"Before we should leave, there's something I must say," Ciel announced after the end of Gojo's rather impressive speech. She would honestly prefer to see this side of him more often than his usual self.
Letting go of Yuuji's hand, she formally addressed the sorcerers in her apartment. "It's regarding the Dead Apostle we are hunting for."
"Hoh? Is that so?" Gojo said sarcastically, finishing his next piece of bread. "I've been wondering when we were going to talk about that. We've tried asking Mario, and all we got was a "piss off" and "don't fuck up our operation". That kid was seriously due for a nap. It's also ironic since they've sent you to watch over Yuuji-kun, but it's alright now."
He was more or less paraphrasing what Mario said, but the message was clear enough.
"Feel free to kill any underlings you come across." Gojo remembered Mario saying, the child's mannerism more mature than one would expect for someone his age. "Same can't be said about the dead apostle we're here for. I know you're a 'big shot' in your jujutsu world, but I don't want you obliterating everything just to leave behind a huge mess for us to clean up. We don't want you guys fucking up our operation we got going on here. Just leave the vampire to us, and we'll keep our hands off of that vessel you got hiding. Sound fair?"
It was pretty insistent that the Church would be the one to deal with the dead apostle, just as it was Jujutsu High's jurisdiction to observe Yuuji Itadori's condition and execute him. Even so, Gojo can't really see the problem of personally killing the head vampire himself, should he come across the bloodsucker first. He's fought plenty of dead apostles overseas, something that not every mage in the west can brag about.
It might just be the Church being stingy, they're like that too when it comes to holy artifacts or anything resembling it. Like that war ten years ago, Gojo theorized. Still, I can't help but feel there's more to it than that. Something about this dead apostle seems awfully important if they're willing to cooperate in keeping Itadori-kun's survival a secret, even from their own peers.
Maybe now he'll finally get his answers out of Ciel, but that's if she isn't under strict orders to tell them what they're only allowed to know. Even at this point, if she's not telling them everything, it's probably because she had no other choice. Maybe there's something they don't want our leaders to know.
Although Ciel has free reign to hunt down the vampire by any means, if her superiors have it on good authority that she isn't doing a good job, or compromise the mission in anyway, they could demote her and force her to leave Japan. Gojo can't have that. A lot of people have grown attached to her here, and Gojo won't just sit back while someone else takes his student away - not again.
"Now that our alliance is officially known, it is only natural that I should tell you everything there is to know about our elusive vampire," Ciel said with a sharpness in her usually round gaze. "Under normal circumstances, I would have insisted on handling this myself. However..."
"Yeah. We all know how that's going," Gojo teased, drinking from his cup of chai. And since you're gonna be part of a class, you won't be acting as much of a lone wolf anymore.
Not falling for his bait, Ciel simply resumed. "As it is already known, Yumizuka-chan was an underling who continued the blood-drained murders in place of the vampire who turned her. After her evolution, she was effectively registered as a Dead Apostle. However..."
Ciel's eyes narrowed. "Aside from her parent vampire, Satsuki Yumizuka was not the only other dead apostle to be roaming in Tokyo."
Yuuji was surprised to hear that. "There's more of them?"
"Yes. Judging by our recent findings in the last few weeks, I've determined for there to be around three Dead Apostles currently in the city - excluding Yumizuka-chan."
"Yeah. That kid Mario told us the same thing," Gojo said leisurely, letting out a little huff. "It's definitely gonna put Tokyo under bigger scrutiny once word of this gets around."
"Certainly, and yet, despite the number of powerful vampires living in their makeshift tombs somewhere, they have yet to spread any havoc," Ciel said. "Yumizuka-chan had been the only vampire to cause a commotion, all while the others remain silent."
"Well, you did mention that these dead apostles would be sleeping in their tombs. Sitting back and staying out of sight while their servants do all the work," Gojo pointed out.
"That's normally the case, however, not even their servants are doing as much work as they should. Last night, while Yuuji-kun and I were patrolling the city, we came across the Undead, and all of them were your typical run of the mill walking blood bags - no offense to the departed (may God rest their souls). They seemed to have come from the same dead apostle, which leaves me to wonder..."
"That being, where are the other undead you and Itadori-kun came across?" Nanami spoke up as he looked down at the tea cup in his hand. "The ones found at that abandoned building. Those flaming dead underneath the detention center. And then finally, the spider ghoul you, Itadori-kun, and I have fought. So far, there's been no more signs of them since they were first spotted."
"Exactly," the executor responded. "I had thought that the flaming ghouls were simply another variant serving the main vampire, but after giving it some thought, it seemed unlikely due to how different their nature was, leading me to believe that another dead apostle is involved."
"You said main vampire, but didn't all those bloodsuckers show up at the same time?" Gojo asked. "It's kind of hard to tell which one you're talking about."
"It wouldn't be that difficult," Ciel assured in a calm voice. "You'll know which vampire I'm referring to when I address them as the main vampire, which leads me to the point of this discussion."
"Uh oh. That definitely doesn't sound good." Looking like he'd already become acquainted with the existence of "bad news", Gojo merely slouched forward with a hand resting against his cheek. "Alright, let's hear it."
With a steady nod, Ciel began, "As I was investigating the murders and hunting down all the vampire servants, I've noticed a strange pattern regarding Tokyo's population, and it only became more prominent once the blood-drained murders started making headlines. I did my research, and what I found out... you are right, it isn't good. Based on my discovery, I've come to this conclusion."
She held up one finger. "There was the first Dead Apostle that came to Tokyo, then much later, the second and third dead apostle arrived. Yumizuka-chan was an extremely rare case who was turned by the main vampire that we are currently searching for. What reason the other vampires have for coming here is unknown. Blood scarcity aside, the chances of there being more than a few Dead Apostles arriving to the same location is extremely high. They prefer not to aid each other, and would more than likely see each other as rivals."
Ciel grabbed the cup of chai in front of her and placed it over her lap. "Whether that's the case here or not, it's unclear, and either way, it'll require the full attention of the Holy Church. However, this is an issue that only started happening this month. From what I gathered, the earliest activity of the first Dead Apostle here in Tokyo - the main vampire, traced back to several years ago."
It was like a grenade fell onto the table and tipped over the bread basket, spilling breads and crumbs everywhere. Gojo's and Nanami's back straightened, visibly surprised.
"Hold on, several years?" Gojo repeated.
Ciel nodded. "This could mean one or two ways. Either the vampire managed to slip in, avoided the church's and your school's notice for that long until they got sloppy, or..."
"Or...?" Yuuji waited for the answer to come, only for Gojo to be the one to give it.
"Or we're dealing with a vampire whose been a longtime resident here." Gojo sighed heavily, adjusting his mask. "You've also for some reason skipped over the fact that the first horde we came across was made through necromancy, but you're basically saying that they came from the same main vampire as the servants you've found last night, am I right?"
"Yes. That's exactly what I'm implying," Ciel answered.
Gojo leaned back with his hand pressed against the floor. "If the Dead Apostle is a citizen here, with an aptitude to raise the dead. They were either a strong mage in their life, or-"
"They're a Jujutsu Sorcerer," Nanami finished, announcing the gravity of the situation with a deep voice. "Who is also a Dead Apostle."
"As if this wasn't a pain in the ass already," Gojo said as he takes a sip of his drink.
"How can we be sure they're a jujutsu sorcerer?" Yuji asked, a little put off that a shaman was apparently behind all of this.
"It makes sense," Gojo shrugged. "You have to know your way around to avoid our school's notice for that long. Usually, if there's been some strange disappearances lately, we'd investigate it based on any rumors we catch. We then see if curses are involved and we work our way up from there."
"But if a shaman is involved, they would know how to rid any traces of curses and cursed energy residue, especially when it comes to the undead," Nanami joined in. "By erasing the evidence, we'd be more likely to overlook any strange happenings."
"And with no proof that anything supernaturally-related is going on, there's no incitement for our school to check in any further. We just leave it up to the police to handle it," Gojo concluded.
"We know for a fact that the main vampire is magically-adept, masterfully so if they're able to raise the dead and have them on standby," Ciel said. "It is a possibility that they could be a shaman, but then again, dead apostles are very abnormal beings. Furthermore, a mage would also know how to exorcise a curse and eliminate any energy trace."
"But even a mage whose been doing shady work can't hide from us for that long. Our Windows would have noticed something was up..." Gojo started considering several mage families in the area. There wasn't a lot, so at least the list was short, but what he needed was evidence that can correlate the vampire attacks from any one of these families. "They've got to be either really obscure, or it's someone from the inside. I doubt it, though. I would have caught sight of a dead soul hanging around somewhere, unless the other clans are doing their damnedest to hide their vampire."
Well, if there's a bright side to this, it gives more support in having Ciel around as a new student of Jujutsu High if she's here to hunt vampires, no matter where they'd be hiding. It'll have people accept her motive better than anyone believing she switched sides because of her boyfriend.
"It's possible that something has been keeping the Dead Apostle's presence suppressed," Ciel suggested, and the image of the white princess flashed through her mind. "Which reminds me, there's something I've been meaning to ask you, Gojo-sensei."
"Hold on. Can you say that again? I got to record you calling me 'sensei' after all the times you told me you wouldn't- okay okay! I'll put my phone away. You don't got to pull out your black keys on me. Where were you even hiding them?"
After putting aside her black keys, much to the impressed and startled reaction of Yuuji (she really is ready for anything), Ciel calmly resumed to her questioning, "The barrier that surrounds Japan, its purpose is to suppress cursed spirits, correct?"
"Yeah. That's right," Gojo answered. He was unsurprised that Ciel noticed it as Yuuji gave a confused look.
"I'm curious to know what the system is regarding its set up," Ciel said. "Do you have several shamans catering to its stability?"
"Nah. It's really just one person holding it up," Gojo's reveal took Ciel by surprise. "There's also multiple layers and functions to it, aside from working around the leylines so that it doesn't interfere with the flow of Mana throughout the earth."
"You mean... it's the same type of barrier that conceals your school?" Ciel held her chin as she looked at the strongest sorcerer in amazement. "I see... then that too is upheld by the same user. Impressive."
"Bingo. As for how it works exactly, you're probably better off asking them yourself."
"Them?"
"Well mostly 'he'," Gojo strained, not entirely sure of what gender to use when referring to Tengen. "Or at least I think they're a he. The barrier around Japan mainly works as a passive 'bounded field' of a sort, maybe not exactly that, but that's the general scope. It lets people in and out, but keeps cursed spirits from getting out. Usually, you wouldn't even notice it because of how big it is, so sometimes even mages misses it. It doesn't really keep us safe from any monsters that decided to infiltrate our country though, but usually it would have set off some kind of alarm, which is why I was surprised to hear that a vampire managed to slip past our notice for this long - let alone connecting them to the murders recently."
"It's possible that any of the three dead apostles used some sort of enchanted 'carrier' that had them bypass the barrier without alerting any of you," Ciel theorized with a shrug. "Despite the legends, water alone wouldn't be enough to stop a vampire from crossing. If I have to take a guess, I would say they snuck their coffins in one of the storage units shipped by air or overseas, and then pop out as soon as they are adjusted to their new environment. However, what I'm wondering is if the barrier has any other effects aside from suppressing cursed spirits. Moreover, is it not possible for the barrier to subdue curses completely?"
"Probably, but you have to remember that not all of us are living through just prana. If the barrier is adjusted where it only focuses on restraining anything that has cursed energy, it would have put millions of people in a coma - not that it would work on me, of course."
Yuuji gulped upon hearing that. Ciel accepted that explanation with a nod. "I'm not at all encouraging it, especially if it'll put someone like Yuuji-kun in danger (Yuuji: Aww~ You care). I'm just a little surprised that they would have that sort of power. I have heard that a shaman is in charge of overseeing the 'bounded field' that keeps cursed spirits from leaking out into the rest of the world, I just never realized that it was one person powering the entire thing."
"It's probably better that way," Gojo said as he moved his cup around, swirling the remaining drink inside. "Mages usually leave us alone, the church too - up until now. I have a feeling they might get a little too curious if they look too much into it. Then again, there's like several other interesting people out there. I'm sure they got enough on their plate as is, like good ole Zel! He did kill an ancient vampire after getting bitten by him, or was it the moon? I forgot the details."
"Uh, sorry, back up, did you say the moon?" Yuuji asked as he tried to comprehend how one would kill the moon. Was this guy Master Roshi or something? His teacher had to be joking.
"I wouldn't get into it," Nanami recommended. "It was hard for me to fathom as well." (Yuuji: Wait, so he's telling the truth?!)
"With how often you travel, I'm not surprised you're on good terms with the Wizard Marshall," Ciel responded to Gojo (Yuuji: Wizards exists too?!).
"I wouldn't exactly say "good" terms, although he does make pretty good tea," Gojo cryptically stated. "As for anything else our barrier does, there is that side-effect that the longer we keep curses restricted here, the stronger they become."
"Huh? Really?" Yuuji asked.
His teacher nodded and spun his finger around, drawing a circle in the air. "It's like compiling a bunch of air and turning it into a thick cloud of smoke. Hence why you don't see curses like ours everywhere else outside of Japan - or at least not as much. It's either that or we get cursed spirits running around without any way to contain them. All for the greater good, and you know the drill."
Between the lives of the few and the lives of the many. A most common ideology that carries a soul-crushing burden.
"But what about those who might be carrying curses inside them?" Ciel questioned. "Or, perhaps a better way to put it, what would the effects be against other supernatural entities?"
"You mean like vampires? It probably wouldn't keep those guys in if they decided to leave Japan," Gojo answered. "They have physical bodies instead of spiritual ones. Our barrier is also mostly curse-focused, so if there are any other entities, like a regular spirit that isn't cursed, it might not work, but we'd still have contingencies in place if scenarios like that happen."
"Does it involve you being in the area?"
"Yup! Pretty much."
Good grief. There's just no end to how hapless Jujutsu Sorcerers are in Japan.
"But if something is carrying around curses..." Gojo took a moment to ponder it over, clasping over his jaw in thought. "Hmm. I don't think it would have done much. Itadori-kun has Sukuna suppressed inside him, and he's doing fine. Maybe at first, someone cursed would probably slow down if they set foot in Japan for the first time. In theory, if they haven't been living here since birth, they could briefly fall under the barrier's effects that would put them under a..."
He then understood the purpose of Ciel's questions, and he stared at her through his blindfold. "...sleeping spell."
That was all Ciel wanted to know, and she slowly nodded. "If that's the case, then that would explain why the Dead Apostles in Tokyo have been silent."
And, most importantly, why the Princess of the True Ancestor remained asleep as well.
"Are you referring to the bloodlust all vampires suffer?" Nanami picked up on the conversation as he said his question. "From my understanding, the curses that vampires suffer, and the curses we deal with here, are completely different."
"Perhaps on the surface, and fundamentally so," Ciel responded with her hands raised. "However, on a basis level, both 'curses' do share one thing in common - negative emotions. For vampires, their drive to have even a taste of human blood, and be without any, would push them into insanity."
She crossed her arms. "Hypothetically speaking, if the barrier around Japan suppresses cursed spirits, a culmination of people's negative emotions built from their leaked cursed energy, than the vampiric impulses that dead apostles endure should also count as a form of negative emotion culminating into what is commonly known as 'bloodlust'. In other words, the 'curse' that vampires suffer from - their bloodlust, is being suppressed under the effects of the barrier, and is possibly putting them in a dormant state where they would be left to slumber within their lairs for days, weeks, or even months."
And if the presence of Roa is suppressed, then Arcueid would be unable to detect his emergence. This could also apply to the host as well. If the barrier is taking a toll on Roa's soul, then it's possible that the host's transitioning - be it Shiki or Akiha Tohno - would take much longer than anticipated.
"But that would mean all the curses and citizens, even those with little cursed energy, would end up falling asleep as well," Nanami countered. "Furthermore, human emotions and thoughts don't necessarily have to be extreme to not exude cursed energy that feeds into a curse's existence."
"True, unless all those people were to become one," Ciel countered. "Following that logic, what if the dead apostles were to carry every citizen of Tokyo's cursed energy?"
"-!" The question puts Nanami and Gojo to a stop, and they instantly understood what Ciel was implying.
"These vampires must have fed on many humans over the time they've spent here," Ciel explained. "They not only drain humans of their life essence, but the energy that flows within them as well."
Ciel could see the grimace in Yuuji's expression and she nodded at him. "It's a horrid thought, but it's not unlikely to assume that they could consume enough cursed energy to birth a new curse - several of them in fact, but because the cursed energy is living inside the vampire, there's no way to escape or take form. It's simply stuck, and that is what the barrier is compressing. Vampires are neither curses nor humans. They are undead, something that should not exist in this world. The barrier could have another side-effect that we are now beginning to learn, against vampires who don't usually come to Japan as is. It is not only suppressing the vampire's bloodlust, but the blood they're carrying inside - taken from humans with either weak or strong cursed energy."
She resumed, "There had been cool down periods in the past several years as well, which may imply that even for a vampire who is a long time resident, the barrier could still effect them somewhat before they would eventually wake up - the trigger unknown, perhaps when they've become hungry enough, I suppose. The reason why Satsuki Yumizuka was the only vampire to remain active was due to the nature of her ability, that being, depleting magical energy apart from her own, which only grew stronger with time. She was able to resist the effects of the barrier through a sort of anti-magical properties. Had she been allowed to roam free any longer, I fear that she would have eventually grown strong enough to deplete the barrier itself entirely."
Sheesh. That would have been bad news for everybody... Gojo mulled to himself as he listened to Ciel. On another note, that sort of power would be pretty good to deal with cursed spirits and the like. Kind of a shame I couldn't have her as a student. Damn. I hate wasted potential.
"-As for the vampire servants of lower rankings, it may be affecting many of them as well, but perhaps not completely," Ciel continued. "Since corpses lack any actual independence, they work no different from machines, and so they wouldn't need to be "awake" to do their jobs - regardless of how less frequent they are roaming the streets. However, we could very well be reaching the end of a cool down period, and when that happens, we may see the killings start up again, only this time, I don't know which dead apostle will wake up next - worse if all three of them, and if they carry the cursed energy from other humans in their vampiric bodies..."
"Then we could be looking at another Satsuki Yumizuka incident," Nanami was the one to say it.
The air was tense as he gave this predetermined warning. Yuuji's expression became even more serious. The thought of so many lives in danger, caught in the crossfire of that worst possible outcome.
"There's a chance that won't happen," Ciel offered the slimmest drop of hope. "After all, with vampires mainly using magic that are derived from prana, it's not always guaranteed that they could use cursed energy as well. Sacchin- excuse me, Yumizuka-chan was someone who wasn't a mage, but had a great aptitude for jujutsu sorcery. So we can't really disprove of this possibility."
"But these dead apostles aren't your run of the mill monsters," Gojo argued, his face completely serious. "Heck, with their nature, if they're not already weakened from the rejection between prana and cursed energy, or at the very least sluggish to the point where they can't move, they could have what it takes to use both powers if we wait around long enough."
"Unfortunately... you could be right," Ciel had no choice but to relent to that probability - which sounds far more likely than not.
"Couldn't we use another barrier to stop them?" Yuuji suggested as he more or less got the gist of what they were talking about. "What about the one from the detention center? That looked pretty strong,"
"Ah. Well..." Ciel looked embarrassed, and she glanced away. "That is true. The barrier that I used that time would be most effective against one Dead Apostle. Unfortunately, it wouldn't do good against multiple enemies, let alone all three vampires at once."
"You're talking about Cathedral, right?" Gojo said.
Ciel nodded. "Yes. Although, it's actually nothing compared to the original barrier that move is based on - which would have been far more useful. While my version could trap only one target and would require multiple black keys to set it up, the original alone could encompass an entire kingdom, with a maximum diameter of thirty kilometers."
She sighed. "Even with my version of the barrier that's reduced in size, the type of magic it requires is great, so it shouldn't be relied on so heavily. Think of something like a Suggestion Spell as Lesser Magecraft - the tap water you can pour out of the faucet for free, and Cathedral as Greater Magecraft - the wine that comes in a bottle. With just one wine bottle, I can only activate Cathedral two times. I did it once against Sukuna, along with a minor version of it to keep him in place, so it was like giving a few more drops, which explains why he was able to escape as he did."
She then finished drinking her cup of chai, emptying it of all its contents. "I then used the remainder of that wine bottle to hold down Yumizuka-chan as I extract all of her built-up energy that would have destroyed the whole school. As of now, the vessel I use to cast it is empty. The limited magical energy - the wine - can't be easily replenished as ordinary magical energy - the water. So if we are confronted with another Dead Apostle, I can only cast an ordinary type bounded field, which won't be enough to keep a particularly strong vampire from escaping, let alone containing the destruction."
"I see..." Yuuji felt guilty that Ciel had to spend one of her Cathedral uses for Sukuna. Gojo appeared to be thoughtful as he listened to Ciel's explanation before he and Nanami noticed Yuuji's slightly sullen mood.
"But! Not to worry. After putting in a request, I should be receiving that new 'wine bottle' very soon," Ciel said peppily, her cheerful mood uplifting Yuuji's as she declared with a proud face. "I plan on better equipping myself also. That way, I won't ever be taken by surprise again."
She gave a serious look then. "However, the intake of it would still take time. So for now, please be on your best guard everyone."
"Right." Yuuji nodded as Nanami did the same.
"Hm. You know, speaking of bounded fields," Gojo suddenly brought up, and looked to Ciel. "You said before that you couldn't set up a ward at the warehouse because it takes too long, and you didn't want to cut off Itadori-kun's cursed energy. But from what I remember, you never had that problem around me, and that was before you knew about my Infinity."
Ciel stiffened as everyone looked to Gojo.
"Were you just looking for an excuse to have Yuuji-kun around?" Gojo smirked as he saw that clearly exposed-intention at Ciel's face, caught red-handed as she tried to quickly recover her indifference, avoiding everyone's gaze.
Yuuji gasped dramatically. His hands cupped over his mouth as his eyes grinned at the girl beside him. "Ciel. You sneaky..."
"I-I swear! My intentions were not nefarious! It was just more convenient for me to oversee Yuuji-kun's condition here! Wipe those smirks off your faces you two!"
Nanami sighed, finishing his cup of chai as Yuuji proceed to cuddle Ciel once more. The man lowered his cup onto the table. "If that's true, then you should have no objection of setting one up at the warehouse."
Nanami snapped his fingers, causing the young couple to cease their snuggling. "When the news spread about the number of dead apostles in the city, we'll need to take even greater care to hide your survival, Itadori-kun. And that means putting you in a place where you're less likely to be spotted. This city - particularly this side of Tokyo - will be swarming with shaman assistants and available sorcerers, not to mention members of the Holy Church."
Returning to her stoic disposition, Ciel gave a steady nod as she gently pulled away from Yuuji's hug - much as she didn't want to. "I will take care of concealing Yuuji-kun's presence. Frankly, I'm surprised he hadn't been wearing a disguise before. The higherups and other sorcerers would know what the Vessel of Sukuna looks like, yes?"
"Maybe some of them, but he was far enough away from the school, so it would have been fine," Gojo nonchalantly explained. "Yaga-sensei also made sure to keep sorcerers from going here too much if it can be helped, although, that's no longer an option at this point. But Ijichi-san is usually with Yuuji-kun, so if anything happens he can always just pull him aside and hide him in a store somewhere."
"That was the plan?" Yuuji asked bemused.
Ciel shared Yuuji's disbelief. "That seems rather... impromptu, don't you think? Also, wouldn't it draw less attention if Yuuji-kun hadn't been wearing his school emblem so openly?"
How else would have Junpei Yoshino figured out that Yuuji was a sorcerer? If Yuuji had been wearing that in public, and another shaman assistant or sorcerer spotted him, there's a chance they could have investigated further and risk exposing Yuuji's status as "undeceased."
Gojo paused. "...That's a good point. Why were you wearing that emblem?"
"I-It it just looked like it went with the uniform... That sounded dumb, didn't it?" And totally conspicuous. Holy cow, Yuuji was surprised he hadn't been found out already.
"I'll be sure to bring this up to Ijichi-san as well," Nanami said as he adjusted his specs (and alluding the fact that he also overlooked Yuuji wearing the school uniform, emblem, and distinguishing pink hair so openly at that movie theater case), "Although, there isn't exactly a guide that helps us through this sort of scenario."
It's not everyday a vessel of a powerful cursed spirit would spring back to life, after all.
"Putting it bluntly, we're handling this as we go," Nanami revealed as Gojo gave both thumbs up in absolute agreement. "It's definitely by luck that we haven't been discovered by now."
Ciel was beginning to feel a headache coming her way, though she was placated by Yuuji rubbing her back, quickly noticing her increasing exasperation. She sighed. "Right, well, with Tokyo's situation becoming increasingly dire by the day, we will have to be even more cautious-"
Key word, cautious.
"-as we go about our businesses. Of course, I intend to stay by Yuuji-kun's side at all times, so there's no need to stress over his well being, so long as I'm around."
"The props of having a clingy girlfriend," Gojo teased, and chuckled at seeing Ciel visibly taking pride in that comment.
"By the way, there's something I've been curious about," Yuuji then spoke up, stopping his backrub of Ciel. "I'm hearing a lot about lower-rankings and 'Nightmare' level vampires. Is there like a grade system for dead apostles?"
"Indeed, there is," Ciel began. "It's a fairly lengthy subject, one that I can't simply condense like I've done when discussing Magecraft (Yuuji: That was the condensed version...?). Regardless, I believe we should still discuss it. Gojo-san already has an understanding of the vampire hierarchy system, but I'm sure it'll prove useful if we all go over it, just so we can have a full scope of what we're dealing with here."
"Sounds good. We've got about a few more hours to spare anyway," Gojo agreed as he puts down his empty cup. "Alright, you're the vampire expert, it's only right that you take lead."
With a nod, all her knowledge regarding Dead Apostles came upfront in Ciel's mind, like pulling out a cabinet with the familiar files exposed to her. She knew each and every information by heart, and they started to pour out through her lips, speaking as if she was an automaton with a leveled voice. "As you know, the Dead Apostles that are lurking in this city all follow the traditional example in what a vampire generally is. I went over this with Yuuji-kun and Gojo-sensei already, but now, we will be discussing the hierarchy system of the Dead Apostles."
Nanami then reached under his coat and pulled out a notebook and pen, "Here, this should help paint us a picture."
"Excellent. Thank you Nanami-san," Ciel said as she accepted the pen and notebook. "I mentioned the term 'Castle Lord' vampire before. These are ranked as: Lesser Dead Apostle. Able to sustain themselves, and produce offspring - their servants - through the act of sucking blood."
With swift motion, Ciel wrote down a list ranks, following a Roman number based on power scales. Yuuji leaned over closely and read each label.
III: Undead
IV: Nightkin
V: Nightmare
VI: Lesser Dead Apostle
"-after the vampire finds suitable humans and suck their blood, the humans perish and become puppets of the Castle Lord, able to retain their original personality, but otherwise unable to resist the commands of their creator. Following these conditions, they would be ranked under the third lowest tier, on par with an Upper Mage or a Grade Two Jujutsu Sorcerer. They're like Upper Soldiers acting as commanders to lower ranked Dead, with the capacity to endure sunlight but will require periodic embalming treatment in order to conceal their true nature."
"No way. They can survive sunlight...?" It was a paling revelation. Just when Yuuji thought that would be their only saving grace, it turns out to not be the case.
"Only to a certain degree, and as long as they don't stay out under the sun for too long," Ciel answered. "They're unable to retain the same level of intelligence from when they were alive, but can still disguise themselves as humans after the reconstruction of the brain."
"That's sounds similar to what the patch-face cursed spirit, Mahito, can do," Nanami said.
"Right. In some way, Mahito's cursed technique is a mirror to a Dead Apostle's method of creating Undead," Ciel said. "In that regard, you could almost consider that curse as a Dead Apostle as well - if not on the same level."
After what happened at that school, this was a fact they cannot overlook. And the cursed spirit was only going to get stronger from here. Yuuji tightened his fists as he stared at the notebook, and Ciel continued her writing - never failing to notice Yuuji's emotions at the mention of the cursed spirit. I'll have to talk to him about Mahito as soon as I get the chance. I don't want him running into any dangerous situation if ever that cursed spirit is involved.
"-Unlike their parent vampire, however, these Undead are unable to produce more of their ilk, so at the very least, that brings a comforting thought. Even if they were to suck on other people's blood, they won't be able to turn them into more Undead. But never mistake this as them being incapable of killing, especially once they are exposed. They'll automatically enter 'fight or flight' mode in order to preserve the blood meant for their master. Once their master, or "sire", is killed or have no more use for them, the Undead return to being corpses."
Ciel then proceed to explain the other tiers. Rank II: Ghoul, and Rank I: Corpse.
"The difference between Ghouls and Undead is that Ghouls are unable to mimic the appearance of humans without attracting any attention, and so are not as often sent out or else they'd be noticed by both the public and the Holy Church immediately. Despite this, however, they do seem to possess a will. They rely on Magical Energy to preserve their shape, for their insides have completely disintegrated. They're simply mindless machines doing as they're told, instinctively seeking flesh and blood like hungry wild animals that can finish their prey and have their fill in a few minutes (Yuuji: *gulp*). These types of ghouls are more likely to wander the night. They're also the ones we found underneath the detention center, most certainly following the command of "guard the vampire's lair". Like that humanoid spider, they were a unique type of ghouls, unusually strong for their ranking. I believe a way to power scale them is to consider their bodies as a Grade three - something that can be easily killed with just a swing of a sword, and their attributes - the ability to exude fire and whips - as a Grade Two or One."
Ciel proceeded to explain the Ghoul Rank in more depth, mentioning how only one in a hundred people have the aptitude to reach this rank and even so, would die depending on their vitality.
I'm gonna need to take a picture of her notes after this, Yuuji decided, surprised to hear how versatile the vampire ranking system is. It did help that Ciel was writing all of this down. He preferred this over an oral lecture.
"-As for the Corpse. These were the ones we found at that abandoned building. They are even more mindless than the ones ranked above. Unable to stand on their own and only exist to follow the orders from their master. They're the weakest soldiers. One whose blood had simply been sucked or raised. A Grade Four Sorcerer should have no problem dispatching them. They only become an issue when they begin to overwhelm you through sheer numbers alone. Meaning that once they are able to swarm you, you'll have a rather unpleasant time getting out of it, if they haven't already started gnawing at your flesh and bones."
Yuuji felt goosebumps hearing that, having seen plenty of zombie movies and shows that demonstrates scenes like that.
"What about Nightkin and Nightmare?" He then asked.
"Nightkin and Nightmare are similar to one another. The only difference being their strengths, with a Nightmare manifesting their own special powers derived from their sire, or perhaps obtain an ability unique to themselves - much like Yumizuka-chan. Able to live off independently without the support of their master, the Nightkin and the Nightmare are the knights and bodyguards of the Dead Apostles, and so their strength would be between a Grade One and a Special Grade Sorcerer. They become anemic under sunlight, although it doesn't burn them yet. You'll begin to notice a pattern here. The stronger an Undead becomes, the more the sun begins to affect them. A Nightkin can stand toe to toe with an executor, whereas a Nightmare can fight several executors at once."
Yikes. And these are supposed to be the underlings. Yuuji was starting to get nervous at this point. No wonder Jujutsu Sorcerers are so tensed when it comes to vampires.
"Those that are VI Rank and above who carefully drink the blood of humans can turn their victims into a Nightkin, but this isn't always guaranteed, as only one in a thousand people can reach this rank. The servants have to build their way up starting from Tier Three as an Undead, grow stronger, obtain independence, and ultimately stand as a lesser vampire of their own right. This process takes years, decades or even longer to achieve. Yumizuka-chan was an extremely rare case where, within a short span of time, she had quickly climbed the ranking to Nightmare, and then became a full-fledged Dead Apostle, severing all ties to her parent vampire."
"Is there a chance that can happen should the Dead Apostle turn a Jujutsu Sorcerer or Mage?" Nanami inquired.
"Most likely," Ciel answered. "Although, Yumizuka-chan was a normal girl prior to her turning. She might just be one of those exceptional people who had the genius capability of becoming a vampire, but we may never know for certain now..."
Despite keeping her tone steady, Yuuji could still sense that hint of despondency, and he unhesitatingly rested his hand over her bare knee (he would have held her hand but she was busy writing), hoping to comfort her even if she was wearing her pink shorts right now (he wasn't complaining though).
Ciel felt Yuuji's touch at her skin and she blinked. A little pink on her cheeks as she shared a look with Yuuji's soft gaze, and she shyly flickered her eyes back to the paper, trying to keep her focus and her expression composed.
The table suddenly jolted and Yuuji lets out an "Ow!" He lets go of Ciel's knee to rub his hurt leg and looked at Nanami, flinching under that piercing glare behind the adult's specs.
"Behave yourself," the man warned.
"I-I was just-!" Yuuji started until he saw Nanami reach for his own tie. "Okay okay!"
Yuuji raised his hands in surrendering. Gojo was trying his hardest to hold back his laugh as he looked to the side, a hand over his mouth.
Ciel cleared her throat. "A-Anyway, that about covers the Dead Apostle Ranking System."
Together, everyone looked over the list of tiers depicting a vampire's strength in each of them.
Vampire Hierarchy and Power Level
I: Corpses - Fourth Grade
II: Ghouls - Fourth Grade to Third Grade (Unless have Special Attributes, in which case, Second Grade).
III: Undead - Third Grade to Second Grade
IV: Nightkin - First Grade to Semi-Special Grade
V: Nightmare - Semi-Special Grade to Special Grade
VI: Lesser Dead Apostle - Special Grade (A few)
"This is more or less a draft as to how we can level these types of enemies should we come across them," Ciel said as she puts down her pen. There were a lot more writing she had done, and now she can finally put her hand down to rest. "For the record, the grading system beside them is the type of sorcerer I recommend sending to face these monsters, though it's really a rough concept."
Yuuji hummed. "So if Sacchin was a Dead Apostle..."
Then Nanami was seriously strong to fight her by himself, even if just for a moment.
I'm not even sure if we should consider Yumizuka as a 'Lesser' Dead Apostle... Ciel thought to herself as she frowned at the list. With her powers, she's evolved past that stage.
"That's not the end of it, though. You forgot to write down Ancestor, and the tiers under that," Gojo pointed out as he tapped his finger at the corner of the notepad.
"Ancestor?" Yuuji asked.
Ciel contemplated for a moment. "Hmm. I don't personally see it necessary, since it's lesser Dead Apostles we're currently dealing with. But very well. I suppose with how grim this list of vampires is starting to look, it'd be a good incitement to compare them with the upper tiers, and a huge relief to consider that we could have been dealing with much worse enemies than what we have right now."
Just how scary is this world are we living in?! Yuuji started to felt a sweat slide down from his forehead.
Within the next hour, Ciel explored the rest of the tiers in the vampire hierarchy, explaining each stage, their capabilities and power scale as she listed the following.
Upper Tier List of Dead Apostles
Stage VII: Superior Dead Apostle - Several Special Grades
Stage VIII: Successor - Several More Special Grades
Stage IX: Ancestor - Satoru Gojo (Gojo: hehe) w/ assistance (Gojo: hey!)
"-For the especially unkillable vampires, the best thing that the Holy Church can do against them is to seal them away," Ciel finished as she looked over to Yuuji, who she now finds lying on his side against the floor, the back of his head beside Ciel's rump. He was either overwhelmed by the existence of these vampires, or simply the intake of so many information all at once.
"It kind of sounds hopeless if those guys show up, don't you think?" Yuuji was absolutely dumbfounded by everything he just heard. Enough for him to want to crawl under a blanket and hide. God... No wonder people underestimate curses. Not even the Cursed Womb or that Volcanic Curse had been this terrifying.
Ciel turned slightly and stroked Yuuji's head. The feel of her nice caress over his pink hair had Yuuji close his eyes in content.
"If we're under-equipped and unprepared, perhaps," Ciel answered honestly. "Either way, we won't have to worry about those in the Upper Tiers being here in Tokyo. Even if they do show up, I'll make sure none of those vampires take over."
She was more or less saying so to comfort Yuuji - especially since she's currently low on a few or so Idea Blood energy at the moment, but she was also serious about never hesitating to face any of the Greater Dead Apostles herself, especially if it's to protect someone she cherishes.
"Don't forget about me too," Gojo said with that ever oozing confidence in his laxed posture. "I've fought my fair share of Greater Dead Apostles overseas. There's also plenty of other strong people in this country who'd be willing to lend a hand. Curse or no curse, they probably wouldn't mind the chance to fight against a real vampire."
"Not everyone is as much of a thrill seeker as you are, Gojo-san," Nanami reminded him.
"Alright, I'm mostly talking about me then." After what felt like having to sit through a three-hour lecture, Gojo stood up with a stretch of his legs. "Well, that should cover enough for today. It's about time for us to get going, so get dressed you two. We'll drop you off at the dojo. There's a chance you could be staying overnight, so you might want to bring your cursed dolls also."
Nanami stood up as Gojo added. "It might seem like in the grand scheme of things, we're just a small rag-tag group of shamans in a big world full of monsters, but even when starting out small, you could end up making a big difference in someone's life. Don't let the worst of what's out there keep you down."
At that statement, Yuuji sprung back and sat up straight, enthusiastically answering. "Yes, Sensei!"
"Worst come worst serve, at least you got your girlfriend looking out for you. Which reminds me, Ciel?" Gojo called out to the girl one last time, and smiled at her. "Don't hold back against Itadori-kun."
"Ah." Yuuji uttered, reminded of Gojo's instruction for Yuuji to spar with Ciel at the dojo, and he turn to look at the executor, instantly seeing her eerily cheerful smile.
"Naturally," she answered. "Although, I would be more careful with your words, sensei. You wouldn't want me to go all out exactly."
"Huh. Fair enough. Maybe dial it back a little," Gojo raised his hand, a centimeter of space between his index finger and thumb. "I'd still want to see him in one piece when we get back."
"And now I'm getting nervous again..." Yuuji said.
He was right to feel nervous. Although Yuuji made his promise to fight seriously, Ciel was still in a league of her own.
"Hyah!"
"Whoa-!" Yuuji's hand braced the swift punch that came like a sharp wind, feeling the strong brunt of Ciel's knuckles that would have stung had it landed.
Ciel proceeded to deliver several quick jabs, meeting Yuuji's defense as she continued to pressure him and forced him to retreat. She was in a boxing stance, using both her fists and kicks, countering every move Yuuji tried to give back. It was like fighting Gojo, only she was even tougher on him than his teacher ever was - and Yuuji still couldn't land a hit on the unreachable man.
Ciel moved with incredible speed. Superhumanly so. There was even a point where Yuuji swore she made copies of herself, which he didn't even know people could do! If this is what going easy on him is like, he'd probably cry. There was just no opening, and each time Yuuji got the hang of Ciel's fighting style, she switched it up. Using something that was a mix between Muay Thai, Kung Fu, and some other thing that Yuuji couldn't remember the name of - although he had seen it used in several fighting games. It was like he was a living punching bag at this rate.
Is this how Executors fight Sorcerers? Yuuji had to wonder, and then a punch slipped past his guard, hitting him square in the nose. "Ohf-!"
"Ah-!" Ciel ceased her attacks, reaching out but now out of concern as she watched Yuuji hunch over slightly with his hands over his face. "S-Sorry! I should have used my palm."
"Ow..." Yuuji sounded as he rubbed his nose. "It's fine. I'm a little scared to piss you off after this though."
"Ah..." Ciel looked embarrassed and smiled sheepishly. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not. Maybe it's better that I stick to Jujutsu for this training."
"Nah. You're alright," Yuuji assured, bringing his hand down. "I can take it. It's also kind of cool seeing you fight like that. You're really good at martial arts, huh?"
"O-Oh. Well, thank you. Personally, I prefer using artillery, especially black keys - not only because they're executors' main weapons."
"You mean those swords?" Yuji asked as his curiosity piqued. "You talked about them at your apartment. From what I've seen, they're pretty effective against curses and zombies. Are they really made out of magic- erm, prayers?"
Ciel's eyes sharpened with immediate intrigue, a glint in her light blue eyes. The tale-tell sign of a fanatic about to disclose her passions to the unknowing. "Indeed. And yes, they are quite powerful against unholy entities. You have a discerning eye to notice that."
She smiled brightly and bounced on her feet. "If their creation are still a little difficult to understand, then very well. Listen closely, I, often described as an expert on Black Keys, will grace you with an explanation."
*Tsukihime OST - "Lord is in Heaven" plays.*
"In actual combat, the most important factor is still the fundamentals. Martial arts and magical powers aside, there are those who uses weapons as an optional, or even an additional, means of fighting."
It was like the universe hung behind her once more as Ciel delved into the historical makings of Black Keys.
"It all began around 300 AD. It was in that era that Dead Apostles of Europe were at their most rampant. I've already explained the purpose behind these weapons and their effects, so for this lecture, I will be going over their history, and the long conflict between Executors and Dead Apostles. One cannot expect a normal weapon to prove lethal against a vampire - be it lower or higher ranked. Wounds are something they can restore through blood. Simply hacking away at them won't be enough to kill them. Executors, on the other hand - while admittedly capable of handling more strain than an ordinary person - are still human. If it comes down to a fight, they'll be overwhelmed by the difference in tenacity.
Indeed, the only effective strategy against a Dead Apostle is to attack their whole being, rather than just a single part of them; essentially, to crush them with overwhelming firepower. However, back then there were no weapons with enough firepower to obliterate a Dead Apostle in one hit. The most effective method yet discovered was to trap them inside a building or a forest, set fire to the entire thing, and let it burn until they'd exhausted all of their blood. However, the Church would have gone under if they'd been forced to do this each and every time. What with the recovery efforts in the aftermath, witnesses, a convincing story to cover up the entire incident, and etc.
This marked the birth of the Black Keys: the first Scriptural Weapon. Instead of applying anti-heresy properties to weapons by inscribing gospels onto them - This groundbreaking idea entailed turning the scripture itself into a weapon that would serve a potent toxin against heretics. Though their corrupted souls cannot be saved, the gospels are able to at least revert their bodies back to being human. This is the automatic baptism mode I was about to explain before Gojo-sensei rudely interrupted me (though I will never turn down curry).
Around the ninth century, the Black Keys settled into its current form, and was widely used, beloved as the greatest Scriptural Weapon of all. Many throwing techniques were developed, such as Shadow-Sewing, Time-Skipping, the Plating Effect, the Cremation Rite, the Burial Rite, and the Conclave, along with many other variations. However... much like the bow and arrow, it's an inconsistent weapon in the sense that its effectiveness differs depending on the user's skill and magical energy levels."
This is TOO much information! Yuuji's brain really was about to pop. His face strained as he tried to keep up with the oral history lesson. I didn't even get the difference between cursed energy and cursed technique at first. This is like getting a whole textbook, and I barely read through those at school!
"-As weapons, Black Keys are easy to obtain but difficult to use. It takes ten years of training to be able to throw them competently, and their intentionally oversimplified design meant there was no hope of further developing their power. As the years went by, they became increasingly inadequate in the face of the ever-strengthening Dead Apostles."
Ciel sighed as if to mourn the loss of the seemingly outdated weapon. "As civilization developed and the mass production of guns became widespread, the number of Black Key users decreased. Their popularity briefly recovered with the emergence of the Gutenberg press in 1450, but they couldn't compete with the convenience of firearms. Black Keys went from being go-to weapons to an afterthought, a fashion accessory for those wishing to cultivate their image. Since then, Black Keys have become an enthusiast's weapon in the Church; something only pious believers would willingly employ - or pick up just for the challenge of it."
So... the fact that she was able to hurt Sukuna, that cursed womb, and Mahito with those same black keys... Then Ciel really is just that impressive, not that Yuuji didn't already know that.
"Any inadequacies are due to the user's inexperience," Ciel said, reaching the conclusion of her history lesson. "I remain convinced that the Black Keys remain an optimal solution, especially against spirits such as curses, capable of serving as part of the Conclusive Armaments proposed by Granfatima. I mean, with enough magical energy, you can make as many as you want - my record is one-hundred, and you can carry them anywhere! You can even breeze right through those pesky immigration checks. They don't need maintenance either, unlike Seven - that's the big bazooka you saw, I'll tell you all about her later. To an Executor with enough physical prowess, willpower, and magical energy, Black Keys represent limitless possibilities."
Breezing past the referral of the Seventh Holy Scripture as if they were a living entity, Yuuji got the gist of everything Ciel said. Mostly that she really, really liked Black Keys, and is really, really good at using them. If that's the case...
"Is it okay if I try one out?" He then asked.
Ciel looked at Yuuji in surprise, "Hoh? Have they piqued your interest that much? I mean, I don't blame you. I must have made them sound incredibly enticing (although *ahem* I did used them against you once)."
"Mm. They do seem interesting, and the way you use them is pretty cool too. Never seen someone who throws swords like bullets before," Yuuji said.
"Well, Black Keys are designed mainly for piercing rather than slicing or cutting. They're specifically made to be thrown, hence why they're very difficult to wield." Upon saying so, Ciel pulls out a red handle from her pocket. "We use what is called as the Iron Plate Effect, a throwing technique mainly utilized by those within the Burial Agency. It's essentially a form of martial arts that increases the force of impact dozens of times, allowing the weapon to bore through even reinforced concrete walls."
"Whoa." Yuuji looked at the handle in Ciel's hand. That such a small looking item could be capable of so much force. It's about as strong as my punch then. Neat.
"It used to be a secret technique, but it's only recently that they've become the standard for members of the Church, even those who aren't Executors. Think of it as a throwing technique, among many others that I know," Ciel then inputs magical energy into the handle, and a single long blade pops out, surprising Yuuji. He leaned in closely, a little wowed by the weapon as Ciel showed it proudly.
"One of the main reason that Jujutsu Sorcerers are... skittish around Executors, is due to the Executors having means of counteracting them by attacking from a distance - such as these black keys. While I have heard of shamans who can attack from afar, and with mages this is practically expected of them, these energy-infused weapons can be embedded with additional spel- I mean, sacraments, that strengthen the blades even more."
She really doesn't want to use anything that sounds like magic... Yuuji was honestly confused why she dislikes it so much. She probably just has her own reasons and preferences.
"Even in close-quarters, Executors are quite tough, and that's not mentioning the most exceptional individuals among our agency," Ciel said before taking a hold of Yuuji's hand - gloved by her gift with the blue cross on the back of it. "Although, there must be plenty of shamans who could stand against them, but I can't say from experience. Any actual interaction between us and Jujutsu Sorcerers are very rare. We'd be more likely to meet with mages than shamans in this country."
She passed the handle of the black key into Yuuji's grip, easing into his fingers as she guided him how to properly hold it.
"Our first contact with Jujutsu Sorcerers would have to be when Christianity was first introduced in Japan. That's probably when our... less than friendly affiliation began. In modern times, however, we've simply become strangers whose heard about each other from time to time, and that's to do with the fact that the Holy Church has no strong presence here in Japan. We're not exactly stopped from coming here, but we're not welcomed either. Putting it bluntly, they hate us, but as long as we don't intervene on any of their shaman businesses, they mostly tolerate our presence."
Though, that's probably changed for the last couple of weeks.
"Huh..." Yuuji said as he looked down at their joined hands, clutching the handle of the black key in between. Reminded of the tense association - or preferable lack thereof between the church and jujutsu sorcerers, he started to wonder how everyone was going to react to Ciel once they get back to Jujutsu Tech High.
"Ah. Excuse me Yuuji-kun. I may need to slip under your arms for a moment," Ciel brought Yuuji out of his thoughts and he found her smiling bashfully again. "I would wrap my arms around you, but with how tall you are, I don't think that's going to work. I won't be able to see. Hehe."
"Oh. Okay." Although Yuuji would have liked a hug from behind. After Ciel said her appreciation, she ducked under Yuuji's arm, keeping her hand on his. She then stood closely in front of him, her back against his body, and she grabbed his other white-gloved hand.
-! Yuuji started to blush as he watched Ciel began to join his and her hands together, holding the black key in front of her. His arms touched around hers, feeling her skin as his lips was a few or so inches away from her blue hair.
This kind of reminds me of that pottery scene from Ghost.
He didn't get it at first, but now he kind of does. He also thought the ending of that movie was a little sad, but at the same time, it's something that he hopes everyone could achieve - that level of peace after protecting the one you love.
He really wanted to hold Ciel's hands now. He probably shouldn't have worn his gloves today, especially since Ciel had already casted her warding spell here, so there was really no need for him to wear them. He just had them on because he likes them - and they were a gift from Ciel too.
"To use the Iron Plate Effect, you'd have to strengthen your body under the most grueling training," Ciel said. "You could also carry more than a few black keys in one hand, and throw them all at once. They could also be used for blocking, though I don't recommend making it into a habit. Strong as they are, they can be brittle if you hit them hard enough."
Sukuna certainly proved that with his slicing ability and oddly immense strength as a cursed spirit. Though Ciel was able to pierce and burn him regardless, it usually would have left lasting effects afterwards. Ciel reasoned that he must have used a large amount of cursed energy to endure or stave off the effects, and he did proven to be familiar with holy magic.
"Just throwing this one black key takes a lot of effort, and if you don't do it right, your hand will immediately sore after using it, or you might end up dislocating your wrist and shoulder."
"Yikes!"
"A reasonable response. But don't worry, I'm here to guide you, so I'll make sure nothing like that happens."
Ciel proceeded to move Yuuji's hand with hers, swinging the black key back and forth next to them. Yuuji paid close attention as Ciel began to explain the physics and technique behind throwing this one black key, his body now pressed at her back as his eyes were on the sword and his ears were listening to Ciel's instruction. Even as he did enjoy the warmth of her body just as he did last night and this morning, this time, he kept his focus, although he did take a subtle sniff of her curry-scented hair more than a few times.
"-Once you lock eyes with your target, you simply hold your weapon, and..."
With a quick thrust as Ciel held Yuuji's hand, they threw the black key for the wall. They watched as the sword easily pierced through the surface, its blade in.
"Whoa. Cool..." Yuuji was mesmerized, and Ciel was happy to hear him so amazed, having hoped to impressed him.
"It might seem easy at a glance, but it takes a lot of practice. Would you like to try it out yourself now, Yuuji-kun?"
"Yeah! Thanks." Yuuji jumped at the offer, wanting to try it out himself now that he's learned how it works. Ciel handed him another black key she seemed to pull out of nowhere, and Yuuji carefully held it on his own, just as Ciel taught him.
"I'll be right here, so if anything happens, I'll heal you up in a flash," Ciel assured with a wink. Yuuji smiled at that and he returned his focus at the wall where the other sword was embedded in.
"Okay, so I just do this..."
He steps into a stance, held the black key handle in between his fingers.
*thwunk!*
*clink!*
The wall at the end of the dojo was chipped, and the black key bounced off from the surface.
"Shoot! I thought I had it." Yuuji said, disappointed in his efforts as he scratched the back of his head. "That really is hard to throw. It was kind of tricky too keeping it between my fingers. It almost felt like throwing a ninja star actually. The length of it threw me off though."
Ciel was silent as she watched Yuuji's thrown black key laying motionlessly on the floor. Her expression was unreadable, but upon hearing Yuuji, her smile came back. "Actually, for a first timer, that was pretty good."
Just now, what he did... Ciel thought to herself as she began giving her advice over how Yuuji can correct his throw next time. He just did something that usually takes months to perfect.
She didn't expect Yuuji to get it right the first time, more so just to let him experience the intrigue and difficulties in handling it, but what he did right now was pretty darn close. The ability to throw and the ability to pierce are very different feats of accomplishment within the Holy Church. What Yuuji did was something that could only be achieved amongst those considered to have an innate natural talent. Yuuji is already well-built, and from what she remembered, he was fairly good at wielding that cursed weapon sword when up against those curses and undead at the abandoned building, something that a boy who lived a fairly normal life wouldn't just do unless they were an athletic genius of some kind.
I think I've heard one other person who was able to accomplish that...
She thought back to that particular person. A man with brown hair and empty eyes. His heart as dark and troubling as his mind. It had been several years ago, but from what Ciel oversaw when she was just passing by, there was an undoubted skill that his peers would continuously profess about, and his father - when he was alive - would too, from what she heard. According to others, that person was especially efficient when he was younger. There was nothing particularly remarkable, not enough to mark that man as a worthy candidate to join the Burial Agency, but among other executors he had certainly proven to be one of the best. Ciel would even say that each time he was around, she felt compelled to always have her guard up. That she could never let herself be at ease around that man or else... it might prove to be a fatal mistake.
I wonder... Ciel began to muse to herself. ...what it would have been like if Yuuji-kun was allowed to work in the Church?
Well, there's a greater chance he would have just been killed or tortured, so him becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer was honestly the best outcome, even if there are just as many people who want him dead here.
"Hm? Ciel?" Yuuji noticed Ciel in deep thought, and was curious to know what's on her mind. "What's up?"
Ciel blinked out of her thoughts, and with an award-winning smile, she answered. "Oh. Nothing. Just reminiscing is all. You reminded me of another executor. He's about as tenacious as you are, and... now that I think about it, he fights just about as recklessly as you do."
"Ah. Really?"
"Yes. It's honestly a relief you won't be able to meet him. Especially since he's dead now."
Ciel was all too cheerful to have said that. But even if she did hold pity for that man, perhaps it was better this way.
"O-Oh." Yuuji was once again caught off guard by how nonchalant Ciel can be, being positive while talking about unpleasant things, a little like Robin from One Piece actually.
"Why don't we try throwing again?" Ciel suggested, bringing their attention back onto the art of using Black Keys. "With a few more practices, I think you could get the hang of it. Who knows? Maybe they can prove to be very useful to you one day?"
"Yeah! If it means I get to hug you more often, absolutely," Yuuji shamelessly said, and that got a startled giggle out of Ciel, her hands clasping over her blushing cheeks that Yuuji wanted to immediately kiss and pinch.
"Well... I certainly wouldn't mind that. Alright then! Let's do it again!" Eager to do another lesson, Ciel was quick to ran into Yuuji's arms once more, and together, they practiced for another few hours or so.
Author's Note:
Edit 10/16: Fun fact! I f*ed up on the lore and timeline for this chapter regarding Ciel's remembering Kirei. I fixed it up now but man… have I mentioned that I'm a fraud yet?
Randomlurker: Yeah you're right. It's really just Ciel throwing caution in the wind and hoped that her attack would work but that's just not how Infinity works. She's probably gonna need a sit down with Gojo later on just so he can explain it to her thoroughly but I would think she has a general notion to how Infinity works, she just made a bad call (I mean, look at what happened with Luminous Arc). I'll still consider going back and rework Ciel's understanding some more, it could just be her testing infinity to examine how it works and then work around that. I'll definitely take up on this suggestion. Thanks!
Dray: Yup! Spot on. As for a scene between Gojo and Zelretch, I'll think on it. First idea comes to mind is that Zel was just traveling to other worlds and then he came across Gojo and together they decide to spread mischief. XD.
And now, for the rest of my notes:
So I have a confession, it's the first time I've read through the Remake Dead Apostle Rankings on Wikipedia and I had no idea that there are undead that can just live under sunlight UNLESS I am mistaken (for now I'll just leave it as sunlight still being a weakness). I'm only following through what I've seen in Remake Tsukihime walkthroughs BUT I'm mainly using old Tsukihime material because it blends in with the JJK world better in terms of power scaling, as well just being simpler to follow.
This also explains why Ciel is weaker than her Remake counterpart (OG Ciel Wikipedia: "Normally, members of the Burial Agency are able to fight Servants even with a Human body. In Ciel's case, she can't equally match a Servant with an extremely average Noble Phantasm, unlike The Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, Kouma Kishima, or Aoko Aozaki. However, if it's just a defensive fight, then she could manage it."), I'm following OG Tsukihime where the world of Fate Stay Night also took place, instead of separating them as of the Remake.
I wanted to explore OG Ciel's strength which was never properly explored in OG Tsukihime and borrow elements from the Remake. So there's actually a lot that I'm reworking and mixing together from both OG and Remake, but evidentially, I'm using OG Tsukihime and Lunar Legend Tsukihime Manga as the main setting, because there's just a lot in the Remake that I'll have trouble keeping track of, overpower the JJK universe, and I just like the simplicity in OG Tsukihime better (Ciel in this story is also in her OG appearance, which I also like better). It's kind of like seeing OG Ciel eventually stepping into her Remake counterpart the more she grows in this story, where before she wouldn't be able to fight Servants in even grounds, whereas Remake Ciel definitely can.
Using OG Tsukihime might also end up happening in my Red Rainbow story, because while it'll make for a good opportunity to follow the Remake, I just don't know how I can balance or fit the JJK world into it unless I'm using the OG blueprint which I feel would be easier to follow than the Remake.
P.S.: I want to take this time to thank everyone whose been following and favoriting here (which as of writing this has been popping up more and more! Where do you guys keep coming from?!), leaving kudos on Archive of Our Own and helping me reach 5000 Hits, and getting over 60 likes on the first chapter on Spacebattles, plus over 100 Watchers. I even found out that this story is on TV Tropes under Jujutsu Kaisen Crossover Recommendation! Like what?! That's seriously insane! Why do you guys like this story so much?! I'm genuinely confused!
Lol. Just kidding, but it's still so unbelievable, I'm gonna have to hurry up and keep working on Red Rainbow (which by the way will be going about as many revising as I am doing with this fic, soooo always refresh and re-read for any new changes! XD). Thank you again for everything, and see you next chapter!