-Malleus-
I groaned in pain. My body felt like absolute garbage, and the moment I opened my eyes, it just became worse. ''Fucking garbage eyesight…!'' I couldn't move a muscle, but at least whatever was below me felt soft, like some kind of bed or wool.
And now that I've noticed, I wasn't in that forest anymore. Instead, it was a single grey void. Below me, there was indeed a futon, but all around me, there was nothing.
No, that would be wrong.
''Is that a shrine…?'' In the distance, I could see a bizarre structure. Like an old, dilapidated shrine. ''Just where am I… Shit, my throat feels like a damn dessert, too—Ow! Fucking… huh?''
I ''stared'' at the bottle of water that had suddenly dropped on my chest. Like it had fallen out of the very grey sky.
''…Could I get a meal too?'' I chuckled at the absurdity, only for a plate with rice and pork to appear right next to my head a moment later. ''Oh…''
That's when one of my little choices came to mind.
''A space where I could eat, drink, and rest…'' I repeated.
Was this it? Did I fall unconscious and then appear here all of a sudden? But what about the hole in my chest? There was none right now, and what was that woman's voice from before? She offered me some kind of… deal.
''You're finally awake.'' The mature voice said as the sound of steps reached my ears. ''Took your sweet time, too.''
I turned my head with some strain, only to frown, because in reality, I didn't need to turn my head anymore. 'God, 360-degree view is damn freaky.'
A few meters beside me was a woman with crossed arms. She was dressed in loose robes that looked one or two sizes too big, white in color, with a black belt at the waist. Her sleeves, I feel, could fit at least three of her arms combined. And it's definitely not because I was ogling, but the only part that fit 'correctly' in her attire was her chest, which was not straining against the cloth, mostly because it had a very open cleavage.
Her hair was vivid coral pink, and it cascaded down her back. The part that stuck out the most about her, however, was her tattoos, not just on her shoulders, but also on part of her chest and almost all of her face. If I were to guess, there were probably more all over her body I couldn't see.
Speaking of her face, her eyes were blood red in color, like she was some sort of demon, and besides her first, proper set of eyes, there was another, smaller one just below her lower eyelids.
She was also scowling at me like I was some sort of bug she had just stepped on.
''Uh… Hello?'' I replied awkwardly.
My answer was an unimpressed stare and crossed arms.
For someone who, if I remembered correctly, had no problem chatting with herself while I was on the brink of death, the woman was surprisingly silent.
Remembering that I'm pretty sure I was supposed to have a hole in my chest a few moments ago, and the fact that I was alive and well, it should mean that whatever the woman meant by 'switching', she had at least done as she promised and somehow kept me alive.
''Alright, awkward silence…'' I started. ''I don't know how you did it, but… thank you, for saving me I mean, Miss…?''
Seeing the wording for what it was, the woman… chuckled, as if I had told her a joke. ''Don't thank me just yet, brat. I was waiting for you to wake up, because we'll need to have a chat. As for a name…'' She walked closer, and now I could see her smug grin directly in front of my face without looking around like an iguana.
''Sukuna.'' She huffed simply before raising an eyebrow in genuine curiosity. ''Ring any bells?''
I would have thought it didn't, but it actually did?
''The… powerful god with two faces and four arms?'' I started, and kept going once I was a bit more sure of my answer. ''Mostly depicted as a demonic, evil bastard who terrorized the land for shit and giggles… or a benevolent hero who introduced Buddhism to the land…''
The woman—Sukuna, if her word was to be believed, stared for a moment before bursting into laughter.
And I'm talking almost full-belly laugh. Like, she was holding her stomach and everything, and while I'll say that her voice had quite the charm to it, it was also quite deranged, which made me believe I may be dealing with the evil bastard Sukuna.
The fact that she had horns protruding from her head didn't help a single bit.
''I'm guessing you're not the latter.'' I deadpanned. Which, considering my eyes were permanently closed, was quite the feat in my book.
''Ha… No.'' She confirmed with an evil grin. ''But to go as far as depicting me as divine of all things… Fufufufu, the irony is not lost on me. Lucky you…''
Why do I feel like I wasn't actually lucky at all?
Before I could question it further. The woman took one more step closer, crouched down, and slapped a hand directly on my chest, making me wheeze. ''I don't feel like staring down all day. Get up.'' Her hand glowed, and all of a sudden, I felt every nerve in my body light up.
The massive headache I was carrying? Completely gone, just like the soreness and pain in my muscles. I could even breathe better. I still felt that my limbs were weaker than I would have ever liked, but at least there wasn't any more soreness while moving.
''Whoa…'' I tried to move, and my body felt lighter. With a bit of difficulty, I managed to get on my own two feet. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down, and took a look at the empty void. ''…huh.''
''Bland. Disgusting.'' I turned to the self-proclaimed mythological figure and raised an eyebrow at the scene. She had the plate with plain rice and meat in her hands, and was taking mouthfuls with her hand. Yet, her expression was one of distaste as she glared at the food like it had pissed on her coffee. ''Bleh…''
I side-glanced the flying plate as it crashed into the ''floor'', broke, and disappeared. 'My poor food…' I lamented its loss, but I was not about to complain to the woman who had just saved my life and healed my body.
''Oi, brat.'' I turned, staring… up at the tall, tattooed woman as she glared down. I was about to offer my thanks when all of a sudden, my eyes picked up the slightest of movements.
In less than a second, she had gone from standing a few meters in front of me to right at my side. I even opened my eyes, looking at the hand now put over my right shoulder—Not on it, but just barely separated. The black nails tapped against my 'barrier', while on the other side, the woman's face had gone from disgruntled to serious. Maybe even interested.
''Your technique. What is it?'' Sukuna asked with a hum, in what I guessed was curiosity.
''My… technique?'' I blinked before closing my eyes. Even with them wide open, I couldn't even see the woman move. I was just going to save myself the headache. ''…You mean that barrier thingy?''
She raised an eyebrow. Those piercing, blood-red eyes stared deep into my face. Her fingers touched my shoulder when I wasn't paying attention. Yet, after frowning, she huffed, amused. ''Yes, that 'barrier thingy'.''
I didn't know why this supposedly infamous person from mythology was even alive, why we were inside… this place. Or why was she even interested in my… what was it called? Limitless? Yeah, that.
Because in all honesty, this supposed 'Limitless' did absolutely nothing to stop that finger—which looked awfully familiar to the ones tapping my shoulder—from being shoved down my throat, and that magic beam from putting a hole through my chest.
''I don't know.'' I decided to answer honestly. ''I only know its name: Limitless, and that it's supposed to be some sort of barrier that doesn't let anything through…'' Pointedly, I stared at the hand placed firmly on my right shoulder. ''…So much for that.''
For some reason, I felt Sukuna's hand tightening on my shoulder, and I almost scoffed at how just a smidge of pressure made me feel like the shoulder blade was going to be caved in by that grip alone.
''…And your eyes?'' She followed up with another question, staring right at my closed eyelids.
''I know even less about those.'' And now the beautiful, very evil-looking woman was ticked off.
It wasn't hard to discern from this distance. When she asked for the first time, her lips were pressed into a thin line, but her eyes almost… shone with interest. Whatever these 'techniques' were, she appeared to be very interested in them.
Then, when she was amused at my way of calling the Technique, her eyes narrowed, but her fingers tapped softly against my shoulder, while the corner of her lip lifted minutely.
And now that she was… annoyed? The shine in her eyes was gone. And the contemplative glance she was looking at me with did not inspire any confidence.
''Hm. So that's why.'' A second later, I was released. Sukuna crossed her arms and stared down at me for a few moments. ''…You don't know anything about Cursed Energy, do you?''
I rotated my now stiff right shoulder a bit before nodding. ''It's… some sort of evil energy, I think? Though I know of supposedly evil spirits. Creatures like trickster foxes, captivating ice spirits, and…'' I looked slightly above her head, seeing a tall, curved horn protruding from the base of her forehead. Slightly to the side, I could see a smoother bump, which my eyes and mind provided was the place of another horn that had been cut or ripped off a long time ago.
''Ruthless Oni's, too…''
My words seemed to bring a glint of amusement to Sukuna. Now, here's hoping that's a good thing and not a bad thing.
-Sukuna-
'The devil brat's technique is as intriguing as his own mediocrity is infuriating.' She thought.
This one brat, while young, was supposedly in the age of maturity last she remembered. Yet, his body looked as frail as a paper wall, while his Demonic Power was pitiful, probably the same amount as an imp.
Yet, what he lacked in Demonic Power, he made up for in Cursed Energy. If she were to roughly measure it. It will be around… double of what she had in store right now.
And, considering that from her original twenty, the brat had only consumed a single finger, it was low. 'Low for me, high for… a Youkai, I'll say.'
More often than not, she had to look through the gaze of the 'common'. Sometimes, to remember just how great the distance was.
Was it bothersome? Yes, but it was equally as bothersome when she thought she was crushing a mere bug under her sandal, and instead, it turned out to be some mediocre son of a ''Respected Sorcerer''
After all, it was easier to rally an entire army and get a warm-up done by killing their ''Young Masters'' and ''Esteemed Lords'' than a few commoners here and there.
The point was, by how small this ''Malleus's'' Demonic Power reserves were, and how much Cursed Energy he had, Sukuna thought that he may have made a Binding Vow to take away most of his natural-born energy and gain more Cursed Energy to spend on his technique.
Yet, with very few questions, she dug out that it wasn't the case. Sukuna was just stuck with an all-around weird brat instead.
One peculiar response answered some questions, however. The process of reincarnation into a Host was very thorough, to the point that the 'reincarnated' in question would get the memories of the body they are taking possession of.
'Like a boat full of holes.' She had concluded, because this brat's memory had so many gaps, that not even his name, besides his last name and title, remained.
Malleus, that didn't particularly spark any memory. However, she did visit a clan of white-haired, blue-eyed Sorcerers in the past. She had thought they were Yuki-Onna's until she found a male with the same features.
They were uninteresting, but they had a supply of herbs and condiments that Uraume tended to use, so she just let them be.
'The Magic Eyes of Mystery… Interesting.' For a moment, she even thought that was the brat's technique, but after a few tests outside of this Inner Domain, she had discovered that they were not. 'And that just makes him all the more strange.'
Sukuna stared with crossed arms as the frail devil walked around the empty space. He had wanted to 'explore', apparently. When she had used Reverse Cursed Technique to heal his body, she noticed most of the injuries were unnatural.
Stiff limbs, atrophied muscles, sores in legs, arms, and back. Along with the gaps in memories, it was easy enough to deduce the brat had been in a coma. If it were injury, magic, or curse-related, she didn't know, and she didn't particularly care.
And yet. A strange technique, even stranger eyes, a platitude of cursed energy, and an empty Inner Domain that extended so wide that it could engulf hers with ease.
The Queen of Curses's curiosity has been piqued, and since there was nothing else to do, she will stick with the brat for now. Until she got bored, or until all of the remaining nineteen fingers were recovered.
''Maybe he'll prove an actual challenge by the time… Ha! As if!'' With an amused huff, she called out. ''Oi, brat. Come here and make it quick. There's a deal that I'll make.''
-Malleus-
I interrupted my exploring for a bit as Sukuna called out to me.
Just by the small amount of time I spent wandering around—Without getting closer to that ominous Shrine, thank you—I could… think a bit.
If my 'wishes' or 'choices' or whatever had really come true once I came here, I started to rationalize them a bit. And one thing I noticed is that… I basically used some sort of twisted Monkey's Paw; in short, you get a wish, but something shitty would happen in exchange. And I started to notice just what those things were.
First, it was my Limitless, or Infinity… The 'technique'.
Apparently, that was not getting touched, giving me that barrier thingy that could protect me from most things, and it came with the problem of there being methods to go through, besides the fact that if I didn't even know where the attack was coming from, I couldn't stop it either way. Like with that one woman who knocked me out with a single blow after my body was too slow to react.
My perfect sight was easy to discern. If I used it for too long, my head felt like it was splitting in half. Though there may be some other caveats to these abilities.
Being strong was being from this Devil race, I guessed, and the counter-effect was just how frail my body was.
My personal space was obviously this space. It was pretty empty, but at least I could drink water. Though… Was this a physical place, or some kind of soul space? Because otherwise, Sukuna being here made… very little sense. Especially since she appeared out of nowhere when I was lying on the floor.
Speaking of Sukuna… I would guess she's my companion.
And considering the myth of Sukuna: The two-faced Buddha, and how amused she was when I asked if she was 'the good version', I believe I was stranded with a complete psychopath at best, and some sort of evil god-like being that only wished for destruction at worst.
It didn't do shit to reassure my mind. That's for sure.
''Oi, Devil brat.'' I stilled, turning my head to the woman's direction. Her expression had gone from neutral to annoyed, probably because I've been staring at nothing for a good minute while thinking. ''Last I checked, you don't have brain damage, so hurry it up or I'll just do whatever.''
For some reason, an unsettling grin covered Sukuna's face after saying that. And I was not that eager to learn what she meant by ''whatever''
So, I approached, still feeling my legs somewhat wobbly even in this supposed soul/mind/imaginary space. Once right in front of her—having to look up again—I questioned.
''You speak of a deal…'' I wondered, dubious. ''What kind? What are the terms, and just how do I know you'll keep your end of it?''
Call me mouthy, but if I'm dealing with 'very bad, very evil, very morally fucked Goddess/Budha', I was going to doubt her words more than a little.
I got fucked by one ''God'' already, after all. Monkey Paw or not.
''Ha, saucing, aren't you?'' Sukuna crossed her arms and huffed, amused. I haven't seen her pissed off yet, but I felt that amused was a better mood to have her in. "It doesn't matter if you trust me or not; it's a Binding Vow. If I break it, I'll be the one punished."
''Unless you want me to go by the literal wording I get from it…'' I offered a raised eyebrow, getting a roll of the eyes and an unimpressed look. ''I don't know what that is.''
''Let's make it short then; with an example.'' She huffed, offering her hand. ''If I were to set the terms like… I want entertainment, and you want revenge. Then, let us make a vow. We shall inhabit the same body, and as long as you're entertaining, I will teach you how to be strong.''
I kept my eyebrow raised, then I looked at her hand. She gestured it closer with exasperation. Right, the example.
I grabbed her hand with Infinity off. Her palm was oddly soft for what I expected, but those nails were in no way less threatening. ''So… What if I wanted to add a condition? Like, we inhabit the same body, right? What if I want the ability to take that option off the table?''
Sukuna hummed, looking oddly interested in my hand for some reason, before shrugging. ''It could be done, but it would be easier to set a limit to it. For example, I would only be able to take possession of your body if you're willing, or up to fifteen minutes a day unwillingly. After all, at some point, you could make a mistake I could fix.''
I opened my eyes, giving the woman a strange look. Did she mean that as in helping me in the middle of combat, or training? Considering the earlier proposal, it was probably the latter, but I still didn't like how she worded that.
''That could work, I guess.'' I shrugged, trying to take my hand off hers, only for her fingers to grip my hand like a vice. ''…What are you doing?''
Sukuna's beautiful face split into an evil grin. The tall, pink-haired woman chuffed somewhat as her grip didn't falter. I couldn't move my hand an inch off hers, and I was sure that if she wanted to, Sukuna could crush my hand like a twig.
''First lesson, brat.'' Her grin appeared to be amicable, but her eyes were staring at me like a particularly tasty piece of meat. ''Grow some wits. There are many people who would be glad to find someone this naive.''
My eyes widened, and I realized her ploy far too late.
''Wait—'' She shook my hand, and black, glowing chains shot from the union of our hands. They constricted around my arms, and so they did the same to hers.
''Then, it's a deal,'' Sukuna said before releasing my arm.
The chains disappeared, and part of the grey void… collapsed. Or, more like, the terrifying Shrine expanded. Murky, bloody waters included. Until it grew to such length that it covered half of whatever space this was, and my grey void covered the other half.
'…We both inhabit the same body.' I cursed, glaring at the laughing woman. 'Meaning that we probably share this space as well.'
Did that mean that I had actual control over her in this space before? If these spaces represented us, then that meant mine being bigger than hers represented me as the 'outer part', and her as the 'inner part', but with that Binding Vow, I basically gave that advantage away.
The space started to rumble, and Sukuna stopped laughing to wave at me. Then, she jumped high into the air, faster than I could react, and sat down lazily on top of the now massive shrine, surrounded by blood and bones.
''Don't worry. I made sure to fill up your stomach.'' She said ominously with a grin, before she pointed a single finger in my direction. ''Try your best, brat.''
I felt an immense pressure coming from the gesture alone. Something deeply instinctual told me to get out of the way at any cost.
Then, I was not in the inner space anymore. Instead, I was in a forest, in front of a dying fire. The sun was setting, and I felt my stomach much fuller than before. My clothes were still torn, but I had a bandage over my eyes.
And I was holding something.
A roasted, half-bitten arm. If I had to guess, it was from one of those people who were tasked with getting my lifeless body to a 'public space' and 'make a show out of it.'
I threw the arm away, feeling a burning sensation rise to my throat.
If the flames weren't dying before, they surely were now that I was puking all over them.
A cannibal, I was fucking attached to and had unknowingly given half of my body to a cannibal.
Who was now my teacher of some kind, and I'll have to 'entertain' her until I either get revenge on that bastard Rizevim, she had her fill of amusement, or I somehow managed to break this Binding Vow.
''I… I should have—urk—I should have chosen a fucking Pokémon or something…'' Laughter filled my head, but not mine, but from the woman who was now basically a parasite residing inside my body. ''…Fuuuuck.''
-Crosery Asmodeus-
A raven-haired woman, fair-skinned, and with deep purple eyes, walked hurriedly through the halls of her manor. The house of Asmodeus.
Of course, the original one was destroyed centuries, almost a millennium ago, but that didn't impede those servants and proud descendants from re-forming it back to its former self, only without its fearsome reputation
The fact bothered a particular woman each day, Crosery Asmodeus, the closest relative alive of the original Asmodeus himself. Or, at the least, the closest one conscious.
For there was one more. One whose blood was even purer than hers. And recently, she had momentarily dropped her duties fighting Cursed Spirits in the thicket of their territory when notice of this relative's awakening reached her ears.
'Dear cousin…' She thought about the last time she had visited him. It must have been at least five years ago. She just couldn't bear to face his sleeping face and decaying body any longer. 'Are you truly awake? Has our proud blood given you the strength needed to break that damnable curse?'
Crosery was no fool. The moment she saw those shining blue eyes on her cousin's face at birth, she instinctively knew. She thought that here, in the house of devotees that once served under the Original Asmodeus and his Son, he was safe. Safe to be nurtured and grow into the man who will bring glory to our blood once more.
"Lady Asmodeus!" A servant recognized her once she turned a corner, in the direction of where she remembered her cousin's room to be. "What a fortune you're here!"
She raised an eyebrow, taking a few seconds to recognize the older, grey-haired devil before nodding.
"Sebastian. What is it? I'm in a hurry." Her arms crossed as the older man composed himself. "Well?"
"It's the young master! Lord Malleus!"
Her blood ran cold, and her eyes widened. Immediately, her stare hardened.
"Speak. Now." She ordered.
"He has been missing for more than a day!" Sebastian informed with a frown. "We… we have one testimony of the maid that was with him at the time, but she said that she would only speak with you, lest her head go off!"
'A threat of execution… in my own house?' The hall trembled as she lost rein over her Demonic Power for nay a second. Sebastian paled, but she didn't have time to apologize to the older servant. "Take me to her, Sebastian. And start a search. I will pay more than handsomely to those who have a clue about Quin's whereabouts."
"At once, Lady Asmodeus!" Following behind the man, Crosery clenched her fists in silent fury.
One thing was for sure: she would move the Underworld itself. No matter who she'll have to kill, or even… how low she'll have to bow her head. To find her lost cousin. Unlike the rest of the Malleus lineage, he will not be taken away from her.
'The world of the strong really is a disgusting one…' She thought with a sneer.
-Malleus-
"Mng! Fuck!" I grunted, feeling my hands burn from the strain.
"Oi… I feel you're about to drop." Sukuna's voice huffed boredly. "Keep going. That is not nearly enough."
"Too… damn bad… I don't have the stamina… for this shit." I wheezed out, repeating the motion once more, and feeling my entire body protesting. "Haa… too much."
"Come on, come on… You can do better~" Her words were encouraging, yet her half-amused, half-bored tone was anything but!
So, once more, I bit down my pain and punched the tree, feeling the hardwood bruising my knuckles as the wood chipped.
Thunk!
"Sukuna…" I breathed out. "I get the whole 'you're Youkai from a millennium ago' thing… but how the hell is punching trees going to help me with this 'cursed energy'…?"
Seriously, I have been going at this tree for like an hour. And even with my body healed and with a… disgusting meal down my gullet, the strain was unbearable.
A mouth had suddenly protruded from my cheek, along with a singular crimson eye. "Less complaining, more punching." It was Sukuna, now acting as some sort of parasite while scoffing.
"Who are you calling a parasite, you weak brat?" And now she was pissed off, somehow.
"Because you won't explain shit!" I snarled, punching the tree once more and hearing the bark crack. "Have you ever taught before?!"
Another punch. This time, I ignored the wince that followed along as my own knuckles were the ones to crack.
"And I am already in a bad mood because of this damn Bullshit. Series. Of events!" I screamed and punched again.
Only that this time, it wasn't my knuckles or the bark that cracked. But the whole damn tree.
The wood split easily as if rotten, and I watched in shock as the tree was felled by that one punch alone. Even if all my previous ones did nothing more than to crack and scratch the solid bark and hurt my hands.
"What…?" I looked at my hands, and just for a moment, I felt a wisp of something as a red, vile energy engulfed my fists before it vanished altogether. "What was that?"
"Cursed Energy, brat." Sukuna scoffed from her place in my face. "Open your eyes."
Without much hesitation, I moved the piece of cloth from my face, peeking with a singular open eye.
Once more, the influx of information hit my brain. But more importantly, I could clearly see the residue of cursed energy where the tree once stood unopposed.
Dark, angry, unsettling energy clung to the tree bark like it was sludge. It was such a high contrast with what I could feel from the tree itself. Like night and day. Dark and Light.
I hissed as pain started rocking my head, and I put the cloth over my eyes once more. Promptly, Sukuna began to speak in an awfully bored tone.
"Hate, Anger, Disgust, and even 'Love' in some cases. All of it can and often is packed to the brim with Cursed Energy." She paused, and I could awkwardly see her staring at the tree stump. "In your case, I pissed you off, and your cursed energy flowed on its own."
My eyes widened in surprise, before a… slightly warm feeling settled in my gut. "Ah… so this is your way of teaching, then?"
"Hm? Oh, no." She chuckled with an ugly smirk. "There's not much to do here. I was merely entertaining myself."
I could feel my eyebrow twitch before I slapped my cheek, only to hear chuckling inside my head as the extra mouth and eye disappeared before my hand could reach them.
Damn parasite.
"Right… cursed energy." I sighed, staring at my hand for a bit and trying to recall that anger I felt with Sukuna's mockery. "...Not working now? Tsk."
I frowned and tried a different approach.
I thought about that bastard, Rizevim. My teeth grinded together just by remembering his highly-pitched, shitty voice. His crazy mannerisms and the way he just tried to dispose of me like I was gum under his shoe.
And my hand was suddenly covered in that blazing red Cursed Energy again. I allowed myself a smirk at the rush of power flowing from… my stomach? To my hand.
"Surprising amount of killing intent…" I heard Sukuna mutter with slight interest before she 'pushed it aside'. Feeling whatever she was doing in my head was plain weird. "Great. We are moving onto boulders now."
I let an indignant shriek, losing focus and making the gathered energy disperse. "Hell no. I'm hungry as fuck. Later."
Feeling the centuries-old hag roll her eyes in my head. I started looking around. I was quite far from my "execution" place, and the trip, along with the training and my deteriorated body, was all piling up into sheer exhaustion.
That's when I was made aware that my knuckles were hurting like a bitch. One look, and they were clearly bleeding and raw. I couldn't even make a fist properly anymore.
The reason this was a bother was because that 'small heaven' I had was part of some sort of "Inner Domain" bullshit. And when I asked Sukuna if I could somehow bring it outwards, she started laughing like I told her the joke of the century.
"I can't exactly scavenge like this…" I huffed before remembering that warm energy Sukuna used to heal me. "Hey, Sukuna, heal my hands real quick."
The sorceress took a look at my hands before scoffing and mentally waving me away. "Haa? Do you think I'm your personal nurse or something? I refuse."
"I literally cannot feel my knuckles right now… or my fingers." I frowned, using the trunk of another tree just to stand straight.
"Sounds about right to me." Chuckling evilly, I felt Sukuna's presence slowly recede to the back of my mind. "It'll make you tougher… probably~"
"You're useless." I scoffed, frowning at the feeling of my legs shaking under my own weight. "...Damn frail body."
My stomach rumbled, and I looked around. No animals, only the greenery of the forest, and… was that snow?!
"Fuck it," I grunted, feeling the pool of hateful, untamable energy deep in my gut before focusing it on the legs.
They stopped shaking, as cursed energy reinforced the frail muscles of my lower half. I took a step, only to falter as I lost focus and almost buckled to the ground.
"I'm… not dying like a damn dog." I snarled, getting back to my feet before I started walking again.
The Cursed Energy felt like a damn drag. Like trying to move sludge instead of blood through my veins. Slowly, but surely, I kept going. One step in front of the other.
I didn't notice when the terrain changed. From lush grass and green trees to piles of snow and a cold tundra. Even as each ragged breath left behind a small cloud of cold air, I let Cursed Energy be my warm blanket.
'Where… did I stumble on…? The fucking… ice age?' My teeth clattered against themselves, and I could barely feel my fingers. '...What's that?'
In the distance, I saw… smoke, and light. It was barely distinguishable with all the snow, but for a moment, I thought I saw something akin to a rudimentary home and… a person?
A person, a woman, I believed. With barely any clothes on besides the ones covering her intimacy.
How could someone be clothed like that in this damn cold?' I wondered. A few more steps, and the images became a bit clearer. Though the corners of my vision started darkening. 'Are those… horns?'
I didn't have any more time to look. My Cursed Energy faltered again. With a grunt, I fell to the ground, face-first into the cold snow. My legs felt weak, I couldn't feel my hands, my arms were numb, and I was just so tired.
"Hey! What's…. He… Over there!"
"... Male… isn't… magic…?''
I could barely make out the words. Though I did hear the winds picking up, and the sound of snow getting crunched below someone's feet.
"Male… stink… Strong… Oni?"
"Chief… he may…Dehorned…"
Even with my face against the snow, I could see someone approaching my limp form on the ground. It was a tall woman, with two horns protruding out of her forehead… just like Sukuna's with her single horn.
I felt my body getting picked up by my robes. The muscular woman frowned for a moment and… sniffed the air? Before her face broke into a predatory grin.
She cheered some words back to a group behind her, but even with the proximity, I couldn't hear a thing. I just wanted to sleep.
The last thing I saw was my body getting cradled into the woman's arms like I was a babe before I passed out.
.
.
.
Auhtor's Note: Eyy, chapter 2. Now we get just what sort of dynamic there's between our lil Gojo expy and Sukuna.
Also, we get the former's full name: Quin Malleus.
If you noticed that Sukuna may be a *bit* too... mellow, (Though, Quin's introduction and attitude is much more amicable to Sukuna than Yuji in this case), don't worry, that's on purpose.
For anyone wondering, Crosery is a female version of Creuserey Asmodeus (You cannot even blame me for this, bro looked like the most generic fuck EVER)
I have another 4 chapters of this fic on my Patreo n, if you want to check that out.
Discord Link: discord .gg/ 92Yt5wxeWN
Patreo n: patreo n .com (slash) HamsterX42