𝑬𝑴𝑷𝑰𝑹𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑮𝑶𝑳𝑫 ⇢ Gojo Satoru

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈 - 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄

THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS BLURRED TOGETHER – between clan meetings, training sessions and the paperwork necessary to be reinstated as both the Kinzoku heiress and a special-grade sorceress, Mikazuki barely had time to breathe. Which is why on a quiet Wednesday morning, the sorceress slipped out of the Kinzoku Estate, opting for a trip to downtown Hokkaido so she could clear her head and put her thoughts into place. Being alone for a while after the constant suffocating presence of her family was a relief – except, unbeknownst to her, she wasn't completely alone.

Geto Suguru had been following the sorceress for almost week now, mainly observing from a distance and keeping a watchful eye over her. Part of it was to make sure Mikazuki's arrival didn't further affect his plans, but another part of him – the part provided by the reanimated conscience of the actual Geto Suguru – was simply there to make sure she was all right. It was a strange feeling, because he didn't care about the sorceress, or at least not the real him, but his current meatsuit of choice did. He was swimming in a pool of emotion that clearly did not belong to him, and such sentiment made him feel sick.

Caring had always been a disadvantage, it was one of the values his family had rooted into his brain, and it was also another thing he and the real Suguru had in common. However, the man still happened to harbour a soft spot for the girl, a feeling the current mind hijacker could not relate to in the least. Still, even with this inner conflict waging in his mind, Geto continued to watch, hiding in the shadows as he followed the sorceress through a dim lit street.

Mikazuki stepped out of the convenience store, a bag of supplies on one arm as she held her phone on the other hand. Unlike the rest of her family, she was more than capable of blending in, choosing a pair of grey sweatpants and a white shirt while her odd-coloured hair remained hidden under a baseball cap. She looked real, like any mortal woman running errands, and if it weren't for the ridiculous amount of Cursed Energy seeping out of her skin, Geto would've almost been fooled.

The sorceress halted her steps in the middle of the street, the inert section of her Endless technique picking up on the change it atmosphere. Geto felt it a second later, eyes narrowing as the air shifted and four new strangers appeared in the street. They were well-dressed, their hair slicked back with a generous amount of gel, the crest of The Magistrate dandling from their suits like an ornate trinket made only for decoration instead of the powerful symbol it embodied.

Doors – Madame Dubois must have sent them. Geto thought, lowering himself and melting into the shadows of the fire escape he was currently hiding in. Although the sorcerer had been following Mikazuki for a while, being spotted by The Magistrate was something he wasn't particularly looking forward to, especially considering he would have to kill them to keep his identity a secret. Mikazuki must have shared the sentiment, because instead of running like any other low-level sorcerer would have, she simply stood there, the neon sign of the 24 hour pharmacy glowing in the puddle that stained the pavement, her expression unreadable.

"Kinzoku Mikazuki." One of the Doors called, his voice monotonous enough to make Geto question whether he was human or a merely a robotic envoy. "You have been summoned by The Magistrate."

The other three stood at the sides, blocking the entry of the street, yet Mikazuki did not seem frightener nor troubled, a cheeky smile appearing on her face as she eyed the men in front of her.

"Let me guess, Madame Dubois has a bone to pick with me." She taunted, eyes flaring when the man grimaced.

"Madame Dubois" He mocked her tone, taking a step towards her as the air between them cackled with Cursed Energy "is the leader of the Council of Magistrates, and as such you are bound by law to answer to her calls."

The man was not powerful by any means, at least compared to the sorceress currently standing in front of him, the gold in her blood stirring at the mere possibility of a fight. It had been a long time since Mikazuki had last used her abilities, and although the woman was fairly rusty, some things just couldn't be forgotten – like riding a bike.

"What I am," Mikazuki began, her voice dropping low as she plastic bag fell to the ground, contents spilling into the sidewalk. "is a traitorous, murderous bitch who is tired of The Magistrate's stupid games."

Geto blinked, feeling as the Cursed Energy coming from Mikazuki grew, expanding around her like a golden halo of pure death. It was nothing like the kind of Energy she harboured during her high-school days, the aura of it feelings like a sunset of a summer day, a stark contrast to the stench of death currently emanating from her gold.

"Does Léa have such a bad memory she's forgotten why I was exiled in the first place?" The sorceress asked, positioning herself so there were two Doors in front of her and another two at her back.

To anyone else, this would have been a foolish move, but to the sorceress, who didn't have any blind spots, it was a strategy she was eager to try again.

"Because if that's the case, I have no problem in reminding her."

The Kansai Massacre. That was what The Magistrate had called what she'd done, the thirty-seven sorcerers she butchered merging into a single name, whoever they were of little to no importance to everyone else involved – except their families, but that was something Suguru didn't care about, and apparently neither did the Kinzoku heiress.

"If you resist, we won't have another choice but to bring you in forcefully." The Door warned, his threatening tone falling flat when compared with the sheer power currently circling Mikazuki.

The sorceress scoffed.

"I'd love to see you try."

And just like that, the game was on.