絆 | bond | gojo satoru

じゅうさん | thirteen

絆 | kizuna | bond

13

Yuri

IN THE DARKNESS, I SLOWLY OPENED MY EYES, FEELING DISORIENTED AND GROGGY. The pain in my body was a constant reminder of the ordeal I had gone through. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust my vision to the dim surroundings. The ceiling above me was nothing but a dark void, and as I attempted to move, the sharp jolts of pain shot through me, making me wince.

With great effort, I managed to sit up, my head spinning. The cold ground beneath me sent shivers through my body, and I clutched my torn and bloodied kimono, realizing the state I was in. The room was engulfed in darkness, save for a single lamp on the wall behind me, casting an eerie glow that barely reached beyond my cell.

It was then that I pieced together where I was – the dungeon of the Hiyoku clan. I remembered the pain, the venomous bite of the serpent, the darkness that had consumed me. My father's cruel actions echoed in my mind, his willingness to harm his own daughter for his own will.

A mixture of anger and sadness welled up within me, threatening to overflow. I wanted to scream, to demand answers, to confront my father for his cruelty. But as I tried to speak, my voice failed me. I was weak, drained, unable to muster the strength to even shed a tear.

Gazing down at my neck, I touched the two wounds where the serpent's fangs had pierced my skin. The memory of the excruciating pain resurfaced, and I winced at the sensation. I felt a tingling in my cursed energy, a sensation of paralysis that was slowly subsiding. It was as if the serpent's bite had temporarily disrupted my power, leaving me vulnerable. Yet, I still have remaining curse energy left before it would go back entirely.

In the darkness, I heard a voice – a voice that was not my own. I was taken aback, surprised to hear someone else in this desolate place. "You've been out for more than two days. Hell, I thought you were dead," the voice remarked, a tinge of amusement lacing his words.

"Who's there?" I called out, my voice wavering. Fear gripped me, and I instinctively reached out with my cursed energy to sense the presence of the stranger. But there was nothing – no trace of his cursed energy, no hint of his intentions.

A deep chuckle echoed through the darkness, sending a shiver down my spine. "Curious, are we?" the voice taunted, and I felt a knot of unease forming in my stomach. "I am everywhere and nowhere, my dear. A mere shadow in the abyss."

Frustration welled up within me. "Show yourself!" I demanded, my voice tinged with anger. But there was no response, only an eerie silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

And then, as if emerging from the very shadows themselves, he stepped into the dim light. A tall man, his presence was imposing, his gaze cold and calculating. His kimono bore the emblem of the Zenin clan, a stark contrast to his menacing demeanor. A long scar marred at the side of his mouth, adding to the air of danger that surrounded him.

He offered a chilling smile, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "You're quite the sight, aren't you? Broken and battered, yet still so defiant."

I clenched my fists, the pain in my body momentarily forgotten as I met his gaze with a glare. "Who are you?"