"Clang!"
A crisp sound rang out. The Naginata that had been slashing toward Natsu Hiraku was knocked off course and swept past his side before embedding itself firmly in the ground.
But Maki Zenin, who had been holding the weapon, did not care. She released the handle with both hands and threw several punches at Natsu Hiraku, forcibly driving him back before pulling the Naginata from the ground and continuing her pursuit with a flurry of swings.
As an expert in Cursed Tools, she was proficient with all kinds of weapons and naturally familiar with switching between different combat styles. This was how she used to beat Natsu Hiraku senseless.
Once his eyes had grown accustomed to one style, she would change her approach, leaving him unable to react in time. Gradually, he would be unable to endure it and would shut those eyes.
Then there would be nothing left.
Without those special eyes, he could only be crushed.
After all, not everyone was like her. She had forced herself to train these martial skills since childhood. She could make countless mistakes, but he could only make one!
After several exchanges.
Natsu Hiraku was already struggling to keep up with her rhythm. As expected, making a mage fight in close quarters was still a bit of a stretch.
But things were different now. The moment Natsu Hiraku found an opening, he stopped retreating. The Sharingan in his pupils turned even more crimson as he met Maki Zenin's gaze head-on, casting a genjutsu that caused her to pause briefly.
(The author checked. Genjutsu can be used, but it is not very powerful.)
Maki Zenin's hand, which had been about to swing the weapon, froze. Her consciousness left her body and entered a dark space. By the time she reacted and tried to break free from the darkness—
Natsu Hiraku had already subdued her. Looking at the awakened Maki Zenin, he asked with a smile, "I won."
Maki Zenin looked at the Naginata that had somehow gone from her hands to Natsu Hiraku's and said helplessly, "I lost. What was that just now?"
"A technique."
Natsu Hiraku smiled faintly without explaining. After returning the Naginata, he waved at Toge Inumaki. "Toge, let's go eat. They'll probably be asleep for quite a while!"
"Salmon."
Toge Inumaki stood and walked toward Natsu Hiraku. Even as a bystander, he was rather confused. Maki's hands, which had been about to raise the weapon, had stopped in an instant. Then Hiraku easily took the Naginata from Maki's hands and turned the situation around.
He had never seen him use it before. Could it be a new technique awakened after his eyes evolved?
Maki Zenin was still somewhat stunned as she looked at the Naginata in her hand, seemingly replaying what had just happened. She had only looked at him once... just once!
Natsu Hiraku called out, "Maki, let's go. Come eat with us."
"Mm, okay."
Having seemingly found a flaw in Natsu Hiraku's move, Maki did not ask about it. Instead, she planned to test it during their next spar.
Natsu Hiraku could not have been happier. After more than two months, he had defeated Maki for the first time. Even if it had only happened once, there might be a second time, a third time...
Moreover, his strength had more or less caught up with the main group. One thousand Cursed Energy was enough for him to develop techniques next. Ninjutsu was good, but it was a little hard to draw.
He had also figured out the system's pattern. As he received more and more missions, the points and Cursed Energy awarded at the end would increase as well.
Perhaps in the near future, he would be able to exchange for some ridiculously overpowered stuff. But not now.
After the three of them went to the cafeteria for a simple meal, they parted ways. Natsu Hiraku said, "I have something to do," and left alone. He intended to use the next few days to complete the technique that had nearly killed him before.
The operating trajectory of the Cursed Energy blades had already been engraved in his mind. Strangely enough, after completing the technique just once, its principles had been imprinted in his mind and become his own unique technique.
But the technique truly was difficult to complete. He had nearly gone blind using the One-Tomoe Sharingan just to barely finish it, and luck had also played a part. If any of the Cursed Energy blades that had burst out had been even slightly off, he would have ended up as a corpse.
The most important core had already been prepared. Now, he only needed to add a protective layer around it to prevent other techniques from attacking it. In other words, it would stop him from being ambushed during construction and causing it to explode prematurely. He had thought of this yesterday as well.
This could only be used as a long-range technique. It was completely different from the Rasengan. That thing could be unleashed point-blank, but while this had been made based on the same principle, using it at close range would turn whoever did so into a human pincushion.
Whether it was the enemy or himself.
Arriving in the forest where he often trained, Natsu Hiraku raised his right hand and began constructing the technique. Unlike before, this time he added another protective shell around the "core."
The two layers expanded and compressed at the same time. This would form an outer protective shell the moment the technique was completed. Then he could put something interesting inside the core, such as an explosive Cursed Energy core.
As long as he placed that thing at the very center, it would become a bomb that could be detonated remotely!
In theory, it was not particularly difficult. Of course, there was still the possibility that it would suddenly explode and turn him into a pincushion. After all, risk and creation went hand in hand.
As the technique in his right hand began to spin, Natsu Hiraku activated his Sharingan to observe it. He watched the explosive core forming within. Since the technique was constantly spinning at high speed, the explosive core could only be formed into a sphere.
Everything progressed smoothly: the formation of the core, the compression of the protective layer, and the most troublesome explosive core. The explosive core within the main core was condensing. Since it occupied the absolute center, it would not drift elsewhere, and Natsu Hiraku did not dare let it drift around either.
He had even considered adding another protective layer around the explosive core, but after considering the Cursed Energy consumption, Natsu Hiraku chose not to.
If he kept adding more, the Cursed Energy required to fully construct this technique would reach two hundred. He could not afford that. He was probably the only one who would go this far just to scheme against others.
Natsu Hiraku threw the "glass marble" in his hand onto the ground. Because of the protective layer, it would not explode on contact. He moved several dozen meters away, preparing to test its power.
He lightly raised his right hand and pressed his middle finger against his thumb. Then, with a snap, the explosive core at the center of the originally stable "glass marble" detonated. The explosion did not seem strong enough to kill even a frog, but it threw the trajectories of all the Cursed Energy blades into chaos.
"Crack—"
The sound of shattering glass rang out, followed by Cursed Energy blades firing in every direction. The closest trees were instantly riddled with holes before snapping apart. They did not fall, only leaned against the surrounding trees.
Only 0.2 seconds passed from the snap of his fingers to the Cursed Energy blades bursting outward. With a ten-meter indiscriminate attack range, no one would normally be able to escape.
Looking at the devastated trees, Natsu Hiraku smiled in satisfaction and muttered, "In terms of destructive power, this move is probably stronger than the Rasengan. If I had to name it... Scattering Rasengan? Or Spiral Scattering Glass Marble?"
Natsu Hiraku seemed completely unaware that he was terrible at naming things, and he was enjoying himself immensely.
Looking at the wrecked trees, Natsu Hiraku clapped his hands and left immediately. The Exchange Event with Kyoto was coming soon. It was time to pull off some flashy tricks.
Just as he left the forest, the phone in his pocket rang. Taking it out, he saw that Teacher Gojo was calling. Natsu Hiraku was rather puzzled. He had gotten drunk like that yesterday and still woke up so early?
A one-handed Thomas flare!
He answered the phone and asked, "Teacher Gojo, what is it?"
"Come to the classroom, Hiraku-kun. Today I'm going to teach you something useful. I originally wanted to put it off for a few days, but then I remembered you'll be going to war with Kyoto soon, so I decided to teach you early! Well? Aren't you touched? That's it then, hurry over!"
Before Natsu Hiraku could say anything, Gojo Satoru hung up.
"..."
Natsu Hiraku stared at the black screen of his phone and fell silent. For some reason, even though Gojo was going to teach him, he could not feel happy about it at all.
When he arrived outside the classroom, he found that aside from Teacher Gojo standing at the podium, there was no one else inside. He asked, "Where are Maki and the others?"
"They have their own things to do."
Gojo Satoru waved Natsu Hiraku inside and said, "Everyone needs different things taught to them, so I did not call them. As a teacher, I'm very responsible."
"I see."
Natsu Hiraku muttered softly before taking a seat. Looking at Gojo Satoru on the platform, he asked curiously, "What are you planning to teach me, Teacher Gojo?"
"Hmph."
Gojo Satoru smiled, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote several large words on the blackboard: [Reverse Cursed Technique]. He said, "I happened to see your spar with Maki this morning. Considering the special nature of your eyes, I want to try teaching you the Reverse Cursed Technique."
"Reverse Cursed Technique?"
Natsu Hiraku was a little confused. The term sounded familiar, but he could not remember it. It had been a long time since he last read this manga. Remembering parts of the plot and the characters with distinctive personalities was already impressive enough.
For example, he remembered Gojo Satoru as being incredibly strong, the ceiling of combat power, and also extremely flashy... Megumi Fushiguro as a close-range summoner. Yuta Okkotsu as the Pure Love Warrior, and so on...
"That's right. First, I'll explain the principles, then we'll put it into practice."
Gojo Satoru turned around and continued writing a series of difficult-to-understand things on the blackboard with the chalk in his right hand.
Things like two negatives making a positive, the precision of Cursed Energy control, and so on...
After writing, Gojo Satoru picked up a bamboo pointer from the desk and tapped [Two Negatives Make a Positive]. "The so-called Reverse Cursed Technique is created by multiplying negative Cursed Energy together. In other words, two negatives make a positive."
"You can also understand it this way: Cursed Energy comes from our own negative emotions. We jujutsu sorcerers do not produce curses. Instead, we convert those negative emotions into power, so the energy of Cursed Energy is negative."
"Most sorcerers' techniques are innate techniques, meaning technique engravings within the brain. For example, you need hand seals to use your technique. That kind belongs to the most basic forward technique."
"Ah! I got a little off track. Forget it, you need to learn this anyway. As I said before, Cursed Energy is a negative force. It can strengthen the body, but it cannot regenerate it. So, you multiply two negative forces together. Two negatives make a positive. That is the Reverse Cursed Technique. That is roughly the principle. Let me demonstrate it in practice."
As Gojo Satoru spoke, he pulled a revolver from his pocket. Then, under Natsu Hiraku's bewildered gaze, he decisively pointed it at himself and fired!
"Bang!"
The gunshot startled Natsu Hiraku so badly that he instinctively shut his eyes.
"Oops, I forgot to turn off the Limitless Cursed Technique. Looks like I'm still a little afraid of getting my brains blown out by a bullet."
Gojo Satoru's calm voice made Natsu Hiraku open his eyes. Seeing the bullet embedded against the surface of Gojo's forehead, he was instantly speechless. Is scaring a student's fragile heart that fun?
As if sensing Natsu Hiraku's complaint, Gojo Satoru put down the revolver and pulled a fruit knife from his pocket with a smile. "This time, I'll do it for real. That was just a joke."
With that, he drew the fruit knife and stabbed it into his own arm. It pierced straight through, as though the arm did not belong to him. Red blood flowed from the wound.
When Gojo Satoru pulled out the fruit knife, the wound healed rapidly. In the end, aside from blood remaining on his arm, not even a scar was left behind.
Natsu Hiraku's eyes widened. If he learned this, would he not be able to treat the scars on women's bodies and fulfill his dream from before transmigrating of earning money while lying down?
"Hiss..."
Natsu Hiraku slapped the desk and jumped to his feet, shouting, "That's awesome! I want to learn it, I want to learn it!"
As if he had expected such a reaction, Gojo Satoru sneered and stabbed the fruit knife into the desk. He picked up the bamboo pointer and tapped [Precision of Cursed Energy Control], saying:
"The prerequisite for learning it is having extremely precise control over your own Cursed Energy. That is what I'm going to teach you today!"
With that, Gojo Satoru lightly snapped his fingers. A faint wave of Cursed Energy spread outward. As if deliberately controlled, the closed windows slowly opened while the open door slowly shut, without making the slightest sound.
Although it looked simple, Natsu Hiraku activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan the moment the Cursed Energy reached him. Teacher Gojo's Cursed Energy calculations were extremely precise. At the exact moment the door closed, the Cursed Energy pushing it dissipated. A little less, and it could not push the door shut; a little more, and the wooden door would make a collision sound.
Gojo Satoru continued, "If you can reach this level by the end of the morning, we'll move on to the next step."
"Uh... I don't think I need to, Teacher Gojo. This level of precise Cursed Energy control is already ridiculously easy for me."
After saying that, Natsu Hiraku confidently displayed his new move, "Spiral Scattering Glass Marble." He opened his right hand, and a crimson ball of Cursed Energy appeared. In less than a second, the Cursed Energy ball became a red glass marble.
Even Gojo Satoru was stunned. Looking at the Cursed Energy blades spinning at high speed inside the glass marble, he seemed to recall something. The small hillside at the street corner yesterday seemed to have been devastated by something like this.
It was quite impressive, he had to admit. He had even gotten out of the car to take a look back then. After estimating it with Cursed Energy, the penetration depth had been at least three or four meters.
Gojo Satoru said with interest, "Let me see it. Better yet, make it explode directly. I want to see how powerful it is."
"Uh... Teacher Gojo, do you mean you want this thing to explode in your hand?" Natsu Hiraku wiped away the sweat that had suddenly appeared on his forehead and asked uncertainly.
After all, what normal person would do that?
"Yes."
After receiving Gojo Satoru's confirmation, Natsu Hiraku slowly handed over the ball in his hand. Bullets had not harmed Gojo just now, but this thing of his...
Its point-blank output was definitely fiercer than a revolver bullet! Not to mention that it contained thousands of Cursed Energy blades, even if they would dissipate after flying a certain distance.
Natsu Hiraku leaped out through the open window, ran several dozen meters away, and shouted into the classroom, "Teacher Gojo, I'm going to detonate it! Be careful!"
"No problem, no problem. I... am the strongest."
Gojo Satoru carefully examined the glass marble in his hand. The rotational trajectories of the Cursed Energy blades within had already been fixed. Creating something like this required extremely precise Cursed Energy control.
Interesting. It looked like he would learn the Reverse Cursed Technique quickly. The only question was whether he was smart enough.
As the sound of a snap rang out, Gojo Satoru instantly activated [Limitless Cursed Technique]. The glass marble in his hand was repelled as if by something invisible and sent flying away. Then a cracking sound came from in front of him.
The shell enclosing the Cursed Energy blades shattered, and they instantly burst outward.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
"Thud, thud, thud..."
The entire classroom was riddled with holes. Then a gust of wind swept through, and the room... collapsed!!
"Crash!!!"
A wooden stick rolled to Natsu Hiraku's feet.
Natsu Hiraku looked at the collapsed building and swallowed. I never expected that I would accomplish something in this life that I failed to do in my previous one: blowing up the classroom.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Gojo Satoru pushed aside the wood pressing down on him and said, "This thing is pretty powerful. The principal is going to dock my pay again."
"Are you okay, Teacher Gojo?" Natsu Hiraku walked over and asked.
Before you continue