Four years before the events of the book
I was still shaking, still trembling; that didn't happen. That couldn't have happened. I was freaking out, unable to think clearly, as I heard constant sirens roaring past as I sat in an abandoned arcade, trying to rub the blood off my hands. The voice of the girl, the one who wasn't there, yet always there, kept talking. I was in such a state of panic I couldn't even understand her.
"I killed them... I killed them... What did I do?"
It had been an hour since the hired gunmen attacked the limo. Just two hours ago, I was sending my mother off, and now I'm hiding away a monster whispering dangerous thoughts to me.
"Listen to me, hear my words Y/N."
"Shut up!" I shouted, more paranoid as the girl, the demon in disguise, was there, crouched down in front of me, resting her arms on her knees as she watched patiently. "W-What are you? What do you want with me?"
"We shouldn't stay long; I doubt they were the only lot hired to kill you." She suggested, leaning forward and whispering. "You can have a panic later. First, we need to get you to safety."
"Y-You killed them."
"I did. And for you, to protect you, I'll kill as many as it takes." The girl explains with a faint smile. "Your Father entrusted me to you."
"M-My Father?" I whisper, blinking several times; the idea was crazy even for him. "My Father has been dead for three years... I don't understand."
"I'm not quite sure of the details myself. I am a Cursed Spirit who has been branded to your Family for a hundred years now. I've been forced to protect the Kronos family ever since. But you are the first member I've been able to attach myself to. My first vessel."
"What?" I whisper, crawling back, now more nervous than ever. "You're going to steal my body?"
"No." That was the only word she responded as he held her hand out. "While I have no idea why your Father was so adamant about me protecting you, I would have done so regardless."
"Why?"
"You're special. You're different. I've been watching you for a while now, Y/N. I really do utterly love you," she confessed, holding her hand out. So let me help you live the life you want."
I took her hand, standing up, still unsure what to make of anything. But I felt a little bit at ease, even with our unnatural situation. "Do you have a name?"
"The world once knew me as the Blood Empress. I ruled and conquered Europe 1000 years ago. My power only rivalled that of another Cursed Spirit known as Sukuna."
"I... I'm not calling you that."
This only got a laugh and a nod. "I was never the biggest fan of such a primitive title. Nor do I prefer going about my original name."
The girl began messing around with an arcade machine, Donkey Kong, trying to get it to work. "We'll have to think of a new name then..." Looking at the back, I found the plug and a 50p coin. Plugging the machine back in, the Donkey Kong cabinet lit up with a loud boom as the old arcade classic began playing. The girl was captivated as I put the 50p in and let her play.
"Your human technology has evolved so much since I was last fully in control of my thoughts. This is so incredible."
"I suppose it is," I whisper before speaking up again. "How about DK?"
"Huh?"
"Your name? Something simple?"
"You wish to call me Donkey Kong?"
"It could also mean Demon King, but... just DK. It can be a reminder of where we first met, where you swore to protect me."
"I... Find it acceptable. I shall allow you to refer to me as DK from now on." DK insisted, blushing lightly, continuing to play until the game was over. "I demand more currency for continued play at once... Please."
This only got a smile as I nodded. "I'll see what I can do... Thank you for choosing me, DK."
****
"Man, this sucks..." I grumble, lying on a tatami mat, time dragging on. DK was lying on her head on my stomach, blowing air just as bored. "What gives with Gojo stopping us from taking part in the Exchange event? He too scared we'd kill as students or something?"
"If that's the case, why did he let Sukuna's vessel participate? A better question is: How is the vessel alive?"
"Itadori? Suppose we won't get an answer regarding that... You did kill him, right?"
"Y/N, he didn't have a heart, and I cut him down with all my cursed energy."
I nodded along, feeling stupid for even asking that. "Yeah... It would be really problematic if that guy could keep coming back to life, and now he's gunning for us. Not to mention, he said he wasn't at his full power. Bet it's got something to do with those fingers, right?"
DK shrugged her shoulders, blowing more air. "I don't really care. Let him get to full power. It won't make a difference."
"So if Sukuna got to full power, you wouldn't lose?"
DK glanced at me, raising an eyebrow and shaking her head, annoyed. "I'm not even going to humour such a stupid question like that. Fuck I'm so bored! Y/N, let us do something fun."
"We could play rock, paper, scissors?"
"What's the point? I'm always going to know what you choose."
"That's true... Man... Let me think." I sit up, feeling something off; I look up, seeing the sky darken a little as some barrier is being constructed. "That doesn't look right. Maybe they were meant to put up a barrier earlier but forgot?"
I watched the barrier form the edge of the dome, meeting just beyond the building we were sitting around in. DK stood up, approached the barrier and placed her hand on it; the barrier reacted, sending a shockwave and forcing her back. "A barrier we're not allowed to leave? It seems someone wants to keep us in."
Now slightly more concerned, I jumped up, seeing the same results on my end. "Isn't this a bit extreme? What, do they not want the students running away or something?"
DK inspected the barrier, now more worried. "No... They could leave whenever they want... This barrier is only to prevent two people from getting in or out. That being Satoru Gojo and us."
"Keeping Gojo out and us in... Alright, a little on edge now," I whisper, stepping back. "We should meet up with the others."
"Agreed."
As the two of us were ready to re-group with the others, I heard the screams and torment of other Sorcerers. I paused, looking at the building to the left of us. DK looked at me, already knowing we were going to check it out but clearly against it. "Fine... Let's walk right into a trap."
Running to the source of the attack, I slid into the room and saw a man standing before what looked to be mangled corpses of other Sorcerers. The man looked at me as his patchwork face caught my attention. DK held my hand on the edge. "I'm picking up a crazy amount of Cursed Energy off this guy. There's no doubt he's a special grade."
"Just my luck..."
The Cursed Spirit was holding a set of fingers, which must have been Sukuna's fingers, as he smiled away manaically. "Would you believe this? What are the chances? This is the vessel to Bloody Mary! I had expected Hanami to intercept you; how lucky am I!?"
I was still on guard, not moving, and my eyebrows were raised. "You're talking about DK, yeah?"
"You don't know her real name? How interesting. It seems she doesn't trust you as much as you think." He chuckled.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"We are the true humans." He responded, only getting a scoff from me; who does this guy think he is? "Mahito, and we want Bloody Mary."
DK gripped my hand tighter as I looked at how worried she was. I held her hand back, nodding. "DK ain't in the market for a changeover; she's happy with me, thank you."
Mahito began laughing, staring me down. "She doesn't know what she's missing." Without warning, the managed bodies of the sorcerers came to life, being sent towards me in a frenzy. I stepped back, kicking one away and catching the other one, crushing the small, deformed spirit. Mahito was to follow, rushing at me with an open palm.
As I prepared myself to fight, DK forced control of my body, quickly countering with her strike as the two clashed. Both were knocked back as DK shook her arm, giving me back control. "What the hell was that about? You've never done that before, DK?"
DK held my arm, adjusting herself and gritting her teeth. "Don't let that foul creature touch you; he tried reaching for your soul... If allowed to do so well... You've seen what happened to the others."
I took note of the two mangled humans forced to fight me, feeling a bit more concerned. "Noted. Just have to treat this guy like anyone else, keep him at range."
I began unwrapping all my bandages, letting DK's hardened blood shatter; I was going to use all the reserves for this fight. Swinging my arm around, a barrage of boiling blood was sent at Mahito as he began dodging, running at high speed, trying to close the gap. It was a battle of attrition; who could reach who first? Jumping through the thin walls, I dived backwards, painting the area with my blood as it all began exploding. On the floor, I was caught off guard as Mahito's arm expanded, piling through, almost crushing me. DK had taken control, leaping back and blocking the attack, preventing Mahito from reaching her soul and using his Idle transfiguration.
Mahito kept laughing, holding his face in awe. "Another one who is a perfect counter to me! First Itadori, and now you, Y/N Kronos! This is getting so much fun!"
Taking back control, I began moving my arm around curiously. This guy had fought Itadori before, which was interesting and gave me a little bit of confidence. Mahito curled over, reaching for his mouth, gagging as three small objects fell into his hands. He threw them at me as I recognised them as the victims he killed. Jumping back, I punched one away, hardening my blood into a blade and stabbing another as it shattered. The broken blood was used to keep Mahito and the other transformed human back, a blast of bloody spikes all around.
Letting DK take over, she kicked over a dozen desks, sending them towards Mahito as she closed the distance, crossing her fingers and summoning a scythe made from blood. Leaping high into the air, she went to strike down as Mahito's body morphed. He released a bunch of spikes cutting deep into DK, and she landed behind him, twisting her finger and pointing at him. "Shatter."
The air around Mahito manifested shattering into glass as his entire left arm was blown off. He stumbled back dazed but continued to smile as his disfigured arm began to repair and morph back to normal. "Not enough..."
"DK, I have a plan." I echo taking back control.
DK looked at me, wanting complete control again as she paused, listening. "What is it?"
"We'll have to keep up a constant barrage of attacks; he'll be fully expecting you to have full control at all times, knowing we cannot chance me being out in the open. Because of that, he will only use ranged attacks on you. We use that to our advantage. Just follow my lead, yeah?"
DK, reading my mind, smirked and nodded. "I get it; we'll give him the old one-two; enough time to stall so I can read my Domain Expansion. I believe in you, Y/N; let's do this."
I let DK take control as she rushed Mahito, closing the gap. Mahito smirked, holding his hands together, ready for a ranged attack. However, as she was inches from Mahito, DK and I swapped places. This threw Mahito off entirely as he tried switching tactics to hand-to-hand combat, but it wasn't quick enough as I punched him in the face, a black shockwave blasting him back dazed. He gagged, his head pulled back as he reached out to grab me. At that moment, DK switched back, throwing another attack; we kept switching back and forth of control, like scrolling through channels on a TV. This constant switch allowed us to use different attacks swiftly and without any warning, catching Mahito in a range of attacks he couldn't counter.
We would constantly shake up the order and length we swapped and stayed in to not give any sense of order away as the Cursed Spirit was powerless against us. Strike after strike, he just took it being thrown around like a pinata. We could both sense his presence and abilities dwindling as we kept up the assault.
DK was cackling away, striking harder than ever. "This guy doesn't know what hit him!"
"This feeling... It's happening all over again; how joyful! What fun to think you'd push me this far. Oh, if only this feeling could last forever, Y/N! The feeling of death!"
What is this guy whining about? Is he getting high from being close to death?
As I took control one last time, ready to land another devasting blow, his mouth opened. My eyes widened as dozens of hands appeared inside.
"Domain Expansion!"
I was forced back, the entire area engulfed into darkness, hands appearing everywhere. Jumping back, I stood up, my eye twitching as I looked around, anxious. Crap.
"Self-Embodiment of Perfection!"
Why would he throw up his Domain Expansion? Was it a last-ditch effort to survive, or was it throwing us off? No, he didn't use it at all during the fight. Indeed, he must know that DK would use hers. Unless.
My eyes widened as I panicked DK without hesitation, attempting to take control.
"DK, no, wait!"
DK didn't listen, swapping again and preparing her Domain Expansion as Mahito smirked. At that moment, as she was about to cast her own, Mahtio deactivated his, never knowing what his Domain would do. DK was so caught up in the sense of the moment, the panic and fear of losing me, that she didn't pay any attention, drawing her fingers together into a window. "Domai-."
DK froze, her hands stuck. Her eyes widened as she couldn't move. "W-What!?"
DK's eyes shifted in shock as another party entered the fray. Doran Skee walked in, having taken a picture of DK admiring it. "The way Geto made you out to be Mahito, I was expecting a bit more from you."
Mahito frowned, upset, and crossed his arms. "I was fighting two at once; they cheated."
"Well, now so have we." He responded by showing DK the picture: "Cursed Technique Photo memory. It allows me to trap my victim for a short while in a single moment."
DK began cursing and screaming, furious, trying to break free. "You damn Sorcerer! I will not stand for this; I will bury you; I will butcher you and your Family! You will not harm my Y/N; he is mine!"
At that moment, DK broke free; she was so overwhelmed with rage and emotions she couldn't hear Y/N or switch back; she wanted to kill these two right now. Readying her fingers, she snapped. She knew now that Mahito couldn't construct another Domain Expansion so quickly. Doran Skee already admitted he, too, didn't have one. All she had to do was cast her own, and she won.
She was undefeatable. She was the Blood Empress, and nothing could stand in her way.
Doran stepped forward, challenging DK as he closed his hands, joined his hands together, and recalled memories. He was using them, learning from them.
Doran Skee didn't have a Domain Expansion—at least, that's what he said. He lied about it.
Doran opened his eyes, whispering. "Domain Expansion; Fleeting Mind."
The area was filled with pictures and videos of DK's past—her previous vessels, her time as the feared Bloody Mary—all on show, all for the taking.
Doran pulled his arm, tugging at her memories as DK tried fighting. She screamed and roared, but the pain and torment were too much. She was torn apart.
I fell back in such a state of shock and horror, lying on the floor. DK was in front of me; DK was there, manifested in real time. She was freed.
DK looked at me, trying to reach out and screaming. "Y/N!"
I began trembling, crawling towards her, reaching out and screaming. "DK!"
Doran crushed his hands as he consumed her. DK vanished, and her presence is still there now, only in Doran.
"N-N... No... Give her back, give her back!" I rushed to my feet, trying to attack Doran; however, I stopped as Mahito had placed a hand on my chest.
We both stared at each other, he smiling away sinisterly while I looked blankly. Looking down at my chest, reality sank in. I stepped back, holding it, breathing heavily. I looked at Mahito one more time before...
Boom
My chest exploded, and blood burst out everywhere. I fell to the floor, still alive, but death's grip eating away at me. Blood... There was blood everywhere. Everything had gone wrong.
On my knees, I gagged; I had already lost...
I tried stumbling away, weaker by the moment; I tried holding my wound, but the damage was too great. As blood gushed out, I fell to the ground, gripping my last breath with everything I had. I couldn't stop trembling as I looked up and saw DK standing over me. I reached out, desperate.
DK had taken control of Doran for that moment, him now her vessel...
"P-Please... DK, I n-Need you..."
DK kicked my hand out of the way, pressing her foot on me, holding me down, challenging her cursed energy into a finger gun. "My name is Bloody Mary, and I have no use for scum like you. Die."
Activating her Shatter technique, I was gunned down, my whole body breaking. I hit the floor, nothing more. No breathing, no sight, no sense or emotion. Just the tears running down my face and the dark.
It wouldn't be for another hour until the teachers found the body. Gojo was the first to realise what all of this was about. The attack was all a distraction, one he fell for.
Y/N was dead, and the Blood Empress, Bloody Mary, had been freed...
To be Continued...