Chapter 17: Desperation

Kaede, while holding Kagekiri in his lap and gently stroking her head, asked with a hint of doubt in his voice:

"Kagekiri, what happened after my death?"

Kagekiri took a deep breath, her expression turning serious as she faced Kaede. "After your death, Kaede-sama, things changed drastically in the Jujutsu society. Miyako Gojo was killed by you in that final confrontation, significantly weakening our defenses. Sukuna's betrayal and his plan to become a curse devastated our ranks even further."

Kaede nodded, recalling Sukuna's betrayal. "I know, Kagekiri. I tried to stop him, but I couldn't foresee all the consequences."

"The deaths of two of the three strongest sorcerers, you and Miyako, left the Jujutsu society in chaos. Without your strength, the cursed spirits ran rampant, and the losses among sorcerers were immense. Sukuna, the last of the three great sorcerers, betrayed us, and his alliance with the curses nearly destroyed the Jujutsu society completely."

Kaede frowned. "I knew Sukuna had betrayed the Jujutsu society, but I didn't realize the impact would be so devastating."

Kagekiri nodded sadly. "Yes, his betrayal was the most devastating of all. It was only thanks to the severe wounds you inflicted on him and the combined efforts of new and veteran sorcerers that we managed to survive."

Sukuna, enjoying the tension, added with a malicious smile, "The fall of the great ones was just the beginning. The chaos and despair that followed were truly glorious."

Kaede ignored him and turned to Kagekiri. "So, what has happened since then? How are our former allies?"

"...A thousand years have passed, Kaede-sama. Many of the old allies have disappeared, and the Jujutsu society had to rebuild almost from scratch. But there is hope. The new sorcerers are learning and adapting. Gojo Satoru, one of the most talented, is practically like Miyako-sama from what I could see. If he takes leadership, I know he can restore balance."

Kagekiri smiled with a mix of pride and anger. "I'm glad to see someone as talented as Gojo Satoru is now the strongest. But I can't help but feel angry about how he defeated you recently. Though I respect his power, it hurts to see you defeated again."

Kaede nodded, understanding. "I understand, Kagekiri. It's hard to accept, but Gojo Satoru is an ally for now, so we must cooperate with him for the moment."

Kagekiri nodded slowly, though the anger still burned in her eyes. "I know, Kaede-sama. I'll do whatever it takes to help and protect you, even if it means accepting Gojo Satoru."

Kaede paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on Kagekiri's. "What matters most to me now isn't the state of the world or power struggles. What I want is to regain my freedom. And regarding Gojo Satoru, he only defeated me because I now possess only a small part of my power. When I regain my full strength, things will be different."

Kagekiri took a deep breath, feeling somewhat relieved by Kaede's words. "I understand, Kaede-sama. I'm here for you, and we will overcome any obstacle."

Kaede, Kagekiri, and Sukuna remained in the tense atmosphere of the place, each lost in their own thoughts. However, Kaede began to formulate a plan in his mind, aware that he would need to regain his full strength to achieve his goals.

"Kagekiri, there's something we must do before we can think about recovering Sukuna's fingers," Kaede said, his voice firm and determined. "I need a body. I can't operate fully while trapped in here."

Kagekiri nodded, her gaze determined. "I understand, Kaede-sama. I've been thinking of a way to transfer your soul to a new body, one without the limitations of Itadori. However, this transfer is complicated and dangerous."

Sukuna leaned forward on his throne, his eyes gleaming with interest. "A new body, you say? This could get interesting."

Kaede ignored Sukuna's provocation and focused on Kagekiri. "What do you need to carry out this transfer?"

Kagekiri closed her eyes for a moment, as if mentally reviewing the necessary steps. "First, I'll need a suitable vessel, a body that can contain your soul without breaking. It must be strong enough to withstand your power, even if it doesn't have the capability to imprison you like Itadori."

Kaede nodded, understanding the difficulty of the plan. "And, where can we find such a vessel?"

Kagekiri opened her eyes, her expression resolute. "At the Jujutsu institute. There are several talented students who could serve, especially one. But this will require time and precision."

Kaede crossed his arms, pondering. "Very well. Then, we must act carefully. We can't afford to alert Gojo and the other sorcerers. We need to infiltrate and find the right vessel without drawing attention."

Sukuna smiled, amused by the audacity of the plan. "Oh, this will be entertaining. How do you plan to do that without getting detected?"

Kagekiri smiled cunningly. "I have my methods, traitor. I've been observing from the shadows, and I know some secrets of the Jujutsu institute that could make our task easier."

Kaede nodded, trusting in Kagekiri's words. "Then, we'll start as soon as possible. We need every advantage we can get. Sukuna, you'll continue cooperating for now. We need to recover your fingers to increase our power."

Sukuna laughed, a deep, sinister sound that echoed in the void. "Sure. After all, sharing a common goal doesn't mean I can't enjoy the chaos this will bring."

Kagekiri placed a hand over Kaede's, her expression softening for a moment. "Don't worry, Kaede-sama. We'll recover your power and free you. I'm here to make sure you succeed."

Kaede nodded, grateful for her loyalty. "Thank you, Kagekiri. I trust you. We'll begin with the plan and move quickly. We can't afford any more delays."

Outside, in the incomplete domain:

Nobara, Itadori, and Megumi were nervous because the door had disappeared.

"Don't worry, the wolf remembers the scent of the door. It can guide us to it," Megumi explained to his companions, making them happy and they started petting the wolf, irritating Megumi.

"Let's continue our mission," Megumi finally ordered, starting to walk and look for survivors.

"W-what's that?" Nobara pointed to a corner. Megumi observed from a distance and began to approach. Behind him, Itadori and Nobara followed.

"This is atrocious..." Itadori said with regret, seeing three dismembered bodies in the place. One of them had a tag with the name Okazaki Tadashi, recalling the name the woman had mentioned outside.

"I'm taking this body back."

"Huh?" Nobara asked, not understanding.

"He's that woman's son. His face isn't too damaged. If we don't have a body, she won't be able to accept it," he tried to explain to his companions while attempting to lift the body.

"Leave it. We still have to confirm if there are any survivors," Megumi ordered.

"If we go forward, the walls close behind us. We have no guarantee we can come back."

"I said leave it. Don't do it later. I don't worry about rescuing people who don't need help and have become corpses," Megumi said in a serious tone while grabbing Itadori by his shirt, making Itadori do the same.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know? Before each mission, we get information about the affected civilians. This guy drove without a license and ran over a grade-school girl. You make a big fuss about saving people, but what if the people you save kill someone in the future?"

"Then why did you save me?"

"ENOUGH!" Nobara shouted, trying to calm the situation, but out of nowhere, she started falling into a portal.

"Nobara!" Itadori yelled, quickly turning to where his companion was. Worry and anger were etched on his face.

Megumi turned around, looking for his summoned wolf, only to find it decapitated on the ground. "Be careful, Itadori," Megumi warned, eyes wide. "The curse is here."

Behind them, the special-grade curse materialized. It was tall and muscular, with pale skin and small eyes that reflected a sinister intelligence. Its appearance was imposing and terrifying, a presence that radiated an aura of deadly danger.

"There it is!" Itadori shouted, reacting swiftly. With a quick move, he tried to stab the curse with the short weapon Gojo had given him. However, the weapon shattered on impact, showing the vast difference in power between them.

The curse laughed, a sound that echoed through the dark corridors, and moved with surprising speed. With a swift cut, it amputated Itadori's arm. The pain was immediate and intense, and Itadori staggered back, clutching his bleeding stump.

"Itadori!" Megumi exclaimed, his voice filled with alarm. He knew that facing a curse of this level was extremely dangerous, especially without the right weapon. The situation was critical, and every second counted.

The curse advanced slowly, a cruel smile on its face. Its laughter was deep and resonant, full of malice. Every step it took heightened the sense of despair in the air.

Megumi, determined to protect his companion, assumed a defensive stance. "Hang in there, Itadori."

Breathing heavily from the pain, Itadori nodded with determination. Despite the severity of the situation, he wasn't willing to give up. "I know... but this curse is much more powerful than I imagined."

Itadori drew the katana Kaede had left him. Though it was designed to be used with both hands, Itadori struggled to wield it with one hand. The situation was critical, but he had no other choice.

Megumi made the same hand sign and summoned another wolf, this one black, to aid Itadori. "We can't let it defeat us here. We need to find Nobara and get out of this place!"

The curse laughed, watching their efforts with a look of disdain.

With the katana in hand, Itadori launched a desperate attack at the curse, but his lack of experience and the loss of his arm hampered his accuracy. Moreover, the katana had no sharp edge. The curse dodged easily, its laughter ringing in the air.

Megumi, meanwhile, summoned a toad, sending its tongue toward Itadori and saving him from a certain blow, seeking an opportunity to buy time and find a viable strategy.

As Megumi and Itadori fought with all their might, they knew they would need all their skill and cunning to survive this deadly encounter. Nobara's disappearance, Itadori's lost arm, and the looming threat of the curse created a desperate situation. Every move was crucial as they sought a way to escape this place alive.