A Challenge Before Parting

"So, you... are you leaving?"

Only after Shiratori Gotsu had finished laughing did Hajime Kashimo slowly speak.

"Yeah. I'm planning to turn part of my body into an Incarnation Cursed Object and have some fun a few hundred years from now."

Shiratori Gotsu answered without hesitation.

That was right. From the very beginning, he had never planned to leave the process of creating the Cursed Object to Kenjaku.

Although he had made a Binding Vow with him that prevented Kenjaku from tampering with him in any way, who knew whether that old bastard might find some other way around it?

Besides, he had drawn the advanced technique [Incarnation Cursed Object Creation] from the wheel himself, so he might as well use it.

For something like this, he would feel most at ease doing it himself.

Then, as if he had realized something, Shiratori Gotsu suddenly flashed a mischievous grin:

"What, Koshika? Can't bear to see me go?"

"Yeah," Hajime Kashimo said frankly, without the slightest hesitation.

"...Huh?"

Shiratori Gotsu had only meant to mess with him and make a joke.

He hadn't expected Hajime Kashimo to respond so directly, so readily and without a second thought.

"Wait, is that right?"

Shiratori Gotsu jumped up, his face full of astonishment:

"That's not right, that's not right! You're supposed to say, 'Who'd miss you? I was just asking what you were planning to do,' right?"

As he spoke, he began waving his arms and acting it out:

"Then I'd go, 'Oh, come on, don't be shy!' and keep getting in your face and messing with you like that..."

"I'd say, 'What's there to be embarrassed about? We're good buddies, after all~ Just admit you can't bear to see me go!'"

"Finally, you'd get so mad at me you'd start leaking electricity, then shout, 'I'll electrocute you!' and chase me around trying to beat me up. That's what was supposed to happen, right?"

"The story wasn't supposed to go like this! How could you just admit it and say 'yeah'?"

"That's completely out of character for you!"

Hajime Kashimo watched Shiratori Gotsu hopping around in front of him like a madman. The corner of his eye twitched, and he couldn't help clenching his fist.

In the end, he forced down the urge to punch him, took a deep breath and said:

"If I can't bear to see you go, then I can't. What's there to hide?"

Then he sighed and put on an utterly serious expression:

"Listen, Shiratori Gotsu."

"I used to be lonely all the time, always on my own. You're the only friend I've ever had, and a powerful opponent who has beaten me."

"To be honest, I've been very happy spending these past few days with you."

"So, from my personal point of view, I don't want you to leave."

"But I can't exactly keep you tied to my side forever. That would be too selfish."

"So all I can do is say I can't bear to see you go."

"Under the circumstances, it's better to say it outright. If I kept it to myself, I'd probably feel worse."

After hearing all this, Shiratori Gotsu was overcome by a rush of emotions.

But this wasn't some kind of dilemma where he had to choose one thing or the other.

He cleared his throat, sat back down on the stone stool and snapped his fingers:

"Isn't that easy? You can just undergo Incarnation and come back to life a few hundred years from now too."

"Didn't you say before that there weren't any decent strong opponents in this era?"

"Why don't you come with me a few hundred years into the future?"

In the original story, Hajime Kashimo had accepted Kenjaku's offer when he was old and on the verge of death. After being turned into a Cursed Object, he had undergone Incarnation and come back to life in the [Culling Game].

After Shiratori Gotsu left, the Hajime Kashimo of this timeline would probably make the same choice eventually, once he grew old.

In that case, he might as well get him to make that choice sooner.

"Besides, do you remember what I told you?"

"The Incarnation Cursed Object of Ryomen Sukuna, the [King of Curses] from six hundred years ago, is in Kenjaku's hands too."

"Don't you want to have a spectacular battle with him a few hundred years from now?"

Hearing this, Hajime Kashimo rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

Electricity flickered over his body. "That's a great idea!"

"Abandoning a boring era of your own accord to pursue something more to your liking!"

"As I thought, you have the mindset of a true powerhouse, Shiratori Gotsu!"

With that, he slapped the table and sprang to his feet. "Then it's settled."

"But..."

He looked at Shiratori Gotsu and grinned, the combative, bloodthirsty side of his personality stirring within him:

"Since you're planning to die anyway, why don't we... take this chance to have a serious fight?"

"You did promise me, after all! Once the Martial Exhibition Before the Emperor was over, we'd fight again."

"Sure~" Shiratori Gotsu licked his lips. "I was just thinking I'd like to do something big first too!"

"How about the morning three days from now, on the mountain where we first met? We'll start fighting once Kenjaku gets there."

"Are you a romantic?"

Hajime Kashimo couldn't help teasing him. "Meeting at the place where we first met, and you won't even start fighting until that guy Kenjaku arrives to witness it..."

"You're really sappy, you know that?"

Shiratori Gotsu spread his hands. "It's called a sense of occasion."

"Besides, having another fight at the place where I first beat you..."

"Heh..." Hajime Kashimo slung his lightning staff over his shoulder, his lips curling into a wild grin:

"When the time comes, I'll be serious and giving it everything I've got. Do you really think you can win?"

"Of course!"

Shiratori Gotsu answered confidently:

"I'll win!"