The Weight of Our World

Higanbana Intermission

In the wake of what would have been sure tragedy, a decision had been reached. The students wouldn't get to continue the exchange event, but instead would have a free day. No homework, no training, no obligations. The adults were dispatched and moving about, doing what they could in a poor attempt to regain control of the situation. Three cursed wombs and several fingers were stolen during the chaos.

Nothing but dead ends awaited them.

Thus, another order was put out concerning Yuji. "Itadori Yuji is to consume every finger when it is found within reason." Whatever within reason meant, it probably didn't matter. It likely only existed so they can have a say in the matter at all times.

"Looks like the old bastards are getting scared,"Sukuna said.

"Yeah, they are,"Yuji said, voice barely a whisper,"It sucks because what if... what if this just pushed up my execution date?"

Sukuna groaned from inside his domain,"Brat, what's stopping you from running away?

"I don't know. Maybe a curse thousands of years old who can't even spell 'morals' to save their life,"Yuji said.

"It's not my fault I can't use your modern alphabet,"he argued,"Back then, most of that was for merchants and government officials. People that mattered to other people."

"Wait, you couldn't read or write back then either?"he asked.

"It wasn't important. As long as I understood the spoken language and some general words, it was fine,"he said,"Plus, having four arms and being a giant made it... difficult. Nothing like your tiny, two-armed body."

"I'm not tiny,"his voice cracked.

"Brat, how old are you?"he asked, ignoring his vessel's outrage.

"I'm fifteen,"he said under his breath.

There was no laughter nor mocking, just a sigh of disappointment,"You're a boy. You're not even a man. These old bastards really are cowards."

The door was opened and it sounded like the frame broke as it slid into the slot carved out of the wall. Gojo came in, having bullied the higher ups long enough, it seems,"Yuji! You sure do know how to hold your own against those geezers. You were way too nice, though. You could have talked back a little. They can't touch you as long as I'm around."

"But what if you're not?"Yuji asked,"You're just one person."

"Have some faith in yourself, too,"Gojo said, sitting in a chair across from Yuji,"I don't bother with weak people. They die too often and too easy,"there was a somber pause before he dialed the mood back up to a ten,"I can't wait to see their faces when they realize you're going to outlive all of them."

"What do you mean?"Yuji asked.

He pulled some candy out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth. He remembered the brand because Nanami stashed a bunch in his glove compartment,"You can preserve the body, but you can't cheat death. Even Master Tengen has... rules. There is no such thing as perfect immortality. They've lived longer than any sorcerer has a right to,"his voice dropped in pitch,"Karma will catch up to them."

"About that,"Yuji said,"If they're the strongest, why don't they seem to go on missions? I think we'd notice someone who looks ancient hobbling around."

Gojo's jaw was tense. He wanted to say a lot, wanted to explain it in full detail and make his student understand, but that would be stripping him of his peace of mind. So, he told a partial truth,"Because they're like CEO's. They don't do much, don't have the skill they claim, but reap most of the rewards for 'managing' and 'supervising'."