chapter 32: that's alot of blood.

Nobara Kugisaki POV

July 12th

"Fuckin' FINALLY! RESONANCE! Cursed taser!" I throw the cursed energy based straw doll at gojo.

It bounces off and then lands on Megumi.

A moment later he's twitching on the floor.

"Uhh- oops?"

Nobara Kugisaki POV July 14th

"A haunted house in the suburbs? Seriously?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes as Gojo explained our latest mission. "This is what passes for excitement in the Jujutsu world?"

Gojo chuckled, his usual carefree grin plastered across his face. "Don't underestimate the suburbs, Nobara. They can be surprisingly spooky. Besides, it's a good opportunity for you guys to practice your teamwork and hone your skills against a real curse."

"Okay, so probably a good idea to get to the haunted house real quick then! Gimme the map so we can get this done quickly." I nodded.

"Well, actually, you're supposed to figure out which house it is by investigating! It's for me to know and you to find out!" he explains.

My smirk is stuck in place. "So. you want us, with no investigative skill, to figure out which house the cursed item is in, with no guide?"

He nodded.

"In the middle of bumfuck nowhere?" I asked, just to be sure.

He nodded again, "Yup! Might take a while!"

I grit my teeth. "Okaaaay~." I said cheerfully while entirely pissed off.

"This is fine. We'll do it." Megumi says like a friggin 'stick with no emotion.

"Good! That's what I like to hear!" He gives Megumi a thumbs up.

He turned to me, his expression turning slightly more serious. "And Nobara, I expect you to put that fancy new Resonance technique of yours to good use. Just try not to blow up the entire neighborhood, alright? Definitely go get that missing cursed object! But don't go too crazy!"

I smirked. "Don't worry, Gojo-sensei," I replied. "I'll make sure those curses regret ever messing with us."

Gojo's mouth twitched, "uhh, didn't I just say-"

I was already halfway towards the rented sedan so I didn't hear the rest of what that annoying troll said.

Serves him right.

He can worry about me destroying everything even without it being my plan.

The train ride to the suburban neighborhood was a quiet affair. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on the faces of my companions. Miu gazed out the window, her eyes fixed on the ever-changing landscape as urban sprawl gave way to the serene greenery of the suburbs.

Beside me, Megumi Fushiguro maintained his usual stoic demeanor, his gaze fixed on some unseen point in the distance. I nudged him playfully with my elbow.

"Lighten up, Fushiguro," I teased, a smirk playing on my lips. "It's just a recon and retrieval mission, not a funeral procession."

Megumi glanced at me with a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "I'm simply assessing the potential threats," he replied in his usual monotone. "It's important to be prepared."

Zack chuckled. "Preparedness is important, but so is a little optimism. Besides, with the three of us working together, I doubt any curse would stand a chance."

Megumi's expression remained unchanged, his gaze returning to the passing scenery. I rolled my eyes, exasperated by his unwavering seriousness.

"Seriously, Fushiguro," I interjected, unable to resist needling him further. "Do you ever smile? Or laugh? Or show any emotion besides brooding intensity?"

Megumi's lips twitched ever so slightly, as if he were fighting back a smirk. "Emotions cloud judgment," he stated matter-of-factly. "A clear head is essential for a Jujutsu sorcerer."

I snorted. "Says the guy who talks to shadows and summons demonic shikigami. Seems pretty emotional to me."

A faint blush crept up Megumi's neck, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed on the window. I grinned, satisfied that I had managed to elicit at least some reaction from the stoic sorcerer.

The train slowed to a stop, and we disembarked onto the platform of a small suburban station.

The air was fresh and clean, a welcome change from the polluted city streets.

Rows of neat and uniform houses lined the streets, each with its manicured lawn and white picket fence.

The atmosphere was eerily still, the only sound the distant hum of traffic and the chirping of birds.

"So, how are we gonna do this," Zack asks the 3 of us.

"How about a fake survey? Sounds plausible and some people might just answer." I suggest.

Miu nods, "Well, it will be a good start"

I approached the first house, a charming bungalow with a well-kept garden. I rang the doorbell, and a moment later, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a warm smile answered the door.

"Hello," I said politely, flashing my most disarming grin. "We're conducting a survey for the neighborhood association. We're just trying to get a sense of the community and see if there's anything we can do to improve the area."

The woman's smile widened. "Oh, that's wonderful! Please, come in."

I stepped inside, making small talk as I discreetly scanned the house for any signs of cursed energy or unusual activity. Everything seemed normal, the furniture was tidy, the air was fresh, and the woman's demeanor was friendly and welcoming.

After a few minutes of conversation, I casually steered the topic towards recent events in the neighborhood. "Have you noticed anything strange happening lately?" I asked, keeping my tone light and conversational. "Any unusual noises or disturbances?"

The woman shook her head. "No, not really. It's been pretty quiet around here, actually. A bit too quiet, if you ask me. We haven't seen any children playing on the street. For some reason no one really wants to go outside. I couldn't guess why. All the other streets seem normal though."

I nod, so it's probably on this street.

I thanked the woman and continued down the street with everyone else following.

I really like them letting me take the lead on this.

The next house I visited belonged to an elderly couple. They, too, mentioned a general feeling of unease that had settled over the neighborhood in recent weeks.

"It's like a dark cloud hanging over us," the old woman said, her voice trembling slightly. "We haven't seen many children playing outside lately, and it's usually so lively around here. It's very concerning."

I nodded with a concerned yet placating look on my face. "I'm sure it will be fine soon after the neighborhood watch is done."

They looked relieved and we left.

---

As I rejoined Miu and Zack, their expressions mirrored my own concern.

"Anything?" I asked, my voice laced with apprehension.

Miu shook her head. "Mostly just a general feeling of unease. But something's definitely off here."

Zack nodded in agreement. "The cursed energy is faint, but it's definitely present. We need to find the source."

We exchanged glances, our eyes drawn to the house at the end of the street, the Tokoro residence.

It stood apart from the others, its faded blue paint and overgrown shrubbery giving it a neglected and almost sinister appearance.

The windows were dark and the curtains were down and blackened, and an oppressive silence hung heavy in the air.

"That's it," I said, my voice firm with conviction. "That house is the source of the cursed energy."

Miu and Zack nodded, their faces hardening with resolve.

"Let's get inside," Miu said, her foot raising to smash the door down.

"Yeah, let's bust this door down and see what's hiding inside," Zack agreed, cracking his knuckles.

Megumi sighed. "Typical," he muttered, his tone laced with exasperation.

To my surprise, he stepped forward and got in front of them, a small set of lockpicks appearing in his hand.

With a few deft movements, he inserted the tools into the lock and began to manipulate them with surprising dexterity.

A few moments later, there was a satisfying click, and the door swung open.

"Hey, nice!" I exclaimed, a grin spreading across my face. "Didn't know you could be a good little delinquent too!"

Megumi huffed slightly, but he kept his gaze averted. "It's nothing," he mumbled, stepping aside to allow us entry.

I chuckled. "Still a stick in the mud, I see."

We entered the house, our senses on high alert.

The air was thick with dust and the musty scent of decay.

Shadows danced in the dim light filtering through the boarded-up windows, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

"Be careful," I whispered, my voice barely audible above the sound of our own breathing. "We don't know what's waiting for us in the darkness."

I crept towards the nearest light switch, my hand hovering over it for a moment before I flipped it on.

Everyone else remained in combat-ready positions, their eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.

The lights flickered to life, revealing a scene of utter horror.

Blood was everywhere, splattered across the walls and pooled on the floor.

I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, but I forced myself to remain calm, to focus on the task at hand.

"No bodies, but too much blood for even one family," Megumi stated, his voice grim.

He was right. The sheer amount of blood suggested something truly horrific had occurred within this house.

I shuddered, not wanting to dwell on the gruesome possibilities.

Zack and Miu took the lead and the back respectively, their positions flanking Megumi and me.

I didn't blame them for taking point.

they were the strongest among us, their abilities far exceeding our own. Still, I wasn't about to let them steal all the glory.

I had my own score to settle with these cursed bastards.

We moved cautiously through the house, each step echoing in the oppressive silence.

As we entered a room at the end of the hallway, a subtle click resonated through the air, sending a shiver down my spine.

Suddenly, the floor beneath our feet erupted, a giant mouth with rows of razor-sharp teeth appearing from the ground, its jaws snapping shut with a deafening roar.

We all leaped back just in time, narrowly avoiding becoming a gruesome snack for the monstrous creature.

"Damn!" A voice cackled from the back of the room. "Thought I had you."

A figure emerged from the shadows, a man with a sinister smirk and eyes that glowed with malevolent energy.

He wore a dark cloak and wielded a cursed tool a long, wickedly sharp dagger that pulsed with an ominous aura.

Zack and Miu exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them.

"You guys can handle this," Zack said. "I'll go get the cursed object and you guys will have Miu to step in if you can't handle it."

Miu stood in the hallway, her eyes locked on what would soon be a fight to the death.

Megumi summoned his Divine Dogs, the spectral hounds materializing from his shadows with growls and snarls.

The white one lunged at the cursed user, its fangs bared and their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.

I turned to face the hulking cursed spirit, my straw doll already in hand.

With a flick of my wrist, I sent the doll flying towards the creature.

The approach of the doll hid the launching of the nail at sub-sonic speeds.

It caught the back of the spectral doll, and slammed into the cursed-spirit that was being controlled by the curse user.

Before it could react, I shouted, "Resonance!" and spikes erupted from it's entire body. "Cursed electrician lobotomization!" The spikes erupted in electricity.

The cursed spirit was fried well done. I turned to megumi, he was wrapped in chains and his divine dogs were too. The chains extended from the dagger, so I did what I do best.

I waved my hand, and several nails rocketed towards the curse user.

One knocked the knife out of his hand causing the chains to disappear, the second one was aimed to his head and narrowly dodged.

The last one hit him in the stomach.

"You think this little pinprick will stop me?!" the bastard shouted.

"No," I smirked savagely. "But this certainly will."

The nail suddenly split off a portion of its cursed energy and turned into a straw doll construct.

"Split resonance cursed technique: Elephant stopper discharge!"

Enough electricity to kill an elephant fried him nice and crispy.

The fight was clearly over as his charred ass hit the ground.

Satoru fucking Gojo the sneaky bastard with way too much free time and no sense of how to deal with traumatized people POV

I stood in the air with limitless, surprisingly I didn't have to save them on their first mission.

I flew off to wait for them at Tokyo jujutsu tech.