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Title: Redemption
Chapter 4: Don't Look Away

A/N: Hello! Thank you to all of you who reviewed I do in fact read each and everyone of them. I appreciate the encouragement and you guys have definitely helped me to keep finding my groove with this fanfic. However, for the anon reviewer who keeps complaining about the "random" japanese words, I get what you're saying but will not be making any changes. It's honestly to ingrained in my writing style for me to change that. Also, thank you to the few reviewers who called out canonical errors. Honestly, I'm not too concerned? Should I be? Maybe I'll try to fix it at some point? Either way thank you for the callout! If you think it might make a big difference to the flow of this fanfic feel free to DM me!

Thanks!

Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Jujutsu Kaisen to Gege Akutami. Only the fanfic idea belongs to me.

Time was fickle in within the Shikon no Tama. What seemed like a minute could be a year and what felt like a year could be a minute. It was a strange sensation to feel like everything was moving so fast and so slow at the same time.

As Kagome barely dodged a wayward youkai, and its gnashing teeth, she felt like it had been in slow motion, despite her quick and rough roll to get out of the way. It was nostalgic, in some ways, to be fighting against her most loathed enemy. Although, Naraku appeared more beastly than ever, his attacks were familiar and with every dodge, counter, and arrow shot, Kagome felt as though they were stuck in an endless, rhythmless cycle.

It was impossible to tell how long they had been fighting for. But, Naraku's bloody gaze bore into her, as relentlessly as the youkai he had attacking her. The hanyou himself had yet to truly unleash his own assault, other than shooting out a tentacle at opportune moments. Instead, he simply continued to overwhelm her with lesser youkai. Kagome would have been cursing under her breath given the opportunity. The sheer number of youkai Naraku had created seemed infinite, her reiryoku turned any within range to ash but they were replaced just as quickly and she was finding the range of her reiryoku retracting in a subconscious effort to conserve her remaining power.

She felt drained and weak. In the Sengoku Jidai, she had been able to rely on her friends and comrades for help, but right now she could only push herself forward.

She was alone.

A hideous green youkai with crazed yellow eyes and a drooling mouth slammed into her before her reiryoku could react and she was slammed painfully into the barrier and crumpled down to the ground. Her powers lashed out in a rage and the youkai screeched as it was purified. Her powers seemed to have a mind of their own as they kept the lesser youkai, that had been ready to pounce at bay.

Kagome's body ached and her bones felt hollow as she pushed herself up, using the barrier to help balance. Her sight was speckled with dark and bright spots from her crash, and knew, she was probably lightly concussed. Faintly, she wondered if she could die, would death be the only salvation from this existence? Or would she be stuck, even at the brink of death? Forced to battle or run.

"You're not finished are you?"

Blinking rapidly to try and clear the bright dots that speckled her sight, she inhaled in a short gasp as unimpressed claret eyes came into focus. They gazed down at her, devoid of any discerning emotion but they didn't waver from her own.

Sukuna.

Deep cerulean eyes widened in shock and recognition. It wasn't that she had fully forgotten her neighbor but, it felt like it had been or at least felt like years since they had been this close. Sukuna's presence had lingered just beyond the barrier but her battle had drawn on and Sukuna became more of a shadow in the back of her mind, a silent observer.

"Nani?" she asked registering his words before wincing as her reiryoku was battered by a fresh wave of youkai.

Her short reprieve would be over soon.

Sukuna crossed his arms as he stared down his nose at his miko. She had been fighting valiantly, while she lacked the full skill of a close contact combatant, she made up her inexperience with instinct. He was intrigued by her techniques, she could manifest purification arrows, channel her reiryoku into her hands to purify youkai that came within her reach with a glancing touch, but he could tell she was capable of so much more, if only she properly utilized her power. He wanted to reach out and mold it to it's full destructive capabilities.

As a ningen she had limitations and her weak form hid her true strength.

The ceaseless fight was clearly wearing her down and he faintly wondered how long she could continue for. It irked him, the thought of her falling apart before anyone but himself. His hands subtly clenched but he was pleased at the familiar sight of the determination, or was it hope, that sparked in her deep eyes.

"Gambare gambare," a mocking, obnoxious smile stretched across his face and his eyes lit up as Kagome's face darkened.

Kagome's mouth opened in to offer a fiery retort to Sukuna's words before clicking shut in irritation. Squaring her shoulders, she raised her head and turned back to meet Naraku's impatient eyes. The hanyou looked enraged that he had been ignored in favor of Sukuna, even momentarily. She didn't have time to bicker with jurei.

"Whatever you were trying to do, don't, this is my battle," Kagome said her tone even as her eyes cut back to glance into amused red.

Sukuna's juryoku hadn't diminished from when he had first tried to focus it on the barrier. She didn't believe he could bring it down. Unlike the internal barrier of the Shikon the external barrier was the outside of the Shikon, even exerting his juryoku at it wouldn't drop it. But, even if he somehow did break the barrier she wasn't prepared to handle both Naraku and Sukuna.

A bow materialized in her hand and Sukuna watched in interest as Kagome's reiroyoku was pulled back as she dove towards the wave of youkai. Ducking and dodging, she used her bow like a staff and sword, stabbing and slashing her way through. Her reiryoku seemed to be tightly contained as instead of the youkai becoming instantly purified and turned to ash their bodies instead fell to the floor of the void, blackened blood melting into the inky darkness.

Kagome felt somewhat renewed in the fight. She couldn't keep expending her reiryoku until she had a clear shot.

A claw tipped hand grazed her cheek and she grimaced before deftly batting the youkai away, clearing her path towards Naraku. The hanyou grinned in victory, his eyes ravenous as the scent of her blood filled the air. His monstrous body began to slowly creep forward as more of his lesser youkai ripped themselves from his form.

Sugisawa Third Municipal High School was a pretty average high school with nothing outstanding about its academics or athletics department. However, it did seem to be host to some occult events and luckily the school had its very own Occult Research Club. Unfortunately, the club was in danger of being disbanded due to a lack of members.

Sasaki Setsuko and Iguchi Takeshi had begun recruiting heavily but most students had already joined a club or straight up ran away from them. They were both running out of hope when Itadori Yuji had readily agreed to join. The pink-haired boy was a ray of sunshine, surprisingly cheerful and willing to take part in any of their plans, he was the perfect addition to the club.

While most students didn't take the Occult Research Club seriously, Yuji helped Setsuko and Takeshi with researching strange or haunted areas of the school. And somehow he had discovered an odd sutra wrapped box in the thermostat shed on the school grounds. It was the most worthwhile occult artifact they had ever discovered.

Eyeballing the dust covered box, Yuji tilted his head before giving it a little shake. Eyes widening to comedic proportion as he heard something rattle within it he and the other members of his club started to cheer.

"Wow!" Setsuko exclaimed in pure excitement. "This has to be the most amazing discovery yet! It must be some haunted artifact that the school hid away. Maybe it contains jewelry that's being haunted by a student that committed suicide from unrequited love!"

Takeshi nodded agreeably as they pondered what the box could contain.

"I wonder why it's covered in all these papers though?" Yuji asked as he examined the box. The paper sutras that were covering it were worn and looked as thought they were crumbling away. But the characters weren't indistinguishable and he squinted his eyes as he tried to read the words.

In truth, Yuji wasn't as interested in the Occult Research Club as the rest of its members. But, it didn't require him to stay after school late and it was pretty fun running around the school to hunt for haunted or possessed items. Although, he hadn't really expected to find anything.

"Hmmm it's too old to read what it says but they look like buddhist sutras, maybe they have blessings written on them?" Setsuko suggested looking down at the box in Yuji's hand. "How did you even find this in the first place, Itadori-kun?"

Yuji shrugged, scratching the back of his head and offered a grin as he passed the box over to Takeshi for safekeeping, "I don't really know, I guess something just felt a little weird about this shed."

Setsuko and Takeshi nodded sagely, in understanding.

"Good work, Itadori-kun," Takeshi offered as he pocketed the box and clapped Yuji on the shoulder.

"We'll have to do some more research on this artifact later! Let's get back to the clubroom!" Setsuko announced as she adjusted her glasses before quickly taking the lead, pondering over the best way to remove the sutras.

Would it be better to preserve them and carefully peel them back or should they cut them off?

Yuji followed them back to the school as his eyes drifted up to the sky, lost in thought. He had decided not to mention it but he could have sworn he had heard whispering coming from the thermostat shed. The whispering had grown louder as he had approached it and then abruptly stopped when he touched the box. It had been like a magnetic pull, drawing him to the box with whispers promising to grant his greatest desires.

Shaking his head, Yuji picked up his pace to catch up to the other club members.

Naraku had finally entered the battle. His strange form dragged it's way towards Kagome and his youkai drove her away from the barrier. The relentless onslaught and the lack being reliant on her reiryoku was exhausting her. Her muscles strained from overexertion and more wounds littered her body slowing her down. She was being overwhelmed.

Despite her determination, she wasn't able to get a clear shot at Naraku. He had amassed enough appendages and cast off creatures to get purified or killed in his stead, the horde of lesser youkai was seemingly never ending. It has a hopeless situation and she felt utterly inadequate.

Kagome had never been a fighter, she didn't particularly enjoy it or was adept at battle afterall, she had been raised in modern day Tokyo on a peaceful shrine. She knew her shortcomings, having to depend on others because she was weak had never sat right with her and she had tried desperately to improve to make sure none of her loved ones would ever get hurt again by the monster before her. But, she was failing and she had no idea what would happen if she did.

Kagome stumbled back as a wayward tentacle flew at her, only to wince in disgust as another wrapped around her torso. The tentacle pierced her flesh before slamming her to the floor of the void. The bow she had been using was thrust from her hand and the reiryoku dispersed. Ravenous youkai that had been attacking her all halted their attacks at Naraku's command.

Groaning lowly she cursed under her breath. Her ribs felt like they had been fractured, her ears were ringing, and her vision was fading in and out. She didn't think she could pass out within the Shikon but she wouldn't put it past Naraku to try slamming her into the floor just to try. Had she been outside the Shikon she was sure her body would have already collapsed and given into the sweet embrace of oblivion.

The tentacle gave her no time to rip herself free and she was dragged into the air to dangle helplessly upside down. Glaring into the murky red eyes of Naraku, she pulled the remaining reiryoku she had into her fingertips. She didn't have enough to shoot at him but if she could just touch an area closer to his heart..

"So beautiful," Naraku breathed out with a sigh suited more to a lover than an enemy. "Miko, concede to me now and perhaps I'll forgive your transgressions."

Letting out an exasperated sigh. Kagome leveled him with a icy glare that even Sesshomaru would be proud of and tried to ignore the blood rushing to her head. What good was a void when there was still gravity?

"Never," Kagome spat out.

Enraged red eyes narrowed and she felt the tentacle that wrapped around her torso tighten painfully in response. The tentacles that made up Naraku's body writhed and tightened togther until his upper torso and arms appeared from the mass of flesh. Whether they had been pieced back together with his youki or were hidden beneath his grotesque form was unclear.

"I'll have to train you thoroughly," Naraku hissed out menacingly as the tentacle drew her closer to him. His hand reaching out to grasp her hair in a painful hold.

"Let her go. I told you last time not to touch what I possess."

Sukuna's low rasp rang out and halted Naraku's actions.

The hanyou's murky eyes met the vibrant shade of the jurei in a heated gaze. Had Kagome been in a better situation where she wasn't hanging helplessly upside down she would have refuted Sukuna's words about being a possession but his interference took Naraku's focus off of her and she was so close.

Kagome's slowly inched her hand outwards, she was so close to Naraku she could almost feel his foul breath as he exhaled. Her fingertip sparked and she could almost feel the heat of his chest under her fingers when the tentacle holding her shook her like a dog and she was cast higher into the air. Naraku's grip on her hair was released but not before he gave it a sadistic yank.

"Kukukukuku! You don't possess her," Naraku laughed out as he continued to shake Kagome, as though she were nothing more than a doll for his entertainment. "At last I finally have my miko in my grasp."

Sukuna's four eyes narrowed in anger but he couldn't easily refute his words. His juryoku thrashed against the barrier but it refused to fall and his blood boiled at seeing his miko being touched by the hanyou, being abused and beaten. He had only ever wanted to see her in that state by his own hand.

The shaking finally stopped and Naraku again drew Kagome close to his face, "Fear not miko. I will not kill you...I will break you."

Staring into the murky depths Kagome felt numb to the situation, it had been so tiring fighting Naraku, he had hung over her like an ominous shadow in the past and had been such a larger than life threat. And yet, in this position he looked so pitiful, still pining away for a miko that had never wanted him. He was like Inuyasha, his eyes only saw Kikyo. He had cursed himself to a shell of a life for an unrequited love.

"I feel sorry for you," Kagome murmured softly, her eyes were gentle devoid of her previous resentment and defiance. "You so desperately want to be loved."

Naraku recoiled as though he had been slapped but his shock quickly wore off as disdain and hatred filled his features.

"Your unfailing stupidity never ceases to amaze me," Naraku growled out his lips pulled back in a snarl. "Just because you were a lovestruck fool doesn't mean I ever shared such emotions."

Kagome's hand reached out gingerly and gently caressed Naraku's face and almost instantly his vicious look faded to apprehension and a hint of hope. She traced the handsome features of his stolen face and offered a small sad smile as her fingers trailed down his jawline.

Sukuna watched her movements with outward indifference, his eyes focused on the concentration of her reiryoku as a small nasty smirk curled up at the corner of his lips.

"You've always harbored such resentment...I feel that as well," Kagome continued sweetly as her hand trailed down, ghosting across his collarbones. "You had cast off you heart to try and get rid of those painful emotions."

Naraku seemed to lull into her words. He felt more human than he had ever felt in a very long time, more seen than he had ever been in the Sengoku Jidai. But he wasn't one to fold so easily into sweet manipulative words.

Kagome dragged her hand further down, "Maybe I can help you..."

Laying her palm flat against his chest Kagome felt the undeniable steady rhythm of his heart beat. Reiryoku sparked and she pushed any remaining reiryoku she had into the hanyou's chest. Naraku released an ear shattering yell and his tentacles threw Kagome roughly away from him as he clutched at his burning chest. Kagome hit the ground hard and groggily opened her eyes to watch miko ki ate away at Naraku's chest. Her victory was short lived as the lesser youkai that had been still suddenly began to tear towards her.

She had no reiryoku left, she was depleted and she knew this was the likely outcome with her success. Rolling to sit upright she smiled bitterly, at least she was going to find peace knowing Naraku was finally defeated.

Gnashing fangs sounded all around her but the lesser youkai streamed past her, intent on returning to their creator.

Eyes widening in realization, Kagome forced herself to her feet as she watched helplessly as the youkai merged back into Naraku.

"Oh no..."

Chest still sizzling, Naraku was in bad shape from the purification, his body had rapidly absorbed the lesser youkai. Had he not reabsorbed them he knew he would have been killed. Glinting eyes focused on Kagome's battered form as she defiantly took a stance.

"I'm going to make sure you suffer, miko," Naraku hissed out the promise his eyes almost completely black as his tentacles lashed out.

Sukuna was going ballistic. His juryoku was fully unleashed as it tried to press through the barrier and impede Naraku from reaching his goal. He knew Kagome had no more reiryoku left to spare. He had been sure that she had killed the disgusting half-breed but the damn thing just refused to die.

His miko was now running haphazardly around, dodging and ducking as tentacle after tentacle shot out at her. Blood ran down her form and Sukuna could tell Naraku was playing with her. It was after all, exactly something he would do as well. His own juryoku attempted to grasp at the hanyou, to confine him. But the hanyou had a singular goal and even as tentacles were crushed by juryoku and wounds littered his body, the half-breed continued forward.

Kagome was surprisingly fast on her feet for how injured she was and her fear was palpable. Her despair hung heavily in the air yet Sukuna found no satisfaction in it. This was not the type of despair he wanted to see on the delicate features of his miko.

Eyes widening as a tentacle lashed out and pierced the miko's side Sukuna growled in frustration as Kagome let out a muffled scream, he wanted to rip the hanyou apart for spilling more of his miko's precious blood and for being privvy to her screams of pain.

The miko was back in Naraku's hold and the sadistic hanyou took pleasure as his tentacled lashed at her body, baring red bloody lines on her flesh and stripping away skin. Sukuna watched as Kagome twisted desperately in his hold, she fought to escape but to no avail. And Naraku ruthlessly beat her, tossing her body around like a rag doll.

There was no relief of unconsciousness, the Shikon wouldn't allow it but, Kagome's screams started to die down and her eyes had become dull and lifeless. She had become motionless when he felt it.

Something was changing, the balance had been altered, his power didn't feel as confined and while Sukuna had an idea of what was going on he didn't care to question it and instead raised his hand against the barrier and focused.

It was spooky at night in the high school but Saski Setsuko had determined that finding out what was in the box would be best completed with no one around and also when more spirits would be active. Not to mention nightfall definitely enhanced the overall experience, they had turned off the lights and lit a candle to add to the atmosphere. Chills ran down her spine and she was thrilled.

She and Takeshi had meticulously peeled away the outer layer of sutras on the box until the unblemished wooden surface remained. Many of the sutras had crumpled off and turned to dust as they worked but the very last few had clung to the box firmly, as though desperate to keep whatever was in the box contained.

After prying the lid of the box open they had been met with more sutras. It was an oddly shaped object and as they began the task of removing the next layer of sutras they realized the odd shape was due to two items. With bated breath the peeled the sutras off only to both look at each other in confusion and then look back to the strange objects.

"Is it a real finger?" Takeshi finally asked nervously, breaking the silence that had engulfed them. "It looks like it's holding a marble..."

Setsuko nodded in agreement as she examined the gnarled, mummified finger. It was curled around the pink marble tightly. She had been surprised the marble hadn't fallen out of the finger's hold when they had finally removed the last sutra. Gently grasping the marble she tried to pull it from the finger's hold but it didn't budge.

Placing the finger down upon the sutras Setsuko stared at it with a sense of foreboding. The air felt heavier and everything had become unnaturally quiet. Debating on what to do with the finger, report it or shove it back into the box and forget about it, her eyes widened in shock as the finger slowly moved, wrapping tighter around the marble until the tip of the long, jagged finger nail pierced it.

"T-Takeshi?" Setsuko asked shakily unable to rip her eyes away from the paranormal activity she had just witnessed. "You saw that too right?"

There was no response and Setsuko's head snapped up towards her friend only to see that his eyes were fixated on the ceiling, his mouth was opening and closing without any words escaping. Her gaze followed his own up and she felt that mind numbing fear that gripped Takeshi as numerous eyes and a gaping mouth bubbled out of the ceiling towards them.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Naraku had been admiring the damage he had inflicted upon his miko's body. She was held firmly in the air by her wrists dangling helplessly. She almost looked dead if it weren't for the shallow rise and fall of her chest. He had turned her skin into his canvas and carved away, her miko garb hung limply from her form, close to fully exposing her and blood coated the once white kosode. She had tried to trick him and then purify him, it was disappointing that she had refused to willingly accept him. But, he was patient. He had waited decades to hear of the Shikon no Tama's resurgence and had waited even longer trapped in the Shikon. Now he had nothing but time to make her realize her place.

So distracted by his examination of the miko Naraku hadn't even noticed the pulse of juryoku that had thrummed thought the Shikon.

However, Kagome, who had retreated to the recesses of her mind was pulled back into awareness at the familiar feeling of the power thats swept over her. She hadn't felt that chaotic, wild, and overwhelming juryoku as clearly as when she had first met Sukuna. Her eyes slid over towards the barrier and slowly widened in awe.

Sukuna's hand was stretched out breaking through the barrier and into the Shikon no Tama's void.

His crimson eyes met her own and relief flooded her body, washing away the pain that had been inflicted on her and bringing forth a giddy, manic laugh. In reality, her laugh was a rough gurgled sound as blood filled her mouth choking her. It immediately drew the sharp gaze of her captor.

"Lower your eyes, vermin."

Sukuna's chilling voice rang out within the space of the Shikon no Tama and the color drained from Naraku's face as his eyes darted towards the barrier. Expecting to see the jurei still confined behind the barrier he was startled to see that he was leaning against the Shikon's barrier, on the interior side of it.

Kagome's laughter only increased in volume and clarity as she coughed out blood. She wondered why she had worried about Naraku and Sukuna both being with the Shikon. She could feel it in her soul, Sukuna was a far more dangerous predator than Naraku.

Naraku shook ever so slightly with rage. His grip on Kagome tightened by he didn't dare strike her for her impudence, not when he felt the scorching eyes of the jurei pinning him down.

"Kagome," Sukuna's voice captured her attention and he waited patiently for her laughter to die down before continuing. "Be sure to savor this."

The laughter that had died down bubbled back up as Kagome felt his untamed juryoku wash over her. And her eyes stayed glued on Sukuna as he brought his hands together, his pinkies were curled down and the middle and ring finger pressed together forming a triangle.

"Domain Expansion: Malevolent Shrine."

Kagome watched with interest as a strange buddhist shrine materialized. Long horns and skulls protruded from it and gaping mouths seemed to make up the entrance ways. It was macabre and grotesque. After having gotten so used to viewing Sukuna's inner domain she wasn't too surprised and while it was a bastardized version of a shrine it did little to draw any fear from her.

Naraku was now visibly shaking, his tentacles had coiled up like a snakes deciding whether fight or flight was the best option. He had been called a coward for using puppets in the Sengoku Jidai, however he just had excellect survival skills. And now with the appearance of the cursed shrine all his instincts were telling him to flee.

As though recalling he still had a hostage he moved the tentacles that still held his miko only to watch them get cleaved in half before it could even register what had happened.

Kagome closed her eyes as she felt her body dropping and did her best to brace her body for the inevitable crash upon the ground only to feel large hands firmly grasp her. Warmth enveloped her and her eyes slowly opened to meet the red orbs that had stayed locked on and comforted her during her incarceration in the Shikon. Reaching up from Sukuna's hold she traced the black tattoo that adorned his jawline. It felt like a dream, being so close to the jurei that she had become neighbors with. She didn't feel any fear as she brushed the marking beneath his right lower eye.

Sukuna was acutely aware of Kagome's touch and had he not been also focused on the hanyou that cowered like a caged animal, he would have fully enjoyed his miko's ministrations. As it was, he was surprised at just how small and delicate she was. Holding her within his arms she seemed like a doll, fragile and broken. He had considered throwing her out if she was ever too broken, and she looked very broken. But, her rapturous gaze looked as though she wanted to devour him and the blind faith within them pleased him greatly.

Again, his miko had proven just how exquisite she was.

He had expected wariness at the very least. Kagome had made it clear she didn't fully trust him, yet she willingly folded into his arms as though it was the most natural position for her to be in...never mind the fact she was severely injured.

A tentacle lashed out and Sukuna deftly stepped out of the way as his bloodlust filled the air. His lower eyes stayed glued on Kagome's face, capturing her slightest movements. His upper eyes fixed on Naraku as he offered a wicked smile. Good, the half-breed had chosen to fight.

"She's MINE!" Naraku roared, seething before more tentacles shot out in his direction.

Saimyosho poured out from betweeen the tentacles and miasma seeped from the hanyou's body. Naraku wore a deranged expression as he furiously attacked the jurei, intent on stealing back his prized miko.

Sukuna watched the incoming attacks with disinterest. He had been looking forward to a fight after what felt like a millenium of idly lazing around. But, eyeing the half-breed's still smoking chest and haphazard movements Sukuna felt disappointed. The reiryoku from Kagome's attack was still purifying him slowly, his recall of his cast off youkai was simply delaying the inevitable. Naraku was already half-dead.

The saimyosho and tentacles were sliced apart before ever reaching their target. Sukuna didn't mind the miasma filling the air but shifted Kagome into his right arm and using his scarf, wound it around her face so she wouldn't inhale the fumes. In her depleted state he didn't care to have her poisoned.

Staring steadily at the hanyou who had recoiled at the slaughter an evil grin started to overtake his features. He was slowly being purified and must be suffering immensely but that didn't mean Sukuna couldn't gain some entertainment from him. He did after all warn him and he wasn't known to be forgiving.

The world moved so quickly it took Kagome a minute to get her bearings. Eyes taking in the scene before her an audible gasp escaped her.

Sukuna's speed was on par with a youkai's, in less than a second he had moved meters to seemingly flash into existence before Naraku. His right arm still held her, cradled in his arm while his left hand held Naraku's throat, callously squeezing as the hanyou clawed at the arm. Tentacle after tentacle lunged at Sukuna only to be cut down before they could reach him.

Kagome flinched as one that had been angled at her face was cut into pieces centimeters before her eyes, spraying her with the vile blood.

Amused red eyes gazed down at her and a smirk played on the jurei's lips. He tilted his head almost endearingly as he drank in the sight of Kagome's blood speckled face. Fathomless blue eyes returned his gaze with slight unease but steadfast devotion. Sukuna ignored the hanyou in his grasp and instead let out a deep laugh devoid of its usual hysteria.

A blush stained Kagome's cheeks as the deep laugh so different from the cackle she had gotten used to washed over her.

"Beautiful."

Kagome blinked at the admission and tore her eyes away from Sukuna's own. How could he call her that, especially in such a bizarre scenario.

"Don't look away," Sukuna ordered, his eyes reaffixed on Naraku's struggling form and Kagome forced herself to lift her head as well and stare at the pitiful hanyou.

Pleased at her obedience Sukuna stared down his nose at the creature gripped in his hand with an undecipherable look, "It's time I teach you what happens to those who dare to touch my possessions."

In a flurry of movement Naraku's form was sent hurtling through the air. Tentacles and appendages were shredded apart as they tried to defend the hanyou but before his body could hit the ground he was slammed back in the opposite direction.

Sukuna continued to toy with him all the while ripping limbs off as though he were dissecting an ant. The left arm was pulled from the socket, the flesh stretching in an unsightly way until it was torn away from the body. Naraku's screams rang out like a beast about to be put down. But, Sukuna was far from done. The right arm followed the left leaving Naraku with gaping holes on his torso. His writhing tentacles were systemically quartered and cleaved into sections until only Naraku's torso and head remained moving.

During the entirety of the gruesome scene Kagome had watched with horrified eyes. The strength and malice that Sukuna had displayed had gone beyond her imagination. Even though she had been regaled by tales of his wrath and the calamity that he would cause, seeing him in action was far different. The brutality and delight he took in suffering was ungodly.

Her eyes wavered as Sukuna began to flay Naraku's torso. The wretched hanyou pleas for mercy were a strange symphony she had never expected to hear and had he not caused so much suffering in his own right she would have tried to stay Sukuna's unforgiving hands. Her empty stomach flipped inside her and she knew if she had any food in her stomach she would be retching out the contents.

Sukuna hadn't had such fun in a long time. The hanyou had put up a fight even when he had ripped his arms right off and continued to spew threats at him even as he was taking his skin off layer by layer. His lower eye had stayed locked on his miko, enjoying every expression that crossed her face, she was always so expressive. And she had watched every moment of the gory aftermath, it was clear she was uncomfortable and her face had taken a shade even paler than her current tone. But she never looked away.

Naraku's screams had finally died down and now he was crumpled upon the ground with his chest still smoking but the sinew, tissue, and muscle exposed. His murky eyes were frantic and Sukuna watched with rapt interest as the reiryoku seemed to spark from with the chest cavity. Driven by baser instinct, Naraku's torso and head writhed wildly around in pain before the strands of muscle tissue started to deteriorate rapidly. The hanyou's eyes sparked with his last remaining life and they bore into Kagome's own.

As the skin around his neck flaked away burned up towards his head the hanyou's mouth curled and opened to say his last words.

His last words never came, instead Sukuna's foot planted itself on his face and pressed, until the sickening crack of his skull being shattered rang out and echoed through the void.

Silence engulfed them and Kagome stared down at the form of her enemy that was quickly being purified, the remaining skin turning to ash, as thought he had never existed.

Clutching at the scarf that was still wound around her face she pulled it down, realizing the miasma had dissipated. Now, in the aftermath of what had felt like a never ending battle she could feel every wound and broken bone she had suffered. The pain was almost overwhelming but adrenaline drove her to stay wary as red eyes now without distraction monitored her closely.

Kagome was at loss of what to say. Sukuna's presence was imposing and he really did feel like the King of Curses that he had claimed to be. He still clutched her firmly to his chest and she felt as vulnerable as the first time she had ever laid her eyes upon him. But, there was another sensation as well that she was glad to blame upon her sorry state, longing. When was the last time she had touched or been held by anyone? Naraku's slimy tentacles didn't count.

Before she could find any words to break the silence a pulse moved through the Shikon no Tama.

THUMP

Kagome eyeballed Sukuna who had immediately begun laughing, his eyes still locked on her own and the barrier that still enclosed the Shikon shook.

She had never felt that before, even with Sukuna's arrival it had never beens so foreboding.

THUMP

Shoving herself from Sukuna's arms, Kagome landed shakily on her feet and looked at the barrier in a panic. The once translucent barrier was shimmering and shaking, alternating from opaque to translucent.

"What's happening?" she muttered to herself.

Was the Shikon being wished on or broken apart? Was it going to cease to exist as one half was now dead? Would she cease to exist as well?

THUMP

Sukuna's laugh died down to faint chuckles and he grasped Kagome's wrist to pull her back easily into his arms. Smirking down at her, he captured her chin in his hands and admired the blueness of her eyes.

Such honest eyes.

"I would never leave you behind," Sukuna reiterated words he had previously spoken and her eyes widened in understanding.

THUMP

Realizing the meaning of Sukuna's words and understanding what was about to happen. Kagome's fists clenched at his kimono, her hope mixed with despair at the thought of him leaving.

"Sukuna," Kagome mumbled, holding back from begging him to take her with him, to remember he promised not to abandon her. Instead she swallowed down all the pleas she wanted to spout and offered him a weak smile.

"Thank you," she whispered.

THUMP

In the blink of an eye, Sukuna's form was wrenched from her grasp and his body was pulled out of the jewel as though being suctioned away. Her eyes tore back to the barrier that had once divided them, only to see it fully empty, not even Sukuna's macabre throne filled the space.

Crumpling to the ground Kagome sat on the void floor, her body and soul aching.

Megumi really was going to punch Gojo for leaving him to deal with this mess. After being tasked with tracking down one of Sukuna's cursed fingers, he had been told it wouldn't be too dangerous. And it shouldn't have been. Except, that some high school students had already found the finger and had removed the seals that hid its power.

Now it had become a beacon, signaling all the local jurei to try and swallow it.

If that wasn't bad enough, the jurei had taken a female student hostage and the student Itadori Yuji had burst into the fight. But, the baka had no juryoku, his stength and speed was incredible but without juryoku he was useless. And, hehad been sure to let the boy know.

Megumi had told Yuji to take his friends and run away to avoid being another victim of the rampaging curse, but the fool had gone and swallowed the finger...he did not sign up for this.

There was only a one in a million chance Yuji could survive swallowing the finger and becoming the vessel of Sukuna. It was impossible that...his eyes widened in shock as Yuji escaped the jurei and then destroyed it single handedly, his body lumbering around as though possessed.

Squinting his eyes, Megumi flinched backwards as the clouds moved and illuminated the pink haired boy in moonlight. Black markings decorated his face and wrists, his nails had grown longer and were tipped with black, and his eyes, his four eyes opened to reveal a brilliant red.

Ryomen Sukuna had be incarnated.

The King of Curses laughed in delight as he shredded the clothing from his vessel's torso and spread his arms out in the light of the moon.

"Ahahaha! I knew it! The light feels best in the flesh!" Sukuna declared before jumping onto the hand railing of the building and looking around eagerly. "What a marvelous era, women and children crawling around like maggots!"

"This is the worst," Megumi groaned under his breath but was grateful that for the time being he was being ignored.

Another cackle tore its way out before Sukuna stepped back and Megumi watched in disgust and confusion as the jurei seemed to regurgitate a small pink marble.

"But, before that..." Sukuna murmured as he appraised the innocent bauble. "It's time to wake up the princess."

A/N: It's finally happening! This chapter was tough to write, I'm not great with fight scenes, but I hope you all enjoy! Please review and let me know what you think.