Untimely Reunion

The night sky stretched endlessly over the dimly lit bridge where Furōkawa and Yuji stood, the faint hum of the city barely audible over the gentle lapping of the river below. The air was tense, thick with fog that lurked just over the streets. Yuji clapped his hands loudly above his head, the sharp sound echoing through the quiet night.

A low rumble emerged from the river below, followed by the appearance of writhing, grotesque forms. Dozens of curses, some towering and monstrous, others slinking and sinewy, leapt from the water like predators breaking the surface.

"Here we go!" Yuji shouted, adrenaline surging through his veins.

Furō spread his wings wide, their metallic black edges glinting faintly under the moonlight. Without hesitation, he launched into the air, his speed blurring him past Yuji. "I'll clear the way to Choso! Lead them under the bridge!" he yelled back.

Yuji nodded, his muscles tensing as he took off, baiting the curses to follow.

The creatures snarled and screeched as they gave chase, their distorted forms bounding after him with terrifying speed.

Choso stood calmly beneath the next bridge, his hands already clasped together, red cursed energy swirling ominously around him as he prepared his Piercing Blood. His expression was cold, calculating, as he waited for the signal.

Yuji dashed into view, his voice ringing out as he called, "Choso!"

Choso unleashed his technique, a torrent of blood-red energy ripping through the pack of curses with devastating precision. The beams carved through their bodies, obliterating them one by one. The air was filled with the sounds of curses shrieking in pain before disintegrating into dust.

But as the dust settled, a single curse remained. It was bat-like, with leathery wings and a long, whip-like tail. It hovered high above, escaping Choso's line of fire.

"I got it!" Furō shouted, shooting into the sky with a powerful flap of his wings. He collided with the curse mid-air, driving a brutal kick into its chest that sent it plummeting toward the ground. "Yuji, finish it!"

Yuji was ready. As the bat-like curse fell, Yuji leapt into the air and slammed his fist into its body, the force of his punch smashing the curse into a nearby wall.

The creature screeched once before dissipating into ash.

Yuji landed smoothly, shaking out his fist. Furō descended shortly after, folding his wings behind him. "Not bad," Furō said, grinning. "You've got strength that reminds me of Maki."

Yuji's face lit up at the compliment.

"Thanks!"

Choso approached, his usual stoic demeanor softening slightly. "You've gotten a lot stronger," he said to Yuji.

"When we fought, your attacks were powerful but clumsy. Now, you've added finesse. You're not just strong-you've become a demon god."

Yuji rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Pain is a good teacher."

Furō nodded in agreement. "He's not wrong. Even without cursed techniques, your physical stats alone put you on the level of a Grade 1 sorcerer."

Before Yuji could respond, a voice called out from above. "I don't see Megumi..."

The three sorcerers looked up sharply to see a blonde man perched casually on the railing of the overpass above them. His golden hair swayed slightly in the breeze, and his eyes gleamed with cold amusement.

Furō squinted, his mind racing as he tried to place the man. Then, it clicked.

He remembered the day he visited the Zenin household to retrieve Onamazu. This man had been there, training in one of the many sectors of the compound.

"What are you fools doing down there?" the blonde man called out lazily.

Furō narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on Onamazu. "We could ask you the same thing, blondie."

The man tilted his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Hey, I remember you. You're that brat Satoru brought to steal one of our tools."

Furō's jaw clenched.

The man chuckled, standing upright on the railing. "To be honest, I don't have much of a grudge about it. You've clearly grown a lot stronger, and I respect that. But..." His smirk widened, and his tone grew sharper. "I can't just let Sukuna's vessel roam free. I think I'll break his legs."

Choso immediately stepped forward, his cursed energy flaring. "As if l'd let that happen."

The blonde man barely spared him a glance. "Shut it, nobody. Where's Megumi? I'll end him, too."

Yuji's fists clenched, and his body tensed as he prepared to fight. Furō gritted his teeth, stepping into a defensive stance.

Before anyone could react, the blonde man vanished, reappearing in the middle of their group.

"He's fast!" all three thought simultaneously.

The blonde man unleashed a flurry of rapid punches, his speed almost too much to track. Furō, Yuji, and Choso struggled to react, each narrowly dodging or deflecting the strikes. Then, as suddenly as he appeared, the man retreated a few feet, his smirk returning.

"You lot are tougher than you look," he said, rolling his shoulders. "Maybe I should try upping my speed."

Before the fight could escalate further, an ominous wave of cursed energy washed over the battlefield. It was immense and suffocating, yet eerily familiar. Everyone turned their attention toward the source, their gazes locking onto a figure standing tall on the overpass.

A man with jet-black hair and piercing, dark eyes removed the bag slung across his shoulder, letting it fall to the ground. He carried a katana, its sheath gleaming faintly under the moonlight.

"Hmm, you're not alone," the man said calmly, his tone even but brimming with authority.

Furō's eyes widened in shock as recognition struck him like a bolt of lightning. His lips parted into a nervous smile. "Yuta...?"

It was unmistakable. Yuta Okkotsu stood before them, his presence as overwhelming as Gojo's-but there was something darker, more dangerous about him.

Furō's heart raced as conflicting emotions surged through him. "What the hell is Yuta doing here... and why does he feel so bloodlusted?"