絆 | bond | gojo satoru

よんじゅうきゅう | forty nine

絆 | kizuna | bond

49

1 month later...

T.W: Lots of violence.

Yuri

ME AND SHOKO VENTURED DEEPER INTO THE ABANDONED HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, its once vibrant halls now shrouded in an eerie silence. The walls, covered in peeling paint and faded posters, echoed with memories of laughter and life that had long since departed. Dust motes danced in the dim light that filtered through broken windows, casting ghostly shadows that played tricks on my eyes. Shibuya's skyline loomed in the distance, a stark contrast to the desolation around us.

"Shoko," I called out, my voice steady and calm despite the tension in the air. "We should split up. It'll be easier to find the kidnapped kids if we cover more ground."

Shoko just shrugged. "Sure. Just don't get yourself too injured. I'd rather not spend my day patching you up again."

I rolled my eyes at her usual flippancy but nodded in agreement. A faint grin tugged at the corners of my lips at her remark. Shoko's ability to heal others had always been a comfort for me, she's quite skillfully good.

"Don't worry about me," I assured her. "I can handle myself, I can heal on my own."

We had been sent on this mission by Yaga-sensei, who had briefed us on the disturbing reports. Several children had gone missing recently, and our investigations led us to believe they were being held here, in this forsaken building. But as grim as the situation was, we knew there was a chance we might find more than just the kids. The possibility that they had already met a terrible fate hung heavily over us, but we couldn't let it deter us.

As I uttered the command "Nari," the intricate tattoos adorning my body seemed to come alive, the dark ink swirling and shifting with a life of its own. It spread from my skin like a creeping shadow, coalescing into the form of a serpent that slithered sinuously down to the ground.

With a sense of familiarity, I crouched down to meet my serpent companion, my fingers trailing lightly over its sleek scales. "Be my eyes," I commanded softly, the words slipping effortlessly from my lips as the serpent obediently responded to my will.

With a graceful glide, the serpent moved across the dirty floor, its movements fluid and silent. Through its eyes, I could see the world around me with clarity.

I watched through Nari's eyes as she slithered through a small crack in the concrete wall, emerging into a gymnasium. The sight was chaotic: the room was filled with small, harmless cursed spirits. Yet, something felt off. Suddenly, Nari halted, her senses alert. My own pulse quickened in response.

"Nari, what did you see?" I whispered, sensing her agitation.

My serpent darted toward the opposite side of the gymnasium, heading for what appeared to be a stockroom. She squeezed through another crack and entered the room, which was cluttered with sports equipment. It seemed unremarkable at first, filled only with minor cursed spirits. But then, I heard it: the faint, pitiful sobs of a child.