บท 27: 27) Echoes of Power
JUNE, 2018
Four Days After the Valkyrie's Exorcism
Furōkawa laid in the clinic bed, staring at the faint crack in the ceiling as sunlight crept in. His battered body still pulsed with dull pain, and every breath reminded him of how close he'd come to death. Despite that, his mind wasn't on the Valkyrie he had defeated—it was on the immense, malevolent presence he had felt moments before entering the cathedral. That cursed energy. That power.
A knock broke his focus.
The door swung open, revealing Gojo Satoru in his usual casual arrogance, his hands shoved in his pockets. He didn't wait for an invitation to enter, strolling into the room as though he owned it.
"Yo, Furōkawa," Gojo said, his voice light but his presence unignorable. "I heard you got a little roughed up. Can't leave you alone for five minutes without you trying to kill yourself, huh?"
"Nice to see you too," Furō said dryly, his voice hoarse.
Gojo pulled up a chair and sat backward in it, resting his chin on his arms. His blindfold hid his eyes, but Furō could feel the intensity of Gojo's gaze all the same.
"So," Gojo began, "you ready for the next big fight, or should I give you a few more days to recover?"
"Are you kidding me?" Furōkawa groaned, sitting up slowly and wincing as his ribs protested. "I just exorcised one of the strongest Valkyries in Europe. I think I deserve at least a week."
"Yeah, about that," Gojo said, his tone shifting slightly. "What exactly did you feel right before you entered the cathedral?"
Furō froze. He hadn't expected Gojo to bring it up so directly.
"I don't know," he said after a moment. "It was like nothing I've ever felt before. Pure malice. Ancient and overwhelming. But it was far away—somewhere in Japan, I think. Why?"
Gojo leaned back, the chair creaking under his weight. "Because four days ago, Sukuna reincarnated into his vessel."
The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Furō's breath hitched as the memory of that cursed energy surged back into his mind. So that's what it was. Sukuna—the King of Curses. A legend he'd only read about not very long ago, now walking the earth again.
"How the hell did that happen?" Furō demanded, his voice sharp.
"Some idiot ate one of his fingers," Gojo said with a shrug, as though it were the most normal thing in the world. "Long story short, Sukuna's back, and his vessel is a kid named Yuji Itadori. I've got him under control—for now."
"Under control?" Furō repeated, narrowing his eyes. "You seriously think you can 'control' the strongest curse in history?"
Gojo grinned, leaning forward. "That's the thing about me, Furō—I'm not just strong. I'm the strongest. And as long as I'm around, Sukuna isn't gonna have his way."
Furōkawa didn't respond immediately. He knew Gojo wasn't exaggerating—his reputation as the strongest sorcerer alive wasn't just for show. But something about Sukuna's return made Furō uneasy, like a storm brewing on the horizon.
"You've got your hands full, huh?" Furō said finally.
"Yup," Gojo replied cheerfully. "But enough about me. Let's talk about you. What's next on your European tour? Another Valkyrie? Or are you finally coming back to Japan?"
Furō shook his head. "There's still more to do here. The Valkyries are waking up faster than we anticipated. If I don't stop them, they'll spread destruction across Europe. Besides," he added with a smirk, "I'm not ready and who knows how much stronger my dear cousin is getting."
Gojo laughed, standing up and stretching. "Fair enough. But keep your phone handy, okay? Things are only going to get crazier from here. And something tells me we're going to need your particular brand of chaos sooner rather than later."
As Gojo turned to leave, Furō called after him. "Hey, Satoru."
Gojo paused in the doorway, tilting his head.
"Do you think Sukuna's return is just a coincidence? Or is it connected to what's happening here?"
For a moment, Gojo didn't answer. Then, with a slight shrug, he said, "The world has a funny way of balancing itself. If something big is stirring here, you can bet it's not unrelated. Stay alive long enough, and we might just find out."
With that, he was gone, leaving Furōkawa alone with his thoughts.
Later that evening, Furō sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the ring on his finger. Onamazu, now resting in its liquid form, pulsed faintly with energy. His fight with the Valkyrie had pushed him to his limits, but it had also revealed something deeper—a new connection to his cursed tools and a greater understanding of his own power.
But Sukuna's return had changed everything. Furōkawa couldn't shake the feeling that his battles in Europe were just the beginning of something much, much larger.
The next morning, Emilia walked into the room, tossing a folded map onto Furōkawa's lap.
"Got your next assignment," she said, her tone brisk. "There's been a spike in CE near an old monastery in Romania. Reports are sketchy, but it sounds like another Valkyrie's waking up."
"Great," Furō muttered, unfolding the map. "Guess I'll use my 'particular chaos' on this one too."
Emilia smirked. "Gojo told you about that, huh?"
"Yeah. Sounds like something he'd come up with," Furō said, shaking his head. But there was a hint of pride in his voice.
As Emilia turned to leave, Furō called after her. "Hey, Emilia."
She glanced back.
"Thanks. For, you know… keeping me alive."
She gave him a small smile. "Just don't make a habit of dying on me, okay?"
With that, she left, and Furō stood, sliding the map into his bag. He flexed his fingers, feeling the cursed energy ripple through him. His body still ached, but his resolve was stronger than ever.
As Furōkawa stepped out into the brisk morning air, the weight of the world seemed to settle on his shoulders. The Valkyries. Sukuna. The unknown forces tying everything together.
But he wasn't afraid.
He smiled, gripping the bar of Onamazu as it shifted into its base form.
"Let's see what you've got for me, Romania."
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