"Who contacted you? Tengen?"
"Yeah."
Zenin Toji gritted his teeth.
'Damn old man.'
Who sends someone else's precious son to another world just because it's dangerous? And without even asking for consent from him or his guardian.
He had to experience firsthand what it felt like to have a heart pounding as he ran full speed to get here, fearing Tengen might have sent Zoro to a near-apocalyptic world.
In reality, what Zenin Toji faced was not a world on the brink of destruction, but a version of himself that seemed to have completely lost it.
Crunch!
Zenin Toji clenched his Haki-clad hand tightly, crushing the opponent's fist.
"...!"
Fushiguro Toji flinched. Meanwhile, Zenin Toji chopped at his neck with a knife hand.
Crash!
In mid-air, the hands and feet of the two Tojis moved at an invisible speed, engaging in a fast exchange of blows.
Zenin Toji quickly concluded after observing Fushiguro Toji, who appeared roughly a dozen years younger than him (though to someone with less than excellent vision, they would seem almost identical).
'Our speed is similar… no, I'm slightly faster.'
Although Zenin Toji was the more aged, his body was perfectly honed from frequent battles, giving him a slight edge over the mindless Fushiguro Toji.
Zenin Toji also had a definite advantage over Fushiguro Toji.
Whoosh!
Fushiguro Toji kicked at Zenin Toji's shin. Zenin Toji smirked and strengthened his leg with Haki, meeting the kick head-on.
Bang!
Crack. Fushiguro Toji's eyes widened as he felt his leg bone shatter.
Haki enhances both offense and defense. Since both men had zero cursed energy, Zenin Toji, who had mastered Armament Haki, had a significant advantage in attack and defense.
Whoosh! Bang!
Zenin Toji swung his Haki-covered leg, sending Fushiguro Toji flying into the wall.
"...."
Those who witnessed it saw the resemblance to Zoro earlier, when he had sent Fushiguro Toji flying with a slash.
Zenin Toji narrowed his eyes as he looked at himself, embedded in the wall and coughing up blood. No matter how he looked, this wasn't a sane version of himself.
'Necromancy, huh?'
Just like Zoro, Zenin Toji also quickly realized Fushiguro Toji's state. After what happened to Chie, both of them had studied necromancy more passionately than any other sorcerer.
'It doesn't seem like he was ordered to attack us… it's more like he's just charging at the strongest opponent he sees.'
Even now, despite having crushed hand bones and broken leg bones, Fushiguro Toji wasn't looking at Zenin Toji right in front of him but at Zoro behind him.
'Zoro must be feeling really messed up.'
Of course, Zenin Toji wasn't in a great mood either.
So, he decided to finish it quickly.
The sound of Zenin Toji cracking his knuckles was met with a warning from Zoro.
"Don't kill him."
"Am I not enough on my own?"
"That's not what I mean."
Zoro glanced backward. The Megumi of this world was looking at them with a confused expression.
"…It's for Megumi here."
Some things need to be heard directly from the person themselves, especially if they are the last words of a parent.
Zenin Toji sighed. With Megumi involved, leaving this guy alive was the only option.
"You're always causing trouble for those around you."
"You're my father, after all."
"Exactly."
In that regard, we're no different.
Ssshhhh.
"...!"
Both Zenin Toji and Zoro simultaneously turned their heads in one direction, feeling a chilling sensation.
"Zoro, this is…."
"Yeah."
Sukuna.
More precisely, his fingers.
Not just one or two, but at least ten or more gathered, emitting an enormous aura from afar.
"I have to go, Dad. You handle things here—"
"You think I'm letting you go alone? No way!"
"There's that guy, and who knows what other dangers might arise. You're needed here—"
Before Zoro could finish speaking, he looked back at the large hole created by the blast of Cursed Energy.
Flap!
The familiar sound of wings made Fushiguro Megumi look up. A massive bird with a mask and red feathers, carrying someone on its back, was flying towards them.
It was Nue, one of the shikigami from the Ten Shadows Technique.
Though it was much larger than Fushiguro Megumi's version.
Fushiguro Megumi's eyes widened as he recognized the spiky hair he saw every day in the mirror on the person riding Nue.
'That's…'
Me?
Jump!
The boy leaped off Nue's back. Despite the considerable height, he landed effortlessly in front of Zoro, having strengthened his body with Cursed Energy.
Zenin Maki alternated her gaze between the boy who had just landed in front of Zoro and Fushiguro Megumi, who was sitting on the ground. The spiky hair, green eyes, pale and smooth face, and slender physique.
'…They really look exactly the same.'
The boy, Zenin Megumi, quickly asked Zoro.
"Bro! Are you okay?"
"Megumi. How did you…"
No, that's not important right now. Pushing the thought aside, Zoro grabbed Zenin Megumi by the shoulders.
"Megumi, lend me Nue."
"What?! Right now—"
As Zenin Megumi spoke, he shivered, sensing the same energy from the fingers with his Observation Haki. Zoro spoke calmly.
"You know, right? There's somewhere I need to go right now."
If he used Megumi's Nue, it could take Zoro there. Zoro could go alone, but… Toji would absolutely oppose that.
"...."
Zenin Megumi gestured for the hovering Nue to come down. Then he commanded, "Take my brother to the place where the energy from the fingers is strongest."
The boy urged Nue.
"Make sure you go where I told you to, okay? Not where my brother wants to go."
"What?!"
Nue nodded as if understanding. Zoro, looking like he had a lot to say, climbed onto Nue's back.
"We'll talk when I get back."
Zenin Megumi, with a choked expression, snapped at Zoro.
"Hurry back."
"Of course."
Nue, carrying Zoro, quickly soared into the distant sky. Zenin Toji spoke.
"Megumi, keep an eye on things here."
I need to finish things quickly with that guy.
Crash!
Zenin Toji grabbed Fushiguro Toji by the collar and smashed through a window, exiting the building.
"That foolish father."
Zenin Megumi shook his head and turned his gaze to the four sorcerers.
"Are you badly hurt?"
"…We can manage."
Doesn't seem like it. But Zenin Megumi didn't point out the lie of the Nanami from another world. It would be rude to do so to strangers. Instead, he said,
"Please wait a little longer. Once Zoro reaches his destination, I'll reverse summon Nue and immediately summon Round Deer."
It would have been nice if he could summon both Nue and Round Deer at the same time, but Zenin Megumi still couldn't use other shikigami while summoning Round Deer. His precise control of cursed energy wasn't sufficient.
Hearing this, Fushiguro Megumi's expression turned blank.
"…Round Deer?"
"A shikigami that can use reverse cursed techniques. Don't you have it?"
He did. Being a Ten Shadows Technique user as well. But he hadn't been able to tame it. Fushiguro Megumi bit his lip in frustration before barely managing to say,
"I haven't tamed it yet."
"...?"
Zenin Megumi frowned slightly. Because,
"Round Deer?"
It wasn't a shikigami specialized in combat. It was specialized in reverse cursed techniques. He had assumed his counterpart in another world would have tamed it.
As Fushiguro Megumi's face darkened, Nanami interjected into the conversation.
"We greatly appreciate your help, but can you tell us what's happening?"
"…I don't know the details either."
Except that my nosy brother has gone to stop Sukuna. Zenin Megumi held back from speaking further as he sensed the presence of Nue flying in the distant Shibuya sky.
...
[Author's Note]
Vote with your power stones, it motivates me to keep posting chapters.
If you're interested, you can read 20 advance chapters on my Patréon.
patréon.com/fumiaki