A Morning News

POV of Other Characters about the mysterious disappearance of Special Grade Level Curse.

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The city of Sendai was just beginning to stir as the clock struck nine in the morning. The morning sun, in all its glory, was greeting everyone with its warm, inviting rays. It was neither too hot nor too cold, the weather was simply perfect.

As it was a weekday, the humdrum of life was in full swing. Office-goers were already engrossed in their work, striving to earn their living. Similarly, students, the young torchbearers of the future, were already in their schools, engrossed in their studies.

The streets of Sendai were relatively quiet, the usual cacophony of cars replaced by an almost serene silence. It was an ideal time for anyone seeking to do something in a peaceful environment. Amidst this tranquillity, a woman in her late twenties, with hair as black as the midnight sky styled in an elegant updo, was seated in a cosy booth of a local cafe. In front of her were three cups of coffee, their steamy aroma wafting through the air, indicating their freshness.

She seemed to be waiting for someone, her brown eyes were focused on the bustling street outside the cafe, observing the world go by. Then, as if on cue, a man entered the cafe. His hair was as black as hers, styled in short, spiky strands. He wore a dark outfit, matching his equally dark sunglasses, adding an air of mystery about him. Without wasting any time, he made his way to the booth where the woman was seated and took the vacant seat across from her.

"You're late, Yaga-kun. It seems like ageing is catching up on you," the woman teases the man.

"Spare me from your nagging, it's took me a while to distract my manager to stop continuing to follow me around like goddamn a poodle," Yaga said as he pulled a cigarette and a lighter from his jacket. Before he could light up his cigarette, someone's hand stopped him from doing it.

"I can't let you smoke inside here, Senpai," Natsuto said.

"What the fuck? Can't you let it slide this one time? And stop calling me that, we're not senpai and kouhai. You never entered Jujutsu High," Yaga looked a bit annoyed as Natsuto took a seat near them.

"What? You want to get called by me as Elder-san, instead?"

"..."

"That's what I thought,"

"Alright, you two, snap out of it," the Woman said sternly. "We need to talk about what happened after the aftermath. Yaga-kun, how are they reacting?"

Yaga and Natsuto stopped playing around, their expressions turning serious. Yaga suddenly pulled out a couple of documents from inside his jacket and showed them to his friends.

"As you can see in my files here," Yaga began, "half of the Jujutsu elders didn't think too much about it. In fact, they're more worried about how they'll be able to control the Six Eyes brat in the future. Meanwhile, some elders still believe that your daughter should be killed alongside her future fiancé, Zenin Naoya, to cleanse the shame they both bring, as old traditions dictate."

Natsuto remained silent, but his eyes followed the woman who sat near him after Yaga finished talking. Her hands were clenched into fists, and her brown eyes stared intently at the floor, a facial expression that seemed to contain anger.

"What did my father choose, Yaga-kun?"

Yaga hesitated, avoiding eye contact. But the woman locked eyes with him.

"..."

"I need to know the truth. What. did. my father. choose?"

"...He chose to follow the old traditions," Yaga answered honestly.

Slowly, a dark aura of cursed energy began to emanate from the woman's body, shrouding her form in a swirling haze. The cup of coffee she held shattered into pieces, and the scalding liquid splashed onto her hand, turning her skin a faint shade of red from the heat, but she paid it no mind. Not after what Yaga had just revealed to her.

".....I always believed that someday, my father would acknowledge my daughter as his granddaughter.....When he found out about her Innate Technique, I thought he might show her some respect as a Future Jujutsu Sorcerer.... But no, he still doesn't care one bit. Now he wants her dead for things she didn't even do! Fuck. Him! And fuck me for believing he could change!"

The cursed energy continued to intensify, casting a gloomy aura in the cafe as it surrounded the woman, forming a dark cloud of energy around them.

"Shizuka, get a grip!" Yaga hissed, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've spent all morning leading the elders on a wild fucking goose chase so they wouldn't track you here. And now you're recklessly unleashing your cursed energy? Do you want to get fucking caught?!"

His eyes darted outside the café window, scanning for any sign of suspicion from passersby who might have sensed Shizuka's outburst.

Taking a deep breath, Shizuka reined in the tumultuous power within her. The cursed energy that had surged forth like a deluge began to recede, ebbing away until it vanished completely.

"I... I'm so sorry, Yaga. I just can't believe my own father... could be so Vile," Shizuka stammered, her voice laced with disbelief and anger. She glanced down at the shattered remains of a cup on the floor.

"And Natsuto, I apologize for the mess. I'll cover the cost of the damage." Natsuto, who had been quietly gathering the broken glass, paused to offer Shizuka a reassuring gesture.

"It's alright, no harm done. It's just a cup," he said, his hand waving dismissively. "But please, next time you feel a rampage coming on, take it outside. I do have a business to run, after all." A smile played on his lips as he caught Yaga's eye, the purple apron tied around his waist catching the light.

Yaga leaned back, amusement dancing in his eyes. "It's surreal, isn't it? The Golden Reaper, the one we all feared, is trading his cloak for an apron— and not just any apron, but the tiniest one he could find. It's quite the fall from grace," he said with a playful smirk.

Natsuto sauntered over, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "For your information, Senpai, the ladies adore the view," he said, striking a pose that accentuated his form beneath the snug apron. "And let's set the record straight—I haven't hung up my hat just yet.

Intrigued, Yaga probed further.

"What's keeping you from hanging it up for good?"

With a thoughtful look, Natsuto replied, "Dreams don't come cheap. I've got my sights set on a future home that's going to cost a pretty penny. So I'm planning to take on a few more missions before I bow out."

Shizuka chimed in, her voice echoing Yaga's confusion. "Hold on, you're already sitting on a pile of properties. Why the need for another?"

Yaga nodded, echoing his sentiment and waiting for Natsuto's explanation.

Natsuto leaned back, his voice steady as he shared, "I own over thirty properties, but they're all SAFE Houses—hidden throughout Japan and a few overseas. They're secluded, far from prying eyes. But what I'm planning now is different; it's my first Public House, not just another Safe House."

Yaga raised an eyebrow, pausing with his coffee cup mid-air. "Any specific reason for a Public House?"

A soft smile played on Natsuto's lips. "My girlfriend—soon to be my wife—is pregnant. In a few months, I'll be a father. We need a home to start our life together, a place out in the open-..!"

Mid-sip, Yaga choked on his coffee. The liquid splattered across the table in a wide arc, some droplets narrowly missing Natsuto, who leaned back with impressive speed. Shizuka, unfortunately, wasn't as quick, and her shirt bore the brunt of the coffee assault.

Sputtering, Shizuka managed to pat Yaga's back, offering a mix of concern and amusement. "Easy there, Yaga. It's just coffee, not a life sentence."

Natsuto, meanwhile, surveyed the chaos with a mix of annoyance and disbelief. "Seriously, Senpai?"

Yaga, still recovering, wiped his mouth with a tissue, his eyes shooting daggers at Natsuto behind his dark sunglasses. "You can't just drop a fucking news like that, out of the blue, while someone's drinking!"

Natsuto looked genuinely puzzled. "What's the big deal? I'm going to be a dad. Isn't that normal?"

Shizuka and Yaga shared a silent conversation, their eyes communicating what words could not. After a moment of silent deliberation, Shizuka turned back to Natsuto, her expression one of mock exasperation.

"Yaga's just shocked, that's all. You, a father? It's a bit out of left field, considering your track record with dates. But, all jokes aside, congratulations are in order. So, who's the lucky woman who's captured the elusive Golden Reaper's heart?"

"Her name is-.."

Natsuto was on the verge of revealing his future wife's name to Yaga and Shizuka when a knock on the cafe's glass door interrupted him.

A figure peered through the pane, a hopeful look etched across their face. "Hey there! Is this place still serving? I'm in dire need of a caffeine fix," called out the potential patron, their voice muffled by the glass.

Natsuto's expression shifted from anticipation to a grin of resignation. "Ah, the never-ending call of the barista life," he chuckled. "Rain check on the big reveal, guys. Duty beckons!" With a playful salute, he darted off to attend to the new arrival.

As he deftly navigated the cafe floor, Natsuto's charm was like a magnet; customers seemed to gravitate towards him with their orders, and each one was greeted with a warm smile and a quick-witted remark. The cafe, usually a haven of tranquillity, was now abuzz with activity as more patrons streamed in, drawn by the promise of excellent service and even better coffee.

Yaga leaned back in his chair, a wry smile playing on his lips as he watched the scene unfold. "Looks like our boy's going to be tied up for the foreseeable future," he observed, his voice tinged with amusement.

Shizuka's laughter tinkled through the air, light and carefree. Her gaze followed a particular customer, a woman who was obviously taken with Natsuto. She stuttered over her words, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and awe.

And who could blame her? Natsuto was a sight to behold with his athletic frame, sun kiss skin, golden locks, piercing blue eyes, and killer smile that could light up the gloomiest day. He was the spitting image of those high-end fashion models you'd see in international foreign magazines.

But the laughter faded as Shizuka turned her gaze back to Yaga, her brow furrowing with concern. "You're looking a bit rough around the edges, Yaga-kun. Those bags under your eyes could carry groceries. What's been eating at you? The elders giving you grief again?" she inquired, her voice soft yet probing.

Yaga sighed, the weight of the world seemingly perched on his shoulders. He slid off his sunglasses, revealing eyes that were shadowed more deeply than the last time they met. "You could say that," he admitted, the fatigue evident in his voice. "But let's not dwell on that now. Let's just enjoy the show," he said, gesturing towards Natsuto, who was now juggling orders like a seasoned performer.

But Shizuka wasn't buying it. She stepped closer, her eyes searching his face. "You sure you're alright? You're looking kind of pale. Missing meals, or… is it something I did?"

Quick as a flash, Yaga's hands went up in defence. "No, no, it's definitely not you! It's just… the workload's been crazy since we lost some of our sorcerers and managers to that nasty curse last month. I've got another mission lined up in, like, twenty minutes."

Shizuka's expression shifted from concern to shock as she processed his words. Then, with a sudden movement, she reached out and took hold of Yaga's hand, her own energy surging forth. A warm, tingling sensation spread through Yaga as Shizuka's cursed energy wrapped around him, her innate technique kicking into gear.

"Hey, Shizuka, there's really no need—"

"Quiet, Yaga. I need to focus," Shizuka cut him off, her voice firm, her concentration palpable.

The weariness that had seeped into Yaga's bones was slowly retreating, as if a weight was being lifted from his shoulders. This wasn't the result of a Reverse Cursed Technique; it was Shizuka's own unique ability at work. When she activated her skill, it was like a trade—she could pull cursed energy from her opponents, offloading her own fatigue and injuries onto them.

Similarly, she could absorb the pain and wounds of an ally, replenishing them with her own stamina and cursed energy.

Shizuka's technique echoed the abilities of the Kugisaki Clan, but with a crucial limitation: it only worked if her enemy was within 200 meters, or 656 feet. The closer they were, the more effective her technique.

On the battlefield, she was a legend; no curse, no matter its grade, could withstand her. She would always emerge restored, triumphant over the curses. This was the innate power of Iori Shizuka, the reason she was known as 'The Corpse Princess.'

"You really don't have to bother, I'm okay!" Yaga insisted.

"You're practically staggering, Yaga! Can't you just accept some help for once?" Shizuka responded, her voice laced with concern. Yaga let out a sigh, the stubbornness in Shizuka's tone as familiar as ever. She hadn't changed a bit; still as determined and immovable as a bull. His eyes then drifted to the wall clock in the cafe, its hands ticking away the time.

Its hands ticked away the minutes with an audible rhythm, a stark reminder of the fleeting time. "I have 15 minutes left. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

Shizuka leaned forward, her voice tinged with concern. "Have there been any reports of curses in Sendai recently?"

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Yaga shook his head. "No, nothing. We've been short-staffed this month, especially after a Grade One Curse took out two sorcerers and four managers. The Jujutsu elders have turned their attention to fortifying the southern regions, leaving the north less guarded. It's been two weeks since any Jujutsu sorcerer set foot here. Why do you ask?"

Shizuka's gaze was steady. "Two weeks ago, close to midnight, I sensed a surge of cursed energy throughout Sendai. It felt like a Special Grade Curse had emerged, but then, just as quickly, it vanished. If no Jujutsu sorcerers have been here, who could have exorcised it?"

Yaga frowned, considering Shizuka's words. Her ability to perceive the ebb and flow of cursed energy was unparalleled, far surpassing his own. If she believed it to be a Special Grade Curse, there was no room for doubt. Such curses were not to be trifled with; they were harbingers of death, and only the foolhardy or the exceptionally brave and strong sorcerer enough would dare confront it alone. The mere thought of facing one without support was tantamount to courting a painful death.

"Could it have been Natsuto? Maybe he eliminated it since it was near his café?"

Shizuka dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. "Impossible. His café is in the southern part of the city, and the energy I felt came from the north, near some abandoned buildings. Besides, Natsuto was on a mission in Tokyo that night, and I was staying in a village outside the city."

Yaga nodded, his expression serious. "I'll review the reports for any signs of the cursed energy you described. Is there anything else you need?"

A moment of silence passed between them, laden with unspoken thoughts. Then, with a gentle touch, Shizuka reached out and clasped Yaga's hand, her brown eyes locking with his in a silent communion. The quietude of the café enveloped them, a serene cocoon that seemed to hold its breath. It was Shizuka who broke the stillness, her voice soft yet resolute,

"Be careful on your mission, and thank you for your help."

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Author Note : 

Sorry for disappearing for a couple of weeks. I was very busy at my job and right now I am applying to another job because I already have some job experiences that can be used as references to get maybe a higher position and a bigger buck of money.

So yeah, please give me your thoughts on this chapter. I love reading your guys comments 🥺🥺