Chapter 24

Satoru was about to sit down to dinner.

His fork and knife at the ready when he paused. "Don't you knock?" he asked.

Peering up, he saw Suiryu standing before him, his face cold and serious as he mockingly knocked on the table before him. "Come in!" Satoru said sarcastically.

But he was silent. "What's with that look?"

"Something has happened. Yuuji and I felt it a few hundred miles away to say the least. A massive expulsion of curse energy, on a scale worthy of Sukuna…" he paused oddly. "This happened a while ago but we are just sensing it now… no doubt someone put up a curtain of some sort and was able to block this energy from being sensed until now."

Suddenly Gojo realized he wasn't going to be eating. He set aside his utensils and offered a seat to Suiryu. He took it but then paused. "This is happening faster than I anticipated…"

"I would say so, do you think they know of you?"

"No doubt, you see my goddamn face everywhere now a days." He muttered, but he shook his head to it all. "Something isn't right about this either. Have there been any reports?"

Satoru paused as he thought it over. "They did just sent a group up to the mountains at a small village recently, stating there was activity there. That was only a few hours ago… we haven't heard a word back since. It's protocol to inform the superiors the moment you arrive and what is discovered."

Suiryu paused. "They're dead,"

He sighed aloud to the news. "What else is new?"

The two fell into an odd silence, Suiryu was closing his eyes as he began to think. "They are setting a trap as we speak, the thing is though, once more. I believe this trap is meant for you…"

"Not surprised to say the least, another prison realm box?" he asked with a smirk.

He shook his head no to him. "It's something else, they had a thousand years to prepare, and ever since you became a sorcerer, they have had that time to observe your movements and understand you curse ability… I believe they may have a way of countering your power…"

Satoru smirked. "Would be fun to try out…"

"Are you that stupid or that board?" Suiryu demanded of him. "You may think you're big shit, when the day comes when your ass is handed to you. Where will your smirk be?" Suiryu stood up from the table, he paused and sighed before he said. "You better think for more than yourself, or you will become just as greedy as Sukuna. Remember… Yuuji still needs you, and I refuse to allow him to go without those who have cared for him when no one else did!"

Gojo froze. "I… didn't know… wow…" he paused for a moment as his words somehow sunk in. "Why would he need me, when he has you now?"

Suiryu smirked. "You really are insane. I've only been with him the moment I was created… not long, you on the other hand. You have seen his struggles, shared his joys and have become one of them as well. My brother… won't be the same if something happens to you. You have been like a father to him… a very irresponsible father, but one none the less."

Once more Gojo was rendered silent. "This you talking, or are these feelings you got from Itadori?" he asked.

Suiryu merely glared at him. "How else would I know how he feels about you?"

"Fair… so, what do you suggest?"

"I wish to test the students again tomorrow. I want to see their progress, it won't be long now until we go to war. The Kyoto school has stepped up their regiment as well, they have all reached level four in a short amount of time, I'm rather pleased with that. But I hope it will be enough."

"What of the brothers?"

Suiryu smirked. "They have perfected their abilities, and have since been training each other on using them in combat. They are ready when needed. But Satoru, I have a plan for when we do this, if they send you ahead of us. You need to come see me first,"

He was curious. "Are you going to fill me in?" he asked with a grin on his lips.

Suiryu nodded. "I will, after tomorrow, I want you to join me in assessing the students. Especially Fushiguro… he's about to show us how strong he has become…"

#

True to his prediction. Suiryu watched on along with Satoru who was curious enough to see the method in action. Fushiguro was running that mountain with ease, there was no stopping him. In fact, within five minutes he was at the safe point. The others, close behind. "Shit…" Suiryu muttered. "They are getting stronger…"

"I am quite impressed with Mika to be honest with you, there are curses here but she isn't wearing her glasses…"

"Part of the training, to refine her skills to say the least." He then smirked. "They all made it again…" he said and nodded with approval. "I am starting to think there's hope yet…"

"Never underestimate these kids," warned Satoru. "So, what now?"

"I think I may just have to let them bypass the next few levels." He muttered. "I need to see where their power lies now… and I think I got a way of doing it."

"Why am I getting a bad feeling off of this?"

"Everything I do tends to give everyone a bad feeling, get use to it, I am not going to kill them!" Suiryu protested. He then clapped his hands, bringing everyone back down to the base of the mountain.

They were stunned. Fushiguro appeared pissed. "What!" he demanded. "Why are we down here?!"

"The task has changed," Suiryu called. "It seems with your increase in skill and curse energy, this is become too easy, so I need a better assessment." He took the device that weakened him off. "One on one, you are going to fight me, from there I will have a better idea as to where you stand and where you should be on the mountain. Mika, I am going to leave you to still run the course, it will assist you in sharpening your abilities."

She nodded in agreement. "Fushiguro, you're up!" he called.

He didn't refuse, nor did he argue his reasoning. Suiryu stretched himself out as Fushiguro stood at the ready. "Don't want a moment to take a break?" ask Satoru.

"Sukuna wouldn't have been so generous…" he replied. "I'm ready."

"Good…"

BASH

He grabbed Fushiguro by the face and forced him back into the ground, the attack was light just enough to catch him off guard. When Suiryu stepped back, he was already rolling away to put some distance between them, and then he summoned it.

"Alpha wolf!" he called.

The massive beast came from his shadow, then, he made another symbol. "Shadow possession!"

The class froze as he and the wolf became one, towering over Suiryu how merely smiled on. "Nice, you managed to prefect that. Good, but how well do you know how to use the form?"

It was a one sided beat down as it always was. Suiryu just overpowered him without mercy, until the shadow possession vanished. Fushiguro was a bloody mess on the ground but still tried to get up. "Ah, one thing I noticed with you Megumi, as much as I admire your character and never say die approach… you end up costing yourself more than your life in the end…"

The kid glared at him. "What the hell do you mean!" he demanded.

"For the sake of getting stronger, you keep sacrificing yourself thinking it's for the greater good. Your sacrifice means nothing if those you are trying to protect still die." He stated. "Consider these words carefully. He who sweats most in training, bleeds less in war."

He was stunned silent, his head turned away as he nodded to his words. "Next time you run the mountain, you're on level six" Suiryu said. "NEXT!" he shouted.

#

Gojo watched on as he mowed down each of the students, but in doing so, he was able to determine their strength level. He was rather impressed with how he did it, the advice he gave afterwards and the levels where he put everyone. Fushiguro, level six. Panda, level five same with Nobara and Inumaki. Mika would remain on level three and still have to face him to pass to the next stage.

As hard as he was on everyone, it was a fair assessment! "Okay, good job everyone, get some rest and keep improving on your energy!" he ordered. The domain went down, the student bowed with respect and walked away.

"I got to admit, I did have my doubts about you…" Gojo said aloud. "Seriously, I thought what the elders said was true that you put a binding vow on Yuuji and made him believe you were really…"

"Shut up Satoru." He growled. "I don't give a damn to what you or the coffin fillers think of me…" he paused as a real growl began to come out of him. "Speaking of the fillers…"

All thirteen appeared before them. Gojo stepped between the two just to be safe than sorry. "Elders… what a surprise… not really, you don't tend to leave this place do you?"

They glared at Suiryu. "He needs to come with us"

"I refuse," Suiryu said bluntly. "I don't have time for your shit anyways…"

"We have been given word that you have attacked a civilian village in the remote regions…"

"Wasn't me," Suiryu stated once more. "I've been training here, as well as with Yuuji."

"Then it was the demon vessel…"

The ground cracked under their feet, pressure suddenly built around his shoulders as Gojo saw Suiryu become pissed. "Choose… your next words… carefully." He warned. "My brother and I have remained in our training camp, the old facilities of where this school use to be… don't you dare blame us for something we never did!"

"We want them both sealed!" said the oldest of the elders. "We have to be certain it wasn't them, but to be safe than sorry…"

"You weaklings…" muttered Suiryu. "You never considered that it's the fifth hand at work? Not to mention, my face is known EVERYWHERE now… did ANYONE see me do such an act?" he demanded.

"Who else could it have been?" one stated. "They said the power was on the same level as Sukuna himself!"

"Uh… news flash" said Gojo. "You forget yourselves… Suiryu here… isn't at full strength, Yuuji… is beyond Sukuna… so it couldn't be either one of them!" he laughed. "Oh man, you guys are getting senile in your old ages!"

"It has to be them!" said the youngest out of the elders. "There is no other explanation!" But then paused. "Itadori is beyond Sukuna power?"

"Are you sure you want to die here?" Suiryu asked in a board tone. He even went as far as raising his right hand. A fire began to form at the tips of his fingers. "Rest assured, I'll give you a pyro funeral…"

"Suiryu, I don't think we need to go that far…" Gojo warned.

He sneered at him as the flame went out. "Tch. It would be a lot easier if I didn't give a damn, but then I would be no better than him now would I?" he muttered lowly.

"Has the report come in from the area been investigated?" Gojo asked.

"No, we have tried to contact them, but there has been no answer," the youngest elder stated, the man was bald, wrinkled like all the others, but was in his mid sixties if that.

Gojo only nodded to him on the news. "So…."

"We're sending you,"

"How thoughtful!"

"In the mean time, find Itadori, bring him back and seal him until we can determine if he was the cause or not!"

"I'll save you the trouble, we were having dinner when it was sensed. We both felt that mass of power out of nowhere. None of us did it! We have no reason to"

"It's power beyond the traditional sorcerer…"

"No shit and there are more than two," Suiryu stated. "Yuuji wouldn't have had the time to do shit like this"

"Then it must be you!"

"Nope," Gojo stated. "Even now, I feel it and what he says is true. This attack happened earlier, probably three days ago. Let's see… oh right you had that photo shoot during that time!"

"Don't remind me…" muttered Suiryu. "That damn photo shoot…"

"What photo shoot?" the eldest questioned.

He sighed aloud. "I was modeling!" he protested. "None of you old farts knew I had another job… I model… happy?"

They froze to the news, at first they couldn't believe it until Gojo rushed off and returned with a stack of Nobara's magazines. "Let's see, we got fashion weekly, buff stuff, stud muffins…" he began naming off all the magazines, but he was on the cover of all of them.

Still, they were speechless as Suiryu sneered to it all. "Quite embarrassing me Satoru…"

"Please, if I wanted to embarrass you, I would show them the underwear billboard you're on!"

There was silence from the elders.

"Well if it's all that important to you, I'll investigate…" Gojo said offhandedly.

'Satoru… this is the trap' he heard Suiryu in his head. The guy has a wicked poker face he will give him that! 'You think this is all too suspicious?'

'Well, they are making a move…'

"Are you listening Gojo!"

He snapped back to reality. "Huh? Sure?" he said offhandedly.

The elders sneered. "We are sending Elder Eiji along with you,"

"Eiji?" he asked.

"Me you moron!" the youngest stated. "Why do I have to go?"

"You're the youngest apparently" snickered Gojo. "Very well then, perhaps I will need a few days to prepare, you said it out in the remote regions right? I got to get some supplies ready."

"Then the demon vessel and that thing…"

"Suiryu," he growled. "The name is Suiryu…"

"Whatever, will be locked up…"

"I like to see you try," Suiryu said as he waved them off. "I'm going back to camp… oh… I strongly suggest you do not approach, the new curses we're working on are a little… fickled to say the least," he warned.

He vanished shortly after. Gojo was about to go pack when the elders demanded. "Are you not going to follow him!?"

"Why? He told us where they were, they are not going anywhere and also what he said was true, so if anything I would probably hold back on sealing them if they are training the way they are…"

He walked off shortly after, but now it was time to get the other students involved…