Ghost of the Living

Chapter 3: Retrieval

Over the next couple weeks you travel from one village to another, never staying in the same place for too long. You try not to draw attention to yourself, but with Sukuna's curse users hunting you down (obvious by the scars on their hands) and the sorcerers that challenge you in the streets (really they're just a nuisance at this point) it's been difficult.

You sigh as you rip off another hand from a dead curse-user's arm, using your technique to become someone with shikigami and sending it back to Sukuna's temple with said hand.

Near the beginning of being hunted down, one of the curse users had been fighting you and asked if you had killed their friends. Which, after telling him that you in fact did, and then beat him to a pulp with his friend's technique for fun, you decided that you'd start sending messages back to the four-armed prick to tell them who was dead because of him. Messages in the form of severed hands.

Really, it's a terrible idea that you've doing this but it's worth it because if he didn't want to send his curse users to their deaths, then he would come after you himself. At least this way he'll know how many of his ranks that you slaughtered.

Plus, it's funny to rub it in his face.

You chuckle and watch as the cursed bird flies off, turning to wipe the small amounts of blood off your clothes. It's only little splatters from your fights and it's on black cloth, but letting it build up is worse so you'll take the being the cleanest you can get.

That particular curse user was a bit more troublesome than the others, just because he didn't explain his technique to you. Most sorcerers hear about the whole idea that explaining your technique makes it more powerful and go 'ah yes, this is what I should do all the time'. That makes it easier for you to use your technique, because you can only copy something you understand.

However, it seemed this one had some braincells that stayed intact after joining the King of Curse's ranks, which you were impressed by.

Regardless of that whole nuisance of a fight, however, it's not long before you're back to traveling, and you're starting to feel the wear and tear. You're only human, after all, and it's been awhile since you've had a proper night's sleep or a full meal. You know there's a family of sorcerers that owes you a favor in the next town over, so you figure you'll head there and stay there for a night. Hopefully their protections will provide you with enough peace to sleep soundly for at least a single night.

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Sukuna POV

"My lord?" Uraume calls from the opening to the throne room where Sukuna now rests, off in his own thoughts but available if needed. Heavy emphasis on needed.

"What is it?" He practically snaps, more frustrated than usual in the past weeks since his battle with you.

"Another hand was found at the barrier. One of your top curse users, based on the residuals. I checked myself."

Sukuna growls in annoyance at the information, his typical bored and relaxed demeanor growing ridged.

"What information has been discovered about that brat? Surely by now something has been found." Sukuna raises an eyebrow at Uraume's abnormal hesitance. "Spit it out."

"We've found nothing, my king. It seems wherever they come from has been kept a closely guarded secret."

Sukuna hums, displeased by the information but not entirely surprised. He twirls the twin metal wristbands he'd dug out from his cursed object collection in his fingers, gazing down at them with a growing smirk.

"No matter, Uraume. Recall all the curse users I've sent out, and see to it that the Shrine is taken care of in my absence. I shouldn't be long." Sukuna stands, talking as he walks toward the entrance of the Shrine. Uraume follows close behind to listen to his orders. "Also prepare a room for our soon-to-be new hire, the bare minimum and nothing that could be used as a weapon. Seal it so no cursed energy can be used within for good measure."