I'm begging you, don't come back

"Are you kidding me?"

Dai Li realized Suguru Geto was getting serious. He had never expected him to use this move.

Is this guy using me as a practice target because it's his first time using a Maximum Technique?

Damn it. Then I'll just have to go all out and do something crazy.

There's no way I can block or dodge an attack from a mass of cursed energy under someone's control. My best option is still to throw a huge amount of cursed energy at Suguru Geto and clash head-on.

"First, I impose a binding vow on myself. In exchange for losing my automatic cursed energy recovery, my cursed energy output efficiency will rise from 300% to 500% for a certain period."

Dai Li told Suguru Geto outright what binding vow he intended to use. An information advantage no longer mattered. This would be their final exchange, and next he would use the binding vow of revealing his cursed technique to increase his power.

Normally, that would improve his cursed technique's efficiency, but Dai Li wasn't sure whether improving its efficiency would help him now. Shifting that boost to his cursed energy output efficiency was the safer choice.

His cursed technique was an especially unusual one. Borrowing against his future to improve its efficiency now probably wouldn't accomplish anything. Since it wasn't an offensive technique, he lacked that technique-efficiency multiplier.

As for his total cursed energy, he would bring out everything he had just borrowed.

"A binding vow?"

"It seems you understand the rules of jujutsu better than I thought."

The pitch-black vortex behind Suguru Geto kept spinning. The fluctuations of cursed energy compressed from countless cursed spirits exerted an overwhelming pressure.

"Next, in exchange for losing the cursed energy I obtained through binding vows, I'll pour all of it into my next strike."

Just as pouring too much cursed energy into an ordinary cursed tool would damage it, the same applied to a person. Dai Li's body couldn't withstand that enormous amount of cursed energy yet, so he needed another binding vow.

"Finally, my cursed technique, Life and Binding, allows me to impose binding vows on myself in exchange for greater benefits than ordinary binding vows provide."

Dai Li might not have been very good at explaining it, since his cursed technique really was somewhat complicated. But as long as he wasn't deliberately withholding information, the technique disclosure would take effect.

"Of course, it follows the principle of equivalent exchange. And since it's a cursed technique, it also consumes cursed energy."

"My technique can even increase a jujutsu sorcerer's total cursed energy, but that requires paying the corresponding price and cursed energy."

"All right, that concludes the explanation."

"Oh? So that sudden surge in your cursed energy earlier came from your technique? Then I have another question..."

Suguru Geto was clearly fascinated by Dai Li's cursed technique.

"This is a technique disclosure, not a debate! If you really want to sit down and discuss it, put down that ball of cursed spirits, take me to a fancy café, and buy me dessert! Then I'll explain it at my leisure, you bastard!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Once Uzumaki begins, I can't turn the cursed spirits already converted into cursed energy back into spirits. If I don't kill you, won't my cursed spirits have died for nothing?"

"Although I still have some questions about your technique, testing my Maximum Technique is more valuable."

The final strike came. Dai Li said nothing more. He planted his fingertips on the ground, stepped his left leg forward, and bent his right knee.

It was a starting stance for a sprint.

"Here it comes?"

This much cursed energy...

How the hell did Suguru Geto extract cursed energy from so many cursed spirits at once?

In other words, he caught all these Pokémon and released every last one just to deal with me.

Does this guy have no heart?

"Maximum: Uzumaki."

Cursed energy shot out of the black vortex in an instant, transforming into twisted, red-eyed phantoms that surged toward him.

Sparks burst from Dai Li's toes as he used his crouching start to load himself like a spring.

Then he imposed two more binding vows on himself, right there.

First, he reduced the efficiency of cursed energy released through his hands, making his feet the main outlet for his cursed energy instead.

Second, in exchange for his cursed energy losing its blue color, he changed the color of his released cursed energy to red.

The former would let him better unleash the power of his cursed energy. The latter was purely to look cool. Even if he died, he wanted to look cool doing it.

"Run, run, run!"

Dai Li launched himself forward, reaching his top speed in the blink of an eye.

His target was clear. He charged straight at the mass of black cursed energy and drove his right foot into it.

"Night Guy!"

It was the name of a move from a hot-blooded action anime Dai Li had watched before. Its power certainly fell far short of the original, but the move suited his determination to face death and seize life. Shouting its name doubled his courage.

Scarlet cursed energy surged with him. Vast quantities gathered around him, with him at their center. Once all that cursed energy converged, its length truly resembled the beginnings of a dragon. The earth shattered wherever he stepped, utterly unable to withstand the force.

At the sight of that strike, Suguru Geto's expression grew more ferocious, and his control over his cursed energy became even more precise.

He hadn't expected a strike in which he had held back to provoke an all-out counterattack from Dai Li.

The two immense forces of cursed energy collided, and the entire mountain rumbled as though struck by an earthquake.

After the clash, dust filled the air. No one could see what had happened.

"That was fun! So much fun!"

An exclamation that sounded utterly delighted rang out from within.

With a rustle, a strong wind swept the dust away.

The person standing amid that billowing dust, voicing his delight, was-

Dai Li. He was the one still standing!

"Cough, cough... To think this battle would end in my defeat..."

Suguru Geto lay sprawled in a pool of blood, half his face mangled. There wasn't a single part of his body that wasn't bleeding.

Dai Li really had kicked him straight in the face. He hadn't had much cursed energy left after the clash, but it had been enough to inflict a serious injury on Suguru Geto.

"It's over. Hurry up and go home, curse user."

Dai Li spoke without a trace of emotion. He showed Suguru Geto no pity.

"Letting your opponent go just like that is a grave mistake. You know I wanted to kill you."

"No, you didn't."

"You never intended to kill me in the first place. You only wanted to see my limits.

This should be enough, right? You've still got something in reserve, don't you? Your special grade cursed spirit is still here."

Dai Li had noticed long ago that Suguru Geto was holding back, even before that final clash.

"Well, this really is something."

Suguru Geto let out a long sigh. He found himself admiring the young jujutsu sorcerer before him more and more.

"Jujutsu Society really does produce one talent after another. I'm deeply moved to see someone like you among today's jujutsu sorcerers."

How disgusting. Is this guy putting on some tragic melodrama?

"Then stop doing that whole..."

"But most young sorcerers still need my protection. I will continue pursuing my goal."

Before speaking, he had summoned a flying bird cursed spirit. Once he finished, he climbed aboard.

Only when Dai Li watched the cursed spirit carry Suguru Geto away did the tension finally leave him.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Dai Li."

With those words, Suguru Geto flew off.

"I don't want to see you at all. I'm begging you, don't come back."

Once Suguru Geto was far away, Dai Li immediately slumped against a rock, utterly drained in body and spirit.

"Shit. That guy's finally gone."

Unlike Suguru Geto, who had still seemed somewhat at ease despite his serious injuries, Dai Li had been holding himself together through sheer force of will.