Come back . 戻ってきて

"She has a role to play."

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Megumi's breath was heavy as he pushed himself up from the debris. His body ached, his mind reeling from everything that had just happened. Naomi lay motionless in his arms, her body still warm, faint wisps of heat radiating from her skin as the remnants of her cursed energy flickered like dying embers.

Her uniform was in tatters—her blouse barely hanging on, exposing glimpses of her bra beneath the shredded fabric. Without hesitation, Megumi shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her, ensuring she was at least somewhat covered before hoisting her up.

"I'll come back for Yuji," he muttered to himself, glancing back at his unconscious friend, his expression tightening. Right now, getting Naomi out was the priority.

As he carried her outside, the cold night air hit them like a stark contrast to the scorching battlefield they had left behind. He found a relatively safe spot and gently placed her down, kneeling beside her for a moment, catching his breath.

And then—

A chuckle.

Low, mocking, and unmistakably not Yuji's.

Megumi's blood ran cold.

"He's not coming back anytime soon."

Megumi's head snapped toward the source of the voice, his body tensing. Sukuna stood there, grinning, flexing his fingers as if testing out his vessel's body. His crimson eyes gleamed with amusement as he towered over them, his presence suffocating, his cursed energy pressing down like an invisible weight.

Yuji was gone.

And now, Megumi was face to face with Ryomen Sukuna.

Megumi's body tensed as Sukuna rolled his shoulders, sighing as if relieved to finally stretch without restraint. His crimson eyes flickered toward Naomi, unconscious on the ground, before shifting back to Megumi, a slow, taunting grin curling on his lips.

"Tsk, tsk. You just left him there? How cold, Fushiguro." Sukuna tilted his head, feigning disappointment. "Well, not that it matters—he's not coming back anytime soon."

Megumi clenched his fists, his muscles coiled and ready. He had seen Sukuna's power firsthand—fighting him was near suicide. But there was no choice.

"Give him back." His voice was sharp, unwavering.

Sukuna let out a low chuckle, taking a slow step forward. "Give him back?" he echoed, amused. "And what makes you think I'd do that?"

Then, before Megumi could react—Sukuna disappeared.

Megumi's instincts screamed as he barely dodged Sukuna's strike, the cursed king appearing beside him in an instant. The air rippled from the sheer force of his movement, sending debris scattering.

"Come on, let's have some fun." Sukuna smirked, his stance relaxed yet terrifyingly confident. "Show me what you've got, Megumi Fushiguro."

Megumi gritted his teeth. He didn't have time for this. But as he met Sukuna's piercing gaze, he knew—he wouldn't be getting Yuji back without a fight.

The battle had begun.

Sukuna lunged forward, his speed inhuman, forcing Megumi to react instantly. He barely managed to raise his arms in defense before Sukuna's fist slammed into his guard, sending him skidding backward across the shattered pavement. The sheer force rattled his bones, but he didn't have time to recover—Sukuna was already upon him again.

Megumi ducked just in time, a cleaving strike missing his face by inches. With a swift counter, he summoned divine dogs, the shikigami lunging at Sukuna's exposed side. But the King of Curses merely smirked and effortlessly swatted them away, slicing through them as if they were paper.

"Pathetic," Sukuna sneered. "Come on, Fushiguro. Where's that potential I saw in you?"

Megumi didn't respond. He couldn't afford to. He adjusted his stance, his breathing steady, his cursed energy flaring. He had to figure out a way to stall—if he could just get Naomi far enough away, he could fully focus on fighting Sukuna.

But then, Sukuna did something unexpected.

With a twisted grin, he suddenly plunged his own hand into his chest.

Megumi's eyes widened in horror as Sukuna ripped out Yuji's heart with ease, the still-beating organ pulsating in his grip.

"What—"

"You were going to make this boring," Sukuna interrupted, casually tossing the heart up and catching it like a toy. "So, let's raise the stakes."

Megumi froze, his breath caught in his throat.

"If I die, he dies too."

Sukuna grinned, cruel and menacing, his bloody fingers tightening around Yuji's heart.

"Now, what will you do, Megumi Fushiguro?"

Megumi's breath came in short, ragged gasps as he tried to keep up with Sukuna's relentless attacks. Each blow was heavier than the last, forcing him to move purely on instinct. His body screamed at him to stop, but he couldn't—not with Naomi lying there, unconscious and completely vulnerable.

"You're really getting on my nerves, Fushiguro." Sukuna sighed, dodging one of Megumi's attacks with ease. His eyes flickered toward Naomi's still form, the glow of his markings illuminating his face as his grin widened. "All this effort just to protect her? How touching."

Megumi's fists tightened. "Shut up."

Sukuna let out a low chuckle, stepping to the side as Megumi sent a shikigami lunging at him. With a flick of his wrist, he obliterated it. "You're acting like I'm about to kill her," Sukuna mused, tilting his head mockingly. "But if that power she just unleashed is really hers..."

His grin sharpened.

"Then she's much more interesting alive."

Megumi's stomach twisted. The way Sukuna spoke—it wasn't just amusement. It was curiosity.

Does he know something?

Sukuna suddenly rushed forward, faster than before, and Megumi barely managed to block in time. The impact sent him staggering back, his heels digging into the broken concrete as Sukuna leaned in closer.

"Naomi Gojo, huh?" The way Sukuna said her name sent a shiver down Megumi's spine. "That kind of power... even Gojo himself is hiding things from you all, isn't he?"

Megumi's eyes widened for a fraction of a second—just enough time for Sukuna to strike.

With brutal force, Sukuna slammed his knee into Megumi's stomach, sending him flying backward. He crashed into the rubble, coughing up blood, his vision swimming.

Sukuna laughed. "What a waste! Here you are, fighting for your life, while the real monster is lying right behind you."

Megumi forced himself to stand, ignoring the searing pain in his ribs. He didn't know what Sukuna meant, but it didn't matter.

Naomi was still unarmed. And as long as he was still standing, he would keep it that way. Megumi wiped the blood from his mouth, his breaths ragged but his stance unwavering. No matter what, he had to protect Naomi. Sukuna noticed.

"Hah, you really are stubborn, aren't you?" Sukuna mused, flexing his fingers. "Do you even realize how fragile she is?" His smirk deepened. "How easily I could snap her neck before you even blink?"

Megumi's fists clenched. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself forward, lunging at Sukuna with all the strength he had left. He had to end this.

He summoned Nue, the shikigami diving from above, lightning crackling through the air. Simultaneously, Megumi rushed from the front, aiming a precise, cursed energy-infused strike at Sukuna's ribs.

For a moment, it almost seemed like it would land—

But Sukuna was already gone.

Megumi's heart pounded as he felt a presence behind him. Too late.

A powerful kick slammed into his back, sending him crashing into the ground. The world spun as he gasped for air, his ribs feeling like they had cracked under the force.

"Pathetic," Sukuna sneered, stepping over him.

Then, he turned his attention back to Naomi.

"You know, Fushiguro..." Sukuna said, tilting his head as he studied her unconscious form, "I wasn't lying when I said her death wouldn't come by my hands."

Megumi struggled to push himself up, alarm shooting through his veins.

"She has a role to play." Sukuna's voice was low, almost thoughtful. "And when the time comes, she'll realize it too."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Megumi spat, forcing himself to his feet, ignoring the burning in his muscles.

Sukuna merely chuckled, the sound dark and taunting. "Oh, you'll see soon enough."

Megumi panted heavily, his entire body aching from the relentless fight. He could barely stand, barely breathe, but his eyes never left Sukuna.

Naomi was still unconscious. Still vulnerable.

And Sukuna knew it.

The King of Curses grinned down at him, clearly amused by Megumi's unwavering determination despite the obvious hopelessness of the situation. "Still standing? Impressive. But tell me, Megumi..." Sukuna's voice took on a mocking lilt. "Why do you struggle so much?"

Megumi spat blood to the side. "Because I have to."

Sukuna chuckled. "How noble. But futile." He twirled Yuji's still-beating heart in his fingers, the blood dripping onto the broken pavement. "You already lost. You can't save him. And soon enough, you won't be able to save her either."

Megumi's hands tightened into fists.

Sukuna tilted his head. "You know, I've been watching you for a while now." His crimson eyes gleamed. "You have potential, but you waste it on others. Especially on him." He nudged Yuji's heart  with his foot. "A boy who barely knew what he was getting into. Who threw away his life for a cause that never even needed him."

Megumi gritted his teeth.

He's trying to break me.

Sukuna stepped forward, towering over him. "So, tell me, Megumi... was he really worth it?"

Megumi froze. The exhaustion, the pain, the overwhelming feeling of losing everything all at once—he felt it crushing down on him. Yuji, Naomi, Nobara, everything was slipping away.

He wasn't strong enough. Damn it... I wasn't strong enough.

And then, he remembered. That day with Gojo. That conversation.

"Megumi, why did you save Yuji?"

"Because I wanted to."

"Even if he dies?"

Megumi's jaw clenched as he looked at Yuji's body.

"Even if he dies."

His next words came out hoarse but firm. "I don't care what you think, Sukuna." Megumi's hands trembled, but his resolve did not. "Yuji is going to live. And I have no regrets on saving him."

Sukuna's smirk faltered. Then, before he could say anything—

Yuji's fingers twitched. Sukuna's eyes widened slightly as a sudden shudder ran through his body. He jerked violently, his hands going to his head as his expression twisted in frustration.

"Tch—this brat—!"

Yuji's body convulsed, his breathing ragged. Megumi watched, heart pounding. "Come back, you idiot!"

Sukuna snarled, gripping his temples as Yuji's consciousness fought against him. His entire form tensed— And then, Yuji took over.

Sukuna's presence vanished as Yuji collapsed forward.

Megumi staggered forward, catching him just before he hit the ground.

"Yuji?"

No response. Yuji's body trembled in Megumi's grasp, his breath shallow and uneven. His fingers twitched weakly, as if trying to reach for something—for life itself.

Megumi held onto him, his grip tight, refusing to accept what was happening. "Yuji, hold on—just stay awake! You hear me?!"

Yuji's eyelids fluttered, and for a brief moment, his gaze met Megumi's. His lips parted, voice barely more than a whisper.

"...Megumi... take care of... the others."

A weak, tired smile formed at the corner of his mouth—and then, his body fell still.

Megumi's world went silent.

No...

No.

He shook Yuji's shoulders, desperation clawing at his chest.

"Oi... Yuji... wake up." His voice wavered, something thick forming in his throat. "Don't say something like that and then just—"

He pressed his fingers against Yuji's eyes. Nothing.

Megumi lowered his head, his entire body trembling. His friend—his ally—his comrade... was dead.

And Sukuna's laughter still echoed in the empty space around him. Megumi's breath caught in his throat. Yuji's body was cold. His heartbeat—gone.

"No..."

Yuji didn't move. Didn't breathe.

And just like that—

Itadori Yuji was dead.

So guyss how was it.? 

Totally a bad mood today.. anyways a comment would cheer me up. And I'll try my best for a double update.

Kneel before the King of Curses... and while you're down there, vote and comment.