Chapter 8 is out, I hope you all enjoy it. Added some original content, I will continue to in the future if that is alright. I'm very interested in expounding upon the world of sorcery.
A lot of fighting this chapter.
Anyways, enjoy.
The Butterfly Effect
Chapter 8
November 5th, 1986
Zen'in Clan Estate
"You cause a lot of trouble for a 9 year old."
"..."
"You must have something you wish to say, or did that beating take the bite out of you. You're never this quiet."
"..."
"Such a scary look, the most power a Monkey like you can ever hope to have is with those rabbit animal monkey eyes of yours"
"..."
"I won't tolerate your disrespect any longer. Now acknowledge your clan head, Acknowledge your father or I'll have your older brother discipline you further."
"I got nothing to say to you other than 'go to hell.'" The boy muttered with a deep frown
A long pause in the conversation began, the strict parent and the rebellious child glaring at each other. A second later a larger and older child then walked obediently behind the younger, to suddenly pin him to the ground. The latter made no attempt to fight back, unmoving and unresponsive as he was roughly pinned to the hard wooden floor. The foot of the older one resting atop his head, prepared to cause injury at any hint of more rebellion.
"Jinichi, do you have a knife on you?" The parent wondered aloud.
"No father, but there are the pieces of the window that was broken all across the floor in the private Dojo."
"That should suffice, the punishment fitting the crime is perfect symmetry after all. Go retrieve the glass Jinichi, once you do return to us with haste." The father asked politely of his older son.
Jinichi immediately bowed before leaving to complete his assignment.
"Why couldn't you turn out like your older brother? My name, Hiroto Zen'in, should be remembered as the 25th head of the most esteemed and powerful family in all of sorcerer history, surpassing even the ancient clans of the past such as the Sugawara and their descendants the Fujiwara. Yet my legacy will be that my useless woman gave birth to a Monkey."
The elder man was not yet finished speaking, delivering the last words of his statement, "You are the most horrid of children, the worst I could've dreamed of, a stain on the entire history of our kin. You are not my son Toji Zen'in. If I could I would pretend you to be a bastard orphan I took pity on and gave purpose in servitude to a great and powerful clan."
"..."
"Do you think people are born equal? Silly question, of course not. Why do you think you're covered in bruises and slashes? It's because you're inferior, a monkey. In Jujutsu society the only measure to evaluate someone's life is power, which a pitiful creature like yourself has none of."
"Fuck you old man."
"There it is, that disgraceful tongue of yours. You may act as if all of your discipline doesn't affect-"
"It really doesn't at all, maybe stings a little at most"
"Silence Monkey. Speak when spoken directly to you."
"I'll talk when I want."
SLAP!
The crack of the man's palm striking across the face of the young boy traveled around the interior of the Zen'in private sector, the Hei stationed to guard the head of the clan in his quarter did not flinch or give any sign of reaction to the brutality, completely desensitized the punishment Toji Zen'in would receive. Somehow after each beating the wounds would always heal immediately the day after.
"I said you will speak when spoken directly to. A being such as you has no place in the world our family is destined to create. The most value you Monkeys will have to offer will be in the labor weaklings like you will do in favor of the strong."
The child showed no anger or malice. Instead the boy glanced at his parent and questioned him,"Well then you all would exist below others too, it probably won't be too long until a new special grade sorcerer is born. What will you do then father? Will you perform labor in favor of their strength?"
The 25th head of the Zen'in face flushed in rage, the disrespect igniting his cursed energy and circulating it towards the fists. The Zen'in leader began to pull back his fist ready to deal another bruise to the boy covered in purple and blue already. A moment before the man could impart his punishment upon his youngest son the favored child of the family returned.
"I am back, father. I have the sharpest piece I could find in my possession as well."
"Excellent. Now, restrain Toji once more."
The elder Jinichi nodded before pinning his younger brother again without effort, lifting his siblings head slightly by the hair so that eye contact could be maintained between the father and youngest son.
"It's so easy to see the hate in your eyes like this; being yanked around like a dog on a leash. How selfish of you, it isn't our fault you were born inferior, you can only blame yourself."
Jinichi chuckled before agreeing heartily with their clan figurehead, "Father is right Toji. It is the natural order of the world. The world is the way it is. The weak do not simply accommodate the strong, their lives revolve around them. It's ok to be at the bottom so long as you understand who is above you."
Hiroto smiled proudly at his favorite son, to him he understood the nature of existence perfectly as he had. Unless he passed on to the next world before naming a new heir to the clan, which would transfer power to his own younger brother Naobito, he would name his son to fill those shoes once he reached the proper age.
"Well spoken son. Anything you have to say to that Toji?"
"You both talk too much. I haven't really been paying attention." The child responded with a raspy voice.
Hiroto's face tightened up, the crease in his frown displayed prominently. He would take this disrespect no longer.
"Jinichi, Toji always seems to appear unharmed after his punishments. I think he has a secret helper that treats him out of pity. Give him a mark that will never fade."
Nodding his head, Jinichi brought the sharp piece of glass close to the face of his own sibling.
"Where shall I brand him father?"
"Anywhere on the face shall do, it matters little where."
"Alright."
Toji Zen'in took the pain without pause, completely unfazed by the jagged edges that began to claw at the side of his mouth. The red blood trickled down his chin and neck, staining his brown robes.
When Jinichi pulled back the shard of glass, admiring his work, he smiled viscously before adding the last finishing touch by slamming his brother's face into the wooden floor.
"leave him there, my son. He will learn to accept his place as all of the weak will eventually."
Hiroto and Jinichi Zen'in left their relative lying face flat on the floor. The two Zen'ins believed Toji had passed out from the pain. The young boy refused to let any sign of weakness show in front of his father and brother, so laid there licking the blood around his mouth profusely, doing whatever he could to hide his wound.
Once it was just him in the room alone, Toji sat up straight. Running a hand across his mouth he rose to his feet and left the room. His father had been mistaken, there had been no helper or caretaker that treated his bruises and cuts after his beatings. Toji never had anyone to look out for him.
He never needed anyone anyhow. Connections, friends, family, they were all meaningless formalities. Fake relationships that were worth nothing.
The only person he could trust was himself.
October 4th, 2018
'Where am I?' Toji questioned as he wandered around the woodland forest.
'Never mind where I am. How am I alive? I felt like I was in a void forever and yet no time at all. I'm supposed to be dead.'
Toji moved his hand over the left side of his body that had been obliterated. He balled his hand into a first over and over, remembering how it felt to be alive.
"It's like taking a deep breath in after almost asphyxiating." He said aloud.
Toji looked up at the sky, blue without a cloud in sight.
"I'm alive. I'm alive." he whispered in disbelief and mixed feelings. Toji had no idea how to feel about this revelation. On one hand it felt amazing to live and breathe in the cool oxygen that he thought he would be deprived of, but now….what did he have to live for?
It wasn't like he had anything to ever live for, until…
But now he truly had no purpose. He had sold his son Megumi and in turn his daughter Tsumiki to the Zen'in, he wasn't even sure he cared about either of them. At least before he felt content to gamble his life away and die miserably but now that he had almost died pathetically at the hands of the six eyes, it was different.
Was it for the best that he simply kill himself? He has no one left.
But it's been like that for most of his life anyway, yet he still lived on just to spite the world. To spite the gods who taunted him, the Monkey, and show them that their gifts meant nothing and could be ripped to shreds by trash like him.
Maybe it was the right thing to kill himself, get rid of scum like him.
But that was like admitting defeat to them; To accept that the world would be better off without him. He wouldn't lose, not to them. Never to them. If he would die, it would be because he was killed at the hands of someone stronger than him, just as it was originally.
BOOM!
Toji looked up to see the blue sky fade into a light orange. A veil, he recognized it easily from his time as a killer, his time as the sorcerer killer.
Toji began walking to nowhere in particular. It was then that Toji took in the world around him, using his gifted senses to feel the energy of the area.
'There are sorcerers here. A lot of them. Some strong curses too. What are they doing here?' Toji asked in his head, turning his head to look around when he caught a sight of a metal looking object. He approached it staring at it intensely when he then realized it was a camera.
'So much for being the invisible man'
After another couple seconds staring into the device Toji used his speed to travel across the forest at a near subsonic pace.
'I need some answers. I'll find the weakest cursed energy and squeeze some information out of them.'
Toji wasn't looking for a fight, but he did want some information as to why he was inside a barrier with several high level curses.
'Someone probably saw me on the camera, lets hope its not someone I've encountered before'
Yuuji Itadori and Aoi Todo were in the middle of their heated battle of fisticuffs when they heard the loud echoing rumble. The sound all sorcerers could recognize as a veil being placed upon the area.
To say it was unnerving would not describe the feeling accurately. It wasn't the idea that someone was interfering with the event, possibly out to kill one of the students. The clans hiring third parties to kill certain individuals had happened before.
No, the most unsettling part about it was the audacity to attempt something like this when the two strongest sorcerers were in the vicinity.
Attempting this with Satoru Gojo around must mean you have a deathwise. Trying a stunt like this with his protege Yuuta Okkotsu right beside him means you know what you're getting yourself into.
Right?
"Brother, we will continue this clash of our hearts at a later time. Something is not right."
Yuuji brought his hands down to his sides and relaxed his posture. They had been fighting since the exchange event started, but he wasn't getting tired at all. Todo might be the most insane person he has ever met, yet he knew exactly how to motivate him. Yuuji could tell his power had grown incredibly in just the past half hour. If it meant growing stronger he would be friends with this insane large man.
"Yeah, what is going on with the sky?" Yuuji asked in confusion.
"It's a veil of some kind, likely with a barrier enforced as well."
Todo analyzed the cursed energy in the air, he may not be able to see it like Satoru Gojo but all sorcerers with a deeper understanding of cursed manipulation like himself could feel the changes in the air.
In fact, now that Todo wasn't focusing on his newly found brother he wondered how he didn't feel it before; there were a couple faint cursed presences. He couldn't quite place where they were or how much cursed energy there was though.
"I don't know exactly where or what is in this forest, but I have a feeling it isn't just sorcerers inside this veil." Todo stated seriously. If his gut feeling was right, and it always was, then there were at least 3 cursed spirits that were grade 1 or possibly higher. His Kyoto classmates would struggle greatly against a semi-grade 1 on their own or flat out lose horribly.
"What do you mean Todo? Who else could be here?"
"I don't know but I do know there are curses with sizable amounts of cursed energy."
Yuuji stared at him for a second, an image of Mahito flashing inside his brain. He scowled at the thought, if he was here he would find him and finish what he and Nanami started. For Junpei.
"What should we do?"
"We need to meet up with everyone else, or at least find some of our classmates. I've been in enough exchange events to know something is quite off. Our priority should be finding some of the others."
Yuuji nods, "Where should we head to first"
"We should try and find the weaker presences since they will be less able to defend themselves from higher level curses. I recognize Momo and Miwa's cursed energy but I can't pinpoint it, I'm sure it's nearby though."
"Alright, let's go."
Nobara Kugisaki and Panda Yaga walked through the forests tentatively, having now met with each other again after their respective fights against the other Kyoto students.
Now they were both on edge as they realized the forest was covered in a newly formed veil. Panda the more experienced student of the two and as given his relationship with the school's principal he knew this was very serious.
"Kugisaki something has gone horribly wrong, we need to get out of this forest."
"What do we do? Can't we just wait for Gojo?"
"If that was all it took then he would already be inside, but I can't sense his cursed energy which means he is still on the outside of the veil."
Nobara paused anxiously, "What does that mean exactly? You're not saying…"
"It's not just that either, I'm not proficient enough at cursed energy to know if I'm right but I'm getting a real bad feeling from this forest right now."
"The rest of our class is in trouble then! We have to find them and get out of here!" Nobara shouted, her anxiety beginning to manifest at the unknown that lurked within the forest.
"That's not a good idea, we have to have faith that everyone from our school and from kyoto knows that escape is the priority." Panda responded.
Nobara understood the logic behind it, but the thought of just leaving it up to her friends to figure it out for themselves while she tucked tail…she couldn't do that to them. Never.
"Panda we-"
Nobara couldn't even finish her words before an overwhelming cursed energy and aura radiated from somewhere inside the barrier and across the entire landscape. It was violent and creepy in a way she had never felt before, but she knew who it belonged to.
"...that-"
"That was Okkotsu's cursed energy just now, I've never felt it like that."
Panda smiled with intense relief. He was nervous for his friends and his juniors but with Yuuta here everything would be alright. "Kugisaki, Yuuta will be able to help everyone while we get out of here. It's ok to rely on him."
"Sorry but I can't do that", Nobara swiftly then turned around and began to run to the nearest cursed energy presence she felt. "I got to do my part too Panda, I want to be a strong sorcerer as well!"
"HOLD ON WAIT A SECOND!" The bear called after her, not far behind.
"Fushiguro, shall we pause our match?" Kamo said a little winded from using his technique with such extreme effort. Flowing Red Scale beginning to tax his body. Kamo can feel his temperature rise higher and higher, if he doesn't take a break his body will reach lethal levels of heat.
"That's fine with me" The younger sorcerer called down from atop Nue. The shikigami lowered towards the ground where Megumi ceased his technique and called all of his shadows back into his own. "What's this about?" He asked.
"I don't have the slightest Idea."
Megumi looked around and observed the cursed energy in the air. He was about to say something but a voice from an entirely separate party was the first to speak.
"I HAVE AN IDEA FOR YOU!" A shrill voice cackled from atop the roof of the building they had been in.
Both Kamo and Fushiguro turned and looked at the giggling creature that stood atop the structure. It was a moderately tall being, clearly a curse based on its energy, with gray hair and a face with stitches all over it.
It was a strong curse. That much was obvious. Its energy was insidious and promised complete destruction to anyone who crossed its path, a vibe Megumi also found when he was getting brutally destroyed by the king of curses in their fight.
Both sorcerers were stunned for a second, so petrified that for a single moment they were frozen solid.
The human curse Mahito drank in the sight shamelessly, these two may not be Yuuji Itadori but they will be great bait for him. Megumi slowly inched his hand to move more and more, after another moment he seemed to gain full autonomy of his limbs again as well as Kamo. The two of them understand wordlessly that to survive this unknown curse they would have to work together.
"Who are you?" Kamo asked loudly
Mahito laughed and hopped down from the roof, landing on the group and creating a shallow crater. "No need to shout, I can hear ya just fine from down here!"
'He is drawing cursed energy into his hands.' Megumi noted, "Answer his question; who are you?"
Mahito raised his hands in the air, and with an innocent look on his face said "I'm just a curse, nothing more nothing less. I am here to collect your souls though, I hope you don't mind too much Heh." In a flash Mahito was behind Kamo, his palm just about to touch his face when a large tongue shot out and captured Kamo before the curse could make an impact. The blood manipulator was pulled into the mouth of Megumi toad summon.
"T-Thanks."
"Pay attention to where he circulates his cured energy; it is flowing directly to his hand. It's definitely a special grade curse which means it probably has its own technique. I'd guess it activates based on touch. So watch out for that."
But what surprised Megumi was Mahito Cackling even louder. "I really am an idiot. I completely forgot my vow. Thank you sorcerer, you really saved me right there." Megumi looked at the curse baffled, not having any clue what he was speaking about, and one look at the other student and it was easy to see he didn't either.
The curse shifted his attention towards the sorcerer who had exited the mouth of the toad, "You really are lucky. If I was anyone else you would be dead."
The curses transfigured his arm into a long sharp blade, sprinting towards the younger sorcerer while swinging his arms back and forth itching to cut.
And eventually he did. Megumi was the slowest out of all the fighters present, not only was he younger but he lacked the ability to use Flowing Red Scale like the student from Kyoto. Mahito slashed across Megumi's arms. It wasn't a cut enough to deal serious lasting damage, but it was by no means a mere paper cut.
"Fushiguro, we need to retreat! Even though this curse won't attack me I can't land any blow on him. If we continue to fight we will die!"
"Actually Only he will die HA!" Mahito morphed his free hand into a rope and swung it around Megumi's neck, causing him to release a deep yelp as Mahito tugged him close, ready to use his cursed technique with his opposite hand now having reformed into its original shape.
Kamo moved quickly knowing this would be his last move of this encounter, he was already at his limit and this would require enough blood to make him pass out.
He drew a sharp needle from his pocket before quickly poking it inside his arm. Once removed he clasped his hands together in a clap, before summoning all his cursed energy towards a powerful Piercing Blood. The sudden onslaught of such a quick attack was able to catch Mahito off guard. Because of his arrogance Mahito assumed that the attack would be slow enough for him to retrieve his hands in time.
He was mistaken.
The blood sped right through his foremost limbs and sliced both arms clean off. Freeing Megumi from certain death. In the aftermath of this attack Kamo began to wobble on his feet, lightheaded from the amount of blood he had to use.
"Shit! Kamo get up!" Megumi looked up at the smirking curse in alarm, taking a step back in trepidation. He couldn't be consumed by fear now, not when he needed to be at 100%, he needed to focus. Megumi brought his hands together to summon Max Elephants once again.
The large creature leapt out from his shadow and rumbled towards the curse but to Megumi's horror the creature simply morphed his body around it completely easily weaving though its large frame.
"I'VE GOT YOU NOW!"
Mahito raced right up to Megumi, palm mere inches away from his body when-
"DON'T MOVE"
The cursed command of Toge Inumaki wrung out from his lungs. Fushiguro looked to see his senior on the roof of the building where the special grade curse had been just a minute or two earlier. The effect of his technique made the cursed speech user fall to his knees and cough up blood. However it seemed he still had enough left to give on last command. Collecting his cursed energy he called out…
"BLAST AWAY"
Mahito was sent flying across the forest through tree after tree with insane force. The curse attempted to latch onto something to prevent himself from being flung across the land but it was no use.
Megumi caught his breath, taking in deep gasps of oxygen and settling down his racing heart. "Thank you Inumaki." the first year said to his senior gratefully.
All toge could do was simply give a thumbs up weakly, his voice almost beyond repair and desperately requiring reverse cursed technique. He had been moving quickly to find his other teammates upon his discovery, he had been lucky to come across Megumi when he had.
The second year then wheezed more blood out of his mouth and nose. He was at his limit. Against sorcerers and strong curses such as this he was at a severe disadvantage.
The two Tokyo students simply stood there catching their breath for a moment. Megumi looked down at the unconscious Kamo. He couldn't help but get a little upset that he had to rely on his opponent to save his life.
He was now indebted to him.
When Mai woke up she scurried to her feet unfamiliar with her surroundings. Looking left and right provided no information of where she was either.
Reaching for her revolver and quickly reloading it. She carefully stepped through the forest and looked for any signs for who had moved her while she was unconscious.
"Oh you're awake"
Mai sharply turned around and pointed her gun at the person the voice belonged to ready to pull the trigger.
It was her sister. Maki.
"You." Mai regarded her sibling coldly. Mai remembered their scuffle from earlier, how she had pleaded with her older twin to tell her why she had abandoned Mai and left to become a sorcerer.
Of course the answer she got was shit. It was because Maki wanted to be a bird that couldn't be caged. It was what Mai wanted as well yet had none of the desire to fight for. Mai had accepted that it was futile to resist their family.
Of course Maki could never accept that. She's strong.
"You passed out after using your technique. I don't know what is going on but something isn't right with the event. So I came back to get you."
Mai didn't meet her sister's gaze. She was too prideful herself and too ashamed to lock eyes with her.
"I don't need your help." She muttered weakly.
"I don't care, I'm your sister so I'm going to help you if I please."
How dare she. How dare she act like the older sibling when she had been the one that left her behind. She had told Maki to never let go and yet she had. At the first chance to leave their family and Mai behind she took it.
"You don't get to call me your sister!"
"I'm sorry Mai. I really am, If I knew you wanted to come with me I would've asked for you to come to. I would never just abandon you." Maki spoke genuinely. Not a day passed where Maki didn't wish she could patch things together with her sibling. It was her greatest regret that they could no longer talk with each other, she had been the only person Maki could call family, except for Megumi but that was to a much lesser extent.
"I TOLD YOU I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS! A SORCERER'S LIFE IS HELL BUT SO IS LIFE AT THE COMPOUND-" Mai's voice cracked for a second, "-At least if I had to pick one it would be the one closer to my sister! But you left me!"
It was all so shit. How could Mai ever explain to Maki how bad everything had gotten after she left. The awful treatment and attention she received, especially once her cursed technique was discovered. She wanted to vomit just thinking about it.
Maki's exterior was starting to crack, she couldn't stay composed in front of her sister like this. She was slipping. "I know, fuck. I'm so very sorry Mai. I know that the compound is awful and it tears me up inside that you have to spend your time there-"
"YOU SHOULD FEEL BAD! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE HAD TO DO!" Mai screamed. Deep down Mai understood she was displacing her regret and anguish onto her sister because she knew Maki would accept the unfair treatment. She would accept it because Maki is strong and she isn't.
That's how it always has been.
She had missed her sister dearly. She wanted to cry out and admit how much it hurt to not be able to see her. Mai was thankful everyday that she had found friends at Kyoto, she honestly didn't think she could live on had she been reduced to the loveless environment of the Clan estate.
Maki looked away, taking off her glasses, making sure her face was hidden as she quickly ran her hand across her face wiping away any tears that were about to leave her eyes.
"I'm sorry." was all Maki croaked.
The two sisters stood in silence for another minute, neither of them looking at each other.
"Mai we need to get moving and find our classmates."
"I'll go alone."
"Mai-"
"I told you I h-"
"You girls are pretty loud" A deep voice rumbled. Maki and Mai cast their attention towards the figure who had completely snuck up on them. Maki raised her spear and Mai her gun.
'Who the hell is that! And how did he sneak up on me?!' Maki thought in shock. She was never taken by surprise. Sure there were people that were faster than her but even when she didn't have her glasses she could at least feel a slight shift in the room if a curse was present.
The man was wearing a blue shirt and long dress pants that male sorcerers would wear. What's more, this guy had no cursed presence at all and yet still maintained a deathly intimidation.
"I don't want any trouble, I just would like to have some information if that's alright with you two."
Mai cocked her revolver, ready to shoot at a moment's notice, "Are you the guy that cast the veil?"
"No. I'm also going to ask you both to give me your weapons. We can do this the easy way or the not so easy way, it makes no difference to me."
"Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Nobody, now give me your weapons and answer my questions."
Maki growled, "Like hell we will!" Maki readied herself to pounce on the unidentified figure but before she could even blink he was behind her.
'The hell!?'
Maki was then slammed into a nearby tree. "MAKI!" her sister cried out before aiming her revolver at the man, only to see her gun in his hand instead.
"Would you like to keep trying, little girl?" He said a little irritated, as he grabbed her wrist.
"GET AWAY FROM HER" Maki screamed at the man launching from her positonint attempting to tackle him. But their attacker didn't move an inch. He didn't budge.
'How?! There is no way he is that heavy! Or am I just that weak!?' Maki asked in her mind, in disbelief that she couldn't move him at all.
"You actually are stronger than you look. Unfortunately for you I'm the same" and then he roughly grabbed her arm, twisting it around her back…
And dislocated it.
"RRRGGH" Maki yelped through gritted teeth.
"I told you not to fight. All you had to do was listen."
Mai instantly ran towards her sister helping to lift her up off her knees. Mai could feel her legs shaking in fear, "what do you want?! Just leave us alone and we'll tell you anything!"
"What?! Mai! No! What about our friends?!"
The man smirked, lowering his two arms which now held each sister's weapon. "Deal. Where am I?"
For a second Mai looked at him in shock, he didn't know where he even was? This monster had stumbled into this forest off chance?
"Y-your inside the barrier of Tengen, and on the grounds of Tokyo Jujutsu highschool."
"…" the long pauses without response gave Mai reason to believe that maybe he had changed his mind that maybe he was going to kill them both after all. Maki was still using her effort and energy to restrain her weak moans of pain. Mai knew how to realign her arm and set it back in place but with this person here with them that wasn't an option.
"I-I'm telling the truth sir, we R-really are near Tokyo Jujutsu H-high school."
"I believe you. I just don't know how to feel. Next question, what year is it?"
"It's…It's October 2018."
Toji's eyes widened.
"2018. Are you fucking serious?"
"Yes s-sir I'm not l-lying!"
He was dead for 12 years. 12 fucking years. He couldn't believe it.
"You girls, tell me why there are special grade curses and sorcers here in these woods?"
Maki was the one who spoke up next, her voice barely audible and very strained; "It's the Exchange event between sister schools Tokyo and Kyoto, that's why there are many sorcerers here. We have no idea why there might be strong curses here."
"You've gotta be shitting me. Do either of you go to Kyoto?"
"She does." Maki answered, nodding towards her younger twin. This turned out to be a mistake, in a blur the man was behind her sister and promptly knocked her out with a slight blow to the back of her head.
"MAI! I thought we had a deal?!"
"Relax, she's just unconscious. This way her already low cursed energy won't be noticed by the special grade curses and she is out of my way."
"W-why didn't you knock me out?"
"I presume that you go to Tokyo Jujutsu high, right?"
Maki nodded slightly, internally trying vigorously to figure out the motive and agenda of this man.
"Why do you ask?"
Toji asked because he needed a student's life for leverage in case he encountered the six eyes and had to use a distraction to flee. He wouldn't tell her that though.
"No reason, what's your name?"
"I'm not telling you my name if you won't tell me your's!"
Toji just laughed, "how about this tell me your name or I'll kill this girl you seem to be close to." He began raising Maki's spear in the air, setting the impending doom of Mai into the thoughts of Maki.
" NO! I'LL TELL YOU JUST DON'T HURT HER!"
'Too easy' Toji thought with a grin. "Alright I'm waiting."
"My name is Maki."
"Don't get smart with me brat, your full name-"
"Zen'in. It's Maki Zen'in and that's my sister Mai."
Toji stared at her dumbfounded before erupting in laughter. "You and her? Zen'in woman? Both sorcerers? Like they would ever let that happen."
He settled down, almost choking on his own spit, "HA, The Zen'in would rather obliterate themselves before they let a woman even consider becoming a sorcerer. What a worthless lie you came up with."
"I'm not Lying!" Maki snarled at him.
"You look like you're 16 or 17, those scum would be trying to get babies out of you by now if you were really a Zen'in"
It was once again Maki's turn to be floored at words spoken to her. She had heard about how the Clan used to operate before Naobito became clan head, sure he was despicable himself but prior to him coming to power almost 2 decades ago it had been worse. Looking into the records and history of her clan before the 21st century were enough to give her nightmares.
'But those records are locked in the Zen'in library. How on Earth does this man know this stuff?'
"W-who are you?! You must be a Zen'in yourself!"
When he didn't outright deny it after a couple seconds Maki knew her guess had been right. But then pieces started to align that made her world spin.
A Zen'in. No observable cursed energy. Ridiculous superhuman power and physical attributes despite appearance.
'Impossible. It can't be.'
"You. You're Toji Z-"
And then she was out cold as well
Hanami and Jogo walked together, Dagon not far behind.
"That fool Mahito! I just knew he'd run off before Geto gave the signal. Now we are split up."
The Volcano curse was clearly not happy at all. Anger showing in the form of smoke flowing from his circular ears.
"Calm yourself Jogo. We are close to a group of sorcerers, I count at least 3; 1 high cursed energy presence and 2 very mediocre."
The curses' assignment was to simply cause chaos. Mahito had made a Binding Vow with Kyoto's Mechamaru which forced him to not attack any of Kyoto's students, however the rest of the curses were free to wreak havoc.
"Do you see them, Jogo? Hanami?" Dagon squeaked.
Yes, they could see them. And the sorcerer with a large amount of cursed energy; Mechamaru, most certainly knew of their presence and was looking in their general direction.
"Hanami, are we able to kill the puppet user?" Jogo asked his companion.
"I don't quite know. He won't be an issue as things are now though. We can simply ignore him and take the other two out."
"Should we advance quickly? I could finish the two girls that are with him off easily."
"Do as you must Jogo."
1 minute Prior With Mechamaru, Momo Nishimiya, and Miwa Kasumi…
'This is bad. This is very, very, bad' Kokichi muttered over and over to himself internally.
There are 3 special grade curses approaching, he can feel them getting closer and closer. The binding vow he made should protect him and his friends from one curse specifically but more than that? He had no idea. He couldn't bank on them following through with their deal and honoring it, they would kill both Momo and Miwa if we didn't do something.
What could he do?
'They keep getting closer, I can feel them in the trees.'
Kokichi looked in the direction his instinct told him to look, but he saw no signs of the strong curses.
'They still feel close.'
"Is everything alright Mechamaru?" Miwa asked, walking up to him and putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Y-yes. We should all get moving immediately. We must regroup with everyone and find a way out of here."
"But you said we should stop and settle down for a while. We were fighting just 20 minutes ago." Momo asked in annoyance. Even though she could fly on her broom it still required focus and cursed energy, her mind was also still a little tired as well.
"Yeah Momo's right, Mai's sister wore me out. A part of me thinks she can't be human."
"We don't have time for this! We have to get moving!" He shouted, his frustration slipping into his tone. He knew this would have the alternative effect then what he was hoping for but he was starting to get desperate. They needed to act quickly.
'Could I knock them unconscious and carry their bodies with some of my puppet?'
Kokichi weighed his options. These curses could attack at any time and they were just sitting here waiting for it to happen. He couldn't allow it.
His friends looked at him astonished at his tone with some concern written on their face as well.
"Mechamaru, I'm sure we can meet with them later. Right now we need to let our cursed energy gather again."
"You're not listening to me Momo, it is best for our survival in general that we keep moving. Don't you sense those strong cursed energies near!"
"I would be able to if my cursed energy was at a hundred percent" The broom user yelled back at him.
He was getting nowhere. He had to think of something.
"There are special grades curses in this forest. I can feel them near, If we move now we may still be able to escape them-"
"Escape who?"
'What. Who was? Who is that!?' Mechamaru turned to his side to fight a short light blue curse with a cloth tied around his neck.
It was one of the special grades. Without a doubt. His cursed energy was incredible, unlike anything he had felt from a curse.
'We're all dead,' he thought in horror.
Immediately Mechamaru charged a blast and fired it, Miwa and Momo were still clearly dazed and had no idea what was going on.
"Foolish Human."
'What?! Behind me?!'
This time a large white curse with a bandage around its arm, towering over Mechamaru. He looked back and forth taking in the whole surroundings. Momo and Miwa were trembling at the feeling of standing near such strong curses.
Miwa lightly wrapped her fingers around her sword, shaking, but ready to cast a simple domain regardless.
'T-These are the special grades?! They are on a whole different level than the curses we faced last december!' Miwa thought as cold sweat started to form on her face, slipping down her temple and forehead.
"I'll end this quickly Hanami, Dagon." The short curse with a mountain shaped head spoke in a rough withered voice. He moved his hands and finger together and his cursed energy skyrocketed.
'SHIT!'
"MOMO! RUN!" Mechamaru yelled with all his might, "MIWA OPEN A SIMPLE DOMAIN NOW!"
"Domain Expansion: Coffin Of the Iron Mountain"
"New Shadow Style: Simple Domain"
The area they were standing in was suddenly engulfed in cursed energy before being transformed into the rocky sweltering insides of a Volcano. Kokichi knew this is where he could no longer continue in the fight. Once the domain was complete his technique would cease to work and he would no longer be able to control his puppets.
Miwa and Momo will be by themselves.
I failed. I'm so sorry Miwa.
The barrier of the domain closed successfully activating its sure hit effect and negating use of all other cursed techniques inside its boundaries.
Miwa stood there breathing heavily, she could feel her cured energy draining rapidly but she knew Momo and her were dead if she dropped her domain. Once it was gone the Domain would be able to use its effect and the curse would kill them instantly.
"I can feel your cursed energy draining girl. You will not be able to sustain this for another minute or two. Give up and surrender your lives."
The curse was right. Her Knees were buckling.
'Damnit! Sensei would be ashamed of me if he saw me slipping so fast. He would be able to hold a simple domain for at least an hour. I'm useless.'
Momo was frozen in fear, the stakes of their situation clear as day.
They were dead.
Miwa sunk lower and lower, her concentration starting to take its toll on her body, her gut coiling up. She had used too much cursed energy, if she used anymore she might pass out or worse.
She tried digging deeper, attempting to find something, anything that would help her last longer.
Blood dripped from her eyes, nose, and mouth. It was excruciating, she could give up. She had to keep going.
No matter how hard she clawed at her cursed energy pool, looking for any last scrap of energy to buy more time for help, she never found any. She had used it all.
"I-I'm S-sorry Momo I-I Can….t" The blue haired girl collapsed
The blueish aura faded with the domain, leaving Momo by herself and at the whim of the curse standing in front of her, devoid of all emotion except pity.
No one was coming to help her.
"You'll meet your friend in the next life."
Molten rock shot at the cursed tool user and her friend, ready to melt her alive and scorch her to death.
CRACK!
In that moment, the domain expansion cultivated by a powerful special grade curse was shattered like fragile glass. The pieces of its construction vanished into raw energy, as its exterior was obliterated by an energy that Jogo, Hanami, and Dagon had never felt in all their time in existence.
"Yuutaaaaa which one is the enemy?" A horrifying creepy white monster asked with a sickening sweet sing song voice.
"They all are, Rika."
It was Yuuta Okkotsu. And with him a massive curse looking creature that was appearing out of what appeared to be a shadow or some gateway that led to its origin.
They had to flee. They would perish if they fought him, even if they were all fighting together.
"You curses made a mistake. You'll all die for it."
There was one plan for escape in a situation like this. Jogo looked towards Okkotsu. His eyes held no emotion; not anger, nor grief, nor sorrow. Only two deep black abysses that focus their killing intent on the curses that stood in his way. The ear piercing ring of him unsheathing his sword was enough to make the 3 special grade take a large tentative leap back.
"Jogo, should I open my Domain? or Hanami?" Dagon asked in worry.
No that wouldn't work, Okkotsu would almost certainly be able to overwhelm any of them with a domain if we could expand his own. His cursed energy was colossal, completely overshadowing Satoru Gojo. Geto had mentioned he was strong, but to this extent?
"Don't Dagon it's no use. I have one move that will buy us time, then we flee and move as far away from Okkotsu as possible." The volcano curse waited until his curses technique replenished and he was lucky indeed that it had. The special grade sorcerer had nothing but murder on his mind.
"MAXIMUM ART: METEOR"
Jogo circulated as much cursed energy as he could to call forth a massive hot fire ball out of the sky, created from his own cursed energy. Swinging with all his might, casting its sights on Okkotsu.
"NOW DAGON! HANAMI!"All three curses took off moving with all their might from the destruction that meteor would cause and the wrath of the second year sorcerer.
"Cowards." Yuuta growled, looking over at the two unconscious girls off to the side. He paid no attention to the incoming meteor, which was half a minute away from causing devastation upon the entire landscape.
He quickly placed a hand on both of them, applying reversed cursed technique. One was badly fatigued while it seemed the other had passed out in shock.
Once he was finished he looked up at the massive fireball that was at the point of impact.
He brought both of his hands to his sword, pouring as much cursed energy as the sword could take without breaking, making sure to keep the pace so as not to make it shatter.
Yuuta swung his sword upwards, unleashing a ginormous slash of raw cursed energy which split the fireball in half and vaporized the remaining halves with its overwhelming intensity.
"Yuuuuta should I go after them?"
"No Rika, I want you staying only partially formed looking for cursed energy signatures, especially hers"
"But It's too faint Yuuta."
"Rika." He said sternly, looking at her with narrowed eyes.
The spirit could only whimper and nod slightly as her command was made clear.
Yuuta had already searched for his classmates' cursed energies. Toge's was faint as well but Yuuta could sense that Fushiguro's was close by, who he trusted to look after his friend. He could sense Panda and Kugisaki not far away and getting closer to where their classmates were. That just left Maki and Yuuji.
Yuuji had a below average amount of cursed energy but it was still noticeable. Todo and him had been fighting and were still near each other. So long as the 4th year was close to his underclassman Yuuta knew that he would be safe as well.
That just left Maki. He couldn't sense her at all. He hated it. Already Maki was very hard to detect but at the moment it was almost impossible to find even a faint signal of where she even had been.
He needed to know she was alright or he wouldn't be able to focus. He needed to know she was safe. If he wasn't focused he wouldn't be able to use his technique.
He felt a surge of anger take over him for a moment, cursing himself for letting the special grades escape.
Yuuta wanted to make sure everything in the forest knew he was here. Every living thing would know of his location, an invitation to anyone who wished to challenge.
He let down his own walls and restraints and let his own cursed energy violently wash over everything like a tsunami. His sensei had faith in him. He wouldn't let him down.
"Yuuta is definitely not playing around." Panda said as he carried an unconscious Toge on his back.
"You're telling me, I keep getting the chills. Maki has one hell of an overprotective boyfriend." Kugisaki replied.
"That's for s-"
"Stop treating this like a joke!" Megumi shouted at them. "There are dangerous curses that surround us in these woods, one almost killed us earlier!"
Kamo coughed, he had woken up a couple minutes ago and was very tired. The five of them agreed to travel together and find their comrades so that they may come up with a plan of escape. "He is correct. These curses dwarf us in strength and we must retreat out of this barrier."
"Yeah, you both are right. Sorry." Panda apologized in shame.
"It isn't that simple-" Megumi started, with a 'tch', "Can't you all tell? This barrier has a weird energy to it. Usually cursed energy freely flows throughout the atmosphere but right now it feels cluttered. Like it can't escape. I think this barrier is trapping all cursed energy signatures that are registered inside of it."
"So that means we are trapped." The dread creeping into Kugisaki's voice.
"Precisely. And an escapeable domain from the inside means its seal must be inside the barrier as well. It's up to us to find it and break it." Megumi said punctually.
They had their goal now. If they wished to escape from this barrier and whatever curses lurked inside of it they had had to find the seal.
"Do you have any ideas where it could be Fushiguro?" Kugisaki asked.
"I have my hopeful answer and the likely answer."
"Let's get the likely one out of the way. Sounds worse." Panda remarked, with a worried chuckle.
"Well…Given that the seal must be on the inside for the barrier to be inescapable, the safest option for the curses would be to assume that the seal is in the most secure area."
"These woods are massive?! It could be anywhere." Nobara said in irritation.
"No these woods don't have a spot that would be completely safe from other variables, that is why I believe they are securing the seal themselves." Megumi finished with deep concern and seriousness in his tone.
"Themselves? Why?" The visible puzzlement on the face of everyone listening.
"Because, compared to them, we're vastly inferior. They would be holding all the cards in their deck." Kamo answered having understood what the Zen'in relative had been alluding to.
"Fuck. Is your hopeful answer any better?" Kugisaki asked.
"Not particularly, as I said earlier the seal would simply be in what they judge to be the most secure area, meaning there would be a curse protecting it at all times."
"What I'm hearing is that we're all screwed then. What are we going to do?"
This whole conversation their pace never slowed, the students moved towards any cursed energy they sensed that could've belonged to any of their peers. Kamo could sense the familiar energy from Momo and Miwa close by.
"Hold on, we are close to some of my classmates. They are only about a couple hundred feet to the right of us."
After a short period of walking later they stumbled upon the unconscious forms of both of them. There was also the burnt form of one of mechmaru's puppets.
"Someone answer my question, what can we do?"
"There isn't anything we can do but rely on Okkotsu. If you've been paying attention to the cursed energy you could see that he and the curses have been playing cat and mouse this whole time."
"Yeah." Panda agreed, "The curses must have split up again so that Yuuta won't be able to so easily sense their location."
"Well if that moron keeps stuffing the air with his cursed energy then at some point we won't be able to sense anything at all besides him." Kamo drawled with a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"I agree but it also protects us, the curses won't be able to sense anything besides him."
"Then we are both blind. Does he not trust us to handle ourselves?" Nobara asked with slight disappointment.
"Don't be naive Kugisaki, without him we are all probably dead. As far as we can tell the first thing these curses did once this barrier was cast was come and attack us. There is no indication they would've stopped if Okkotsu hadn't arrived."
Fushiguro was right, it was the correct strategic decision on Okkotsu's part. He was their only security and he was simply trying to limit any damage that could come to them. It wasn't fair to judge his faith in his peers.
"Well then I say we take advantage of their blindness, let's play some offense!"
"We couldn't agree more!" The deep voice of Aoi Todo boomed from a couple meters away, Yuuji Itadori beside him.
"Itadori! Where the hell have you guys been?" Nobara yelled accusingly.
"Sorry Kugisaki, we were out searching for the curses but now with Okkotsu in here it's kind of impossible so we went towards where the meteor blew up."
"Todo did you find where Mai is?" His classmate Kamo requested.
"No. Her cursed energy is well below average, before the veil was cast it was already very low. My guess is she is unconscious." The tall man said with regret.
"Then we have to find her."
"No it's as the girl said, we have to find the curses. We need to be on the offensive." Todo boldly claimed, clearly ready for battle.
Yuuji then cut in, "We heard the end of what you all are talking about. We both agree that we need to be on the offensive if we want to escape."
The other group of students only nodded in response, all coming to a consensus.
Panda cleared his throat, "Now that we're on the same page, what do we do about these two-", referring to Nishimya and Kasumi in the ground unconscious, "-and Toge?"
The students looked at each other, each of them thinking over the question. After a long moment it became apparent no one had a good idea what to do about them.
"I'll volunteer to find Maki's sister and bring her as well as Toge, Nishimya, and Kasumi to a safe location." Panda spoke aloud.
"Thank you Panda. Alright my fellow sorcerers and brother let us begin our offensive against these rotten curses." The charismatic 4th year bellowed.
Sometime Later...
Their task had been far easier said than done. It was assumed that Okkotsu would lower his cursed energy outpouring in order to not consume all of it and maintain enough to fight, but none of them truly had a clue just how much cursed energy he had.
30 minutes later and the interior of the barrier was still filled with his presence and only growing more stifling by the minute.
The Tokyo and Kyoto combined forces were starting to grow restless. Megumi had been flying on Nue and yet to spot the curses himself.
They had decided while traveling together that the most efficient strategy toward taking out one of the special grade curses would be a surprise attack.
The strategy went as follows; Megumi would attack from above with Nue, casting a vicious lightning strike to draw the attention of the curse. Then Kamo would quickly envelope the curse in a web of blood.
Finally it was up to Yuuji and Todo to seal the final blow. However, the man with the top knot insisted that it be Itadori to land the finisher, confidence radiating out of him while claiming that Yuuji would have the means to finish the curse with a heavy attack.
'I guess we put our faith in his deduction' Megumi muttered in his head with his signature frown.
Casting his eyes back to ground below, Megumi scanned further.
He swore he had flown around the forest twice. He had spotted Okkotsu a couple times but the speed he was moving at made him seem more like a blur. For some reason there was also no cursed energy in his immediate vicinity. Megumi simply chalked it up to his speed giving that impression. His senior was a lot faster than Megumi had previously thought, almost as fast as Sukuna had been.
The curses were nowhere to be seen. That basically confirmed that they had split up. This was going to be quite the eye sore to deal with.
He flew circles over every single open feild of grass and every channel of water he could see, hoping that it would be the moment he would stumble upon the curse.
The rest of his friends and the two Kyoto students were below him and were following his shikigami.
He focuses cursed energy into his eyes, trying to increase his sight in any way possible but still no luck went his way.
Yuuji, Todo, Nobara, And Kamo we're having a different discussion amongst themselves as they followed the flying sorcerer.
"Guys we've been going around this whole forest and we haven't seen Maki once. You don't think…" Nobara drawled a little worriedly. Her friend would have known the importance of meeting up with the rest of them in a situation like this. Why had they not stumbled upon her?
"That is concerning indeed but we don't have time to worry over that. You must hope your friend finds her and brings her to a safe location with her sister." Todo tried to alleviate her concern."
"GUYS I SEE ONE OF THEM" Megumi shouted, "2 O'CLOCK"
The group down on the ground forgot their momentary sadness and turned on their heels to the direction Fushiguro had stated and followed his shikigami attentively.
"About time." Yuuji grumbled.
It was a white curse, large with a bandage. It was fast but not overwhelmingly so. What baffled Megumi was It's movement patterns; they were erratic and spontaneous but every turn of the tree and corner seemed calculated.
"Fly Higher Nue, I need to see something."
"Todo I can see it, we can catch up to it now." Yuuji shouted toward his newly acquired friend.
"Yes brother I see it too, you go on ahead. Catch it by surprise and introduce it to your passion!" The older student yelled back, voice indicating the smile on his face.
"Wait what about the-", Kamo wouldn't get a chance to finish before Sukuna's vessel shot ahead in an incredible feat of speed.
Yuuji ran aheah, closing in on the curse. Swiftly bringing his cursed energy to his fist but before he could plant his feet and begin his strike against the curse, the white and black special grade turned the corner round another tree.
'No issue, as long as it's back is turned I can land the hit.'
But when Yuuji turned past the large tree trunk he was met with a confounding sight.
"PANDA?! what are you doing here?" The pink haired first year asked shocked. The cursed corpse seemed out of breathe, on his shoulders Inumaki and Maki's sister laid limply, and in his arms were Nishiamya and Kasumi.
"I-Itadori?! What are you…Nevermind, I found Maki's sister but one of the curses found me so I had no choice but to flee."
"Panda I was just chasing one of the curses, it was tall with one of its arms tied up, did you see where it went?"
"What? The curse that was chasing me was short and had a piece of cloth around it. It should've been right behind me."
"What? Panda I don't underst-AUGHH" The year was then slammed into roughly by an unknown cursed energy, sent promptly flying.
Panda stood there in shock for a second. It now dawning on him what had happened and why Itadori and him saw different curses.
This had been set up.
The tall curse that had sent Yuuji deep into the forest didn't have time to react to the other incoming sorcerers.
"BLACK FLASH" The 4th year Aoi Todo chanted, black sparks crackling, as his mind was fueled by the impact of seeing his brother caught off guard. The idea of his brother and him not being able to catch up on lost time triggering something within him.
"GRPPHM" The curse grounded out in pain before being pierced several time by sharp arrows embued with cursed energy.
That wasn't all though as then a thunderous purple bolt of lightning shot down from the orange sky, lighting the black and white curse aflame for a brief second.
The sorcers jumped back distancing themselves from the curse who still looked fully capable of fighting dispire the injuries.
"You were able to sneak up on my brother I'll give you that, but I will not allow you to run from us any longer."
The curse said nothing.
"Kamo, young woman, Animal, are you all ready?"
Panda didn't wait for the other students to affirm their position, he opened his mouth the warm them of the incoming danger at once.
"ALL OF YOU GET OUT OF-"
"NOW MAHITO! WHILE SUKUNA'S VESSEL IS OUT OF RANGE!"
"DONT RUSH ME TREE! HAHAHA! DOMAIN EXPANSION: SELF EMBODIMENT OF PERFECTION"
For the second time that day one of the special grade curses opened their domains, bringing it into existence to cause mayhem and catastrophe.
Based on what Hanami and Jogo had told him Mahito knew he had a limited amount of time until Okkotsu knew exactly where they were. Jogo was busy holding off Itadori so that Sukuna would not interfere with his domain. This left only the special grade to worry about. The last line of defense was left to Dagon to hold off Okkotsu by opening his own Domain and stalling until Mahito and Jogo were able to assist him in fleeing from the special grade sorcerer.
Mahito cackled in mania as the barrier to his domain completed itself, trapping all 8 Jujutsu students inside, and at his mercy.
"It was fun while it lasted but I'm afraid to tell you this is where it ends."
The large manifested palm cupped his prisoners. Their lives literally in the palm of his hand.
"Simple Domain"
A blueish sphere enveloped the large 4th year as well as the girl and Raven haired young man.
'That will neutralize my domains affect, a pain but no matter. There is still 5 other students completely helpless.'
30 seconds earlier…
Outside Of Mahito's Domain…
As soon as Megumi saw the purple-blackish shell of a domain being cast he knew he had to act quickly to break the shell from the outside where it was weakest.
What he did not expect was the immediate casting of another domain.
Megumi heard no chant but he could feel another presence and make himself known.
"DOMAIN EXPANSION: HORIZON OF THE CAPTIVATING SKANDHA"
All of a sudden Megumi was flying high along the shore of a tropical beach.
It was another one of the curses that had cast this domain.
As far as Megumi knew from what his teacher had told him when two domains are casted over each other the two combatants fight for dominance in order to realize the sure hit affect of the domain.
But what if the curse had automatically conceded his domain's effect so that his counterpart may maintain its own? Is that why neither domain fell apart and stayed perfectly intact? Was that even possible?
Megumi had no time to ponder these questions before the outermost domain fully enclosed him in his barrier, forcing his technique to cease.
He was now in free fall back towards the ground.
If he circulated his cursed energy into the exact part of his body that touched the water first he might be able displace the molecules in the water and break its surface tension. Avoiding his body exploding upon impact and creating and opening to fall safely into the manifested ocean.
Thankfully he wouldn't have to test that idea when two white monstrous arms caught him mid air.
Fushiguro caught his breath before looking at the being that had saved him. It was some type of curse he had never seen before and it was forming out of a shadow in the sky.
Megumi looked down to see how far he was from the ground and judged that the distance was still to far to be safe. Before he could ponder his next move he saw a massive fish-like creature fly past him.
And then another.
And then another.
Soon it was a hoard of those creatures flying past him, aimlessly.
'That's right! If the curse gave up it's affect then the attack won't land 100%, I should be able to avoid them but these things are coming at me at ridiculous speeds!'
Yuuta Okkotsu stood inside the domain, sword at his side and pulsing with his energy.
He had to give at least a bit of credit to these curses, they knew what they were doing and had a solid plan.
Wait for him to arrive and trap him inside the domain. Unfortunately for the curse who had opened this domain he was far inferior to himself in every way.
He sent Rika to shield Fushiguro from the attacks and save him from his incoming death, now with his underclassmen out of his way he could move freely.
Okkotsu whizzed across the Domain at high speeds, cutting up the summoned curses that sprang from the water with ease. He flew all over its interior scouting it for the curse who was cowardly hiding and remotely sending its attacks.
It didn't matter if the curses thrown at him were the size of a Sardine, a Bass, a Shark, or a Whale, they would all be slain with their purple guts and liquids decorating the sands and tropical features of the domain.
Yuuta surged his cursed energy into his blade and sent its wrath directly toward the trees leaving a massive scar on the manufactured land.
The curse couldn't hide forever
Slash after slash, power erupting from his sword explosively, destruction left where ever he sent his eyes.
The curses that once had once flown at him ad nauseum now lightly fluttered past him pitifully. It was a sign of the soul of the domain caster was growing weaker. A sign that it was starting to be consumed in despair and fear.
It knew that it would die, and was afraid.
Afraid of Yuuta Okkotsu.
It was right to be afraid. When there was nowhere left to hide and the special grade curse was revealed to be cowering under a rock, now sliding back in fear when it's petrified eyes met the almost soulless ones of its opponent.
In a second Yuuta had the curse gripped by its head, holding it above the ground and stabbing it with his glare.
The curse Dagon would count his blessing, adding one more to its number. His name would be another added to the long list fates Toji Zen'in had freed from their destiny.
The eyes of Yuuta Okkotsu widened as he saw a tall figure with black raven hair speeding through the Domain at speeds greater than his own, heading straight for the outer shell of the other barrier encasing his friends. And tucked into one of his arms was the unconscious body of Maki Zen'in, who hung limply from his grasp.
Yuuta didn't even have time to move from his old stance before the man easily entered the smaller of the two domains.
"This is where you five die" Mahito sneered, a second away from transfiguring the souls of the two Tokyo second years and three Kyoto students.
"You and I are gonna have a little talk." An unfamiliar voice to Mahito sounded in his ear.
'What?! How did someone sneak up on me?! They are inside my domain, I should've felt their cursed energy!'
This was all that went through Mahito mind before he was then quickly grabbed by his hair and removed from the, now destroyed, manifestation of his own innate world.
The names Panda Yaga, Toge Inumaki, Miwa Kasumi, Momo Nishimya, and Mai Zen'in all now added to the list of fates altered by the Sorcerer killer.
Yuuta sent a slash of energy directly towards the Shell as soon as he could, destroying it easily.
He could feel the curse still in his head wiggling trying to free itself with Yuuta's attention now divided.
Okkotsu simply infused positive energy into his hands.
Exorcizing and killing the curse immediately. It's insides flying everywhere, covering ground and Yuuta himself.
The 17 year old then saw the blur that was the mysterious man speed violently out with another curse in his other hand opposite to Maki.
Yuuta watched both domains crumple further, exteriors cracking and shattering.
The sight that greeted Yuuta and all of his friends and peers, now that the domains were in ruin, was the landscape that used to be riddled with trees and plant life, covered in hellfire.
The forest set aflame, the ground brought to life with fire as well.
In only 109 seconds of being inside the domain the beautiful land that was encapsulated by the expansive veil had been turned into an inferno.
Yuuta looked over at his friends who had been inside the smaller domain, a couple meters away from them, the largest of the special grade curses.
Should he find Yuuji in the fire? Should he excorcize the curse by his friends? Should he go after Maki?
Yuuta couldn't accept not having all of these options granted to him.
But there was a way for him to do all of these things.
"Come Rika, give me everything."
"Of course, Yuuuta."
That is chapter 8. Hope you found the chapter and the fights enjoyable.
Next chapter is the climax to the Goodwill event (Chapter 7-9)
Please leave a review if you have any thoughts or feedback you would like to share, I read every review.