Rise of the Uzumaki Clan (CH 16)

A/N: This story is rated M for mature content not suitable for children.

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Chapter 16: Enter Tsumiki Fushiguro?

Abandoned Hotel

Night Time

Naruto was informed by Maki about the events that unfolded. Essentially, Sukuna had switched vessels, transitioning from his confinement within Yuji to fully possessing Megumi.

Angel was resting in bed to recover from her injuries. Meanwhile, Yuji was in the hotel's living room with Naruto, Maki, and the former vessel of Sakuna, displaying a blend of anger and sadness.

"So the situation just keeps getting worse," Yuki stated. Yuji even told them that Megumi's sister, Tsumiki, had woken up and met with them, but to their horror, it was not the gentle Ten Shadow User sister, but an ancient sorcerer had taken over her body.

"It would seem that way. Now we have to not only deal with Kenjaku, who is in an unknown body, but also Sukuna and the Ice Sorcerer, along with Megumi's possessed sister," Maki stated. They all had to decide on what would be the next best move. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"Still, I think that eliminating Kenjaku should be our main priority, but that snake is good at hiding himself. So, we might have to divide up, with some of us trying to save Megumi," Naruto replied. He knew that the chances of them facing Sukuna were higher than finding Kenjaku. The king of curses would never hide himself; he is too proud for that.

"You have a point there, but can we defeat Sukuna, especially when he has a powerful ice sorcerer with him?" Maki asked, as she had faced the king of curses, and his power, even weakened, was no joke.

"We can, but we have to be mindful that Kenjaku is still around in the shadows and might use any opportunity to attack if he sees us weakened," Yuki responded. She knew from her battle with the evil sorcerer that he was not like Sukuna, who would fight you head-to-head. The bastard was just as happy to stab you in the back.

"Let's not forget all the ancient sorcerers possessing people, including Fushiguro's sister," Yuji said in a sad tone. He had been quiet for the most part, blaming himself for what happened to his friend. "We have to save her too."

Naruto's expression changed when that was mentioned. He understood that Sukuna doesn't have complete control over Megumi's body because all of his curse techniques were weakened, except for the one from the Ten Shadows, which he just strengthened with curse energy.

Naruto spoke earnestly, "I've come up with a plan, Yuji. However, I recommend you take a walk and get some fresh air."

Yuji appeared ready to engage in an argument, yet Naruto simply gazed at him with an empty expression, silently conveying that he would not proceed until Yuji departed. The rest of the group was puzzled by the blonde man's request for the former vessel of Sukuna to depart, but they remained silent.

Naruto waited until he was sure that Yuji was far enough away before he turned to address the room. By the end, when Yuji returned, he gave the former vessel of Sukuna his part in the grand scheme of things.

Fast Forward

Naruto and Maki were jumping from building to building, with Angel flying in the air. She had not recovered a hundred percent, but for the purpose the Uzumaki had for her, as long as she could use her curse technique, it was good enough.

Yuji and Yuki were dispatched together. Their mission: find allies and any leads on Kenjaku. Meanwhile, the Uzumaki clan would be on the hunt for Sukuna. But little did Yuji know, there was more to the plan than met the eye.

Naruto had summoned his newest pawn, a curse corpse created for tracing. It wasn't battle-oriented, but it had the greatest tracing abilities. The blonde tried to use it to trace Kenjibut that attempt failed.

The Uzumaki's pawn looked like a giant dog rather than the usual humanoid forms his pieces took. This was purposeful to give his creation enchanted senses, such as scent, vision, hearing, and a sixth sense for detecting cursed energy.

"Has it found her?" Maki asked, looking at the dog curse corpse as it sped off like it had found something. "Because this is the third time."

"It is possible that she is doing something to throw us off her trail," Naruto replied, trying to ease Maki's annoyance at not finding their target. "Pawn is sensing something; I just know it."

They kept on running around the city until Pawn came to a stop in a park. Across from him was a woman with dark hair glaring in their direction.

"Who the fuck are you, and why have you been following me around?" the woman growled in anger.

"See, I told you the pawn was sensing something," Naruto stated with a smug look as he pet his curse corpse like it was a real dog, making Maki groan. He then turned his attention to the woman. "Now, would you please get the fuck out of Tsumiki Fushiguro's body?"

That was right, Naruto's true target was Megumi's sister or the person possessing her body. He was almost certain that Sukuna was going to try and kill her to break Megumi's spirit so he could take his body completely.

Naruto excluded Yuji from his actual plan because he believed that Sukuna might still have a link to Yuji, allowing him to eavesdrop on their conversations.

Flashback Scene Ahead

"Why the fuck did you tell Yuji to take a walk? He should be here to listen to what we are going to do," Maki asked, not understanding Naruto's reasoning.

"Maki, do you think all of Sukuna's influence has left Yuji?" Naruto replied with his own question. "I will answer for you. It has not. The king of curses' energy is flowing throughout Yuji's body, and I am sure he can at least hear everything his former vessel does."

"Then why keep Yuji around if he can be an unknowingly double agent?" Yuki asked, but she quickly started to see the bigger picture. "You want to use him against Sukuna by feeding him false information."

"There is more to it than that, but for now, Yuji can be the one to give us the jump on Sukuna," Naruto said with a mischievous grin. "But before that, why don't we see if Angel can free Gojo? I can sense that she is up."

The woman known as Angel in the Culling games sat up on the bed she was in, as she was caught. She had the decency to blush in embarrassment.

Yuki showed Angel the back door of the prison where Gojo was sealed. The negation curse technique user looked at it for a few minutes before putting down the cube.

"In my current state, I wouldn't be able to break the seal yet," Angel stated as she looked at her missing arm. "But maybe when I recover a bit more, I might."

"Can you exorcise a foreign soul from someone's body like you tried with Megumi?" Naruto asked as a plan started to form in his head.

"I should be able to," Angel replied, but her face was serious. "But I would be able to undo the seal on the back door only after I build up enough curse energy again."

"That is fine. That one I want you to feel is Megumi's sister," Naruto stated to the surprise of everyone. "She might be the key to defeating Sukuna once and for all."

Flashback Scene End

"Let's not kill Tsumiki, Maki, but you can rough her up," Naruto said, looking at the bloodthirsty young woman. "Be careful; she is a powerful sorcerer, and we don't know what her cursed technique is."

"I use the construction curse technique. Now that you know, will you get out of the way of my love?" Tsumiki, or the sorcerer possessing her body, exclaimed in a comical way. "I have to find Sukuna and show him my love."

Everyone present looked at Tsumiki like she had grown a second head. Who in their right mind would fall in love with Sukuna? Clearly, whoever was possessing that body was insane.

Naruto and Maki were surprised that the sorcerer had the same curse technique as Mai, but the one who possessed Tsumiki was clearly more experienced, and her curse energy was more potent.

"She must be using a binding vow to strengthen her curse technique by telling us what it is," Naruto concluded as he gave Maki a gesture to attack. Angel was staying out of view and waiting for the signal.

Maki attacked the possessed young woman with her soul-cutting sword, not caring that she was innocent, because she could sense from within that whoever had taken Tsumiki's body was strong.

CLING

Liquid metal appeared around Tsumiki, blocking Maki's attack and sending her flying. It happened in an instant, so Maki could not have dodged the counter-attack, but thankfully, she was unharmed.

Naruto was going to step in, but a look from Maki stopped him. The former Zenin clan member had a bloodthirsty look on her face as she charged at Tsumiki. Naruto had to wonder if Maki remembered that they were not there to kill Megumi's sister.

BOOM BOOM BAM

Naruto just stayed back and watched the two crazy females duke it out. One had superhuman physical abilities and a sword that could injure the soul, while the other used liquid metal to attack and defend.

"sigh I am going to have to step in to stop one of them from dying, aren't I," Naruto stated as he watched for any weak points in Megumi's possessed sister's curse technique.

Chapter End

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A/N: Next time, Maki vs. Yorozu continues.