Chapter 9: The Shadow That Didn't Leave
"Not everything we defeat… disappears."
---
The night was heavy.
Kuro, Megumi, and Tsumiki walked down a side street, still in their wrinkled uniforms, covered in dust and marks.
The city seemed silent, as if it too was recovering from everything that had happened.
No one spoke.
But then…
Kuro stopped.
Still. Rigid.
Megumi and Tsumiki halted a step behind him, staring in confusion.
—Kuro? —said Megumi.
—Are you okay? —asked Tsumiki.
Kuro didn't answer.
He only closed his eyes for a moment.
His shadow stirred.
—It's nothing —he said, though his voice was tense.
—Just… I can't hold it in anymore.
He barely turned his head, then whispered:
—I want to summon him.
Megumi frowned.
—Who?
Kuro stretched out his hand. His shadow extended.
It rippled like black water.
—Gojūtei.
---
The figure rose slowly from the shadow, as if dragged out.
The same height. The same presence.
But its expression was different.
Sullen. Rigid.
Humiliated.
It was no longer a special-grade curse.
Now… it was a grade 2 shikigami.
Megumi stepped forward, tense.
Tsumiki also grew alert.
But Kuro raised his hand.
—Relax.
He walked up to Gojūtei.
Met his eyes.
And with an ironic smile, said:
—Sit. Like a dog.
Gojūtei growled.
Tried to resist.
But his body bent.
And he obeyed.
Megumi and Tsumiki exchanged uneasy looks.
At first, they had feared Kuro couldn't control him.
But now… they saw that he could.
And that… was also worrying.
Kuro breathed heavily.
Sweat rolled down his forehead. His breathing was uneven.
—It's still hard to maintain him… —he muttered.
Even though Sukuna had healed his body,
his cursed energy reserves were running low.
"When you touch the darkness… a part of it stays in you."
---
Kuro panted.
His forehead slick with sweat.
His eyes fixed on Gojūtei, still kneeling, silent.
Almost trembling.
At his side, Megumi crossed his arms.
A faint, crooked smile on his lips.
—You know what this means, Kuro? —he said.
Kuro answered with the same smile.
—Of course I do.
They both spoke at the same time:
—Revenge.
---
Gojūtei lowered his gaze.
His expression wasn't anger.
It was fear.
—I… only wanted to live in peace…
Not bother anyone…
Why me?
Kuro leaned slightly toward him.
Still panting, muscles tense.
—Don't play the victim.
But then, an unexpected voice cut through.
—Stop whining, five-year-old baby.
Tsumiki.
Her tone was sharp.
Almost cold.
Kuro and Megumi turned in surprise.
She… was always the kind one.
The one who calmed.
The one who softened.
But not this time.
This time, her eyes were tired.
Fed up.
Changed.
Gojūtei said nothing more.
Kuro let out a long exhale.
And raised his hand.
The shadow rose, wrapping around Gojūtei.
—Desummon.
In a breath, he vanished.
---
The three stood in silence.
Staring at the ground.
At the emptiness.
They had survived.
---
The atmosphere stayed tense.
The silence after Gojūtei's desummoning felt too heavy.
Until Megumi, with a long sigh, spoke:
—What if… we calm down?
Kuro glanced sideways at him, and though still pale from the strain, he smiled.
—What if we get ice cream? Sounds good to me.
—Yes —Megumi and Tsumiki said at the same time.
---
They walked a few blocks to a fairly large ice cream shop, the kind with metal tables outside, warm lights, and soft instrumental music in the background.
They entered.
The place smelled of vanilla, cookies, and calm.
They sat near a window.
—I'll order the ice creams —said Tsumiki, standing up.
—What flavors do you want?
—Coconut —said Kuro, holding up two fingers.
—Chocolate. Always. —answered Megumi without hesitation.
—Perfect… and do you guys have money?
Megumi and Kuro looked at each other at the same time.
Faces of panic.
—Uhh… —said Kuro.
—I didn't bring any… —said Megumi.
—Did you? —they both said at once.
Tsumiki raised an eyebrow.
—You literally have shadow techniques, summons, near-infinite storage…
And you don't bring a single coin?
Silence.
Guilty faces.
—Fine… I'll cover it.
But next time, summon a wallet, okay?
—Thanks, Tsumiki. You're my angel. —said Kuro, resting his head on the table.
Tsumiki smiled.
For the first time in hours, she felt light.
Like a normal girl.
—Here you go! Coconut for you, chocolate for you…
And I got vanilla with cookies —said Tsumiki, placing the ice creams on the table.
Kuro and Megumi smiled.
A simple smile. Almost normal.
But it was just a mask.
They ate in silence.
Tsumiki chatted a bit, trying to lighten the mood.
She told a funny story about a teacher and a mistake with the projector in class.
Megumi nodded.
Kuro laughed now and then.
But their eyes didn't lie.
They were elsewhere.
Planning.
Waiting.
---
Later, out on the street, the sky had grown even darker.
The orange streetlights flickered, and the air smelled of dampness.
Tsumiki walked a few steps ahead, distracted with her phone.
Kuro leaned toward Megumi.
—Now?
Megumi nodded.
—We're not sleeping until we know where that finger came from.
---
When they reached a deserted street, Tsumiki said:
—We're almost home!
—See you there, we're just stopping at… a little shop —said Kuro quickly.
Tsumiki raised an eyebrow but didn't ask further.
She kept walking.
As soon as she was a few meters ahead, Kuro stopped.
His shadow moved as if it were breathing.
Megumi stood beside him, watching.
Kuro raised his hand and closed his eyes.
—Let's see if you still have a tongue, bastard…
And the shadow opened.
It rose like a black crack.
And from it… he emerged.
Gojūtei.
Smaller now, somewhat hunched,
he no longer had the aura of a monster.
But he still bore the expression of someone who doesn't forget.
—You again… —muttered Gojūtei hoarsely.
Megumi stepped forward.
—We need answers.
Who gave you Sukuna's finger?
Gojūtei didn't respond.
He only lowered his gaze.
—It wasn't a coincidence it showed up at our school —Kuro said firmly.
—And you went straight for it —added Megumi—.
So talk.
Silence.
Kuro clenched his fist.
His shadow slowly rose, forming a black needle.
—Don't make me drag it out of you.
I own you now. And that means I can break you…
even if you don't want to die.
Gojūtei raised his head.
And spoke.
—Fine…
I'll tell you.
---
Kuro held Gojūtei kneeling, bound by his own shadow.
Megumi watched in silence.
The air was heavy.
The night darker here, in the middle of the empty street.
Gojūtei lifted his gaze.
His expression wasn't defiance anymore…
But resignation.
—To start with…
I didn't bring Sukuna's finger to your school.
Megumi frowned.
Kuro raised an eyebrow.
—Then talk —Kuro said—. Who did?
Gojūtei sighed.
—Three curse users.
Three humans.
They got it first…
And sold it to students at your school.
—What? —Megumi's eyes widened.
—A trade… inside the school?
—Not just there —Gojūtei continued—.
That group sells cursed objects for money.
Sometimes to help regular people against curses…
Other times… for darker purposes.
Kuro ground his teeth.
—Do you know who they are?
—Not their names…
But I know enough.
Gojūtei looked up, serious.
—There are three.
And while they're not very powerful…
They have more experience than you.
One is grade 3.
Another, semi-grade 2.
And the strongest… grade 1.
Megumi tensed.
—What techniques do they have?
Gojūtei hesitated. But spoke.
---
Grade 3 User – "Kōmyō" (Blinding Light)
Cursed Technique: emits an intense white light from his body or contact points.
The victim doesn't need to look at it directly.
Just a few seconds of exposure causes temporary blindness (like partial or total magical blindness).
He is the only one who can see inside that field, giving him a huge advantage to escape or counterattack quickly.
The light lasts a limited time and doesn't work if barriers block it (like complete shadow, or being inside a sealed object).
Style: evasive and tactical.
Weakness: can only use it a few times a day before exhaustion.
---
Semi-Grade 2 User – "Enka" (Living Candle)
Cursed Technique: Shōmei no Shokuyō ("Consumption of the Flame").
He manipulates candle matter: wax, wick threads, and fire.
He can form whips, projectiles, traps, or even "fire seals" that briefly paralyze the opponent on contact.
The longer a candle burns, the stronger its flame and the tougher its wax.
He can turn them into bombs.
Style: mid-range and traps.
---
Grade 1 User – Unknown
Cursed Technique: Unknown.
Gojūtei never saw him use it.
---
The air grew colder now.
The silence between Kuro and Megumi felt lighter… but not empty.
Gojūtei remained on his knees, still chained by shadow.
He looked at Kuro without rage, without submission. Only… resignation.
—Thanks for cooperating —said Kuro, without irony this time.
Gojūtei didn't answer.
He only lowered his gaze.
Kuro raised his hand.
The shadow wrapped like a black sheet…
And Gojūtei disappeared.
—Desummoned.
---
Megumi turned to him.
—Hey, Kuro…
How did you get rid of the clones before?
Kuro blinked.
He hadn't expected the question.
—The clones?
—Yeah. I only saw them go into some kind of crack. But I didn't understand where.
Kuro scratched his neck.
Looked away.
—Ah… that.
It was a portal.
—A portal?
—Yeah. To another world.
I discovered it that same day.
I didn't tell you because… well… I didn't understand how it worked.
Megumi stared at him for a few seconds.
Then only nodded.
—Alright.
Let's go home.
I don't want to worry Tsumiki.
Kuro smiled faintly.
—Yeah… you're right.
They walked in silence.
Together.
But with more questions than answers.