Jujutsu Kaisen: The Sorceress of Control

We reached 50 power stones, so I'm giving you an extra chapter

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Rika was trying to focus, but the constant sound of punches and swift movements coming from the dojo to her right was an unavoidable distraction. The quiet atmosphere around her contrasted with the brutality she knew was unfolding inside. She closed her eyes and attempted to center herself on the cursed energy flowing within her, as Makima had instructed. But her mind kept wandering, drawn by curiosity.

Inside the dojo, Makima and Naoya were locked in close combat. The tension in the air was palpable. The sound of their feet striking the wooden floor echoed through the space, and the collision of their bodies filled the room with a dull thud. Naoya smiled, confident, while Makima observed him with her usual cold calmness.

"Is that all you've got?" Naoya taunted, throwing a quick punch that Makima barely managed to dodge.

Makima didn't say a word, but her eyes shone with determination. Though shorter than her brother, her speed made her extremely dangerous. Using her height to her advantage, she ducked to avoid another blow and launched a low kick towards Naoya's legs, trying to unbalance him. He saw it coming and, with his superior strength, blocked the attack with his knee, but the impact forced him to take a step back.

"Don't underestimate what I can do just because I'm smaller," Makima replied calmly. Without missing a beat, she spun around and delivered an elbow strike directly to Naoya's torso, which he barely managed to block with his forearm. The blow reverberated loudly through the dojo, forcing both of them to step back slightly.

Naoya gritted his teeth, relishing the challenge. He lunged at her with a series of rapid attacks, his fists flying with precision and force, each aimed at key points on Makima's body. Despite the speed of his punches, she dodged them with precise movements, only retreating enough to avoid contact.

Meanwhile, outside the dojo, Rika continued to struggle to concentrate. The vibration of the cursed energy within her was intensifying, but every time she was about to channel it, the sound of punches or Naoya's exclamations distracted her. "How am I supposed to focus with all this noise?" she thought, opening her eyes for a moment. She glanced toward the dojo, knowing her friend was inside, fighting her brother. Was this what training looked like in this new world of sorcerers? If this was what training looked like, she couldn't even imagine what a real fight would be like.

In an attempt to clear her mind, she closed her eyes again. The cursed energy continued to flow, but controlling it felt as difficult as catching smoke with her hands.

Inside the dojo, Naoya decided to increase the pressure. With a low growl, he launched a high kick at Makima. She ducked just in time, but Naoya had anticipated her move. Using his strength, he surged forward with his body, catching Makima with a shoulder blow that sent her rolling backward. However, before he could celebrate, Makima sprang to her feet without showing any signs of injury.

"Good move, brother," she said with a small smile. Without missing a beat, she ran toward him, using her agility to zigzag and avoid his attempts to stop her. At the last second, when she was close enough, she slipped under his guard and delivered a side kick to his waist, forcing Naoya to step back once again.

Naoya clicked his tongue, annoyed that he had underestimated his sister. Though his physical strength was greater, Makima's speed and precision were putting him on the defensive. "You're not bad... for someone who can barely reach my shoulder," he commented sarcastically, though the gleam in his eyes showed he was enjoying the fight.

Makima, without saying a word, maintained her composure. She knew Naoya relied too much on his brute strength, while she used her size and speed to stay out of his reach.

They charged again, their bodies moving in a violent dance. Makima, with her low center of gravity, used quick feints and precise strikes to target areas where Naoya's strength couldn't respond quickly enough. He, on the other hand, struggled to counter her speed, seizing any moment she was within range to try and end the fight with a decisive blow. But though his attacks were powerful, Makima stayed out of danger with her agility.

Finally, in an unexpected move, Makima lunged forward, feigning a direct attack. Naoya prepared to block, but at the last second, Makima slipped under his arms and delivered a powerful kick to the back of his knees, making him stagger. Taking advantage of the opening, she spun around and pushed him to the ground with a swift arm lock, pinning him down.

Naoya grunted, surprised by how quickly she had overpowered him. "Alright, alright," he said, smiling despite his temporary defeat. "I give up... for now."

Makima released him and stood up, offering him her hand. "You should learn not to rely solely on your strength," she said in her cold tone, but with a hint of satisfaction.

Naoya took her hand and got up, brushing the dust off his clothes. "I could say the same about you, little sister. Your speed won't always save you." They exchanged a look for a moment before sharing a light laugh, the tension from the fight dissipating.

Outside, Rika finally opened her eyes, feeling that, though concentration had been difficult, she was beginning to understand the connection between her emotions and the energy flowing within her. But at the same time, she knew she still had a long way to go.

"If this is just training," she muttered to herself, "I don't even want to imagine what a real fight would be like."

Makima and Naoya exited the dojo, both breathing heavily after their intense sparring. Makima, with a bottle of water in hand, drank calmly as they walked toward where Rika was training. "Did you manage to get anything done?" Makima asked, turning her head toward Rika, who was sitting with a pout.

"How do you expect me to concentrate when their yelling was echoing everywhere?" Rika replied, motioning with her head toward where they had been fighting.

Makima raised an eyebrow, taking another sip from her bottle before answering. "I'll take you somewhere then," she said. "Put on loose clothes. We leave in an hour."

Rika blinked, a bit confused, but didn't argue. She complied and went to Makima's house to find something more comfortable. In the room they now shared, Rika rummaged through her suitcase, recalling how it had already been several days since she arrived. Makima had mentioned that her energy was at half of what it used to be, and had come to the conclusion that in order to heal her, she had to use a lot of energy and transform it into reverse cursed energy. Though Makima had admitted she didn't fully understand how her technique had done that. She even tried to replicate it, but it never worked as expected, always causing a look of frustration on her face, something Rika found endearing.

Once Rika changed into something more comfortable, a loose white t-shirt and black sweatpants, she headed toward the door, where Makima was waiting, dressed the same as before.

As Rika was about to say something, a girl her age appeared. She had black hair and matching dark eyes, but what was strange was that she had multiple bandages on her body, as if she had suffered recent injuries. The girl looked at her with disdain, as if she were her worst enemy, then glanced at Makima before bowing her head and leaving in silence.

"Who was that?" Rika asked, confused by the strange interaction.

Makima, unfazed, gently took her hand and began walking toward the forest. "A lost dog," Makima replied enigmatically. Without saying another word, they continued walking toward their destination. Seeing that Makima wasn't adding anything else, Rika decided not to ask; she had learned that if Makima didn't want to talk, it was better not to insist.