Unexpected Turns

***Date Finished:*** TBA

***Setting:*** Flashback Moment

"That was easy" says a tall man with amber eyes and black hair, in a mocking tone, "Wish they'd send us onto cooler missions you know, instead of cleaning up *these*... Grade 1's... not even Semi-Special Grades". He lets out a sigh and throws his arms behind his head as he walks around in boredom. "What do you think, Ashi? Think we'll ever get anything cool? More adventurous, more... dangerous" he turns to face the man known as Ashi, a smirk on his face as he puts his hands in his pockets.

”Maybe, just maybe but don’t jinx us now before we have to fight like 20 cursed spirits and we die” Ashi says while putting his sword back into its sheath. “Besides, we should be happy we killed this thing before it hurt some innocent people”

"Don't be such a buzzkill, what's the worse that can happen~ We're a powerful Grade 1 Sorcerer duo, I'm pretty sure there isn't much that could take us on" Kagerou frowns a bit, sighs, then checks the clip of his Cursed Tools Ebony and Ivory. "I mean really, what are the chances of a Special Grade appearing out of nowhere without a single sign of manifestation, you know what I mean?" Just as he finishes his sentence, a sudden ominous and terrifying aura of Cursed Energy sprouts of nowhere, greater in volume than either of the Sorcerer Duos Cursed Energy alone. "... You know... I think I might start believing in jinxes soon..."

”What did I say” Ashi said before pulling out his katana. “Now because of that we might just die” he said sighing, how this Cursed Spirit just spouted into existence was something they may never find out but for right now they have a duty as sorcerers to kill this spirit or to atleast die trying. “Let’s kill this thing before it escapes to the public”

"Aye aye Capt'n" Kagerou says sarcastically. With a swift movement, he leaps into the air and gets the source of the Cursed Energy within eyesight. "Found it, coords are 150m south, 300m east, elevation seems to be at around our level. Luckily for us, it's in the middle of a forest. But I agree let's kill it before it reaches anywhere near the public" he says while landing back onto the ground. Kagerou courses their cursed Energy as they get ready to do a mad dash towards the Cursed Spirit.

”Alrighty then, let’s go” Ashi says as he empowers his legs with Cursed Energy allowing him to run faster and farther than he every would have thought possible, with one swift motion he launches himself towards the Cursed Spirit with the intent to have the element of surprise on the creature. Kagerou follows behind, wielding his dual handguns as he gets ready to provide cover fire for Ashi.

As the Sorcerers rapidly approach the Cursed Spirit, the sheer volume of the Cursed Energy they're facing becomes much more apparent and easily apparent to be a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Kagerou takes in a deep breath as he pours Cursed Energy into his Handguns, "Ready when you are", he says silently to Ashi.

”Let’s do this” Ashi says as he uses his Cursed Technique to create fire on his blade, now being basically directly behind the Spirit, he dashed towards it before raising his sword to the neck of the creature attempting to kill it in just one single blow. But before he could use his strength to cut the Spirit it appears behind him quickly kicking him into some nearby trees.

"Ashi!" Kagerou shoots 2 loaded bullets towards the Cursed Spirit, the Silver Gun's bullet activates his Cursed Technique allowing it to hit and do minimal damage while the Black Gun's bullet misses and explodes on a nearby tree. The Cursed Spirit vaguely humanoid in shape, and visibly irritated shoulder rams Kagerou through multiple trees and stands above him. 8 feet tall even while hunched, with three arms, 2 on its left and one on its right. Its right arm seems to be a fused with a sheath, while its upper left arm is fused with a Katana. Its remaining third arm is a normal arm. 3 Large horns protrude from the top of its faceless head, yet armed with a large mouth baring sharpened teeth. The Cursed Spirit sheaths its sword arm into its sheath, as Cursed Energy seems to coalesce and concentrate into it.

”Stupid Spirit” Ashi says before rushing at the creature once again, igniting his sword with fire before swinging at the behemoth with enough speed to cut through metal, his strike then being amped with Cursed Energy. The slash meets cursed flesh as it sinks a few inches deep, causing a delay long enough for Kagerou to escape the creature's Iai-technique which levelled part of the forest in a cone in front of it.

However, he did not manage to get off unharmed, Kagerou has a gash over his thigh and backs away to gain some distance as he fires off more shots. "What the fuck is this thing and why the fuck is it fused with a sword?". The behemoths body twists and contorts unnaturally as he sends a fist flying towards Ashi.

”Heavenly Breaths: 50 Slashes” Ashi states as he sends 50 waves of fire towards the creature's fist, hoping to decimate the Spirit's arm and disable it if only for a moment. Burning, searing through the Cursed Spirit's arm, it heals through each and every slash, yet Ashi was effective in keeping himself safe as the Cursed Spirits steps back, snarling at the duo. The bullet wounds and slashes quickly healing themselves. The Spirit stays still as it readies are quickdraw.

"Whats the plan Ashi?" Kagerou interjects, his breathing is slightly haggard from his bleeding wound. Kagerou himself readies a Cursed Technique in preparation.

”I suppose we begin by taking off its limbs, so let’s focus on one of his arms” Ashi says while standing in a defensive position staring deeply at the creature infront of them.

"Lots of Cursed Energy around its sword-arm... maybe we should go for that one" Kagerou exclaims as he gets ready to use his defensive technique. "By revealing one's cards it can increase the effectiveness of a Cursed Technique, my Null Space technique defines the properties of fields as zero, in an area of space, effectively creating a zero-gravity and zero-electromagnetic field zone, zero-mostly everything zone. This causes the area to eject anything within it and create a form of barrier. This is what I'll be using to block as much of that thing's slash, I'll be counting on you to cut its arm off while I block to create an opportunity." His Cursed Energy rises as he stows away his handguns and creates a hand sign with his right hand. "Let's do this."

”Alrighty” Ashi says as he dashes at the spirit, his speed being blinding to any lower graded sorcerer amped with some of his Cursed Energy. As he got close he once again ignited his blade with fire before sending another 50 slashes towards the creature’s arm and some to his neck in an attempt to distract it. The Cursed Spirit unfurls a full powered slash at Ashi's neck, its wide arcing swing gets caught on a white barrier which flashes in and out. Thus, leaving the Cursed Spirit's sword-arm fully extended and exposed, causing it to raise its head in surprise. "Do it now! I don't know how long I can hold this!" Kagerou yells out.

With all his strength alongside the amplification of his power with Cursed Energy and the power given to him by his flaming blade, allowed Ashi to dig his sword into the creature's arm with little difficulty, it was getting the blade deep enough to cut the thing's arm off that was the problem. “I got to do this!!!” Ashi screamed as he used his strength to dig the sword further into the Spirit’s arm and within seconds, the accursed arm was off and falling to the ground.

As the arm falls onto the ground, the Cursed Spirit reels back and screams in pain, the sheath in its other arm falling out as it melts through the flesh of its arm as it also falls down. It's Cursed Energy dramatically decreases as it diminishes into a Second Grade Cursed Spirit that Kagerou instantly dispatches by warping it with a black hole-like technique, leaving only its legs to flop onto the ground. Thus, Kagerou collapses and sits on the ground, exhausted of most of his Cursed Energy. "Holy... shit..." he says while huffing, "blocking a special grade level attack is tough."

”Indeed it is” Ashi says as he sheaths his katana and sits down on the ground, exhausted but proud that they were able to defeat a Special Grade. “So what do you think that arm is cause as soon as I cut it, the spirit became so much weaker”

"It was a pain in the ass, is what it was" Kagerou says, "But we did it in the end" he raises a fist up for a fist-bump with a proud smirk on his face. "On a serious note, I'd say some kind of Cursed Tool of some sort? I looked like the Cursed Spirit kinda fused with it... might've used it to empower itself? Definitely Special-Grade whatever it might be..."

Ashi gives Kagerou a quick fist bump before going back to examining the arm. “I know this sounds crazy but what if and this is a strong ‘if’, that this thing is maybe a piece of Doji” He says before looking at Kagerou. “ I mean it would explain the increase of power that it gave a normal Second Grade Curse, Special Grade Power”

Kagerou slowly heaves himself to his feet, "Doji? Isn't that, that one Cursed Spirit from legend? As in, the one that got sealed into the 4 different weapons that beheaded it? Those things have been lost for centuries, how could it just appear out of nowhere like that and carried by a Second-Grade spirit too out of everything..." he says while approaching the fallen sword-arm, which has started to melt off and clear the way for a perfectly clean, finely crafted Katana. "...and it is way too clean to be so old."

”But I mean how else could that Second Grade become so powerful so fast, it has to be some sort of cursed weapon because I don’t know any other way it could expand in strength like that. And remember Cursed Weapons are basically eternal unless destroyed which could explain its clean appearance” Ashi said to Kagerou.

"Yeah sure, fine its clean because its a Cursed Tool, but there could be an inumerable number of undiscovered Cursed Tools out there" He retorts while bending down to get a closer look at the blade. "Well it does look quite well crafted... maybe some kind of sword made by a famous blacksmith that turned Cursed."

”Just saying man. This could be one of the legendary weapons since nobody knows where some of them were kept but like I said it’s a strong if” Ashi stated as he got up. “But we better report to the higher ups, they’ll love to know about this”

"Eh, sure. Guess I'll go sheath it for now" Kagerou reaches for the blades handle, momentarily pausing to build up suspense. "Boo!" he snaps his head towards and then burst out laughing. "Ooohh possessed by Doji, I'm just kidding". He gets up and heads over to the sheath to put the blade into.

”Hey don’t joke like that. Remember the last time you jinxed us and here we are” Ashi said before pulling out his phone to call some of the higher ups messengers. “And yeah put the blade away. We don’t need anymore Special Grades running around”

"Alright Alright I won'T" he puts his hands up holding the sheathed blade. "But well... I don't sense anything from the blade oddly enough... as if it were empty? Well whatever, let's leave that to the experts" he says as he puts his arms down and waits.

Within minutes, several sorcerers arrived at the scenes alongside the assistant of one of the higher ups. “Do you have the cursed weapon” The assistant says quickly.

“Here it is” Ashi says pointing to Kagerou holding the arm. “As requested its in perfect condition and sheathed” he says to the sorcerers.

Kagerou takes a bit to respond and looks to Ashi, a single eye with black sclera as he speaks with a shaky voice. "Uh... Ashi... I think I jinxed myself real bad..." Dark red markings slowly grow onto the arm holding the blade.

”What the hell” Ashi says as he pulls out his blade, his eyes wide as he takes a look at his best friend covered in red markings and possessing black scleras. “What happened to you”

“I-i I don’t know! I had no choice! He would’ve- Dōji would’ve- if I didn’t- I had to… I had to do the binding vow… I’m sorry…” Kagerou looked like he was at the edge of tears as the markings and dark sclera, slowly faded, leaving a few tattoos on his arms and face. A sickening and maniacal laugh resounded from the blade. “I’m sorry Ashi…” he says weakly before collapsing onto the ground, unconscious.

“Doji?” Ashi said with his eyes still wide, his surprise was a mixture of fear and sadness, his fear of losing his friend to this Entity and his sadness of the thought of having to kill him. It was something Ashi was not ready for. “We gotta get him outta of here” he said to the other sorcerers before picking Kagerou up and placing him into the car of the assistant.

*Present day*

Kagerou stands in a phone booth as he talks to an old friend of his, “Yoo~ Ashi how’s it goin?”. He’s older now, mid twenties, he stands taller and much more powerful than in the past.

”What do you want Kagerou? I’m kinda in the middle of something” Ashi says while he continues to speak to the clerk, now in his 20s, Ashi stood as a whooping 6’6 towering over many people, he now sported a ponytail and was a lot stronger than before.

"C'mon, can't ya catch up with an old friend?" he snickers, "Well, my younger sister will be entering school soon. Oh don't worry she's not as obnoxious as I am. She's a gentle kid, easily recognizable with white hair and amber eyes. Thought you could pass by and say maybe hi you know what I mean?"

”Yeah I know what you mean. Oh and before I hang up watch out for my brother, he’s in America too and well he sorta went rogue.” Ashi said as he stepped out of the store with his newly ordered food. “Just try and stop him. Before someone else does and he starts talking nonsensical” he retorted

"Hmm... alright yeah, if I find him, I'll take care of'em" he says while pondering. "I'll look for traces of Cursed Energy while I wander around, if I get anything I'll call ya as soon as I can aight? Take care, I think my time on the Phone Booth is running out and I'm outta coins" kagerou snickers a bit as he lets out a sigh. "Nice talkin to ya man."

”Same here and try not to start trouble or get killed. And remember find my brother” Ashi said as he now entered his car with his food. “Just know if you need me give me a call and I’ll try to get their as soon as I can.

"Sure, and me? killed? In your dreams" Kagerou laughs, "I won't let myself die so soon" he says in a serious tone. "But anyways, yeah, I'll find your brother and I'll bring him back. You better not die while I'm out in the americas or imma pull you out of hell and beat you for it" although he talks more joyfully, he's still serious about what he says. "Cya soon, I'll be popping in for hallo-" and the phone line cuts off. "Godammit" he says frustrated, walking off into the streets of New York.