Chapter Text
'Often I ask myself, why am I the way I am?'
Deborah stared absent mindedly out of her bedroom window, the sprawling beautiful gardens of the convent before her, she felt like she had been here before, but she couldn't quite understand why.
'How curious, it feels like I am taking everything in for the first time but clearly I was just..'
Whenever she tried to remember, she would lose her train of thought.
'Hmm? What was I just thinking about..'
"Meow."
A white cat was staring at her through her window, beautiful glistening white fur and blue eyes.
'For some reason, I want to hit that cat.'
────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────
The plane touched down in Budapest, and Gojo Satoru led the way as he and his three students stepped off, their faces alight with excitement at being in another country.
"Now kids, don't get lost," Gojo had instructed upon arrival, but as they navigated the narrow, cobblestone streets, it was clear that the students were more captivated by the historic beauty around them than his instructions.
"Wow, this place is amazing!" Yuji exclaimed, his eyes wide as he took in the grand architecture and bustling squares.
Nobara nodded enthusiastically, snapping pictures with her phone. "I can't believe we're in Budapest! We have to get some souvenirs."
Megumi, while quieter, scoffed. "Country bumpkins."
Gojo watched his students with a small smile. "Alright, you've got a couple of hours. Enjoy it while you can."
The group split up, with Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi heading towards a market filled with colourful stalls and the smell of freshly baked pastries.
As they explored, Yuji marvelled at the array of goods on display. "Check this out, Nobara! Handmade jewellery!"
Nobara's eyes sparkled. "I love it! Let's get matching bracelets."
"I am not getting that."
"Aw, but why?" Yuji asked. Megumi flushed and looked away, like he was too good for them.
"Fine! We'll get one without you," Nobara said, then slyly added, "and wear three."
"Then why are you buying three?"
"I'll wear one on each arm."
He rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll wear it."
They bartered with the vendors, their laughter echoing through the market.
Meanwhile, Gojo wandered through a quieter part of the city, where old buildings stood as silent witnesses to history, almost as if asking why he was back.
He walked through until he came across a graveyard. The atmosphere grew more solemn as he moved among the rows of gravestones, his steps deliberate and respectful. He searched for a while, his eyes scanning the names and dates etched into the stone until he found the one he was looking for.
He knelt down in front of the grave, his expression softening. The name on the gravestone read 'Annalise'. Gojo placed a hand on the cool stone, bowing his head in silent respect.
"Hey, Annalise," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's been a while."
What was he meant to say? Sorry for being a dick? Sorry I didn't know you passed away?
He stayed there for a moment, lost in thought, the noise of the city fading into the background.
"I hope you're at peace," he said softly. "I've got some things to take care of, but I'll make sure to come back more often."
The incident in Budapest that decimated the sorcerer population in the city years ago, he was here, and he met her - the young exorcist who was just a normal person. She shouldn't have been anyway near the incident, she wasn't like Deborah or even Joan, her death was inevitable.
With a final nod, he stood up, dusting off his pants. He turned and left the graveyard.
As he re-joined his students he couldn't help but smile at their energy and enthusiasm. They reminded him of the reasons he fought, the reasons he continued to push forward despite how bitterly disappointing humans were.
"Ready to go, everyone?" he asked, his voice cheerful.
Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi nodded, their expressions turning serious.
The convent had two entrances: the public entrance and the back entrance. The back entrance led to what they called the 'Gates of Hell,' where higher-level demons were kept. Civilians wouldn't be aware of it, but Gojo was.
Deborah had a contract demon, the one that loved her the most. If they could get it out of the Gates of Hell, it would rescue Deborah, leaving them with minimal losses.
And so the four stood before two large doors at the back entrance.
"Hey, no tourists this way!" Two guards said, stepping forward to block their path. Gojo stared blankly at the guards.
Without a word, Yuji and Nobara sprang into action. Nobara used her hammer to knock out one guard, while Yuji swiftly took down the other. They moved quickly, dragging the unconscious guards out of sight.
"Good job, now let's see.." Gojo said before going up to the large doors and pulling open the gates.
A rush of cold air rushed out, chilling them to the bone. From the darkness, a large grey hand emerged swiftly trying to grab Gojo but he jumped back just in time. Multiple hands followed straight after trying to catch him but his figure eluded them. Each hand clawed at the door as if desperately trying to force its way through.
"Are we really meant to fight that?" Nobara asked in shock, the door itself was a large door, large enough that the both of them couldn't even reach the handle, and now to see such monstrous arms rush out from the darkness was terrifying.
Gojo assessed the situation, his eyes narrowing. "You three stay here," he instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"But Sensei—" Yuji began to protest.
"I don't want to risk you getting hurt," Gojo said firmly. "Wait here. I'll handle this."
They had to realise that a monster like that was not something they could deal with.
As Gojo ventured into the darkness, the door closed shut behind him. The three students looked at each other, contemplating their next move.
"We can't just sit here," Nobara said, her determination clear. "We need to help Sensei."
Yuji nodded. "We can sneak in and find Deborah-sensei ourselves."
"Rock paper scissors - loser is prisoner."
After a quick game of rock-paper-scissors, Megumi lost. Yuji and Nobara quickly dressed in the guards' uniforms, while Megumi reluctantly allowed them to loosely bind his hands.
Disguised and ready, they approached the main entrance of the convent. The guards at the front doors glanced at them but didn't question their presence, merely saluting and stepping aside to let them in.
"Evening," one of the guards said. "Who's this?"
"A trespasser we caught causing trouble nearby," Yuji replied, trying to sound authoritative. "We're bringing him in for questioning."
The guards nodded, their suspicions not aroused. "Go on in," one of them said, opening the door wider for them.
The three entered the main hall, the heavy doors closing behind them with a resounding thud. The atmosphere inside was oppressive, the air thick with the scent of incense and an eerie silence.
"This place creeps me out." Nobara muttered. "Can't believe Deborah-Sensei lives somewhere like this."
"I mean, it is a convent, it's not meant to be a pink princess palace." Megumi replied sarcastically, unbinding his arms.
"Let's not split up this time, I don't wanna get in trouble with Sukuna."
They moved cautiously through the corridors, trying to blend in and avoid drawing attention. As they navigated the labyrinthine halls, they kept their eyes peeled for any sign of Deborah.
They continued their search, passing other monks and guards who paid them little mind. The architecture was grand and imposing, with tall ceilings and dimly lit passages that seemed to stretch on forever.
After what felt like an eternity, they reached a large, ornate door. Nobara glanced at Yuji and Megumi. "This must be it."
As they stepped into the vast, dimly lit room, their eyes quickly adjusted to the scene before them. The large altar at the far end was surrounded by religious artefacts, casting long shadows in the flickering candlelight. A young girl knelt by the altar, her back turned to them. She had an unsettling air about her, a malevolence that was palpable even at a distance.
Megumi's eyes widened in recognition. "It's her," he whispered urgently to the others.
Before they could react, the girl turned to face them, her smile sinister and mocking. "Well, well, what do we have here?" she taunted, her voice dripping with malice. "Little intruders come to play hero."
As the words left her lips, a monstrous figure erupted from the shadows. The creature was a grotesque amalgamation of limbs and faces, with a large, elaborate mask covering its head. Its multiple arms reached out, claws scraping the floor as it advanced towards them.
Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi tensed, readying themselves for a fight.
"Get ready!" Yuji shouted, his eyes narrowing in determination.
Nobara gripped her hammer tightly, her knuckles white. "We need to take this thing down, fast!"
The monster lunged at them with surprising speed, its claws slashing through the air. Yuji darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, while Megumi summoned his shikigami to counter the beast.
"Divine Dogs!" Megumi called out, his shikigami appearing in a burst of energy. They leapt at the monster, their teeth bared and claws extended.
The beast roared, swatting the shikigami away with its massive arms.
"Take this!" Yuji shouted, his fist connecting with a satisfying crunch.
The mask cracked, but the monster was far from defeated. It retaliated with a vicious swipe, catching Yuji off guard and sending him sprawling across the floor.
"Yuji!" Megumi and Nobara yelled in unison, their concern evident.
The young girl at the altar watched the chaos with a twisted smile, clearly enjoying the spectacle. "You're all so weak," she mocked. "What did Deborah-sensei see in you? You are nothing."
Ignoring her taunts, Megumi redoubled his efforts, his shikigami attacking relentlessly. "We can't let this thing win," he gritted out, determination fueling his every move.
This was something out of their ability, but there was someone who could beat it.
"Well so you brats need my help afterall." A taunting, low voice erupted from behind them.
Sukuna.
Yuji's body moved on its own as Sukuna took control, his expression twisted into a sinister grin. "Step aside, weaklings," he said, cracking his knuckles. "I'll show you how it's done."
"Gojo-sensei said not to let Sukuna out," Nobara muttered, but the situation was dire. They had no choice.
Sukuna lunged at the monster with terrifying speed, delivering a powerful punch that sent it sprawling across the floor. His blows were devastating, each strike breaking through the demon's defences with sheer brute force.
"Watch and learn," Sukuna sneered, grabbing one of the creature's many limbs and ripping it off with ease. The demon howled in pain, its dark, viscous blood splattering across the floor.
Despite Sukuna's strength, the demon was resilient. It retaliated, swiping at him with its remaining limbs. Sukuna dodged with ease, his movements fluid and almost mocking. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted, delivering a swift kick to the demon's torso, sending it crashing into the altar.
The young girl at the altar watched in horror as her monstrous creation was dismantled piece by piece. "No! How can this be?" she screamed, her confidence shaken. "Who the hell are you!?"
"Don't get too comfortable," Sukuna warned, his eyes gleaming with sad*stic pleasure. "I haven't even started."
