Chapter 31
Weeks later.
BASH!
Kiyoshi hit the ground once more.
"Not bad brat, you nearly grazed me."
For a month, he has been training with Sukuna, and now, things got a little more interesting since he is permitting elemental power to come into play. Kiyoshi is still deprived from using such an ability as Sukuna decreed. "You will come across curses who can do this, they can alter the ground below you, one has to adjust in order to attack!"
After all, Sukuna himself has been working on his ability to manipulate the earth! He has never used it as an attack against Kiyoshi, however, the way he alters the ground under his feet, forcing him to adjust his speed and act accordingly was really annoying!
Every so often though, they would switch up the sparring session and use elemental power. Mainly, both were curious as to how well water goes against earth and vise versa. Even if he used water attacks, Sukuna was getting better at blocking them with the earth or diverting them.
How could he have gotten this good in barely a month?!
The elementals didn't even like him to begin with!
Was he able to teach someone like Sukuna that well?
In the time that they have trained together, he didn't think Sukuna would understand elemental power at all, he's latched on to curse energy all his life, this should have been difficult for him to accomplish.
And yet, here he is, with a mere shift of his feet, Sukuna freely making hills, altering the ground so Kiyoshi would lose his footing…
Why did the elementals grant him their power?!
'How about I take over for a bit? Let me show you how it's done!' came Raynn.
Kiyoshi was about to refuse, yet the frustration was getting to him. He suddenly blacked out!
#
Sukuna froze.
Then again, he wondered why this took so long.
He was quick to break free from his bindings, just as the brat came at him full force! He barely put of a wall of earth to stop him in time, but he shattered through it. The kick alone… broke his lower arms.
He was forced back but kept calm, he had to or else people are going to assume he brought this upon himself…
'THIS HURT LIKE HELL!' Sukuna screamed in his mind. He has had his arms broken, torn out and every known punishment happen to them. But he always had his curse energy to fix it instantly.
Not anymore.
"What's wrong? Is the great King of curses scared to face a sniveling little dragon like me?"
"Let the boy go…" Sukuna said in a warning tone.
Raynn however, was smiling. "I don't think so, I rather like it out here. I'm going to wake him up but show him what he's missing out. You going easy in him was a joke! He's been going easy on YOU! Watch!"
Raynn was too fast to be seen, too quick to stop let alone block any of his strikes. Sukuna however, had no choice but to endure it! Even with elemental power, his wasn't as strong as Raynn's.
In the end though, Sukuna was kicked in the chest. His ribs shattered and his lungs collapsed!
'This is it… I'm going to die this way…' he thought.
The dragon snickered. "Look boy, THIS is how it's done! THIS is the power you need to hold your ground and look…" He reached down and grabbed Sukuna's chin, forcing him to look up. "The so called King of Curses… has been easily defeated with MY strength. This… this is what power is, child. Now, how about we make a new arrangement… wait… what are you doing?!"
Raynn was forced to stumble back, the boy overpowered him and took over once more. Yet, there was such a terrified look on his face. "Sukuna…" he whispered in shock.
He had no ways of speaking. He kept coughing up blood. Yet, what startled him was the fact a ball of water gathered around him. The boy was encasing him in it yet leaving his head above the orb. Then, the boy began to run like his life depended on it, yet he dragged this water orb containing him close behind.
"DAD! UNCLE SUIRYU! HELP!" he roared.
Sukuna barely kept his eyes open, but he saw someone running towards them rather quickly…
#
"DAD, UNCLE SUIRYU! HELP!"
Yuuji heard it, Kiyoshi was screaming for help!
"What did Sukuna do!" he growled and was quick to rush out. Yuuji had reached Kiyoshi but was stunned, he wasn't harmed and yet… the large orb of water he had behind him… why was Sukuna within it?
He was quick to release him and tried to explain what happened, but… Kiyoshi couldn't keep his emotions in check, he started to mumble and cry at once. But, he calmed himself enough to plead. "Dad… help him! It was my fault he got hurt! Please, help Sukuna!"
Yuuji, had mixed feelings about this.
He no longer felt Ryoto's presence within himself, there was no plea in his mind to save him. But, at the same time… his son was taking responsibility. Yuuji sighed aloud, but went to work. Using wind elemental he made certain air went into Sukuna's lungs, from there, he began to heal the chest cavity, starting with the ribs, then the soft tissue, and other injuries he obtained.
He had no idea Sukuna was beaten this badly!
All four arms were shattered, left leg was broken, right leg had six fractures. The disfigured side of his face was broken in, eyes blood shot and six teeth were knocked out.
His jaw was shattered too, nose broken and other injuries too many to list.
Without a doubt, he suffered.
"Dad… it was my fault… Raynn got out, and… and I didn't think he would do this much harm to him… dad…" Kiyoshi was heartbroken over it.
At the same time, Yuuji couldn't help but sense Sukuna never fought back against him. "Did he try to defend himself? Do you remember?" he asked gently.
Kiyoshi shook his head. "He merely blocked the attacks, he never tried to strike back. I think he was concerned about hurting me,"
Yuuji was about to speak until Sukuna began to cough. He hacked aloud before he managed to cough out a wad of phlegmy blood. But he was able to breath once more.
"Sukuna…" Yuuji said gently.
He glared at him.
"That thing is as bad as me, when I took over you." He warned.
"Sukuna, I'm so sorry!" Kiyoshi cried and lowered his head. "I didn't mean…"
"No, I know you didn't." he said bluntly. "Spar session is over, brat. I won't be doing this again,"
Kiyoshi froze. "But, I haven't…"
Yuuji hand gently came on his son's shoulder. "Kiyoshi, I'll take over from now on."
His son was heartbroken, he turned and ran into the house. The door slammed of course, so needless the say he was not happy with the decision made.
But there was a more important matter. Yuuji turned back to Sukuna and said. "I'm sorry for my son's actions…"
"That wasn't your brat," Picking himself from the ground. Sukuna stood once more. "I said before, that dragon is as bad as me. In fact, he's worst than me. He's waiting for moments where your brat lets his guard down, even for a second, the dragon takes control when his emotions get the better of him." he warned. "It will not end well if your child cannot control the dragon within him, and it's getting more zealous by the day."
Yuuji was about to speak until…
"RYOMEN!"
Chusi came running along with Yua. This, startled them both!
"What's going on?" Yuuji asked.
Yua raised her hands and showed her rings. They are normally silver, and yet, why have they turned crimson red?
"This," Yua explained. "It means Sukuna was beaten nearly to the point of death. Remember, he cannot die unless I say so, I didn't say so!" she protested. "So, what happened?"
Sukuna sighed. "Raynn, decided to show the child… just how powerful he is against someone like me…" he confessed. "I… was nearly killed."
Yua was stunned by this, Chusi kept a calm expression until she started rolling up her sleeves. "Where is he?" she asked in an innocent tone.
But, Yuuji knew otherwise.
"Wait, we are still processing…"
"RYOMEN IS MORTAL!" she shouted. "HE NEARLY DIED BECAUSE OF THAT STUPID LIZARD TRYING TO SHOW OFF! YOU THINK THAT'S ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE OF WHAT RYOMEN HAD DONE IN THE PAST?!" she demanded.
By gods, Tooru women roar like dragons!
Yuuji was rendered still and silent on the matter, he couldn't bring himself to speak. Luckily, Yua was able to keep a cooler head.
"Sukuna, are you okay now?" she asked gently.
He sighed before peering over to Yuuji. "Yes, I was saved thanks to the bra… Itadori…"
He froze.
Did he just say his name with sincerity?!
Chusi embraced him tightly. "Don't scare me like that again!" she cried.
"Sukuna… go and rest up, I'll take it from here if that's okay with you?" Yua asked.
Surprisingly, he agreed and left with Chusi then and there.
But there came a look on her face, one that Yuuji has never seen before. "He has to be removed." She said bluntly.
"What? Yua, I know…"
"Raynn is nothing like Ryujin. He is not respectful of his host or those around him. This isn't right, and he attacked Sukuna who didn't provoke him. He's not stupid, nor would it be wise considering how great of a disadvantage Sukuna has against Raynn," she explained.
Yuuji, sighed. He had a piece of mind knowing his son was safe from being possessed by Sukuna, but now… the dragon has become the greater threat.
"I'll speak with Kiyoshi about this tomorrow. He's too upset now."
Yua agreed. "The sooner the better, Yuuji. If not, we may have a different set of circumstances to deal with…"
