A series of sharp cracks echoed from Sukuna's neck as he rolled his shoulders, a grimace contorting his face. He clenched his fists, the resistance from Megumi's soul within him a constant prickling annoyance. He yearned to unleash his full power, to crush his opponents like ants, but the lingering presence held him back, reminding him of the price he paid for possessing Megumi's body.
His crimson gaze fell upon Uraume, who stood with head bowed in a show of subservience. "Is the bath ready?" His voice boomed, demanding rather than asking.
Uraume, her voice a mere whisper compared to his, offered a curt nod. "Yes, Lord Sukuna," she replied, not daring to meet his eyes.
A flicker of impatience crossed Sukuna's face. "Then let's go," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of frustration. He made a series of hand gestures, forming a complex seal, and a monstrous entity materialized before them.
Nue, the summoned beast, towered over them, its grotesque form casting a menacing shadow that stretched across the devastated ground. Compared to the smaller Nue Megumi typically summoned, this one was a behemoth, a testament to the vast difference in cursed energy between the two vessels.
Sukuna and Uraume, silhouetted against the setting sun, mounted Nue's back. With a powerful surge of cursed energy, the monstrous creature propelled itself into the sky, soaring away like a dark, winged nightmare.
As the final shards of ice crumbled, Yuji and Maki, freed by the shadow soldier's unwavering protection, emerged into the harsh reality of their precarious situation. The soldier, its purpose fulfilled, dissolved back into Maki's shadow, a silent guardian forever etched in their memories.
The scene shifted, revealing Kenzo and Gojo, their conversation taking an unexpected turn. Kenzo, his brow furrowed in concern, sensed a shift in the connection between the shadow soldier guarding Megumi and the boy's soul. It felt as if Megumi was being pulled deeper into the abyss, his existence fading into an unsettling void.
Gojo, ever perceptive, picked up on Kenzo's sudden change in demeanor. "So, you going to tell me who it is, or are you going to try and blatantly lie to my face again?" he challenged, his playful facade masking a serious undercurrent.
Kenzo, momentarily caught off guard, met Gojo's playful yet sharp stare. "When was the last time I did that?" he countered, trying to deflect the question.
Gojo's reply, laced with theatrical sarcasm, cut through Kenzo's deflection. "My ability is Gravity, you know," he said, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. "Pulling out a mana potion out of nowhere? I remember it just like yesterday," he added, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye for emphasis.
"We don't talk about that," Kenzo muttered, clearing his throat to regain his composure. He knew Gojo wouldn't let the matter drop easily. "You know how, as the Shadow Monarch, my whole thing is like, preserving..."
Gojo, surprisingly, didn't interrupt this time. Instead, he listened intently, a hint of understanding settling in his eyes.
Finally, after a moment of dramatic pause, Gojo spoke, his voice devoid of its usual playful demeanor. "Someone with the ability of destruction is coming to Earth to raise hell, huh?"
Kenzo looked at him, momentarily stunned. "How did you know?" he blurted out, surprised that Gojo had grasped the gravity of the situation so quickly.
Gojo shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not hard to put two and two together, really," he replied, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
The revelation struck them both like a physical blow. Kenzo, his face etched with concern, voiced the horrifying possibility, "Megumi's soul... trapped inside his own body. Chances are, Sukuna switched vessels."
The air crackled with unspoken tension as Kenzo's words hung heavy in the air. Gojo, ever the enigmatic figure, remained stoic for a fleeting moment before a flicker of something darker, something akin to rage, passed through his azure eyes.
"Can you get me there?" Gojo's voice, devoid of its usual playful undertone, was laced with a raw urgency. He yearned to reach Megumi, to understand the situation firsthand.
Kenzo, however, shook his head solemnly. "No... I can't reach the shadow soldier unless I am near him. It seems as if he was pushed deep into their shadow, out of my range."
Kenzo fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice a low murmur, "Guess I won't have to hold back then."
Gojo, ever perceptive, picked up on the underlying meaning. He turned to Kenzo, a single raised eyebrow his only query. Sensing Gojo's silent question, Kenzo sighed and began to explain.
"It's a long story," he started, his voice heavy with guilt. "When Yuji was brought to me, mortally wounded, I... I made a binding vow."
A flicker of surprise crossed Gojo's face. Binding vows were powerful and dangerous, their consequences severe if broken. He knew enough to suspect this wouldn't be a simple tale of grief.
"I hated myself for letting him die," Kenzo continued, his voice cracking with emotion. "The guilt was overwhelming, and in a moment of desperation, I made a promise. A promise to never lay a hand on him, to never directly harm Yuji."
He paused, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and resolve. "But now..." his voice trailed off, the unspoken implication hanging heavy in the air.
Gojo understood. With Sukuna in control of Megumi's body, the binding vow no longer applied. Kenzo, freed from his self-imposed restraint, could now fight at his full potential.
Gojo, ever curious, pressed further. "What did you get in return for that vow?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on Kenzo.
Kenzo fell silent, lost in thought. The cost of the binding vow was something he hadn't truly considered until now. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, his voice tinged with introspection.
"The ability to see the contour of the soul," he revealed, a thoughtful expression settling on his face. "I suppose, at the time, I didn't even realize it. Being a Shadow Monarch already granted me access to a similar sense, so it probably went unnoticed."
Gojo absorbed this information, his mind working rapidly. While the consequences of the vow were undoubtedly significant, the unexpected benefit added another layer of complexity to Kenzo's character.
However, personal reflections would have to wait. The immediate concern was the liberation of Megumi and the removal of Sukuna from his body.
"Mahito would be the easy answer," Kenzo muttered, voicing the obvious solution while simultaneously dismissing it. "But Sukuna's not stupid. He'd anticipate that."
Eliminating Mahito as a straightforward solution forced Kenzo to consider alternative strategies. Utilizing another untested shadow soldier held unnecessary risks, especially considering Sukuna's potential access to Megumi's powerful Shikigami, Mahoraga.
"Marohaga," Kenzo murmured, the name rolling off his tongue with a hint of apprehension. "The only Shikigami Megumi hadn't tamed yet. Its ability to adapt to any phenomenon makes it a formidable opponent," he elaborated, his voice laced with a note of caution.
However, unlike Gojo who was limited to a set number of techniques, Kenzo possessed a wider range of abilities. This diversity offered a potential advantage, potentially overwhelming Mahoraga's ability to adapt in time.
"The other Shikigami pose less of a threat," he concluded, his mind formulating a plan. "Marohaga is the key obstacle. If we can incapacitate it, the rest might fall."
A/N Aight the endgame starting....I did say the ending was close.