The Devil Part 1

"Isn't Sensei supposed to come back today."

Nishimoto and I walked side by side together, it was dark outside as we searched for more curses. Nishimoto looked at me before responding.

"Yeah, he left two days ago and said he'll be back at the beginning of this week."

Walking around we looked out for curses, passing by the occasional gangster of the night or drunkard. 

"Masaki still training, isn't he?" 

"Yeah, he says we can patrol without him today. Sensei said he didn't mind since the curses weren't that strong."

He responded, looking at the night sky, I glanced to the side catching him yawning. Sensei had us on patrol since the curses had been acting strange lately. But he said that it wasn't anything to be scared about. 

"This is boring, I would use my technique. But that would take a large chunk of cursed energy."

I grumbled out before seeing Nishimoto chuckling.

"Don't worry we should be fine."

Letting out another yawn, Nishimoto focusing back on searching for curses. Walking past an abandoned building, we heard strange noises coming from inside. 

"It's probably just a curse."

Nishimoto jumped over the barrier keeping people out before I followed behind him. We made our way into building walking around the creepy atmosphere. I saw Nishimoto shiver before gaining a disgusted face. 

"There's definitely some curse here."

"You want me to use my cursed technique?"

 Meeting Nishimoto gaze he shook his head before explaining why. 

"It's definitely a weak curse. If it was strong, it would've already popped out at us. Just save your cursed energy for now."

We began walking again, searching everywhere for the curse. Walking side by side I looked out the window noticing something strange. 

"Hey Nishimoto come here."

Coming from behind me he walked to my side looking out the window.

"Why is it so dark?"

I asked him, staring at the sky and looking around. For some reason we couldn't see the night sky or even the small lights coming from random buildings. 

"That's strange. Follow me"

Nishimoto ran from the window; I quickly followed him. Running up a staircase, we made it to the top of the building. Looking at the sky it was an unnatural black. like the whole universe had been turned off. 

Going to the edge of the building we almost hung of the rails trying to spot a light source. 

"Isn't it way past you kids' bedtime." 

My head quickly turned around, grabbing the pouch on my side I pulled out a kunai. Nishimoto following me turned around as well. 

"How disrespectful, you know it's rude to point a weapon at your parent right Naoki."

A feminine and familiar came from the shadows of part of the building before a figure walked out of the shadow.

"It can't b-"

"Is it so strange seeing your own mother on such a beautiful night like this."

[There exists a being so evil some would describe him as being the most vile creature to walk this earth. Only being triumphed by one man, a person who has walked this earth for more than a century. But even with that information his identity can never truly be understood. Is he man or curse, no one knows. The only thing anyone can certain is this man was none other than the Devil himself. No, he was worse. He was a walking danger to all that lived on this planet.] 

Looking at the woman in front of me, my mind flooded with questions.

"Mom?"

"Who else darling."

My mother had a familiar smile on her face. A smile that I had seen multiple times, but this time it felt immensely sinister. Staring at her I noticed something was wrong with her head. 

'Is that stitching.'

"What happ-"

My voice was suddenly stopped when I was pushed out the way by Nishimoto.

"WATCH OUT OE."

'What happened.'

Being pushed out of the way, I looked at Nishimoto as he was on top of me. 

"N-nishimoto"

Turning his head down to look at me he had a smile on his face while his blood trickled out of his mouth. 

"That was close."

Nishimoto said, feeling a weird sensation on my hand. Staring at it I saw a scarlet color painted on it. 

'Is this blood?'

Seeing where my hand was, a piercing hole was in Nishimoto's side. 

"How brave, like a hero you pushed her out the way. You definitely have fast reflexes. Keep that up and my daughter might fall head over heels for you."

Nishimoto slowly got up facing my mother before entering a battle stance. I tried to grab him worried, but he waved me off.

"N-nishi-"

"Oe there's no time for that. I sealed the hole with cursed energy, and it didn't hit anything serious. I'll be fine, I need you to support me."

My expression turned grime looking at Nishimoto slowly struggle to get up. 

'His cursed energy. I-it's cut in half.'

Looking at his back, I felt a serious aura around him. Getting up to my feet, I concentrated before taking a deep breath. 

"Okay."

Letting out a simple confirmation, I grabbed multiple Kunais and readied myself.

"You can still stand? How courageous, let's see how you do. Come at me with everything."

Running at her, Nishimoto summoned three clones aiding him in battle. Throwing Kunai with cursed energy I tried to aim at vital points. But to our dread she effortless dodged the attack countering Nishimoto even though he had the number advantage.

[Cursed Technique: Butterfly's Almighty Effect.]

Beautiful blue butterflies encircled my mind; they're wings flapping in front of me showing multiple actions I could take and they're outcomes. My mother throwing a punch to Nishimoto played in my mind, playing multiple different actions in my head. My face darkened, exiting my technique only a fraction of a second had passed.

I looked on as Nishimoto's clones tried to grab my mother failing, grabbing him by his hair she punched him right in the gut sending him flying. 

"How interesting, the ability to create multiple of yourself. I noticed halfway through the fight you changed your attack style. You're a quick learner. So interesting you're definitely doing better than I expected."

Nishimoto flung towards me, bracing myself I caught him. He quickly got up breathing hard, he prepared to enter the battle again before I stopped him. 

"M-my technique it isn't working. She's too strong."

[Every possible path Oe could see in such a small time all lead to the same outcome. Nishimoto being flung back from an attack from her mother. Once she had exited her technique, she felt helpless, a feeling she hadn't felt in some time.]

My head hung low, Nishimoto stopped before clenching his fist by his side and beginning to walk forward again.

"I'll keep going in, just keep trying you're my only chance. I'm relaying on you Oe."

Lifting my head up I watched as Nishimoto ran back into battle. Heading towards my mother he summoned more clones, all of them attacked from different angles but she dodged with ease.

Taking a deep breath, I entered my technique. 

[Cursed Technique: Butterfly's Almighty Effect.]

Looking at the blue wings of the Butterflys this time there were way more.

'I have to look further, for any possible answer. Small or big, I need an answer.'

Looking at multiple actions and further possibilities. My cursed energy was quickly depleting. Looking harder I finally found it. The answer to this situation.

Exiting my technique, I saw a beat-up Nishimoto tiredly trying to fight off my mother. 

"NISHIMOTO KEEP FIGHTING, WE HAVE TO HOLD HER OFF."

Running into the battle I joined Nishimoto.

"How cute, you've come far Naoki." 

Dodging our attacks with ease, she began counter attacking. Grabbing the arm of Nishimoto, she threw him again. But in the air Nishimoto summoned a clone to catch him, throwing him back into battle. I threw a Kunai at her; she dodged it with ease.

"You missed."

Getting close to me, she extended her arm trying to grab me. 

"No, she didn't"

Suddenly she jolted forward, she jumped away before reaching behind her. Pulling out a Kunai out of her back. Nishimoto landed next to me; he had caught the Kunai after I threw it. Sending it flying into the back of my mom. 

Holding the Kunai, she watched as it disappeared. I grabbed more from my pouch, ready to throw all of them.

"How interesting, it must've gone back to the pouch."

I quickly threw the Kunai, before rushing in with Nishimoto again. Grabbing one of the Kunais, she crushed it with her hand.

Me and Nishimoto reached opposite sides, before trying again to pelt her with attacks. Summoning more clones Nishimoto began, cornering her. 

Punching at her side, she grabbed my hand. I sliced at her wrist with my kunai before noticing it did no damage to her. Nishimoto on her opposite side popped up throwing a hard punch which landed. 

Nishimoto's clone seeing this opening started attacking random spots hitting her, as the attacks piled up Nishimoto got into a stance holding his hand, charging it with cursed energy before attacking her abdomen. 

"HHHHHAAAAA" 

Letting out a roar Nishimoto's attack soared at her. 

"You're definitely proving to be the best of the group."

Catching his fist effortless, my mother looked down at Nishimoto as he stared back blanked face. 

"But you're still missing a little more force. Let me show you."

I watched helpless as she copied his stance from earlier, concentrating her cursed energy. Worrying I thought back to what I saw with my technique. 

'Was that enough time.'

Smiling she threw her hand back before I watched as it flew towards a defenseless Nishimoto. 

[Cursed Technique: Vibration - Form 1 - Slash]

[A loud slash was sounded through the area. A person appeared holding Nishimoto by his collar. Training in seclusion to grow his strength. He had finally appeared, the eldest of the pups had arrived. Arriving on the scene he was willing to bear his fangs to the nearest enemy.]

The imposter hand dropped to the ground. Holding a tired Nishimoto by his collar, Masaki threw him at me. Catching him I looked at the back of Masaki as he faced my mother.

"I was late."

Making a small smile I looked at his back happy.

"No, you were just on time."

Pulling out his sword, he pointed it at my mother.