Asura, whom Natsu Hiraku was currently riding, didn't quite understand this thing either. After all, he was raised as a close-combat tank, and now he had become a long-range turret...
"Junior Natsu, your pet has high comprehension. How did you raise it? I want to get one too," Kento Nanami said, his eyes sparkling as if he had imagined something.
"Don't think about charging in on a dog and shooting lasers from its mouth. Innate Cursed Techniques cannot be learned later, so it can't teach you," Kirara Hoshi naturally knew what Kento Nanami was thinking and interrupted him.
Gojo Satoru took off his dark sunglasses and examined Asura. Then, as if seeing something amusing, he muttered in a low voice, "Is it evolving? Or is it some interesting Cursed Technique? It feels like it will soon be considered 'human'."
The reason animals are called animals is because they are not as intelligent as humans. It is precisely because humans are intelligent enough that they distinguish themselves from animals. But if animals had the same intelligence as humans, could they still be called animals?
(Wait... Asura seems to be male, so it's Goro!)
Asura seemed to be in the process of brain evolution. Some of its Cursed Energy was active in its brain, and it was quite active. Like a child's wild fantasies, there was only curiosity and desire.
Sensing that the time was almost up, Gojo Satoru took out his phone, glanced at it, and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll head back to the broadcast room first. I'm looking forward to your performance."
"Okay, Teacher Gojo, goodbye." After waving, everyone continued to surround Asura with curiosity.
11:58.
Gojo Satoru's voice echoed from the broadcast.
"Ahem! Hello, hello! Sound check complete."
"The exciting 'Maze Capture the Mouse' segment is about to begin. Both teams are ready to go. Who will be the ultimate winning team of this game? Your professional commentator, Gojo Satoru, will provide a full explanation of this match!"
"..."
The teachers in the principal's office had a collective headache. Yoshinobu Gakuganji didn't know what to say. Considering it was Gojo Satoru, he could only keep it in mind and discuss it with Yaga later.
From time to time, knocking sounds and Utahime Iori's voice could be heard from the broadcast: "You damn Gojo Satoru, what kind of commentary is this for a competition? Hurry up and open the door! Otherwise, I'll kick it down."
"Is that so? Then there's nothing I can do," Gojo Satoru, sitting in the broadcast room, said into the microphone. "Students, please wait a moment. The gold medal commentator Gojo Satoru needs to go negotiate."
With that, he placed the microphone on the table, picked up the pre-prepared rope and tape, opened the locked door, and then, before she could react, tied her up. He said, "I'm sorry, Senior Utahime. I am a gold medal commentator right now, and no one can interrupt my commentary."
"Gojo Satoru! You... muffled"
Before Utahime Iori could finish speaking, her mouth was gagged with tape. Gojo Satoru, after finishing his work, carried her into the room and placed her on a chair. He took off his dark sunglasses and put his index finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.
He picked up the microphone, glanced at the time, and said, "I apologize, students. Negotiating with Teacher Utahime took a little time. The competition countdown begins now!"
"10!"
"9..."
Everyone was speechless. Don't think they didn't hear the sounds of someone being tied up; muffled cries could still be heard.
As time reached zero, the competition began.
The eight people from both schools entered the maze, and the entrance immediately closed.
According to the plan, Noritoshi Kamo and the other two immediately left Todo Aoi and Nishinomiya Momo, flying over the high wall to survey the entire maze and search for Natsu Hiraku.
Todo Aoi watched the three quickly leave and, with his impressive IQ of 530, roughly guessed what they were going to do.
Ambush Natsu Hiraku, and it was even the principal's order.
But he only glanced at them and then left. After all, Natsu Hiraku was enough to crush the three of them right now. He just needed to find enough "mice." As his best friend, he would naturally find him, so there was no need to go to the trouble of looking for him.
"Is Todo following?"
Noritoshi Kamo said into his phone. After a moment, Nishinomiya Momo's voice came through: "He's not. He's going to look for 'mice'."
"That's good. Find Natsu Hiraku's exact location and wait for him to be alone to test his strength."
"Understood, I'm flying that way."
Nishinomiya Momo then put her phone in her pocket without hanging up. The maze routes were intricate. Some paths were as wide as roads, but some passages could only accommodate one person. It was hard to imagine how this thing was built in such a short time.
It was also hard to imagine why someone with an ordinary appearance and background would attract the principal's attention.
"Woof woof woof!"
"Asura smells 'mice'!"
Natsu Hiraku and the others were all following behind Asura. He sniffed the Cursed Spirits' scent and led the way. When he smelled a stronger scent, he knew the "mice" the master mentioned were nearby. He barked a few times and rushed out.
"Well done, Asura. I'll treat you to meat when we get back," Kento Nanami said. He didn't treat Asura like an outsider. After all, he really wanted to raise one, thinking that perhaps one day, after it was tame, he could borrow it from junior Natsu for a few days to go for a ride.
The group followed behind Asura for a few laps before seeing the so-called "mice."
They were rat-like in appearance, with three eyes. A pair of rat eyes were on their faces, and another human-like eye was on their backs, constantly open and scanning their surroundings. As if to compensate for their lack of hearing, their limbs were also unusually thick.
The first time everyone saw the "mice," they were surprised to find that three of them were gathered together, as if discussing something.
As the eyes on the "mice'" backs looked at them, they scattered instantly like startled birds.
Their speed was as fast as arrows from a taut bow, vanishing in an instant. The four looked at each other and had already locked onto their targets.
As Natsu Hiraku left, he called out, "Senior Kirara Hoshi, ride Asura and stay behind Yuta to prevent them from being surrounded!"
"Okay."
Kirara Hoshi looked at Yuta Okkotsu, who had already left, and the half-man-tall Asura in front of him. He got on and said, "Catch up to Yuta."
"Woof!"
Asura did not resist being ridden by others, as it was his master's instruction.
Natsu Hiraku watched the "rat" get further and further away, and couldn't help but sigh at how fast the thing really was!
"Well... I should speed up too!"
Crimson cursed energy covered his entire body. He took a step forward, and the ground, scorched dry yesterday, cracked. He shot out like an arrow.
The eyes behind the "rat" stared intently at Natsu Hiraku. Watching him chase and about to catch up, it spoke in a human voice, "Run, run, don't want to be seen, don't want to be talked about, must... get away..."
"Run, my ass! If I couldn't kill you for points, you'd have been minced to pieces already!"
Natsu Hiraku sprinted behind it, his long sword clanging at his waist, but he found he couldn't catch up no matter what. He sped up, and the Cursed Spirit sped up too.
"Tch, I didn't expect this thing to be so fast. Let's see if the Sharingan has any effect."
Natsu Hiraku thought this, his black pupils turning scarlet. Two tomoe spun rapidly. As cursed energy erupted from his pupils, he directly cast a genjutsu, causing its brain to crash.
But...
The "rat" was still running for its life at this moment, seemingly unaffected by the genjutsu. The eyes behind it merely closed for a few seconds before opening again.
"What the hell! What kind of Cursed Spirit is this? Genjutsu is useless?"
As Natsu Hiraku was surprised, Gojo Satoru's voice came, "I forgot to mention, the 'rat' has two brains. One is responsible for controlling the eyes behind it, and the other is the main brain."
"...You bastard!! Just a mere rat, today let's see who has more cursed energy in their body!" Natsu Hiraku's "you bastard" was unclear who he was yelling at, but his voice was exceptionally loud, like a heart-rending cry.
Until... a voice came from the sky, "Blocking you, Natsu Hiraku!"
Two people suddenly appeared at the corner ahead.
Mech-Maru held his right arm with his left hand. At this moment, his right palm was open, and cursed energy was being compressed infinitely.
Noritoshi Kamo had three arrows nocked on his bowstring, the bow drawn taut. Red blood coated the arrowheads.
Natsu Hiraku shouted inwardly, "It's over!" He hadn't expected to be the one ambushed!
Author's Notes:
Chapter two combined!
The "rat" ran past between the two of them, but their attention never shifted from Natsu Hiraku.
The bloodied arrows were shot from the bow. The entire road was only one meter wide. In such a narrow space, he was ambushed by three people. It could be said that Natsu Hiraku was now at a dead end!
"Click—"
Natsu Hiraku held his scabbard with his left hand, his thumb pressing against the hilt to pop out the sword. His scarlet two-tomoe Sharingan instantly captured the trajectory of the three arrows.
He precisely gripped the hilt with his right hand and swung his sword at the three incoming arrows, cleaving them all.
"Lie down! Great Sacred Cannon!!"
Mech-Maru, who had finished charging, fired a cannon. The compressed cursed energy cannon instantly spread out, filling the entire narrow path.
He couldn't dodge this attack!
"Buzz! Dong!!"
The cursed energy cannon instantly sent Natsu Hiraku flying. Even the sturdy wall was smashed into a deep pit. It only stopped when Mech-Maru's right-hand spray device turned red from overload and needed to cool down.
Looking at Natsu Hiraku, who was covered in blood, Mech-Maru said confidently, "Let's go. This move won't kill him, but he won't be conscious for days. Let's go deal with the others."
"Mm."
Noritoshi Kamo nodded. After all, he wasn't confident he could take that blow head-on. Although the ambush was unfair, losing like this only meant his strength was subpar.
"Defeated just like that? I thought he was on the same level as Todo."
Nishinomiya Momo, riding a broom, slowly lowered her altitude. She glanced at Natsu Hiraku, who was embedded in the wall and had lost consciousness. Just as she was about to leave with the two of them.
"Crack—"
Natsu Hiraku slowly opened his eyes, pulled out his right hand, and looked at his broken long sword, saying, "You bunch of bastards are good at surprise attacks, you even broke my sword."
"What!!!"
The three turned around, incredulously seeing Natsu Hiraku on the wall. He slowly pulled out his limbs that were stuck in the wall. The wounds on his body were rapidly healing, and the broken sword in his hand was thrown to the ground like trash.
"Reverse Cursed Technique!"
The teachers watching from the principal's office were shocked. Yoshinobu Gakuganji's hand, holding his cane, trembled.
A group of teachers discussed:
"No way, he knows Reverse Cursed Technique at this age? He seems to be only fifteen."
"Indeed, according to the information, he is indeed fifteen."
"This is troublesome, I have a feeling we're going to lose."
"Dong—"
Yoshinobu Gakuganji's cane tapped the floor. The teachers who were discussing instantly fell silent, waiting for the principal's reaction.
"Chirping like this, what kind of conduct is this? Quietly watch!"
"Yes."
"Wuwuwu! Wuwuwu!"
Utahime Iori struggled as she watched Gojo Satoru's student use "Reverse Cursed Technique" on the screen.
"Whoa, you learned it this quickly? You've got some serious talent."
Gojo Satoru was a bit surprised, but quickly accepted it. After all, he himself had only grasped "Reverse Cursed Technique" when he was on the brink of death. His comprehension was never bad, so it wasn't strange for him to have an epiphany. He then tore off the tape from Utahime Iori's mouth and asked.
Utahime Iori exclaimed in surprise, "What kind of madness did you teach him? You actually got a fifteen-year-old to use Reverse Cursed Technique!"
"I just taught him normally. Besides, if you keep talking, I'll just tape your mouth shut again," Gojo Satoru said, picking his ear with his pinky.
"You..."
Utahime Iori started to speak, but then saw Gojo Satoru reaching for the tape on the table. She quickly said, "I won't talk anymore, just let me breathe."
Even as she said it, she muttered inwardly, "If you make me call Shoko, you're dead!"
Gojo Satoru retracted his right hand and continued watching the screen.
Mech-Maru and Noritoshi Kamo were greatly shocked. Nishinomiya Momo exclaimed in surprise, "No way? They can already use Reverse Cursed Technique? Are all the first-years at Tokyo School devils?"
Natsu Hiraku twisted his neck a few times, making cracking sounds. He directly siphoned 200 Cursed Energy from Asura for his own use. After all, enduring that attack plus the recovery from Reverse Cursed Technique had left his Cursed Energy a bit tight.
A qualified top-tier sorcerer must perfectly control their negative emotions. At this moment, he was angry, but not to the point of losing his mind. Instead, he transferred his resentment to his broken blade.
In other words, he was now seeking revenge for his broken sword. His Cursed Energy surged back ceaselessly with this negative emotion. Although the amount was small, it was enough.
"First, I need to deal with the nuisances!"
Natsu Hiraku's black pupils turned red. His two tomoe pupils reflected Nishinomiya Momo's astonished expression. As the Cursed Energy in his eyes erupted fiercely.
But... nothing happened.
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