Potential Man (Megumi SI/JJK/WC Fic)

Checkmate

Megumi P.O.V.

"It will only get awkward if we say nothing…" I say to the room to try to break the ice.

Can't blame them. This assortment of people is a little strange… We have sorcerers, allegedly terrorists, cursed spirits…

"This is like one of those things where enemies unite hands to deal with a bigger threat." I continue trying to help

Everyone, from the recently arrived Uraume to Geto's people look at me strangely. There's a lot of people here. Tokyo students with Yuta that had already come back but without Hakari and his girlfriend, Kyoto students but no Kamo guy, Geto's group with the exception of Miguel and that gay guy, and Hitomi-chan and my sister with Yorozu.

"Megumi… shut up." Nobara deadpans in my direction.

"Geez~ You guys are all boring " I lean back on my seat and rest a cheek on my knuckle.

We are right now in a conference room at Jujutsu School. Normally this kind of meeting would be made in secrecy… The rebels fighting against the corrupt power while trying to save the world, but…

"You killed the Higher-ups?" Principal Yaga asks, his face hard.

"Yes." I answer without hesitation. I don't need to explain myself, but I do anyway "Some are in cahoots with Kenjaku…"

"Some?" Me Mei raises an eyebrow at me, a light smile on her lips.

"All annoyed me." When I said that she chuckled. "Now instead of dwelling in some minor things of the past…"

" 'Minor things' he said…" Utahime sighs and facepalms, but Yuki is giving me a thumbs up, so I consider it a win.

"...why don't we focus on the more pressing issue that is whatever Kenjaku is cooking." I continue "Maki…" I signal to my muscly girlfriend.

Thanks to her Heavenly Restriction, Maki was able to enter the barriers to scout. So she "interrogated" a participant to discover the rules of the Culling Game and returned with the information.

She tells them everything, explaining the rules and the situation of the Culling Game.

"19 days? And this Cursed Technique Removal thingie?" Nobara asks with a frown

"It means death…" Shoko Ieri puffs some smoke "It's just a fancy way to say death. No one can survive the complete removal of a cursed technique."

"So Tsumiki needs to participate in the game…" Mai comments while looking at my sister.

"We can change the rules so that people can give away points." I say, better to jump right to the original plan instead of wasting time "The rules say 'If a player's score remains the same'... So if we add a rule that allows us to give away points, we can rotate some points among ourselves."

"So the pressing issue of the time limit will be solved." Mei Mei says, but she has a smirk on her face "But we will need the 100 points to add this rule." She looks at me slyly

"20 sorcerers or 100 non-sorcerers…" Broom girl says in a worried voice

"Light work." I comment light

"Megumi!" But Tsumiki turns to me horrified

"What?" I raise my hands "We can kill the bad people." She is too good for this world, and I can't help but add "But I will not hesitate to kill other people too."

"Megumi…" She looks at me in a soft and pleading tone

"Sorry, but no… If we had no other option, I would kill anyone to take the points."

"..."

"Well… We could find someone that already has 100 points and ask  them nicely to add the rule." I add to assure her. It's how they did it in canon, but I would still kill people when she is not looking. "What annoys me is that we are playing on Kenjaku's hand…" I sigh "There's no reward here and she is making us play because of her preparations… She even targeted Tsumiki…" I frown, I don't know if she targeted my sister because of me or because of some compatibility issue, but the result is the same.

I will teach that hag a lesson.

My thoughts probably showed on my face because Tsumiki grabbed my hand and said "It's not your fault" with her gentle eyes.

"..." I sigh again… She is too good for any world.

"Independent of the new information, the next step doesn't change… We need to go talk with Tengen." Yuki finally speaks "Tengen must know how to stop the game and how to save Gojo."

"If we rescue Gojo, our chances will be higher too." 

Things will be simpler than they think, but it's not like I need to say anything now.

I slowly stand up "So the Main Mission is to stop Kenjaku. Side Missions: Save Gojo and add the new rule. Sounds easy enough." 

"Don't put 'saving someone as a 'side mission'..." Nobara rolls her eyes

"Excuse me~ More lives take precedence in general… I don't think we are all surviving whatever Kenjaku is cooking." I turn and talk with her sassily. She gives me the finger "Let's go talking with Tengen then. No one will stop us now."

"Did you really kill all the Higher-ups? I think only they know the path…" Yuki asks "And it would not be easy… It's a labyrinth down there. It's almost impossible to find the door to him."

"Taking the extreme circumstances, I kinda declared Martial Law and took control of the Jujutsu World, for now… You can arrest me later" I laugh "And I think I have a way to find the right path. Let's go!"

I don't wait for an answer and start walking away. Almost everyone follows me, some stay behind to take care of things.

"How do you know where to go?" Maki asks as we go through door after door.

"I ate the Death-Painting Wombs, so I can kinda feel the rest. They are more or less together with Tengen." I answer easily

"..." She looks at me strangely.

"Can you stop eating strange things already?" Nobara looks at me with dead eyes.

"But then I would stop eating your ass- *Bonk*" Oh, so she still has that squeak hammer.

"Why are there stains of blood here?" Panda asks after we pass through a somewhat familiar place. Where did I see it before?

"11 years ago a Plasma Vessel died here… By the hands of your father, Megumi-kun." Yuki answers and then gives me a look.

"Oh, so it was here." I finally remember "Nasty work…"

"Yes, after that, things started to derail… Your father was free from cursed energy and broke fate." Yuki says in a rare solemn tone "It would not be an exaggeration to say that what is happening today is a product of his actions."

"That damned, deadbeat. Instead of money, he leaves trouble behind… "I complain "At least I got some good genes~" I pass a hand through my face narcissistically.

"....."

"The last place before we reach Tengen's residence should have an elevator…" Yuki was commenting but I interrupted her.

"Like that one?" I point to the big things that should be an industrial elevator.

"Exactly. You really knew the way…" She says impressed but I ignore her and start walking to a warehouse nearby,

*Boom* I kick the door open and walk inside, returning with the other six Death-painting wombs.

"You are not gonna eat that too, right?" Mai looks at the things in disgust.

"Eeeh… No?" Truth be told, by eating Choso-chan, I kinda already ate everything I need.

All the Death-painting kinda have different variations of the Blood Manipulation Cursed Technique, but Choso-chan's is the most complete one. 

But I will not pass free powers… Maybe it increases the potency or something like that. As a gamer, my mindset is of using everything to power up… Even eating fetuses.

"Megumi… Don't eat those things! It will upset your stomach." That's my sister talking with me with her hands on her hips like I'm a four-year-old who wants to eat too much ice cream and will probably get a tummy ache.

I side-glance the rest only to see them holding their laugh… Tsumiki is embarrassing me in front of my friends! My cool mysterious image is crumbling!!

"You never had a cool or mysterious image." Maki comments mercilessly, her voice cold.

"Did I say that out loud?" Am I schizo already?

"No, but I can guess what you are thinking." She smirks

"Yeah, Megumi. Drop the weird snacks and go do your homework." Mai adds with a similar smirk

"And then go brush your teeth and go directly to bed!" Nobara chimes in.

"..." So that's the life of a harem master? Being ganged up on by his girls? Okay… fair enough.

I drop the Death-Painting in my shadow and keep them in my inventory. I will eat them later, it's kinda unpleasant anyway. "You guys will see when I have you between four walls…" I mutter under my breath in a low voice

"..." I think they heard me by the way their faces changed.

We go down the elevator and finally reach the last door.

Opening it we see an empty white space, like we are just about to be isekai'ed. 

"Should it be like this?" Nobara asks

"No… This space is rejecting us." Yuki looks around annoyed.

I sigh and step forward "We don't have time to waste…" There's a chance Tengen will not appear because I'm kind of Sukuna now and Uraume is with me, and I cannot allow this plot point to not happen, so… "You appear, or I will destroy this place." I glare at the emptiness.

"Megumi…" The people around me call my name, maybe reproaching me, but I don't care.

"Do you think I'm kidding?" I raise a hand and clench into a fist. I start charging an attack with Darkness Cursed Energy, Haki, and even the Gura Gura no Mi…

Let's see if this space will be intact after this… And fuck the consequences of destroying Tengen's barriers.

"There's no need for that…" A calm but aged voice calls from behind.

"Acting all mysterious now, huh?" I turn to see Tengen, who looks like a thumb with four eyes.

"Eh, is that Tengen?" Nobara voices the thoughts of everyone but me and Yuki.

"This appearance is what happens when you age for 500 years…" Tengen chuckles softly

I can see Yuki frowning, probably reaching the conclusion that there's no other Star Plasma Vessel after my father killed Amanai Riko.

The two really have a story because they exchange some barbs, even though it looks more like Yuki has some sort of childish resentment against Tengen, from an outside point of view at least.

"So you are the one that took Sukuna's powers. I have to say I'm surprised that you accomplished such a feat, Child of the Zen'in Clan." Tengen turns to me.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Uraume kinda glaring at Tengen, there's a story here? I really should stop procrastinating and go through the snippets of Sukuna's memories that I gained.

I don't have all her memories, only some jujutsu-related knowledge and some introspections related to enlightenment.

"I'm not a child and I'm not from the Zen'in clan either." I answer flatly, maybe even disrespectfully. "Just tell us how to free Gojo from the Prison Realm, Old… Are you a man or woman?" I stop mid-sentence and start pondering.

"Megumi…" Tsumiki tries to reproach me "Don't be rude to your elders."

Tengen doesn't appear offended, apparently being old as fuck makes you ignore some slights more easily.

"Not that it matters anymore, but I'm a woman," Tengen says casually

"Hmm, a woman, huh?" I start thinking. Now this changes certain things…

"Dude…"

"Stop."

"Really?"

"For real?"

"Do you have any limit?"

"I think at this point it's a disease…"

"Seek help."

"..." Why is everyone looking at me strangely "I thought that it's nice when a man doesn't care about appearances…" I shoot back.

"That's different!!" I receive a karate chop from Maki

They don't know what I know "Anyway, Gojo and the Prison Realm… Explain." I turn to Tengen again.

"Before that, I would like something in exchange…" Tengen says slowly "At least two of you from Special Grade or equivalent must remain here and serve as my guards." Then Tengen gives a glance at Uraume and Hitome "Depending on who is chosen, I would like to ask for a Binding Vow to be made.

"Huh? Aren't you immortal?" Yuta ask confused

"No fair!" Yuki chimes in "You haven't even told us why or for how long we will need to do it!"

"Then let me give you some information for free… About Kenjaku…" Then Tengen started explaining things that I already knew, but I kept quiet. I also noticed that Uraume doesn't look that interested either, so maybe she knows a little too. Probably Sukuna guessed right some of Kenjaku's plans.

Tengen explains how Kenjaku wants to force all humans from Japan to go through some forced evolution by merging with him. About the use of the barriers, sacrifices, and how she is now the equivalent of a Cursed Spirit…

"...so as I am right now, I can be a target of Cursed Spirit Manipulation." She reveals calmly.

"!!!!!!!!!!!" But almost everyone wides their eyes in surprise at that. Finally noticing how troublesome this is. 

Then another long-ass explanation about the interlaced fate from the Six Eyes, the Star Plasma Vessel, and Tengen. And how my father fucked everything up… There's even a convenient user of Cursed Spirit Manipulation in this era and a Human Curse.

It's like everything is aligning for Kenjaku to accomplish her plans. Or maybe that was the result of 1000 years of preparation on his part. Too bad I exist… Poor gal.

"Your father really did too much." Nobara eyes me

"Don't blame me." I shrug "If you want to blame someone, blame the shitty Jujutsu World System that ostracized him and made him become a Sorcerer Killer." I say "See why we should change this shit now?"

"..."

"This information is good and all, but once again the plan remains the same…" Yuta comments "We should participate in the Culling Game."

"Salmon."

"Saving Gojo-sensei will make things easier." Panda adds.

Everyone looks at Tengen. She is gatekeeping the information.

"First, decide who will stay…" She says calmly, unaffected by the stare.

"I will." Yuki is the first to step forward. "I have things to ask you." She glares at the old hag.

And to the surprise of everyone "Me too." I do the same.

"Megumi?"

"What? Is that surprising?" I turn to them.

"You staying here instead of going around during a thing called Culling Game is a surprise, yes." Mai answers.

"It's just the best move." I reply calmly "If we make a Podium and put Sukuna, Gojo, and Me in the first place, Kenjaku would be on the second step, together with Yuki here and Yuta… And she has been preparing for a long time, so… We need a guard stronger than her to guarantee success."

"Hmm, it makes sense…" They can't disagree with my logic

"Here at least I will not commit a massacre…" I say to Tsumiki playfully, making her give me an exasperated look "And Kenjaku's plan depends on her having Tengen, so if I stay here it's checkmate."

After making the right preparations, Tengen finally reveals how to unseal Gojo "Thanks for your cooperation… "She reaches for a hole in the space and brings back what I want to see "This is necessary to free Gojo Satooru. It is the back of the Prison Realm."

"The back? Like the backdoor?" Junpei asks

"Exactly, this one is linked to the Prison Realm."

"So if we open this-"

"The authority to open the Prison Realm is within the bearer of the front, or Kenjaku in this case." Tengen shoots down their hopes "But you can force the back open, but it would require the Inverted Spear of Heaven, or the Black Rope, or a certain individual that can use Extinguish cursed techniques."

"The Black Rope… I went to Africa to find more, but there's nothing left." Yuta says regrettably.

"And Gojo Satooru, probably destroyed or sealed the Inverted Spear of Heaven somewhere." Tengen adds

"Gojo-sensei! Don't you want to be saved??" The students exclaim

"So the last hope is to find a certain reincarnated sorcerer called Angel on the Culling Game and uses her technique to open the-"

While they're talking, I grab the Back from the Prison Realm from Tengen's hands, put it on the ground… Then I grab the Complete Inverted Spear of Heaven that I gained on the mission by capturing Yorozu, and I stab the object with it.

*Bam* After a flash of light, the thing disappeared and I turned to them "Done."

"......................."

Okay… Those faces are funny… Don't laugh, Megumi! Be the straight man!

"What?" I ask innocently

"YOU HAD THAT THING THIS WHOLE TIME?!?" The usual suspects shout, keeping the boke-tsukkomi routine

"Yes." I deadpan " Now Gojo is unsealed. She can attack while I defend, and so it's checkmate." I smile

"And where is Gojo??"

"Did you kill her?"

"No, she probably appeared where the Prison Realm is… With Luck, Kenjaku was carrying it and received a big surprise." Truth be told, I hope not. I want to deal with Kenjaku myself.

But I don't want to let Gojo rot inside the Prison Realm more than necessary.

"Well, despite the surprise… This is good." Utahime sighs tiredly

"Yeah, but that guy annoys me" Nobara points at me. And I blow a kiss in her direction to annoy her more.

After that, we said our goodbyes, well more like me, because Yuki was not close with anyone but Todo.

"If the Zen'in clan comes causing trouble, you can kill them." I say to Maki, making Tsumiki show a horrified face "Here, you can take it. You always like pole-like weapons, right?" I gave her the Complete Inverted Spear of Heaven, unlike the broken one, it's a full spear(more like Hallbeard if you ask them) instead of a dagger.

"Aren't you gonna need it?" Maki asks while eyeing the Cursed Tool without hiding her interest in it

"Nah, you can have it." I say dismissively

"Mai stay with Tsumiki so that Ankoku can protect you both. Tsumiki let Yorozu take control if things get bad… Hitomi-chan if something happens with them, you can kill yourself."

"I can stay here." Uraume declares, eyeing me carefully. We still hadn't time to bloom this relationship initiated by the stamp, but the Mission said that capturing her would transfer her feelings from Sukuna to me, so I'm not worried.

"No, I have a mission for you. I left Jogo sealed in Building 3 of the school. Take him and capture some reincarnated sorcerers, I already took control of him so he will obey. Don't kill the sorcerers… Just in case, if we need the points." I instruct

I will not be there, but I can send her to get people for me. Even though I'm only interested in that naked girl that has a Cursed Technique surprisingly similar to my Tremor powers.

Uraume nods slowly and I pat her head. 

"We are going now." Maki says while the people started to walk way

"If you see Gojo, say to her that the next time we see each other we will finish our bet." I say with a smile tugging on my lips.

"Bet?" Mai asks confused

"She knows what I mean." I keep a mysterious smile on my face. If Sukuna was the Main Boss, Gojo is the Secret one, like Terra in Kingdom Hearts 2.

I watch them leave, taking a good look at my girl's asses. I will miss them…

But I have a good ass just here by my side, I think that as I turn to look at Yuki. Not gonna lie, she is the main reason that I stayed behind. Time to romance her~

Yuki > Angel and the Culling Game players

"Let's go, I can make a residence with my expertise in Barriers." Tengen turns around and a path opens to us.

"Can you teach me? I'm kinda talented with Barriers and Curtains." It's my not-nurtured talent. "And by the way, I have a proposal for you…" I once again smile mysteriously, remembering that certain Talent…

[Everlasting Talent]: You live. You have weak immortality and eternal youth. If you are older than the peak age for your species (25 years for humans), your body is reset to that point(...)

I just need to stamp Tengen and she is back to her prime and will not be a target of Cursed Spirit Manipulation. The whole plan will crumble just because of that… And different from the case with Hitomi-chan, I don't think Kenjaku has a substitute.

Checkmate, Kenjaku… Checkmate.

........................

Third Person P.O.V.

8000 meters below the surface, in the Japan trench, a big explosion pushed the water with incredible force. Enough to make the surface of the water burst open.

High in the air, Gojo Satooru steps on the void like there's something there, blue eyes staring at Japan like she can see everything. 

"Things appear to have changed quite a bit…" She says with calm eyes "It will suck to kill my friend again."

......................

Somewhere else…

"For real?" Kenjaku sweatdrops, noticing how the curses that she put around the Prison Realm are all destroyed.

Things are not going well for her and she can't help but massage her eyelids.

Either she stays still and is found by Gojo or she goes for Tengen and finds Megumi… She is literally between a rock and a hard place.

Checkmate.

____________________X_____x_____X________________________

Author's Note: Sup~ Short chapter because I was kinda busy.

But the truth was that the last chapters are a little longer because it has important things, like the battles.

The Culling Game starts in the next chapter.

Till there~