Chapter 32: The Immortal's Confessional

The battlefield, once a chaos of cursed power and ice, was eerily silent. The lifeless bodies of fallen allies, the dust of Kenjaku, and the frozen shards of Uraume lay scattered everywhere. Amidst the desolation, Tengen staggered, badly wounded, blood staining her clothes and her immortality rapidly crumbling. Her breathing was ragged, her chest rising and falling with difficulty. Pikachu, at her side, struggled to stay upright, even though she knew her strength was on the verge of collapse.

Tengen looked at him with a mix of pain and guilt, her eyes filled with a deep sadness she had repressed for centuries.

"Pikachu..." she murmured in a voice that was almost inaudible, the weight of centuries bearing down on her. "Before I go... I must tell you the truth."

Pikachu, panting and covered in wounds, managed to crawl over to her, leaning down to listen. Tengen paused, as if each word he was about to speak was an unbearable burden.

—"A long time ago, when I still believed in the good of Jujutsu... when I thought power could be used for good... that was when I taught Sukuna. He... was young then, not the monster he became. But... I was wrong."

Her words echoed like daggers in the air. Pikachu listened in silence, as the cold wind blew through the rubble. Tengen, the immortal woman who had witnessed history itself, let out her darkest secrets.

—"I should have stopped him. I should have seen what was going to happen... but it was my arrogance, my belief that I could guide him. Sukuna, at first, only sought knowledge. But over time, that thirst turned to power, and power turned to evil. I... created him. And I never stopped him."

Pikachu felt a knot in his stomach. Tengen's words, laden with regret, echoed in his mind like an endless echo.

—"And it wasn't just him..." —Tengen continued, his voice breaking—. "Kenjaku... Kenjaku was my friend once. We shared dreams, ideas... but when I saw what she was becoming, what she was willing to do to achieve her goals... I let her go. I did nothing to stop her. And because of that, so many lives have been lost. Because of my cowardice, because of my inaction."

His eyes, now wet from the tears he rarely shed, met Pikachu's.

—"You, Pikachu... you have fought more bravely than I could have ever dreamed. You have given everything for your friends, even when you had nothing left to give. And now, because of me, you are on the brink of death. If only I had been stronger... if I had acted sooner, none of you would have had to suffer."

Pikachu, her body aching and her mind clouded by exhaustion, felt a mix of compassion and pain for Tengen. Despite everything she had been through, all the mistakes she had made, her regret was real. She had seen the world fall around her and had done nothing to stop it. But Pikachu knew that blaming herself now would not change the past.

With her last breath of energy, Pikachu brought her little paw closer to Tengen's body. She knew that Tengen's immortality was at an end. Her regeneration was failing, her body was collapsing, and every second brought her closer to death. However, Pikachu couldn't let her die with so much pain in her heart.

With a weak glow in her eyes, Pikachu began to focus the little electrical energy she had left. Her lightning bolts, once powerful and withering, were now barely sparks. However, with unwavering determination, she directed all her strength towards Tengen, intending to heal her wounds and restore her dying body.

"Don't... don't do it..." Tengen said, realizing what she was doing. "Pikachu, you mustn't..."

But Pikachu had already made her decision. She felt her own body giving way under the strain. Her energy was fading rapidly, but she didn't care. If her last act in this world could save someone, then it was worth it.

Tengen's body began to glow softly, regenerating little by little. The mortal wounds that had consumed her began to close, and her breathing became more stable. Pikachu, however, felt his own life fading away. He closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the battle finally overcome him.

As he fell into the darkness, he saw a figure approaching. It was the Angel of Death, the same one who had once resurrected him. The figure loomed over him, with majestic wings and a presence that inspired both peace and respect.

"It is time to go, little warrior," the Angel whispered in a soft voice. "You have fulfilled your mission."

Pikachu, unable to move or speak, simply nodded mentally. He knew he had done all he could. He had fought until his last breath. And now, finally, he could rest.

The angel extended his hand, and Pikachu, feeling at peace for the first time in a long time, took it. Together, they began to ascend, leaving the world of the living behind.

As Pikachu faded into the light, Tengen, now fully regenerated, opened her eyes, aware of what had happened. She looked back at the spot where Pikachu had been and let out a tear.

"Thank you… little hero," she murmured in a whisper, feeling the weight of her sacrifice.

Pikachu's soul had departed, but his legacy, and that of all those he had saved, would remain forever.

End of Chapter.

Next Chapter: God, Forgive Me

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