Chapter 7: The Curse Multiplies
"There's nothing more dangerous than a curse that thinks… and divides."
---
CRACK!
Gojūtei spun with force and kicked Megumi's two Divine Dogs, sending them crashing into shattered shelves.
—Annoying, he growled. But predictable.
Kuro didn't waste a second.
—Shadow… now!
From his extended shadow, dark tendrils emerged—long and sharp as spears.
They slid across the floor, gathering chunks of concrete, wood, and metal: debris from the wall Gojūtei had destroyed upon arriving.
—Let's see if you can handle this!
The shadow-tentacles hurled the rubble as projectiles toward the curse.
THUMP! CRASH! BOOM!
Gojūtei staggered back, blocking some with his arms but not all.
The barrage forced him to retreat.
Rekka appeared on his flank, firing another blast of ice, while Megumi charged in with one Divine Dog still active.
It was a full-on siege.
For the first time in the fight, Gojūtei struggled to keep pace.
He inhaled deeply, and for a second, his smile vanished.
—Hmph… you did well. Now… it's my turn.
He pressed both hands against his chest.
—Cursed Technique: Duplication of Ten Images.
A spiral of black aura swirled between his fingers.
His body trembled… and split.
In mere seconds—
Three Gojūtei stood tall.
Perfect. Identical.
Three special-grade presences.
One, colder in expression, turned and started walking toward the corridors.
—I only want Sukuna's damn finger… and I'll kill you quickly.
He vanished into the shadows of broken columns.
The other two remained.
One turned toward Kuro.
—You hid it, didn't you?
The other raised a hand, cursed energy glowing, aimed at Megumi and Rekka.
—You'd better run, sorcerers. Because now… the game has changed.
---
"Sometimes fleeing… is the only smart move on a broken board."
---
Two Gojūtei surrounded them.
One ahead, one closing in from behind.
Both identical. Both lethal.
Kuro gritted his teeth.
—We can't keep fighting like this… Megumi!
Megumi panted, sweat dripping down his forehead, but his resolve stayed firm.
—What do we do?
Kuro spun on his heel.
—We run! See you never, damn Gojūtei!
Megumi followed instantly.
—Where to?!
—The window!
Kuro pointed at the massive shattered window at the end of the hall.
—Desummon the dogs, now!
Megumi obeyed without hesitation.
—Divine Dogs, return!
The shikigami dissolved into shadow just as Gojūtei charged.
BAM! BAM!
The curse's heavy footsteps thundered. Seconds away from catching them.
Kuro and Megumi leapt.
Glass shattered, sunlight blinded them… and then they were falling into the void.
SWOOOSH!
From Kuro's shadow, Rekka emerged.
The ice iguana caught them with its front claws, jaws opening.
—Now, Rekka! Kuro shouted.
ZAAAK!
Rekka fired a blast of ice downward, like a thruster.
The freezing explosion propelled them forward, far from the school, gliding through the air as if riding a jetpack.
Gojūtei leaned out the window, watching them fly away.
—Really… escaping like that?
And he smiled.
"You don't always need a curse to feel fear. Sometimes, it's enough to know something is hunting you."
---
—Megumi, where are we going?! Kuro yelled as the wind cut their faces.
—Chemistry lab! Megumi replied with determination.
They glided past rooftops and windows, Rekka's frozen breath pushing them like a controlled propulsor.
Below, the courtyards and halls were chaos—students fleeing, teachers shouting, no one understanding what was happening.
—Did you see how that curse split into three? Kuro said gravely. One stayed with us, but another left.
Megumi clenched his teeth.
—He's after Tsumiki…
—Exactly. He'll try to take her hostage… to force us to hand over Sukuna's finger.
---
Meanwhile…
Tsumiki ran through the halls.
Her heart pounded hard.
Each step carried her farther from the battle… but not from danger.
The school felt like a labyrinth.
Teachers shouting, students crying, hiding, running.
Some wept. No one understood.
Tsumiki didn't stop.
> "I can't let them catch me… I can't be a burden."
She reached the girls' bathroom door and rushed inside.
She locked herself in the last stall.
Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone.
She dialed the number saved as "Crazy Sensei (Gojo)."
—Come on… pick up, please… pick up!
The ringing buzzed louder than her thoughts.
A step echoed outside the bathroom.
Tsumiki clapped a hand over her mouth.
She held her breath.
> "He's here? No… not so fast…"
The phone kept ringing.
Beep… Beep… Beep…
Then—
The tone cut off.
"If we can't beat him with strength… then we'll do it with cunning."
---
The chemistry classroom was empty.
Dusty.
Shelves stacked with bottles, test tubes, and substances marked with warning labels.
Kuro and Megumi climbed in through the window, still gasping from their escape.
—Rekka, you've done your part, Kuro whispered.
The ice shikigami melted into shadows, fading quietly back into Kuro's own, which rippled briefly under his feet.
—Megumi, Kuro said urgently. Find chemicals we can use for smoke or explosives.
Megumi didn't answer. He just nodded and began searching the shelves.
Peroxides, alcohols, old reagents…
Not much, but enough.
Meanwhile, Kuro pulled out his phone.
Unlocked it quickly.
—Tsumiki…
He dialed immediately.
---
Tsumiki still hid in the bathroom stall.
The silence was crushing.
The cubicle reeked of damp and fear.
Her phone vibrated again.
The screen lit up: "Kuro calling."
Her hands shook.
—Yes… Kuro?
—Tsumiki, listen! His voice was fast but firm. Don't come out. Gojūtei's after you.
—I know. I saw… he started killing people in the hall… just because they weren't me!
—Listen to me. We're going to stop him. But I need you to help us with something.
—What do I have to do?
Kuro drew a deep breath, eyes meeting Megumi's as he mixed steaming liquids on a metal table.
—Here's the plan…