Chapter 19: The Fall

Chapter 19: The Fall

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The snow fell slowly and silently over the land that, in millennia, would be called Japan. The end-of-year festivities brought with them an atmosphere of superficial peace, but those familiar with the shadows knew that this was only the prelude to a storm. Kenjaku, manipulator of the great clans and master of conspiracy, had achieved the unthinkable: dividing the remains of the King of Curses, Sukuna, into three parts. Hidden in the shadows, he plotted his plan to bring the world into chaos, using his influence in Jujutsu sorcery to advance unhindered.

Pikachu, however, had wasted no time in his quest to stop Kenjaku. At his side, Tengen, the immortal woman who had protected the secrets of sorcery for millennia, remained as enigmatic as ever. They both knew that Sukuna's fall was not the end, but the beginning of something much darker.

As the world celebrated the end of a cycle, Pikachu and Tengen continued their training in secret. Under the wise sorceress's tutelage, Pikachu had learned to channel his own cursed electricity and fuse it with barrier techniques, training tirelessly to master his expanding domain. His small body, once known only for its electrical energy, was now capable of manipulating the flow of curses to his advantage. Cage Lightning, as he had decided to call his technique, could encapsulate and neutralize any threat within his domain, with a sure hit guaranteed.

"It only remains to be perfected," Tengen had told him, his voice calm but stern. "Because Kenjaku will not wait."

That morning, as snow blanketed the fields, a new threat arose in the form of a powerful curse. The collective hatred of humans towards winter, cold, and snow had taken form, creating a cursed spirit whose power rivaled that of the ancient entities. Pikachu was tasked with eliminating it alone, while Tengen handled the political situation within the clans.

"You are ready," Tengen had assured him before setting off. "This will be your test."

Pikachu, with energy crackling around him and his newfound barrier power flowing within him, did not hesitate for a second. The cursed spirit, formed from the negativity of winter, loomed like an icy shadow, casting a cold so intense that the ground around it instantly froze. But Pikachu felt no fear. Its small eyes shone with determination as it charged up its Cage Beam.

The showdown was brutal. The winter spirit launched blasts of cold, but each attack was intercepted by Pikachu's barrier. His expanding domain had covered the battlefield, and every move the cursed spirit made was countered by the electric mouse technique. Finally, Pikachu found the right moment.

"Now!" he shouted internally, and launched his Cage Beam straight at the core of the cursed spirit. The strike was precise, and with a burst of electric light, the cursed spirit disintegrated into a cloud of ice and darkness.

As Pikachu watched the creature's end, something darker loomed over them. Tengen, who had remained in the shadows during the confrontation, was confronted by the figure she feared most: Kenjaku.

"Tengen," Kenjaku said, his voice full of mockery, as he emerged from the body of an unknown woman. "Ever so faithful to the cause of sorcery. But you are mistaken in believing you can stop me."

Tengen did not respond immediately. His eyes, unchanging and serene, studied Kenjaku's every move. But before he could react, Kenjaku made his move. With a gesture, he revealed the heir of the Zenin clan, a young man who wielded the dreaded Ten Shadows technique, bound and at the mercy of the curse surrounding him.

"I have found the perfect way to bring Sukuna back," Kenjaku said, his voice ringing with a terrifying coldness. "And he needs a vessel."

Tengen understood what was about to happen, but was unable to intervene in time. With one fluid movement, Kenjaku forced one of Sukuna's soul fragments into the young Zenin, who screamed in agony as the cursed energy of the King of Curses began to take control of his body.

"Sukuna's rebirth is near," Kenjaku muttered with a malevolent smile. "And this time, it will be impossible to stop him."

Pikachu, who had sensed the change in the air, arrived at the scene just as Kenjaku's ritual was completed. The young Zenin's eyes, now possessed, glowed with Sukuna's dark power. The King of Curses' laughter echoed throughout the valley.

"I'm back," Sukuna whispered through the young man's body, as the air filled with cursed energy so dense it was difficult to breathe.

Tengen looked at Pikachu, his gaze filled with urgency.

"We're not ready for this," Tengen said, his voice for the first time revealing concern. "But we have no other choice. We must stop Sukuna before he regains his full power."

Pikachu nodded, his small paws shaking with pent-up energy. He knew that what they faced now was far greater than any cursed spirit or winter curse. It was Sukuna, the King of Curses, and the battle for the fate of the world had begun.

The snow continued to fall, but now each snowflake seemed to be tinged by the darkness that was coming.