54 Chapter 32. Morning Star (Part 1)
Last night, insomnia took hold of me, an occurrence I hadn't faced in a long time. Yet, my sleeplessness was not due to any physical ailment. Years of training as a Sorcerer have endowed me with the skill to manipulate my own body's energies, enabling me to slip into deep sleep with ease. For someone leading a life as fraught as mine, the ability to fall asleep swiftly and enjoy restorative slumber is not merely a luxury but a critical necessity. It is this very skill that empowers me to execute missions tirelessly, day after day, night after night, month after month.
Indeed, quality sleep is essential not only for the quick healing of physical wounds but also for the efficient replenishment of cursed energy reserves, which is vitally important for a Sorcerer.
However, tonight was different. My insomnia was not spurred by the usual mental stress of impending challenges or unfinished tasks. Instead, it stemmed from a deep-seated anxiety, a sense that the forthcoming events would demand more of me than mere physical strength or mastery over cursed energy. It felt as though my inner self was bracing for a significant ordeal, a premonition that prevented any rest. Many, whether they be Sorcerers or ordinary individuals, might dismiss such feelings as mere nerves, but I, having been entwined with the spiritual realm for years, know how to distinguish everyday anxiety from genuine portents. And this time, it was unmistakably a portent.
As dawn cast a pink glow over Tokyo, I took a deep breath, attempting to dispel the tension, and looked at the talisman in my hands, crafted from solid parchment. A wise man once said, "Death itself is less painful than the anticipation of it." Although I wasn't facing death directly, the uncertainty surrounding me was profoundly unsettling.
"Damn it!" I exclaimed in frustration, grabbed the "Ashtamangala" lying beside me, and, leaping from the balcony, set off northward.
Sitting idly by, waiting for Kenjaku and Mahito to make their move on Kokichi, was not an option. My agitation was not solely about Muta; it originated from my own insecurities and doubts. Despite my talisman having been proven against various barriers, the prospect of facing one of the most ancient, cunning, and skilled Sorcerers filled me with a sense that the situation was slipping from my grasp. Perhaps I was overthinking, but it was this very "perhaps" that unnerved me... And my doubts about the effectiveness of my talismans and abilities were not without basis; they were a reflection of the harsh lesson Kenjaku taught me last time, a lesson that in the world of Sorcerers, there is no room for complacency.
My journey into "Ritualistic Magic" was born out of many cycles of reflection, gathering knowledge that, while vast, offered limited practical application. The traditional ways of wielding magic diverged significantly from how I chose to utilize it in this realm. I was versed in divination, manipulating luck, communing with spirits, and crafting altars for sacrifices. Yet, my experiments leaned towards creating "amulets," attempting to fuse the Jujutsu Sorcery of this world with the spiritual essence of "Ritualistic Magic." Beyond these, I embarked on more ambitious projects, such as a ritual designed to extract cursed objects from not just the body but the soul itself. An enhanced version of this ritual might even offer salvation to Maki and Mai.
Despite these advancements, the harsh reality was that none of my "inventions" had undergone the crucible of real combat or life-threatening scenarios.
As thoughts flitted through my mind with incredible speed, my figure blended into the morning sky, leaving behind a streak of flame that marked my passage. By the time I had covered half the distance to Kokichi's sanctuary, the talisman in my pocket began to warm, eventually disintegrating into a heap of gray ash.
"I knew it!" The revelation sparked an internal outcry, accelerating my heartbeat and drawing a broad smile across my face.
Decelerating, I extracted my phone and swiftly dispatched a message to Satoru, updating him on my whereabouts and intended actions. I harbored no illusions about his immediate availability; nonetheless, the conviction that Kokichi and I could confront Kenjaku and Mahito head-on was unwavering, especially after recognizing the full potential of my "Domain Expansion." Still, considering Satoru as a Plan B — a reliable and invaluable safeguard — seemed prudent.
After securing my phone, I calmed my breathing and heart rate, then activated an enhancement. Three minutes stood between me and Kokichi's location.
"I'll make it in two!" For the first time, the anticipation thrilled me...
Each second brought me closer to Kokichi's haven. Approaching within thirty kilometers, I began to ascend, following a hyperbolic trajectory skywards. This maneuver, designed to keep me undetected for as long as possible while leveraging "landscape" opportunities. To breach Kenjaku's defenses demanded considerable power, yet it was equally vital to conserve cursed energy. Thus, I relied on the fundamental laws of physics to attain my goal.
Ascending to an altitude of fifteen kilometers above sea level, I found myself compelled to harness cursed energy to sustain my pulmonary functions and ensure an adequate oxygen supply. At this critical juncture, I was positioned precisely above the veil's designated location.
"Second Spell: Blazing Spear"
I whispered the incantation under my breath. In my right hand, which clutched the "Ashtamangala," I began to conjure a spear composed of fiercely hot, white flame. The flame's intensity was so overwhelming that I was forced to hold my breath; the oxygen around me was instantly incinerated upon contact. With the "Blazing Spear" fully materialized, I commenced my descent, channeling every ounce of cursed energy to maximize my velocity.
The pull of gravity, coupled with the reactive force generated by my blazing spear, intensified my plummet. Piercing the sound barrier was merely the start; my velocity didn't just double or triple — it quadrupled in the final moments before impact, pushing me to the brink of my physical limits. My body, though fortified, began to sound its alarms.
Every muscle was stretched to its utmost, my skin scorched by the friction of atmospheric resistance, and my bones groaned under the extraordinary pressure. While I could sustain a flight speed of three and a half times the speed of sound for six minutes, breaching the threshold of four times the speed of sound presented an unprecedented challenge. Blood seeped from my skin, evaporating instantly upon exposure to the air. Yet, despite the torment, I remained unwavering, slicing through the air currents with single-minded determination towards my goal.
Those seconds stretched into what seemed an eternity. Then, abruptly, the world before me exploded into a brilliant blaze of light.
***
In the span of three minutes and two seconds since the onset of his battle against Mahito, Kokichi had leveraged every technological innovation and combat strategy at his disposal against the curse. Their conflict had escalated from the subterranean confines to the surface, culminating atop the remnants of an abandoned building—the very site of Kokichi's former refuge.
Ironically, the surrounding devastation, wrought by missiles and energy blasts theoretically harmless to Mahito, had been instrumental in Kokichi's fleeting victories. At the very least, he had managed to wipe the detestable smirk off the curse's face.
"Three minutes and ten seconds," Kokichi counted silently to himself.
Seizing a momentary lull in the combat, he surveyed the wreckage-strewn battlefield. The realization that his initial strategy to swiftly conclude the battle had faltered prompted a shake of his head in frustration.
"Annoying," he thought, though his expression remained a portrait of serenity.
Gazing at his hands, Kokichi pondered what frustrated him more: his failure to triumph or the galling accuracy of his arrogant foe's predictions. His attention briefly drifted to a pile of gray ash on the ground—a stark reminder he wasn't alone in this fight.
With a dismissive shake of his head, he refocused on the battle. Kokichi was acutely aware of Mahito's shapeshifting prowess, making him an exceptionally formidable adversary. That was the impetus behind creating a weapon specifically designed to inflict soul-deep injuries. Although he managed to land a hit, the outcome fell short of his expectations. The attack did significantly harm Mahito's soul, theoretically impairing his regenerative abilities, yet Mahito adeptly compensated by morphing an undamaged portion of his body to substitute the injured part.
Determined to deliver another precise strike, Kokichi dispelled any lingering doubts and reengaged with gusto. A relentless barrage of missiles and lasers, interspersed with several targeted attempts to breach the curse's defenses, erupted towards Mahito. Kokichi executed this sequence repeatedly, aiming to disorient his adversary, and slowly, his tactics began to yield results. The thrill of battle and a rush of adrenaline invigorated Kokichi's rejuvenated physique, drawing a fierce grin across Muta's face.
"The technique is ready," a mechanical female voice intoned from within his mech's cockpit.
"I will win!" he proclaimed with conviction, initiating the release of a spiked projectile from the third phalanx of the mech's middle finger.
Just as Kokichi poised himself for the pivotal blow, Mahito's face twisted grotesquely, and the curse's gravelly voice chillingly declared, "Domain Expansion."
But fate had a twist in store at this critical juncture.
A formidable surge of cursed energy erupted above the battlefield, its owner hurtling towards the ground with such immense force that it shattered Mahito's barrier upon impact. The barrier offered a fleeting resistance, slowing the descent of the blazing entity and diffusing its wild destructive energy momentarily. Before anyone could process the event, the object slammed into the earth with cataclysmic force, unleashing a devastating shockwave and blistering heat, annihilating everything in its wake. This newfound force threatened to incinerate all that remained untouched by Mahito and Kokichi's destructive duel.
As the dust settled and the ground trembled, the ferocity of the battle gave way to a brief, tense calm, affording the combatants a moment to regroup and grasp the magnitude of what had just occurred. It took roughly twenty seconds for the visibility to clear, revealing a deep crater at the epicenter of the impact, with molten earth bubbling at its core—a testament to the staggering power unleashed.
On the crater's rim stood a young man, his visage glowing with a triumphant grin that spoke of confidence and challenge.
"Surprise, surprise, bastards," he announced, his voice not just a statement but a declaration of power, heralding a significant shift in the battle's already tumultuous dynamics.
