「e n e m y」gojo s. x reader [book 5]

⊳twenty-seven

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chapter twenty-seven: war

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The tension in the room only seemed to thicken as the masked man reclined back on the couch, kicking his feet onto the ottoman in front of him. He folded his arms behind his head, crossing his legs as he looked around the room, gray eyes flicking to each face behind the security of the kitsune mask.

"Well? I told you all to sit down, didn't I? You make me nervous standing around me like that."

The occupants of the room nervously glanced around at each other. Y/n was the first to sink down, sitting on the arm of the couch beside her daughter. She reached out, placing her hand on the back of Sora's neck. Satoru sat on the other side, Shota beside him. Yuuji sank to the floor, in front of Gen who sat on the corner of the loveseat.

"Tell us what this is all about," Shota said. "Since you decided to make yourself at home."

"It's a pretty cozy space, what can I say?" He sighed. "I came to give my final warning. I told you to drop the case about the murders, yet you idiots are still poking around in my business. This is and will be my last warning."

"And just who the hell are you to threaten us?" Y/n asked, lifting a brow. "You do realize who you're speaking to, don't you?"

The man paused. He took his feet from the ottoman, leaning forward on the edge of the couch. His dead eyes met Y/n's semi-bright ones. She frowned.

"I'm telling you to stop this for a reason," He said. "I'm not doing this for my own benefit. I'm doing it for you. I heard that the Gojo clan was quite close-knit, but from what I've gathered, there's been an absence at home. Don't you want to spend more time here than at a desk?"

"My home life is none of your business," She said, a low hiss starting at her feet. He watched a black scaled serpent slide up her leg. "And if you wish to be so disrespectful in my own home, you can take your sorry ass out."

He chuckled softly, lowering his head. "Apologies. I get carried away sometimes. I'm used to speaking with morons and people who talk from their asses."

"What's this case to you?" Shota asked, making the man turn his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously this case is something to you," He said. "Or else you wouldn't be trying to get us off it so much. Revenge? Payback? Personal contract? What's your tie to it?"

"What's it matter?" He asked. "I'm only asking you to drop the case. I told you once, and, I don't like to repeat myself. You don't want to know what happens if I tell you again."

"Did someone you care about die?" Gen asked. "Is that why you're so up on it?"

"My reasonings shouldn't matter," He said. "If you trust me, you'll do as I say."

"How do we know we can even trust you?" Yuuji asked. "This is only the second time we've seen you, you know."

"Let me explain something," He sat forward, offering both of his hands as he explained. "If you couldn't trust me, and I didn't care, every single one of you would be sitting here without a head. You can underestimate me all you'd like, but I'd rather not hear the complaints about it when it happens. If any one of my colleagues would be sitting here, we would be in a completely different, unethical, situation. I've done nothing to make you distrust me. Sure, I may have slipped in, but that's a little besides the point here."

"Say we drop the case," Y/n said, making everyone turn to her. "What would it change in our situation? I have my own sorcerers out right now battling for their lives to try and stop this killer."

"That's where you're making a mistake," He said. "This killer isn't—"

Suddenly he cut himself off. He turned his head to the window, his gaze hardening as he stared out of the glass. Y/n frowned deeply.

"What's the matter?" Satoru asked.

The man slowly rose to his feet. He turned his back to them, his body fully facing the front door. He reached behind him, drawing both swords from his back. He took a step forward before he stopped.

"You are preparing for a battle," He said, sheathing his swords once he deemed it to be safe. He turned back to face the rest of the adults. "But you need to be prepared for a war instead."

"War?" Y/n stood up. "Between who?"

"Your sorcerers and the Blackstorm, these people who are chasing after you. They're going to wager war and the only way out of it is to fight. But you can't hit them with any sorcery if you want it to be a real, fair fight."

"So what are you saying?" She asked.

"To get you, your students, and all of your colleagues ready. This is not going to be a simple little fight. This is an all-out war," He said. "You're going to need everyone that you can get your hands on. But don't think I'm warning you just to leave you."

"You're going to help?" Sora asked, making everyone glance at her before looking back.

"I'm only after one person," He said. "That's the person who I'm going to be killing. I don't care how you divide the rest."

Y/n exhaled heavily, her shoulders rising and falling. She looked off to the side for a moment before looking back at the masked man. She slid her hands into her pockets, rolling her head around until her neck popped.

"Alright," She said, making Shota frown deeply. "I'll take your word for it. I'll start preparing for this war. But I'll give you this warning, and it will be the only time, so relay it to your friends."

"Should you dare to touch my sorcerers, I'll have every single one of you executed on sight."

"Sounds fair enough to me," He shrugged. "I'll return when I have more information. Until then, I wish you all the best of luck."

With that, he disappeared in front of them. Sora wondered how he could do it, but figured it was best not to ask questions. Especially now with the topic of war.

"Where are you going?" Shota asked, watching his sister turn to the kitchen.

"I'm calling for a council meeting," She said, taking her phone from the table. "We need to come up with a strategic plan for this. I'm not going into war blindly, especially with a sorcerer killer."

"What are you gonna do with the kids?" Satoru asked.

Y/n paused. She looked back at her daughter, watching her slowly rise to her feet. Sora swallowed hard, giving her mother a pleading look. Y/n tucked her arm over her chest, pressing the send button on her phone.

"I'll make arrangements for Kota."

"And Sora?" Yuuji asked.

"She can fight."

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