Let's Talk

Sakurada Niji felt utterly free in his own body. Everything around him seemed to fit together so naturally. The world was so harmonious and beautiful, and everything, absolutely everything, seemed to embrace him.

In reality, his body was severely burned. Reverse Cursed Technique was the only thing keeping him alive, and he was already on the verge of passing out from a lack of Cursed Energy. He had to make the right choice before he lost consciousness.

Sakurada Niji did not linger in that state of "unity of heaven and man" for long. He felt the new way of using Cursed Energy within his body-his own Reverse Cursed Technique.

As negative energy, Cursed Energy could not heal the body. But the "positive energy" produced by multiplying negative Cursed Energy by negative Cursed Energy could repair it. Using that "positive energy" to power a Cursed Technique could produce a different effect: "Cursed Technique Reversal."

Sure enough, you can't learn this stuff... It all comes down to a realization on the brink of death. Even now, I couldn't explain how to teach it...

This new power could make the space Sakurada Niji controlled "move," but severely wounded and almost out of Cursed Energy as he was, there was nothing he could do.

Sakurada Niji's Reverse Cursed Technique could move fixed sections of space freely, like a Rubik's Cube. If a physical entity occupied that space, the Cursed Energy required to move it would depend on how much Cursed Energy that entity possessed. As he was now, all Sakurada Niji could manage without losing consciousness was removing Jogo's head.

Sakurada Niji now had to choose: let Jogo live in exchange for his own life and those of the three hostages, or die taking Jogo down with him.

The little Cursed Energy I have left is only enough to kill Jogo, who's already badly wounded. But Hanami is still at full strength. If I kill Jogo, Hanami will break free and catch me before I get more than a few steps away.

Sakurada Niji pulled his phone out of his tattered shirt. Unsurprisingly, it was completely broken.

...I don't know how much time has passed, or what happened to that older guy, the Assistant Supervisor. When I came out of the station's domain, I didn't detect anyone else's Cursed Energy nearby...

Looking at the two girls restrained by Hanami's branches, Sakurada Niji found himself in a bind. He did not have enough Cursed Energy to escape with three people in tow.

I'll just have to... take a gamble...

Sakurada Niji walked up to Jogo and looked at his face. The huge single eye in that twisted face was bloodshot, and his wild laughter had stretched his mouth wide open, exposing teeth like black charcoal.

Sakurada Niji brought his hand closer and used his Cursed Technique to twist the space Jogo occupied, wrenching his head off. Then he deliberately released his Fixing Cursed Technique.

"Huh? Where's the human?" Jogo stared wide-eyed at the spot where Sakurada Niji had been lying. It was already empty.

Sakurada Niji ignored him and carried his head straight over to Hanami. Hanami's body had already begun to move; the Cursed Technique holding Hanami in place was starting to fail.

"Human!!!" Only now did Jogo see his own headless body. Though he could not see Sakurada Niji, he had already guessed who had done it, and he screamed and shouted in Sakurada Niji's hand.

Sakurada Niji stepped forward and deliberately released the Cursed Technique immobilizing Hanami. It would have failed on its own in a moment anyway, but he needed to create the illusion that he was still in decent shape.

Freed from restraint, Hanami remained still rather than attacking rashly, and initiated a telepathic exchange with Sakurada Niji.

What do you intend to do, human? Hanami had seen Jogo in Sakurada Niji's hand. That was the main reason Hanami had not attacked.

"His life in exchange for the two humans you're holding." Sakurada Niji swung Jogo's head toward Hanami as he spoke.

Why? Hanami did not understand. Sacrificing weaker members of their own kind to eliminate a powerful enemy was perfectly normal to them.

"If I want his life, I can take it. But the deaths of our own kind can't be undone. We humans don't abandon the weak among us," Sakurada Niji told Hanami.

...I agree. Let us make a Binding Vow. After a moment of silence, Hanami accepted the proposal.

Jogo said nothing beside them. Perhaps he felt ashamed.

"The Binding Vow is as follows: you release the two human women you're holding and leave with this Cursed Spirit's head. You must not harm any humans in the process." Sakurada Niji laid out the terms of the Binding Vow, including himself under "humans" to ensure his own safety.

...I accept the Binding Vow. Hanami agreed to the terms.

Sakurada Niji inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, though his expression did not change.

"Release them first. Once they're free, I'll toss you the head," Sakurada Niji told Hanami.

Very well. The branches Hanami had formed from Cursed Energy vanished, releasing the two girls.

"Catch." Sakurada Niji kicked Jogo's head over, and Hanami caught it.

"Full marks~!" Sakurada Niji feigned ease, making a show of being in good shape.

"Human!!!! How dare you humiliate me!!!" Even without a body, Jogo would not settle down. He bared his teeth and rolled his eye as he roared in fury.

We are leaving, Jogo. Holding Jogo's head, Hanami stood still as branches growing out of the ground slowly closed around them.

A moment later, Jogo and Hanami disappeared from Sakurada Niji's perception, and Jogo's body slowly dissipated where it stood.

"Phew..." Sakurada Niji finally let out a breath of relief and collapsed straight onto the ground.

"That was... a close one..." Sakurada Niji lay spread-eagled on the ground and began refining Cursed Energy.

If that older Assistant Supervisor isn't dead, backup should be here soon. Even if he couldn't recognize a Special Grade Cursed Spirit's Cursed Energy, he should have heard the fight just now. The police might arrive first...

Sakurada Niji was mentally exhausted. His mind unconsciously began telling him that he was safe now, and he grew sleepier and sleepier...

No... I can't think like that. I'm not safe yet. I can't fall asleep like this...

Enduring the pain, Sakurada Niji pried open his right hand, which had stuck together, and transferred Fufū to his left.

"Hiss... That woke me up..." Sakurada Niji refined Cursed Energy while slowly repairing the burns on his body. The flesh of his right hand had stuck to the sword's hilt from gripping it, and the hilt's pearl rayskin had left its pattern imprinted on his hand.

"...Tsk." Sakurada Niji looked at his shoddily repaired right hand and clicked his tongue in annoyance. This meant that, if he wanted to heal his injuries better, he might need to spend some time studying medicine under Shoko.

I hope Shoko is only that incomprehensible when she's teaching Reverse Cursed Technique...