DISCLAIMER:
I do NOT own the Oregairu and Jujutsu Kaisen series as they are respectfully owned by the creators and studios.
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"DOMAIN EXPANSION!"
Just from the phrase, their hearts immediately sank to despair as they saw their surroundings enveloped in darkness and gigantic skulls appeared in the background.
"CREMATION GROUND OF MAHAVIDYAS!"
"Are you kidding me...?" Hachiman mumbled with fear in his own eyes. Nanami just stood still and appeared to be unfazed by the predicament they were in.
"Hikigaya-kun..." Without turning around, the professional sorcerer spoke to his partner. "I have no words to comfort you with this inevitable predicament. No reassuring words that we will escape this. All I could say is... It has been a pleasure working with you."
"... Me too... Thank you for everything." The young sorcerer responded, accepting their fates with a smile. He saw the flesh in his hands decaying into ashes, leaving only bones. Before the two sorcerers decayed any further, they heard a sound of glass breaking above them. The domain had a crack and grew larger until it broke into a hole. It seemed to be someone attacking from the outside.
And the person who entered gave them hope. It was as if the world blessed them with a twist of fate.
"Yo! Looks like you two are losing bad." It was none other than Gojo Satoru, basking his presence between them and the special grade. The cursed spirit just tilted its head while staring at the sorcerer floating down until he was right in its face, staring back. "Lady trouble, huh? Well, you know what we say about women, right?"
"GOJO!" The two sorcerers shouted at him at the same time. Both were not in the mood for his jokes because of them decaying by the domain.
"Alright, alright. I'm on i-" Satoru suddenly realized his hands were also decaying into bones, which made him chuckle. Satoru teleported and grabbed Nanami and Hachiman. He then just threw them out of the domain through the hole he created before it could repair itself. The cursed spirit swung its ramdao at him, but it was slow and didn't even touch him. It stopped inches close to his head.
"Hm, I guess that binding vow of yours ends up costing your speed and destructive power in exchange for strengthening the cursed technique." He commented while purposefully ignoring an incoming thrust of the curse's trident. The result was the same as the tip of the prongs couldn't touch a sliver of his white hair. "Now then... I was just gonna wait outside of the veil till they're done so I could mess with them, but emergencies have to ruin the fun."
Satoru then completely removed the blindfold to reveal the Six Eyes, and with a hand sign, he cast the most powerful barrier.
"Domain Expansion: Infinite Void."
In a blink of an eye, everything around him and the cursed spirit turned into white. Then, the stars and the depths of space filled the nothingness as it stretched wide with distortion. However, the cursed spirit couldn't see that. No, it did see it, but not in complete information within its mind. All of its sense were enhanced infinitely to the point where the cursed spirit just froze because it couldn't process such vast information completely. It couldn't do anything. Not even lifting a single finger nor showing a twitch of a muscle.
Such as the effects of Gojo Satoru's Domain Expansion.
"Missy, you're grounded for causing trouble so. So go back to being dead and reflect on your actions!" He said as if he was scolding a child as a mother while pouting. He raised his right hand to deal the finishing blow, but suddenly the cursed spirit's lower body, along with the pair of lower arms, were obliterated. It wasn't Satoru's attack, so he wondered what happened. He saw cursed residuals of someone unknown to him.
No.
He remembered.
That time when Hachiman was still recovering from the Mansion Game.
When Hachiman uttered the mantra in his sleep.
"Shani Dev?" The strongest sorcerer mumbled. It made sense to him since a sorcerer referred to as a god would be powerful enough to deal a heavy blow on a special grade curse. After a few seconds of thought, he waved his right hand down and the cursed spirit splattered into pieces, exorcising it in the process. It was supposed to be the end, but a certain issue proved him wrong when he looked at both of his hands that he was still healing along with his entire body with reversed cursed energy."The cursed technique is still in effect? Then that means..."
"GOJO-SAN!" Hachiman shouted, who sat next to the unconscious Nanami. The professional sorcerer's body was still decaying, but at a slower rate. Satoru rushed towards them and checked his condition.
"This isn't good..."
"What is it?"
"The cursed technique is still active even after the special grade's exorcism. That binding vow was for making the technique stronger and last longer. Though, after the curse's demise, it's weaker than before."
"Then what should we do?"
"I need to take him to Shoko fast." Satoru said in a serious tone. "She probably has to heal him everyday until the cursed technique is gone for good. This could take days or weeks. He's gonna be out of the job for a while... Wait, what about you?"
"Oh... I'm... just fine." Hachiman checked his hands and body and he seemed to be in good condition.
"The cursed technique didn't linger on him? Could that also be Shani Dev's doing? It's strange that I can't see his cursed energy. Maybe this is different from possessing a vessel like how Sukuna does it? Interesting." After thinking for a few seconds, Satoru carried Nanami while still healing him. "Can you get up?"
"Yeah." The young sorcerer answered as he stood up and looked at his surroundings. All the corpses made him clench a fist, and if that wasn't enough...
"YOSHIMI!" The mother shouted her son's name. The two conscious sorcerers watched as Shina was on her knees, holding Yoshimi's head, which was the only remain while the rest of his body couldn't be found. Judging by how the neck was severed, Hachiman and Satoru guessed the poor boy was killed by cursed spirits. The young man suddenly came out of a pile of corpses with heavy breaths. He didn't know why he was in there, but he almost suffocated and crushed to death by the dead bodies on top of him. The cries of the mother caught his attention, and he saw the tragedy.
"Shit... I'm... I'm sorry." The young man fell on his knees with guilt weighing him down. He remembered what he did at the supernatural hallway. His panic and desperation for survival caused him to sacrifice a child to save himself. "I... I..."
Record of August
Chuo Ward Of Chiba Prefecture,
Chiba Port Tower
The 410 ft. tower was empty during the afternoon, which caused major concerns and suspicions from the public. Several presence of cursed spirits were detected within the tower ranging from grade 3 to 1.
A sorcerer named Nanami Kento was dispatched to the scene.
He exorcised several cursed spirits in different grades before the horrific encounter with an unnamed apparition of a special grade curse. Fortunately, Gojo Satoru arrived due to his rebellious nature and aided him in exorcising the special grade, along with the remaining cursed spirits lurking in the tower. The casualties of the incident were immense. A total of 72 non-sorcerers killed, and Nanami Kento out of commission.
Only two non-sorcerers survived, while according to Gojo and Dr. Ieri Shoko, it would take weeks to remove the cursed technique that inflicted upon Nanami and treat him to full recovery.
In immediate response, a special grade 1 sorcerer was dispatched from the Zenin Clan to fill Nanami's role in exterminating curses in the hotspot that was Chiba City. The other two sorcerers would continue as always until the higher-ups confirmed the mission was complete.
The Four Stories Of The Tower: Finale
For The Happiness In An Unwanted Road
Days had passed, and it was the last day of August
6:30 AM
The ringing sound from the alarm clock caused him to wake up. He laid still in bed for a few seconds before turning the alarm off and stood up. After washing his own face and brushing his teeth, he wore a white buttoned up long-sleeve shirt and black pants. His breakfast consisted of only a pair of toast with butter and a mug of coffee. While eating, he turned on the television and saw the morning news. The news anchor was reporting the incident that was called the "Chiba Port Tower Massacre" as the headline.
"Days passed after the horrific incident that took place in the Chiba Port Tower. 72 innocent lives were lost in a gruesome fate and the inside of the building was in shambles. This led to the Prefecture Government mandating curfew to the citizens until the culprits are arrested. Police investigations confirmed that a group of escaped death row inmates are responsible for the massacre-"
"That's the cover-up story? Better than saying it was a natural disaster, I guess." He mumbled while putting on his tie and wore a black jacket. A doorbell rang, and he checked on the peephole to see who it was. A man with white hair and wearing sunglasses, black long sleeve shirt, and white pants stood outside the door with a grin.
"Helloooo~." The man outside said in a playful tone and he sighed before reluctantly opening the door. "How's it going, Hikigaya-kun!?"
"Why are you here, Gojo-san?" Hachiman asked with a stoic expression.
"Where are your manners? Shouldn't you let me in first?" Satoru said with both hands on his waists.
"Ugh, fine, but I'm going out soon, so make it quick." The young sorcerer stepped aside to let him enter.
"Oh, and I have someone with me." Satoru pointed behind him with a thumb and a woman showed herself.
"Yahallo~!" It was none other than Yukinoshita Haruno wearing a purple off-shoulder shirt and a pair of jeans. Without hesitation, Hachiman quickly pushed the door, but Satoru's foot quickly intercepted it before he could close it.
"You really don't have manners, Hikigaya-kuuun~." Satoru teased while he and Hachiman struggled against each other for the door, though the former wasn't really trying since his strength was above all else.
"That's not how you treat visitors, Hikigaya-kuuuun~." Haruno joined the teasing and poked at Hachiman's nose.
"Especially if one of the visitors is a pretty lady, Hikigaya-kuuuun~."
"Look, look. If you slam the door, my hand will get hurt, Hikigaya-kuuun~."
"Surely you're not that heartless, Hikigaya-kuuuun~!"
"Have mercy on your older sister, Hikigaya-kuuuun~!"
"Then stop poking me and get out!" Hachiman said to her with irritation in his voice. "The nightmarish duo have finally united. I need to prepare for judgement day."
"Hikigaaayaa-kuuuuun~." The nightmarish duo continued the psychological torture until Hachiman's eyebrow twitched.
"... Alright, alright! You can come in!" The boy finally gave in and let them enter.
"So this is your apartment, huh?" Satoru said while checking the apartment room. "I give it a 7/10. Average at best... Unleeeessss, hehehe-"
"Don't you dare go into my bedroom." Hachiman threatened with both fists clenched with imbued cursed energy.
"Whaaaat~? How did you know?"
"Because you're the type of guy who would constantly annoy people to the point you'd invade their privacy."
"You're describing me as if I'm some creepy stalker. By the way, what are you gonna do with those fists? Huh? Huh?" Satoru taunted him with a grin as he leaned closer to the young sorcerer, annoying him even further. "You think those puny baby hands can hurt me?"
"Are you two kids?" Haruno asked with a drop of sweat on her cheek as she watched the scene of a teenager trying to land a punch at a grown man who was blocking them effortlessly. Satoru then stopped blocking and used his Limitless to stop Hachiman's fists from getting an inch closer to his face, annoying him further while sticking his tongue out in a silly manner. She was quite impressed that someone could push Hachiman to the edge until he act aggressively. After a short while, Haruno clapped her hands twice and spoke. "Okay, okay, that's enough, boys."
"Hehe." Satoru chuckled before they stopped fighting.
"Why are you two together?" Hachiman asked while crossing his own arms together.
"Oh, we just met at the front of the building. Pure coincidence." The white-haired sorcerer answered. "Anyway, you look like you're going to a funeral."
"Because I am." Hachiman said while adjusting his tie.
"Feeling depressed for every death from curse activity here isn't healthy, soon-to-be brother-in-law." Haruno said while sitting on a chair at the dining table. "You're ignoring our calls and texts lately. Even neglecting Yukino-chan. You even missed yesterday's occasion."
"What was the occasion?"
"Come on, spin the gears in your brain to remember." She demanded while snapping her fingers. After thinking for a few seconds, he placed a hand on his forehead with a look of disappointment.
"Tobe's birthday..." He answered.
"We spent a lot of effort on your birthday, but you didn't bother going to your friend's? Well, at least he wasn't upset about it... that much."
"The funeral for the unfortunate victims of the Chiba Port Tower Massacre." Satoru said while watching the news that showed the place where the funeral was occurring. "They're almost starting, so I'm not gonna take long. Hikigaya-kun, don't take this too much on your shoulder. Haven't you encountered more dead bodies before this?"
"Death is not something to take lightly." Haruno commented with her chin resting on her hand. "Especially when you see the horror with your own eyes."
"If it wasn't for Gojo-san, everyone would be dead, including me and Nanami-san." Hachiman said while turning off the television.
"It's been a while since you called me with an honorific." Satoru chuckled. "The struggle ended with a bittersweet victory. It's not a new feeling and you know that, Hikigaya-kun. What else has been on your mind?"
"It's not our victory, it's yours. We just walked to death's door during a pointless battle."
"You fought with everything you had. It's amazing how you lasted that long against a special grade."
"All because of Nanami-san, who kept saving me."
"Ugh, this negativity is draining the life out of me..." Satoru said as he sat on the opposite side of the dining table.
"My so-called 'depression' only lasted two days. I just spent all of my time training and make a few changes for myself."
"Training?" Haruno wondered if that was true while tilting her head. "That honestly sounds like an excuse for a depressed guy."
"Well, your cursed energy output grew a little. So because someone took Nanami's place, you have nothing else to do." Satoru commented while confirming her doubts.
"Someone?" The woman asked.
"Just a jujutsu sorcerer Hikigaya-kun doesn't know. That guy and I aren't acquainted, and I doubt we would get along well. So I can't trust him to keep this whole secret."
"I see. And then the apartment is so you could have your private space to do more curse-related things and not worrying about your family finding out." Haruno said while leaning her back on the chair. "Do they even know about your hearing loss?"
"No." He answered immediately while rubbing the hearing aid on his healed left earlobe.
"And you haven't told Yukino-chan either. You better do, or else I will."
"I know."
"Do you know any of the deceased at the funeral?" Satoru asked while turning the television back on for the news.
"Well, I remember that one elder from the croquette stand, and that woman from the clothing store." Hachiman walked towards the door and wore his shoes. "I'm going there not just to pay condolences. It's going to be my turning point."
"So that's it..." Haruno sighed and stood up. "Well, that's all I need to hear."
"Me too, though there's still another business we need to talk about." Satoru stood as well and went out of the door first. "But that can wait till you call me, Hikigaya-kun. See ya!"
"Uh, okay then." Hachiman said while scratching the back of his head as he watched the two adults exit the room.
"Shouldn't you visit the funeral, too?" Satoru asked while walking beside Haruno.
"Not my obligation, though, my condolence to all the victims' families." She answered nonchalantly. "I have other things to worry about."
"Fair enough. The kid is doing better than I thought. I expected him to be more depressed and literally act like a dead fish."
"That's what I thought too. A turning point, huh?"
"You don't look happy."
"I still don't like this whole curse and jujutsu business he's getting into, and now it looks like he's really turning into one. I bet that makes you happy, though."
"Yup, really happy." He said answered nonchalantly with his typical playful act, which caused her veins to pop on her head. "Look, I don't just go taking kids to jujutsu without knowing they can take it, and I'm sure he can do it."
"Keep telling yourself that, because if the time when he breaks comes, I will kill you." She threatened with genuine animosity.
"Good luck with that. So until that happens, let's watch him. Who knows what crazy stunts he's gonna pull because he's finally looking like a real jujutsu sorcerer now."
"For someone who keeps calling himself the strongest, you don't solve a lot of problems for him."
"Ah, did he tell you that? Well, my reputation is earned, but it's not like I can just erase all our worries by destroying things. And I can't allow myself to be the only solution to all problems. What would happen if I'm gone? The jujutsu sorcerers, including Hikigaya-kun, won't stand a chance unless I build a foundation for them to become better than me."
"Then make the foundation easier by getting rid of the harder ones, you prick. Then you'll die for all I care."
"Scaaaary~! I really wish you didn't know anything about jujutsu. I know you understand things are too complicated to just kill them off, Yukinoshita-san. You're a lot more unreasonable than ever, which doesn't suit your smart and elegant aura." Satoru said with a sigh. He didn't appear to be affected nor concerned about her thoughts on the matter. However, he suddenly dropped the playful act and spoke in a serious tone. "Whatever happens to him, I'll take full responsibility. Put your faith in him."
"Ugh, sometimes I wondered why I had a crush on you." Haruno walked faster, leaving Satoru behind, who just stood still after she said that. She took a taxi and before entering, she spoke to him one last time without looking back. "One way or another, I'll wipe that grin off your face. Even the strongest won't last long."
"And there she goes..." Satoru watched as the woman rode the vehicle and left. "One moment, our minds are in sync, then the next, she's hissing at my ear with a knife pointing at my back. She's one complicated woman. I feel like my luck with the ladies is at its lowest... She might become an actual threat."
"These poor souls left this world too soon. Their last moments of tranquility may either be working at the place earnestly, laughing with friends, to give more love to children as parents, or perhaps trivial troubles like school or work. Moments such as those are worth more than anything in human life-" A man was giving the eulogy for the deceased who fell victim to the incident. Families, friends, and others who mourn for the tragedy gathered for the funeral, paying condolences and wishing those who have died peace and to be in a happier place in the next life.
Hachiman didn't listen to the eulogy as he was making an oath to himself in his mind. He had seen countless corpses in his missions. It was difficult to grow accustomed to such horrors, but he began to endure it. What he couldn't stomach was seeing people dying in front of him, especially when their lives were within his reach. He remembered Satoru's words back when he first saw a corpse during a mission.
"Casualties like that are quite common. For sorcerers, it's a good outcome for them that they found an already dead person... Likewise, it's good for the victim to die a normal death after running into a curse. That's pretty much a standard to keep you sane."
And the white-haired sorcerer was correct. Not only did Hachiman fail to exorcise the curse, he also failed to save the lives that were resting on his hands. That was a tremendous blow to his spirit. Just as when he thought he finally grasped the essence of working as a jujutsu sorcerer, he made a huge failure. For him, it was utter defeat, but that made him understood better about the struggles and feats of jujutsu sorcerers, which caused his respect for them grew more than when he met sorcerers like Nanami, Atsuya, and the Kyoto students. After days of contemplation and training, he finally came to a conclusion on what he desired, what he should do to-.
"Hm?" Hachiman's thoughts were interrupted by someone lightly tugging his right sleeve. He turned to see a girl with long black hair tied into a bun and wearing a black kimono.
"I never thought you'd be here." The girl commented with a look of worry. "Are you... okay, now?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry for not answering your calls, Yukino." He apologized while watching at the man giving the eulogy.
"I understand you needed some time alone. I heard you moved to an apartment."
"Not too far from school. Rent is acceptable to my financial standards, and the room isn't bad."
"What did your family think of it?"
"My parents didn't think too much of it. Same with Komachi... who kept questioning about 'reaching adulthood' and... ugh."
"Can I visit you?"
"Anytime besides my 'working hours'. Well, I don't think I'd be working anytime soon because someone took over my 'co-worker''s position and we don't trust him. Are you with your parents?"
"They're over there. Have you seen Onee-san?"
"She just visited me today at my apartment. After that, I don't know where she went."
"I see... so what are you going to do now?" When Yukino asked that, Hachiman was silent. He knew the specific topic of that question, and he feared his decision would make her unhappy.
"After I graduate, I'm going 'full time'." He answered in a vague way, but Yukino understood what he meant, hence the clear look of bewilderment on her face followed by a downcast expression.
"It's not like we won't see each other again when that happens." Hachiman noticed her expression and tried to cheer her. "Right now, I'm still living in Chiba, and we can still go on dates. So don't worry."
"Is that 'mess' here really that difficult to clean?" Yukino asked and Hachiman understood the cryptic message.
"It's not just about that. Throughout the times working with a professional name Nanami-san, and throughout the tasks, I understand their daily struggles. Even if the littering doesn't stop, they still try their best to clean as much as possible, throwing them away as many as they can where no one would be bothered. This is true, especially when the most terrifying things can happen anytime." He held his lover's hand gently, which caused her to look at his serious and determined expression. "Someone told me it's up to me if this power has meaning or not. If I think it doesn't, then I shouldn't use it at all. But right now, there is."
"You're sounding like the hero of a story. Didn't you say back in Okinawa you don't have such characteristics?" Yukino asked with a smirk and it made him chuckle.
"Yeah, and I held on to that. I'm just the side character that fills the protagonist's shoes. That's how I interpret myself and my current capabilities."
"This feels like I'm in a relationship with an aspiring police officer or a soldier."
"That does feel like that, huh?"
"Yes... I'm scared, Hachiman. What would become of us the longer we keep walking on this road? How much is it going to hurt us?"
"None of us know that answer and you know it. Let's just try... That's what you've been telling me a lot when I show my laziness." His remark earned a chuckle from his lover.
"True..." She then rested her head on his shoulder. "Whatever happens, don't leave me."
"I doubt that would be possible, since you have my life."
"And you distorting mine. I must say, the distortion is not what I expected."
"And that's probably not gonna stop so look forward to that."
"I will..."
After the eulogy and prayers, people, including Hachiman and Yukino, then paid their respects with white flowers. The funeral was broadcasted internationally. Everyone who was at their homes watching on television or on livestream on the internet was heartbroken by the tragedy. It was the top trending on both news outlets and in social media in general.
An hour later, the funeral ended with everyone attended were going home. Some were still crying at the loss of their loved ones. Hachiman was about to go home with Yukino's company, but stopped when he saw a certain woman with curly black hair and also wore a black kimono. Two elders tried to comfort her, but to no avail as instead, it made her angry, particularly at the old man. He easily guessed those were her parents, and that familiar woman was Shina, the mother of the dead child, Yoshimi.
"She is the last survivor, wasn't she?" Yukino asked as she noticed him watching them. "Along with that boy, as well."
"Yeah... Her son was killed." Hachiman watched the woman walking away from her parents, who left her alone, thinking that she needed the solitary moment. "Can you go on ahead?"
"Okay." Yukino answered, understanding what he wanted to do. After seeing his girlfriend leaving, Hachiman walked towards the grieving mother, who was sitting on a bench at the bus stop. He hesitated for a second, feeling nervous because he didn't know how to approach her. It only took five seconds for him until he finally spoke.
"Excuse me?" He called out to her, but Shina didn't respond as she kept crying with a hand covering her teary eyes. He then lightly tapped her shoulder and finally gained her attention.
"You're that guy..." Shina said while wiping her tears as she remembered him from the incident at the port tower.
"Yes... uhm, hello." He greeted awkwardly.
"Is the other guy you were with okay? He didn't look good back then."
"He's recovering, so he will be fine... I'm sorry... about your son and your grandmother."
"Oh, Chisa-san wasn't my grandmother... She... She was just like a mother to me, while Yoshimi and I weren't blood-related." She said with a chuckle. "My husband was a widower. His previous wife died after giving birth to Yoshimi. My parents just introduced me to him because he was a vice president of a small company. When I first met that boy, he was happy to see me. It was so obvious how excited he was to have a mother... Then... then..."
"It's okay, I'm sure he's-"
"Then I tried to run away."
"... What?" Hachiman became confused at her statement.
"There was this dream I wanted to pursue, and it didn't end well. After messing up, I came back to my parents so I won't sleep in an alleyway. I never liked them. They always reject my dream because they couldn't see what was great about it... and then I proved them right at how it really wasn't." Shina held her hands together with a feeling of guilt. "My husband is a nice man, but... I couldn't harbor genuine love for him. All I've been doing was following my parents' orders. It felt like I need their choices to have a fulfilling life than making my own."
"When you talk about running away, did you plan to do that on Yoshimi's birthday?" Hachiman's question caused the housewife to grow silent, and that was the answer he needed. Yoshimi mentioned about her packing clothes under the impression that they would go on a trip for his birthday. It was too far from the truth. Despite knowing her cruel attempt to abandon the boy, Hachiman didn't feel angry because none of that mattered anymore. Yoshimi died, and it was his biggest failure. Nothing would change that by shouting at her for such an attempt. "From how you describe your parents' view towards this dream of yours, I'm assuming they're the conservative type. Am I wrong?"
"No... They're exactly that."
"I don't have anything to say much about your parents, but I know one thing about people who go in that direction. They're doing all that because they're afraid of you being left behind."
"I... don't understand."
"Get good grades, get married, be a good housewife... those things are still a default standard for women in Japan. Of course, women nowadays are working in different careers, but the difficulties they have are increased tenfold. And when they can't make ends meet, the traditional society that is Japan won't give them a big enough chance to bounce back. They'd either resign, find another job, or go housewife. Well, that fact is true for society in general. If that's the case, then whoever's the scum that made those social standards should burn in- I'm getting sidetracked. What I'm saying is, your parents are trying their best to guide you to the 'objectively' correct path to life as a woman. They still care about you, even if you disobeyed them back then. What's important is doing the things that come from your own choice."
"..."
"Walking on a road you never wanted to go... I know how that feels a little. I just enjoy what I got from walking through that."
"I... see..." Shina only gave a brief response before silence filled the atmosphere.
"Sorry, I was just... running my mouth as if I understand your circumstances. I only want to apologize... for being too incompetent to save Yoshimi... or anyone there." Hachiman turned around and left the woman alone. "Why the hell did I talk like I'm some kind of therapist?! We're not even close! I hate myself! The tinnitus must've given me brain damage! Yeah, that's probably it!"
After calming himself, he stood still on the sidewalk as civilians just passed him by. With a sigh, he scratched the back of his head.
"Forget being a side character. It's like I'm practicing to be the actual hero." He thought while looking back to where the housewife was. "I wonder if that's how I'd turn into if I keep rejecting jujutsu sorcery, the responsibility I have. Running away, abandoning everything. How selfish would I be to do that? How many people am I going to push away from me?... Would I realise how lucky I am to have good people around me? I'm glad I did sooner than that. Which is why I won't run. I can't turn a blind eye now."
"The things that comes from my own choice..." Shina repeated what the boy said at the bus stop as she walked towards her home. "Enjoy what I got from walking through it.."
She opened the door and heard people talking. One voice sounded like her husband, while the other was quite familiar. It was years since she heard that particular voice. One that she didn't expect to hear again after what she did. With steel resolve, Shina walked forward and peaked behind a wall to see the living room. Her husband was there sitting on a couch and on the other side, Hisashi was there with his funeral attire. The sight of her former lover was also the sight of her past struggles. However, she shook away such thoughts and entered the living room with a smile. "I thought I recognize that stupid voice somewhere."
"And there she is." Hisashi said with a grin. "It's been a while. I was just talking to your husband about this manga he recently read."
"You read a manga?" Shina looked at her husband with a look of bewilderment.
"And it was a horror manga, so not my pleasant first experience." The husband said with a chuckle.
"Not to mention the gore in that manga was waaay too much."
The three began conversing about manga and any mundane topic. Her husband listened to Shina and Hisashi catching up on each other's life with a smile. The death of his son was still devastating for him, even after the comfort and support he received from his friends and family. However, he needed every happy moment to prevent from falling into depression, though he already felt like doing nothing because there wasn't anything that mattered to him anymore. But seeing the sight of his wife smiling caused him to shake away such depressing thoughts. The conversation lasted for an hour, and suddenly the husband's phone rang.
"Oh, excuse me. I need to take this." He said as he left the living room to answer the call. The former couple was left with an awkward silence. Shina just looked anywhere except for Hisashi, while the latter just stared at the ceiling.
"Anything interesting on my ceiling?" Shina asked, trying to stir another conversation.
"The drywall never looked so pretty until now." Hisashi answered with a smirk.
"How can you tell?"
"When you have nothing else to look at, you just see something pretty on the most ordinary things."
"Nothing to look? What about me?"
"Gross... and you're married."
"Huh? What does that have to do with eye contact?" The two laughed at the moment they were repeating in the past. A feeling of nostalgia and sadness creeped their way into their hearts.
"Are you okay right now?" Hisashi asked.
"No... nor will I ever be."
"I'm sorry for your loss... And Chisa-san... I can't believe she's gone."
"I don't want to talk about it." Shina ended the topic to prevent her eyes from tearing again. "Let's talk about now. How are you lately?"
"Doing fine, really. I'm now a scriptwriter for a small video game company."
"A video game? What games did you guys make."
"Mostly RPG and decision-based games. We're doing quite well, honestly, and we're almost finished with a new game we kept teasing on twitter until... the news spread."
"I'm glad you're doing well after... what happened between us."
"Yeah, we were literally going through the nine circles of Hell that time. Haha."
"The harassment on twitter was such a disaster. And then people doxxed us."
"And we couldn't afford to go to a new apartment. We couldn't make much money anymore."
"That time when I was trying to sell my manga at the Winter Comiket, so many people just came after me like a stampede. God, the security was the worst. How come no one came to help me?"
"And then we broke up. That was hell, alright." Hisashi leaned back on the couch while remembering their past struggles. He felt guilty since all that happened because of his career-ending mistake.
"I'm sorry for leaving you." She apologized, feeling just as guilty.
"You shouldn't. It was probably the wisest decision you've made." Hisashi spoke while shaking his head. After a few seconds of silence, he asked. "Do you... still draw?"
"I stopped drawing long ago."
"That sucks... you were so good back then."
"Yeah, well, critiques seemed to differ."
"I'm serious. If you get back to drawing, I'll ask my boss to hire you as an illustrator or even storyboard director."
"I... don't know about that in video games. That sounds like a different kind of expertise. Besides... I don't think that spark will come back to me ever again."
"I see..." He wore a content smile before standing up. "I need to go now and visit the Porcher house. I want to check up on the French man."
"Okay, my husband and I will follow you after." Shina said to him while standing up. "It was nice meeting you again."
"Same." And with that, Hisashi left the house to visit the late Chisa's husband. Meanwhile, Shina sat back on the couch and stared at the ceiling for a moment until she went to find her husband. She went upstairs and saw him in Yoshimi's bedroom crying. She comforted him by hugging. Even if she didn't love the man she married, Shina still had to be by her side, now more than ever. But...
"I need to come clean." She thought while building up the courage to speak the truth. "There's something I need to tell you..."
"Look for what's next."
Meanwhile, in a certain tatami room.
One man stood with blood on his hands with his right hand holding a gourd filled with sake. He appeared to be old, had mid-length, gray hair that was slicked back to reach just behind his neck, and a grey English-style mustache that extended beyond both sides of his cheeks. His attire consisted of a brown yukata, which he took off the right side to reveal the muscles of most of his body, along with a black sash around him.
"Hey, don't blame me." The old man said before drinking his sake. Behind the old man were four dead bodies, which he killed all of them. "You all just sneak into my house. Of course, I would naturally defend myself."
"Pardon for the sudden intrusion, but this is urgent." Another man spoke, but in a strange Japanese accent as if it was his second language at best. Two men accompanied him. One had a skinny physique with a shaved head and wore a black kimono and grey hakama. The other wore a hollowed-out mask of a German Shepard, a red hoodie, and black jogging pants. Finally, the one in the middle, who spoke to the old man, had dark, brown messy hair and an unshaved beard. He wore a long black cloak that covered his entire body except his foot.
"You have ten seconds to explain." The old man threatened.
"We need your assistance to eliminate the greatest threat to our freedom. If it is ignored any longer, none of us will stand a chance against him, not even you nor Gojo Satoru."
"Hm?" The conversation caught the old man's interest. "Even someone like Gojo? That claim sounds too good to be true. What is this threat?"
"Shani Dev. That is the name of our threat. Before Sukuna reigned terror long ago, he was the strongest sorcerer who could even defeat the Gojo Clan's ancestors, both those with and without the Six Eyes. The fools during that time thought of him as a saviour, a god who gives blessings to those who bring good deeds. In the present, they still worship him as such. But to my ancestors and to us now, he is arrogant, a man-child who thinks he has the right to judge our fates. We feared his power. Please, aid us in slaying that monster."
"You said he was a sorcerer from long ago. Are you saying he became a vengeful spirit like Sukuna?"
"No... The process he chose was very different from his. Right now, he's still weak, but his worshippers made their move. The special grade curse that appeared in Chiba Port Tower was their doing in order to awaken him. We must strike soon, before it's too late."
"Bahahahaha! Now... haha... just a moment." The old man said between laughter, and suddenly he disappeared right in front of their eyes. They sensed both danger and cursed energy behind them, but before they could turn around, the man with the dog mask and the other with skinny physique froze inside of what appeared to be animation frames. The man in the cloak got his face plummeted onto the floor, breaking the wood along with his nose. A hand held the back of his head with such force, he felt like his skull could break any moment.
"Gghh!" He struggled, but showed no result.
"You think I would be so gullible to take your words at face value?" The old man spoke with clear animosity in his voice. "And even if it is true, how does helping you benefit me? You came to me because I owe you a debt for saving my son, but from what you said earlier, this seems to be an issue the higher-ups should know. Why not even Gojo Satoru for that matter?"
"We will give you money! Ten billion yen!"
"HAH! I'm already rich enough."
"Then, we will give you some of our women."
"Prostitutes? I can afford the finest women on my own!"
"You don't understand... I meant that I will give my best sorcerers to your clan. Have our men impregnate your daughters while your sons impregnate the women. Their blood, soul, and cursed techniques will all be yours."
"You think I would allow foreign blood into my clan?" The old man asked before slamming his face into the floor once again. But instead of hearing grunts of pain, there was laughter.
"Japanese people and their homogenous standards. The future of this clan will be bleak if you don't agree with this."
"Hmph, IF the clan head is incompetent. But we're not."
"That ignorance of yours is what makes you incompetent." The man with the cloak argued while having the strength to push up. "This country may hold the monopoly in jujutsu, but how long will that last? Until the Six Eyes's death? No, it will happen much sooner. They WILL make it sooner. The Middle East will climb on the stage, and groups in other countries such as ours are building strength, gathering different sorcerers until an opportunity comes. I'm offering you more power than you could ever imagine, cursed techniques that are unheard of. Help me and the clan will grow as the strongest in the world."
"Hmm... Tempting." The old man was considering the offer while rubbing his chin in thought. "Heh, I accept. But am I the only one sending my people to this mission?"
"Reef and K-9 will take part."
"Who?"
"The two you just froze."
"... Oh, I see." The old man stared at the two frozen inside their animation frames, and he undid the technique by grabbing their necks. "These two? In terms of strength, what grade are they in?"
"Grade 1 and 2." The man in the cloak answered.
"And only them? Fine, I'll send a Special Grade 1."
"Just one sorcerer? But-" Before the man in the cloak could complain, the old man glared at him, showing his obvious bloodlust.
"You get one and that's it. A special grade 1 can easily beat these two which means that sorcerer is a two in one. So that's fair. Also. I still don't trust your words so I can't afford to have losses from deception. Accept the little kindness I can give you."
"... Okay..." He agreed to the terms. While wiping the blood off his nose, he spoke calmly. "As for your other question."
"Hm?"
"We know what kind of people your higher-ups are. As for Gojo Satoru... he's the one taking care of Shani Dev."
"Are you serious...? Hahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! INTERESTING! FIRST, SUKUNA'S DEAD VESSEL, NOW THIS?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Meanwhile... In an abandoned school building at night.
In a certain running track of the school grounds, four cursed spirits of grotesque appearances jumped towards a person. The person wasn't afraid as he held the grip of the sheathed katana strapped to his waist. The moment he drew the blade, he exorcised them immediately by cutting them in half. He sheathed the blade while taking a deep breath and stared at the building. From the windows to the concrete of the walls, he analyzed every detail as if there was something hidden. He went inside the abandoned school and even went as far as checking every dusty classroom to find his objective.
Then, he encountered another cursed spirit.
It had a humanoid physique with pale white skin and only had a mouth. Its arms were very long as they reached the floor, hands with three fingers, and a thin tail with a hand larger than a human head at the end. The palm of the tail-hand had spikes in it and its nails were long and razor sharp, as if they were made of steel. The cursed spirit had only one eye, which was located in the middle of its chest.
Meanwhile, the sorcerer looked unimpressed. He wasn't intimidated, nor did he show any reaction at all. The cursed spirit appeared to be strong, but he was uninterested by its inferiority. He couldn't even see the incoming fight as a warm-up exercise. Despite that, his job was clear. As a jujutsu sorcerer, he must exorcise the curse.
"pItCH!" The cursed spirit shouted as it swung the tail at him. He just casually dodged by slightly tilting his body, and then saw the curse was already a few feet in front of him, but its speed did not surprise him. It swung its right arm at his face, but it was slow. Too slow for him. The sorcerer hit its face with his right palm and the curse just flew back from the force.
"Not even worth my time." The sorcerer spoke with arrogance. As he walked forward, the curse managed to land on its feet after being sent flying to the end of the hallway, but before it could do anything, the sorcerer already closed the distance instantly. In one moment, the curse already seen him about to attack with his palm. His speed and power completely overwhelmed the curse as half a second later, he hit its eye and made a hole in the curse's entire chest area. After seeing the curse vanished, the sorcerer continued his search. He explored every corner and shadow until he reached the rooftop. "This is the same building where he found that boy, and not a dust of clues. Investigating the 'former suspect' is the best option, after all."
His phone rang inside his white kimono and took it out. He checked the number before answering the call.
"What is it?"
"Naobito-sama wants to speak with you on the phone."
"I am busy at the moment."
"Now, or Naobito-sama won't be pleased." The caller gave the phone to the man named Naobito before he could have time to utter his voice. He clicked his tongue in a hint of frustration and jumped off the roof to get down faster while talking on the phone.
"What do you want?"
"I have a task for you." Naobito answered. "I choose you because you're in Chiba right now. So-"
"Is it about the boy?"
"So you also suspected it. And I thought time withered your brain before mine. Hahaha!"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Simple. You and two other sorcerers that will accompany you later will kill him."
"Understood."
"Wait for more details later, Ogi." And just like that, the call ended, and the sorcerer named Ogi clicked his tongue.
"Just when I could take the credit for myself." He mumbled while staring at the moon. "No matter, one of our common goals is to ruin the Gojo Clan. That blindfolded brat may have fooled others, but not a few, including me. The investigation on the Chiba's curse outbreak went stagnant, which is already suspicious enough. I will find the truth, and Hikigaya Hachiman is the key."
And that's the end of the... well not-so mini arc, I guess.
Things are getting bigger from here on out and it may or may not show in Junpei Arc.
Looks like the two antagonists are back and this time, 8man is their target and with the help of someone from a certain clan, things are gonna get even crazier.
So the purpose of the OC's involvement here is to develop 8man in a sense. Although having different circumstances, they share the same sort of problem that troubles their lives (except one is leaned to personal issue while the other involves life and death). I just thought by 8man interacting with the OC would be like him looking at a mirror from a parallel world if that makes sense.
Though, I still feel like I'm rushing 8man's development. I just want to get this arc over with tbh and get on with the crazier stuff.
But what do you guys think?
Please leave your opinions in the reviews as they will help me make this story better.
