Chapter 35

8… no… 12 possible attackers.

Toji could sense them, he felt their greed and intent from where he stood, but, it was as Sukuna said. This is merely a test, a ploy if one considers to see who reveals their hand first.

He knew Megumi would be in safe hands… at the same time, he trusted the bastard as far as he could throw him! His mind was all over the place at the moment, yet the dragon side of him was calmer at the notion of Sukuna keeping Megumi safe.

He has to, or he knows what will become of him.

Toji and Sukuna were on a rather empty street when their stalkers began to appear. They were merely humans, and yet, the stench that came off them, Toji wanted to be sick!

"Can we help you?" Sukuna asked in a rather confused tone. "I mean, you have been trailing us for some time…"

A lone woman came forward, in her late sixties if he were to guess, and yet her appearance was that of a thirty year old! "Oh, we are just… curious" she said and smiled to them.

It was one of those unsettling grins, Toji sneered at it. "Curious? To what?" he demanded.

She stared at him but smirked. "We are FULLY aware as to who and what you are, but… we also know what we can handle." She said bluntly.

"Sound smart, and yet your actions are foolish" Sukuna announced. "State your business then leave"

Her smile only grew. "We came here for… materials… just… little samples if you don't mind… nothing serious, some hair maybe… perhaps some saliva… a scale or fang…" she named off. "Just… little things one won't miss…"

"You sound like an obsessive fan girl. Beat it!" Toji ordered. "What makes you think I would give you any of that shit"

"We'll take that too if you are obliging!"

He was disgusted by their tone. No… he was just disgusted…

"Besides, it's rather difficult for us to get anything off a dragon like yourself… your scales are too hard to use… same with the hair… but… we saw something… smaller in your possession…"

"You really are a bunch of idiots…" Sukuna muttered in discontent.

They turned and peered at him. "We don't speak with those who have nothing to offer us!" their leader dictated.

He smirked to that. "So be it, at the same time, whatever you are using to keep your youth… is messing with your eyes." He decreed.

"What are you talking about? Just this once, I'll let you address us!" She said, but her face was red… Sukuna called her out on her potion to make her young!

Toji was wondering too… then again… how are Sukuna's arms empty?!

He snorted a laugh. "First off, your potion of youth… isn't fooling anyone. Second, I said before, you are all idiots for this. Now, to the main topic at hand. What is this something smaller in our possession are you babbling about? In case you have forgotten, our arms are empty. Does it look like we are holding anything but today's purchases?"

Toji froze as he peered about, there was no sign of Megumi! He glared at Sukuna who kept an amused look on his face. In fact, the other stalkers came out, looking over the area to see if there was a place Megumi could have hid himself. They turned over garbage, inspected their bags, and just about took the street apart.

"There's no sign!" one protested.

Their leader however, smirked. "Please, you overlooked the obvious! This man is HUGE, how could he not hide something so small on his person?" she demanded.

"You still haven't said what you were looking for." Sukuna announced. "Something small in our possession… please… you undermine us!" and yet sighed. "Still, I know where this is going…" he started to strip!

Toji froze as he took his shirt off, there was nothing. He smirked to the masses as he reached for his pants. "Are you that deviate that you want me to drop my clothing here and now in an open street? You perverts!"

Toji wore his skin tight clothing so needless to say, there was no hiding a baby dragon on him!

The stalkers froze. "Alchemists… You better start running" Toji warned.

They trembled in fear, realizing this was a grave mistake on their part. They hightailed it out of there, spreading out to the four winds and even downing a potion to get away in time. Toji wanted to chase after them, but Sukuna of all people held him back! "I need to keep to my promise to your wife, no mess." He explained. "We better go now."

"My son…"

"NOW!" Sukuna ordered.

Toji was getting worried, but they got back to the domain. The moment they returned, Sukuna took his mask off as fast as he could, the moment his second mouth had fully formed, it opened and he took Megumi out!

"What the fuck!" Toji roared.

"Only place to hide him, he was in a barrier or else I would be coughing up furballs!" he snapped back. He gave back Megumi but glared at Toji. "This wasn't ideal. However, it was to keep your brat safe from harm… you're welcome!" and stormed off.

Toji peered over Megumi, he was asleep throughout the whole thing so this didn't bother him at all. He sighed with relief and tucked his son back into his pouch on his stomach. Still, these alchemists are brazen, they risked going up against a dragon to obtain materials…

What AREN'T they willing to do at this point?

Perhaps…

Toji paused as he considered a conversation he had the other night with Tiamat. She told him about the human alchemists and was concerned, he wasn't. "What's the big deal, they are humans!" he protested.

"So were you and sorcerers feared you," she said gently. "These humans are far greedier than most, willing to take lives to make a simple potion that may not work. They risk so many others for the sake of their own gain, if there is anything TO gain, which makes it all the more sad. Most of the time, they cannot even perfect their brew unless they have a certain ingredient. If they obtain even a hair of a dragon, whatever they wish to make, whatever effects they want it to have will be achieved…"

"Still, no big deal" he muttered.

That was when she suggested he go out with Megumi but to bring Sukuna with them.

This… was what she was worried about. And the alchemists know… if they revealed themselves in public, it would only get worst from there. They know what they can do, what they can get away with… but did they really think he would just let them have what they wanted from HIS son?

"Tsk… we better get rid of them then…"

He returned home with everything they bought. Tiamat was having tea and waiting for him in the living room. He stared at her as she smiled warmly.

"I get it!" he protested. "So, now what?!"

She smiled to him. "Apparently… Tanso has made some new friends… and these friends are going to help him with the alchemists." She said gently. But her eyes… they were down right evil!