'How is that woman still alive?!' The incredulous thought raced through Sukuna's mind as he observed his host, Itadori Yuji passing by someone he had become acquainted with five centuries ago.
Five centuries - that's how long Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses, had been sealed, his fingers imprisoned in a box. Not a soul could lay claim to the knowledge of the audacious individual possessing the mettle to bind the King of Curses. History had failed to etch this profoundly heroic event into the annals of sorcery, and witnesses remained elusive, hidden in the mists of time.
In those five long centuries, not a single soul, save for Sukuna himself, knew the truth behind that fateful day. It remained a mystery, locked away in the depths of time, the key lost to history. As Itadori moved further away, Sukuna's gaze bore into the figure who defied his demise. He couldn't fathom how she managed to survive all this time, evading the relentless march of years. Her existence was an enigma, a puzzle that Sukuna couldn't help but want to unravel. The encounter sent ripples through his being, igniting a curiosity that had laid dormant for half a millennium.
An irresistible impulse surged through him, Sukuna seized control of Itadori's body, turned around, and extended a hand toward her wrist, startling the unsuspecting woman.
"Wha-What the…?" Itadori stammered at the back of his mind.
Sukuna ignored it, the woman is far more important.
The woman seemed taken aback, her expression a mix of surprise and wariness. Inside, Itadori stood ready to take his body back before things escalated into something dangerous.
But it seemed Itadori could afford to wait, for the woman clearly could defend herself. Suddenly, the wrist Sukuna had held became searing hot.
He let go hastily and saw that his hand had been badly burned. Without a second thought, he healed his hand using a reversed curse technique.
As Sukuna stood there, the woman's expression remained inscrutable. Her gaze, sharp and unyielding, met his own with an intensity that mirrored his.
Sukuna's lip curled into contemptuous sneer. His eyes narrowed with an intense, predatory focus, studying every nuance of the woman's demeanor. "Did my eyes deceive me or has your power been growing even though you don't age at all?"
Silence hung in the air, as if time itself held its breath. The people keep walking around them, oblivious to the electric tension.
"How come you're still kicking, priestess? No human can last this long."
The question echoed through the space between them, a challenge and a demand for answers. Yet, the woman's lips remained sealed. She regarded Sukunan with a quiet determination, unyielding in the face of his scrutiny.
Inside Itadori's consciousness, confusion and concern swirled in his voice, "Who is she?"
Ignoring the voice once more, Sukuna awaited the priestess' response, unwilling to back down. The air crackled with an unspoken tension.
The priestess held her gaze, her silence a testament to her resilience. But in the depths of her eyes, there was a glimmer of something known only to her.
Finally, she spoke, her voice steady and laced with a hint of gravity, "Time has a way of revealing secrets, Ryomen Sukuna. Some things are meant to endure, even against all odds."
Her words hung in the air, carrying a weight that seemed to transcend the centuries. It was a cryptic response, leaving much to interpretation. Sukuna's gaze bore into her, searching for answers.
In the realm of consciousness, Itadori listened with bated breath, his own curiosity piqued by the woman's enigmatic words.
The woman continued, "Though you have no room to talk, Ryomen," she glared. "You are still alive after we sealed you, and you even possess a child."
Itadori's mind reeled at the revelation. His thoughts raced, grappling to make sense of the exchange unfolding before him.
'She..she was the one who sealed Sukuna away?' Itadori's inner voice exclaimed in disbelief. The pieces of an ancient puzzle were falling into place, revealing a history that defied comprehension.
"Hey, he was the one who ate my finger at his own volition" Sukuna rolled his eyes, "Besides, a vessel is still a vessel, it only matters of time before I can completely control this body. "
Her face hardened, "Do you think I will let you after hearing that?"
Sukuna's laughter echoed in the depths of Itadori's consciousness, a chilling sound that seemed to reverberate through the very air, "You always were predictable, priestess. You seal me away, only for me to find my way back. And now, with this vessel, you're even more powerless."
He leaned in closer, a sinister glint in his eyes, "You know as well as I do, as long as I reside within this boy body, you can do nothing to stop me. Your precious purification abilities will be harmful for this body."
The woman's expression remained stoic, though her eyes held a steely resolve. She knew the delicate balance of power that hung between them.
Sukuna continued to taunt her, his words dripping with contempt, "Try to provoke me, and the moment you strike, ten lives will be forfeit. You remember what happened last time, don't you? The screams, the chaos….It's a memory that still haunts you, I can see it in your eyes."
Tension crackled in the air, suffusing the space around them with palpable malevolence. Onlookers, oblivious to the supernatural battle of wills transpiring, continued their daily routines, unaware of the forces at play.
The woman's grip on her power tightened, knuckles white with the effort of restraint. She knew Sukuna spoke the truth. Any action on her part would unleash a wave of violence, a price too steep to pay, even for victory.
As the tension reached its zenith, a surge of determination coursed through Itadori. He couldn't allow Sukuna to carry out his threat. With a force of will, he seized control of his own body, wrestling it back from the King of Curses.
Before she made the decision, she suddenly felt a shift in his energy. She stepped back away from him to be cautious as she saw the mark that decorated his entire face vanished and the eyes that had sinister glint on it disappeared.
Sukuna's voice reverberated in the confines of Itadori mind, "Damn I got sidetracked."
The woman's gaze sharpened with surprise and curiosity. She witnessed, in awe, as the dark energy that once cloaked pink haired man receded, replaced by a new force, one that radiated a different power.
"How do you do that?" Her voice held a mixture of wonder and genuine inquiry.
"It is my body." He answered at his own discretion, "And I won't let him harm innocent lives. Not while I have a say in it."
The woman regarded him with newfound respect, recognizing the strength of will that lay within this young vessel, "You got strength of will in you."
Embarrassed that he got complimented he looked away awkwardly and scratched his chin with his forefinger.
Meanwhile, Sukuna seethed within the confines of Itadori consciousness. He lost his opportunity and with this brat on the guard, no way he will get a chance like that again.
The woman continues to observe Itadori with curiosity. She knows the burden of being a vessel and seeing another one that once like her she couldn't help but feel somber.
"I know that it is strange coming from a person you dont know, but…" She waited for the boy to return her gaze, "If you ever need assistance, I am willing to help you."
Itadori meets her gaze, his expression is surprised, not sure how to respond to a genuine offer.
The priestess went on, "Ryomen Sukuna might be an omnipotent being. Nobody knows his weakness, even though every creature has weaknesses but until now no one has found it."
"That's why we decided to seal him but…." her expression turned sheepish, "As you can see, the seal was imperfect or he is too strong that we can't seal him completely."
Hearing that statement, Itadori remembered something, "Sukuna said you are the one who sealed him and you confirm it." He put his hand on the back of his hand in a confused manner, "How come you still alive? It was already centuries ago!"
The priestess smiled at him and put her index finger in her lips, "It's a secret, but maybe I will tell you next time we meet."
"Huh?" Itadori tilted his head, "We will?"
She chuckled lightly, "Of course," her eyes softened, "After all you have to answer my offer just now right?"
"The moment you have an answer you know how to find me," She added, "I was told by my friend that a name can be powerful and my name is Higurashi Kagome. May it be a beacon in the darkness when you need it."
With those words, she nodded gently and started to walk away, leaving Itadori with a sense of contemplation.
"You let her get away." Sukuna's voice echoed with a dangerous undertone.
Itadori, seemingly unfazed, replied with a nonchalant shrug, "I thought you would be angrier than this."
The air crackled with residual tension as Sukuna seethed within Itadori's consciousness. His displeasure was palpable, and he glared at the retreating figure of the priestess.
"You underestimate the value of information, brat," Sukuna hissed. "She knows things, things that could be useful, like how she, a human, can be alive this long."
Itadori's eyes flickered with a mixture of confusion and defiance, "And why would she help you? She seemed more interested in helping me."
Sukuna's laughter resonated with a sinister edge, "Help, assist, it's all a matter of perspective, isn't it? She might have her own agenda, and if it aligns with ours, well we could use that to our advantage."
Itadori expression hardened, a subtle resolve settling into his features, "I won't use someone just for information. If she wants to help, fine. But I won't treat her like a pawn."
As they walked through the bustling streets, Sukuna's ominous presence lingered in the back of Itadori's mind. The encounter with the priestess left a trail of unanswered questions, and a subtle weight bore down on him. The city continued its rhythmic pulse around them.
He is in too deep a thought, so deep that he almost flinched when someone shouted.
"THERE YOU ARE!"
Itadori turned toward the voice, he saw one of his friends, Nobara running angrily toward him.
"Where have you been? We've been waiting forever!" Nobara exclaimed with her finger pointed at him.
Fushiguro, who had been following his female companion with a calm pace chimed in, "I tried to message and call you several times but you didn't answer it."
Itadori didn't answer, he knows that his friend is waiting for his response but he is still stuck with an encounter he found himself in at the park. And with his friends talking, it makes his mind a bit jumbled.
Goju-sensei couldn't resist the opportunity to make a grand entrance, appearing out of nowhere with his trademark grin, "Well, well, look who decided to join us! Did you get lost on the road of life, Itadori?"
Nobara rolled her eyes, unamused by Gojo's theatrics. Fushiguro sighed, accustomed to their teacher's eccentricities.
Ignoring the question, Gojo continued, "Anyway, I'm glad you finally arrived. If it is too late we might have to open search parties for you."
Itadori forced a smile, attempting to shake off the lingering thoughts, "Yeah, sorry about that, I got caught up in something."
Gojo's eyes sparkled with mischief, "Caught up, eh? Is this the part where you tell me you met a cute girl in the park?"
Itadori's cheeks flushed slightly, but he brushed off the comment, "No, it's not that, Sensei. I just….had something on my mind."
Gojo, ever the joker, threw an arm around Itadori's shoulder, "Well, let's save the heart-to-heart for later, okay? We've got a mission to complete, and you wouldn't want to keep the curses waiting."
As they walked, Itadori hesitated for a moment, then decided to broach a more serious topic, "Sensei, do you know anything about the event where Sukuna was sealed?"
Gojo's casual demeanor shifted ever so slightly. He regarded Itadori with a keen gaze, "Ah, the sealing of Sukuna, a classic story. You know, nobody really knows who did it, it's a mystery lost in the sands of time."
Itadori furrowed his brow, "But how can that be? Someone must have witnessed it or left some record."
Gojo grin widened, "You'd think so, wouldn't you? But nope, it's one of the best-kept secrets in the sorcery world. Adds a bit of spice to the story, don't you think?"
Itadori frowned, unsatisfied with the lack of answers. The weight of the unknown bore down on him again. Gojo, ever perceptive, studied his student's face.
"You look like you've got something on your mind, Itadori. Don't worry, I'm not keeping any secrets from you. Well, maybe a few," he teased. "But seriously, if there's something bothering you, you can talk to me about it."
Itadori nodded, grateful for the offer, "Thanks, Sensei. It's just…a lot to process."
Gojo ruffled Itadori's hair playfully, "Take your time, kiddo. We've got all the time in the world. And who knows, maybe the mysteries you're trying to unravel will lead you to some exciting places."
As they continued their journey, Gojo's eyes held a glint of curiosity, wondering what thoughts were churning in the mind of his young student.
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Thank you for reading and take care.