Chapter 8

It would be the afternoon when the test occurred. Sukuna somehow, had plans that morning and would delay the lesson. But after a hearty lunch, everyone was ready to test out Kiyoshi's power. "Needless to say, we are staying away from water for the time being…" Sukuna decreed.

"Yeah, you don't want him to accidently drown you," Suiryu muttered. Kiyoshi on the other hand was at the ready to test his strength. Sukuna had found a suitable rock and insisted that Kiyoshi punch it.

"It's a rock!" he protested. "I'll break my hand!"

BASH!

Sukuna took one, half ass side shot to a near by bolder, it shattered upon impact.

Kiyoshi froze as Sukuna merely stared at him, he shouldn't have to explain this. And much to Suiryu's surprise, Kiyoshi got the message!

He approached his bolder and began to prepare to take his shot.

BASH!

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"Well… there WAS a bolder there… but…" Sukuna muttered.

One shot, and Kiyoshi turned the bolder to dust! He knows that since there was no disruption in the woods, there was no torn down trees or even a path that a bolder that size has torn through the woods.

It rendered itself to dust.

"Whoa…" Kiyoshi whispered. "I'm that strong?"

"More or less, if anything, you are probably capable of more but you hesitated." Sukuna decreed.

"Got to go with jackass here, he's right." Suiryu said offhandedly. At least in the woods, he can swear without Nao hearing him!

"I still don't think it's enough to protect himself…" muttered Yuuji.

Sukuna snorted a laugh. "Is he joking?"

Suiryu and Kiyoshi seriously shook their heads. It took the King of curses aback a little as he glared at Yuuji. "What the hell are you saying, brat? You do realize your child is more powerful than me with ALL my power at my disposal?" Sukuna snapped at him. He even went as far as getting into Yuuji's face. "Even if I had my full power and mastered the elemental one, I would still be no match for him!"

Yuuji didn't flinch. "I'll be sure to keep this conversation in mind for when YOU have a child."

"Oh damn…" Suiryu muttered.

Sukuna growled at him. "Don't even jest about that!"

It suddenly got rather awkward. Suiryu was stunned silent by what came out of both his brother and Sukuna.

Kiyoshi however…

"You don't think you and aunt Chusi will have kids?"

Sukuna froze; he turned and glared at Kiyoshi. "It didn't work out the last time…" he said in a seething tone. "Now shut up about it!"

Kiyoshi kept his mouth closed. Suiryu sighed aloud to it all. "And you were in such a good mood…" he muttered. "So, what's this about then? What has captain cranky… cranky?" but he paused oddly. "Or did this just trigger it…"

"Why would I talk about this with ANY of you!"

Suiryu shrugged. "Okay then, I guess lesson is over. Kiyoshi, let's go see Chusi…"

"Don't you DARE!"

"Then what the hell is your issue!" Suiryu snapped back. "Like it or not, I was a part of you, asshole! I know when you say something, the tone you speak in, the context of it… I know what you REALLY mean! Right now, you are pissed off. It sounds like Chusi is pressuring you, she wants a family but you don't?"

Silent.

Sukuna was dead silent on the matter.

He said not a word, but began to walk away.

Suiryu sighed aloud to it all. "Damn old bastard…"

"Uncle?" Kiyoshi whispered. "Do, we try to help him?"

Suiryu snorted a laugh. "What is there to help? This is a personal matter between him and Chusi. Nothing we do will change otherwise, at the same time, he has to confront this himself. Since you know…" he muttered.

Kiyoshi's head tilted to the side. "Know what?"

Okay… so he didn't know.

"Uh… how do I explain this…"

"Sukuna when he fell into madness, he ate Chusi and their unborn child." Yuuji said bluntly. "Sukuna also doesn't see the need for children of his own. Partly because he was prideful in his power, family also makes you weak since you would have to defend them… that was his way of thinking."

Kiyoshi froze. "He ate… oh…" he turned to Suiryu who nodded to him.

"I got that memory of his since I was created after he went insane. Despite what your old man said, part of that is true, the other part is this… he's scared it could happen again."

His nephew froze to this, but nodded to the fact as well. Sukuna doesn't want to repeat what had happened in the past.

"Besides that, bro, you see how strong Kiyoshi is now? So…" he said in a hinting tone.

However, he appeared to be unimpressed. "We could do that too when we were younger…"

"Bullshit, we were never this young after mom had us you dickhead!"

"I don't think he's ready!"

"And I think you're full of hormonal shit!"

"Seriously, dad. I'll be fine as long as I don't wake up with you being a dragon and sitting on me like an egg… it's ALL I ask!" Kiyoshi said defiantly.

Yuuji was still unmoved by this.

Suiryu sighed aloud. "Let's go then,"

"Go?" Kiyoshi and Yuuji asked.

"Ether. Let's take him to Ether and hunt. He can take down prey on his own, it means he is strong enough to BE on his own, right?"

"Uncle… I haven't hunted before…" Kiyoshi whispered.

"Similar to curse hunting but with a lot more blood and the body doesn't disappear." He said bluntly. "So how about it bro? He takes down a big prey, you don't nest him anymore. Deal?"

Yuuji glared at him, but then looked to Kiyoshi. "One Behemoth. He can take down one of those, I'll acknowledge his strength."

"Tough but fair. What do you say Kiyoshi?"

His nephew nodded. "Anything to get dad not to sit on me like an egg!"