[16] Trial By Fire
I squinted against the dim blue glow emanating from the corridor's end, my fingers instinctively tightening around the hilt of my blade. Sweat trickled down my spine, a stark contrast to the chill that had permeated the air moments ago. Something was off.
"Damn," I muttered, wiping my brow. "Why's it getting so hot?"
Nobara's eyes narrowed, her stance shifting. "You feel it too?"
I nodded, pressing forward. Our footsteps echoed against stone, each step bringing us closer to... what? My gut churned with unease.
The corridor curved, opening into a cavernous chamber. And there, amidst flickering azure flames, lay the source of that unholy reek.
Bodies. Charred beyond recognition, twisted in agony. Dozens of them, maybe more.
"Fuck," I breathed, bile rising in my throat.
Nobara's scream pierced the air, raw and primal. I whirled, just in time to see—
A torrent of blue fire, impossibly hot, surged towards us.
"MOVE!" I roared, lunging for Nobara. I caught her around the waist, momentum carrying us into a desperate roll. Heat seared my back as we tumbled, the acrid stench of singed hair filling my nostrils.
We came up hard against a wall, Nobara trembling in my arms. My eyes locked onto the source of our near-incineration.
It hovered above the carnage, a thing of nightmare. Bone-white and twisted, its face split in a rictus grin that spoke of madness and glee.
"BURN! BURN! BURN!" it shrieked, its voice like nails on slate.
Nobara's nails dug into my arm. "Akuma," she whispered, voice tight with fear. "That's—"
"Yeah," I growled. "Special Grade."
I'd known this day would come. Hoped for it, even. But now, faced with the reality... A chill ran through me, at odds with the infernal heat.
No time for doubt. I rose, pulling Nobara to her feet.
"You good?" I asked, eyes never leaving our adversary.
She swallowed hard, then nodded. "Let's send this fucker back to hell."
A savage grin split my face. That's my girl.
The spirit cackled, hurling another gout of flame. We dove in opposite directions, the heat searing my skin even as I rolled clear.
"Nobara!" I shouted. "I'll draw its fire. You set up for your technique!"
She flashed a thumbs-up, fishing in her pocket for her signature nails.
I dashed forward, zigzagging to avoid the spirit's attacks. "Hey ugly!" I taunted. "That the best you can do? My grandma throws hotter fireballs!"
It screeched in rage, focusing its assault on me. Perfect.
I wove through the onslaught picking up a stone the size of a fist, my cursed energy thrumming beneath my skin. Time to see what this bastard was made of.
"Charge," I murmured, channeling power into my hand. I hurled it with pinpoint accuracy.
The rock sliced through the spirit's ethereal form, detonating on impact. It howled, more in anger than pain.
"Akuma, NOW!" Nobara's voice rang out.
I dove clear as she unleashed her Resonance technique. The air crackled with power as her cursed nails found their mark, slamming into the spirit from multiple angles.
It writhed, its form flickering. But not enough. Not nearly enough.
"Shit," I hissed. We needed more firepower.
The spirit's rage reached a fever pitch. Blue flames erupted in a maelstrom, filling the chamber.
"I'm open to suggestions here, Kantaro," Nobara said, backing up until she was beside me again.
"Take a back seat, Kugisaki. Find some cover."
Her eyes widened. "What? Are you crazy? We should—"
"Trust me," I cut her off, my voice firm. "I've got this."
Nobara hesitated, then nodded, retreating behind a fallen chunk of concrete. I turned to face the cursed spirit, its twisted form writhing in the air before me. Blue flames danced around its bone-white body, casting eerie shadows across the chamber.
I took a deep breath, centering myself. This was it. Time to see if all that training had paid off.
"Hey, ugly!" I called out, taunting the spirit. "Let's dance."
The thing screeched, hurling a torrent of blue fire in my direction. I dove to the side, rolling to my feet in one fluid motion. As I came up, I snatched a handful of playing cards from my pocket.
"Charge," I muttered, infusing the cards with my cursed energy. They began to glow with a faint red light.
I fanned the cards out in my hand, then flung them at the spirit with pinpoint accuracy. They sliced through the air, exploding on impact with its ethereal form. The spirit howled in rage and pain.
But I wasn't done yet. I reached for more cards, this time channeling a different type of energy into them. "Accelerate," I whispered.
The cards blurred as they left my hand, moving so fast they were almost invisible. They tore through the spirit's body, leaving gaping holes in their wake.
The cursed spirit lashed out, its flames intensifying. I could feel the heat searing my skin even from a distance. Time to kick things up a notch.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the cursed energy flowing through my body. I'd only attempted this once before, and it had nearly killed me. But I didn't have a choice now.
"Temporal Shift," I growled, feeling the power surge within me.
Suddenly, everything around me seemed to slow down. The spirit's movements became sluggish, its flames creeping through the air at a snail's pace.
I moved, my body feeling light as a feather. In the blink of an eye, I was behind the spirit. My fist, charged with cursed energy, slammed into its back.
The spirit's scream was distorted, drawn out by the warped time around us. I didn't let up, raining blow after blow on its twisted form.
I felt the power surge through me, time bending to my will. The spirit's movements slowed to a crawl, its flames creeping through the air like molasses. I didn't waste a second.
My fists flew, each strike amplified by cursed energy. The spirit's warped screams echoed as I pummeled its twisted form. But even as I pressed my advantage, I knew this technique couldn't last. Already, I could feel the strain on my body, my muscles burning with exertion.
Suddenly, the spirit's eyes flashed with malevolent intelligence. It may have been slowed, but it wasn't stupid. With agonizing slowness, it turned its gaze towards where Nobara crouched behind cover.
"No!" I growled, realizing its intent.
Time seemed to speed up as the spirit gathered its power. A massive fireball began to form, aimed directly at Nobara's hiding spot. I knew my Temporal Shift was about to give out, and when it did, that inferno would engulf her in an instant.
I had seconds to act. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I pushed my technique to its limit. The world blurred around me as I sprinted towards Nobara, my body moving faster than should have been possible.
"Kantaro, what—" Nobara began, her eyes widening as I scooped her into my arms.
The Temporal Shift ended just as I leaped away, the fireball exploding behind us. Even with my enhanced speed, I couldn't completely outrun the blast. Searing heat washed over my back, and I bit back a scream as my skin blistered.
We tumbled to the ground, my body shielding Nobara from the worst of it. For a moment, all I could hear was the roaring of flames and my own ragged breathing.
"Akuma!" Nobara's voice cut through the haze of pain. "Are you okay?"
I pushed myself up, wincing at the agony radiating from my burned back. "I'll live," I grunted, meeting her worried gaze.
"Kantaro! Kugisaki!" Fushiguro's voice cut through the chaos. He burst into the room, his shikigami at the ready. "We need to go, now!"
I locked eyes with him, seeing the urgency in his gaze. The situation must have deteriorated elsewhere.
"Nobara, go with Fushiguro," I said, my voice leaving no room for argument. "I can't go all out here with you around. Those kids need to get to safety."
"But-" Nobara started to protest.
"No buts," I cut her off. "This isn't up for debate. Go."
She hesitated, conflict clear on her face. Then she nodded, her jaw set. "Fine. But you better not die, you hear me?"
As Nobara ran towards Fushiguro, he caught my eye. "Stay alive, Kantaro," he said, his usual stoic demeanor cracking just a bit.
"You know me," I replied. "Too stubborn to die."
They disappeared down the corridor, leaving me alone with the raging spirit.
No need to hold back anymore.
I felt my body absorb the cursed energy around us, filling me with renewed strength. The spirit's flames licked at my skin, but I barely felt the heat now. My lips curled into a savage grin.
"Alright, ugly," I growled. "Playtime's over."
I charged forward, my body a blur of motion. The spirit screeched, hurling another torrent of blue fire. I dodged effortlessly, feeling the heat rush past me.
"Too slow," I taunted.
My fist connected with its twisted form, charged with cursed energy. The impact sent shockwaves through the chamber. The spirit reeled back, its ethereal body flickering.
I pressed my advantage, raining blow after blow on its writhing form. Each strike was precise, calculated to inflict maximum damage.
The spirit's screams grew more frantic, tinged with something I hadn't heard before. Fear.
It tried to retreat, but I was relentless. I pulled more cards from my pocket, infusing them with cursed energy.
"Charge," I muttered, feeling the power surge through me.
The cards flew from my hand, slicing through the air with deadly accuracy. They exploded on impact, tearing chunks from the spirit's form.
It howled in agony, its flames sputtering and dimming.
"What's the matter?" I taunted. "I thought you Special Grades were supposed to be tough."
The spirit's eyes, once filled with malevolent glee, now held something I never thought I'd see in a curse of this caliber: fear.
"Temporal Shift," I growled, pushing my technique to its limits.
Time ground to a near halt. I moved with lightning speed, intercepting the spirit before it could escape.
My hand plunged into its chest, grasping what passed for its core. I could feel its essence pulsing, trying to break free.
"Game over," I said, my voice cold.
I channeled all my remaining cursed energy into my grip. The spirit's form began to crack, lines of red energy spreading across its body.
With a single, devastating blow, I shattered the curse's form. Its energy dispersed in a violent explosion, blue flames flickering out of existence as its essence was obliterated.
As the last traces of the Special Grade curse faded away, I stood alone in the chamber, my chest heaving with exertion. The fight had been intense, but the outcome was never in doubt.
I looked down to where the curse disintegrated and saw a small, dark object lay where the spirit's corpse had been.
Was that...?
I leaned forward, snatching up the object. It was a finger. Gnarled, discolored, and definitely not human. One of Sukuna's fingers.
"Well, well," I muttered, turning it over in my hand. "Looks like you weren't just some random curse after all."
The finger pulsed with malevolent energy. I could feel it trying to worm its way into my mind, but I shoved it down. No way was I letting that bastard Sukuna get a foothold in my head.
I pocketed the finger, grimacing as another wave of pain hit me. Time to get out of here. I stumbled towards the exit, using the wall for support.
As I reached the doorway, I paused, looking back at the carnage. The chamber was a wreck, scorch marks and rubble everywhere. But the bodies were gone, consumed by the curse's flames.
"Rest easy," I murmured to the empty room. Then I turned and limped out, Sukuna's finger a heavy weight in my pocket.