" 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

[innerbeast]

"haaah, and i was almost considerin' hoppin' in, too."

head presses further into the palm supporting it, a gaze that once held an excited spark now staring off distantly with impending disappointment. it was an agency assignment that even had him aware of this little scuffle he was witnessing; a call he readily agreed to take under the assumption there'd be more to gain from it.

instead, from his perched seat upon this fence, he watches the fight -- if one could even call it that -- dwindle into spat words and huffs. as if it had resolved itself before he could intervene. hawks can't chew him out for that one, can he?

before calling it a 'job well done' and shoving off, the warrior is made aware of another idling nearby. they'd not been there long, surely. dar would have heard them approach.

"oy, shows over! their slap fight ain't got much to offer, anyhow." ( aside from me gettin' paid to watch that shite... )

"th' more excitin' brawls happen on the wider roads. or, well, they spill out into 'em if that's what you're hangin' by for." ( @raijinblessed )

[raijinblessed]

What an embarrassing show! Kashimo had been watching from his perch, the burn of combat crackling in his chest. All of the warriors he had crossed paths with on the outskirts of the city had been pathetic, and painfully so. The full capabilities of his cursed energy were quelled, but he could still trade blows that knocked others to the ground hard enough for them to call quits.

His lips crack into an amused smirk.

" You and I were considering the same-- it's exciting, isn't it? The invigorating rush of battle. Those two-- I wouldn't waste a punch on either of them, " Kashimo leaps down from the fire escape that he had been sitting on, landing several meters away from the man he was exchanging words with.

" I could go out searching for an opponent, " he begins to spin the staff held in his hand, static electricity crackling from his palm to the end of the simple weapon.

" -- Or you could join me and blow off some steam. Choice is yours. You look as though you have an itch to satisfy. "

[mr-lightningbolt]

Raiden gives a sharp laugh. "Good luck with that-- all your money is on there. I mean, I do know a guy who steals all his food, but I doubt you're half as good at it as he is." It would be hard to compete with shoplifting through teleportation.

It's a little curious how the guy talks about being some kind of time traveler, presumably from the past. His appearance is hard to place in time, but he looks a bit more contemporary than not. Then again, Raiden knew better than to read too much into the logic of these things.

He crouches down, holding out the phone for the other to take. "You can ask just about anyone here how to use it, you know. Not that it's my business what you do."

[raijinblessed]

And now he's laughing. Who did this man think he was? The grit and gravel could practically be tasted with his tongue as he grit his teeth with disdain. Still mildly ionized from the static reaction to the electronic device, Kashimo steadies himself before sitting up on his knees.

" You think I'm not capable of snatching a satchel of rice off of a stranger? " Insult to injury. Clearly, the sorcerer was dealing with a self-proclaimed comedian.

Blue strands of hair hang in his face, and Kashimo gets up onto his feet. He snatches the phone away from the man with a defiant huff.

" Fine. Tell me how to get the money off of it so that I don't have to use this accursed magic object. OR, you can point me towards a sorcerer capable of lifting the curse off of it so that my money is retrieved, because there is no possible way that coins and paper are inside of this. "

He waggles the phone with frustration to make his point.

" See????? Nothing falls out. "

[divinetotality]

There's a sense of familiarity that wasn't his own, perhaps something lingering in those nerves from a past battle when his body was not his own. Those aches that still thrummed along muscle fibers in the early mornings or on rainy days.

He wasn't going to be much of a challenge, not with how limited his shadows were right now. At best he would play the defense, but if this person was brand new to the city, they were likely to be stripped down as much as anyone else in terms of abilities.

"I'll spare you the breath, I didn't come lookin' for a fight. Just heard you grumbling to yourself."

[raijinblessed]

At first, Kashimo had not looked too closely at the boy who crossed his path. His line of sight always encapsulated his immediate surroundings, flickering between people, places and things. Admittedly, he wasn't going to pay him much more mind if he didn't get a satisfying response. No fight, no glory, no further attention.

All of this was so stodgy.

Kashimo bites the inside of his cheek and frowns.

" Then you shouldn't bother lingering-- "

When he turns his head to the side to look at the sorcerer directly, Kashimo freezes. Finally, their sense of familiarity is shared.

" --! "

It couldn't be--

-- Could it?

" You are-- "

No. Ryomen Sukuna's presence was undeniable and palpable. Hajime Kashimo would had recognize it immediately. But that face-- he had stared it down in the heat of battle before--

" . . . Who are you? "

[raijinblessed]

Hellooo! I'm playing catch up here and on Midvalley this evening. I was away at Anime North all last weekend, sorry for my absence.

[mr-lightningbolt]

He'd like to say that it was the guy falling over that got his attention, but Raiden had been glancing at him for half a minute now. It was hard not to notice that he was struggling with the smartphone. He'd met a few people like that, who were thrown into Spirale with no knowledge of modern technology at all. It seemed a bit unfair on the part of the powers-that-be, but the guy wasn't asking for help, so Raiden wasn't sure whether to make it his business.

Well, he's not sure if the other man has hurt himself, somehow, or if he was just being dramatic, but when both he and his phone drop to the ground, Raiden figures the time is right to intervene. He picks up the slightly scuffed device while he waits for the stranger to get up.

"Let me guess-- don't know how to use a phone?"

[raijinblessed]

Kashimo could hear the stranger approaching him, gravel crunching under his boots. As the device is swiped, he looks up from where he was on the ground, and huffs.

What a stomp to his pride.

" No. I do not. "

He wouldn't admit that he didn't even know it was called a phone.

" The first time I was sent through time, I dealt with confusing inventions, but I never had to use them myself, " Kashimo brings a hand to the back of his neck, slowly rubbing it. He presses a palm firmly to crack the bone, reinvigorated.

" If I don't use it, then that's one less thing for me to be concerned about. "

[supernova-aniki]

Picking a fight to try to get powers back... seems lucrative. He hadn't put much thought into gaining back his blood manipulation, but it would be useful in the long run.

"Alright. But battling to the death holds no purpose. Take that as you will. I don't mind if you kill me, but that will bring you consequences later when I come knocking on your door again."

He tilts his head. His hair spikes do not budge an inch with the movement.

"Maybe you gain powers back if you get killed. Instead of defeating someone else. You should try that way, too."

[raijinblessed]

" There's no way to say that a death match has no point, until two people put it to the test and find an answer, " Kashimo twirls his staff in his hand, eyeing up the death painting standing before him.

" And if that means you decide to haunt me after I take your life, then so be it. You will experience the same thing if you defeat me in battle. "

It made sense: whoever stands victorious will find out whether or not The Stars bless them with access to their abilities.

Or, perhaps, the caveat to all of this was returning from the grave as a stronger individual-- but ressurecting as a curse.

The risk was thrilling.

" Then it's decided? You will fight me, " he looks to the man expectantly, with furrowed brows.

[raijinblessed]

@mr-lightningbolt

Inventions of the future were difficult for Kashimo to wrap his mind around. Lazily, he squats on the ground, chewing the tip of his thumb as he flipped the communication device back and forth in his hand. Supposedly, everyone in this city was given one when they were brought here.

Messing around with it was making him confused, building the sense of aggravation more and more, until the static electricity in his body reacted with the battery inside of the device.

ZAP!

The unpleasant shock stings him, and sends the the phone to the ground, and Kashimo onto his side with a stubborn huff.

And how irritating that all of this happened right in front of someone who happened to be passing by.

[junejoyy]

deeply in love with this trio

bonus (left to right):

[hallowedpurple]

Now that was an unmistakable energy he hadn't felt in a little while. The people around him were vague shapes to his Six Eyes, the faintest outlines of residual cursed energy that he ignored without even thinking about it. Breaking through the middle like a summer squall was Kashimo's lightning strike energy, brighter than even the street lamps.

"Huh! Now that's a face I didn't expect to see."

He keeps his posture loose when Kashimo approaches him. Hands in his pockets, shoulders rolled back, smile on his face - the perfect picture of easy-going among the faceless mass.

"What's happening is life - or something close enough to it. What the point is isn't something I've figured out yet."

He pulls a hand from his pocket to gesture out around them.

"It's no Games, unfortunate enough for you, but there's still a chance for random fighting. Not many sorcerers running around though."

[raijinblessed]

A disgruntled expression crackles into his face, static rising to the surface of his skin. Kashimo was not the type of person to entertain lackadaisical personalities, and this man's aloof reaction wasn't ideal. The reading on his energy was distinct, something that the average sorcerer didn't have contained within themselves.

So what was this guy's deal?

" Then you're wasting time. Are you fine with wandering around waiting for answers to fall into your hands? " He huffs through his nostrils.

" Someone like you should knew better than that. "

Waiting wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but there were useful types of patience, and ignorant variants.

" You're the first sorcerer I've encountered here. If all of us were the same, our circumstances would make no sense. "

And if he rushed into a fight, he might lose out on savoring the feeling, especially if the pickings were slim.

Ironic. Now he would be the one joining in on the waiting.

[raijinblessed]

@deathscanvas

" What makes a man a warrior? What shapes him into someone able to survive the pain necessary for greatness? Some like to say that it's pure willpower. Working sunrise to sunset with sweat on your back and blood in your mouth. Releasing attachments and focusing entirely on the honor of battle-- is that the mark of a real fighter?

Or, some tell me that having someone worth fighting for invigorates their spirit in combat. If there is nobody to return to when it's time to lay down your weapons, then, what is the point in any of it?

What do you think? "

[raijinblessed]

@supernova-aniki

" The rules of this new game involve retrieving your innate abilities from a group of magic users known as The Stars, " Kashimo speaks up, the wooden staff slowly tapping against the ground.

" But there is no consistent pattern for how your power returns. I've seen all matter of warrior in this city. I've come across useless idiots as well.

So, what will you offer for me today: something useful, or something pointless? I'm raring to figure if defeating others in combat will reward me. "

[raijinblessed]

@bimeval

If this was the afterlife, then Kashimo's predicament would make perfect sense. He had been slayed in battle, accepting his defeat at the hands of the one opponent who was worthy enough to cull him.

Ryomen Sukuna: the most powerful jujutsu sorcerer to have ever walked the earth-- their clash on the battlefield was already born from fantastical circumstances; perhaps it is fitting that their reunion is just as unusual.

The land in which his ancestors walked was meant to be a resting place for the souls of the deceased.

Wherever he was now was hardly the image he had in his mind of his final resting place-- nor did he ever suspect to see his opponent sharing the same fate.

He scrunches his brows together in confusion, considering a cautionary approach.

" Did you fall quickly. . . Or was your final showdown in battle a worthy send off? "

[raijinblessed]

@divinetotality

" All of this is so pointless-- there is no reason for me to be wandering a place like this if there isn't a hierarchy of power for me to challenge, " Kashimo huffs through his nostrils, static crackling on the surface of his skin from the sheer irritation he was feeling.

" Days now, and not a single person has stepped up for a fight. I would had stayed in the grave if I knew I was going to be pulled into such a mundane place, " the sneer of irritation remains on his face as he notices the boy looking in his direction.

" -- So are you here to clash in combat, or are you going to waste my time too? "

[raijinblessed]

@hallowedpurple

Puzzling.

He was certain this has been another layer of the Culling Games coming into play, but, Kashimo had been wandering this ward for over a day now, and not a single person looked as though they were participating in any type of combat. Quite the opposite-- the modern Japan he had navigated was one of ruin and curses, while this metropolis was bustling with families and strangers living their every day lives.

Strange.

" I can't even get a read on the cursed energy of any of these people, " he speaks to himself, fingers flexing around the faux weapon that he had been given. Another part of this 'game', he had assumed.

A nibble at the skin of his thumb gives him the steadiness to get the gears turning in his mind.

" ---! "

There was at least one person emanating strength in the crowd, and Kashimo honed in on the blindfolded man immediately.

" You there. What's happening in this place? What's the point of all of this? "

[raijinblessed]

It's time! I'm back from Helsinki, so:

Like this for a starter! Capping at 5.

I will write these over the weekend.

[raijinblessed]

⚡𝗧 𝗛 𝗨 𝗡 𝗗 𝗘 𝗥 ⵑ ⚡

I know his app JUST came through today, but, I'm leaving for Helsinki tomorrow and will be back on the 12th. I will catch you all soon! Excited to throw Kashimo at all of you! Also shoutout to Vlad for capping these icons!

[isolaradiale]

Upon prior reserve, I would like to apply as Kashimo Hajime from Jujutsu Kaisen. You can find the application on the first link in the sidebar on the blog.

Welcome to Isola Radiale, Kashimo!

You will be staying in CONDO 425.

You will retain the ability to imbue your attacks with minor electric currents. You will also receive a wooden staff.

Enjoy your stay!

— * alkaphrah