Advanced Uses of Reverse Cursed Technique

Suguru Geto's heart jolted. He narrowed his eyes at the black figure before him. Its outline and build were identical, making him exclaim, "Is that Amanai?"

The Star Plasma Vessel and her attendant were equally incredulous. Both crowded around the pitch-black model and examined it from head to toe.

Aside from its black skin and inability to move, everything was a perfect, life-size replica. It was so lifelike that even Riko Amanai stared in a daze.

Suguru Geto looked at the unruffled Tsukasa Hatayama in disbelief. "Are you planning to replicate the Star Plasma Vessel and give Tengen a fake for Assimilation?"

Tsukasa Hatayama shook his head. "What's in front of you is only a model of the Star Plasma Vessel. Unlike a real person, it has neither flesh and blood nor consciousness."

"I knew you and Satoru weren't the obedient sort, so one of the three Black Orbs I gave you before the mission was for copying genes and body shape."

Embarrassment crossed Suguru Geto's face. He asked sheepishly, "So you guessed we'd turn traitor later and made preparations in advance?"

"What do you think?"

His red eyes gave Suguru Geto a lingering look. With a mixture of fondness and exasperation, Tsukasa Hatayama said, "As your best friend and the strongest of the three of us, who else would I cover for if not you two?"

"Tsukasa..."

Suguru Geto was genuinely touched. If Riko Amanai hadn't been there, he would have walked over and given his best friend a huge hug of thanks.

Without the Black Orbs his best friend had given him, a bullet might already have gone through Riko Amanai's head.

And now, to cover for him and Satoru, Tsukasa had planned far ahead and used a Black Orb to replicate the Star Plasma Vessel. Who wouldn't love a friend like that and be moved by him?

Tsukasa Hatayama took a small step back and said in disgust, "Stop looking at me with those lovey-dovey eyes. If you want to repay me, do something practical. Like you and Satoru doing my laundry until graduation."

Suguru Geto thumped his chest. "Sure! For covering our asses this time, Satoru and I could even take turns washing your underwear!"

"Get the hell out!" Tsukasa Hatayama instantly lost his composure and bellowed, abandoning all concern for his image.

Suguru Geto chuckled a few times and wisely stopped there. If he kept going, Tsukasa might activate his multicolored eyes and beat him up.

Tsukasa Hatayama glared at Suguru Geto, then regained his usual refined air and placed his right hand on the model's head as though nothing had happened.

Under everyone's puzzled gazes, Tsukasa Hatayama turned to Riko Amanai. "Let me have a drop of your blood. Without it, this will only have your likeness, not your essence."

Riko Amanai didn't offer it immediately. Unsure what to do, she looked to Suguru Geto, instinctively relying on him for guidance.

Suguru Geto nodded with absolute confidence. "Do as Tsukasa says. He's one of my two best friends, and one of the people I trust most in this world."

At that, Riko Amanai first bowed apologetically to Tsukasa Hatayama. Choosing to trust him, she bit her index finger and squeezed out a drop of blood with a cry of pain.

Drawn by the darkness's pull, the blood on her fingertip floated toward Tsukasa Hatayama.

He closed his left hand, conjuring a pitch-black, basin-like vessel out of thin air. Riko Amanai's blood followed the pull and dripped into it.

Tsukasa Hatayama loosely curled his five fingers toward the vessel. Red positive energy from Reverse Cursed Technique burst from his palm and enveloped it as though he were steaming something.

The novel, unusual sight stunned the other three. Their eyes stayed fixed on the vessel.

The next second, something even more astonishing happened. Under the influence of the positive energy, the blood inside the vessel began to multiply.

One drop.

Two drops.

Three drops.

In just a few seconds, the basin-like vessel filled with blood. The sight of blood being created out of thin air left all three onlookers dumbstruck.

Suguru Geto said incredulously, "His control is actually precise enough to reproduce and create blood with Reverse Cursed Technique. Tsukasa's mastery of it is far beyond Shoko's!"

"He can even pull off an advanced technique like this so easily. Does this freak ever hit a bottleneck? I've figured out the principles of reversal, and even I feel crushed!"

"It's simple. Just watch more and learn more, and it'll come naturally." Tsukasa Hatayama spared a moment to humblebrag, presenting it as an easy procedure with no difficulty whatsoever.

Suguru Geto's mouth twitched. Wisely, he shut up. If he kept talking, Tsukasa might start showing off with that lofty air again.

Tsukasa Hatayama set aside his urge to humblebrag. With a slight curl of his left index finger, he drew the blood from the vessel toward the Star Plasma Vessel model in a flowing stream.

Then, little by little, the blood seeped through the black skin and into the model's body.

Once there was enough blood, the right hand resting on its forehead released positive energy from Reverse Cursed Technique, creating everything a human body needed in sequence.

Darkness could embrace all things without distinction, and it could also corrode and replicate them.

The Black Orb liquid that had covered Riko Amanai's skin earlier had already copied everything inside her body.

Now, all he needed to do was use positive energy to create it. The only reason he needed Riko Amanai's blood was the Star Plasma Vessel's unique nature.

Without her blood, it couldn't be called a Star Plasma Vessel. Besides, the blood flowing through a Star Plasma Vessel was more than twice that of an ordinary person.

In truth, he could simply take Riko Amanai away. There was no need to go to the trouble of creating another Star Plasma Vessel.

In the original story, Tengen had accepted the course of fate, forgoing Assimilation and evolving into a giant thumb. But that hadn't affected the barriers she had built across Japan in the slightest.

Still, considering all her years of hard work, making her another Star Plasma Vessel was a way for a junior to compensate her. Whether she underwent Assimilation would be up to her.

If she followed fate as she had in the original story, she could turn into a giant thumb again and let Kenjaku spend every day coveting that thumb-shaped body of hers.

At the thought, Tsukasa Hatayama's lips curved into a scheming smile.

Without Tengen's evolved thumb-shaped body, how will you use the Culling Game to assimilate all humanity, Kenjaku?

Will you switch bodies and painstakingly wait another five hundred years?

As he continued speculating, the new Riko Amanai was completed. Tsukasa Hatayama withdrew his cursed energy and turned his back on the black figure, which now had a body of flesh and blood.

He looked at Suguru Geto, whose face was filled with emotion, and offered a pointed warning. "You'd better turn around. What comes next will be a little risqué."

"Huh?"

Suguru Geto froze, not immediately understanding what he meant.

Then the black substance on the figure's body began peeling away, revealing smooth, fair skin. The sight sent blood spurting from Suguru Geto's nose.

"Don't look!!!"

Her face scarlet, Riko Amanai rose onto her tiptoes and covered Suguru Geto's eyes, mortified and furious.

The person shedding the dark matter was another version of herself. By looking just now, Suguru Geto had effectively seen her completely naked.

Tsukasa Hatayama took off his uniform and, keeping his back turned, tossed it to the bewildered "Riko Amanai" behind him.

Only once the rustling of clothing stopped did Tsukasa Hatayama turn back around, all propriety. Though her fair legs were exposed, every private part that could be covered was covered.

Gradually, "Riko Amanai" emerged from her daze. With a smile on her lips, she looked at her real self, who was still tussling with Suguru Geto, letting her gaze convey a thousand unspoken words.

"Make sure you're happy, other me~"

"Riko Amanai" spoke softly. Wrapped in what little warmth remained in the uniform, she descended the stairs, her forlorn figure disappearing into Tengen's tree dwelling.

Watching her leave, Tsukasa Hatayama bent at the waist and saw her off with a solemn, courtly bow.