As Sukuna in Invincible-Chapter 56: Father

The recovery chamber was luxurious despite its medical purpose.

Sukuna lay on a bed that seemed to conform perfectly to his body, the material adapting to his every movement with subtle precision.

The walls glowed with a soft, ambient light that adjusted automatically to his comfort level, and the temperature remained at an ideal balance regardless of how he shifted.

But despite these comforts, Sukuna remained alert, his smart atoms requiring minimal rest compared to an ordinary human.

More importantly, he didn't trust himself to be unconscious in this unfamiliar place, surrounded by potential threats disguised as allies.

Emperor Mark had been insistent on him "resting," clearly operating under the assumption that the binding vow had left him genuinely weakened.

Sukuna had done nothing to correct this misconception - for he had already regained his full power.

Let them believe him vulnerable; it would only make his eventual moves more effective.

His mind worked methodically, cataloging everything he'd observed since arriving in this dimension.

The palace architecture suggested a blend of Viltrumite aesthetics with human influences - Emperor Mark's attempt to merge his heritage with the design sensibilities Megumi had apparently preferred.

The staff moved with military precision, their eyes always downcast in the presence of the Emperor, some stealing curious glances - while others reverent - at Sukuna when they thought he wasn't looking.

And then there were the paintings - massive murals depicting Emperor Mark's conquests across the galaxy, always with two figures at his side:

This world's Eve - Emperor Eve - and a young man with Sukuna's face but a very different bearing.

The Megumi of this world, the architect of an empire spanning seventeen galaxies.

The contradiction was fascinating.

This Megumi had apparently been a strategic genius who helped shape a galactic empire, yet he'd been killed by Nolan Grayson - a being who, while powerful, was hardly invincible.

It suggested a vulnerability, a weakness that Sukuna himself had long since overcome.

His thoughts were interrupted by a commotion outside his chamber.

Raised voices, the sound of something heavy falling, guards shouting orders that were being summarily ignored.

Sukuna tensed, his body automatically preparing for potential conflict despite his outward appearance of weakness.

The doors to his chamber burst open with enough force to dent the metal frame, and a figure stormed in - tall, powerfully built, with features that struck Sukuna with unexpected familiarity.

"Megumi!" the man shouted, his voice raw with emotion. "My son!"

Sukuna's eyes narrowed as he focused past his initial shock to study the intruder. The face - he knew that face.

It had stared back at him from photographs in Uncle Kenji's house, from family albums he'd examined during quiet moments of curiosity about the body he now inhabited.

Toji Fushiguro. Uncle Kenji's brother. His father.

Or rather, Megumi's father.

The man who, in his original timeline had been dead, the man in the Jujutsu Timeline had sold his son to the Zenin clan and disappeared, only to die years later during Gojo's youth.

Yet here he stood, very much alive and radiating a mixture of desperate joy and barely contained violence as he approached the bed.

"They told me you were back," Toji continued, his voice rough with emotion. "That Mark had found you in another dimension. I didn't believe it until-" He broke off, his eyes drinking in every detail of Sukuna's face. "It's really you."

Before Sukuna could respond, the chamber shook as Emperor Mark flew in through the same doors, stopping abruptly when he saw who had entered.

His initial expression of alarm shifted to something more complex - resignation tinged with annoyance.

"Toji," Emperor Mark acknowledged, his imperial bearing momentarily replaced by the wariness of someone dealing with an unpredictable force. "This is why I didn't immediately tell you. I wanted to give Megumi time to recover before-"

"That would've just made my reaction more explosive," Toji interrupted, not bothering to look at the Emperor as he moved closer to Sukuna's bedside.

"Nothing will keep me from my son. Not even you, Your Majesty."

The title was delivered with a sarcasm that bordered on insubordination, yet Emperor Mark seemed to accept it with resigned tolerance.

There was history here, Sukuna realized - a complex relationship between two men who clearly didn't like each other but had been forced to coexist for years.

"Megumi needs rest," Emperor Mark insisted, his voice taking on that imperial edge once more. "The dimensional transition was taxing, and-"

"I'll be the judge of what my son needs," Toji cut him off again, finally turning to face the Emperor. The tension between them was palpable, two apex predators circling the same territory.

"You've had your reunion. Now it's my turn."

Emperor Mark's jaw tightened, but surprisingly, he didn't press the issue. "Ten minutes," he conceded. "Then the medical staff need to complete their evaluation."

With that, he turned and exited the chamber, though Sukuna noted he didn't go far - hovering just outside the doorway, within earshot but giving the illusion of privacy.

Toji waited until the Emperor had withdrawn before turning back to Sukuna, his expression softening as he pulled a chair closer to the bed.

"You look good," he said, studying Sukuna's face with an intensity that was almost uncomfortable. "Different, but good. Stronger than I remember."

Sukuna remained silent, assessing the situation. This was an unexpected development - one that could either complicate his plans or provide an unforeseen advantage.

Either way, he needed more information before deciding how to respond.

"Not talking, huh?" Toji continued, a hint of familiar disappointment creeping into his voice. "Some things never change. You always did get quiet when you were processing something big."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I know this must be strange for you. Mark says you don't remember this world, that you've been living a completely different life in another dimension. That true?"

Sukuna decided on a measured response. "My experiences have been... different," he acknowledged, keeping his tone neutral.

Toji nodded as if this confirmed something. "Different how? Did you have a father in that world too? Was he... was he better than me?"

The question caught Sukuna off guard. There was vulnerability beneath the gruffness, a hint of genuine fear that the alternate reality might have provided Megumi with a superior parent.

"I had an uncle," Sukuna replied carefully. "Kenji Fushiguro. Your brother."

Toji's eyes widened. "Kenji? That soft-hearted fool raised you?" He barked out a laugh that seemed to contain equal parts amusement and disbelief.

"Well, that explains the politeness, at least. Always was too proper for his own good."

He studied Sukuna more closely. "But you're not soft. I can see that much. There's something in your eyes that's... harder than I remember. Sharper." A hint of pride entered his voice.

"Good. The universe isn't kind to the soft." the last part though he stated with a dark look in his eyes, a hidden rage. Sukuna guessed he was remembering the death of his world's Megumi.

Sukuna remained silent, allowing Toji to continue. Every word provided more information, more context for this strange new reality he found himself in.

"You know, when Mark told me he was going to find you in another dimension, I thought he'd finally lost what was left of his mind," Toji said, leaning back in his chair.

"Seventeen years of obsession, and suddenly he claims there's a way to bring you back? It sounded like the desperate fantasy of a man who couldn't let go."

His expression darkened. "But then I remembered what you always said about the multiverse. About infinite possibilities existing simultaneously.

You used to lecture me about it when you were just a kid - theories way beyond what a child should understand."

He shook his head, a mixture of bewilderment and pride in his expression. "Always were too smart for your own good. Guess you were right all along."

The conversation was interrupted by a discreet knock at the door. A medical attendant entered, clearly nervous about interrupting but determined to fulfill their duties.

"Forgive the intrusion," they said, bowing deeply. "But His Imperial Majesty insists that the evaluation proceed now."

Toji's expression hardened, but he nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But I'll be back later." He turned to Sukuna, his voice softening once more. "We have a lot to catch up on, son."

He stood, hesitated for a moment as if considering something, then reached out and briefly squeezed Sukuna's shoulder - a gesture so unexpected that Sukuna had to consciously prevent himself from reacting defensively.

"Rest up," Toji said. "And don't let them push you around too much. Emperor or not, Mark doesn't own you."

With that, he strode from the room, his posture challenging as he passed Emperor Mark in the doorway.

The two exchanged a look loaded with unspoken tension before Toji disappeared down the corridor.

Emperor Mark entered once more, watching as the medical staff began their evaluation.

"I apologize for the interruption," he said, his voice carrying that strange mixture of imperial authority and personal warmth he seemed to reserve exclusively for Sukuna - this time forgoing his normal informality.

"Toji can be... difficult to manage."

"He's alive," Sukuna observed, the statement carrying more weight than the Emperor could possibly understand.

"Yes," Emperor Mark confirmed, misinterpreting Sukuna's meaning.

"Despite his best efforts to get himself killed over the years. He's too valuable to the Empire to lose, though there have been times I've been tempted to execute him myself."

A small, reminiscent smile touched his lips. "You always did have a tempering effect on him. Even as a child, you could talk him down when no one else could get through.

It was remarkable to watch - this hardened assassin listening to his twelve-year-old son's strategic advice."

Ah, it seems in this world unlike the one he was brought from - where he died in a car crash - Toji does have his Heavenly Restriction.

The medical staff worked silently around them, scanning Sukuna with advanced technology that seemed to analyze his physical condition without requiring invasive procedures.

"Your father will want to spend more time with you," Emperor Mark continued. "I've arranged for him to have access to your quarters once you're settled. I hope that's acceptable."

It wasn't a question, despite being phrased as one. The Emperor was informing, not asking - maintaining the illusion of consideration while already having made the decision.

"Of course," Sukuna replied, his mind already calculating how to use this unexpected development to his advantage.

Toji Fushiguro - alive, and clearly devoted to his son in a way that contradicted everything Sukuna knew about the man from his Jujutsu counterpart.

He knew little about him from his life as Megumi, the memories of that time too distant compared to his first and second life.

Yet still, this is important. Toji is a wild card in this carefully controlled environment. A potential ally or a complication, depending on how Sukuna played the situation.

As the medical staff completed their evaluation and began to withdraw, Emperor Mark moved closer to the bed.

"Once you're cleared, I'd like to show you the palace," he said, his voice taking on an almost childlike enthusiasm.

"Everything was built according to your original designs - the architecture, the layout, even the gardens. Eve oversaw the construction personally after... after what happened."

His expression clouded momentarily. "It won't be exactly as you remember, of course. We've made some adaptations over the years. But the essence is there - your vision, your influence in every detail."

Sukuna nodded, maintaining his facade of weakened compliance while his mind continued to analyze and plan.

The Emperor's obsession was both a weakness to exploit and a danger to navigate carefully.

The intensity of his fixation meant he would be watching Sukuna closely, looking for any sign that "Megumi" was returning to his former self.

"Rest now," Emperor Mark said, seemingly satisfied with Sukuna's passive acceptance. "Tomorrow, when you're stronger, we'll begin reintroducing you to the Empire you helped create."

As the Emperor finally withdrew, leaving Sukuna alone in the luxurious chamber, the King of Curses allowed himself a moment of genuine reflection.

He could sense his Eve and Mark, they were fine. More than fine even - more rested and healthy than they have ever been. His... child was also growing in an acceptable manner.

Sukuna didn't know what to make of that. He was going to be a father. A true father - not merely in the spiritual sense as he was with Yuji - but one his own in both body and soul.

It was exhilarating... It was terrifying.

He, the King of Curses, was terrified of being a father - not because he feared the prospect or couldn't handle responsibility, of course not, there was none more responsible than him - but because he already was feeling love toward the growing child.

Could already feel the pulse of its soul.

Yet, he did not know how to love such a fragile thing when in his 2nd life as Sukuna, such creatures were often collateral damage in his wars, in his conquests of the Heian Era's Emperor's armies and terretories...

Sukuna quickly shook his head, he couldn't get too emotional right now. Thos thoughts could wait for later. He was nothing if not an adapter.

Now, back to the important parts of his situation.

The appearance of Toji Fushiguro - it had been unexpected - a variable he hadn't accounted for in his initial assessment of this dimension.

The man's presence complicated matters, adding another layer to the already complex situation.

But complications could be advantages in disguise for those skilled enough to use them. And if there was one thing Sukuna excelled at, it was turning unexpected developments to his advantage.

He closed his eyes, appearing to rest while his mind continued to work, planning his next moves in this dangerous new game. The Emperor had won the first round, bringing him to this dimension against his will. But the game was far from over.

And the King of Curses was a very patient player indeed.

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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the Chapter!

Do tell me how you found it.

So, Sukuna's is at full strength, but still in an unfamiliar situation.

And Toji... I immediately saw opportunity to write him in when I thought of this, and man do I like the idea of it.

Since Toji is one of my favourite JJK characters.

So yeah, again, do tell me how you found it and I hope to see you all later,

Bye!)