Chapter 37
"Damn, old man!" I landed a heavy kick to Toji's forearm just as he detected me coming from behind. Shifting his attention from the worn out Suguru to me, he flipped a normal looking dagger into a reverse grip and tried to slash at the tendons in my leg but missed as I let gravity take over, dropped to the ground, then crouched and grabbed him in a bear hug.
"Fu—" I slammed him down hard, causing the ground to quake. I heard something crack—but it wasn't Toji; it was my skull as he jammed the blunt end of the dagger into my head. 'Fu—'
Taking advantage of my dazed state, Toji grabbed my head, used his back for support and drove his foot hard into my chest, making it cave in for a moment with bones creaking before being launched into a wall.
"Sasaki-san!"
I shook my head and saw Toji blitzing toward Suguru with that giant broadsword. 'Damnit.' Cursing, I spun just as I reached my apex, using pieces of rubble that had launched up with me as footing to propel myself toward Toji. He looked up just in time to raise his weapon and tank the blow.
"Ha! I'll need to get a fucking raise because of you!" he taunted.
Ignoring him, I spun and landed a back kick to his nose, breaking it. He grabbed my ankle and swung me into Suguru, who was just picking up Riko. As I hit the ground, I turned and grabbed Suguru, spinning us both as Toji's blade passed, trying to bisect us in one sweep.
"Sasa—"
I threw Suguru and Riko away, then blocked a solid punch from Toji, who wore that same grin.
"How the hell haven't I heard of you, old man?" he sneered.
I smirked, channeling more Cursed Energy into my arms. "Never read books on the Heian Period, prick?"
He couldn't respond before I headbutted him and grabbed the hand holding the broadsword. With force, I swung it toward him.
"Cursed Slash."
A sword shaped arc erupted from the blade. With less than a foot between us, it connected with his chest, sending him flying back as I let go of his arm. I waited as he crashed, a plume of smoke erupting. 'Either he's dead or out for the count.' I thought, seeing no movement.
I turned toward where Suguru and Riko had landed.
"Hopefully they won't—"
I caught a glimpse of Kaede's hallucination looking at me with that same knowing look—the look that meant Gojo was dead. My eyes widened as the air was suddenly cut.
A blade pierced my kidney and ran along my liver. I spun and elbowed the bloody head of Toji, who was grinning wildly.
"Ain't dead yet, old man."
The blade was crudely ripped out, causing blood and flesh to gush from my body as I backed away, clutching the wound.
"Like it?" He spun what seemed to be a dagger with a two-pronged blade, similar to a jitte.
"Used it to kill Gojo Satoru. It's the Inverted Spear of Heaven." He chuckled as he spun it again before pointing it at me and his smile dimmed. "Now it'll be used to kill you."
I stared at him as sweat built up and dripped into the wound, making it sting. Then I sighed and straightened my back.
"See this?" I lowered my stance, ready to jump forward while raising my hands. "These are all I need to put you down."
He blinked, then opened his mouth and spat out a purple ball that grew into an ugly, worm-like Cursed Spirit. It spat out a chain, which Toji connected to his blade and began spinning.
"Yeah? Sounds fucking fun!" He growled.
The ground cracked beneath us as we blitzed forward like cannonballs, meeting in the middle—fist against the dull side of his dagger. As my flesh connected, I felt my Cursed Energy stop flowing through my arms. Overpowered by Toji's pure strength, I was sent flying backward.
"Come on!" he roared, growing more aggressive.
I dodged a swipe that nicked across my nose, spraying blood into the air, which disappeared as a current of wind formed from the force of our blows. I went for a kick to his calf, but he drove the blunt end of the dagger into my ribs, cracking a few.
I swallowed blood, grabbed his wrist holding the blade and headbutted him in the nose, causing a spray of blood. He wrapped his hand around my head and tried to drive his knee into my forehead, but I blocked it with my elbow—feeling a small crack form in his knee.
Using the position, I flipped sideways and drove my knee into his ribs. He wrapped the chain around my wrist and flung me up, then lashed it like a whip, sending me crashing down into one of the wooden houses which caved in.
It didn't stop there. I felt him pull on the chain still wrapped around my wrist and soon I was smashing through another three buildings.
'I won't last if this keeps up.'
I infused Cursed Energy throughout my body and felt my heart tighten from the strain, blood pouring out of my mouth and wounds. Stamping down the moment I landed, I pulled hard—hearing Toji crash through buildings before the chain went slack.
I looked around, unwrapping the chain, when I was caught off guard—fly-like Cursed Spirits swarmed all around me.
'Wha—'
I felt the air shift and quickly turned, landing a kick on Toji's knee, stopping him inches from piercing my heart.
"Lucky~" he mocked before retreating.
I gave chase with an axe kick, which he dodged, countering by digging the dagger into my thigh. Wincing, I twisted and smashed my other leg into his shoulder, sending him flying into a building that caved in.
Collapsing to one knee, I took a deep breath, feeling my cracked ribs move with the effort. Sweat dripped down my back, mixing with the blood soaking my shirt.
I groaned as I stood, wiping blood dripping from the bridge of my nose to my lips. Kaede sat on a piece of rubble, looking at me sadly.
"I'm fine." I stated, cracking my neck.
A piece of rubble flew at me, which I dodged as Toji blitzed forward. I matched him.
We danced—dodging his dagger strikes and clashing fists. I noted he was younger, faster and physically stronger.
"I Won't be able to win like this."
I muttered as I dodged, a few hairs being sliced off by Toji's blade. He smirked.
"Finally realized it, old man?"
My left leg—where he had run his dagger through moments ago—twitched, causing me to freeze. Toji seized the opening and drove the blade toward my heart.
I twisted slightly, causing the blade to pierce just an inch away from the beating organ.
Grabbing his wrists, his eyes widened as I stared him down.
"Since you're faster than me, all I have to do is hold onto you."
For the third and final time, I headbutted him—dazing him and creating the moment I needed to let go, rip the blade from my chest and run a mix of Cursed Energy and lifespan into my hand.
Toji recovered quickly, but it wasn't enough.
"Shi—"
He tore out of my grip with brute strength.
But I wasn't worried. I wasn't even thinking anymore.
I shoved more Cursed Energy and lifespan into the blow.
"Nemesis Cursed Slash."
The tomb lit up in dark purple and red.
A giant sword arc taller than thirty feet erupted and surged forward—towards one man.
The sword arc consumed Toji.
-
"I want to believe that whatever shred of humanity you have left knows it would be wrong."
I froze as Kaede's voice whispered in my ear—it felt like all those years ago.