Footsteps clattered against the hardwood floor, running away from the imminent danger. The shaking of the floor when something big and sharp collided against it caused none other by the roots of the Cursed Spirit.
Y/N, Megumi, Inumaki and Noritoshi ran around in the building in an attempt to escape the hot pursuit.
"Are you okay, Inumaki-senpai?" Megumi asked while they were running.
"Salmon," Inumaki replied after taking a few sips from his cough syrup.
"It's coming!" Noritoshi warned as he turned around.
"Stop!"
The Cursed Spirit froze as Noritoshi followed up with his technique, "Convergence, Piercing Blood!"
"Shadow Cursed Manipulation: Shadow Bindings!"
Dark matter wrapped around the Cursed Spirit just as the blood shot at its head, damaging a part of it.
"Hurry! It will heal itself soon and the bindings will be removed by then!" Noritoshi shouted.
Inumaki coughed as his throat began hurting itself. While attempting to escape from the Cursed Spirit, the group had formulated a sort of attack plan.
Inumaki would stop it first with his cursed speech, letting the rest of them to attack and gain distance. Y/N's shadow bindings would help keep it back for a couple more seconds to further the distance. Their end goal was to continue the pattern until they escaped the veil and meet up with the others.
Toge's cursed speech is becoming less effective, Y/N glanced at him as they turned a corner, narrowly missing a bunch of roots as well. We can't let it find a way to beat his cursed speech.
"Hurry up!" Noritoshi urged them as the roots grew closer to them in a span of seconds.
They ran up a flight of stairs, passing through a hallway as it led towards an exit. Inumaki kicked open the door as they jumped out of the building and onto the connecting roofs.
Megumi's Nue followed along from above as they tried to find anyone they could meet up with.
The crashing sound of the roots piecing into the roof stopped the group as they turned around, face to face with the Cursed Spirit once more.
Megumi reeled his left hand back as Nue approached him, "Inumaki-senpai will stop it, so don't worry and go!"
"Stop-!" The word couldn't be forcibly activated as Inumaki collapsed onto the ground, heaving heavily.
Nue had been stabbed by the Cursed Spirit's arm.
"Toge!" Y/N ran up to his side. "Blood... You've over exerted yourself."
Noritoshi's choked up grunts caught her attention as the sorcerer was slammed against the ground with a single hit. Megumi quickly caught Noritoshi, stopping him from going any further.
"Are you alive, Kamo-san?" Megumi asked while maintaining eye contact with the Cursed Spirit. Though, he received no response since the older one was knocked unconscious.
Inumaki's throat already gave out even without using powerful words. This shows that the enemy's far superior. Megumi gritted his teeth.
He took a deep breath in, slowly pulling both of his hands together before he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Megumi looked at his side, eyes widening when he saw Inumaki and Y/N.
"Leaf mustard," Inumaki said.
"Inumaki-senpai, Y/N-senpai, you can't-!"
"It'll be alright. As your senior, it's my job to protect you," Y/N smiled at him. "Even if it means endangering myself."
"But if you go any further-"
"I know," She cut him off. "I know what will happen to me. Just... pull me back if I go too far, okay?"
Y/N sent him an closed-eye smile, one that showed no fear. Itadori's face flashed before his eyes, the same face he made before he died.
"Okay," Megumi clenched his fist.
Y/N nodded at him before she looked at Inumaki, "You ready, Toge?"
"Kelp."
"Here goes nothing," Y/N muttered as they approached the Cursed Spirit and it did the same in return.
"Blast away!"
The Cursed Spirit was flung back into the building just as Inumaki fell onto his knees, blood splattering from his throat and out his mouth.
"I knew it," Y/N muttered. "Looks like I'll have to go past the line."
A shaky breath left her lips as Y/N took one step forward. The Cursed Spirit had recovered from the attack, now focusing on Y/N.
God, I really don't want to die, Y/N thought in her head. But to protect everyone...
"Nacht, Kiera," She called. "Lend me your powers."
"If you do this, you do know that the possibility of you losing yourself in battle is near guaranteed?" Nacht looked at her.
"Yeah," Y/N said. "I don't care. I'll deal with it later. Just give me your powers."
"Be careful," Kiera advised her before Y/N felt something breaking within her.
She stumbled, her eyes squeezing shut in pain as she felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She figured that they had broken the wall that stopped her from using their cursed techniques in its fullest potential.
"Y/N-senpai?" Megumi called out as he felt the rise in her cursed energy. It was more ominous, more dark. It reminded him of the Cursed Spirit they were facing.
"I'm fine," She told him. She stood back up, having a grasp of her new potential. "I'm fine."
"Please, be careful," Megumi pleaded.
"I will."
The Cursed Spirit had landed back onto the roof, just steps away from Y/N. The young woman lifted her head and raised her hand, pulling her fingers in as a come here motion to taunt it.
It took the message as it rushed towards her, roots rushing into the roof to ambush her from below.
Y/N quickly summoned out her sword, blocking its hand as she pushed it back with greater strength.
"Dark Shadow Cursed Manipulation: Devil's Moon."
A dark purple dome formed around the building, causing the surroundings to be darkened.
The roots instantaneously collapsed from attacking Y/N, as if she had sliced it without even her moving.
Megumi looked around in amazement, still on his guard to protect Inumaki and Noritoshi.
The Cursed Spirit tried sending out another one of its roots but failed. It seemed to grow frustrated and decided to take things in its own hands.
The distance between the two closed in an instant as Y/N dropped to the floor, sending a kick to its side while turning her body. A second kick was sent to its head following the first, knocking it back and left dazed.
"Dark Shadow Cursed Manipulation: Death's Strike."
Y/N raised her arms, swinging her sword down with all of her strength in the split of a second. The branches where its eyes were supposed to be were sliced off nearly entirely before it grew back.
Y/N cursed as she started to feel the strain from using Devil's Moon for too long. Sweat had begun to cover her body and her body pained to even move an inch.
It leaves me no choice but to use this technique, Y/N raised her hands, covering her eyes.
The Cursed Spirit saw it as an opportunity as it quickly rushed towards her. However, it regretted it almost immediately.
"Dark Shadow Cursed Manipulation: Eye of the Abyss."
The Cursed Spirit froze. It couldn't feel its body. It couldn't move. It couldn't talk. It couldn't command its roots to move.
Y/N quickly raised her sword, reeling it back as she did her final attack. "Dark Shadow Cursed Manipulation: Ray of Midnight."
Dark matter condensed at the tip of her sword and she thrust the sword forward. The darkness moved at the sound of sound as it created a focused blast, destroying the Cursed Spirit's torso.
Y/N immediately collapsed onto the ground, her sword slipping out of her hand as she covered her head. Voices appeared in her head, some soft, some loud. Screams, cries, yelling.
Devil's Moon had disappeared and retracted to her body, and it seemed to make her situation even worse.
"Y/N-senpai!" Megumi ran towards her in an instant. He forced her body to face his and he could see something unimaginable.
The sclera of her right eye began flickering from white to black repeatedly as if someone was switching it back and forth. Her heart was pounding intensely and her breaths were uneven, shaky and heavy.
"Kill it," She said. "I have to kill it."
"Your body can't handle it anymore!" Megumi exclaimed. "Y-You're...!"
Lines began forming at the tips of her fingers and slowly inched up to her elbow. It was vein-like, and it was similar to the Cursed Spirit's current appearance.
"Are you...?" Megumi gasped as he fell back onto the roof.
"Make it stop," Y/N said. "The voices."
Something suddenly landed on her head and she quickly turned around. Inumaki gave her a small smile as he placed his hand on her head.
"Stop."
The voices stopped immediately and the lines disappeared from her arms. Y/N's breathing had slowed back to normal and evened out. Her heart no longer hammered against her chest.
Inumaki turned around as he began throwing up more blood. His body shook with each breath he took and Y/N felt guilty he went further just to help her.
"Thank you," Y/N smiled at Inumaki. "You managed to stop it before it got too far. But it's not over. Get back, Toge."
Inumaki sent her a worried look, but Y/N didn't waver. She nodded at him, "Megumi will help me. I think I'll stick with Nacht's cursed technique. That union technique was a bit too much for me."
"You think?" Megumi narrowed his eyes as he stood up, taking out his hand for Y/N to take.
"Sorry, sorry. Though, gotta apologise since you now have to fight with me," Y/N smiled and took her hand. "I didn't protect you guys like I said I would."
"You did," Megumi looked at her. "You did more than just that. You made that thing on death's door. The Cursed Spirit can regenerate, we can't. That's why we'll keep beating it until it can't regenerate anymore."
Y/N looked stunned for a moment before she smiled, "Yeah. We're gonna do just that."
"Also, I'm telling Okkotsu-senpai about this once we're done."
"No!"
Their conversation ended abruptly as the Cursed Spirit reappeared, its torso back from regeneration.
"I must say, it is impressive you were able to put me down with one strike. That sword was able to hurt me," It spoke. "But that will not happen again. This time, I will put you down, foolish child."
"Go ahead. But know that this time, I'll definitely kill you," She smirked at it in return.
Just then, someone came in swooping from above.
"That blunt sword cannot hurt me at all," The Cursed Spirit spoke as it raised its arm.
The blade of the sword snapped into half immediately as Megumi and Y/N looked at the new presence.
"Maki!" Y/N exclaimed. "About time you arrived!"
Megumi quickly closed the distance as he took out his own sword, swinging it at its head. He managed to cut a part of the branch again and landed next to Maki.
"Y/N was right," Megumi muttered. "The tree branch in its eye socket is more fragile."
"Not as good as the girl's sword, but not too bad," The Cursed Spirit commented while regenerating the part of the broken branch.
Maki threw away the broken sword as Megumi reached into his shadow. He kept his sword and took out a three-sectioned staff from it.
"I have something even better," Maki announced. "Although using it makes me feel disgusted."
Maki ran up to Cursed Spirit, swinging the staff as well as her body to create enough momentum to send a powerful blast against it.
"Special Grade Cursed Tool: Playful Cloud!" The weapon slammed against the Cursed Spirit and it was sent flying across the battlefield and far away from the building.
"Oi, did you do something reckless again?" Maki looked at Y/N as the younger one sheepishly smiled.
"Maybe."
"You better tone it down in this fight," Maki warned her. "I don't want to see you pass out in front of me ever again. Let Megumi and I take care of it."
"It's cute to see you be concerned about me Maki, but I'm fine," Y/N reassured her. "I won't be a burden here. I'll help you guys."
"Fine," Maki and Megumi approached her. "But he and I are still leading the fight."
Y/N grinned before she touched their shoulders, allowing the three of them to sink into her shadow and appear at a location within the forest.
"Let's go," Maki said as they split ways. She would counter the Cursed Spirit from the front while Megumi came in from the side, leaving the back completely open to Y/N.
"Divine Dog: Totality!" Megumi summoned out as the shikigami sprinted toward the Cursed Spirit, scratching its arm in a flash.
The Cursed Spirit looked at its injured arm as it started healing itself. Maki closed in from the front as she swung Megumi's sword down, the Cursed Spirit quickly blocking it.
Y/N quickly appeared from the back, swinging her sword down as she sliced its right shoulder.
Megumi joined in with a poweful strike before he threw out the staff, "Y/N-senpai!"
"Oh come on!" She yelled as she caught the staff while Megumi caught her sword.
The trio didn't waste a second as they ran up toward the Cursed Spirit. Megumi and Maki sliced its body in a crisscross motion while Y/N swung the staff, slamming it against its forehead and sent it falling into the river. Its branches were once again cut off, thanks to Maki and Megumi.
"Give me back my sword," Y/N demanded as she snatched it from Megumi. She passed the staff back to Maki and gave Megumi back his sword. "Though I'm good with it, I'm better with my sword."
"Don't ever make me use that three-sectioned staff again," Megumi grumbled. "It's too hard to use."
"It's useful when you're used to-" Maki cut herself off when she noticed what was on his body. "Megumi!"
"What the fuck?!" Y/N yelled as she looked at the bud thingy coming out from Megumi's body. It had a small mouth and sharp teeth and was purple in colour. Blood trailed from the sides of his mouth, alerting both girls.
"Maki!" Y/N warned as she quickly swung her sword, cutting off the incoming wooden spear. However, Maki wasn't as lucky as she was pierced in the arm by it.
Y/N quickly sliced it off for her as she worried for the older one, "You're not listening to me!"
"I aimed it at your hearts," The Cursed Spirit said. "Your reflexes are outstanding. Just not as fast as she was. You jujutsu sorcerers are emotional. They are full of openings when their allies are hurt."
Divine Dog was about to attack the Cursed Spirit from behind when it suddenly disappeared.
"You better stop using cursed techniques," It warned. "The sprouts in your body love cursed energy the most. The more cursed technique you use, the bigger it grows inside your body."
"Thank you for your explanation," Megumi glared at it. "You were planning to kill me anyway."
"I heard that it's more effective after the explanation."
Y/N quickly rushed in, swinging her sword out of her grasp and onto the Cursed Spirit as she kicked its side, catching her sword shortly after.
"You move well," It complimented her. "Better than anyone I've fought before."
Y/N slid down just as the Cursed Spirit was about to punch her and sliced a part of its arm. However, she was stopped when the Cursed Spirit made an abrupt turn, kicking her gut and forcing her back into the river.
A branch quickly wrapped itself around her neck, restricting her of oxygen.
"But your movements aren't as sharp as they were before."
Y/N's hands gripped at the roots, her face turning red as she desperately clawed for ease, for oxygen.
"Y/N!" Maki yelled as she was about to intervene when another of the roots slammed Maki against the river. It wrapped itself around her neck as well as Maki was brought closer to the Cursed Spirit.
Megumi looked at the sight before him, I have to squeeze out cursed energy even if my stomach explodes. Unlike everyone else, I choose who I will protect. I have the least to lose. So... I'm not allowed to fall before anyone else does!
The sorcerer raised his hands, placing them together as he opened his mouth, about to say something when Maki suddenly stopped him.
"Megumi, don't do it!" She looked at him. "We're done for. It's time to tag out."
BANG!
The next second, Y/N felt arms on her back and underneath her things as she looked up at her saviour. A smile formed on her lips as she said, "Yuji."
"Y/N-senpai," Yuji looked at her. "Are you okay?"
Just next to him, Todo stood with a smirk, holding Maki in his arms.
"A rare sight to see you defeated," Todo commented as he looked at her.
"Shut up, I did some serious damage to it, okay?" Y/N scoffed. "I made your job easier. All you have to do is finish it."
"Itadori, don't," Megumi coughed out from his position. Yuji and Todo walked towards Megumi as Panda appeared.
"Panda," Todo called.
"Yes," Panda replied as he took the unconscious Maki from Todo's arms.
"Take them and leave the Veil," He instructed. "Nishimiya said that this veil is aimed at Gojo Satoru. We can go in and out anytime."
"Wait," Megumi cut him off. "Even if it's you-!"
"Fushiguro," Yuji said as he looked down at him. "It will be okay."
Megumi looked stunned for a second.
"You've noticed," Todo spoke. "Someone growing out of his shell cannot be touched by anyone else. That's what is happening to Itadori right now."
"If you die again, I will kill you!" Megumi spat out before Panda carried him. "Come on Y/N, you too."
Yuji let down Y/N onto her feet as she quickly looked at him, "Be careful please. Todo, you better take care of him or I will-"
"Kill me? Yeah, yeah," Todo waved off. "Get out of here and heal your injuries. You've done your job, now let us do ours."
Yuji smiled at Y/N, "I'll do my best to finish the job. You can count on me, Y/N-senpai."
Y/N stood by Panda before she nodded her head, "I do. I'll see you soon."
The two boys nodded their heads before they turned their attention to the Cursed Spirit.
Y/N touched Panda's arm as they sunk into her shadow and appeared outside of the veil. She looked at it one last time before she followed Panda back to the school.
Please, be careful.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊⋆