[Author Note]
Disc: HrPrTeam
What is the worm's proper name?
Vote Below.
Inventory Curse:
Wormy:
Wormathan:
__________
Department Store
Toji pointed his thumb at the teenagers behind him. "Hey, do you know these guys?"
Kindaka paused and turned around.
He was too busy avoiding getting eaten by the inventory curse to realize that four teenagers had stared them down.
His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "Those must be the kids who were expelled."
*pftwo*
The inventory curse spat Kindaka out and started crawling up Toji.
Toji started stretching with a small smile. "They must be the JCC people I keep hearing about."
Kindaka sat up. "If they're here, that means I'm their target. Given my current situation, I would say I'm pretty screwed."
In the previous timeline, Kindaka could fight the four teenagers due to his speed and experience as an Order member, but he still lost their fight.
Given his current shape, he will most certainly die if they engage him.
Toji smiled. "Looks like I'll have to take them down so I don't lose my new contact."
However, something was strange to Toji.
Since he woke up, there has been no sign of curses or jujutsu sorcerers besides his inventory curse.
If an event like this had occurred, where a building was getting smashed, and civilians were getting harmed, a jujutsu sorcerer would've most definitely shown up, yet none were found.
Even the strongest person he met after waking up, Kindaka, had no idea what jujutsu sorcerers were.
It was like all traces of jujutsu were gone.
While this was strange, something or someone else was on Toji's mind.
...
He stared straight at Rion. 'What does that girl see?'
...
She wasn't looking at Toji.
It was like she could see something others couldn't.
Toji was brought out of his thoughts when Kindaka spoke. "Please keep them alive if they have potential. My whole purpose here, as an assignment for JCC students, is to scout members for the Order."
He looked down at Kindaka, who took the hint and stopped ordering Toji. "I'll do it if you help me answer some questions. There are a few things I need to confirm first."
Assassins, especially ones on the Kindaka level, must have a list of connections that can help them gain information. If he's lucky, he can tell what happened to Jujutsu society while he was gone.
Back to the current issue.
At this point, Toji wasn't surprised. A simple clothing run turned into a miniature war in a department store.
What's beating up a couple of teenagers going to do?
...
Toji P.O.V.
This will be tough if their target is the Velcro shoe guy.
If I need to protect someone, my whole 'silent killing' fighting style goes out the window.
Even worse, he is my current ticket to discovering what happened while I was gone.
I might not have another shot in a long time.
Thankfully, I have some time.
The woman is holding them back, so I have more time to plan something.
There are three of them, and I can tell they aren't fodder like the other assassins I've run into today.
My eyes slowly widen.
It was initially meant to piss him off, but using the inventory curse...
I turn back to the Velcro guy. "Hey, get in the curse."
He looked baffled. "That's the idea you came up with?"
All I need to do is keep the mouth of the curse open so he can breathe.
With that declaration, the inventory curse crawled over to Kindaka and started to devour him, with much protest.
...
*phew*
Spinning around, I grab a knife out of the air, aimed for the inventory curse.
I can't have it dying on me. That's my weapon storage.
A small smile appears on my face as three of the teenagers jump down from the second floor.
The strange thing is that there is no hostility from the one with the hollowed-out eyes who stayed behind.
...
3rd P.O.V.
Nagumo rushes forward with Rion while Sakamoto stays and picks up a shelf.
Unfortunately, they were unable to bring in their main arsenal because the lady at the entrance did not permit weapons.
Toji simply walked past her and made his way into the elevator, but everyone aside from Sakamoto was currently restricted.
Even if he were seen, he wouldn't be stopped because he could hide the inventory curse in his stomach.
Toji smiles as Sakamoto throws it.
*whoosh*
Sidestepping it, Toji starts swinging the chain of a thousand miles attached to the inverted spear of heaven in a circle to speed it up.
"MoMmY."
He smirked. "Perfect timing."
The inventory curse crawled up Toji's leg and curled around his body, mouth open to allow Kindaka to breathe.
Nagumo and Rion arrived a few feet from Toji, but he flung the inverted spear in an arc to cut them both.
Rion flipped while Nagumo ducked under the spear.
When they both looked back at Toji's position, he was gone.
However, Rion spun 90 degrees to the right and stared straight at Toji's position.
While she still had a path aimed at her neck, another path followed Toji behind the pillar, showing her that she could kick through it to snap his neck.
Toji spoke up. "*whisper* Velcro, give me the katana."
*crack*
*BOOM*
Before Kindaka could respond, a foot came flying through the solid concrete structure and made its way toward his neck.
*grab*
Toji had a wild smirk as he grabbed Rion's leg.
*BOOM*
She flew through the bottom of the second floor as Toji threw her upward.
Suddenly, Sakamoto appeared behind him with a makeshift concrete hammer and a rusted pole as the handle.
As he swung, Toji vanished, to Sakamoto's surprise.
His surprise turned into shock when he felt the back of his shirt get grabbed.
He spoke. "Go meet up with your buddy."
Like Rion, Sakamoto was thrown, but this time, toward the other teenager watching the fight.
Using this short opportunity, Toji shoved the inverted spear into the inventory curse and grabbed his trusty Glock, much to the dismay of Kindaka.
He was voicing his complaints, but Toji was too focused to care.
There was one minor issue. 'Where did the black-haired one go?'
*clack*
*clack*
*clack*
An average woman with heels slowly made her way toward Toji. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
...
*BANG*
Toji shot at the unknown lady, aiming at her thigh.
The woman reacted and moved to the side to avoid the bullet, then pulled out an extended box cutter.
Toji pushed up her hand and aimed his gun at her chest. "Dodge this."
*BANG*
He shot the woman in the chest, avoiding any vitals to follow Kindaka's request of no killing.
Blood escaped her mouth as she slowly transformed back into Nagumo.
*grab*
Toji picked him up by the shirt and tossed him in the mall's center.
He turned to the curse's mouth. "Is that good enough?"
Kindaka spoke. "Although I don't know about the other white-haired one, the other three pass."
*bleh*
*boof*
The inventory curse threw up Kindaka, and he landed poorly.
Toji knew that the damage he had done wasn't enough to put any of the three down, but he was done playing a trainer role.
*whoosh*
*whoosh*
*whoosh*
The three others, including Uzuki, appeared in the middle to defend Nagumo so he could have time to recover.
Toji crossed his arms. "Give them the sales pitch."
...
Kindaka slowly stood up with a smile. "Hey, you guys wanna join the Order?"