The notes will always be at the end of the chapter, and the trigger warnings at the beginning of the chapter. Nevertheless, please don't hesitate to let me know if my English is correct... Enjoy.
- CHAPTER 1 -
The night had settled in for several hours, plunging the landscape into total darkness. It was one of those moonless and starless nights, a night without any celestial guidance. As oppressive as it was icy, it offered little solace to lonely souls. This thought tightened his expression. He came to a halt, scrutinizing the sky veiled by a thick layer of dark clouds. Their muffled murmur seemed to herald an ominous omen, inaudible to mortals. Yes, he was now convinced: the rain would soon fall.
Lost in his thoughts, he resumed his journey. Absently, he caressed his chapped lips with fingers numbed by the cold. A bitter smile etched on his face. Memories flooded back, moments when he daydreamed during hunts, slowing his pace and lowering his guard. His comrades always waited for him, exasperated by his recklessness in putting himself in danger. He could see himself joining them, hobbling with an embarrassed smile, his cheeks flushed with camaraderie. A bitter taste filled his mouth, and his fists clenched. How long had it been since they last saw each other? How long since they exchanged glances? If only it had never happened. But what exactly? He had preferred to forget. He sniffed disdainfully.
He arrived at the edge of a lush yet eerie forest. Casting one last look around, he noticed the mist slowly thickening. The mountains, with their snow-capped peaks disappearing into the darkness, appeared defiant. Nothing out of the ordinary. So, he ventured into it, holding his breath, hoping to escape the oppressive weight that was growing within him.
He sniffed the air, recognizing the scents of spruces, firs, and larches. Underfoot, the soaked ground responded to each step with an annoying squeak. He must have wandered in this endless undergrowth for hours. Eventually, he arrived at the edge of a powerful river that had burst its banks. Further along, in a clearing along a smooth cliff, a waterfall cascaded loudly into the void. The recent heavy rains in the region were probably the cause. Without further thought, he plunged his head into it before quickly retracting, surprised by the water's chill. He gazed at his reflection in the agitated water but saw only a blurry and indistinct silhouette. Numb. Devoid of feeling.
A cold sweat made him shiver. He continued his walk without quenching his thirst. And now? Automatically, he brushed his hair back. At that precise moment, a fine rain began to fall, dying on the damp grass. Then a storm merged with the darkness of the night and the suffocation of a dense fog. Exhausted, he stopped somewhere and waited, his eyes empty. A moment, perhaps a few hours. He didn't really know. He didn't care.
A twinge in his gut abruptly woke him up. A strange sensation? He heard a ragged, wheezing breath. He wanted to look around, but his eyes refused to open. With a painful effort, he barely made out something between his eyelids. "No one." Ah, but it was his voice. He closed his eyes, reassured, and ran his tongue over his teeth. He was thirsty, his mouth dry, his tongue numb. "Rest." That was the best thing to do, but it was cold, too cold. He felt numb, unable to move or even shiver. Before he could think of anything, strange lights began to vibrate, creating a colorful dance that made him nauseous. Nothing made sense now. His senses seemed amplified, distorted, lost. A kind of peace enveloped him, inviting him to let go into the abyss of his unconsciousness. "In peace."
"In peace...?" He repeated confusedly.
Suddenly, he widened his eyes. A dull anger awakened in him. Vigilant, freed from a curse, he struggled to sit up on his scraped elbows, ignoring the nauseating smell that filled his nostrils. Only then did he realize, far too late, that his hunt was over.
Indeed, now he was the prey.
"Damn..." His blood boiled. Springing to his feet, he ignored the blurry spots clouding his vision. He had to find him, fast. He had no more time.
A terrifying noise tore through the air, stopping the movement of the water, freezing the sky and the earth. Stricken with terror, he suppressed a cold sweat without daring to turn around. He thought, perhaps too quickly, or perhaps not quickly enough.
He was there, behind him. A power, such as he had never encountered, as overwhelming as it was demonic. An odor accompanied this presence, mixing the scent of the marsh with that of an inevitable death. The air thickened and then dissipated, plunging the atmosphere into a suffocating and toxic reality. He felt as if he were receiving blazing embers blown by immortal beings.
Was it the Parcae? He oscillated between excitement and fear, between fascination and disgust, not knowing what to feel. Was there no way to stay alive? Did he desire it? And if he failed?
In a reaction that surprised him, he let out a bitter laugh, stifling tears streaming down his bruised cheeks. He held back his sobs, maintaining his dignity at all costs. Then, an uncontrollable laughter took hold of him. A laughter that sounded false, almost cursed, ready to tip over.
The creature finally faced him. In all its horror, it levitated a few meters off the ground. Its gray complexion, its skeletal semblance of a human body with long arms ending in claws, and its deformed legs. A monstrosity covered in faces frozen in terror, forcing him to curl up. Its face was nothing but an eyeless cavity, an open and toothless mouth.
He unsheathed the sword he carried on his back. The fight was here. After months of searching for a creature to measure himself against. He had faced so many pitiful, weak monsters, never able to unleash his own strength. Because he could face more, always more, to protect this world. To protect those he cherished.
A creature from another world that had come too close to the boundary of Men. But what it didn't know was that it was entering hell. He would annihilate this thing.
The creature lunged at him, and he responded without hesitation. Spitting venom with corrosive pearls, it dodged back.
"Damn," he spat through clenched teeth, feeling betrayed by this sneaky attack. He sprang up in one go, ignoring the blurry patches obstructing his view. He had to find him, fast. He had no more time.
The creature lunged at him with disconcerting agility, its sharpened claws ready to tear through everything in their path. He countered skillfully, wielding his sword with deadly precision. Sparks flew with each exchange of blows, creating a luminous ballet in the darkness. Every move was calculated, every attack dodged or parried with extreme focus.
The two adversaries seemed to dance a macabre dance, the panting rhythm of their breaths punctuating the clashing combat. The smaller, more agile first creature skillfully dodged direct assaults, seeking to encircle him to find a weakness in the man's defense. In response, the latter pivoted quickly, keeping his gaze fixed on the creature, looking for the opportune moment to counterattack.
Suddenly, a piercing pain in his left side took his breath away. Caught off guard. Wide-eyed, he saw another creature similar to the first but different. Several meters high, imposing, dripping with coagulated blood and its own shreds of flesh. Connected to the first by a cord protruding from its swollen belly, from which decomposing flesh flowed.
Despite its size, it had surprised him and ripped out half of his entrails. "Unthinkable." He had never envisaged such agility and discretion. He had never encountered anything like them. Creatures that penetrated the world of mortals were unique, sharing only their terrifying appearance, their frightening cries, and their insatiable appetite for human flesh. They did not usually form some sort of collaboration or think; they instinctively hurled themselves into battle.
The battle was now more complex, the hunter struggling to contain the pain while continuing to fight back, desperately seeking an opening to reverse the course of this unequal battle. He was sweating from effort, his movements becoming slower and slower under the impact of the pain, but his determination remained unshakable.
Despite his injury, he maintained a fierce defense, parrying attacks with indomitable inner strength. However, the battle had taken a fateful turn, an impasse where the outcome seemed inevitable. The creatures seemed to have a symbiotic connection, acting in unison in a deadly choreography.
Finally, fatigue and pain overcame the man, his strength gradually leaving him. And it was in a last burst of determination, in a desperate effort, that he attempted a daring maneuver. Taking advantage of a brief moment of imbalance in the larger of the two creatures, he gathered his last strength for a concentrated attack. His sword flew towards the joint of one of the creature's legs, aiming for a vulnerable point he had observed during the fight.
The sharp steel found its target with surgical precision. A guttural cry echoed in the clearing as the wounded creature staggered, its movements disrupted by this unexpected wound. Taking advantage of this moment of disarray, the man propelled himself, exhausted but determined, towards the second, more agile creature. In a final act that would be fatal for him.
A heavy silence settled in the clearing.
So, why hadn't they told him anything?
He frowned, no longer understanding the meaning of his own thoughts. Again, he spat blood. It was everywhere, around him. A large puddle that the thirsty earth absorbed every drop of. He reached out to touch the stained grass and plucked a small flower. He observed it, calmed by its warm colors and unique petals. He had never seen anything like it. He felt as if it were on fire. His wonder faded when he realized he was lying face down, cheek against the ground. He hadn't even noticed. Since when had he fallen? It didn't matter. It was over.
So, he waited. But nothing happened. With a veiled gaze, he stared at the horizon, unaware that three pairs of eyes were watching him just above his lifeless body. Suddenly, a distant murmur swept through the forest, an indistinct melody, as if the trees were whispering a farewell. The wind had risen, carrying scents of greenery and damp earth. Bluish glimmers danced among the branches, briefly illuminating the scene.
The creatures, once threatening, vanished in a tremor, their forms dissipating into the air like mist dissipating under the rising sun. A gentle golden light filled the clearing, revealing a restored peace. And slowly, the man's eyes closed on this last sight, his mind slowly slipping into an eternal sleep.
But as the darkness began to spread its veil, a strange darkness insinuated itself among the trees. Shadows danced, twisted in a mystical sarabande, enveloping the forest in a dark aura.
Suddenly, a silhouette emerged from the shadows, tearing the reality with a spectral movement. Its imposing presence evoked a demonic divinity, an entity with a malevolent and unsettling charisma. Silver shards escaped from its black and fluid form, creating swirls of darkness around it.
The two monsters, still panting after their victory over the man, seemed terrified at the appearance of the demonic entity. Their deformed bodies twisted in a vain attempt to flee, disappearing into the thick darkness of the forest, desperately trying to escape the menacing and impenetrable presence that had emerged.
Their erratic movements and muffled growls betrayed their terror, fleeing the clearing in frantic haste, like creatures panicked by the mere proximity of this mystical and formidable presence. They vanished into the growing darkness, leaving behind an atmosphere filled with a heavy silence, as if even the darkness itself shivered at the sight of this demonic being.
The young man, left for dead in the clearing, trembled in horror at this supernatural apparition. He felt his heart pounding as the entity slowly advanced, the stranger's eyes locked with his.
In an inaudible murmur, the entity seemed to utter undecipherable words, but no words crossed its ethereal lips. Waves of power emanated from this impenetrable creature, shaking the man to the core of his being.
Fear immobilized him, his limbs refusing to obey his desires to flee. He could barely make out the contours of this entity, its form ever-evolving, as if it were made of shifting and unruly shadows.
The entity, divine if it could be called that, seemed to perceive the man's terror, using it to intensify its grip on him. A spectral smile, tinged with malevolence, fleetingly floated on its elusive face.
Despite his attempts, the man could neither move nor speak. His exhausted mind vacillated between fear and the unfathomable fascination for this entity with undeniable power.
The strange divinity, elusive and unfathomable, continued to exude its demonic aura, transforming the clearing into a place haunted by the darkest mysteries of the universe. The darkness surrounding it seemed to murmur ancient secrets, forgotten truths, and the young man found himself unwittingly captivated by this shadowy presence, as terrifying as it was intriguing.
Author's Notes (AN):
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It may seem a bit vague, enigmatic, but it's intentional. I confess that everything that happens in this story will gradually make sense. Also, it's intentional that no name/nickname was given. I apologize anyway for all these "he, he, he, he, him, he, he, he." It annoyed me quite a bit while writing, but it was necessary!
There are probably some typos and/or mistakes in some places, so please report them to me if there are any. Please do the same if the text contains too many inconsistencies or lacks comprehensibility.
Also, I admit I don't know what I'm going to do with this, but I'll probably finish it someday. That's for sure. And then, I know how frustrating it is to wait in vain for sequels! I'd like to make at least twenty chapters.
Anyway, finally a Sukuna x Yūji, a real one. I'll try to keep them in character, but it's quite a complex task. I don't really like it when the characters are too different, unless there's a reason in the development of the fanfiction.
Gradually, I will indicate new tags/TWs in annotation before reading the chapter. I'll keep some that are not necessary and will spoil you more than anything else. So, please take note, it's imperative. There might be absolutely none... TWs. I have no idea what I'm going to write.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate.
Anecdote:
Prodótēs (προδότης) is pronounced prod-ot'-ace.
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Jujutsu Kaisen manga (呪術廻戦), nor any of the associated characters. The Jujutsu Kaisen manga (呪術廻戦) was created by Gege Akutami (芥見下々) and belongs to Shūeisha Inc. (株式会社集英社). This story is solely for entertainment purposes. I do not profit from this story. All rights to the Jujutsu Kaisen manga (呪術廻戦) belong to Shūeisha Inc. (株式会社集英社).
All the aforementioned individuals are completely unaware that me and my stories exist.