Lethargic, like the weight of an entire mountain pressing down on his shoulders made Megumi hesitant to stand up. Putting in the strain of his torn muscles and wounds to attempt and straighten his body would only cause him to collapse and worsen the injuries. Reverse Cursed Technique was out of his options too, many factors of refinement hampered him from conserving his Cursed Energy in general.
'I need to... get out here, and train more...' Megumi huffed a breath of air out. The constant stinging pain like needles against his skin was something the black haired man was familiar with. Every problem that ravaged him incessantly had made him mentally clench his fist and grit his teeth. 'A bother... what a damned bother!'
The high and euphoria from double downing on his questionable mental state had completely died down. Like the flickering flames of a stove going off, so did those feelings, 'tch... is that how Gojo-sensei feels in a fight?' Megumi waited for his Cursed Energy reserves to restore. 'It feels great... but the after-effects, especially with what I've done... is going to be a pain in the ass.'
His sister would probably not like him cursing in his mind or physically, but given his situation...
'Please, forgive me...' thinking of his sister made Megumi feel even more depressed. Was it only in battles where he reached his best state? Or was it a distraction akin to drinking alcohol and washing away all worries under its toxin? Then that meant the state in him was like the hangover after effects.
Blood started dripping from his mouth, forcing him to clench his fist at the open wounds at the side of his body to force them close. Megumi made sure to be precise with his physical strength so as to not agitate them any further. With how Gojo trained him to deal with field injuries with no supplies, the way his fingers tenderly brought them together was like stitches.
The Ten Shadow user had a few slashes on his arms from the constant clashing he had to do against the white haired Lupo, too. 'She's still out there, isn't she...?' What the hell was her problem anyways? Was that woman, Lappland, obsessed over him? Was she crazy enough to go after a stone-faced boring person such as him?
Or rather, Megumi would prefer himself to be a boring person so as to not attract any trouble. But then again, Todo Aoi attacked him for that very reason. But... for some reason, Lappland didn't seem to think so? 'I hate it... these insane people...' What was also wrong with that damned Sankta known as Arturia?
Why was she so obsessed with seeing his... 'true self?' What does that even mean? The hidden desires within people? That seemed like the most plausible conclusion he could reach. But did that mean he advocated for such a ridiculous thing? No, no way. There was a reason why people don't all fall back on their barest desires, civilization would be toppled if such a thing happened.
'...The bleeding stopped,' with the amount of pressure he was applying to his most open wounds, the blood had stopped flowing out. Using the remnants of his Cursed Energy to cycle positive energy, he made his wound stabilize faster. 'Mizuchi... hopefully it won't cause as much of a terror ruckus as Tiger Funeral and Nue: Totality.'
The black alleyway was perfect for Megumi's thoughts to run about. But the fear of being spotted by anybody was making him want to leave it as soon as possible. The building he was close to also held a lot of Blood Hound members... but then again, all of them had been reduced to nothing but a bloody paste.
That was excluding the fact that it was nothing but crumbled debris, from the force of Mizuchi launching Lappland out. It seems even Megumi didn't know what power held underneath the dragon inspired Totality. 'Something to explore for later, now I just need to-'
-The sound of footsteps, ones tapping against the hard concrete ground made its way towards Megumi. In response, he turned to his left with a wary look, wondering if it would be a better option to sink inside his shadows and attempt an escape. But from the presence that he was feeling became more familiar the closer it came, so that option was immediately excluded.
***
Ch'en took a turn, feeling the unmistakable feeling of negative energy permeating in an alleyway like a solvent to a solute. 'What's causing that anyways?' She didn't know why he had such an intimidating aura. There were many factors that came to warriors possessing a strong 'aura' that would strike fear into enemies. One factor was strength, but the most infallible way to achieve a feat is some sort of application of Arts.
From what the blue haired Lung understood, Fushiguro Megumi didn't possess Arts, so it must be some sort of contributing factor of his... foreign energy. She hadn't pushed the matter too much, considering she was swamped with far too much work to get a better understanding of it.
'...Is that blood?' The scent of iron filled her nose the closer she made it to the alleyway corner, a sense of further unease came to her. 'Megumi, the hell did you do-?!' Halting her steps to a slide, she turned to get a full view of the dark alleyway. Although the shadows cast over it made it hard to see, a clear view presented itself before her eyes.
Ch'en's sight tunnel visioned on the singular person sitting and leaning his back against the wall like it was his bastion. Small puddles of ichor littered the ground in short splatters, his white Higashinese martial arts gi being stained by coagulated blood. Megumi's black haori had a color that would make blood hard to see on it, but nonetheless, such a large amount made such a notion null.
"Megumi!" The dragon lady rushed to his side, kneeling down on one knee and keeping her balance by placing her hand on the wall. "This..." Ch'en stared worriedly into his despondent eyes, but a serene sense of focus was still present in them.
"...I'm fine," Megumi pressed the back of his fist against his mouth while speaking while his left kept his open wound closed. The blood leaking from his mouth had long since dried, and his Cursed Energy was slowly returning, letting him act as a 'healthy person' despite the injuries.
"You... damned moron!" She felt her brows creasing in irritation and worry, seeing the black haired man glance away at her with such an absurd statement. "Fine...? How the hell can you be fine?! Where is Lin-," Ch'en had to pause her words, pinching the bridge of her nose while focusing on what mattered the most.
Taking a small breath, the anger dissipated and into a sense of reason.Right now, Megumi was bleeding his ass out and she didn't have any medical tools with her. The best option would be calling for support or getting dragging Lin by her damned mouse tail to where they were right now. The mouse woman had the most medical connections in her social repertoire, barring Swire.
"I..." Megumi had to think over his response. 'Didn't I go out on my own?' He remembered very clearly that he was the one who moved away from Lin to chase after Lappland. "...I moved away from Lin, it's my fault."
Ch'en had to do a trouble take, opening her eyes and looking at Megumi who was glancing away. "Are you serious?" The woman couldn't even feel angry, far too exasperated at this man's complete and utter recklessness. She spat out a Lungmen profanity, insulting the man under her mumbling breath while pulling her phone out.
Megumi stared at her blankly, fully understanding what she was saying... no thanks to his gained understanding of all languages. Another factor he had to research, but found it the least worrying out of everything he still needed to find out. Besides, it was more of a benefit than a curse.
His mind moved back onto what Ch'en had called him, '...Did she have to call me a brain-fucked man?' It was certainly a way to put it, considering he did have his brain fried by Unlimited Void. At this point, the man didn't have to worry much aside from the LGD Superintendent caving in his skull.
"You two are getting along pretty well."
A dry tone made Megumi and Ch'en nearly turn in a panicked frenzy to who it was, but immediately recognized the woman.
"I've already called for an ambulance," Lin continued, casually holding a phone while her left arm crossed over to her right arm's shoulder. "Though, I do believe it was part of my ignorance that such an... event happened."
"So the rat finally arrives..." Ch'en pinched the bridge of her nose, "if you want to do a better job, beat his ass and drag him back next time!" She still knelt beside Megumi in case anything happened with his injuries. Her phone went back to her pocket, after dialing for a ride.
"Easy for you to say when you have Chi Xiao," Lin rolled her eyes, "even then, I believe he's already surpassed you with that new summon of his. A dragon," The woman placed emphasis on it, turning her full attention to Megumi.
"Ah... right, I knew I was forgetting something," Ch'en heaved a breath while ignoring the statement about Chi Xiao. What appeared in her mind was the scene of a gigantic dragon manipulating water as naturally as the wind blowing. "Care to explain what that was, Fushiguro Megumi?' She left her argument and banter with Lin for another time, targeting the biggest cause of this whole mess.
"No comment," Megumi was focusing his best at expending as little Cursed Energy as possible to focus on their argument. His gaze never met her while speaking.
"This damned...!" Ch'en was definitely going to smash this man over the head one day, "a dragon! You said you only had ten summons, is that the tenth one?! At the same time, that contradicts the fact that you said you didn't have a dragon." She leaned in further.
"...I just found out," Megumi pulled his head back, not liking how close she was getting.
"A solid argument," Lin Yuhsia sarcastically commented from the sidelines, glancing outside the alleyway for anybody coming close by. 'Was that the building he was in before?' Her sights turned to the collapsed building not too far away.
"Hmph..." Ch'en's fist was already shaking from the pressure she was exerting on it, "if you say another word, Megumi, I doubt I can ensure you'll make a quick recovery."
Megumi was just about to make an automatic response as he was conditioned to do, but kept his mouth shut. It didn't help that half of his attention was focused on his flow of Cursed Energy.
"At the very least, Ch'en Hui-chieh," Lin said to the dragon lady, "there is no widespread chaos to come out from this situation." Especially with the show that was displayed at the idol concert, "was it all planned by you?" She tilted her head in curiosity.
"What Lin said," Ch'en kept an eye on Megumi's despondent expression, the way his eyes seemed to linger on something else. "It looks like you couldn't keep it under wraps with how large it was, so you settled with...?" Although the only thing she saw when she arrived was the dragon dancing with Sora.
"Yes, I did," Megumi off-handedly answered for them, "it was the least I could do to minimize the damage."
"Hm," Lin held a thoughtful look, "you two hear the cheering, right?" The woman also experienced it first hand, and was quite surprised how the crowd still could be heard from their distance.
It seemed to break all borders and notions of what an idol show should be. If the show had dissipated all worries they felt at that moment, then the appearance of what could be misinterpreted as a guardian dragon appeared; it would surely give a larger sense of hope. Though, with people being grateful to the dragon, there would also be some who would wish to exploit it.
"Although they seem quite celebratory, I'm sure there are some dregs down below who would love to have their hands on that dragon," Lin gave a small warning to Megumi, crossing her arms and leaning to the side.
"Of course," Ch'en already knew that keeping this man's capabilities was already a serious matter. Seeing what had happened today, maybe she should just lock him in her apartment complex. 'I'll drill him with more questions when he's in a better state.'
Hearing the two's words, Megumi nodded slightly.
***
"Frau Arturia," the black robed envoy glanced at the woman who was humming to herself. A ruminous melody that seemed to melt into the very fabric of the atmosphere that they were in, "you've encountered quite an interesting person, haven't you?"
"Hm?" Arturia paused whatever she was doing to glance at the envoy, "I believe you could say so, such a mystery, isn't he?" The sudden urge to play her music when she saw him battered and defenseless in an alleyway was strong. But alas, such moments should be saved for later.
"A dragon..." the envoy whispered out while the two continued to make their way across Lungmen's rather empty streets. The sights from before had kept the audience from the idol show there, looking at the sky where the water dragon had departed from. "How intriguing, I can see how you've spent your invitation letter for a man such as him."
"An intriguing ability, yes, but there is something else that intrigues me more, one to no end," Arturia replied.
"What may that be?" The envoy wondered what else could overpower the cello player's interest in the dragon he summoned.
"Lonely, constrained, as if a thousand chains stab into his body in a dreadful viscera," Arturia commented on as she stared at the sky. "Yet at the same time the mask he bears forth drags all the weights constraining him..." The Sankta placed a finger under her bottom lip, "tell me, would you believe that to be admirable?"
"You have quite the wisdom when it pertains to emotions, Frau Arturia," the envoy placed their hands together while thinking over the question. "If such a man lives such a miserable existence, it would be quite the miracle if they were to move through despite the precariousness, no?"
"Even if it were to be a mask?" Arturia asked. She believed that the truest self of a person was just as the description states, who they truly were. No barriers held, no plasters placed upon their face, the unfettered purity humanity always keeps so buried down.
"A mask? We all bear masks," the envoy shook their head, "I'm sure you can find masks to be beneficial in many regards. Such as in this case, the broken man perseveres through the world despite strenuous burdens."
It was a contradiction to what Arturia believed in. What her envoy was suggesting was that an illusion placed upon oneself was far better than the reality of what truly is. In the case of Fushiguro Megumi, despite what he truly felt beneath, was it truly better for him to fall underneath such emotions? Or would it be better for him to cover his face and walk upon his broken path?
...It was a good question to delve upon. But of course, Arturia would wish to see how he would combat such a depressive erosion corrupting his body.
Aside from all of that, there lingered another question. What was that aura of pure malice that radiated from his body? Arturia could only assume that it was some sort of outside influence clinging to him, but it was more than that. From closer observations, it was more accurate to say the aura of malevolence had seeped and mixed into his own body.
"You seem more silent than usual," the envoy pointed out, "you must be entrapped within your own thoughts." It was unusual for Arturia to be this unresponsive to a question, and they could only assume she was contemplating something over. A contemplation that held great focus.
"Apologies," Arturia shook her head, "your answer was quite a new perspective to gaze upon." Being free, did that truly make everybody happy? She weren't a fool, back in the hotel room where she played her music; what the man graced by the shadows was about to was... practically suicide. No, it was suicide.
The tiger he had summoned did not match the utterly empyrean gold she had seen right before her eyes. What Arturia saw was the brief faded golden glow of what seemed to be an eight handled wheel lingering upon the depths of Megumi's soul.
An Eightfold Path of Nobility, a near philosophical embodiment that wheel represented, intrigued her to no end. A perfect cycle, a harmony a human mind could never achieve. Yet how could such a human being house such a thing? That continued to pester Arutria's mind. She had been searching for the moment she could reach the Witch King and inquire about the liberation of humanity...
...To reach a state where all could truly understand each other. Yet that wheel, that dreaded but tantalizing wheel...
"Hm, a second option, it seems?" Arturia said out loud, 'I would also love to see how he had broken away from my Arts.'
"Pardon? Frau Arturia?" The envoy wondered what the Sankta woman was thinking.
"It's nothing," Arturia waved off her envoy, "it seems as if a second answer has opened itself to me. Though, it still is quite possible to take both..." Meet the Witch King, and see that wheel once more. Both could be possible if both she and Megumi were to be present in Leithanien at the same time.
"I see," the envoy ran her words over their head once more, trying to make sense of it. Not understanding, they simply shook their head to disperse their lingering confusion. "Though, I have to ask, do you believe that man would make their arrival to Leithanien?"
"Is there a reason for doubt?" Arturia asked, "with the gifts and opportunity present within, who would be foolish enough to brush aside such a letter?" Meeting one of the most powerful people in Leithanien, it would be a foolish notion to pass by.
"Well, indeed, I'm sure the scholars would be delighted to analyze such an unusual Arts," the envoy nodded. "Only time will tell," although they would never say it out loud, it would be quite amusing to see the scholars of Leithanien question a presence such as that manifested dragon.
Arturia kept silent while they proceeded forward with returning to Leithanien. Although she wished to see into his mind again, the last time she went through his memories, the wheel wasn't the only thing she saw. Well, to say she saw it was an inaccurate way to describe it. The more she delved through his mind, what seemed to be 900 years of useless information made itself known.
It was only that she was quick enough to break out that she'd suffer insurmountable mental damage. Arturia could only access memories and amplify them, and that wheel along with his despair was the only thing she could access; making the black haired man act upon it with no regrets.
If minds were like rivers filled with droplets of water... Megumi's was one that was absolutely flooded with waste and pollution, overflowing the river to an enormous amount. It was to the point that the Sankta woman wondered how he was even still alive.
Such a disappointment though, the Sankta couldn't truly view what it was, nor could she see the rest of his memories because of that information blockade. Arturia would love to know that man better.
...Especially with how somebody could survive with such a bloated mind, it honestly made her pity him. What caused it in the first place? What experiences did his life hold? Far too many questions about him lingered in her mind.
***
A black haired Lupo and a red haired Sankta were standing on a rooftop, taking a look at the sky from a distance. Sora's idol show seemed to still be going on, the spirit of the crowds having been reignited once more after a peculiar scene straight out of a movie had made itself known.
"Texas?" Exusiai kept her gaze upon the parted clouds, the mysterious dragon having departed. "Did... you see that?! I've never seen anything like it!" The woman smiled wide, a sense of excitement pervading her body.
"I've never seen it either," Texas narrowed her eyes, "but, we both know who it comes from." It was far too obvious in her mind.
"Yeah, yeah," Exusiai nodded, "though, I wanna thank that guy, really made Sora's show more hyped up." With how professionally the dragon seemed to dance (do all dragons dance?), it mixed with Sora's movements extremely well. There were many cultures in Yan that included dragon dancing, but to see it from an actual dragon...
Texas kept silent, biting down on a Pocky stick. What worried her the most wasn't the dragon, but the white blur that had flown out right before the creature had.
"Really, what was it doing anyways? It even killed that infamous Shadow Tiger... unless, well, the tiger also belongs to him? Then why did..." while Texas was stuck in her own silent thoughts, Exusiai was stuck in her loud ones.
"Exusiai," Texas decided to call out to her friend.
"Yes?" The Sankta tilted her head with a confused look, wondering what her co-worker and friends wished to tell her. "You sound a lot more serious today, but then again, when are you never serious?"
"Meet up with Croissant and Sora, I have something I need to do," Texas gave her the usual blank look while speaking.
"Eh? Really?" Although Exusiai was very curious, she wasn't going to delve on the matter much longer. After all, if the Lupo wanted to keep a certain privacy to it, the apple pie lover wasn't one to impede on it. "If you get stuck in any danger, we'll be running to where you're at, alright?" Giving her a salutation, the Sankta smiled and made her departure.
"Thanks," Texas muttered out, nodding to her friend gratefully. Although the barely changing expression of hers did not look like it emitted such emotions, the both of them could tell it was sincere.
Exusiai gave the other woman a hearty smile before leaping off the structure that they stood on.
The wolf was left in her own vices, making her close her eyes in deep contemplation.
.
.
.
.
.
"Come out," Texas felt her wolf ears twitching, her instincts already having alerted her ages ago. Despite the clear opening of the rooftop, there was something that had a place to hide atop. A small entrance, a door leading to the stairs that one would take to leave the area Texas was at.
Click
The turning of the metal door knob was heard, before the door slowly opened. From within, a stench of blood filled the air, making Texas crinkle her nose, cloaking whoever the person was. But that didn't hamper the black haired Lupo from knowing who it really was...
"Lappland," she instantly recognized the white hair, white wolf ears, and that constantly smiling. Not a care in the world lingered in that woman's silver gaze, yet at the same time, Texas knew it was different.
"Hah~, Texas~! Found ya'!" Lappland grinned with beaten up form, blood present on her face, chest, arms, and legs. It was like she had been a pincushion to relentless beatdown, one that would have left any ordinary person dead at first contact. To the Lone Wolf of Siracusa? It was an inconvenience.
"...What do you want?" Texas pulled out another Pocky stick, popping it in her mouth and taking another round of it. With the state the white haired Lupo was in, there was absolutely nothing for her to worry about in terms of a battle.
"Hehe~, you know how long I've been searching for you?" Lappland chuckled, nearly coughing from the damage but resisting the urge to. "Getting all cozy in Lungmen, huh?" The woman held her eyes completely locked onto Texas. It was as if she would never let her gaze stray from its direction.
"...What do you want?" Texas asked again, barely chewing the Pocky stick in her mouth. She didn't find the snack enjoyable at that moment.
"Hahaha~!" Lappland broke off into laughter, completely ignoring the wounds that littered her body like artillery in a warzone. "He really is like you!" She clearly remembered the black haired man responding in such a way when she provoked him in that alleyway.
"He...?" Texas tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. Could it be that she was talking about the summoner? But why would she...
...The black haired Lupo became more concentrated, remembering that Lappland was also one of the people who had been there at the outskirts. From what she recognized, the white haired Lupo was attempting to kidnap him for whatever reason. So by 'he,' Texas could only assume it to be Fushiguro Megumi, the one with the LGD currently.
"You have it all figured out, don't you?" Lappland called out to Texas, "your expression got lighter and more aloof, that means you already discovered who it was, huh?" The woman knew about the other's mannerisms far better than anybody else.
Texas continued to watch as Lappland's legs were shaking, gripping the door knob as an item to keep herself standing. "And I assume he put you in this state," honestly, she believed Lappland needed to know when to pick her fights. But knowing the man known as Fushiguro Megumi, Texas could already tell that he was dangerous.
"Ah~, Texas, so perceptible," Lappland's voice sounded like a mockish fawn, gushing over something she already knew. "Yeah, that freak did, you should meet him sometime, it'd be like looking in a mirror, wouldn't it?" She mused that idea out loud.
"You never answered my question," Texas had a clear idea what Lappland wanted, but wished to hear it straight from her mouth. "What do you want?"
"You already know what I want," Lappland grinned, letting one hand off the door knob to place on the hilt of her weapons. Although she still had to keep one hand up to support herself, this much was still possible, "you think you can escape Siracusa that easily?"
"Yes," Texas bit off the last piece of her Pocky stick. Her tone held no argument to made, a casual declaration that she made. Even if she were to return at some point, due to the 'promise,' she'd still break out of the Famiglia system.
"The past will come back," Lappland declared with the same ferocious look she showed Fushiguro Megumi, "and drag you by the knees and into its muddy waters." The wolf looked like she was ready to pounce. A drawing position was formed, ready to bear her fangs towards the other.
"Are you here to target them?" Texas continued to keep her gaze fixated, something low and slumbering within her eyes.
"Them? Ah~, those Penguin Logistics?" Lappland figured out the answer for herself, "could've care less about them, I'm only here for you!" Killing or targeting them would be useless, the white haired Lupo would show Texas that even if they were still alive, she still wouldn't be able to escape Siracusa. No matter what she had, the inevitable would occur.
Texas' expression shifted back to normal, not holding anymore worry in regards to Lappland. "If that's all," Texas turned around to walk off the building, "then I-," however, she closed her eyes and reached for her waist, drawing her Arts handles and igniting a blade on them.
CLANG
Swords clashed, sparks of heat flying off the midst of the blow.
"...You're not in a state to fight," Texas callously pointed out, "you won't win." More pressure was applied, pushing back the other injured fighter.
"Does that matter?!" Lappland grinned, "it's been a long time, huh? I'm not gonna miss this opportunity!" Although her arms were shaking from the force exerted, the Lupo couldn't let herself fall back down without at least putting up a show.
Texas sighed. While the clash continued on, the Penguin Logistics member wondered if she should actually visit the person who left her in such a state.
***
"Ugh," Megumi felt the bandage being tightened over his chest, his torso attire having been taken off to apply them. It had already been cleaned and stitched up, his Reverse Cursed Technique making the process of patching it up much easier.
"Is that your only response?" Ch'en asked out while doing his bandages, "I would have expected you to be in more pain." In fact, did he feel any pain at all? From what the dragon lady could tell, he always kept that neutral face despite what injuries plagued him. Given his experiences, she could have a vague sense of what led to that.
Megumi, Ch'en, and Lin were in a hospital at the moment, but the woman wouldn't let the doctors tend to him due to... reasons of his blood. If any of them had a sample of the substance, it would lead to pure chaos. Especially if it had been leaked out to the public and then to other countries, that matter was a clear fact they all kept in their minds.
"I've had my brain fried," Megumi dryly commented, "there's not much after that," although the brain didn't register pain, he did in fact; feel immense pain when in the process of being flooded with information. He attributed it to being a far different experience from being overloaded with information, and having it actually being physically hit.
"...Right," Ch'en still couldn't get over the fact that he was still a functioning human being. As functional as somebody like him could be, summoning gigantic monsters that could threaten the security of the populace.
"About that dragon..." she decided to change the subject, that summon of his still at the forefront of her mind.
Lin stayed silent form the sidelines, observing the two.
Megumi sighed, giving his explanation, "I combined my Shikigamis to form it."
"You can combine them?" Ch'en looked at him with a weird look, "and you never mentioned this?"
"You never asked," Megumi gave his counter argument without much vigor.
"Bastard," Ch'en spat out. The response was something she didn't want to hear from him, his personality reminded her too much of Lin. Having to deal with stone faced people was far too much of a hassle.
'So that's another factor of his technique?' Lin tilted her head in interest. It wasn't something that pertained to Arts, being highly specific if he could combine them. "What is this technique?" She hadn't received a full explanation of it as Swire and Ch'en had.
"Ten animals, I can summon ten animals in total," Megumi watched Ch'en silently apply rubbing alcohol to the small cuts on his arms. "I have to tame them first, and that is by defeating them in combat."
"I see," Lin nodded, knowing why he had been attacked by that tiger in the video. "And by combining them, you created that dragon?" A mythological creature that was revered all across Yan and Higashi. It had many significant interpretations, the most common one being with the gods.
"Yes," Megumi confirmed it. "I have to imagine it with a clear basis, so I didn't know whether I could create it or not." That was until he did it, of course. The inspiration granted from the countless mythology he had read paid off in the end.
"Well..." Ch'en continued to focus on the bandages, "...can you summon it? In a small form like you did with that tiger?" Her tone was expectant, not even the speaker herself knew of the excited subconscious response to a literal dragon.
"...Why?" Megumi asked with a perplexed look, with how Totalities were, it would take a lot of Cursed Energy to maintain them unless he trained his refinement. But from the barely detectable glint in the dragon lady's eyes, he turned to Lin for any help.
From the expressionless look Lin gave Megumi, he realized that she wasn't going to help him in this situation. Perhaps it was because of his impulsive behavior before? That was the only logical reasoning he could come to.
"With all the stunts you've pulled off, you aren't one to be questioning me," Ch'en applied the last of the bandages while glaring at him. "Summon it, we're in a private room anyways." Her tone held no room for argument.
Megumi sighed, bringing his hands together in the same formation that Sukuna used to summon Agito. When summoning Totalities with more than two Shikigami, all of them required this sign.
"Mizuchi."
A small black puddle formed by his side, before a small dragon the size of his entire arm gracefully squirmed out and flew through the air. Megumi already had some of his reserves restored, so he didn't mind summoning it. Also, he wished to see its other abilities.
"...Damn," Ch'en breathed an amazed sigh, looking at the small creatures (compared to its previous size) flying through the air. Reaching her right hand out, the dragon Shikigami took notice of it and flew to it, wrapping itself around it. Wordlessly, the blue haired Lung reached out a hand to pat it on the head, her index and middle finger slowly patting its horns.
Lin let out an amused breath, but made sure they didn't hear it.
"It feels... positive?" Ch'en didn't know why, but it completely contrasted with the negative energy that would usually emanate from Fushiguro Megumi. "You said your combinations need a basis, what is this Mizuchi?"
"Sea Dragon Mizuchi, it's from my land's mythology," Megumi gave her his answer, placing a hand on the dragon's head, while it was still wrapped around Ch'en's arm. 'Since she said she felt something 'positive' from it, then that must mean...'
Ch'en continued to stare at it with vested interest.
"Mythology? So all those theories were correct?" Lin found it amusing how all those conspiracy theories of those wild animals appearing being a part of a mythology was proven with just a few couple of words.
Taking herself out of her thoughts, Lin walked up to take a better look at the creature, finding it interesting how he could summon a smaller form than usual. Though, that green aura that seemed to emit from it attracted the most interest.
The ladies aside from Megumi wondered what the dragon was doing when releasing the weirdly positive energy. Although it was already emitting it passively, it seemed to reach its very peak at a very specific moment.
Shadow Extension: Sea Dragon Mizuchi
"So, its ability still works," Megumi commented, feeling the injuries on his body slightly alleviate itself. 'If I use Shadow Extension with a Totality, I can still keep it summoned, but the ability I use is stripped from them.' All other abilities they still kept. Canceling the Shadow Extension, he let the Shikigami emit its own RCT, making Megumi's reserves drain slower.
"What do you mean by that?" Ch'en inquired, paying attention to the calming presence the dragon gave off. She didn't want it to leave her arm, the woman already finding the dragon to be absolutely adorable. Far better than that lame tiger Swire associated herself with.
"It's best if I show, look," Megumi grabbed at one of the bandages Ch'en had already done, ripping it off with a deft movement. His hand was still in contact with the mini-dragon.
It elicited a twitching eyebrow from Ch'en, the woman almost yelling at him for it.
Lin was no exception, feeling the need to call him out his actions.
However, their sights turned to his wound, the green steam emitting from it and mending the flesh together. The bruised skin started to disappear slowly, the green color made a clear connection to the green aura emitted from Mizuchi.
"It can heal...?" Ch'en blinked owlishly, "the hell? How many abilities does it have?" The dragon lady knew it was powerful, having seen the brief news flash in the hospital room from a TV. It was able to launch what looked to be a white blur across the scenery of Sora's idol show. She made a mental note to ask Megumi about it later.
Also, the fact that it defeated Tiger Funeral on the big screen, recorded for all the world to see. Ch'en was so going to rub it in Swire's face, just that dumbass tiger wait!
"Versatile and powerful," Lin stared into the Shikigami's eyes, "you have quite a hand dealt to you at birth, isn't that right?" It was about the same for Arts users. Most have to be lucky to be born with useful Arts and a high capacity to wield them with great efficiency or firepower.
"Probably," Megumi didn't want to delve on the topic of whether or not he was lucky. From what he could tell, it was as if the universe had decided to throw him into the shredder right after giving him the 'gift' of the Ten Shadows.
Ch'en was starting to wonder what the Zen'in clan was, and how it was able to give birth to somebody with monstrous abilities such as this. Of course, it came from bloodline, and a really long one from what she could tell. Could they have been connected to some sort of god that granted them these abilities? Or were they just special from the beginning?
"And I wonder who those were, the ones who could destroy your home," Lin was starting to doubt the man being a 'second-rate' Sorcerer at this point.
"There's always a bigger fish," Ch'en commented, keeping her focus on Megumi's closing wounds. "But seriously... you could make a ton of money if you healed people with your... Shikigamis," she needed to get used to calling them Shikigamis rather than summons. "I don't understand why you didn't just start a business," she mused.
"...Probaby," Megumi could've tried it out, "but it would lead to too many questions, wouldn't it?" Many people would be fiending for Round Deer, something the black haired man did not wish to experience.
"And a disruption to your life," Lin stated the obvious. "Any information about you and your peculiar state continues to grow more troublesome for you." The man was a complete box of mysteries that kept spitting more absurd facts out by the day.
"It really does, doesn't it?" Megumi already knew that, due to his nature of somebody being from another world. "I should've just finished college... but I guess not," he silently grumbled to himself.
"Aside from that," Ch'en pulled her arm back, patting Mizuchi on the head, "what caused you to summon this again?" Having to call upon a creature such as this would've been a dangerous scenario, just as how he had to summon the Nue back at the outskirts.
"Lappland," Megumi dryly replied, "had a run in with her again, decided to go all out, which led to this." The man just about had it with the white haired Lupo's little games, pushing out all stops in getting her off his skin. Hopefully what he did this time would get her to avoid him completely, and cement the fact that it would go the same.
"The abandoned Saluzzo Lupo?" Lin remembered talking to him about it in the early morning, "so I guess we were correct, she's bears an unhealthy obssession with you, doesn't she?" With how this seemed to be the third time Megumi was targetted, the Zalak could already make assumptions.
"Don't mention that," Megumi grumbled out. 'Obsessed, as in she'd want to rip me apart for a stupid reason.' He didn't know what went on in that mind of hers, and neither did he want to know.
Ch'en let out a huff, "first that Lappland Siracusan and now that Sankta Leithanian? Aren't you such a ladies' man?" She gave a derogatory compliment to the man.
"Hm, given the fact that he is constantly surrounded by women..." Lin, for some reason, decided to join the LGD Superintendent with her statements, "it wouldn't be too much of a stretch." A thoughtful look made it on the Zalak's face, her mouse ears twitching.
"What are you two...?" Megumi raised his eyebrow while leaning back on the bed, a bitter look on his face. Actually, why did it always involve an insane woman? First Ch'en with her insane actions at the beginning, then Lappland wanting to kill him, and Arturia attempting to 'reveal his true self.'
Lin and Ch'en turned to stare at each other with a neutral expression. Despite the bad blood between the two, a rare moment of agreement was currently blooming. The man known as Fushiguro Megumi was a magnet for trouble, that much the two could agree on.
***
Megumi fiddled with the bandages still wrapped around him, placing his black haori around himself. It had been cleaned along with his white gi, with some sort of expensive power wash product that Lin had given him. Honestly, seeing it so clean made him question how a product such as that could be so... effective.
He was standing in Ch'en's office, a few hours having already passed by when they exited the hospital. A few more chats with Lin and Ch'en and now the former was about to make her departure.
"Even though I've cleared my schedule today," Lin fiddled with a pen in her fingers, "I still need to prepare for tomorrow." After doing so, she flicked it and threw it back to Ch'en's front desk, the object flying into the cup that held pencils and pen.
Ch'en, who was sitting at the desk paused whatever she was doing to look up unamused. That was before turning back to her paperwork with a huff, a new wave of those blasted white sheets having made it back. It was only going to increase with what happened at the idol show, with the Blood Hounds infesting that place like termites. Not only that, but the Water Dragon craze running about in Lungmen would also contribute to more paperwork.
Instead of people looking at the dragon with the same fear as the Chimera Bird and the Shadow Tiger, they looked at it with hope more than anything. Many people claimed it to be some sort of divine protector sent from the heavens to cleanse the unruly beasts who have made their presence known on the mortal plane.
Ch'en scoffed, both at what Lin had said and at how the people viewed the dragon. Although she really liked it, the sole purpose of it was not to protect the people, but more so to serve Megumi and be her mental support.
But of course, she wouldn't mind if the black haired man used it to deal with the increasing crime rates, but too many complications would arise.
"I understand," Megumi continued to glance at his cleansed clothes while replying to Lin's previous statement. Although a few rips were there, he could repair it with Reverse Cursed Technique like how Gojo could repair his against Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine.
"Though, I would like to say..." Lin was already walking to the elevator, but paused her steps. "The performance you put up with 'Mizuchi' was quite a sight to see," she had an appreciation for the arts; and seeing it in such beautiful splendor the mouse lady couldn't help but admire. "Even if you were quite brash today."
Megumi turned to look at her with a confused expression, seeing a small smile upon the mouse lady's face. He didn't know if she were being as sarcastic as she was back in the hospital or the aftermath of the idol show.
"Keep yourself safe, having awareness of how to do so is a sort of wisdom in of itself," with those words, Lin pushed her hair to their normal position and turned back to press the elevator button.
"I'll take that into consideration," Megumi replied half-heartedly. Knowing himself, he wouldn't be able to take it into much consideration.
"Until next time," Lin watched the elevator door opening while nodding, opening her eyes to see... "...Swire."
"Eh? The rat's here too?" Swire gave a surprised look, stopping herself from exiting for a moment before continuing out. "Oh, right, you're supposed to watch him today. Though, with what happened on the news..."
"...It wasn't much successful," Lin admitted with a colder tone compared to when talking to Megumi, walking into the elevator, "you'll take the observation duty along with Ch'en tomorrow, I have a busy schedule."
"Huh? Complications?" Swire crossed her arms while watching the elevator close, not getting a clear answer from the mouse lady. It was fruitless to pursue her at any moment longer, so she let out a frustrated sigh.
Instead, she turned her attention to the other person, having something else to say, "ugh, Megumi, you know what happened today, right? Oh what the hell am I saying? Of course you do!" The woman grabbed him by the shoulders in an annoyed voice.
"Yes, yes, I know," the man stared the fuming tiger lady in the eyes, giving a tired response. Today was a terrible day for him, even if he had gained some enlightenment during his battle with Lappland.
"Are you sure? How the hell could you make Tiger Funeral lose like that?!" Swire gave him a harder glare while shaking him, a look of betrayal on her.
Megumi couldn't even respond, his brain cutting off at that very moment, 'What? Is that what she's... what the hell is she on about?!' The Ten Shadows user could hardly understand any of these people's thought processes.
The voice of Ch'en called out to them smugly, "oh, dissatisfied your stupid tiger got beat like that, Lady S?" The blue haired Lung rested her elbow on her desk, propping her chin on it while giving a grin to Swire.
"Enough of that!" Swire stopped grabbing Megumi and stomped to Ch'en's desk, slamming her hand on it, "you're lucky your dragon gets to use water abilities! Any other way and I'm sure his summon would punch that dumbass dragon's face in!"
"Please, stop making excuses," Ch'en continued to grin at the woman, her eyes turning to a glare, "a dragon is always above a tiger, it's already been proven in mythology, and today. If it didn't have the water ability, it would still put that drugged-up tiger in its place."
'Aren't they both equals?' Megumi recalled that from the Japanese books he read, so what was Ch'en babbling on about? Besides, a drugged-up tiger? Was she referring to it being on steroids with how muscular it was? Seriously?
"No it isn't! It's obviously the tiger!" Swire's tail swished in annoyance, "did you have any reading comprehension when going over the mythologies we learnt in elementary?!"
"Of course, it was always the dragon who won!" Ch'en stood up and continued to glare at the woman in the eyes.
'Elementary? What are they...?' Megumi was watching the spectacle from the sidelines, feeling his brain starting to fry at the heated argument. Any much longer, and he felt as if the effects would become on par with Unlimited Void. 'I thought Swire would be angrier at the mess I caused... not this?'
""Megumi!""
The two ladies turned to the spectator, making him feel a sense of dread coming to him.
"You obviously made Tiger Funeral hold back right?" Swire called out to him.
"Mizuchi would still kick his ass if it didn't have water, right?" Ch'en asked.
'They can't be serious...' Megumi decided to give him the best answer he could, "it was staged, I don't know which one would win in an actual fight." He didn't want to hear their argument any further. 'Doesn't Ch'en have paperwork to do?'
"Hehe~!" Swire crossed her arms with a victorious look, knowing Tiger Funeral still had a chance to redeem itself. "But seriously, staged? That's so lame!"
"Tch," Ch'en crossed her arms in irritation rather than with the same mood that Swire held. However, she still held in her mind that Mizuchi would slaughter Tiger Funeral if they had an actual fight.
'...My half-truth worked,' Megumi breathed a sigh of relief. The fact that it was staged was true, but his second statement was a lie. Mizuchi was a step or two above Tiger Funeral due to the fact it was made up of many Shikigamis, despite Tiger Funeral being very powerful individually. He needed to find what he could combine with a Tiger Funeral addition.
Hopefully, the two wouldn't argue any further... was what Megumi thought, but it seemed the rest of the day wouldn't be as easy as that.
"Huh?" Ch'en seemed to pause for a moment, a notification ringing out from her phone. "I usually have my phone muted..." it was then she realized, the message she received didn't have its notification turned off because it was an important one.
"Who did you get it from?" Swire was already aware of her habits with not wanting to be bothered during work. That was exactly why the tiger lady had kept track of what she did to prevent such things from happening.
"It's..." Ch'en pulled out her phone and took a look at it, squinting her eyes. "Chief Wei..." A feeling of unease overtook her, the more she read through the message.
"Chief Wei...? What does he want?" Swire held a curious gaze. "Come on, spill it, what's the message all about?"
"...He knows about Megumi," Ch'en glanced over the message again, thrice, and for a fourth time. Having to register a few more times, she wondered how the hell the man had found out about him... unless...
"Who's that?" Megumi asked them with an uncaring expression, "is he somebody...?" He was about to continue with his words, but the looks Swire and Ch'en gave him made him slowly close his mouth.
"...This guy..." Swire pinched the bridge of her nose while shaking her head, "of course, of course, he's not aware of Lungmen's affairs, it only makes sense..." the woman started mumbling to herself.
"He's the Chief Executive of Lungmen, basically a political leader," Ch'en summarized it in just a few words, "the highest position of power here. I would've expected to at least know that."
"So, what does this imply?" Megumi didn't like what he heard, having already connected a few dots. The burning sense of dreaded that immolated his stomach made his nerves itch.
"Chief Wei wishes to meet you," Ch'en pocketed her phone and crossed her arms with a restrained look. "Though, I'm not completely sure what his intentions are."
"He does...?" Swire groaned, "things just got a lot more complicated, huh?" A hand was placed over her face, making her Feline ears twitch in what looked to be irritation. From what the tiger lady knew, having to meet with Wei Yenwu of all people, especially since Megumi didn't have an ID of any kind; would usually not be a good sign.
"That's obvious," Ch'en tapped her finger against her shoulder, contemplating what she should say to Wei Yenwu in regards to Fushiguro Megumi. Squinted eyes and creased brows, the woman put her full attention in getting past this without causing any further complications.
'Politics... politics... higher-ups...' Megumi repeated those words in his mind, wondering if the Chief Executive was going to be anything like them. Aside from that, dealing with any political leader would already be a pulsating headache.
That much was evident from the damned Zen'in clan affairs, how Zen'in Naoya had wanted to kill him to take the position of head. Not only that, but even before he had decided to become the Clan Head, there were still many who wanted to drag him back into the clan.
It would've been a complete mess for him if not for Gojo Satoru.
"Megumi," Ch'en spoke with a stern voice, one of the most stern Megumi had ever heard from her. "Listen to what I say, alright? Don't even miss a beat." With the time Wei Yenwu had assigned her, she had enough time to drill the Ten Shadows user with how to not screw up their meeting.
"...I'm listening," Megumi met her words with the same energy.
***
"Saria..." Muelsyse called out to the Head of Defense while slumping over her desk. "Please~? We gotta give him an invite to Columbia's Rhine Lab!" It was the central headquarters for the company, and where most of the big things were happening. If they got Fushiguro Megumi there, then maybe...
"I've already handed him our business card," Saria crossed her arms and leaned back on her chair. The Vouivre had to hear the water Elf continuously pester her ever since their arrival back to the lab.
"But that water dragon..." for some reason, Muelsyse felt a connection to the divine water that it seemed to control. "And everything else about him! The capability of destroying Originium particles, summoning mythological creatures... it's all so much..." The woman didn't feel as if a business card was enough.
"Then should I give him an invitation letter?" Saria finally caved in, heaving a sigh, "a tour of the lab in Columbia as an... esteemed guest?" All she needed was the approval of Kristen right after, the deciding factor where it became active or not. But considering how she was so casual with them, the Vouivre wouldn't expect her to think much of it.
Either it would be brushed off or the woman would just accept it. Both ways worked, but maybe the video being sent would intrigue her to some degree.
"Would you really?" Muelsyse looked at her with an expectant look, "I mean, all it takes is writing a few things on a fancy letter... so..." the water Elf held a small glint in her eyes. 'His race... he's the only of his kind here, isn't he?' Although she didn't know what it was specifically, she was able to deduce from his utter lack of features that he didn't belong to any known race.
He could be considered an Aegirian, but at the same time, he didn't carry any water to moisturize his skin. Nor did his abilities match that of any known Aegirian traits or specialities. Aside from the water of course, but Muelsyse knew it wasn't as simple as that.
"I'll do it, it isn't much of a problem anyways," Saria shook her head with a hint of dreariness, "if he accepts it, he'll be given a tour, if he refuses, we'll leave it at that." The woman reached into some compartment of her desk, rummaging through it for the item she needed. There was also the fact that if he could find a way to rid the Originium particles in Ifrit, then...
"Ah, thank you~! You're much more flexible than Kristen," Muelsyse gave the white haired woman a grateful look. "Oh, speaking of Kristen, did you give the messenger the video to deliver to her?"
"Yes," Saria continued to go through the compartment, before reaching the object she needed, "I doubt she'd hold much interest in it, though."
"Hmph~, spoilsport," Muelsyse pouted at her. "Oh, have you heard of all the news in regards to the water dragon?" Deciding to switch her mood away from her fake sulking, the Elf cupped her chin. "They're all still relying on that theory it was from a mythology and everything... lucky us, we get to know the truth, huh?"
"Hm," Saria nodded while grabbing a pen, clicking it and then started writing the letter. The news had a lot of topics to go on within the past week, considering what had been happening over and over again. At some point, she wondered if it would balloon enough to the point where it would pop completely.
***
A/N: Gonna make faster progress with this arc.
I have plans for Megumi visiting Siracusa, Leithanien, Columbia, and Laterano or Ursus so far.