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Gojo Clan Estate, six months after the birth of Iori Okkotsu.
The nightlight’s dim glow illuminated the peaceful face of Iori as he slept soundly in his crib. His tiny fingers curled around the edge of his blanket, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Maki leaned against the crib, watching Yuta carefully adjust the blanket around their son to ensure he was comfortable.
He’s so careful with him.
Yuta straightened, turning to her with a soft smile. “He’s out cold.” He whispered, stepping closer.
Maki smirked. “Takes after you, then. You could sleep through an earthquake.”
Yuta chuckled softly. “Hey, I can’t help how safe it feels here.”
Maki rolled her eyes playfully, taking his hand. Their fingers intertwined as easily as ever, his calloused skin brushing against her scars. They silently slipped out of the nursery, leaving the door slightly ajar, just in case.
Their bedroom was bathed in the silver light of the moon, the large bed inviting after a long day of training. Yuta stretched, yawning, before flopping onto the mattress.
Maki snorted a laugh. “Really?”
“Yep.” Yuta said, patting the space beside him. “You really pushed me today.”
She climbed in beside him, shifting until she was comfortably nestled against his side. Yuta’s arm curled around her waist, pulling her closer, his fingers tracing idle patterns against her nightwear.
“You good?” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Maki exhaled, her fingers curling lightly into his shirt. “Yeah.” She murmured, the tension in her shoulders betraying her.
Yuta noticed immediately, of course. He tilted his head to catch her gaze, thumb brushing along her side. “What’s on your mind?”
Maki hesitated, then sighed. “It’s just.. Iori. His room feels too far away.”
Yuta smiled softly. “Hey, between the guards, your senses and Rika, nothing’s getting near him without us knowing.”
As if summoned, the faintest ripple of cursed energy pulsed in the room.
Maki huffed, but her grip on Yuta loosened slightly. “I know. Logically, I know. But-”
“But he’s ours.” Yuta finished for her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “And you’re allowed to worry. But he’s safe, Maki, I promise.”
She turned her face into his chest, breathing him in. “You’re probably right.”
Yuta chuckled, shifting just enough to tilt her chin up. “Say it again?”
Maki rolled her eyes but didn’t resist when he leaned in, their lips meeting in a slow, familiar kiss. When they parted, she muttered. “Don’t get cocky.”
“Too late.” He teased, voice warm, arms tightening around her.
Maki settled against him, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her ear lulling her. “Love you.” She mumbled, already half-asleep.
Yuta smiled, pressing one last kiss to her hair. “Love you more.”
Sleep came easily to them.
--- --- ---
Edge of the Gojo Estate.
The guard never saw it coming.
One moment, he was walking his usual patrol route, humming softly under his breath. The next, his body crumpled to the ground, head removed before he could even gasp. Blood seeped into the grass, black in the moonlight.
Above him, the air shimmered faintly, an almost imperceptible distortion spreading like a slow, creeping fog. A barrier. A powerful one, enclosing the entire estate.
--- --- ---
Iori’s nursery.
Rika noticed first.
Part of her massive form flickered into existence beside the crib, her hands twitching as she senses the disturbance. A low sound rumbled from her, unheard by the sleeping infant.
She turned her head sharply toward the window, sensing the cursed energy beyond, foreign and hostile.
Something was coming.
--- --- ---
Maki’s eyes snapped open.
She didn’t know what woke her, just a sudden, instinctive prickle at the back of her neck. The kind of unease that had warned her countless times before.
Beside her, Yuta slept soundly, his breathing deep and even.
Maki’s head shot up as she recognised Rika’s presence, the head of the shikigami manifesting over the bed.
Something’s wrong.
Maki reached out, gripping Yuta’s arm.
“Yuta. Wake up.”
Yuta stirred, groggy for only a second before his instincts kicked in at Maki’s urgency. His eyes snapped open, locking onto Maki’s face.
“What is it?” He asked, already moving.
Maki was already sliding out of bed, slipping into shoes.
“Don’t know yet.” She admitted, crossing the room in two strides toward the weapon display mounted on the wall. Her fingers wrapped around the hilt of the split-soul katana, the familiar weight easy in her hand. She grabbed one of Yuta’s blades as well, tossing it to him without looking.
Yuta caught it midair. Rika’s presence surged around him.
“Rika?” He asked quickly.
The shikigami’s distorted voice filled the quiet room.
“Intruders. Many.”
Maki’s grip tightened on her blade. “I knew it.” She hissed, already heading for the door.
Both Maki and Yuta’s heads pivoted to the window, sensing a sudden spike in cursed energy, followed by a flickering orange glow. Fire.
Yuta smashed through the window towards the floating light, slipping on the ring as he did so. Rika’s massive form fully manifesting mid-air as he flew towards whoever it was.
Maki burst through the door, heading straight to the nursery.
Iori
The nursery door flew open under her hand. Inside, the crib was untouched. Iori still slept, blissfully unaware. Maki’s heart pounded as she reached into the crib, only for her fingers to pass straight through Iori’s form like smoke. The illusion shimmered and dissolved before her eyes.
Fuck
Her instincts screamed. She spun on her heel just as a ragged gasp came from the corner of the room. A masked curse user slumped against the wall, trembling with over-exertion.
Some sort of illusion technique, and he’s drained; it must work like Ranta’s did.
Maki didn’t waste a breath on questions, because past the pounding in her ears, past the rush of her own blood, she heard him.
Iori’s cries. Not too far, and unmistakable to her ears.
And the sound of running footsteps. A dozen, at least.
The curse user didn’t even blink before Maki cut him down in one clean strike. His dead body crumpled, and Maki was already moving, leaping through the open window in the nursery and into the night.
Cold air whipped past her as she landed in a crouch on the grass below.
There
A group of figures in dark clothing sprinted through the courtyard of the estate, one of them clutching a squirming bundle.
Iori
Maki’s vision tunnelled. Her blood boiled.
She moved.
--- --- ---
The night air howled past Yuta as he rocketed toward the flaming glow in the distance, Rika by his side. The curse user hovered mid-air, his hands wreathed in swirling flames. Yuta caught the moment his enemy’s gaze flickered away from him.
Why would he-?
Then Yuta saw them.
Maki, springing across the grounds at inhuman speeds, her blade gleaming under the moonlight, rapidly approaching a group of figures, one clutching a struggling bundle.
Iori
Something inside Yuta snapped.
“RIKA!”
The curse user fired off the attack, but the huge shikigami got in the way, tanking the blow before turning back to Yuta.
Yuta didn’t stop. His blade descended in a flash of steel, but the curse user’s chokuto suddenly rose to meet it, the shockwave sending the curse user careening toward the ground. He barely caught himself at the last second, flames erupting beneath his feet to cushion the fall.
Yuta landed opposite him, his grip tightening on his katana, his eyes closed. He focused his senses, picking up on all the unfamiliar cursed energy on the estate. Then, he opened his eyes, his voice low.
“Rika, kill them all.”
Rika vanished at speed, her form blurring into the night as she began to hunt down curse users one by one.
In the years since Shinjuku, Yuta Okkotsu had further refined his cursed technique, and by the use of a binding vow, he could extend the time of Rika’s full manifestation. In exchange, Yuta was limited to using a select few of his captured cursed techniques, a total of six.
The curse user straightened, adjusting his stance. His mask was cracked, revealing a smirk beneath.
“Yuta Okkotsu.” He chuckled. “I was hoping we’d get to fight.”
Yuta didn’t respond; he just adjusted his stance to counter his enemy.
“My name’s Akihiko Shirogane, and my cursed technique is flame generation. I can create and manipulate flames.”
He’s revealing his technique, which means he’s confident in putting up a good fight.
“Your name, your technique, it doesn’t matter.” Yuta said, voice eerily calm. “You threatened my family. That means you die.”
Akihiko snorted. “Big words from a guy-”
Yuta didn’t let him finish. Snake eyes and fangs appeared across his mouth.
Cursed Speech.
“Don’t move.”
The technique ripped through the air, the command laced with enough cursed energy to paralyse a lesser sorcerer instantly. But Akihiko reacted well, reinforcing his ears with cursed energy to dampen the effect. His smirk widened.
“Nice try.”
Yuta didn’t react. He was already moving.
Phantom Step.
His form blurred, flickering like a ghost as he closed the distance in an instant. His blade slashed downward, and Akihiko barely managed to block his powerful swing, the impact sending sparks flying where steel met steel.
Akihiko’s counter was swift, his chokuto ignited mid-swing, flames licking along the edge as he aimed for Yuta’s side. Yuta twisted, narrowly avoiding the searing heat, and retaliated with a sweeping slash, aiming for the curse user’s legs.
Ice Formation.
Frost erupted from Yuta’s blade, a sheet of ice shooting toward Akihiko’s legs. The curse user vaulted backwards, flames bursting from his feet to melt the encroaching ice before it could ensnare him.
“Tch.” Akhiko grunted. “Can’t even fight fair.”
Yuta didn’t rise to the taunt. His focus was absolute.
Cursed Energy Discharge.
A pulse of raw cursed energy exploded from Yuta’s free hand, forcing Akhiko to cross his arms defensively. The shockwave sent him skidding back, his boots carving furrows into the ground as he activated reverse cursed technique to heal the scorch.
Before he could recover, Yuta was on him again.
Flame Breath.
Yuta exhaled sharply, his cursed energy combining with his exhale and twisting into a roaring fireball that streaked toward Akihiko. The curse user’s eyes widened, barely managing to swat it aside with his own flames, but Yuta was still moving.
Earth Manipulation.
The ground beneath Akhikio’s feet suddenly surged upward, jagged spikes of earth erupting toward him. He barely managed to leap away, but Yuta was already mid-air, his katana descending.
Akihiko barely blocked, but the sheer force of the impact sent him crashing into the ground. He rolled onto his feet, unleashing a burst of flame towards Yuta, who quickly uses ice formation to block it, the rapidly melting ice causing steam to burst in all directions.
The two sorcerers stare at each other, blades raised. They both charge.
--- --- ---
Maki moved in the moonlight as she closed the distance to the fleeing kidnappers. The slowest among them, a lanky sorcerer, realised she was catching up and turned suddenly, hands forming a sign.
Too slow.
Maki didn’t break stride; his head hit the ground before his technique could activate.
Two more turned, realising that escaping as a group was futile, and they planted their feet to fight.
The first swung a cursed tool, a dagger humming with energy. Maki sidestepped, her blade slicing upward in a single motion. His arm, still gripping the weapon, tumbled away. His scream was cut short as her blade reversed direction, cleaving through his torso.
The second lunged, fists wreathed in crackling, cursed energy. Maki ducked under his wild haymaker, her knee driving into his gut hard enough to lift him off his feet. Before he could recover, she swung her sword.
His body hit the dirt in two pieces.
The leader, a broad-shouldered man clutching Iori to his chest, spun, eyes wide as his comrades fell in seconds. He backpedalled, cursed energy flaring defensively.
Maki didn’t give him the chance to speak.
She blurred forward, her blade aimed not for his throat, but for the arm holding her son.
The leader screamed and tumbled away as his limb separated from his body, Iori falling free. Maki caught him mid-air, tucking him securely against her chest. His tiny face was red from crying, but unharmed.
Relief washed over her until the leader’s cursed energy suddenly spiked. Maki’s head snapped toward him.
The man stood, rapidly healing his wound, and as it grew back, black metal began to cover his limbs and fingers, now metallic spikes, which shook as if about to shoot off.
Maki turned her back, ready to take the hit to keep Iori safe.
But no hit came.
Maki turned to see Rika’s massive form between her and the curse user, her hand outstretched. The shards of black carbon that had been launched toward her had shattered harmlessly against Rika’s palm, scattering like brittle glass.
The curse user’s eyes widened in horror as Rika’s single eye appeared from beneath her flesh and locked onto him.
Maki exhaled sharply, adjusting her grip on Iori, who had quieted slightly now that he was with his mom. She ran a hand over his head, checking for any injuries, but he seemed unharmed, just frightened.
“Maki… safe, Iori… safe?” Rika said, her voice distorted but gentle.
Maki nodded. “Yeah, we’re safe.” She glanced back at the curse user, who was trying his best not to look scared. “Rika, take Iori. Keep him safe.”
Rika’s massive hand extended, carefully cradling Iori in her palm. The baby fussed for a moment before settling, comforted by the shikigami’s presence.
“Yuta said… always listen to Maki.” Rika murmured, preparing to retreat with the child.
As Rika flew away, Maki turned her full attention to the curse user, her grip tightening on her blade. The man swallowed hard, his metallic arms twitching as he reassessed his odds.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as the entirety of both of his arms shifted, morphing into jagged diamond shards. He lunged first, desperation fuelling his speed, a flurry of strikes aimed to impale. Maki sidestepped the first, parried the second easily, and ducked under the third.
Her counter was a blur, a horizontal slash meant to bisect him at the ribs. He barely leapt back in time, but not fast enough to avoid the shallow gash across his stomach. Blood welled, but the wound quickly sealed as reverse cursed technique sealed the flesh back together.
RCT, and it's fast. Annoying, but manageable.
He spat to the side. “You’re fast, Zenin.”
Maki ignored the taunt.
With a grunt, he launched a volley of carbon shards, needle-like projectiles, faster than bullets. Maki twisted, her blade easily deflecting most, but one grazed her cheek. A thin line of blood followed. She didn’t flinch.
The curse user tried to block her follow-up attack, but Maki was too fast. Her foot slammed into his ribs, and the impact sent him skidding across the courtyard. The carbon armour he quickly formed to absorb the impact cracked under the force. He scrambled up just in time to see Maki, already mid-air, blade raised.
The curse user turned one of his arms into a blade to block, but Maki’s blade came down with brutal force, cleaving through the carbon-formed arm like it was nothing more than brittle glass. His eyes widened in shock as his makeshift defence fell away, the impact sending him stumbling back.
Maki didn’t let up. She pressed forward, her next strike a blur, horizontal, aimed to decapitate. The curse user barely managed to duck, his body twisting awkwardly as he scrambled to put more distance between them.
She’s too fast. Too strong.
His cursed energy flared again, his remaining arm shifting into a jagged spike of diamond, the edges gleaming under the moonlight. He thrust forward, aiming for Maki’s throat.
Maki pivoted smoothly, the diamond spike grazing her shoulder as she twisted past it. Before the curse user could attempt a defence, Maki’s blade swung upwards, and his remaining arm fell to the ground with a wet thud.
Blood sprayed as he fell back, his face contorted in pain. His reverse cursed technique kicked in, stopping the bleeding and attempting to regrow one of his arms, but Maki gave him no quarter. She stepped forward.
The curse user’s breath came in ragged gasps. “W-wait-”
Maki’s blade cut through the air, and his head rolled before his body crumpled.
Silence settled over the courtyard, broken only by the distant sounds from Yuta’s battle. Maki exhaled sharply, flicking the blood from her blade before scanning the area for more threats.
Rika returned, Iori cradled safely in her massive hand. The baby had quieted, but his large eyes stared at Maki, seeking comfort. Maki approached, her expression softening as she reached for her son.
“Good job, Rika.” She murmured, taking him into her arms. Iori nuzzled against her, his distress fading fully now that he was back in her arms.
Rika tilted her head. “Maki hurt?”
Maki touched the shallow cut on her cheek. “It’s nothing.”
A distant explosion drew her attention, and she focused her eyes to see Yuta pressing his advantage on Akihiko.
“See that, little man?” Maki murmured to Iori, nodding to the distant glow of Yuta’s battle. “I finished my fight before your dad could finish his. Guess that makes me the stronger one, huh?”
Iori gurgled happily in response, as if completely agreeing with her.
Maki glanced up at Rika, who loomed protectively beside them. “Anyone else here who shouldn’t be?”
Rika nodded.
Maki smiled and waved a hand as if to give her permission to leave. The giant shikigami grinned before flying off.
Maki exhaled slowly, adjusting Iori against her chest as she turned her attention back to Yuta’s fight.
--- --- ---
Earth Manipulation
Yuta’s fingers twitched as pillars of earth erupted from the ground and flew straight for Akhikiho like snakes. The curse user dodged the first two but was hit in the gut by the third and knocked backwards by the fourth. He scrambled to his feet, blasting fire in Yuta’s direction, but the sorcerer was already two steps ahead.
Phantom Step
Yuta blurred forward, katana flashing in a wide arc. Akihiko parried with his chokuto, but the sheer force behind Yuta’s swing sent him skidding backwards again. His boots carved trenches into the dirt. But he wasn’t giving up yet.
Akihiko charged forward, using a burst of flame to hide a flanking manoeuvre. Yuta’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t need to see; his senses were sharp enough to track Ahikihko's signature.
A flicker of movement to his left.
Yuta pivoted smoothly, his blade meeting Akihiko’s mid-swing with a shower of sparks. The force of the impact knocking trees down nearby. Yuta didn’t flinch. His expression remained calm.
Akihiko’s smirk faltered for the first time.
“Tch. Annoying.” He spat, twisting his wrist to disengage.
Yuta didn’t let him.
Ice Formation
A burst of stinging icy mist erupted from Yuta’s blade, enveloping Akihiko’s face and momentarily blinding him. He recoiled with a snarl, flames erupting from his free hand to melt the frost, but that split-second distraction gave Yuta another opening.
Yuta’s blade flickered forward, a precise swing aimed for Akihiko’s throat. The curse user barely managed to jerk his head aside, the swing whipping the air next to his head instead. He retaliated with a sweeping kick, forcing Yuta to leap back to avoid the searing heat. The ground where Yuta had stood blackened and cracked from the intense temperature.
Akihiko wiped the sweat from his brow, his smirk returning. “You’re good, I’ll give you that. But you’re not the only one with tricks.”
Suddenly, the flames around Akihiko condensed into dozens of small, flickering orbs, each one pulsing violently. With a flick of his wrist, they shot toward Yuta like homing projectiles.
Yuta’s eyes narrowed.
Cursed Energy Discharge
A pulse of raw cursed energy erupted from his body, enhanced by the technique, causing the fire orbs to detonate mid-flight in a series of concussive explosions. The resulting shockwave sent debris flying, obscuring Yuta’s vision yet again.
Akihiko seized the moment and lunged through the smoke, his chokuto igniting into a blazing blade aimed straight for Yuta’s chest.
Yuta raised his blade, and steel met steel with a deafening clang, the impact sending both of them skidding backwards. Yuta pressed forward, relentlessly, combining Phantom Step with a sword strike, forcing Akhiko back step by step, aiming to kill or disarm.
A slash.
A Phantom Step.
A parry of Akihiko’s blade.
A Phantom Step.
Another slash.
Akihiko's confidence was crumbling. He grit his teeth as another blow came, pouring every ounce of remaining strength into one final assault.
His chokuto erupted in a swirling inferno, the heat distorting the air around it as he swung with everything he had, a desperate final attack meant to kill Yuta in one blow.
Yuta shifted, his body blurring with Phantom Step as he slipped inside Akihiko’s guard. His katana flashed upward effortlessly, cutting deep into the curse user's chest, the pain forcing him to drop his flaming chokuto to the ground with a clang.
The flames sputtered out as Akihiko staggered back, clutching at the wound on his chest. His eyes widened in shock, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Yuta didn’t give him a moment. A single step forward, and his free hand splayed out into the night.
“Granite Blast.”
A deafening boom ripped through the night as raw, concentrated cursed energy erupted from Yuta’s palm. The force of the blast sent Akihiko flying backwards, his body wracked with violent tremors as the energy tore through him. A massive pink explosion of cursed energy bloomed in the air when he finally crashed against the ground, illuminating the estate in an eerie, flickering glow before dissipating into the night.
Yuta exhaled slowly, lowering his hand. His expression softened; the estate and his family were safe once again.
--- --- ---
Warmth flooded Yuta’s chest as he quickly approached Maki and Iori. Maki looked up at him as he approached, her sharp eyes scanning him for injuries.
“Are you okay?” She asked, voice steady.
Yuta nodded, reaching out to brush his fingers against Iori’s tiny hand. The baby cooed softly, even happier now that both his parents were near.
“Yeah, just a few burns, nothing reverse cursed technique can’t handle.” He exhaled, shoulders relaxing slightly. “You?”
Maki smirked, tilting her head to show the shallow cut on her cheek. “Barely a scratch.”
Yuta’s thumb gently traced the edge of the wound, his hands flaring with white light briefly to seal it, alongside the wound on her shoulder. “There. Now it’s nothing.”
Maki chuckled lightly, her grip on Iori tightening just slightly. “They were after him.” She muttered, voice low. “Not us.”
Yuta’s expression darkened. “I know.” His fingers curled around the hilt of his sheathed katana. “We’ll find out who sent them. And we’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Maki nodded, jaw clenching. “I’m just glad we were here for him. Rika included.”
Maki exhaled sharply, pressing a kiss to Iori’s forehead as the baby nestled against her chest, finally drifting back to sleep now that the danger had passed.
A moment of silence stretched between them. Whoever had orchestrated this attack had made a fatal mistake; they had threatened their son.
Yuta exhaled, relaxing. “For now, let’s get Iori inside. He’s been through enough tonight.”
Maki nodded, shifting the sleeping baby in her arms. “Yeah.”
Yuta and Maki walked side by side, their fingers intertwining as they made their way into one of the guest houses. The estate was quiet now, save for the distant murmur of the surviving guards clearing up, and the occasional rustle of leaves in the night breeze. Iori slept soundly in Maki’s arms, his tiny chest rising and falling with each peaceful breath, completely unaware of the chaos that had just unfolded around him.
Yuta prepared a small cot kept in the guest houses, and Maki laid their son down, her movements deliberately slow so as not to wake him. For a moment, they stood there, watching him sleep. The sight of him safe and unharmed was enough to ease the last of the tension from their shoulders.
Maki exhaled softly, turning to Yuta, garnering his attention. Without a word, she reached up, her fingers brushing against his jaw, before pulling him into a slow, gentle kiss. Yuta melted into it, his hands settling on Maki’s waist as he deepened it just slightly. When they parted, he rested his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her lips.
Yuta sighed. “I’ll never doubt your instincts again.”
Maki smirked, but her expression softened as she glanced back at Iori. “It’s alright, he’s safe, we’re safe.”
“Never again.” Yuta promised, tightening his grip on her waist just slightly.
Maki nodded, exhaling through her nose. “Good."
Yuta pressed another kiss to her temple before pulling back. “Come on. Let’s get some rest while we can. Tomorrow’s going to be busy.”
Maki didn’t argue. She let him guide her to the nearby futon, where they collapsed side by side, their bodies angled toward Iori’s cot. Sleep didn’t come immediately, but it didn’t matter. For now, the three of them were together. And that brought Maki more happiness than anything.