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CHAPTER START---
Taiyo massages the bruise on his face, wincing slightly as his RCT releases steam while healing his cheek.
"After everything I did for you, why can't you be nice to me?"
He frowns and pulls the chain tight in his hands, taking a deep breath while looking out at his backyard.
"This time, don't hit me in the face…or not at all, that works too."
He throws the clip end of the chain while holding the master link, hidden in his left hand. The chain extends past his backyard, over the lake behind his home, and with a tug and the help of his Cursed Energy he controls it to soar upward, over the bright full moon reflected in the water.
Taiyo spins and pulls the chain before lowering his stance and stepping on it, causing a wave in the links and a loud snapping sound as the clipped end whips to the side.
He twists his wrists and uses Cursed Energy as a crutch once more to control the chain, willing it to twist into a helix as it rises higher before he pulls it taward himself.
It rockets back toward him and he spins his body before whipping it with both hands, sending another wave through it that cancels the momentum.
As it's halted in the air he jumps into a flip and catches it under his feet, landing on it and using that momentum to pull it toward him.
He lands and barely has enough time to tilt his head as the clipped end rushes past him, barely missing his eye and embedding itself in the dirt behind him.
He raises his hand as the body of the chain rushes toward him in a tangled mess and catches it around his arm, then wills the master link to retract.
The chain immediately retracts into the hidden master link, and he carefully studies the sensation of Cursed Energy in his hand as the rapid clinking of metal echoes through the otherwise silent field.
"Yeah, not even close to passable," Taiyo mutters as he takes his stance again and throws the clipped end toward the moon.
The chain extends for hundreds of feet, aided by his Cursed Energy and immense physical strength. Eventually, it slows while still maintaining the straightened form, and Taiyo spins his wrist, sending a wave of motion through the links.
The chair spins into a funnel of metal and wind as he keeps increasing his speed, eventually moving his entire arm to push the chain to its limits.
Taiyo smiles as the wind reaches him, messing up his blood-red hair and bending the grass.
"Are you training, or playing?" He hears Mei Mei ask from behind him.
"It's the same thing when Jujutsu is concerned," he raises his arm in one smooth motion before whipping it down hard, sending a wave through the chain that embeds the clipped end into the dirt, and the rest soon follows.
He turns around to see her standing on the wooden deck, still wearing shorts and his shirt, along with some comfortable bedroom slippers.
"Done with your work?" He asks while walking over to her, the chain moving through the dirt and shrinking back to the masterlink, until it is only four links long.
"For tonight, yes."
Taiyo reaches her and leans down to kiss her, but Mei Mei leans away, stepping back.
"You're covered in sweat. None of that till we're in the shower."
He rolls his eyes and moves to sit on one of the wooden chairs. "Fine, I was done training for tonight anyway. I have to revise my notes on the Barrier."
She sits in the chair across from him. "And how do you intend to use the Cursed Tool itself?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, most people don't know it exists, and they certainly don't know the Zen'In Clan had it. Not to mention explaining how you got it. All complications if people see you walking about with that."
Taiyo relaxes into his seat and twirls the chain in his hand. "My goal was to use it if I needed to subdue someone, but it's too frail for that. Not much stronger than a regular chain if I'm not pouring Cursed Energy into it.
I suppose I could use it if I have enough privacy. But weapons aren't of interest to me anyway, so not getting to use it doesn't change anything. My Innate Technique is enough, and Jujutsu itself is the greatest tool anyone could have.
Relying on weapons for your combat capability and fighting style is a crutch…no offense."
Mei Mei glares at him for a moment. "It's fine. That's the conclusion I came to that led to my fighting style being what it is."
"I'm glad you're so understanding."
"Oh no, I'm still going to make you regret saying that, but that's for later. Do you intend to carry the chain with you on missions or on campus?"
"Yeah, I still want to study it for a while. After that, I'll shelf it."
"Having it around could lead to some problems for us."
"Us?"
"Cursed Tools are like glowing spots for the Six Eyes."
"Do you really think Gojo doesn't know about us?" Taiyo chuckles. "He definitely knows, but it's none of his business, so he's staying out of it. Maybe he's not aware of how deep our relationship goes, but he surely figured out that you taught me the New Shadow Style."
"That's what concerns me. I'm one of the few people he told about Toji and that chain. I'm also one of the few who knows he traded it as part of the deal for them not to come after Megumi."
"Megumi?"
"Toji's son. He's nothing special, yet. Gojo has somewhat adopted him and his sister."
"Ugh."
"My thoughts exactly. But if Gojo sees you with that, he'll know I told you. And if he assumed you're working with the Zen'In, who want him gone so they can be the undisputed strongest clan, then…"
Taiyo nods, considering it for a moment, then shrugs. "Already thoughts of that."
"And your plan?"
"If Gojo thinks I'm working with the Zen'In he can just use his final order and have me join the Gojo Clan. That way, he'd burn his final order and I'd gain a benefit from it. And honestly, that's likely what he'd do.
But after our last encounter…I'm sure he only made that Binding Vow with me because he knew they'd send me after Geto. So he always intended to use all three orders to protect his friend."
"That's exactly something he'd do. The Six Eyes can see everything…except when it's time to let a friend go."
"If he doesn't use it for that, what's really the worst that could happen?"
"Well. He tells the higher-ups about me stealing the New Shadow Style, which would then have me marked for immediate execution. That would lead to all Jujutsu Sorcerers and all clans hunting me down.
So I'd be the enemy of the entire Jujutsu world." She sighs. "I'd likely have to join that damn Geto just for protection. What a miserable life that would be."
"Fighting the entire Jujutsu world," Taiyo smiles. "Honestly…sounds fun."
"Satoru Gojo would be involved in that as well."
"Less fun."
"Thought so. Even he would be forced to act if such a crime were revealed. The Gojo Clan being so close to Master Tengen means they're the first protectors of the New Shadow Style school. In fact, the only reason he hasn't killed me already is because I'm one of the few people he can trust with the unsavory things he needs done."
"And yet you're still so worried."
"Kusakabe."
Taiyo frowns. "Yeah, I assumed that was why. He really really really hates you."
"He's not wrong."
"Oh, I know that."
"But you love me enough to protect me, right?" She tries her best to look cute for him, only for him to stick his tongue out at her.
"You're still useful, so I'll keep you around."
She slumps back in her seat and crosses her arms, glaring at him. "I'll remember that later tonight…"
They chat for a few more minutes until Mei Mei's phone chimes, and after reading the message she gives him a concerned look.
"What?" he asks.
"I brokered a meeting for you, but I'm not sure if you'll like it."
"Oh god, is it another of the big clans?"
"No, it's a person I've worked for a few times but never met in person. But they want to meet you in person, and they paid us a lot to make it happen."
"What about?"
"They just want to meet you and perhaps talk about Jujutsu and some future jobs."
"What kind of work did you do for them?"
Mei Mei motions a zipper sealing her lips.
"Right, that kind. When is the meeting?"
"They're willing to work with your schedule, but the sooner the better."
Taiyo thinks about it for a moment, rubbing the back of his head. "Fine, they can meet me at the game. After that, I'll be going to London to talk to Geto, and I'd like that to be the last big meeting I have until my Innate Technique is available again."
"Perfect, I'll send the details," Mei Mei begins forming the message as Taiyo gets up and begins walking inside.
"Great, and I'll go start the shower."
Mei Mei begins typing even faster…
END CHAPTER---
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