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 already, plunging the landscape into total darkness. It was one of those moonless and starless nights, devoid of any celestial guidance. As oppressive as it was cold, it offered scant comfort to lonely souls. This thought was evident on his face, contorting it. He halted, scanning the sky covered by a thick layer of dark clouds, their muted murmurs seeming to foretell a dire omen, inaudible to mortals. Yes, he was now convinced: the rain would soon fall.
Lost in his thoughts, he resumed his path, absentmindedly touching his chapped lips with his fingers numbed by the cold. A bitter smile crossed his face, ushering in a rush of memories. Those moments when daydreaming took precedence over vigilance, causing him to lag behind. His teammates always waited for him, exasperated by his recklessness in putting himself in danger. He could see himself joining them again, limping with an embarrassed smile, his cheeks flushed with camaraderie. A bitter sensation invaded his mouth, and his fists clenched. How long had it been since they last met? How long had it been since they exchanged a glance? If only it had never happened. But what exactly? He had chosen to forget. He sniffed, disdainful.
He arrived at the edge of a simultaneously lush and eerie forest. Casting a final glance around, he noticed the mist slowly thickening. The mountains, with their snow-capped peaks fading into darkness, seemed defiant. Nothing out of the ordinary. So, he plunged into it, holding his breath, hoping to escape the oppressive weight that was growing within him.
He smelled the air, recognizing the scents of spruces, firs, and larches. Beneath his feet, the damp ground responded to each step with an annoying squeak. He must have wandered through this endless undergrowth for hours. Finally, he reached the edge of a powerful river that had burst its banks. Further along, in a clearing along a smooth cliff, a waterfall cascaded noisily into the void, likely due to the recent heavy rains in the region. Without further thought, he plunged his head into it before abruptly withdrawing, surprised by the water's chill. He gazed at his reflection in the agitated water, but saw only a blurred and indistinct silhouette. Unfeeling, devoid of humanity. Empty.
A cold sweat made him shiver. He resumed his walk without quenching his thirst. And now? In a mechanical motion, he pushed his hair back. At that moment, a fine rain began to fall, dying on the damp grass. Then a storm mingled 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 wasn't sure anymore. It didn't matter to him.
A twinge in his gut abruptly awakened him. A strange sensation? He heard a raspy and wheezing breath. He wanted to look around, but his eyes refused to open. With a painful effort, he could barely make 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, and his tongue numb. "Rest." It 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 anymore. 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 stirred within him. Vigilant, freed from a spell, he struggled to sit up on his scraped elbows, ignoring the nauseating smell that filled his nostrils. He then understood, much too late, that his hunting game was over.
Indeed, now he was the prey.
"Damn..." His blood boiled. Rising in a bound, he ignored the blurred spots that altered his vision. He had to find him, fast. He had no more time.
A terrible noise tore through the air, halting the movement of the water, freezing the sky and the earth. Seized with terror, he repressed 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 crushing as it was demonic. A smell accompanied this presence, blending the scent of the marsh with that of an inevitable death. The air densified and then vanished, plunging the atmosphere into a suffocating and toxic reality. He felt as if he were harboring within him burning embers blown by immortal beings.
Was it the Parca? He oscillated between excitement and fear, between fascination and disgust, unsure of what to feel. Was there no way to stay alive? Did he desire it? What if he failed?
In a reaction that surprised him, he emitted 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 seized him. A laughter that sounded false, almost cursed, ready to tip over.
The creature finally faced him. In all its horror, it hovered a few meters above the ground. Its gray complexion, its skeletal human-like semblance 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 a cavity without eyes, a gaping and toothless mouth.
He drew the sword he carried on his back. The battle was here. After months of seeking 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 ventured too close to the boundary of Men. But what it did not know was his descent into hell. He would annihilate this thing.
The creature lunged toward him, and he responded without hesitation. Spitting venom with corrosive pearls, he dodged backward.
"Damn," he spat between clenched teeth, feeling betrayed by this sneaky attack. He sprang up in one leap, ignoring the blotchy spots that obstructed his view. He had to find him, fast. He had no more time.
The creature pounced on him with disconcerting agility, its sharp claws ready to tear through anything 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 gloom. Each movement was calculated, every attack evaded or parried with extreme concentration.
The two adversaries seemed to perform a macabre dance, the panting rhythm of their breaths punctuating the clash of combat. The first creature, smaller and more agile, deftly evaded direct assaults, seeking to encircle him to find a flaw in the man's defense. In response, the man pivoted quickly, keeping his gaze fixed on the creature, searching for the opportune moment to counterattack.
Suddenly, a stabbing pain in his left side took his breath away. Caught off guard. Wide-eyed, he saw another creature similar to the first but also different. Several meters tall, imposing, dripping with coagulated blood and its own shreds of flesh. Linked to the first by a cord protruding from its swollen belly, from which decomposition flesh oozed.
She had succeeded, despite her size, in surprising him and tearing half of his entrails. "Unthinkable." He had never considered such agility and stealth. He had never encountered any like them. The 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 were not accustomed to forming some kind of collaboration or thinking; they instinctively threw 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 sweated from effort, his movements becoming slower under the impact of pain, but his determination remained unyielding.
Despite his injury, he maintained a fierce defense, parrying the attacks with an indomitable inner strength. However, the fight had reached a fateful impasse, where the outcome seemed inevitable. The creatures appeared to have a symbiotic connection, acting in unison in a deadly choreography.
Finally, fatigue and pain overcame him, his strength gradually leaving him. And in a last surge of determination, in a desperate effort, he attempted a bold 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 shot toward 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 disturbed by this unexpected wound. Seizing this moment of disarray, the exhausted yet determined man propelled himself towards the second, more agile creature. In a final act that would be fatal to him.
A heavy silence fell upon the clearing.
Then why hadn't they told him anything?
He frowned, no longer understanding the true meaning of his own thoughts. Once again, he spat blood. It was everywhere, around him. A large puddle that the thirsty earth absorbed drop by drop. 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. It felt like it was on fire. His amazement faded when he realized he was lying face down, his cheek against the ground. He hadn't even noticed. How long had he been down? It didn't matter, it was over.
So, he waited. But nothing happened. With veiled eyes, he stared at the horizon without realizing 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 once-threatening creatures vanished into a quiver, their forms dissipating in the air like mist dispersing under the rising sun. A gentle golden light filled the clearing, revealing a regained peace. And slowly, the man's eyes closed on this final spectacle, his mind slowly slipping into an eternal sleep.
But as the darkness began to spread its veil, a strange obscurity crept among the trees. Shadows danced, twisted in a mystical sarabande, enveloping the forest in a dark aura.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, tearing reality with a spectral movement. Its imposing presence evoked a demonic deity, 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 sight 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 low growls betrayed their terror, fleeing the clearing in a frenzied haste, like creatures panicked by the mere proximity of this mystical and formidable entity. They vanished into the growing darkness, leaving behind an atmosphere imbued 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 with horror at this supernatural apparition. He felt his heart racing as the entity advanced slowly, the stranger's eyes locked onto his.
In an inaudible murmur, the entity seemed to whisper indiscernible words, but no speech crossed its ethereal lips. Waves of power emanated from this impenetrable creature, shaking the man to the core.
Fear immobilized him, his limbs refusing to obey his desires to flee. He could barely discern the contours of this entity, its shape constantly shifting, as if made up of moving and unruly shadows.
The divine entity, if it could be called that, seemed to perceive the man's terror, using that fear to accentuate its hold over him. A spectral smile, tinged with malice, fleetingly appeared on its elusive face.
Despite his attempts, the man could neither move nor speak. His exhausted mind oscillated between fear and the unfathomable fascination for this entity with undeniable power.
The strange and inscrutable deity continued to exude its demonic aura, transforming the clearing into a place haunted by the darkest mysteries of the universe. The surrounding darkness seemed to murmur ancient secrets, forgotten truths, and the young man found himself involuntarily captivated by this shadowy presence, as terrifying as it was intriguing.
And then, gradually, he succumbed to the treacherous sweetness of an endless and lightless torpor.
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.