"...Mmm. Jun...?" Satsuki managed the strength to open her eyes. Her body felt like it was on fire. It felt heavy, and the pain surging through her veins felt so unbearable. She felt something soft and cushioned on her back, a bed. Did Junpei put her here? It was so hard to move, she could only see the ceiling, though it was barely visible to her. Everything looked so dark. How long had she been out?
There was something placed on top of her head. It felt like an ice pack, keeping her forehead cool, though she felt the ice melted into water already. There was a shadow of motion in the corner of her blurry sight, and the saggy ice pack was pulled off from her head.
"Sorry, that was the last one." Satsuki heard the voice of Junpei. "They melt pretty quickly, but the cold air in here should you help a bit. I brought some ice cream if you want any. I had to put the cashier to sleep just to get them, he's probably awake by now. I'm getting better at using Moon Dregs on other people. I'm sure whenever you need it, I can put others to sleep, and you can drink their blood easier."
Satsuki's vision cleared a bit turned her head slightly, seeing Junpei setting up towels on another bed. "This... isn't your room. Where...?"
"We're at my school, in the infirmary. There's an assembly going on right now, so almost everyone is there," Junpei answered. "I'm... I'm sorry I told you to come to my house. I should have thought how it would have affected you. It probably would have been bad too if you brought back my mom, while she was..."
There was a sudden horrible itch in Satsuki's throat, a dryness there as if she'd been wandering in the desert for days without water. She started to cough harshly, wheezing through every breath, feeling the pain in her lungs and stomach, her body screaming.
She felt something cold touching the side of her neck. Satsuki looked up and saw Moon Dregs there, overlooking her as if a guardian angel. The shikigami had grown so much lately, show just how much stronger Junpei had become. She felt her body cooled somewhat, the pain numbed and the itchiness in her throat subsided. The shikigami removed its tendril from her neck.
"That's the best I can do. I don't know how to drain other people's blood, but... I can still bring them to you."
"What... do you mean?" Satsuki asked quietly, fighting to keep herself awake.
"...The people who left that cursed object at my house, the one you pointed out... I don't know which one of them did it, but... they always hated me. They liked talking about my mom in the worst ways possible, while they were beating me into the ground... Some people in this world just don't deserve to live, but my mom wasn't one of them... And you don't deserve to die either."
One of Junpei's bullies at school? There's... there's something wrong with that. It's not possible for any human to just get their hands on that terrible cursed finger, they would have been cursed themselves. Satsuki wanted to ask more, but she felt so weak...
"I'm going to bring them to you, so that you can drink their blood. You don't need to hold back. You have to save yourself, however you can. Mahito-san is right that you shouldn't feel bad about wanting to survive, especially if the people you kill are all rotten to the core."
There was that intense hatred in Junpei's voice that Satsuki didn't like. She was beginning to worry. What was Junpei planning to do? It's true that her body, through all the pain and fatigue, she could hear its demand for blood, but if Junpei planned to do just that, how was he going to-?
"I wish I could just take you to the assembly," Junpei suddenly said, "But you need your rest first. Don't worry, I'll try to bring as many people as I can, make plenty of trips if I have to. There's probably sorcerers on their way over here right now, but it'll be fine."
He turned around and moved towards her. A pair of arms wrapped around Satsuki's shoulders, and a hand pushed gingerly behind her head, feeling the soft strands of her brown hair. Satsuki's breath hitched as she felt the side of Junpei's face pressed against hers. A warmth that held no pain, her face flushed by the kindness in this hold.
"I'll protect you from them. After all this is over, and you feel better, let's go somewhere far away. I don't care about becoming a vampire anymore, I just want to be with you, Sacchin."
Satsuki's mouth instantly watered at the close sensation of his neck, her mouth slowly parted with her fangs protruding, but she willfully resisted the temptations, fighting her urges to the bitterest. She didn't want to give in, to not hurt her friend, even as it felt like he was practically giving himself to her. She pressed her closed mouth against his shoulder, the barest she could offer to return this sweet affection.
Junpei laid her back against the bed again. "I left some of my blood here for you, in case you need them."
He grabbed the blood packet from the other bed and placed it in Satsuki's hand. "Jun...?"
Junpei gave her a small smile, but even with her blurry vision, and losing consciousness, she could see his sad gaze. "I won't take long. Wait here for me, Sacchin. I'll definitely save you."
He then goes for the door of the infirmary and slid it open. "Whatever it takes."
Wait. Don't go... Satsuki wanted to say, but there was no more energy left in her as the boy exited the room, leaving Satsuki in her state, with his blood pack tightly clutched in her hand. Please. Don't...!
Don't become a monster like me.
Yuuji lightly rinsed off the blood that once belonged to Nagi Yoshino from Ciel's gloves, standing in front of a running sink in Ciel's bathroom. His eyes downcast and full of sadness as he remembered the woman he knew for a short while, yet left such a lasting impression on him. Helping Yuuji through his feelings and encouraging him. He hoped that Nanami and maybe Ciel's people will take good care of Nagi's ashes, but it worried Yuuji how he was going to break the news to Junpei over what ended up happening to the woman.
He already had his fair share of fighting against zombies, but this was the first time he faced one that was someone he knew, and he just couldn't bring himself to kill her, even if it would have been a mercy.
I know Ciel mentioned the dead being living shadows of themselves, but hearing her call out his name...
It was the only thing that'd been on her mind, her own and only son, to her dying breath twice. She didn't deserve that fate, and she didn't deserve to have her corpse desecrated either. When a person dies so tragically, there is the immediate grief of it, but for that person to come back as a shell of themselves - a monster aiming to devour anyone in their way, including those who grieved for them - it's a gut-wrenching horror. He'd seen it in movies, but it was something else entirely to see it in reality.
He wondered then how'd he react if his grandfather and friends turned into undead. Just the thought of it would be enough to give Yuuji nightmares, and he immediately wanted to stop thinking about it. It was too horrible to consider. He wanted to make sure that what happened with Nagi would never happen to anyone else, but... things like that had already been happening. Otherwise, Ciel's organization wouldn't have existed, and even more damning, there had already been plenty of undead roaming in Tokyo ever since Ciel arrived. So many innocents either left to rot in some dark corner of an alleyway, or get back up to wander and endlessly feed on other people's blood.
Sacchin...
There was anger in his heart as he gripped Ciel's gloves between his fingers, his hands trembled slightly. Why? Why did Satsuki had to turn Nagi into that? Junpei's own mom. Didn't she care at all how Junpei or Ms. Yoshino would feel?!
She's already killed so many people now. Was she also responsible for what happened at the detention center?
Or was she working for someone who is? Ciel did say that there was a vampire hierarchy, and how unusual for curses and vampire to suddenly co-exist within the same area. Maybe this cursed spirit and Satsuki was working for the head vampire? But then why would they get Junpei involved? What were they planning to do with him?
I have to find her. I have to find Sacchin and Junpei.
He left Ciel's gloves to dry in the edge of the sink and stepped out of the bathroom. He pulled out his cell phone and looked through his contacts again. He's tried to call Junpei so many times now. All of his texts both silly and serious went unanswered, about half of them were read, and then it was dead silent.
"Where are you...?"
He then switched to his text history with Ciel. There were a few texts he sent to her, asking if she was alright. Both texts were read but no response. Was she fighting right now or was she just giving him the cold shoulder? Both would have made him feel impatient, but as long as Nanami made sure to stick with her, she should be okay. He's still a little angry with how she acted, but he didn't want her to stop talking to him.
He took a deep breath and pocketed his phone. I need to focus on Junpei first. I'll talk to Ciel when she gets back.
Yuuji then walked into the living room, where Ijichi sat on the floor by the coffee table. He had documents neatly placed there with a large map. Red markers laid about. The sorcerer-assistant looked to Yuuji. "Have you received any messages from Yoshino-kun yet?"
Yuuji shook his head, sitting across from the glass table. "No. It's like he turned off his phone... or someone else did."
"We will find him," Ijichi said in reassurance. "Nanami-san said that the incident in Yoshino-kun's home happened this morning. He couldn't have gone far. However, there is a possibility that Satsuki Yumizuka is with him, and with the sun going down, she'll be even stronger as a vampire during the night. I've received word that all available sorcerer assistants like myself, and members from the Church have spread out and essentially closed off this part of the city."
Ijichi grabbed a marker and drew a red circle around one section of the map. "We'll cross off the sewers, since it's already confirmed that both Yumizuka and the cursed spirit have left, though there are still those lingering transfigured humans to worry about."
Yuuji grimaced before putting his energy into keeping his calm and focus, nodding with the man.
"While Nanami-san and Ciel-san are investigating the lair for any clues or traces, as well as handling all other threats that remained there," Ijichi resumed, "we'll start by picking out all possible hideouts, have one of our people investigate it, then confirm if they either hold Yoshino-kun, Yumizuka, or the cursed spirit. I've already marked out a few of them after hearing back from one of our teams."
Ijichi adjusted his glasses, "Considering the circumstances, and knowing what the cursed spirit and Yumizuka are capable of, to fight both of them at the same time will only bring about casualties, and we do not have the manpower to deal with them. Ciel-san had already put in a request for reinforcements, but since her organization is from overseas, they won't be able to arrive until three days later. If Gojo-san was still in town, that's another story. With his ability, he can withstand against their techniques and be able to defeat and execute them."
A memory of Satsuki's gentle smile flashed through Yuuji's mind and he winced, though he was able to keep himself composed as he listened to Ijichi.
"However, since he is unavailable, and Nanami-san's own technique unsuited to deal with the likes of Yumizuka's, we're only left with one other option - to entrust Ciel-san in fighting Yumizuka-san. Her immortality is proven to be an advantage against the vampire's cursed technique, able to withstand the depletion effect and keep fighting afterwards. The only downside is that her magical power will be depleted should she come into direct contact, but Ciel-san assured that it would not pose her any problem. So long as she avoids Yumizuka's blood being directly implemented into Ciel-san's, she'll be able to fight efficiently."
Yuuji frowned, "Wouldn't Ciel had to face Sacchin's power to know that?"
"Um, yes..." Ijichi said, and after debating for a moment, he decided to tell Yuuji to keep him aware of the danger, "According to Ciel-san, Yumizuka's technique involves manipulating her own blood and inserting it into others, either from afar or up close. From there, her blood would begin to eat away both the energy of her target and their blood. The process is constant, meaning that the effects of Yumizuka-san's technique will not stop until every drop of energy and blood is drained from her target. The only way to stop the effects of this technique is to either kill the curse user who utilized it, or to perform an intense, self-exorcism, though I don't recommend this to anyone."
"Why not?" Yuuji asked.
"Because it requires burning yourself alive," Ijichi said unhesitant, startling Yuuji. "Ciel-san had to perform a Cremation Rite on herself in order to completely purge the cursed effects."
Cremation Rite... That was what Ciel used against Sukuna when they first fought, incinerating the curse's flesh until he grew it all back. Yuuji's heart clenched at the thought that that was what Ciel had to go through to save herself, while he'd been here eating popcorn and staring at the TV all day. He gripped his hands together tightly. "I should have been there with her."
"In this case, it was better that you weren't," Ijichi said. As much as it pained the man, he had to get through to Yuuji and stated plain-spokenly. "We have no idea what the effects of Yumizuka's technique could have on your body while you're carrying Sukuna's soul. It could make her even more powerful, and that much harder to stop."
Yuuji's jaw tightened but couldn't find anything to counter that argument. Still, it hurt him to think how much Ciel had been in pain, and she was willing to suffer through all that alone so that nobody else would have to get hurt or killed. That's it, we're having a serious talk next time I see her. I don't care what she says or if she tries to walk away, I'm not letting her go by herself anymore.
After all the times she's done to protect him, it's his turn to do the same for her.
"Keep in mind, Nanami-san will still involve himself to aid Ciel-san, especially to deal with the cursed spirit. It'd probably be a safer bet for them to separate the curse and Yumizuka-san. We're unsure whether the cursed spirit's technique could have an effect on Ciel-san, though she told us not to worry about it."
Even after the executor said that, Nanami made it a point to inform Ijichi that he intended to keep the curse preoccupied with himself, so not to risk that chance of finding out if the cursed spirit could indeed harm Ciel. There was a lot of mystery with how Ciel's immortality works, but even should she survive the transfiguration effects, it'll probably be painful nonetheless, leaving her as likely to be in a weakened state for either the curse or the vampire to unleash their assault on her continuously. It was a possible outcome Ijichi and Nanami did not want to happen, though the only possible advantage they have is that the enemies are also unaware of the extent of Ciel's immortality, let alone knowing she has it.
"Regardless, Nanami-san will fight with the cursed spirit, and Ciel-san will deal with Yumizuka. As for us, the best that we can do is to secure the area of the fight, and evacuate any civilians nearby, including Junpei Yoshino, should we be able to find him."
Yuuji nodded and then looked down on the map, "We can cross off Yoshino-kun's house, since that place should already be swarming with people by now."
Ijichi nodded and crossed out the house and neighborhood. They began going down the list of possible locations Junpei, Satsuki, and the cursed spirit could be hiding. With Satsuki able to walk in the daytime now, they can't simply limit their focus to just the darkest places found on the map, though those won't be taken without regard either.
"...Hey, I've been thinking," Yuuji suddenly said, looking over at all the crossed spots within the large circle of the map, "Yumizuka is a vampire. She'll probably want somewhere that has a lot of people to get blood from."
"Hmm. That is a good way to narrow things down," Ijichi re-examined the map. "Perhaps instead of looking through places that has an abandoned building or such, we should look into locations that have a large traffic of people, where it is easier to blend in with the crowd. The intersection here is a good start, but not so many places to hide in. There's also the hospital, but people who suddenly turn up missing there are quickly reported, and so Yumizuka's presence would have been noticed..."
As Ijichi began cutting down all possible locations in a crowded area, Yuuji once more delved deep into his own thoughts. "The detention center also made for a pretty decent lair for a vampire."
He spoke with an air devoid of any emotion, so to handle the weight of that nightmare when he lost control, the deaths of those people that still weigh heavily on his heart and mind. "I've been wondering if Sacchin was the same vampire who trapped all those people down there..."
"That's highly unlikely," Ijichi stated, "Ciel-san said that the vampire who had been hiding underneath that building was not done by Yumizuka. It's more than likely that Yumizuka-san was bitten by that vampire, but has quickly evolved into her own being that she's become separated from her Master."
"Then... she's just as much of a victim as everyone else is..." Yuuji's eyes lowered solemnly. "Ciel told me that if vampires don't drink blood, their bodies start to fall apart. I can't imagine what that's like, not being able to go on for a single day without... taking someone's life just to survive."
"Yes... In hindsight, these vampires are quite tragic," Ijichi looked at Yuuji's face that was full of sympathy. "But there's nothing we can do to help them. Once they've begun drinking people's blood..."
"There's no turning back," Yuuji finished, eyes hardening. "I know. She's already killed so many people by now. I feel sorry for her, but that doesn't mean I won't try to stop her."
Stop her, but not kill her... Ijichi caught on to Yuuji's phrasing as he adjusted his glasses. I'm sure deep down he'll want to save Yumizuka-san, if it turns out she really is a victim. But I'm not so sure if Yumizuka-san herself will make that possible. Or the cursed spirit who has allied with her.
If there's anything to go by from what Ciel told him and Nanami about a vampire's blood lust, the hope for a normal life was just no longer possible, especially considering whatever plans that cursed spirit has. But Satsuki was indeed a pitiable figure. A simple girl around Yuuji's age, who had been living a normal life up until recently. With friends and a family who have been missing her for so long, from what Ciel was able to briefly disclose last night to Nanami, and Nanami relaying the information to Ijichi so to keep an eye out for that chestnut-haired girl somewhere on the street.
Ijichi honestly felt like such a fool for not stepping into Junpei's home, or asked Yuuji more questions about his night with the other teen. If he did, he would have seen or heard about Satsuki, and would have likely put two and two together. Of course, Ijichi would be risking his own life if ever did personally enter that home, and he's deathly afraid of the thought of ever facing a vampire.
But maybe if he had done it, then he probably could have spared Yuuji that traumatic experience this afternoon. Finding Yuuji with his gloved hands stained in the blood of an innocent woman turned monster, it didn't leave a good feeling in Ijichi even if Yuuji had been relatively calm, until it eventually got out how much they've been hiding from the sorcerer.
Nanami-san is right to say that Itadori-kun is not ready, Ijichi thought to himself as he marked off another location. It may be inevitable in the future, but for now, at the very least...
Let this boy remain further unharmed from the harsh reality of life, if only for a little while longer, however useless this wish may end up being for a sorcerer.
To have eyes like Ciel-san... Ijichi thoughts drift slightly, recalling that unmoving, coldly expressed eyes. I wonder if her time with Itadori-kun today... had been the happiest she's ever been.
He'd hate to think that was only a façade, even for an executor.
"What about the mall, over here?" Yuuji suddenly said, pressing his finger against the location.
Ijichi looked at the spot closely, adjusting his glasses, "Hmm... It's outside the circle, but it does meet all the criteria. Plenty of traffic. I've also heard that there's a part of the mall that's been closed down after its store ran out of business. There should be plenty of spaces to hide several people there as well. Should Yumizuka make her way over there, we could perhaps send an observation team-"
Ijichi's cell phone suddenly rings from his pocket. He takes it out and looked at the Caller ID. "Ah. Excuse me. This is from work."
He raised a finger to his lips, signaling Yuuji to remain quiet. The sorcerer nodded, zipping his mouth closed, and Ijichi answered the phone. "Yes. This is Kiyotaka Ijichi speaking."
He listened for a moment, and then his eyes widened. "I-I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?"
Yuuji watched with piqued interest at the man's startled expression, hearing him worriedly add, "But... We were never notified! I-it was certainly not me, I assure you!"
Could it be...?! Ijichi's eyes flickered back to the map. "Where has it been set?"
After hearing the answer, the sorcerer-assistant's face grew paler. "...I understand. I will notify the others at once."
Hanging up the phone, a grim look settled upon Ijichi.
"What happened?" Yuuji asked. When the man didn't answer, refusing to look at Yuuji in the eye as he began to type down Nanami's number in his cell phone. There was a gut feeling in Yuuji, and the sorcerer stared.
"It's about Junpei Yoshino, isn't it? Tell me."
Ijichi contemplated, looking back at the map. "...There was an unauthorized "curtain" set over Setozakura High."
Yuuji faintly recalled the name, and it soon clicked, his eyes darting back down on the map as well. That's Junpei's school!
It was within the circled area, a place with plenty of students and teachers. It can only mean...!
"Nanami-san. There's- Oh, you have already heard," Ijichi said as soon as the adult answered the phone. Before he could say more, Yuuji abruptly stood up. "Wait, Itadori-kun-!"
"Put me on the phone with him."
"Put me on the phone with him."
It was a request given by both sorcerers on each end of the line. Ijichi was a bit taken aback, but nonetheless, complied to both of them as he handed the phone over to Yuuji.
The sorcerer held the phone against his ear, "Yeah."
"I assume you heard as well," Nanami said. "Ciel-san's people have radioed in and notified us the situation. We're still cleaning up the remaining threats in the sewers-"
"I'm going, Nanami."
"Don't. I already told you why you can't. If there's a curtain that wasn't set up by any of our people, chances are it's either done by the cursed spirit, or Yumizuka-san, and there's a strong possibility that both are at Setozakura High."
"Nanami-san! I told you not to tell him!" Yuuji overheard Ciel's voice as a sharp barrage of attacks silenced a distant cursed moaning. The sorcerer remained unmoved. His fist clenched by his side.
"Considering how it worked out the last time we've kept secrets, I'd say this is an appropriate warning. Besides, he already knows." After responding to the executor, Nanami spoke to Yuuji again. "Wait for us there. We won't take long."
Yuuji merely hanged up the phone, setting it back down on the coffee table. "...Stand aside, Ijichi-san."
He straightened up and looked dead in the eye of the sorcerer-assistant who stood in front of Ciel's sliding door. "Please."
"Our job is to help people," Ijichi began, unrelenting, and refusing to make the same mistake again. To send someone to their death. "That includes students like yourself."
The man stood in the way of the sorcerer scheduled to be executed, to preserve what life Yuuji Itadori still had left. "Don't go, Itadori."
Yuuji instantly ran past the man, neither giving each other a second glance. One powerless to stop the track-star superhuman as Yuuji swiftly opened the sliding door and leapt over the balcony. I'm sorry... But Junpei needs me.
"...He hung up, didn't he?" Ciel knew she didn't need to ask, quietly cursing under her breath as she swiftly killed another small horde of cursed humans with her black keys.
"...He did," Nanami only answered, casually putting away his phone. "I told him to stay put, but he probably won't listen."
"Of course he won't," Ciel answered bitterly, snapping her fingers as a wave of Cremation Rites burnt through the remaining, moving corpses of the transfigured. "He's the type to answer yes to an 'are you older than eighteen' form without a second thought."
Beside them, the back-up sorcerer Nanami requested, Second Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer Takuya Ino, looked with an uncomfortable expression as Ciel paid not one more heed to the bodies she just incinerated, seeing her turn on her heel swiftly and proceeds towards one of the tunnels in the lair. Damn, that's cold. These curses used to be humans, and she didn't even bat an eye killing them.
He was also curious about what her conversation with Nanami was about, but he didn't get a chance to listen in completely while he was fighting these cursed humans, which have all now been cleared from this part of the sewers.
"I'm going after him," Ciel announced, leaving the befuddled second grade sorcerer to wonder if she was talking about the cursed spirit.
Nanami walked after her, "I'm coming along too. Ino, there's a situation that needs our attention. I'll leave the rest to you."
"HUH?!" Ino shouted. "B-by myself?"
"Is there a problem?" Nanami turned back for the man while Ciel resumed without pause.
"Um, well-"
There was a tremor within the sewers, debris fell from the ceiling, and everyone paused. "-!"
The source of the tremor came bursting through the concrete wall. "-GGGRRRAAAAUUUUUHHHHJ...!"
A giant, worm-like curse wriggled their way into the area. Ciel, Nanami, and Ino retreated, all individually appalled by the sight of the curse.
"It's one of the curses Yumizuka-chan released," Ciel immediately recognized, but there was something different about it. It was bigger, and not only that, it had fresh blood in its mouth. Feeling no other tremors within the sewers, Ciel had to conclude that this curse had eaten the other curse Satsuki fed her blood into. She gulped down her unease, "How horrible... Never mind that she brought them to life, just what sort of experiment was this curse performing on these people?"
Even in her life as executor, full of experiences and horrors, this was some next level demented pleasure.
"There's no limit to what evil curses can do," Nanami responded, holding up his hatchet. "Change of plans, I'll assist Ino-san in killing this curse. Go and get to the school."
Ciel looked in surprise at the man beside her. The adult merely kept his eyes on the writhing curse, as it proceeded to chant as if in a trance: "kill me. kill me. kill me...!"
"You're the only one who can catch up to him," Nanami said quietly, referring to Yuuji as he narrowed his eyes in pity at the cursed being in front of him, but resolved to end it as well. "Go."
Ciel looked back at the curse, conflicted to leave Nanami here to deal with this behemoth, until her thoughts turned to Yuuji - the warmness of his smile, and his hug she still remembered the sensation of from this morning. "...Understood."
She motioned several black keys to surround the curse and embedded over twenty swords into its grotesque flesh. Each sword cast a different spell, putting everything within her power into each of them, and set off several different rites of different effects. The curse screaming as she did so. "I've weakened it the best I could. Be careful, Nanami-san. Try not to get killed."
Ciel then dashed down into the tunnel, killing several curses along the way without stopping.
Ino looked at the departing girl, honestly stunned beyond words by both her power and speed that made her vanish into the dark under a second. These executors really are monsters...
"It's up to us now to deal with this curse, Ino-san."
Nanami's calm declaration brought Ino's attention back to the beast in front of them. "Wait... Just us?!"
Ino looked at the massive curse, a little hesitant to take on such an opponent. "I mean, that's one big fella. Plus, it's still human, right?"
"I'll put in a good word and recommend your promotion to First Grade."
"LET'S DO THIS!"
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry...!"
It was uttered repeatedly by the bruised and bleeding face of the crying Shota Ito. A once untouchable student of Setozakura High. Tormenting weaker students and claiming a popular status through his looks, threats of violence, and a following. However, tonight, it was Shota who was on the receiving end of a brutal beating, and from one of his victims no less.
The gym was filled to the brim with fallen students and staff members. Every single one of them unconscious from the non-lethal poison Junpei had Moon Dregs seep into the room. The only ones to remain conscious was Junpei Yoshino, Shota, and Junpei's teacher, Sotomura. The teacher weakly resisted against the poison as he tried to reach out to Junpei. To stop the boy from doing something regrettable, what he will never come back from. "Yo...shino...!"
Junpei paid no heed to the man behind him, staring hatefully at the student in his shikigami's grip. This student who had never been a fellow, but a spoiled, wretched figure in Junpei's life, and one he believed to be the cause of his mother's death. Unfortunately, he couldn't get the 'truth' out of Shota. At this point, Junpei didn't care if Shota did left that cursed finger or not. This was a long time coming, and he's going to make this guy suffer as his mother did.
"And? Why should I care how you feel?" Junpei apathetically stated, no mercy in his heart over this foolish attempt of an apology that mattered very little now. "I'm on the fence over what to do with you. I actually hate the idea of giving your blood to her."
No. There's no way Satsuki should ever succumb herself to this filth's blood. There were plenty of other students here anyhow. What's one life loss?
With his decision made, Junpei mentally directed his shikigami, and Moon Dreg's tendrils wrapped around the lower half of Shota's body. Shota couldn't see what was happening, he couldn't see Moon Dregs, but he could feel it, something wrapped around his hips. The faintest feeling of his legs being pulled, and the terror in his heart grew heavier.
"I'll make you go through the same pain she did-"
The doors of the gym were slammed open. Yuuji finally arrived at the scene, having easily bypassed the curtain, and went to the nearest sensation of a curse's presence.
His sight was immediately on Junpei, the shock of seeing his friend there, standing unphased as he held a beaten, defenseless teen at his mercy, and all the bodies lying on the floor. Yuuji wasn't prepared. He thought after coming here, he would either face Satsuki or the cursed spirit. Instead, it was Junpei who looked at Yuuji with a cold glare. The eyes of someone who held no regard for human life.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! JUNPEI?!"
Junpei's expression didn't change as he responded to the other teen as if he was only a stranger to him, "Stay out of this, Jujutsu Sorcerer."
That's right... Even if it was someone like Yuuji - no, even if it is Yuuji, Junpei will not falter. For the sake of his revenge, for Satsuki's life, he'll even fight a friend.
"...There!" Ciel managed to arrive at last, herself piercing through the black veil of the curtain surrounding the entire school and made haste through the entrance. She could sense the presence of a few curses. One at the rooftop, the other at the gymnasium. Which one should she go to? She didn't sense anyone else but the curse on the rooftop, whereas the gym should have various people since this was a school night. She's heard beforehand that there was to be an assembly hosted today, so that most certainly means students and staff are together in one area, which means Yuuji should be there as well.
I'll deal with the other curse later. I need to get to Yuuji-!
As she rushed to aid Yuuji, her plan to take the enemy by surprise came to a sudden halt. Sensing a new presence, she stopped at one end of the hallway and saw someone stumbling out of what appeared to be the school's infirmary.
Satsuki Yumizuka gasped with a mouth full of blood, having regain her energy thanks to Junpei's blood packet. She clutched the front of her blouse and her red bow tightly, clutching the edge of the door that cracked under her grip. "Jun...kun..."
I need to find him. I have to stop him!
Satsuki can't let him do what he planned to do, even if it was for her sake. He wasn't a killer. He shouldn't taint his heart so. Not especially if sorcerers are going to come here and fight him, where they'll no doubt kill him. She can't let him face them all on his own!
As the strength came back into her legs, she stood up straight after forcing herself out of the infirmary. She heard the heartbeat of another person there in the hallway, and immediately turned to face them. "-! S-Senpai?!"
But how? Satsuki's ability should have killed Ciel. To have eaten away the blood and energy from the body, until nothing remained. There's no way anyone could have survived after that!
"Yumizuka-chan!" Ciel was equally surprised. Though she expected Satsuki to be here, she didn't think she'd be facing the vampire so soon. But if Satsuki was here, and sensing a cursed spirit on the roof, then who was Yuuji fighting right now?
At the direction of the gym, the sounds of battle were immediately felt and heard, something bursting through the walls of the schools. Ciel's eyes immediately flickered over to Satsuki's shoulders. Yuuji-kun!
Satsuki caught the executor's glance and clenched her hand. Someone's fighting. It has to be Jun-kun.
Satsuki could hear the slow heartbeats of many, many students behind her, her vampiric senses catching everything, even she was shocked to notice so much. All of the students, no doubt, were knocked out by Junpei's poison, she could smell it from where she stood. There were two people that were fighting, their hasty footsteps and blood pumping quickly into their hearts. One of them had to be Junpei, the other one, either a sorcerer or another executor. It was one fighter Junpei was dealing with, so at the very least, Junpei might be able to hold off on his own. She still wanted to help him. However...
The biggest problem now stood before Satsuki. She can tell Ciel wanted to get to the gym right away, but Satsuki cannot let that happen. Not with Junpei there as well. The vampire clenched her hand even tighter, until blood spilled from her palm, punctured by her sharp nails.
I have to protect Junpei!
Ciel read Satsuki's intention clearly and knew that if she let herself ignore this vampire, Satsuki would only follow, leading this dangerous vampire straight to Yuuji. Ciel cannot let that happen. No matter what. Not with Satsuki's ability that could very well kill Yuuji. The executor immediately pulled out her black keys from her skirt as she faced the vampire and old classmate resolutely.
I have to protect Yuuji!
"Oh?" Mahito hummed to himself, sitting on the railing as he looked over the edge of the school's roof, where he could see through the windows below - the beginning conflict between sorcerers, executor and vampire.
"Geto really should have stayed and watch. This just got a whole lot more interesting..."
He didn't really think twice about letting Junpei bring Satsuki along, but as it turned out, it was the right call to have her here. With Satsuki gaining a second wind to face the executor, the two girls quickly clashed as soon as they saw each other. He hadn't expected a second party to show up so soon after the vessel, but it looked like she wouldn't interfere so long as Satsuki can keep her busy.
He probably should consider helping Satsuki and kill the executor together, but... Mahito's more intrigued to see how all this plays out. Especially after finding out the humans he's transfigured on the night he and Geto left the sewers weren't even executors, but just some people who worked for the Church. Talk about disappointing.
"Hmm... I wonder who I should root for?"
His attention drifted away from Junpei and Yuuji - since he already knew the outcome of their battle regardless of who wins and who loses. Mahito observed the two girls and their intense fighting that pushed them further away from the boys, Satsuki making the effort to do so, probably so to keep Junpei safe from the executor.
"I like to play around with that vampire hunter next, so I kind of hope she wins... but I also want to keep Satsuki-chan, just to see what else I can feed her with." Mahito swayed his legs over the railing in anticipation, like a child deciding on which doll to play and break with. "Hmm. Maybe I should hope for both of them to survive. They might just weaken each other. That way, I can swoop in and do whatever I want with them."
It'd be interesting to see what a couple of beauties would become after having their souls mutated. He's also sure he can make use of them against the vessel. Now... how and what would be the best way to go about that...?
"I guess it all depends on who falls first."
A powerful impact against the head of Moon Dregs, Yuuji's punch was completely nulled as the shikigami brought Junpei further into the hallway, keeping the curse user separated from Yuuji.
"Don't make me say it again," Junpei warned, and summoned more poisonous tendrils to face Yuuji. "Stay out of this!"
Yuuji's fist raised to the side of his head, his hand charged with cursed energy, "That's not for you to decide-!"
"Don't give me that crap!" With a surge of power, Moon Dregs size suddenly expanded. Its jelly completely filling the halls and hundreds of tendrils shot forth. Yuuji hadn't expected the sudden change in the shikigami's size and was too late to react as his body was instantly swarmed by the jellyfish.
"What are you trying to prove? Selflessly saving lives, it means nothing. If someone deserves to die, no one has the right to stop it," Junpei declared. "And if someone else deserves to live, then it should only be a fair trade. I'll gladly kill if it means that I'll stay alive."
Junpei recognized the corridor they were in. He'd been pushed too far from the gym. While Satsuki should still be safe in the infirmary at the other side of the school, he can't afford to go back to the gym now. He'll have to bring Satsuki over to the others.
He turned his back on the hall crowded by his shikigami. "I've already wasted enough time. Go ahead and take a long nap-"
Yuuji's arm burst through the crowd of poisonous tendrils and caught the surprised Junpei by the back of his collar.
"Just who are you trying to sound like?!" Yuuji forced himself through the shikigami's endless grips and threw Junpei out the window.
What...? Junpei was flabbergasted. His poison should have knocked out Yuuji. Why didn't it work?
Why? Why? Why was he getting in his way? Why can't he just let Junpei do what he needed to do?
Junpei landed on his back against another roof and rolled himself at the edge. His shikigami quickly coming to his aid. Its tendrils sharpened, and a greater dosage of paralysis is embedded in them. If his poison can't effect Yuuji on the outside, then he'll have to inject it directly.
Yuuji leapt after Junpei, leaving himself exposed. Junpei directed his shikigami's talons directly below Yuuji. Yuuji quickly reacted and slammed both fists against the roof they stood upon, the shockwave knocking away the talons, and causing Junpei to nearly lose his balance.
"I know what happened."
Junpei flinched when he heard this.
"I was at your house earlier. I saw everything. Your mom...!" Yuuji looked at Junpei with a pained expression, but determined to force his way to reach him. "I know about Sacchin too. I just don't understand why you're doing this. Do you think your mom would have wanted you to hurt people?! Please! Talk to me! Just what are you trying to do?!"
Junpei was silent for a moment, his shikigami floating closely to him. "...If you already knew what happened, then you shouldn't blame me for doing this. The students in the gym, one of them killed my mom."
Yuuji was shocked. Junpei's lips began to quiver, his resolve was wavering, but he refused to let himself relent. He can't. Not now. Not when Sacchin needed him. "You said that people's lives have value, but not everyone sees it the way you do. Those people have no hearts. Humans never had any!"
"Then are you saying your mom didn't have a heart?!" Yuuji challenged him. "You don't believe anything you said! You're just trying to convince yourself!"
To vampires, humans are nothing more than food.
Yuuji eyes widened, "Or...did someone else tell you that? Did Sacchin-?"
"SHUT UP!" Junpei immediately shouted, a violent expression at the mention of his friend. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HER!"
Junpei unleashed his shikigami's several talons for the sorcerer. There was no hesitation in his heart, whether Yuuji ended up in the hospital or close to death, Junpei will not falter. The talons outstretched and began to wildly flail at Yuuji, but Yuuji had already faced something like this before. His experience against the spider ghoul and its many long whips, it proved to be of great help to him as he dodged the whip and slash attacks.
"I know she's a vampire! I know what she's done!" Junpei began as memories between him and Satsuki clouded his focus. All the good times they've spent together. Training under Mahito together. Walking out every night together. Seeing her leap into the night sky with the overhanging moon in the distant. The smile she wore last night, letting herself forget all the bad things in the world. "But it wasn't her fault! She just wanted to survive! She just-!"
"Are you going to keep making excuses for her?" Yuuji asked coldly, punching aside a few talons away from him. "Can you still say that if she killed you and your mom?"
"-!" Junpei froze when he was hit with that question. It was the same scenario Satsuki and Junpei talked about, and their response to it was made very clear. How he'd hate her if she did that. How Satsuki admitted the wrongness of what she did.
"Even if she was just trying to survive..."
The deaths of those innocent people. Men. Women. Girls her age. All of them having to be discovered in the darkest corner of a back alley. Ciel needing to burn herself after fighting Satsuki, and being left to deal with the pain alone in the sewers.
Yuuji's curled fist was infused with cursed energy. "She didn't have to leave those people to rot."
Slipping past the talons, Yuuji slammed his fist against Junpei's cheek. The teen was sent back into the school, crashing through the window and stopping by a staircase.
Junpei coughed as he barely managed to sit up. The hit almost felt nothing to Junpei, as an even greater pain swelled in his chest. "S...so what? Am I supposed to feel bad for them? People don't have hearts...!"
Junpei once more professed, over and over again in his heart and mind. "If they did, then those people...! Were the ones who cursed at me and my mom from the bottom of their hearts!"
Yuuji stopped as soon as he stepped onto the window frame. Junpei's voice cracked as tears streamed down on his face, his mask of apathy crumbled. "I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore... but I know what I want."
He took a deep breath in, trying to gain back his will, "I'm going to save Sacchin."
"Save...?"
"After what she went through, just so she could try and save my mom..."
"-!"
Junpei clenched his hands together, his shikigami at his back, "I'm not letting anyone else take her too!"
The talon-whip was fired from Moon Dregs, but Yuuji did not move. The talon pierced into Yuuji's shoulder. The sorcerer grit his teeth at the pain of it. Poison surged through his system, but he did not succumb to it.
Junpei looked up in shock. Actually surprised to have drivers a hit, and even more so at the jujutsu sorcerer's willing stillness. "W-Why...? Why didn't you-?!"
Yuuji pushed forth, but slowly. His hands were lowered, completely abandoning all guard and intent to fight. Moon Dregs retracted the talon from Yuuji's shoulder as the sorcerer spoke, "I'm sorry. You've been through a lot. I shouldn't have been so hard on you."
The blood dripped from Yuuji's shoulders as Yuuji approached Junpei. "I was just mad at myself that I wasn't there to help you. But if that was what Sacchin was trying to do..."
If things get rough, and I'm not around, you'll go to his rescue, okay?
The promise he made to Satsuki rang his heart. The humanity she showed, he was certain, was impossible to have been a lie. Yuuji knelt down in front of Junpei and gently took hold of his hands. "I promise, I won't blame you, and I won't judge her anymore either. Just tell me everything that happened this morning."
There was only sincerity and kindness. The willingness to hear and to hold mercy. Junpei was wordless for a moment, staring down at Yuuji's hands that held his. The turmoil and will to fight in his heart faded away, as did his Moon Dregs. The shikigami disappearing from his back.
"...Please..." Junpei clenched his fingers, his shoulder trembled as he lowered his head, "I... I don't know what to do anymore... I need your help..."
He looked up at Yuuji once more, his eyes filled with tears and desperation, "Please...! Help Sacchin."
-!
Facing off against the executor relentlessly, Satsuki heard the sudden change in a familiar heartbeat, as her blood-claws carved through the flying black keys. "…Jun-kun?"