Chapter 10 - A Malevolent Shrine (Part 6)

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

[Narration]

{Chat}

…

(Third POV:)

"What the fuck?!" Ghost couldn't believe his eyes. "I was fighting for my life, and you guys are just sitting there watching like it's entertaining?"

His 'friends' had watched him fight for his life and did not lend a single helping hand. The betrayal he felt was monumentally high.

"Well..." Omni walked forward, as he was the only one who stood up while watching. "You looked like you had it and were going through a main character power-up moment. We didn't want to interrupt your growth."

Everyone who showed up didn't even look half as apologetic as Omni did. "Sigh." Ghost sighed before fully standing up.

At his feet was the finger they had come to get. It was a fully black index finger with a parchment paper white-colored nail.

Picking it up, Ghost stared at it in its weird feeling entirety. Ghost's eyes suddenly widened as everyone was currently huddled around him like he was passing out motherfucking gum in the classroom.

His eye twitched before he gritted his teeth. "If y'all don't back the fuck up!" He screamed as they were around him like a football team huddle before the match.

"We just wanted to see what it looked like, damn!"

"I didn't even do anything; I'm the farthest away."

"Man, I can't even float above you to take a peak."

"Let us get a feel of it, bro!"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Ghost allowed the finger to be passed around to the stronger members of the group, with the only ones not touching the finger being Smokes and Shizu.

Ghost didn't let anyone hold the finger too long, as he knew what some of these fiends would do if left to their own devices.

Once the finger was given back to Ghost, he stared at it before deciding to put it in his inventory.

*𝓓𝓘𝓝𝓖*

Ghost suddenly froze as he thought he had heard something. Blinking, he immediately realized something was wrong.

Something was impossibly wrong. After all, the floor wasn't supposed to be covered in water.

The clear water reflected the sky, which was covered in a red hue and had not a single cloud in sight.

"The hell?" Ghost had no idea how he had gotten here or what was happening.

"You brats are passing around my finger like it's candy. Truly disgusting."

A disembodied voice came from all around Ghost, but no matter where he looked, he couldn't find the source.

'Was I dragged into the finger? How would that work?' His mind was working a mile a minute, trying to figure out how this happened.

"My time is invaluable. Speak of what you desire from carrying my finger."

The malevolence from the disembodied voice was made clear, and if tones could kill, then Ghost would be turned into cubes, burned to ash, and have his ashes turn to dust.

'I know from the original series that I am Sukuna's vessel, but unlike Yuji, I need a start that would allow me to contain Sukuna but successfully use his power.' Ghost's face made a cringing face before his eyes widened, followed by his face becoming full of confidence.

"Sukuna, I've come to bargain!" Ghost screamed to the sky with a grin on his face.

"Stop shouting. I can hear your disgusting voice no matter the distance." Sukuna spoke again, not bothering to hide his displeasure and disgust for Ghost.

Could he pull it off? Could he outsmart the King of Curses and get away with it? Ghost didn't know himself, but he had to try.

"I would be the one eating your finger, becoming your vessel. I have the ability to suppress you, and none of my friends will bother taking the finger for themselves." Ghost calmly sat on the water that somehow worked as ground as he spoke.

Telling Sukuna that he was able to suppress him took away one of his surprises, and he knew that, but maybe he could use it as an advantage.

"Ho?" Sukuna's voice sounded amused. "You're telling me that you can suppress me because you want to make a deal related to the time I can be in control of your body. In exchange, you must want my power. How interesting.

Why do you believe I would deal with an unimpressive brat who has yet to learn even partially what cursed energy truly means?" Sukuna had caught his intentions immediately. The frightening pace at which he did so surprised Ghost, as he didn't even think Sukuna knew what he was going to say next.

"You've been in here long, and I know more than anything that you crave to be revived. This is your ticket out of here, and we both know it." Ghost regained his composure as he finished his sentence. He needed to remain vigilant.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Sukuna's voice began laughing. "You know, Brat, I've been waiting here for a thousand years, and while you may say I am desperate, I still have 19 other pieces of my soul out there waiting just like this one. What's another thousand years?"

Sukuna was right. He had waited here for so long for anyone and didn't care who truly ate the finger or tried to make deals with him.

"However," Sukuna suddenly spoke, which brought Ghost out of his semi-depression. "I have seen that cursed technique of yours, and it has caught a fraction of my attention. I'll bargain with you, brat."

"I'll give you a hidden special ability in exchange for a minute of full control of your body, and every time you use that ability and I don't come out, the time will stack." As Sukuna spoke, Ghost analyzed his words. He had no idea what the hidden ability would be, and because of that, he wasn't finding this deal favorable.

"I'll give you a counteroffer." Ghost wasn't about to let this deal go to waste. "In exchange for another thirty seconds, increase my cursed energy output."

Sukuna's voice went silent before he spoke up. "Add on another thirty seconds, and I'll give you the ability to use my cursed energy reserves."

"Alright. I can accept this deal." Ghost said as he began thinking about something else. "Give me the binding vow."

"No." Sukuna's voice immediately spoke into his ear as he asked for the binding vow.

"What the hell do you mean, no?"

"The binding vow will be given after you eat the finger."

Ghost's mind was working a mile a minute. Could he be getting scammed? Possibly.

'What is he planning?' Ghost couldn't think of anything Sukuna could be planning.

"If that's the case." Ghost's smile grew before he put on a poker face. "I want your ability, Fuga, in exchange for ten minutes of free reign over my body."

"No."

Another immediate denial.

"I'll up the time to an hour." Ghost immediately responded.

"No." Sukuna's voice held no emotion as he said no twice.

'Does he know?' Ghost couldn't help but think, 'The whole reason I asked for Fuga in exchange for an hour was because that would be converted into the hidden ability's time.

This means I would never have a timer if I used Fuga. I would only get the hour-long timer if I used that hidden ability.'

Ghost didn't know if Sukuna had caught on to what he was planning or if he just didn't want the deal, but he would take what he got previously.

"Ah!" Ghost suddenly remembered something important. "One more thing!"

"Quiet." Sukuna's voice hushed Ghost before he could speak. "I shall be forcefully in control for 120 seconds. At that time, I shall not attack or try to harm anyone but Geto Sloth. This binding vow shall end once the 120 seconds are over. You will eat the finger immediately." Sukuna had spoken over Ghost and made his demands known. His voice was full of rage and astonishment.

Ghost knew this was his chance to turn it around. Sloth must have said something so downright retarded to Sukuna that his will to kill him was stronger than even his dislike of Ghost.

"Add on, you can't force-feed anyone a finger, and you got yourself a deal!" Ghost said with a wide grin as he could completely stomp out Sukuna with this one move.

Sukuna's voice went silent, but for way longer this time. "The second you eat the finger, the binding vow will be made," Sukuna said with a tone Ghost couldn't fully grasp.

"How do I know you won't go back on your word?" Ghost said as he calmly stood up from the ground.

"The strong have no reason to cheat or lie. If I am going to kill you, I have no reason to hide it. I have no need to lie as if I were a thief. I am a demon, a king, and a god. I do not make deals I can't fulfill." Sukuna spoke in a confident, arrogant, and wise tone as if he had seen kingdoms rise and fall.

Suddenly, Ghost's vision went black as he tried to blink, only to realize what Sukuna had said as he found himself back with his friends, still holding the finger in his hand.

'This deal is valid as long as you tell no one about it. The second you tell a soul, I won't be continuing as promised.' Ghost's thoughts replayed what Sukuna told him.

"Guys I-" Ghost tried to speak up, only to pull his head backward as fast as he could. His palm closed tightly around Sukuna's finger.

A fist had almost made its way to his face.

"Sceptix, what the fuck?"

…