Bonds of Convenience

Yukuna rose from the tangled sheets, his movements fluid and predatory despite the night's exertions.

The morning light filtered through the traditional paper screens, casting golden patterns across the bedroom floor and illuminating the two women still sleeping in his wake.

Yorozu lay curled on her side, her newly incarnated body bearing marks of their encounter - bruises blooming across her pale skin like dark flowers, evidence of passion that bordered on violence.

Beside her, Kenjaku slept in a more composed position, her back straight even in unconsciousness, her breathing measured and controlled. Ever the strategist, even in repose.

Yukuna studied them briefly, his expression unreadable as he considered the events of the previous night. The exploration of connection had been... informative.

There was power in such bonds, he was certain of it now.

Not the sentimental attachment humans prized, but something more primal, more fundamental - an exchange of energies that transcended the merely physical.

He moved silently to the sliding door, stepping out onto the veranda that overlooked the estate's expansive gardens.

The morning air was crisp against his naked skin, carrying the scent of cherry blossoms and distant mountains.

The Kyoto countryside stretched before him, a tapestry of traditional beauty that had remained largely unchanged for centuries.

Yukuna breathed deeply, allowing the clean mountain air to fill his lungs.

His mind turned once again to the revelations of recent weeks - to his counterpart who had somehow transcended the limitations that still bound him, who had bent reality itself to his will through connections Yukuna had always dismissed as weakness.

The evidence was undeniable. If he wished to surpass his counterpart, he would need to explore this path further.

Last night had been merely the beginning - a physical connection that scratched only the surface of what might be possible.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden disturbance in the air above the garden.

The sky rippled, reality itself seeming to fold inward as a swirling green portal materialized approximately twenty feet above the immaculate landscape.

Yukuna's body tensed instantly, cursed energy gathering around him in preparation for an attack.

His eyes narrowed as a figure emerged from the dimensional tear - a man in a dark costume with a cape that billowed dramatically behind him as he descended to hover several feet above the garden.

Sinister Mark.

The variant's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his cold eyes as he surveyed the scene before him. His gaze lingered on Yukuna's unclothed form, his expression tightening with mild disgust.

"I'd rather not see a man naked unless he's cut up and boiling in a stove," Sinister Mark commented, his tone casual despite the grotesque sentiment. "Perhaps you could make yourself more presentable for our conversation?"

Yukuna tsked in annoyance, reaching into his shadow with practiced ease. The Ten Shadows technique responded instantly, darkness coalescing as from it rose a simple black robe that he wrapped around himself with unhurried movements.

"Better?" he asked, his voice carrying that imperial quality that brooked no argument.

Before Sinister Mark could respond, Uraume appeared at the veranda entrance, her expression alert and wary.

Her arrival was silent but immediate - she had sensed the fluctuation in her master's cursed energy and responded accordingly, as she had for years.

"Sukuna-sama," she acknowledged, her eyes never leaving the hovering intruder. "Shall I eliminate this trespasser?"

"Stand down," Yukuna commanded, his tone leaving no room for discussion. "You are not his match."

Sinister Mark's smirk widened at this assessment, a flicker of genuine amusement crossing his features. "Wise decision. I'd hate to deprive you of such a devoted servant over a simple misunderstanding."

Uraume's expression remained neutral, though her eyes hardened slightly at being dismissed so casually. She awaited further instructions, her posture indicating readiness despite Yukuna's command.

"Prepare food," Yukuna instructed her, his gaze still fixed on Sinister Mark. "To my preferences. Our guest apparently shares my tastes in cuisine."

Understanding dawned in Uraume's eyes - Yukuna's preferences in food were well-documented throughout history. Human flesh, prepared with the exquisite care only she could provide.

"As you wish, Sukuna-sama," she replied, bowing slightly before retreating into the house.

Once they were alone, Yukuna turned his full attention to Sinister Mark, who had descended to stand on the garden path below the veranda.

"Why are you here?" Yukuna demanded without preamble. "And how did you breach the dimensional barriers?"

Sinister Mark strolled casually through the garden, examining a particularly beautiful cherry blossom with feigned interest. "Lovely place you have here. Very... traditional. I've always preferred more modern aesthetics myself - steel and glass, clean lines, minimalist design.

Though I do appreciate the statement made by surrounding oneself with antiquities. It speaks to a certain... historical perspective."

He plucked the cherry blossom, rolling the delicate petals between his fingers until they crushed into a pink smear. "As for your cuisine preferences - human meat is fine for novelty, I suppose, but I've found Viltrumite flesh to be far superior.

The density of the muscle tissue creates a unique texture when properly prepared. And the marrow..." He kissed his fingertips in an exaggerated chef's gesture. "Exquisite."

Yukuna's patience, never abundant to begin with, began to wear thin. "Cut to the point," he commanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous register. "Why are you here?"

Sinister Mark finally turned to face him directly, his affected casualness giving way to something more focused, more calculated.

"To get here," he began, his tone shifting to business-like efficiency, "required extraordinary measures. I needed the remains of my world's Angstrom Levy, his research, and an insane amount of human sacrifices - a couple hundred thousand, give or take.

Add some arcane magic, demonic summonings and enslavements, and eventually I created a machine capable of traversing dimensions."

He shrugged, as if discussing nothing more consequential than a minor inconvenience. "It's still limited, unfortunately. I can only travel to worlds where I've interacted with a resident. Hence my ability to reach you."

Yukuna processed this information with clinical detachment. The casual mention of hundreds of thousands of deaths meant nothing to him - humans were abundant, their lives insignificant in the grand scheme.

What interested him was the technology, the capability to move between dimensions at will.

"And your purpose?" he pressed, though he was beginning to suspect the answer.

Sinister Mark's smile returned, sharper now, more predatory. "You must have noticed the bond between our counterparts - the Emperor and his precious Megumi, even the relationship between Megumi and his own Mark. Quite formidable together, aren't they?"

He ascended the steps to the veranda, closing the distance between them with measured steps. "Which brings me to my proposition: let's work together."

Yukuna's expression remained impassive, though his interest was genuinely piqued. "Elaborate."

"Before coming here, I studied your world a bit, flew around a little here" Sinister Mark continued. "Fascinating system you have - Jujutsu, though most prominently these 'Binding Vows.' A way to formalize agreements with supernatural enforcement. Perfect for our purposes."

He spread his hands in a gesture of openness. "I propose a Binding Vow between us - no loopholes, complete trust, absolute cooperation.

The Emperor achieved his position because of his Sukuna, and that Sukuna grew so powerful through his connections, particularly to his Marks. We should explore that same path."

Sinister Mark's voice took on an almost fervent quality, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "True connection. True friendship. We share the same tastes - in food, in control, in domination, in being worshipped. Together, there would be nothing we couldn't achieve."

He began to pace the veranda, his cape swirling dramatically with each turn. "We could rule countless worlds, evolve to a point where we transcend mere existence. Become gods beyond human deification or comprehension."

Yukuna considered the proposal with careful deliberation. The parallels to his own recent conclusions were striking - the recognition that connection might indeed be a path to greater power, that bonds could be leveraged for advancement rather than dismissed as weakness.

His counterpart had achieved unprecedented abilities through his relationships with others. The Emperor had conquered seventeen galaxies with the guidance of his Megumi. The evidence was compelling.

And yet, trust was not something that came naturally to the King of Curses. For centuries, he had relied solely on himself, viewing all others as either tools or obstacles.

Even Uraume, his most devoted servant, was kept at a careful distance - valued for her utility rather than any deeper connection.

But the dimensional merger had changed everything. The glimpse of his counterpart's capabilities had forced him to reconsider long-held assumptions, to question the path he had walked for so long.

If connection truly offered a route to transcendence, then perhaps this alliance was worth exploring. Not out of sentiment or genuine friendship - such concepts remained foreign to his nature - but as a strategic decision, a calculated step toward surpassing his counterpart.

"A Binding Vow," Yukuna said finally, testing the concept aloud. "With absolute terms. No betrayal possible from either party."

Sinister Mark nodded, satisfaction evident in his expression. "Precisely. A supernatural guarantee of our alliance. No need to waste energy on suspicion or contingencies against each other. All our focus directed outward, toward our mutual goals."

Yukuna weighed the potential benefits against the risks. The vow would bind them both equally - neither could betray the other without facing supernatural consequences.

It would be a true partnership, not the master-servant dynamic he typically preferred.

But if it led to the power he sought, the ability to manipulate the Heavens themselves as his counterpart had done...

"Very well," Yukuna decided, his tactical mind having calculated all variables and found the proposition acceptable. "We will form this bond."

Sinister Mark's smile widened, a predator who had successfully lured in his prey - or perhaps who had been lured himself. With beings of their caliber, such distinctions often blurred.

"Excellent," he said, extending his hand. "Shall we begin?"

Yukuna studied the offered hand for a moment, then nodded once - a regal acknowledgment. "The ritual requires specific preparations. Come inside. We will formalize our agreement properly."

As they turned toward the house, the morning sun cast their shadows across the veranda - two figures from different worlds, different origins, now bound by mutual ambition and the pursuit of power beyond mortal comprehension.

The Binding Vow would seal their alliance, creating a connection that neither could break. Whether that connection would lead to their ascension or their downfall remained to be seen.

But for Yukuna, the King of Curses, it was a calculated risk worth taking. After all, if his counterpart could achieve transcendence through bonds, then so could he - on his own terms, following his own path to power.

The door slid closed behind them, sealing away the morning light as they prepared to forge a pact that would shake the foundations of multiple worlds.

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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked this chapter.

I know it was quite short, but I didn't really see how to make it naturally longer, without artificially, tastelessly dragging it out.

So yeah, do tell me how you found it and I hope to see you all later,

Bye!)