Discord: discord .gg /eHuxNeZfyS [Come chat with me]
pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene [Read ahead & support me]
You.tube: @KeanuEugene [Giving away all my writing knowledge]
CHAPTER START---
---April 14th, 2015…
Sitting at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a forested valley, Taiyo concentrates and molds his Cursed Energy. He focuses on the world around him, clearing his mind of all desires and thoughts, allowing the morning sunshine to ease his mind and let nature soothe him.
Flowing the Cursed Energy to his clasped hands, he then slowly releases it, maintaining the flow while attempting to form a Binding Vow.
But yet again, the Binding Vow fails, and the Cursed Energy is wasted.
Behind him, Kenjaku leans against a tree while scrutinizing every action. Her face set into a deep frown as she glares daggers at his back. "Too stiff," she says.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning, you need to give in to nature. Let your Cursed Energy be molded by the world before you impose your will onto it. This isn't like the regular Barriers that are solid bricks. This is more like shaping clay, but instead of unearthing it from below our feet, we must place it into the ground first."
"How long did it take you to figure this out?"
"Tengen and I spent decades creating this type of Barrier. But when used properly, an Empty Barrier can do anything, can be anything, and be anywhere."
"Well, I don't have all day for this. I'm meeting Kusakabe later on Campus."
"To give him his gift?"
Taiyo rises to his feet, dusts his clothes, then turns to her. "Yeah. It's a nice gift to part ways as student and teacher."
"You're welcome."
He rolls his eyes. "I would have figured it out, eventually."
"And melted how many swords in the process?"
"Whatever. And about the book I got you?"
Kenjaku smiles. "Yuki Tsukumo's notes were…strange. I never considered that perspective before. But ultimately, she didn't teach me anything new. She was meant to be a vessel of Tengen, but refused. Her ability to naturally perceive souls was certainly a factor in both those choices.
But seeing and touching are not the same thing. It took me centuries before I could do the latter, and her…" Kenjaku scoffs. "Morality, prevented her from truly taking the next step in her research."
"Yet her morality wasn't strong enough not to attack me."
"In her defense, she wasn't wrong. But she is boring."
"The fight was fun, until I realized all she does is punch hard. But her Maximum Technique may be a problem."
"I'm sure it will be, since, for whatever reason, you didn't kill her."
"What's the fun of competing if you can't lose?"
"Losing in Jujutsu means death."
"To compete is to accept the risks of losing, I don't mind."
"You're just like Sukuna. He'd accept challengers from far and wide, allowing them to clash against his indomitable might to grow and evolve. And only after he sensed they'd achieve their full potential, he'd kill them. But the way you view it is a bit more…proactive."
"Yeah, well, when I become The Strongest, then I'll take a small step back. But right now I'm in second place, so I have to keep pushing forward. More people, more fights, more challenges. Until I reach and surpass the heights of Satoru Gojo."
"Our plan depends on that, so don't fail," Kenjaku says. "I'll be meeting Geto later. Have you already made the arrangements?"
"Everything is in place." Taiyo's expression shifts, as if he bit a lemon. "The deal I made is disgusting."
"It doesn't matter. We will wipe them all out anyway, so you won't have to honor it."
"It was just one more reason to wipe out all those traditionalist dinosaurs…"
---Hours Later…
Dressed in a black and white pantsuit, if not for the stitches on her forehead, Kenjaku would be indistinguishable from the standard Japanese office lady. Sitting in a small coffee shop within Miyazaki Airport.
While scrolling through her phone, she takes a sip of her espresso, not so much as glancing away when Suguru Geto sits opposite her.
His traditional monk outfit draws a few curious glances, but they quickly return to their quiet conversations before Kenjaku sets down her phone.
"Your outfit isn't subtle at all," she says.
"You always say that. You know, men don't like women who always try to change them."
"I don't need relationship advice from you, of all people. Where is Manami?"
"Busy."
"Another attack?"
Geto narrows his eyes at her. "Kaori, do you know what's going on?"
"Me? I assumed you were here to ask for intel to further your plan."
Geto leans forward, lowering his voice. "Kaori, someone is compromising my people. You helped me source them. Is there anyone from their past who could be causing this? Blackmail, hostages, leverage, anything?"
"No, none of them shared connections before coming to you." She pauses for a moment, then shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I assumed you were sending them to attack the clans. Are you not?"
"No, something is happening that I can't explain. Some of my agents went rogue, and all died before we could get answers. I have Manami and the others protected at my current base, but I need to get to the bottom of this."
"What do you think they could be planning?"
"I don't kn—" Geto narrows his eyes at her, taking a second to comb over her words thus far. "What did you think the plan was, when you assumed I was really attacking the clans?"
"What do you mean?"
"You thought I came here for more intel, why? Why would you think I'd attack the clans? If this keeps up, it's only a matter of time before an all-out war begins in the Jujutsu Society."
"Is that the fear?"
"Not particularly. But my concern is Satoru."
"The higher-ups have been pressuring him to handle you since the first attack. The pressure grows each day, and if you hadn't gotten control of your people, he likely would have been forced to give in by now."
"Maybe I could talk to him. Make a Binding Vow and clear the air."
"Yes, go talk to the man running the Gojo Clan. The only big three Jujutsu Clan that hasn't had their associates attacked by your people. Do you think that's a good idea?"
Geto sighs. "That would instantly implicate him, and turn everyone against him."
"Not that it matters, since he is Satoru Gojo."
"But it would destroy the Jujutsu Society, and cause a lot more Cursed to roam unchecked if the system breaks down."
"Gojo is trying to smooth things over, protecting you from the higher-ups as we speak. If you keep your head down for long enough, this will pass."
"Maybe. But, what did you think my plan was?"
Kenjaku smiles. "This information will cost you, a lot."
"I can afford it. Now, Kaori, what do you know?"
She smiles and swipes a few times on her phone before placing it on the table and sliding it to him.
Geto leans forward and reads the screen, an import and trade document, complete with a sketch of a cube object at the side.
"What is it?"
"If the claims made are correct. The best-kept secret of the Jujutsu world. A Cursed Object known as The Prison Realm."
"And you thought I was willing to wage war on Jujutsu Clans for this?"
"Considering how far you and Gojo will go to avoid killing each other, yes. After all, this is the only way to achieve your goal without killing him."
Geto's eyes widen in surprise. "Explain."
"The specifics are obviously left out. But from what I uncovered, it would allow you to bypass all techniques and seal anyone in a place where time doesn't pass. Gojo would be stuck inside it, forever, or until you finish your plan."
Geto leans back and taps his chin, pondering this information. "I haven't even found a way to kill Satoru, and I certainly don't want to. This object is almost too good to be true."
"Yes, but nothing less would have had me believe you were attacking the clans."
"This still doesn't explain what happened to my people. Can you look into that for me?"
"Considering there is someone out there willing to interfere with a Special Grade like you, I was already going to after this meeting. I need to be aware of someone like that roaming about."
"Good, contact me when you have an update. Now, about this Cursed Object."
"For anything more specific, you'd have to let me inspect it directly."
"I'd have to get it first. Do you have any idea of where it'll be?"
Kenjaku smiles and gestures to the phone. "Take a closer look."
Geto picks it up and zooms in on the picture of the document, eyes widening as he notices the symbol on the official seal.
"How sure are you about this document?"
"It came from someone high-ranking within that family. They wouldn't mess around with something like this, since they've been at odds with the Gojo Clan for over a thousand years."
"And this thing may be the only way to ever remove him from the board. And if the Six Eyes are sealed, it can't appear again in the world. They would effectively remove it forever."
"Which is why this document was so difficult to get. In fact, I'm sure if my spy knew what this was, he wouldn't have even given me this much information."
Geto nods. "Do you know where in the country they would keep this?"
"The only place they can, the Zen'In Clan main compound. They have their great vault there. Either that, or with Naobito Zen'In himself."
Geto nods a few times, considering his choices, then abruptly stands. "Thank you for the intel. Now I must go prepare. Can you alert me the next time Satoru leaves the country?"
"Gladly, but it will cost you more than usual."
Geto nods and leaves the cafe, already calculating what he'd need for an all-out assault on the Zen'In clan, and the risks that come with it.
END CHAPTER---
Discord: discord .gg /eHuxNeZfyS [Come chat with me]
pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene [Read ahead & support me]
You.tube: @KeanuEugene [Giving away all my writing knowledge]