When Toge Inumaki used Cursed Speech to coordinate with Maki and swiftly eliminated the curse spirit, several figures hiding in the nearby forest—Mai Zenin, Mechamaru, and Kasumi Miwa of the Kyoto school—had clearly witnessed the entire scene.
Mai whispered to her companions, "It looks like using a curse spirit to probe their techniques was the right call. That white-haired guy with the short cut—his technique is Cursed Speech. Simply put, he uses words to force effects."
"Good thing we didn't launch a direct attack," she continued. "We could've been wiped out before realizing what hit us."
Mechamaru spoke in a cold, mechanical voice: "Cursed Speech isn't so scary once you know about it and prepare accordingly. We'll force him to use his technique with long-range attacks and drain his cursed energy."
Kasumi Miwa raised her hand hesitantly. "But... I don't have any long-range abilities."
Mai smiled. "Then you'll be our insurance policy. Let's follow them and prepare to attack."
---
High in the sky, the petite, blonde-haired Mai's teammate, Momo Nishimiya, was riding her broom, watching the movements of the Tokyo team and curse spirits from above. She used her phone to relay real-time information to her teammates.
Down below, Shin Genichi had climbed a tall tree, using its thick canopy to conceal himself as he observed Momo in the sky.
"Oh right... she can fly. But her combat power doesn't seem all that impressive. I didn't bring the Extermination Blade, but maybe I can still knock her down. Since she's acting as their eyes, the logical move is to blind them."
Shin raised his finger toward the airborne Momo. Cursed energy gathered at his fingertip, forming a glowing point. While cursed energy blasts aren't as effective as techniques or physical strikes, they're useful for testing the waters or targeting less powerful foes.
Shin didn't plan to take Momo out directly with this shot—it was too risky if it hit her dead-on. Since she was flying on a broom, all he had to do was destroy the broom.
Aiming carefully, Shin murmured: "Bang!"
---
Wheel of Time: Rotation.
Momo suddenly sensed a spike in cursed energy. "A cursed spirit? No… someone's trying to hit me with a ranged cursed energy attack! But I've spotted it, so dodging should be easy…"
Just as she was about to dodge, a fierce gust of wind whipped past. The side of her broom snapped off, throwing her off balance. She plummeted toward the ground.
"What... was that?"
Momo stared in shock at her broken broom and the cursed energy residue left in the air.
"I didn't even see the attack. That fast? Is the opponent's technique related to speed? I need to relay this intel."
Using the tree branches to break her fall, she pulled out her phone—but before she could send anything, a figure emerged from the forest.
Shin approached the injured Momo, who had twisted her ankle and was leaning against a tree. He whistled. "Didn't expect that to actually work. Guess I'll eliminate you while I'm at it."
"You—"
Before Momo could finish her sentence, her consciousness faded. The phone fell from her hand into Shin's. He removed his hand from the back of her neck and hoisted her onto a low tree branch. Someone would come to retrieve her shortly.
Indeed, the teachers monitoring the event detected the change and dispatched someone to bring her back. Mei Mei chuckled, "Satoru, your student is fast. Took out an airborne opponent before she could even report back."
Gojo Satoru, reclining with his hands behind his head, grinned as he watched Maki and Inumaki on the monitor. "Of course. That's my student. Shin's strong. Once he completes a few more missions, he can apply to become a Grade 1 Sorcerer."
Mei Mei, eyes a little tired from extended use of her bird-viewing technique, still perked up. "If you need help, feel free to ask me. You are generous after all, Satoru."
Gojo gave her a thumbs-up. "No problem." Then turned his attention back to the monitor.
---
After defeating the curse spirit, Maki and Inumaki continued forward. Maki suddenly halted and motioned for Inumaki to stop as well.
"Salmon?"
She scanned the trees around them. A vague sense of danger had been gnawing at her since they entered the area. That's why she stopped.
"Inumaki, be careful. Something's wrong. I think we're—"
Before she could finish, the sound of snapping branches echoed. Maki managed to glance toward the source and pulled Inumaki aside just in time.
A stream of fire engulfed the spot where they'd just stood. More fiery attacks came in quick succession, covering every direction. Inumaki activated his Cursed Speech.
"Extinguish!"
The fireballs shrank and vanished mid-air. Just then, Maki swung her naginata, deflecting a bullet that clattered to the ground.
"Mai."
"Inumaki, stay close. Don't give them distance—they already know your technique." With those words, Maki dashed toward the direction of the attack. Inumaki quickly followed.
The dense forest concealed their opponents but also provided Maki and Inumaki with cover. The enemy attacks, while aggressive, had difficulty landing due to their evasive maneuvers.
---
Meanwhile, Mai, Mechamaru, and Miwa were falling back while they fought, anxiety etched on their faces.
They hadn't seen Momo in the sky for a while, nor could they contact her. Was she already eliminated? Damn it!
Without someone providing overhead vision, they couldn't accurately track Maki. Her cursed energy was minimal, making it hard to detect her. All they could rely on were subtle environmental changes.
They were about to be caught. They needed to take out the Cursed Speech user fast. If they engaged without handling him, they'd lose people right away.
Just as the three crossed a small stream, a stone the size of a fist flew at them with a high-pitched whoosh.
Mechamaru reacted instantly. His steel-clad arm met the stone head-on, shattering it completely.
But their path was blocked—Maki had appeared ahead, naginata slung over her shoulder and a smirk on her lips.
"Leaving already? It's not cool to start a fight and then run."
Mechamaru's arms transformed. His left became a cannon, and his right produced several sharp blades.
"Mai, Miwa, go eliminate the Cursed Speech user. Even if it's a one-for-one trade, take him down. I'll hold her off. If you fail, I'll retreat and look for reinforcements. You do the same."
Maki watched as Mai and Miwa doubled back. She clicked her tongue. "I said—"
BOOM!
A deafening explosion cut her off. Mechamaru turned in shock. "What was that? That massive figure—and that aura... Can something like that appear in an Exchange Event?"
Maki, too, turned her gaze. Through her glasses, she saw a towering figure and clouds of dust in the distance.
---
After eliminating Momo, Shin was headed toward the center of the battlefield. Boosted by cursed energy, he moved through the forest with uncanny agility—faster than any monkey.
Suddenly, Shin tilted back unnaturally, narrowly dodging a blood-red projectile that sliced the branches overhead.
"Nice reflexes."
Landing smoothly, Shin saw Noritoshi Kamo emerge from behind a tree. Shin smiled. "Of course. You're just... too slow." He sidestepped again. The red projectile—made of blood—curved around and came back, but missed again.
Kamo caught it with his hand—a spinning ring of solidified blood.
Blood Manipulation!
The Kamo family's hereditary technique, known for its versatility.
Kamo didn't respond to the taunt. He simply launched another attack with the blood ring while drawing his bow and aiming.
So, an archer too. Different from me, though, Shin mused. Kamo likely channels cursed energy through his arrows. I use raw cursed energy. Stronger, more portable—but less efficient.
Four cursed arrows and the spinning blood blade flew toward him. At that moment, Shin's right hand twitched.
Wheel of Time: Godspeed Slash!
A flash of dazzling light blinked out of existence in an instant. Kamo's bowstring froze mid-pull. His blood blade disintegrated into a pool of blood. The four arrows were cleanly severed.
"What just happened? When was my technique neutralized?"
Kamo instantly gave up on long-range tactics and activated:
Blood Manipulation: Crimson Scale Motion.
Red markings spread near his right eye. His heartbeat, circulation, breathing, and temperature all spiked—boosting his physical abilities.
Essentially, he used his own blood to simulate a steroid-like effect.
"That speed... it exceeded the limits of my vision and reaction. If he'd attacked me just now, I'd be out already. He's toying with me."
Kamo pulled out two blood packs. Blood strands weaved into a net-like defense around him.
Crimson Binding: Defense Formation.
"If I can just stall him for a second, I can catch his trail and strike back with full force. Don't underestimate me."
Shin, gripping his blade, was ready to test the Kamo family's famed technique—until a distant boom and a terrifying cursed presence pulled their attention away.
"That's..."
Kamo looked on in confusion at the massive shadowy figure in the distance. Shin, however, had a bad feeling.
Rika's out of control. Something's wrong with Yuta.
"That shouldn't be happening. Yuta's been managing her really well lately. Is he in danger?"
The playfulness vanished from Shin's face.
He straightened his sword and turned to Kamo. "Sorry. Looks like my teammate's in trouble—I'm in a bit of a hurry."
"What—?"
Before Kamo could finish the thought, everything went black. Shin appeared before him, pain bloomed in his abdomen, and his technique was already neutralized. The blood net shattered into liquid.
It wasn't fatal, but enough to knock Kamo out of the fight.
Shin patted his shoulder, toppling him over. "That strike was quick and avoided vital points. You'll be fine. Just wait for pickup."
As Shin departed, Kamo lay on the ground, expression shifting between frustration and disbelief, then sighed and stopped resisting.
Shin, still rushing toward Yuta's location, thought back to Kamo's blood net—decent idea. It tried to entangle him when struck. If it had stalled him even slightly, Kamo might've found a gap to counterattack.
Too bad he had too many gaps—and was still too slow.
Kamo Noritoshi, eliminated.
(End of Chapter)
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