Crashing through the wall Geto smashed through layers of concrete and finally impacted a cargo crate. A massive dent formed around his body as the steel scraped across the floor with a horrid grinding sound. Arced white scraps lined the concrete floor where the crate twisted and slid across it.
Hearing the crash Gojo looked and sighed as he said, "damn the weakling can't even handle himself when Atlas isn't giving a helping hand." Shaking his head as he looked towards the sound. "Guess we should go help him."
"Let me help you get there a bit quicker yeah?" Atlas said as he patted Gojo on the shoulder. Seeing the boy's eyes widen at how quickly Atlas' cursed energy appeared, not having expected it. Spinning around Gojo quickly crossed his arms over his chest to block the incoming attack and Atlas slammed his foot into Gojo, phasing through the braced defence before hitting his chest. Sending the boy flying through a few walls as he crashed into the other side of the shipping container making it once more spin and this time flip.
Seeing the giant four-legged spirit come out and kick the crate away as Gojo and Geto stood side by side and started to argue Atlas just shook his head and said, "They have no hope do they." His voice was disappointed as he stood next to Ieiri.
"What is happening?" She asked, her eyes a little wide.
"Don't worry I won't kick you. Give me a cigarette will you?" He said as he held his hand out, feeling one put his palm he nodded and started walking towards the boys, taking her lighter out of her pocket as he walked away before throwing it over his shoulder to her again.
"Alright lads, this is how this is going to work out. My papa taught me through kicking my ass so I think I am going to do the same. And until you lads learn something, I am going to beat you black and blue!" Atlas said his voice merry as both the boys looked at him in shock.
Opening his mouth to say something Geto suddenly was hit in the chest by a blast of fractured space and thrown into another wall, although only hard enough to crack it.
"No, if, and or buts. There are two other options you guys can do, however. 1: Put out this cigarette. Or 2: Break the curtain and escape." Atlas said, his voice amused as he tilted his head to the side, letting the cigarette idly burn in his mouth, he wanted this to last.
Staring at Gojo who looked confused he looked between Geto and Atlas before getting in a fighting stance and saying. "I can beat you mys-" His words cut off as he was hit in the chest by a similar blast and slammed into the same wall that Geto was just launched into.
He couldn't see either of them as they fell down behind boxes, at least until Gojo stood up.
Smiling he felt Geto's presence moving around the edge of the warehouse, at least he was hiding. It didn't take long before Gojo threw his hand out, a blast of force ripping chunks out of the ground and carrying loose metal as he launched through the air. Bringing everything it pulled and the destructive force of the attack right to where he was standing.
As he phased and the attack passed through him Geto who was waiting for his moment was pulled into the attack and was unable to complete a sneak strike because of it.
Watching the clawed hands reach out of the shadow and hold him so that he didn't fall into the attracting force Atlas sighed before stepping through dimensions to behind Gojo who was already turning around when he emerged. But he wasn't fast enough. Slamming a fist into his chest Atlas sent him hurtling towards Geto once more. Watching the boy bounce off the floor as cracks webbed from his impact.
Was he being a bit too rough? Sure. But this was how Frank helped him grow.
And he knew that it had results. It would help them grow. Show that he treated them the same. And allow Gojo to admit Geto was strong when they both kept up with each other fighting the opponent that was meant to be the reason Geto was strong. If they both grew from it then that meant that Geto was growing the same way Gojo was. Not because of Atlas giving things but pushing him.
Who knows, he liked to think that this would work. It might take a few months. But he would get his results god damn it.
He would talk to the principal as well about this but something told him that Ayumu would be on board.
Stepping once more he appeared behind them out of folding glass and didn't even attack them as the giant-legged spirit kicked at him but his attack was pulled off course by another blast from Gojo that pulled the spirit into and tiring out the attack and cancelling it. Meaning nothing really happened.
"See?" Atlas said, motioning to the fallen spirit.
Just as the boys turned to each other so that they could argue Atlas sighed and said, "Enemy is right here." Before slamming and attack into both of their chest sending them crashing in the same direction. Into the same wall as before finally making it fall on the both of them. Seeing them fall behind the boxes he wondered if they would actually talk to each other.
Sitting down as he heard their muffled voices of loud whispering he chuckled. Looking over to Ieiri he went over and gave her the best advice he could for practising reverse cursed technique before making his way back to the boxes. He didn't want to exclude her after all.
Seeing them still argue he said. "Get a move on lads or I'll bring the roof down on you next time." His voice was a bit irritated, just like Franks always was. Encourage them to try and end it quickly.
Waiting for just one more moment he watched the giant cursed spirit, the one with four legs barrel toward him like a runaway train. Sighing thinking that they were just attacking him again he tried to tune in on their energy.
But the countless minor spirits that suddenly appeared around the warehouse were making it almost impossible to find Geto, wait had he just filled the area with spirits to hide his unique cursed energy.
Shaking his head he held his palm out and stopped the charging spirit dead in its tracks before it even reached him before he looked around. Feeling hands about to grip his ankles he let the attack phase through him. Looking down at the clawed spirit.
Surely they didn't think that was going to work right?
Before a of pulling force slammed into the back of his head. Just a moment too late though as he phased.
Seeing the attack blast the ground around him to bits as it all pulled up towards a crushing ball he looked up to see Gojo standing in the air. Having attacked him from above.
So the spirits were a distraction.
That made sense, Gojo would want to be the one attacking. Aiming up he went to blast Gojo with an attack from his fingers but just as he did he felt a blade swing past his face, his own sword.
The pulling force had dragged all the loose spirits around the place that Geto had summoned toward him. Flooding the direct area with the signatures of their cursed energy.
Just in time to hide Geto who was pulled along with them.
Leaning back Atlas watched the sword pass in front of him. Turning to attack Geto but his attack was a moment too late as Gojo pulled the boy towards him with a use of his technique. Watching Geto be ripped towards Gojo he let it happen as Gojo caught Geto.
Both of them standing there a good distance away from him as the ball of crushed materials was dropped to the ground n loose rubble.
Laughing Atlas said, "Good, good! This is getting fun, let's see some more teamwork then." His face lit up as he motioned for them to come at him.
Seeing Gojo smile as he flicked the air in front of his face Atlas was actually a bit confused. His brows furrowed before they widened in realization. Taking the cigarette from his mouth he looked at it. It had been cut cleanly in half. Geto had never aimed for him, of course, physical attacks were more than useless against him.
Why would he have tried to strike him then? Unless he was faster than Atlas' cursed energy he would never have been able to land the attack.
So of course he had gone for the first goal he had set. He had never actually expected them to work together so cleanly, however. Clearly, in the time he had talked to Ieiri, they had actually managed to come to an agreement.
"I'll say it… I'm actually impressed. So who's plan was it?" Atlas asked as he started to walk towards the duo. Throwing the sliced cigarette to the side. Although he was pretty sure he knew the answer, in the canon Geto was the one to remember mission details.
"Geto did, the first useful thing he has done this year," Gojo said, looking a bit annoyed about it. But the small smile on his face showed that despite it all he did enjoy having beat Atlas at something. And in a short amount of time as well.
Damn these brats were strong, no wonder they became special grades during their second year. They were very impressive… very, very impressive.
"Well, I guess you won, what do you want? MacDonald's?" Atlas asked, his voice amused as he waited for their response.
"I want to fight you myself," Gojo said, his confidence clearly inflating.
"Sure," Atlas said, less than a moment later he was in front of Gojo and slamming fist after fist into him.
Hammering him with attacks and giving him no chance to attack back it didn't take long before Geto tried to help Gojo out, probably some year mate responsibility or something like that.
Less than 10 minutes later Atlas was carrying one on either shoulder as he looked at Ieiri and called out to her. "Yo! Ieiri, come on, it's time to go back to school." His voice amused as he tossed the boys into the back seat.
"What happened!" Furuta yelled, his voice raised as he looked at Atlas for an explanation but was interrupted.
Ieiri saying. "He happened." As she climbed in the front seat while Atlas was buckling the boy's seatbelts up. Looking at her with the 'really?' expression he just sighed.
Turning to Furuta he said, "Don't worry. It was just some training, I healed up the worst of their injuries, they need to have some consequences. He stated. His voice amused as he watched Gojo's head rested limply on Geto's shoulder.
"Welp, cya next time Furuta, I'm going to go for a long walk," Atlas said, just before Furuta could complain or stop him he suddenly disappeared. Stepping backwards into folding space.
"God damn it!" Furuta said. Getting in the driver's seat as he said, "That brat has no respect for me."
---
Teleporting into the living room of Frank's house he waved his hand and started saying, "Yo! Fran- Jesus Christ! What the fuck happened to you!" Atlas said, his face confused as he looked at Toji who was laying on the couch. Towels between him and the cushions to stop the dried blood from the healing wounds getting on them.
"Got attacked by my family because you killed Eiko. Killed a bunch of them and then left… wasn't that interesting." Toji said, laying back. Multiple of his wounds were bandaged and some open stitching on deeper cuts showed.
"Let me heal you up… I didn't think you would be weak enough to be hurt by your family? You holding back for some reason?" Atlas asked as he walked over and started pumping positive energy into Toji healing the man's wounds bit by bit.
"No… I was weak when they started… do you know what it is like to be able to see inorganic matter… I can see air… I can feel the temperature and density. I think I can know how you move before you will move. It is… fascinating." Toji started to explain as he held his hand in front of his face and started to open and close it. The simple act fascinated the clearly dazzled man.
It was odd seeing such a tough person as Toji acting like… this… guess he really had his enlightenment and had become the sorcerer killer that was going to be so feared.
"Kind of like how I am seeing reflections of other planes nowadays? Something so abnormal that it's hard to get your brain to wrap around what is really happening?" Atlas offered as he sat down across from the man on the couch. His knee tucked up to his chest.
"Where's Frank by the way?" Atlas asked as he tilted his head to the side, moving the conversation to another subject since Toji wasn't responding to his previous query.
"He just left a moment ago. Don't know why. He met up with someone that was talking to him. Didn't really listen in though since I didn't want to invade his privacy. Something about his past I think, someone he used to know maybe?" Toji said, sinking into the couch as he let out a satisfied sigh.
Furrowing his brows in confusion Atlas leant his head back as he wondered who it could be. Frank's past had always been something that interested him so he was definitely wanting to know what it was about but decided not to pry.
He hadn't seen Frank much lately, he was missing the old-timer.
"You mind doing me a favour pal?" Toji asked, his head rolling to the side so that he could look at Atlas. His face morphs into something much more serious.
Pulling his thoughts back to now he nodded his head. "Sure, go ahead mate."
"Can you go to this address and check on my girlfriend. I have a bad feeling for some reason. I never revealed I even had a girlfriend to anyone but you so I don't think anything has happened but I would rather know that she is safe." His voice softened as he held Atlas' gaze. Showing him an address on his phone.
"I'd go myself but... I'm probably being watched by my family right now. I don't want to risk it. And you can hide in another plane and practically teleport so they can't follow you even if they tried." Toji finished, trying to justify his request which he was clearly letting emotions guide his thoughts at the moment.
"Sure thing. I'll be back soon." Atlas responded with, it was a valid request even if it was a bit sudden. Would give him something to do while he waited for Frank to get back.
Stepping into folding space he teleported to the nearest place he had been to the address before. Running forward he felt his feet carry him quickly over the ground. Hiding in another plane. His mind wandered until he got to the apartment block.
Climbing the stairs, leaping up entire flights he soon was in front of the door. Wondering if he should knock or something he didn't want to have to explain why he was here. He was just checking on her for a mate.
Phasing through the door he made his way into the house, looking around. The lights were on but no one was in the living room. Dirty dishes sat on the side of the sink…
Something was very, very wrong.
He just felt it… that feeling when you weren't meant to be somewhere. That feeling when you smelt blood or just badly injured yourself. The drop of your stomach when you knew something was wrong but you didn't know how wrong just yet.
His eyes widened as he swung the bedroom door open he couldn't believe his eyes. Fushiguro and her daughter lay dead. A single slice on their throats having let them bleed out slowly but silently. Suffering the entire time.
They were dead… killed. And not by a curse.
His presence had changed another thing.
And Atlas knew that when Toji found out about this he would blame the Jujutsu Society.
Atlas didn't trust them just yet, some part of him that wasn't natural pushing the view because of simple knowledge that the higher-ups were fools. At least most of them. He trusted Ayumu and knew that there were good people within the society… they wouldn't do this.
But the traces of cursed energy that were left behind? It couldn't be anyone but a sorcerer. A curse user would have no reason to do this but Toji's family the Zenin clan did for example.
He thought he knew who was behind this, pulling small strings. Planting doubts and stirring trouble the year before the vessel would emerge.
Kenjaku…
He was driving a wedge between Atlas who had joined the society and Toji a strong ally. No that was too self-centred, maybe it was to harden Toji and make sure he would still accept the job?
Maybe it was to use Toji to drive him away from the society he had just joined to get him away from Gojo and Geto?
There were so many reasons this could have been done.
But it was done well… and Atlas hated that.
Who was the man with Frank right now that had drawn him away for just long enough. Almost as if Kenjaku knew everything he needed to do.
Now assumptions were dangerous. But when a mind knew things, it was easier to make links to those things. People that Atlas had already labelled as the 'bad guy.'
Staring at the bodies Atlas didn't know what to do. How would he tell Toji?
=======
I'm finally pulling some threads together, some changes of plans. Some things are being worked towards. A lot of small details finally showing some significance!
Also I wish to clarify some questions from the last chapter.
He wasn't severely affected by seeing the dead people killed by the Shuten-Doji. He was more so affected by how gruesome the entire situation was. While he does care about life and will try to protect it, he isn't really fussed by seeing people that are already dead.
He didn't care about the people that died, he was emotionally and mentally affected by the brutality of the sight he saw. How messed up it was and the fact that as a sorcerer he was in a way responsible for it. It was the brutality of the scene he witnessed that heavily affected him. Not the fact that he cared for the people that died. But he does care for people, and knowing that they might end up like that was eye-opening for him. This is the first time he has seen a lot of victims of just one spirit.
I hope that makes sense.
Also. There will be romance. Let me continue to traumatize my characters before I let them have love though first.