Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"The train is now approaching. The train is now approaching. Please stand clear of the edge."

Ciel heard the announcement overhead as she read the time on her cell phone. The intended destination of her target was just a few more stops after this one. It's possible that an escort will be waiting there. She'll need to be sure to get off before then.

She wore a school uniform in an effort to pass off as a student on her way to class. Though the outfit was put together last minute - a simple yellow vest over a white, long-sleeved blouse, a red bow in front of her chest, a black skirt with long white socks and dark brown loafers, it should pose a convincing enough image to fool the average citizen.

She would have preferred more time to better establish her identity - she was, after all, still pending her citizenship. However, due to recent orders, Ciel had to act quickly. This would, after all, be her one and only chance to come across him.

A recent person of interest who's been causing quite a stir within Jujutsu Society, and the Holy Church caught wind of it. A vessel of a notorious, powerful sorcerer from the Heien Era - though at the moment he was in a weakened state. A host who just popped out of nowhere, and currently acting as a living prison for the entity. It's almost humorous how familiar this was all beginning to sound.

She hadn't heard this much apprehension within Japan's shaman community since Yuta Okkotsu, and even then, the Church chose not to intervene. This time was different, however. This time, an observation was in order. Ciel was teetering along the line of a provincial transgression and a foreign invasion, and either accusation would have her meet the dissatisfaction of the island country's inhabitants.

Since she would have arrived to Japan either way, the chance of that happening was always there. However, she would have avoided any Jujutsu Sorcerer's notice to begin with, and aside from the likeliness of Satoru Gojo spotting her, Ciel was confident that by the time she was done here, she wouldn't have slipped into the shamans' radar even once.

Unfortunately, the chances of that happening went up to 50% the second she set foot into Haneda Airport, where she received a phone call from her superiors.

Ciel didn't mind. While she would have liked to stay focus on her current assignment, the potential severity of this sudden appeared vessel was something worth looking into. The Church likely viewed it as an opportunity to gain some traction within Japan, though doing so would no doubt instigate conflict with the other sorcerers.

To avoid this, direct intervention was unadvised. For now, it's simply observe and assess whether the vessel of "the King of Curses" would become a threat or not, making it within holy grounds for her - an executor - to step in if necessary. Her only justification to come into contact was to confirm his state.

She was also a little curious, wondering what sort of person could withstand the presence of a strong, ancient living curse. Besides, Ciel was in the area anyway. She might as well go see for herself.

Whether it was a vampire she must vanquish, or a curse, in the name of the Lord, all will fall under her blade. For such monsters have no place in this world.

"Attention! Attention! The train will be ready to depart soon."

Ciel puts her phone away. She adjusted the strap of her purple bag over her shoulder and took a deep breath.

"Stay clear of all doors. The train will now begin departing."

With a click of her feet, Ciel dashed down the stairs.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Ciel raised her voice, causing a scene intentionally. She wanted to get her target's notice. Should he also be accompanied by someone, they wouldn't suspect an executor willingly bringing attention to herself.

"Don't go-!"

What she didn't expect was for a hand to slam itself between the train doors, stopping them from closing.

-?!

Ciel instinctively ducked underneath the arm, feeling her head brush against his sleeve. She resumed until she felt the cold touch of metal in her hand, stopping at a pole. She hunched over with deliberate heavy gasps, instantly counting the number of people she sensed inside the train car. Today seemed like a less than busy morning, with only a handful of passengers on board, including the one who helped her inside.

"Are you okay?" The target of today's mission asked her from behind.

Keeping in character, Ciel recovered from her short yet legitimate surprise, nodding with a hand over her chest. "Phew! That was close. I almost lost my head back there."

"No kidding. You look like you just broke a new record."

Then her performance was successful. Ciel tilted her head back and smiled at the fellow passenger, her light blue eyes sweeping up. He was a little taller than she expected - about 5' 8" from what she could tell. Ruffled pink hair and brown eyes that looked back at her curiously. They honestly reminded her of a dog.

It was an innocent look of unquestionable friendliness, as if he was never touched by the harsh reality of life and its evils yet.

It's possible he was kept hidden until he was proven capable of withstanding a cursed object, Ciel reasoned. She felt a subtle, invisible air of warning inside the young man. So subtle that not even a veteran might notice. But her nose was sharp, and her senses were acute.

The sinister presence was mainly subdued. A good thing too, considering that they were riding on a public transit. With her black keys at reach, however, hidden inside her bag, she should be able to manage on her own should this vessel go rogue. Although, it still seemed oddly careless that a host of a dangerous soul was by himself in the middle of the city. Could he have someone observing him from somewhere?

"Well, I am on the track team. It's nice to know my training was put to good use." She lets out a faint laugh.

The young man, Yuji Itadori, made an o-shape sound with his mouth, finding sense in her explanation.

"By the way..." Ciel followed up, looking through her glasses curiously. "Were you the one who stopped the train doors for me just now?"

"Oh. Yeah. I did that."

Ah. Of course. So he did.

Ciel took in another breath, and then jolted. "Huh?! Seriously?!"

She was honestly caught off guard. For him to have done it, and with his bare hands no less. Had he no discretion?

"You shouldn't do that! You could have seriously injured yourself!" Perhaps he'd be more durable after becoming partially cursed, but Ciel doubted he was invincible. Even if he had increased physical strength, he could have broken something or expose himself publicly. And that'll mean more paperwork for her.

Yuji was surprised by her outburst. He showed her his hand. "It's alright. See? I'm fine."

He flexed his fingers to prove a point. "I'm pretty tough as it is. Also, I don't think those doors would have hurt anyone."

"E-Even so. You shouldn't do something so reckless," Ciel continued with a wave of her finger. Good grief. She was already getting a premonition of how much trouble this boy was going to be. Admittedly, she was a little moved by his quick action to save a seemingly distressed citizen, but there should be some restraint - for his own sake.

With a sigh and a shake of her head, Ciel adjusted the bag over her shoulder and then approached Yuji, presenting her hands to him. "Let me see. It might not have hurt, but we should still give it a look."

Seeing this as an opportunity, Ciel went for his hand without waiting for a response.

"Oh. Okay." Seeing the validity of her action, Yuji lets her.

Ciel's fingers gently grasped around his. Her thumbs traced around his palm as she looked for any markings, like a nurse performing a medical examination. There was a toughness to his hand that she could feel, the sort that could lift up several heavy boxes of furniture with ease, and at a deeper look, she could tell that he'd been in numerous fights. Either from training, or - if the rumors were true - from the many delinquent encounters this boy had been involved in, earning him the nickname "Tiger". Feeling the roughness of Yuji's knuckles, Ciel was inclined to believe the stories.

She could also sense the curse's presence within Yuji. It was weak, for now. No doubt the entity's strength will increase the more his host gathered and consume his cursed fingers. All and all, she could see how this person was a perfect fit to be a host, satisfied to have confirmed it herself.

"Please be more careful next time," Ciel said. "Then again, I suppose I'm no better. If I hadn't been running late, you wouldn't feel the need to help me just now. Oh well, let this be a lesson for the both of us."

"I didn't mind. I felt like giving you a hand. Glad I didn't end up losing it, though," Yuji glanced at the purple bag by her hip, impressed by her width there. "Do you live around here?"

Ciel nodded, putting up a gentle smile. "Yes. I'm a resident in Souya. I was just on my way to school, but I got held up by work. Luckily, I was able to get on this train in time."

After confirming Yuji's condition, as well seeing no injury present, Ciel lets go of his hand.

"I didn't know students could get jobs here," Yuji said, intrigued.

"It's more like community service. I don't get paid, but the pay-off itself is worth the effort," Ciel said, a soft pride in her voice at her well-given lie (more or less, she did notice a few trash here and there she picked up along the way). "I was cleaning up a park nearby. Raking up some leaves, trimming the bushes."

She gently shook the bag by her hip to accentuate her point before giving off an embarrassed look. "I might have lost track of the time. I'm sorry for disturbing you, by the way. I must have seemed like a mad woman on the run."

"No. It's cool," Yuji said. A soft glow in his eyes, reflected by the light of the day through the windows. "Volunteering, huh? That's pretty neat. Do you volunteer a lot?"

"Yes! Whenever I get the chance to. I guess I'm something of a workaholic," Ciel answered with a slight chuckle. She leaned towards the bench beside them. "Would you like to sit with me? My feet could definitely use the rest."

"Mm. Sure thing." Not one to turn down a friendly invitation like that, Yuji followed suit, sitting down next to Ciel.

"I have to say," Ciel began, ready to plant the first seed of deception to get closer to her target. "It's a lot more work doing community service here than at Sendai. It's no wonder Tokyo is known for its cleanliness."

"Huh? Sendai?" Yuji visibly perked at the mention of his hometown. "You're from there?"

Ciel gave a lovely smile. She scooted closer to Yuji, bringing her face up towards his. Yuji was surprised by the proximity, a subtle dash of pink on his cheeks.

"Ehhh? Don't tell me you've forgotten about me already!" Sounding her faux disappointment, Ciel stared directly into Yuji's eyes as she pointed at her face. "Come on, come on! It's me! We met just last week at school. Remember?"

"Uh. Uhh...!" Yuji seemed a little panicked at the notion. He scrutinized Ciel's face as his hand clasped over his mouth. "Hmm..."

He held both sides of his face, his fingers pressed against his temples. "Hmmmm...!"

He seemed to be putting all his efforts into remembering this girl, not that he actually needed to. With her hypnosis in effect, it should only take a few seconds for him to-

"Sorry. I can't remember."

Huh?

Ciel's smile instantly dropped. She retreated into her seat, visibly shocked by his answer. He can't remember? Is he immune to my suggestion?

Was it because of Sukuna? Even after only swallowing one cursed finger, was it enough to resist her spells already? Ciel began to wonder if the cursed entity himself noticed what she was doing. There's a chance she could be exposed.

She immediately retracted her suggestion magic and hid her slightest discomfort with a smile. The awkwardness behind it more genuine than she meant it to. "Ah. Well, it has been a while. And we did only meet in passing. I can't really blame you for not remembering me."

"Huh..." Yuji looked a little guilty at that, frowning as he tried to search his memories for her face. Quick to do damage control, Ciel pressed her hands together and steered the conversation.

"I'm sure everyone has heard of you, though. The 'Tiger of West Junior High'; Yuji Itadori." Ciel puts up a warm and inviting air, using info she memorized regarding Yuji's life. It worked, seeing his expression lit up, and she continued. "I've just transferred here not too long ago. Imagine my surprise when I saw you. I'm curious. What are you doing here in Tokyo?"

"Oh. I just transferred too," Yuji answered honestly before reconsidering his response. He grasped the back of his neck. "Well, kind of. Maybe it's better to say that I stopped going to school? A normal one, I mean."

"Oho? Normal you say?" Ciel smirked. "Are you sure you're not just playing hooky? I never took you to be a delinquent. Who knew you had it in you?"

"Heh. It's not like that," Yuji said with a faint smile, liking her attitude. "My situation is complicated. Not sure where to begin..."

"Well, now I'm even more curious. Is it a secret?" Ciel pressed on nosily. She was well aware of Yuji's true purpose for being here. This was more or less to see how much the vessel of Sukuna himself knew, and to confirm a few things. Of course, she didn't expect him to tell the entire truth. This was just a way to establish communication between them.

"I don't think so? I'm still kind of wrapping my head around it," Yuji said as he looked up at the ceiling. "Through some special circumstances, I was recruited to join this school that's somewhere in Tokyo. I'm actually heading there right now. My new teacher is gonna be waiting there for me. I would have liked it better if he was here, but something came up and he had to leave. He told me to take this train and that he'd meet up with me later."

"I see. Will you be alright on your own? What part of Tokyo are you heading to?" Ciel lets out a genuine sound of worry. This boy really was just left here to fend for himself? A new resident in a city as big as this? He didn't appear to be lying. Or rather, he seemed almost incapable of telling a good lie. Like an open book that even when pressed, although he alluded answering completely, he was still honest with her. It's a far cry to how she was comparatively, even if she could pull off the part well enough.

"It was a little tricky reading the map, but this train should take me to Shinjuku. From there, I can follow the directions sensei sent me." Yuji pulled out his cell phone to show the text message. "Or at least, I think this train goes to Shinjuku. Man, I really should have asked for more directions."

He was like a lost puppy as he frowned at the message in his phone, looking as if he was reading an encryption rather than anything legible. Ciel couldn't help but feel pity. She almost felt compelled to offer some assistance, but she couldn't let herself get too far, not when she had her own objective to adhere to.

"I see. I'm sure you'll find your way around quickly," Ciel said with an encouraging grin. "Are you just settling in? Correct me if I'm wrong, but you live with your grandfather, right? I hope the move hasn't been too difficult for him."

She only had several hours to gather as much information as she could about the vessel of Sukuna. Background checks and all. With how sudden this extra assignment was given to her, her resources had been limited. Although she had some general intel, she might as well ask him directly. It wouldn't do her any harm to confirm her findings by questioning the young man himself anyway.

"Actually, my grandpa passed away a few days ago."

"Ah-" Well, that's one info she definitely would have liked to know beforehand. What especially caught her off guard was the way he had said it. So casual and to the point. He has yet to even look up from his phone.

"Oh. I... I see..." Ciel's cheerful visage diminished, her look sympathetic. "Was it sudden?"

"Not really. He'd been bed ridden for a while," Yuji responded factually. Putting down his phone finally, his hands inserted into his pockets. "We both knew it was coming. Some of the nurses and I had been looking after him. I was his only family member, so he didn't get a lot of visitors. The good thing was that he died peacefully, and that he hadn't been alone when he did."

"Wasn't alone? Were you with him when he passed away?" Ciel gently asked as she looked at the stoic-faced teen.

Yuji nodded. "Yeah. I guess it did took me by surprise when it happened. I'm probably still processing it really."

"I see... You said that you were his only family member," Ciel brought up, careful to not seem too pushy, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. "What about your parents? Were they not around?"

"I never knew my parents. I have some memories of my dad, but that was when I was a baby. I'm not really sure what happened to them. Gramps tried bringing them up, but I didn't want him to make a big deal out of it."

"Really? Why not?"

"I didn't see a reason for it," Yuji answered simply. "There's no point dwelling on it, you know? I didn't want him to think he felt obligated to tell me, so I told him not to. I mean, by the end of the day, he's still my family. He raised me, so as far as I see it, he's been the only parent in my life."

It was a strongly-put sentiment. Hearing it, though, Ciel looked troubled. Her professionalism began to thaw. "...It sounded like you've disowned your biological parents completely."

Surprised by her change in tone, Yuji looked back at her.

"Do you resent them that much, Itadori-kun?"

There was no real purpose to the question, as Yuji's feelings regarding his family have no correlation to his status as a cursed vessel. It did put up a front of wanting to know more about the other person if she was to convincingly behave on their supposed acquaintanceship, so not to make this seem like an interrogation. But for the most part, Ciel did genuinely wanted to know more about him.

Perhaps his parents absence was the result of his upbringing as a vessel. It wouldn't be uncharacteristic for sorcerer clans to do something like that. Separating children from their biological families in order to see through the child's potential, evaluating their usefulness to serve one purpose or another. It was pretty typical for Mages, and even the Church was guilty of it.

On the other hand, the thought of disowning one's blood without fully grasping the entire situation, it just seemed a little disheartening. Perhaps Ciel was simply being sentimental. Not everyone lived in a happy home as Ciel once did.

"Oh. No. I wouldn't go that far," Yuji clarified. Did he sounded that harsh? He didn't mean to, especially if it made this girl he apparently knew worry for him. "I don't know what the circumstances were that they couldn't be around. I just hold more memories with my grandpa. I pretty much loved him like he was my real dad. Although, he'd probably call me a sap if I say that around him."

He huffed out a silent laugh and smirked. "He was a big grump, but he had a good heart. I'm gonna miss him a lot, but I know I can't just stay sad forever. I don't really know what to expect in my future, but I know that I want to do everything I can to fulfill my promise to him."

"Your promise?" Ciel asked, becoming more attentive than before - which was high enough as it is.

Yuji nodded. "Before he passed away, his last words to me was for me to help others, and to die surrounded by people."

"-!" Ciel's mouth parted, taken aback by the grandfather's request.

"I'm pretty strong, so I like to use that strength to help as much as I can," Yuji continued, his fingers intertwined as he hunched forward in his seat. "It's the reason why I transferred here. The school I'm going to will allow me to help lots of people. I want to make sure that they'd get a chance to have a proper death. Like my gramps did."

Ciel was silent, the noise of the moving train filling the air as she turned away, staring at the seats across from them.

This ended up being more than what she was prepared to deal with.

Yuji noticed Ciel's quietness, and he immediately felt guilty at the sight of her expression. "Sorry. I guess that sounded a little too grim. In all honesty, death is a really depressing thing to happen, but my gramps would have berated me if I spend all my time wallowing. So I tried to keep things upbeat, keep a smile on my face even if things get tough. Like laughing while I'm burning up gramp's body - he's a Buddhist, by the way."

Ciel blinked at the young man beside her. She gave a slow, if partially worried smile. "Well, that's one way to look at things. Your grandfather does sound like an interesting man. It makes me wish I could have known him."

Her eyes lowered to her lap. "I'm surprised. You seemed carefree, but you're actually very earnest. A hard worker with a unique outlook on life. A proper death... It's actually a nice idea."

A peaceful end as the ultimate goal of life... Ciel could get behind that. It's something that she herself desired, though whether it would have been peaceful or not, it never mattered to her. So long as she can live and die as a human being.

Her smile became a little more real as she looked back at Yuji. "Helping others is a very noble goal. I don't think life is bound to be that simple, but it does make me want to wish you luck. Keeping things upbeat, even when things get tough. Not many people would have that sort of strength."

Yuji stared back at her gentle expression. Her light blue eyes that glistened under the sunlight, twinkling like the ocean. He realized himself and looked away, rubbing underneath his nose with his finger sheepishly. "Oh. Yeah?"

Ciel adjusted the purple bag sitting by her side. "To have a proper death, though, you'll need to have a pleasant life. A person could live miserably yet die normally. So..."

She gave him a playful wink, a heart-skippable act that would have any boy fall in love immediately. "You should try to enjoy my life while you still can. I'm sure your grandfather would agree. Keeping a good attitude is a good start. Hanging out with your friends is a good idea too. Maybe you and I should start meeting up at a cafe somewhere for some tea and cakes. Hm?"

Yuji looked interested at the prospect. Of course, Ciel was only joking, and she rescinded her offer. "Then again, it sounds like we'll be going to different schools. Which reminds me, where is your current residence?"

"Oh. It's at the school. Sensei said they got dorm rooms for all the students."

"Then it looks like you won't be needing to take this train that often. My next stop is coming up. Sad to say, I think this will be the last time we'll see each other."

At least, until the next time she may decide to observe the boy. However, since he'll be mostly residing within shaman grounds, it won't be as easy to spot him even from afar, and that's not getting into the school's barrier system they have in place.

Well, even if that did end up happening, that was fine. She only needed to note the vessel's state in passing. This was, in other words, a social call and nothing more. No follow-ups are in order unless she happened to have the time to check in once in a while. During her stay in Japan, her focus will be on Roa - she'll need to prioritize that above all else

"Huh. In that case, can I borrow your phone for a sec?"

"Hm?" Ciel glanced at Yuji, blinking at his request.

Yuji raised his hand in assurance. "It'll only take a moment. I promise I'm not gonna steal it."

"Oh. Well, alright..." Uncertain about why Yuji would want to borrow her phone, Ciel took it out from her skirt pocket and handed it over. "Is your phone not working?"

"No. It is," Yuji answered as he pulled up Ciel's contacts. "Hmm. How do I do this again? I think I just..."

Ciel gave a strained smile as she continued to observe the odd young man beside her. "Um, then, is the battery life on your phone low, by chance?"

"A little bit, but I'm sure it can last another couple of hours," Yuji responded as he typed in his phone number.

"Ah. I see. So your phone is still working, and it still has some battery life left..." Ciel trailed off as she tried to understand what Yuji was doing. "Then... why did you need my-?"

"Hold on. Almost done. And... There."

Yuji handed back the cell phone in casual stride. "I just send myself a text. We can talk over the phone whenever you want. I'll try not to call while you're in class, so feel free to text back anytime."

"Huh?" Ciel slowly registered Yuji's words as she looked down at her cell phone. The name and number of Yuji was plainly presented on the screen. He... saved his number on my contact list.

He had done it so calmly and without pause. Like it was just natural of him to have everyone's phone number. She hadn't even suspected once what he was doing.

"By the way, what's your name? I just realized I never asked."

Ciel jumped a little in her seat when she heard this. "Oh. That's true..."

She had been enjoying her conversation with Yuji so much, she forgot this little detail - which was uncharacteristic of her.

"Ahem. Right. So my name... It's Ciel." The young woman answered, a little befuddled by her sheepishness showing. It was strange. She usually never had this problem with other people before.

"Ciel, huh? Is that your first name?"

"Um. Well... Yes. It is."

With a smile, Yuji pointed at himself with his thumb, "Then you can just call me Yuji. I don't really mind, since we're friends now."

Hold on. This seems a little... Ciel wasn't sure what to call it, but it nonetheless took her by surprise by how nonchalant Yuji was being. Also, saving each other's phone number, going by their first names... Ciel may not be from Japan, but she was quite aware of the social meaning behind such actions. She couldn't even get Yuji to falsely remember her, and yet he's already moving at a pace as if they've known each other for years!

"Ah-! That's...! Um..." For the first time in her life, the pro-conversationist even for the dullest of topics, Ciel was at a loss for words. I might have just met my match.

"So is your school in Souya? What's it like?"

We're just going to skip past what happened?! Forget her earlier assessment, he really was a carefree guy.

Hearing Yuji's question, Ciel tried to regain her composure as she answered. "O-Oh. Well, it's a nice school. Plenty of friendly students there."

Needing to keep up with the charade as a hard-working student whose lived in Tokyo for some time, she gave the most general answer to cover for her - at the moment - lack of actual attendance to any school.

"It had to be tough transferring all the way over here," Yuji said before giving a smile. "But you must have made plenty new friends already. I get the feeling a lot of people look up to you, don't they?"

...Ciel couldn't figure out why, but that comment made her feel a little embarrassed. "I wouldn't say that... I mean, I do find myself helping others, but that's just the responsibility of a senior. It's only natural to look after my fellow classmates as their senpai."

"Sure, but I could tell you like doing what you do. At least, that's the impression I got from you," Yuji said as his eyes wandered down to her purple bag once more. "You work hard, and you seem dependable too. I think it's fair for me to assume that a lot of people see you as someone really reliable."

"You're too kind..." Ciel didn't know how she could deflect such an undeserving assessment, feeling her face warmed by it. She simply bowed her head and tried all she could to modestly object to it.

It's almost unbelievable that someone as cheerful as this boy was carrying the soul of a blood-thirsty sorcerer. One which she may have to exorcise, along with his vessel.

"I'm sure you'd be helping a lot more people than I would..." Ciel said with a lightly flushed smile, intertwining her fingers. "How about this then? Why don't we both do our best? To help others as much as we can. That sounds like a good goal for us, don't you think?"

"Mm! Sounds good to me." Yuji said and gave an encouraging thumbs up.

Ciel reciprocated the act. "Yosh! It's a promise then! Let's do our very best!" (Yuji: "Okay!")

After that little declaration, the conversation soon shifted to other topics, and they spend the rest of the train ride talking.

They chatted about everything they could think of. What to expect in Tokyo. The sights there were to visit and those they looked forward to. The latest movies they have seen. And so on.

After some time, they finally arrived to Souya, and the train began to slow down.

"Oh! This is my stop!" Realizing this, Ciel stood up and picked up her purple bag. "I have to go now, but I'm really glad I got this chance to talk to you."

Her smile was genuine as she turned to face Yuji. "I really enjoyed our conversation. So... since we have each other's numbers now-"

A fact that still surprised Ciel to have let it slip past her so easily. "-I hope that we stay in touch."

It was an unintended gain, one which she never really planned for, and yet, as she thought about it during the train ride, perhaps this could work in her favor?

Yuji smiled widely as he nodded at her, giving her a wave as she started walking for the opened doors. "Yeah! I'll be sure to text you later. It was nice talking to you, Ciel-senpai. You have a great day at school!"

Ciel nodded back. "I will. You have a wonderful day too... Yuji-kun."

It was a little embarrassing to say it out loud, but since Yuji was the one to insist, and he did just lose his grandfather recently, Ciel figured she could do this much for him. Just this once.

She lets out a small chuckle. "Oh dear. I'll have to get used to that. I'm sure with your outgoing personality, you'll be making lots of new friends here too. You take care of yourself now."

With that, she stepped off the train and made her way through the busy station. Ciel and Yuji waved at each other a few more times through the windows before the girl disappeared into the crowd.

Yuji kept his smile as he looked down at his phone, seeing Ciel's number saved on his contact list. ...I just gave a girl my number.

He held up his phone against his lips and smirked. Damn. I'm really smooth.

He was so going to brag about this to Gojo and Fushiguro as soon as he saw them. She seemed like a nice girl, and they really did have fun talking. Maybe it was impulsive, but he didn't want it to end at this one train ride so soon.

As Yuji closed his eyes and let his mind wander, imagining freely with his mood at an all-time high now, he never noticed the slit underneath his left eye opened, and Sukuna peered through, eerily looking after the girl who departed into the crowd.

Ciel had to admit, her meeting with the vessel was unlike anything she anticipated. Nothing disastrous happened, but simply the fact that the boy she was given the order to kill if necessary was a very sweet young man. He was also impressively straightforward, even catching a calm and collected executor like herself by surprise.

It really was a cruel situation, for that boy to be fated to die.

I know not to get ahead of myself. To keep from getting too involved into shaman business, Ciel had to remind herself as she looked down at Yuji's number on her phone, seeing the simple text message of "hi" he sent.

...In any case, it could be beneficial to keep in touch with him, just so I'd know where to look out for him.

After all, she'll have to make sure that the presence of Sukuna would not interfere with her mission of hunting Roa.

He's surprisingly more optimistic than I would expect for a Jujutsu Sorcerer. He does seem to be a new student, though. I only hope his line of work won't be too hard on him.

It would be unfortunate that such a happy young man end up becoming a shell of himself, but Ciel knew just how ruthless this world could be. There was nothing that could be done to change that, except ensure that no evil escape without facing retribution. Regardless if that evil was being carried inside an innocent life, or herself.

Chapter Text

"Hmmm..." Satoru Gojo stared through his blindfold at the building across from him, holding his chin in thought. From what he could "see" with his heightened senses, this "abandoned" building just became even more abandoned.

Yesterday, this place had been roaming with curses, caused by people's negative thoughts that it was haunted, and so it became just that. Today, however, as a way to introduce his new students into the fold, have a taste of what fighting curses in the city was like, Satoru brought them here as a form of entrance exam, only to find that someone else had already purged the establishment of all entities.

Did another shaman do this? He could have sworn he put in a notice that he would be borrowing this place for today. Looks like he'll have to take his students elsewhere, except something else was keeping Satoru's attention here. There was a ward around the premise. An expert use of magical power that would prevent any new curses from infesting the building again. It would have been difficult to notice if someone other than Satoru was here. Now who could have pulled that off?

"-No way! You ate a cursed finger?! Gross!"

Behind him, his class of first-years consisting of only three students talked amongst themselves. Yuji was openly offended by Nobara's outburst and her etching away from the boy as if he was carrying some sort of disease. Megumi paid no attention to the two, staring at the abandoned building alongside his teacher, noticing the lack of curses as well.

"Hmmmm..." After letting out another thoughtful hum, Satoru started his walk towards the building. "I'm going to check something. You three stay put, alright?"

"Huh?" Yuji and Nobara looked over to their teacher, and watch the tall man cross the street.

"What's up with him?" Nobara asked. "I thought he was gonna bring us somewhere cursed. There's not even a hint of curse remnant in there."

Which is strange, since places like these are usually the perfect conduit for new curses.

"Curse remnant? Oh. You mean cursed energy?" Yuji asked innocently.

Nobara looked at him like he had asked the stupidest question ever. She sighed deeply. "God, you're gonna be annoying to deal with."

"What did I do?!"

Megumi simply kept his focus on the building, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Satoru leisurely walked up the staircase with his hands in his pockets. The building was completely empty. Not even up close did he notice any curse remnants left behind. Although that's usually advised since it avoids attracting other curses, the way this was done was especially thorough.

Whoever came through here, they made sure this place was cleaned to the brim, almost like they were trying to hide something. There's some type of blockade - no, a filter that's nullifying any leaked cursed energy from the untrained.

There was no one in his school who was capable of achieving that. It certainly would have made a sorcerer's job easier.

He reached the top of the floor and entered the last room at the end of the hallway. In the room was several mannequins, left behind to collect dust. There was one mannequin that had its head split open. Its fragmented pieces scattered all over the floor.

And the cause of that...

He looked to one of the walls of the room and approached it.

...Is behind this.

He pressed his hand against it and pulled off its surface. The fabric was peeled from the chipped wall, like removing a curtain, and a door was revealed underneath. He dropped the camouflage from his fingertips and opened the door.

A single silver-black sword stood in the middle of the room. Its red handle channeled magical energy - or more tediously explicit, "holy energy", that had the entire building warded.

Satoru walked into the room and stopped right in front of the embedded weapon. A black key.

To those who lived within Mage Society and was familiar with their oppositions, there was only one group many know to have wielded these types of weapons.

Executors.

The Church don't usually send their hunters this far out, and aside from a few representatives here and there, they know better than to cross borders without at least notifying the higher ups of Japan's magus community. So for one of their own to be in this city, their arrival impeccably timed after Sukuna's revival, it's safe to assume that the buzzards have caught whiff of a silver fish, and they were here to check things out.

It's possible that the government wasn't even aware of the executor's presence, which meant this was off the books. An opportunity for the Church to put their foot into the rest of the world, systematically pushing out the competition in the meantime, perhaps.

Satoru didn't really care about any of that. What interested him was the way this black key was hidden. As far as he knew, there weren't a lot of executors that were able to conceal their weapons that was basically "energy solidified" like this. Even now, the black key was barely emitting anything strong, yet it was enough to purify this whole building of all curse traces. If not for Satoru's Six Eyes, even he wouldn't have noticed, and he noticed plenty of things as is with his blindfold on.

There might be a handful of people who could accomplish this level of discretion, especially if they're the top dogs of the Holy Church, but only one person came to mind who have this much magical power to spare...

He left the room and took a trip down the hallway again, heading up the stairs one more time, and made it to the rooftop.

Feeling the summer's wind against his uniform, he stood at the center of the roof. He lifted his blindfold then, and his Six Eyes perceived into the world, encased within his mesmerizing crystal blue irises.

"…Heh." He smiled. "Would you look at that? You really are in town…"

He uttered the name of that person whose colorful, beacon of light encompassed the entire area she was currently residing, an immense array of energies only seen by him. Now for the big question: what was someone like her doing here?

"Everything okay, sensei?" Yuji asked as soon as his teacher came back.

Satoru gave an OK sign to his students. "Yup! Turns out this place is a dud, but no worries. I already have another spot in mind. Quick question, though, how do you guys feel about grave robbing?"

"Eh?"

The class of Satoru Gojo arrived at the foot of the cemetery entrance. There were no other visitors at this time of day. Trees decorate the sides of the vacant pathway, giving shade to the hundreds of tombstones and their gifts of flowers left by loved ones.

"I don't see any curses here either. I can see them now, right?" Yuji asked as he gave a respectful prayer to a couple of tombstones they passed by.

"Now that you're a half-curse, you'll start seeing them even if you don't want to," Satoru explained. "Shamans tend to frequent burial places like this, so it doesn't get too encumbered with curses. Compared to a creepy abandoned building, there are more "bad" emotions put into this place. Right now, it looks like it's been recently cleansed, but there's probably still a few curses lingering around."

He looked to the temple monastery up ahead. "You could even find some underground. Anywhere that's dark and cramped is bound to be their favorite hiding spot. They'll use objects like vases or mannequins, but a shaman would be able to sniff them out."

"Isn't that like poltergeist?" Yuji asked.

"Not really," Megumi was the one to answer, moving his hand around. "Curses don't necessarily possess objects, they just hide in them. Usually a strong enough curse would be able to physically grab someone or something, enough to cause harm. Whereas a weak curse would drain the person of their stamina, their life-force in a way. Neither would actually need to possess an object to do that. There are some exceptions, such as a curse living in an object that has a hard shell for protection, and is easy to move around, like a bowling ball. But weak curses generally don't have enough strength to move most objects completely."

It's more common for a sorcerer to imbue their own cursed energy into inanimate objects than it is for curses to control said objects, known either case as cursed corpses.

"That's right. So whatever you've seen in those horror movies, don't mistake it for real life," Nobara said with a sigh, as if it was exhausting having to explain this much. Yuji was starting to get a little annoyed by her attitude.

"Something as complex as a mannequin would take too much effort for a curse," she followed up. "The best they can do is keep themselves from falling over, or amble towards you all jittery-like. You'd be an idiot if you just stand there and let it get to you, though."

"It's a different story if a weak curse got their hands on a cursed object, like that finger you ate, but they wouldn't need a physical body to consume it," Megumi continued. "Cursed objects harbor cursed energies that were once possessed by past sorcerers. They don't hold any consciousness to their surroundings, so they wouldn't be able to move themselves, only exude their aura that attracts or repels other curses. It's immensely rare that the sorcerer themselves would reincarnate into whatever or whoever consumed it – be it curse or human. The fact that you're still alive, even able to suppress Sukuna, is a miracle – a one in a million."

"Huh. So I'm a special case. Neat," Yuji quipped, though it did faze him a little that he actually could have died if that cursed finger didn't go down right. Nobara just lets out another sigh beside him.

Satoru smirked, and he stopped at the cross-section of the pathway. "This seems like a good place to start."

A mausoleum stood before them. Its sleek walls made out of concrete, and a single door at its front. Its condition was well-kept and modernized, following a mixture of gothic and western-style themes. Although it looked small on the outside, the truth was that this would lead deeper into the underground crypts, where people were buried in their stone caskets rather than the earth. It was faint, but there was undoubtedly a "cursed" air that roamed within this structure. The thought of anyone going so underground that not even daylight would reach you, it was a decent mark for plenty of curses to retreat or be born into.

The teacher then turned to face his students. "Alrighty! From here on out, you two will be hunting for curses together. It'll be a little trickier since it might be a maze down there, but I'm sure you'll manage just fine. I want to see how far you guys can go, so consider this your entrance exam. Oh, and before I forget..."

Satoru reached underneath his coat and handed over a wrapped gift to Yuji. "This is for you. You have cursed energy running through your blood already, but since you can't control it, you'll be using this in the meantime."

After Yuji accepted the weapon, his teacher presented him a rule. "One more thing, don't bring out Sukuna. It'll scare away all the other curses, and other people might get dragged into it too."

And, more than likely, it'll prompt her into taking immediate action, despite whatever backlash that'll follow. "Let's meet back here in an hour. That's all for now. Good luck."

"Shouldn't we follow them? Someone has to monitor Itadori, right?" Megumi voiced his concerns after seeing Yuji and Nobara enter the mausoleum.

"They'll be fine," Satoru stated with a still kept smile. "For this exam, it's not only Yuji we're testing, but Nobara as well. Besides, someone will already be keeping an eye on them. I'd say it won't be long until she notices that we're here."

"She?" Megumi asked for an elaboration.

"You remember a nun girl who walked you home several years ago, right?" Satoru suddenly said.

Megumi looked surprised. "Wait. You mean...?"

"I don't know what she's doing here in Tokyo..." Satoru began, an etch of curiosity and amusement in his tone. "But something tells me there's a lot more to it than just a social call."

Either way, he's not gonna pass up this opportunity.

"This feels really wrong," Yuji expressed his hesitation after stepping into the mausoleum. The lights were dim, almost like they were just candlelight's hanging on the wall, hidden behind glass fixtures. "Can't help but think we're intruding."

Although, he did visited a few cemeteries back in Sendai when he was hanging out with Sasaki and Iguchi. Those two explorers were willing to brave through anything if it meant getting whatever supernatural experience, something that will later backfire.

"Get used to it. Being a sorcerer means getting your hands dirty, and that means going through places like this," Nobara chided with a click of her tongue. Great. Not only is she dealing with a complete newbie, but he's a softie too. "Can't believe I'm spending my first day in the big city in some dusty underground. At least it doesn't stink in here. Hey, Itadori, right? Let's split up. I'll check that side. You check the other way, and we'll meet back here."

"Huh-?" Before Yuji would register Nobara's words, the girl already departed down the tunnel. "Whoa. Hold on! Shouldn't we stick together?"

He'd seen how dangerous curses can be. His friends were victims of such attacks, with Iguchi even hospitalized. It kind of concerned him how nonchalant this girl was being. Even if she was strong, she should still be careful.

"Also, you shouldn't talk bad about this place. These were somebody's loved ones, you know?" Yuji added.

"I've no time crying over a dead guy who I never even met." Nobara simply stated and resumed walking. "I won't be held back by sentiments if it means getting my feet stuck. They're dead, aren't they? No use dwelling on it."

Geez. That's cold... Yuji stared befuddled as the girl ahead loudly ushered "Come on. Let's get a move on already! I want sushi after this!" and proceeded down the tunnel on her own.

"What's with her? She's such a bitch..." Yuji muttered to himself. Seeing his classmate set in her ways, he looked to the opposite direction and started his walk there, passing by rooms that held burial vaults in each wall. Even if these were strangers, they should still be a little respectful. That other girl he met on the train was definitely way nicer.

Thinking of her, Yuji wondered if Ciel finished her classes already? They had a nice chat over the phone after he settled in his new dorm at Jujutsu High, mostly about how their day went. He considered sending her a text right now, but since he was underground, there's probably not much reception down here.

Hopefully she's doing okay. With how productive and a good talker Ciel was, Yuji had a feeling she'd be alright. If not, there's always himself, who's just a phone call away. Being newcomers at their respective schools, they could probably use the encouragement every once in a while, even if Yuji's own tribulations was a lot more than what homework and antagonizing teachers may bring.

I probably shouldn't get too close to her, though... He left behind Sasaki and Iguchi for the same reason, regardless of how little he knew them. Maybe he should have thought twice about giving his number, but that tea and cakes offer sounded way too good to pass up.

It also seemed like Ciel was still really new to this city. He felt she could use a friend while she was still learning to adjust here. He felt bad he couldn't remember her, though. He was pretty good with remembering faces too, and she sure knew plenty about him. Huh, now that he thought about it, he never asked what her last name was.

Yuji stopped at the second to the last room. He spotted something moving in one of the vaults. A head of a twisted, slug-like curse with little wings and bulging eyes, uttering sounds of self-loathing as it crawled away.

"Oh! Found one." Like a colorful egg on Easter, Yuji approached the curse, holding out the wrapped gift his teacher gave him. "A lot smaller this time. Hm. How should I…?"

As he etched closer, there was a slight rattle from the vault beside him.

-!

The vault flung open. Inches before it would collide with his head, Yuji was ready to jump back.

However, someone reacted faster than him and yanked him away by his hood. The hatch of the burial vault slammed against the wall beside them and shattered upon impact.

Another one!

Before him, a second curse revealed itself through the unlocked vault. Dark ectoplasm spewed from its mantis-like limb, severed by Yuji who had unsheathed his weapon from its wrappings quickly. The Slaughter Demon's blade faintly shone under the lights of the crypts, immediately tasting the blood of a curse.

The curse mumbled incoherently. Its distorted physique faced Yuji. "R-Remember… to complete… your evaluation…!"

Yuji reacted at once. Gripping his weapon, he moved on instinct to quickly disperse the curse. He sliced across its lanky body, lunging himself from the wall to avoid its scythe-like attacks and cut off its other limb. He knew someone else was behind him, and he told them to stay back, keeping the curse's attention solely on himself.

Before long, the curse was defeated, and it laid bleeding on the floor. Yuji sat upon the curse's back, breathing out in relief. "That was a close one."

Yup. He was strong alright. He felt a little proud of himself, exorcising his first curse. He might just get the hang of this after all.

"Hey. Are you okay-? Ah!"

He looked over to the other person in the room and was surprised to see who it was.

"Yes! I think so..." In front of him was a student in a blue overcoat. She had short brown hair with a silver hairpin above her left ear. Her round, pale-black eyes looked back at him, expressing her relief and gratitude over the vanquished curse.

"That was impressive. Is this the sort of thing you do often?" She asked obliviously.

Yuji stood up. "Senpai! What are you doing here?"

Despite her different appearance, voice, and overall demeanor, he instantly recognized her.

The girl blinked at his question and then puts up a slow smile. "Ah... Sorry. Have we... met before?"

Huh. Talk about Déjà vu.

Yuji tucked the Slaughter Demon away in the back of his pants. "Don't you remember? We met on the train the other day. It's Ciel-senpai, right?"

The girl stiffened, her expression nearly crumbled. There was a moment her eyes sharpened with serious intent before dulling at the sight of Yuji's genuine bemusement.

She regained her composure, her smile returning as she straightened her back and clasped her hands together. "I'm sorry. I believe you've mistaken me for someone else."

"Huh? But..."

"You're mistaken." The brown-haired student said in a sing-song voice. After all, she clearly looked different from the blue-haired, spectacle-wearing girl from before. Surely he could read the memo and simply drop the claim. Not that he had any proof it's her anyhow.

"...No. It's definitely you." Yuji didn't get the hint. He grabbed his hips and looked at her. His face reading: "Why are you lying? Your pants will catch on fire". Sure, she looked a little different and was without her glasses, but he was certain it was her.

The nicety fell and Ciel gave him a disgruntled look, almost childishly so. As soon as she had noticed him down the tunnel, Ciel was hoping she could avoid this sort of interaction. She hadn't expected to encounter him again so soon, but she suppose it only made sense.

From their last talk (through texting), he mentioned that he would be going out for a "test" today. A cemetery was the perfect place for shamans to exorcise curses. Ciel admitted, she was careless not to consider this, but she had to come here and investigate after what she discovered in that abandoned office building. That little boy she found there barely escaped a terrible death.

She attempted to alleviate this mistake by putting up a disguise, but it became evident to her now that there was more to this shaman than what her research disclosed. She even wondered if there was some sort of abettance between the vessel and the corrupt soul he carried. Clearly, the only reason he was able to see through her illusion was because of Sukuna.

At this point, it's obvious her cover was blown, but it would put her in a worse position to admit it. Besides, Ciel was stubborn. It added to her annoyance that the boy in front of her was pulling the dumb card. He didn't seem suspicious at all, only curious, and she couldn't be sure just how legitimate it was. Perhaps he was a lot craftier than she gave him credit for. Or perhaps he really was oblivious. Well, two can play that game.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ciel said, her fists pressed at her hips. "Is this 'Ciel' person someone you have a crush on? You should know us girls don't like being compared to others girls."

"Uhhh..." Yuji was a little dumbfounded by Ciel's response. Was she trying to avoid being recognized? It did seem a little weird how much her looks changed after a day. Was she sneaking around?

"...Okay?" Yuji decided to relent. Whatever her reason was, it's probably best to just let it go for now. She sure sounded like she's willing to deny it to her grave anyway (no pun intended). "So... what are you doing here?"

Pleased to have won this match, the disguised "not" Ciel answered. "I was walking home from school when I came by this mausoleum and decided to pay my respects. It seems like no one's tidy up the place for some time, so I've been doing a little cleaning. I know it's not my job, and I don't mean to intrude their resting place. I just felt a little bad seeing all the dusts and cobwebs on some of these vaults."

"Huh. That's really nice. But you should really be careful," Yuji said, although it did brought him closure to how impressively shiny the walls here were. So much for Nobara's comment of this place being dusty. "It's dangerous around here."

The curse he fought was proof of that. He wondered if she saw it too. The girl looked surprisingly calm if she did, even with him carrying a short sword and nearly getting his head slammed by a-

"-! Oh crap! That's right!" Yuji suddenly remembered, and he turned around. It was a mess of broken stone. A large crack on the wall where the slab had slammed against it, and pieces lay everywhere on the ground. "Crap. How am I gonna explain this to the family? I'm gonna feel bad for weeks."

Also probably haunted. Or was that how this worked? Yuji wasn't entirely sure.

"I'm sure if we report this to the groundskeeper, they'll be able to have someone fix it in a day. Or bring in a replacement," Ciel said reassuringly, sparing Yuji of any guilt. "It was an accident, and as long as the body wasn't disturbed, I'd say the family would be more relieved if anything."

"Yeah? You think so?"

The girl nodded. She then walked over to the mess and knelt down. "You might find a worker at the main office near the entrance of the cemetery. Although, it'll be difficult trying to explain this..."

At Yuji's agreeing look, Ciel proposed a solution. "Let's keep this between us. I won't tell anyone what I saw, and we'll say we found it like this. That should keep us out of trouble. Hmhm."

"Yeah..." Yuji couldn't argue with that approach. He crouched down with her. "You should come with. There's probably more curses lurking around somewhere - that's what we call 'ghosts', basically. It's what I was fighting just now. You saw it too, didn't you?"

"Oh? I'm not sure. It was all really a blur to me," Ciel conveyed her ignorance to the boy next to her. While it was true that some people in Japan have enough acute senses to perceive the supernatural that most people could not, even at the face of someone who could, she would rather play the role of the mundane so to avoid attracting unnecessary attention to herself.

"I thought maybe you did, but if I'm mistaken, then don't mind what I said," Yuji said, resting his arms over his knees. "I'm something of a shaman. A Jujutsu Sorcerer. I've started training recently, and today's kind of like my 'initiation'. I'm here with a few other classmates of mine to show what we can do. To be honest, I'm still really new to all this, but I'm handling it as I go. I don't even know how to use cursed energy yet - sorry, this probably doesn't make a lot of sense to you. Like I said, you can just ignore everything I say. I just figured I owe you an explanation."

Ciel blinked openly at the truthful teen beside her, and another strained smile of hers appeared. "Well... It's not that I don't believe you. I'm just surprised that you'd be this forthcoming to a... well, a civilian like me."

Were shamans not so keen on discretion in Japan? This really was a culture shock.

"I don't mind. I had someone who was straightforward with me too, so I figured it's probably alright to tell a few people," Yuji said. Ciel wanted to argue otherwise, but she kept her mouth shut.

"I doubt everyone would believe it, though," Yuji continued. "Pretty sure they'd call us nut cases. I wouldn't blame them either, even I didn't took it seriously until a while ago."

...There was something curious about that statement. Ciel wanted to press for more details, but she held back for now. There was another predicament she needed to explore first, and she wouldn't be able to do it while this shaman was present, or else she would risk exposing herself.

With a gentle smile, Ciel responded. "I don't think you're a nut case at all. In fact, I believe you. You wouldn't have looked so serious back then if you were lying."

She started picking up a few fragments from the floor. "You should get going. I wouldn't want to distract you from completing your 'initiation'. I'm just going to clean this up a little so it doesn't get in anybody's way."

"Nah. It's fine. This is kind of part of my duty anyway," Yuji said as he joined in on the clean up, grabbing one half of the broken slab. "Here. Let me carry this. This was aimed at me, so I feel I should accept some responsibility. I'll help you dust off these burials too if you're not finished yet. We can get it done faster that way."

Ciel looked at him expressionlessly. His contribution unhesitant and unprompted. She didn't say another word, only resuming where she left off.

They brought the broken slab and its pieces over to the opening of the burial vault, placing it on the ground beneath the hole.

"-? Huh?" When Yuji stood up, he noticed something within the burial vault. "Hey... This casket's empty."

Ciel went still when she heard that, slowly rising after Yuji. They looked into the open vault, and indeed, nothing was inside. Nothing but what appeared to be broken wood of what was the foot of the coffin.

"Did the family move the body? It looks like something broke through here..." Was it the curse? It must have been really strong if it had enough power to blow through wood.

Ciel was quiet. They heard faint noises and looked over. It was the curse Yuji had first spotted in the room, now worming itself away.

"Oh! I almost forgot about that one," Yuji said. He watched curiously as the curse dragged itself across the ground, leaving the room as if something was calling for it. "Where's it going?"

"...Yuji-kun." The disguised girl addressed him, momentarily dropping the act with an empty tone. "You said that you came here with a few other classmates. Are they currently here in this mausoleum?"

Another curse was successfully exorcised by the pierce of a cursed energy fueled iron nail, embedded into the wall in blue flame that ate the small entity away.

"That's the last of them," Nobara commended herself. A good thing too, it was starting to get a little cramped in here. "At this rate, I might still have some time to go shopping later."

She wondered if that newbie was still alive? These curses were pretty low-leveled. She's sure that even an imbecile could exorcise them. Seeing how she cleansed this side of the crypts, she might as well go back and see his progress.

"-mmmrrrnggggghhh..."

Nobara turned to retreat when she heard noises outside the room, and she stopped. "Huh? Is someone here?"

It didn't sound like Yuji. Honing in, she felt the presence of more curses, likely to have come from other parts of the mausoleum. Guess the noise drew them in. Fine by me. I still got some nails left to spare.

She stayed put, eyeing through the entrance of the room with her heart-printed hammer held ready. "-?! What the-?"

Ambling around the corner, a pair of red eyes peered through. Multiple eyes and twisted mouths protruded through the body of wilted clothes, the eyes and mouths of curses that rode in the torso of a rotting, lifeless vessel. Together, they have found their new prey.

Chapter Text

The sounds of its feet dragged across the floor, puppeteer'ed by external forces. A second and third shadow soon followed, and two other figures in rags appeared, blocking Nobara's way out.

Curses? Nobara sniffed the air. The unmistakable smell of something rotten. No. They're… Corpses?!

The dead raised its arm, its mummified fingers reached out for her. Its mouth agape. A breathless, deep, raw utterance heard from its throat. It hungered for warmth. It hungered for life.

Nobara immediately pulled out more nails from her pouch. She tossed them and fired with a swung of her hammer.

The iron nails embedded into the heads and chest of each dead, puncturing their weak flesh with ease. Their heads flung back from the force and they staggered to a stop. However, through the will of the curses, they remained standing and resumed after Nobara, mindlessly aiming for her neck and body.

"You might want to take those out first," Nobara said. "My cursed energy flows through them."

With a snap of her fingers, her magical power erupted from the iron nails. Two of the dead's heads exploded. The third, partially so. The curses tasted the burn of her exorcism, evaporating at its flame, and the bodies dropped to the floor.

"Gah! Gross!" Nobara stepped back to avoid the splattered bits and gunk, holding her nose to protect herself from the smell. "Geez... Since when could curses move dead bodies like this?"

It would have taken a particularly strong curse to do so. However, these curses weren't all that high graded. Was this just a rare exception?

It's hard to believe they broke out of their caskets too. Nobara carefully stepped over the bodies, heading towards the exit. Places like that are usually sealed tight-

A cold hand suddenly grabbed her ankle. "-?!"

The dead that had its head partially blown raised its chin. Its mouth unhinged as its rotten teeth aimed for her calve.

Nobara kicked the dead right off before it had the chance to bite her, knocking its head against the wall. There was a resounding crack of its skull, the harsh impact intended by the surprised sorcerer student.

"The hell-?!" Nobara backed out of the room, baffled. It... It's still moving?!

But she was sure she exorcised the curses. Nothing should have made that body move just now. So how the hell-?

At her distraction, a grotesque hand phased through the wall from behind, reaching for Nobara's face.

"-! Shit!" She sensed the presence of the curse too late and swung her hammer.

Slice.

The limb of the curse was cut off. Yuji's feet slid across the ground, holding out Demon Slaughterer. The severed arm of the curse immediately retreated, failing to grab Nobara.

"Itadori?!" Nobara didn't expect his arrival. She expected less so of a random girl, who ceased her run after catching up to them.

"This is why we should stick together!" Yuji exclaimed as the curse he cut reappeared overhead, its large gaping mouth and teeth emerged through the ceiling.

"S-Shut up! I don't need a newbie telling me off!" Yelling, Nobara then went in to assist.

Together, the shamans in training fought the curse. Yuji slicing off more of its mangled limbs, and Nobara firing her nails into the curse's tongue, until not a remnant of its existence remained, vanquishing it.

"-And who's the numbskull that brought a civilian down here anyway?!" Nobara accusingly pointed at Yuji, chastising him for bringing a normie into danger.

"I didn't mean to. She just kind of followed." More like took lead. She even gave pretty good directions to where Nobara was despite never being here before. "I didn't want to leave her behind. This is Ci-"

"Someone who just stumbled into this place by chance," Ciel cuts in smilingly, her words like a rapier that halted Yuji's response before he would reveal her name. She really should have tested his immunity to spells first. Had she known he'd remember her, she would have given him a different alias. "Looks like I gotten too curious for my own good."

Nobara looked at the girl, confused by her interjection. Yuji gave Ciel another bewildering stare. She really was set on not being recognized. Was she on the run or something?

Noting their skeptical looks, Ciel redirected the shamans' focus. "That was incredible what I saw, by the way. You two work well together."

She folded her arms behind her back and gave a teasing look. "Makes me wonder how close you really are. Sneaking around in a place like this. You wouldn't happen to be on a date, would you?"

"guh."

Yuji's and Nobara's face dropped in total disgust, so deep a blind person could see it. Their eyes narrowed and their gaping mouths curled downward, as if they were about to throw up. Ciel had wanted to incite some embarrassment, some sheepish looks at least (maybe start a little something between them. She is, after all, a secret romantic). Instead, it looked like she just told them to kiss their sibling in the mouth.

"Ah… Is that not it? Was I off the mark?"

"Definitely off," the shamans agreed. Nobara shuddered at the idea. Yuji was admittedly offended by the light brunette's visceral reaction.

"-ggrrrnnnnnhhhhhh."

They heard moans from the side and forego the conversation. Nobara turned and saw the corpse she had kicked step into the hallway. "-! Fuck!"

"Another curse?" Yuji held out his sword ready. Before he would pursue the enemy, Nobara answered.

"No. It's not," Nobara said. A trinkle of sweat fell on the side of her face. "That thing… That's a real body."

"Huh?" Yuji didn't immediately register, and Nobara continued.

"It doesn't make any sense." Nobara held her hammer by her side as she pulled out more nails. "It's not carrying any curses. And the curses it did carry wouldn't be strong enough to possess it. Right now, it's moving on its own. I'm sure of it."

"Wait. A real body…?" Yuji stared at what stood before them and felt a cold rush over his back. Ciel looked at his stunned reaction.

"That's… someone's corpse?"

The paling statement was marred into his expression. It was such an innocently stated question, like he couldn't accept something so barbaric.

Ciel's brows furrowed.

They heard more moaning behind them, and the startled shamans turned back.

"No way…" Nobara clutched her hammer tightly. "You can't be serious. They're-!"

From the other end of the hall, a number of dead began to appear. The bodies and their curses ambled out of the rooms, into the corridor where three of the living were.

"If they're not curses, then…!" Yuji steeled himself as he stood back-to-back with Nobara, keeping his arm out in front of Ciel. "They're-!"

Glowing red eyes. The smell of their rotting flesh. There's no mistaking it. They're-!

"ZOMBIES?!"

"...Huh." A simple sound from Satoru as he stared blankly through his blindfold, sitting casually on a bench with Megumi next to him.

Megumi looked to his teacher. "What is it?"

Satoru thoughtfully hummed to himself as he rested his chin on top his palm. "This place suddenly got a little more potent."

Like a crowd of smoke thickening in the air around the mausoleum. Curses underground seemed to have compiled there, drawing in more and more beneath the earth. Satoru considered going in and see what was happening, even if normally he doesn't like to interfere with his students' training.

It should be fine if she's with them, but if something other than curses is going on in there, I should- He stopped his train of thought when his ears picked up a noise. He sniffed once. "Behind you, Megumi."

"-!"

Megumi's senses shook, and he darted out of his seat, ignoring the ache of his injuries as he narrowly avoided the razor sharp canine behind his neck.

A black dog leapt over the bench and skidded across the ground. Steam rose from its blistering flesh. A hot heavy breath in its throat with hungry saliva dripping from its teeth. The wild dog faced the two shamans, its sunken eyes glared viciously.

"A familiar, huh?" Satoru said as he calmly stood up. "Just to be sure. Is it-?"

"It's not mine." Megumi clasped his hands together, shaping into a head of a dog. His own familiars, the Divine Dogs, were summoned by his side. One black and one white, and each holding a red triangular symbol on their heads.

"Thought so. Seems we've been getting plenty of new visitors lately," Satoru tapped his nose. "This one especially is due for a cold bath. And if you could smell it, means it isn't a curse."

Megumi was surprised by the information, keeping his eyes on the mangy dog across from him. It's not a curse?

Were they looking at a cursed corpse? No. His teacher would have just said it if that was true. Megumi could tell there some kind of energy within the wild dog, but it didn't feel like cursed energy. Who could have sent this?

The wild dog suddenly picked up its head. It sniffed the air, then turned to the crypts. The low growl in its maw went silent.

-?! Its looking at the mausoleum? Megumi tensed. Something in there caught its attention. Could it be...?

"Surround it," Megumi commanded his Divine Dogs. His shikigamis lunged forward. The white dog jumped in front of the entrance of the mausoleum, cutting off the path. The other Divine Dog stood at the rear of the searing dog, blocking any means of escape.

"Nice move. I'll let you handle this one," Satoru expressed his faith in his student, giving a slight wave of his hand. "Don't worry. I'll cover you if you need it. Don't want you pushing yourself too hard now."

The searing dog lets out another ferocious growl, showing its teeth at the shikigamis. Whatever this familiar was, it was dangerous. Megumi couldn't let it get past him and reach his classmates. They'll have to destroy it. Here and now.

"-No way! No way, No way! Zombies are real?!"

"A-Aren't they?! Don't you know?!"

"How should I know?! I fight curses! Not the undead!" Nobara fired more nails into the heads of the dead. As three fell, more still remained, and Nobara swore even louder.

The students rushed to get out of the mausoleum. However, their only way out was blocked by the newly arrived living dead, curses clinging onto their rotting corpses.

They're surrounding us!

Realizing they'll have to make a break for it, Yuji grabbed Ciel around the waist and lifted her off her feet.

"Eh-?!" Ciel was completely caught off guard by this act, suddenly hoisted over Yuji's shoulder like he was a Fireman carrying her. She instinctively grabbed onto Yuji as he turned to a different corridor.

"This way!" Yuji went ahead as Nobara covered their flanks, keeping the dead and curses off their backs with her ranged weaponry as their advantage.

"There's got to be another exit somewhere!" Yuji then saw curses emerging from the hall ahead. With his free hand holding Demon Slaughterer, he sliced through the curses. "Hang on!"

"Y-Yes," Ciel did as he said, a little embarrassed of this position even though she was just putting up a front. It was a foolish worry, but she wished she hadn't decided to wear a skirt today.

The group rushed through the halls, going left and right, but nowhere up or down. Each time they turn a corner, a new horde of the dead and curses appeared, and the shamans had to defend themselves, protecting the "civilian" with them.

Yuji sliced through the leg of one dead that gotten too close - the guilt will surely come to him later - and slid across the floor to avoid its grasp, clutching Ciel closely over his shoulder.

Behind him, Nobara smashed her hammer into the head of the dead, breaking through its skull before she pushed the corpse away from herself. "Ew! Ew! I touched it!"

She could handle exorcising curses - the ugliest, the scummiest, all of them a tendency to be total perverts, it's whatever, she'd extinguish them no problem. But handling these smelly bags of flesh, crawling with maggots and decomposition, that's where she drew the line. This was too much for a simple entrance exam! As soon as she sees her teacher again, there'll be words! She won't let that man get away with this!

They resumed until eventually reaching a dead end. The last room at the end of the hallway had an iron gate, with a singular coffin made out of stone in the middle.

The shamans ran into the room. Nobara slammed the gate shut behind them. "Who the hell designed this place and not think to make a second entrance?!"

"Don't yell or you'll bring them over here!" Yuji said as he went to the furthest corner of the room, putting down Ciel. "Haven't you seen those zombie flicks? We got to keep a level-head!"

And with a civilian here, they had to at least show they know what they're doing. Even if they were just first years on their first assignment.

"You're yelling too! And how am I supposed to be level-headed when it's the apocalypse out there?!" Nobara said as she unfastened her belt, tying it around the iron bars. With the dead rising, she's pretty sure a rain of fire was next on the list, or was it a rain of blood? She might be getting her theology mixed up.

Nobara collected what's left of her iron nails from her pouch and cursed at what little she had left, having spent so much on the dead and curses they came across already.

"Well-! If you can't handle the pressure! Why did you come to Jujutsu Tech High?!" Yuji asked as he looked around the room, hoping to find something that could help them out of this Night of the Living Dead scenario.

"Because I hated the countryside and wanted to live in Tokyo!"

"Huh?! That's it?!"

"That's right! I didn't come here to fight zombies! I want an open casket at my funeral, and I'm not letting these dead weights bite my face off to stop that!"

"That's some skewed priorities there!"

From her corner, Ciel watched as the two shamans ran in circles, frantically shouting "What do we do? What do we do?". While their skills were undoubted, it didn't take a lot for Ciel to realize that these weren't entirely experienced sorcerers yet.

"-! Look out!" Ciel yelled, and the shamans ceased their arguing.

Several arms slipped through the bars. The students backed away, staring face to face at the crowd of cursed dead. Nobara's belt held the gate together, preventing the dead from entering, if only for a moment.

"Crap. I don't have enough nails for this!" Nobara said, holding her last batch of artillery in her hand.

We're cornered! Yuji clutched his short sword. He glanced over at the coffin in the middle of the room and had an idea. He went to the coffin and pushed the stone cover halfway with ease, thankful to see that it was empty. He really didn't want to desecrate anymore human remains today.

Nobara began firing the last of her iron nails, determined to take down at least a dozen of them before they would break down the gate. As this was happening, Yuji puts away his Demon Slaughterer and ran back to Ciel.

"Sorry," he gave a quick apology before picking her up again, inciting another startled noise from Ciel. Her stomach was on his shoulder once more as his hand pressed behind her waist, his other arm under her knees.

"There's really no need for this!" Ciel protested, a faint blush on her cheeks. Undercover or not, there's a limit to how much of a damsel she should let herself be.

Yuji surprised her further when he carried her over to the half-opened coffin and placed her inside.

"Stay here while we take care of these guys," Yuji instructed, his voice now steady and calm. "Someone will come down and get you out. Just hide until then."

Ciel was taken aback by his proposition, so much so she didn't resist when Yuji gently positioned her to lie on her back. "Stay quiet, don't breathe too fast, and don't come out until you know it's safe."

Is he planning to…? Ciel watched as Yuji reached for the cover, moving it back into place though not completely. He gave her a quick thumbs up, a prominent "you can do it!" on his face before he returned to his classmate's side.

"…"

Outside the coffin, Yuji pulled out his cursed tool again, his mind refocused. "How many of them are there?"

"Don't know. There's probably more we're not seeing," Nobara answered, resigned to their fate as the iron gate rattled in front of them. She was surprised to hear Yuji's even-tempered tone. Guess he had more guts than she realized. "I've taken down plenty, but there's still a bunch of them here. I'm all out of nails too…"

"I opened a coffin behind us. I already hid that girl inside but there's room for one more," Yuji explained.

Nobara inches away from the gate and looked over her shoulder at the coffin. "Huh. Not bad. Curses don't give a damn about physics, but at least against these zombies..."

They won't get through as easily. Nobara felt relief she didn't have to worry about the girl's safety now. While Nobara was all for pragmatism, and if the girl slowed them down then they would have to cut their losses, Nobara doubted she'd be able to fully commit to that.

"We still need to buy time until Fushiguro and sensei realizes something's wrong," Yuji swung his sword when a curse phased through the bars, slicing the curse apart. "Go hide in that coffin with her. One of us has to make sure these curses don't slip in."

Nobara side-eyed him. It certainly sounded like the most logical move, a lot smarter than she expected of him. Even if they hid or these zombies didn't break through, there's still curses to worry about. Those things could just slip through any surface that wasn't warded. It would make sense that one of them should stay with the civilian while the other kept the heat off until their last breath.

Nobara couldn't help but feel ticked off by that.

"Don't act like you're coming out of this as a martyr." What did that make her then? Nobara stopped at the coffin. With her foot, she shoved the cover back into position.

"-!" Ciel was surprised by the coffin's sudden closure. Even in the dark, though, she could still hear everything that's happening, and she heard Yuji's exclaim.

"Why did you-?!

"Shut up. How about you hide in that coffin instead?" Nobara knew better, though. For as little as she's come to know him, she could tell the guy beside her was a selfless imbecile. The worst type to have in a setting like this. "I'm not letting some amateur tell me what to do, let alone owe you twice."

She gave a soft grin, her aggressive disposition lightened as she stated, "Think of it as thanks for having my back earlier. Now let's take care of these guys, and get out of this together."

Yuji was a little taken aback by her response. He answered after a pause. "...This isn't the time to be cool. Now we're both screwed."

It hadn't been that long since this girl called him a numbskull either.

"Whatever! I bet you were hoping I insist! You cramming next to that girl. Don't think I didn't know what you were planning, Casanova!" Nobara angrily retorted.

"What are you implying-?!"

The belt around the gate lock reached its limit, and it ripped in half. "-ah."

The gate swung opened, and the horde of the dead stumbled in. Their moans loud and ceaseless, their arms stretched out for the shamans.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Like a horror movie scene, the shamans clung to each other and screamed, unable to hold onto their bravado for long. It was a good effort while it lasted.

A long sword with a red handle shot past them. The blade tore through the head of the first dead, and then several more behind it, instantly killing those that had forced themselves through the open gate, and the bodies fell to the ground.

The black key flew to the other end of the hall. The tip of its sword jammed into the stone wall, cutting through like butter. Orange flame surrounded the metal, and it expelled. The corridor was engulfed in fire. The dead and curses were all swallowed by it, and within an instant, everything became ash, leaving nothing but an empty hallway full of dust.

"...huh?" Yuji and Nobara blinked.

"You were right about one thing. You really shouldn't make too much noise."

The shamans turned their heads. They watched as the girl they were protecting walked past them without a hesitation in her spirit. How she got out of that coffin herself was something to wonder, and they heard her continue.

"One: noises attract the dead. When their eyes fail them, their other senses are heightened." Ciel stepped out of the room and into the hall. "Two: always stick together. It would have been better had you done that from the start. There may come challenges where acting alone limits your options, especially in the face of multiple enemies."

"Ciel...?" Yuji lets go of Nobara and followed after the girl in blue. He stopped when he saw more curses and the dead appearing, rounding the corner at the far end.

"Three." Ciel halted in place. "When dealing with the likes of the dead, whether they're simply moving corpses, or otherwise..."

She flicked her wrist. It was so swift, Yuji didn't even see it. He only caught a glimpse of the black key that flew past his face, inches from his cheek. The sword shot under Nobara's hair, and it stabbed directly into the head of a tumor-like curse that emerged from the wall behind her. The entity was pinned under the blade and was quickly exorcised.

"Always come prepared. With ranged weapons and artillery. At least a hundred or so. Though, having something that helps you fight monsters up front is not discouraged either."

The sorcerers in training looked back in shock at where the second black key landed. Ciel did not follow their gaze. Instead, she looked at the enemies ahead of her. "...That's right. I just remembered. I did invite you for some tea and cakes, Yuji-kun."

"Huh?" Yuji looked back at Ciel.

The heel of her foot was firmly pressed against the floor. "I'm sorry. I'll have to make an arrange check."

Grabbing her blue coat, she removed her disguise with a single pull. Her pixie-cut blue hair was unveiled. Her cold, turquoise eyes locked onto her targets. A flowing nun habit dressed her figure, with a golden cross necklace dangling in front of her chest.

She dropped her disguise by her feet and pounced. Her blue figure a single streak as she cuts through the swarm. Picking up her black key from the wall, she sped across the halls, mowing down every single enemy in the crypts.

Yuji stood silently as he watched Ciel vanish from view. He was unsure how to react, or understood what just happened. He simply stood there with a dumbfounded expression as Nobara went up to him, staring down the same hallway he was.

"...Hey. Do you know that girl?" Nobara asked.

Yuji came back to his senses and looked at Nobara, "Oh. Yeah. We sort of met the other day. She kind of knew me from my old school, but I don't really remember. I guess we never talked until recently."

It was such a lackluster response, but that was the frankness of Yuji Itadori. Nobara looked back at the scene of ashes on stone. "...No way girls actually like you."

"That's what you got out of this?" Yuji was even more hurt.

"-U! M! I! That's the countdown! Point goes to Megumi-kun!" Satoru cheered his student from the side, posing like a referee in a wrestling match.

Megumi was not amused by his teacher's antics. His Divine Dogs had the searing dog pinned, their teeth holding down its neck and hind leg.

Megumi's head picked up when he felt a change inside the mausoleum, and he looked over. "All the curses are gone?"

It happened so suddenly too. It couldn't have been Sukuna. He and Gojo would have felt it. Which only leaves...

Was it Ciel?

As he looked away, the eyes of the searing black dog turned red, and the heat in its maw intensified.

"-! Megumi."

Satoru's serious tone pulled back Megumi's attention. The searing dog was flailing madly. The red veins in its flesh was glowing a hot, bright red-orange. Megumi's eyes widened. Is it-?!

Satoru ushered. "Call them back."

Megumi quickly commanded his Divine Dogs to retreat. The shikigamis released the searing dog and ran back to Megumi. The body of the corpse hound convulsed, letting out an ear-splitting howl.

Satoru immediately stood in front of Megumi. The teacher went up to the hound and held it down by its neck. "So much for taking us back to your owner. Or maybe a treat might change your mind-"

The searing dog exploded under his palm. A big ball of fire blossomed in front of the mausoleum. Megumi shut his eyes and raised his arms, bracing the heat as his shikigamis helped him stay in place.

Satoru took the incinerating flames head on, completely unfazed by its effects. Had he not also held down the corpse hound, there would have been a much larger impact to the area, especially to Megumi.

The flames soon died out. The grass around them was completely burnt. Blackened to brittle substance. The nearby potted flowers in front of gravestones were scorched in the blast, killing its fresh flowers, and the gravestones were left scarred.

"No treat for you then," Satoru said as he stood up, letting the ashes of the hound fall from his grip. "Or maybe I should have offered a bone instead?"

He lets out a smirk. "I know that's how the agency likes to treat you guys. Throw a bone and you'll be at it like flies. But this is a different kind of "bone" from what you usually hunt."

He turned his head to the mausoleum. "Especially when theres crows to worry about, but that hardly ever scares you off. Right, Ciel?"

"...I suppose it was wishful thinking that you wouldn't notice me this soon." Walking up the stairs, the girl in her nun habit revealed herself. "Now it makes sense why I found your class here."

Megumi was surprised to see Ciel. The tails of his Divine Dogs wagged at the sight of her in recognition. She hasn't changed...

His teacher had already explained it to him years ago, yet seeing it for himself was a little jarring. Like looking back at an old photograph, perpetually unchanging.

"I was just stopping by to say hello. By the looks of it, you were in the middle of a "cleansing", weren't you?" Satoru asked, knowing the answer already. "You could have let me know you were coming. I would have met you at the airport."

"I don't see why I have to report to you. If anyone, it'd be your principal, wouldn't it?" Ciel curtly responded as she walked by Satoru. "Even then, I didn't find it necessary."

"How cold..." Satoru raised his chin to the sky. "You're as uptight as ever. You and Nanami would get along great."

"Ah-! Sensei!" Yuji then appeared, rushing out of the mausoleum with Nobara close behind. He saw the damage done to the area and was shocked. "W-What happened here?!"

"Did a fire broke out?!" Nobara shared his reaction. Or was that nun's power so potent it touched the earth outside?

"Yup! But I took care of it. No worries," Satoru answered nonchalantly as he leaned on a nearby gravestone. "Leaving so soon, Ciel? You're not even gonna say hello to Fushiguro?"

"Unfortunately, there are other matters I must attend to. An anomaly has taken place here and at an abandoned building close by. This mausoleum being the source, but the cause of it yet unknown."

Ciel stopped between the graves. "...If you intend to inform your superiors of me, feel free to consider my presence an observation from the Church. An added surveillance to your current 'project'."

Yuji was caught off guard by her change in attitude.

"Your school relies on your abilities greatly," Ciel said, "which often leads you out of this city. If it's proven that not even you can keep up with overseeing the vessel's condition, then I'll have to act as I best see fit, so long as I'm around."

Slipping that under-the-table warning, Ciel turned slightly, looking over her shoulder. "Do keep an eye on your teacher, Fushiguro-san. I imagine how much of a headache he already is to his coworkers, let alone his superiors, on a daily basis."

"Yes, Senpai," Megumi responded with a nod.

"Whoa! Even the cool Fushiguro is giving his respect!" Yuji said with a gasp.

"So he isn't just some loner who thinks he's all that," Nobara clasped her chin in awe.

An angry vein appeared on Megumi's temple as he turned to his classmates, "The hell did you say?"

"For your information! I'm a popular and well-liked guy!" Satoru shouted after the executor. The nun said nothing in response as she proceeded down the path, leaving the area.

Satoru lets out a huff, his amusement slipping through in his curled lips. Of course, only someone like Ciel would have the guts to say all that with Satoru around.

"Do you know her, sensei?" Yuji walked up to his teacher and asked.

"Yeah. We've met a couple of times in the past," Satoru answered. "I have a small suspicion why she's here. Curses aren't usually her jurisdiction, though. It's definitely got something to do with this undead familiar Fushiguro and I came across."

"There was another one out here?" Yuji turned back to the mausoleum. "We fought off a bunch of zombies inside too. It was super creepy!"

"Oh yeah! What the hell were you thinking sending us into that death trap?! You don't just throw surprises like that!" Nobara held out her hammer, wanting to smack her teacher in the head with it.

"Zombies, huh?" Satoru thoughtfully said. This was getting more interesting by the minute. "Sorry. I didn't realize how bad it'd get, but I knew you'd be alright if Ciel-san was there with you."

"Oh. Is that it?" Yuji looked to where Ciel had just left. "So... is she a jujutsu sorcerer too?"

"Nah. She's an exorcist, but not one aligned to mages like us," Satoru explained. "More specifically, she's an Executor. She works for the Holy Church that's stationed overseas, but her duties are a little different from nuns and priests."

Yuji and Nobara looked at their teacher curiously. Megumi remained stoic, having already known this information.

"Like how?" Yuji asked.

Satoru scratched his chin. "Well, if I'm right about why she's visiting, and she already knows about you. Chances are, if everything goes according to the Church's plans..."

He smiled at the boy. "She might just become your executioner."

"…Eh?" Yuji responded dumbly.

"Oof." Nobara covered her mouth, a look of pity towards Yuji. "Now that's just cold."

Yuji stared at his teacher for a while longer. When the punchline never came, he once more exclaimed, "Eh?! EHHHH?!"

Ciel walked at a calm pace through the quiet neighborhood, making her way back to her apartment that was on the other side of town. Despite her composure, Ciel was bothered by something.

What happened at the mausoleum was strange. She wasn't referring to the gathering of both curses and corpses. That in itself was very abnormal, but what she was mainly concerned over was the reaction of the shaman students she accompanied.

Even for new sorcerers, there should be some level of training to endure unprecedented pressure. A moment of it, at least. Nobara, for example, while clearly unnerved, still kept her head to retaliate efficiently. Yuji on the other hand...

Though he de-limbed a few corpses and exorcised several curses, the way he looked in shock at the sight of that first living dead, the moment he expressed in such a way, Ciel felt slightly discomforted. She wondered just how secluded from the world of exorcists had he truly been.

Is he really a shaman?

Chapter Text

Yuji is typing…

Yuji: hey

Yuji: you there?

Ciel heard the buzz of her phone after stepping into the living room bare-footed. A teal robe covered her figure. She pressed the white towel against the back of her head, drying her blue hair with a few more rubs as she walked into the barren kitchen. She looked over the counter and saw the two brief messages sent by Yuji.

That didn't take long, Ciel thought.

No doubt Yuji had questions about what happened at the mausoleum. Ciel suspected Satoru told him everything. Her occupation. The likely reason she was here (which she had plausible deniability for – even if it was a lie). It was a surprise Yuji would reach out to her still, though not completely unthinkable.

It's clear there was more to this, and Ciel considered whether to respond or not. It'll be difficult to avoid Satoru now, but she may be able to salvage her current position. Redirect focus by associating with the vessel, and Satoru's superiors will be less inclined to worry about her real purpose here. She'll have to tread carefully, though, and gauge every response. Ensure she did not disclose anything that could further compromise herself and her mission. Without knowing where or who Roa is, she mustn't risk tipping off his existence, even at this early stage.

Ciel paused for a moment, holding the phone in her hand. After thinking, she typed the letter keys with her thumb and wrote out a simple response.

Ciel: Yes.

Not much of an ice breaker, but considering her true identity had been exposed, Ciel didn't see the point in keeping up with the charade.

Yuji: how are you? everything okay?

How considerate of him. Ciel watched as another new message popped up.

Yuji: that was crazy what happened at the cemetery

And here it was. Not a bad segue. Ciel was ready for it.

Typing...

Ciel pressed send.

Yuji stood in front of the bathroom sink with his cell phone in hand. He waited as he let his other hand wash under the running faucet, and then a new message popped up in his screen.

Ciel: I am fine. Thank you.

That was all she sent. No-follow up to his other text, seemingly choosing to ignore it.

"She's so dry now…" None of the bubbliness like her earlier messages.

Yuji and his class were at a nice restaurant at Gojo-sensei's treat, as a way to commemorate the First Years' trial as shamans in the mausoleum, and perhaps ease the terror of the experience as well (he definitely owed it to them, Nobara thought so anyway). Their topics ranged from everything that transpired at the crypts, and eventually shifted over to the "mysterious nun" that eliminated every single enemy down there.

"She hunts vampires? They exist too?!" Nobara expressed her shock, a sentiment shared by Yuji.

"Like Dracula?!" Yuji extended his arm as if to present a cape, much like one the infamous count carried.

"That's right. There're plenty other organizations like ours everywhere, hunting all sorts of monsters," Satoru explained as he casually looked over the menu (for some reason with his blindfold still on. How he could read was a mystery). "We're in charge of curses and sometimes "bad sorcerers" too. Ciel, on the other hand, specializes in hunting Dead Apostles – the very bloodsuckers you hear stories about everywhere."

"Creepy!" Yuji and Nobara felt a chill in their necks and clasped it as if to protect. Megumi scowled at their outburst before returning his attention to the menu.

"Wait, so aren't we on the same side then?" Yuji inquired.

"Meh. Not really," Satoru's answer surprised Yuji and Nobara. "It's a little complicated. Putting it this way, our methods are different, and sometimes, there's disagreements. I'll tell you all about it later. It's not something you'd want to hear while waiting on food."

Just know that Ciel is amongst those people Jujutsu Society has personal strife with. This was what Gojo-sensei concluded before a waiter came to their table.

To Yuji, it seemed kind of far-fetched. Someone like Ciel who barely made it to the train on time. A little quirky but also considerate. Seeing how quickly she changed after dispatching those curses and dead, though, maybe she'd been acting all along. He never figured exorcism could be such a competitive field.

It was hard to shake off that there'd been some parts of her that'd been real, however. Her expressed condolences to his grandfather's passing was definitely sincere. Yuji was certain of it.

After his class placed their orders, Yuji excused himself to use the restroom, where he sat on the toilet for about a minute, scrolling through his phone and reading his chat history with Ciel.

Today 4:27 PM

Yuji: Got to go now. Sensei's at the door. I'll let you know how it went!

Ciel: Good luck! Look after your classmates! And be mindful of your surroundings.

Ciel: This city might get the jump on you when you least expect it.

She seemed so nice. It's hard to imagine she'd been planning to kill him this whole time. Kind of a bummer really.

On the other hand, Ciel did saved him and Nobara. Going out of her way to reveal herself. That didn't spell out "enemies" between them. At least, he hoped so.

Yuji let out a thoughtful hum. Before he could think too much on it, he typed out the letters in his keypad.

Yuji: hey

Yuji: you there?

He really didn't know what to expect. There was no plan to this whatsoever.

It only took half a minute and Yuji stepping out of the bathroom stall that he got a text back. Letting out an "Oh! She responded", he looked at his phone.

Ciel: Yes.

He probably should have seen that coming. Then again, it'd be weirder if she did revert back to her cheerful self, knowing what he knows now.

Yuji: how are you? everything okay?

Yuji: that was crazy what happened at the cemetery

Ciel is typing...

Ciel: I am fine. Thank you.

This was his situation now. A few innocent texts sent to his potential hit man. Hit woman? Hit exorcist? There's already a name for it - executioner, Yuji didn't know why he was thinking of any other name.

Yuji: okay.

Yuji is typing...

Yuji: Sensei told me you're a vampire hunter. Is that true?

He probably could have ease into that better.

He's certainly to the point. Ciel will admit, she commended him for his directness. No use dancing around the subject, and had he not done it, Ciel would have.

Ciel is typing...

Ciel: would that concern you?

Yuji is typing...

Yuji: not really. Unless I'm a vampire. I don't count as one right?

An interesting question. Ciel pondered for a moment.

Ciel: technically no. As a carrier of one's soul who is similar, however

Ciel: you would not NOT be considered a vampire

Yuji is typing...

Yuji: oh okay

Yuji: we're still okay tho, right?

Yuji: also vampires don't walk under sunlight. Is that part true?

Direct and fairly curious. He didn't seem put off by her answer, though Ciel did notice that hint of caution. It was pointless to stay coy if Yuji's teacher was with him. Though she wondered what he would do with this information. Perhaps justification that he himself is not a vampire if he could walk under daylight. How unfortunate that that would not be enough to spare him.

Ciel: some don't. Mostly higher-ranking vampires.

Ciel: there are those who could withstand direct sunlight. It varies case by case.

Yuji: whoa. Cool.

Yuji: I mean not cool cool. Just cool to hear, I guess. Vampires are real, huh? Pretty freaky.

Ciel: I'm not denying it. Nor am I affirming it.

"She still hasn't answered if we're okay or not..." Yuji slightly blanched at that. He leaned against the edge of the sink counter and wrote another message.

Yuji: so…

Yuji: do vampires hate garlic?

Ciel is typing...

Ciel: is that really what you wanted to ask me?

"Huh?" Yuji blinked. He was typing out what do you mean? when Ciel sent another message.

Ciel: I assume Gojo-san has told you enough about me.

Perhaps Ciel misread Yuji. Now it seemed he's the one being coy here. Like a grasshopper jumping back and forth regarding her, and the superficial questioning and wonder of something so trivial. Surely even Satoru could answer these questions, or was the man not overseeing Yuji at the moment?

Yuji: I guess

Ciel: And?

Ciel: what do you think?

Do you resent me for trying to deceive you? Ciel thought to herself, standing by the kitchen counter as she awaited Yuji's response. This was what she'd been anticipating. The stones were laid at his feet, ready to be thrown in these simple little characters on their phones.

Yuji's thumb hovered over the keypad. He was a little surprised she brought it up. Was she expecting him to say something about it? Did she wanted him to?

Obviously, he wasn't completely unfazed with the whole "I'm gonna kill you later down the line" promise - or speculation, Sensei hadn't been clear about that. Man, Yuji really was in a weird position here.

Yuji is typing...

Yuji: idunno

Yuji: I know you're here on an assignment. I get that.

Yuji: I could probably ask you but I get the feeling you want to avoid talking about it.

Yuji: So we don't have to talk about it. I just wanted to check up on you.

Ciel's brows rose slightly. Here she was ready to deflect any demands, to the answers or questions she and Yuji carried. Brace any accusation he may held against her. And yet, here he was on his end, saying he didn't want to pry those answers out of her, nor even introduce the question.

I just wanted to check up on you.

Was that really it? That seemed so simple of him.

Yuji: I guess I didn't need to tho. What you did back then was pretty amazing.

Yuji: Never met someone as strong as you, aside from Sensei. It was really cool to watch.

Yuji: Ciel? You still there?

Ciel coughed into her balled fist. She then typed out her response.

Ciel: Yes. I'm still here.

"What's taking him so long?" Nobara looked over her shoulder for where Yuji had left. Did the guy get constipated on cola? The waiter was already bringing in their food.

"Hm." Satoru agreed, and he stood up from his chair. "I'll see what's keeping him. He might just be taking in the bathroom tiles of the big city! Or he got his zipper stuck."

"Hey. I'm eating here," Nobara warned as their teacher left the table. "Don't expect me to wait for you."

She perked up when the sushi dish she ordered was presented in front of her. Her eyes alighted as she clasped her hands together and immediately went for her chopsticks. Megumi looked at his teacher's back as he received his plate of pasta.

"So are you friends with that nun? She seems to know you well."

His attention was pulled away when Nobara asked him this question. His eyes averted back to his meal. "Mm. A little."

He picked up his fork. "We met several years ago. Her organization wanted to recruit me, but I wasn't interested."

He paused his twirl of his food. "She never really asked me to join, though. We just mostly talked. She stuck around for a little while and then left."

"Hoh~? So you two have history," Nobara wiggled her eyebrows. "Now she's popped back into your life, this might be your chance to tell her how you fee-"

"Shut up," Megumi snapped at her. He's already had to put up with Yuji's tomfoolery, he won't tolerate Nobara's next. "I was seven when we met. I doubt she would have been interested."

"Huh? What does that mean? Aren't you guys the same age?"

Megumi's brows crinkled. "We are now. The thing is… she's-"

"Are you serious?!"

Satoru decided to ignore that screech from Nobara and stopped outside the restroom. He pushed open the door but paused. He heard the faintest, undeniable sound of a phone keypad being typed. He poked his head in and spotted Yuji.

Yuji was on his phone, completely glued to the screen. Satoru was able to read the conversation through the reflection of the bathroom mirror, easily deciphering the backward letters.

Yuji: So how's city life been for you? You memorized all the streets yet?

Ciel: Not yet. It would have been too time-consuming, so I've decided to put it on the back burner for now. I might get around to it some time in the week.

Yuji: Oh. I was just kidding. Wow. You're a real hard worker. I don't think I have enough room in my head to do that.

Yuji: not saying you have a big head, but saying I'm kind of dumb lol

Oh. My. God. Satoru pulled back and waved his arm, catching Megumi's attention whose estranged look stopped Nobara mid-bite of her sushi (still reeling from shock of the information Megumi just told). The students looked over and saw their teacher ushering them to come over.

Ciel: I see. What about you? Have you finished settling in?

Yuji: yup! But I did get my ass handed to me by some cute plushie. The Principal doesn't mess around...

Yuji: I've been getting to know Fushiguro and Kugisaki too. They're rough around the edges, but they seem okay.

Yuji: Fushiguro did slam a door on my head earlier. And Kugisaki's kind of mean. But other than that, they're good people.

Ciel: It sounds like Fushiguro hasn't changed all that much. He does have a tendency to be "curt" around others.

Ciel: I've only met Kugisaki briefly. Based on what I saw, she seems upfront, but nice.

Ciel: give it time. I'm sure the three of you will get along well and compliment each other's fighting style.

Stare… Satoru, Nobara, and Megumi peeked into the bathroom as Yuji continued to text on his phone, utterly oblivious to the prying eyes beside him, or the whispers of Satoru who was more or less paraphrasing the messages he could see and read.

Yuji: I'm hanging out with them right now. Sensei brought us to a nice restaurant near the cemetery. The food here looks good.

Yuji paused, and then typed slowly.

Yuji: you should come too. You're probably gone already, but I figured I should invite you anyway. That tea and cakes offer still on the table?

Satoru and Nobara covered each other's mouths to hide their gasps. Megumi remained stoic and quietly walked back to his table, giving Yuji his space.

Yuji: it'll be my treat. I want to thank you for saving our butts today, and for that pep talk yesterday.

Yuji: it might not seem much but it did cheer me up a little after thinking about gramps. I owe you a slice.

Satoru and Nobara then pulled away before they would see Ciel's response, the main reason being the concern of a passing waiter, who was questioning why Nobara was peeking into the boy's restroom.

After the waiter left, Satoru turned to Nobara. "I was afraid something like this would happen…"

His tone was serious as he adjusted his dark glasses. "I was hoping I'd have enough time to train you guys, but it looks like you're gonna have to learn on the fly (also Megumi left so it'll just be you and me)."

Nobara gulped. "What do we do?"

Satoru's glasses glinted under the lights of the restaurant, "The only thing we can do… Formation D."

Ciel stared at Yuji's message for a moment. Though his invite appeared innocent enough, there were many cons to it.

Firstly, she was already in bed. Lying on her futon mattress against the blank wall of a very, very empty studio apartment. It was the best bedding she could afford last minute on her first day arriving to Tokyo. She wouldn't be receiving her next income until the end of the month, and it'll have to be done anonymously so to avoid being traced through seemingly suspicious transactions.

Secondly, her identity. Now that she had been exposed, it would only make her position more difficult to manage by actively appearing around the vessel publicly, more so if Satoru had informed his school principal already. She could put on a disguise, but considering Yuji saw through it, she wondered if other shamans may share that ability, and if not, he would simply point at her. For all she knew, this could be a trap.

"Are you okay?" Was the question asked by the wide-eyed boy with pink hair, holding the train doors open for her.

No. He wouldn't do that. She'd be able to read him easily if he had that in mind. Besides, if it did turn out to be a trap, she could always flee the area quickly.

The third issue, Satoru Gojo. That man would most certainly be around, not only to look after his students, but to monitor the vessel closely. The only safe opportunity to ever approach Yuji would be if Satoru were to leave the city for a while, and unless she had inside information, she wouldn't know exactly when Satoru's next out-of-town business will be.

There were other problems, but the fourth main issue that trumps over all cons, Ciel was on a tight schedule. There were still documents, maps, and other research she must get into if she wishes to begin tracking down Roa's host. It's only been two days since she's arrived, and within those two days, Ciel had already uncovered many, many evidence of dead apostle activity. After getting her respite here, Ciel will have to go back out and do another sweep of the night, this time further than before.

Ciel: I appreciate the invite. Unfortunately, my schedule is booked this week. I'm not sure when I'll be free, and I don't wish to trouble you.

Yuji: Yeah? That's too bad.

Yuji: But I get it if you're busy. It wouldn't be any trouble. To be honest, I wouldn't know where to take you. I'm still new to this city.

Ciel: that makes two of us. I'm sure your class will take you exploring sometime soon. There are a couple of cafes I did pass by in Harajuku that might interest you. Ciel attempted to divert his attention to a location away from hers. Should she leave tonight, it's best not to cross paths with any more Jujutsu Sorcerers. She'll reserve that another day.

Yuji: oh yeah? Is it the one that serves curry crepes there?

Ciel's thumb froze on top of the keypad. Eventually, she typed out, slowly.

Ciel: curry crepes?

Yuji: yeah. I heard about them. I've made curry before but I never thought about putting it in a crepe.

Yuji: I kind of want to try one now.

Ciel: you know how to cook?

Yuji: yup. I did a lot of chores around the house while I was taking care of gramps. I learned how to cook around that time.

Yuji: Sometimes I make extras and give them to the neighbors and friends at school. They seemed to really like it.

Ciel: I see… You said you've made curry before.

Ciel: What dishes have you made with it?

Yuji: mostly Curry Rice, but I like to experiment or use recipes.

Yuji: Chicken curry. Spinach curry. Fish curry too.

Yuji: they can really pack a punch if you're not too careful.

An involuntary gulp in Ciel's throat as she read the list. She took a short breath to calm herself.

Ciel: would it be possible the café has this much variety?

Yuji: probably. I could check it out. Not sure if the others would want to go. Hold on.

Yuji: I just looked it up. Can't find the menu, but it looks like there's an Indian restaurant in that area. So maybe the chances are pretty good?

Ciel: it seems my schedule has just opened. I may be able to attend after all.

Ciel sent the message before she could truly register the consequences of it. On the outset, this appeared to be reckless. However, Ciel had a strong reasoning to this. Completely logical.

There's a very good chance that Satoru's team had scoped the entire cemetery, and could have uncovered something before Ciel would, unable to do it herself due to the timing of Satoru's arrival. It may link to Roa. It may not. Either way, the best method to broach the subject would be to question Satoru's students, one of them she was already familiar with – Megumi Fushiguro. Should he be willing to share, she may receive her answers from him.

There was another reason. As crucial as her discretion must be, the hidden yet severe evidence of vampire activity suggests that it went deeper than what a few weeks of disappearances would bring. Ciel held concerns over the nature of Roa's incarnation this time around, resulting in the discovery of the first murder that have yet to make it to the front page news.

While she could not disclose all information, it may be best that she ought to warn the shamans of a "vampire" in the area. There was no hiding it now that the dead had been seen. If they were going to hunt her down for questioning anyway, she might as well be the first to approach. Just not with Satoru around. Lord knows he'll push even if it crosses jurisdiction.

Ciel must have a hand in this narrative. If she revealed too much, the sorcerers may decide to act and incidentally block all access to Roa. Worst case scenario, they'll kill him prematurely or some unfortunate soul, and Ciel would have to start all over.

Ciel: I do have some conditions.

Yuji: conditions? Like what?

Yuji glanced at the time on his phone. "-! Yikes. I've been in here a while..."

The food he ordered was probably out already. He better not keep his class waiting. On another note, it looked like Ciel might be willing to hang out after all. He sent back an "Oh! That's great then" with an old school smiley face on the side after reading Ciel was free. He was about to suggest if she wanted to hang out later or tomorrow when another text popped up.

Ciel: I do have some conditions.

Yuji looked at it curiously as he walked past the stalls, staring at the Ciel is typing... notification while he wrote and send:

Yuji: conditions? Like what?

The moment he stepped out of the restroom, he was tackled from the side.

-?!

Satoru grappled Yuji in a body lock. Arm around neck. Yuji's hand pulled behind his back. And a leg over his. In the struggle, Yuji dropped his phone and Nobara snatched it.

"What's it say~" Satoru playfully asked as Yuji was fighting hard in his arms.

Nobara scrolled through the old messages, her eyes flickering to every text bubble. "He asked her out. She turned him down. He mentioned curry crepes. She said she might go!"

"Oho~! You're in the zone, Itadori!" Satoru laughed heartily while slapping his student's stomach. He repositioned his grapple when Yuji attempted to slip out through the removal of his overcoat, exposing the red sweater of Yuji's uniform.

"This is straight up bullying!" Yuji called them out.

"Oh! She just sent another message!" Nobara announced, she read Ciel's text with a curious look. "She wants to invite Fushiguro-san? And me too?! Is she interested in all three of us?!"

Was this a soap opera in the making? No. Could this be...a proposition? Was she asking them to be in a quad?! Nobara didn't know whether to be freaked out or flattered. Obviously she wouldn't get with those losers but Nobara appreciated being considered.

"Great idea!" Satoru said as he had Yuji in a headlock. "Why don't we all show up, and-"

"Ah. Hold on. She said not to bring you, Sensei," Nobara said. Makes sense, five is a crowd, and her teacher can be annoying. Also it'd be too weird.

"HUH?! You're kidding! I can be just as hip as you guys! I was a teen once too!"

Nobara's head perked up. "She said not to mention it to you. She wants us to be inconspicuous?!"

Holy shit this is a proposition! "Your girlfriend is a freak, Itadori-kun!"

"What are you saying?! I just asked her to hang out with us!" Yuji said as he was being held upside down, trying to slip out of his red hoodie next.

"...Oh." Nobara blinked at the clarification. She looked back at the text.

With a devious smile, she started typing.

"W-What are you writing?! Don't say anything weird!" Yuji struggled harder.

"What's the worry? Did you want to leave a good impression?" Satoru chuckled like a cartoon villain, refusing to loosen his grip once.

In the backdrop of all this, Megumi was eating his pasta peacefully, tuning out the noise as the whole restaurant turned to look at the scene in confusion and concern.

"Send~" Nobara grinned mischievously. She then tossed the phone back to Yuji. "You're welcome."

Satoru finally lets go. Yuji threw his arms forward and caught his phone. "What is wrong with you guys?"

He quickly looked at the message Nobara sent, seeing the damage done.

Yuji: Okay! Let's meet tomorrow at noon. I'll send you the directions later.

Huh. That wasn't as bad as he thought.

Yuji: Got to go. Foot's stuck in the toilet and now I got to explain why it smells. Splashed my pants too. See ya!

Ah. There it was.

"You guys are seriously childish..." Yuji glowered at his teacher and classmate. To Yuji's relief, Ciel didn't seem to respond to his second message and simply wrote back: Excellent. I will see you all then.

"Oh come on. We're just messing with you. See? She's still up for seeing you, stinky foot," Satoru teased as he patted Yuji's back.

"Oooh Ciel-chan~! You were so cool saving a helpless idiot like me! So strong~! So amazing~!" Nobara exaggerated Yuji's texts. She and Satoru made kissy faces and Muwah! Muwah! noises as they clasped hands together. Yuji was not amused.

"Will all of you knock it off already?" From the side, Megumi reappeared after finishing his plate, absolutely done with his class's antics. "You're getting us kicked out if you make one more noise in here."

"What, really?! I haven't even finished my sushi yet!" Nobara dropped the act, realizing what was at stake here. She pointed at Yuji. "Come on! How am I supposed to stay quiet when he's going out with a cougar?!"

There was a gasp from the observing tables. Megumi's face twisted angrily. "You idiot-!"

"Huh?"

The class stiffened, instantly quiet as Nobara realized what she had just done.

Yuji looked puzzled, as if visible question marks were floating all around his head. "What do you mean by that?"

Satoru held his hand out to his students, signaling Nobara and Megumi to not answer. He then walked over and grasped Yuji's shoulders, looking at him directly in the eye. "You might want to sit down for this."

He raised an index finger. "Keep in mind, she's definitely sixteen. It's just that she's been sixteen for a couple or so years now."

"...huh?"

It only took a few minutes for Satoru to explain, giving the condensed version.

"…ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Yup. Yuji's life was just weird. His class was then politely asked to leave the restaurant after too many noise complaints.

Chapter Text

"Why are you hiding back there?" Yuji was perturbed as he looked back at his class, holding the small vase of few flowers in his hands. He stood in his casual wear instead of his uniform outside a flower shop. "She invited you guys too - except Sensei."

"Just pretend you don't see us. We're here to watch the show unfold," Satoru said from his bench, fixing the newspaper in front of himself and clearly failing to be hidden with his very expensive-looking black polo and white hair that gleamed under the sunlight.

"Flowers on the first date? What are you, desperate?" Half of Nobara's person peeked around a building as she had her phone out, wanting to record the moment like it was a K-Drama she could post for views. "You're half-assing it too with that vest on. I can still see the smudge from here. No wonder she turned you down at first."

"That's a mean thing to say!" Yuji shouted. He just hadn't gotten around doing his laundry yet. Also, this was his best shirt!

Megumi was the only one who didn't play into their games, simply following alongside Yuji. Megumi looked at the flower vase and its two white lilies. "What's that for?"

"The cemetery we went yesterday," Yuji explained. "It's on the way. I figured I stop by and drop this off."

Yuji chose not to elaborate. Megumi had a feeling what his reason was. It was a no brainer that what happened that day would shake anyone up, especially someone who was just introduced to the world of curses and sorcerers. Yet, surprisingly, Yuji seemed to be doing okay, enough to still make jokes about Sensei's extravagant outfit while it was 70 degrees outside. Nobara didn't bother hiding her jealousy over their teacher's lack of sweat in this heat.

Megumi, on the other hand, still had his mind occupied. His confrontation with that wild dog familiar. He dealt with life-threatening situations before. The incident with Sukuna's finger might be his worst one yet - a close call. But there was something particularly deadly about that corpse dog that left him feeling uneasy. The fact that it had enough potency to fry him instantly if not for his teacher there, it had to take a powerful summoner to create that thing. Was the summoner responsible for what happened in the mausoleum too?

Now Ciel was here, which made what happened seem all the more troubling. And with Sukuna's revival, Megumi wondered what was next.

"You really are soft, you know that?" Nobara stated as she jogged up to the group. Yuji was more bemused than offended at her words, and then Nobara switched topics. "It's a little weird that girl wants to see us. If she's after Itadori, should we really meet with her?"

Also, what did it mean for a vampire slayer to be in the city? Should they be worried? After their run in with literal zombies and – apparently – explosive dogs, it's got to be some rogue sorcerer with a necromancy technique, right? Right?

"It'll be fine," Satoru assured, following his students closely behind as he carried the folded newspaper under his arm. "She might just be gathering intel by talking to you guys - see how we're managing Sukuna ourselves."

The timing of it sure was impressive, though, even for Ciel. It hadn't been that long since Yuji ate that cursed finger, and not even a week later she was here on "observation duty." Satoru knew there was more to it, and he had suspicions it was connected to what transpired two days ago.

Around the time he picked up Yuji before dropping him off at the train station, Satoru was called away to look into a "strange matter" involving the death of a few workers at Narita Airport. An unnatural phenomenon that left the victims burnt beyond recognition. There was no evidence of curses involved, so all Satoru did was give his two-cents and left. However, he'd been a little bugged by what he saw ever since, though he ended up pushing it aside to focus on his students.

Now suddenly, a flaming corpse dog showed up and combusted before he could get anything useful out of it. The kind of fire that would have left humans like those workers charred to the middle, where not even the fat remain. This was no coincidence, and Satoru knew Ciel had the answers. She wouldn't be so easily forthcoming, but he was more than willing to play the long game if he had to.

"Or maybe she took a liking to you guys," Satoru reached over and messed Yuji's ruffled pink hair. "She's sort of a recluse when it comes to her job. You must have really impressed her if she's willing to come all this way."

"You think so?" Yuji asked curiously.

"What I want to know is what her skin routine is. How does someone stay sixteen?" Assuming her teacher and Megumi weren't messing with them. It was the way Gojo-sensei phrased it that confused Nobara. What, did that girl stumbled upon the fountain of youth or something? (Because Nobara will make damn sure she'd get Ciel to tell her where it is).

Satoru hummed as he looked up at the sky. "I haven't figured it out myself yet. Doesn't seem like she's doing it on purpose either. Think of it as like being stuck in the same year no matter how many days pass. Her body's frozen in time, like Captain America! Biologically speaking and physically, even mentally, she's still a teenager. Of course, that doesn't stop her from acting "mature" wherever she goes."

Satoru gave a playful grin. "On the plus side, Megumi's got a chance with her now! You should have seen how he was the first time she was around-"

"Oi..." Megumi sends a dirty look to his teacher. The threat behind his glare enough to ward off curses alone.

"No way! Is it like that, Fushiguro-san?!" Instead of being answered, Yuji was promptly kicked in the shin by Megumi.

After shouting "What the heck!", Yuji's eyes then lowered to the flower vase. "Still, that's kind of depressing, isn't it? It sounds like she can't get close to anyone."

Not being able to grow up and follow friends through graduation. Or be seen as equals amongst peers. Watching as everything and everyone around her changes, while she remained the same. It was like being left behind despite walking the same pace as everyone else.

"Can't imagine how lonely that must feel," Yuji said, a hint of somber in his tone. There was an air of silence over his class. Megumi and Nobara couldn't come up with a response, as if in quiet agreement to this realization.

Satoru was impressed at how quickly Yuji was able to grasp that after only just hearing about it. The man gave a slight smirk as he strode up to Yuji's side. "That's true. On the other hand, you're carrying a cursed soul that's over a thousand years old. Who knows? Maybe that's something the two of you can bond over."

Ciel gently adjusted the bouquet of flowers in her arms, mindful of its petals to not loosen them from their stems. The weather was sunny, with her glasses glinting under the light. Summer was the season when most predators of the night wouldn't dare step out for risk of being turned to cinders, not only from the blazing sun but also the exorcists that hunt those predators.

However, it was also this time when vampires are at their most cunning. And it was this that Ciel must keep an eye out for. If one couldn't go out for their meal, then luring in their prey would do. Recruiters, salesmen, a simple smile of a charming persona. There were many faces a vampire could wear that could lower the guards of those unsuspecting enough to, subconsciously, entrust their lives with, even for a moment.

There were many pitches that would make for a decent cover-up. Job opportunities for the poor. A warm shelter for the homeless. A model agency for the vain. In a city as large as Tokyo, any place would make the perfect trap. Vacant buildings. Subways. Schools. The list was endless. And with so many living here, it's almost impossible to keep track of those who go missing, and dictate if their disappearances was due to personal reasons, criminals, or the work of a dead apostle.

Luckily, Ciel arrived at an early stage, which will give her enough time to prepare and have all her special equipment imported. If not for her connection to Roa, it would have taken much longer, perhaps another year or so, for the Church to pinpoint his location here in Japan. Ciel reasoned it'll be even faster for her to find out who Roa's host currently was. There were multiple families, companies, all those that met Roa's criteria to cross out. A list which she'll need to compile first before she can begin her investigation. She'd given herself an approximate date by which she must locate him. Sometime in the fall, early October at the latest. Any longer, and this city would become a graveyard.

It was regrettable that even at her most efficient and prompt arrival, there will still be victims. It was purely by luck that she came across the first one - the first to be acknowledged by the public. If not for those curses crowding together, lingering in that alleyway, Ciel likely wouldn't have founded the body so quickly.

Even at this quiet time, Ciel's mind was full of work, planning, and future arrangements to be made. For those unfortunate enough to come across Roa and his servants will need as much.

Maybe it would be best to request shaman aid… As soon as she considered it, she thought of Megumi and Yuji, and immediately discarded the idea. No. I cannot let anyone else get involved.

Never mind the potential backlash that would bring. All she was doing here was establishing their respective boundaries, and then be on her way.

And also have a taste of curry.

"Oh! Hey Ciel." Yuji stared wide-eyed as he placed the flower vase by the steps, crouching in front of the mausoleum.

"Hey! Funny running into you here!" The perpetrator of this early encounter popped out with a big grin on his face.

Ciel looked stunned at Satoru's appearance, along with his class standing in the cemetery. She spotted the disgruntled look of Nobara at Satoru's loudness. The clear discomfort of Megumi, grasping the back of his neck as he looked away, realizing his teacher's ploy. Lastly, there was the oblivious spectator Yuji, who was just as surprised to see Ciel here.

Contrary to the thought that Satoru intended this to happen (it really was by chance) it seemed both Yuji and Ciel had the same idea. They came to pay their respects.

Ciel's surprise eventually faded, and it was replaced with narrow-eyed displeasure. Sweating, Yuji nervously bit his lip. She's mad.

Well, there go his chances.

"So how about that crepe, huh?" Satoru, on the other hand, proceeded to not give a shit.

After placing her flowers outside the mausoleum, Ciel was prepared to leave right then and there. However.

I got us some good seats at the cafe. They're having an all you can eat curry special~

Ciel wasn't the least bit moved by Satoru's (tempting) offer. She felt stubborn enough to just keep walking. Ultimately, though, she knew the futility of leaving since he'll simply bug her to no end. Which is why she only made it three steps before she stopped and turned around.

It'd be a waste not to follow through said reservations anyway. If there's one thing Ciel prized, it was being punctual.

So here they were now. Sitting inside a private booth of a fairly popular cafe in Harajuku. They were in the corner of the establishment with a view of the entire cafe, the atmosphere lively, warm and full of scented caffeine.

"It's a new low that you would snoop through your student's phone just to get to me," Ciel admonished coldly as she held the wrapped curry crepe in her hands. "How much have you impersonated him, I wonder?"

"The last bit was all Kugisaki," Satoru threw Nobara under the bus, earning a shocked look from his student. He took a spoonful of the strawberry parfait on his plate. "The rest was Itadori. I told him not to mention I'd be tagging along, or else you wouldn't have shown up!"

The students, teacher, and executor sat at a large round table with plates full of treats on top. Most of the curry delights, pastries, and other desserts were in front of Ciel, who sat alone at one end while the shamans sat at the other. The sight of so many curry in front of Ciel was a little overwhelming, it baffled Yuji.She must have really good metabolism, he thought.

"I wanted to have a serious discussion with your students," Ciel said frankly. "Including you would have made this more tedious than necessary."

She really means business. Nobara kind of respected that, sipping her bubble tea. She was still a little annoyed that this girl pretended to be helpless at the cemetery, though, leaving Nobara and Yuji running around like headless chickens.

"It's gonna come back to me anyway. Might as well skip to it," Satoru said. He slouched back into his seat. "So what brings you to Tokyo? Is your company finally deciding to expand here? You know how the Roman Empire ended, right?"

"I'm here on official Church business." 'Unofficial' for Jujutsu Sorcerers, perhaps. Ciel added unapologetically, "I'm sure you're already aware. What happened at the cemetery was abnormal, and I intend to investigate the root cause of it."

"The Church could have sent any ordinary executor," Satoru pointed out, extending his finger towards her. "Instead, they sent you. It's also convenient timing, what with everything that's been happening lately."

He scooped another spoonful of his parfait. "I haven't told anyone about you yet, not even Yaga-sensei. I figured I'd hear you out first."

"I'm not obligated to tell you anything," Ciel finished her crepe and lifted her cup of green tea. "That being said, there are some things you should know. I'd rather our assignments don't end up interfering with one another, and there isn't much that can stop you if you're really determined to try."

After a sip of her tea, Ciel revealed to the class. "We've received word that a vampire has appeared in this city."

A startled gasp escaped two of Satoru's students.

"Are you serious?" Yuji remembered the horrific scene of the living dead chasing after them and his eyes widened. "Then, what happened at the cemetery was-!"

"Dammit! I came to Tokyo at the worst time!" Nobara grasped her head. So much for late-night shopping. Yuji gave her a deadpanned stare, suspecting she was worried for the wrong reason.

"I'm certain what happened back then was the work of a vampire," Ciel calmly said as she lowered her tea. "It's concerning enough that curses were also present on the scene."

"It is?" Yuji asked, cutting a piece of his chocolate cake slice with a fork.

"Curses and corpses don't usually come together," Satoru explained beside him, holding up his spoon. "It's always one following the other. More often than not, a zombie leaves the scene, and it's curses that show up after."

"The dead were once living people, after all," Ciel followed up. "Due to the resuscitated stimulation within the limbic system of the temporal lobe (Yuji: "the what?") - a.k.a, the brain (Yuji: "oh."), they leave behind an emotional residue. Regrets, sorrow, anger. It's bound to attract or give birth to new curses - what we call wraiths in some cases."

Yuji looked disturbed by that info, as if to say something was still "alive" within those zombies. Guilt started to churn at his gut, but before it would last...

"Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that these "zombies" - as you call them - are alive in any way," Ciel added, looking rather focused on Yuji as if sensing his unease. "Think of it as like listening to a phone message left by someone who just died. The actual person themselves are long gone. Even if you have all the materials and information, you can't resurrect the soul."

Not unless you're Roa, Ciel kept this fact to herself. She carefully observed Yuji's expression which seemed to soften at her words, though only a little.

"'For what could equal the value of a human soul?'" Satoru stated in a low dramatic tone, quoting an Anime. His voice picked back up playfully. "Something like that. Right?"

"Yes." Rather then get into the complexities of the subject, else they'd be here all day, Ciel nodded at the man. "Putting it this way, the dead don't have souls. Hence why they're so driven to hunt the living. They seek to rob others of their life force. The same can be said about curses."

Yuji's curiosity was piqued as he took a bite of his cake. "So what makes it weird that both show up? Wouldn't it make sense for them to work together?"

"Not that we'd want that to happen," Nobara muttered as she bit into her pink macaron.

"It's not impossible, but it is rare," Ciel answered. "The reason being their targets - or in other words, their victims. If a curse were to show up while the dead was still around, they're more likely to attack each other. This is because humans are their main source of nutrients. It'll be like throwing a rabbit between a wolf and a hyena. Naturally, they're going to fight over it. It doesn't help that curses often attack humans, and the dead are as close to resembling humans as you can get."

She then went for her own slice of cake, carving a small piece from it with her fork. "But instead, it seemed like those dead and curses were co-existing inside that mausoleum. It's an anomaly. I'm not certain if this will be the only time we'll see them gathered, but regardless, if a Dead Apostle is involved, I must investigate it."

"A Dead Apostle..." Yuji uttered the word. First spirits, now vampires. He wondered if werewolves existed too.

"Still doesn't explain you coming across Itadori. Twice now, apparently," Satoru smirked. "Unless a little birdie told you something special about him. I could have arranged a meeting for you guys if you were that interested."

He puts a hand by his mouth and subtly pointed to Yuji. "Just so you know, he totally feels the same way about you." (Yuji: "Did you say something, Sensei?")

Ciel did not react to the humor, and Satoru continued, "The Holy Church's presence isn't as strong here as any other place outside Japan. Can't say I'm surprised they asked you to monitor us. This might just be the opportunity they were looking for."

"I've no interest to intercede your school's authority," Ciel said, finishing her cake. "I'm only here as a courtesy. My priority is to locate the vampire that has taken refuge in Tokyo. Once I eliminate the threat, I'll be leaving Japan."

"How long do you think you'll stay for?" Megumi asked, holding a soft drink in between his hands.

"It's difficult to say," Ciel began. She carefully explained, "I've only just arrived. So far, this vampire has been very elusive. It may take me a while to unearth his or her location."

"Why don't we help each other then?" Yuji immediately offered. He looked at his teacher. "If curses are involved, shouldn't we look into it too?"

He's certainly diligent. The fact that he even suggested it confirmed something for Ciel. This boy was a rookie.

"Hmm..." Satoru hummed in thought, resting his chin over his backhand, his elbow against the table. "Probably, but outside of what happened at the cemetery, I doubt we'll be able to. We're stretched as it is with both work and the limited number of sorcerers we have available. Sure, there's you three, but you've still got a long way to go, like keeping yourself composed under serious pressure."

"Ah..." Nobara and Yuji looked embarrassed, recalling their unrestrained panic at the mausoleum.

"Plus, I doubt Ciel here would be willing to share in the work, am I right?" Satoru addressed Ciel.

After a pause, Ciel answered, "More or less. This is another reason why I wanted to approach your class. I wanted to warn you of a foreign enemy on your turf, and to be mindful of your surroundings should you ever go out at night. Considering your school only specializes in exorcising curses, it'd be problematic if your students were to stumble upon another incident like that mausoleum again."

Next time, she might not be around to help them. Ciel said so as much.

"Sounding a little high and mighty there..." Nobara whispered to Yuji.

"Yeah. Can't argue with that..." Yuji whispered back, side-eyeing with her.

Ciel's ears were sharp, and she cleared her throat. "I'm not demeaning you or your work as shamans. I'm just saying that fighting a vampire is very different from fighting a curse. While I can concede to Gojo-sensei's strength, it would be better if you let me handle this."

"It still surprises me that a vampire like that is around. They've never gone this far out East before." None that Satoru knew.

"It's not uncommon that a vampire would go so far as to traverse seas to find new hunting grounds," Ciel said, already finishing her second slice of cake, which amazed Yuji and Nobara. "Likely, they ran out of "food" in their homeland, and Japan was the next closest destination they could reach."

"That's pretty callous. Calling people "food"," Nobara said with a grimace, it almost made her not want to finish her sweets (almost).

Ciel nodded. "I agree. Unfortunately, that's all vampires ever see humans as. They perceive us as no different from cattle, animals to be killed and eaten."

"Couldn't they look for other stuff to eat - er, drink?" Yuji asked with a frown. "Blood donations are a thing. They don't necessarily have to hurt or kill anyone, right?"

It might sound a little hopeful, especially with all the vampire flicks Yuji's seen. Still, if vampires were real, wouldn't there realistically be alternatives available for them?

Ciel paused for a brief moment. "There is that option. However, not all vampires do so. Not because it's impossible for them, but because it wouldn't be "entertaining" for them."

Her words quietly struck Yuji, leaving him stunned as she continued. "The Dead Apostles are cursed with an immortal body that, in reality, is constantly under threat of breaking down unless they have a means to replenish themselves. They need blood to sustain their own life. However, it's not just about survival."

She closed her eyes. "Having lived long lives, many dead apostles sought ways to satiate their bloodlust. They indulge in their Vampiric Impulses, an innate "curse" that corrodes their existence, until they're nothing more than beasts. They lose any respect for life, and start terrorizing humans for the sport of it. Gorging themselves with the blood of hundreds, if not thousands of victims."

It was a gulp-worthy statement that unnerved Yuji. Even Nobara looked chilled by it.

"This is why you must be careful if you're ever confronted with one, or their servants," Ciel opened her eyes at this conclusion. "The company I work for are experts in this matter. We made it our mission to exterminate these monsters, performing our duties by working in the shadows, all for the sake of preserving humanity - as well in the name of our Lord and God."

She really is a vampire hunter. Like a Holy Crusader for justice, the kind Yuji read about in history or Shonen. He really wanted to help her out now, even if she told them not to. "So those zombies we fought. They were sent by this Dead Apostle?"

"Most likely. Even for an experienced sorcerer, to summon that many dead out of their coffins, it could only be the work of a vampire." Although, to say that the dead apostle "sent" those unfortunate vessels wouldn't be correct. More like they were tucked away. It's possible they were triggered to move after Ciel entered the mausoleum, or Satoru's students had gotten too close.

Or perhaps when curses started inhabiting them… Ciel contemplated.

"I thought vampires make underlings by sucking other people's blood," Nobara pointed out. Yuji eagerly nodded beside her, wondering the same thing. "Are they any different from the ones we see on TV?"

"Somewhat. There is some truth in television. They're weak to sunlight just like in the stories, and it's as you said, they're able to turn others by sucking their blood. There's actually a few extra steps to this. For starters-"

The conversation took a turn as Ciel began to explain the biology and behaviorism of a dead apostle, like holding a tutoring session for the class.

Satoru and Megumi watched from the side, already partially knowledgeable in the subject. Satoru even more so. The teacher gave a little smile as his two newest students seemed invested over the lecture, giving a question or two despite training to hunt down curses specifically.

He couldn't blame them for their curiosity. Ciel also seemed a little pleased to share what she knew. If this keeps up, they might end this on an amicable note. Maybe even keep in touch afterwards.

I wonder if she's here by herself. Satoru took a bite of his light blue macaron. Executors usually come in pairs, and Ciel's normally a lone wolf. If she does have a partner, they probably won't be here until much later.

It didn't surprise him in the least that Ciel was able to bypass their "windows". As an expert infiltrator, inconspicuous was an executor's defining trait, even if that meant having to tediously wait on every import vital to their mission. It's likely she hadn't brought a lot with her, except a suitcase and her hidden black keys. She couldn't afford to turn too many heads.

As soon as the elders realize, they'll want to try forcing her out. In a body bag or otherwise – not that it would matter. Dead Apostle or not, they'll want someone who they could keep tabs on. Just having the Seventh Member of the Burial Agency around would be enough to make anyone feel antsy.

It's best I don't let them know for now. At most, he'll tell Yaga about her. In the meantime...

"-A vampire's favorite victim, for instance, is someone who's been "untouched". A virgin woman is a popular example. The purity in their blood being nutritious enough to last them for quite a while."

"Where's the nearest store that sells turtlenecks? Actually, scratch that, what about neck guards?" Nobara asked abruptly as she looked through her phone.

"You're really freaked out by this." Not that Yuji could blame her.

"You should be concerned too, Yuji-kun," Ciel then stated, reaching for the curry dumplings next. "With your physical capabilities, you would make a pretty good vassal for a dead apostle. A shame you wouldn't be able to taste food like curry or rice the same, though."

"So does it come in all sizes?" Yuji looked over Nobara's phone, oblivious to her annoyance at his peeking. "Whoa! Look at all those patterns."

"You really can find anything in Tokyo!" Nobara was amazed.

Those two sure got along fast, Megumi noted as he sipped his soda. He'd join in but he wasn't all for the tomfoolery his classmates were into.

Ciel stared for a minute, watching the students scrolled through various styles of neck braces on Nobara's phone. "You seemed to not know about this topic that much."

Her observation took Nobara and Yuji by surprise.

"Although your main focus is on curses, this is typically something anyone raised in sorcery should be aware of. Are either of your families from a mage lineage?"

"Ah. Well..." Nobara was the first to answer, scratching under her hair. "My grandma was a sorcerer before she retired. She trained me, but she never really got into anything that wasn't about curses."

Unnecessary, was what Nobara would have imagine her grandma saying. Well, there might have been one instance the old woman made a passing comment. Nobara should have probably pressed more about it.

"I never asked that many questions. Plus, I'm one of the few who ever set foot outside my village." Aside from her dead-beat mom that is. "I hadn't any outside interaction to do with jujutsu sorcery until I met these guys."

Regarding to do with other monsters, Nobara would have been just fine not knowing about them. She probably wouldn't care to know either. If it's nothing to do with curses, or weren't even a problem in Japan, why bother? She only decided to care now because her life had been at stake, and she got swept up in the moment when Yuji started asking about it.

"I see. And you?" Ciel turned the question over to Yuji. His brown eyes lightened as she addressed him. "I understand you only had your grandfather, but are you sure there wasn't anyone else? Aunts, uncles, even cousins?"

Surely there had been someone who checked in on Yuji to oversee his progress and unique condition. Although Ciel was not entirely privy to all the sorcerer clans within Jujutsu Society, she knew enough about their major players.

Theoretically, the only clan who would have the resources and skills to produce a vessel, one that could withstand a corrupted spirit, would be one of the main three. If not at least benefactors, then a less renowned family. An individual like Yuji with his raw talent, it'd be hard to believe he'd come from a normal bloodline.

"No. I don't have any other family like that," Yuji answered simply. "Gramps wasn't a sorcerer either. Not that he told me. I'm pretty sure I would have noticed."

"Your grandfather wasn't a sorcerer?" Ciel frowned.

"Itadori wasn't raised in a world like ours," Megumi was the one to explain. "He came from a normal family and town. He only just started training to be a shaman this week."

What?

"That's..." Ciel cupped her chin and stared thoughtfully. She couldn't find the right word to describe this. Impossible, perhaps? Certainly unusual. "Then, you're a civilian? How did you become involved?"

"It's kind of a wild story," Yuji started vaguely. He pondered where to begin.

"Nothing so complicated. Only an idiot like this guy would find a cursed object on the ground, and the first thing he thought to do was eat it," Nobara said before sipping her drink.

Ciel's eyes sharpened. Her look straightened Yuji's and Nobara's back, jolted by her – scary – expression.

"Please explain."

"Uhhh." Am I in trouble?

Yuji was understandably nervous. Pressured by Ciel's intimidating aura, he began telling the events that led up to his recruitment. From finding the cursed finger, to the incident that happened at his school. The decisive moment when he chose to consume that finger to save his friends and Megumi, leading to Sukuna's reawakening.

"The guy's kind of a hassle," Yuji described Sukuna, remembering the curse's spiel of starting a massacre - specifically women and children. "It doesn't sit right with me that curses like that exist out there. Consuming Sukuna's fingers is something only I can do. I get what that means for me, but if I want people to have a proper death like my grandpa did, then this is something I have to do."

Yuji's words hung in the air, distinguished from the bustling noise of the café. Nobara and Megumi looked impressed by his declaration, and Satoru smiled.

"Yuji-kun."

The only one who seemed displeased by his words was Ciel.

"I'm sorry, but what you said was completely naïve."

The bluntness of her response startled Yuji. He mildly gawked at Ciel, "That's kind of harsh."

"I'm being truthful. Exorcism is nothing to take light of, regardless of your noble intentions." Her impassivity grew colder as Ciel removed her hands from the table, crossing her arms. "While I respect your efforts to fulfill your grandfather's wish, I doubt this is what he meant when he told you to help people. This isn't something ordinary citizens should throw themselves into."

"I mean, I'm not experienced like Fushiguro or Kugisaki, but I can't just ignore the things happening around me," Yuji argued. "I'm not trying to use gramp's wish as an excuse either - not anymore. But-"

"It's not about having experience, or whether you're willing to or not," Ciel sharply cuts through Yuji's response. "What you want to achieve is impossible. The world is not soft on those who carry such ideals, nor will it be softened by them. No amount of training will ever change this. So long as you walk the path of an exorcist, you will always be met with unnatural deaths and disasters. That is the nature of these curses."

"I'm not underestimating curses, believe me," Yuji defended himself, his brows beginning to furrow slightly. "As long as Sukuna's part of the problem, and people are getting hurt because of him, I'll do my part in all this. There's no way I can pretend this has nothing to do with me."

"So you're going to hunt down every single curse out there, is that it? In Japan? The whole world?" Ciel couldn't help but let out a mockery of such a notion. "Even if Sukuna is dealt with, simply dealing with one curse, however powerful, does not guarantee anything. All you're doing is leaving space for another monster to take his place. It could be another curse, a vampire, or even a deranged human being. No matter what you do, there will always be monsters who will deny human beings the right to live their lives and die a peaceful death. You're chasing a dream you will never reach. A dream that will destroy you bit by bit. A dream that entity you're carrying will no doubt spit at your face for."

From the side, Nobara, Megumi, and Satoru watched the argument unfold with tight-lipped expressions. Yuji's classmates, especially, didn't know whether to jump in or not. Regardless if they wanted to, there was no room for them. They could only observe as Ciel and Yuji kept debating, loud enough that even the other customers looked over their shoulders.

"But isn't that what you're fighting for too? If there isn't an end goal to this, doesn't that make what we're doing seem pointless?" Yuji countered, getting an "oh snap!" from Nobara for this. "You couldn't have joined if it didn't mean anything. Why else did you become an exorcist?"

What will you do? The voice of a woman echoed in the back of Ciel's mind. You. Who possessed his knowledge?

"I have my own reasons," Ciel curtly answered, a subtle deflection that refused to elaborate, "It's true that I fight to protect humanity, but I'm also a realist. I'm fully aware that our war against the Dead Apostle is a long one, perhaps endless. As much as I'd like to fantasize a world without monsters, an organization like ours would not have lasted this long if something like that was even remotely possible."

"But it is something you guys think about, right? Look, I know I've just started, but at least if and when I'm executed, it'll mean something. Everyone who would have been hurt by Sukuna would be safe."

Nobara seemed to flinch at that, while Megumi looked deep in thought. Satoru, meanwhile, remained unphased. Although, his smile was certainly gone.

"And what about you? For someone who wants everyone to have a proper death, you certainly have some skewed logic to exclude yourself," Ciel said, a tight closure of her clenched fist she barely managed to hide. "'Dying so to keep a curse from wreaking havoc'. When will that happen, I wonder? Before you turn forty? Before thirty? Depending on how quickly you'll gather those fingers, you might even be executed by the time you're twenty. Do you really think that curse inside you is going to sit still when that happens? Wait patiently for his own execution? Maybe he hopes that after you eat so many of his cursed fingers, your brain will turn into mush, enough for him to take over your body."

"I can keep him contained. I've done it before."

"And what are you going to do if one day, by some misfortune, you lose all control? No one could sustain themselves after consuming so many cursed objects. You wouldn't even be human anymore. Not a half-curse at that. Are you going to rely on your classmates and teacher to put you down like an animal? That hardly sounds like a proper way to go."

"Hey. Take it easy," Nobara at last found her voice. This was getting out of hand now.

Yuji's nostrils flared a little. His curled fists pressed against the table. It honestly didn't sound that great, but he was too proud to stand down now. "That's fine with me! If I can't help it, then I'll leave my fate to these guys. As long as it's me who-"

"That's the thing, while you may not believe this has nothing to do with you, this isn't just about you," Ciel said with a stone cold gaze. "You can say it's about them, about the people you want to help, but what you're not considering is the possibility of there being someone who will end up hurt regardless of what you're trying to do. And in your case, it could very well become fatal."

"Senpai," Megumi tried to interject, but there was no stopping Ciel as she said the following.

"Answer me this. If you suddenly lost control, and if your goal is to prevent innocent people from being killed by curses, then what would you do if you're the reason for their unnatural deaths? Would you still raise your head and call yourself a sorcerer then?"

It was a question that stopped Yuji cold. He tried to think of something. A response or even a denial, but no matter what he could come up with, the answer wouldn't leave him.

Because it's not something he ever wanted to imagine happening. If he did, he knew he'd never be able to forgive himself.

You're a strong a kid. So help others.

No Jujutsu Sorcerer dies without regrets!

I don't want to regret the way that I lived!

If you're the reason for their unnatural deaths.

If he was the reason, would he still call himself a jujutsu sorcerer?

In the end, he couldn't give an answer.

"You haven't thought this through at all," Ciel said. "Nothing in life goes the way we want. The sooner you see that, the less suffering it will bring. But then again, sorcerers are powered by their negative feelings, but I don't believe that's what you had in mind when you've set foot on this path. If you can't understand that, then you shouldn't have to try so hard to kill yourself for others' sake. You're better off letting your teacher and classmates do the work."

Ciel dug into her pockets and firmly placed her payment on the table. She stood up from the booth. "Give up on being a sorcerer. You don't have the capacity for it."

Ciel turned from the table. "This will be the last time we'll speak. I have my duties as executor to answer, so it's best if we don't associate any more after this. It'll only impede my investigations."

"H-Hey!" Nobara stood up, but her call was ignored as Ciel walked away, moving through the crowd and left the cafe. "What's her problem?!"

Just because Ciel saved them didn't mean she gets to walk all over them. As much as Nobara griped on the guy, even she felt bad for Yuji. That blue-haired girl was just plain rude.

I probably should have seen that coming. Satoru looked back at Yuji who had an almost lost look on him. From a third party's perspective, it would seem like he just got dumped on.

He reached over and grasped Yuji's shoulder, successfully getting the boy out of his stupor. "Why don't you guys finish eating? I'm going to take a walk."

"Huh?" Yuji watched his teacher scoot across the seat.

"Feel free to order something else. I'll be back soon." Before anyone would respond, Satoru stood up from the table and headed towards the front door.

"You better not be leaving us with the bill here. I'm putting your name under it!" Nobara warned him, unafraid by the curious and concerned looks of others, especially the employees.

Megumi looked at Yuji for a moment. He then turned to where his teacher went and also began scooting out of his seat. "I'm going too."

His announcement surprised his classmates, and Megumi left without another word. Thinking he and their teacher were trying to pass gas, Nobara slumped back into her seat with a sigh. "Geez. That was rough."

Yuji didn't respond, still silently contemplating to himself.

"I have nothing more to say to you, Gojo-san." Ciel's steps were unyielding as she crossed the sidewalk. Despite this, Satoru easily caught up to her.

"I can tell by your tone that you're angry with me." Satoru inserted his thumbs into his pockets as he walked alongside Ciel. "You really hounded Itadori back there. It's not like he had any other choice."

"No. You simply gave him two choices. Be immediately executed or become a sorcerer. Never mind he's practically an amateur who only just learned the existence of curses and mages a few days ago. He's never even used cursed energy, has he? That's why he has that sword instead."

"It's a work in progress. The kid's an exception, and after seeing how tough he is, you can't expect me not to take him in."

"Yes. And I can only imagine how tightly you must have twisted the arms of your superiors to allow this. He should have been monitored in a secure location, not be sent to the field immediately. Are you so desperate for more students that you would risk the lives of others for your own ambitions?"

"Only if they're someone who has the potential. Like you, for instance."

"If this is another recruitment ploy, my answer remains the same. I have no interest in becoming a sorcerer."

"I figured. Especially when you're in such a bad mood right now."

She didn't even finish her curry. That's how much Ciel was fuming. Satoru looked up at the sky. "I still can't figure out why you hate using your powers so much. You could be a lot stronger than the other executors you're ranked below. Even stronger than some sorcerers I know."

"I only use it under special circumstances and when the situation is extremely dire. But this isn't about me." Ciel stopped at a corner. The traffic light preventing her from crossing yet. "Are you really going to make him into a shaman? You realize that if the situation proves strenuous enough, it could risk freeing that curse. If he was someone you just found, there's no way of knowing what his limitations are."

"True, but I have faith in him. He also has his classmates looking out for him. They've only just met, but I think they'll make a pretty good team." When Satoru saw her unconvinced look, he added, "I'm not gonna throw Yuji to the wolves on his first day, have him fight some bears along the way - although that'd be pretty interesting to see."

He didn't get a chuckle out of that, and Satoru continued, "We'll build his tolerance little by little. Once he knows how to channel cursed energy, we won't have to worry about him losing control."

He gave a little smile. "I also wouldn't mind having someone like you keep a close eye on him. You'll definitely have to now."

Ciel gave an exasperated sigh. "So that was your plan. You truly are a selfish man."

She swore she wouldn't get too involved. To not be sidetracked. But after finding out about this, Ciel really had no choice. A rookie in every sense that's carrying a highly dangerous cursed spirit? It's practically a landmine they were standing next to. Even if the fuse had not been lit, one misstep was all it would take to blow everything to smithereens.

"Not entirely," Satoru said. "I do want to see him grow. This way, Yuji would still have a chance at life. And since the Church put you up to monitoring him out of "divine duty", I figured you were going to do this anyway."

"That doesn't mean I'll be observing him twenty-four hours a day." Ciel may have to observe him longer than planned, but all the same. "I do have other responsibilities."

"Then maybe we should consider working together." Satoru turned his head slightly, seeing Megumi finally reached them. "This is shaman territory. It'll be easier for you if you had our resources to back you up."

"You know that would be impossible," Ciel said. "Interfering with sorcerer business would only incite conflict between our groups. Even in my position, I cannot overstep too far."

"Then it's a good thing you're great at lying your way through everything. Being able to sneak around shouldn't be a problem for you. Besides, you pretty much crossed that line the moment you met Yuji, not to mention saving him and his classmate from those zombies and curses."

Ciel couldn't come to a rebuttal at that counterpoint. Indeed, the boundary between sorcerer and executor had already been trespassed. Now was only a matter of time before the homeowners were made aware of an infiltrator in their midst. Once that happens, heads will bud until both sides bleed.

"Yuji's fate has already been decided," Satoru declared, "But it doesn't have to be that way. He's also kind of grown on me. Even when I offered that he should sit this one out, he's made up his mind. He's pretty stubborn like you and me. It'd be interesting to see how far he goes. Sure, he's got some screws loose, but that's what we look for in jujutsu sorcerers."

The traffic light had already changed, but neither of them moved.

"Hiding him away to be looked at while stuffing him with cursed fingers is no way to live, and I'm sure deep down that's not what you'd want for him either. It's obvious to me that you're starting to care about him too. That's why I don't mind if either of us are there to watch over him, make sure he doesn't get ahead of himself."

He turned from the path. "Of course, there's me who can easily help with the reins, but like you said, I'm not always here. I'm a big enough man to admit when he needs a little help every now and then, and if it means having someone like you around, I'd be happy to turn a blind eye from everything you're doing here."

He patted Megumi's shoulder as Satoru started to walk back. "If you ever change your mind, I'm just a phone call away."

Ciel and Megumi watched as the strongest sorcerer returned to the cafe. The girl turned back to the street corner. "I really don't know how you put up with him for so long."

Megumi walked closer and stood next to Ciel.

"I don't," he answered frankly. "He just has a habit of doing things without other people's consideration. He's not malicious, but he is annoying to deal with."

His expression softened, "He's right about Itadori, though. Whether we want him to or not, that guy is gonna force his way into this. Even when I told that idiot to stay out of it, he didn't listen."

Ciel looked at Megumi as he went on. "I see where you're coming from, Senpai. I wouldn't want Itadori to get involved either. But if it wasn't for him, I'd be dead. Me and his classmates. It might sound like I'm backing him as a favor, but that's not it. The fact is, I don't want him to die."

He inserted his hands into his pockets. "He's a good guy. I'm sure you could tell already. Even when he found out who you really are, he still came to see you. I think you guys would be really good friends if you let it."

Ciel thought over his words as she stared out into the streets. "I may have burned that bridge when I decided to admonish him for his goal."

"I don't think he'd hold it against you. He's pretty simple like that. Even more so with people."

Without a fog in his lenses, Yuji saw others for who they really were.

"Give him a chance," Megumi said. "I know you have your duties as an executor. I only ask if you could give him time."

To prove himself. To live. To prevent others from taking his life.

Perhaps all of the above.

Ciel didn't answer for a moment, giving into deep thought.

"Are you still bothered by what she said?" Nobara asked.

Yuji was slumped over the table, slowly drinking his iced tea through the bent straw between his fingers. Nobara pointed at him with her remaining macaron. "Don't get depressed on me. I'm still trying to enjoy my meal here, you might as well do too."

Yuji took the treat from her hand and bit it. "I'm not depressed. Just thinking."

"That wasn't for you. You owe me another macaron." Nobara decided to get her revenge by snatching a cookie from Yuji's plate.

Yuji let her, still in his pondering. His mind overplayed the things Ciel asked him, and his considered responses that led nowhere. He understood what she was saying, but whether anyone would have told him to or not, he couldn't just sit aside and do nothing.

She didn't have to be so harsh about it, though. He liked her better when she was cheerful and sweet.

"Yo! I'm back," Satoru announced, slipping back into the booth as his students asked where he'd been and about Megumi. "Don't worry about it. Fushiguro will catch up with us later (Nobara: "It's gas, isn't it?") Definitely. So! Who wants to visit Tokyo Tower after this?"

Nobara raised her hand as Yuji, still slumped against the table, raised his, not entirely disheartened to miss out on all the sight seeing. Satoru looked over at Yuji and smiled in mirth.

"Don't take what Ciel-san said too personally," Satoru's words picked up Yuji's head. "She's tough even on her coworkers, but that's just her way of showing she cares. She's like a porcupine. As much as you want to cuddle that cute face of hers, she can be a little prickly." (Nobara: "That sounded suspicious. Don't say it like that again.")

"Mm." Yuji sat up straighter. "To be honest, it did make me wonder. I never really thought that far ahead. Now, I feel like I want to take this even more seriously."

As long as it was him who answered to everything, he'd never want to kill anything that wasn't a curse. If he did, Yuji was certain he'll lose meaning in all of it. In what he was fighting for.

No Jujutsu Sorcerer dies without regret. The words of Yaga echoed in his mind. A foreboding reminder.

"I don't want to quit being a sorcerer," Yuji decided. "I won't sit back while everyone else is risking their lives."

"There you go. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Nobara said as she ate the cookie. Satoru expressed his approval, slipping his hand for Yuji's plate and stole the last cookie for himself. Yuji was surprisingly okay with this, too busy reaffirming himself to really pay attention.

"I look forward to seeing your resolve bear fruit." Satoru took a bite of the cookie. "Just keep on exorcising curses and saving lives. You'll get there eventually."

Yuji nodded, reinvigorated as he adjusted the Slaughter Demon at his back. His eyes shifted over to the mostly empty plates across from him, where Ciel had sat. There were still a few curry dumplings and sweets left. It was a shame he never got to pay for her order like he promised. That's one little regret he'll have to carry with him.

Chapter Text

"Got to say, I thought there'd be a lot more training and curses than this." Reading a fashion magazine in his hands, Yuji sat in a chair alongside Megumi in a beauty salon. Across from them, Nobara was getting her nails done in front of the manicurist who were seated together by the mirrors.

"Also, is it me, or is Sensei not around that much?" Yuji flipped another page, giving his mental rating of the next model in the photo.

"Sensei gets called away often," Megumi explained. "He handles "high-risk" missions other sorcerers would have trouble dealing with."

"Are you sure he's not just goofing around while we do all the dirty work here?" Nobara accosted while her fingernails were being filed. "It barely feels like he takes his job seriously."

"It may not look like it, but he does work hard." Megumi then added with a gruff, "He just messes around a lot because no one else can stop him."

"That's not surprising. Sensei is really strong." Yuji looked up at the clock on the wall. "Are you almost done, Kugisaki? We've been here for like half an hour already."

"No way! I'm getting the full package here." A way to celebrate her first paycheck since moving to Tokyo. Nobara flexed her pinky, admiring the nice pearly shine of her well-trimmed, well-filed nail. "Why don't you go walk around if you're bored? You still haven't seen much of the city yet, right?"

"That's true." Yuji stood up and stretched his legs. "I want to check out all the casinos they have here."

He probably shouldn't have said that out loud with adults around. Oh well. "You up for it, Fushiguro?"

"There's another place I want to stop by, actually," Megumi said as he stood up as well. "Let's split up. We can meet somewhere later."

It's still early in the day. They don't have to worry about any dead, vampires, or even curses at this hour. Curses weren't restricted by whatever time it was, but there hadn't been that many lately, which was unusual in a busy city like this.

It might be Ciel-senpai's doing. If so, she had to be working overtime. Although he understood her decision, Megumi sort of wished she accepted Gojo-sensei's offer. He couldn't blame her, though. Obligations aside, who wouldn't want to avoid dealing with that man?

After coming to an agreement and Nobara eagerly awaiting for her pedicure next, Yuji and Megumi left the salon.

They walked down the street through the crowd of residents who were running errands or taking their lunch break. Tourists filming themselves for their vacation reels, and shopkeepers keeping their entrance clean with a few sweeps of a broom.

"Want me to tag along?" Yuji asked as they stopped at a bench next to a bus sign.

Megumi declined. "It's something personal. It might take me a few hours."

"Oh yeah? Is it a doctor's appointment?"

"Something like that. You think you can manage on your own?"

It's been over a week and Yuji's condition remained stable. Megumi felt he could ease off for the time being. He was sure this was something Yuji needed too. They couldn't expect to leer over Yuji's shoulders forever.

Yuji gave a thumbs up. "I can handle it. I think I'll stop by the movies then."

Megumi nodded. "Alright. If anything happens, give us a call."

The bus arrived then. Yuji waved as Megumi got on, wishing him luck and to "get that rash checked" jokingly. By the time Megumi considered going back out to smack Yuji, the doors had already closed.

After watching the bus drive away, Yuji looked down at his phone. A few hours, huh?

He glanced at his surroundings and decided to keep walking, wanting to take a little stroll before finding the nearest movie theater. He was pretty sure it was around here anyway.

"Hmm..." Yuji held his chin in thought. "Yup. I don't know what I'm looking at."

He stood in front of a peculiar vending machine in a fairly suspicious narrow corridor. He could hear people walking outside through the gap at the entrance, but he was more focused on what's behind the glass. Odd trinkets and occasionally white rectangular packages full of "mysteries" inside. Yuji will admit, he was tempted to purchase one. And by tempted, he already spent money on it and watched as the package was pushed to the edge, ready to be picked up.

"Sugaaar..."

Yuji heard a mutter and looked at the end of the corridor. A small chubby curse poked through the push door of the last vending machine. It fell onto the floor where the trash were cluttered.

"Huh. Guess creepy places like this is bound to get some bad thoughts." Yuji went over to the curse and pulled out his demon slaughterer. He nonchalantly jabbed his sword into the back of the curse, exorcising it. I'm not so surprised seeing them around anymore. It feels second nature to me now.

This was definitely progress. He wondered when he'll start summoning curses like Megumi or fight enemies from afar like Nobara? He might even get to make his own ability, something straight out of Naruto or Bleach. That'd be a dream come true.

"Maybe I'll take something like a Water Divination Test?" He lifted the short sword off from the ground.

"You really should be more mindful to your surroundings."

Yuji's head picked up at the recognizable voice and turned around. "Ah. Ciel-"

The ever serious, ever so stoic executor stood at the entrance with her arms crossed. Ciel was in her normal clothes. A simple outfit of a light blue sweater, black skirt, long black socks, white sneakers and her signature glasses over her face. Does she even need those? Yuji wondered.

"-senpai." He finished the honorific respectfully. It's been over a week since they last saw each other. A week after she made it clear not to reach out to her anymore.

"You sure show up when it's least expected." He stood up to greet her. "Shouldn't you be in class right now?"

Wait. Now that he thought about it, was Ciel even a real student here? He remembered his teacher mentioning she was an expert infiltrator. "Like little miss James Bond!" was Gojo-sensei's exact words.

"..." Ciel didn't respond right away. She gave him a look. Something equivalent to the stink eye - well, more of a puppy-dog glare, as if to say "how dare you stand there like nothing is wrong?" Yuji wondered if she disliked him now? He was a little worried to ask.

"...School ended early," Ciel decided not to disclose the truth of her status. She didn't see any reason to, and therefore, didn't think it was necessary. "I was doing some errands when I saw you. It looked like you were having trouble finding your way around."

It'd been a sight too discernable to ignore. One might as well have "TOURIST" written on his forehead.

"What about you? Shouldn't you be with your class?" Had he snuck away or was this another byproduct of Satoru's carelessness? Ciel found it hard to believe that man could misplace anyone with those Six Eyes of his, especially if the person was carrying a cursed soul.

"I was with Fushiguro and Kugisaki earlier," Yuji answered. "They had their own stuff to do so I figured I'd go see a movie. Kind of got turned around, though."

"I see." Ciel didn't sound entirely convinced, apart from him being lost. Well, even if Yuji was familiar with the area, that's still no excuse to leave him without supervision. She couldn't fault his classmates, however. Surely Gojo could bother to spare one other shaman to observe the vessel? Just when Ciel was on her way to the library to begin her research in looking for Roa, this had to come to her attention.

"What kind of errands were you running?" Yuji asked.

"Nothing that should worry you," was Ciel's immediate deflection. Not only to say that it was classified and that it should only concern an executor, but also to say that she was not here for Yuji specifically. Yuji looked at her befuddled, but before he could respond, she added, "Are you really out here by yourself?"

"Uhh. Yeah?" Yuji answered. "Sensei's out of town. Don't know when he'll be back, but it probably shouldn't take him too long."

Her silence shifted from displeasure to curious. It didn't surprise her that Satoru was called away, only that it happened so soon. Was one week all it took to determine Yuji's condition? Enough to leave him alone? That seemed hard to believe. What with all the issues she herself clearly expressed-

If it means having someone like you around, I wouldn't mind turning a blind eye from everything you're doing here.

Ah. So that's how it is.

"...The movie theater is not that far." Coming to a decision, Ciel gave a silent breath. "On foot, you shouldn't have any issue getting there. But this is a busy city. I wouldn't be surprised if you lose your way. It can't be helped."

She turned halfway for the entrance. "Let's go. I'll guide you."

Yuji perked up at that. He dramatically went down on his knees and bowed his head. "Thank you, oh saintress. I am in your debt."

Despite her cold attitude, he was glad to see that Ciel was still, overall, a kind person.

Ciel was taken aback by the display. She cleared her throat and looked aside, composed. "...There's no need for that. Please raise your head."

Ohhh. She's weak to flattery! Yuji spotted that subtle sheepish look. He was so going to use that against her.

He stood up quickly and walked towards the exit. However, he noticed Ciel wasn't immediately following and turned back for her. "What's wrong?"

Ciel was staring at the pile of trash at the end of the corridor. At Yuji's words, she shook her head. "It's nothing."

She said so, and yet she kept looking back at the pile. Something itching at her with every glance she continuously gave.

...Definitely a neat freak. Yuji believed her when she told him she did some "volunteer work" the first time they met. "I think those are just there for aesthetic."

"...Maybe. But that could also be an excuse, then the workers wouldn't have to pick it up," Ciel countered, muttering "so much for this city being clean" under her breath.

"Huh. That's a good point..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...You want me to help you clean it up?"

"...You are not obligated to."

After tidying up the creepy vending machine spot, Ciel and Yuji started their walk towards the theater. Yuji held out the small mystery package in his hand, picking at its corner to remove the tape.

"A lot of tourists or residents must like buying these," he said, making conversation. "It's smart marketing. I wasn't sure if anyone was supposed to be back there, but you can't help but wonder what's inside."

"...I suppose," Ciel said, inexpressive. "You certainly have an odd fixation for morbid looking places."

It did strike her interest how much Yuji seemed to find himself in such areas often, especially after learning what club he'd been previously in - from what she remembered researching into his background.

"Not really. I mean, I've been to funerals before, and I was in the Occult Club at my last school. We went through lots of creepy places, like abandoned hospitals and old cemeteries."

Yuji blinked at his own words, and it dawned on him. "Huh. I guess I have been around those a lot. I don't go looking for them. For some reason, they're just always where I end up being."

Almost as if one was unconsciously drawn to it. Ciel did not say anything, quelling the melancholy she held towards the thought.

"Most of the time, it's because Sasaki and Iguchi were too scared to sneak in by themselves. It was funny seeing them freak out at every noise," Yuji grinned a little at the memory. His smile then faded. "I hope those guys are doing okay. I wonder if they're still running the club? After what happened, it wouldn't surprise me if they decided to stop."

There was a hint of reminiscence in his voice, suddenly fallen into thought as he pulled back the tape around the package. He wanted to be careful so to save the written encouragement on the side.

"...Would it upset you if they did?" Ciel deciphered the seemingly vacant expression on Yuji, paying close attention to his every word and behavior.

"Not "upset". Maybe a little bummed out," Yuji said. "I only knew them for a couple of months, but we had a lot of fun in that club. I'm going to miss those moments, but I know I shouldn't complain."

He made his choice.

There was an unreadable gaze from Ciel as Yuji successfully removed the final tape.

"Now let's see what's inside." He carefully unfolded the package. "Ooh! A snack!"

Chocolate logs by the looks of it. Yuji happily opened the box and pulled out one log. "You want one?"

He offered the box over to Ciel, but she shook her head, politely raising her hand to decline. "I'm not hungry right now."

Yuji shrugged and took a bite out of the treat. He turned over the unfolded parchment for the note attached. "This is a little more fun than fortune cookies. You get to read a short story on this one."

...He really is peculiar. Ciel listened without reserve as Yuji read the note out loud. The story was about a man who found retribution in having his dog wet the front porch of his enemy's house, causing the enemy to slip and hit his head. It was apparently a good day for the man.

"Here it is," Ciel said. They stood outside in front of the large movie theater, where many people walked in and out. "It's quite popular by the looks of it."

"Thanks for bringing me here!" Yuji gave a salute. It was nice to see one of them knew the streets already. She wasn't kidding when she said she'd memorized them. "Want to check it out? I hear there's new movies playing."

"That wouldn't really be appropriate," Ciel was quietly surprised he would even offer. She glanced at him. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"You mean with everything going on?" Yuji was frank. He shrugged his shoulders again. "I don't really care about that stuff. And you did say I don't have to worry."

Apparently, the thought of her lying did not cross his mind. This genuinely concerned Ciel now. Just how trusting was this boy to others?

"...I do still have errands to run," Ciel said. "Don't mind me. Go ahead and enjoy your movie."

"Huh. Well all right then." A little disappointed but understanding, Yuji waved at her. "Maybe next time?"

Putting on her mask, Ciel gave a pleasant smile. "Yes. Maybe."

Step. Step. Step.

Step. Step. Step.

Step. Step. Step.

"Sorry. I thought you were leaving just now," Yuji turned to say this. He stopped walking when he reached the line that led to the ticket machine. "Didn't you say you had errands?"

Ciel's pleasant demeanor did not break as she answered, "I did, but now that I'm here, I'm actually interested in seeing a movie now."

"Oh. Which one?"

"It's a secret."

The main hall was bustling with movie goers. The heavy scent of popcorn in the air. It was an impressive scene that even Yuji had never experienced at his home town. At the moment, however, he was more focused to the blue haired girl with glasses standing behind him in line, who was acting both upbeat and coy.

"Okay..." Yuji didn't know how else to respond to that.

They waited in line for a few minutes until it was Yuji's turn. Yuji didn't pay any mind when Ciel looked over his shoulder as he scanned through the selections. After he made his pick, it was Ciel's turn, and he waited beside her while she made her choice.

"...You know, we could have just sat next to each other." It was exact same film at the exact same time Yuji picked. The only difference was that Ciel chose a different seating, which was at the very last row in the corner, like a bird's eye view.

"I like sitting at the back. It's easier to see the whole movie that way," Ciel excused, folding her arms behind her back. "What a funny coincidence, though."

A coincidence. Even if that's how it was, Yuji would have offered to buy tickets for them.

She's so odd. Yuji gave her another befuddled look.

They then went in line at the concession stand. More so Yuji leading and Ciel following at a somewhat distance. The silence between them during this was beginning to make Yuji uncomfortable.

This feels like I have a bodyguard. Especially with how Ciel remained attentive to her surroundings with a subtle turn of her head.

He approached the stand next and craned his neck to look up at the menu, humming in thought. "There's a lot of options. What do you think, Ciel?"

Ciel didn't object to the familiar use of her name. He's done it plenty of times already, why start now? "I don't have any recommendations. I'm not very picky."

"Come on. There's got to be something you'd like."

Ciel regarded the people behind them, all waiting to pick up their snacks. She looked back at the menu. "Alright. Then..."

She read through the options, but one in particular got her attention quickly. Under bold letters that said 'Limited Time Only!'

"I'd have the curry popcorn, and probably the Spicy Italian Hot Dog too."

"You really like curry." Or maybe just spicy food in general.

The topic brought a genuine smile to Ciel's face. "Of course. There's nothing better or more savory in the world than curry."

It explained why she changed her mind when Yuji invited her out last week, only agreeing when curry was brought up. She was a real foodie. It was kind of funny for Yuji to see.

Yuji approached the counter and raised two fingers. "One bucket of curry popcorn. Two spicy dogs and two large sodas, please."

Ciel's eyes widened. "You're really hungry. Can you finish all that yourself?"

Was he eating for two, perhaps?

"I hope not. I ordered those for us," Yuji's answer took Ciel by surprise. "It's the least I can do for helping me find this place. If there's anything else you want, let me know."

There were mixed feelings in Ciel, visible in her expression, though Yuji missed it when he gave his payment to the worker.

"You didn't have to do that," Ciel said, a gentle scolding in her tone that couldn't bury the hint of fluster.

"I know, but I wanted to," was his response. Ciel's mouth thinned at that.

They got their orders afterwards. Ciel insisted on carrying her share despite Yuji offering to hold all of it. It was close to the time the movie would begin, and so they headed for the screening room.

"I wonder if the theaters here got cushion seats and recliners?" Yuji prattled on, holding the cardboard tray with the hot dogs and drink on it. "Maybe they'll put in seat warmers next?"

Ciel didn't take too long to answer this time. "You sound like you go to the movies a lot."

"I see them like a couple of times a month," Yuji said. "I grew up on TV, so I've watched plenty of movies back home. It's a whole experience watching them on the big screen, though. Even if the floor or armrests gets sticky with butter or caramel, that's just part of the charm."

"Hm. There is something nice about it. The smell of popcorn. The people coming together with their friends and families," Ciel was in agreement to Yuji's sentiment. "It's also captivating, watching a story through the eyes of a character on screen. You just can't look away."

Yuji nodded. "There's that too. It's definitely more fun to watch with friends. All the big battle scenes, or those slow, tense moments that gives you goosebumps. I heard people's reaction to The Avengers opening show was really crazy."

"Yes. It's interesting how much a movie can affect a person so much," Ciel looked at the movie posters they passed by. Yuji followed her gaze, reading all the up and coming big titles on the wall.

"I admire the dedication and effort put into filmmaking," Ciel said, almost distantly, "It's as if you've become part of what you're seeing. Even if everything is already said and done."

"Yeah? How do you mean?"

"Well, if you look at it this way - all the actors' performances, the script, the stunts, those were already done months or even years prior to the movie's release. What we're seeing isn't just the culmination of their work - the directors', the producers', and all the crew who helped put the movie together. We're seeing something like "the past" being played out, with "the future" - or the ending - already recorded, edited, and made it to the final piece. At least, until they decided to make a sequel."

Ciel slipped in a little joke as Yuji listened closely, sipping his soda.

"But when the movie is first released, we don't consider that," Ciel continued. "Instead, we watch it as if everything is done in the moment. All the events, linear or non-linear - depending how the film is directed. That's the psychological intrigue of watching movies. The illusion that what we're witnessing is happening right now, when really, it had already happened. Yet, we still can't help but feel moved. We become a part of the experience. A sad death. A vile villain you want to reach and beat up. An intense situation you wish you could help alleviate. It's no wonder why they're so popular. It's like looking through the lenses of another life. They might as well be someone else's memories."

"...That's a really interesting way of looking at it." Yuji never thought of it like that. He stared at Ciel, impressed. "You must really like movies."

"Ah. Well..." Ciel lets loose of her calm composure as she tapped against her soda cup. "I don't go to them often. Only on special occasions."

Like when she's moved into a new city and she had to blend in by watching said films, so to familiarize herself with the people better.

"Could have fooled me," Yuji said, remembering their previous conversation when they first met on the train. "Do you have a favorite?"

"Well, there've been various movies I've seen - plenty of them foreign or international."

"Oh sweet. Same here. I'm a big fan of American films. Especially the actress Jennifer Lawrence. Like this one movie, she-"

They fell into another conversation as they walked all the way to the screening. Yuji followed Ciel while the commercials were playing, and sat next to her at the farthest row, finishing his fairly in-depth summarization of the actress's performance in her most famous work - among others. Ciel was intrigued by this side of Yuji, listening and giving her input occasionally.

"I've got something of a celebrity crush on her since the Silver Lining Playbook. She really left an impression on me since." Not to mention Yuji's preferences.

"I can tell," Ciel said, appearing amused. "She's a good actress from what I've seen."

"Right? Oh. I just realized, you never answered what your favorite movie was." Yuji was a little embarrassed Ciel had to witness that "small" tangent of his.

"It's alright. It's... nice listening you talk," Ciel said slowly, her smile dampening a little, as if she was struggling to decide whether to keep it up or not. "If you want to know... I really enjoy the movie Blade. Have you heard of it?"

"Heard of it? Wesley Snipes is a legend!" Yuji said excitedly. It also didn't surprise him that a vampire hunting film would be a favorite of Ciel. He should have guessed it. "He did his own stunts, right? And I heard some of his lines were all improv. The guy's awesome."

Ciel perked a little, giving a lighthearted smile. "Yes! The fight choreography was immaculate, by far the best part of the movie. I still remember his lines to this day."

In a low, hush voice, they leaned forward and whispered: "some motherfuckers are always trying to ice-skate uphill." They shared a laugh at that.

"I've rented that movie on a whim, but it's become one of my personal favorites," Ciel softly beamed with a light clasp of her fingers. "I even own a DVD copy of it. Sadly, I don't have it with me now. I tend to pack very light whenever I travel."

-! That's right... Yuji kept forgetting that Ciel was a foreigner. He wondered where she used to live before moving to Japan?

"Maybe we could find it here," Yuji suggested. "I think I saw a DVD store attached to this place. Do you have a movie player? If not, maybe they sell those too. We could stop by after this."

"Ah..." Ciel realized herself and rested her hands on her lap. "Mm. Maybe..."

At this moment, the room darkened and the previews began to play. Ciel's eyes quickly scanned the room. Even in the shadows with only the big screen to give light, she counted the number of people in their seats, and the empty spaces between them.

"Mm! This curry popcorn is pretty tasty."

Ciel looked back at Yuji who was munching on the snack, appearing delighted at the flavor. There was a flicker of irrational protectiveness in Ciel when he plucked another popcorn from her bucket. She wanted to slap his hand away, but remembering his specific statement that he bought this snack for them, she felt it would be unfair to do so.

"...Shouldn't you be at your seat, Yuji-kun?"

Yuji was surprised. He looked through the dark where his other seat was, and then back at Ciel. "...Am I bothering you?"

It was an innocent question, and yet, it felt like a challenge.

"...No. Not in the least," Ciel said, her voice soft that it hid the competitiveness behind it. She grabbed a fingerful of curry popcorn and munched on it.

Two hours later...

"Check it out! I found it!" Yuji presented the thick box to Ciel who stood in front of the CD section.

After the movie had ended, Ciel and Yuji left the theater to search for the nearest DVD store. They discussed about the plot and the movie's well-acted scenes - as well complimenting the snacks they finished. For a while after finding the store, they talked as they lingered around the isles.

Ciel puts the CD case back onto the shelf and accepted the box. She was curious by its width. "It's much thicker than I was expecting."

"It comes with Blade II and Trinity. It's got the whole set, and probably some behind the scenes too."

"Two and Trinity-? There were sequels?!" Ciel lets out her amazement as she read the title. The first movie of Blade was phenomenal as is. For there to be two others, it was a pleasant discovery.

Yuji chuckled at her reaction, and after grabbing a few other items, they went and waited in line to purchase them. Ciel looked a little more upbeat this time, though as she held the Blade DVD box set in her arms, her cheery attitude steadily grew numb.

"...You know this won't change anything."

Yuji was surprised when she said this. Ciel did not elaborate, but a statement like that was enough for him to eventually understand what she meant.

He thought for a moment before answering, "I know. I'm not trying to do anything."

"Then why...?" Ciel did not meet his gaze, staring at the movies in her arms.

"I told you. I don't care about that stuff," Yuji tucked the CDs under his arm and reached for his wallet, preparing himself to pay once it was their turn. "I get you're just doing your job. I'm not holding that against you. Maybe it did worry me at first, but after what you did at the cemetery, helping me and Kugisaki out of that, I know you're not a bad person."

"-!" Ciel stiffened at his words, startled by them.

"I might seem like some bumbling idiot who has no idea what he's gotten himself into," Yuji continued, "And maybe that's true. But I am taking this seriously. Not just because of gramp's wish. I can't blame it on that if something goes wrong."

He remembered his grandfather's hearty smile. "I just don't think I could stay out of this. Letting everyone else risk their lives - some of that because of me. This is my choice, and my responsibility too. I can't see the future, but if there's one thing I don't ever want to deal with, it's regretting the choices I make, all because I turned tail and run."

I don't want to regret the way that I live.

Ciel's brows rose. She lowered her chin, the glint in her glasses concealing her eyes. "...Even if it means you'll die?"

"Mm." Yuji rubbed the back of his head. "That's gonna happen no matter what, right? If that's how it is, I'd at least want to go out while helping someone. If I lived another day by letting someone else die, I'd never be able to sleep right again."

Ciel's lips tightened, subconsciously gripping the edges of the DVD box. "...You're a good person, Yuji-kun."

"You think so? You can thank my gramps for that," Yuji grinned, looking back at Ciel. He lowered himself to meet her gaze and raised his hand. "And I've got a lot more going on too. I'll prove to you I have what it takes. So don't give up on me just yet, Senpai."

Ciel stared at his cheerful smile, his shining optimism that reached his eyes. It's quite interesting, having an exorcist with such a "can do" attitude. There's not many like that. Even those who held the Lord's love closely to their hearts had been weathered down by life.

She honestly wished that spiritedness of his would remain, and she gave a silent prayer that it would.

After making their purchase, they walked out of the DVD store. They were silent again, but this time, it felt somewhat pacified now.

"-There you are! Where the hell have you been?"

Yuji stopped and turned to the shouting. Nobara in her glimmering face glory marched up to him, carrying a few shopping bags over her arms. The sunlight bounced off from her skin, completely rejuvenated and pampered. Megumi followed after her, having made his visit and everything else he needed done.

"Oh! Hey guys." Yuji waved. "You finished already?"

"For like twenty minutes," Nobara adjusted her carry of the bags. "What took you? We've been trying to call you."

Yuji checked his phone. "Oops. My bad. I forgot I had this on silent. I was hanging out with Ciel-senpai."

"You were with her?" Megumi asked.

"Yeah, she-" Yuji turned to Ciel and was about to explain the whole story.

However, Ciel was no longer there. Nothing but empty space as passersby walked the sidewalk.

"-huh?! Wait! She was just here!" When did she vanish? She was so quiet too.

"Wow. You got it bad..." Nobara gave a pity look, thinking Yuji was hallucinating now.

"I'm serious! She was right here!" Yuji pointed both hands to the ground. "She went Batman on me!"

Nobara still doubted him. Megumi, on the other hand, believed Yuji, looking at the people around them for the blue haired girl. But knowing Ciel, it would be an impossible task.

"What did you guys do together?" Megumi then asked.

Yuji had his hands and knees on the pavement, looking for evidence of Ciel's existence, or maybe a secret hatch. He calmed down when he heard Megumi's question and answered, "Just a couple of things. She found me when I was on my way to the movies-"

Ciel's dark blue habit flowed in the wind. She stood at the corner edge of an office rooftop, overseeing the streets and its occupants - none of who noticed her observing figure. From afar, she saw Yuji conversing with his classmates, reading his lips that detailed his outing with her in the past few hours.

I think you guys would be good friends if you let it.

She remembered Megumi's words. Her light blue eyes softened the longer she looked at Yuji. After some time, she eventually turned on her heels and left the area in the blink of an eye.

Chapter Text

The glow of the laptop screen painted Ciel's face. She scrolled through the missing persons reports as she sat on her new bed. These reports were the most recent ones she managed to acquire and compile, of those who seemingly vanished from the face of the earth. It was a wide reach to consider any of these disappearances to be the work of a vampire, as without basis, missing people could be due to a multitude of reasons.

She had also the list of every influential families within Tokyo. By corroborating the location of their homes and estates, and the missing people, she may find a link and narrow her search. Based on what she's read, there had been a spike within the last few weeks, coinciding with Ciel's arrival. A peculiar timing that would have left her wondering had she not spoken to Megumi.

Two weeks ago...

"About what happened at the cemetery." Megumi shifted the conversation, his expression becoming serious. "Sensei and I fought something. It was some kind of corpse dog - someone's puppet or familiar."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that as well," Ciel said, crossing her arms. "I've got a glimpse of it before Gojo-san provoked it into self-destructing. Based on its appearance, and the level of destruction it caused, I have no doubt that a dead apostle had sent that beast."

Megumi frowned. A suspicion he had that was bitterly confirmed. A vampire of that magnitude roaming the streets in broad daylight was a cause for worry. "Was it hunting for people?"

"It's possible. Vampires do send scouts so to resume activities during the day, even using partially-turned humans as proxy - if they cannot feed on the people themselves, they'll use others to feed for them." Like an invisible extension cord, seeping residue of blood to the main vampire host. "However, if that's all its purpose was, there was no need to give a mere scout that much firepower. You'd think its target was some powerful foe."

The crease in Megumi's brows thickened. "Maybe that's what it was prepared to deal with. I saw it look at the catacombs where you, Itadori, and Kugisaki were. I had a feeling it was after Itadori because of Sukuna, but it might have been after you, Senpai."

"...That is concerning." Ciel gripped her chin. On one hand, if that scout was after Yuji, then that implied its maker was interested in the second soul he carried. On the other hand, if it was after her, then her cover was blown. However, Ciel believed it was not the second reason, as she never had any trouble masking her scent even against strong dead apostles.

But why would Roa be interested in Sukuna?

Roa shouldn't even be partially conscious at this point. Not at this hour, not this soon. The fact that vampire had enough resources and energy to raise the dead, and create such a familiar was surprising in itself. That it would leave scorched bodies, or possibly none at all-

-!

Wait. That's not right.

The first victim she came across was someone who was bitten and bled to death. Knowing how Roa behaves, leaving a body burnt beyond edible - for a vampire - that not even blood would remain, it didn't make sense. That was not Roa's MO. Was it because his current host was influencing him? Or...

Could there be another dead apostle involved? Ciel subtly gritted her teeth.

"-Senpai?" Megumi called out to her after she suddenly fell silent.

Ciel immediately loosened the tension in her jaw and hid her worries with a placate expression. "Sorry. I was just wondering if there are any more of those familiars around. They could pose some trouble if no one takes care of them quickly."

And there's no one more fit for the job than Ciel. As much as she would mourn the thought of putting a dog down, it would be a merciful kill to exorcise those hounds.

"Sensei thinks it might have been sent here by plane," Megumi said. "There was an incident that happened at Narita Airport. The victims were burned alive, inside and out."

After giving more details, Ciel pondered over it. "The connection does seem apparent in which fire is involved. Has your coroner made a thorough examination?"

"Maybe. I'll have to ask Sensei. The thing is, after he left, the police tried to take the bodies, but the bodies ended up crumbling."

So no evidence, and thus, no absolute confirmation (or body for their families to bury).

"I see. I would tell your teacher to keep a close eye on that airport. If that dog was sent by plane, it may not be the only one."

Megumi nodded. "I'm sure he wanted to ask you himself, but I know how you feel around him."

"I appreciate that," Ciel genuinely said before glancing at Megumi's uniform. "I'm surprised he's convinced you to become a sorcerer, and with him as your teacher no less. I remember you saying you weren't interested. What changed?"

Megumi's expression became terse, he looked straight ahead. "...Something happened. I had to become a sorcerer so that I could do something about it."

"Such as?"

He gave another pause, then turned to Ciel. "It happened last year-"

"Hmm..."

Ciel paused her scrolling. She typed in the search bar, inputting an address. When she pressed enter, four results pulled up. She opened another tab to access maps. Entering the address, she watched as the map pointed to the street.

Some of these reports share a similar location of where the missing people were last seen. It was the link she'd been searching for. Looking further, there were other disappearances within the same area, as if heading for - or from - the same direction.

She expanded the search. The map enlarged and one location in particular caught her eye.

Eishuu Juvenile Detention Center.

Ciel's eyes narrowed.

The screen of her cell phone lit up next to her hip. Another text and funny video sent by Yuji, one of the many messages received over the past week. Ciel was too preoccupied to answer.

"Are you sure you want to interview them, young lady?" The officer holds open the hallway door. "These aren't some misunderstood ruffians. I can't promise they won't say anything inappropriate."

Ciel smiled through her disguise. "Don't worry. I have a tough skin, or else I wouldn't think to do this for my school project."

Inside the Eishuu Juvenile Detention Center, Ciel - under an alias - was being escorted to the visiting room by a guard. She had snuck her way in through the front door, under pretense that she was here for reasons and gaps easily filled in by her Suggestion Spell, convincing the staff members of this facility, including the warden.

She wouldn't have been prohibited from entering had she gone through the proper procedures, but this method alone saves her the time and trouble. There were still some convincing and paperwork she had to do, however. With her baby face, it was bound to cause some delays, but Ciel was patient.

She thought it would take a little while before she would see the inmates, but apparently, as soon as the others heard of a high school girl wanting to speak to them, many were very eager to answer.

"Yeah, this place is rough. The food here sucks!"

"My family used to visit. Not so much now. They're not that busy."

"Give me your number and I'll say anything you want, beautiful~"

These were the general responses Ciel received. Her approach was to question their treatment within the detention center. Ignoring the flirtations, what she was looking for was suspicious activities the inmates themselves have noticed. Of course, no such answers would be easily given with the detention guard standing behind her, and two more standing behind the inmate, but Ciel already knew that.

It didn't need to be directly stated. Just the tiniest bit of information or clue, whether through the inflections of their words or body language - something so minuscule, could lead to a bigger discovery.

"Have you made any associates during your time here?"

Ciel prodded with the same question she had given to the other inmates. Naturally, she couldn't be outright and ask "have you noticed the guards or your cellmates sucking anyone's blood lately?" She had a cover to uphold.

The nineteen-year old before her did not immediately respond, seemingly registering her words. Or perhaps wasn't interested in answering at all.

"Hey! She asked you a question." The guard behind the inmate said. "Have some manners. Someone other than your own mother actually came to see that ugly mug of yours."

The inmate, Tadashi Okazaki, huffed at the insult. Ciel noted the subdued hostility between the guards and the inmates. The power dynamic between those who held authority, and those who were suppressed under it, it was a suitable "feeding ground" for a dead apostle. However, she had yet to uncover any evidence of vampire activity. She'll need to dig deeper.

Ciel puts down her pen, pausing her writing of her notebook she had on her lap. "It's alright. Mr. Okazaki isn't obligated to answer."

Tadashi raised his eyes and saw Ciel's kindness shining in her softly-given smile. "If he doesn't mind me being here, I'm willing to wait until he feels comfortable."

The lack of judgment in her words - not to mention pretty face - was enough to break down Tadashi's walls instantaneously. "...I don't mind."

"Don't let your guard down around these lot. There's a reason why most of their families stopped coming."

This was the advice given by one of the guards after Ciel finished her interview. She looked up at the guard, "Does that happen often?"

"Lately, it seemed like we've been getting less and less sign-ins. I don't blame 'em. These delinquents did bad things - some worse than others. What parent would be proud of that?" He was speaking unprofessionally, yet there was a disclosed sympathy to the family in question.

Ciel held some doubt towards the statement. Not every parent would agree with everything their children did, but that didn't always lead to disownment. Some parents were even blind to their children's faults. Thinking as a person who came from a family of unconditional love, it didn't seem likely that there was intentional abandonment here. Based on what the inmates told her, there had been no particular fallout between them and those who came to visit, enough to warrantee the abrupt cut contact.

However, Ciel had not converse with all the inmates, as that would take more time, paperwork, and permission. So she could not be certain either. "Had there been a lot of arguing during visits?"

"Almost every day. Some inmates get too agitated, and we would have to end their session early."

"They would get violent? Would they be detained back to their cells?"

"No. If there's anyone acting up, we put them in solitary. We'd also get requests to transfer those who keep it up, mostly due to overcrowding. It's a new system that was just placed in, and it looks like it's working. There's barely any noise around here anymore."

Ciel thought back to the expression she's read on the inmates she interviewed. The way their answers ranged from lax and unfiltered, to controlled and evasive when she broached the subject regarding the guard's treatment. As if they were afraid to speak it, in a way that could mean their punishment.

Prisoners transferred out of the blue, combined with the lack of visits from their families. It'd be easy for such people to slip through the cracks and disappear. Hardly anyone would notice apart from their extended relatives, but who's to say they would be aware that those people came here? And who else would associate, let alone check in frequently, with criminals behind bars aside from their closest relatives or friends - those who would visit in person? It'd be a plus as well if there were no extended families to worry, with such information likely accessed by this facility.

It was a theory. And Ciel intended to explore it.

The tour lasted another hour. Ciel excused herself to the restroom and left the guards to stand outside the door. She hid within one of the stalls and immediately lifted her Suggestion Spell, instantly vanishing from the memories of those she had just spoken with.

After a moment, the guards - not knowing exactly why they had been standing there - returned to their posts, and Ciel went to work. In such a highly-secured location, there were challenges and obstacles to be expected, but they were nothing Ciel couldn't overcome. Earlier, she obtained a map of the whole facility and memorized the routes. It was with that map she discovered there was a sewer system underneath the detention center. She knew that was where she needed to investigate.

Sneaking past security was no issue, as she was a quick blur in their camera feed. As for the guards, Ciel avoided being spotted by them. Even if she were inches away did they never notice her presence while she hid behind a corner. Bypassing a locked door using a keycard she nabbed from one of the guards, she reached a spiral staircase and, sensing no life below, leapt through the gap, easily reaching the very bottom.

The further Ciel went, the less and less guards there seemed to be, until there was no one. She bypassed another locked door and entered a new hallway. It was much darker here. The ceiling lights completely off. There were rooms on each side of the wall, all closed behind heavy metal doors. Solitary Confinement.

There seemed to be about a dozen of them in this hallway alone, yet Ciel sensed no people in any of these rooms. It didn't appear as if anyone's come down here, not for long anyhow. She saw the security cameras but noticed none of them were on, and so Ciel calmly walked down the hall.

There should be another entrance that leads to the sewer system through here. If Ciel's theory was correct, those who were originally held in these rooms would be moved there, and then...

Tap. Tap.

Ciel halted at the sounds of footsteps. She chose to wait, even as the light of a flashlight shone in her direction.

"Hey! Who's there!"

The light landed on her figure, and she was spotted. Two detention officers stepped towards her from the end of the hall, demanding her not to move.

"Now what do we have here?" One of them said. The darkness mostly masked their faces, but even under the shadows of their hats, Ciel saw it clear as day. The dark crimson of their eyes.

Vampires.

"This is a restricted area, missy. Who let you in?"

Ciel pretended to fidget with her hands, presenting herself as benign. "I'm sorry. I got turned around."

She concocted a lie that she was here to visit her brother, despite her parents forbidding her to, and she ended up getting lost. She begged the officers to not inform her parents, suggesting that no one else knew she was here.

The officers looked at each other, an agreement exchanged between them. They assured they won't tell, and to follow them for the exit. Expressing relief, Ciel complied and they led her through the dark hallway. One of the officers walked behind her, ensuring she would not flee.

"Don't mind the electricity. We're doing some re-wiring here," the officer in front of her excused. "Just stick close to us. We'll take you outside."

"Thank you," Ciel answered with a convincing smile. It was obvious what they intended to do with her. Just their conditions alone confirmed it. With luck, she might be taken directly to their lair, where their master reside.

The stench of death thickened the further they walked. Any other person wouldn't be able to tell, but to Ciel, it was more than noticeable. Which meant there'd been casualties. Around two-handfuls of missing reports led her to this place. Who knows how many more these men were able to bury.

-! What?

She felt something. A graze to her system at the back of her head, at her magical sensor. It was distant, as if it was somewhere outside. An ominous presence that was steadily growing.

Is this-?

An alarm went off. The hallway suddenly blared with a flashing light, bleeding into the room and then fading out. Over and over.

"-?! The hell?" The officer up front lifted his flashlight to the alarm.

"A fire?" The second officer questioned. He looked to his associate. "What do we do?"

There was some hesitation before the first officer answered. "Ignore it. It's probably just a drill."

The nicety fell as he barked. "Hurry up! We'll wait it out until it's over."

They grabbed Ciel's arms and dragged her along, hastening their steps. "Just keep following us. If you know what's good for you."

Ciel did not object. Her eyes hardened as she felt the ominous presence continue to grow, surrounding them like a cape falling over their environment. This was not the air of a dead apostle. Instead, it felt more like-

A curse?

The moment she thought of this as she was pushed through an open door, the world around them changed.

Chapter Text

"You've got to be fucking with me...!"

The detention officer was pinned under several curses. They gnawed at his half-eaten limbs. His organs exposed and chewed in between their teeth. Blood filth the floor as he remained conscious to everything. A human being would normally faint by now, a fortuitous aspect of a mortality he no longer had.

"I'm a dead apostle... I-!" His disbelief was cut short by his own scream. The curses worked their way into his stomach, digging themselves deeper into his guts and lungs. For an undead whose life was sustained on blood, he could only remain conscious as he was eaten alive, for as long as there remained a single drop of blood to regenerate him.

"-Aaaaahhhh! This is bullshit! This is bullshit! You fuckers aren't worth shit!" He was supposed to be the invincible one. He, who was given immortal life, should be strong enough to tear through these curses easily. However, there were too many for him to fight off alone. Even a bear would be overwhelmed by wolves that came in greater numbers. Furthermore, he was not a true dead apostle in a sense, but a mere minion who had only his speed, strength, and fangs to rely on, none of which were useful to him now.

His associate had already been dismembered. The second officer lay motionlessly as a big curse suckled half his body down its throat, holding his legs with its stubby arms. The fledgling never even knew what attacked him.

"Soichiiii... Soichiiii...!" One of the curses in the vampire's guts uttered. The woes of what sounded to be a parent. The name was familiar. Hadn't there been an inmate with that name? Yes, he was certain of it. How strange for the officer to think of this now.

Ah. Of course. That's what this was. It was karma at work. That must be it. For all the victims they brought here. It only made sense.

And yet it wasn't fair. Those people were put to better use. He truly believed this. He didn't deserve this. He was better than those scum. That was his justification. He shouldn't have to suffer through this no matter what he's done. He'd simply been doing his job. He'd simply been doing this world a favor.

"Piiigs... Allll offf theeemmmm!"

"Fiiire...! Fiiire...! Fiiire...!"

"W-Wwworthlessss... I'mmm... w-wworthlesssss..."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I don't care! I don't care-!"

His misery was swiftly ended through his skull. The black key embedded through his brain. A few more pierced his body and curses, along with his associate, and they instantly went aflame, exorcised into nothingness.

"You should have thought twice abandoning me to save yourselves." Ciel landed effortlessly before the ashes, her nun habit flowing after removing her disguise. "I would have given you a quicker death."

In the end, it was for naught. Ciel was a little disappointed she couldn't reach the lair first, but it would appear she'll have to set that aside.

"I'll have to find it myself." For now, there was another matter to address.

She looked up at her twisted environment that reeked with cursed energy. It had only been an hour, and yet everything was upended. Pipes sprawled everywhere. Walls on top of more walls, doors, and windows. An impossible architecture and size, like stepping into another reality. She could feel the distortion stretch further from this area, but never bypassing the exterior of the whole facility.

This is different from a boundary field. Ciel observed as she traversed the distorted space on foot, exorcising more curses that continue to either spawn or be drawn here. A type of pocket-dimension. Not a reality marble - not exactly.

A domain. An innate domain to be exact. She had only ever heard about it, yet she never imagined it would be this unsightly. A reflection of the user's mind and soul.

If this was the work of a curse, then according to the grade system categorized by jujutsu sorcerers, their level had to be somewhere around Special Grade. That more and more curses were swarming this place, like flies attracted to the scent of food, meant this domain was either creating them, or were empowering those already present here.

There didn't appear to be a barrier, likely this building made it a suitable substitute, which meant this domain was an incomplete state. Raw and unrefined, with no clear purpose except to disorient those caught up in it.

How on earth did it come into existence like this?

Ciel would have noticed a curse of this magnitude when she first arrived. She could only reason that, whatever the source, it started to manifest after she went deeper into the detention center. Too far from her senses to pick up, not while she was in her civilian form. By the time she noticed it, it grew at an exponential rate, overtaking the basement leading into the sewers, and entrapping her and the officers before spreading to the rest of the facility. As if someone dowsed a small fire with kerosine.

There were other curses in the detention center, could those have fueled into the source?

While there had been plenty, and she had to keep her hands to herself to preserve her cover, it still seemed so sudden that one curse would suddenly gain this much power. Could the existence of the dead apostle's lair have something to do with it?

That fire alarm was likely set off solely to evacuate everyone. Someone must have seen the cursed source, Ciel realized. There may be others who didn't escape in time.

A typical fire drill would have all the inmates and staff leave the building promptly. No delay whatsoever. By now, everyone should have left this place. However, there's no guarantee there would not be any stragglers. No one, not especially those outside of sorcery, could possibly be prepared for a scenario like this. The doors Ciel passed through were already gone. The same might have happened to those unfortunate enough to lag behind.

They'll be dead before a shaman would arrive to exorcise the threat.

If those fledglings couldn't fend off against that many curses, there was no hope for humans with no practice in exorcism.

Ciel stabbed several black keys into the ground. With a flick of her hand, the black keys moved on their own. Carving through the floor, they set off for multiple directions.

I must confirm any survivors.

In the meantime, Ciel will handle this.

"-Exit! Where the hell is the exit?!"

Three inmates ran through the corridor. The space all around them choked with an unearthly level of putrid imagery. Monsters poked their twisted heads out constantly. Endless, deranged laughter filled the void between the inmates panting and cursing.

"Hey! You see those freaks too, right?! I'm not losing my mind here, right?!"

Tadashi Okazaki refused to believe his predicament. He didn't believe it when one of the inmates he was with told him that there was some kind of "fetus" floating in the middle of the sky. Even when Tadashi looked he still didn't see it. He may not be the brightest, but he wasn't that gullible either.

It wasn't too long after that the fire alarm went off. All the inmates were forced out of the courtyard. There were shouting from the guards. A few of them he noticed looked nervous - kept looking outside, same place the other inmate pointed at. Tadashi and four others were the last in line just several feet away from the exit. Then, out of nowhere, the doors were shut, and they were suddenly in this hell.

"Yes we see 'em! Stop pointing them out!" The third inmate yelled. "Dammit-! Those guards-! They fuckin' abandoned us!"

"No way...! Someone will come back for us! They're not just gonna leave us here?!"

Tadashi didn't respond. He didn't want that to be true. He looked back where they just came from, seeing only darkness, and movement of something not human. There used to be two other guys with them. They weren't there anymore.

"-! Fuck!"

Today was the day. Today was when his mother would usually come visit him.

"How are they treating you, Tadashi?"

"This isn't kindergarten, mom. Do you always have to ask me that? Why do you have to stop by, huh? Aren't I enough an embarrassment to you?"

"Tadashi. Don't say that-!"

"Just leave me alone, you old bag. I've already been cursed out by that little girl's parents. Don't pretend you don't feel the same. Hey! Guard! I'm done here!"

Those were the last things he said to her.

I'm sorry! I'm sorry, mom! I'm sorry!

If this was punishment, it was more than enough. He did stupid things, calling them mistakes was an understatement, and he disregarded those who told him so. He disregarded their warnings. He disregarded his mother's worries. He disregarded anyone being on the road that day. He avoided everything and everyone so that he wouldn't have to face accountability. It was easier to block it all out than to confront the facts. It was easier to erase his empathy. There was no point having it. He had already been condemned.

Except by his mother. And he hated that. He hated how she was around him. How she would still see him like nothing between them had changed. He wasn't her innocent little boy anymore. And yet. She was the only person in this world who didn't curse him. And he threw her out.

Now this place had condemned him too, and he could no longer avoid the animosity the world held against him.

"-No. No! No! NO!"

Tadashi wetted himself when a "monster" appeared in front of them, grabbing one of the inmates and lifted him by the wrist. It had the body of a teenager. The muscles in its lanky arms protruded, as if still growing.

"Ahhh...!" Unable, and helpless, to face such monstrosity, the second inmate fainted, utterly damning himself as more curses began to circle around them.

"Help me-! Mommy!" The captured inmate screamed as the pale monster dug its finger into the skin of his arm, breaking flesh like digging one's nail into an orange, ready to peel.

"Mom..." Tadashi was frozen stiff. Pure fear numbed his body as the pale monster grinned at him. He didn't even notice another curse sneaking up behind him, delighted at the sight of his terror and reached for his immobile legs.

"Mom-!"

He didn't want to die. He didn't want what he said be the last thing she heard from him. The one person who never stopped loving him.

Someone save me-!

Something long shot past him, piercing through the head of the curse behind him.

"-?!" The pale monster saw and immediately let go of his victim. Its hand was torn through by a thin, dark silver sword, and it shrieked as it jumped away.

Several more dark silver rained around them. It happened so fast, Tadashi couldn't register what was going on. In what felt like an instant, he and the other inmates were surrounded by swords. A barrier of light erupted from them, entrapping them in a protective glow. Curses that were close enough were instantly burnt, vaporized by the holy light.

"...Huh?"

Tadashi stared dumbly. He watched as the pale monster observed silently. The grin on its white face turned to a grimace. After observing other curses die by the light, the pale monster backed away. It moved further, and further, until it sunk into the shadows.

The large room, where they were about to meet their end, went quiet. The inmate who had his arm stabbed clutched his wound and curled up into a ball, repeatedly begging for his life. The second inmate remained unconscious, completely unaware of what transpired.

Tadashi fell to his knees, his shoulders slumped. Whether it was out of relief or exhaustion, his energy was nonetheless spent.

"I've learned my lesson."

"...I see. So three people were left behind," Ciel said. It was a little difficult to maneuver her black keys through this domain, what with the terrain so irregular. It'll be a challenge to locate the exit, and perhaps even more so the user - assuming they're able to manipulate their environment. I'm sensing multiple movements elsewhere.

More survivors? Or perhaps...

"Guuuuurrrggghh..."

Ciel's second inquiry was answered. From one of the dark corridors, the dead wandered in. Their bodies filled with curses, and a hot orange glow through the cracks of their charcoal black exterior - the likes which she had never seen before.

A new type of dead? One that was harboring curses, just like the ones from that abandoned building, and the ones from the cemetery. This place seems to be filled with all sorts of surprises.

This may take a while.

With a stoic expression, Ciel pulled out more black keys. "It's sickening what little regard vampires have for the living. Not even the dead are spared from their amusement."

She was quite relieved Yuji-kun wasn't around to see this.

"-What happened to the door?! There was a door here, wasn't there?!"

Three hours later, the "first responders" finally arrived to the scene.

Five inmates and two officers were reportedly trapped inside the detention center after a curse womb was spotted there, as stated by Jujutsu High School Assistant Manager, Ijichi Kiyotaka. Although a scenario such as this called for a sorcerer's power at the level of Satoru Gojo, due to the time-sensitivity of the situation, and all other Special Grade Sorcerers' absence, the First Years of Tokyo Jujutsu High were called to the task.

Their mission was simple: rescue the survivors. Under no circumstances should they engage with the curse womb regardless of its early stages. It's in and out.

Unfortunately, the moment they went in, their out had immediately ceased to be. Even the "experienced" Kugisaki was at a loss. It was the crypts all over again.

"It's alright," Megumi called out to them. He ushered to his white Divine Dog as it sniffed the ground and looked back at its summoner. "Divine Dog has the exit's scent. He'll lead us back to it."

"Good boy~!" Yuji affectionately cuddled the shikigami while Nobara professed to the dog deserving "all the beef jerkys!" Divine Dog was fairly pleased by that.

Megumi let them had their fun and returned his attention to his surroundings. It was unbelievable. Something so immense as this should almost be impossible within the time frame that the curse womb was spotted. There had to be some genius-level growth involved, or there was another factor they weren't accounting for.

"You're just as reliable as Ciel, Fushiguro!"

Megumi looked back at Yuji.

"Looks like you'll be saving us this time," Yuji smiled widely, his relief and faith shining in his expression.

"...Let's go."

A guy like that with a smile that big, he'd be too good to be a sorcerer. There was no point in thinking like that now, though. Not when Megumi was the one who wanted Itadori to be saved.

"-Liiight! I'm on fiiire...! Aaaahhhahhahahaa!"

The sluggish, woman-like curse swung its melty-elongated limbs. Yuji ducked and slid underneath the attack, jabbing Slaughter Demon into the curse's body and slicing through its stomach. Nobara fired iron nails into the curse's head as Divine Dog clenched its fangs at the curse's leg, immobilizing it.

"Sa... Sa..."

At the curse's depleting strength, it eventually died under the exorcising flame. "Save me..."

Yuji flinched as he got back up. Just now, the curse sounded so human...

"That's the third curse we came across screaming about fire," Nobara noted. "Was there an accident here?"

"Nothing that came out in the report," Megumi answered with a frown. "...Let's keep moving."

They did so, though Yuji looked back at the vanishing curse one last time before catching up to his class.

They wandered through the dark and across bridges. Despite the nauseating structure that'd be enough to confuse anyone, Divine Dog was able to guide them without trouble, trailing the scent of anyone else within the vicinity.

After a moment, Divine Dog suddenly lifted its head.

"Hold on," Megumi knelt beside his shikigami and looked at the diverging paths. "I'm picking up two groups from both directions."

"Should we split up?" Yuji suggested (Nobara: "Now you want to do that?"). While he'd normally be against the idea, since this involved multiple people, they might not have a choice.

Megumi considered. He could take one path alone with his shikigamis to aid him, but Megumi wasn't confident about letting Yuji and Nobara handle themselves just yet. Even if he gave them his other Divine Dog so they wouldn't get lost, they're still new to how curses behave in this city. With how deeply infested this place was, there's no guessing what other curses they'll come across. Especially the curse womb.

"No. Let's stick together. We'll look for the rest afterwards."

"Sir yes sir!" Yuji saluted with a deep, soldier-like voice.

"Lead the way, leader!" Nobara gestured with her arms, like showing a path for a king. As their only means of escape, they'll happily make fun of him.

Megumi ignored their mock and proceeded down one of the paths, deciding to take the right.

"-Gross. And I just bought these shoes too," Nobara grimaced as her foot sunk into the murky water, her nose crinkling at the funky odor. "Did you have to lead us into the sewer first?"

"It would have been harder if we brought those other survivors with us," Megumi countered, to which Nobara conceded at. Their feet swished through the water inside the long tunnel, its suspicious green pool filling the entire floor, slowing their movements somewhat.

"-! Grrrrrrr..." The white Divine Dog halted, a low growl in its throat, baring its fangs. The three students were on immediate alert, looking towards the dark hallway, where a faint warm glow started to appear. An outline of human figures became visible.

Yuji perked at the sight and picked up the pace, his feet splashing against the water as Nobara yelled at him for getting her leggings wet.

"Hey! Are you guys all-?!" Yuji was stopped when Megumi grabbed his red hood.

"Wait." Megumi's expression tensed. His Divine Dog had yet to cease its growling.

The three figures at the end of the tunnel drew closer, and their warm glow grew brighter. The source of light was not from a flashlight or a lighter, but in them. Hot red-orange bled through the cracks of their black-charred figures, like magma in human form. Their eyes and mouths burned through their skulls, with the unmistakable sounds of sizzling like a grill, smelling of black smoke as it rose from their bodies.

Yuji's eyes widened, recognizing the appearances of corpses, although they looked different from before.

"Are you kidding me?" Nobara was the first to vocally express her reaction. "These guys again?! What are they even doing here?!"

Megumi had no answer as he had his Divine Dog stand before them, summoning his other wolf for added defense.

The black Divine Dog suddenly barked at the walls, and Megumi shouted at his group, "Look out!"

Nobara and Yuji sensed the presence, and they separated to avoid the attack of a curse, its claw emerging from the wall. Curses phased through the surface, reaching out with its melted limbs.

Yuji swung Slaughter Demon as Nobara swung her hammer. Curse-energy fueled nails fired into the heads of curses while their limbs sliced off.

Megumi parted one dog to assist his classmates, while his other Divine Dog pounced for the three burning dead as they ambled close. The white Divine Dog struck the first dead away with its feet, and then punctured the second dead with its wolfish teeth, tearing through the burnt flesh.

From the broken flesh, a spark of flame spilled from the neck of the death. The dead's eyes shone.

Megumi's eyes widened. An instant flash of memory from when he and Gojo confronted that corpse hound, and its burning flame that enveloped that area of the cemetery. "LET GO!"

He realized his error too late. Despite his white Divine Dog quickly following his command, releasing the neck of the dead and retreated, the damage - however slight - was already done. The dead's eyes and wounded neck flared, and its mouth was engulfed in flames.

After exorcising the curses, Yuji and Nobara looked over at the commotion, and were startled by Megumi's shout. "Everyone-!"

Megumi interlocked his fingers into a jujutsu sign, preparing to summon another shikigami - any one of them that would be enough to protect them for what's to come. "Get out of here-!"

The burning corpse burned brighter, and it erupted into a giant ball of fire, engulfing all other corpses and adding more fuel to its power, igniting a massive explosion.

The group watched in shock as the flames quickly filled the tunnel and wretch towards them, too fast before Megumi's shikigami would emerge from its shadow.

-shink!

The sound of a bladed weapon, landing like a blue arrow in front of the class. Ciel braced the flames with a raise of her hand, unfaltering under the intensity that attempted to trample over her. A see-through wall of magical energy barricaded her and those behind her, and she held onto its shield until the flames eventually died out.

"Ciel-!"

"Senpai-!"

"Fushiguro-san's first crush!"

All three students exclaimed their surprise, even Nobara, who wanted to be included as she pointed her finger at Ciel.

Ciel looked back at the group. She arrived quickly as soon as she heard yelling, but when she looked upon the students, she was shocked. "Fushiguro-? Yuji-kun?!"

At their stilled environment, quelled of all enemies for now, Ciel turned to face everyone. "W-What are you three doing here?! This isn't a place for first years to be!"

She expected sorcerers, not those so newly experienced as these. What in the world was Gojo thinking?!

"We should ask you the same thing!" Nobara threw back. "And what's with these zombies being here too?! Is that why there's been so many curses around?!"

"You really saved our hides - again," Yuji said as he catered to the white Divine Dog, rubbing its face. The poor pooch got the edges of its hair singed from the fire, giving the shikigami a charcoal outline. "Are you here on a lead or something?"

"Answer my question first," Ciel retorted. "Why are all of you here? This place is far too dangerous to send only three sorcerers."

"We were called in after a curse womb was sighted on top of this building," Megumi explained, kneeling down to pat the head of his black Divine Dog. "It was an emergency and we were short-staffed, but we never expected it to get this bad."

"A curse womb...?" Ciel frowned, uttering the vaguely familiar term. "But that still doesn't make sense. If there really is such an enemy, they should have never sent first years to-"

She paused when she locked eyes with Yuji's, and her breath quietly hitched. Realization struck her and unintentionally showed in her face, even for a split moment.

Megumi caught her reaction. He followed her gaze and his eyes widened, like ice down his spine.

This was a set up...!

He knew something hadn't been right. That it was a little strange how a small bunch of first years were handed this mission. Even if it was just supposed to be reconnaissance and rescue, the threat level was still there. Megumi didn't think more of it, though. He believed it when it was said that this was an emergency, and that it was considered too early for there to be any real threat.

This was Yuji Itadori's premature execution. The elders had no intention of keeping their word with Gojo-sensei, not like what they did with Yuta Okkotsu. To pull something like this while their teacher was out of town, killing three birds with one stone - eradicating all of Gojo's up and coming sorcerers with their fresh ideas for the jujutsu world, Megumi should have known something was up. This was a suicide mission from the very beginning.

"What's wrong?" Yuji saw the faces of Ciel and Megumi. Seeing them look a little spooked, he was getting kind of worried.

Ciel and Megumi exchanged a glance, and then looked away. They avoided answering him, silently agreeing not to.

"Hey, just what are you guys whispering in your heads about?" Nobara, on the other hand, was not as easy to ignore. She walked right up to them, her legs swishing through the water. "If it's got something to do with us, you better fess up."

"...It's nothing," Ciel calmly assured. "Right now, we should focus on getting all of you out of here. The situation has escalated far beyond what you were told. It's better to leave now and wait for reinforcements."

"We can't leave yet," Yuji said. "We still have to find the survivors. They got left behind before the staff sealed all the exits. Did you happen to see anyone, Ciel?" (Nobara: "no honorifics...")

Ciel pondered for a moment and then turned her shoulder towards the tunnel. "I will locate the survivors. You, on the other hand, must leave this place. It is not safe for any of you, regardless of your talents, training, and experience."

"Should an exorcist from another company really be telling us what to do?" Nobara had to ask as she looked at the burnt ashes on the wall. "Not that I don't see why. I better still get paid after this."

It was just getting a little annoying to be continuously told to "stay out of it". She's an exorcist too, dammit.

"There's a lot more at stake here than our paychecks..." Yuji was appalled by Nobara's priorities.

"You are correct, Yuji-kun," Ciel's words took everyone by surprise, even Yuji.

Her cold-blue eyes sharpened. "There is something else at stake here. It's the reason why I came to this place."

Her reveal left a chill in the air.

"There is a dead apostle's lair hidden somewhere in this building. I am here to destroy it - along with the vampire who owns it."

Chapter Text

"Dead apostle?" Yuji repeated, him and Megumi taken aback by the news. A vampire's lair. Here?

"No one told us that!" Nobara clasped her neck in protection. For all they knew, the beast could be hiding in the shadows behind them. She couldn't have her virgin blood be sucked. That was not how she wanted to stay young!

"I'm not surprised. I myself wasn't certain until I decided to investigate this facility," Ciel said in an even tone, but never failing to accentuate the seriousness of the matter - if it wasn't obvious enough. "There had been numerous disappearances nearby, and the detention center was one of the most prominent places within the area. I was undercover when I came across two fledglings - servants for the vampire lord. They were going to take me to their lair. However..."

"The curse womb appeared," Megumi's brows rose. "And you got caught in its domain."

"Yes. I was too deep underground to notice its existence. By then, it was already too late. The fledglings I was with were overrun by curses, and I've been searching for survivors since."

It was prevalent that the curse womb must be exterminated in order to put an end to its domain. The issue was reaching the curse. No matter how far or how quickly Ciel moved, every time she believed to have pinpointed the curse womb, the curse womb's presence would slink back and emerge elsewhere. It became obvious in the second hour that the curse womb was actively trying to avoid her, a familiar tactic many dead apostles have used.

When it came to enemies that knew they were being hunted, patience and timing were key factors in this. She could mask her own presence and wait until the curse womb lowered its guard, then strike as soon as Ciel was close. However, it was impossible to hide herself as she was forced to exorcise every terrible curse and dead she stumbled across - too many to ignore, in addition to sending out her black keys earlier. Without a doubt, the curse womb knew an exorcist was here. The element of surprise had already been spent.

But there was still a chance Ciel could catch the curse womb by surprise. She could perhaps use the survivors as bait to draw it out, but that was not necessary, nor would it guarantee the intended results. At the very least, she was able to clear out most obstacles that would have otherwise impeded her, even if it did took another hour to do so. Though many curses still remained, there was enough room for shamans to come through and retrieve the survivors should they have the means to. If there truly hadn't been any sorcerer available, Ciel would have stayed for an indefinite amount of time until she exorcised the curse womb herself.

She never thought all of Satoru's first year students would be sent here to die, however. Yuji, perhaps. But to sacrifice Megumi and Nobara as well? Ciel underestimated just how intolerable jujutsu higher ups were of Satoru's actions. Even the Mage Association would have simply put out a Sealing Designation than this.

If the jujutsu elders were already aware of the danger, then it's likely they never expected, or cared, for there to be any survivors. Could they have also been aware of the dead apostle? She'd hate to consider that. It's pure negligence at this point.

"Do you understand? This isn't a rescue mission anymore. It's a necessary purge." Ciel paused when the white Divine Dog approached her, its nose raised at her and its tail wagged with recognition. She leaned over slightly and petted the dog's head. "It's not just curses involved. At this state, even the Church will have to intervene."

"Then we definitely should work together."

It was a repeated proposition from the pink-haired boy. One who was still oblivious to it all. "We can look for the survivors, get them out, and then warn everybody about what's going on here."

It was a reasonable suggestion. Ciel actually considered it as she stood up.

"We'll help you find that vampire's lair too. If anymore people are trapped down here, we got to rescue them."

Upon hearing that, Ciel immediately responded. "Absolutely not. Searching for the lair is too dangerous. You'll risk confronting the dead apostle, or more of those flaming dead. They're an ilk I have never encountered before, and I can't be sure if they're the only ones."

She reaffirmed with a turn of her shoulder. "What you need to do is report back to your superiors. If the vampire lord is still here, there needs to be a blockade set up. Just sealing all the doors won't be enough to keep it contained."

Whether the dead apostle was strong or not, Ciel was more concerned about the flaming dead it was producing. The corpses seemed to have an infectious ability. If something were to endure their flame and remain intact, they too would become flaming dead. It's even able to affect curses, with Ciel having to exorcise several "burning" spirits already. She was only thankful that, due to the curses' intangible forms, they could not produce enough build-up to cause an explosion. If the dead broke out, however, and reach a populated area, it'd be a catastrophe.

Furthermore, they've already overstayed their welcome here. Ciel's sacraments that protected the students from the fire have undoubtedly alerted several other entities, including those that were bound to be the most troublesome. It's only a matter of time before they would arrive to this location.

"It's not a good idea to handle this alone," Yuji said in an almost bewildering voice. "That curse womb is still hanging around somewhere."

He'd only just heard about it but it sounded seriously dangerous.

Ciel showed her back to them and surveyed her surroundings. "While I may not have that much experience against these types of curses, I have dealt several of them over the past few weeks. As a woman of the cloth, I am more than capable of performing this exorcism."

"I don't doubt your abilities, senpai," Megumi spoke up. "But I agree with Itadori. These curses are different from the ones you might find outside Japan. A curse womb is another level to that. You'll need someone to watch your back."

There was a winning look on Yuji as Ciel turned to Megumi.

"However, I do think we should leave."

"Huh?!" Yuji was shocked by Megumi's follow-up.

Nobara was also surprised. "Why? We already came this far." She'd hate to have her socks wet for nothing.

Megumi knelt down beside his wolf and rubbed its fur, prepping his shikigami to lead them back to the exit. "Ciel-senpai is right. The situation has changed. We're dealing with threats we know nothing about and aren't prepared to deal with."

An unfinished domain, curses, a curse womb, those flaming dead and now a vampire. Megumi would honestly be surprised if any of the guards or inmates survived at this point.

"I've nearly gotten us killed with that horde earlier," Megumi admitted his fault with an etch of guilt in his face. "There's no telling what else could be waiting for us. We might not be so lucky next time."

"But it's fine now, right? We're still alive, so it turned out okay," Yuji immediately deflected that self-deprecating talk. He then pointed his thumb at the blue-haired executor. "Plus, Ciel's with us, so things should go a lot smoother. We can't just abandon the mission."

That'll mean abandoning the people here to their doom. Yuji won't accept that.

"I'm not saying we abandon the mission," Megumi countered with a raise of his hand, pressing his fingers together. "If there are more people involved, then we need more hands in this. There's also that other group we still need to confirm the state of. I think what we should do is-"

Before Megumi would continue, there was a distant echo. A voice travelled through the dark tunnel.

"Hello! Is someone there?!"

It was a voice that was undoubtedly human. The group turned their head in alert.

"Hey! Get us out of here!"

"Oh God! Please help! Help!"

Several voices echoed from the dark. A mixture of men and women in one area.

Yuji instantly honed in on the yelling and sprinted towards it, breaking away from his class. "Hang on! We're coming!"

"Itadori-!" Megumi called out, standing up quick.

"Wait-!" Ciel was caught off guard by Yuji's speed and broke into a sprint after him. It was like watching someone hit the gas pedal of a motor vehicle. Could this be a side-effect from becoming half-cursed?

"Hey! Wait for us!" Nobara forced her feet through the murky water, following after Megumi who also gave chase. "Geez! Why are those guys so fast?! Did they have cheetahs for breakfast?!"

Megumi gritted his teeth as he already lost sight of both Yuji and Ciel, mentally swearing to knock Yuji over in the head as soon as they escape this place.

"What the hell is this...?" Yuji muttered out in aghast.

"This," Ciel answered monotonously, "Is what happens when a vampire enters human civilization."

It was as if they walked into hell itself.

The enclave was filled with a heavy stench of iron and the cries of the living. Blood and intestines hung up on the walls, compiling into masses of flesh. Victims by the dozen dangled from the ceiling, their limbs missing, their physiques unrecognizable, as if melted onto the surface.

"-letmeoutletmeoutletmeout-!"

"Hey! You guys are human, right?! Get us down from here!"

"Gnnnnnuuurrgh…."

The walls uttered with whatever remaining sanity they had left. Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara were stunned, standing in the water mixed with waste matter and blood.

Ciel stood ahead of them, examining the work of the dead apostle with the raise of her chin. She spoke without emotion, a composure separating herself from the spilled guts and anguish all around her, as if reading off a report.

"The fledglings must have gathered inmates and visitors to this place to store blood for their master. Most wouldn't bat an eye where the troublemakers would go. If anyone asked, the guards' position would allow them to make up a story. And if anyone persists, they would be sent here."

"This many people…" Megumi was shocked. For so many to have been missing this entire time, even after his school was warned of a vampire in the city, how could no one have noticed?

No. Not no one.

Ciel noticed. A foreigner who was able to note a pattern of odd disappearances. Yet she was the only one who bothered to investigate. Even if there hadn't been a shaman available, it should have never taken them this long to find out.

"Why didn't we hear about this?" Nobara shared the same disbelief as Megumi. It took a lot to horrify Nobara, and this was plenty. Some of these victims shouldn't still be alive in the state that they're in. The lives they could have saved if they had arrived a few days sooner.

"Unless a strong presence like the curse womb made enough noise, no one would have known what was going on," Ciel reasoned. "Vampires, on the other hand, are notoriously elusive. Their decades of experience allows them to evade even a veterans' tracking abilities. I suspect someone with higher authority was also able to suppress the news of the disappearances, under the dead apostle's influence."

She looked upon the accursed work, spotting the mangled exposed phalanges of someone's skeletons holding hands. Likely an inmate's parents that were misled after visiting their son.

A flicker of emotion escaped Ciel. The executor's jaw clenched. "How horrible..."

Yuji looked at Ciel. Though she had turned away from the class, he was able to see her face partially. Her teeth gritting with anger. The usually composed girl expressing her disturbance by the scene. Yuji's horror shifted at the sight, bringing him back to his senses.

"...We have to get them down."

Yuji voiced this as he walked across the blood waters. "I can cut them free with my sword and carry some of them out."

It was not a suggestion, but a resolve. He won't be able to take everyone at once, but he could do up to two or three people, maybe even four. He'll have to be careful rushing the victims in their current state to the exit, make sure he avoided any curses or living dead along the way.

"Itadori..." Nobara started, sweat building at the side of her temple from the humidity this place was producing. Megumi grimaced, lowering his gaze to the floor.

Ciel was the one to say it as she side-stepped in front of Yuji, stopping him in his tracks and held out her hand towards him. "It isn't that simple. Their bodies are fused together onto the surface. Removing them will kill them."

"There's got to be something we can do," Yuji showed his hands to her, his willingness to do whatever it took to accomplish this. "Tell us what we have to do. If there's someone who can help us, I can go get them. I'm the fastest. I'll-"

"Yuji-kun." Ciel cuts him off and looked at him directly in the eye. Her voice soft but firm. "We can't save them."

Her words were like a slap to the face. Yuji was taken aback, staring at her in reply, "Why not? We can't leave them like this."

"It's already too late. Some of them have degraded to a point where their brain functionality ceased. The only reason they're still alive is because the dead apostle wanted their blood to remain "fresh", and made sure they would never escape."

"There has to be a way." Yuji was unmoved.

"There is no other way." Ciel was unperturbed. "Neither magecraft nor cursed technique can help these people. Even if we defeat the curse womb and the dead apostle, it's hopeless."

She had seen it many times before. The many blood storages of dead apostles; imprisoning hundreds of innocents that were beyond recognition by the time Ciel found them. No amount of healing sacraments could ever hope to reverse the process. Even the use of prosthetic was pointless, as the victim would require an entirely new body. Such resources would be difficult to procure, especially in that instance, let alone there being enough to save perhaps ten people - regardless of the physical therapy required afterwards, if the human mind could still cope after that.

"Don't say that! We can't just give up!" Despite the reality of it, despite even his own classmates staying quiet, showing that they too were aware of the bitter truth, Yuji refused to accept it. He was shocked that Ciel would even say this, his frustration slipping out.

Megumi's tense expression lessened. He walked up to Yuji and Ciel. "Hey. That's enough."

Ciel was unphased by Yuji's protest and responded, "Even if we can get them down. It's impossible to carry this many people all at once. There isn't enough of us."

"Then we'll get backup! I can get us more help!" Yuji pressed, a slight tremble in his voice out of desperation.

Ciel's blue brows lowered, her eyes void. "Do you still not understand? You're not coming back here."

Yuji was astounded. He watched Ciel turned towards the tunnel. "The risk is too great. There's nothing more you can do here. The only thing left is to keep moving."

"Hold on-!" Yuji grabbed her hand and stopped her from walking away. What's with her?! She couldn't honestly be dismissing all these people?!

Megumi grabbed Yuji's shoulder and pulled him away. "I said that's enough."

Yuji's glare remained on Ciel as Megumi spoke, "She's right. We can't afford to come back. There's a curse womb on the loose, and we still don't know if that dead apostle's here. With the guards dead, that just leaves us the inmates."

Megumi tightened his grip over Yuji's shoulder. "There isn't anyone else who can help us either. If there were, we wouldn't be here."

Even with his Shikigamis it wouldn't be enough. Megumi had to stress this to himself - with difficulty - as he heard the victims utterance.

"Then one of us has to stay and look after the civilians," Yuji said without pause, volunteering himself.

"I will look after them," Ciel interjected, turning back to face the class. "However, I can't promise anything. I must also eliminate the main threats of this building. Right now, your priority is your class's survival. That should be your main focus."

"But is this really fine?" Nobara asked, joining the group from the back. Logically, she knew they were looking at a hopeless situation, but it was still hard to ignore this. She wouldn't feel right about it. And if there was no hope, then...

Shouldn't we put them out of their misery? Not that she would feel right about that either.

Ciel picked up on Nobara's silent inquiry in her expression. Truthfully, Ciel had the same idea. It was procedure, actually. But she would rather have Satoru's class avoid witnessing that. Once they leave, Ciel will do what she must. "It's the only way."

"I don't believe that."

Yuji's sudden declare made Ciel pause, and he went on, "We'll figure something out. It doesn't matter how. We have to find a way to get everyone out."

Ciel's patience was beginning to reach its limit at the face of Yuji's stubbornness. "You're being unrealistic. I've warned you before. If you keep at this, you'll only endanger everyone, including your classmates. Don't overestimate yourself, you're simply one person."

It was a harsh criticism aimed for the young man's self-righteousness. He wasn't Superman. He needed to accept that.

What would you do if you're the reason for their unnatural deaths? The words came back in full swing. Yuji's hands clenched into fists.

"Hey! That's-!" Before Nobara would jump to Yuji's defense, Yuji stepped towards Ciel.

Megumi reacted immediately. He came between Yuji and Ciel, wrapping his arms around Yuji's torso and pushed his body against him. Although there was no way that Megumi himself would ever contend against Yuji's strength, his intention was to impede the other student's pursuit, and he knew Yuji wouldn't just topple Megumi over carelessly. "Itadori! Don't-!"

Yuji shouted over Megumi's head. "Then help us! If you really believe there's no chance, that it's a lost cause no matter what, why did you bother to save me back then?!"

A huntress of the supernatural. His assigned executioner, saving what was essentially a dead-man-walking in the wake of the buried and unburied. There were other times she could have taken him out too. If someone was doomed no matter what, and all that could be done was to leave them behind, let them die in the end, why go out of her way to reveal herself and protect that person anyway?

Ciel did not answer. Or rather, she couldn't. Her attention elsewhere as she turned her head.

"We're being watched."

The class was startled by this announcement.

"H-Hey! You're not just gonna leave us here, right?!" One of the trapped people in the ceiling said, a young sounding voice that found discomfort in the hushed discussion below. "You're gonna save us, right-?!"

Ciel's hand swiped the air, and a black key emerged from under her sleeve. It shot past the group, faster than any of them could react.

The whine of a dog echoed within the tunnel, the sound broken free as if released by another's clutch. The black key pierced through the darkness, but the entity had already disappeared.

"It's found us," Ciel grimly revealed.

The white Divine Dog was tossed across the waters, its white fur splashed in red.

Divine Dog was attacked-?! Megumi released Yuji at the sight of his injured animal. He didn't sense anything, let alone hear his shikigami was grabbed.

"aaaaaaaahhhh...!" A woman in the ceiling cried out, her voice shaken with terror. "It's here...! Its here!"

The unit of flesh and organs started trembling on the stone.

"No! No! I don't want to die...! I don't want to die!"

The howls and shrills of many filled the darkness. Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara looked upon the distress in alarm as they felt the pressure of more curses around them.

Not good-! Megumi clasped his hands. He had his dog retreat back into his shadow and summoned his black Divine Dog, facing one end of the tunnel. The increasing source of negative thoughts and emotions were pulling other curses here. They'll be swarmed if they don't do something.

Ciel threw several more black keys. They embedded deep into the tunnel and a wall of blue light emerged, instantly severing and exorcising several curses that arrived. "We're out of time."

If she could set up a protective barrier around this section before more curses show up, that'll give her a chance to create an opening within the tunnel. She could have the students escape this way. But if her senses were correct, the entity that attacked the white Divine Dog just now...

"Yuji-kun, Fushiguro-san, Kugisaki-san." In spite of their turbulent situation, Ciel never forgot her manners. "Stay together. The curse womb is-"

She turned around to warn them, but felt the earth under her feet vanish. "-?!"

Yuji reached for his dagger as he watched the curses burn against Ciel's barrier (she really knew how to pull off a special move when they need it), he looked over to Ciel, and saw half her body sunk. "Huh-?"

His brown eyes met Ciel's light blue's, her surprised look briefly. Before his mind could register, Ciel disappeared into the blood water.

"Ciel?!" Yuji dove for the girl and threw his arms to catch her. His hands splashed through the water, but his palms only slammed onto the hard surface underneath.

Megumi and Nobara glanced over their shoulders and were shocked to see Ciel no longer there.

"W-What happened?! Where did she go?!" Nobara clutched her hammer and went to Yuji, watching his arms frantically search the water despite the blood and stench.

The people were still crying out, their horror and demands in union. One's voice was particularly more deep and robust than the others. "Why are you just standing around?! Get us down already-!"

"You be quiet!" Nobara threw her index finger up, completely at her wit's end here. Her appalling order did actually make the people stop yelling for a moment. "We're having some issues, okay?! You can just sit there and wait-!"

In the next moment, she too felt the floor underneath her vanish. Her angry expression fell, and the rest of her sunk into the water.

"Kugisaki-!" Megumi quickly ushered his shikigami to catch Nobara, but it was too late. The maw of his Divine Dog only bit the floor, as if a hole had opened up and closed once Nobara fell through.

"What's going on...?" Yuji unsheathed his dagger. If he could just find the hole where Ciel and Nobara fell through-

THUNK-!

The weapon in his hand was separated from his arm. "-eh?"

PLOP!

Yuji's limb that clutched the Slaughter Demon dropped into the water, instantly swallowed in the blood.

"Eh he he he he he...!"

Beside his growling Divine Dog, Megumi stood petrified, witnessing the ghostly pale, humanoid entity tower beside Yuji.

The curse womb had been approaching carefully. Its presence suppressed by its surrounding. In an instant, it would have utterly annihilated the shikigami before the white dog would warn its summoner.

But because she was here, the entity chose to act even more discreetly. Had it just been the three shamans, with their incomplete training and minimal experience, this would have been a game. Her senses were sharper than the curse womb could have imagined. But due to its own caution, it avoided being hurt by her blades again.

That alone gave it more confidence. Now the hurdle was out of the way, and with another girl pushed aside for later "entertainment" - if she stayed alive, the curse womb could indulge itself freely.

This was its tactic. To pick off survivors one by one. This could only be done by a curse of intelligence that resembled a human being. It was this that the first year students of Tokyo Jujutsu High realized the difference in power, and were utterly outclassed.

Nobara held her breath until she could no longer feel the muck and blood around her face. Despite her surprise, she landed securely on her feet, the remnants of warm water splashing against her back. "The floor gave out? No... Something moved me."

"Good catch. You'd be correct."

Drips of water fell from each brown strand of hair as Nobara lifted her head, and found Ciel standing beside her, vigilant. The blue nun had a black key in between every finger, even under the pinky.

"I miscalculated." Sewer water dripped from the ends of Ciel's nun habit, her wet hair becoming a darker blue, nearly black. "I never considered the curse womb would be capable of transporting others, not just the exits and itself."

This was a grievous error on her part as Ciel stared at the multitude of curses before them. Distorted white faces and curses aflame suspended in the air, no different from the melted victims that were perched like hanging meats at a meat market.

Nobara straightened her back and wiped the filth off her face. She did not panic at the number of curses there were. She merely reached into her pouch and pulled out her ammunition. "So we're dealing with a cowardly curse with all kinds of tricks. Great. I even bothered to bring more nails too."

Nobara should have gotten another pouch.

Ciel empathized with that feeling, plunging her black key into the first enemy.

Chapter Text

Black keys flew all around the chamber, dancing across the air and piercing every single curse in its way.

"Straw Doll Technique: Resonance!" Nobara's ultimate move dwindled the numbers just as effectively, eradicating the ghostly faces, though not without expending a great deal of her cursed energy. If not for Ciel fighting alongside her, however, Nobara would have used up more if not all her iron nails, so this was an acceptable trade-off.

Ciel finished off the final curse, a large frog-like entity that had been hiding in the dark. Two black keys into its mouth was all it took to exorcise the spirit, and it perished under the holy flames.

A cursed technique that affects a curse from afar should one have a sample of it, Ciel was intrigued. It was a level of concentration and skill that required generations to pass on and perfect. Not only able to purge the main body but its extensions as well, regardless of how many or how far apart. Like puncturing one part of the body and spread "poison" throughout its existence, even if the rest of the body was dismembered and separated. A voodoo-type ability in every sense.

A technique like that would have done wonders against someone like Roa. Though, it's evident that there were some limitations. Sukuna's continuing existence was proof of that. It would be unreasonable not to assume that it wasn't tried at least once against one of his cursed fingers. Perhaps the technique wasn't strong enough, his fingers too impenetrable, or some other reason.

It could also be the issue of its carrier. Nobara clearly held a level of care for Yuji. Perhaps there was some hesitation on her part. Either way, the elders saw no value in Nobara's ability, otherwise, they would have avoided sending her to this death trap of a place. It was surprisingly wasteful of them to do so. Sukuna's death along with his vessel was paramount above all it would seem.

"That's the last of them." Nobara wiped off the sweat from her upper lip. "Now how do we find those guys?"

If what Ciel said was true, then Megumi and Yuji were dealing with the curse womb right now. They could still help if Nobara and Ciel hurried, the issue was that they don't have Megumi's tracker dog. It's a random guess to decide which tunnel would lead them right back to those guys.

Ciel's fingers pressed against her temple, honing in on where her other black keys were positioned. "…This way."

Ciel started for the one of the entrances. "We need to hurry."

"Ah- Right," Nobara decided to trust Ciel's lead and followed after her. Better to keep moving than standing around twiddling their thumbs. Rude as the nun was, she didn't waste time.

Stay alive, you two. Nobara thought of her classmates.

Blood dripped from Megumi's forehead and down across his nose. His head hung low as his body sat slumped in front of the wall, a massive impact among the stone behind him. Black strands of his hair over his eyes.

Yuji's feet hastily splashed through the water. His sprint vying to reach Megumi, only to be stopped by another powerful, white kick to his stomach. Yuji's figure was sent back flying, crashing into the water.

Droplets flailed from his spiky, pink hair as he yanked his head back, holding himself up with his hands submerged in the blood water. His breath stagnant from the loss of wind. His eyes fierce, but focused.

It's messing with me.

He watched the curse womb extend its arms from its sides, savoring the cries of the limbless victims like they were applause. The sight of its enjoyment through its abnormally wide, human-like grin, the glee in its four eyes. It was sickening.

Yet it was that sadism that kept Yuji alive. The fun would have been over too soon had the curse womb just killed him. Yuji wasn't oblivious. It had the power to take his head off easily. It wanted to torment him first, it wanted to see him fail again and again. Have him try to save Megumi only to deny him. That was Yuji's only speck of hope.

After Yuji had lost his arm, the curse womb shifted its attention to Megumi. The sight of the curse sent the first-year sorcerers into a paralytic shock. Their fears gluing them in place. The curse womb had been dissatisfied by its lack of kill of the shikigami, so it went for the summoner himself. A single thrust of its pale, large arm and it was lights out. Megumi didn't even get a chance to command his black Divine Dog before he was smacked into the wall. The loss of concentration immediately caused his shikigami's retreat into the shadows, dropping like a blob that could no longer hold its shape at the severed connection.

Yuji had been rushing to get to Megumi ever since. It was the third time he was kicked away like he was a pebble skipping across a pond. The first time he felt small, breakable, weak.

Yuji knew the gravity of what he was up against, but all that mattered was getting his classmate out of this. What came after that, the bleakness of their future, the very slim chance of survival - he'll get to that when he gets to that. Right now, he needed to do everything he could to save Megumi.

"Hey! You're watching this, aren't you?"

Yuji called out the cursed soul inside of himself.

"It's bad news for you if this thing kills me, right? If you don't want to die, help me fight it!"

It was a plea for assistance. For the aid of the strongest sorcerer in history. However...

"I refuse."

The King of Curses gloated, emerging as a grin and one eye on Yuji's cheek. "Even if you die, I still have eighteen other cursed fingers as insurance. My life will not be in jeopardy. Of course, you can still switch with me if you choose to. I don't have the power to resist that."

His grin widened, "But know this, once you do, I'll kill Fushiguro. Then I'll hunt down and kill those two women. I've had my eye on that nun for a while now. It'll be interesting to see what else she can do. I'll be sure to take my time and have fun with her the most."

Yuji was shocked by the curse's words. A cold sweat that left a sinking, sick feeling in Yuji's gut. He remembered Ciel's warm smile on the train ride. A gentle soul under that cold, stoic exterior and his temper flared. "I'm not letting that happen."

"Then you better think of something, brat. Because if you don't, you really will die!"

His sheer glee - a sadistic ecstasy at the plight of the helpless. This was a curse.

Yuji took a deep breath, the air slightly trembling in his throat. He tightened his grip in the water. He lifted one knee and then bolted for the curse womb once more.

The curse womb happily welcomed him with another large swing of its pale arm. However, the moment it touched Yuji, a sharp pain embedded through the curse womb's hand. "-!"

The black key of which Ciel had thrown earlier protruded through the curse womb's palm. Yuji took advantage of its hesitation, ducking under the arm and sprinted past the curse womb.

He reached Megumi at last. Yuji grabbed the collar of his teammate's uniform. "Fushiguro! Hey!"

He lifted Megumi's collar. Yuji saw his eyes were closed, and the wound on his forehead from the curse womb's backhand attack. The faintest breathing through Megumi's mouth.

-! He's alive.

Unconscious, but alive. Whatever Megumi did right before the curse womb hit him, it somehow dulled the impact and avoided his head be instantly crushed. The instinctual act of using one's own cursed energy to reinforce the body like armor - as Gojo-sensei once talked about in class.

Yuji didn't waste a second to express his relief. They weren't out of the woods yet. He lifted Megumi over his shoulder and carried the sorcerer on his back.

The curse womb snapped the black key in half. It looked at its hand where a cut was made, but nothing that penetrated all the way through. It was surprised to have not felt the burn of that blade as much as before. The curse quickly understood that the boy did not posses the same abilities as that girl, the kind that would whisper curse-expelling power into the weapon and ignite like dynamite.

Fwip-!

The next one, however, was most certainly the real deal. The curse womb's arms shot up to guard and felt the impact of more black keys - others that were left behind by Ciel. They tore through its white flesh like scooping skin with a spoon, spilling dark ectoplasm as its blood.

Yuji faced the direction of the curse womb to shield Megumi. He looked in surprise upon the onslaught of black keys, the weapons moving on their own and surrounding the curse womb in a distracting tango. Too fast for the naked eye.

Is that Ciel?

There was no other explanation as to who else could be doing that. Which meant she was alright. Hopefully, she and Nobara were together.

Yuji looked up at the ceiling where the trapped people still hung. What do I do?

He didn't want to leave them there, but he needed to get Megumi to a hospital. Help these people? Or help Megumi? Leave behind one in favor of the other. The many? Or the few?

What do I do?!

His face strained with agonizing confliction, until he felt Megumi's blood seep over his shoulder. His indecisiveness coming to an end. ...I have to move.

He couldn't carry them all, but he could, at the very least, ensure everyone's survival a little longer. Ciel was clearly keeping the curse womb busy to give him and Megumi a chance to flee. With some luck, the curse womb would be exorcised, and if not, it would go after Yuji rather than these people. It's sadism wouldn't risk losing an audience. Yuji would just have to be fast enough.

"I'm sorry! I'll be back with more help! Just hold on!" Yuji shouted at the people, his heart weighing like an anchor as he did so. He adjusted his hold of Megumi and turned to the tunnel.

Ssssssssss-!

"-!"

Ahead of him, the barrier that Ciel had set up started moving towards him. There was a gap in its barrier, as if calling for him to move through it. Yuji ducked through the gap and watched the barrier sped for the curse womb.

"-?!" The curse womb dashed away from the barrier, knowing the purification energy it carried that could incinerate the curse. The barrier moved in front of the startled victims, cascading them in a protective shield.

"Ciel!" Yuji gave a relieved smile. Thank you.

With the people safe, there was nothing holding Yuji back. He immediately broke into a dash, bolting through the dark hallway like the chains were off.

I have to find Ciel and Kugisaki!

The best plan was to regroup with everyone. Without Megumi's dog, he was running blind. He'll just have to trust his gut to find his way around.

"...Leave me..." Megumi muttered, his consciousness coming to.

Yuji jumped over obstacles, containers and pipelines, finding solid ground that brought him out of the water.

"Idiot... just... leave me..!

Yuji did not adhere to Megumi. "Shut up. I'm listening to you guys now. We're getting out of here. All of us."

Although, Yuji would be going back for those people, once Megumi and the others were safe.

"Liar..." It was as if Megumi could read his thoughts, and promptly called him out on it, even gripping Yuji's shirt as if to tear himself away from him.

"Don't be a hero, man." Yuji was aware that he shouldn't be the one to talk. "I'm the one who ends up having to save you twice-"

He passed by a doorway, and the grinning curse womb stood there.

There wasn't any time to react. The curse womb struck before Yuji could move out of the way. It slammed its fist against Yuji's side, the weight behind it like the nose of a speeding car. It made Yuji nearly puke. He just barely managed to turn at the last second before he broke through a wall, taking most of the hit as he took Megumi along.

-Damn!

His arms slipped as they they tumbled across the floor. Megumi was the first to slow down, the sorcerer partially awake enough to stop himself. Yuji tried to stomp his feet to cease his slide. He looked straight ahead for Megumi, only to see the blink of another white fist.

It was the very hand he had just wounded with Ciel's black key, only there wasn't even a scratch left on it. The wound now fully closed. Yuji was able to distinguish this in a split second before he was punched in the face and was sent flying.

The curse womb healed itself? Yuji deduced as his back broke through another wall, and he lets out a guttural sound. Through the dust, he saw the large shape of the curse womb's humanoid figure. It's after me. It wants payback for hurting it.

Yuji could accept that. As long as Megumi was no longer its concern. "-Gnh! Run-! Fushiguro!"

"Itadori-!" That was the last Yuji heard from Megumi before Yuji and the curse womb vanished into the dark.

"This isn't good," Ciel said as she and Nobara rushed through the dark corridor. Ciel kept her pace steady and close to Nobara's, ensuring she would not leave the other girl behind. "My black keys aren't doing as much damage as before. In the three hours the curse womb has been in its domain, its gotten stronger."

She felt the disconnection of a few black keys, meaning the curse womb had adjusted to their speed and destroyed them. Normally, no spirit could withstand the holy sacraments of her blades. Its body must have seriously toughened since its last altercation. Could it also possess some form of regeneration ability? The same as a dead apostle?

The curse womb's adaptability was admittedly astonishing. It's growth seemed almost human.

"You can tell from here?" Nobara asked under her breath.

"Yes. I can also pinpoint where the curse womb is. It's moving, but not as instantly." This was Ciel's chance. If she could reach the curse womb while it was distracted, she'll be able to exorcise it.

They ran through a doorway, a path where Ciel was certain would lead them back to the others, and they came into a large room. "-!"

Within the room, three people were sitting on the floor. They sat inside a glowing shield of light, held down by black keys. Their uniforms showed that they were the inmates of the detention center.

"Huh?" One of the inmates raised his head. His sullen, tough look brightened at the sight of others. "H-Hey! Over here!"

Nobara squinted her eyes, reading partially the inmate's name tag: Tadashi.

"Hey! Are you Tadashi Okazaki?" Nobara stopped in front of the barrier. "Holy cow. You're actually alive!"

She didn't even try to hide her surprise. This must be the other group Megumi caught scent earlier. That means we're close by that tunnel! Back to where they were before.

"Who is it?!" The second inmate from behind Tadashi piped up, getting up on his feet. "Is it a rescue team-?! Wait. Are those girls?"

It was a befuddlement that slightly drew him away from the insanity of their setting. Nobara misinterpreted that tone as awe and flipped her hair back. "Don't worry. You haven't died and gone to heaven. Us lovely ladies are here to rescue you."

Ciel had her attention elsewhere, focusing on one of the entrances. "...Kugisaki. I need you to stay here with the inmates."

Nobara was surprised by Ciel's request.

"Something is wrong. I don't believe Yuji-kun and Fushiguro are together anymore," Ciel bit back the slip of nervousness in her heart, keeping her composure. Several worst-case scenarios ran through her mind: either Yuji or Megumi were killed, or they got separated and the curse womb was fighting one of them right now. Neither left a confident feeling in her. Megumi was not yet ready, and Yuji...

"There's no telling if the environment will change on us again until the curse womb is dead," Ciel added as she pulled out more black keys in between her fingers. "I'll set up another barrier here, but there shouldn't be any more curses. That swarm we just fought through, I'm certain they were the last ones."

This was just in case the curse womb shows up before Ciel would intercept it.

The last ones... Nobara thought. Ciel sounded so sure, it was almost hard to believe, but then Nobara remembered. It's been three hours since the curse womb manifested. Ciel had been here that whole time, fighting and exorcizing curses and dead, managing to secure the inmates during all that. She'd been busy.

Ciel started walking forward. "If either Yuji-kun or Fushiguro come by here, try to find the exit together. I'll see if I can assist you from afar, but my attention might be divided."

Between searching for the lone shaman who got separated, or the shaman who was in the middle of battle - a matter of life and death, the choice was obvious. The dead apostle was currently no where in this building, Ciel was sure of it. The curse womb was a top priority now.

"I'll entrust their lives to you," Ciel said.

Feeling a little empowered by that, Nobara gave a light salute. "Alright. You can count on me."

"Are you serious?! We've been sitting here for hours!" A third inmate said, about fed up with waiting. The stench of his cellmates was especially getting to him.

Nobara promptly kicked one of the black keys. A loud clang of her heel against metal, and the inmate immediately clammed up. "Keep it down! You think you're the only one out of patience?!"

A little appreciation was all that's warranted. She put her foot down and looked back at Tadashi. "Your mom has been worried sick about you, you know?"

"Huh? My mom...?" Tadashi said. Ciel overheard the conversation as she examined one of the entrances.

"We've met her briefly. She's probably taken home by now, but she's been crying for your sake." Nobara pointed at the stunned Tadashi. "An idiot friend of mine wants to bring you back to her. Take this as an opportunity to better your life, seeing how hard he's been fighting for it."

She was, of course, talking about Yuji.

"..." Ciel at last found the tunnel, and she dashed into it, leaving behind black keys to guard the area behind her.

"Something has definitely gone wrong," Kiyotaka Ijichi's fingers nervously thrummed the stick of his umbrella. "They should have been out by now."

The rain pelted his umbrella's black shade as he stood outside the detention center. The police and his co-workers have successfully evacuated all civilians and news reporters from the area, leaving just himself and a handful of other sorcerer assistants to oversee the operation.

Admittedly, the onset of this mission was rather peculiar. It was the first time his superiors had given an assignment to first-year students without speaking to their teacher. It was self-explanatory as Satoru was overseas, but Ijichi would have thought they'd at least give the man a phone call. Desperate times calls for desperate measures, and Ijichi was in no position to ask that many questions while lives were at stake - despite being assistant manager.

Now, though, it's possible that even more lives were at risk. Did the students encountered the curse womb? Should he go in and verify? His order was to wait, but the longer he stood out here, the more his nerves began to eat away at him, and the less and less this mission started to make sense.

And who else would be responsible to inform Satoru of what happened here as soon as the strongest sorcerer returns? To explain why three newbie shamans were sent into the crux of what could be a severe hazard to even first-grade sorcerers. Of course, that'd be Ijichi.

"I'm so fired."

"-I know she said to leave if we have to, but..." Nobara closely examined the black keys that surrounded the inmates. "How's anyone supposed to lift these things?"

Just from her kick, Nobara could tell that these weapons were a lot heavier than they looked. It'll take more than a body lifter to move them. "And you guys never stepped out once?"

"Like hell I'd want to. It's a whole lot safer here than out there," one of the inmates said.

"'Sides, it shocks us if we touch it," another said, like being forced to heed a warning. He was still in disbelief that this was apparently their rescue. He'd have no complaints since its been too long since he'd seen and talk to a woman. The problem was she had an awful attitude.

"Fair enough," Nobara straightened her back and shrugged. She suppose this was better than being swamped by depraved delinquents. These guys didn't have any sex offenses in their records from what she looked into before coming here, but you can never be too sure.

They were damn good at hiding it too, looking legitimately uninterested in her. Even asking when that "nun chick" was coming back as a diversion. Ha!

Step... Step...

"Huh?" Nobara turned at the sound of footsteps. "Ah-! Fushiguro?!"

Leaning against the wall, dragging his shoulder across the stone, Megumi's head bled over his eyes. His uniform scuffed with what looked to have been from a serious fall.

Ciel leapt over potholes and ditches that had no end, only the void between the large gaps. The walls around her corroded with negative energy, and the air thickened the further she went, closer to the cursed source.

I'm almost there!

Chapter Text

"I said I'm fine...!"

Megumi gripped the edge of the car door, pressing his foot inside the vehicle to prevent his entering. However, because he was injured, he was unable to challenge Nobara's strength as she shoved his bleeding head inside, her hand coated in rain drops.

"Stop being stubborn! You'll bleed out if you don't get to a hospital soon."

The journey to even bring Megumi this far was in itself a miracle, almost. After Megumi stumbled across Nobara and the inmates, the decision had to be made to get everyone out while the curse womb was distracted. Neither of them wanted to leave Yuji behind, but there was little choice after seeing the state Megumi was in, along with their mission of recovering the trapped inmates, and Ciel did entrust Nobara to make the right call.

It was like Ciel knew that Megumi reached them also. As soon as Nobara caught him in his stumble and carried him over the shoulder, the black keys that surrounded the inmates started to move. That shocked them pretty good, and they all had to hoof it all the way to the exit, no shikigami dog required. Ciel could have left any time she wanted, but chose to stay to hunt the curse womb.

Ijichi watched the two classmates argue as he held an umbrella over their heads.

"You trust that girl, don't you?" Nobara said. "She wouldn't have plunged herself into danger if she knew she couldn't do it."

Megumi stopped his resistance as he listened to Nobara.

"Besides, what good is it gonna do helping her like this? You want to die trying and make all this for nothing?" All their efforts to ensure no more deaths.

An internal struggle that gritted Megumi's teeth, remembering Yuji's self-sacrifice, his plea for Megumi to escape. Ciel's insistence for them to leave. He should have acted sooner. He shouldn't have let his guard down and left those guys to fight for themselves. Megumi couldn't just leave Yuji and Ciel behind.

But he knew Nobara was right. He couldn't do anything to help like this. He'll only get in the way.

"...Dammit. Alright. But I need you to do me a favor," Megumi said as he clasped his fingers together into a wolf sign. If he could help propel his teammates to victory, then he'll do just that. His own well-being be damned. Even if he himself is physically useless, he still had his Ten Shadows.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Kugisaki-san?" After successfully convincing Megumi, albeit with some difficulties, Ijichi turned the question over to Kugisaki.

"I'm staying," Nobara adamantly decided, turning her heel to face the detention center. "I'll wait until those guys are out. That should ease you a little too, right Fushiguro?"

Megumi didn't answer as another assistant helped bandage his head wound inside the car.

"Huuu~ How sweet. You act all cool, but you care about us~" Nobara covered her mouth to hide her snicker, pointing at Megumi through the lowered window in deliberate annoyance.

She dropped the act and gave a light smile. "Don't worry. That bozo and that girl are tough. They'll be fine."

Megumi gave her one last look, and then the dark window rolled up. The inmates had already been escorted away via vehicles up ahead, and Megumi's car was the last to leave. Before his departure, Ijichi informed of his return after dropping off Megumi, wishing Nobara luck.

Nobara watched the last car leave the area before shifting her gaze to the dreary sky. She raised her hand over her eyes, shielding them from the rain. "I should have asked for an umbrella..."

If she gets a cold out of this, she'll make damn sure Yuji and even Ciel took care of her in bed, once this mission is over.

Nobara looked back at the detention center. Megumi's black divine dog sat beside her, acting in Megumi's place as the duo waited, and waited.

Ciel's foot stomped against the wall, and she kicked off into another hallway. The negative energy around here is becoming potent again. The curse womb's power is increasing!

It was one thing to flee from the curse womb, a small window that allowed Nobara and the others to escape with Ciel's black keys as guidance, but to actively go towards the curse womb was another matter. The hallways were twisted, with windows and vents in places they shouldn't be. Not only to confuse but to obstruct.

The curse womb seemed to be aware of her approach, and was attempting to delay it by switching and moving doorways into other areas. Ciel could still pinpoint its location, but her arrival won't be so straightforward. The only merit was that the curse womb seemed to lack the ability to close itself off completely, or perhaps it was not at that level yet. Such a curse should not be allowed to exist any longer if its growth had yet to cease.

-!

Through the next corridor, pipes protrude from all surface. The gaps between them too narrow, no one could simply walk through them.

Ciel threw several black keys and pierced the set of steel, cutting her way through the corridor.

-going to die.

She could sense an essence of his thoughts. She needed to push on. Just a little more!

I don't want to die.

She could smell blood just beyond the corridor. Seared flesh as well.

Frustration. Regret. Anger. Sadness. Fear.

She could sense it all.

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

It was like the curse womb was taunting her with echoes of his voice bouncing all over the walls. She hurtled her black keys even faster, plucking them off from the stone with ease in her sprint.

"But I am! I am about to die!"

Ciel's teeth clenched tightly, the pressure in her calves propelling herself further, her arms smashed through the remaining steel until she came upon the wall at the end of the corridor.

If I want people to have a proper death like my grandpa did, then this is something I have to do.

Those were Yuji's words. Yet such a goal could only take a person so far, before reality came to crush them personally.

Ciel kicked into the stone wall, crushing through the exterior without an ounce of hesitation. Through the cloud of debris, she jumped down into the new area where a bridge hung above the waters.

There was a minor swell of cursed energy she sensed down below, but she was too focused on her target to really pay any attention to it.

With a flick of her arms, three black keys shot downwards, towards the curse womb that towered before Yuji.

The curse womb knew the executor was approaching. It wanted to stall her for as long as it could. To first enjoy the delicious despair of this helpless teen. However, the moment Yuji channeled cursed energy into his fist, however weak, it was enough of a show to take the curse womb's attention. Long enough for Ciel to burst in from above, and fired three black keys at its body.

The curse womb braced the impact. It felt the brunt and burn of Ciel's Cremation Rites across its body. However, throughout the hours it spent lurking in its domain, it had gained muscles, and enhanced abilities. Though the black keys were still effective, the curse womb was not as cautious of them anymore.

Ciel landed right in front of Yuji just as he had stood up with his remaining hand clenched in a fist. Her back towards him, but her hair was instantly recognizable.

"Ciel?!"

The cursed energy that had just started to circulate around his fist - channeling all his negative feelings and thoughts into it - quickly died out at his surprise, losing focus like letting paper slip from his hand.

Ciel was certain of it now. Just then, Yuji had tapped into his cursed energy. A stressful environment at this scale would be enough to bring out such potential, but this was not the time - nor was there enough of it - to spare a thought over such a miraculous moment of control.

The enemy before her was still standing. Just as she thought, its body was able to withstand the holy sacraments of her blades. Its evolved past that of a mere curse.

However, it had only shown to be resistant to that particular rite. Were she to introduce others, its body would need time to adapt to them as well. There was only one way to test that theory.

"Yuji-kun!" From her dress, Ciel pulled out more black keys. "Run!"

For now, she must keep the curse womb's attention solely on herself.

In the blink of an eye, her black keys flew for the curse womb. The curse womb was quick to react, however, grasping the flat ends of the swords, and held them between its fingers, holding them in the same stance as she did, openly mocking her through mimicry. A wide grin on its face.

"It caught them-!" Yuji expressed his disbelief, gritting his teeth in panic.

Of course it would. Ciel was unphased. Monsters like this tend to boast their strengths. Vampires were the same. They would go so far as to let someone fire their guns, and then dodge the bullets after, demonstrating their speed.

It's that sort of arrogance that they can be easily taken by surprise.

The black keys in the curse womb's grips glowed. The curse womb noticed but was too late to throw them back. The weapons exploded in its hands, and a paralyzing effect surge across its whole body. Internment Rite.

The grin was gone from its face. It should have realized the girl had other "spells" embedded in her blades. Its body was immediately immobilized, yellow electric currents all around its flesh.

The petrification is in effect. Here's my chance-! Ciel intended to end this in one go, and she quickly dashed for the curse womb.

The curse womb saw the executor coming. It instinctively felt the end was here. With no other choice, the curse womb quickly focused its energy into its arms and curled its hands.

"-!" Yuji realized what it was doing, and he shouted. "Senpai! Get back-!"

Ciel heard Yuji at the same time she felt something was wrong. She sensed the curse emit energy, and she brought her hand up, enhancing herself with prana.

An energy field erupted from the curse womb, the very same that seared away Yuji's fingers. It would have instantly incinerated Ciel's arm had she not put up a barrier of her own, blocking most of the impact. Her shield came up too late, however, and it burned her hand regardless.

Ciel was forced back, her feet skidded across the floor. Incineration...!

It was similar to the abilities of those flaming dead, but with more concentration, acting as a small dome around the curse womb.

Could it have learned from them? Or was this something it came up with itself? If it was the first, then it could be capable of copying any ability it sees. Its comprehension was uncomfortably rapid.

"Ciel-!" Yuji went to her side, seeing her burnt hand. A severe, bloody red on her palm, the edges burnt just like his fingers, but thankfully spared from becoming short stubs.

"Stay back, Yuji-kun," Ciel said, pulling out more black keys in spite of the pain in her hand, concealing her wince. "I'll create an opening for you to escape. When I give the signal, go."

"But-" Moments ago, Yuji was begging not to be killed, regretting ever setting foot into the role of a jujutsu sorcerer, or even swallowing that damn cursed finger. But seeing Ciel here, injured yet toughing it out, ready to fight the curse womb no matter what, he couldn't do it. He couldn't just leave her.

This thing... Yuji glared at the curse womb. The only counter he could think of to defeat this spirit was forcing Sukuna out, but he couldn't with Ciel here. Sukuna would turn on her as soon as that happened. Dammit...!

He never realized until now just how utterly weak he was. He was ashamed to ever believe he was strong before.

You're strong, so help people.

Fuck...! He couldn't just run! He wanted to, but dammit! He wouldn't leave Ciel here. Yuji had to beat the fear and survival instincts out of him to prevent himself from skedaddling. This curse womb was too much for one person to fight alone!

"...You're not weak for wanting to run."

Yuji was surprised by Ciel's sudden comment, her eyes never leaving the curse womb even as Yuji's did.

"You're only human. There's nothing shameful about that."

After saying this calmly, Ciel dashed for the curse womb once more.

She went for the rear this time and unleashed another set of black keys. The curse womb raised its arms once more, intending to blast away the weapons with another energy barrier.

A surprise attack came in its blind spot, only exposed when the curse womb sensed it. The three black keys Ciel had fired earlier, were actually four. The curse womb failed to spot the fourth black key when it brought up its arms to shield itself. The extra black key had hidden itself from the side of the bridge they were standing on, and it finally popped out to tackle the curse womb from behind.

The curse womb readied itself for it, focusing its energy barrier to protect itself from all sides, ensuring no weapon would pierce it.

But that was not what the extra black key was for at all. Instead of flying to stab its body, it instead embedded itself into the stone floor. The other black keys, rather than go directly for the curse womb, redirected themselves towards each other. A clash between the tips of their blades, and the recoil caused them to separate, stabbing into the floor on different ends, all around the curse womb, right where its dome would end.

The curse womb was momentarily confused by this tactic, until it remembered what the nun had done earlier, setting up a barrier that protected the melted victims, and burning any curse that would touch it. The curse womb had to act fast before it would be trapped, abandoning its dome to kick the ground. It flung broken stones with its foot at every black key to destroy them.

It also sent a stone hurtling for Ciel, but she was prepared. Breaking the stone with her fist, she called for her black keys to lift themselves, and pierce through the hailing stones. The simultaneous reaction as well as her quick movements were too in sync for the curse womb to catch up. Too many were coming at it all at once, and it couldn't raise its arms fast enough to summon its dome once more.

Successfully overwhelming the curse, Ciel stepped into its range, threw up her hand, and directed the black keys to take the curse womb's arm. They stabbed through its flesh three-way, coming together almost like a snowflake.

The fourth black key went for the curse womb's face, but it raised its hand in time. The weapon stabbed into its palm, and the curse was ready to either feel the burn or the petrification.

"-?!"

It felt neither, and instead, its blood was immediately drained, causing the muscles in its limb to diminish. Dried up. Mummification Rite.

Ciel telekinetically pushed her three black keys all the way through, severing the curse womb's arm completely. It was not an intentional revenge for Yuji. Logic dictated that the curse womb would need its arms to cast its dome, much like how Megumi needed his hands to summon his shikigamis, or Nobara her hammer. Though not fitting of one for her "faith", if there was anything else to call this, it would be karma.

"Now Yuji-kun! Run!" Ciel jumped over the curse womb, ready to unleash her final barrage and exorcise this beast once and for all.

The curse womb broke into a sweat, but it still had one final move up its sleeve. Channeling a good chunk of its curse energy, even if it meant emptying most of its tank, it focused into its severed wound.

"-?!"

Ciel's eyes widened as she witnessed the wound she created began to close. Regeneration-!

It still had that much power even with her Mummification Rite? Among all her other attacks? What in the world was fueling this curse's power?!

Oh no-!

SLAM!

Before the curse womb would complete regenerating its limb, Yuji's cursed-fueled fist knocked the back of the curse womb's head. His look ferocious, determined.

It did nothing, but this sudden attack was enough to deter the curse womb's focus, and the limb the curse womb recovered missed Ciel's body by an inch.

Ciel resumed without fail, launching black keys into the curse womb's feet, shoulders, and even the center of its head. The curse womb was drenched in sweat and in blood. It swung its arms back out of desperation, but it could not move from its position due to Ciel's Shadow-Pinning Rite.

Ciel grabbed Yuji at her landing and dragged him back, distancing themselves from the curse. In a half-kneeling position, under a single breath, Ciel began to utter:

"I will kill. I will let live. I will harm and heal. None will escape me. None will escape my sight.

Be crushed.

I welcome those who have grown old and those who have lost.

Devote yourself to me, learn from me, and obey me.

Rest. Do not forget song, do not forget prayer, and do not forget me."

The curse womb thrashed madly, feeling the intensity of her Baptism Rite from her black keys. It grabbed the black key at the center of its head, only for it the break and burn the inside of its skull, underneath its tough-layered skin and directly into the brain.

"I am light and relieve you of all your burdens.

Do not pretend. Retribution for forgiveness, betrayal for trust, despair for hope, darkness for light, dark death for the living."

Yuji watched mesmerized as Ciel chanted. Her words unfettered and unwavering as she held him close. He looked back at the curse womb and all the black keys it was surrounded in, seeing all of them glowing bright.

"Relief is in my hands. I will add oil to your sins and leave a mark.

Eternal life is given through death.

— Ask for forgiveness here. I, the incarnation, will swear."

The curse womb tried everything. It raised its arms to summon its dome, but it was stopped by another set of black keys piercing its limb, all those that Ciel deliberately left behind throughout the detention center. All coming together to finish this beast. Its mummified arm could not do anything but slam its husk against the blade. There was no lifting them either, for only Ciel could remove them.

"— Kyrie eleison".

The curse womb raised its horrific stare at the duo, and then a blue light of fire instantly consumed the curse.

The curse womb shrieked. Its howl heard throughout the entire detention center. It continued to make its noise, until the fire burned away the last bit of its existence.

In its place, a single cursed finger laid. The source of all this madness. Even as holy fire coated it, the cursed finger was unaffected.

Yuji couldn't believe it, staring with wide eyes as the cursed domain all around them faded away. "It was that?"

That's what did all this? One of Sukuna's cursed finger. Only one. Not even what happened at his other school was it this bad.

"So that's it." Ciel finally understood the mystery behind the curse womb's abnormality. "I figured there was something peculiar about all this. That makes a lot more sense now."

It was that simple. Or at least, she said it like it was.

"Are you okay, Yuji-kun?" Ciel shifted her attention to Yuji, still holding him as he sat next to her. Her asking was fairly casual, as the impending threat was done and over with. "By the looks of it, you really took a beating."

She hovered her hand over Yuji's severed wound. The tight rope of his sleeve stopped the bleeding somewhat. As for his remaining hand, he was missing all of his fingers, most likely from that curse womb's incinerating barrier. He also appeared to be suffering from several broken bones, cuts and gashes all over, and it looked like he'd been crying.

I really am going to give that man hell when I see him. Ciel thought about Gojo as her hand glowed with warm energy. "Please stand still. Your arm and fingers are missing, but I should be able to heal the rest of your injuries."

Yuji perked at that. "You can do that?"

"Yes. It's a common practice amongst the people of the Holy Church. Hmm..." Ciel's hand paused above Yuji's wounds and slowly pulled back.

Yuji caught a glimpse of her palm and was surprised. The bloody red flesh there was gone, as if never harmed.

It's healed already... She wasn't kidding then.

"Although... I'm not sure how my sacraments would affect your body, you being a half-curse and all," Ciel said. "To be honest, I'm surprised you're still alive. You're a lot tougher than I took you for."

Her eyes lingered over the snot underneath his nose. "Well, as tough as you can be."

...I feel like she's saying 'I told you so'. Yuji wiped the snot from his face. He should feel relieved, but instead, he felt kind of embarrassed.

"Just to be safe, I should refrain from using any of my holy rites on you," Ciel reached behind her dress and spontaneously pulled out a white roll of bandages. Where she kept that was a mystery. "This should help keep the bleeding minimal."

She helped unroll the bandage and wrapped it around Yuji's severed arm. "You should have run like I told you to. I've seen a lot worse injuries in my line of work, but I don't think I've had someone who ignored my orders and deliberately risk their lives further. Did you ran up to the curse womb for a handshake after meeting it? I suppose we should thank Sukuna for making your body so tough."

There was a slight purse of Ciel's lips as she commented on Yuji's other injuries, almost like she was rubbing it in. With how she's being right now, it was getting harder for Yuji to say 'thank you'.

"...It took us by surprise," Yuji answered, a little defensive as Ciel bandaged his other injuries. "Also, that's a bad joke. We're not thanking that guy after he basically left me to fend for myself. He's the reason all this happened, anyway."

"You're right about that," Ciel agreed plainly. "It's also because of him that you have what is essentially a career-ending injury. Although, if we act quickly, we could reattach your arm, but finding it will have to wait."

After finishing her bandaging, Ciel's arm slipped behind Yuji's back and under his knees.

"-! Whoa!"

With a single heave, Ciel carried Yuji into a cradle. He was a one-seventy-six pound guy, and yet she was able to lift him like he weighed nothing.

She's seriously strong...

"Let's get you out of here," Ciel said. "Kugisaki-san and Fushiguro-kun should be waiting outside. If any of them were injured, I'm sure they've been taken to the hospital already - along with the inmates."

Fushiguro... Hearing that, there was a great sense of relief in Yuji's chest. He wasn't going to question how Ciel knew that for sure. She must have came across them earlier before finding him.

With a kick of her feet, Ciel dashed from the bridge. "Please keep applying pressure to your injuries. We'll be outside soon enough."

"Ah..." Yuji did was he was told, pressing his bandaged little stubs over his bandaged arm-stub. He suddenly recalled. "Wait! There's still two more inmates we need to find."

Ciel did not slow her careful sprint. "...I had already found them hours ago. The dead got to them first... There was nothing left."

Nothing but ash and remnants of their clothes.

"...I see," Yuji's eyes sulked sadly, the failure of rescuing all the inmates weighing in his expression. He wondered if Tadashi was one of them. He was scared what he would say to the mom.

Ciel saw Yuji's reaction. It was only for a moment, but she felt a tug in her heart, her jaw clenched. It should be her burden to bear that responsibility. She was here first, after all. And yet, he would carry that feeling anyway.

Why did you make him into a jujutsu sorcerer, Satoru?

"The domain is down." Nobara sensed the change within the detention center. The black divine dog's ears perked up, sensing this change as well.

"That means... They did it!"

Those two really gave her a scare. Nobara immediately hurried for the building. Megumi's divine dog followed beside her, rushing for their allies.

"-! Grrrrr..."

The black divine dog suddenly stopped and turned its head. Nobara heard its growl and stopped as well.

"Huh? What's wrong-?"

DANGER.

Nobara instantly froze. A cold sensation down her spine. Her sensor going off the charts.

Slowly, she turned around, looking half-way towards where the shikigami was growling at. And there, she spotted it.

"Это вы вторглись в мою могилу?"

From afar, a tall, pale figure stood in the rain. His black, fur coat hung over his shoulders like a cape. His hair a pale bluish-gray. And his eyes.

His red eyes bore through her like a bite to her soul. There was no mistaking what she was looking at. No mistake at all. Just like in the folktales and movies she's seen. His appearance said everything.

Vampire.

Chapter Text

"What about the people stuck down here?" Yuji brought up his concerns for the vampire victims.

"They're still alive," Ciel answered, going up the stairway with several leaps while carrying Yuji in her arms. "With the curse womb's domain gone, it should be easier to recover them now."

Yuji lets out a breath. Despite their argument earlier, Ciel really did follow through her promise to look after the civilians. "...I get that not all of them are going to be saved."

Yuji's admittance was a surprise to Ciel, enough to slow her steps and stop at a doorway, arriving at the main floor.

"I just didn't want to leave them. I can't imagine how horrible it must be, living in that darkness like that." Yuji's brows lowered to a distressed scowl. He gripped his wounds tighter. "I've seen all kinds of flicks about vampires, but what kind of monster does that to people?"

Even after Ciel explained it, he couldn't fully grasp it. There was just no reason to be that cruel. To be that inhumane despite having been human once too.

Ciel did not immediately respond. Her steps began moving once more, but this time at a leisurely pace as she recalled the path to the nearest exit.

"...There is no real reason for it. It's all senseless violence." Ciel's heels echoed the empty white hallway. Stability have returned here, freed from the dark grips of curses. "They've become so removed from humanity, they don't even remember the persons they once were. Ageless and immortal, turning others into their slaves - into more monsters. Many ordinary folk have the pleasure to not yet realize that they exist in this world, or else people would lose a lot of sleep. They're monsters that shouldn't exist."

Yuji looked at her. Despite how calm she sounded, there was a subtle detest in Ciel's tone directed towards the monsters in mention. Yuji remembered the sight of her reaction when they first came upon those victims - the anger. Even if she tried to hide it, she was repulsed by whatever and whoever put them in that state.

"...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you."

Yuji shouldn't have thought she was being dismissive of all that suffering. She cared for those people. She was just trying to focus on saving the ones she could. Being a vampire hunter herself, she must have seen a lot of horrors.

"I've been talking big from the start," Yuji acknowledged this. Accepting the reality of his ineptitude. "I couldn't do a single thing against that curse. That punch I threw, it didn't even hurt it."

"Hm. To be fair, it had some "help". That cursed finger made it abnormally strong, even for a Special Grade," Ciel said. On any other lower grade curse, that single punch from Yuji - fueled by cursed energy - would have been enough to exorcise almost completely. She appreciated the apology, though. "We're lucky that it couldn't leave its point of origin, or else there'd be more casualties."

"Is it really a good idea to leave that cursed finger behind?" Yuji blinked. "Also, what do you mean by 'point of origin'?"

"Right now, your well-being matters more." Ignoring Yuji's doe-eyed reaction to that, Ciel resumed. "My black keys will shield the cursed finger until another sorcerer arrives to collect it."

Not only preventing other curses from claiming it, but also to suppress the cursed finger's "scent" that draws curses towards it.

"Despite whatever power that cursed finger has, however, it seems it wasn't enough to free the curse womb from this facility," Ciel said. "When a curse is born, it lingers around its "birthplace", likely because it's where the source of its power derives from. There are exceptions to this, such as Sukuna, because he'd been a human once. But curses who are born from negative feelings towards a place - such as an abandoned house or a hospital, will be more or less "stuck" there."

Theoretically, if one were to give negative thoughts to something much more broad, like forest fires or the ocean, than a curse would be able to traverse a little more freely - though it's likely due to that possible scenario that a strong barrier around Japan was even made, else there'd be more and more curses everywhere, like the ones here.

"Sadly, vampires don't have that limitations." Ciel lets out a sigh at this. "Not even the myth that they can't cross running water ever really stops them."

There wouldn't be a dead apostle here if that were especially true.

"Really? What about when you don't invite them into your house?" Yuji asked curiously.

"Please don't take every myth you hear as fact... but no, not even that." Ciel heard Yuji quietly gasp as if his world view was shattered, and she amusingly pursed her lips in agreement. It's admirable how much he's kept his light-hearted attitude even after losing an arm. "It's another reason why dead apostles are considered more dangerous than curses. While curses are usually contained by their environment..."

...Dead Apostles don't have such restrictions.

The rain continued to fell over the vampire's entire figure, but not a single drop bounced off from him. His dull white hair and black coat remained completely dry. It was as if the raindrops evaporated as soon as they get close, disappearing like he wore some kind of invisible barrier that swallowed them whole.

They invade like parasites in the human body, eating away and infecting all those around them, spreading their influence to take over an entire town.

Nobara's nervous sweat blended into the rain, eyeing at the enemy as if a second of lost focus would have her instantly killed. However, she intentionally did not linger to that one specific trait Ciel had warned her and her class about. What most vampires were likely to possess.

Even if you know how to make a barrier that would impede the vampire's movements, it takes a lot of work to keep one dead apostle trapped for so long.

"...Интересный. The moment you saw me, you instinctively avoid meeting my gaze."

His language switched from Russian to Japanese with ease. A slow voice as if each word was heavy and dry. Normally, he would not waste such words with the ordinary, but this was beyond the realm of "ordinary". His tomb was invaded, and now this area reeked with an absolutely foul residue, even from where he stood, even under this weather.

The vampire could detect Nobara's shielding in her head, protecting herself from mind reading, or the effects of hypnotism - the abruptness of it indicated she never expected to do so, but was adept to know how to anyway. His intuition was on point then. This was a mage.

Not that it mattered. For Vlov, when it came to what he desired, he will pursue it on the forefront. Doing so, he will burn everything in his way, even this city infested with souls that were rotten to the core.

"Then... I shall come to you."

After a moment of stillness, the vampire started to walk.

Nobara pulled one heel back. Her hand clutched her hammer tightly. Here it was, a beast in the shape of a man she only heard horror stories about. Of course, she was a little nervous. This overwhelming pressure akin to her journey through the curse womb's domain.

This guy is on a different level... She determined this after only catching a glimpse of his eyes - those empty, bottomless pits of his. A walking dead in every sense. He's not even looking at me. He wants to get into the detention center!

Of course she had to fight. She had to move. She needed to get a hold of herself while this vampire was heading straight towards her. Yet, there was barely any rush. The vampire was calm, like he had all the time in the world. Not even raising his guard as he attempted to close the distance. This was someone who, although acknowledged Nobara's level of control, still recognized her as inexperienced - someone who wouldn't put up much of a fight. Easy prey, in other words.

She didn't care to be underestimated, but in this case, maybe that was a good thing. She could get the jump on him when he least expected it.

"Arf-!"

The black divine dog launched itself from her side and dashed for the vampire, much to Nobara's surprise. Recognizing a threat, the familiar acted upon its instincts and its summoner's command: Assist Kugisaki.

Although the black divine dog was quick, the dead apostle's response was immediate. A flicker of flame from the edges of his fingers, and upon raising his hand, the flames erupted from his palm. A claw-shaped orange ball of fire, like the open mouth of a dragon.

"-!" Nobara found her grit at the threat of her life, and she rushed to the side.

There was the sound of a dog's whine, and it faded into the flames. The fiery claw shot past Nobara and crashed into the side of the detention center building. The raindrops instantly evaporated at the attack, like a tunnel of pocket air freed from the cold.

Embedded on the side of the building, in a circle of flames and cracked stone, was the charred body of Megumi's divine dog, unmoving.

Recovering, Nobara did not waste another second. She pulled out several iron nails in between her fingers and slammed her hammer at the ends of them, firing five of them in one hit.

The dead apostle was unphased. A wall of blue fire enveloped his body, and it expanded. The area was coated in an intense glow - a captivating light spectacle of flickering flames.

Nobara's iron nails didn't get very far. As soon as they were close to the vampire's body, his arm moved from under his coat. A long, hatchet-like sword was unveiled, and he swung once. The iron nails were instantly decimated, completely crushed to bits at his single motion, and the cursed energy the nails carried melted into his flames.

It wasn't even a contest. Although Vlov had never encountered a jujutsu sorcerer before, he had dealt with mages in his lifespan as a dead apostle. He knew exactly how to defend himself against such craft, even one as unfamiliar and not-as-worldly as cursed energy.

"...Is this all this country's sorcerers amount to?"

How pitiful.

Nobara stared in disbelief, her eyes dried doing so, and she blinked rapidly to regain their moisture. That was it. She gave it her all with that swing. If not even her nails could reach the dead apostle, then no physical attacks would.

Can I use his flames against him? I've done it with a curse's limb, but nothing as intangible as an element.

Another problem was that the flames were too hot to approach. The attack that took out Megumi's shikigami, Nobara wasn't sure she'd be able to survive that even if she protected herself with cursed energy. And if that didn't work...

At Nobara's halt, the vampire moved once more, seeing her lack of movement as a silent admittance of defeat.

I can run to the detention center, but I have a feeling he'd catch up to me easily. To turn her back towards the enemy was the worst possible move. She was sure her neck would get bit. No other choice then.

Plucking one iron nail from her pouch, Nobara held out her hammer ready. "You haven't seen nothing yet."

She'll just have to face his fire head on. If she survives long enough - or stay conscious, she could perform Soul Resonance on his flame claw. It was a stretch, an insane one, but it was all or nothing.

Nobara was certain she'll die after that, but with a monster like this, a monster who did that to all those people in the facility, she couldn't let him get past her without a fight. She didn't want to imagine what he'd do to someone like Yuji or Megumi, as little as she's come to know them - having only shared classes and assignments for two weeks. That happy imbecile especially didn't deserve a fate like that.

She wasn't doing this to be a hero. She just refused to back down anymore. She refused to let this monster proceed without a little scratch on him. And, most of all, she refused to let this bloodsucker get away unscathed after his blood-ridden lair got her uniform dirty that no wash would ever clean - she wouldn't be able to get the stench off for weeks. Nobara won't be satisfied until she delivered at least one good blow as payback.

Vlov gauge the sorcerer with an unreadable look, then he raised his hand. Though his nature as a vampire would savor this chance to devour the blood of a young maiden, against a mage, he would first ensure she was defenseless.

Orange flame swarmed his palm, and he threw another large, flaming claw.

"-gisaki!"

Over the whirring fire, Yuji's voice reached Nobara's ears.

Ciel rushed past Nobara. With a single wave of her hand, the executor repelled the incoming attack. The flames spread out from her outstretch. This time, the executor was fully prepared. "Apologies, Kugisaki. I've kept you waiting."

"Damn right you did." Nobara raised her arms to defend herself from the heat. "I figured you'd be out right away. I'll be honest, I didn't do much to stall him."

This was Nobara's plan all along. On the chance that she couldn't do much against this unfamiliar opponent, she would simply have to wait for the vampire expert to get here. This was the third - no, the fourth time Ciel shielded her. Nobara really owed that girl a latte and curry after this.

"You did well," Ciel said as the flames died out, and she lowered her uninjured hand. "Although, I would have preferred you left with the others, this actually works best for me."

Ciel glanced over her shoulder. "I'll need someone to help me with Yuji-kun, while I deal with this new enemy."

"Kugisaki! Are you alright?!" Yuji ran up to them from behind. He caught up quickly after he was abruptly set down in the facility hall by Ciel when the nun sensed something was wrong. Although this was done to keep Yuji safe, and he was aware of that, he came anyway.

Nobara turned around. "Itadori!"

She took one look at him and was shocked. "Holy shit! Your arm! What did that curse womb do to you?!"

"Oh. I nearly got bodied, but Ciel saved me." Yuji's answer was simple and to the point. He stopped beside Nobara. "Did Fushiguro get out too?"

"Y-Yeah." It stumped Nobara why that was Yuji's only worry, when his state was even worse than Megumi's. That broody guy suffered a serious head trauma, but Yuji - he was mutilated.

"An executor...?"

The dreary, deep voice of the enemy ceased their chatter. Yuji looked upon the lone man covered in blue flames, taken aback by his appearance - the hunger in those eyes.

It was the same feeling as Yuji's confrontation with the curse womb. A haunting air from the pale figure in dark clothes, the distance so far between humanity, and that which stood there. Is that...?

"So you've already appeared." Vlov's eyes remained sullen despite this minor surprise. "Your nose is sharp, as befits a dog of the Church."

A vein popped at the vampire's temple. His cold expression cracked. The sight of it sends a chill down the sorcerers spines.

"To think it was your stench that has infiltrated my domain, and to even aid mages. When did dogs decide to run with crows?" An intensity in the dead apostle's speech, his glare full of hate against the mortal enemy of his kind.

There's no mistake. Yuji's teeth gritted. Fear and anger coiled his heart at his remembrance of the victims in that lair, and the numerous living dead that were of someone's loved ones. That place was this guy's doing. A real vampire!

Ciel contemplated as she observed the dead apostle. It seemed all the commotion finally caught his attention. This weather also provided excellent cover for him, so there was no issue of travelling, and therefore, he came much quicker than Ciel anticipated. She would have preferred to confront him alone after waiting for him in the detention center, but it couldn't be helped now.

The fact that he didn't try to cloak his presence, simply revealing himself, he did not care for discretion - not much anyway. This was a vampire who would loudly ravage this city dry, the most dangerous sort of being - a monster who had lost all sanity.

"I should ask you the same question," Ciel threw back in an even tone, securing her position between the dead apostle and the sorcerers. "You've set up your lair in a place filled with curses. A ripe ground, no doubt, with all the inmates and staff you can feed off of easily, but I'm surprised you would affiliate yourself with those entities."

The dead apostle's expression cooled as the executor continued.

"I've also heard of a shipwreck that was discovered off coast the other day. A small, empty vessel, but signs indicate that it had been carrying only one cargo. Did that belong to you?"

Due to the timing and the location of the shipwreck - miles away from Tokyo, no one could immediately verify the nature of the boat, just that it'd been there for some time. Ciel only heard of the news this morning, and although she had her suspicions, she could not abandon her duties to investigate, and by then, Satoru had already left the city.

"Yes... That was my vessel," the vampire admitted. "I have crossed seas seeking treatment for my state, and as of recent... revenge."

After discovering essences of that man's presence, Vlov shifted his goals somewhat. It was where he'd been the other night, searching. He had made a detour after feeling lethargic - his state not yet adjusted to this country's air, and only awoke once the sun was completely obscured.

"It's true that this place once harbored these spirits you call "curses"." Vlov closed his eyes as if recalling his first impression upon arrival. "I've eradicated them upon settling here. I could not bear the stink of their wretched existence - these annoyances I see everywhere. A truly deplorable city, this is."

Is this for real...? Yuji was stunned as he listened to the exchange. They're actually having a conversation.

It was nothing like what happened with the curse womb. The cursed spirit wanted a fight. To torture. To sadistically pleasure itself before killing. There was no words given. Just chuckles and shrills.

It was that of a savage beast - simple as that. But here, Ciel and the dead apostle - they almost sounded cordial with each other. Even someone like Sukuna did nothing but curse all day.

That only pissed off Yuji more. If a vampire could talk, could think, could act like a human, then Yuji had to believe they were capable of reason. And yet this thing willingly did that to all those innocent people?!

"What happened here..." Vlov re-opened his eyes. "As if a rotten fruit was left for flies and rats to gather... that was not my doing."

"I see... I suppose not."

The idea of a dead apostle being responsible for bringing in an unsealed cursed finger, causing everything to happen, was rather peculiar.

"It wouldn't really make any sense, even if you are just another run-of-the-mill dead apostle who craved nothing but blood." Despite holding the conversation with an ancient being, Ciel was overall unimpressed. There was no diplomacy with such creatures, not ones that turn humans into meat bags. "I won't bother asking for your name. I'll fill in the blanks in my reports somehow. Your quest to have your fill that will never come, it ends here."

Nobara heard the inciting action in Ciel's words and readied herself, stepping a little further in front of Yuji. Yuji saw Nobara adjust her stance and footing, and he followed in suit. Even though he was in no condition to fight, he couldn't let himself be a burden to his comrades.

The air around the vampire grew hotter, and he spat out, baring his rows of fangs, "Filthy executor... Aren't you cold? Do you not understand my suffering?"

To feed again, and again, all to ease what was hollow - unstable, inside.

"I do not. The heat, the cold... I left them both long ago." There was no understanding between them, nor would it justify anything if there was. It all ultimately amounts to will power. One that this dead apostle so evidently lacked.

Yuji perked his head up at that, wondering about the context of that question and response. It almost sounded like the vampire recognized Ciel, though it was a sentiment not shared by her.

But more importantly, what did she mean by that?

"I see..." Perhaps disappointed that he could not find kinship in this "familiar" opponent, Vlov raised his hand once more. "What a difficult woman."

There was nothing more to be said, and he released his blue-hot fury. It was a massive river of inferno. Simply running from it would not be enough.

Yuji and Nobara ducked behind Ciel. The executor, unphased, braced the rushing element with her body, shielding the sorcerers behind her. Unlike the flaming hand from before, the blue flames were purely constructed out of Magecraft. As someone of her condition and abilities, it had no effect on her.

He's clearly not of the usual dead apostle variety. Ciel fathomed as she stood firm, slipping her fingers through the slits of her habit and gripping the handles of three black keys. I could engage immediately, but getting any closer would leave Itadori and Kugisaki exposed to these flames.

She could bide her time and let the dead apostle unleash his power, have him use up his blood until he ran out, then kill him when he's weak. However, Yuji needed to be brought to a hospital right away. His state could worsen at any moment and his life would forfeit. Waiting around was not an option either.

That only leaves me with one other choice. Seeking course for immediate action as her best approach, Ciel readied her black keys. She'll have to set up another barrier for the sorcerers, then simultaneously attack the dead apostle. Refocusing her power would momentarily leave her exposed and thus, have her suffer the "burn". But that was not an issue, as long as she could remain conscious long enough to end it in one go.

THUNK-!

There was an abrupt noise and a flicker of movement in the corner of Ciel's eye. Surprised, she glanced over. "-?! Yuji-kun?!"

A door that was once attached to the detention center slammed upright into the ground. Yuji stood behind it, having ripped it off its hinges and holding it up with his half fingers and limb. Nobara was there beside him, helping him with his grip by placing her hand over his on top of the handle. The pair strained against the flames, the door the only thing protecting them, instead of Ciel.

"What are you doing-?!" Before Ciel would tell them to get back, Yuji spoke.

"His fire. It doesn't affect objects." Yuji had been watching the vampire's surroundings, noticing a peculiarity under the blue fire's existence - the grass dying but not necessarily burning. He decided to use the door as his proof. "Look. It isn't leaving any burn marks or smoke. The rain isn't doing anything to it either. That means his fire only affects something that's alive."

Ciel was taken aback by his astute observation. Of course, she knew the nature of the blue flames already. She just didn't expect Yuji to come to that conclusion as well, especially one as new as him. To be able to think and comprehend so quickly while likely in severe pain and under pressure. Ciel was admittedly amazed.

"Go! We'll be fine here!" Yuji said. "Don't worry about us! Just take him out now!"

They need to finish him off fast. They had to exorcise this monster and prevent anymore deaths, right here and now.

Ciel looked at Yuji a little longer, once more surprised by his perceptiveness of her intentions, and then she shifted her attention onto the dead apostle. She adjusted her stance and hold of her black keys accordingly, perceiving this window of opportunity.

He might have made a good sorcerer after all. Her impression on Yuji changed at this moment.

Ciel launched herself with a single push of her foot. Like a cannon firing, she pierced through the blue sea of flames.

Vlov looked slightly alarmed by her change of approach. Though he had counted on her arrogance, he did not consider those two mages to be her support in that manner, even if not as powerful as the girl before him.

He relinquished his attack and held out his sword. Come, Executor.

Recognizing the threat before him, he readied himself like a knight being charged by a bull.

It was a clash of blades, sparks flying in the dancing fire - where only two out of the select could stand in it. Vlov destroyed several black keys with his sword, each silver blade shattered like fragile glass, no matter their dexterity stronger than steel. His speed was inhuman, capable of deflecting bullets from a gatling gun without exerting himself.

The executor continued with her onslaught as she drew close. Direct battle would be unwise, but what she was aiming for was an instant kill. If she infused most of her magical power into one blade, she could end this right away.

Vlov sensed her plan, his instincts warning him of impending doom, and he gestured his hand behind himself. "Defend me."

The shadow behind his feet extended, and two hounds jumped out. One immediately took a hit from Ciel's black key that aimed for Vlov's heart, its savage noise dwindled into a whimper before dying. The hound fell in front of Vlov, where its flesh was consumed by the fire.

Ciel did not stagger. She resumed even as a second hound went for her with its maw open, looking to tear her throat out. Ciel simply prepared another black key. A familiar of this caliber was easy picking for her.

Snap.

At the sound of Vlov's fingers, the lines in the dog's cracked flesh glowed a bright orange. Ciel's eyes widened, and she watched as the hound's body ignited. An explosive, orange blast engulfed her fully before she could react. The heat so intense a dome of air was created all around them, the rain instantly turning into vapor.

"Ciel!" Yuji heard the explosion. The bright orange glow mixed with blue streaked across the ground next to his feet, the door's shadow growing longer over him and Nobara. Yuji felt the metal door handle get hotter. Even with his fingers wrapped, it was like putting his hand in a frying pan.

"Itadori!" Nobara could feel the heat increase through Yuji's hand, and she called his name out of worry.

"Don't let go!" Yuji only said, refusing to bend even as his hand felt like it was on fire. The door suffered under the orange flames, leaving burn marks at its edges unlike the blue. If he lets go, they'd be burned alive.

This wasn't a problem for him. He practically faced the same thing against the curse womb's energy blast. This was nothing!

From the orange blast, Ciel pushed through. The ends of her nun habit had singes, but Ciel merely pressed on, successfully pushing one black key into Vlov's stomach.

"Gnh-!" Vlov bared his fangs and swung his weapon. The force behind his swing was strong enough to part the sea of flames into two. The shockwave reached Yuji and Nobara, and they barely hung onto the door that trembled under the rushing wind.

This was their indication that Vlov was still fighting Ciel, meaning she was alright. That gave Yuji the strength to keep the door up and shield his classmate. Come on! We can do this!

Ciel leapt back a few times. With a snap of her own fingers, her Cremation Rite - at full power - was ignited.

A huge chunk of Vlov's stomach was blown apart. Red fire swarmed his center, incinerating his internal organs.

"Haaaa...!" Vlov gasped out, ashes fell from his mouth. The pain ate away his blood as he used it to immediately douse the burning sacraments and restore himself. "This fire... Even with this..."

He turned back for the executor. The frustration in his tone entirely separate from his current predicament. He was not angry that the executor inflicted damage onto him, but rather...

"I still feel the cold."

He said it as if he was irritated that Ciel could not deliver a better attack than this.

Ciel's feet skidded to a stop. Her eyes narrowed at the foe.

He survived that... She was hoping, at least, that that would cripple him completely, before finishing him off with her Baptism Rite. The dead apostle was much tougher than Ciel expected. This was becoming far too strange now, enough to bring a sense of unease in Ciel.

The vampire had his focus on her. His mid-section was still healing, but without waiting to catch his breath - or whatever semblance of life he had for himself, he rushed for the executor. Like a streak of black and blue, he met Ciel with his sword, intending to gut her through.

Ciel foresaw the action and pulled out more black keys. As of this point, she used up over fifty - the majority of them spent in her venture through the curse womb's domain. She was confident, however, that even a few black keys would be enough to defeat this enemy. But before that, she would need to sacrifice some first.

Vlov's sword came for her head. Ciel raised her blades and they took the brunt of his attack, all shattering in one blow under the dead apostle's strength. Their shards impeding the dead apostle's vision somewhat.

One black key was spared, and she ducked under Vlov's sword with it. She prepared to insert it into Vlov's side, confident that this would surely do the trick.

"ARF-!"

A vicious noise broke through the flame. Ciel was caught off guard by the presence of another familiar and she quickly jumped back to avoid its teeth. She felt the rush of wind from it akin to a motorcycle speeding by.

"That's-!" Ciel was shocked. A large, wolf-like beast with charred black fur that bled fire from its shoulders, eyes, and mouth. It glared with an intense hunger in its red eyes, standing between her and its new master.

Fushiguro's Divine Dog!

Megumi must have left it here to aid Nobara in case something went wrong. Ciel's intuition of the dead apostle's flame was correct then. There was an infectious nature to it, turning those who endured the vampiric flames into more dead foot soldiers. It's even able to effect curses - including someone else's familiars.

"Cold..."

Ciel looked on confused at the dead apostle. The blue fire around him seemed to be acting strange too, steadily receding towards him.

"It's... so cold here...!" The dead apostle gritted his fangs tightly. The stress in between them threatening to crack. "Will this storm never cease... in the depths of my soul?!... This horrid element!"

He wanted to vomit it all out. This disgusting essence in his system...

Something's happening... Ciel clenched her fists, a faint sweat at her temple. By this point, he should have exhausted himself already. But his blue inferno hasn't fizzled out yet. He could not have this much blood left.

She felt an unusual built-up energy within the dead apostle. The instability in his form and the flames all around them becoming more and more apparent, so much so, there was not a hint of purity. The opposite, in fact.

Negative energy? Ciel's brows furrowed. Was it possible?

Had he been feeding off of cursed spirits? No, rather, he'd been feeding off of people in this city who carried cursed energy. Those that were not sorcerers but have the potential. If he was containing both negative and positive energy, but his body was struggling to utilize one of them. There's a chance he could expel both powers all at once.

What would come out of that would likely be similar to the aftermath of a nuke being dropped. The entire compound would be irradiated, luring in cursed spirits here by the mile. They'll be overwhelmed.

I have to end this now!

However, the familiar before her was no mere dead animal, unlike those other hounds. The flaming shikigami moved with such ferocity, forcing Ciel to deflect its quick attacks with her black keys. As much as she did not wish to exorcise what was Megumi's, she had no choice.

She thrusted her black key, but the black divine dog bit her blade and shatter it with its fangs. Its reaction and timing almost unparalleled to the average familiar. The evolution in its strength so jarring once an experienced and powerful handler held its leash.

The black, flaming divine dog reared its head for Ciel and opened its maw. Its fangs coated with saliva as its hot breath hits her face. A single bite from this creature would boil her insides, she was certain of this.

The divine dog's body was slammed aside by a metal door. Its body bounced across the ground as the pair of sorcerers stopped in front of Ciel.

"Are you okay?!" Yuji asked from over Nobara's head, shifting the door towards the blue flames.

"What the hell? Was that Fushiguro's dog?" Nobara looked over at the mutt who recovered from the attack quickly. "Did that vampire turned it into a zombie? I didn't realize he can do that!"

Ciel was a little stunned by their - yet again - intervention. She did not respond to Yuji's question but did consider Nobara's. Indeed, it was such an abnormal accomplishment. Such as which no mere dead apostle could just achieve.

Unless... Ciel's brows rose. Realization crept in her face. It can't be...

"Cold..."

The trio looked back at the dead apostle who uttered. Vlov's body trembled with unrestrained agony. His expression tightened into a deep grimace.

"Cold...!"

It's not possible! The window of opportunity was closing. Ciel's face broke into a panic. Why? Why here of all places?!

They were out of time. Despite all their efforts, the abnormality of this dead apostle's state and abilities - his condition which only hasten his instability, had prevented them from immediately slaying the vampire, what would have been the best method.

What's happening to him? Yuji looked on in bewilderment. He's in pain?

Not that he had any sympathy, but it definitely didn't look comfortable.

"Yuji-kun! Kugisaki!" Ciel shouted at the duo who quickly looked back at her, startled by the urgency in her voice. "You need to get out of here now!"

The flames gathered and crowded all around Vlov. The ashes in his breath turned into white steam.

"I made a mistake! This isn't a normal dead apostle!"

Above Yuji's right cheek, Sukuna's eye parted open to gaze at the writhing dead apostle. His ability...

Vlov clutched his chest, the excruciating pain reaching its peak. "It's so cold here...!"

"-He's an Ancestor!" Ciel, at last, revealed.

Erupting from the deepest well of Vlov's chest, his true power was unleashed.

Chapter Text

The fierce heat was transformed into a biting cold.

A whirlwind of frost thrashed the land, instantly smothering the flames. The cold burst erupted from Vlov's chest. It was done so unintentionally. After losing considerable amount of blood, he could no longer contain it.

Ciel managed to launch herself in front of Yuji and Nobara right before the storm was set loose, once more using her body as a shield. She pressed her hand against the door and reinforced it. Had Ciel not done that, they would have been frozen over immediately.

"What the hell is this?! And what's an Ancestor?!" Nobara shouted through the storm. She clutched her arms together tightly, her body chilled under the sudden drop in temperature.

Yuji was just as baffled. Just by looking at the hailing snow all around them, this type of cold could kill someone in seconds. He couldn't tell how far it reached, only that it was too fierce to move around in. Not even the door would help them. It was like they stumbled into Russia in the middle of its harshest winter.

Ciel could not answer. Too focused to prevent the freezing air from overpassing her. A Dead Apostle Ancestor. It was unbelievable. She had never heard of an ancestor of his description. He was likely a successor, which meant he had killed the previous ancestor. Had she realized it sooner, she would have suppressed him right away.

She was facing a city-wide catastrophe. She could set up a barrier to contain him, but she had to act quickly, or else millions will die in this blizzard.

"Gnnnnh...!" Vlov's suffering was heard through his gritting teeth. And then. "Gak-!"

His jaw unclenched. Blood spurted from the mouth and spilled onto the ground. He nearly choked. "Gnh-! Damn you...!"

The sudden cold parted from the area, and the temperature rose back to normal.

?! The exorcists were very, very confused.

A guttural reaction from Vlov, forming pools of blood at his feet. Every attempt to collect himself ends in failure as he clutched his chest and partially healed stomach.

Despite how much blood he used to reverse the process of his injuries, the executor's full power took a heavy toll on him. It wasn't simply Cremation Rite. On any other dead apostle, a power like that could instantly eradicate them. But because he was a dead apostle ancestor, he survived the initial blow.

His survival came with a cost, however. If he had avoided a single injury as devastating as that, the blizzard would have lasted as long as he did and overtake this entire city. There was also another suppressant at work here. Perhaps Vlov should have taken more consideration towards that "curtain", but that was not important right now.

This is it! Ciel saw this as her moment of chance, and she did not hesitate. Knocking down the metal door with a slam, she rushed for the dead apostle ancestor. At his current state, another rite would surely kill him.

The possessed divine dog jumped in front of Vlov, acting as his shield. Its body enlarged, growing into the size of a car, as if shadows was about to explode from it. It's mouth engulfed with a bright blue light, either fire or ice. The longer it remained under Vlov's control, the stronger and more dangerous it became. It's immediate end was necessary before its full potential would be achieved.

Ciel closed her heart off and unsheathed three black keys. With as much brute force as a heavy-weight champion times one hundred, Ciel matched the divine dog's strength, telekinetically moving her black keys to intercept its claws, fangs, and used her free hand to throw three more black keys, penetrating the divine dog's flesh while stopping it from unleashing its energy blast.

A combination of different rites paralyzed and eviscerated the animal, and Ciel pushed through its decaying smoke. Just a little more-!

Yet, as fast as Ciel was, that moment of dispatching the shikigami was enough time for Vlov to catch his breath.

"Thirsty..."

Vlov's body was engulfed in blue flames, and then he vanished. Ciel's thrown black key narrowly missed his body, shooting through the fire instead.

Eh?

Ciel's feet skidded across the ground. She stopped to look at where the ancestor had disappeared.

"Huh?" Yuji and Nobara shared her reaction.

The vampire was gone. Just like that. No grand escape, but an anti-climactic retreat.

"Did... Did he just bail?" Nobara blinked, feeling the frost from her hair melt in her hand. "What just happened? Did we win?"

Ciel straighten her back. No. That's not it.

She had heard him. His need for blood. He could not go far the way he was right now, so there was only one place he could get more blood from.

Tapping her senses into the black keys that were stationed underground, she felt the presence of the dead apostle ancestor below.

He's going to feed on those people!

In Ciel's three-hour venture across the cursed detention center, at one point, she found the vampire's lair. A ritual ground it seemed more like. It was where she discovered those two remaining inmates that did not survive. Aside from more curses and the dead, the one thing Ciel could make note of was the carvings on the floor, leading towards the table at the center of the room.

The dead apostle must have had some kind of spell set up to instantly transport himself there. Either as a failsafe, or perhaps when his "meal" was ready to feast on. Ciel had carefully cleansed that lair, but it's possible something was already set in motion when those inmates died.

Ciel immediately dashed for the detention center.

"Ciel-!" Yuji didn't realize right away what made her move, but he ran after her regardless. Nobara, once she registered their inhuman sprint, went after them.

They re-enter the detention center. Ciel could still feel the active barrier shielding the victims. It wouldn't hinder an ancestor for long, but she only needed to stall him until she arrived.

"-?!"

However, the moment she was in the hallway and headed for the stairs, a harsh breeze shot through. The violent cold returned, emanating from the beneath structure.

Ciel was forced to stop against the unrelenting element. This wasn't simply an immense drop in temperature, but a deprivation of heat. It's like draining the life out of everything that wasn't inanimate. The cold was just a side-effect. Against such a power, even Ciel would be in trouble if she stays in it for too long.

Is he trying to prevent us from pursuing? Ciel grimaced through the cold, her arms raised over her face. The dress of her habit flapped wildly behind her. His discharge is out of control! I need to lockdown this entire building and stop his power from reaching the city!

She had noticed the "curtain" set up around the area. It had stopped the dead apostle ancestor's Freezing ability, but only for a moment. As long as this vampire remained underground, the effects towards the outside world should be minimal. Like the graze of a rainy day with a sudden rush of cold expected in a dreary weather like this. A stronger bounded field was required for this type of opponent and contain his cold completely.

As for what came after that, Ciel would have to deal with it herself. She lacked the proper equipment, one capable of withstanding against a dead apostle ancestor. There was no time to procure them either. At this hour, the enemy could walk out freely whenever he liked as soon as he restores his energy. Even with her type of bounded field set up, it was too risky to leave him be.

"Yuji-kun! Kugisaki-san! Run back to your school! Tell everyone there's a Dead Apostle Ancestor here!"

Yuji was startled by her request as he braced through the harsh freezing wind with his arms raised, Nobara just coming up behind him.

"They'll send reinforcements to lock down this part of Tokyo! You'll likely have to evacuate the city!"

"Evacuate?!" Nobara was stunned. Just how dangerous was this vampire? How the hell did no one notice that kind of monster was around?!

Ciel reached into her dress and pulled out several black keys on each hand. "I'll keep him busy as long as I can! Contact Gojo-sensei! A Special Grade Sorcerer is needed for this! He might not show up in time, but he'll send the word out!"

As regretful as it was to rely on that man, for this kind of situation, there was no one more efficient, or with as much influence, as him.

"What about you?" Yuji was so used to seeing Ciel be so calm and unyielding. To see her this panicked was really worrisome. "You're saying all that like you don't have a chance against him."

Ciel did not look back at him. She launched her weapons to pierce through the cold and had them embedded into the ground ahead of her.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Yuji stepped closer to Ciel, feeling the frost through his bandages and sleeves. "Then we have to stick together! We'll find some other way!"

Yuji's thoughts drifted to the people underground. His eyes went wide, fathoming what else was at stake here. "If you need someone to keep him busy, then-!"

Let him deal with it. Even if Yuji himself had no shot, he could unleash Sukuna.

"Let me help y-"

Ciel turned on her heels, the motion quick enough to make the dress of her habit twirl lightly. She gently cupped Yuji's face before he would finish.

Yuji was surprised by the hold, a small dose of warmth over his cheeks in the midst of this freezing cold. The words stopped at his tongue as he looked into the light blue eyes of the executor - of the girl named Ciel.

Ciel smiled. "It's alright. Don't worry."

It was a smile that absolutely assured everything will be okay.

"I was hired for this, remember? You just worry about your recovery. Your classmates still need you."

Such was the practiced skill of an expert liar.

Ciel's thumb rubbed the tear stain and char residue from Yuji's right cheek bone. Yuji instinctively closed one eye, feeling her tender graze against his skin. His other eye remained on Ciel, a slight shimmer in it as he tried to keep his focus through the cold.

"Goodbye, Yuji-kun."

Yuji's head jolted in Ciel's hands, just as a white flash of body gripped the collar of his hoodie. The white Divine Dog clenched its sharp teeth around the fabric and forcibly yanked Yuji out of Ciel's grasp.

Huh?

He watched Ciel stood by herself at the near end of the hall, as he was dragged further and further away.

Wait. Wait..!

That sounded too legitimate of a goodbye for Yuji that it couldn't have meant anything else. The kind of farewell that assured they won't see each other again.

"Itadori-?!" Nobara was suddenly yanked from her waist. A long, elastic-like tongue wrapped around her stomach and pulled her whole body into the mouth of a giant toad. "Why do I get the toad?!"

She quickly caught on that this was Megumi's doing. He must have sensed the death of his shikigami dog and deemed the situation too dangerous for her and Yuji to stick around anymore. But for his shikigamis to ignore Ciel...

Don't tell me...! Nobara thought as the large toad started hopping after the white divine dog. She was unable to look back at the blue nun. Did Ciel and Megumi planned for this? When? And what about Ciel?!

Ciel watched as the duo were forced out of the building, her heart fully at ease now. She turned back towards the hallway, facing the fierce rush of cold. With a flick of her hand, the black keys moved forward, and she rushed ahead with them.

"All the talismans have been broken. The curtain itself has fallen apart, but it seems no serious effects has slipped through." Ijichi held his phone against his ear as he stood by his car, currently on the phone with a co-worker. Under the rain, there was sweat building at his temple. His glasses covered in droplets that he could barely see through them anymore. "This is very unusual. Even for a Special Grade, rarely any curse would have the power to break that many seals all at once."

"...It might not be a curse we're dealing with anymore." Sitting in the rear of the car with the door open, Megumi had his head out with fresh bandages around his forehead, the edges of his black hair collecting raindrops. He gripped over his knuckles tightly, straining them, and his hands trembled slightly. "I felt Divine Dog's death. Something's gone wrong."

Was it the dead apostle? Did it finally return? Megumi could only think of that as the only explanation, otherwise, it shouldn't have taken this long. A window had confirmed over the phone that the curse womb was dead. So what tore apart Ijichi's curtain just now?

"Then I must insist we bring you back to Jujutsu High," Ijichi pressed once more. "I will need to return here to set up another curtain and examine the situation. Right now, your well being must be addressed."

"Not yet..." Megumi's eyes wavered as he held his head, fighting to stay conscious. "We need to wait for those guys. No matter what."

He just hoped he made the right call. He only had enough energy to summon two shikigamis. Yet, deep down, Megumi knew that if he had sent a third for Ciel, she would have rejected it, and faced whatever new foe they were dealing with herself. He only hoped that if the situation was too much, she'd retreat with his class.

"...Dammit."

He hated how he had no idea what was going on. He hated how weak he was. That, once again, he let his inexperience overtake him and knock him out of the fight, leaving others to pick up his mess. Am I this unsure about my own abilities?

If something happens, something equivalent to Yuji betting his own life again, Megumi would never forgive himself.

"Don't you dare die, you guys..."

Yuji gripped the hoodie that was pulling his whole body. The distance between himself and the detention center widened, to the point where he could no longer see the building.

"-Let me go!" Yuji looked back at the animal, who ignored his demand. "Hey! Is this okay with you?! You're just gonna leave like that?!"

The white divine dog did not react, though it wasn't necessarily the shikigami itself Yuji was asking. Maybe it was a stretch that Megumi would be able to hear him through the animal, but Yuji didn't care.

"Itadori!"

Yuji was surprised to hear Nobara and looked in front of him. He saw the girl trapped in the mouth of a toad that was hopping right on his tail, catching up to him quickly.

"Kugisaki! Did you see what happened with Ciel?!" Yuji shouted.

"She stayed behind in the detention center!" Nobara answered. "There wasn't anymore of Fushiguro's animals! I don't think she's coming!"

Yuji's heart dropped. Then it was certain. Back then...

Goodbye, Yuji-kun.

Ciel wasn't planning to meet up with them later. She wasn't planning to come out of that place at all.

"...Tell this to Fushiguro."

"?!" Nobara was startled by Yuji's expression. That look of seriousness unlike anything she's seen of him until now.

"He can put his trust in Ciel. But he doesn't have to make that choice for me."

With a sharp jerk of his remaining hand, Yuji ripped the collar of his hoodie. The white divine dog felt the sudden release of weight as it carried the piece of red fabric in its mouth and stopped.

Yuji softened his landing with a drag of his heel across the ground. He recovered back on his feet and bolted back for the detention center.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Nobara shouted uselessly through the rain. The white divine dog ran back after Yuji, the orders of Megumi Fushiguro instilled into its being: Rescue Yuji Itadori.

Yuji rushed with all his might, superseding the shikigami's speed behind him. The rain pelted against his body, but they did not impede him even for a slight second. She wouldn't ask for help. She's too worried about us and those people. She'll sacrifice herself if it means giving us a chance to get away!

If there was anyone who should give their life for others, it should have been Yuji. What kind of promise would he be fulfilling if he'd let someone else die in his stead? That wasn't a proper death. He refused Ciel to be the one to carry that burden, like it was expected of her.

Hang on, Ciel!

She'll probably wring his neck for this, but Yuji didn't care. He already made his choice. If he leaves Ciel behind willingly, he'll forever regret it until the day that he dies. Then everything he'd be doing after that would be meaningless.

"What futility."

Vlov slashes through the black keys that aimed for his body. Although his unrelenting cold prevented him from moving, it seemed to be doing well draining the stamina of his opponent. "It's uncharacteristic for an executor. Has there ever been any to have fought this much for lost causes?"

Ciel stood between him and the tunnel that had all the trapped victims. The cold was tearing through her like being in the mouth of a frost giant, biting her repeatedly. Her breath was haggard and dry. Her lungs utterly chilled, her organs as cold as ice. Any other human would have perished by now, but Ciel was being particularly stubborn about it.

"I don't expect a dead apostle to understand." Ciel's voice trembled with every exhaust of her breath, releasing cold vapors from her throat as her life bleeds. The dress of her habit was torn up to her thigh, now wildly dancing as banners in the wind. "They matter nothing more to you than simple blood bags."

Indeed, those civilians were doomed from the very start. But they meant more to someone else, even those who never asked for their names. Just like that boy whose face she thought of, and the great tragedy that would befall on the world should he lose that sunshine smile of his.

"Heh..." As if reading her thoughts clearly, despite the shielding around her mind, Vlov coldly laughed at her determination. "It has been some time since I've had the pleasure to cross swords with a fellow knight."

He suddenly dropped his sword, and the weapon fell into his shadow.

"However, that is the sole reason why you will lose. From the very beginning, you should have come after me like a true assassin."

Ciel could no longer sense the feeling in her legs. She answered, "You might be right about that. But..."

I don't want to regret the way that I lived. Yuji's philosophy echoed one last time.

"I have no regrets."

Yuji bared through the cold, ignoring the painful touch of the temperature as if all the air in the room was robbed, replaced with frostbites.

I'm almost there. I got to push through!

There was no plan, only instincts. Following where the cold was rushing from, he made it to the sewer system of the detention center.

I can barley breathe. It hurts to breathe. The closer I get, the worse it gets.

Knowing that much, he could only imagine what Ciel was going through. She was standing in the belly of the beast.

She's strong. She'll hold out!

He just had to get there and-

"Ciel-!"

He finally reached the largest part of the sewers. The heart of the storm. The lair of the dead apostle.

Drip. Drip.

In the middle of the room, Ciel's body hung in the air. A massive weapon plunged through her chest, a giant white lance with the point stained in red.

Yuji froze. His heart stopped at the sight. He forgot about the cold. The pain. He was as still as a statue.

The vampire waved his weapon in a single motion. Ciel's body easily slipped out of his lance and was tossed aside. Her body crashed through the rubble, as if he was throwing away a piece of trash.

Yuji snapped back to his senses and forced his body to move. The fierce wind in the room had ceased, the dead apostle regaining control of his ability, but that wasn't any of Yuji's concerns.

Yuji arrived at the rubble. The tears in his eyes burn as he dug through the stone, and there, he found her.

"Ciel...?"

Her body was motionless. Her heart was gouged out, her ribcage destroyed. Only a gaping wound was left in her chest with all its pink-red innards. Her dark blue hair was a mess over her vacant, expressionless eyes, and a trail of blood spilled from her mouth.

"So you have come back." Vlov acknowledged the lone boy who went up to the fallen executor. "What a waste. She had given her life to spare yours, and yet you..."

Yuji's arms were surprisingly steady as he carefully picked Ciel up, lifting up her torso. He held her close, her head against his chest. Her lifeless body felt so cold.

"...Hm. There is something about you..." Vlov's eyes narrowed. "You do not smell like that of a usual sorcerer. Not... human."

There was the sound of a new entry, someone stepping into the lair. Vlov turned to look.

Standing at the entrance was the white divine dog that glared at Vlov, and in its mouth was a very small object.

"...Thank you for bringing that," Yuji spoke calmly to the divine dog without looking. The divine dog leapt over to him in a single instance, dropping the cursed finger by his side.

Yuji hugged Ciel's head a little closer, his stubs for fingers clasping over her hair.

"Go. I don't want Fushiguro to lose another dog tonight."

The divine dog observed Yuji for a moment, and then it ran back for the exit. Yuji carefully puts Ciel back down as if placing her in bed, and then he picked up the cursed finger, bringing the object to his mouth without hesitation.

Vlov's scowl deepened. He could feel it, something was coming. With how calm the boy presented himself, not a single thought could be read from his behavior or head. Yet it was evident enough in Vlov's years of battle, the boy had come to a decision.

Best to eradicate the sorcerer immediately then. With a raise of Vlov's arm, a single, giant icicle was formed over his shoulder, and he fired it directly for Yuji.

There was contact the moment Yuji swallowed the cursed finger, and a giant dust storm was unleashed from the attack.

"...?!"

Vlov's instincts blared. He dashed to the other end of his lair, his guard immediately up. "What...?"

What was this? This feeling? As if a beast was set lose.

"You...!" The aura around the boy changed, and Vlov instantly knew what had happened. "You have another soul...!"

As the dust clouds parted, Vlov could see his icicle was cut into two. The sharp ends of it shattered already, but for the rest of the body, it was like a knife had sliced through them.

"All this over a woman you barely know."

Yuji's fingers regrew back, tearing through the bandages Ciel made for him. He pressed them over the front of his hair, pulling it back and exposing his forehead.

"What an annoying brat." Sukuna eyed at the dead apostle ancestor. Despite his annoyance, though, this might actually be worth his time.

Omake - A Few Days Ago.

Yuji is typing...

Yuji: like a whole bunch of people. Sensei said its a good spot for curses so that's where we're heading.

Yuji: he also said we're having a picnic so we might bring some takeouts. Wanna join us?

Ciel ("Curry"): As tempting as that offer is to deal with Gojo-sensei's antics, I don't wish to impose.

Ciel ("Curry"): You should also be careful inviting me to any sort of outing. You know who I am now. While it may not bother you, others from your school might disagree, and you won't have your ignorance as your defense.

Ciel ("Curry"): It'd be easier to say that I was tricking you so you and your class won't get in trouble.

Yujj: Oh I'm not worried about that. Gojo-sensei is keeping it quiet and I think only the principal knows. i guess if Yaga-sensei hasn't said anything yet he's okay with it too.

Yuji: Kugisaki also asked about you. She's a little on the fence but I think she's willing to give you another shot (I told her to. ur welcome). You also haven't seen Fushiguro in a while, right? You guys could catch up.

Yuji: come on. I'm on my hands and knees here. We want to see you more! UmU *prayer hands* (I learned that from Kugisaki. its kind of fun. I don't do it alot tho).

Ciel ("Curry"): I'm afraid I'll still have to decline. My scheduling is a little packed today.

Ciel ("Curry"): You'll need your absolute focus anyway. This is an exorcist assignment. I'd rather not either of us get distracted while we work.

Yuji: that's a shame. ok. If you change your mind, this is where we'll be.

Yuji shares a link.

Yuji: stop by if you're ever in the area. whatever suits you.

Ciel ("Curry"): I doubt I will. But thank you for the invite.

Ciel ("Curry"): It's very considerate of you.

Ciel ("Curry"): Though I don't necessarily encourage it.

Yuji: dawww. Senpai is looking after us freshmen. I feel special.

Yuji: You're a real big softie huh? It's nice seeing that side of you.

Yuji: I'd really like for us to hang out more. You're fun to be around with.

Ciel ("Curry") is typing...

Ciel ("Curry") is typing...

Ciel ("Curry") is typing...

Yuji: Ciel? Are you still there?

Yuji: Are you erasing your message over and over again or is the signal bad? It's kind of hard to tell.

Ciel ("Curry"): I wouldn't really describe myself as "fun."

Ciel ("Curry"): Most people wouldn't.

Ciel ("Curry"): Also, bad signal.

Yuji: huh. Ok.

Yuji: well you are interesting. That alone is obvious.

Ciel ("Curry"): Obvious?

Yuji: There's still a lot I don't know. Where you're from. Your family name. You don't talk about yourself much.

Yuji: can't blame a guy for being curious. But I'm also not gonna push it if you really dont want to.

Ciel ("Curry"): Why not?

Yuji: I guess it's like how I felt back then when my gramps tried to bring up my parents.

Yuji: you don't owe me an explanation. I'm more than okay having you around like this. As colleagues, and hopefully, maybe as friends too.

Yuji: if that can happen, I'd be happy with just us talking about the weather or the movies. Or nothing at all.

Yuji: probably why I keep bothering you like this. Even when I say dumb stuff, you always answer.

Ciel ("Curry"): I see.

"Hey Ciel! Wow. You really showed up."

Yuji walked up with a nonchalant wave of his hand, a large brown picnic basket in his other. The day was bustling with civilians across Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. A hotspot for picnics in the summer or a nice walk here.

"..." Ciel stood by the water in front of the railing with a picnic basket of her own in hand, somewhat cornered by the enthusiastic vessel. She'd been discreetly observing Satoru's class. Or at least, she attempted to.

She was certain the distance between her and the class was far enough. In her perspective, the teacher and students were tiny figures, so it was reasonable to think that that's what she looked like in their eyes if they were to look her way. But unless they were actively trying to find her, their gaze would have glossed over her presence that blended with the numerous other visitors here, and with her face at times obscured by her cell phone as she pretended to take pictures - or purposefully take pictures. For reconnaissance, of course.

Granted, hiding herself was pointless when Satoru was there with them. That was simply inevitable ever since she started monitoring Yuji's condition even more closely. Satoru was aware of her presence but hadn't approached her once, prioritizing his focus on his class. It seemed he did have some notion of a responsibility.

She'd been too optimistic as it would later turn out. Because here was Yuji, far from his class after separating from them to use the bathroom, and he came all this way because he saw Ciel from across the 10-meter wide Naka-no-ike Pond, as if that was incentive enough to make the speedy trek. His ability to pick her out from the crowd was nothing short of impressive. Ciel honestly believed he could do so even if she'd been wearing a disguise.

She couldn't help but be a little annoyed by that. Was it a matter of pride? What was it about Yuji being able to see her so easily that unsettled her? It's like he had some kind of reflector against deception. Her spell, her illusion, her act. None of it seemed to work on him.

The only other person who was just as unaffected was Satoru, and even then, Ciel did not falter. With his Six Eyes, it was only expected. But Yuji was another matter. He didn't see through her but "sees" her. Whether it was because of Sukuna's passive abilities seeping into Yuji, or something else, she just couldn't tell. And it bothered her how much this level of uncertainty was crawling under her skin, she might as well be naked.

"Did you finish work already?" Yuji asked with that simple smile of his. His shiny brown eyes focused on her with genuine interest. His soft pink hair bright under the sunlight as if there was a halo on top.

There. Like that. There was just something strangely off putting with the way he was being. That friendly attitude. The purity in his eyes. It didn't make any sense. There was just no way for someone to be this cheerful while talking to someone like her, his potential assassin.

"...I have," Ciel answered. She didn't bother coming up with a story unless he asked for specifics. She lifted her picnic basket. It was a little smaller than Yuji's, built out of orange sticks with blue floral patterns on top of the lid. "I thought I'd bring something along, just in case."

"Cool. We got a lot of food with us so there's plenty to go around," Yuji lifted his picnic basket in showing and then pointed over his shoulder. "Everyone else is over there. I'll take you to them."

They started their walk around the lake together. Yuji carried on the conversation. "It's too bad cherry blossom season is over. I hear they're amazing in this park."

"Yes..." Ciel lowered her chin to look at her picnic basket. The bridge of her glasses frame slid over her nose slightly and she pushed it back up. "I only found out they bloom during spring. It's a shame. I really wanted to enjoy eating this while sitting under all those petals."

"Yeah? What did you bring?"

Ciel opened her basket and showed it to Yuji. The inside presented clear containers with plastic wrapped covers. Within the containers were pink spongey rolls with cream white fillings and strawberry slices, all nicely preserved.

"Hoh! Cinnamon Rolls!" Yuji's eyes shimmered with his hands over his mouth, mesmerized by the sight of the sweet treats. "They're pink too! Just like my hair."

"I thought a little dessert would go well with everybody. I made them just this morning." A huff of pride in Ciel's chest at Yuji's clear amazement.

"You made them? Score!" Yuji fist-pumped. "I'm always happy to eat some home baked goods!"

There was a flicker of smile on Ciel. She closed her basket. "You said you brought takeouts?"

"That was the plan, but then I decided to cook for everyone." Yuji then opened his basket and showed it to Ciel. Rows of perfectly cut, rectangular sandwiches, with some shaped like hearts. "Fried pork cutlets and baked chicken sandwiches. Kugisaki really wanted them to look like hearts for some reason. I guess she wanted to feel cute."

"Hmm. Those do look good." Ciel was especially enticed by the smell. One can never go wrong with fried food - in moderation, of course.

"I also figured you'd stop by, so I made some extra curry sauce too."

"-!"

The instant he mentioned curry, Ciel's stomach growled. A monster stirred in her belly, threatening to ravage a whole city.

"..."

"..."

"...You want to have a bite now?"

"...Yes, please." Ciel shouldn't have skipped breakfast today.

They sat at a nearby bench under a sleeping Sakura tree. The leaves green for the summer, awaiting to bloom its alluring color next year.

"Mm! These rolls are great! The icing is the best part too!" Yuji happily munched on the strawberry cinnamon roll. "You're a good baker."

"Thank you." Ciel took a bite of the pork cutlet sandwich dipped in curry sauce. An instant look of contained bliss in her cheek-filled expression. She tried to play it cool, though, which was a serious challenge. "Mmm~ You're a really good chef too, Yuji-kun. You might make a good housewife to someone one day."

"Don't you mean househusband?" Yuji asked. Ciel did not respond, too busy enjoying her meal. "Man. You're really downing that, huh?"

"Hmh-!" A hiccup-like sound. Ciel realized herself and swallowed the cutlet, embarrassed. "Ah-! Well-! I-It's just so delicious. I know I should probably save some, b-but..."

What could she say? There was just no restraining herself when it came to curry. (Curry is love. Curry is life.)

Yuji chuckled. "It's fine. Sensei has another basket, so we're still good on leftovers."

He smiled cheerfully. "It makes me happy seeing someone like my cooking so much. I've had people try it before, and they say a lot of good things about it too. I can't explain it, but seeing you like it, it just makes my day."

...Ciel felt a little flustered at that, slowing her eating but never stopping.

"So what's the secret in these rolls?" Yuji lifted the pink cinnamon roll to his teeth. "I've baked before, but this is really something else. How'd you get them to be this fluffy?"

"...It's an old family recipe," Ciel said, closing her eyes to focus on the sensation in her tastebuds. "But that's classified."

"Darn. Oh well. I'm just gonna have to rely on you to bake more of these then," Yuji said cheekily.

"...I guess so," Ciel did not decline. She lifted another curry-dipped sandwich. "Just as long as you make more curry like this."

"Deal!" Yuji tore the cinnamon roll in half and gave one piece to Ciel. "Let's plan for something next week! We'll invite Fushiguro and Kugisaki too. How does that sound?"

Ciel opened her eyes to look at Yuji's offering. The sweet, pink piece of pastry held out for her like the half shape of a heart.

"...That sounds nice. I'll think about it." Ciel accepted the piece and placed it in her mouth, tasting the sweet frosting that reminded her of home.

She didn't say no! Yuji gave another fist pump, expressing his triumph silently with an open smile.

The two continued their eating of what was originally supposed to be a quick snack break, resuming their talk with ease.

"...Those guys are total idiots." Popping her head out from behind a tree, Nobara expressed this as she - rather enviously - spied on her classmate.

"I don't think so. They're just a little slow." Megumi rested his back against the same tree beside Nobara. It'll only be a matter of time, he suppose.

"I'm so proud of them..." Leaning from the other side of the tree, Satoru faked-sob with the sound of his voice as he shamelessly took pictures with his cell phone, planning to use this as blackmail or just to annoy Ciel with them later.

"What I want to know is when the hell am I getting my romantic experience, huh?! This is so not fair!" Nobara forgot her inside voice and angrily grabbed Megumi's collar shirt. "Hey, Fushiguro! Go on a date with me! I want to make those guys jealous too!"

"You're the only one bothered by this." Megumi smacked Nobara's hand away, completely rejecting her proposition.

Satoru snorted at his students antics, then smiled as he watched Yuji and Ciel - who by now knows she was being watched. And she didn't care.

Chapter Text

Nine Years Ago...

"Did you get into another fight, Fushiguro-kun?"

Seven-Year-Old Megumi Fushiguro rubbed the chin of his white Divine Dog. His shikigami's eyes were closed in relaxation. Megumi's left cheek had a square-white bandage, covering a scuff mark of a punch he endured earlier at school.

"That's no good. You won't be able to make friends like that." Speaking from across the small living room, the young nun wearing her veil sat on a brown sofa, holding a warm cup of tea in her hand.

"They were annoying," Megumi answered frankly. "I wouldn't want them as friends anyway."

"Maybe, but there are others your age who could get scared off. They might think you're a bully," Ciel gently chided. She closed her eyes and lets out a soft sigh. "You'll start to worry Tsumiki-chan if this keeps happening."

Divine Dog's head rested on top of Megumi's lap and Megumi pets it.

"I only need my sister," Megumi declared. "Everyone else is stupid."

"Hoh? Even me and Gojo-sensei?"

"Gojo-sensei is even more annoying, but you're alright. Divine Dog likes you too."

"Ha. Well, regarding Gojo, I can't really disagree with you." There was a quirk of a smile before the nun sipped her tea. She then rested her cup on the coaster on top of the brown coffee table. "You might not think you'll need anyone else, but there'll come a time when someone will need your strength. That someone might become your very first friend."

Her gentle smile softened her eyes. "If that happens, promise me you'll look after them, and support them if they ever feel lost or alone."

The white divine dog opened its eyes. Megumi stared into the dog's gaze. A silent moment went by, and then Megumi answered, "Okay, Senpai."

Divine Dog's ears flickered at that.

Megumi's eyes shot open. -?! Dammit. I blacked out!

He felt Ijichi's grasp over his shoulder to keep the student from falling out of the car. Megumi paid no heed to the man's asked concerns, his mind disturbed by his momentary lapse of focus. Were Divine Dog and Toad still active? Did one or both of them fell apart?

Awooooooooo-!

He heard the howl of Divine Dog through the rain. It echoed across the sky, distant yet prominent.

"Is that one of your shikigamis?" Ijichi raised his foggy glasses to the sky. "That howl. Does that mean everyone's alright?"

Megumi listened to the howl, catching the hidden message in its long sound.

-woooo-woo-woooooo...!

A sorrowful note at the end. Megumi clenched his fists tightly, piercing his palms with his nails and drew blood.

A blend of orange and blue fire blasted through the underground chamber, severing through the sewer water like swords.

"To think such competition exist outside this country," Sukuna's fingers swiped the air, parting the blue flames behind him as he jumped to dodge Vlov's sword. "I've been missing out."

Vlov chased after the running curse king, mumbling under his breath. "Kill... Kill..."

A mantra of what his instincts and remaining sanity instructed. He swung his sword once. The weapon cleaved a giant stone pillar in half, dust and rubble rained all around them.

"No more ice?" In the midst of the dust cloud, Sukuna crouched leisurely on top of the halved pillar, his regenerated fist under his chin. A massive deep scar of the weapon's aftershock embedded on the wall behind him. "How dull. If you could use it more often, you might be able to beat me."

There was no might about it. Vlov had the advantage of greater artillery here, but a multitude of factors stood against the pale foe. Though, only two stuck out the most for Sukuna.

One: the attack that executor unleashed earlier. It did more than a number on the vampire, dampening his abilities, energy, and even regeneration.

Two: Despite his swordsmanship, honed by decades of battle, and centuries more of practice, Vlov was still, clearly, an inexperienced "sorcerer".

"Of course, if you even knew how to handle your ability, those brats would have been dead already." Sukuna rose up to his feet and pocketed his hands. He raised his chin, looking down on the vampire beneath him. "Your fire is merely an excess, meaning your own body cannot contain its power in its entirety. It's a result of incompatibility with its host."

His eyes glowed red. "From what corpse did you pilferage that 'curse' out from?"

It was a command not from hypnosis, curse, or anything of the sort. It was the word of a King. A demand that knew no silence. It was to satiate Sukuna's own curiosity, but that did not mean there should be an absence of courtesy.

Vlov's eyes widened briefly. The tension in his expression then lessened, and the vampire lowered his sword. "I acknowledge your strength. Therefore, out of respect, I will answer."

He spoke in an ancient dialect that could be understood between them, those of their respective eras. Vlov closed his eyes. "It is true. I am not the original owner of this power. It belonged to my master, whom I have slayed and rob her title as "Ancestor." For me, blood is the very essence of warmth. The heat of life-"

Sukuna looked down at his fingernails, half-listening as he cleaned away the grim he collected there.

"-The world revolves around it. Naturally, the absence of blood - to consume it - leaves only this blistering cold. Without blood, I would have frozen to death long ago. You are astute to note that I can only use it sparingly. But while I may be no successor, a banished knight with no banner-"

Vlov opened his eyes, "This "imperfect" curse of mine, along with my weapon, they will be enough to vanquish you."

"...You vampires love to hear yourself talk." If a name had been asked, Sukuna felt he'd be given a whole backstory first. He shrugged. "I'll forgive it, though, since your strength is noteworthy. But to vanquish me? That's a bold statement from someone whose body is on the brink of collapse. Will your mind be able to hold out, or will your blood supply deplete first?"

Seeing the blood lust of a fellow cannibal, Vlov found himself smiling also. "Who knows? But I am no longer worried. Indeed. You have caught me by surprise, but I see now that you are not at your "best" either. That corpse finger - it seems you've recovered a portion of your power."

Vlov raised his arm, showing his open palm. "As long as this is all you amount to. I have no reason to fear you."

"Hoh? So that makes us equals, is it?" Sukuna's grin widened in amusement before he turned his head away. "Many who thought that way end up overestimating themselves. You may have fought and survived for centuries, but in my experience, men who've lived long aren't that special."

There is a saying; beware of old men in a profession where men die young. Such a statement rung true for Jujutsu Sorcerers. However, hundreds of elders - skilled warriors and mages alike, instructors of their own practice who've led generations of sorcerers renowned within Jujutsu Society - all had fallen by Sukuna's hands. There was nothing remotely fearful of "old men" and the legacy they leave behind. The avoidance of death is not the same as overcoming death in battle.

The King of Curses narrowed his eyes. "You've indulged on hundreds because it is your lifeline, while I feast on those because it is my right. You're a slave to your Freezing. For that alone, I will show you the difference in our prowess."

And just how little they really compare to one another.

Vlov's smile fell. His head lowered and the bangs of his pale blue-gray hair covered his eyes. "...Then show me."

The air around him trickled with specks of frost. "Show you me you are any different from the mindless worms that roam in this wretched city."

His blood-red eyes sharpened, shining through his pale fringes. The crushing grip around his sword drew blood from his palm. "I will bleed that husk dry and ravage both of your souls."

The lingering warmth of his presence was sucked away, and the cold returned in a swirling burst. The ice storm swarmed the chamber and traveled through the tunnels, with Vlov standing in the midst of its rage.

It was easy to assume that Vlov fell for Sukuna's taunts, but that wasn't it - not completely anyway. It was only rational for Vlov to forgo his flames. Sukuna had a special tolerance to Vlov's orange fire, while the blue fire was best avoided. An inversion of the blue haired executor's immunity to Vlov's blue fire but not his orange flames.

At more fingers, Sukuna could have also developed a resistance to the blue fire, as it was still a flaw that was inherently less impressive to Vlov's Freezing, which did the same thing of draining the life and heat of everything alive. Sukuna could use his cursed energy to shield himself of the effects, but he would run out of it quickly at his current state.

This would imply that Vlov unleashing his Freezing was the worst outcome for Sukuna, for unlike against fire, Sukuna could not part the cold wind as harsh as this. There was no escape from its winter's clutch that seemed to reach as far as Vlov willed it. And yet, that was what Sukuna wanted. Even in this harsh cold that would freeze a human in seconds, Sukuna was still unphased. Having known someone in the Heian Era who possessed a similar ability, he was also tolerant to the cold, and therefore, could stand in it whereas others would immediately die. There was still a limit, but to Sukuna, it would more than suffice.

Vlov suspected this would happen. For someone like Sukuna who seemed accustomed to the heat, it was plausible that he would have some sort of ability to keep himself warm. Vlov envied that power, the sort that he'd been pursuing endlessly but always fail to achieve. If using flames only drains Vlov's sanity further, and thus his body's stability, then it was better to unleash his cold front now, rather than risk a counterattack from Sukuna. While his opponent was not at his prime, Vlov could still feel the enemy had a hidden trump card, and so the logical method was to - put it frankly - go all out. Crush his foe quickly before it would be used.

It was a mutual understanding of one another's capabilities. To push each other until one of them "taps out", down to the very last drop.

It would have been better if I stayed at two fingers, then use the third to replenish myself. Even if Sukuna would have been weaker, he would have enough cursed energy to unlock his Domain Expansion once, then rinse and repeat after swallowing the third finger - extend his usage and effectiveness, maybe even more if he placed a binding vow on himself.

The brat was too eager. I doubt he's actually rooting for me to win.

From such an impulsive action, Yuji's sole intent was to deal as much damage as possible. Though, to do so, the boy ended up throwing the curse-sorcerer into the den to fight in his steed.

He's willing to sit back and watch me squirm. Sukuna observed as large icicles formed over Vlov's shoulders, and he smirked. Fine by me.

He'll be sure to have his payback once the opportunity presents itself. This was his motivation to claim victory. No matter the cost.

-!

Sukuna sensed the icicles forming behind his feet. He dashed from the ground and avoided being impaled by the erupting shards, as tall and wide as his vessel's body.

He can fire ice from other places.

Certainly, in this cold, everything was in reach for Vlov. It was like standing in an incomplete domain. Were Vlov able to, he could simply impale Sukuna from all sides.

But an incomplete "domain" was still incomplete. That curse womb was no different, opting to make this detention center more of a playground than anything else. It's why its defeat was so apparent, a real sorcerer wouldn't have struggled all that much. Sukuna was pretty sure even that Fushiguro kid could beat it but froze under pressure. There was also Vlov's confession that every usage eats away the vampire's energy. Extending its proximity likely expends more. It was a daring act, and another demonstration of how much Vlov was taking his opponent seriously.

This, too, was what Sukuna wanted. If his intuition was correct, then he only needed for Vlov to truly go for the kill. From there, it'll be decided.

Vlov summoned a barrage of icicles, all of them fired at the rate of a machine gun. The ancestor let his ice chase after the fleeing curse-sorcerer, while he himself remained where he stood, a drawback to his Freezing. He is unable to move so long as his winter tundra was active.

He admitted his own freezing could kill him. With his fists, Sukuna broke through the smooth surface of the icicles, preserving his cursed energy by doing so. That gives me a few ideas of what sort of weakness he has.

Admitting one's technique, even their flaws, could actually empower the user. It was a trick sorcerers knew, and something that Sukuna is aware of. Even a weak sorcerer would reveal their techniques, linking the condition to a Binding Vow, and give themselves more power by putting themselves at a "disadvantage."

However, it did nothing for Vlov. It's possible that Vlov did not know that this could be done. Or rather, he saw this as unnecessary. It was often a bad habit for dead apostles to confess their abilities to make their encounters with prey more "interesting". To do so for tactical reasons would be redundant. Such is the fate of living too long, where boredom becomes their remaining company besides hunger.

Whatever the reason, this would come back to bite Vlov later.

It takes more than overwhelming might to win. Sukuna punched through another set of icicles, shattering them with unparalleled precision. While he would have liked to leave Yuji crippled upon switching back, the curse king was tuned into battle. Until now, it was by luck that you've exceeded your lifespan.

He momentarily lowered his mental shielding to convey this to the mind-reading vampire.

"..." There was no response from Vlov, but certainly a reaction. His shadow extended past himself, and his enormous lance emerged. The very weapon that instantly killed that blue-haired executor.

There you go. Sukuna dug his arm into the wall. Large chunks of stone flung towards the vampire, their speed on par of the icicles fired after him.

Vlov dropped his sword into his shadow and grasped his lance. In one swift motion, he cleared the projectiles, destroying them into smaller debris. Nothing but clouds of dusts that barely fazed his storm, or leave a stain on his coat.

"Grnnnh...!" Vlov bared his fangs. He could feel the cold gripping his chest tightly. His sanity was dwindling, but his will held out. The moment he loses himself, that would be when he is most vulnerable.

As long as he cannot come close with that cleave ability, he is no threat-

Through the parting dust cloud, a single arrow of fire shot for him.

"-!"

Vlov used his lance to deflect. The fire spreads across his weapon, like a seed that bloomed into a flower. It reached his arms and burnt through his sleeves.

Vlov loudly grimaced under the attack. His Principle would allow him to swallow any heat, and yet this fire was unlike any normal fire. It was filled with cursed energy, and it left a poisoning taste in Vlov's system. The element scorched his skin, but nothing that a little blood spent won't heal.

"Still cold?" Sukuna's voice drifted across the air. "If that didn't warm you up, then it's hopeless for you."

Nothing will cure this vampire of his condition.

The icicles crashed all around Sukuna, faster and in more numbers, but he was never grazed once. A white cloud from the destruction surrounded him, and he used the obscurity to his advantage.

Sukuna cleaved through a pillar. He kicked the cut-off section and leapt behind it, using it as his shield to brace the cold and reach Vlov. Bits of frostbites started to chip into Sukuna's skin, but he bared with it. It should be any moment now.

Vlov's lance pierced through the pillar and shattered it into remnants, its point narrowly missing Sukuna's shoulder. At the slightest visual of Vlov's figure, Sukuna raised his hand.

There-

Sukuna was stopped in place by thorns of ice bursting through his chest, crushing through his ribcage with ease. His grin dropped, and his eyes widened. His body and arms were impaled by various icicles that popped up in front of Vlov like a barrier, encompassing Sukuna in a small prison of ice.

"...You should have been more discreet, instead of wasting your breath."

There was an etch of disappointment in the vampire's voice, having foreseen the sneak attack. Icicles hovered all around Sukuna - a show of overkill. After being mocked while his opponent boasted an ability to feel his own heat, Vlov felt it fitting.

The rubble fell, and all that stood between them was three feet of intensifying cold, and the prison bars of ice covered in blood.

"This fight..." Vlov pulled back his lance. "Is over."

Death was imminent.

Even so, Sukuna smiled widely through the frostbite.

CRACK-!

The surrounding icicles penetrated through the prison, burying it into a shape of a rose-bush.

"-?!" Vlov's lance crushed through the icicles, aiming for Sukuna's torso. However, his weapon did not meet the body of his adversary. Vlov simply destroyed the prison with its trails of blood, a white cloud of frost surrounding his lance.

He vanished-?!

No. It wasn't teleportation. It was speed. Not only that, Vlov had heard a noise. It was a sound that came before his icicles broke through the cage. Sukuna was able to cleave through the ice with just the slightest bit of movement.

Piercing the limbs wasn't enough. Vlov should have crushed his opponent's fingers completely. No. Even if he had, there would have been a moment where Sukuna could restore his fingers and cut himself free anyway. If his opponent had been fully human, or perhaps, if his vessel had been any less tough. Vlov should have aimed for the brain to begin with.

"Domain Expansion."

There was another error on Vlov's part. Upon focusing his Freezing ability in one place to finish Sukuna off, his tundra forgo its defenses in other places, including above.

"Malevolent Shrine."

Vlov whipped his head around and turned his eyes up to the ceiling. There, he spotted Sukuna in the air. The curse-sorcerer's body covered in frost, pieces of icicles, and wounds fatal for a human. His hands were pressed together in a prayer-like sign.

Vlov immediately summoned more icicles, but it was too late. The world around them darkened. He stood in a large body of water. A temple in front of him, where Sukuna landed on top of its roof. At the sudden appearance of this domain, Vlov's tundra ceased for a moment. A new reality had stepped in.

The icicles summoned were instantly sliced apart before they could be fired, and Vlov's body was assaulted with slashes.

"Hnnrgh-!"

He raised his lance that took the brunt of the attacks. Though battered ceaselessly, the weapon was completely unaffected, unscarred by the invisible onslaught that could sever a person clean through. It was purely because of this weapon that Vlov was spared from even greater damage - of being shredded apart.

Blood splattered all around Vlov, bleeding into the water and reaching the foot of the temple. Eventually, the onslaught - which had lasted about ten seconds - was over, and the domain had ceased.

Vlov dropped on one knee into the blood-soaked water with a splash, his body covered in gashes. His attire torn apart, even his hair was cut somewhat. He had only his lance as his support, his breath far more haggard than before.

"Hoho! You really are a tough one." Sukuna was impressed by the vampire's tenacity. "That should have killed you, but you held out until the end. I've underestimated you."

Vlov's teeth strained so deeply, they threatened to break under the pressure.

"Allow me to take back what I've said," Sukuna said, pulling out the icicles from his body. His wounds then started to close. "You've earned your place for having lasted this long. I'll admit, I might have overdone it on my part."

From using that flaming arrow, to then enhancing his speed, to then summoning his domain, and topping it all off with Reverse Cursed Technique - Sukuna had poured out a hefty amount of cursed energy from his barrel. He won't be able to pull off the exact same tactics again, but he could afford to use one of them for one last time.

"That being said, I'm surprised you're willing to push yourself this far," Sukuna's intrigue fell to inquiry as he clasped over his chin. "You're about as close to death's door as you can get. It won't be long until you bleed out. So, why haven't you use up those reserves yet?"

"-?!" Vlov went rigid. He sat there, stunned to silence. How? How could this curse have possibly notice?

"I was hoping to force you to after showing you my domain, but it seems you're still hesitating." After a moment of pondering, Sukuna came to a conclusion and huffed. "Ridiculous. Do those souls actually mean that much to you?"

Vlov lowered his head.

"The fact that you're still clinging such a part of yourself," Sukuna raised his chin, conveying his own dissatisfaction at the vampire beneath him. "Shows your lack of commitment."

The victor had been decided.

"That is the difference between you and I. That useless sentiment, even that fixation behind your curse, they only weigh you down."

Held back by the affection of those the vampire - a proud and loyal knight at his core - still carried in his memories.

Vlov tightened his bloody hand around the hilt of his lance. A flicker of a smile escaped him, silently laughing at his own predicament. "Fixation... Is it?"

No longer able to close his own wounds, he forced himself to stand.

"Filth like you..." Vlov glared hatefully at the curse-sorcerer. "Knows nothing!"

Indeed, Vlov had been fighting this whole time to prevent himself from using them. If he loses focus for even a split second, he'll end up consuming his wives' souls subconsciously, like gulping out of reflex the second water touches his dry lips. Even if it would guarantee his victory, Vlov refused to make that sacrifice. It was his decision, therefore, a living curse had no right to denigrate.

To dare insult those he's kept close to his heart was unforgivable, and to speak as if Vlov's own soul had been perceived, it was even more disgraceful. For Vlov's shame was that great. He cannot forgive those who have pried into his being and become a witness to his sins, even if his adversary had only a general grasp of it.

A dose of black energy sputtered out from Vlov's hand, rising like smoke. Vlov paid no attention to it. His hate. His anger. He focused it all on this one opponent.

Vlov thrusted his lance into the ground. The earth erupted in waves of stone and water, and it channeled across the chamber for the curse-sorcerer.

"-! Hoh." Sukuna leapt back and away from the tsunami that encompassed the chamber in front of Vlov, threatening to bury Sukuna whole. "This just became more interesting."

It really has been a good night. A first time Sukuna was this excited since he revived.

"-?" Vlov finally took notice of the abnormal energy around his form. It felt putrid to his existence, and yet, it momentarily alleviated the exhaustion he felt. "This is..."

After a brief moment of comprehension, Vlov readjusted his grip around his lance. "I see. Very well."

Though he was low on blood, he was not fully on empty. If he must abandon his regeneration in favor of preserving his remaining power, and even rely on this to destroy this creature, then-

-CLUNK-

A powerful zap through Vlov's body, like his chest had been struck by lightning. Vlov stiffened, his cold as ice body became even more frigid. "What-?!"

He could feel it in his soul. The word spelled out plainly.

Resonance.

"I don't know what's going on in there."

Nobara held out another iron nail, her hair and clothes soaked to the brim under the rain. Her legs were a little cramped from all the running she did. After that Toad shikigami fell apart and she tumbled across the road - yes, it hurt - she had a choice between regrouping with Megumi, or going back to support Yuji.

The fact that the shikigami had vanished, it implied the death of its user, but after she heard Divine Dog's howl, she lets go of her worries for Megumi, which left her with Yuji. This night hadn't gone the way she wanted it to. She had no idea if Yuji or Ciel was dead or not, and this complete total obliviousness left her in a foul mood.

"But like hell I'll just stand out here and do nothing."

She twirled her hammer. Jabbing the cursed-fueled nail into the blood spots left by that vampire, she swung her hammer down, feeling the strain of its wooden handle, and slammed her weapon onto the nail.

It was only a few blood spots, thick enough to endure the rain while the rest were washed away, but with this, it might just be enough.

It annoyed Nobara that this was the best she could do, whereas Yuji and Ciel were on the front lines, actively putting their lives on the line.

"I need to get a better hammer."

Vlov hacked up another ounce of blood, clutching his chest with his pale grip. His body was about to give out. Even the feeling of this new emerging power was like acid to his veins. It was because of that power that Vlov was etching closer to his demise, his foot passing over the line already, awaiting for the rest of his body.

Blood-! I must-!

He must get to the tunnel where his supply still hung. Undoubtedly, all of them had been killed despite the executor's best efforts. Her death had ended her barrier, and so there was nothing that could protect those people from his Freezing. If he had used his flames instead, he would have been fed and be rejuvenated already. He had attempted to earlier, but it seemed Sukuna had caught on and parted the flames before it could reach them, causing a minor cave-in that blocked the entrance during the commotion.

No matter, though his victims had been deprived of their heat, their blood should still remain fresh for him to consume. Perhaps he could exhaust a small portion of his flames to reach them faster.

SLASH-!

The only other issue was that damnable curse-sorcerer.

Vlov had felt it coming. No matter his injuries, his battle instincts were honed to perfection. However, it was because of his injuries - on top of that attack striking his very soul - that his body could no longer keep up. He had raised his lance to retaliate, and it was immediately snatched from him.

Along with his arm.

"Damn. This thing is heavy," Sukuna watched the lance drop into the water, slipped from the fingers of Vlov's arm that lost its iron grip. Sukuna leisurely sat on top of the risen earth and showed Vlov the stolen limb. "What's wrong? Reached your limit already?"

Sukuna was not oblivious. He could tell something had happened to Vlov, allowing the King of Curses the opportunity to de-limbed the dead apostle. It would appear the vampire's spirit was assaulted by some kind of magical ability. Or rather, an ability used from afar.

Someone from outside? Or could it be from that woman? Sukuna's mind drifted to the one called Nobara Kugisaki. A long-ranged cursed technique. It seemed like she was able to attack the soul directly. Not bad.

He would have liked to fight her if she'd still been in the detention center. This brat - Yuji Itadori - has certainly surrounded himself with far more compelling characters.

"Alright. I've had my fun," Sukuna tossed the limb aside and rose to his feet. Deciding what to do next, he came to a solution. All because it amused him. "It's time you face the sun. Become ash, along with those souls you cling to your person."

To be so attached to his humanity still. Such hypocrisy.

Sukuna's fingers were surrounded in fire. A deep-red hot that was unlike either Vlov's blue or orange flames. Sukuna parted his fingers to become his slingshot, and he pulled the fire like readying a bow.

Vlov was at a loss. Though his energy and blood were at an all time low, his mind had never been clearer. That was when he understood how hopeless it was for him. To be so close to death - real death, it had brought him out of his insanity he tried decades to flee into the arms of. He could not summon and uphold his cold front, it was pointless. To use flames when the fuel tank was in desperate need of a re-fill was suicide, and yet, it was all he had left. At the slimmest chance that he could cause a backburner and weaken the attack.

The irony of his enemy using fire to burn Vlov alive was noted. Would his Principle be able to use it against the curse? Or would it prove to be too much? He had not much blood left to truly utilize it.

No.

Even so, Vlov refused to let himself be mocked by such an act. The nerve to boast that ability and endure the cold, while he himself could only suffer its phantom pains!

Run.

The arrow was launched, and Vlov braced for it. Even if he would turn to ash, as long as he could take that curse with him.

Run. Vlov.

"-!"

He finally heard it as the arrow struck his chest.

Run.

It was like five hands were pressed over his heart, and his body was engulfed in bright, fiery colors.

"..."

There was no denying it. It was his loss.

I truly am a hopeless creature.

The fire had swarmed the chamber in a sea of red swirling heat. It was a power unleashed by Sukuna at its fullest, meaning no Domain Expansion after this. No Reverse Cursed Techniques. He, too, had reached the end of his barrel. All to entertain himself by poetic theatrics.

"Hm?"

The curtains was about to lower, and yet, a surprise second wind.

The red-hot fire split into two, pushed aside by giant arms of blue fire, and Vlov revealed himself. Not unscathed, but certainly alive. His body surrounded in his element as he glared unfettering at Sukuna.

In the next moment, Vlov was swallowed by his flames, and then, he vanished.

"..."

Sukuna stood there, not out of shock. He waited for any follow-ups, but the presence of the vampire had completely disappeared. Eventually, the fire in the chamber - both blue and red - had simmered down.

"Feh." Sukuna lets out an empty laugh, smiling to himself as he looked aside. "What a let down. He ended up fleeing."

This is what a Dead Apostle Ancestor amounts to? It almost seemed like that blue nun had been exaggerating. Which by the way, her body must have been burned up or incinerated after that last attack. Boy, won't that kid be pissed? So much for revenge.

"Well, not that I wasn't entertained anyway. He almost had me there. He could have had me there, but then he chose to escape to preserve those remaining souls of his."

It was a step forward and a step backward. Sukuna wondered if Vlov even meant to do all that intentionally.

"Either way, I've done my part," Sukuna hopped down from the rubble and landed his feet into the blood-murky water. He probably could have landed on a stone platform, but that was his vessel's problem now. "I can't tell where he went, and I'm not interested in pursuing. But this should be enough to satisfy you. Eh, brat?"

Silence.

"Hey. Brat!"

He waited. And waited. But there was no response. He could not feel himself be pulled back or Yuji pushing out.

"Brat?"

No reception. No switch. It was just him.

A pause, then. "Heh!"

Sukuna's expression stretched into a wild grin.

"Heh heh heh heh heh!"

His chest rumbled with a newfound exhilaration. This freedom.

"I see now." Not wanting to waste another second, Sukuna turned his head towards the collapsed entrance of the tunnel. "If you can still hear me. Remember what I said before?"

As he recalled, that young woman, Kugisaki, should still be around.

"Know this: I keep my promise."

SHINK-!

Sukuna heard the whisp of a speeding object and his expression immediately fell. He swung his arm back, deflecting the first weapon and let it stab into a slab of stone behind him, but his hand was nonetheless pierced through. The second weapon met its mark in his arm, its long dark blade severed through his muscles and bone and stuck there, jutting out from the elbow.

-! This is-

Several more black keys fell all around him. A white light shone from them instantly, surrounding him into an jail cell before he could jump out.

No. That wasn't right. For as fast as those weapons were, Sukuna could have still moved even faster. However, something had kept him in place, freezing him on the spot the moment that first black key pierced behind him, where his shadow lay on the stone - the light brought out by his own lingering flames.

The barrier sparked with life, and gravity weighed over Sukuna's shoulders. It slammed onto him like a building falling over, and he was forced onto his knees into the water. He managed to stop his face from submerging completely by slamming his hands down, barely sustaining enough pressure to keep himself up.

"So you are the infamous King of Curses?"

Sukuna's four eyes shifted to the side, and he spotted her.

"You are as destructive and blood-lusted as they say you are."

Walking across the water in her repaired nun habit, Ciel's blue eyes stoically met Sukuna's stunned look.

Chapter Text

They stood in the blood soaked trenches of the chamber, the essence of thousands of victims flowing in the murky water. Sukuna's body was closest to it, his chin nearly touching the lake where blood started to clear away, purified by the glowing black keys that had him both chained and imprisoned. His hands and knees were submerged and immobilized. He could not move, especially when he was in a state of "empty".

"I've warned Gojo-sensei that this would happen," Ciel stood ankle's deep in the blood-red and black water, unphased by its stench of iron. "Here I thought I would have to play the long game. I was hoping for a more controlled setting. But it can't be helped."

"How are you still alive?" It was not often for the king of curses to be at a loss like this. He was certain he saw this woman die. He and his brat host saw it. Unquestionably so.

Ciel answered courteously, "Just as you are able to restore parts of yourself, I too have the ability to heal and regenerate."

"No. This isn't any kind of regeneration," Sukuna said. Not even Reverse Cursed Technique would have saved this woman. There wouldn't have been time nor room for it with how that vampire's lance took up her entire chest. It was instant death. For anyone to survive that, they'd have to not be fully human.

"You should be more worried about your current position." From savior to assassin, the nun spoke coldly, "Your execution date has been moved up to now. In the name of the Lord and Almighty, I will exorcise you here and grant you your last rites. I'll deal with the dead apostle ancestor after that. He couldn't have gone far, so it shouldn't be an issue tracking him. I should thank you for weakening him to that extent."

Sukuna's surprise subsided hearing that, his expression relaxed. "Hmph. Some gratitude you're showing."

Sukuna was not the least bit troubled by her promise. Even if he were to die here, he had his other cursed fingers to survive with, just as he had told his carrier not that long ago. "I went out of my way to deal with a foe you couldn't handle. Is this how you western exorcists achieve anything?"

Be dealt a tremendous blow, have someone else solve the issue, then cut in and claim the spoils.

"What a sham! You're not so much as that Satoru Gojo claimed," Sukuna taunted, his grin stretching inhumanly to his cheeks.

"I suppose not," Ciel calmly admitted, a disinterested tone by his ridicule. "Executors are notorious assassins. When it comes to exterminating dead apostles, we prefer to sneak into their castles, find their coffins, and then plunge our blades into their hearts while they're asleep. If it seems like the best method would be to let someone else handle it, and then step in when both parties are exhausted, I wouldn't have a problem with that."

She closed her eyes momentarily. "Whether I feign defeat to achieve my kill, or sacrifice an innocent bystander to do so, it doesn't matter to me. I will do whatever necessary to complete my mission."

"Hoh? So you're willing to kill even this boy?" Sukuna challenged.

Ciel opened her eyes. Her ice-blue gaze cutting through the light of the barrier surrounding Sukuna.

"Of course," she said, no hesitation or emotion in her voice. "That was the plan. I had in mind to befriend him for a little while longer, and then kill him when the time was right. I was willing to wait until he consumed more of your cursed fingers, but he couldn't even handle three. Stress played a factor in it, but it's clear you're too dangerous to let linger in this world, let alone allow you to reclaim the rest of your soul."

She raised her arm, her hand focused on the barrier while keeping her distance. "If that boy or his classmates end up cursing me for this, so be it. I won't deny that this is murder, but it's mercy compared to what you might do in that body. Regardless that your existence may retreat to your other fingers, should you revive again, know that you will be put down, over and over, until not a piece of you remain. If not by sorcerers, then by us members of the Burial Agency."

A spirit with a history of cannibalism taking a human-like shape is no different from the vampires she hunts every night. Ciel's fingers spread out. She channeled more energy into the barrier and begun the exorcism-execution of the king of curses. The white barrier brightened, and Sukuna's body started to exude steam.

Sukuna smirked. He'll give her credit, the woman showed resolve. He'd be willing to pay real money to see Ciel's attempt on Yuji's life just to witness the brat's despair, regardless of how that'll end for Sukuna.

However, after being forced to his knees, Sukuna refused to let this go. He had already endured one humiliation at the hands of Satoru Gojo, he won't let anyone else do the same.

"For someone whose made up her mind, you sure are taking your time," Sukuna's eyes shifted over to the blade still stuck in his arm, feeling the hum of "holy" energy that made his veins tingle. "You could crush me in an instant with this barrier alone."

"It would have been preferable to eliminate you that way," Ciel agreed, "Quickly and painlessly, in case your host is still conscious. However, an entity like you, while possessing a human body, will require a thorough exorcism. I'm confident it wouldn't take long, though. No doubt, you've reached the bottom of your barrel after your fight. It'll make purging you that much easier."

To be considerate of his and the brat's comfort, such a sentimental killer. Sukuna is certain that'll come back to bite her later.

"This will be the last time we'll speak," Ciel declared. "Take this moment to think over your past sins and repent. Even though you're a curse, you used to be human once. There may still be salvation for your mortal soul."

Heh. What a softie. It was like Sukuna had been told a joke that failed to hit its mark despite the genuine belief in Ciel's words. Sukuna's extra eyes lowered to the water. "You were quick to get rid of all that ancestor's blood. I'm not foolish enough to drink straight from the river without cleansing its impurities first. Even so, I don't have enough cursed energy to handle that much instability."

The dead apostle's blood would surely overwhelm him. Sukuna couldn't deny that. "But I don't need to. All it would take is a small amount. Bring it to a boil, and it can be consumed."

Sukuna's arms were engulfed by the exorcising flames of the barrier, his physical presence steadily eaten away. Despite this, he kept an oddly serene look. "Even better to take it straight from the source where there's less interference."

Like refining copper after it's been smelted from ore. Ciel's brows pulled together, confused and an air of caution. It's true she acted fast to clear away the blood, as it can be a source of energy for Sukuna to replenish himself with, but she hadn't been that worried. The likelihood to survive a drop of that dead apostle ancestor's blood was minuscule. There had to be a procedure, or be given by the vampire directly. It's a comparison between drinking from a large bucket of water and having IV fluids inserted into the veins. If the consumer is not careful, their stomachs could burst.

Ciel understood this very well, but what did he mean by taking it from the source-?

-! It can't be-!

Sukuna smiled at Ciel's fallen expression. The King of Curses's hand curled underneath the murky water, his fist crushed deep into the concrete to protect the object he held. A piece of pale flesh that leaked black blood in his grip, stolen from Vlov's arm and preserved by Sukuna's Reverse Cursed Technique with the last bits of cursed energy he had. A mouth opened in his hand and bit onto the pale flesh, its teeth scraping the stone before closing and swallowing with one gulp.

Sukuna immediately felt a shock through his system. A cold surge like the Arctic wind rushing through his veins. Red lines lit up all around his face, and the rest of his body under Yuji's uniform. The buzz through his system felt like he swallowed an earthquake, and it made him chuckle.

"I should thank you for taking your time," Sukuna said, making a mockery of her words earlier. "It's just what I needed to make this gamble."

It was his back up plan had that vampire continued the fight. Though, it was a flimsy plan that could have devastating drawbacks. But with Sukuna's cursed energy countered by Ciel's "holy" magic, even for just a moment, it might be what it took to sustain the severe effects this piece of vampire flesh would no doubt bring.

"You're a fool," Ciel declared while clenching her hand. Although she attempted to keep a level head, she urgently sped up the exorcising process. "There's no guarantee you'd survive!"

"That's true," Sukuna plainly admitted while his body was being swallowed by white fire. His grin and eyes went wild. "Let's find out."

He was completely engulfed, the water trembling underneath him. Ciel pulled out three black keys with her free hand and threw them at once for Sukuna, aiming for a decisive end.

Dismantle.

The lake underneath Sukuna sprung, spreading out into a web-like incision and breaking through the barrier. The black keys that pinned down Sukuna, and the black keys that were thrown at him, were sliced into pieces.

Ciel jumped back from the eruption, avoiding being sliced herself. Her feet slid across the water that parted like wings from her heels. She stopped once she was safely out of the incision's reach that cracked the walls of the chamber, which extended about ten meters, coating the area in a cloud of mist and debris.

The chance of survival depends on the host's physical prowess and soul. If they have the potential, they'd become a Ghoul serving the parent vampire and adopt their abilities. If the host is not worthy, their body and soul would simply die, and they'd become the Dead.

This was especially true if the black blood of the vampire was injected into the blood stream of the human. To drink through the mouth, however, need be followed by the parent vampire's bite into the neck.

But if the vessel was strong, and the soul just as so, with no bite to complete the transformation, then the vampire's blood would simply become energy. Yuji Itadori's body was strong enough to endure the toxic elements of a cursed object, while Sukuna's soul continued to persist within him. Usually, an object carrying someone else's magical energy would feed into the body and, in some cases, grant power. Any semblance of the original user would vanish, just as it did to that curse womb that did not retain an ounce of Sukuna's will.

A perfect vessel. And an unyielding soul.

Added with the counterbalance between her sacraments and Sukuna's reverse cursed technique - positive energy (holy) against positive energy (cursed), the conditions were all too perfect. He only needed to re-fuel himself, using that Cleaving technique just now to expel any excess that might have proven too much, including the side-effects of consuming vampire blood. He wouldn't be subjugated under the parent vampire's control, her sacraments would have made sure of that, even if that hadn't been Ciel's intention.

When both positives are used to stabilize a faulty essence, like two duct tapes holding together a cracked faucet, all that would fill the cup would be negative (cursed) energy and be moved away right before the entire sink burst.

"Now then."

She sensed his presence before the dust would settle. Ciel tensed as Sukuna's hand slip over her shoulder, his finger sliding underneath the gold chain of her cross and stopped in front of her clavicle. She hadn't register him moving, she couldn't figure out when he did.

"What should I do with you?"

The air felt thick under the pressure of his being once more at full power, the sensation of it tightened around her muscles like a snake constricting her. His hand the venomous fangs that could pierce her neck in the blink of an eye and take her head, just as he had done to the ancestor's arm. He was at 3/20th of what he was truly capable of, and yet it was the acknowledgment - an uncontrollable primal instinct - of facing a lion outside his enclosure.

"Shall I kill you quickly?" He leaned in close to her ear where his breath touched. His leer at the beads of sweat forming on Ciel's forehead. "Or should we make this last until your body gives out?"

Sparing not another thought, Ciel threw her arm back. Her elbow struck against his palm that blocked her attempted strike at his ribs, a fast reaction that met her bone-crushing impact without flinching. There was no damage done to him, but this allowed Ciel the opportunity to push herself away and dashed out of reach. Her necklace chain caught around his finger snapped into two at her pull.

The gold cross plopped into the sewer water and disappeared into the dark. The loss was nothing to Ciel, she was only relieved to have escaped the psychological intensity of this foe, but she was far from out of the woods yet. Ciel's fingers slipped into her dress before she took breath, and she threw another set of black keys at Sukuna. They fired like bullets from the ends of a machine gun, seeking a hasty end to this.

Her black keys were struck by Sukuna's fists. Matching each swords' speed, his powerful punches and invincible slices carved through the flat surfaces of the blades, breaking the strong metallic exterior and shattering them like glass.

"Very good." Sukuna commended her reflexes and merciless precision. "That settles it then. I'll figure out the secret behind your regeneration. Until then."

He closed the distance between them and slammed his fist in an instant. Ciel crossed her arms and braced his punch. The impact like a cannon ball that struck her elbow and she nearly flew. The water at their feet parted from the force and drizzled all over them. Ciel winced in pain, gritting her teeth and closing one eye.

"I'll have my fill with you." He pushed his knuckles deep with a wide grin on his face. His immense strength threatened to crack Ciel's limb and she forced her arm down to deflect.

They exchanged blows, delivering and redirecting strikes and kicks. A hand-to-hand combat between seasoned fighters, the water trembling at their every quick move. Each hit was a painful strain to Ciel's flesh and muscles even as she was on the defense. The strength of Sukuna's body was immense, a raw power Ciel was personally contesting to and was slowly being pushed back by. The difference in experience and mastery over martial arts becoming more and more apparent.

"Not bad!" Sukuna appraised as he thrust his knee for her abdomen. Ciel intercepted his kick with her own, and the resounding strike echoed throughout the chamber. "You're hardly using anything to protect yourself with."

No magical energy to enhance her own strength, simply herself in peak human form and durability.

Ciel struggled to keep her knee up against his, pushing her arm behind her thigh for support as Sukuna relished her grimace. No matter what, she must not let this murderous curse-sorcerer leave this place. A wounded vampire would not bring about as much mass casualty as this half-curse would and intended to do.

Ciel slipped out one black key from her dress and thrust it for Sukuna's skull. He ducked his head back and avoided the blade, allowing Ciel a brief moment of pause between strikes. Ciel backed away and readily pulled out another set of black keys with one hand and reached with her other hand to bring out more.

Crack-!

The black keys were cut apart in seconds. Ciel was astounded by their immediate destruction before she was confronted by the maniacal sorcerer once more. His face and deranged grin inches away from her stunned look. She barely blocked his next strike, protecting her ribcage with her arm. The act winded her as she was forced back. "Gnh-!"

"Hehehehehe-!"

It was like he was drunk from the effects of that vampire's blood, or this was just him being himself. The dreaded thought came if there were any lingering effects Ciel did not account for. If, perhaps, Sukuna was boosted by his consumption of the ancestor's flesh, but was holding himself back to toy with his opponent first. He could have sliced off her arm. He could have done more damage to her than just with his fists alone. But he was an indulgent being. A thrill seeker for battle, perhaps still riding on the ecstasy of his fight with the dead apostle ancestor. He now sought for a better finish to compensate the lack luster ending from that match, and Ciel was the perfect substitute to satiate his craving.

There came a point where Ciel had no choice but to enhance her muscles with prana, but before she could do so, Sukuna's hands latched onto Ciel's arms, pulling apart her defense. The brutality of his onslaught exhausted her physically, and she was unable to react quickly enough before his knee met her stomach.

Ciel braced the impact like a truck ramming into her. A terrible shockwave that rattled her organs and skeleton, and she nearly retched. Her knees caved in and she collapsed into the water, her arms let go but her wrist still in Sukuna's grasp.

"You're only an impressive fighter up to a certain point," Sukuna observed as the executor on the ground coughed. "Just like that vampire, you're holding out on me. I'm taking a personal offense to that. Granted, curses these days hardly live up to how they were when I was alive, but I'll be bringing back that era. You can send as many hunters and exorcists as you like, it doesn't matter to me."

He yanked her arm up and forced her to stand, spinning her until her back was towards him and kept her arm up. Ciel's face contort at the feel of her cracked ribs, clutching her stomach as the cursed king continued to speak over her shoulder.

"If they're as strong as you and this brat's teacher, I wouldn't mind seeing what else this world has to offer." His eyes narrowed at her. "Or is sneaking around all you excel at? Perhaps I should whip you into shape first before moving on to Fushiguro and Kugisaki. Do you still think you can 'save my soul' then?"

His enjoyment to torment others, to indulge the horror of using Yuji's body being to kill his allies - a glutton in every sense. He, who knew only of a world that bends for him, and a belief that the strongest rules, while the weak should be sliced apart and eaten.

"Knh-!" Ciel couldn't help but feel a little irritated by his mindset. It was so common amongst dead apostles, she should be used to hearing it. But it was the fact that such a mindset remained prevalent even at this day and age, she grew an intolerance for it.

Ciel managed to utter, "Don't you talk-"

A black key rose from beneath the water behind them, the weapon she had thrown earlier for Sukuna's head and missed. Sukuna noticed the sword's fast approach and merely waved his finger, the air slicing across the blade.

"-so selfishly!"

Prana enforced Ciel's movements, and a crackle of electricity trailed down from her fingers.

"-!" Sukuna was briefly caught off guard. The zap of energy burned through and tore apart his hand, freeing Ciel's wrist. Ciel then followed up with a power kick and slammed her foot into Sukuna's solar plex, pushing him back by several meters while ignoring the pain from her ribs and gut.

The kick pushed out a small air from Sukuna's lips. His feet dragged to a stop, and he looked at Ciel with a new expression, something close to bewilderment and curious.

"I'll admit, I'm not at my best at the moment," Ciel gasped out, her arm still wrapped around her stomach as she felt her body restore itself. "I came to this place severely underprepared. I never expected to fight this much. You're also not of the typical curses I've encountered before. This will be a good learning experience."

Finding her bearings, Ciel lowered her arm and straighten her back. "I would like to suggest something to you, though. Taking on the world, simply because you were the strongest in your time, it shows poor judgment. There are monsters out there whose feat surpasses your own. If you're not careful, your short-sightedness could be your undoing."

She glared defiantly at the king. "If you would please refrain yourself from playing with your food so much, I might take you seriously. I've faced many deaths and pains this world has to offer. A little creativity is all I ask for. I shouldn't have to expect any less from a 'king'."

Sukuna's hand regenerated. He straightened his posture and grabbed his chin, staring thoughtfully at the woman before him. That lightning attack just now, it seemed this woman was hiding more up her sleeve than he suspected. "Hm. I see."

He smirked and showed his hand. "I apologize. I didn't realize I was facing an experienced woman."

He grabbed hold of his uniform. "Let's start over."

The dark blue overcoat and red sweatshirt was ripped apart in a single pull, his muscular figure exposed. He threw down the torn fabrics. "I suppose it does get dull after a while. Being so used to death as you are, you don't fear the consequences of it."

He regarded her with a new outlook. "I'll make sure to correct that."

He lifted his hand to his chest and pierced his fingers through the top half of his ribcage. Blood gushed out over his hand as it dug into his chest and ripped it back out. The heart of Yuji Itadori pulsated strongly in his grasp, a useless attempt to pump life continuously.

"Just so there's no interruptions, should anyone else intervene, you can claim this kid is a hostage," Sukuna smiled widely. "We'll be fighting for ownership over his life. Feel free to cut loose."

To let Sukuna run rampant and preserve himself, or to be killed and exorcised by the executor. Which of them will decide the fate of Yuji Itadori?

Ciel was unphased by Sukuna's action, her stare unwavering. The prana throughout her system heightened, emitting a faint glow like moonlight through her sleeves. "Very well. It makes no difference to me. Whether I exorcise you, or kill that boy, it ends the same."

"Then come at me with your axe and aim for my neck, executor." Sukuna tossed aside the beating heart and pocketed his hands. Cursed energy flowed throughout his body, burning red in contrast to Ciel's blue. A malicious air and a benevolent aura that flamed between them.

"So be it, King of Curses."

They stood there for a moment, and then their eyes alighted with their respective energy. They vanished into thin air, leaving behind ripples in their wake.

"What's taking them so long?" Nobara rushed across the hallway inside the detention center, looking for the staircase or elevators that led beneath the building. That storm stopped, but neither of those guys are back yet.

Were Yuji and Ciel alright? Had Nobara been too late in her assist? The worst she could do was not confirm the state of her classmate and that girl. If they were still in trouble, then-

BOOM-!

"-!" Nobara skidded to a stop. She felt the hallway rumbled, the sounds of walls being smashed through, unearthing through the lower levels and coming to the surface. There was an eruption at the end of the hallway and two figures jumped out, breaking through the windows and landing onto the courtyard in the rain. Nobara shielded her eyes from the debris and then turned her attention towards outside.

"Senpai? Itadori?!"

She watched her allies clash between swords and fists, rushing across the courtyard and taking themselves to the next building. Absolute confusion overtook Nobara at the sight of Yuji - who for some reason was shirtless - fighting bare-knuckled against Ciel, until Nobara felt the sensation of a dangerous curse within vicinity.

"Don't tell me-!" Nobara comprehended the situation just as Ciel and "Yuji" smashed into the opposite wing of the facility. "-Dammit!"

Nobara jumped through the giant hole of the windows and pulled out her cell phone. She ran after the duo as she fast-texted the situation to Megumi: Vampire gone. Sukuna loose. Ciel fighting now.

Nobara had already lost sight of the fight. Luckily, there was a trail of destruction to follow. The stone wall, steel bars, and glass either severed or blown apart.

"What happened to sticking together, huh?!"

Yuji had better get a hold of himself before Nobara would be forced to exorcise him, her fierce agitation coating her deep worry for Yuji and Ciel.

Ciel rushed through the halls with black keys in each hand. She had sensed Nobara was in the area, having hoped Megumi's shikigami would take her far enough, but it seemed that fell through. Ciel kept her focus, regardless, ensuring to keep the curse-sorcerer preoccupied no matter what. But if Sukuna decided to unleash his Domain, Nobara would be killed instantly.

The best Ciel could do was force Sukuna into a more secluded place, somewhere on the other side of the correctional facility or perhaps into the forest just before the town outskirts, but that itself held a lot of risks. Setting up a bounded field would take time and attention, and Sukuna wasn't giving her any room to breathe.

All she needed was to have Sukuna expend his cursed energy enough to lower his defenses, allowing her to perform her Exorcism Rite. Until then, she must not let this fight move to a populated area.

Ciel hurled a dozen black keys for the curse king, her artillery dwindling but remained apparent. Sukuna outstretched his arm and his fingers swiped down, cutting through the blades in front of him and clearing a path. He closed the distance and struck her weapons she held as her shield. The power in his attack made Ciel's bones vibrate even with prana coursing through her.

I never planned to use this except against Roa, Ciel gritted her teeth and deflected another up close strike. Her face sliced and her eye cut through, yet she resumed regardless, managing to throw two more swords and puncturing a piece of Sukuna's shoulder and bicep - both of their respective wounds healed, though Ciel's took a little more time. It's horrible. The feeling of his magic flowing through my veins.

But circumstances such as this have forced her hand. There wasn't much she could use anyhow. Most of her magic circuits have dried up since her fight with the dead apostle ancestor, his cold having eaten away her energy reserves. As immense as her capacity was, her recovery speed was subpar. She'll just have to rely on her own physical capabilities to fight this proclaimed King of Curses.

Their battle led them to the rooftop, breaking through the floors and ceilings before returning outside. Ciel shot two black keys behind herself and used it as a launching pad, propelling forward and clashed her weapons against Sukuna's palm, barely cutting with the side of her swords. She then pulled her other hand and thrust three black keys for his torso.

Sukuna raised his arm and braced the attack. The feel of her cremation rite pierced his arm and burned his muscles. He swiftly sliced and thrashed the black keys into glass pieces before they would leave lasting effects.

"No more lightning?" He restored himself afterwards and resumed his onslaught. "That vampire took a toll on you. No wonder you're rushing to push me into a corner."

She's reaching the point of exhaustion.

Ciel did not respond.

Nobara chased after the battle that kept avoiding her like she was a nuisance, looking past the destruction and only for the two figures that kept vanishing from her sight. Her hammer clutched in her grasp, as if it would do anything at this point.

"Geez," she huffed, the rain mixed with her sweat as she stopped to breathe and regain her stamina. She stared up towards the rooftop. "I can't keep up at all."

It was embarrassing having to stand here like an idiot, watching in amazement. The onslaught of two figures dashing and slicing across the rainy night, the wind wild and disturbing the falling rain, seemingly cutting every drop above the building. Nobara couldn't see Ciel or Sukuna. They were moving too fast. All she could register were the quick moving reflection of black keys shooting beneath the sky.

I feel like I'll just get in the way if I went in now.

Since witnessing her telekinesis, Sukuna knew not to leave a single black key she threw unbroken. Even as the weapons danced all around him, he evaded and decimated. With his close proximity, it made it more difficult for Ciel to continuously throw, so she started swinging her sword for his head and neck. Sukuna was amused by her change in tactics and ducked under the blades, no longer was she acting like a bow.

FWIP-!

The black key Ciel had used as a launching pad slipped over her shoulder, parting through the thick strand of her blue hair just as she thrust her sword. Sukuna grabbed the flat ends of both that black key and the black key in her hand.

-!

Before he would destroy it, a second black key pierced at his shadow behind him. It had travelled from the side of the building and made its way up out of hiding. With her other hand, Ciel jammed the third black key into Sukuna's stomach, thickened by prana to endure his cleaving even for one instance, and an electrical current surged through it.

"HAAAAHHH!" The current erupted into a wave, like having lightning ripped from the sky and cemented into Sukuna, the black key he still held like a metal rod. Despite the feedback tackling her arms due to the rain, Ciel endured.

She was certain the petrification ate a good chunk of Sukuna's energy. This should keep him stunned for a moment.

"You're fighting a little too desperately."

Ciel's face was cupped by Sukuna's hand, his fingers slipping underneath her hair. Ciel was startled by his surprisingly gentle touch, like he was telling her to calm down.

A crisscross effect appeared on her cheek, chin, and temple, and half her face blew apart. Blood gushed out as Ciel's head was thrown back.

-How did he resist that rite?! Ciel backed away in a dash and gripped over her wound, feeling a partial bone of her eye socket. Even if Sukuna had defended himself with cursed energy, the holy energy from her blade bypassing his flesh should have counter it. Was it because he was still possessing a human body?

Her head still intact, a shudder rose up Ciel's spine as half her missing face bled. Sukuna could have easily taken her whole skull just now. He was still playing with her.

"I don't get you." Sukuna swiped the air behind himself and sliced the black key apart, freeing himself. The amusement in his expression faded. "You're not giving yourself an advantage by putting on restraints, not like a binding vow. You're not conserving your energy at all, and yet, not giving your best either."

Ciel's face strained under the agony of her wounds and at the curse-sorcerer's words. Despite his belief, Ciel genuinely was giving her best. If she relented even once, Sukuna could change his target and attack Nobara or the city.

"That face tells me you were doing just that," Sukuna read her easily. It unnerved Ciel how much he could pick up on a person's intention with just a single look. "But that's a lie. You're only giving your best at what you choose to limit yourself to. It's as if you don't even want to use your powers."

Like using a hose to gush out water and wet the grass instead of sprinklers. His glare became malicious as if his gaze alone could slice her in half. "What are you hiding?"

He watched her face self-restore. The best he could describe was as if watching a video on reverse, the blood and pieces of lost flesh returning to their original places. That was most certainly not of any technique he knew, even for a "reverse curse" in the literal sense. There was no flow of energy he picked up on. It simply happened without ignition. An impossible achievement.

Or perhaps not by her own doing? Sukuna scratched under his chin. He then shrugged. "Well, I think I'm getting warmer. You don't have to answer if you don't wish to. I'll just have to see how much you rely on that "special ability" - an ability that doesn't extend to others."

The implication of his words were telling enough as he too knew of Nobara's presence below. At the restoration of her eye, Ciel bolted for the curse-sorcerer.

To Ciel's surprise, Sukuna crouched and pressed his hand against the ground. "Cleave: Spiderweb."

A web-like incision spread out across the stone and to the edges of the roof. The cleanly cut shapes fell in, and Sukuna's and Ciel's feet sunk.

The building began to collapse. The entire structure crumbled inward due to vital support pillars and beams smashed apart from their battle through prison cells, shower rooms, and offices, intentional by Sukuna. The floors beneath them fell apart by the raining rubble, and continued to fall.

"Domain Expansion-"

The dreadful words that which brought the dead apostle ancestor to his knees. That he would unleash his strongest attack now was absurd. Ciel hastily threw black keys and destroyed the rooftop remnants until there was a visual of Sukuna, his hands closed together like a shrine.

Ciel enforced all her concentration into the hilts of the black keys that fell with them. The hilts of which the blades were destroyed regrew the shape of their metal entirely out of energy. Restoration was simple but difficult to pull off at this distance. For Ciel, however, she managed.

"Malevolent Shrine."

Ciel thrusted her arm for Sukuna with all her might, directing all black keys into firing for the curse-sorcerer. The black keys swarmed him in mid-air, piercing other stone remnants and creating a cloud of debris that overtook them both.

DANGER.

Nobara retreated once the building started to collapse. She'd been smart not to go in as it turned out, but what truly saved her life was the impending sense of dread that filled her gut and rattled her instincts. The unleashing of massive cursed energy within a semi-contained environment, no different from the stench of that curse womb's domain except more concentrated, potent.

Two black keys shot out from the rubble. They slipped under Nobara's arms and caught her shoulders by the hilts.

"Huh-?! Hold on-! I came all this way-!"

Nobara was pushed to the sidelines away from the destruction, all the way to the very edge of the area.

Ciel jumped out from the rubble with a trail of blood following her. Her body was covered in wounds, her nun habit torn up with her ripped skirt exposing her bare leg that carried gashes. A deep infliction in her left shoulder that it nearly severed through completely. Her cut up hands clutched a black key in each grip while her scarred face still focused into the ruined building.

The rubble before Ciel were severed apart, atomizing into mere pebbles. A shadow of a shrine stood amongst the ruin and Sukuna emerged, appearing before Ciel and slamming his fist against the side of her crossed black keys. The shrine behind him faded, and their battle resumed. No more words exchanged.

Ciel surpassed her limit. She had used every black key and prana in her arsenal to shroud Sukuna, bracing herself from the domain he unleashed and barely avoided staying in one piece. No longer could she construct blades even if an undamaged hilt came to her hand.

She matched Sukuna's fast-delivered strikes but was losing ground just as quick. The swords she had left tackled him all around. Five black keys remained.

CRACK-!

Four black keys.

CRACK-! SNAP-!

Three black keys. Two black keys.

SNAP-!

One black key.

Ciel thrust her final weapon and her throat was jabbed. "Gak-!"

Her back crushed the giant slab of what was a stone wall. The circulation between her brain and the rest of her body were cut off. A crushing hold that closed off the thinning stream to provide water for the village. Even if released, though, there would barely be any energy left for her to utilize.

"You were marvelous."

The last black key fell from Ciel's hand, Sukuna's shoulders and partially his back had half-broken black keys stuck into them. He wasn't concerned of their effects or the rites they could unleash, the woman struggling to breath reached the end of her barrel. Her feet suspended above the ground while her grip uselessly attempt to pry his hand away from her throat.

"Even with your self-imposed restrictions, you executors are tough. There hasn't been anyone who pushed me as far as you have."

A few steps above that ancient vampire. Twice in one day had he been close to the end of the tank himself. The new record holder of that achievement in his grasp.

"Now then, let's have another look at that body of yours."

He raised his fingers and grasped Ciel's cheek to keep her head steady, paying no heed to her exhausted kicks against his unmoving body. He closely watched the blood return to her wounds, the many scars on her face closing up automatically. Just as he had sensed, there was no energy flow while this was being done, not even when Sukuna had her by the throat.

"Hm." Sukuna was intrigued, gripping his chin with his free hand. "I've never seen this before. It doesn't look like you're doing it on purpose either."

So it had to be an outside force at hand here. Though what could be strong enough to prevent this woman from a permanent death? Even if her soul was preserved, she'd be at least brain dead if she had to be revived so many times. There were no ill-effects whatsoever. A perfect return to her original state.

"But if you're not doing this, then what?"

Clang-!

He heard the strike of metal like a bell being rung. Sukuna casually flicked his hand without removing his gaze from Ciel, slicing a few iron nails inches away from his body.

"Get away from her, you creep." Nobara dragged the black keys across the ground by their hilts, their weight not at all impeding her as she marched straight for the King of Curses. She was aware the folly of fighting against a Special Grade like Sukuna, but she didn't care. Nobara wasn't just going to stand by while a girl was being strangled to death.

"So you've returned," Sukuna stated with obscure interest. He turned his attention back to Ciel whose kicks and grip strength were getting weaker by the second. "I'll deal with you in a moment. I'm trying to figure out something here."

Maybe if he split open Ciel's skull and get a better look at her brain.

"Eyes up, king."

Sukuna felt the presence before he heard the words. A winged shadow fell over him.

Sukuna dashed back with Ciel still in his grip, launching both themselves away from a pair of feet that would have struck Sukuna. Megumi landed in front of the giant slab, his flying shikigami Nue guarding his back. White wrappings around his forehead, his glare was heated as he stood up, not as an injured student, but as sorcerer ready to give it his all.

"The brat's friends finally regrouped," Sukuna said, amused.

Nobara dropped the black keys she brought back, and the class of Gojo wasted no time. A synchronicity in the few weeks they've trained together, their unspoken plan was set in motion.

Megumi and Nobara bolted for Sukuna. Nue flew over them as defense and support.

Megumi was the first to attempt a strike. Nobara caught up and swung her hammer for Sukuna's side. Each of their attacks were adept and focused, careful to not strike Ciel even with the curse-sorcerer occasionally using her as a shield. But no matter their efforts, neither of them could get a hit on Sukuna. Megumi's Nue flew between them, its wing cutting through and aimed to crush Sukuna's skull. Its form was rigged and uneven, a proof that Megumi was fighting to keep Nue's form together while suffering from his concussion. The shikigami likely wouldn't be able to use its innate abilities aside from flying and tackling.

Sukuna jumped over Nue, dragging Ciel up with him. He swung a single kick and struck Nue's side, breaking its wing and sending the screeching bird over to the courtyard. When Sukuna landed, Megumi rushed over and threw another punch, but Sukuna ducked under Megumi's punch and threw a knee to his side. Megumi didn't have enough energy to put up his defenses with cursed energy. A few of his ribs were broken upon contact, and Megumi was sent flying towards the rubble.

Nobara came in and swung her hammer over his head, unhesitant and no restraint to cave his skull in. Sukuna caught her wrist and flung her over his shoulder. She was sent to the giant stone slab and smacked against the cracked surface, the back of her head suffered an impact, but her cursed energy protected her from any serious harm as she dropped onto the ground.

Sukuna toyed with them all, taking in their strenuous work to rescue the executor. "Come then."

Sukuna sets Ciel down on her knees beside him, never loosening his grip once, or else she might gain a second wind. "If you want to save her, show me what sorcerers you are!"

Splurt-!

Sukuna heard the undeniable sound of blood gushing, and he felt his hand was stabbed, his eagerness ended.

Sukuna turned his head and saw Ciel, though partially conscious from the lack of oxygen, steeled herself enough to use her final weapon. Her hand was covered in fresh blood of a new wound she had just opened up herself, a task done easier in thanks to Sukuna's handiwork.

From her stomach, she yanked out a small version of a black key - hidden there since before revealing herself to Sukuna down in the sewers. She used it on her assailant before he would notice her action. The blade went through his hand and into her throat, allowing his blood to seep in.

Even if she were freed, she would still be severely low on prana. She didn't even have enough to ignite a single rite. But this, this would most certainly cover that.

Sukuna's eyes widened. This woman-

Numerous blue lines of her magic circuits lit up the skin of her face, her glare ever defiant. The black key dagger exploded, destroying Sukuna's hand while his cursed energy defenses were low. She broke free from his grasp at the cost of scorching her own face.

Slink-!

Sukuna dipped his head to the side. Two black keys shot over him the wing of Nue, the weapons picked up from the courtyard where Nobara had dropped them. After following its last command of act, the form of Nue wavered and fell apart, melting into the shadows.

The first black key pierced the ground and landed beside Megumi. After letting Nue fall apart, he redirected his cursed energy onto himself and picked up the weapon by its. The second black key pierced on the giant slab above Nobara, and she grabbed the hilt of the weapon as well and yanked it out from the slab.

"Careful what you wish for."

She yanked the sword out of the slab, held up the weapon in front of her, and slammed the base of her hammer behind the red hilt.

Gong-! A distinct sound from Nobara's hammer. The black key flew straight for Sukuna.

That's it for me. Nobara slumped to her knees. Her cute hammer broken in half after she strained all her muscles into hitting that single black key. She couldn't use cursed energy out of consideration that it would destroy Ciel's blade, so she had to rely on her own raw strength. She wasn't Yuji, but she was angry, and that should be more than enough.

As both events unfolded, through the smoke and pain, Ciel's fingers dug through the dirt and - as if by miracle - found a single red hilt. The circulation surged through her veins like a dam burst opened, and she restored the blade of her black key.

All at once, three separate black keys from three different users, their target: Sukuna. Despite his position, though, Sukuna settled his double gaze back onto Ciel. What he saw just now, the lines on her face. The capacity that flowed through her body of which he could see even clearer from her exposed arms and legs beneath her torn dress. The blue lines forming into crosses, wings, and other symbols. A capacity of a hundred sorcerers.

The brat really did have taste. This is one hell of a woman.

A battle cry from Ciel as she drove her blade for Sukuna's chest, directly into his missing heart. Sukuna's hand regenerated and he raised it to strike, a captivated smile on him as he allowed cursed energy to fill his chest and restore the missing organ for better standing. The two shamans don't matter. It's her he had his sights on.

A flash of lightning in the dark, cloudy sky. The sound of stone being sliced, and of metal sinking into flesh.

Clang-!

Two black keys missed their target. One not having enough strength or practice for a precise aiming on the first go and merely tapped the stone wall over his shoulder, clattering onto the ground. The other carried by an exhausted user, who after forcing himself to push through, was halted by the strain of his body and he fell.

The third black key, however, hit its target precisely. Ciel stared through her burned face in astonishment. A moment of speechlessness.

"Why?"

The heart she pierced was only half-way repaired, stopped by another intervention prior to her blade. Nobara sat stunned by what she witnessed. Megumi laid on the ground, the wet fringes of his hair fell over his eyes.

"Why did you-?"

Ciel asked her question to the unmoving cursed body. She looked into his eyes, and his eyes told her everything.

A soft sound of realization. She lowered her chin and looked upon the hilt in her grasp. "I just remembered."

The cold tone of the executor was gone. "I never thanked you for stopping the train doors for me."

Another rumble in the sky. Her burned face began to restore itself. The skin growing over her red cheek.

"That day, I wanted our first meeting to seem like a coincidence, but you responded in ways I didn't anticipate. You didn't react to my mind trick, but you were upfront about yourself anyway."

Nobara rose to her feet and made her way over to them in a steady pace.

"I almost didn't know what to do around you. No matter what I did, you always managed to see through me. Even though I was planning to betray your feelings, disregard your humanity, and kill you without mercy."

The friendly girl who ran to beat the train on a warm summers day smiled with endearing eyes. "I really did like you. I honestly wished we could have been real friends."

A beat of silence, then a response. "We're already friends."

Yuji smiled, his expression vibrant. "But it's nice to hear it. Honestly, it makes me happy."

He rubbed the back of his head. "You're a real big softie, you know? That's kind of what drew me to you in the first place. I really wanted us to hang out more. It would have been a lot of fun with everyone. Right, guys?"

"...Yeah. It would have." Megumi spoke from his place on the ground, staring up at the rain. Nobara stopped beside him and sat down, her back towards Ciel and Yuji.

"I guess you'll have to do that without me," Yuji lowered his hand and let it hover by Ciel's face. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you."

His smile became a little more strained, his brows crinkled with guilt as his gaze lingered on Ciel's healed neck. He wanted to soothe it but felt he had no right to. "I'm really sorry."

Ciel swiftly pulled out the black key. The act forced Yuji's body to fall forward and she caught him with ease, his body weight not an issue as she held him upright.

"There's no need for sorrys. You've done nothing wrong," Ciel cheerfully told him. Her hand pressed over his back where the exit wound was felt, while her other hand held the back of his neck, like a hug. "You're a good person, wanting to help as many people as he can. Right, Kugisaki-san?"

Nobara's mouth pulled into a frown, trying to keep her composure as best as she could. She didn't have much words to give. There was no point either. There were only two chairs opened for this moment, and Ciel and Yuji were sitting on them. She didn't want to intrude.

But at Ciel's gentle insisting, the gates creaked opened as their only chance for last goodbyes. "Right. I always thought you were too much of a dumbass to really knew what you were doing."

She took a breath. "But in the end, you weren't so bad."

Short, simple, and to the point. That was the Kugisaki way of sharing their respectful grievances.

Yuji grinned at Nobara's relentless commentary. "Heh. Thanks. You guys are good people too."

He lifted his hand and touched Ciel's back, a hearty effort to return her hug. "I really am relieved, though. Out of everyone I couldn't save tonight, I'm glad to see you made it out, Ciel."

Ciel's smile dimmed.

"Please," Yuji struggled to keep his eyes opened as his voice grew quieter. "Take care of everyone for me. Live a long and fulfilling life. All of you."

Yuji's hand dropped to his side. His final view of the world was of his friends, and he felt thankful that they'll be able to live on. The cold rain didn't bother him anymore, the numbness was kicking in. Yet, he could still feel Ciel's beating heart against his beatless chest. Yuji was even more thankful of that.

He felt a long breath over his shoulder, like a sigh.

"I really am too nice."

The last Yuji felt was the warm touch at his back. A warmth like the glow of the sun filling his chest as darkness overcame his vision and senses.

Chapter Text

REPORT: July 2018

...The death of the student was notified to be Yuji Itadori.

His remains were surrendered by an executor of the Holy Church and recieved by Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki. The executor left the scene before jujutsu personnel arrived.

Upon investigating the detention center, it is confirmed that the underground chamber had been inhabited by a Dead Apostle. Further evidence and witness testimony indicate its Stage to be an IX Ancestor. The lair has been sealed off and Tokyo Jujutsu High are in the process of contacting a representative of the Holy Church.

Property damage was sustained within the area. Number of casualties are still pending.

The current whereabouts of the Dead Apostle and the executor are unknown.

"So this is all that's left of him."

Satoru sat in a chair against the wall of the morgue, staring at the dissecting table. Ijichi stood beside him, the tension in his pale expression thick enough that it started to sweat through.

"Got to say. You people sure were reckless with this one," Satoru stated calmly. "Sending in three first years without verifying the state of the survivors first. Then to find out that a dead apostle had been living there. Even if it's just to get rid of Sukuna, this was an overkill."

"W-We had no idea that an ancestor would be there." Ijichi felt his gut slowly crush under the weight of his own guilt and the unseen anger that was simmering in Satoru. "If we did, I'm sure we would have cancelled the mission."

"I doubt it," Satoru said. "It'd be too good of an opportunity to pass up. If only to gauge the enemy's abilities. They'd make my students as perfect test subjects. Those geezers don't realize how badly they screwed up."

Not only did a city-wide disaster nearly occur, but the overall result led to Sukuna going on a rampage. The Holy Church will likely use this as ammunition to question the competency of Japan's Jujutsu Sorcerers, and it doesn't help that his school is crawling on its hands and knees delivering the news. It wasn't the state that they're in, but the Church might as well see it that way.

"It's already gonna be a pain finding out who set this up. Now I got to play peacemaker for them too."

Satoru had hopes Ciel being here would be the first step to establishing a real relationship between his school and her organization, more than what a Non-Aggression Act would offer. He's not looking to convert anyone - well, apart from Ciel, maybe - just a lot less deaths on both sides. Unfortunately, that will have to be put on hold for now.

"What useless leaders. Maybe I should just kill them all if they're going to give us this much trouble."

If only that wouldn't prove the Church's point further.

"Wow. I've never seen you this riled up before." The doctor, Shoko Ieiri, walked into the morgue in her white coat and blue turtleneck. She glanced over at Satoru with dark circles under her eyes, a small smile on her tired face. "You must have really liked this kid."

"Of course. I'm a nice guy who likes all his students," Satoru stated with a back-wave of his hand. "Too bad you won't get to meet him personally."

"I'll say. I was really hoping to examine a half-curse's body." Ieiri approached the dissecting table and the object sitting on top.

It was a small gray urn about as big as a forearm. Its smooth shell gives off a dull sheen under the lights of the morgue, a contrast to the vibrant personality it carried inside. Ieiri lifted the urn's top and revealed its contents full of pale-gray ash.

"The best I can do is restore the tissue and bone fragments," Ieiri said. All to confirm that this was indeed the remains of Yuji Itadori.

Ieiri looked over at Satoru. "It'll take a while. Might want to check back in a week."

And that's if she's having a good day not being swamped by injured or dead sorcerers.

"That's fine. Whatever you can, make use of him," Satoru gave his permission. It was the least he could do to not waste this once human vessel brimming with life.

Guess Ciel was right in the end.

He wasn't surprised she didn't stick around. Yuji's death aside, Ciel probably wanted to avoid contact with other sorcerers out of caution. It won't be easy tracking her down after this, and there's still that missing vampire she's hunting for. Satoru appreciated his students not revealing her identity in the reports. It was definitely their way of giving thanks to her, and no ill-will over what happened with Yuji.

That vampire's lair. Satoru's thoughts drifted, letting out a sigh through the nose. That was the last thing I wanted those guys to experience.

Someway, somehow, someone was going to answer for this.

It was like waking up from a long night of sleep when Yuji opened his eyes.

Huh.

He blinked a few times. The first he saw was the tan-colored ceiling staring back at him with a singular light at the corner of his view. His hand felt a blanket over his torso, and he pulled himself up, pushing the blanket halfway over to his lap.

Where am I?

He was in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room, and in unfamiliar clothes too - a simple orange loose shirt and black shorts. Next to him, there was a sliding door beside the bed that had the yellow curtains pulled back, letting in sunlight.

Am I dead?

There was nothing in this room that would tell him. It was so barren and spacious, with the bed its only furniture, like a studio apartment someone had just moved into. Was this a waiting room for the afterlife? Yuji would have thought he'd be sent straight to hell after what Sukuna did with his body.

Just then, he heard the front door unlock with a click.

"Hello?" He called out.

The door opened, and he spotted that familiar blue head of hair.

"-! Ciel!"

Ciel walked in nonchalantly with small bags of groceries around her arms. She was wearing a white blouse with long sleeves, a gray skirt that reached her knees, and her large round glasses over her nose. "Oh! You're awake. That's good."

She gently stepped behind the heels of her shoes and removed them by the entrance, making sure not to bring dirt onto her shiny amber wooden floor.

"I was just out doing some errands and bought some takeouts. Hopefully, they'll suit your palate. You being a chef and all, I'd want you to try something that's at least a little authentic. I don't trust my cooking skills in a kitchen as small as this."

"Uhh…" Yuji was stumped. He moved his feet out from under the sheets.

"Please don't push yourself," Ciel said gently. She walked over and placed the groceries onto the counter. "You barely survived a gaping wound in your chest."

She started taking out the purchased goods. In a kitchenette like hers - with just one burner, one counter space, and a sink, cooking a complex meal for two would be a challenge. Ciel, especially, had never hosted anyone in her apartment before, but that did not stop her from trying. There was also her safety harness in the form of takeouts and "food delivery apps" to fall back to, if ever needed.

"Oh." Yuji paused at that, looking down at his chest where his heart had been ripped out. He definitely should have died then. So how was he still alive?

He placed his hand over his chest. Yup. His heart's there alright. And the wound was gone too. Not even a scar remained. "I think I'm all right now."

"You might feel that way, but that doesn't mean you should force it. Take this time to rest while I make us something to drink." Ciel opened one takeout box - a simple steak bites, small potatoes, and a small paper container of white rice on the side. "I bought a few peppers to add a little kick to our meals. You did enjoy that curry popcorn at the movies. I'm determined to make this just as good."

She gave a little nod stating that, a small curl of her lips. Of course, she'll have to give most of the credit to the restaurant workers and the grocery store for providing the ingredients, but nevertheless.

Yuji didn't really know how to react. It was a drastic change, or rather, it was Ciel reverting back to her other self when they had first met on the train. That cheerful student who could light up a room with her smile and pep talk. It wasn't unwelcomed, but it did feel a little weird, almost like she was putting on a show, but it wasn't anything fake either.

He opened his mouth to respond but then closed it, a semblance of guilt in his expression. He then shifted his attention to the rest of the apartment. "Is this your place?"

Despite Ciel's recommendation, Yuji stood up from the bed and walked towards the hallway kitchen. It really was small. He wondered if Ciel would be alright.

"Yes. I'm still waiting on a few furniture." Ciel took out a tea kettle and placed it on top of the burner. "I know it doesn't seem much. My taste is pretty bland like that. If there's any accommodations you need, please let me know. There's a store nearby that sells a little bit of everything. I can go there and get it for you."

"No. That's alright," Yuji's mouth thinned further. Her generous offer made his chest feel tight. He grabbed the bread packet from the grocery bag on the counter to look at its label. His brows furrowed slightly, wracking his brain over how to broach the subject - the thing gnawing at him inside.

"Ciel-"

"Hold that thought."

Ciel opened the base cabinet under the sink and took out two green cylinder cups. "Right now, it's important for you to get some rest."

Placing the cups inside the sink, she then turned to face Yuji and took the bread away from his hands. After putting the bread back on the counter, Ciel grabbed Yuji's wrists, taking him by surprise.

"Doctor's orders. Well, not really. I'm not the least bit qualified, but I do know what's best," she added as she started pulling Yuji back to bed. "Please, won't you amuse this annoying Senpai?"

Yuji's eyes glinted at her sweetly given insistence. He said nothing more after that.

Guiding him back to bed, Ciel then returned to the kitchen and started the burner to prepare the hot water. She then began cutting up some ingredients, later using them to mix into the green tea powder. It was a first for her to handle such a small whisk and bowl, though she liked the aesthetic of it - and it was part of the kit that were on sale.

Yuji sat waiting on Ciel's bed, a little unsure of what else to do with himself, so he settled on watching Ciel work, seeing only her profile. He heard the whisk scratching against the bowl. The steam shooting out through the kettle's neck. The stirring of tea powder in water. It reminded him how his grandfather used to make tea.

After some time, Ciel came with a tray and placed them on the clean floor in front of Yuji, resting on her knees as she presented the modest tea set. Yuji was intrigued by the professional display, and he pushed himself off the bed to sit on the floor.

"Careful. It's a little hot," Ciel lifted the bowl and poured the green tea into the green cup. "I've never served tea before, so please, give your honest rating as soon as you taste it."

Yuji crossed his legs and grasped the cup with both hands. "Sure thing."

The scent of herbs touched his nose. The look of its green content somewhat see-through, with the kiwi slice still visible at the bottom. Yuji lifted the cup to his lips and sipped once.

"I never thought looking for what kind of tea to bring would be such a challenge. There was a lot to choose from," Ciel said, her tone airy and light as she reached for her own cup. "I was worried I'd be standing there for too long. Luckily, a nice old woman was nearby and helped me with the selection. Apparently, this kind is good to serve guests with. She even told me a few interesting techniques to get the consistency right."

There was a tinge of sheepishness in her eyes. "I might need to practice more, but hopefully it's still refreshing. How is it?"

"Mm. It's a little watery, but sweet," Yuji answered, giving the tea another sip. "I can taste the kiwi in this. It's strong, but it goes down easy."

For a first timer, it was pretty good. He gave it a thumbs up.

Ciel gave a breath of relief. "I'm glad to hear that. I'll be sure to take your review into consideration the next time I brew."

She gave a thinking pose with her fist pressed under her chin. "Let's see, if it's too watery, I should probably stir more to thicken it. Or maybe I should add less kiwi? I thought it'd be fun to have a light snack after drinking the tea. It'd be like a surprise. Then again, you were able to see it at the bottom, so it wasn't that much of a surprise."

She prattled on delicately. "I wonder if I should put in honey instead? Or would that make it too sweet?"

"Mm. Maybe," Yuji held the cup close to his chin, then puts it down. "I'm sorry. I'm not being talkative right now."

Ciel looked back at Yuji.

"You worked hard on this. I really want to appreciate it, but..." He lowered his gaze, clasping his hand together and intertwining his fingers.

He finally aired what was troubling him. "Tell me. How many times did I killed you?"

Ciel's face fell neutral.

"Those people in the tunnel too. They all died, didn't they?" Yuji's grimace deepened, the guilt in his chest doubling ten-fold. "What happened back then, I..."

What he done to Ciel. Those innocent people. His friends nearly getting killed.

"You were right. I couldn't save anyone, and I did lose control," Yuji tightened his grip between his hands. "I thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. Because of that, you were-"

A finger hovered close to his lips, silencing him. Yuji's eyes widened at the sight of Ciel suddenly in front of him. Her face up close and personal. He didn't even noticed when she moved.

"Let's not talk about that." Ciel's voice was soft and gentle. "I don't particularly care to right now. I very much like to enjoy this lovely afternoon with a good cup of warm tea, and making conversations. It doesn't have to be about anything important, just something to pass the time."

Yuji blinked dumbly. He scrunched up when Ciel raised her finger and pressed his nose.

"We'll come around to that eventually, but right now, today is my day off, and you are my guest. I'll need to find some ways to keep you entertained while you're here."

"But-" Yuji started. He didn't agree. They couldn't just avoid it. So many lives were lost because of his failure. He needed to be held accountable. But most of all, he needed to apologize.

He was stopped when his face was lightly cupped by Ciel's hands. The familiar act added warmth to his cheeks.

"Later." Ciel insisted, her tone a little more firm. She gave a pleasant smile. "Just this once. Answer this selfish request of mine. Okay?"

Yuji took in the tender glow of her eyes behind her glasses. Her hands, despite adding no pressure, fixed his attention solely onto her. An insistence to cease his self-deprecation.

He gave in easily. "Okay."

Perhaps it was too quick for him to accept. But as he's come to learn, his defenses were pretty weak.

Satisfied, Ciel lets go of his face and sits back on the floor. "That reminds me. I've also bought some cards. They just happened to catch my eye. I figured we could play a few rounds after we finish."

"Yeah... That sounds good." Yuji looked down at his waiting drink. He picked up his green cup again.

Ciel picked up her cup as well. "A funny thing happened today. While I was shopping, a dog wandered into the store. He had a collar on, so I figured he must have been separated from his owner. Then he suddenly took a bag of chips and left. He seemed rather familiar with the area, so it must have not been his first offense."

She lets out a sigh. "I was so conflicted whether to stop that dog, but then I just paid extra to the clerk and pretended it was my dog. I didn't want him to get in trouble. The poor thing was only hungry."

She shook her head at her soft-heartedness. "I then followed that dog to his owner, and gave the owner a piece of my mind. I think he'll be more attentive from now on. People should really give better heed to their pet's behavior and diet. Those dogs aren't just to show off, they're man's best friend. They deserve to be treated like one."

Yuji hummed, invested in the story. For someone to say that common phrase, "Man's Best Friend", it can only mean one thing.

"You're a real dog lover, huh?" Yuji asked.

Ciel looked proud. "Of course! There's no better animal in the world than dogs. They're loyal. They're strong. And they are far more reliable than cats. They're also a lot more affectionate and easier to bond with."

"Huh. I think cats can be affectionate too, but everyone's got their preference," Yuji said as he sipped his tea, finally adding more to the conversation. "I'm a big fan of big dogs myself. It'd be hard to say which animal I would want as a pet, but if it's a big dog, that might be the tie-breaker for me."

"Then you have excellent taste. Don't be fooled by a cat's cuteness and nuzzling. They're just trying to get food out of you."

She makes it sound like a cat stole her wallet at one point - or maybe it was her lunch. Yuji found that thought a little funny.

They continued to chat for about another minute, then Ciel brought in the takeouts. The green tea's warm taste, food, and their talk eased the weight in Yuji's chest little by little. Eventually, Yuji lets out a small smile.

After finishing their meals, Ciel and Yuji stayed leisurely seated on the floor, drinking the remaining green tea until the kettle was empty.

"So," Yuji began, his fingers thrumming along the side of his now empty cup. "What happens now?"

"A good question," Ciel gave a thoughtful hum. It wouldn't be completely honest to say she had a plan. Just the general scope and filling in the blanks from A to Z. "Right now, everyone believes that you're dead. I even gave them your 'ashes' as proof. It should pass off as you convincingly enough."

"You just have that with you?"

"I have my ways." Using Yuji's blood and the blood remnants from the curse womb mostly helped. It was pure luck Sukuna hadn't completely destroyed the black keys carrying those substance.

Ciel sipped the last drop of her tea and sets down her cup onto the tray. "I know you wish to see your friends again, but for reasons I can't explain, it's best if you stay out of sight for the time being."

If she were to tell him the truth, that the Jujutsu Elders wanted Yuji dead and had sent him to that place to be killed, Yuji would no doubt blame himself further. He was the main target, while his classmates were collateral, and he would feel responsible for it. That's just the kind of person he is. Ciel's come to learn that after following him for the past few weeks.

At Yuji's puzzled look, Ciel added, "Until I deemed you fully recovered, you'll be staying here."

"Uh. Here?" Yuji's brain lagged for a moment. Here. In a girl's bedroom. A girl's bedroom. He had to admit, the idea was a bit tantalizing. But won't he just take up space in a small apartment like this?

"I'll make it work." There is a promise behind Ciel's smile. "You'll have your space, of course. I go out a lot, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I also have a floor mattress, so for tonight, you can sleep on the bed again."

On her bed again, Yuji blinked. He just realized he slept in a girl's bed last night. No wondered it smelled good.

"You're being really nice." Yuji wouldn't know how he'd be able to repay her - except maybe cook curry for her.

"Not really. To be honest, I've not used this apartment all that much. So having someone look after it will keep it from getting too dusty," Ciel chuckled, clasping her hands together. "I guess that means I'm doing this out of personal reasons. So you don't have to feel too bad about it."

Yuji turned his head and shut his eyes, struck by the shimmering pillar of generosity. She really is a saint!

She would rather refer to him as a guest staying for an undetermined time than a freeloader. She fits the image of a nun perfectly. Giving him a place to sleep. Good tea. Free food and clothes.

"-! Oh, right," Yuji glanced down at his shirt and pulled its U-neck. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't wearing this before. Did you put this on?"

"Yes, I did," Ciel answered casually. "Since your uniform was ripped apart, it was a little tricky trying to find the right size for you, so I bought extra large t-shirts and hoodies. I'm sorry if they're too big for you."

"Nah. This is perfect." Yuji preferred his clothes to be baggy anyway. They were more comfortable that way. "But did you change my pants too?"

"Um, yes. That also." There was some hesitation in Ciel's voice at the implication of her answer, her smile faltering. "You did just came out of the rain. Not to mention the sewers. I couldn't just leave you like that and let you get pneumonia."

She added quickly, "Just so you know, it didn't seep all the way through. A-And I made sure to cover you in towels to dry you."

She felt shy at having to explain herself, lowering her head slightly. She hoped Yuji wouldn't feel creeped out, or else he might just run out of here and never look back.

Yuji stared bemused as he took in Ciel's words. Admittedly, it was a little embarrassing to hear it, but he was more so embarrassed that Ciel had to go through all that trouble while he was unconscious - at least his boxer had still been on. It couldn't have been easy.

He glanced at the folded wet towels and pants sitting in the corner of the room. His cell phone, wallet, and the one stick of thermometer on top.

She spent all night taking care of me.

Yuji's eyes softened at her attentiveness.

Ciel cleared her throat and organized the used tea set, hoping to escape the uncomfortable topic quickly. Seeing her move, Yuji came out of his thoughts and grabbed the sides of the tray just as she did.

"Here. Let me handle this," he said.

"Ah. No. I can-"

Yuji would not take no for an answer. He lifted the tray up high with a loud "hmph!". His arm length extended past Ciel's, and though she could have held on, the suddenness of it took her by surprise and she lets go.

"I want to." Yuji stood up with the tray. "It's fine. I need the exercise anyway. Even my old man had to lift weights for his health."

Yuji puts up a can-do smile, showing his appreciation. "I'll do the dishes, and we'll play cards after."

Seeing how determined he is, Ciel could only watch as Yuji walked over to the kitchenette. She lets out a huff. "Well, alright then."

It seems that guy can't stand not using his hands to help others with. She would think he has some sort of addiction.

Help others, and to die surrounded by people.

She remembered Yuji's mentioning of his grandfather's last request. Perhaps "addiction" wouldn't be right. Though, at this point, it seemed more like a curse.

...Either way, it saves me the trouble. Ciel stood up to retrieve the deck of cards, hearing the water running in the sink as Yuji inserted one cup to clean. I was ready to keep bugging him until he feels better.

His recovery time really was remarkable.

They spent the next hour playing cards, Old maid being their first choice. Though it was a mundane way of passing the time, Yuji enjoyed it. The distraction fully lifting his spirits finally.

"Are you gonna go out again?" Yuji asked, picking out his next card. Another miss. Damn.

"There are some business I need to take care of, but they can wait until tomorrow," Ciel said as sets down another set of pairs, with the help of Yuji's easily readable expression. His panic slipping through when her fingers hover over the safe card, then relaxed when she moved to another card - obviously Joker, and then distraught when she picked out the previous card at the last second.

"If you're hungry again, I can have food delivered here," Ciel offered. "All I have is a small ice cooler, so I can't bring in a bigger haul of groceries, and I'm still trying to save up for a microwave."

"Wow. You're barely scrapping by, huh?" Yuji felt bad. It made sense, though. Ciel had only just moved here, probably at the same time Yuji did. But whereas Yuji already had his own stuff and place set up at school, and other basic necessities thanks to Gojo-sensei, Ciel only had herself to rely on. It made Yuji realize how much he had it easy.

"I don't mind it, but when it comes to having guests over..." Ciel gave an awkward smile. "It does seem unfortunate, doesn't it? I feel a little uneasy having you see it like this."

Such a pitiful place to hide someone. Though, it was unusual of her to feel this self-conscious, even for a legitimate reason.

Her expression lightens up. "This is only temporary. Once I get my next paycheck, I'll start making it look more homey."

"I don't really mind," Yuji said, putting down a pair of 8s. "You're still settling in, right? I don't need all that much to make myself comfortable. Heck. I'd be happy just sleeping on the floor tonight. It makes it feel traditional."

He then puts down a pair of 7s. "I'm more than satisfied with everything here, but you should go for whatever suits you. You don't need to worry about me."

A roof over their heads, and company to play cards with. The simplicty of it all was what made small moments like this pleasant, and Yuji was content.

Ciel was surprised by Yuji's words. She thought it over. "I see. I'll be sure to remember that. Although."

She gave a mischief look. "You sure don't sound very picky. For someone who's okay with whatever, even a near empty bedroom like this, could it be that you also have boring taste, Yuji-kun?"

To not be phased by a barren home, they themselves are hinted to have a barren lifestyle. Either lacking personable things that distinguishes their character and interests, or having no particular preferences that they cannot decide between Choice A and Choice B. Cat, or Dog. Bread, or Rice.

Yuji was startled by Ciel's assumption. His mouth sunk. "Hey. I was trying to be nice."

Ciel lightly giggled. It was a cordial, yet girly giggle, Yuji felt his cheeks blush at the sound of it. His brows furrowed.

"I know. I just felt like teasing you," Ciel said, putting down a pair of 4s. "But that does make me feel a lot better with what I have so far, and what I should buy in the future. Thank you for making it easier for me."

For someone who has no preference or dietary limits, there was no stress to accommodate them.

Yuji's annoyance lessened at that. He looked down at his remaining card, the Joker card staring back at him.

"I wouldn't say my taste is boring," Yuji puts the final card down and showed his Joker, conceding defeat. "Just simple."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Ciel conveyed her agreement to the mindset. "Simplicity is best, I think. Even if you don't have any preference, you get to mix it with someone else's, and there wouldn't be much friction. In a way, it makes you the flexible sort."

She paused and glanced down at her winning cards. Her last pair - the 9s - sat next to the pair of 4s.

"But I guess when both people are like that - with no favorite flavor or toppings, even if you mix together, it'll just be plain yogurt."

Yuji's mouth twinged. "Maybe. But you can still add toppings if you want."

His eyes carried mirth. "Not having a favorite doesn't mean not liking them either. Adding a bunch of stuff together makes it more fun too."

Yuji pressed on with the analogy. "I'm more of a food on top of rice guy, but I don't have a least favorite food either. Mixing those yogurts together makes it a little exciting. It's like digging in and finding out what toppings you bite first. Or what you get at the end of a tea cup after drinking it."

Ciel was a little taken aback, her making of a green tea "surprise" being used against her. When he puts it like that, it made her realize she contradicted herself.

Ciel pondered. "You might have a point."

Like putting roe on rice. Or curry on chicken. No matter the dish and how simple it is, the complexity of whichever toppings or sauce is likely to bring out the flavor more.

"Unless you add something like ketchup on yogurt, then that's just gross." Despite saying that, Yuji was craving some yogurt now.

"Hah. Yes," Ciel agreed, shaking her head. "Despite all the possibilities as far as the blue sky, there are just some combinations that shouldn't go together no matter what."

"Heh. So, what kind of foodie are you?"

"Pardon?"

"I mentioned I like food stuff on rice - noodles are my favorite too. I know you like curry, but how do you usually eat them?"

Ciel gave yet another pause. A little longer this time. For such a question requires deep introspection. "That's a very good question. I'm stunned to even hear it."

There was no particular preference she had when it came to curry. Her love was agape, meaning all forms of curry were equally delicious to her. Hmm. But if she were to really reach into the bowels of her stomach, she couldn't deny that there was in fact a certain curry dish she's eaten more often than others. It was not at all a matter of favoritism, but perhaps convenience. One can't just have a five-course meal of their favorite dish while on their way to work, after all. This really was a toughie.

"I think, if I'm forced to give an answer..." Ciel remembered the fresh scent of baked bread and smiled. The crunchy exterior of a golden fried batter, followed by the warm, spicy innards mixed with meat and vegetables that made her heart leap with joy. Her saving grace when money became tight and it was always available at any store no matter where.

"I'd be a food-stuff underneath kind of person."

Thinking about it some more, it was the same for her other favorited curry dishes. Like for curry and rice, how the curry always seeps underneath the rice. Or curry udon, with the noodles floating on top while the curry broth fills the rest of the bowl underneath. It made sense too. As a final bite, curry should be the last taste to still linger on her tongue before she finishes her plate. Of course, she'd still enjoy it all the same if curry had been on top.

She was really craving for some curry now, and she had just eaten too.

"Tada! It's the Blade Trilogy!"

After playing cards, Ciel brought over her laptop and happily presented the thick DVD case to Yuji. She held up the movie by her face and winked. "Better clear your plans today. We're going to be watching this all night."

Not that Yuji could go anywhere at the moment, but just a saying for the sake of saying. Seeing Ciel be so enthused by the complete film series was a real treat for Yuji. He felt happy to have helped her find it.

Ciel brought in two large bags of already-made popcorn and some sodas she got during her errand run. Enough to last them the entire six-hour "movie at home" experience. She and Yuji then pulled the futon mattress from underneath Ciel's bed, folding the mattress into a makeshift couch and sat on it.

Yuji quietly watched Ciel open the first movie case and inserted the disc into the player, the laptop sitting on the floor in front of them. After inserting the movie, the title screen popped up and reflected the anticipation in Ciel's light blue eyes.

"...Thank you," Yuji said. "For doing all of this."

Ciel looked at him. She noted his relaxed expression that conveyed his appreciation, his guilt mostly subsided for now.

She smiled. "You're quite welcome."

Whether that appreciation may hold, and whether the decision to save his life won't become a regrettable one, only time will tell.

The sun had set by the time the third movie played. The ambience of the dark apartment, with only the laptop screen giving light, made their two-people watch party that much more engaging. Ciel and Yuji slip in their commentary on occasion, their eyes glued to the screen while quietly expressing their reactions. When the film concluded, it was already late in the night.

"Which one was your favorite?" Yuji asked from Ciel's bed. Despite his insistence to sleep on the floor, Ciel was even more stubborn about being a considerate hostess. She could be really pushy when she wants to be nice.

"The first movie will always hold a special place in my heart. But I have to give credit to the third film," Ciel gave her input. "Especially that ending where Dracula was killed. It was the perfect conclusion to Blade's story."

"That was pretty cool, huh?" Yuji said. "It's sort of funny they had to make three endings for it, though."

The prospect of owning a DVD collection where they were able to watch the extended cut, as well as behind the scenes. It actually took them another hour or so to go through it all.

Yuji pressed his hand against his ear as he looked over at Ciel, his elbow on top of his pillow. "A lot of people say Trinity was the worst of the three, but I'm glad you liked it."

"Eh?! People didn't like it?! No way!" Ciel was stunned by that reveal, turning over in her pink pajamas to look at Yuji fully. "It was a good movie! It might have its flaws, but it was still good!"

Yuji grinned as she went on and on about the film, her new favorite character Abigail next to Abraham and Blade, the usage of the weapons presented, the special effects and fight choreography, and so on.

"It's a shame what happened to Abraham, and so suddenly too. But I have a feeling he's not quite as dead as the movie's led us to believe..." A yawn escaped Ciel while she gave her theory. "He returned in Part Two, after all. I honestly think he's become an immortal. It just doesn't seem like he'd be gone that easily."

She may know a thing or two about that.

Yuji had a thoughtful look on him, and then he saw Ciel's eyelashes flickering. Her earlier outing, along with making tea, playing cards, and staring at her laptop screen for six-hours - with bathroom breaks in between, it was all finally catching up to her. There was also the time spent over her looking after Yuji while he was unconscious, unsure for how long or if she had any sleep. Her body had to have been exhausted from all the things she's done today.

"If they had made a fourth movie, I'm certain he would have come back." Ciel's voice became slower and quieter as she spoke.

"You think so?" Yuji asked. He brought down his arm and slipped it under his pillow, resting the side of his face against it as he listened to the gentle, lulling sounding of Ciel's voice.

"Of course. But maybe that's just wishful thinking." Her voice drifted off, a momentary silence after that.

"Ciel?"

Yuji's call was only met with soft sighs. Ciel had closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling under her blanket. Just like that, she was out like a light.

"You really had a busy day," Yuji said. He laid there for a little while longer, watching Ciel sleep. He then turned on his back and stared up at the ceiling.

After three minutes, he turned back on his side. "Are you still asleep?"

His response - again - was a snooze.

"Hmmm." Yuji pushed back the sheets and sat at the bed's edge. "Hey, Ciel."

He got down on the floor and moved closer.

"Ciel? Ci-eeell."

Yuji puts up one hand by his mouth, letting out a low drawl to Ciel's ear like he was singing. "I'm gonna throw out all the curry~"

"Haaa. Curry," Ciel mumbled in her sleep.

Yuji snorted, gently biting his bottom lip to hold back his laugh. Getting up on his bare feet, he tiptoed around Ciel until he was standing on the other side of the floor mattress.

I have a lot to make up for.

Yuji knelt down and slipped his arms underneath Ciel's body - one arm supporting her neck, the other arm under her knees.

Right now, I don't have the right to face anybody. But I won't run away either.

His hand grasped over Ciel's shoulder. He lifted her up with the blanket still covering her and walked across the futon mattress.

I don't know what I'm going to do after this. But.

He gently placed Ciel on the bed, resting her head on its pillow.

It's nice that I'm not by myself here. I wouldn't know where I'd go on my own, or what to do next.

Except make sure that bastard curse never gets out again. Speaking of which, Sukuna had been quiet all day. Maybe stewing in the corner or something. The silence was a breath of fresh air for Yuji. He honestly forgot how it sounded.

Yuji carefully adjusted the blanket to make sure Ciel was tucked in and warm. He stopped to look at her sleeping expression. Her thin lashes above her round cheeks. The bare skin of her neck. There was not a single mark or tension on her. The injuries from Sukuna were gone, and yet to Yuji, they were still there. They were there for him because it had happened. Having the wounds sealed didn't change this fact, and Yuji won't have it any other way.

We don't have to talk about that. Ciel's words echoed in his mind.

Yuji's face fell with remorse. I didn't even get to apologize.

Doing so would not in any way remove him of his guilt. Even as Ciel was here, alive and well, in front of him. Still, he felt that he owe it to her.

Getting his bed sheets, Yuji stepped away and laid down on the floor mattress. I should do something for her.

He pulled out his phone and searched up various household items, scrolling through the selections.

She doesn't have a fridge yet. Maybe I could get her a small one?

Maybe a cooking pot too, since she told him earlier that she only has a small pan and a spatula. There was that store Ciel offered to go to, but he didn't want her to buy anymore out of her pocket than she already has. He'll have to ask where it is, though.

It's a good thing this place has internet.

Ciel finished buttoning up the white collar of her habit, adjusting the rims around her neck. She stood by her bedside in her executor robes, hearing the gentle snoring of Yuji on the floor next to her.

You might feel responsible for what happened.

Ciel knelt down and began fastening her boots. And you might think you don't deserve special treatment because of it.

When she finished, she stood back up and looked over at Yuji's sleeping figure. His complete obliviousness to the world around him as his consciousness carried him to dreamland. She walked towards him with the faintest sound of her boots, absolutely quiet from many, many practices.

She knelt down and touched his temple. A soft blue glow from her fingertips, putting him into deeper sleep out of security. There was no need for physical contact, she simply felt like it.

But I'm not doing this out of the kindness of my heart or obligations. I simply felt like it.

There was no logic. It was purely out of impulse.

Keeping you here. Letting everyone else believe you're dead. Ciel stood up. No matter how you look at it, I'm being selfish.

The Jujutsu World wants nothing more than for him to be executed. Her organization was no different, and yet she would stall both missions out of personal interests. Even with Roa to worry about, she couldn't let herself turn away from someone so helplessly unknowing. That even when he was dying, he dared to still smile at his killer, like she did nothing wrong - like she did not just attempt to violate a commandment by having his life in her hands. Because no matter how the world of sorcery may view him - the Vessel of Sukuna, half-curse, a ticking time bomb - he was still a human.

That's why you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. It was my responsibility. You only got dragged into it.

The one to admit guilt should not be him.

"Believe it or not, you're not even close to being as bad as I am," Ciel whispered as she retreated her hand, knowing Yuji couldn't hear her in his sleep.

"Letting you blame yourself, even if it's just to vent, I didn't want to accept it. Once you go down that rabbit hole, there's no end to it. The self-loathing, the constant what-ifs. It's a cycle that only serves to spin endlessly until it destroys you from the inside."

She smiled. "As long as I keep pushing that guilty conscience of yours far, far away, I wouldn't have to worry about your curry-making skills dulling one bit."

She rose to her feet and walked towards the back doors that led onto the balcony. "Goodnight, Yuji-kun. Sleep well."

She's certain one day Yuji will forgive himself. He certainly didn't need Ciel's forgiveness. Even if he only sought to apologize with no hope of remission, Ciel never once held him accountable. So there was no need for an apology.

She slid open the glass door. Her dark blue gown fluttered in the wind as soon as she stepped outside. Closing the door behind her, she hopped onto the railing, standing at the edge of the balcony.

Ciel puts on her nun veil and leapt from the second floor of her apartment, her body blending into the night immediately.

Chapter Text

The large centipede curse crawled out through the wall of a recently enclosed building. A single black key stabbed into its elongated body, and it was exorcised in an instant.

Ciel walked alongside the empty street where a few street lights shone. She retrieved her black key from the wall with a single pull. Bits of stone dripped from her blade.

"The curses in these parts have been getting restless."

The night that battle unfold, it seemed to have stir up this city's hidden populace.

The curse womb. The Dead Apostle Ancestor. Sukuna. Most likely, it was those presences that led to increased curse activity. The waking death and destruction was like a buffet for such spirits, especially once the fore fronters themselves have either been removed or suppressed. Ciel would have thought having such dangerous entities would be enough to ward off curses, but it seemed to be doing the opposite effect.

Ciel pondered over this, and then she resumed her walk.

The night was quiet. The summer heat that once lingered in these places have receded hours ago, as did most of the people in Tokyo. There were stragglers, of course. Outers who enjoy the ambience of a sunless setting, yet sought dazzling lights when the stars themselves were too far away. An atmosphere of entertainment and pleasure without curfew, and where secrets may stay in its dark corners, disappearing into the night to be forgotten by the day.

Drinking. Dancing. Even working past midnight. None of these folks knew what was really happening. These past hours, it was the ideal condition for prowlers - human or not - to have their fill of the innocent.

One such prowler had been tailing Ciel for quite some time now. She had already known, of course, despite his efforts to remain hidden. He seemed adept at this, perhaps used to sneaking around so late at night, but not necessarily on following people. Ciel paid no mind to it, pretending not to notice as she did her patrol, giving her brief blessings at times to passerbys when they greeted her.

It was a very bad look for someone to stalk an unsuspecting nun like this, which gave Ciel an understanding that this person had no self-awareness whatsoever. She'll have to discipline him properly.

She veered into an alleyway. After going down the dark and narrow path, she turned behind a corner and quickly pressed her foot up against the stone wall. In a single kick, Ciel leapt up to the roof.

She walked along the edge. When she glanced down, Ciel spotted her stalker in his light brown hoodie, peeking around the same corner she had just been. She hopped back down and landed behind him, her boots muted on top of the stone, and she overheard him speak.

"-Eh? She vanished-?"

Ciel approached the figure. "What are you doing here, Yuji-kun?"

Yuji puckered his lips in surprise. He turned around and faced Ciel's unamused look. Her arms crossed in front of her waist.

"Oh. Hey," Yuji said, as if they just so happen to stumble upon one another.

"Why are you here?" Ciel asked him again. She was once more a witness to Yuji's immunity to her spells. She thought direct contact would do the trick and have him stay asleep, but it appears she was mistaken.

She expected Yuji to start off with a somewhat reasonable excuse: He was out on a walk. He wanted to get something sweet at the nearest convenience store. Lies she herself told to civilians who found her in a similar position, no matter how farfetched or how little she'd believe them if said by anyone else.

"I was following you."

Subtlety was not Yuji's forte, however. Perhaps he thought there was no point. Or perhaps he didn't think to even try.

"Are you almost done?" He added, pulling back his hood and revealing his spiky pink and black hair.

His honesty, somehow, made Ciel even more annoyed. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Go home. It isn't safe for you here."

"But you're here. So it's got to be safe now, right?" Yuji pointed out. "You did a good number on those curses back there. I wanted to help, but you were really fast."

It was not Yuji saying that Ciel had to be here because it was safe, but that this place was now safe because Ciel was here.

"That's not how that works," Ciel objected to the contradictory reasoning. "I go in places that are hazardous to other humans, including executors and sorcerers. I have yet to finish my patrol, and therefore, have yet to cleanse this part of town from curses or the dead. So, I will tell you again. Go. Home."

She stared at him with a sharp edge in her eyes. Despite her intimidation, of which definitely had its effect that made Yuji feel unnerved, he stood his ground.

"I'm an exorcist too. I have as much of a duty as you do," Yuji argued. "I know I messed up, but that's why I want to get stronger. I want to be able to do at least half the things you do."

Ciel was taken aback.

"I'm not even on the scale compare to those monsters," Yuji referred to the curse womb, Vlov, and Sukuna. "How I am now, I'm not of any use to anybody. That's why I want to follow your lead. You stood toe to toe with those guys no matter how bad it got. I don't care about the outcome. I just don't want to be useless again."

He held her stare with resolve and appeal. "I want to learn how to be strong like you."

Yuji bowed with half his body, his arms locked to his side. "Please. Teach me your ways, Ciel-senpai!"

It was a first for Ciel to be at a momentary loss for words. While she had been approached before, what made this unique was that he had come to her with humility and trust. There was no hidden motive or secret enmity. He meant everything he said.

His sincerity brought a little tinge to her cheeks, but she cleared her throat and regained her composure. She was silent for a moment, watching Yuji hold his bow until an answer was given.

"I see," Ciel finally said. Her face brightened with a sunshine smile. "I refuse."

Yuji flinched. He slowly raised his head, a mix of disbelief and perturb by how bluntly she responded.

"You've no business to be in a profession like this," Ciel was cut throat and to the point while still holding her angelic smile. "You're tenacious, I'll give you that. But even with an attitude like yours, it just won't be enough."

"I-I get that, but that's why I-" Yuji was about to retort. His face, however, was cupped by Ciel's two hands.

"Now, now. That's enough out of you." Ciel rubbed Yuji's cheeks in circular motions, her fingers pressing to the point where she was nearly squishing his face. Yuji was baffled, still half-bowing which allowed Ciel this opportunity.

"I agree that you should train more, but that doesn't mean putting yourself through the wringer again. Where would all my efforts end up?" Ciel gently chided at him. "You just focus on your recovery and let me deal with these monsters. It's as you said, you're not at that level yet. Being able to do half the things I do, you're going to need a lot more experience on your belt."

And that involved dying a bunch of times first. Precisely what she wanted Yuji to avoid.

"I didn't say all that just for you to make fun of me," Yuji stated through his smushed face. He raised his hands and grabbed her face in retaliation. "You got more of a baby face than I do. I can play this game too."

"Now you're being childish," Ciel said, appearing unphased by Yuji's thumbs prodding her cheeks. "You need to take this seriously."

"I am. It's you who needs to take me seriously," Yuji countered. He loosened his grip. "You're going after that vampire, right? You shouldn't face him alone. He had you on the ropes too."

"He caught me off guard," Ciel said. She released Yuji's face and he lets go of hers.

"We were dealing with an unknown enemy," Ciel continued, "and I wasn't able to fully dispatch him as quickly as I could have. Now that I know what he's capable of, I'll have no trouble defeating him next time."

So long as she can eliminate the ancestor before he unleashed his freezing.

"I do not need assistance during that moment. Regardless, he has demonstrated an overwhelming power and skills. You've seen it yourself, and you even admit that you stand no chance against him. Why do you wish to risk your life fighting that dead apostle? Do you want what happened at the detention center to happen again?"

Yuji was visibly affected by that statement. His expression faltered and tightened into a frown. He looked down at his feet. "I just don't know what else to do with myself."

Ciel's stern face held, though it started to chipper away the longer she saw Yuji's down ridden face.

"All I'm good at is punching stuff, and toughing it out when things don't go the way they should," Yuji said. "I'd lose an arm, my fingers. I'd lose a leg or even my heart, and I'd still want to do everything I could to make sure somebody else don't get it as bad as I do. Even if I'm by myself, and the odds are against me, all I can do is fight it out no matter how many times I get beaten."

That time he earned the name Tiger of West Junior High was a prime example. It was the very first moment when Yuji was proclaimed by others to be "strong."

"I'm supposedly strong, but that means nothing when the people I want to help gets hurt, or ends up dying anyway."

The two inmates he couldn't rescue. The image of the people hanging from the ceiling, nothing but their mutilated flesh over amputated limbs, and he couldn't do anything for them. Megumi being injured by the curse womb, his classmate Yuji had to save but ended up leaving him behind too. Lastly, Ciel being impaled by that vampire, and he chose to rely on Sukuna's strength, only for that to bite back at him hard.

Ciel's eyes softened, seeing the multitude of burdens that weighed his mind just by his face alone. She wished he didn't include her in the equation, but that was only the tip of the iceberg.

"If I can't do the things I've set out to do, what good am I really?" Yuji said.

"Yuji-kun..."

There was a compulsion to reach out for him again but Ciel held back. She watched Yuji silently stand there, staring at the ground as if seeking direction from it.

Ciel felt a mixture of pensive and debilitation. She lets out a sigh and crossed her arms. "I still need to complete my patrol tonight. For now, you can come with."

It seemed she couldn't let him go home like this, else he'll just stay up all night, mulling over everything that's happened.

Yuji immediately perked up, a slight smile on his face.

"Please stay close until I finish my work," Ciel walked past Yuji and proceeded down the alley. "If we come across any dead, or a curse higher than a grade three, let me deal with it."

"Yes, Senpai!" Yuji happily saluted. He really is like a hyperactive dog, Ciel thinks.

"There was a curse like this around here?!"

Yuji stared up at the abominable entity that was clinging underneath the shadows of the bridge. The curse was enormous, with enlarged eyes and elongated pincers around its face. Many limbs stuck out from its fat, long body, its purple flesh protruding around the support beams. To Yuji, it looked a lot like No-Face from Spirited Away.

"A crime probably happened in this area," Ciel deduced, eyeing at the curse stoically. "Either a mugging or maybe even a murder. The more severe the incident and rumors circulating it, the more a curse eats off of it."

Her eyes narrowed. "I doubt a shaman would overlook this one. At this hour, such entities are more likely to come out. It must have grown just recently."

Still, Ciel would have thought she'd see more shamans around. Even on other nights, there were hardly any to avoid to the point where she stopped trying to keep herself hidden as much.

"It's no where near as strong as that curse womb," Ciel continued, "In your school's term, this curse would probably be ranked around grade two, so a shaman with the power of a grade one would be sent to deal with it."

"Oh. Yeah?" Yuji said, a little nervous by the curse staring back at them. He was pretty sure it was getting closer too.

Ciel lowered her head and casually stepped towards the curse, walking underneath it. "People's thoughts towards something of which the facts are certain, rather than from superstitions, are more likely to birth such dangerous spirits. Whether rational or irrational, focusing on one location or concept eventually becomes the center point that gives curses their shape and strength - a melting pot of fears, worries, and malice. Their intelligence would also increase, and so an experienced exorcist is needed to counter them."

The curse overhead twisted its head all the way and outstretched its limbs. Yuji caught its intention and stuck to Ciel's side, raising his fists - without his dagger, he only had these to rely on.

A black key pierced through the side of the curse's head before it would even get too close. Multiple black keys then punctured its body underneath, and the curse burned up without making a single move against them. Ciel never looked back at it.

Yuji was amazed by the quick work. He didn't even see where that first sword came from. It showed him just how much Ciel acted like a real assassin sometimes.

Now that he thought about it, there was that time Ciel cornered Yuji in that cramped, vending machine spot. He never heard her enter. She could have easily taken him out if she wanted to, and he wouldn't have known what hit him.

The thought was a little disturbing. It made him glad that Ciel was on the good side - and him on hers.

"I guess you'd be a grade one or special grade, right?" Yuji commented as he watched the curse be exorcised. "That makes sense. Even if the school has guys on the same level as a curse, it's better to send sorcerers with a higher grade."

"That's not entirely correct," Ciel said before stopping again. She raised her hand and slightly motioned her fingers. The black keys dislodged themselves from the ceiling and fell one by one, perfectly landing with the tip of their blades into the grass. Yuji really wanted to know how she does that.

"From what I heard," Ciel resumed, "a jujutsu sorcerer with the abilities of a grade one would actually be ranked a grade two. A grade three sorcerer would have the skills of a grade two, and so on. Meanwhile, curses themselves are graded as they are. So when a grade two shaman is assigned to deal with a grade two curse, it's actually a shaman whose strength is that of a grade one confronting a grade two curse. It is true that it's best to send an exorcist stronger than the danger level of the target they're after, hence the system is designed that way."

"Oh... I did not know that." Yuji would have thought that'd be something he'd learn in class. Then again, he only just understood what a grade system was the other night.

Ciel sighed. "Of course not. It's not something Gojo-sensei would bother to explain. With him, grade systems are practically irrelevant."

Yuji pressed his lips together. He decided not to say that he too thought it was irrelevant until recently. If someone was in trouble, though, he couldn't stay out of it just because something was stronger than him.

"I myself believe jujutsu grading to be too simplistic. There is a multitude of factors to consider when gauging the power of an enemy." Ciel collected the last black key, pulling it by the hilt and removing its tip from the ground.

"However, for Gojo-sensei, he'd see any curses or monsters as weaker than him, so it makes no difference." She slipped the weapon back into her skirt through a hidden. "There's a point where carefree becomes careless. I'm not surprised he neglected to tell you, even though he's supposed to be your teacher."

"Not a big fan of him, are you?"

The eye of Sukuna splits open under Yuji's left eye, his grinning mouth carried words of venom. "Even I can acknowledge his strength. I still intend to kill him, though, and after that, I'll be coming after you next."

Ciel was surprised by the curse-sorcerer speaking, a moment of widened eyes before she controlled her expression and gave the curse a hard stare. Yuji stopped in his tracks and glared down at his cheek.

"Go away. Neither of us want to talk to you," Yuji did not hide the hatred in his voice. He shifted his gaze back to Ciel, calmer, "Sorry. I should have warned you before. He sometimes pops out like this."

That certainly was something. Ciel was surprised Sukuna didn't come out sooner to bite her fingers off. She held her curled finger over her lips in pondering. "Interesting. So he retains some autonomy even while you remain in control. It also seems that horrid man hasn't learned his inside voice yet."

There was no mincing words when it came her. Even Yuji's teacher, the boastful Satoru Gojo, spoke to Sukuna with respect.

"Unless it's worth my attention, I choose to be quiet. You may be able to keep me silent at your place, but once I gain full control, I'll have your heart while this brat watches."

Yuji's hand slapped over his cheek like trying to get rid of a pesky mosquito. "Knock it off already, you creep."

He decided not to inquire about "being kept quiet at her place," whatever that meant.

Sukuna's mouth splits open through the back of Yuji's hand and continued cursing at Ciel. "I'll unleash a massacre worse than that vampire! Those people won't be the only ones this boy won't save-!"

Ciel's approach was quick yet as silent as a shadow. The tip of her fingers touched Yuji's, a soft blue glow underneath her touch. Sukuna's mouth was immediately closed by force, zipping his lips into a complete skin of Yuji's backhand.

"He's a noisy one, isn't he?" Ciel said, letting her touch linger for a moment. "I feel sorry you have to put up with that. If he ever bothers you again, just let me know and I'll be sure to muzzle him."

Yet another referral to the King of Curses as an unruly mutt that needed his nose swatted. Yuji was intrigued - and a little amused - by Ciel's ability, a little envious of such convenience. Something managed to shut the so-called king up finally.

She's full of surprises. Yuji's curiosity of her grew.

Ciel pulled back her fingers. "Earlier, you were going to fight that curse under the bridge, weren't you?"

Yuji's reaction to the abrupt question exposed his answer.

"What was your plan exactly?" Ciel chided. To think he had the nerve of wanting to face the dead apostle ancestor like this - completely bare-knuckled. "You don't even have your weapon anymore. Even if you can touch the curse, you need to be able to channel and utilize your cursed energy - or any magical power - to exorcise it."

"I kind of did that, though. Back at the detention center," Yuji pointed out, remembering the feel of cursed energy, how it coated his fist and he was able to throw it at the curse womb on second try. It was a lot tougher to do it against the vampire, however. That fire and ice kept all of them at bay.

"That you did." The circumstances were fairly extraordinary at the time. Ciel thought it over and then added, "Would you mind showing it again?"

"Sure. On what?"

"You could try it on me," Ciel suggested casually. "That way, I'll determine its velocity and power distribution up close."

"Uhh. I'm not really comfortable with that." Yuji was perturbed by her nonchalance. He pointed both hands at her. "Don't get me wrong. You're very strong. It just wouldn't feel right after you've given me a place to live."

Also the experience of fighting Ciel through Sukuna was still fresh in his mind. He'd feel more guilty if he tried to throw a punch himself.

"I don't mind. It's not as if I ask you to deck me in the face." Enduring it through the palm of her hand would suffice. Taking Yuji's passivity into consideration, though, Ciel came up with another suggestion.

"We could try something else then. A substitute, like a punching bag. There's one place that has something like that. It should be secluded at this hour, so you won't have to hold back." Ciel gave a playful smile, "I'm sure it won't be a problem. Best case scenario, it might've just been a fluke what you did."

Yuji was amused by her comment that sounded close to a challenge. He pocketed his hands and leaned close. "Want to bet?"

Hanging in the air, the bag of cement broke apart under Yuji's fist, dumping gray powder all over the ground. The hook swung back along with the torn open bag, spraying dusts across the air in a curved line.

"Why isn't it working?!" Yuji was dumbfounded. He gave it all his might, but even though he had his physical strength, there was not a hint of cursed energy that flickered out from his knuckles.

They were in an empty construction site. Ciel stood back against the wall in observance, once more impressed by Yuji's show of raw strength. Ciel would have assumed this was due to his transformation into a half-cursed if not for the evidence of his past achievements. Apparently, he had quite the record of such power, even breaking a few records himself. Acing his physical exams from his middle school days all way to high school in his hometown. It was quite extraordinary really, above human peak even.

There could still be some magical enhancements involved. But as she noted the other night, Yuji had the physical capacity to be the perfect vessel, enough to harbor a dangerously powerful cursed soul and even withstand the blood of an ancient vampire with no drawbacks. So far.

Right now, what she is witnessing is Yuji's own strength in display. She couldn't help but pay close attention to his form and footing, even though it was only supposed to be his cursed energy she was looking out for. The way he pulled back his shoulder and elbow. How his eyes were focused onto the bag. The control he had in his fist. Everything points to him being trained, and trained well.

Even among us executors, I don't believe I've ever met anyone with as raw a potential as this.

It was more than unusual. The chances of such people appearing in this world was about as rare as Ciel herself. A very curious thing indeed.

Ciel removed herself from the wall and walked towards Yuji. "As I thought. It really was just a fluke."

She humorously toyed with Yuji's bafflement. She rescinded as soon as he looked at her in shock.

"I'm mostly kidding," Ciel said. "Back then, you were in a life and death situation. You might have realized the fate that awaited you. Your emotions flooded out, and it channeled into your attack, maybe even purposefully."

Yuji looked at her in startle, the accuracy behind her statement founded.

Ciel continued, "It didn't hurt the curse womb, but you did managed to access your cursed energy for a moment. Cursed energy and curses are essentially born from negative thoughts and feelings. Unless you were put in that position again, there's no forcing it out like you were trying to do now."

She looked down at the other broken bags of cement by their feet, each a proof of failure despite Yuji's attempt. "Even if you let yourself remember those feelings, that isn't how you should use them. To weaponize your emotions, you'll need to learn how to control them. Not just by keeping your composure, but by keeping yourself composed and letting those feelings out anyway, compressing your darker thoughts into other parts of your body or object."

Yuji listened intently at her lecture. It was a little wordy, but he sort of understood the basics of it. He looked down at his fist. "Okay, so how do I do that?"

"How would I know? I'm not a sorcerer," Ciel said, sounding rather coy with her hands behind her back. "I'm only stating things I've read off of a book once."

"Could have fooled me..." Yuji wasn't sure he believed her, after all the moving swords and lightning casting she did the previous night. There must be a reason, though, so he decided not to push it and went back to the hanging hook to stop its swinging.

Ciel studied Yuji for another moment, and then she spoke. "You're really serious about this. Wanting to stay as an exorcist?"

Yuji caught the hook and nodded. "I am."

He didn't look at her as he answered. No follow up to it either. He carefully brought the hook back to its original place and began to wonder what he should do with all the cement bags he broke opened.

Ciel gave a breath through her nose and crossed her arms. "...Then if you want to get stronger, you'll need to learn how to manipulate your cursed energy."

Yuji looked back at her with widened eyes.

"Most people in Japan are unaware. Those who possess cursed energy have it leaking out from them. This is how curses are ultimately made. By controlling their leakage, however, they'll prevent themselves from feeding into a curse's existence. This marks the first step into becoming a proper sorcerer."

Seeing Yuji's blank look, Ciel rephrased. "Let's say, metaphorically speaking, people are bottles that carried liquid. Some who don't have cursed energy would have empty bottles, or at least partially so. People whose bottles carried water are normal, but their condensation drips onto the soil that gives curses their nutrients, like plants. Or better yet, weeds. Meanwhile, sorcerers have achieved the practice of preventing their condensation, altering their liquid into becoming weed killing substances instead."

Yuji looked on in amazement by the analogy. Seeing it click for him, Ciel went on.

"Naturally, each bottle a Sorcerer carries would have a sprayer. And for each sprayer, there is a technique used to kill weeds. Fushiguro-kun's technique, for instance, are his ten shadows - the animals he summons, otherwise known as shikigamis. Or familiars if you prefer it that way."

It was getting harder and harder to believe she wasn't a sorcerer with how much she was explaining things.

"Those who have sprayers are able to attach them to other mechanisms, such as an extension cord, a different tip for wider range, and other methods. They've effectively turn their cursed energy into "cursed techniques", producing greater means of eradicating those particularly stubborn weeds."

"Hmmm," Yuji held his chin. "I see. Then if I keep my bottle from dripping, I'll be able to use cursed energy with a "sprayer"."

He might have gotten lost somewhere along the way. He probably should have written this down. "And eventually, I'll develop my own technique!"

He pointed his finger at her with an eureka. Huh. That was actually simply put. Maybe he didn't need a notepad after all.

"Well..." Ciel said hesitantly, giving a gentle, pitying smile. "Not exactly. People who become a shaman half-way into their life are less likely to develop a technique themselves."

It was like glass shattering in Yuji's heart. His dreams of becoming a real-life shonen hero dashed from his eyes.

"Yuji-kun?" Ciel watched as Yuji practically deflated and sunk to the ground, laying on his back.

"You're kidding." He acted like a wriggly worm that had all his colors sucked out. "This sucks. This totally blows. I really wanted to pull a Rasengan or a Spirit Gun or a Bankai. I've been scammed. Sensei lied to me."

Although, Gojo-sensei never promised otherwise, but there was definitely an insinuation, even though Yuji brought it upon himself.

"Um..." Ciel grew a little nervous by Yuji's sudden behavior. She stood uncertain what to do for a moment, and was even more uncertain of the things he was referencing.

She carefully approached Yuji. "I-It's okay! Even though you don't have any talent, hard work always persevere!"

"Guuhhhh..." Yuji seemed to flatten even further. The common phrasing an unintended backhand comment of Yuji's - apparently - unremarkable self.

Ciel lets out an anxious soft whine, now really uncertain what to do next. She vied for any sort of distraction that could snap Yuji out of his depression. "O-Oh! I just remembered! There's a mega mart nearby that's giving away free snacks!"

Yuji gained back his colors and his head propped up, a look of interest on him. "Really?"

"Yes! We should go and see what all the fuss is about."

Yuji jumped back up to his feet, his enthusiasm reignited. Ciel gave a relieved sigh. They needed the break anyway.

The 24-hour MEGA Don Quijote on Shibuya had a reasonable number of people, leading to implications of how usually packed it is during the day.

"Whoa! Check this out! This must be where the choco logs from that vending machine came from," Yuji was astounded by the familiar box of sweets he found.

Ciel was next to him in idle gazing at the shelves all around them. To not seem suspicious, she had picked up a couple of green tea bags so to appear like a shopper. She'll have to commit into buy these so to secure her cover. Yes, yes. Completely sensible.

They wandered the aisles and grabbed various food items - boxed curry meals, a container of mixed vegetables, and various sweets. The kitchen area was closed, but there was an employee serving fresh pastries for the midnight cravings of late night goers.

"Mm! These cream puffs are really good." Yuji bit into the fluffy dessert. It was a pleasant surprise for these to be available at this hour. "They remind me of the cinnamon rolls you made. Did you ever baked these too?"

Ciel nodded, chewing the delectable cream filling. "It's been a while. Cream puffs are a famous delicacy back in France. In fact, we invented it, calling them profiterole or choux à la crème."

"Huh. That's interesting," Yuji finished the cream puff with a chew and a swallow. "...HUH?! Wait! You're F-r-r-r-rench?!"

He rolled the "R" like it was Spanish, which made it unnecessary and nonsensical.

"Yes. I suppose I never mentioned it, have I?" Ciel said, finishing her free sample of the cream puff. Perhaps being surrounded by so many ingredients had tapped into her culinary side, and she could not hide her hidden pride. "You could say that's where all my knowledge of baking comes from."

"Then-! Those cinnamon rolls! I was tasting authentic French pastry!" He said "authentic" with a dramatically deep voice. Yuji looked at his thumb that had whipped cream stuck to it and licked it off.

He turned his head, closed his eyes, and grasped over his mouth with his hand. The cream filling was good, but he could only imagine how delicious it'd be if Ciel made them.

"Is it that big of a deal?" Ciel asked curiously. "I think the pastries in Japan are tasty too. There should be more appreciation for them."

"Yeah? I guess so," Yuji said, still hung up on the fact that he's currently living with a French connoisseur. Maybe he did die and is dreaming right now.

Though the purpose of visiting this mega mart was to get Yuji over his disappointment regarding his abilities, they ended up exploring the other floors, but only a few before making their way back down. Ciel decided they've spent enough of this place. Best leave before her wallet turns up empty from all the curry. It certainly has been an odd side quest, but there was no helping the spontaneity of Yuji's company in Ciel's patrol.

"This is a big haul," Ciel noted while they stand in front of the register. She looked at their baskets and the boxes under Yuji's arm. "What did you bring?"

"It's a rice cooker, and a grill," Yuji answered, setting the packaged appliances on the counter. "Figured you needed these for your place. Now you won't have to worry about ordering in food anymore."

A trade-off for losing his bet.

To think this stop was supposed to alleviate stress, yet Ciel's pensive feelings returned once more. As she was figuring out a response, she noticed the cash Yuji had given to the worker.

Her face fell neutral. "Yuji-kun, did you take out money from your card?"

"Yup. I got it from the ATM while you were looking at curry. I had a feeling we'll be carrying more than a couple of bags worth. Why?"

Ciel looked back at the cashier who was counting Yuji's change. A pause, and then she turned her shoulder. "It's nothing."

They left the MEGA Don Quijote through the back entrance where the Hachiko statue sat, its adorable paw raised in either greeting or goodbye. Although it was against common sense, Ciel and Yuji pressed their hands together in gratitude to the statue and the store. They then walked into the night once more with their haul carried around their arms.

Ciel remained quiet for a few minutes before speaking again, "I hope you realize that this will be the last time I'll let you follow me."

Yuji paused his consumption of the pizza chip, holding one chip in between his fingers while carrying two large bags on each arm.

"Be that as it may, as a woman of the cloth, I can't turn away from those in need. You are still a novice. Therefore."

She concluded with a calm expression. "I'll be looking after your progress as a favor to Gojo-sensei. In the meantime, I want you to stay inside the apartment. Continuing your training and studies are necessary, even if it means having to tell you about dead apostles on the side."

She gazed back at Yuji's face. "Will that suffice?"

"Definitely." Yuji smiled widely. His light brown eyes fixated on Ciel as they were once more to themselves, walking down the street together.

"Is there something else?" Ciel asked, wondering why he was staring like that.

"I'm just really happy you've changed your mind," Yuji said. His face practically glowing with joy. "If there's anyone I can rely on, it's definitely you."

"..." Ciel turned away. Lifting her arm along with the bags, she cleared her throat with her clenched fist to her mouth. "I wouldn't go that far."

Ciel hastened her walk. "We should hurry, before anyone else sees you."

Yuji promptly followed. Heh heh. She's so modest.

He liked that about her.