"But I hope you have the strength to back up that threat. Otherwise, you'll just be joining the many others like you in the afterlife." The sheer arrogance amused Madara. If she'd said that in his era, it would have been a joke passed down for generations.
He glanced back at Yuji, noting his steady breathing – he was recovering well. Then he turned back to the girls. 'Well, I can get basic information from the boy when he wakes up,' Madara considered. 'But perhaps you two know something more useful.'
Why pass up an opportunity?
"Alright. I've decided," Madara announced, relaxing his stance slightly and rolling his shoulders again. "I'll entertain you two for a while, at least until the boy wakes up. Consider it a lesson. Maybe you'll learn something valuable for the future... if you survive."
He tilted his head slightly. "Now," he said, his voice dropping, "shall we dance?"
As he spoke, the girl with the phone quickly raised it, preparing to use whatever ability it held.
Madara vanished. He reappeared instantly, standing directly in front of the startled girl, his face inches from hers. "Don't reveal your main trick so easily," he chided softly, his crimson eye boring into hers, making her flinch in fear.
"Especially if it's all you have. Even then, learn to bluff." He paused, his gaze sweeping over her. "You have openings everywhere. Too many weaknesses."
"Have you truly fought before?" Madara continued calmly, noticing the other girl raising a rope-like weapon. "Killed, perhaps? But have you ever faced someone truly dangerous, someone far beyond your level, up close?"
As he spoke, the short-haired girl lashed out with her rope weapon. Madara sidestepped the attack fluidly, reappearing behind both of them in the same smooth motion.
"Because in a real fight," he finished, lightly tapping the nape of the first girl's neck with his finger, "you must always protect your back… And blind spots."
(A/N: I swear don't bring that up.)
The girl froze, terror widening her eyes as she realized he was behind her. "Nanako, behind you!" the short-haired girl yelled, whipping her rope around desperately.
Madara dodged again with contemptuous ease as the weapon cracked against the floor where he'd been a split second before.
"Nanako, is it?" Madara's voice was calm, almost conversational, but the faint amusement was fading, replaced by growing boredom. "A nice name. Useless in a fight, though."
He sighed audibly. "Not to be rude, but this is getting boring. Show me something real, or this ends."
Nanako desperately tried to aim her phone again, hoping for a chance while he was talking, but he was simply too fast, too elusive.
She just needed an opening, a second to use her technique, maybe reach Yuji… but the opportunity never came. He wasn't even fighting seriously, yet he gave them absolutely no chances.
"Let me guess," Madara suddenly said, his analytical gaze sweeping over them.
"Your power, Nanako, works through whatever that thing is in your hand. And yours," he glanced at the other girl, "involves the doll and that rope weapon. Am I wrong?"
He'd noticed Nanako only used the phone, suggesting it was a required tool, much like hand seals for shinobi. The other girl fumbled with both her items, hinting at their connection to her ability.
"Hmm…" A low groan came from behind Madara. Yuji was pushing himself up, his injuries significantly healed, not completely, but enough that he looked almost ready to fight again, the earlier beating by Choso seemingly erased by Madara's healing and his own resilience.
'The kid's waking up,' Madara thought. 'Time to wrap this up. But first…'
He moved in a blur, targeting the short-haired girl. She reacted, trying to scramble backward, but Madara's hand closed around her throat before she could retreat.
"Mimiko!" Nanako screamed, her hands trembling as she raised her phone towards Madara.
"Don't even think about it," Madara's voice was ice cold, cutting through her panic. "I can snap her neck before your finger even moves. Think twice." As he spoke, his other hand easily pried open Mimiko's tightly clenched fist, revealing the grotesque, dried finger she'd been guarding. It pulsed with a faint, dark aura.
"Tell me," Madara demanded, holding the finger up while keeping his grip firm on Mimiko's throat. "What is this?" The threat was clear, and Nanako's terrified expression showed it was working.
"I-It's… it's S-Su…" Nanako stammered, tears welling in her eyes.
"I don't think you have time to stutter," Madara warned, increasing the pressure slightly. Mimiko gasped, struggling feebly.
"It's Sukuna's finger!" Nanako finally choked out. "We were going to feed it to Yuji Itadori! So Sukuna could take over his body! Then we could ask him… ask him to kill the person controlling Master Geto's body!" She spilled the core information, though likely leaving out finer details.
"Tell me everything," Madara commanded, his Sharingan locking onto Nanako's eyes, easily perceiving truth from lies, and noticing the omissions. "Now." His grip tightened again.
"T-That's all we know! That's why we came! We have one more finger hidden… to offer Sukuna if he agreed to help us!" Nanako sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
"And who is this Sukuna?" Madara pressed.
"The King of Curses!" Nanako answered immediately, desperate now. "The strongest curse ever!"
"And this 'King' lives inside that kid?" Madara gestured towards Yuji with his chin. "The one you intended to bargain with?"
"N-No! Not control! Just ask! Make a deal! He's too strong to control! But… yes, Sukuna is sealed inside Itadori!" Nanako confirmed. Madara glanced back at Yuji.
'So, he's like a Jinchuriki,' Madara mused, the concept familiar from his own world.
'Containing a powerful entity within him. Are there others like him, or is he unique? And who would have the power to seal this 'King of Curses'?' The pieces were starting to form a clearer, though still incomplete, picture.
He turned his attention back to the terrified Nanako. "Who sealed Sukuna inside him?"
….
A/N: How was it? Even though he was rough i don't think he would show any empathy towards even kids around itadori age if necessary.