"Sukuna is the Disgraced One." Itadori says.
"What?" I say.
"Yo, Itadori, you okay?" I hear Megumi ask.
"Yeah, just don't feel good. I think I'm gonna lay down." He says.
"Your stomach upset?" Hana asks.
"Yeah something like that." He says.
He doesn't say anything, but he gives Megumi a knowing glance. Megumi looks at him realizing what he wants to say. But no one says anything. I don't want to find out what angel would do to him if she knew he was Sukuna's vessel. But I do know Itadori will try to sacrifice himself to let Satoru come back. There has to be another way. There has to be...
"That's strange, a large number of people is entering the barrier." Angel says.
A loud bang comes from down the hall and we all jump up. I run to the front door and look out the peep hole. American soldiers are busting through an apartment four doors down.
"We have time." I say to myself.
"Everyone, go! These guys don't seem friendly." I announce to everyone.
I open the door and everyone runs out and to the stair well.
"Down the stairs! Go!" I yell as I stay behind.
"Hey!" I hear an american soldier yell.
I slam the door shut and break off a bar from the railing for the stairs. I put it through the handles for the doors and bend the bar around a few times. I follow the group quickly down the stairs as the soldiers beat on the door trying to kick it down.
"Is this Kenjaku?!" Panda yells.
"Yes, I suspect this is a failsafe of his. Kill as many non sorcerers as possible to produce more cursed energy. This has been his goal all along according to the information I've gathered." Angel says.
"Mine too. He wants to use sorcerers as energy is the rumor throughout the colonies." I say as we run down flights of stairs.
"But why flood the colony with 1000 soldiers?" Itadori asks.
"It's probably my fault. My fans are crazy for me!" Takaba says.
"Takaba! Not now!" I yell.
"Sorry!" He says.
We run to the bottom floor and through a cafeteria. Suddenly, a loud bang followed by a flash and smoke fills the room disorienting us for a few seconds.
"What the?!" Itadori yells.
We all take cover as the soldiers shoot at us.
"Nue!" Megumi yells.
Nue screeches and blasts the soldiers with electricity. They all fly back and I move in grabbing one of them and slamming him against some rubble. I punch him hard in the jaw twice and he spits out blood beside him.
"Answers asshole! Why are you here?!" I yell.
"I don't know everything. I'm just a grunt. But they want to study your cursed energy as an alternative energy source." He says in perfect Japanese.
"So you're one of us? Traitor." I say with rage.
"You sold your country out!" Takaba says dramatically.
I groan annoyed with him.
"You just wanted to say that! Now shut up!" Hana says.
"They must want Japan to be self sufficient." Megumi says.
"Then why not do this earlier? Just use volunteers?" Itadori asks.
"The Jujutsu Society is to proud. The higher ups would never allow that. Besides, there's no way that'd be humane. Not at first." I say.
"It'd never take hold in this country anyways." The soldier says.
I hit him in the face again hard, "did I say you could speak. You have no opinion anymore." I say.
"We should help them." Itadori says.
"What? But they're going to abduct us and experiment on us." Takaba says.
"There's no point, Tokyo 1 is already full of cursed energy. It doesn't matter so don't do anything." She says.
"Don't be bossy, I don't trust you anyways." Itadori says.
"Itadori." Megumi says surprised.
"Enough!" I say. I sigh and look at the man I have pinned down, "go. Do not follow us. Do not send anyone after us. Just go. If you ignore my warnings, you will die. Understand?" I say in a low menacing tone.
"Yes." He says nervously.
I let him go and he takes off.
I stand and look at our group, "I know you have your differences, but it may be a good idea to split up. Cover more ground. Get more accomplished. Itadori, Megumi, why don't you guys hunt Tsumiki down and get her out. The rest of us will head back to the house with Shoko. We'll meet up there after you get Tsumiki to formulate a plan. Sound good?" I ask.
"I'll go with them. The only problem though is that I can move between colonies but they can't." Angel says.
"Then let's add that rule now. We can transfer points around after so we have enough for Tsumiki." I say.
I hear someone clear their throat in the back of the room and see a familiar face.
"Maki?!" I say.
She's covered in scars and looks at me with dead eyes. Something's happened. But I'm just glad she's alive.
"Hey Sensei." She says.
"How are you here?" I ask.
"I got some info from a friend on the outside of where you guys were. Got here as quick as I could. Turns out, barriers don't recognize me since I have no cursed energy." She says.
"What happened?" Megumi asks.
Maki sighs, "it's a long story, but the short of it is Kejaku attacked Tengen. Choso and Tsukumo put up a good fight but Kenjaku still won. They kept the back of the prison realm safe. Choso has it back at Jujutsu High, but Kejaku got Tengen." She explains.
"Back of the prison realm?" I ask confused.
"We'll fill you in later." Megumi says.
"So, if Kejaku has Tengen, why hasn't the merger happened?" Itadori asks.
"Sorcerers can probably resist the merger with cursed energy. So it's probably not happening in the colonies." Angel says.
"Maybe Kenjaku can't start the merger yet." Megumi says.
"There's no way to know, but Tsumiki comes first."
"Yeah, we need to add the rule to pass between the colonies. Kogane!" I yell.
"Kogane!" Kogane says flying up to me.
"I have plenty of points for one more rule. Add one allowing players to enter and exit the barriers of the colonies." I say.
"Accepted! Rule 11. Players may enter and exit the barriers of the colonies at will, but the players time in the game is continuous." Kogane announces and flies away.
"Alright, that's done. Hana, Itadori, Megumi, go get Tsumiki. The rest of us will be with Shoko waiting for you guys to get back. After that, we'll break Satoru out. Everyone good with that?" I ask.
Everyone nods and I sigh.
"Alright. Let's go then." I say walking up to Itadori and Megumi wrapping both of them up in a hug. Surprisingly, Megumi actually hugs me back. I guess after everything he knows this could be the last time we ever see each other. A tear falls and I take a breath.
"Be safe. Both of you. Please." I say.
"We will. Don't worry Naomi." Megumi says.
I let them go and keep a hand on each of their shoulders, "I love you both as my own. You got that? So if you die, I kill you both."
Megumi smirks.
"Don't worry Sensei, we can handle this." Itadori says determined.
I nod, "good. Now, go get Tsumiki back."
They both nod and all three run off. I watch them as they go and disappear behind some rubble.
"Hope they do alright." I hear Panda say.
"Yeah, me too." I say.
"Well, we should probably go." Maki says.
"Yeah, I've got a place with Shoko. We can lay low there until we figure out a plan." I say.
Everyone agrees and we head out.
———
I pace back and forth on the porch of the house waiting. It's been a day and a half. They should be back by now. Maki left not long ago to follow them and see if something had happened. Panda left to head back to Jujutsu High. He said he'd help any survivors from the Kenjaku attack since he isn't much help in his state right now. And Takaba is inside trying to tell jokes to Shoko. She's humoring him, but I know she thinks they're lame.
I hear someone open the door and join me on the porch. I look over and see Shoko looking at me worried.
"Takaba run out of jokes?" I ask.
She gives a big sigh and leans on the railing, "I'm not sure he could ever do that."
I scoff and lean on the railing beside her.
"What're you thinking?" She asks.
"About the kids. I've got a bad feeling. It's been too long. They should have been back by now." I say.
She sighs, "yeah. You're right."
"Shoko." I say softly.
"Yeah?" She says.
"I can't lose them too." I say seriously. My heart goes numb just thinking about it, "I think if I did I'd really lose myself. There would be no return." I say.
She grabs my hand and squeezes. I look at her and she smiles softly, "they'll be okay. Everything will work out."
I nod, "it better."
"Why don't I grab you some coffee?" She says.
I nod, "that'd be great."
She nods and walks away.
"Shoko?" I say.
"Yeah." She says tiredly.
"Thank you. For everything. I haven't been very appreciative of you lately. So thank you." I say.
She chuckles, "you're welcome. Nerd." She says.
I scoff as she walks inside.
I look back at the driveway and see three figures walking. Not five. Itadori, Maki, and Hana, but no Megumi or Tsumiki.
"What?" I say with what feels like an anchor dropping in my chest.
They walk up and Itadori looks away from me. A tear falling down his face.
"Sensei.." Maki says solemnly.
"No." I say quietly.
"Sukuna.." Itadori says with a breath gathering himself together, "Sukuna took Megumi."