Chapter Two: Unexpected Alliance
The walk in the forest to the city was a long one, Akira was already tired. Jūzō decided to carry her on his back. He didn't seem to be tired, after all, he was a curse.
They made it to the city, vehicles moving here and there, people chattering and minding their own business.
He walked further into the city, everything was eye catching, they were wonderful.
Vendors of delicious snackings like popcorn, hotdog, corndog and so on.
The sky was bright and clear, the surrounding as usual was noisy with people talking and blabbering.
People around him were pityful of them. After all, his body was drenched with blood, clothes wreaked of sweat and demon blood. His clothes' arms and trousers were ripped making him look like he was wearing shorts.
He hated the way they looked at him and Akira.
When he passed by a shop of powerful talismans, the talismans glowed violently and the whole shop shook like it was going to shake to shake to it's foundation. People in it were scared and the shop keeper didn't even know what to do.
The walk continued and Akira on Jūzō's back was getting hungry.
"Jūzō?",she called.
"What?"
"I'm hungry, when are we going to reach home and eat?"
"Very soon dear, very soon. Just hold on a little longer, okay?, Jūzō will find you something to eat".
She closed her eyes but didn't reply, she was obviously very hungry and so was he.
He reached a place and saw a fat popcorn vendor. He walked slowly among the crowd and swiped a popcorn right under the vendor's nose like he thought. The vendor noticed and shouted.
"Hey, thief, give me back my popcorn".
"Sorry sir, I'm so sorry sir but my sister is hungry and we have no money", he said with a sad face.
"Why should I care?, get out of my face you beggar",the man spoke in anger.
Jūzō was enreged by those words, "beggars", his eyes turned red, his voice grew cold and his nails came out long enough to be able to pluck his brain out.
"Look here Mr, I don't care who you are, give me that popcorn or I'll dip this fingers of mine into your nose and pluck out your brain".
The fat man grew scared and gave him two popcorn instead of one.
"I-i-i-i'm so s-s-s-sorry, here's your popcorn. Here, take t-t-two instead".
He was shivering with great fear like he just saw death
Jūzō smiled leaving the fat man to ponder on what he just saw.
"Akira, look what big brother brought for you".
"Popcorn, thank you brother",she said excitedly as she ate.
Jūzō also ate it, his hunger was so big that he finished it in 2 minutes.
He bumped into a woman, tall, white hair, black clothes and white shoes.
He looked at her but didn't say sorry.
"Hey boy, you bumped into me, don't you think you need to apologize?",the woman said with voice as beautiful as the morning sun.
She noticed something off from him.
"His cursed energy is extremely high, too high for a little boy. Even the girl he's carrying seems to have cursed energy too, mmmnnn. Maybe this two will be great addition to the school of sorcerors"
Jūzō looked at her in confusion, she was lost in her thoughts. He decided to walk away and avoid further discussions but she stopped him by holding his shoulder.
"Wait, do you have a place to stay?",she asked
"Why is she asking whether I have a place to stay or not"
"No, why?"
"Thank goodness, he doesn't have a place to stay. Now's my chance".
"My name is Sae Himuro, Sorceress of Majutsu High, would you like to come along, there's space for two more",she said smiling.
"So, she's a Sorceress, Don't worry, I'll get you and the others for not helping my family and village at the time we were ambushed"
"Nevermind", he said walking away.
"What?, We can teach you how to fight and do majic".
He stopped and pondered a little.
"Damn, I do no how to do majic but not well. And I don't even know how to fight, and we need a place to stay, why is destiny treating me like this?. I guess I have no other option but to agree"
He looked at her, she was smiling.
"Okay, I agree".
"Good, now I'll take you to Majutsu high, you'll be staying there from now on".
He followed her with Akira on his back munching on the popcorn.
Majutsu High
"Here is Majutsu High, isn't it beautiful?"
Jūzō and Akira were stunned by the beauty of the place. The place had a big building. It also had a big garden with beautiful flowers like Roses, Sunflowers and even Violet and a swimming pool. The sun was shining bright illuminating the place.
"It is",he replied.
"Brother?, Is this where we are going to stay?",Akira asked excitedly.
"Yes sis, yes".
"Yay!"
"Come with me",Ms Sae said.
He followed her into the Hall of Majutsu high, there were rooms, classes, training ground, cafeteria and so on.
"This is Majutsu high, where sorcerors come to train and rise in grades",she spoke
"Grades?", Jūzō asked in confusion.
"Yh, there are four grades in Majutsu high, Special grade which battle specially ranked demons, The First grade who battle first grade demons, The second grade who battle Second grade demons and finally the Third grade which is for newbies like you. You and the others are going to battle curses, only curses".
"If I may ask, what are curses and how are they born?"
"Well curses are negative emotions from us humans, they gather together and are born taking any physical form possible, whether it's disgusting or not, some even take up human form and have cursed energy and even do Majitsu".
"So we humans are their creators"
"Yes"
"Is it possible for a human to turn into a curse", Jūzō asked with curiosity.
Ms. Sae paused for a moment and then spoke.
"Yes, if the human is dead or turned into a curse by a cursed spirit. They can also turn to curse if they have cursed energy and are about to die, why do you ask".
"Nothing, I just wanted to know".
"Follow me".
"To where....Ms. Sae",he asked
She led him to a dojo like room where a man surrounded by teddies was. He was a tall man in his early 50s.
He stood up from where he was sitting.
"This is Sensei Rikuya, Rikuya Kurobane, he is the owner of the school and my Master".
"Who have you brought here now Sae?",the man spoke, his voice thick that one could hardly hear.
"This is....."
"Oh my goodness, I forgot to ask his name".
"Well, this is....",she said gesturing to Jūzō to introduce himself.
"I am Jūzō Kurozama, and this is my sister, Akira Kurozama".
"And what technique do you use?",the
Rikuya asked.
"Technique?",he said confused
"What magical technique do you use boy?".
"Oh, I use the slicing technique, I guess that's what it's called"
"You guess?, And what technique does the girl use"
"I don't think she has a cursed energy to use a cursed technique".
"Nonesense!",the man spat.
"She sure has a cursed energy and I can sense it now"
"What?", Jūzō asked.
"Her technique must obviously be the cursed doll technique judging by the teddy she's holding and the amount of cursed energy she has. You also have a lot of cursed energy, but do you know how to fight?",he asked
"Well.....no"
Rikuya's eyes darkened.
"Then this place is not for you, no matter how much cursed energy you have, you can't survive in the world of Curses and demons".
"Bit I did take down six demons all by myself", Jūzō muttered to himself
"What did you say?".
"Nothing sir"
"Sensei, this boy has a lot of cursed energy, at least give him a chance, he could be the solution to all the curses and demons",Ms. Sae muttered quietly to Sensei Rikuya.
"Tell me why you want to join Majutsu high",he asked.
"Because I want to be able to protect my family and those that need my help"
"Alright, if you can win me or impress me in a fight, you can join"
"What?, I can't fight an old man"
"He meant you will fight his doll, he uses cursed doll technique, he puts a tamed curse into a doll and it comes to life in and obeys his every order",Sae clarified.
"And also, don't call him an old man, he doesn't like that".
One of the doll in shape of a bear in front of the man stood up and walked forward towards Jūzō.
Jūzō dropoed Akira and was ready to fight, the teddy dashed fast and hit Jūzō right in the guts with a great punch sending in to the ground.
"Tsk, such speed".
He stood up still feeling the pain.
"Brother be careful",Akira shouted.
Jūzō looked at the doll with an angry look.
It charged again and hit him with an uppercut. Again Jūzō was sent flying.
Akira watched a little bothered.
"If you can't fight, how do you expect to protect others?, Now don't be a weakling and get.....up!"
The doll charged again but Jūzō caught it's punch mid swing with his left hand.
"What?, He caught it",A surprised Sae said.
He landed a devastating punch on the teddy bear doll and it was sent flying across the room but it didn't fall. It charged again but Jūzō was ready, he jumped planning to land a kick on it's head but itsaw it coming, it caught his leg and threw him. But before it threw him, Jūzō swiped and the hand of the teddy was cut off instantly.
"Looks like we have another star student",Ms. Sae said
Jūzō wanted to attack but—
"That's enough, you have passed, you are accepted, your day of training and missions starts today effectively".
Jūzō was excited
"Wait, what of my sister?".
"I guess we can give her a chance too"
"Thank you sir"
He was taken away by Ms. Sae. Both him and his sister.
In the Hall
"Your room is the last room on the left, I'll leave you two to rest, tommorow I'll introduce you to the others and you will start your first mission".
"Okay Ms. Sae"
"Please, call me Himuro Sensei",she said Smiling as she catwalked outside the hall.
"Finally, we have a place to live, but first, I'll have to take a bath, I wreak of sweat and blood. Come on Akira, let's go to our room",he said sounding a little light hearted.