Chapter 9
"Huh?"
Yuuji told him the news the moment he returned. After his chat with Ryujin, he explained to his brother that he won't be doing what he suggested. Everything was explained over dinner in the dorm dining area. "No offense Suiryu, but that's all a little… far fetched to me. I mean, why would Ryujin need these? For that matter, why do I have to be the one to consume the curse wombs…" he shuttered at the thought of it all.
Suiryu however sighed aloud. "I merely suggested it since Ryujin could use the energy for something productive and to aid us for what is coming. I fear our numbers are not in our favor."
Yuuji understood his concern, after all he has been able to rationalize every decision made thus far. Still, the notion of consuming more special grade curse object didn't sit well with him.
"Well, we better double our efforts then…" he said offhandedly. "Oh and I convinced the students of Kyoto to join in my lesson plan." He said rather proudly.
"That's great! How?"
"Ah, I won't reveal my secrets just yet. But, brother… you and I are going to have to do some training together too, I can help you understand your abilities more than anyone, even more than Satoru."
"I won't refuse that, I really do want to know what I can do with this… it's scary considering it too…"
"Of course it is, you weren't trained or prepared to have this kind of power. Sukuna did. But you should see it too from my perspective, you have barely been at this for two years from what I have been told, and yet, you are at this point. I know sorcerers that would have given their first born and everything they possess to reach to the same point you are at."
Yuuji nodded and yet sighed. "It wasn't something I asked for either… but I did bring this upon myself."
"In a sense, I am glad you did… for I wouldn't be here." He said offhandedly. He got up from the table. "I better get to my students, you and I will train later,"
He agreed. As Suiryu left, Yuuji began to feel a pit in his stomach. Something was bothering him.
"Young Master?"
"Oh, Kitsune! I haven't seen you in a while!" Yuuji said and smiled to her. "Is everything okay?"
She looked about the room oddly, before turning her focus to him. "We have not had a lesson in a while, as well… I have been observing your brother." She stated but a look go disgust followed.
He could tell by her tone that she didn't trust Suiryu to say the least, not a lot of people do… hell… Yuuji knows NO ONE but him trusts his brother. "Is he doing anything wrong?" he asked.
She shook her head no. "I haven't seen him do anything wrong, at the same time… I don't quite trust his methods of getting what he needs… nonetheless, Ryujin told me to ease up and not pester him. So I will honor his request. But you, young master. We have to better your divine energy cultivation and usage!" she stated.
He nodded in agreement. "I'm free now, when do we start?"
#
"On your left!"
"Got it, above!"
"BREAK!"
"Good save Toge!"
It was the afternoon. Suiryu watched on as the students were giving it their all today. They went into this with clearer minds than before, they no longer trusted the mountain's 'pattern' instead, and they trusted their instincts and each other. He watched with excitement as they were nearing the end. Fushiguro led the way, Nobara coming up from behind with Mika and Toge taking the side followed behind by Panda. They kept on their toes, they had each other's backs until finally…
They all reached it.
Suiryu laughed aloud as he made his way to the safe point. They were battered and tired but he was applauding them. "Well done!" he announced.
That made everyone pause. "Did he just praise us?" whispered Nobara.
"Now, the next part of this test. And not to worry from this moment on, when you do the mountain this is your new starting point," he explained.
Suiryu went off to the side where he took out an odd looking bag, from there he attached metal cuffs to his arms, legs and waistline. "There… now…" he fiddled with the dials on it and brought them all down to one. He felt his strength taken, but he smiled to it all. "Now then, as Fushiguro explained, this mountain is set up in stages in accordance with Sukuna's power. The base of this mountain, is a single finger's worth of his original strength."
They nodded.
"Now, as such, I promised you an opportunity to kick my ass, but here's the catch. You cannot move on to the next level… until you get past me."
"Is this one on one?" asked Fushiguro.
"It can be, but I will leave it to you," he stated. "So, what is it going to be?" he asked.
They exchanged looks. But in the end, they opted to go one on one.
Once more it merely showed how far apart they were in power. Although they have gotten faster and stronger, they didn't have the means or strength to land a decisive hit upon him. Strikes were landed, and yet it wasn't enough in the end.
When the domain closed, everyone was beaten, however, there was a look of accomplishment on their faces. "Take pride in what you did today, you just proved to me you could all handle a special grade curse on your own,"
He took his weights off.
Before he called it a day, he felt someone grab his shoulder. Turning, he saw Fushiguro. "Lessons, please…" he said meekly.
Suiryu merely nodded his head to him, he would smile at a time like this, however, he could tell it took all of Fushiguro's pride to ask for help from him. "Everyone else okay for today?" he called out.
"I'll request a session another time," Mika stated.
"Same," said Panda.
Everyone else nodded as he was left alone with Megumi.
They ventured off of school grounds for some peace and quite. They went to the woods near the school, there, Suiryu stood before Fushiguro and nodded. "You need to upgrade your shikigami. As strong as your divine wolves are, they are not even beta of the pack they come from."
Fushiguro froze. "What do you mean?"
Suiryu sighed as he explained; the wolves he possesses are some of the weaker ones of the pack. "If you want to improve your abilities, you need the Alpha of the pack, but you are nowhere near ready for that yet."
"There's an Alpha?" he whispered.
"Damn right there's one, but as I said, you are nowhere near ready to face the alpha, you need to improve your summoning and strengthen you core energy. For that, we need to push you to your limit and make certain you can hold the curse energy needed for such a summons" Suiryu explained. "Here, let me give you an example…"
He did the same shadow summons as Fushiguro, yet the wolf he summoned was massive. Five times the size of the wolves he possesses! Yet it stared at Suiryu oddly. The wolf and him locked eyes, Suiryu refusing to back down as the wolf came closer, snarling and baring its fangs. Then his curse energy began to flow off his body, it was enveloped by the wolf as more and more energy came off of him.
Then, the wolf went submissive!
He turned to Fushiguro who froze at what he just saw. "There is more way to defeat a shikigami, one is your method where you defeat it and make it submit before calling it your own. The second, is by forcing your curse energy upon it. You allow it to see and notice the difference in strength between the two of you. This is the method I want you to use to gain a stronger shikigami. Understood?" he ordered.
Fushiguro sneered at the notion. "Why do I have to do it your way?" he demanded. "I could just get stronger…"
"This method is the most foolproof way of getting what we desire out of the lessons, at the same time this is the more difficult way of getting what we desire too. Think of it, when you do it this way, the wolf will listen to you no matter what. If you battle it, the alpha doesn't take defeat lying down, nor will it always accept your command. You will have to face it again and again if it feels your power is insufficient for it to obey." He smirked a little. "You would feel the same way wouldn't you? You get beaten down, but refuse to yield and accept defeat… the shikigami are the same way."
Suiryu knew this is asking a lot of him, after all, he wants to get these students stronger, faster. But at the same time, for each short cut, there is a shortcoming. He cannot afford to have anyone fall behind, or to lose an aspect of their defense or attack abilities through simple short cuts.
With that being said, he unsummon the wolf and turned to Fushiguro. "Now then, we start on building up your curse energy, what I emitted what is needs to come from you to tame the alpha. And when you tame the alpha… the pack is yours to summon."
He appeared to have frozen at the news. "Pack?" he whispered.
"You never looked into this did you?" Suiryu asked in a disappointed tone, he sighed aloud. "Guess it can't be helped… The wolves you call forth, all come from a pack, the divine wolves as you have called them are part of a greater group. The alpha regulates and determines what wolves to send out when summoned and to see who is worthy of such an honor. For it is relinquishing its control of that wolf to another…"
"I never thought about it like that…"
"Not many do, now, the lesson. You have seen Yuuji when he cultivates, correct? I want you to do the same method, but, you are going to release 5 percent of your energy when you do, safe is two percent but we're in a hurry and I know you can withstand 5. I suggest you get to work and do this until the end of the month."
There was no argument from Fushiguro. He nodded his head as he began to go back to the school. Suiryu on the other hand, just sensed his brother in the same woods he was in…