Chapter 22: Dead body

The pair of brothers ran through the streets of Fuyuki heading towards the Matou family mansion.

"....We're almost there..." - Itadori said while running at high speed.

The night was shrouded in dense darkness, while a storm approached, threatening to break down at any moment. Lightning flashed across the sky and thunder rumbled, foreshadowing the violence of the approaching storm.

Under this threatening scenario, Itadori Yuji and Choso walked purposefully towards the Matou mansion.

The vegetation around the mansion was wild and thick, making passage difficult. The rain began to fall in heavy drops, wetting his clothes and hair. Itadori stared at the shadowy silhouette of the mansion in the distance, a strange feeling of uneasiness forming within him.

"We are almost there." - Choso said, his firm voice cutting through the growing sound of the storm. - "We have to be quick." - said the oldest.

Itadori nodded, but something inside him was changing. He felt a strange tingling, a feeling that something was disappearing. It was as if his very existence was fading away, a feeling he couldn't ignore, but one he didn't dare share with Choso. After all, they had a mission to accomplish: rescue Sakura Matou.

As they approached the mansion, Itadori tried to keep his mind focused. He remembered being a Servant summoned into this world, part of a war that transcends time and reality. The feeling of disappearing was linked to that, he knew, but he couldn't allow that worry to distract him now.

".....We're here.... It's right here...." - said Itadori, visibly tired.

The two arrived at the rusty iron gates of the mansion, which creaked ominously as they were pushed. The Matou mansion was even more gloomy and imposing up close, with its windows like empty eyes watching them. The storm raged above them, with the torrential rain and howling wind making every step more challenging.

"We need to get in and out as quickly as possible." - Choso said, observing the terrain in search of possible traps.

Itadori nodded again, trying to shake off the intensifying disturbing feeling. Each step seemed more difficult, as if his body was being pulled to another place, to another reality. He shook his head, focusing on the mission.

Let's go that way," he suggested, pointing to a partially open window on the west side of the mansion.

There was a huge protective barrier around the mansion. - "What will we do now?" - said Choso.

"At some point they're going to find out we broke into the mansion... Let's just break in." - Itadori said after punching the protective barrier, I simply broke it.

Choso gave a quick, approving look before following Itadori towards the window. They moved nimbly, leaping out the window and landing silently on the cold, damp floor of a dark hallway.

"Stay alert." - Choso murmured, and Itadori nodded one last time.

As they walked down the hallway, the mansion seemed to react to the storm outside. Shadows lengthened and moved, as if the house itself were alive and aware of their presence. Each step echoed, and the feeling of urgency grew within Itadori.

The feeling of disappearing continued to grow, a constant reminder of his temporary nature as a Servant. But Itadori clenched his fists, determined to accomplish his mission before his existence vanished completely.

Inside the mansion, the mission to rescue Sakura was just beginning....

In the hallway, Itadori Yuji and Choso advance silently. Itadori, motions to Choso, who nods. They advance carefully, aware of the possible dangers hidden in every corner of the mansion.

As they turn the corner, they encounter a strange figure, who is patrolling the corridors.

"What is this thing?!" - Itadori said softly.

The figure resembled a Golem, but had half a body.

"He's all weird... He only has one leg and one arm, and he can walk on top of that." - said Choso.

"What are we going to do, Big Brother?" - Itadori said.

"I focus on this thing, and you go after the girl." - Choso said, getting ready to fight.

Itadori hesitated for a moment. - "Hm... Okay, see if you don't die!" - Itadori said, advancing.

Choso smiled at his younger brother. - "I wouldn't die for something like that." - Choso said after running towards the creature.

Itadori advanced further and further towards the back of the mansion, the boy seemed lost, as he didn't know where the girl was...

But something caught his attention, it was a smell... A very familiar and disgusting smell. - "These are....

Curses?!"

After running through the mansion's corridors for so long, Itadori sees a strange door.

"The smell comes from here..." - Itadori said.

The pink-haired boy slowly opened the door and saw a long staircase that he could take to some kind of dungeon.

Itadori descended slowly, preparing for the worst. With each step, the environment became more degrading and disgusting. The place was dark and damp.

After finally going down the stairs, Itadori opened another door that took him to the same environment that Itadori dreamed of.

"It's the same place.... This is where the horrible smell is coming from." - Itadori said looking to the side.

There was another staircase, which led to a dark and strange place. Each time Itadori descended, the surroundings revealed themselves more and more.

After descending almost all the way down the stairs, Itadori noticed something... There were several worms and there was the girl.

Several of these worms crawled up and down the girl's body. His empty look, that look of someone who has already lost hope of living.

Without hesitation, Itadori leaps into action. Using his incredible strength and skills, he begins to crush the worms one by one. Each blow is precise and lethal, eliminating the worms quickly. His heart beats fast, not only from the adrenaline of the fight, but also from the desire to protect the innocent child before him.

Itadori continues to fight fiercely, ensuring that no worms remain around the girl. Every move is calculated, every strike is executed with deadly precision. He felt the worms' resistance weaken as Itadori killed each worm. The worms, feeling Itadori's relentless strength, begin to retreat, but he doesn't give them any chance.

After eliminating everyone, he carefully approaches Sakura. His empty eyes reflected only Itadori. Dull eyes.

"....Who are you?...." - said the girl, speaking monotonously.

Itadori approached the girl. - "Your name is Sakura, isn't it?" - Itadori said, trying to be friendly with her.

"...Yes... Did you come here to use me?..." - said Sakura, speaking with empty eyes.

'W-What? What did this guy do to her?!' - thought Itadori.

"No. I came to get you out of here.." - Itadori said.

Sakura didn't react to Itadori's response, she looked like a doll.

"...How do you know my name?..." - Sakura said.

...

"Your uncle told me everything... That's why I came here...." - said Itadori, trying to convince the girl to leave this inhospitable place.

"....I can't.....If I don't, my grandfather will be mad at me...." - Sakura said, looking at the ground.

Itadori began to analyze the girl's body, she was full of wounds and bleeding.

'What did that damned old man do to her?' - Itadori thought.

Itadori bent down to talk to the girl more closely. The boy held one of Sakura's hands.

"He hurt you a lot, didn't he?..." - said Itadori, quite shaken.

"It wasn't him.... It was the worms." - Sakura said emptyly.

This information startled Itadori. - "I-I understand...."

Sakura would like to know who her uncle's friend was and decided to ask.

"....Who are you?...." - asked Sakura.

"My name is Itadori Yuji, I am a Servant." - Itadori said without blinking.

"....Servant? Like a knight?...." - Sakura asked naively.

Itadori couldn't help but laugh internally. - "Yes... Like a knight." - Itadori said smiling.

The girl was injured, but it seems like she stopped feeling pain a long time ago.

As Itadori touched Sakura's hand, he felt that the girl was infested with curses.

'It must be those disgusting worms... What's the meaning of all this? Pure sadism?!' - Itadori asked in his mind.

"Look.... I know it might hurt about what I'm going to do now, but I promise this is for your own good.." - Itadori said trying to comfort the girl.

".....What are you going to do?...." - Sakura asked monotonously.

"Give me your hands..." - The pink-haired boy said, extending his hands.

Sakura hesitated for a moment, but did as Itadori asked. The lilac-haired girl held Itadori's palms.

"I will remove all the impurities that were placed inside you..." - Itadori said smiling, comforting the girl.

She seemed a little apathetic about it, but there seemed to be a spark of hope in her eyes.

Itadori, with his ability to access people's souls, finds himself faced with a particularly difficult challenge: helping Matou Sakura, a girl marked by deep trauma. Determined to ease her suffering, he gently touches her hand, closing his eyes and concentrating on entering her soul.

"Let's go...." - Itadori said, getting ready.

Upon entering Sakura's soul, Itadori is faced with a desolate scenario. The landscape is a mix of shadows and currents, reflecting the abuse and manipulation she suffered at the hands of her grandfather. The painful memories and feelings of despair, fear and sadness are scattered everywhere, like thorns rooted in your being.

"How horrible..." - Itadori said worriedly.

Itadori begins to walk through this dark environment, looking for the most damaged areas. He finds a destroyed garden, where there were several withered flowers, several parts of his soul that were corrupted.

Carefully, he begins to cleanse the surface areas, removing the more recent, shallower memories of pain. Like a patient gardener, he restores some of the flowers, bringing a small dose of hope.

Itadori felt a horrible feeling. - "If I had a better grasp of my soul manipulation skill.... I could remove all these impurities!"

While working, Itadori feels the resistance of Sakura's soul. The deeper areas are heavily guarded, and he realizes that interfering too much could cause irreversible damage. There is a fragile core to your essence that, if disturbed, could collapse your mind and spirit. Recognizing the limits of his intervention, he decides he must stop before he causes more harm than good.

By slowly withdrawing from Sakura's soul, Itadori finds himself back in reality. He opens his eyes and sees Sakura with tears streaming down her face.

"I know you want to live." - Itadori said, stroking the girl's head.

The tears are silent, and she shows no emotion, but Itadori notices something different in her gaze. There is a subtle relief, a lightness that wasn't there before. Even though she wasn't smiling, there was a feeling of release, as if some of the weight she had been carrying had been lifted.

Itadori kneels beside her, touching her hand again, but this time just to comfort her. - "I did what I could..." - He whispers softly. - "But there are things that only time can heal. It hurt, didn't it?"

Sakura looks at him, her eyes teary, still filled with tears, but with a new determination. Her expression speaks for itself. She's grateful, and perhaps, for the first time in a long time, she feels less alone.

"Y-Yes... It hurt...." - said the girl hugging Itadori.

Sakura ended up fainting in her arms.

"It's over.... Let's get out of here." - Itadori said, carrying Sakura on his lap and taking her out.

"Itadori.... Make this girl smile again..." - Itadori remembered Mister Kariya's words.

Itadori was going up the stairs while Sakura was on his lap, but someone appeared. An old man who wore a dark blue kimono, an old man with an extremely strange appearance.

His appearance was not that of an ordinary old man. It's as if he had lived for many, many years.

"So you are Kenjaku's offspring..." - said the old man.

'So this old man knows Kenjaku?!' - thought Itadori in amazement.

Itadori walked away and went down a step. - "You damn thing.... Why did you do this to her?! What is the meaning of all this?!" - shouted Itadori to the old wizard.

"As Kenjaku and I are no longer friends, I believe you are fighting out of pure will, aren't you?" -Zouken said, taking something from his pocket.

Itadori was on the defensive, as Sakura was in his arms.

"Recognize that?" - said Zouken holding one of Sukuna's fingers.

Itadori was left in a catatonic state. - "It's not possible..."

What Itadori would least like to know is that all twenty of Sukuna's fingers were here again in this reality.

"You can keep that thing there... I have other plans." - Zouken said, throwing the finger at Itadori.

The pink-haired boy had difficulty catching the finger, but he still managed it.

"Now tell me, why did you do all this?!" - asked Itadori angrily.

Zouken seemed irritated by the boy's insistence. "You don't understand, do you? The Matou family is on the brink of collapse. Our once-great magical lineage is deteriorating with each generation. The magical circuits are weakening, and the heirs we produce do not have the power necessary to sustain our heritage." - said Zouken.

'So that's why Tokiomi sold his daughter, because she has a strong magic circuit.' - Itadori thought.

"It was then that I saw the solution... Sakura. Coming from one of the most powerful and ancient families, she possesses immense magical potential. Adopting her was the perfect move. By bringing her into our family, not only we guarantee a renewed flow of magic, but also enhance our chances of recovering and perhaps even surpassing our former glory." - said Zouken laughing.

"You are despicable..." - Itadori said.

"Of course, it's not just about revitalizing our magical circuits. Sakura is the key to my own goals. Through her, I can continue my experiments, pursue my obsession with immortality, and ensure that the Matou name resonates in the wizarding world for generations to come. With With the right training and methods, Sakura will become a powerful mage, perfectly shaped to perpetuate our plans and ensure that the Matou bloodline never weakens again."

'This appearance really isn't normal... Even Tengen is more beautiful than that thing...' - Itadori thought.

Itadori started to climb the stairs trying to avoid the old man.

"Where are you going, boy?" - said Zouken, standing in the same place.

Itadori walked past the old man. - "Leaving here, of course..."

"You can't..." - Zouken said, still looking at Itadori.

"What are you going to do... Defeat me? We're on very different levels." - Itadori said, looking away.

Itadori was almost finished climbing the stairs.

Zouken started to laugh. - "You're right, I can't defeat you... But he can." - Zouken said while calling someone.

The Golem that supposedly appeared earlier appeared.

'What's that Golem, again? Does that mean Choso was defeated?!' - thought Itadori, moving away from the creature.

"If you beat this thing, you can take my granddaughter." - Zouken said, speaking sarcastically.

'There's something strange here... This Golem seems to be different from the other...' - Itadori thought.

Itadori was right. The first Golem Choso faced had the appearance of a half-completed mannequin. Only one left leg, one right arm, and his belly was a green sphere that was half full.

"I need to leave Sakura somewhere safe." - Itadori said, jumping to the center of the dungeon arena.

This other Golem seemed to be another half of him. He had a right leg and a left arm, and on his belly there was a red sphere that was also half full.

"Where can I put you, Sakura?" - Itadori asked himself.

The boy left the girl leaning in a corner far away from the arena to prevent her from getting hurt.

The creature, made of stone and iron, had an imposing presence, with eyes glowing an ominous shade of red. His movements were heavy and deliberate, each blow echoing off the dungeon walls like thunder.

Itadori nimbly dodged, feeling the wind from the golem's fists passing dangerously close. He counterattacked with powerful punches, but each impact seemed insignificant against the monster's stone skin.

"Damn.... That battle with Choso really exhausted me, I feel like I'm disappearing faster..." - Itadori said.

Sweat dripped down his forehead as he thought quickly, searching for a way to overcome the creature.

The creature, made of stone and iron, seemed indestructible, its blows resounding off the damp, narrow walls of the dungeon. Itadori dodged and counterattacked, but each punch he threw seemed futile, merely bouncing off the monster's tough skin.

Itadori, breathing heavily, said to himself, "No matter how hard I try, this thing won't fall. I need to find a way to end this."

About that...

In the hallway of the mansion, Choso was fighting the right half of the same Golem. The creature, although incomplete, was equally formidable. Choso used his blood manipulation skills to try to harm the creature, but his attacks were only partially effective. With each movement, the creature counterattacked with brutal force, forcing Choso to constantly retreat.

The Golem hit Choso squarely, throwing him into the dungeon. Seeing that Choso no longer had a choice, he decided to retreat and run towards Itadori.

Choso, in a moment of brief rest, reflected. - "This monster is resisting all my attacks. There must be something I'm missing…"

This time in the dungeon corridor, Choso was facing the other half of the Golem. The hall's walls were adorned with ancient tapestries, now torn and stained with blood from the intense battle. The golem's right half was equally imposing, its brutal attacks forcing Choso to constantly retreat and dodge. Using his blood manipulation abilities, Choso launched projectiles of hardened blood at the creature, trying to find an opening.

"This monster... it's as if it was searching for something..." - Choso reflected, observing the creature's movements. - "It seems incomplete."

Returning...

Itadori was very weak... - "Damn, it's like hitting a mountain." thought Itadori, feeling his frustration growing. "I need to find a weakness."

A screeching sound is heard at the dungeon's exit.

"What is that?!" - Itadori said, becoming unfocused.

Itadori sees the entrance to the Dungeon being destroyed by Choso who flew out.

"CHOSO!" - Itadori shouted.

Choso heard his brother shout for him and gathered the strength to force a landing with the blood manipulation technique. Which he successfully achieves.

"I-I'm fine, little brother..." - said Choso, trying to compose himself.

".....O-Okay..." - Itadori said visibly tired. Both warriors were beginning to feel the wear and tear of battle. Their breaths were heavy and their bodies were exhausted.

"You're not okay, Yuji.... What happened?" - Choso said, worrying about his younger brother.

"Choso.... I'm disappearing." - Itadori said.

Sakura slowly woke up.

This scared Choso. - "W-What? Why?!"

"...I-I am a Servant.... I was summoned to this world... And since I no longer have a master.... I will end up disappearing...." - said Itadori.

Sakura watched as Itadori was visibly tired. She wondered why this boy wanted to save her so much.

"No.... And I won't let-" - Choso was interrupted with a sharp blow that hit Itadori right in the stomach.

Itadori was thrown away, Itadori's back hit the wall very close to where Sakura was. - "YUJI!" - shouted Choso from afar.

Itadori was kneeling next to Sakura, the girl approached Itadori.

"Why do you want to save me so much?" - said the girl naively.

"....Because I promised someone....That at least.....I could save.....just one person..." - said Itadori with a look full of determination.

"Don't move so much!" - Sakura said, helping the pink-haired boy.

"Stay away... You could get hurt..." - Itadori said... But he felt something. - "Oh no.... Please..... Not now..." - Itadori said, feeling like he was disappearing.

"You told the guy with the pompoms that you were disappearing.... What does that mean?" - Sakura said worriedly.

"I-I'm a Servant... Without a Master I can't continue to exist...." - Itadori said, but it didn't seem like Sakura understood.

"So a knight can't live without a princess?..." - Sakura said, trying to understand the situation.

"Exactly... Hehe..." - Itadori said trying to comfort the girl who was visibly worried.

"I'm sorry.... Sakura.... I think I-" - Itadori is interrupted by Sakura crying.

The girl with lilac hair cried in Itadori's arms.

"No....*sniff" ...I won't let you! I don't want this!" - Sakura screamed at Itadori.

Itadori couldn't help but be surprised by Sakura's sudden action.

"I should make you smile, not cry..." - Itadori said, smiling at the girl.

A glow began to appear on Sakura's hand.

"Hmm?!" - Itadori said.

Sakura tried to dry her tears. - "You said that a knight can't live without a princess..." - Sakura said.

The glow on her right hand was that of a Command Seal. - "Then you will be my knight!" - Sakura was Itadori's new Master.

Zouken saw this entire scene from afar. He just laughed.

Itadori's forces began to return to his body. - "Damn, I feel so much better now." - Itadori said.

"Please Knight.... Destroy that thing!" - Sakura said, without realizing that she ended up using her first Command Seal.

"Of course, Princess!" Itadori said, smiling at the girl.

Itadori returned to the battlefield. It was at that moment that Itadori had an epiphany. He remembered how, in past fights, complex enemies often had a weak point when they were complete.

"Choso! I think we need to put these halves together! Maybe then we can find a weak point!" - shouted Itadori, his voice echoing through the walls.

Choso heard Itadori's muffled voice and his eyes widened in understanding. "Got it! Let's try to push them together!"

With new determination, Itadori began pushing the left half of the Golem towards the dungeon's exit. Using all of his strength, he pushed the creature, each step a monumental effort. The creature resisted, but also seemed compelled to move toward its other half.

In the hallway, Choso used his abilities to manipulate the right half, guiding it through the dungeon. He used the blood like chains, pulling the creature towards the dungeon. Every move was strenuous, but Choso knew it was his only chance to defeat the golem.

The two creatures resisted for a long time... But finally, the two halves of the golem found themselves in a large, central room. There was a thunderous crack as the two parts came together, the creature reconstituting itself into a complete form. But in the process, he revealed a luminous crack that ran down the middle of his body, shining brightly like a weak spot.

"And now!" - shouted Itadori, seeing the opportunity.

Choso concentrated his energies and launched a blood attack straight at the crack. The hardened blood cut through the air, hitting the weak point with precision. At the same time, Itadori, with superhuman strength, threw a powerful punch at the same point. The combined impact of the two brothers' attacks was enough to explode the crack, fragmenting the golem into a thousand pieces.

As the dust settled, Itadori and Choso looked at each other, tangible relief on their faces. They had won, not by brute force, but by cooperation and mutual understanding.

"Good job, brother." - said Itadori, smiling and extending his hand.

"You too, Itadori." - Choso replied, shaking his hand firmly. - "Together, we are invincible."

"But I wouldn't have made it if it weren't for this girl here." - Itadori said pointing to the girl who apparently saved Itadori's life.

Choso approached the girl. He had a kind of scary look, but without thinking he hugged the girl. - "Thank you very much, for saving my brother... It's Sakura, isn't it?"

"Y-Yes..." Sakura said, a little embarrassed since she managed to help someone.

Choso puts the girl on his lap and the pair of brothers head for the exit. - "Let's get out of here." - Itadori said.

The two approach the stairs and begin to climb

"Make good use of my granddaughter...." - said Zouken, laughing.

'I could kill you right now... But Sakura is awake, I won't traumatize her further.' - thought Itadori.

The brother and sister duo just passed through Zouken.

"Close your eyes, little girl..." - Choso said while carrying the girl.

"Okay..."

Choso Creates a blood knife and cuts Zouken's neck.

"You can open it now..." - said Choso, continuing to climb the stairs.

"CHOSO!... Oh forget it, she's already seen everything today..." - Itadori said going up the stairs.

thought Itadori:

'If I win the war, my wish is to have a physical body so I can take care of this girl.'

End of chapter 22