READ THIS: This chapter contains graphic depiction of violence, cruelty, and harmful topic. Reader discretion is advised.
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Third Person
Kobeni hated it.
She hated every second of her time in Kyoto. As a supernatural hunter affiliated with Public Safety, it was her task to protect civilians… but she never asked for this life.
She wanted to live a normal life, find someone with whom she could spend the rest of her life, and then die a normal death.
But if anything..all she got was the exact opposite. Her parents gave her only two choices: become a hunter or a sex worker. Her choice was pretty obvious, she chose to be a hunter…only so her brother could go to college. Her brother, who never once acknowledged her existence.
All of this happened because she was a Magician born into a family of normies.
Now the question begged to be asked: if she really had supernatural capabilities, then why not use them to get away from her family or even…murder them?
Simple. Because she was a coward. She was unable to muster up enough courage to run away from duties that were forced upon her.
A coward is what she was…a coward who also had witnessed her best friend and partner, Yuki Yoshikawa, die before her eyes, powerless to do anything. She had just stood there, paralyzed, watching in horror.
Fifteen minutes ago.
Karasuma Oike Station. Sector B4F.
"We will soon arrive at Karasuma Oike Station. Transfer here for the Tozai Line. Please take care."
The automated voice echoed through the train compartment.
It was supremely more crowded than the usual evening rush. Some passengers tapped away on their phones, others chatted with their colleagues, while a few stood in silence, waiting for the station to come.
Kobeni sat in the corner, her head too heavy to keep upright. Lost in her thoughts, she was swayed sideways until her temple brushed the glass. When she turned toward the culprit, she let out a visible sigh.
Her brown eyes met the turquoise eye of the woman beside her, the other hidden behind an eyepatch.
The eccentric woman reached out, curling Kobeni's lips into a smile with her index fingers.
She had shoulder-length, slightly unkempt blue hair. If this were an alternate world, maybe she would've been called Himeno.
"Yuki… can you stop?" Kobeni whispered timidly.
Yuki's grin only widened. She wanted to cheer her partner up. Seeing Kobeni sulk and sink into cowardice annoyed the hell out of her. So she wanted to do something.
"There we go. See? The world looks a little less scary when you smile." Yuki said with a grin on her face.
"You remember, right? We promised to hit that yudofu place to try Kyoto's specialty?" Yuki's voice carried a teasing tone, her smile just a little too wide.
Kobeni's throat tightened. "Y-yeah… we did. But I can't help it. I'm scared." Her voice cracked as she clutched Yuki's hands, eyes shimmering. "I don't like this. I never wanted to come. Please Yuki…can we just go back?"
For a moment, Yuki froze. She had seen Kobeni falter before missions plenty of times, but this desperation seemed unusual. It made her feel uneasy as if something was about to go wrong.
Whenever Kobeni's fear spiked like this, something always went wrong. And yet… somehow, they always made it out alive. So she reassured herself, thinking of this as a similar situation.
Yuki sighed softly, then drew Kobeni in, draping an arm around her neck like a protective older sister. "Don't be scared, okay? If something happens, I'll protect you. That's what partners are for."
Yuki's gesture only made Kobeni feel heavier, a pang of sadness settling in her chest. She felt pathetic, recalling just how many times Yuki had pulled her back from the brink. Even the reason Yuki wore that eye patch…was because of her, and Yuki never once blamed her for it
Her fist clenched without thought. Maybe this mission…maybe this time…she wouldn't have to lean on Yuki so much.
"We have arrived at Karasuma Oike Station. Please watch your step."
The automated words cut through Kobeni's thoughts, dragging her back into reality.
"Kyoto's waiting for us, let's get going, Kobeni."
Yuki said as she tilted her head with a grin, her turquoise eye glinting beneath the lights of the compartment.
Kobeni gave a small nod. She was still hesitant, when wasn't she? But right now, all she could think about was doing her best.
The duo slipped out with the crowd, their footsteps blending into the endless shuffle of shoes. The underground station glowed under fluorescent lights, reflecting off polished floors that slightly smelled of disinfectant.
Normally, Kobeni would've been overwhelmed by the crowd of people, the chatters and murmurs…but right now she barely paid any attention to it. Her mind was still locked on the weight of Yuki's words.
They didn't get far.
Both women stopped at once with their eyes fixed on the staircase leading toward the exit…or rather, what was left of it.
The stairs leading upwards were cracked and broken, entire slabs of concrete sheared away as if some massive force had torn through them. It didn't look like an earthquake, it felt deliberate, almost like vandalism.
Seeing this, Yuki let out a sigh of exhaustion.
"Of course. Nothing's ever easy when you're trying to save the world." Yuki muttered under her breath, tone flat.
A faint shuffle echoed across the debris-strewn platform above, followed by a soft metallic click. Kobeni's pulse spiked, and she instinctively grabbed Yuki's arm.
"What… what is that?" Kobeni whispered, voice trembling.
"Stay calm," Yuki muttered, eyes narrowing, scanning the shadows that covered the exit. "Someone's up there."
"Well, well…look at you all…scurrying like rats," a cold, amused voice cut through the station, earning the attention of all humans gathered near the ruined exit.
Before either could fully react, a figure materialized atop the broken staircase.
He appeared to have long blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a stature much like most humans…but a vertical, tattooed seal in the shape of an eye marked on his forehead confirmed he was a supernatural being.
Yuki didn't say anything. Her gaze was laser-focused on this newcomer… probably conjuring up a plan on how to navigate this, given that normal humans were also witnessing it.
The figure's gaze swept over the crowd, eyes alight with utter boredom. To his surprise, people hardly showed any shocked reactions; they probably assumed he was some clown.
And this made him frown, making an exaggerated expression as if he was insulted.
"Seriously? No reaction? Fine… you asked for this."
Click.
He snapped his fingers, and in the next moment, chaos erupted.
Before they knew it, screams tore through the station as numerous men and women nearby had their heads violently ruptured, spraying blood all over the floor.
Kobeni's and Yuki's eyes widened in horror. Things had escalated so quickly that it was almost impossible to process.
Yuki gritted her teeth and made a hand-sign gesture, clasping her hands together with the index fingers of both hands extended upwards while the others interlocked.
She knew she couldn't fully understand her target. Everything happened so fast that it was hard for her to predict anything.
Also, he had managed to remotely explode people's heads… surely they would be next if she didn't do something now.
With that, her breath slowed and her mind cleared. It all felt like she was suddenly high with a sudden rush of adrenaline coursing through her body.
"Balance Breaker: Dead Hands Parade."
She commanded, and the world obeyed.
Thirty shadowy hands erupted from her body, shooting straight toward her target, each carrying enough force to crush even the hardest stone.
The man didn't flinch. He let the hands reach him…and then…
THUD
The impact threw him against the wall, shattering concrete beneath him under the sheer power.
Yuki's gaze flicked to Kobeni. "Kobeni! Quickly, call Public Safety. Tell them we need reinforcements, we have a dangerous target here! I can't hold him forever!" The urgency in her tone suggested their target was much stronger than their collective strength.
Kobeni's hands trembled, her fear evident, but she forced herself to stay steady. "Y-yes…just give me a second!" She fumbled for her phone.
Yuki averted her gaze back to the target, expecting to see him pinned but contrary to her expectations…the figure was nowhere to be seen.
Tap. Tap.
Yuki's heart skipped a beat at the sudden tap on her shoulder. She spun to her left, and there he was: the same man she had just slammed against the wall, casually tapping her shoulder as if nothing had happened.
Her eyes widened in shock and horror. She was about to use her hands to attack but she was too late.
BAAM!
His fist collided with her cheek, sending her flying violently through the air.
Pain exploded along her jaw, and she felt it dislocate unnaturally
Meanwhile, Yuki's attacker dusted himself off while he watchedYuki slammed into the elevator's steel doors. Her impact was so loud that it rang throughout the underground station. She winced, pain shooting through her entire body…but she was still alive…barely.
"I thought humans were supposed to be great at hospitality. Is this how you greet your guests?" the man muttered, his tone almost playful yet dripping with mockery. "Lowkey disappointing."
He didn't even glance at Kobeni, nor at the terrified crowd frozen in place. His eyes were locked only on Yuki as he began to stroll toward her, his steps slow.
Yuki forced her head up, vision swimming. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, the edges of her vision blurring.
I'm going to die… at this rate. She thought, her heart hammering in her chest.
He was beyond anything she had ever faced. Not even her Sacred Gear could put a dent in him.
Her Sacred Gear, Phantom Hold, could summon up to thirty invisible hands, each capable of exerting up to six tons of force. Thirty hands meant striking with one hundred and eighty tons of crushing power, and yet, the man hadn't so much as scratched.
Her heart pounded in her ears as his figure drew nearer. Each step he took, she knew her death was inevitable.
But she wasn't the type to give up easily. And so..with trembling fingers, Yuki lifted her right hand, shaping it into a fox's head…her index and pinky extended, the middle and ring pressed to her thumb.
She steadied her breathing.
She could not hesitate anymore..this was her only shot.
Through the little triangle of her hand-sign, she focused on his form and uttered:
"Kon."
.
.
Nothing happened.
"…What?" Yuki's eyes widened in disbelief.
She clenched her teeth, blood bubbling at the corner of her lip. She tried again, this time more forcefully.
"Kon!"
Her voice cracked as she repeated it, louder each time, panic setting in.
"Kon! Kon!"
After repeated attempts to summon the fox devil failed…her hands started shaking uncontrollably, and her eye brimmed with tears.
Cough Cough
A sudden cough ripped through her throat. She pressed a trembling hand to her mouth and froze. Blood was all over her hand from the cough she had let out.
Then… she looked up.
***
Yuki's POV
I don't know why, but even in this desperate struggle, one picture has been stuck in my mind…
Hawaii.
I always wanted to go there with the people I considered family.
Me and Kobeni, my timid partner, the one I always treated like a younger sister…
We'd be sitting at the seashore with cocktails in our hands, the sun warm and bright on our faces. We'd talk as the calm breeze drifted over us, the sound of the tide rolling in and out like a lullaby.
A life like that… away from Public Safety, away from this violent job of blood and chaos…
It must be nice.
Even as my vision blurred, I could still make out Kobeni's figure. I could almost guess the expression she was making. She must be crying right now, covering her face with those delicate fingers.
Every time she cried, it reminded me of my real younger sister, the one I had practically raised like a daughter… only to lose her tragically.
And so, without even realizing it, I'd replaced Kobeni with the sister I'd lost.
It hurts to leave her like this.
I'm sorry I won't be able to protect you anymore.
Still… there's one thing that makes me glad: having someone cry for me. It makes me feel like my life mattered, even if only a little.
Kobeni… please don't beat yourself up too much after I'm gone.
Before I realized it, the man was already close. And then, his hand clamped onto my head and forced me to meet his gaze.
Although I could barely see, at this distance, I caught the full image of that vertical mark on his forehead…his third eye. It sent a shiver through me.
His blue eyes stared at me with lazy amusement.
"I must say," he murmured, "you're even prettier up close. I'd have loved to take you as part of my harem… but I don't take kindly to women who try to kill me."
His grip tightened. Pain shot through my skull; I could feel my brain shutting down under his restrained superhuman grip.
"So would you please… die for me?" he said as the ominous eye fully opened.
That vertical eye… the moment I saw it..it changed something in me.
Suddenly, I had an intense desire to kill myself before he could.
My life had been utterly worthless. I hadn't accomplished anything worth living for…
I am sure, the world would be better off without a failure like me.
With the last of my strength, I summoned one of my shadow hands.
I turned it inward and ruptured my own brain before he could finish me.
The last thing I ever saw was Kobeni's horrified face.
***
Third Person
Yuki was dead.
Her cherished comrade, the one who had saved her life more times than she could count, was gone.
To Kobeni, it felt as though the last anchor holding her to this world had been lost.
Her partner was gone…her sister was gone.
A hot wave of self-hatred rose in her chest. She hated herself, hated her weakness, hated her trembling hands, and her uselessness.
Her breath hitched, and before she realized it, her knees buckled. She collapsed onto the cold floor, fingers digging into the tiles.
Tears blurred her vision, spilling freely down her cheeks. Her whole body trembled, shoulders shaking with ragged sobs.
"Yuki… why?!" Her voice cracked, hoarse and raw. "Why would you leave me like this?! Why?!"
Her hands clenched into fists, nails biting into her palms.
"Only I… only I should've died!" she screamed, her voice breaking into an anguished wail.
In that moment, she felt empty, hollow..like a shell that had been stripped of everything.
She knew deep down nothing would ever be the same without Yuki.
She clenched her fists, and something inside her shifted. If Yuki had wanted her to live, she would dishonor her memory if she failed to follow her last wishes.
She had made up her mind.
Wiping her tears, she tried to rise, but then—
"You know I love timid girls like you," a voice whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine. "The way you cry… it makes me want to take you away with me."
The man tilted his head, amusement flickering across his face. To him, killing her seemed pointless so he decided to play with her.
Kobeni's newfound courage evaporated, and fear crept back in. She trembled again and her eyes started glistening.
"P-please… let me go. I…I will do anything!" she begged, her voice barely a whisper.
"Hmm…" he hummed, leaning closer as if inspecting her.
"Alright then… since you've spoken, you'll do as I say."
He straightened, putting distance between them.
In truth, he was a Youkai, known as Evil Eye. Having lived since the Heian era, he had amassed enough strength to rival the likes of Daiyoukais like Nurarihyon:
Most importantly… he was Kurogami's right-hand man.
After his lord's reawakening, he had been overjoyed, even meeting him briefly. Kurogami had ordered him to capture Aleks, a Public Safety hunter like the two women he now toyed with.
Evil Eye clasped his hands together, drawing Kobeni's gaze. His grin widened at the thought.
And then he spoke, his voice low yet teasing, as if it were part of some cruel game:
"Come now… Kobeni. Dance for me."
Kobeni's brain short-circuited upon hearing his command.
"W-what?" she exclaimed, trembling, eyes wide with terror.
"You heard me," Evil Eye drawled, his grin widening. "If you value your life, then dance. One, two…move those trembling hands and feet. Three, four…don't you dare stop, or you'll bore me."
Kobeni bit her lips. She was scared out of her mind. To her, defying this demon's order was not an option.
She hesitated, then shakily rose to her feet.
"C-could you… turn on some music? I… I can't dance without m-music," she stammered, her voice quivering yet laced with a hint of courage.
Evil Eye blinked, taken aback by her audacity, but his amusement only deepened.
"Hahaha, you sure are interesting, girl. Very well, I will play just the perfect music for you~"
He pulled out his phone and pressed play.
🎶 "I will dance, dance, dance… With my hands, hands, hands…above my hands hands hands…Like Jesus said, I'm gonna dance, dance, dance…" 🎶
And just like that, Kobeni moved. Her hands shot into the air, hips swaying in a rhythm that felt both ridiculous and awkward.
"Yes, yes, girl! Keep dancing~" Evil Eye's voice oozed encouragement.
For a newbie, her hand and leg coordination were surprisingly… functional. The crowd remained frozen, their faces etched with horror upon witnessing such absurdity.
Then, with dramatic flair, Evil Eye spread his arms wide like he was an opera conductor.
From a distance, it looked almost spectacular…as if he were performing in sync with Kobeni.
But reality was far more sinister.
…He was rolling heads. Literally.
One by one, the humans around them met grotesque ends…as their heads ruptured in a crimson spray.
Kobeni, eyes closed, continued moving to the music, blissfully unaware. She remained oblivious to the chaos around her as usual.
"Hahahahahaha~" Evil Eye hadn't had this much fun in ages. Today, for the first time in hours spent tracking that brat named Aleks, he finally felt like his effort wasn't wasted.
The music continued. Kobeni danced, while heads kept rolling.
Evil Eye thought he could die happily in this moment. He felt accomplished and it seemed—
STAB.
His wish was granted as a literal fucking katana plunged through his skull, killing him instantly.
The one who did it was a young man with supernaturally beautiful blue eyes and a very, very, very tired expression. He looked like he had been running for days without rest.
"What in the actual fuck happened here… and why is Kobeni dancing to Bloody Mary?"
Naturally, it was none other than Aleks.
***
First Person (Aleks)
One hour.
I'd been dealing with these knockoff cursed-spirit wannabes for the past hour.
Seeing innocent humans who are utterly oblivious to the supernatural get slaughtered by Youkais snapped something in me.
The Path of Human God had been acting strangely. It kept trying to force revulsion into me at the sight of my fellow humans being brutalized, but my blessing shielded me and protected me from being dragged into that extremist mindset.
I was not a Human Extrinust. I never wanted to be one. Everyone has their place in this world, and humans… humans were simply unlucky enough to be born powerless, lacking the supernatural talents their predators took for granted.
I'd lost count of how many Youkais I'd killed today. High-tier ones were my primary target, and I believe I'd managed to clear most of the unprotected sectors of the city from their onslaught.
Is this what you really wanted, Makima?
I still don't know what's gotten into her today.
And Reze… even with Makima's reveal, I don't have to worry about her…for now, but I still need to get back to her as soon as possible.
Present.
When I arrived at the subway station, the sight stopped me in my tracks.
Humans, or what was left of them, their headless corpses lay sprawled across the floor in bloodied heaps. It looked like a massacre. And at the center of it, some strange man was swaying his hands theatrically while… Kobeni danced to…Bloody Mary.
My eyes widened in horror as realization struck.
Memories of the final arc of CSM Part 1 flashed through my mind. Just like when Pochita had forced Kobeni to "vance" for him, this felt all too familiar.
I see… so that's what happened.
Looking at the sheer number of dead people, I clenched my fist tighter than usual.
Why… why does this always happen?
Could I have prevented it if I'd been faster?
Am I really able to save everyone… or only those willing to be saved?
Am I… even a good person?
***
After killing the guy whose name I won't even bother to remember, I made my way toward Kobeni, who was still… dancing.
Placing my hands on her shoulders snapped her out of it. Her eyes widened when she saw me.
"A-Aleks-kun?" she stammered, then suddenly lunged forward and hugged me.
I was surprised but stayed quiet. We'd gone on our first mission together, but we weren't exactly close enough for this kind of hug. Still, I didn't question it. She had clearly gone through hell, and right now, comforting her was the only thing that mattered.
"Are you feeling any better? I'm here now… you don't have to be scared. We're friends, remember?" I reassured her. She clutched me tighter, and I felt my shirt dampen from her tears.
"Kobeni… there, there. Don't cry, okay? It makes me feel bad." I said softly, rubbing her back in a quiet gesture of empathy.
We eventually separated, our eyes meeting. Her brown eyes reflected all the suffering she had just endured.
Poor girl.
"Tell me what happened here, if you're comfortable talking about it, alright?" I asked carefully, making sure not to push her.
She nodded timidly and began recounting everything.
A few minutes later, I understood. This girl had just watched her partner kill herself right in front of her. To make things worse, she'd been oblivious to the massacre unfolding around her…clearly the work of that Youkai. The more I heard and the longer I spent with her, the more I realized how unlucky she really was.
"Kobeni Higashiyama… what is it you want from me? As your friend, I'll do whatever I can to help you feel better." My tone stayed calm, but I saw her posture shift at my words. At least they meant something to her.
"Do you want to head to the Public Safety Kyoto Headquarters? It's only a few blocks from here. With the number of hunters patrolling that area, it's probably the safest place in the city right now."
Then I gave her a genuine smile. "So… are you coming with me?" I asked, offering her my hand.
She hesitated for a moment, then took it with a nervous smile curling on her lips.
"Thank you very much, Aleks-kun. Reze is lucky to have a kind boyfriend like you," she said without hesitation.
I smiled faintly but said nothing.
***
Emerging from the subway station, I immediately sensed a subtle unease in the air.
Assimilating Toji's physique had sharpened my senses to their absolute limits. With this, I could detect the slightest disturbance in the world around me.
Turning to my left, I saw it: smoke rising from a high-rise building. Flames engulfed it, bright enough to make the night resemble day.
My heart nearly stopped when I realized which building it was…
…Kyoto's Public Safety Headquarters.
"A-Aleks-kun? Is something wrong?" Kobeni asked, her voice trembling, but she fell silent the moment she caught sight of the burning structure in the distance.
I didn't answer.
A black halo manifested above my head, and I extended my right hand.
"Usage: 500 years."
A katana shot out of the black void and landed firmly in my grip.
I turned toward Kobeni who was still shaken by my sudden shift in demeanor.
"Take this, Kobeni. Use it to protect yourself. I can't bring you to Public Safety anymore… so hide and survive," I said, cutting off any reply before she could speak.
I pivoted and took a step forward.
The world blurred as I blitzed through the streets of Kyoto, moving faster than the eye could follow.
A moment later.
My steps halted as I neared the burning structure of Public Safety Headquarters.
I clasped two katanas, each forged with a thousand years of lifespan, and spread into a battle stance.
I didn't stop because of the fire consuming the building. I stopped because of him.
Perched atop a mountain of corpses of Public Safety Hunters, sat a being unlike anything I had ever faced. Four arms, four eyes, and a gaping maw splitting from his midriff. One left hand propped his cheek, lazily resting on a fallen hunter.
A massive grin stretched across his face as he finally turned to me.
"You finally came, Aleks Constantine. All it took was burning a building, eh~?" he ridiculed, voice dripping with mockery.
"I thought I would have to burn this whole city for you to come.~" He continued, grinning as if he'd already won.
I said nothing.
"What now? Cat got your tongue?" he mocked further, amused at my silence.
I couldn't believe it. A variant of Sukuna was in this world. This level of cruelty, this utter disregard for life…it could only be him.
This was worse than I thought.
The more time I stalled, the more lives would get lost.
And only I would be blamed for it.
At that moment I finally made a decision…
"Tell me…" I began, venom dripping from my words, my blue eyes locking onto his blood-red ones.
"…what do you find so entertaining? What's so amusing about this?"
"What do you take life for exactly?"
I paused as my aura thickened, radiating with killing intent.
"What is the weight of human life to you, Sukuna?"
I was unsure what fate awaited us, but I knew one thing…this moment would be marked as the second most legendary battle in Japan's history.
***
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