Chapter 5: The Cursed Bounty Hunter - Part 2
A man, dressed in a black cloak, white bandana, and a black mask covering the lower half of his face, dark green pants, and black martial arts sandals, leisurely walks through a desolate forest, having just finished another assassination contract for one of his clients a few days prior. As he is walking through the dead forest, he can't help but think back to when his life was much more straightforward.
A few years ago, he was a skilled and ruthless bounty hunter in the underworld, known for taking the most dangerous and deadly contracts. He had led a life of greed, always seeking opportunities to increase his wealth. However, his thirst for riches eventually led him to cross paths with a cursed object of immense power, known as the "Greed Demon's Heart". When he tried to steal it, the curse within it latched onto him, merging with his body and soul. This event marked his first encounter with the world of Jujutsu Sorcery and ever since had to keep a low profile and always be on the move to avoid encountering any pesky Jujutsu sorcerers.
He possesses the cursed energy of the Greed Demon's Heart, granting him the ability to manipulate threads of cursed energy that resemble black, sinewy tendrils. These threads can extend from his body. He can use these threads for offence, defence, and even to siphon cursed energy from other beings, draining them of their power and life force adding to his own. The more cursed energy he siphoned, the stronger and more versatile his threads became.
He had spent most of his time training his new ability and how to better utilise it in combat, while he was on the run. For the most part, he had been able to kill second and third-grade sorcerers that were sent to dispose of him, thanks to his experience as a bounty hunter but became near impossible against first-grade sorcerers to which he had no choice but to run.
As the years went on he became more powerful to the point of being classified as a Special-Grade Curse User. He had stopped running and started taking on contracts again even going as far as taking a few from the Higher-Ups of the Jujutsu Society and from the Zenin Clan. This brings him to his most recent business with the Jujutsu Higher-Ups. He was paid to kill a group of Takanashi clan members who were on assignment to exorcise curses from an abandoned town. They obviously hadn't known that they were walking into their deaths when he slaughtered them all.
He suddenly feels a cursed signature a few metres from him and snaps to attention, his muscles tensing in preparation for a fight just from the killing intent being exuded from the individual standing across from him. He looks at the tall man with spiky silver hair, a black headband with the left side covering his eye, a mask covering most of his face only leaving his dull grey right eye uncovered, a high collared black cloak with red accents, black fingerless gloves, black pants and black boots.
??: Kuroshu Kurogami.
The silver-haired man drawls out as he absentmindedly twirls a kunai around his index finger. He stops twirling the kunai and holds it in a reverse grip while lazily leaning against a tree.
??: You're quite the tough fella to track down.
He says with a slow blink of his uncovered eye. Kuroshu instantly recognizes the man as the head of the Takanashi clan and also a powerful Special-Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer. Kazuhiko Takanashi, who is also known as "The Copy Sorcerer", throughout Jujutsu Society. He gained the moniker because of his mastery of the Heaven's Eyes ability to copy the innate technique of other Sorcerers.
Kuroshu: Not tough enough it seems.
Kuroshu grunts as he takes off his cloak revealing his muscular torso covered with a few battle scars and the stitches on his wrists. He pulls off one of his hands and tosses it to his side. Black tendrils erupt from the dismembered hand and it slowly becomes a clone of himself. Kuroshu grunts as he replaces his hand with his tendrils.
Kuroshu: This is fair. Considering who you are. No?
Kuroshu smirks as he takes a fighting stance with his copy. Kazuhiko chuckles lowly and reaches up to his headband to uncover his left eye, revealing his Awakened Heaven's Eye with its unique red and dark-grey lines and markings coloured pinwheel-like pattern which consists of four curved, triangular shapes arranged around a central point, resembling a spinning wheel or vortex.
Unlike the base, Heaven's Eyes when activated changes the user's eye to a vibrant red and can be deactivated when no longer needed. The Awakened Heaven's Eyes stays active indefinitely, the eyes also gain an intricate design and abilities unique to each user.
Kazuhiko: You're going to need a lot more for this to be a fair fight.
Kazuhiko pushes off the tree and gets into his favoured fighting stance with his kunai in a reverse grip and his Awakened Heaven's Eye uncovered. Kuroshu stays back as his clone advances on Kazuhiko, who intercepts it and the two clash in the middle. Kazuhiko dodges a punch from the clone and counterattacks with a vertical slash of his kunai, which the clone sidesteps.
Kazuhiko swiftly dodges another series of punches and counterattacks when the clone gets too aggressive and leaves an opening which he exploits by redirecting the punch downward causing the clone to stumble forward losing it's balance.
He twirls his kunai expertly and plunges it into the clone's side, causing it to howl in pain and wildly retaliate. He lets go of his kunai and spins out of the way of the wild punches from the injured clone and immediately is put on the defence as the clone rushes him.
He dodges a right hook, blocks an elbow strike, weaves through a flurry of jabs, sidesteps a left hook, catches a straight punch and pushes the clone back making it lose its balance. He steps in behind the clone, grabs it by the back of the head and flips it to the ground. He gets ready to kick the downed clone but side-flips avoiding the surprise attack from Kuroshu.
He blocks another punch from Kuroshu, dodges a spinning heel kick, uses his momentum to turn the tables and elbows him in the face. He grabs onto the dazed Kuroshu's wrist to deliver a vicious punch to the face but is stopped by the clone blocking his fist. So he leans back and then knees Kuroshu hard sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Kuroshu groans as he and his clone get up and they both glare at Kazuhiko. Kazuhiko watches as they both make different hand signs. He observes intrigued as their cursed energy flows to their hands and the clone forms a compressed tornado-like mass of wind. While Kuroshu forms a small fireball.
Kuroshu: Cursed Flames: Searing Migraine.
Clone: Cursed Winds: Pressure Damage.
Kazuhiko's eyes widen slightly as both techniques are released and combined into a giant blast of fire sent right towards him. Kuroshu pants slightly as he watches the ball of fire explode destroying the area and sending dust and debris flying everywhere. He lowers his tendril shield as the dust settles and sees no sign of Kazuhiko.
Kazuhiko: That's some technique you got there.
Kuroshu's eyes widen as he quickly turns around and sees Kazuhiko standing a few metres away completely unharmed. Kazuhiko smirks behind his mask at his expression.
Kuroshu: H-how are you alive!?
Kuroshu shouts in disbelief and anger that Kazuhiko was somehow able to survive his most powerful technique. Kazuhiko shakes his head with a sardonic laugh.
Kazuhiko: Why don't you come here and find out?
Kazuhiko taunts with a tilt of his head. Kuroshu growls in anger at being mocked and rushes him with his clone. Kazuhiko easily dodges and blocks the attacks from both of them. He dodges a punch from Kuroshu and blocks a kick from the clone. He pushes them back and creates some distance but the clone stays on him.
Kazuhiko: You're getting annoying.
Kazuhiko dodges a punch and grabs the clone's wrist pulling it into an elbow strike. He pushes the clone back and ducks under a roundhouse kick from Kuroshu. He pulls down his mask to reveal a Snake Eyes and Fangs insignia on his mouth. He turns to the clone.
Kazuhiko: Explode
The clone explodes into pieces of black threads and the hand that was used to create it flops to the ground uselessly. Kazuhiko pulls his mask back in place as he dodges spikes of black tendrils, he weaves between the spikes effortlessly and backflips avoiding another barrage of spikes from underneath him. As he is flipping through the air, he raises an index finger in front of his face. A small, but extremely bright red orb manifests on the tip of his finger.
Kazuhiko: Cursed Technique Reversal: Red
There is a flash of red and a massive shockwave explodes straight towards Kuroshu destroying everything in its path and kicking up a giant plume of dust. Kazuhiko lands on his feet and waves dust away from him. He waits as the dust settles and sees the entire area completely destroyed.
He waits for a moment and senses a faint cursed signature in the direction of the destruction. He teleports to it and is impressed by the sight before him. Kuroshu or what's left of him is barely held together by thin black tendrils. Kuroshu coughs up blood, groaning in immense pain. He barely holds on to his consciousness as he watches Kazuhiko staring down at him with cold indifference. Suddenly it starts raining heavily blurring his vision.
Kazuhiko: Let this be a lesson. No one hurts my family.
A crack of thunder sounds through the air, lighting up the darkened area. As the light flashes, Kazuhiko is momentarily replaced by another man with long jet-black hair pulled in a low ponytail with centre parted bangs, his Awakened Heaven's Eyes consisting of three curved, swirling shapes radiating from the pupil, forming a pinwheel-like pattern in a maroon colour, under which where long pronounced tear troughs.
??: Cursed Technique: Binding Perspective
Kuroshu stares transfixed as the pinwheel-like pattern starts spinning. He feels his mind going blank and then nothingness.
**Flashback End**
Kuroshu's musing is interrupted by the arrival of his targets in the park. He stands on the branch of the tree waiting for them to move further in. He watches the two young Jujutsu Sorcerers bickering about something.
Kuroshu: Emerge from darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure.
He cast a unique veil that restricts the entry and departure of any Jujutsu Sorcerer. One of his targets got in a fighting stance with her polearm at the ready while the other activated his Heaven's Eyes and surveyed the area for threats.
Kuroshu: Let's see what you got kid.
He pulls off his left hand and tosses it at the far side of the female Jujutsu Sorcerer without her noticing. He leaves his vantage point and lands in front of the two, gaining their attention.
Kuroshu: Takuto Takanashi, Maki Zenin.
He watches as Maki glares at him while tightening her grip on her polearm, while Takuto stares at him with sharp and calculating eyes.
Maki: Who are you?
Kuroshu: Now why would I tell you that?
Maki's glare intensifies and just as she opens her mouth to retort, she is grabbed from the side by black tendrils and pulled away. Takuto tries to intercept and grab onto her but a barrage of black tendril spikes is sent his way and he makes himself intangible, allowing the spikes to phase through him but it also means he isn't able to help Maki.
**Maki POV**
Maki: Get off!
Maki shouts as she cuts off the tendrils wrapped around her ankles. She easily rights herself in the air and lands in a fighting stance. The black tendrils pull back to reveal a black tendril clone of that strange man.
Maki: It looks like he's trying to separate us. Is this some kind of clone of himself made from those weird black threads? What kind of Technique is that?
She is interrupted from her pondering when the clone rushes towards her. She twirls her polearm and blocks a punch that has her skidding back from the force of the blow.
Maki: Shit! It's strong!
She easily recovers and dodges another punch. She counterattacks with a horizontal strike. The clone dodges back and sidesteps another strike. She stays on the offensive trying to overwhelm the clone with a combination of light and heavy attacks, which the clone just dodges or sidesteps. She goes for another attack but makes a misstep, allowing the clone to grab onto the handle of the polearm and easily disarm her.
Maki: Shit.
Maki curses as she is pushed back and loses her weapon. The clone tosses the polearm to the side and turns back to Maki with a taunting gesture. Maki growls and rushes the clone. She throws a right punch which is blocked, a left jab which is dodged, and a right hook which is redirected.
She blocks a combination of jabs and leans out of the way of a roundhouse kick. She dodges a right punch but is hit with an elbow strike in the face. She stumbles back dazed and is hit with a heel kick to the side of the head.
She grunts in pain as she falls but quickly moves out of the way of another kick. She gets up but is immediately met with another punch to the face which she barely blocks. She is unable to dodge the left punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of her. She tries to counterattack with a haymaker but her wrist is caught and the clone breaks her by the elbow.
She screams in pain but isn't given any reprieve as the clone grabs her by the hair and pulls her down to hit her with a knee to the face. Blood gushes out of her broken nose as she stumbles back from the hit. Maki barely able to stand on her feet, pushes through the overwhelming pain of her broken arm and nose and sends a kick to the clone. The clone with little effort dodges her kick, grabs her leg, easily lifts her up and smashes her hard into the ground with a sickening crack sound.
Maki: N-n-not...y-yet
Maki gasps in pain, coughing up blood but still tries to move her body even through the immense pain of her broken bones and the possible internal bleeding. She struggles in vain to push herself up on her shaking arm.
She gasps and slowly looks down to stare wide-eyed at the black tendril spike pierced through her stomach. She coughs up blood and falls back face-first to the ground.
Maki: N-n-not...
Her vision slowly blacks out as she feels what little cursed energy she had siphoned from her. Her eyes slowly close as she the last of her cursed energy is completely siphoned from her. The clone removes its tendrils from Maki's unmoving body after siphoning all her cursed energy. It turns making its way back to the original.
As it is a few metres away it stops in its tracks having heard a cracking sound. It slowly turns around and sees Maki slowly get up with the cracking sound being her broken bones and arm being healed. It watches as she finally stands up, breathes a sigh then rolls her shoulders and neck with audible pops.
Maki turns around with a slight grimace as the hole in her stomach is also completely healed. She cracks her fists and spits out some blood that is in her mouth. She stares at the clone with a manic grin.
Maki: Round 2?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
ItzMenace12
ItzMenace12 Sorry For The Delay I Was Having A Tough Time With The Fight Scenes...So Yeah. I Hope You Enjoy The Chapter!!
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