Ultimate Kaisen now has a Forum page. Though it won't be fully active until S1 of Ultimate Kaisen is finished,it would still mean a lot to me if as many of you as possible join.
It's mainly going to be done in a Q and A format to better gauge your experience and overall opinion of S1 of Ultimate Kaisen. I wish to use your feedback to make S2 a significant improvement over S1 when it is released.
The name is Ultimate Kaisen QandA. It can be found through looking at my profile and is part of the Forum section for Jujutsu Kaisen. Thank you all once again for reading and your support. Wish to see you there.
Guest: Unfortunately, I can't give anything definitive, but I will say that I'll do what I can to update it before this month ends, or at most, within next month.
Jss2142: Really glad you enjoyed it.
Maximum Rhapsody: Glad you enjoyed it. I've actually already considered that. And though I don't wish to spoil that will play out,I can say that it will be interesting. Hopefully, you'll like it.
I do intend to go on hiatus once S1 of Ultimate Kaisen is finished, and wait till S2 of the anime drops. That's why the Ultimate Kaisen forum exists.
However,if things go to plan, you all may still receive some chapter updates even before S2 drops. I don't want to spoil what they may be, but I will say they won't be much,the highest I'm seeing is close to ten chapters. Despite this, however,I hope for them to expand your overall experience with the story.
adamluna51: I'm glad you enjoyed it, and the approach I took with it. That's an interesting question. My answer to it is the same reason why the Omnitrix never scanned any of Kevin's mutant forms.
The Death paintings used humans as their base to come to life. One could say that they basically overrided their host bodies in order to assume their own unique identities. The Omnitrix has a failsafe against absorbing any kind of DNA that could potentially do the same thing to Ben.
Also, your questions are always welcome,so you don't have to worry about that. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and grateful for the support. Hope this chapter meets up to your expectations.
Yoyon586: I'm glad you enjoyed my portrayal of Todo in the fight, and the fight itself. I'm also glad you understood my reason for having Rath win.
ChronoDX: You don't have to worry, Ben's definitely going to get involved.
Bountyodst: I understand your concerns for Ben possibly stagnating Yuji's character growth by interacting with Mahito. But I want to assure you that that's not going to be the case.
Kokiks100: I'm flattered and grateful that I was able to help you relive memories as dear to you as those from your childhood. I also have some Ben 10 merch from when I was younger so totally relatable.
Glad you're enjoying the story, and you're welcome.
Vinzo: It's not impossible for Alien X to appear in the story. However,if that were to happen, it'd be much further down the line, and only when it feels justified.
Glad you enjoyed the last chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10 or Jujutsu Kaisen in any way. They were both created by Man of Action and Gege Akutami and are owned by Cartoon Network and Shonen Jump respectively.
Enjoy!
Chapter 15: That Which Lingers
Both Megumi, Nobara and Mai were left amazed by the actions of Rath. The alien hero had managed to turn the tides in the midst of his battle with Todo.
Unfortunately for them, from the moment Rath took the battle to the skies and proceeded to the uncompleted wooden building,They could only remain standing in the hallway.
And as a result,they would have to wait for any of the two combatants to come back and not only announce the conclusion of their battle, but also it's victor. A position none of them were all too pleased to find themselves in. But none was more frustrated with this predicament than Mai.
"How long have they been up there?" Asked Mai with annoyance.
"Up to five minutes. And considering the circumstances in which they got there, it's safe to assume that their fight has reached it's conclusion." Answered Megumi calmly as he looked away from the two girls with a neutral expression on his face.
"You're probably right." Said Mai with a sigh as she crossed her arms.
"Now I'm just wondering why Todo isn't back yet. Granted, Tennyson was a lot stronger than I expected, but to think that he would give Todo this much trouble before he'd beat him." Pondered Mai in a self reflective manner. However, due to being closer to her, this immediately piqued Nobara's curiosity.
"What makes you think Tennyson lost?" Asked Nobara with a raised eyebrow as she looked at Mai.
"Please, you can't honestly believe that he stood an actual chance against Todo?" Asked Mai in a rhetorical manner that was laced with a condescending tone. One which was not lost on Nobara.
"Sounds to me like you're the delusional one. Because from what Fushiguro and I saw, Todo was getting his ass kicked." Taunted Nobara, causing a tick mark to form on Mai's forehead.
"My,a rather bold claim on your part. I guess anything would suffice to draw attention away from the fact that you're actually pretty shallow, both on the surface and underneath." Taunted Mai in an attempt to assert dominance over the growing tension.
"On the contrary, the only shallow one here is you." Countered Nobara, causing Mai to raise an eyebrow with curiosity.
"At first,I thought that you and Maki were pretty similar. But now I realize that you couldn't be further apart." Said Nobara as she looked back at Mai.
"I can tell just from standing here that you've got open pores. Not sleeping well enough?" Nobara had now fully turned to face Mai with her hands on her waist.
"From your superficial beauty, and your hollow taunts, It's safe to say that Maki is a hundred times better." Mai would grit her teeth in frustration over Nobara's insults.
"I'll teach you..." Began Mai as she reached to her waist with her left hand.
"How to speak to others." Mai had drawn a revolver and pointed it straight at Nobara with her left hand, causing the latter's eyes to widen in shock.
"What are you..." Began an alarmed Megumi as he turned to face the two of them. He deliberately cut himself off however,as a familiar bo-staff would gently shift the revolver back.
The three teens would then look to their right to see Maki holding her bo-staff with her right hand, and standing next to the wall with a stern look on her face.
"What were you planning to do to our errand runner,Mai?" Asked Maki before lowering her bo-staff hand to her side.
"Zenin Senpai!/Maki-san!." Said Megumi and Nobara in surprise.
"Oh,my. You're such a loser,I didn't even notice you,Maki." Taunted Mai as she held up the revolver close to her face.
"We're both equally losers,you know. All you can do is imbue objects with cursed energy, and you've got shit for cursed techniques." Countered Maki.
"Better than having no cursed energy at all. My neck gets sore looking up at others all the time,so I need to look down on someone like you ever so often." Said Mai in rebuttal with a smirk.
"Ah, forget it, we're both at rock bottom, and it's pathetic." Said Maki, conceding defeat with a small smile. However, before either of them could speak,a slow but heavy set of footsteps could be heard.
"We're leaving,Mai." Said Todo as he stood in front of the doorway, causing all four teens to look at him. He gently scratched the back of his neck with his right hand.
"Todo?!" Said Mai in surprise.
'What happened to him? He looks pretty beat up.' Thought a confused Nobara.
'Don't tell me he actually...' Thought Mai with disbelief. Todo would look around the hallway,as if in search of something before he would come to a halt.
"Oh, there's my jacket." Said Todo with a smile on his face.
"Why do you have so many wounds?" Asked Mai with a tone of curiosity, not worry.
"That would be my fault." Said Ben from behind Todo before standing in front of him with both hands in his pockets.
"Tennyson?" Said Megumi and Nobara in unison.
'He doesn't even have as much as a scratch on him.' Thought Mai in disbelief.
"Rath has a tendency to get carried away and go a bit overboard " Said Ben with a sheepish smile.
"Though, considering the circumstances, maybe I shouldn't be apologizing." Said Ben as he looked at Todo who had long since picked up his jacket, and stared back at him. There was no animosity from either of them, but rather an attempt to get a reaction out of the other.
"You...won?" Asked Megumi in disbelief. Even Maki seemed somewhat surprised.
'Impossible!' Thought Mai.
"I can't believe you guys ever doubted me." Said Ben as he looked back at the teens with mock hurt that immediately faded into a smirk.
"Don't get carried away, Tennyson,it was a one off win." Said Todo boldly with his hands crossed. His jacket was placed on his right shoulder.
"Nah,I beat you fair and square. Maybe if you actually manage to beat me next time,I may reconsider. But even then, I'd still kick your butt." Said Ben with pride.
"Hmph." Said Todo almost dissmissvely.
'He sounds so confident in what he's saying. And Todo's not posing any opposition to it. Could he really have beaten him?' Thought Mai as her gaze alternated from Todo and Ben.
"Are you having fun, Mai?" Asked Todo in a teasing manner, bringing Mai out of her stupor.
"N-n-no! What gave you that idea?!" Said a flustered Mai.
"Alright then. If not,then let's go. I still have important business here in Tokyo." Said Todo as he reached into his left pocket. He would then slightly bring out several tickets colored yellow and white.
"My personal handshake with Takada!" Declared Todo as he brought out the tickets for the other teens to see.
"Uh-huh..." All five of them would say in unison as they looked at Todo as if he had just grown an extra head.
"Who knows what I might do if I miss my transfer and can't make it to the event hall?" Said Todo as he put the tickets back into his pocket before holding his jacket over his right shoulder.
"Come with me,Mai." Said Todo before turning his back on the teens and walking away.
"Ugh! You're so selfish!" Shouted Mai in annoyance as she had long since placed her revolver back. She would then run towards Todo in haste.
"Can't believe I lost the lottery for the usual one in Tokyo." Said Todo right before Mai had managed to catch up with him, and walked by his side.
"Don't go thinking you'll get off this easy at the exchange event." Warned Mai as she looked back at the teens. A warning that was clearly directed to Nobara,as she frowned in response.
"And I suggest you watch your back. You won't be so lucky next time." Ben's eyes would slightly narrow,as he knew the warning was directed towards him.
"She gets on my nerves so much." Said Nobara with a growing rage.
"Can't say I blame you." Said Ben in agreement.
"So, you guys alright?" Asked Ben as he looked at the three teens.
"Oh, and I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Maki. Though I'm guessing that explains why I met your friends up there." Said Ben with a smile.
"You met Panda Senpai and Inumaki Senpai?" Asked Megumi.
"Yep. That's why I didn't get here earlier. Apart from a mild misunderstanding, I'd say they're pretty alright." Said Ben with a shrug.
"So you really did beat Todo." Said Maki with curiosity.
"I'm pretty sure that was obvious." Said Ben with a smile.
"You're right. Perhaps I underestimated you, Tennyson." Admitted Mai.
"Eh, no big deal. It happens all the time.Besides, I'm full of surprises." Said Ben with a shrug before smirking.
"Hmph." Said Mai with a small smile of her own,as Ben's attempt at humor wasn't lost on her.
"Since there's nothing to worry about, I'll be taking my leave." Said Maki before turning her back on the trio, and beginning to walk away from them.
"Can I come with?" Asked Nobara, taking the three teens by surprise, though Maki mostly maintained her composure.
"Suit yourself." Answered Maki without turning back to face Nobara. That didn't deter her in the slightest however,as Nobara would beam a very broad smile before running towards Maki.
"See you guys later." Said Ben with a wave. Though neither of them responded,Ben wasn't discouraged by it as his smile still remained.
"Looks like it's just the two of us." Said Megumi as he looked at Ben.
"Pretty much. Though there's nothing wrong with that." Said Ben.
"I suppose." Said Megumi with mild reluctance.
"Come on. I've still got some time left to spare. Let's say we continue catching up, but somewhere more quiet this time." Suggested Ben as he placed his left hand on Megumi's shoulder.
"If you say so." Said Megumi in response.
Back at the forest where Maki had met up with Nobara, Megumi, and later on Ben,she would walk through the pathway with Nobara behind her. Maki held her bo-staff with her left hand, and placed it on her left shoulder.
"Hey,Maki-San...is what she said true? That you don't have cursed energy?" Asked Nobara as both she and Maki continued walking.
"It's true." Answered Maki as she leaned her head slightly forward with her eyes closed.
"So I can't even see curses without these glasses." Maki would then proceed to remove her glasses with her right hand before looking up to the sky.
"That's why I use cursed tools. They already have curses imbued in them." Explained Maki.
"I can't pour my own cursed energy into them to do things like you all do." An expression that showed a mixture of shock and remorse would form on Nobara's face.
'Like that thing he gave Itadori?' Thought Nobara as she remembered Satoru giving Yuji "'Slaughter Demon" during their mission at Roppongi.
"Then why are you a jujutsu sorcerer?" Asked Nobara.
"To spite them." Answered Maki as she turned back to look at Nobara while still walking. She had a soft smile on her face.
"I can't wait to see the looks on my family's faces when I become a big shot sorcerer, after all the years they've spent looking down on me." Nobara would stop walking as literal stars would briefly form in her eyes. Maki's words had definitely struck a chord with her.
"Come on, let's hurry over to see Shouko-san." Said Maki from several feet ahead of Nobara. Brought out of her stupor, Nobara would run towards Maki, and manage to catch up with her.
Now walking side by side with her to her left, she would place her hands behind her back, and lean her head towards Maki's shoulder, only a few inches away from it.
"I respect you,Maki-san." Said Nobara with adoration.
"That so?" Asked Maki, slightly taken aback.
Meanwhile,Ben and Megumi stood atop a short, wooden water bridge. The water underneath the bridge was akin to that of a small stream, and opposite the stream by both sides was grass.
"Nice view, don't you think?" Asked Ben as he leaned his back on the wooden railing and rested his elbows on it as well.
"I can certainly see why you chose for us to meet here." Replied Megumi as he stood to Ben's left, and leaned forward on the railing with his elbows also resting on it.
"Definitely one of my favorite spots on campus." Stated Ben,to which Megumi replied with a simple "Hmmm". For a few seconds, none of them would say a word.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Asked Megumi.
"Nothing specific to be honest." Said Ben with a casual tone.
"That's not what you said earlier." Megumi pointed out.
"Yeah, but that was like an hour ago,or more. A lot more tends to get on my mind after that long." Said Ben with a sly grin.
"Are you saying that you asked me to follow you here for small talk?" Asked an unamused Megumi.
"For the most part, yeah." Answered Ben with a shrug, causing Megumi to slightly frown.
"Does that bother you?" Asked Ben in a somewhat rhetorical manner,as he noticed Megumi's frown.
"Very much." Answered Megumi honestly.
"Come on, Fushiguro. We're teammates, aren't we? Or more importantly, friends." Stated Ben in a manner slightly similar to whining.
"Not only should we be spending more time together, but not every conversation has to be about something grandiose. We can afford to kill some time and just enjoy each other's company." Said Ben in an attempt to convince the raven haired teen. This however, wouldn't seem to be successful,as Megumi would meet his gaze with a near emotionless glare.
"Or maybe not." Said Ben with a sigh. His hopes all but dashed.
But contrary to what Megumi would have Ben believe,he hadn't dismissed all that Ben had said. As a matter of fact, the glare that he directed at the teen hero was to dissuade him from the fact that he pondered deeply on his words.
Unfortunately, Megumi's take away of said words would be far from ideal,as he believed that Ben's suggestions would possibly pose a great nuisance to him. The reason stemming from his introverted nature.
A personality trait that atimes hampers his social skills,as he is very prone to removing himself from conversations that he believes to be going on for much longer than they should. This would cause Megumi to be easily misunderstood as snobbish at best, and arrogant at worst. Misconceptions that Megumi quite frankly, would normally have no interest in alleviating unless he felt necessary.
"Alright then. Maybe you'd be more interested in talking about something you want." Suggested Ben.
"I thought there was something of importance you wanted to tell Kugisaki and I." Said Megumi with a tone of suspicion.
"Oh,there still is. But that honestly can be shelved for whenever's more convenient for either of you." Said Ben casually.
"Besides, it'd do you a lot of good if you could loosen up even by just a little. So might as well steer whatever we chose to talk about to something within your comfort zone?" Megumi wouldn't immediately respond to Ben,as he seemed to be pondering his words. After a few seconds of deep thoughts, however, Megumi would let out a sigh.
"Tell me about your transformation; Rath." Said Megumi.
"Really? That's what you want to talk about?" Asked Ben with surprise as he even blinked twice as a result.
"Can't say I'm not a little bit disappointed, but if that's you want..." Said Ben with evident reluctance.
"What exactly do you want to know about him?" Asked Ben with a sigh.
"How were you able to beat Todo with him? And so convincingly as well?" Asked Megumi.
"That's a pretty easy answer." Said Ben simply.
"I'm sure you could already tell that Rath isn't too bright upstairs." Said Ben as he pointed his left index finger to his head,to which Megumi nodded.
"But what he lacks in brain power,he more than makes up for in brawn." Ben would flex his left bicep slightly to convey his point.
"He can throw metal tanks equipped with advanced tech like they're cardboard boxes. Can beat multiple armored robots in a fistfight with ease. Can shatter all kinds of concrete and can cut through most types of metals just to name a few." Megumi's eyes would slightly widen in surprise, but despite this, he wouldn't interrupt Ben.
"Not to mention he's tough enough to take a point blank laser blast to the face,or fall a thousand feet from the sky and get up without a scratch. So as you can imagine, he's pretty much a powerhouse in the physical department, and very tough in a fight." Megumi would nod his head slightly in acknowledgment over Ben's words.
"I see." Began Megumi.
"I am certain that it would be safe to say that he's one of your strongest transformations." A grin would form on Ben's face as a result of Megumi's words.
"If we're talking outside of physical strength, and overall power,I don't think so. But if it is physical strength, I'd say he has a pretty good case." Theorized Ben with his left hand cupped under his chin.
"Though to be fair to him,I don't use him that much compared to some of my other guys,so I don't know fully know the extent of what he can and can't do." Said Ben with slight uncertainty.
"Why is that?" Asked Megumi.
"Huh?" Said Ben in confusion over Megumi's question.
"Why don't you use him that often? He seems very resourceful in combat." Megumi clarified.
"Oh,he is, don't get me wrong. It's just that he has one drawback..." Ben would deliberately cut himself off,as he suspected that Megumi knew what he was about to say.
"He alters your personality." Stated Megumi, causing Ben to smile.
"Yep. I become more aggressive when I'm him as a result. Almost acting completely on impulse." Said Ben.
"Rath's species; Appoplexians are like that by nature. They tend to hit things first and ask questions later. Sometimes, they hit them really hard." A small chuckle would escape Ben's lips upon remembering when he first transformed into Rath and the chaos that ensued as a result.
"I can see why using him outside of situations where he would be most effective would be detrimental." Said Megumi.
"Yep. Though, thankfully,I think I'm starting to get better at retaining some aspects of my personality when I'm him. Though I'll be honest, it's not by much." Admitted Ben sheepishly.
"But on the bright side, he's one of the only three aliens I have that changes my personality in some way. And his is more on the extreme end." Megumi would raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"The other two are mostly inconsequential. But I still need to be careful in ensuring that I don't use them outside of situations where they'd be most helpful. Especially with the other one I use the least after Rath." Said Ben in reference to Juryrigg and Brainstorm.
"It seems like each of your transformations come with their own drawbacks." Observed Megumi.
"Pretty much. I'd even argue that it's adds to what makes them unique. And helps me not be too dependent on one alien." A smile would form on Ben's face as he would recollect bittersweet memories of a certain Conductoid transformation of his.
"Though that may be true,I can't see there being any lasting consequences were you to do that. And even if they were, I'm certain that the pure scope and versatility of your powers more than makes up for that." Said a slightly unsure Megumi.
"You'd be surprised." Said Ben simply, taking Megumi significantly off guard.
"And if I'm being honest, despite how far and wide my powers may be, I'm only as good as the hero I think I am." Said Ben with a somber tone.
"Come again?" Asked Megumi with a tone laced with mostly confusion, but also a bit of worry.
"I've been living this life for the past six years. And with it, I've gone through a lot of things. Seen a lot of things." Explained Ben.
"And though I've become a better person for it, even I'm not beyond my own shortcomings." Ben would then stand straight before turning to face the railing directly. Upon doing so, he'd place both hands on it and look at the stream of water in a self reflective manner.
"They're times I'd let the thrill of the things I've achieved, and the praise that came with it,get to my head. Times it'd cloud my judgement and lead me to make some of my greatest mistakes. Mistakes that hurt not only me, but the people I care about as well." Ben's expression gradually began to fall, much to Megumi's concern.
"They're also times when I'd feel so overwhelmed by my insecurities and doubts about whether or not I'm the right man for the job,that I'd mask my fears behind my bravado. Come off more confident than I actually am." Said Ben with a weak chuckle.
"But in spite of all of this, there's one thing I've always stood by." Ben would begin to grip the railing firmly with both hands.
"And that's that when the time comes, when people need my help, I'll do what needs to be done. No matter the cost. No matter how hard it may seem at first." The conviction in Ben's voice as he said this not only surprised Megumi, but helped him to come to a realization.
"That's why you were so adamant about retrieving Tadashi's corpse at the detention center. Because of your hero complex." Said a slightly awestruck Megumi.
"Not the word I'd use." Said Ben with a light frown.
But it is very fitting, wouldn't you agree?" Countered Megumi,to which Ben simply leaned forward,not opposing or adding to Megumi's words.
"The very definition of a hero complex is a person's desire to be the hero of a situation. No matter the odds or challenges that come with it." Explained Megumi.
"This is a trait that you have consistently exhibited from the missions we've embarked on together." Ben would have his gaze placed on Megumi,as the raven haired boy had his full attention.
"Choosing to salvage the corpse of a proven felon despite our primary objective being to identify the other two corpses alongside it. Thus possibly putting yourself in danger in order to enact what you saw as a moral obligation." Said Megumi in reference to Ben's choice to carry Tadashi's body despite their primary objective and Megumi's reservations.
"Initially choosing to engage a special grade in combat despite admitting to not have the ability to exorcise curses." Said Megumi in reference to Ben initially wanting to fight the Finger Bearer alone.
"And just today, engaging in combat with a grade 1 sorcerer, and forsaking any aid whatsoever." Ben would say nothing in response to these accusations.
"Points which,to be fair, you have either validated your reason for acting on them or chosen a more suitable alternative in the end." Said Megumi in reference to Ben's victory over Todo, and his choice to fight the Finger Bearer alongside Yuji.
"But you still pointed them out anyway." Said Ben with a smile.
"Because they do show that you at the very least, have an underlying hero complex, albeit not as significant as what I expect it would have been from when you were younger." Countered Megumi.
"And you... are absolutely correct." Said Ben with no hesitation.
"Heck,a lot of my shortcomings are things that have been with me since I was a kid. I haven't fully outgrown them though,as they tend to pop up from time to time." Though it was not the response he expected to get from Ben, Megumi didn't interrupt him.
"But that's where one thing always works in my favor in spite of it all..." Ben then turned to face Megumi directly.
"My friends and family." Images of Gwen,Kevin and Grandpa Max came to Ben's mind.
"They're what helps to keep me grounded. Help me make sure that I don't stray far off from my path. And help encourage me to be the best version of myself." Said Ben with sincerity.
"I owe them a lot. And I think anyone can benefit from having people they can trust, and who in turn trust them." Megumi had looked to the side to avoid Ben's gaze. But it wasn't out of embarrassment, but rather due to him being deep in thought.
"Even you, Fushiguro." Megumi's eyes would widen significantly before falling back on Ben.
"So that's where you were going with this." Said Megumi as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. A smirk from Ben had cemented his theory.
"You've got to admit,it was pretty well played out." Said Ben as he gently nudged Megumi with his elbow.
"Don't push your luck." Said Megumi as he gently pushed Ben by the shoulder.
"If there's one thing I'm not good at, it's backing out from something I've already set my mind on." Said Ben as he pointed to himself with his left thumb.
"I believe you." Said Megumi dryly.
"Is there anything else you'd want me to know about with not so subtle undertones?" Asked Megumi rhetorically. Throughout this exchange, Megumi was forcibly trying to hide a small smile from gleaming on his lips. An attempt that would be unsuccessful,as Ben had noticed it, causing his smirk to widen.
"Nah. I think you've earned me being straight forward about what I have to say. That's why I'm going to keep my word, and tell you about the developments of my training." Said Ben as he placed his left hand on his chest,as if taking a vow.
"How kind of you." Said Megumi,who had now decided not to hide his smile.
"I know, right?" Said Ben with a snicker before leaning back on the railing like before.
"So,it all started like this..."
At another section of the campus was a water bridge similar to the one that Ben and Megumi stood on. They were however,two key differences to this one. The first being that both boys were nowhere to be found. The second being a Japanese styled hut directly in front of it, with a single wooden gate entrance that was open.
The inside of the hut's hallway was adorned with paper thin walls reinforced with wood that also extended to the ceiling and floors. They were up to six built-in ceiling lights that faintly illuminated the hallway.
Inside one of the rooms, sitting on a green couch decorated with symbols was an elderly man. He had an elongated bald head,and huge, thick, light colored eyebrows that curve down at the edge of his face,thus making his eyes to appear sunken into his skull,along with a light colored goatee.
He also wore multiple piercings, such as a nose ring, two piercings on his lower lips, three piercings on each of his upper ears, and one on each of his large earlobes.
His clothing consisted of a light colored nagajuban,a dark hakama, light colored tabi, and a zori. In addition, He held in both hands a wooden cane, most likely to walk around with.
"Is Yaga here?" Asked the man.
"The time of an old man close to death doesn't come cheap." The person he was addressing stood opposite him to his left by a few feet at the doorway. It was a teenage girl,who had long, light blue hair that extended past her shoulders and framed her forehead. She also had dark, triangular eyebrows and asymmetric bangs.
She wore a black, long-sleeved jacket over a light-colored button-down shirt and a black tie, pants, socks, shoes, and a belt. Her hands were placed behind her back, and her face had a neutral expression on it.
That however would change with the opening of the door behind her.
"Huh?" Said the girl in surprise,as the person who had walked into the room was none other than Satoru.
"Principal Yaga won't be coming for a while." Said Satoru with his right hand outstreched for emphasis.
"Oh?" Said the man with curiosity as he observed Satoru take a seat on the couch in front of him. A wooden table was placed in the middle of the two, thus helping to separate them.
Satoru would put his right hand behind the couch, and cross his left leg over his right, and place his left hand on said leg,thus making himself comfortable.
"He was given a false schedule." Said Satoru with a smile.
'After some threats to Ijichi.' Thought Satoru as he still maintained his smile.
"Thanks for the other day, Principal Gakuganji." Said Satoru with mock gratitude.
"Oh? What other day would that be?" Asked the man, now revealed to be Gakuganji,as he gently stroked his beard with his right hand.
"Don't play dumb with me,old man." Said Satoru still smiling as he leaned forward with both hands placed on his lap.
"I'm referring to the special grade that the first years were assigned to exorcise.As head of the conservatives,you were involved, correct?" Asked Satoru with a cheeky grin.
"You couldn't possibly believe that I wouldn't be able to see your true intentions with that mission now,did you?" Asked Satoru rhetorically,thus causing Gakuganji to stop stroking his beard
"My goodness,youth these days..." Began Gakuganji with a sigh.
"Don't you know how to be polite?" He asked with a smile.
"I never had any intention of respecting you." Replied Satoru,all the while still smiling.
"Elders these days love to act important, and it's so annoying honestly." Said Satoru.
"Hey." Said the girl, causing both men to look at her.
"Your conduct is problematic. I'll be reporting you to the relevant authorities." She warned. However, despite what her seemingly cold exterior would have one believe, what was going on in her head couldn't be further from the truth.
'Oh man!' Thought the girl with starry eyes, flushed cheeks, and a open mouthed smile.
'It's Gojo Satoru in person! Gojo Satoru in person!' The girl cheered in triumph by repeatedly punching the air with her eyes closed.
"Feel free." Said Satoru as he turned to wave at her with his left hand.
"I don't plan to chat for long." Said Satoru casually.
'He spoke! He spoke to me!' The girls seemed like she was about to burst into tears of joy.
"Unfortunately for you, not only did the first years succeed in exorcising the special grade, but the one you were targeting,Yuji Itadori, survived." Said Satoru, his attention directed back to Gakuganji.
"All due to the acts of one student,Ben Tennyson." Both Gakuganji and the girl looked at Satoru with curiousity.
"I shall admit, the boy does pose quite an air of mystery around him, but his abilities and competence with them are a welcome addition to jujutsu tech." Said Gakuganji with a smile.
"You're not deceiving anyone but yourself old man. I see right through you." Said Satoru as he pointed at Gakuganji with his right index finger.
"It irks you, doesn't it? Having an unknown variable in the little game of chess you and the other higher ups ever so indulge in. Not knowing what he's fully capable of,or where he factors into your plans." Said Satoru as he flashed a grin upon noticing Gakuganji slightly tense up.
'Since they see him as an anomaly,I fully intend on keeping it that way.' Thought Satoru with pride,as he knew that this would serve Ben's interest in the long term.
"It seems you know more than you're letting on about this boy." Said Gakuganji with curiosity.
"Is that right?" Asked Satoru rhetorically.
"Well,too bad. Because I'm in the dark as much as you are." Said Satoru, lying through his toothy grin.
"Hmph." Said Gakuganji with mild annoyance,as he chose not to call out Satoru.
'Heh Heh.'
"Now, moving on to other things." Said Satoru as he uncrossed his legs, and cupped both hands in-between them.
"Last night,I was attacked by two unregistered special grade cursed spirits." Stated Satoru.
"Oh? That is unfortunate." Said Gakuganji with sympathy.
"Don't get me wrong here. To me,it was about like being coerced into taking a survey in the city." Said Satoru casually.
'So cool!' The girl's eyes were closed as she gritted her teeth in admiration.
"The two cursed spirits were capable of communication,and they probably have allies who are just as strong." Images of Hanami and Jogo came to the forefront of Satoru's mind.
"It's not just our enemies, either. Hakari, Okkotsu, and your Todo...the level of our students has risen drastically in recent years,as well." Cited Satoru.
"Then there was last year's incident with Suguru Geto..." An image of the afformentioned Geto smirking with his eyes closed as cursed spirits surrounded him came to mind.
"And now,the appearance of Sukuna's vessel." An image of Yuji wrapped around by four, large pair of arms came to mind.
"What are you trying to say?" Asked Gakuganji.
"You don't know?" Said Satoru with a chuckle.
"The wave of power you guys have been trying to hold back with your pointless status and traditions..." Portrait images of Ben,Yuji, Todo and a mysterious boy with disheveled black hair,and a white long-sleeve shirt came to mind.
"Has grown bigger than you can handle and is now descending upon us." Said Satoru with a sly grin.
"You won't be able to measure the coming age with the classification of 'special grade.' " Gakuganji's body tensed up further, but only slightly.
"If you think I'm the only one who'll be fighting back,you're going to get hurt,old man." Warned Satoru as he placed his left hand on the side of his head.
"I think you are getting a bit out of line." Said Gakuganji as he raised his head up slightly, thus revealing his right eye while his left one still remained sunken.
"Oh,scary!" Said Satoru in a mocking tone as he leaned back on the couch with his arms and legs crossed.
"Well, that's all I wanted to say. I'll be going now." Said Satoru cheerfully as he got up with his hands in his pockets, and walked towards the door. The girl looked at him as he passed her before looking back at Gakuganji.
"Oh, Principal Yaga will be coming in about two hours." Said Satoru cheerfully as he stretched out his left, and pushed his upper body through the doorway. This elicited a surprised gasp from the girl and a raised eyebrow from Gakuganji.
"Later!" Said Satoru with a wave before finally leaving.
'Two hours?!' Thought the girl in surprise with her mouth wide open as she looked back at Satoru.
A sigh would escape Gakuganji's lips as the girl closed the door.
"Miwa, would you go buy me some tea?" Asked Gakuganji as he looked at her.
"Yes,sir." Said the girl, revealed to be Miwa, before walking out of the room.
"Excuse me." She said as she closed the door. Upon letting a few seconds pass, she would break into a sprint inside the hallway.
'If I can catch up to him, I'll get him to take a picture with me!' Thought Miwa excitedly with a smile.
Meanwhile, inside a different section of Tokyo, there was a convention center that was open due to a rather large group of people standing in a line both at the entrance, outside and inside the building. At the right side of the building,in the middle of flowers was a broad, white billboard like sign which read "Takada-chan Personal Handshake Event"
Inside of said building was Todo, wearing his jacket and inner top. He was at the front of the line, and had his right hand clasped by two others.
"Give me a Taka-tan beam,please!" Said Todo enthusiastically with flushed cheeks. Behind him were several other men with flushed cheeks as well.
The person he was referring to was Takada, the woman responsible for this event. She was a tall young woman with golden eyes and wears her long black hair tied into twin tails with her wispy bangs covering her forehead. She wore a red band on her neck,a long sleeved shirt with the sleeves being red, and the rest of the shirt being white. She wore black designer jeans, which were held together by a red belt, and high heels.
"Okay, here I go!" Said Takada with a smile.
"Tan,Taka-tan!" She took a striking pose by performing a peace sign over her right eye, which she closed in a fashion similar to a wink.
Both Todo and the men behind him were ecstatic,as their cheeks darkened even more and their mouths were wide open with smiles. The moment however wouldn't last for Todo.
"Times up." Said a male security officer in a dry tone as he began to push the statue like Todo out of the building.
One month had passed, and with it,came a rather unusual tragedy.
It was the month of September in the year 2018. The sky was cloudy as rain fell heavily. The rather gloomy sight of the weather complemented the disturbing piece of information that was revealed.
A murder had taken place in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kawasaki City. Or more specifically, inside the Kinema Cinema.
Three high school boys could be seen in the front row seats with disfigured faces, and greyed corpses. Their bodies were discovered by the cinema's staff.
Autopsy report came as follows:
CAUSE OF DEATH: INCREASED CRANIAL PRESSURE AND RESPIRATORY PARALYSIS DUE TO CRANIAL DEFORMITY
Inside an alley with dimly lit neon-green lights,a grey cat could be seen scavenging through a clump of trash in hopes of finding something edible. It would immediately run away upon looking back and catching sight of an unsettling sight indeed. And it was walking right towards it.
It was none other than the cursed spirit... Mahito.
"Excuse me..." Said a voice, causing Mahito to stop walking.
Walking behind Mahito before coming to a stop by a few feet away from him,was a teenage boy,whom the neon-green light illuminated, thus revealing his features.
He was remarkably thin for his age,and had green eyes and brown hair that reached to his shoulders. His side parting let a large portion of his bangs cover the right side of his face.
He wore a purple and pink striped t-shirt or a simple white t-shirt with a green rectangle printed on the front. He also wore a pair of calf length olive green pants and off-white sneakers with black laces and golden soles and toes.
"Did you do that?" Asked the boy.
"In the theater?" A small sweat drop could be seen falling down his left cheek, most likely due to nervousness. Mahito would snicker right before forming a grin.
"Wow. You can see me?" Asked Mahito with childlike curiosity as he turned to face the boy with a smile.
Standing in front of the Kinema Cinema was Yuji,who stood at the left,and Ben,who stood at the right Both in their jujutsu uniform, and with a blue and green transparent umbrella respectively.
Standing in the middle of both of them however was a tall, well-built man with blonde hair styled with a neat part. He had very thin eyebrows as well as small eyes that were covered by sunglasses, which didn't have arms that wrap around the ears.
The man was fully dressed in a business suit. His suit consisted of a white dress shirt underneath a tan blazer with matching slacks and light shoes. This man was Kento Nanami, and he also held an umbrella, but it was non transparent and black in color.
"It's a gruesome sight." Said Kento as he slightly adjusted his glasses.
"Are you ready to witness it, Itadori? Tennyson?" He asked both teens. Both teens didn't respond immediately,as their faces held a neutral expression. This was most likely to them contemplating on their next course of action.
They did however, both narrow their eyes,as if in a display of silent determination.
"Comes with the territory." Said Ben with confidence.
Seeing that as adequate confirmation,Kento would walk forward, with Ben and Yuji following suit.
TO BE CONTINUED!
That marks the end of Chapter 15.
Not bad,if I do say so myself. This chapter reached 8k words after all.
As you could tell from reading it, this chapter was very dialogue heavy, and focused primarily on character interactions.
You guys have already stated that you don't mind these kind of chapters,to which I appreciate greatly.
So I'll ask you this instead; How was the chapter? Did you enjoy it? Hopefully as much as I did writing it,or more.
What's your opinion on the interaction between Ben and Megumi? It was the one I put the most time and effort into, and I hope it was worth it.
Now, for a brief progress analysis of Ultimate Kaisen. With this chapter marks the end of the events based on episode 8. With that in mind,the next chapter will focus on the events of episode 9.
That means Ultimate Kaisen S1 is now 33% complete. Expect up to 20 or more chapters before the conclusion.
With that, expect Chapter 16 next week. But until then, please, have yourselves a good one.
