Chapter 7
They were catching up to him. Megumi knew it, but he also knew he wasn't alone in the dark world. He has spent so much time here, he knew where things were as well… who really lived in his world.
He turned and saw three men were quickly approaching, yet as one reached out to grab him, Megumi turned and called. "NUE!"
The three were plucked off the ground and carried off!
That's three down, but too soon to celebrate. He had to keep running.
"Get back here brat! You of all people should know you never go against your elders!" Mosu shouted.
"What happens when they are wrong?" Megumi snapped back. "In Shibuya, why didn't the elders themselves mobilize? Why did they only send Gojo and the students? Why delayed in sending anyone else?"
"In their wisdom, they didn't think Sukuna would have been part of this!"
"In their wisdom, yeah right…" Megumi muttered.
Before he could get any farther, he was struck from the side. Turning, Megumi froze in fear and horror as one of the shikigami wolves attacked him, yet. It wasn't one of his. The thing appeared more like black sludge, trying to take form, but was barely able to. But it wasn't the only one either. There came four more as the disturbing wolves soon surrounded him. "Oh God… what have you done to the wolves!?" he demanded.
"This is the extent of our power so far. We just need more practice that's all…"
This… had nothing to do with practice. This was as far as their technique will go, at the same time, the creatures they summon… are suffering. "You're hurting them," he said.
"What does it matter? They are just mindless summons!"
Megumi shook his head to them on that, how could they call them mindless? The more he looked at these decaying wolves, the more his heart ached for them. "I'll make it quick," he whispered.
He stood at the ready, the wolves barely keeping to their feet suddenly collapsed and melted back into the ground. "Stupid things…"
"Why do this?" Megumi demanded. "Why obtain a technique that isn't your to inherit? Why listen to the elders who are using you as test subjects for this? This isn't right!"
The sorcerers snickered to his outburst. "You don't get it… we're not just trying to obtain the three great family's methods and power… We're aiming to be on the same level as Sukuna!"
"What…"
"He knew a lot of things, I've seen this Suiryu guy fight, same with the demon vessel, they have power that shouldn't belong solely to them! The demon vessel, a mere boy who had NO curse energy to begin with, to be on par with the king of curses? It's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair, his life wasn't fair and you think he sought this for himself?" Megumi snapped back. "Itadori, maybe clueless at times, but not once have I ever seen him use his jujutsu for the sake of suppressing those around him!" Megumi snapped back.
"All the more reason why he shouldn't have possessed it." Mosu stepped forward. "I've dreamed of following my grandfather's footsteps, to become an elder when I have proven my worth to them all. Of course I would take such a foolish risk to get stronger, after all. If one isn't willing to risk it all, then why should they be given power?" he asked. "By the way, learn my name Megumi, so you know the man who defeated you. Mosu!" he decreed. He was arrogant, his long black hair covered most of his face and yet his body frame appeared rather thin and lack muscle definition. Perhaps this method was a cheep way of obtaining power in his mind.
"I'll purposely forget it, besides. None of you are on my level, in power and knowledge." He said as he stared down his attackers. "For you should know the dark world, isn't ruled by the summoner but the shikigami. Those who are true wielders of the ten-shadow technique can enter here. But those who are not… are considered invaders."
The ground around them began to grow darker. Black fog soon came up to their knees as Megumi looked about. "I would leave as soon as I could if I were you…" he warned.
As they were distracted, Megumi made a run for it. He has to warn the others what is happening, as well, the council's plan.
He returned to the surface, just outside of Kyoto to catch his breath. Yet, the moment he did, he sensed them again. The sorcerers following him managed to break free of the dark world.
"Fushiguro… come out, come out, wherever you are!" Mosu called aloud.
Megumi kept going, he has to, but at the same time, he sensed others on the move as well.
#
Mosu paused, he sensed Fushiguro moving about however, and there came a smirk to his face. "Gentlemen, let's retreat for now," he insisted.
"Sir?"
"I just had an idea, and I believe I know where the others have gone to as well, we can finish this all in one clean swoop." He decreed.
His men paused with admiration. "You are as wise as your grandfather…" one said.
"Here is hoping he see that as well…"
Instead of returning to Kyoto, they made their way to the school in Tokyo, After all, that's where the elders are. Mosu was quick to find his grandfather and explain the situation. "You let him escape!" he was scolded.
"Grandfather, I…"
"We had him in the palm of our hands! Did you know we have just gotten word that nearly all the Zenin clan has been eliminated!"
He paused to the news, however, they weren't going to help them anyways until they gained what was desired. "Grandfather, please listen to me!" Mosu pleaded.
The elder settled himself. He sighed and nodded. "Very well, what is it?"
"I have done research for you for years on Ryomen Sukuna, so much so I know his history from before he was killed and became a cursed object," he explained. "As such, I was wondering. Have you gone to the Kanoayama village?"
Instantly his grandfather scoffed the comment. "That remote region, why? What's so important about it!"
"Sukuna… cared for that village before he became a curse," he explained. "In fact, legend has it that he prayed for 37 days straight at the Kannonda temple, which happens to be in the same region. Now… if the clone has his memories and Sukuna is as powerful as we know he is… wouldn't he do anything to save something he treasured? Even if it means putting a curse on it?"
Suddenly, there was a look of interest. "Hmm, we have been given reports of such curse energy in the remote regions, however, they have never been important enough to investigate…"
"Grandfather… I am willing to bet that they have gathered there, there has to be something within the lands that they are using to their advantage!" he proclaimed. "Trust me, if there are those here who wish to join them, don't you believe there would be a way for them to find this? Someone to tell them where to go?"
The smile on the elder's face only grew. "My boy, you are my grandson!" he said proudly. "So, what do you have in mind?"
"Our strongest come with me. We go to the region and lure them out with those who have come to join them. The demon vessel won't turn his back on those he cares about now will he?"
"Take as many men as you need, and bring some of the test subjects along with you, let this be their test run…"
"Oh, one more grandfather… those who have finally managed to control those curse corpses…"
"Ah yes, the ones left behind by one Muta. We just managed to get enough sorcerers to control 50 of them… oddly enough, it takes over 100 sorcerers with strong curse energy to do such a thing!"
"I want to utilize those,"
His grandfather agreed. "So be it, take them and gather your legions. I suggest you strike sooner than later. Don't make me regret this…"
Mosu smiled. "Of course not, grandfather. I will bring you the head of the demon vessel!"
#
Todo was on the move, he kept true to his word and remained in downtown Kyoto, however there were strange messages coming up on his phone. He managed to exchange contact information with Junpei who has since wrote him in code.
'History is a great thing to learn, it will help sharpen that 50,000 IQ you have!' was one.
"History huh?" Todo paused as he considered the hint. "Let's see, if I were to look at history, the most extended one would be of Ryomen Sukuna, having to have lived over a 1000 years ago…" However, for the Jujutsu school, they mainly taught of the curse Sukuna became and the threat he was in the golden age of sorcery. They never spoke of his human past.
He went deeper into thought, that was when he began to have visions of Takada-chan come to him. She was going over a map and then a history book. "All humans have roots, so do sorcerers," she said gently to him. "It is those roots that establish themselves to carve who you become as a human being. Roots that not even time can break,"
She then turned to a history book and he saw a shrine. "Humans beings and those in power will always pray for what it best for their people… even if they become a curse after. Have you seen this place before?"
She turned the book to him. It was in a very remote region of Japan, outside of the city limits of Kyoto and yet oddly enough not too far to travel. It was an old temple, and yet peering over the land was a statue. "Is that…"
She nodded. "Here, he is worshiped like a protector, he is not a curse that is known to you, but a hero known to its people." She explained. "I doubt your friends would leave you without a clue to get there now would they?"
He snapped out of his trance. Todo smirked. "I owe Takada-chan another thank you. She has such a way with words…" he said with great admiration.
But to get there.
He went to the park, where people gathered to meditate or play. There happened to be an area that was nice and quiet, from there he sat himself down and began to focus. "Brother wouldn't abandon me like this, let's see if I can find it…" Todo kept his eyes closed until he sensed it, a pebble, miles and miles from his location, but, it possessed his curse energy. He smirked to it. "Well done brother…"
Keeping his eyes closed, he focused, long distances were still hard for him to do, yet Yuuji trained him well, same with Suiryu as he taught him how to expand his technique to benefit himself. With a firm clap of his hands, Todo opened his eyes and found himself in the thickest part of a forest, just outside of a small village. Peering about he paused as he caught a glimpse of the statue he saw in the book.
"This is it…" he whispered.
But then froze as he felt a blade to his throat. "Thanks for confirming it for us!"
From the corner of his eye, he sneered at the sight. "You insult the dead, using my classmate's creations like this…"
He was held back by one of Mechamaru's creations. The blade became pressed more into his throat. "Cooperate… and perhaps we can lighten your sentence… Refuse… and you will die first!"
