Chapter 66: The Master Mind.
—OoOoO—
"Senpai, you're not joking, are you? Telling me to use my technique in active combat? In case you forgot or suddenly became an idiot, I’m a support type, Senpai."
Iroha complained, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. Her left cheek puffed out slightly, indicating the absurdity of her senior's words.
“Mine is also a support type,” Hachiman immediately refuted that reasoning, “but people think the way I use it is unique, that they even call it the first of its kind.”
That reply immediately silenced the short-haired girl. Unfortunately, her senior's tirade didn't stop there.
"That bastard Todo from Kyoto is also basically a support type, but he can use it very aggressively. And Hiratsuka-sensei's barrier technique is actually a classic technique used by Tengen-sama, something with a strong paradigm as a defensive technique."
Realising that there was no logical reasoning to break down that framework of thought, Iroha simply let out a long sigh.
“You know my goal is just to become an assistant manager, right? I don’t need high-level fighting skills like you, Senpai.”
The girl turned her face to the side, as if she were sulking.
"I've followed Gojo-sensei and Hiratsuka-sensei's orders to polish the radar capabilities of my cursed technique. And instead of praise, I've received even higher demands."
“This brat….”
Hachiman growled at the behaviour his junior was displaying.
However, a wise old man once said that every person had their own unique characteristics, including how they found motivation to grow. Sometimes, the same approach just didn’t work.
Satoru was incredibly bad at that aspect. He might be excellent at spotting talent, but once someone didn’t suit his style, he stuck with them without being able to provide the solutions they truly needed. That was why, when Hiratsuka was looking for a student who was aiming only for the assistant manager position, he immediately placed Iroha in her care. He considered someone like Hiratsuka, who tended to use an emotional approach, a better fit for people like Iroha.
“I used to think that way too,” Hachiman said, trying to be patient with his junior’s spoiled attitude. “I felt that if I managed to get promoted to first grade, I wouldn’t have to bother fighting harder just to get stronger.”
The boy then sat down on the grass next to Iroha.
"However, Gojo-sensei reminded me that what I should be seeking shouldn't be status or position, but absolute power to protect my family. Therefore, I’ve no choice but to drag myself along and fight with all my might to become stronger every day, even though I don’t feel really like it."
Iroha didn't look at the boy. Or rather, she tried to avoid eye contact with him. She lifted her knees as her arms wrapped around them, then buried her face in the gap, as if she wasn't in the mood to listen to the lecture.
However, Hachiman didn't care about the girl's reaction and continued what he needed to say.
“You want to be an assistant manager because you don't like being on the front lines where there's always danger, right?”
“Only a madman would throw their life away to face death just for some extra cash that they might not even be able to spend in their lifetime,” Iroha replied, still not looking at Hachiman.
"But you know that today's assistant managers aren't immune to danger either, right? Last year alone, the association lost many of them in the Hyakki Yagyo incident."
“I know we’re short of people right now. That’s why Hiratsuka-sensei was looking for someone who had only wanted to be an assistant manager,” Iroha then sighed softly, “And I volunteered at the time, because she had no intention of putting someone under her direct training.”
Although today Hiratsuka Shizuka was famous for as Hachiman’s and Iroha’s master, it took quite a long journey for her to actually accept a student under her guidance. The program, where she sponsored and took them to field practice in Chiba for those who want to become assistant managers, was something she initiated purely due to the limited manpower caused by the Geto Suguru incident the previous year.
Even when Hachiman moved to Sobu, Satoru simply asked her to keep an eye on his progress. Her haunting past experiences, which even led to a temporary hiatus from the world of jujutsu, often served as a major obstacle to her mental state. Ultimately, however, to ensure the new generation wouldn't suffer the same loss she had and to see a glimmer of hope for the future, she decided to take a fresh approach and lay a foundation for them to thrive.
“In the end, even if you just want to live a simple life, you still need the power to make sure you can live the life you want,” Hachiman provided some insight.
“So, what do you want me to do?” the girl finally gave up trying to defend herself, “Senpai, you said you wouldn’t be too involved in honing my technique from now on, and then you suddenly ask me for these impossible-sounding things. Are you crazy? Like, seriously?”
Hachiman's face immediately turned sour when he heard the scolding.
“When I said that, I meant I wanted you to look for inspiration elsewhere, and not from me, you idiot.”
“Oh, really? And what do you think will make the difference?” Iroha stared at his face intently, narrowing her eyes in reply, “Doesn’t that just mean you’re lazy to help me out, Senpai? I’m going to tell on you to Sensei, you hear me?”
Faced with his junior's behaviour, who was sulking again, the boy reflexively flicked her forehead.
“Ah, Senpai!” Iroha groaned as she held her smoking forehead.
“I knew you were an idiot, but I didn't think you were this idiotic.”
“Ugh… could you spell those words a little more gently, please?” the girl replied with her mouth pursed.
However, Hachiman seemed indifferent to her spoiled request.
"I don't want to get too involved in that because I developed my techniques specifically for my fighting style, with a mindset that's completely incompatible with yours. Therefore, you need to do it on your own, or at least seek help from someone who understands the fundamentals better than I do."
“Even if you say that, Hiratsuka-sensei also said she wouldn’t help me unless I came up with a clear idea,” Iroha complained again.
However, Hachiman understood how the girl felt. While it seemed like a clear program, Hiratsuka's teaching style placed a strong emphasis on fundamental understanding. She would constantly repeat lessons until her students had a solid grasp of the fundamentals of jujutsu magic. Even though Hachiman had reached special grade, she would provide him with these materials every time she started her session.
If either he or Iroha wanted guidance in developing their techniques, they needed to come to Hiratsuka with a well-thought-out concept.
It was quite different from Gojo Satoru's approach, which tended to stimulate his students' creativity through increasingly difficult field experiences. Or, if there weren't any missions with the level of difficulty he expected, he would even make himself an enemy to beat up his students and teach them a lesson directly in the hardest way possible.
Therefore, figures like Hakari Kinji, Hikigaya Hachiman, and Okkotsu Yuta each had their own unique fighting styles. If Satoru had encouraged Iroha to go to Hiratsuka from the start, it would have meant he didn't see his teaching style as a good fit for her. Thus, if Hachiman, who had developed through Satoru's teaching style, had gotten too involved in helping Iroha with her training, it might not have been effective.
"Come on, help me. You're the one who pushed me this far, Senpai. At least take responsibility and make me truly stronger," the girl said, slightly sulking.
“The way you say it can make people misunderstand, you know.”
“I don’t care. You have to take responsibility!” Iroha started shaking his shoulders.
However, what the girl said disturbed him a little. Moreover, even if he was reluctant, he still needed to finish what he started. The concept of changing the function of her telepathic abilities to radar also came from him. So, a little encouragement wouldn’t hurt either.
"I'll just give you one hint. From now on, you can figure it out on your own or work with Hiratsuka-sensei," Hachiman said.
To which, Iroha nodded and looked at him enthusiastically.
“You know, even though our cursed techniques are different, in one particular way, I can see a slight overlap.”
—OoOoO—
"They're here, I guess," said Iroha.
“And on what basis do you think that?”
"During the incident at the Chiba Museum a few months ago, a sniper shot us from this spot. And if there's a suitable place to hide around Inohana, this building is it," the short-haired girl explained.
Iroha and Yumiko stood in front of an abandoned building. From the outside, the structure appeared sturdy and well-maintained, leading one to believe it was a place in active daily operation.
“Besides, I sense the presence of several people upstairs.”
Iroha then raised her hand, which made Yumiko look at her with a slightly raised eyebrow. However, her confusion was immediately overshadowed when a creature suddenly floated above them and dropped something. Iroha caught it, and only then did Yumiko realise it was a katana.
“I didn’t know you had a shikigami too,” said the blonde girl with pigtails.
“Well, I only learned about it recently. This little guy is just a regular shikigami that takes my equipment if I leave it in the car.”
Iroha appeared to be untying the obi that held her yukata together, causing Yumiko to gasp. However, contrary to her expectations, the girl appeared to have already prepared herself with a more comfortable jersey and shorts underneath for her activities.
“You didn't think I would be naked in a public place like this, did you, Yumiko-senpai?”
The question made Yumiko pull her head back a little.
“Of course not!” the girl quickly denied, “I was just surprised when you suddenly took off your yukata.”
To which, Iroha just snorted softly with the corners of her lips tilted up.
“While there’s nothing wrong with wearing casual clothes like you did from the start, you can also consider wearing comfortable clothes for activities underneath formal clothes to blend in better with the environment.”
“That sounds like a hassle, though,” Yumiko remarked.
Yukata were worn during the summer because the fabric was quite thin and soft, making it very comfortable against the skin and allowing air to circulate, removing the stale air trapped in the clothes. Because of that, people generally only wear underwear under their yukata, and some even wear nothing at all. However, the thought of having to double up in the heat of summer sounded like a real torture.
“It depends on the power of the opponent, but we could die here,” Iroha said with a new topic.
The girl didn't look at Yumiko. She simply handed the roughly folded yukata to her shikigami.
“I ask you one more time. Are you prepared for that, Yumiko-senpai?”
Yumiko unconsciously swallowed her saliva.
“Thank you for worrying about me, but I won't back down until I ensure my friends' safety.”
Hearing this unwavering resolve despite her inner fear, Iroha gained operational legitimacy when the person she prioritised to protect refused to leave. For a pragmatist who prioritised her own safety above all else, Yumiko's confession was enough to justify her use of it to turn the tide.
“Okay, I’ll lower the curtain. Since this is in the middle of the city, I’ll make the barrier sturdier so no one can get in or out easily.”
Iroha paused her words for a moment to see the sincerity shining in Yumiko's eyes.
“And once I finish lowering the Curtain, there's no way for you to go back, Yumiko-senpai.”
—OoOoO—
The building, which appeared well-maintained from the outside, was surprisingly empty inside, completely devoid of any furniture. Each floor felt like a labyrinth, where every step echoed. No one knew why the seemingly new building had become such an abandoned place. However, everyone agreed on one thing, it was the perfect hideout for thugs, criminals, or other dangerous individuals.
And in an upstairs hall in the building that rose to twelve floors, there was a man with long black hair who appeared to be standing with several humans who were sitting weakly, leaning against the wall, unconscious.
“I sensed the presence of two little sorcerers out there all along, but I almost lost my patience and came to your place because you took too long.”
The man then turned around with a wide grin, welcoming his two guests who were standing at the door.
“Welcome, sorceresses,” he greeted.
Iroha and Yumiko didn't seem interested in returning the pleasantries. They glanced around at the kidnapped people and checked whether their friends were there too.
"Not just three or four people, but seven at once? For an illegal sorcerer, aren't you afraid to operate so openly?" asked the girl with short brown hair.
“Afraid? Why should I be afraid over something as trivial as this?”
This answer made Iroha frown. After all, a decade ago, since Gojo Satoru had been actively purging Japan of illegal sorcerers or curse users, the crime rate they caused had dropped drastically to nearly zero cases annually.
“Seriously? You know Gojo Satoru won’t let you off the hook after the mess you caused, right?” Iroha tried to buy some time.
“Gojo Satoru? Never heard of that name. Though, judging by his name, it seems he's another member of the Gojo clan.”
Not only Iroha, but even Yumiko was shocked by those words. Even for someone new to the Jujutsu Society, Gojo Satoru's name was widely known, and he was almost always involved in major events and significant changes in the modern era. Even a newbie like her could immediately sense his influence on the modern world order when she looked at some of his activity logs from the past five years.
Therefore, seeing someone who has been around in this society for so long and has never heard of Gojo Satoru at all was truly something that didn’t make sense.
"I thought you were a new sorcerer like Haruno-san and Yumiko-senpai because you didn't know Gojo-sensei. However, considering you're familiar with the Gojo Clan, that doesn't seem to be the case," Iroha said.
The man didn't reply, only grinning even wider. His eyes then landed on Yumiko, staring at her so intently that she swallowed her saliva involuntarily.
“Enough about that. If you want to take these people away, just do it. They're no use to me anymore.”
Yumiko narrowed her eyes.
“W-what do you mean? W-what are you really planning?” she steeled herself to open her mouth despite her fear.
“Nothing,” the man replied nonchalantly with a shrug, “I heard that sorcerers in this era are quite strange and have started acting like they’re heroes of justice trying to protect the weak.”
The man then walked slowly towards the window on the edge of the room to open the way as wide as possible for them to evacuate the people he had kidnapped.
“That's why I used these monkeys to lure you out, and test how powerful the sorcerers of this era are.”
“And what would you do if we didn’t come?” asked Yumiko.
The grin on the man's face suddenly disappeared and was replaced with an expression of sadness and disappointment.
“Well, maybe I’d kill these monkeys slowly? I still need some entertainment, after all.”
Even though the man said it in a sad tone, anyone would immediately know that those were just the words of a psychopath who cared about nothing but pleasure.
“Come on, come on. Take them away if you want, but you’ve to promise to come back. I’m a humble man, you know that?” he continued.
Iroha narrowed her eyes. Her hand quickly drew the katana sheathed at her waist. She pointed the tip of the blade at the man, keeping herself on high alert and ready for any sudden moves. The girl stepped forward, walking at an angle to avoid distracting her opponent. Meanwhile, Yumiko followed behind her, breathing slightly laboured.
“Yumiko-senpai, you can take Tobe-senpai and the others out, right?” Iroha whispered.
The blonde-haired girl then glanced at her three unconscious friends. If it were her past self, she would probably have immediately and firmly stated that it was absurd. Moreover, the boys were much larger than she was.
“It might be difficult, but I think I can do it,” the girl replied.
Cursed Energy Reinforcement didn’t necessarily grant its users extra raw strength. Essentially, their physical strength remained the same. However, with the reinforcement of cursed energy, their muscles and bones become stronger than those of ordinary humans, allowing them to withstand heavier loads or even strike harder.
Tobe was carried on her back with his hands pinched under Yumiko’s neck and chin, causing his feet to drag on the floor due to the significant height difference. Meanwhile, while Oka and Yamato were carried on either side of her. The scene was amusing, but the vibe was a stark contrast to the room's atmosphere.
“Iroha-chan, aren’t you going down with the other victims?” Yumiko asked innocently.
“Are you an idiot? Leaving this room while carrying a burden and leaving our backs exposed without any protection?” Iroha’s harsh words made the blonde girl flinch slightly, “Yumiko-senpai, if you believe the words of an unknown sorcerer, even if he offers a Binding Vow, you’ll only end up being the one who’ll always be exploited because of your naivety, you know?”
Iroha didn't regret her sarcastic reply. Even if Yumiko's face had gone pale, she didn't think what she had just said was wrong. In fact, it was better to tell her firmly and with a bit of cruelty so it would be more deeply imprinted in her memory than to let her senior live in the illusion that the Binding Vow could guarantee everything.
“And you don’t think you can fool us just because we look like helpless, naive girls, do you?” Iroha said to the man with her katana still pointed at him.
"Ah, what a shame. It’d have been nice to see you girls have any hope of escaping, yet I messed you up and stabbed you in the back," the man replied without any remorse.
Meanwhile, Yumiko's throat tightened, making her stop breathing for a moment upon hearing those words. Just one mistake—if Iroha had chosen to listen and help her—could have ended up with a hole through their back to the chest.
"Then, I'll be going. I promise I'll be back soon," Yumiko said softly.
“Yeah, you better get back here,” Iroha replied without taking her eyes off her opponent.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the hall as Yumiko took her first steps. They weren't firm or swift, but rather a shuffling sound, as if each step carried a heavy weight.
Scrape... tap... scrape... tap...
The rhythm of Yumiko’s departure was slow and unhurried, but that was precisely what made the atmosphere all the more stifling. Each step felt like an invisible countdown, marking the final seconds before the inevitable clash.
The silence between the footsteps was far more disturbing than the sound itself. Between the two humans who had decided to remain in the hall, no one spoke and moved from their places at all. Only the echo of footsteps continued to recede, striking their nerves one by one with an almost methodical thump.
As the voice grew fainter, Iroha exhaled softly and lowered her centre of gravity. Her feet shifted to form a firm foothold, ready to absorb or release power at a moment's notice. Her katana, initially brandished, was now gripped with both hands. The blade was pulled back slightly, while the hilt was parallel to the side of her head, placing her in a position that allowed for attacks and blocks without excessive movement.
Her gaze never left the end of the hall. Her muscles tensed, but not from nervousness. It was the tension of a warrior who had accepted the fact that the battle had begun long before the first sword was swung. And when the sound of footsteps finally faded beyond the door, the silence that followed felt far tenser than the echoes that had preceded it.
The man immediately charged straight at the short-haired girl at high speed with his fist ready to land. Iroha narrowed her eyes and brought her sword down diagonally with the sharp edge facing out.
As if having no worries that the blade would sever his hand, the man still sent his blow straight at the sword.
“Huh?”
Iroha furrowed her brows when what happened didn't match her expectations. Instead of being sliced apart by her katana, something invisible, something even a sensory-type sorcerer like her couldn't see, enveloped the fist, creating a gap between the sword and the fist. It almost looked like….
'Infinity? No. That's impossible,' Iroha thought.
The man's left hand then formed a hand seal. Although Iroha's eyes caught the slight movement, she didn't notice any change. However, less than a second after the question lingered in her mind, an invisible force struck her in the stomach, sending her flying to the other end of the room.
Boom!
The sound of the thud was quite loud when Iroha's body hit the wall that separated the room from the corridor.
“Ugh…,” the girl groaned.
Her eyes widened as her radar detected a swift movement heading her way. Unlike before, when Iroha had tried to block it with her sword, this time she shifted her body to the side to avoid the kick that was attempting to sweep her head off.
Iroha didn't simply attempt to dodge. When the kick failed to reach her, she immediately swung her katana horizontally to the right, attempting to slice through the man's body. However, before the blade could even reach him, something that her naked eyes couldn’t see prevented her sword from hitting him.
“Nice try, little girl,” the man said in a condescending tone.
Iroha then glanced at him and realised that he had changed his hand seals. She thought about strengthening her stomach area, preventing another sudden attack like before. Unfortunately, as if knowing what she was thinking, the man instead punched her in the head.
“Guh!”
Luckily, she had a solid stance, so the blow didn't send her flying to the corner of the room like before.
'This is bad, I have no intel at all,' she thought as her head was buzzing.
Not wanting to get involved in a close-range attack, Iroha immediately jumped away to get a safe distance from her opponent.
'What was with that punch? It wasn't just strong, and rather than a fist, I felt like I'd been hit by a bowling ball.'
It was hard to imagine what had just happened, especially since she couldn't actually see it. However, the pain was palpable. She had expected the blow to hurt, just like any other high-ranking sorcerer. But more than that, the thing that had struck her felt like it was much larger than his fist.
'Yumiko-senpai, when will you be back? No, not her, isn't there a more experienced sorcerer coming even though I already shared my location?'
Iroha inhaled and exhaled slowly, taking a long breath to get her heart rhythm back in order.
"Come," said Iroha coldly as she sheathed her katana.
It wasn't even a provocation, but simply a direct challenge. However, the man seemed quite excited by the girl's boldness.
“I heard that sorcerers in this era are weak, and it seems you’re indeed weak,” he paused for a moment, “But at least I respect your guts, Little Lady.”
Hearing that, Iroha shifted her centre of gravity again by dragging her right foot forward slightly. Meanwhile, her right hand gripped the hilt of the sword she had resheathed.
The man shot towards Iroha, delivering a small blast to his foot to give him an extra boost.
“Natural Spirit's Comprehension Style: Simple Domain,” Iroha cast her spell.
Which made the man frown slightly.
'Simple Domain? And she doesn't use the Ashiya Clan's swordsmanship? Interesting.'
While it didn’t produce flashy or bombastic effects like Domain Expansion or Maximum Technique, Simple Domain was actually a very useful spell. Its primary use was as an anti-domain technique. But more than that, people often overlook that anti-domain abilities didn't come by default but rather with specific mechanisms that, if developed, could become truly troublesome spells.
Just as Falling Blossom Emotion could target cursed techniques to neutralise the sure-hit effect of a domain, Simple Domain also had more or less the same function. When used within a domain where the cursed technique was engineered alongside a barrier, Simple Domain could work optimally to neutralise the sure-hit effect. Because, as a derivative of barrier techniques, it could disrupt the barrier function of Domain Expansion. However, when used outside, in an environment without barriers, Simple Domain wouldn’t completely negate cursed techniques as it could inside a domain.
'Depending on how strong his technique is, if what that guy has is truly like Gojo-sensei's Infinity, no matter how strong the Simple Domain is it won't be able to cut him,' Iroha thought with her eyes focused on her incoming opponent, 'However, if his technique is just something resembling Infinity, I should be able to break through his defence and cut him.'
As the man entered the range of Iroha's Simple Domain, she slightly raised her sword and sheath diagonally, then pulled the blade halfway out of its sheath. Unlike the New Shadow Style, which tended to employ quick-draw techniques, the Natural Spirit's Comprehension Style utilised the opponent's momentum to counterattack.
Though that was exactly what should have happened. However, Iroha didn't wait for her opponent. Instead, she spun around to deliver a swift roundhouse kick that successfully hit the man in the head.
Simple Domain disappeared as soon as she changed her stance, but she didn't care much because her objective had been fulfilled.
“Cursed Technique Released: Mind Telepathy.”
Hearing the spell, the man tensed slightly, preparing for the impending attack. However, nothing came even after two seconds had passed.
“A cursed technique that doesn’t provide any direct attack effect, I hate it,” the man said with a bit of swearing.
However, his face seemed to express interest.
“Yeah, I have you to thank for underestimating me,” Iroha replied flatly, “Now, it’s my turn to kick your ass.”
Iroha immediately shot forward. With only a few metres between them, she closed the gap in the blink of an eye. As soon as she entered striking range, her katana blade flashed through the air, aiming straight for the man's arm. Her movement was clean and without hesitation, making the slash seem effortless.
“Huh? How?” The man could only glance at his suddenly amputated hand.
Ignoring the pain that was starting to spread, he immediately jumped away, taking a safe distance from the girl.
“You’re surprised, aren’t you, that your hand was split open instead of your chest?” Iroha asked.
She walked calmly, not consumed by the desire to chase her opponent just because she had just managed to land a clean attack.
"My cursed technique is Telepathy, or at least that’s what I believed. I originally thought it was just a means of communication, but Gojo-sensei told me it held a lot of potential."
The man frowned as he noticed the girl was about to activate her Binding Vow, Revealing One's Hand. However, since he needed as much information as possible about this strange technique, which even caused him to misread her attacks, he didn't have the luxury of preventing her from activating it.
"The basic principle is simple. By marking my targets through physical contact, I can connect and communicate with them. In other words, I can read their thoughts to some extent and transmit my thoughts to them."
Iroha paused again as she stopped walking when her distance from her opponent was back to what she considered the ideal range.
“So, you messed with my mind by giving me the wrong information?” the man asked.
“More precisely, I hijack your brain’s anticipation process by sending information to trigger false muscle memories.”
Because Hachiman influenced her growth, Iroha began to understand what the boy meant when he said there was one thing that overlapped in their abilities.
Hachiman's cursed technique was an illusion. Essentially, it created a false experience through visual and other sensory illusions to trick the target's mind. In that regard, Iroha certainly couldn’t do that. However, when it came to the "brain," her cursed technique could directly target her opponent's brain, something she has used frequently since it awakened when she was a child.
In a battle, one relied heavily on muscle memory and natural reflexes.
A natural reflex only worked when the nervous system detected unusual stimuli, causing the body to move without requiring commands from the brain. Hachiman's technique generally operated in this area to confuse his targets.
Meanwhile, while it might sound like a natural reflex, muscle memory was actually a slightly different phenomenon with a different control process. While a natural reflex was processed in the central nervous system, muscle memory still required brain commands to function. However, humans, not just jujutsu sorcerers, train their muscle memory to recognise patterns, thus enabling faster reflexes.
Top-class fighters combine these two concepts to create harmonious synergy in a fight. However, if either was disrupted, their movements would appear amateurish.
“That damn technique that allows you to give false input to the brain, what a troublesome trick,” the man said casually.
His blood-splattered, amputated hand began to glow with a white energy. Instantly, a new hand grew from nothing through his rapid regeneration.
“Reverse Cursed Technique? And that fast?”
Iroha furrowed her brows.
'He did it so casually. His cursed energy can't possibly be as much as Okkotsu-senpai's, right? No, I don't think so. Considering I failed to notice a sorcerer infiltrating Inohana Park, it seems more like this person has extraordinary energy control rather than a massive amount of energy.'
“Your trick is amazing, but that’s not all you have up your sleeve, is it, Little Lady? Don’t disappoint me after I’ve gotten my passion a little pumped up,” the man said with a hint of provocation.
Iroha hated provocation. She did enjoy teasing people, especially her senior when Haruno wasn’t around. However, she preferred sweet words over cold, cringy provocations.
With that, the girl immediately shot forward without hesitation. Of course, her opponent had no intention of standing still and taking the attack. The man immediately clasped his hands together to form a seal, then unleashed a strike at her.
But this time, Iroha was better prepared. She first crossed diagonally to the left to get out of the way of the attack. Without losing momentum, she cut back to the right in a sharp arc, exploiting the momentary gap created to break back into her opponent's range.
'She reacted to my attack?' the man thought in surprise.
Seeing the incoming attack, he didn't try to block the slash with his technique. Instead, he chose to dodge with an effective move, anticipating that his body would make a fatal movement without his command when his brain was hijacked again by the girl.
However, Iroha continued to pressure her opponent, giving him no chance to catch his breath. She immediately closed the distance and swung her katana in a diagonal slash from bottom to top.
The man reacted quickly. He twisted his body to the side, allowing the blade's tip to pass just centimetres before him. However, Iroha had anticipated this manoeuvre. Before her first swing could even finish, she immediately twisted her waist and changed the direction of her attack to a horizontal slash aimed at her opponent's chest.
The man immediately jumped back, letting the katana blade leave a thin rip on the hem of his shirt.
Before her feet could land properly, Iroha lunged again. This time, she thrust her sword straight forward. The man deflected the blade's trajectory with his left arm, twisting his body out of the way. At the same time, his right hand lashed out like a whip toward Iroha's face.
However, without even needing to see the direction the counterattack was coming from, Iroha was able to dodge the blow quite easily by lowering her head.
'Is it just me or can this girl really read all my moves and dodge them efficiently?'
Their eyes met, but they both turned away almost simultaneously.
The man stepped in first and launched a rapid combination of punches at Iroha's chest and head. Iroha didn't back down. She used the hilt and back of her sword to deflect the attacks. Each impact produced a dull thud that echoed through the hall.
'She repelled all attacks that I didn't imbue with my cursed technique.'
The man turned his body to deliver a spinning back kick while secretly performing a hand seal with one hand.
Judging by the pattern, Iroha should have blocked the kick as well. However, she instead jumped to the side with a roll, allowing the kick to hit nothing but air, with its force alone smashing through the wall several metres in front of him.
‘When I don't use my technique, she chooses to block all my attacks to maintain distance. However, once I use my technique, she doesn't hesitate to lose that distance to avoid it,’ the man thought, still trying to analyse his opponent's abilities.
With Iroha dodging the previous attack, the distance was opened. However, it only lasted for a moment.
The girl advanced again. Her katana swung in succession from various angles. Vertical, diagonal, and then horizontal. All of these attacks forced her opponent to constantly dodge. As a hand-to-hand combatant, the man couldn't allow a single slash to hit him. He kept moving, rolling his shoulders, ducking his head, and shifting his feet to avoid the oncoming blades.
Unfortunately, his body reacted against his will. His hands suddenly shot up reflexively to protect his head, using his instantly activated technique. However, the sword instead attempted to pierce his heart. Fortunately, his brain quickly reset as he managed to twist to the side, allowing the stab to leave a deep gash in his chest, gushing fresh blood.
Ignoring the attack that nearly took his heart, the man suddenly charged into sword range. He intended to close the distance, preventing the girl from gaining optimal momentum to use her sword technique.
His right elbow shot towards Iroha's jaw.
The girl's eyes narrowed. She released her left hand from the hilt of her sword and used it to block the other's arm. A loud clash occurred between them.
The man tried to follow up with another punch, but faster.
However, even though speed wasn't her speciality, Iroha managed to anticipate it by pushing her opponent's body away using her own shoulder, creating enough space to move the sword once more.
The katana blade glistened in the moonlight that came in through the windows of the building.
“Natural Spirit's Comprehension Style: Simple Domain.”
A two-metre area was created with the girl in the centre. Without wasting any time, she executed a full quick draw technique, aiming for her opponent's neck.
The man was forced to dodge with a high jump to prevent the slash from separating his head from his body. However, he still got a diagonal cut across his face.
“Cursed Technique Released….”
For the first time in the fight, the man not only formed a hand seal but also chanted a spell.
“Gas Blender.”
Iroha's eyes widened, her body frozen, unsure of where to move. Realising she had no other options left, she decided to strengthen her stance and coat her body with the most refined cursed energy possible.
‘She didn't release her Simple Domain, but instead strengthened it by reinforcing it throughout her body. As expected, she can read my attacks accurately,’ the man thought to himself.
It was a test he was conducting to see how far Iroha could react. The technique he unleashed wasn't just a one-way attack but came from multiple sources, ready to crush her in one fell swoop. Therefore, dodging would be futile. Furthermore, he could actually read that far ahead. Something impossible if he hadn't known all the attacks would come simultaneously.
'Shit. After single attacks didn't work, he now resorts to asymmetrical attacks,' Iroha clenched her jaw.
There was no escape. At least, that was the information the girl had received. There was no guarantee that this was truly the case, considering this was her first time using this ability in actual combat. However, there was no reason for her to doubt the input she had gained from her own technique.
“Natural Spirit's Comprehension Style: Simple Domain,” Iroha repeated her spell.
Simultaneously, her body was enveloped in a blue energy glow.
Right after, an invisible air pressure that was crushing from all directions hit her.
The girl immediately strengthened her footing, her domain seemingly flaring even brighter. The floor beneath her feet cracked as she forced herself to hold on. Her hair and clothes fluttered wildly under the ever-increasing pressure. Her teeth were clenched, while the muscles throughout her body tensed to resist the force that seemed to tear her apart from every direction.
Simple Domain could indeed reduce the impact of attacks directed at it, but that defence wasn’t an absolute one that could last long.
With a deafening explosion, Iroha's body was finally sent flying backwards. Her figure shot across the hall before colliding with the wall behind her and shattering it. However, the tremendous momentum hadn't completely dissipated. Her body continued to be pushed, forcing her to roll several times, until she stabbed her katana into the floor to slow her progress. The blade scraped against the ceramic tile, creating a long trail along the floor. Dust and fragments of the wall flew into the air, while the sound of metal scraping against metal echoed through the shattered hall.
“Huft… huft… huft… huft…,” her breath seemed to be ragged as her chest rose and fell, “That was much stronger than I expected even though the direct effect was reduced by the Simple domain. It wasn’t just externally painful, but my entire insides felt as if they were being made to spin around.”
Fresh blood was seen pouring from the girl's head, and her hair and clothes appeared dishevelled. The corner of her eye also appeared bruised after her face had been directly hit by the attack.
“You said your cursed technique allows you to communicate telepathically, right?”
The man's voice seemed to echo in the empty corridor.
"Communicating through telepathy means two things. The operator must transmit the desired information directly to the target's brain, and they must be able to read the information the target wishes to convey."
The man's voice grew clearer as his footsteps drew closer.
"You could hijack my muscle memory by sending false information directly into my brain. On the other hand, you were also able to know all the attacks I was about to launch, as if you had precognition through the information you read from my brain."
The steps finally stopped when the man was standing a few meters in front of Iroha.
“Just by breaking down the functional details of simple telepathy, you’ve given birth to a truly troublesome ability package,” though it contained praise, the man said it with a tone of disdain, “Did you come up with the idea on your own, or did someone guide you?”
“What? You want to meet and fight the person who gave me ideas and guided me?” Iroha replied, her spirit still intact.
The girl tried to stand, leaning on her katana, which was still stuck in the floor. Meanwhile, images of her senior and master flashed through her mind as the man discussed the figure who had been most instrumental in developing her technique.
"Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you need asymmetrical tactics to overcome my abilities, don't even dream of defeating them. You'll never even be able to touch those monsters," the girl continued with a challenging smile.
Iroha tried to put on a brave and resilient expression, even though her body was already battered from the previous attack. Her shoulders felt heavy, her breathing slightly erratic, but she still forced herself to stand tall in front of her opponent. Unfortunately, her body couldn't hide her true condition. Blood slowly flowed from her nose, dripping onto the floor one by one. The throbbing pain in her head intensified, while her vision began to blur slightly at the edges.
“Was that the result of my attack?” the man asked with genuine curiosity, “No, that’s not it, right? Even if my attack just now caused internal bleeding, it wouldn’t have had such an effect.”
After a brief observation, a grin immediately etched itself on his face.
“I see. It seems there's a price to pay for using that ability, huh? And you've already reached your limit?”
The ability to hijack her target's muscle memory by feeding false input to their brains, and the ability to read an opponent's attacks by reading their thoughts. At first glance, it seemed like a terrifying setup for a melee fighter. However, it also meant Iroha must constantly read and transmit information with extremely high precision, as well as actively fight at a high intensity.
Because of those things, the mental load was truly massive and made the brain tyre more quickly.
"Shut up, you son of a bitch," Iroha scolded.
She roughly wiped the blood seeping from her nose as her gaze, still slightly dim, stared at the man as if she wanted to skin him alive. However, the hatred vanished and was replaced by a provocative grin.
"You're very confident in your strength, aren't you? As Senpai said, people like you are terrifying on paper, but you're really just plain stupid," the girl said with a hint of provocation.
Which made the man raise an eyebrow.
“Are you that desperate that you want to stall for time?” the man mocked slightly.
“Fighting someone so much stronger than me, who didn't even seem to have any trouble despite my best efforts? Of course I was desperate, you bastard.”
Iroha took a deep breath to keep herself from getting carried away by her emotions.
“You haven’t forgotten that I didn’t come here alone, have you?” the girl asked.
The man frowned. Just as he thought victory was within his grasp and the tension had eased slightly, he felt something nagging at him. However, it didn't take long for him to realise what he had missed, as his eyes widened.
'She didn't come alone, did she? There should’ve been another person with her, whom I let evacuate their friends.'
Just as that realisation struck him, a sharp, cold sensation suddenly shot through his back. The man's eyelids twitched. His breath stopped in his throat as a machete pierced his heart from behind. For a moment, he didn't even feel pain, only the overwhelming shock of realising he was too late.
A trickle of blood trickled from the corner of his lips as his body stiffened in place, forcing him to jerkily turn his head back, only to find a girl with long blonde hair standing behind him.
“You insolent bitch,” he muttered with an angry smile.
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: Hello everyone, how are you all? I hope you're blessed with good health this month.
Anyway, for this chapter, I hope the explanation of Iroha's technique was conveyed clearly. Honestly, I was really excited while writing this chapter, lol. I usually get stuck writing action scenes. However, the ideas for these scenes felt like they were flowing. In fact, I decided to cut out some things because they seemed too absurd.
Also, I've always wanted to include Iroha's "take responsibility" line in this story, but it was difficult to do so because they had known each other earlier than the canon, and Haruno moved quickly to secure Hachiman. So, instead of making Iroha want to find something "genuine" like Hachiman in canon story, I thought maybe "take responsibility" in here would be more fitting for Iroha, who’s becoming stronger than her initial expectation because of Hachiman's influence.
Okay, that's all from me. Their fight isn't over yet, and the next chapter will show Yumiko's cursed technique. However, due to my busy schedule in the real world, I'll probably be taking a week off. So, One Way Home will be released in three weeks.
And, thank you for your attention. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay healthy, and see you soon...