November 17th, 2018 Tokyo Jujutsu High

  “So this… glowing box thing Is called a cellphone?”

  Inquiring about the phone she had given him a few hours ago, he looked towards his babysitter. His posture while sitting in the chair he had commandeered was rather unique. His legs draped off one end of the chair and his head hanged off the other. He had gotten out of the bath a handful of minutes ago and had yet to tie his hair back into his signature bands. WIthout them present his hair was able to reach down all the way to the floor. It was surprising to the young girl watching that his hair was even longer then hers. She didn't voice these thoughts for fear of the worst this man could do.

  “Yeah, you can do all sorts of things on it like playing games and looking stuff up Mr. Kashimo”

  The girl kept her voice measured and maintained the strained smile on her face as she responded. Keenly aware he could and probably would kill her at a moment's notice If she did something to set him off. Hakari and everyone else had assured her he wouldn’t, but it didn't do much to ease the girls nerves. Everyone else was busy being healed, out investigating, or had left before Yuji had arrived yesterday.

  Only one person had left before Yuji had came with a half dead Angel and Maki in tow. Saying he had something important to do before running off was just like Kusukabe. Leaving when he did and being blissfully unaware of how much danger everyone at Jujtsu high-- no, the entire world was in was only something that could happen to him.

  “Looking stuff up?

  Not only was he an expert at slacking during missions he was lucky to boot. It had been three years since the girl had met him. Since then he had taught her how to be a sorcerer. During her life as a sorcerer she had met plenty of… unique individuals. But Kusukabe was special among those countless oddballs.

  Dependable yet not at the same time. He had saved her life back at Shibuya, yet he had deliberately chosen to go around the country and section off the colonies. A relatively low risk task compared to everyone else who went in with the intention of scoring points.

  The girl let out a sigh at her frustration towards him. She knew well that it wasn't her place to judge someone else's actions. Everyone was entitled to their own path, one of cowardness or bravery. She was no different then him when it came to their respective contribution during the culling games. In fact he was probably able to assist more, all she had done was feed information on what the others were doing right before her and Okotsu had left the colony with his domain.

  “Hello, can you hear me Miwa?”

  Still though, Kusakabe was different then her, he was strong and capable. He was capable of doing so much more to help everyone than just tagging along with Inumaki. Attempting to argue It being the responsibility of the strong to help out, was something that felt cliche and stupid Miwa. But she really did feel like it held some truth in this case. Well aware it wasn’t fair of her to judge him based on what she thought he should do. But she couldn’t resist the urge to do so. More than anything she envied him.

  The girl was painfully aware of there many similarities: no cursed technique, average cursed energy output, average cursed energy reserves, blade wielders, and their only notable skills being simple domain. These similarities were no coincidence, as her teacher Miwa had emulated Kusukabes fighting style the she was taught. Despite her adoption of his style and their countless similarities, there was still one critical difference between the two of them. A difference she l cold never seem to overcome. He was strong and she was weak.

  “Why are you…”

  It was a difference she had always been aware of, and always wanted to bridge. But she never could, instead all Miwa could do was look towards her teacher with envy and hate. Envy for how he had managed to reac a realm well beyond her grasp. Hate for how he was everything she wanted to be and instead chose to stay away from battles where his strength would prove useful.

  If she was as strong as him, back at Shibuya she knew she could have put an end to all this before it began. Everyone’s efforts had given her an opening to kill Kenjaku, everyone had put their faith in “Usless Miwa”. In return for reciving tat faith, she had thrown everything into that one swing, her past and future. A swing he had snapped with his bare hands.

  “...”

  Looking down at her hands, she faced her palms up so she could examine them. They weren’t completely soft, calluses were present from her sword practice. Marks of the effort she had put in to become someone dependable and strong. Effort spent had spent in vain.

  While looking down she noticed another pair of feet in her peripheral a few feet in front of her. Absentmindedly traveling up from there she found a pair of legs before reaching a torso. Finally she was met with a pair of blue eyes that were looking into her own. She was surprised with what she thought she saw in those eyes--genuine concern.

  “Are you okay?”

  feeling something cold fall onto her hand, she looked down to see what it was--a drop of water present on her palm. Reaching up to find the source, She realized It was her. Silent tears were runing down her face unbeknownst to her. Heat quickly rushed to her face in embarrassment for such a display in front of a stranger. She hurriedly went to rub them away while stammering out an terrible excuse.

  “Yeah I’m fine I just um… I just… I was just thinking of a sad video I saw yesterday. Was there something I could help you with.”

  Miwa could tell from the way his eyebrows raised that he didn't believe her laughable lie. Thankfully enough he decide not to press the issue.

  “... What did you mean by looking stuff up and playing these… ‘games’? Hakari mentioned something like that and I didn’t really get it.”

  “It’s um… Stuff you can do on a phone. Here let me show you”

  Sitting across the table from Kashimo, Miwa took the opportunity to scrutinize him for the first time. He had taken the time to tie his hair back into buns while she had been explaining, and was currently engrossed with the phone she had given him and whatever game he had installed. Miwa was impressed with how quickly he had gotten the hang of technology. She had taken him for a muscle brained fool. But he had payed attention during her explanation and had figured out how to do everything in about 20 minutes.

  Since then he had been sitting there playing some game and Miwa had been watching. Kashimo was angry when he found out he would have to wait to fight Sukuna, he still partially was. But Hakari had managed to calm him down. It still felt surreal that her that she had been asked to keep watch over such a powerful and deadly ally. Kashimo had killed over 40 people in a handful of days, and more after that. He was someone confident enough in his strength to want to fight Sukuna.

  Yet here he was, playing some trashy mobile game across the table from her. Miwa let out a sigh at the absurdity of it all. Someone as useless as her had been given such an important job. She was aware anyone could watch over Kashimo and that it wasen’t an all too arduous task. Still, she couldn’t help but think someone more qualified then her should be doing this.

  Kashimo suddenly swore before his head fell down onto the table. Having died in the game he had been playing. Picking his head up off the table slightly, he turned to look at Miwa. Despite the way Kashimo came off social graces weren’t a novel concept to him. He had enough sense about him to know Miwa didn’t want to discuss the reasons behind her outburst. But, his curiosty far outweighed his generosity.

  “So… why were you crying earlier exactly? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

  Miwa felt herself squirm at the unwanted attention. She could just tell him she didn’t want to talk about it, which she really didn’t. But that was mostly because she didn’t want to burden anyone with her insecurities. He was asking and she… she didn’t really care about him, so off loading her problems didn’t make her feel that bad.

  “I was… just thinking about how pathetic I am. Everyone’s giving it there all and I’m powerless to help. Back before the Culling Game started we fought with Kenjaku briefly. Everyone’s efforts gave me a chance to end his life. I threw everything I had into one swing, but he brushed it aside like it was nothing.”

  She had brought her hands together in front of her and nervously fiddled with them as she talked. Kashimos posture remained lax with his head resting on his arms barely above the table. Despite this he was being attentive and listening to everything the girl was saying. After waiting a moment to see if he would interject, Miwa continued after being sure he wouldn’t.

  “All I managed to do was serve as a messenger to Okkotsu. Now I’m here watching you because everyone else is busy. I don’t even have a cursed Technique despite being a sorcerer. You…” Miwa tilted her head down to look at the table as she finished speaking.

  “You probably think I’m really pathetic huh.”

  She wasn’t really sure why she decided to add that last jab to herself. Everyone always assured her that she wasn’t useless despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. No one ever had called her by her self appointed title. Even if it was by a stranger, Having her inadequacies reaffirmed would let her stop trying to waste time over coming them.

  Mecharu’s last words to her were that as long as she found happiness his dream would come true. She could be happy with her useless self, all she needed was someone to affirm her value. She could give up on being strong so long as she finally heard it from someone else that she had no chance. She could make his wish happen so long as she finally heard what she’d been looking to he--

  “Not really no.”

  “... Huh?”

  Lifting his head up the table to sit properly. Kashimo firmly denied Miwas faulty assumption of his opinion on her. A denial that left Miwa dumbfounded.

  “I don’t think you're pathetic.”

  At her confusion over Kashimo’s statement, he made it more clear to assure there could be no confusion to her over what he intended to convey.

  “A sorcerer not having a cursed technique isn't common place persay, but it's not the most unprecedented thing in the world. I’m not sure how standard it is in this era, but in mine sorcerers who became acomplished without one could be found with a little bit of searching.”

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  Miwa listened intently to Kashimo’s explanation. Surprised to hear such things, Kusukabe was the only sorcerer without a technique she had ever heard of excluding herself. Cursed technqiues becomeing more commonplace as time went on seemed like the most reasonable explination Miwa could think of. Not giving her any time to let the new information sink in, Kashimo contiuned on.

  “I’ve never actually used my cursed technqiue before despite having one. So no I don’t think not having onemakes you pathetic. Besides I think the crux of your issue is using pathetic and weak incorrectly.”

  “I am?”

  “You are. Being pathetic doesn't make you weak, and being weak doesn’t make you pathetic. That’s not to say someone can’t be both, but I don’t think that’s true in your case. You’re certainly weak but I wouldn’t say you’re pathetic.”

  Miwa couldn’t help but frown and what she thought was the reincarnated sorcerer's attempt at a compliment. Things didn’t get better for her as he kept on talking.

  “You’re overall cursed energy is average at best, the same is probably true for your output if I had to make a guess. Since you said you don’t have a cursed technique that makes both being average downgraded to subpar in actual combat. I don’t know your proficiency with whatever weapon you use, but assuming it’s above average unlike your cursed energy. Your overall combat ability would still amount to a below average sorcerer.”

  “... You um… Yeah…” Deflating at his his harsh but irrefutably true words, Miwa could only agree as she slowly sank down onto the table. Burying her head into her hands as she began to sulk. Miwa had been intending for Kashimo to confirm her assessment of herself. But his denial of her patheticness had given her a moment of false hope. In that moment Kashimo had saw through her and listed the reasons for why she felt the way she did. It was a tactic that caused her no small amount of mental harm.

  Her attempt to melt down into a puddle was interrupted by more of Kashimo’s honest remarks.

  “There’s no need to be ashamed of your weakness, It’s possible for anyone to become strong with practice and discipline. Overcoming one’s cowardly or pathetic nature is a much more arduous task. Nothing is impossible but I’ve never seen anyone overcome such a fault myself.”

  Lifting her head up slightly, Miwa met Kashimo’s gaze. He was staring at her intently, seemingly serious about what he was saying. It seemed to her he was the kind of person who would tell someone what they honestly thought, and not want they wanted to hear regardless of who they were. Miwa had taken his assessment of her strength as an insult after he had dropped her guard, but now it seemed that's just the way he was. Just as Miwa realized this about him, Kashimo continued on.

  “Being pathetic or cowardly can be true for anyone regardless of there strength. Some of the strongest people I’ve fought were pathetic cowards who begged for there life when face with a superior adversary such as myself. In my opinion being pathetic means your to afraid to stand up for what you believe in despite being capable of doing so. You said you fought Kenjaku briefly, he was weak in my time but I assume he has quite the powerful host now. You probably new that going in. Despite that you tried your best against him. Standing up against someone despite their superiorty is called courge, It dosen’t matter in this case you weren’t able to produce results. It’s the effort that matters. You’re still but a child, prematurely judging yourself as weak and pathetic at your age is pointless. You’ve already demonstrated a quality that can’t be taught and most sorcerer's lack. In time you’ll find your stride and your own path to strength. Untill then don’t dwell on your failures or what if’s. Focus on the efforts you’ve made and take pride in them. Constantly aiming higher is what it means to be a warrior.”

  Miwa was left speechless at his words, trying to take them all in and having to do a double take. It was proably the nice thing anyone had ever said to her, and it came from someone she had known for 2 hours…

  Whether this was sign she needed to talk about her feelings more or find better friends she didin’t know, proably a little of both. She had to admit he had made a surprisngly large amount of valid points. Reincarnted sorcerer's weren’t the age of their vessel so Kashimo proably was older then his mid 20s. Still he was such a battle junky him being able to provide such a thoughtful responce took Miwa by surprise.

  Against all odds she actully felt better about herself to a certian degree. Taking pride in her efforts was never something she had bothered to do. Having always considered them in vain compared to people like todo or Kamo, prodigies who seemed to have gone three times as far in a quarter of the time.

  Comparing herself to the top would almost certainly leave her at the bottom every time. Thinking on it realistivly they have had much longer then her to refine their sorcery then her. Maybe how far she had come in such a short time was actully impressive.

  Impressive

  The word stood out in her mind. Beginning to sink in she had actually just used such a word to describe herself. It was a first for the self proclaimed “usless” girl to think she was impressive in any margin what so ever. Such a concept would have been completly foriegn to the girl as of yesterday. It was only possible because of a borderline stranger.

  If she had the clarity to think about it in such a way she would have laughed at the sheer absurdity of it. How someone she barely knew could have done something so important in such a short time frame. But she didn’t have such clarity, a diferent emotion was welling up towards this man she had just met.

  “Thank you, I um… I’m… I’m really glad you said that.” Bringing her hands up to her chest, she did a slight seated bow to express her gratitude. Of which Kashimo received by--

  “It’s nothing, don't think to much of it. I just get annoyed when people over or underestimate themselves.”

  Completely brushing such gratitude off. Telling a half truth on why he said what he did so she wouldn’t ask about the real reason. Telling a lie on why it didn’t matter for his own benefit, an attempt to keep the things he didn’t want to think about burried.

  “Oh... Ok.”

  Reaching back to where he had placed his phone Kashimo began to scroll through the variety of games he had installed. Looking to see which one he should try next. Miwa felt awkward at his normality after everything he had just said. Attempting to ease this feeling, Miwa tried to inquire about the one thing she knew about Kashimo.

  “So um… Mr. Kashi---”

  “Don’t call me that.”

  Cutting off Miwa, Kashimo responded with quiet anger. His voice firm but teetering on a yell, eye’s reaching up from his game to look Miwa. Filled with animoscity and another emotion she couldn’t quite place. The phone he had been browsing through had been turned into pieces of metal and circuits. Cracking apart like an egg under Kashimo’s deadly strength.

  Miwa was deeply regretting how she was sitting, more accurately that she was siting at all. It left her hard pressed to be able to flee. Not that she would get very far, Kashimo was certienly quicker then her. A bead of sweat rolled down her face at the gravity of her current situation set in.

  Kashimo suddenly flinched, eyes darting to the phone he had destroyed. Looking towards Miwa, he noticed her fear. Uncharacteristic embarrassment flowed through him at his childish outburst.

  “Sorry I um… It’s just a pet peeve of mine, people addressing me with such frivolous formalites gets on my nerves… Please just call me Kashimo… What is it you were asking again?”

  Stuttering through a response, Kashimo managed to craft a lie believable enough for the terrified Miwa. Letting go of a breath she didn’t know she was holding, she went ahead and asked her original question.

  “Why do you want to fight Sukuna so badly?”

  “Cause If I give it everything I have I just might lose.”

  “You want to lose?”

  “I want to fight him with everything I have, it doesn't really matter who wins.”

  “...Sorry I don’t really get it”

  Letting out a sigh at Miwa’s confusion, Kashimo went onto further elaborate what he meant.

  “My cursed technique, I said I’ve never used it before but it’s not because I don’t want to. After using it my life quickly come to an end, it’s my familys tradition to use the technique on an opponent who’s deserving of it. That way regardless of victory or defeat you will have died as a true warrior at the height of your power. I spent 40 years looking for that opponent but I never could find anyone deserving of it. I finally gave into Kenjakus offer about all this reincarnation crap when I ran out of time in my first life. He said Sukuna was the strongest sorcerer he ever met so I intend to use my technique on him”

  Following along with what he said, Miwa both did and didn’t understand Kashimo’s reasoning. The concept of wanting to give it your best against someone who could handle it was something she could understand, not from personal experince but from the other sorcerer’s around her. What didn’t make sense to her was something she couldn’t seem to wrap her head around.

  “No matter what happens… You’ll die when you fight sukuna?”

  She said it quietly, despite Kashimo saying such was the case quite clearly. She hoped that by some miracle she had miss heard what he said. Of course, that was not the case.

  “Yeah, if you wanna put it like that.”

  “... I see”

  Miwa tilted her head down at Kashimo’s conformation of her question. Her voice coming out even quiter then it had previously. Something that did not go unnoticed by Kashimo.

  “What?”

  Seeing her despair at some unknown issue he failed to see. Kashimo responded rather rudley as he question just what exactly her problem was. To which Miwa responded truthly as she looked up at him.

  “Well it’s just really sad is all.”

  “Sad?”

  “Yeah, I mean. Your practically walking around with a death sentence on your head. I can only imagine how that must feel to be who you care about and vise versa. I lost someone I care about a few weeks ago. It was really sudden and hurt a lot, But If I had to walk around for days, weeks, or even longer in advance. Knowing every passing moment our time together was growing shorter…”

  Losing the strength to finish. Miwa brought her legs up to her chest and rested her head on them. She wasn’t so naive to be unaware that what she had just described was akin to terminal illnesses such as cancer. But such ordinary tragedies seemed far removed the current life she was living. Having people who could likely cure such things in her life made the actual lethality of them seem far less extreme.

  What Kashimo was describing seemed worse then that. Everyone in his family…

  It was common place for sorrcerers to die. But this seemed less like dying in battle and more so scheduling your own execution. Seeking out the people who would be your undoing. The strain that must have put on Kashimo’s family and everyone that family knew was unimaginable to her.

  To her heartfelt concern Kashimo simply scoffed and let out a slight chuckle. It wasn’t his intention to mock the young girls sympathies, but it appeared to her that was what he was doiing nonetheless.

  “The people we care about? Please. Everyone in my family was glad when someone was able to find that person who grant them their wish. Such things like love and comradery are fickle.”

  “Dying with honor is the only thing that matters in this world.”

  “... I’ll be right back. I’m just going to get you another phone. Don’t um… go anywhere.”

  Wanting to leave before she said something she shouldn't, Miwa quickly scurried off under the guise of replacing his broken electronic. Kashimo looked at her as she walked away intently before sighing. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the girls point, he just simply didn’t care for such things.

  It was a lesson he had learned twice in his life. Once while a child, the other an adult. Love or any emotions adjacent to it only served to cause sufffering. Why bother with them, any temporary comfort you would be given would swiftly be met by an equal amount of pain.

  July 10th, 1657 Tokyo Jujutsu High

  “What?”

  “You heard me Kenjaku, I’m not interested in taking part in this “Culling Game” thing you have planned.”

  The two were ontop of a hill. One was siting on while the other stood behind him. The one on the rock hair and eyes were blue. He seemed to be anywhere from late twenties to early thirties. He didn’t pay much mind to the man questioning him, instead directing the majority of his attention to the battle between two sorcerers at the base of the hill. Their fight had been underway for a few minitues now, and was quickly drawing to a close. The winner had been clear to him since the begining, but it brought him pride to see that the match had been utterly domainted by the superior fighter.

  “Forgive me, but do you mind if I ask why you don’t want to part take, Kashimo? The strongest sorceres throught history will be gathered. For one such as yourself, I had assumed this would be too great of an opportunity to pass up on.”

  Kenjaku Inquiring into Why Kashimo had refused his invitation, was met with a simple scoff from Kashimo.

  “I simply have more I wish to do in this lifetime. If I'm Being honest I’m not overly interested in fulfilling my duities as the last remaining member of the Kashimo clan. That tradition died with the rest of my family for all I could care.”

  Standing up from his seated position, a smile came across Kashimos face as he saw the victor rushing up the hill towards him. Kashimo waved goodbye to Kejaku as he began to motion to meet the victor half way.

  “Have a good eternity.”

  Kashimo met with the fights victor about halfway down the hill. The winner was a young man with black hair and blue eyes. He didn’t look any older then eighteen. Upon getting within a few feet of Kashimo the boy knelt on one knee and looked towards the ground before he began speaking.

  “I apogize for taking so long Mr Kashimo.”

  “How many times have I told you to stop kneeling when you speak to me, also don’t apologize for such a trival thing. You did well to win with such ease.”

  Letting out a sigh, Kashimo rattled of things he had told the boy countless times. He had begun to think he chose not to follow those particular instructions just to annoy him. Walking past him while the boys was till kneeling he began to move towards a near by village.

  “Come, That vendor should start selling nigirizushi any minute now. If we hurry we might be able to get some before he sells out.”

  Feeling himself start to drool at the mention of his favorite food. The boy quickly got up and began trailing behind Kashimo.

  “Thanks. Who was that man you were talking to if you don’t mind me asking.”

  “A stranger who has something he wanted to ask of me. He wanted to participate in a game he was going to host.”

  “I see, you declined I assumed. You’re terrible no matter what game it is unless it has to do with fighting.”

  “Shush, just because I can’t beat you doesn’t mean I’m terrible.”

  “Haha, whatever you say.”

  Watching from atop the hill as the pair walked away. Kenjaku was feeling rather annoyed, He had done his due diligence of the Kashimo family four some decades ago. They possessed the kind of aptitude in sorcery he needed for the final stages of his plans. After a prodigy amougest prodigies had been born in Hajime Kashimo. Kenjaku had watched the boy closely till his late teen years.

  He had let the boy wander on his own since then. Instead going about and gathering players to cultivate the necessary amount of cursed energy he would need to fuse Tengen with humanity. The warring states period had given rise to just as many sorcerers as the heian era. They were far weaker on average but that didn’t matter much. He only needed warm bodies after all.

  Having come back after fifteen years expecting him to accept his offer had been an oversight on his part. Though, it was an oversight he was more then happy to have made. The curse his family had thrust upon him, and Kenjaku had done everything in his power to make take a deeper root. Had been broken.

  In truth he was overjoyed to be able to see such a sight. It mattered not that it was a thorn in his side. He took great pleasure in anything that could surprise him. Still, that surprise was only temporary after all. Hajime Kashimos ending had been decided from the moment he was born. With or without his interference he would return to that ending which had been decided for him. All Kenjaku would do is get him back on the path quicker then he normaly would have.

  It was a fact of life Kenjaku had long since come to grasp. Everyone when born was sentenced to bear a curse that would befall them eventually. Some would know other’s would live their whole lives unaware of their shackles. No one could rid themselves of such shackles. Even Kenajku himself.