Chapter 12

A chill ran down Kagome's spine as the group arrived at the detention center. She had felt the darkness radiating from it from miles away, but being in such close proximity made her feel like she was suffocating. The air was thick with cursed energy, and every breath she took felt like she was swallowing poison. Its mere presence made her sick to her stomach, and her instincts screamed at her to turn and run.

She had faced many challenges before and had come up against countless demons that had threatened to tear her apart. But nothing could have prepared her for the raw power that Sukuna wielded. His energy felt like an animalistic hunger, a thirst that could never be quenched.

Her eyes flickered to Yuji, searching his face for signs of Sukuna, whether it be his glowing eyes or wicked grin. There was nothing there, just Yuji. His face was a mask of calmness, his eyes unchanging as he looked over the stone structure.

Kiyotaka spoke in his usual smooth monotone, gently explaining to them- Yuji about the ranking system for cursed spirits and Jujutsu weaponry.

"Both jujutsu sorcerers and cursed spirits are ranked according to a grading system. Jujutsu sorcerers start at Grade 4 when they first join Jujutsu High, and their rank increases as they gain more experience and skill.

"On the other hand, cursed spirits are also ranked on a similar scale, although slight differences exist in how they are evaluated. The higher-ups in the world of cursed spirits take particular care in ranking them accurately. The cursed techniques they possess are key in determining the difference between a Grade 2 Jurei and a semi-grade 1 Jurei. The biggest factor is the cursed techniques they possess.

"Jujutsu sorcerers are expected to be able to handle Jurei of the same level as their own rank. For example, a Grade 2 sorcerer should have the skills to take on a Grade 2 curse, as their strength is closer to that of a Grade 1 Jurei.

Grade 4 (Yonkyū)

Grade 3 (Sankyū)

Semi-Grade 2 ( Jun Nikyū)

Grade 2 (Nikyū)

Semi-Grade 1 (Jun Ikkyū)

Grade 1 (Ikkyū)

Special Grade 1 (Tokubetsu Ikkyū)

Special Grade (Tokkyū)

"Aside from jujutsu sorcerers and cursed spirits, cursed tools are also ranked according to their power and potency. The higher the Grade of a cursed tool, the more of an advantage it can provide in battle. Only Special Grade cursed tools are imbued with cursed techniques, which make them even more powerful and valuable. If traditional weapons were used against curses and sorcerers measured their effectiveness as a gauge:

Grade 4 - "A wooden bat is enough."

Grade 3 - "If you have a handgun, you can rest easy."

Grade 2 - "Close call with a shotgun."

Grade 1 - "Even a tank might be insufficient."

Special Grade - "Cluster bombs might work.""

It amazed Kagome how much thought had gone into the system, though it was dissimilar to the rankings of demons. There were only 3.

Lesser youkai: creatures with limited cognitive ability and an appearance similar to animals and often monster-like. Despite this, they surpass humans in terms of strength and agility. Their lifespan is notably longer than that of humans.

Common youkai: some demons can possess human-like traits, making them faster and stronger than humans. These beings come in many shapes and sizes, varying their abilities and strengths based on their species. Their vast array of abilities that they possess from their different bloodlines increases as they age. In addition to their unique characteristics, they have much longer lifespans than humans.

Daiyoukai: is a superior type of demon with extraordinary strength and intellect compared to their common counterparts. They possess various shapes and abilities, with some being enormous and otherworldly in appearance. However, some can take on more human-like forms: those are the most powerful of Daiyoukai. Some daiyōkai ruled vast territories, commanding armies of lesser youkai and waging wars against humans and other daiyōkai. They have incredibly long lifespans, exceeding even the already long-lived youkai.

Youkai and spiritual power users were ranked based on the being's physical abilities and the amount of spirit/demon energy they possessed. And were separated into classes, from the weakest (E-class), which was just as rare as the strongest (S-class), with three tiers (upper, mid, and lower) typically in each one.

Kagome's rank was Mid-B-class, but despite her experience facing numerous demons, nothing could have prepared her for this, and the dread settled in her stomach.

With her heart pounding, she gripped the bow case strap across her chest until her knuckles turned white and her hands ached.

The energies from one of Sukuna's fingers and the cursed womb that consumed it were melding together, creating something she never thought she'd have to face so soon; a special-grade curse. It was suffocatingly frightening, and worse, she felt it wanted to consume her.

The wind picked up, sending shivers down Kagome's spine. She could smell the metallic tang of blood and the sickly-sweet scent of juryoku, building within her lungs and coating her throat like tar. Her instincts told her to run, to get as far away from the cursed energy as possible.

The color drained from her face, eyes hardening. "There are no survivors," Kagome stated. No life resided within the compound; only death and curses waited for them beyond the gates.

"How can you be so sure?" Megumi boredly asked.

"Everything has energy, reiki, but humans are harder to sense compared to sorcerers, curses, and demons, and animals are even harder to sense- not that I can," She met his gaze with a fierce certainty, "Normal Humans are unique in that they can't erase their presence, their reiki is always fluctuating. And a scared human is like a beacon in the dark." She motioned to the building. "There's nothing here."

"The only things considered alive in there are the curses created by places like this and that cursed womb." Her eyes snapped to Yuji. "This is a trap."

"Probably." His response was clipped. "Let's get this over with quickly."

Kagome nodded with a huff of agreement.

A woman in the crowd cried out to them, running past the barricade and toward them. "Please," she begged, "Please save my Tadashi."

"Don't worry," Yuji said firmly and confidently. "We'll save him. We'll save everyone."

Kagome's heart tightened. Kneeling before the trembling woman, Kagome gently took her hands. Her reiryoku pooled into their clasped hands, a light shining between their fingers. She spoke softly, whispering a prayer of peace and healing upon the woman before pushing her reiryoku into her.

Kagome watched as the woman visibly relaxed, her eyes falling closed and her body falling into Kagome.

"Kiyotaka," Kagome called back. The older man stiffened before coming to help her. "Have a medic check her over before sending her home." He nodded.

Dusting off her skirt, Kagome joined the others at the gate.

"What did you do?" Nobara asked what both Yuji and Megumi were thinking.

"I gave her a blessing; it should help her find peace," Kagome explained. Miroku had taught her their energy could be used to heal the sick and calm the grieving; it was a similar process but with different intent. "Let's get going."

Stepping across the gate was like stepping into another world. The darkness consumed them as they passed through the gates and entered the compound. Kagome felt like she was drowning in it but refused to give in to fear.

Kagome could feel her skin crawl with revulsion, the hairs on her arms standing on end.

Kiyotaka casts a curtain over the detention center, and Kagome has to bite back the yelp that was building in her throat.

There were supposedly five detainees inside Detainee Block 2 with the cursed womb that could potentially spawn a special-grade cursed spirit at any moment. They just needed to confirm what she already suspected, that they were dead and the womb was still inactive.

If anything, this kind of job should have fallen to Gojo or even an Ikkyū or Tokubetsu Ikkyū, and surely not to first years with minimal experience.

"We're screwed."

~o.O~O.o~

The room was designed with the utmost care, matching the traditional aesthetic of the building. Sliding doors were decorated with intricate patterns, and the floors were covered with tatami mats. But the quaint setting did little to quell the tension between the three groups.

The Jujutsu elders sat on one side, led by an elderly man with an elongated bald head and piercing eyes. His name was Yoshinobu, and he wore a stern expression. His eyebrows were thick and light-colored, curving down at the edges of his face. His goatee matched his eyebrows, giving him an even more imposing look. But it wasn't just his appearance that demanded respect but also his knowledge and skill in Jujutsu. Though he was a staunch traditionalist.

On the other side of the room were the leaders of the Seishin council, a powerful group divided in two. The woman wore a traditional miko outfit and had long, black hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were focused and sharp, scanning the room with authority. Behind her sat two others, an elderly woman with graying hair and one milky eye in similar miko attire. The other was a man dressed in purple and black monk attire.

On the other hand, the man sat tall in a luxury black suit, oozing with strength. He appeared ageless with pointed ears, slanted golden eyes with slit pupils, and knee-length silver hair. The violet crescent moon on his forehead was barely visible beneath his short bangs. Still, the magenta stripes on his cheeks and eyelids were hard to miss. To either side of him sat two men; one was tanner with similar hair and eyes as him but with dog-like ears. The other had fiery amber hair and glowing teal eyes against a tanned face.

The room was silent except for the low rumble of the silver-haired man's voice as he asked the question that hung in the air, "Where is Kagome?"

wolfYLady: I thought I would make up for the last chapter that was so short. Hopefully, everyone has enjoyed it, and please review.

Reiki: life force/soul energy