Chapter Text
1995
In the Kamo family, there was a unique tradition. It brought clan members together annually to hold a hunt. This unusual event had a specific purpose: to train the younger generation and manifest their curse techniques. They referred to it as the Blood Games. However, instead of hunting animals or cursed spirits, they hunted people. Specifically, those without any curse techniques would be pursued by those who possessed them, forced to manifest their latent abilities. Typically, curse techniques manifested in children around the age of four or five, but these games had a proven track record of pushing out more. Although no one else had inherited the Kamo Family's prized Blood Manipulation Technique, the family had produced several members with variations of it. The Kamo Clan boasted the largest number of Cursed Technique users among the Great Three Sorcerer families.
The clan would gather every single 5-year-old child every year. Each family would often prep their child in advance. Mizuki’s parents are one of the elders in the clan, so the games were very important in her household. Training was forbidden prior to the games as the elders believed that it would ruin the process.
Mizuki was the only 5-year-old in the clan when it came to her game. The elders decided to proceed with the games anyway. With the stress, pressure, and danger of being the only one hunted by 15 different cursed spirits, the Kamo Family had anticipated a big game. Mizuki's heritage, a blend of Kamo and Zenin blood, added to the excitement.
Mizuki can still remember the loud laughter, the blinding lights, the smell of popcorn as the crowds grew, seating themselves at the side to see the show.
They were all watching.
Watching her like an animal sent out for slaughter.
She remembered the first raindrop on her face that night. She remembered how she screamed when the first spirit hit her. The agony when it cut her. The screeching laughter when it drew blood. She remembered tripping as she fell. The gasp of disappointment from the crowd on the left. She remembered a shrill laughter that mocked her when the curses overwhelmed her. She remembered screaming for help.
It was only when they realized she hadn't manifested any technique that they considered her a disappointment—the first child in a decade not to develop any abilities. She remembered crying for her parents That cold, unflinching look from her father. That look of disgust from her mother.
2004
Mizuki released the arrow, hitting the apple next to Noritoshi. The young boy jumped, turning around in fear, only to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw Mizuki.
"I thought you were Tetsua," Noritoshi said, dusting off his uniform. He retrieved his bow, sighing before drawing the weapon.
Mizuki offered a grim smile. Tetsua was Noritoshi's stepbrother. When Noritoshi had manifested the Kamo family's prized curse technique, Tetsua had been immediately cast aside as the clan's new heir. As a result, Tetsua harboured resentment toward Noritoshi and frequently "accidentally" injured him. Mizuki did her best to protect Noritoshi, but she was often away, unable to help much.
"Well," Mizuki used her arrows to guide Noritoshi's arms into the correct position, "you'll have to train so that he won't be able to harm you anymore."
Noritoshi released his arrow, but it fell short of its target, landing with a thud. He frowned and rushed to retrieve his arrow, then pouted. "I'm the heir to the Kamo clan; shouldn't he respect that?"
"In our family, blood matters most. You have our prized technique, so you're the heir. But if you rely solely on that, you'll eventually be surpassed. Right now, you have an advantage because your technique manifested early. But if Tetsua can develop his technique to a level you can't reach, he could defeat you. Who would follow a defeated clan leader?"
Noritoshi frowned thoughtfully. "If I become the clan leader, can Mommy come and live with me?"
Mizuki's heart ached. Noritoshi was never supposed to be part of the clan. If not for inheriting the technique and having true Kamo blood, he would have been expelled. Mizuki was only allowed to stay because her mother was a Zenin, and the Kamo family wanted to avoid clan conflicts. Noritoshi's mother, however, had no connection to the clan, not even through marriage—just an affair. She wouldn't find happiness here. Still, Mizuki shook her head and gave Noritoshi a small smile. "You can become a great leader, Noritoshi."
Noritoshi frowned again, glaring at Mizuki for using his full name. He had told her solemnly the second time they met that he detested that name. He didn't understand why his father had given him such a name—a stain on the family's reputation. He preferred not to be associated with the evilest sorcerer in history.
Mizuki chuckled and loaded another arrow onto her bow. She let it fly and turned to Noritoshi without even checking her aim. There was no need; she always hit her mark. Noritoshi's gasp confirmed it.
"I told you, Noritoshi," she grinned smugly, "you'll become a great clan leader. You'll create your own legacy."
"Noritoshi," she added as an afterthought. She set down her bow and began packing her belongings, while Noritoshi prepared to train once more.
"I feel like you're hardly training me. You're always running off to school," Noritoshi complained, adjusting his stance to mimic Mizuki's.
"I'm not even supposed to be your teacher. You have your own instructors and seniors," Mizuki snorted as she slung her bag over her shoulder.
"You're the best. I don't understand why the clan won't let you teach when you can outshoot everyone in a fight, and you don't even have a curse technique!"
Mizuki's lips tightened. "Thanks for the reminder, boy."
"Well, I think you're amazing, Mizuki-san, with or without cursed energy."
Mizuki only waved in response, leaving Noritoshi to train on his own.
Suguru was annoyed. He had looked forward to enjoying a cup of coffee in peace at the new café on his way home. He had even brought a book to keep himself company. Not that he needed the book, of course. It was definitely not because of the beautiful barista at the counter, although she did add a pleasant touch to the experience.
But here he was, covering for his idiotic friend.
A few hours earlier...
“Suguru!” Tandei called to him just as he stepped out of the classroom.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath. Shoko laughed heartily and patted him on the back as she said her goodbyes. Suguru turned around, barely catching a glimpse of Gojo as he sneaked away.
“How is Satoru?” Tandei asked as he glanced behind Suguru, trying to spot the white-haired sorcerer. Suguru's eyes narrowed, sensing that he wouldn't like what Tandei was about to say next.
“Satoru is fine. You would know that if you asked him yourself—”
Tandei pushed his glasses up and fixed his beady eyes on Suguru. “Well, I would, but that would mean he'd have to give up his act of pretending to be sick.”
Suguru could only sigh. Of course, that idiot had to play sick. He knew he shouldn't have told Satoru about the barista.
Tendei cleared his throat. “Well, Satoru was supposed to be on a mission today in West Tokyo, but he reported being sick. So, you've been asked to replace him.”
Annoyance surged through Suguru. Satoru was undoubtedly trying to go to the café alone to flirt with the barista. “Why didn't you call him out for lying?”
Tendei's mouth pressed into a thin line. “Satoru had his uncle come to the school. We can't send a sick sorcerer to deal with curses, especially not when the head of the Gojo clan demanded he be let go.”
“That bastard—”
Suguru turned away abruptly, ignoring Tendei's repeated calls to him.
“Suguru, I'll meet you there in a few hours!”
Suguru's heels clicked loudly in the empty hallway. He couldn't sense Satoru's curse energy anywhere. That was a relief, because if he had seen him, he would have unleashed a barrage of curses. Perhaps he should send the roaches? Satoru hated roaches.
Growling as he reached the courtyard with nobody in sight, he punched the numbers on his keypad. His jaw clenched when Satoru finally picked up. “You better not be at that café.”
Satoru's cheeky voice came through. “Oh, Suguru? What do you mean? I'm just on my way home. I need to rest.”
Suguru hissed as he heard a female voice in the background.
“Did you freaking teleport there? You idiot!”
“Oh Suguru, I can't really hear you. I am sick. I just needed to grab a coffee on the way home. But,” his voice dropped an octave lower, obviously not speaking to him, “seeing your face already healed me.”
Suguru rolled his eyes as he heard the girl giggle.
Pressing the end call button, he groaned. He was going to make him regret it.
Present
So, yes, he was annoyed. He summoned Uri out, watching as the white dragon munch on the huge cat-like curse in front of him.
The reports had mentioned just two, yet he had already vanquished ten, and fatigue was setting in.
A sudden rumbling beyond the wall seized his attention. Unsheathing his knife, he dispatched Uri to investigate. The adjacent room proved to be empty, designated as a female restroom. Suguru wasn't quite familiar with the typical appearance of women's restrooms, but he found it unusual to encounter a completely vacant one. And by vacant, he meant entirely devoid. It was totally clean and sparking. A bright white light illuminated the bathroom. There were no marks, wet floors or spray paint like the boys bathroom. Save for the horrifying stench, it looked like it was a sterilised hospital room.
Uri halted in front of a cubicle, hovering without entering. Suguru's instincts tingled, for Uri was one of his most formidable curses, and few obstacles could deter him. He cautiously nudged the door open, and a repugnant stench assaulted his senses.
As the door creaked further, Suguru was confronted by a small girl. Her dishevelled black hair obscured her face, preventing him from seeing her expression. Yet, considering the overwhelming surge of curse energy emanating from her, it was clear she spelt trouble.
Mizuki rounded down the corner, the instructions given by the housing agent was confusing at best. She was trying to find a nice, cozy place near her school, but the rent prices are incredibly high near the central area. After much haggling, the agent admitted that West Tokyo was cheaper but there wasn’t much in the neighbourhood.
He was right, she supposed. The entire neighborhood felt like a ghost town. To the average person, it might appear eerie, but Mizuki recognized it as the curse energy saturating the area. It lurked in every street corner, and Mizuki found herself unconsciously following its trails. From a young age, she had always been drawn to curse energy, capable of assessing individual curse energy levels and locating cursed spirits effortlessly. This ability was one of the reasons she hadn't been expelled from the estate. They often brought her on missions to track down cursed spirits. When there were no spirits left to exorcise, they took her out of their usual areas to hunt for them. She never had to confront these spirits, as Kamo soldiers typically performed the exorcisms to claim them as Kamo family victories.
Well, at least she was useful in some ways.
As she trailed the curse energy, it led her to an abandoned school. She groaned, considering whether she should seek assistance. She loathed school curses; they always frightened her. Students possessed some of the most potent curses. But before she could decide, a man was thrown out of a window.
Shit.
She threw herself into the fray, barely managing to slip a cursed pillow under him. It was a pillow she usually carried for Orion, one of the Kamo sorcerers she accompanied. He had a penchant for falling from windows and rooftops, and one of her responsibilities was to cushion his falls.
The pillow gave way under the man's weight, and he scowled at her. "Get out of here."
Mizuki bristled; her rescue seemed to have been in vain. She snatched the pillow from beneath him, a smug grin on her face as he landed unceremoniously on the ground.
"I would have left, but I was concerned you might not survive without my help."
It was a lie, and they both knew it. Mizuki could sense his curse energy, which was extremely strong, nearly overwhelming her. She had never encountered anyone with such potent cursed energy; it tickled her senses. The man regarded her lazily.
"I am only—"
Before he could continue, he hurled Mizuki to the side. She groaned as her back met a tree's bark. Looking up, she witnessed a massive white mass lunging itself at him. It was a truly bizarre sight—layers upon layers of a white blob with two large eyes on its head-like protrusion, clad in tattered remnants of a school uniform. Its mouth curled all the way to its ears, emitting a putrid odor.
Mizuki concluded that it had to be a girl; only a female cursed spirit would behave this way. She stifled a laugh as the white blob opened her mouth. "Are you leaving me, my handsome man?"
Mizuki couldn't help but giggle. The blob turned her gaze toward her, her eyes narrowing. "Are you leaving me for her?" She spat, allowing saliva to dribble from the corners of her mouth.
Mizuki tensed; she had never fought a cursed spirit before, and judging by its curse energy, it was easily a Grade 1 Spirit. She knew she'd be in grave danger if the spirit came after her. She had no techniques, only cursed energy. She was told that her cursed energy was strong at times but she never knew how to control it, much less use it in a fight.
"Yuri, look at me," a smooth, velvety voice emanated from the man, though Mizuki couldn't see him amidst the engulfing blob.
The blob, named Yuri, shifted slightly, allowing the man to prop himself up. "Yuri, you know there's no one but you for me."
Mizuki stole a glance at the man. He was formidable, his curse energy uncharted, but he also appeared fatigued. But she could still feel his strength. The blob purred as the man reached out to touch her. Mizuki snorted. Had he broken her heart, leading her to become a spirit?
Yuri gazed down at the man before breaking into a wide smile, stretching her mouth so far that Mizuki could see it from the side. There were bodies within her—arms, feet, torsos—all kept inside her mouth. No wonder she smelled so dreadful.
Mizuki gagged.
She could see the man struggling, the smell overwhelming him. When he couldn’t endure it, he turned away. In a spilt second, they both knew it was the wrong move because the grin immediately turned into a pout.
"Do you find me repulsive, Suguru?"
Mizuki scanned the surroundings frantically, searching for anything that might distract the blob. Unfortunately, there was nothing to divert its attention. The blob leapt high into the sky and plummeted back down. The sorcerer named Suguru, leaped out of harm's way, narrowly avoiding contact.
"You despise my appearance. You're just like every other man! You're no different!" the blob hissed and spat at him, its saliva burning through his uniform.
Mizuki watched as Suguru assessed the situation. His cursed energy spiked and faltered at the same time. He had clearly been in a fight before this and did not have time to rest. He wouldn’t be able to withstand a cursed attack right now. Acting quickly, she grabbed a stone from the ground and hurled it at the advancing blob. Unfortunately, it had no effect, and Suguru couldn't help but roll his eyes at the girl's attempt.
"What's a rock going to do?" he remarked.
"I don't know! I don't have any techniques!" she all but screamed as the blob redirected its approach toward her.
She sprinted in the direction of the school, with the blob closely in pursuit. Suguru swiftly caught up to her, displaying his agility. He was impressively fast, even faster than Orion.
"What do you mean you have no techniques? How do you fight then?" he casually inquired as they ran side by side, seemingly showing off his ability to maintain a conversation without losing his breath.
"I don't fight. I'm not a sorcerer!" Mizuki replied breathlessly, turning to check on their pursuer. The blob screeched loudly, hot on their heels.
"Your ex?" she sniped at him as she followed him into a classroom, slamming it shut behind her.
"Jealous?" Suguru smirked, but before he could continue their banter, the blob burst through the door, launching itself at Suguru. Once again, he hurled Mizuki out of harm's way, bearing the brunt of the blob's attack himself.
The blob grinned menacingly. "You're mine, Suguru. MINE. I WILL MAKE YOU MINE."
The blob took a few steps back. Clearly deeming Mizuki non-threatening, the blob ignored her and studied Suguru who laid unconscious on the ground. He wasn’t defeated. Merely re-charging, Mizuki thought.
Turning to look at the blob again, she found that the cursed spirit had locked its’ eyes on Suguru. It was going to devour him.
Panicking, Mizuki stepped in front of Suguru, intercepting the spell. Her body acted on instinct before her mind fully registered what was happening.
"Cursed Technique: Blood Manipulation," she declared, raising her hands above her head, sensing the power surging around her. She could feel the cursed spirit's blood at her fingertips.
Is this how Orion always felt? So empowered?
Emulating Orion's fighting style, she lowered her arms and simply snapped her fingers. The cursed spirit let out a piercing scream and collapsed to the ground, blood splattering everywhere. Mizuki breathed a sigh of relief, but they weren't out of danger yet.
"You need to wake up now, Suguru. I know you're awake. I can feel it."
“Why would I when you are doing so well?” She felt him stand up. She was surprised. One minute ago, he was unconscious, cursed energy low and, the next, his cursed energy had returned to normal levels. He recovered fast.
The blob glared at Mizuki before shooting its’ saliva in her direction. Mizuki yelped as the saliva hit her square in the stomach. She fell to the ground.
Suguru frowned and opened up his palm, “Come out, Kimi. Destroy this spirit.”
A large caterpillar crawled out from the ground and opened its jaw, crunching the blob as if it was jelly. Suguru opened his palm again, a white orb emitting from his hand. Without a sound, he sent the white orb flying towards the blob. The blob vanished with a loud scream.
It was done.
Mizuki can only stare in shock. Just how strong is this guy really?
Well, one thing is for certain. He certainly didn’t need her help.
Embarrassment flushed through her as she realized that he was studying her.
“Are you a Kamo?”
She nodded briefly, electing not to talk. She was too tired, slumping on the wall behind her.
“You said you didn’t have a technique.” He crouched down in front of her, his bangs flopping in his eyes, studying her carefully.
“Well, not up till a second ago.”
His eyes narrowed and watched her. Eventually deciding that she was telling the truth, he held his hand out to her.
“Need any help?”
Mizuki eyed him distrustfully.
“I just saved you. Have a little trust.” Suguru smiled at her,
Mizuki was about to argue that she actually saved him but she knew that she didn’t actually need to step in. She probably slowed him down anyway.
Mizuki nodded slightly,
“Do you want to go back to the Kamo estate?” He asked as he scooped her up, ignoring her squeaks of indignance.
She would have scolded him for picking her up so carelessly but she was so tired. Deciding that it wouldn’t be too bad if a handsome sorcerer was volunteering to carry her, she finally let her eyes close.