Chapter 28

A month would pass.

Yuuji Itadori began to see the changes in him and the Principal and other members of the Jujutsu Institution were also taking notice. The elders came by every so often, not all at once to stop and observe Itadori. He wouldn't say anything to them, but continue with his studies and training. As of late, he's been taking a beating from Gojo sensei.

"This is going to sound cruel, but necessary. I am going to hit you constantly, HOWEVER, do not strike back at me!" he insisted.

"Huh? Sensei, why?" he asked curiously. It wouldn't be out of the norm for Yuuji to get beaten by his teacher, but to be asked not to fight back was another.

"We need to condition your body, as well as work on a method," he explained. "Trust me?"

Yuuji nodded. He would always trust his teacher, for he was one of the few that saw him as him and not a demon vessel! The beatings went on for a week or two, he would be battered and bruised by the end of the day, making his friends worried about him and wondering why he continue to do such practices. Remarkably, he would be fully healed by the next day.

He hasn't spoken about his night training either. Kitsune would come as soon as he 'falls asleep', somehow he wakes and would follower her about Tokyo, devouring curses. "Don't be picky about what comes about," she insisted. "Eat any and all of them that you can get to!"

"I thought this was all a dream, but I really am doing this aren't I?" he asked of her.

She nodded. "To be fair, if you didn't think it was a dream, you would have alerted your elders into thinking you are still possessed by the demon, that's not the case," she explained. "But for now, you need to feed and grow your power once more,"

As they walked the night, Yuuji found it strange that he passed right through people, no one saw him as he strolled by. "May I call you Kitsune Sensei?" he asked.

It made her smile. "Whatever you feel comfortable in calling me," she said.

"Kitsune sensei… what happens to me when I eat curses?" he asked.

She giggled. "It grows your own strength," she explained. "When you consume them, you gain their power. When you expel that power, your body adjusts to obtain and grow more to hold more. This is part of the purpose of your consumption of curse energy," she explained. "So far you are doing rather well…"

He then paused. "Cursed energy…" then realized the 'dream' he had a while ago. "Wait, you mean, the people in the medical facility… they weren't cured miraculously… I mean… was I able to…" he paused and stared at his hands.

She turned and gave a nod to him. "You can undo what was done by consuming the curses afflicting the human soul. Yes," she said. "But we will get to the others soon enough, right now you do not have the ability to help them all at once… that is your ambition correct?" she asked. "You wish to ensure all who need help in one location get it, rather than make others wait to be cured…"

He froze to her deduction. She was right too. If he were in another facility, but couldn't hold all the curse energy he consumes, and there would still be people waiting, suffering… no, he wouldn't want that. It wouldn't be fair. "You're right," he said meekly.

"Then let this be our goal together then, we expand your ability to consume!" she announced proudly. "Right now, you could perhaps repeat what you did in your own facility. But, I am aware of the other institution that is holding these poor souls, trying to help them…"

"How many?" he asked.

"378" she said bluntly.

Yuuji froze to the number. "3…78…" he said slowly. "How many… do you think I could help in my current state?" he asked.

Kit paused and looked him over oddly. "125" she said. "It's a lot, but it's not everyone."

"Then… what do I need to do in order to help all those people!" he demanded. "I'll do it!"

She smiled. "Good, then, let's make sure you eat well tonight!"

He nodded in agreement, but he had to know one thing. "Kitsune sensei… how can I walk through walls, people and also, how come no one notices that I am gone?" he asked.

Her chest puffed out rather proudly. "That would be because of me mainly." She said. "As far as your institution is concerned, you are still in bed. Secondly, the phasing through walls and people, that you learned from me, but can do on your own when need be… but I don't recommend it unless it's an emergency." She explained. "We foxes like to be crafty you know, and our tricks can't come out for all to see"

He nodded in understanding. "So, where do we go?" he asked.

She paused for a moment. "Your teachers tell you curses like to gather in areas of darkness, death and fear correct?"

"Yes!" he said in an in matter of fact tone.

"But they fail to know that curses also gather in areas long since abandoned, the residual energy from village long forgotten are strongholds for many strong curses. There, we can feed you well."

He nodded in agreement.

Kitsune sensei then waved a fan before his eyes, he stood on the streets of Tokyo one moment, only to end up in a broken down village the next. He froze as he felt as if he were here before. "This is similar to one I brought you too a while ago. But this has become a stronghold for powerful curses. People still gather here to do unspeakable things, and keep feeding those who reside in this place…"

He walked about with caution; the homes were shambles, many in various states of decay and remnants of life here slowly faded away into the mud. He found lost dolls embedded into the muck, there were shoes and clothing scattered about. "What happened here?" he asked.

"Curses," she said bluntly. "Some driven out from other areas, some congregated here since they felt others gathering here as well, the people suffered quite a while. We did all we could to combat them, but when people have more fear than hope, it's difficult to win,"

Itadori was starting to get fired up.

He picked up the change in the air, the once boggy stench replaced with a sweet smell he was use to. "They're here… quite a few if they can cover up a smell like this…" he said.

"Be cautious, there are many of them and I cannot interfere that much. Think this through young master," she insisted.

Yuuji tried to make a plan, he kept hidden for a while as he got an understanding of these curses and how they moved. The strong one gathered inside the village and outside for patrols, smaller ones were used as security to alert for intruders. Flying heads appeared to be a popular form of keeping an eye out for things.

He had to get them all, if one of them escapes, they could start this all over again.

If only he could cast curtain…

A look of determination came over him, he remembered his sensei's hand movements and his explanation of casting the curtain. "If you want to keep certain people out, like every day people, or to keep something in like a curse, this will work," he recalled what his teacher said.

Kitsune froze as she peered up. Even the curses were noticing something amiss.

"Curtain?"

"What is casting it?"

"Who is casting it?"

"I can't sense it!"

The curses that could speak were starting to panic, Yuuji on the other hand felt a little proud of his accomplishment.

Now, to pick them off.

The first thing he did was take out the small fry. Flying heads and anything on the ground that could slink away and call for help or alert the others. He snatched them up left, right and center, devouring them before a sound could be made.

Then his sight set on the medium size ones. These creatures would feed off the small and weak to sustain themselves and yet avoid the more dominate ones. He just finished off one of the lower creatures when he sensed something.

He moved just as the ground caved in from a massive strike!

Keeping to his feet, he was confronted by the stronger creatures! But they froze at the sight of him. "Sukuna's vessel!" one shouted.

"But… that's not Sukuna's energy!" said another.

Yuuji smiled. "Nope, it's my own!" he said rather proudly, but peering about, he became surrounded. "Huh… I think I should have thought this out better… Oh well," he said and sighed. 'Perhaps my training paid off' he thought.

He couldn't explain the confidence he had in himself, despite the odds, he wasn't worried the least bit. He almost felt excited to the battle ahead. "Why is he smiling?" one demanded.

SMASH

He landed his first strike to the head of a near by. It's head crushed into the strike and black flash followed up and struck those around it. They were blown back as Yuuji turned and devoured the fallen. It took out three in a single blow! He smiled wickedly once more. "I think I may have become nervous over nothing…" he said.

#

Kitsune watched with great interest from a near by rooftop. She observed Yuuji go head to head with some powerful curses, yet he never miss stepped, he kept to his own pace and didn't try to draw in more to attack him. He was truly thinking things through. "He understand he has power, but does he truly understand the ability he has?" she wondered.

It's one thing to devour a curse, it's another to comprehend why he is doing it and for what reason. He went all out for a good half hour, taking down all within the curtain. When he was done and fed, he appeared satisfied with himself, yet took deep cleansing breaths after the battle. Kitsune approached with caution. "Young master?" she asked gently.

"I'm okay… got over excited," he said and smiled. But appeared tired. "I think… I ate too much again…" he muttered as he held his stomach.

"It doesn't hurt to over indulge, but as long its not to the point of becoming uncomfortable," she explained. But she couldn't complain about the results. His power grew from that lone battle. He has increased his energy nearly two folds since they left the compound. But at the same time, he was tiring himself out faster with the more he consumes. It's a weak point that needs to be corrected soon.

He collapsed on a near by step to an old house, he took a moment to savor the meal before he let out a sigh. "Why does this feel so good?" he asked aloud. "I should be disgusted with myself, but I'm not…"

Kitsune smiled warmly. "Do you know, despite when a curse is exorcised, parts of it remain? They can rebuild if given enough energy and return? It could take them a few hundred years, even a few thousand years, but… they can return as long as some of their residual energy remains in the earth after they have been exorcised?" she asked. "Also take into consideration the fear people have of such a thing… people will always be afraid which feed the curse's resurrection…"

Yuuji froze to the news. "Wait, that can happen!?"

"All the time," she said gently. "Part of the reason why I wonder you humans use such a method, granted a lot can change in a few hundred years, some of those curses may never even get the strength to return and starve to death. But there are some who will find a way… like Sukuna…"

He was suddenly all ears as she spoke. "Sensei…" he said gently.

She giggled to the name. It made her smile. "Yes, young master?"

"How do we make sure he doesn't return?" he asked. "I can only do so much, right? How do we make certain that Sukuna cannot return, no matter what?"

She paused to the question. "Hmm, there is a method, but one has to be extremely powerful to use it." She said. "Sadly, you won't be able to use such a technique,"

"Huh? Why not!" he demanded.

"Because, one's power to use it has to be pure, not curse energy, and it has to be greater than that of Sukuna's." she said. "As well, despite this ability, part of him will reside in his possessions. So it wouldn't erase him completely."

He sunk a little in his seat. "Shit," he muttered.

"But we are working on a method, but I cannot speak of it, you have to figure that out for yourself."

He sighed aloud to it all, but then yawned. "I'm really tried now…" he muttered. His eyes were growing heavy, Kitsune knew it was time to return him to his room. With a wave of her fan, she did just that. Yuuji was in his bed, out like a light. She gently tucked him in, and smiled. "You are impressing me so far little one. Continue to do so,"