Chapter 42

"This is weird, even for him…"

The month continued to drift by, yet as of late, the school has found Yuuji Itadori in a meditative state. He would sit for hours outside in silence, not uttering a word, or doing anything particular. The only thing was he was letting out his curse energy, then when he was finishing his meditation, he attempted to absorb what he released back into himself. It strained him, and yet he was able to accomplish such a task!

Mika watched on with great curiosity then again, she couldn't really understand what was happening as he appeared uncomfortable. When his eyes opened, sweat was beading down his face, he took a deep breath and regained his composure. But he turned and saw everyone staring at him. "Huh… something happen?" he asked curiously.

"No, not at all!" they muttered and walked off.

Yet as they did, Panda turned back. "Anyone else feeling that? His energy went up again, it was a little, but still…" he said offhandedly.

"So what is he doing?" Mika asked.

"Chopped katsuobushi" Toge said.

"Hmm, I don't know if I would go that far…" Panda said offhandedly. "But he's been doing this for a month, each month his energy grows… it's rapid, too fast for a first year to accomplish, let alone a seasoned veteran."

"You think he is going to use that against us?" asked Mika.

"No, he has more than enough to take out this whole place. But the problem is this, despite his energy going up each and every day. How come it never shifts that far?" Panda asked. "It has remained consistent, and yet if he is doing this to grow his power, we should have sensed a greater difference by now."

"Salmon," Toge said.

"Hmm, you have a point there." Mika kept looking back. Yuuji was already gone, but something still didn't feel right to her.

#

"What the hell…"

Fushiguro and Nobara paused as they saw a black orb like barrier put up. The last time they saw this was on the day of the 'execution' it was erected to protect Yuuji's body by Sukuna as he was knocked out by Yua. But, why is it here?"

"Seriously, what is this? Is it a domain?" Nobara asked as she struck it with her hand, nothing happened, but the thing was solid.

Fushiguro took a closer look, until the thing came down and Yuuji stood there with Gojo sensei.

"That's good progress!" he said.

Itadori on the other hand looked like hell. "Thanks… sensei," he said between his breaths. "How long?" he asked.

"Hmm, let's see…" he checked his watch, then he grabbed Fushiguro's arm and checked his. "Two hours!"

"You kept that thing up for two hours?!" Nobara demanded.

"Not only that, he kept it up and also sparred with me in that time frame, it's a double shot to his energy reserves, so needless to say he did quite well… oh, you got a big night tonight too, don't you?"

Yuuji meekly nodded his head. "Yeah, I am going to get something to eat before then. I need all the strength I can get." He excused himself as Fushiguro turned to his master.

"Sensei… what's happening with him? It's been a month and he constantly appears as if he is beaten within an inch of his life!"

"Ah, I am not at liberty to explain his lessons, but know that it's nothing he can't handle. As well, he is a lot stronger than any of us have given him credit for." He muttered the last part.

Fushiguro however looked to Nobara who merely nodded to him. Something more was going on.

#

It was midnight.

Yuuji made his way out onto the field where he trained earlier with Gojo. But there, Kitsune was waiting for him. "Have you rested well?" she asked.

"Not enough, but we have to keep going." He protested. "I only have nine more months if that until this. And I haven't learned everything yet"

She merely nodded her head. "Tonight will be just as difficult, are you sure you are ready?" she asked of him.

He nodded. "I trust you,"

She was taken aback by his tone, but she lowered her head. "Then let's begin,"

He made a new hand gesture. In a prayer like motion he put his hands together on his upper arms, he did the same thing but inveterate with the lower arms and connected them at the wrists to make the symbol. "Personal domain," he whispered, the black sphere then engulfed them both, until he stood on a flat, barren land. There was nowhere to run or hide here. He has to confront everything head on. Kitsune appeared before him, armed with her fan she stood at the ready.

"Young master, know I have no ill will towards you, but we must be sure you can handle this kind of damage, for it will happen in your battle. I have memorized all of Sukuna's power and abilities and will use them against you this night. Instead of focusing on attack me, focus on the damage done to your body. Understood?"

He merely nodded.

"Let's start," he insisted.

Yuuji then charged at her, he was anticipating a strike any moment, but she continued to hold her ground until he was within range. As his arms went up for a strike, she attacked!

Yuuji froze as he felt the weight lost in his arms. He crashed to the ground and saw all four of his arms were cut off his body! "GGAAAAHHHH!" he screamed aloud in pain, yet as he did, he tried to remember the lesson.

Focus on the damage.

Looking to his arms, he began to envision them healed. The flesh bubbled and contorted until the limbs returned, good as new.

"Three minutes, you would have been dead," Kitsune announced.

"I know…"

"Think faster," she ordered. "Again."

This was the lesson for the night, time and time again his arms would be lopped off, sometimes a leg too or a serious injury to his sides, but Yuuji would pull through.

He has to get his healing ability up, how can he when every curse he has faced, as been nothing to him?

It would go on for hours, until the battlefield was littered with arms and legs. His blood was everywhere, but then, his mind began to think. "This is something to use too…" he whispered. "Kitsune! I can use the blood manipulation ability, right?"

"Can you?" she asked curiously. "Show me,"

Itadori didn't quite know how to go about using the ability, all he remembered was the sorcerer named Kamo put his blood on his weapons to manipulate them… But then again, he remembered the cursed spirit Choso who turned blood into arrows on a whim.

Perhaps that what he needs to do…"

His hands hovered over the ground as he focused on the blood. It slowly began to come off the earth and towards his hands, but he has to give it a command, right? He thought of arrows since those struck him many times before.

The blood shifted and jiggled, until it slowly took formation. He was surrounded by blood arrows! "I think… I got it…."

SPLASH!

He lost focus, and became drenched in crimson.

"Damn it!" he protested.

Looking to Kitsune, he had half expected her to laugh at him.

Instead, there was a stunned look on her face.

"Blood manipulation… That's an advance technique…"

"But I can't get it to work…"

"But you managed to use it!" Kitsune froze but her eyes lit up. "You are learning from past memories… you retain it all don't you?"

"I have to," he said gently. "How else can I improve if I don't… but…" he paused as he continued to look about the ground. "I can do more with this… there has to be a use right?"

"Young master, what are you thinking?" she asked curiously.

"I want to try something, can we stop the lesson for the moment. I think there is something more I can do… I think can manipulate more than blood…"

She appeared curious. "Very well then, but we must work hard for the next two days to make up for this!" she insisted.

Yuuji agreed, but there was a moment of excitement, despite how grim this ability is when he first mentioned it… it could also be something to help him down the road.

#

He snorted himself awake.

Yuuji sat up in bed as he processed everything from the day before. But his head was spinning. "Oh God…" he muttered and fell back onto the pillow. "I just want to sleep today…"

A knock came to his door. "Yuuji!" came the excited voice of his teacher. "Come on Yuuji it's time to train!"

"Sensei… not today please… I'm tried." He protested.

Despite the request, he appeared in his room. Yuuji looked up at him, but the smile vanished from Gojo sensei. "You are not kidding huh?" he said and appeared to think something over. "Okay then, take today off from me, I doubt Kitsune will give you such a break," he insisted.

"Thanks sensei…" he muttered, but soon passed out and fell fast asleep once more.

#

"You're going to let him sleep!?" demanded Nobara. "How come I can't get my beauty sleep?" she demanded with her arms crossed.

"Few factors, but no time to go over them. Besides, Yuuji's body is growing once more. He needs his rest, he is also pushing himself a little too hard as of late so let's just let him sleep." Gojo insisted.

"Besides, we got sensei to ourselves today, it's a nice change…" Fushiguro said offhandedly.

Despite it though, it wasn't the same without Yuuji along. Fushiguro realized that early on in the mission. It was an easy exorcism to say the least, yet when they were wondering back, he was curious to ask. "Sensei… how is Yuuji getting so strong so fast? Growth like this is all but impossible for someone like him, he had no energy or ability before he took in the curse object…"

"Ah, I am not at liberty to discuss this." Gojo sensei stated. "Besides, despite his growth, he still isn't ready to face Sukuna in his state."

"That alone is scary to comprehend, despite the fact we see the difference in him, it's still nothing compared to that bastard," Nobara muttered.

"How do you think he feels?" Gojo asked. "He is training night and day to get stronger, he has made great progress but it's still not enough yet. He goes up against Sukuna in less than nine months now."

"Then we can help him!" Fushiguro insisted.

However, Gojo shook his head. "He is beyond your ability," he then paused. "He's getting to a point where he will soon be beyond mine."

This made the two freeze in their steps. "Wait, are you saying…"

"Very quickly," Gojo stated before the question could be asked. "I've been lying through my teeth to the others about this as well, so not a word of this understood!" he demanded of his students.

They two nervously nodded their heads. Gojo then said to them. "What you sense radiate off of him, that energy you feel… is not his truth strength." He explained. "Most of that… well… a majority of that is concealed. Thanks to Yua. Before she died, she forced what little power she had in herself into him, granting him her abilities, Conceal was the one she used the most. It's how she kept hidden from the other sorcerers and the curses who may have wanted her dead as well. She can hide her power with great ease and that of others, no matter whose it belongs to. It's how she hid the finger of Sukuna from us."

"But why is it hiding Yuuji's power?" Nobara asked. "Not to mention, he appears unaware of it."

"He is unaware of it, because it is to ensure he doesn't get complacent on what he has. Each time he grows stronger, he notices a little growth, nothing major. Unaware that his strength has increased greatly, but it won't be long until he realizes that himself. Part of the reason why he is so tired right now too, his body is in flux once more, contorting, absorbing and manipulating everything he has gained in recent months and adding it to himself. A remarkable process to say the least, but if the elders knew about this…" Gojo made a slicing motion across his throat. "They would want him dead to be safe than sorry,"

"Sensei… What will happen to him after this battle is over?" he asked. "Why do I feel he is no better off than before?"

The serious look returned. Gojo didn't smile, he didn't laugh. "You're right on that," he said offhandedly. "His circumstance is no better than what it was before. Win or lose, he will still have to face the elders. If he wins, they will want him dead for he will be just as powerful as Sukuna. If he dies, they will want him dead since Sukuna obtained his body…"

"They why the hell is he working so hard! He must be aware of that too!" Nobara demanded.

Gojo nodded. "I think he is aware, but at the same time, this is Itadori we are talking about. He is not concerned for himself, he is more worried about those around him who will be in danger if he fails. I haven't seen a fire in his eye like this in a while. He is determined to get stronger, despite the backlash he will be given from the elders."

"They will seal him away, wouldn't they?" Fushiguro asked.

"They will try," Gojo stated, but then his smile returned. "I am sure of it, but for now, the best we can do is encourage him until then."

They found themselves back at the dorms. Fushiguro was about to go to his room when he froze as foxes came running out of Nobara's room! "WHAT THE HELL!" she roared.

Rushing inside, her room was a mess. She had just bought a new set of clothing recently, but it was torn to shreds by these foxes that came out of nowhere! "BEAT IT, SCRAM! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM TO BEGIN WITH!" she roared in anger.

Fushiguro swore the foxes laughed at her before running out of the dorm. He couldn't hide his smile and even a giggle escaped him. It was out of the ordinary that was for certain, yet of all places for these creatures to go, they went into her room.

"I wonder why they went after your stuff?" he said offhandedly.

But she wasn't listening.

The new clothing she bought, was torn and ripped to tatters. She shook her head in disbelief to it all, since who would believe her that some random wild animals came into her room and tore up her clothing?

Still, he couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with Itadori…