wasteland, baby! [fushiguro megumi]

18: hanami

september 2018

tokyo prefectural jujutsu high school

third person pov

"it's vines are headed towards the buildings! there might be people there, i'll hold it off, you have to go and evacuate them!" keiko yelled across to inumaki as she just cut up the thick branches that seemed to be growing out of the cursed spirit at lightning speed.

this is definitely a special grade, dance of the butterflies barely scratched it. i might have to switch.

seeing as there was no better plan at hand, inumaki nodded as he mouthed "don't die." to his kouhai before taking off.

keiko turned back to face the cursed spirit, as it spoke again, incoherent words sending trembles through her brain.

"you're speaking gibberish but i understand you perfectly, it's disgusting!" keiko set her spear ablaze again, slicing across the vines that were coming for her.

in a flash, the cursed spirit disappeared but the thick branches kept growing from beneath the soil, shooting upwards towards the girl.

"where do you think you're going- fuck!" keiko winced after a sharp end of the roots pierced through her left shoulder just inches away from her heart.

lifting her into the air together with the rest of its roots growing towards the building that inumaki had run off to, keiko dispelled her spear quickly to dig her nails into the root that impaled her. scarlet cursed energy charging through her veins, sending out incandescent flames only to sizzle on the surface of the roots. as if things weren't bad enough, a murky yellow began to enclose around the school.

a veil?

as she felt her shoulder getting ripped apart, keiko had recalled a specific training gojo conducted together with everyone else. it was a special training for her comrades to learn how to fight alongside her, and how to counter her techniques if needed, so she needn't worry about suppressing her cursed spirit core and use the full extent of her strength.

"do your worst koko, break your own ceiling."

yeah satoru, i think i'll do it!

keiko dropped her arms as she let the growing roots continue pushing her up, slowly blinking to let the dark crimson glow overtake her irises as she morphed her spear once again.

"i haven't got the chance to use it in a fight properly," keiko scowled, grabbing the end of her spear with both hands as she lifted it up. "but i think it's time to see what it's like on the other side! butterfly dystopia!"

igniting her blade, murderous scarlet cursed energy coursed through the metal polearm as she swung it across her. now, black butterflies emerged from the slashed root, swarming the rest of it in black flames as keiko fell from midair, landing just before megumi, inumaki and kamo.

"keiko?!" megumi rushed forward to help the girl on her feet, distressed navy eyes trembling as he watched her pull the broken root out of her shoulder, blood splattering all over the ground.

"i'm fine, it'll heal itself." keiko wiped a stray stream of blood trickling from her nose, as she turned towards the cursed spirit she lost standing atop it's vines. "there you are."

"why would a cursed spirit be in school? who cast this veil?" kamo frowned.

"probably a curse user who cooperates with cursed spirits." megumi replied, turning back to check on keiko who had her burning crimson orbs fixed on the cursed spirit in front of them.