SEALED {r. sukuna}

009

"it's okay, it's just me now. I'm from earlier, gojō kiyo?"

yoshino hesitantly shedded his barrier made from his bruised arms as he showed kiyo his face with small cuts here and there.

"can you sit up?", kiyo asked as she offered a hand to the boy.

as yoshino leaned against the wall of the nearby shop, kiyo had taken out a handkerchief — different from the one stained with the demon's blood — and wrapped it around the boy's bleeding wrist.

"does this happen often?"

yoshino nodded, not daring to look kiyo in the eyes.

"I'm sorry. you must feel that the world's unfair, but I assure you that it gets better", kiyo mumbled, gently brushing the boy's cheek with her sleeve as yoshino had stopped her.

"you're going to get your sleeve dirty", he stated.

"it's just clothes, nothing of the importance", kiyo smiled as she continued dabbing lightly on the boy's face, to which he winced slightly as kiyo had accidentally touched some of his cuts.

"my apologies".

"it's fine", the male grumbled, turning away as he saw fushiguro return.

"ah megumi, thank you for this. I'll pay you back later", kiyo said as she took the medicine and tried to apply it as tenderly as possible, meanwhile wrapping the boy's arm and stomach in bandages.

"no need. I only did what was necessary", fushiguro stated as he helped yoshino up with kiyo on the other side of the boy.

"if you don't mind, can you direct us back to your house?", kiyo asked.

"h-huh? are you sure...?"

"of course. we won't stay if you don't wish for company, but at least let us take you back home".

"i-it's not that! I just...we don't have much to offer at home...that's all...", yoshino mumbled, especially since the nikuman got squashed by those bullies from earlier.

"no worries. we can get something on the way", kiyo suggested, to which yoshino had let out a huff of air as his head dipped down a bit.

'and just when I thought this world has gone to shit'.

"thank you...so much".

∞

"why do you look the same as me?", itadori asked, casually walking beside the demon as nanami was a few steps ahead.

"huh? are you blind? we obviously look different", sukuna scoffed as he ran his fingers through his pink hair, that was just "coincidentally" the same as itadori's.

itadori deadpanned.

"yeah okay..."

"itadori, focus", nanami warned. "you may be physically competent, but I've yet to acknowledge you as a shaman. prove that you can be useful despite this being new", the male harshly stated.

"yes sir!", itadori confidently saluted, following nanami as sukuna had just snorted, trudging behind the two as he internally cursed himself for not sticking with kiyo instead.

one was an airhead and the other was an unresponsive block.

at least kiyo could have an intellectual conversation with him and keep his mind occupied by having him ponder the many different ways of using her to his best advantage.

'should I just run away? these two don't seem too strong anyways...but then she'll tighten the bracelet back up again, even if she doesn't find me'.

sukuna internally groaned as he rolled his eyes, yawning as the three had reached the edge of the village, where it was quite deserted and there seemed to be no one until a laugh had crackled out of nowhere.

"the fuck?", sukuna muttered.

"OI! COME OUT WHOEVER YOU ARE!", itadori yelled, to which he got smacked on the head by nanami.

"don't tempt it".

before the two could say anymore, a bunch of mutated humans had appeared, appearing as monsters as some of their body parts were larger than their entire body.

only inhuman noises came out of their mouths as they had no mind of their own anymore, following their leaders' orders and attacking nanami and itadori recklessly.

sukuna just watched and stayed by the sideline as he observed itadori punch here and there, uninterested in the weak boy.

meanwhile nanami had pulled out a blunt sword with a dotted pattern bandage wrapped around it, the male was killing each demon with ease.

"s-sukuna...", a strange voice breathed out, to which the pink-haired male had hummed while the other two sorcerers were still fighting.

"you got my name right, and?"

the blue-haired male gave an awkward grin as he dared not to stand up from his kneeling position.

"mahito's the name", the male with a patchwork face introduced.

"I didn't ask for your name. I said state your business with me", sukuna demanded, to which the male had nervously glanced up, meeting the demon king's bored gaze.

"well...my companion — we're all — actually quite interested in why you haven't broke free from that priestess's grasp yet", mahito questioned, seeing as itadori and nanami were starting to finish killing the abundance of humans that he had mutated.

"hm? does any of my business concern you?", sukuna snarled, to which mahito had flinched at the sudden harsh tone.

"I-I...well...we can help you get rid of that obnoxious bracelet", mahito offered, glancing at the item that was glimmering against sukuna's skin.

"ahh, so you've done your research...well, what's the plan?", sukuna asked.

mahito froze. 'shit! I didn't think he'd agree so easily...'

"give me two days. I'll have her dead by—"

"huh?! dead? are you stupid? if she's dead then this bracelet will be stuck with me forever", sukuna scowled, to which mahito had felt his palms become sweaty.

"I'll force her to release you first before I end her. how does that sound?"

"hm~ I'm intrigued. two days right? make it happen or the next time I see you I'll slit your throat for deceiving me", sukuna threatened.

mahito wryly smiled.

"I assure you that you'll be satisfied".