the moment you are absorbed back into me…" His smile grew, he began to cackle aloud in the innate domain before his sights turned back to Suiryu. "You exist to return me to my former glory! I will say this though. You did indeed grow stronger. You had fifteen fingers worth of my power… it's now sixteen."

He would have felt proud of that notion… had the compliment not come from Sukuna. "Go to hell,"

"Already have, nothing worth staying there for. But if you insist, I'll just bring hell to us!"

he had enough of him. Suiryu stood at the ready for a fight. Sukuna cackled aloud. "What chance do you have against the likes of me?" he demanded. "But if you are insisting on a battle, let me remind you… where you come from!"

Suiryu thought he was ready for anything, yet suddenly, he was grabbed by the face and smashed into the wall! He felt the impact and yet, at the same time, he could endure it. Not to allow him the satisfaction, Suiryu returned the gesture and landed a solid punch on Sukuna right to his face!

He stumbled back but paused as he appeared to have bled from his lip! "You'll suffer for that,"

"I'm already suffering being in the same space as you! I don't care how long it takes, I won't let you take over MY body!"

The wicked grin appeared on the face of the demonic sorcerer. "But you failed to see… I already started to take over… good luck telling yourself otherwise."

He snapped his fingers, suddenly, Suiryu woke up from a dead sleep…

#

He snapped out of bed in a cold sweat.

Suiryu gasped for air as he tried to think over the dream, yet the more he did, the more troublesome it became to recall. "What the hell… What's happening to me?"

He felt strange, as if there was something squirming in his gut, at the same time, he began to feel as if his mind was already starting to slip away from him…