Chapter 146: A Refresher

" AHH. Stop, please! "

Screaming rippled throughout, a street, as blood spewed out frantically. Crowds of players could be seen grouped together staring up at a figure standing on a concrete pillar, that oddly sprouted up from the street. This figure stared coldly down at the crowd holding onto a mangled corpse by its throat until suddenly one of the players on the road shouted out. 

" Hey! That's Mute, isn't it? The one worth 25 points? " 

"Y-Yeah, I think you're right. It's him. " Said a ginger woman wearing green cargo pants. As soon as the crowd realized who this figure was, Mute brought his hands together and spoke, chanting. 

" Thou who wish to kill me, must vow not to leave "

Instantly, after Mute chanted this, a veil fell from the sky, trapping the crowd inside. Mute stared down at the crowd, his eyes glancing at each one. While his mind raced with thoughts... 

115. That's the count of players beneath me... Absolutely perfect. None of them appear to possess any significant strength, and if I'm fortunate, a handful might just be sorcerers. This is the perfect opportunity to gain points. I release my curse energy, allowing it to fuse with the air as I take a deep breath. Watching the crowd of players trying to ascend the pillar I'm standing on, they stack on one another like busy ants. Just before I activate my curse technique stagnating the air. Creating dead air throughout the entire veil. 

The crowd of players beneath me immediately gasps for air, but their lungs fill with nothing. I watch as panic ensues, their hands clutching at their throats, until one by one, they succumb to death, their lifeless bodies collapsing upon each other. Forming a colossal pile of corpses.

Stagnation. The reverse of my usual curse technique. I possess the ability to halt anything I can control. Be it the air, death, or even someone's energy. However, I have rarely relied on it during battles against other special grades. The reason for this is simple. I haven't mastered it yet. There is another form of this technique out there. One I've only used against Yuki, during our first battle, years ago. 

The air around me grows still and cold before glitching, flickering in and out of existence. My voice muffles and it's hard for me to speak. However, the output of my curse energy skyrockets but most oddly, it allows me to morph my shape. Letting me transform my body into others. I believe the only way for me to use this, is to be at death's door. Or at least something similar to it. 

Luckily for me, my regular curse technique is far more simplistic, the ability to shrink and enlarge objects or distances. A simple yet strong technique, I've completely mastered. Even stopping attacks or objects similar to Gojo's infinity costs little to no curse energy. The only one who could pierce through my defenses now is Gojo and that is only due to his six eyes. But with the cursed spirit wrapped around my wrist, storing all of my cursed tools. Even he will have a difficult time fighting me. 

But enough pointlessly rambling, the players around me are dead. I let out a small cough before speaking. " Kogane. How many points do I currently have? " Instantly, the cursed spirit appears next to me and says a number. {155} That will work. It's time to make a new rule.

" Kogane. Tell the gamemaster I want a new rule...I want a mini-map that will showcase the whereabouts of other players and how strong they are. But, I want the minimap to be exclusive to those with more than 50 points. " Kogane looks at me before it glows a bright blue, I stare at it confused, as it shines a bright blue for several seconds, until finally the light fades away and it speaks. 

{ Alrightly, the gamemaster has accepted your request. To use the minimap, call upon me. I will morph my body into a map that will showcase red dots, the larger the dot. The stronger the fighter. But this dot doesn't take the techniques of the player in count, only basing their strength off how much curse energy they have. }...

As Kogane explained the rules of the mini-map to Mute, throughout the several other barriers, Kogane was also telling other players this new rule created by Mute. Inside a skyscraper, Megumi and Yuji could be seen standing next to each other staring up at Megumi's kogane. 

" A mini-map? Why the hell, would Mute want a Mini-Map? " Said Yuji in a confused tone. 

" Who knows? But we need to hurry and gather points. Those without the mini-map will be at a huge disadvantage. The element of surprise will be completely useless because of it. " Responded Megumi. Yuji quickly nodded and spoke.

" Alright. We just need fifty points correct? But aren't we going to have to kill people for it? " 

" No, we are going to let other sorcerers do that for us. And then we will go recruit them and try to convince them to let us use their points. " Said Megumi,

" But? Why would they join us? " 

" Information. We have info about the game, the other sorcerers have no clue about, thanks to Mute and Tengen. " Answered Megumi. Yuji could only nod, until- BOOM. An explosion erupted from downstairs...

~~~ 

This is the final setting-up chapter. Everything is action from now on.