The dirt path we walk down is flanked on both sides by trees with wide canopies about twice as tall as a two story house. The sun shines down on us through the gaps in the leaves, making a nice, warm feeling of dimmed light.
We've been walking for a while now, and though not a word has been spoken, I'm not bothered by the silence.
Occasionally I see some wildlife, deer and rabbits mostly, but there was also a bear that didn't seem to want to get close to us. Well, it was probably Sukuna that scared it off, that guy gives off bad juju like he gets paid to.
I've also seen some new flowers! So that's cool too, I don't know what they're called, but they were such a vibrant shade of blue that I had to pick a few.
I even made a crown of flowers to wear, because they smelled nice too.
Sukuna didn't accept the flower crown I made for him. In fact, he seemed kind of disgusted by it.
It turns out that Minamoto's Technique: Kindred Spirit allows him to connect two 'cuts' together. Basically, he can swing a blade in one place, then swing a blade in another place, and create a portal connecting where the two blades cut.
He has a range limit, unfortunately, but we could still use his Technique to cut the travel time for this mission down a bunch.
As for the mission itself, well... I still have no idea what it is.
Sukuna doesn't feel like talking, so I've been keeping to myself. No need to rush him.
Maybe he's shy~.
Obviously not, but it's a funny thought, and I'll definitely tease him with it once we're closer, something I don't doubt will happen, simply because he's too interesting and I want to learn more about who he is.
All I know is that we're heading towards a small town, well, small to my sensibilities. It probably only has around a thousand people or something living there.
I only know that much because Minamoto had to know where to teleport us.
It would have been funny if he portal-ed us in the opposite direction, but I'm pretty sure Sukuna would have killed me if he did that.
Oh well.
Still, I haven't just been admiring the scenery on this walk, I've also been taking the time to train in Subtraction.
One of my Technique's biggest weaknesses is the brief time it takes to summon my Shikigami. If I can get it to the point that I don't need words or gestures to summon them, then that'd be great.
So I've been summoning and dismissing my Escape Rabbit over and over again as we've been travelling.
I haven't quite mastered it, but I got to the point where I can summon either with just the hand sign and no chant, or a chant and no hand sign.
The latter seems the most helpful, since it'll keep my hands unoccupied, but the former will undoubtably be best if I need to be sneaky for whatever reason.
However, while I have been training my Technique, one thing I've made sure not to do is summon either Divine Dog: Totality, or the latest result of power trickling down from Lion's Pride's demise.
Because I honestly feel like it's a good idea to keep as many tricks up my sleeve as I can, just in case Sukuna decides he wants to kill me before heading back.
He seriously is not a nice person. I don't think I can express enough with words how not nice of a person he is.
It's like, if you have a murderer on trial and say they're a horrible monster, then you get a serial killer on trial, then what are you supposed to say that's worse than horrible monster?
Just because the crime is worse, doesn't mean the lesser criminal is less of a horrible monster, but by calling them such, you run out of ways to describe anyone who is worse without just repeating yourself.
So basically, Sukuna is the single worse human I have ever met in my life, and likely will ever meet again. As a matter of fact, I'd say he's more of a Curse than a human, that much I can tell just from exposure.
If anything, he's more of a Curse than even Curses are, simply because he is also human.
He's so interesting.
Eventually however, we do reach the end of the forest trail at around evening time. As the trees clear up, we exit to the sight of a small settlement of wooden buildings built in the same design my mind still calls traditional Japanese, even though it's just normal now.
The streets are surprisingly bustling, lit up by the soft glow of lamps hung up all around, preparing for the approaching night.
Glancing to my side, I notice that Sukuna didn't even stop to take in the sight and just kept walking forward, his nose buried in one of my books.
Not that I gave it to him mind. I took it out of my shadow to read it, but then he just snatched it. He even cut my hand off when he did it, the prick.
Not that I'm really mad. If anything, I was just intrigued that there really was more to him than just hatred.
Plus I used the chance to try and regenerate my hand by myself, having realised that even if I do fuck it up, I can just cut it off again and have my deer do it for me.
Unfortunately however, it seems that regenerating limbs is a bit beyond me at the moment, so I did have to summon Generous Deer anyway.
I was really quick though, because I still can't take on my Shikigami's abilities without summoning them like I tried earlier and I didn't want him to kill my deer.
I might actually be upset if he did that, it's my favourite Shikigami. I am very bias for deer.
I also realised that since my lion is dead, I only have half my Shikigami slots filled now, but again, I don't want to start the ritual around Sukuna.
Shaking my head clear of useless thoughts, I speed walk my way back to Sukuna's side as we approach the settlement.
Absently, I note how the road through the town is all just dirt without any paving, the sight standing out to me alone. It makes me think back to my other life and realise that I'd never take note of a city road being made of tarmac or concrete or something grey like that, just like these people treat a dirt road as something so banal as to not even notice.
But to me, it's strange seeing so many people walking down a street of dirt. It's just one of those things you notice, a culture shock, I guess it's called.
Though, saying it's shocking feels like an overestimation. It's more like how if you're used to taking your shoes off or keeping them on when you're in your own house, then you tend to notice when you visit someone else and it's the opposite, while ignoring it if it's the same.
Basically just something that makes you go 'oh okay' and move on.
The point is, I'm smiling as we reach the entrance to the town, finding a man in a formal kimono standing to the side of the road waiting for us.
My sense of Cursed Energy tells me that he barely has any more than the average person, and my lessons with the old man tell me that he's probably a 'Window', the term for people with enough Cursed Energy to see Cursed Spirits, but not enough to fight them.
They are usually the people who report when and where Cursed Spirits are spotted to be dealt with.
A brief bit of history from the old man that I found interesting was that Windows used to actually not see too much use, because they only needed to keep an eye on low Grade Curses. This was because the Jujutsu world was content to just leave powerful Curses like Special Grades alone to their devices so long as they weren't causing too much trouble.
However, ever since Sugawara no Michizane started his one man crusade against Cursed Spirits, that is no longer the case. The problem is that Cursed Spirits don't truly die, at least not the normal way. The only way they can die is if they are well and truly forgotten.
So now there are a bunch of powerful Curses that are going to reincarnate randomly with no hint as to where or when. Because of this, Windows now have a much more important job of making sure everyone knows exactly when any powerful Curses are born and where they are as soon as possible.
It kind of makes me feel a bit bad for Michizane, since he was probably just trying to do a good thing, but now it's just going to cause even more problems down the line.
Oh well, I'm actually not that upset about it now that I think about it. After all, more problems down the line just means more opportunities for me to see interesting things.
"This one greets Sukuna-sama and Narauko-sama on behalf of the Fujiwara clan," the Window greets once we get close enough, bowing deeply. "By your will, I may inform you of what we have learned of the Curse present."
Why am I getting '-sama'-ed? I'm a forest child, not a noble. Maybe they think I'm an asshole like Sukuna and are just scared?
I'm only fifteen though. Even if they gave me that Special Grade rank, it's just because I have a lot of Cursed Energy, not because I'm particularly amazing.
I've only been in two fights now and they were both in the last week.
However, more than that, my attention is drawn to Sukuna as he looks over the town with blatant distain.
Where before, I got the feeling that Sukuna would kill me and everyone around him without a care, it always felt like something he would only do with a reason, even if the reason was incredibly thin, like not bowing when he walked past or something.
But when he looks out over these people, I feel a true, genuine hatred coming from him. His Cursed Energy is tumultuous, raging against his skin as if he is actively holding himself back from just killing them all.
I don't get why though. Why does he hate people so much? Why does he want to kill them all?
Why is he holding himself back?
"Narauko greets the aid of the esteemed Fujiwara clan," I return in greeting, since Sukuna would probably kill someone if he had to speak right now. Though, I don't bow. "What have you learned about this Curse?"
I'd like to have said something about being grateful for any information given, because that feels more polite, but the old man taught me that giving gratitude is a dangerous thing with nobles. Apparently if you apologise to, or thank a noble, they think it means you owe them or something.
Politics.
At least the Window seems pleased at my attitude, furtively stealing subtle glanced at Sukuna, the same way you would glance at a coiled snake just in case it lashed out.
"It is a Vengeful Cursed Spirit, Narauko-sama," the Window says with another bow, "In life, she was the wife to a local Samurai. However, she was adulterous while her husband was away fighting. He discovered this on his return and slit the corners of her mouth open as punishment. She then died and turned into a Vengeful Cursed Spirit. Its exact abilities are unknown to us, as everyone we've sent to investigate has died. It is likely Semi-Grade One at a minimum. The locals have started calling it Kuchisake-onna."
Seems like an overreaction to adultery to me, and for a second I get whiplash about how casually the Window retold the story.
It's just completely foreign to me that a man cutting his wife's mouth open like the Joker isn't even that big of a deal here. Hell, they'd probably be more scandalised if he just divorced her.
It's so weird. Though, it's kind of funny in hindsight that some people in the twenty first century fail to understand how much more peaceful the world is for them.
Sure there were, or will be? Still wars, but at least that Samurai would get sent to jail or something for mutilating his wife instead of just divorcing her.
Wait a minute... "What happened with the husband?" I ask, eyes alight with curiosity enough to ignore the strange look the other two gave me.
"I.. Don't know?" The Window asks more than states, caught flatfooted, "I assume he returned to his clan in the capital. May this lowly one ask why you wish to know?"
So he's not even going to get punished? Probably just made fun of by his friends or something.
"No reason," I wave him off, "I was just curious."
"Enough," Sukuna cuts in, his voice hard and full of poorly hidden bloodlust, whether that's directed at the Curse or the people, I couldn't say. Probably both. "Where is the Curse."
The Window immediately bows to Sukuna. "We have managed to confine it in the Samurai's compound to the north of the town, Sukuna-sama."
Sukuna doesn't say anything or nod any kind of acknowledgement to the Window, simply turning on his heel and walking north, tossing my book to the side as he does so.
Naturally, I catch my book before it hits the ground. These things aren't that sturdy like they will be in the future. I don't want to ink to smudge.
Putting my hands back in my sleeves, I deposit the book back in my shadow and give a shallow bow to the Window before hurrying my steps to catch back up with Sukuna again.
We get a lot of looks from the townspeople as we travel through the town, and it becomes clear to me that they know we are Sorcerers. It also becomes clear that they don't have a particularly high opinion of Sorcerers, even when we are here to exorcise a dangerous Curse for them.
It just makes me curious how other Sorcerers have acted in the past for them to be so distrustful.
Though, glancing over at Sukuna kind of answers that question. No one is willing to even get close to us, some primal part of their brain warning them that death will follow if they do.
Normal people can't consciously perceive Cursed Energy, but their subconscious still can. It's like that feeling you get when you enter an abandoned, spooky building, that unnatural chill.
Except in this world, I know for a fact that that feeling is not just mould or whatever making you hallucinate, but the effect of feeling Cursed Energy, even if you can't perceive it.
I also don't doubt for a second that their instincts are correct. If any of these people were to approach us, Sukuna would probably kill them before they can get to the second syllable of whatever they wanted to say.
The town itself is very reminiscent of Edo, just smaller. The only three story building being the Samurai's compound we are approaching, and though the place is too small to have it's own redlight district, I do spy a slightly larger building decorated with red lanterns.
Vaguely I remember some factoid about how Japan was one of the nations most accepting of prostitution as a part of society, though I'm not sure if that was just people on the internet spreading misinformation again.
It's hard to say.
Eventually however, my musings are cut off when we finally reach our destination.
The compound is rather large, a good two hundred metres or so wide at a guess, probably longer lengthwise, but I can't tell from this angle.
There is a wall about twice my height surrounding it, with what looks like archer towers on each corner and a big fancy gate with the same kind of roofing as all the other buildings.
The gate is closed, so I can't see the details inside, but I can see the rooves of the buildings, showing that there are three, one two story building on each side, and a three story main building at the far end in the centre.
Overall, it's an incredibly nice compound. Makes me think this Samurai guy is actually probably someone important. Or maybe houses like this just aren't that uncommon among nobility and the like.
Around the entire compound, there is also another barrier, except this one I cannot see with my eyes. It is only through my sense for Cursed Energy that I can even notice it, a faint but sturdy feeling barrier invisibly coating the entire place in a dome.
It doesn't feel like it would affect me in anyway, but I guess that makes sense, since it's probably designed with restraining Curses in mind, not Sorcerers.
hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, I turn my eyes away from the architecture to observe the approach of a middle aged man.
He has messy dull grey hair that looks more natural than a result of advanced age and a bland expression of disinterest on his face as he approaches.
Like Sukuna and I, he is wearing a kimono, except unlike us who are matching, except for my scarf, his is shaded with a pure black base that is covered with white and dark blue markings like that of a snake's skin.
It makes him look like how I imagine Yakuza would look honestly.
However, what is most interesting, and what draws my eye, is the strange tattoo-like markings over his mouth that I can just tell are Cursed Markings.
The man, in contrast to Narauko's interest, briefly falters as a pair of equally curious eyes bore down on him, greatly discomforting him.
"Sukuna. Narauko." The man begins, not even trying to be polite as his lifeless eyes move between us. "I am Inumaki Kotone, Grade One. I will be supervising this exorcism."
Sukuna looks like he's going to try and kill the guy for not putting any respect on his name, so I step forward and bow to Inumaki. "It is nice to meet you, Inumaki-san. Is there anything else, or shall we begin the exorcism now?"
He waves a hand at the compound. "No. Go ahead. I will be waiting outside the Curtain."
What's the point in being a supervisor if you're not even going to come and supervise? Naturally, I don't say that out loud, but still.
With that out of the way, I once again have to catch up with Sukuna, who has already started strolling for the gate, practically broadcasting his boredom through his Cursed Energy, a stark contrast to my own that is reflecting my excitement.
After all, I am about to see a Curse that's either Grade One or on the verge of it. I know that Special Grade among Curses isn't really the same as Sorcerers, so saying that a Grade One Cursed Spirit is the peak like with Sorcerers would be a lie.
But still, it's exciting.
Taira is technically a Grade One Sorcerer, but she's also a student like me, so I don't think she's actually at the level of Grade Ones yet, which means this should actually be pretty challenging.
I really can't wait. Tamamo and then Taira have made me want to experience that combat thrill again. I was never interested in violence before, but now I just really want to push myself.
It feels like... Like if you lie in one position for too long and want to stretch your leg, but can't fully straighten it.
Like having satisfaction within sight but out of reach.
Tamamo and Taira.. They just weren't strong enough, I'm starting to realise.
I hope this Curse isn't disappointing.
We reach the gate together and I feel a faint whiff of Cursed Energy emanate from Sukuna, kind of like a spider's web in that you can easily miss it without light reflecting off of it.
And then the gate crumbles into pieces.
"So much for knocking," I mutter as we stroll through the remains of the gate, entering the court proper.
The edge of the court, where the buildings are, is lined with gardens of flowers, mostly blue and yellow, arranged in subtle patterns. Most of the court is just simple stone, but right in the centre is a large sakura tree that is unfortunately out of season, going by the empty branches.
Still, the sight holds my eye for a moment. I'm sure sakura trees are beautiful in bloom, but even still, the sight of the tree completely devoid of any petals is strangely beautiful in its own right.
I just can't help but admire it.
Standing there, barren of colour surrounded by blooming flowers like a corpse of what could be.
God I wish I had a camera.
Then I notice Sukuna moving forward through my peripheral vision and snap out of my daze, following after him at a sedate pace, preferring to enjoy the compound than rush.
As I walk, I spread out my senses and feel for Cursed Energy.
Far to the south I can barely make out the presence of the normal folk. Closer, there is about half a dozen Windows, each having barely more Cursed Energy than the normal people.
Then there's Inumaki, who stands out like a candle in the night.
But if Inumaki is a candle, then Sukuna in front of me is a raging inferno, almost blinding my senses entirely with how intense his presence is.
Even with him distracting me, I do manage to notice a bundle of Cursed Energy further ahead in the main building. Going by Sukuna's chosen direction, he probably senses it too.
Speeding up my pace a little bit, I overtake Sukuna before matching him, because I selfishly don't want him to kill the Curse.
We reach the front door and I slide it open with much more respect than Sukuna treated the gate, and walk inside, followed silently by my classmate.
The halls are a mess, with lines carved into the walls and broken shards of vases and other decorative items littering the floor. It looks like its been ransacked and left to rot, which might actually be true.
Or it is just the Curse.
Going by the cuts in the walls that still hold faint echoes of Cursed Energy, I think I can safely assume the Curse's main form of offence is likely a slashing type attack.
That would be more helpful information if I had some kind of counter to slashing type attacks, but I don't. At least it's still nice to know what to expect, though it also kind of ruins the surprise.
Hmm. Is it better to be prepared or surprised? I honestly couldn't say. That's a really difficult question for me.
My senses tell me we are close enough that I shouldn't be getting distracted, so I focus back on the world in time to come to a stop before another set of sliding doors.
On the other side is the Curse, and I'm pretty sure it has noticed our approach, even if it doesn't seem to be showing much aggression, which is very interesting.
Taking a deep breath, I slide the door open and step inside, Sukuna following behind me.
The room is simple with lots of space, as is pretty normal here. The flooring is a nice tatami wood and the wall on the right has a winding river painted on it.
On the opposite side of the room from the door, is an eight foot tall figure bent over a vanity case, it's long, greasy hair drapes over hunched shoulders even though the ceiling is high enough for it to stand straight.
Even as we stand there, the Curse doesn't respond to us. It just keeps muttering incomprehensible things to itself.
Sparing a glance at Sukuna shows that he is barely even paying attention, bored out of his mind.
Huffing in amusement, I turn back to the Curse and take a single step forward.
The instant my foot touches the ground, the world takes on a different hue and I suddenly know that I cannot take any violent actions right now.
It takes me a moment to figure out how this information just appears in my mind as true as anything else, and when I do I am shocked.
It's a Domain. The old man told me that Domain Expansion was the peak of Jujutsu Sorcery, and as I feel the barrier spring to life around us faster than I could hope to react, limiting my actions like a law of nature, I can't help but agree.
It feels so foreign. Like the world has been flipped upside down. It's fascinating to observe.
My eyes flick to Sukuna, who seems just as surprised as I am, but they quickly turn back to the Curse as it stands and faces us.
It's form is like that of a woman, a very tall woman, which is no surprise since it's a Vengeful Curse, dressed in a simple white yukata. But as it turns to face us, any possibility of mistaking it as anything but a Curse disappears.
Its hands hang by its sides, wrinkled and pale like a corpse's with long, uncared for nails coloured black and yellow from necrosis and puss, a sharp cooking knife held in one hand.
Its face is covered by a gigaku, a theatre mask shaped like the classic interpretation of an old witch's face. But the mask is also covered by its long hair, flowing down from its bowed head and all the way to the floor, obscuring most of the mask.
Disturbingly, the hair is covered in eyes that each look this way and that, as if they are each on their own psychedelic trip.
Truly, it is a scary, horrible, disgusting sight.
"Am I beautiful?" The Curse asks, its voice raspy and painful to listen to, and I just know that I have to answer. That I can't lie or even delay my response. I can only-
"Yes," I say without hesitation, ignoring the look I get from Sukuna.
The Curse seems oddly happy at my answer and raises its free hand to the mask it wears, grabbing it gently and pulling it away, brushing hair out of its face in the process as it turns up to stare right into my soul.
Its face is the thing of nightmares, with a still bleeding mouth cut too wide, showing a set of wicked fangs when it smiles at us. Its skin is pale and clammy, almost making me feel sick just looking at it, and its eyes are difficult to meet just from how disgusting it is.
Like all Curses I've seen so far, this thing is gross to look at.
"Even now?" It asks, and once again, I know I must answer honestly, that I can't lie-
"Yes," I breathe, the feeling of its domain softly brushing against my mind. "I have never seen a beauty like this before. I surely won't forget you, because you are truly beautiful."
The Curse's smile widens to disgusting proportions at my answer, and then the world cracks around us and shatters, the domain coming undone.
Without hesitating in the slightest, the moment I regain full control over myself from the rules of the domain, I gesture forward with my two forefingers.
Following my movement, my shadow lurches forward fast enough to blur, a spike of inky black shadow piercing through the Curse's head faster than it can react.
"You were beautiful," I mutter to the Curse as it fades away into nothing, successfully exorcised. "But you were also too weak."
Sighing to myself, I bring a hand to my chest and feel my heartbeat.
Steady as usual.
Another sigh leaves me at that.
I had hoped it would at least be as challenging as Taira.
Whatever, at least I got to see a domain. That was fun, not to mention rather enlightening. Now that I have a base to work from, I might be able to figure out my own domain, which would be very cool.
Cracking my neck, I turn to the side and am greeted to the sight of Sukuna intensely staring at the floor, right in the centre of the room. No, that's where the centre of the domain was that he is staring at.
I open my mouth to ask him if he's okay, only for my words to freeze on my lips as he suddenly seems to wake up and his Cursed Energy spikes like oil poured on a fire.
Slowly, or maybe I just imagine it in slow motion, I watch as Sukuna's face splits into a wide, bloodthirsty grin, his eyes alight with sadistic joy as he turns my way.
Ah fuck, I think to myself. That's not good.
Yet even as I think that, I know that my smile soon grows to match his own.
///
A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!
Cliffhanger!!!! Muahahaha!
Remember that bit about Sukuna only behaving because he doesn't have a counter to domains yet? lmao.
I was honestly originally planning to keep Sukuna from developing a domain or anything like that for a while, planning future events and the like, but I caught myself. The whole point of this fic is basically "whatever happens happens", and I came up with a better idea anyway.
Hope you guys like it, and I also hope next chapter's fight scene isn't disappointing.
Visit my Patreon, Kevin the Bored, if you wanna support me. 7 Chaps ahead rn I think, I'll post the next 2 publicly once I finish the next chap :P