: Mahito
Date: Chōtoku 2, Month 8, 19th Day.
Finding a Curse Spirit strong enough to properly test my new technique turned out to be easier than I expected. Between my ability to sense cursed energy and that weird soul-awareness thing I've got going on, tracking them down has become almost effortless.
Honestly, I'm starting to think I'm robbing sorcerers blind with how many curses I've been exorcising during these casual strolls between towns.
Then again, I don't get tired, and any injuries I take just get patched up with cursed energy like they never happened, so I guess I've got more than a few unfair advantages compared to your average sorcerer. Feels a bit like cheating, but hey, I'm not complaining.
None of the fights gave me any new Paths, mostly because I still haven't decided what role I want to lean into next, but Belief keeps trickling steadily into my Outline regardless, so it's not like the effort is wasted.
If anything, it's been amazing for sharpening my combat instincts. That whole High Talent thing is starting to really show how much of an investment it is, because the improvement was truly amazing. I can pick up on enemy patterns, deduce movements, and even figure out counter plays on the fly.
Watching how other curses use cursed energy is especially helpful, since it gives me ideas I probably wouldn't have come up with on my own.
Like this one curse I ran into earlier—it had these claws, and somehow it extended without using a Technique, just curse energy, forming these hardened, elongated tips that gave it extra reach. Honestly, the thing itself was pretty weak, I crushed it without much effort, but the technique stuck with me.
I didn't even know you could do something like that with just raw manipulation. I thought it was just bastardized telekinesis.
I've been trying to replicate it ever since, and while it would probably be laughable for most people to try and replicate something you saw once, my Talent lets me push it just enough to see results.
I can now force a bit of physical substance into my cursed energy, extending it a few centimeters past my skin. It's unstable, and honestly kind of ugly, but it's a good proof of concept.
Cursed Energy had much more applications than I initially thought.
…Right, I got sidetracked again.
Can you blame me though? This is basically magic.
Anyway, the point is, I need a proper benchmark—something strong enough to tell me where I actually stand with my new technique.
This guy is Semi-Grade One.
That's what I think at least, since he's about comparable to Toshimichi before his fucking awakening (No, I'm not salty about it, fuck off).
That and humans apparently are normally stronger than curses of the same grade.
"Human?"
The voice dragged me out of my thoughts.
The thing standing a short distance away was… well, ugly didn't quite cover it. Even hunched over, it towered above any normal person, its body thick and uneven, like it had been stitched together wrong.
Its face stretched unnaturally wide, a massive mouth splitting it in half, packed with jagged teeth that didn't quite fit together.
In one hand, it carried a crude club, thick enough to crush bone like paper. Around its waist hung a sash, several gourds tied to it that sloshed faintly whenever it moved, the sharp scent of alcohol already leaking into the air.
Yeah.
Pretty much a textbook Oni.
The moment I let a sliver of my presence leak out, its head snapped in my direction with a violent jerk, its grip tightening around the tree beside it. With a grunt, it tore the trunk straight out of the ground and tossed it aside like it weighed nothing, then began lumbering toward me, each step heavy enough to shake the earth beneath it.
"Nah," I said lightly, rolling my shoulders as I met its gaze. "I ain't human."
It slowed just slightly, its warped face twisting as it studied me more closely.
"You're a curse," it stated, voice painfully reminding me of stones grinding against each other.
Huh.
Was this the first time I'd met a curse that could actually talk?
…Yeah, I think it was.
And wow, it's just as unpleasant as I imagined.
"Unfortunately," I replied with a small sigh, shaking my head as if disappointed in myself.
The creature continued to approach, its breathing growing heavier with each step, hot air spilling from its mouth in thick bursts that carried a rancid, alcoholic stench. Even from several meters away, I could feel it brushing against my skin.
It stopped a short distance from me, head tilting slightly, confusion flickering in its expression.
"If you are a curse… then why?" it asked.
I shifted on my feet, muscles tensed as-
The club came down in the next instant.
I was already moving.
The weapon slammed into the ground where I'd been standing, the impact cracking the earth and sending a violent tremor rippling outward, loose dirt and debris kicking up into the air.
The impact breaks the ground, sending tremors out while I simply watch, gauging its capabilities.
I landed a short distance away, feet skidding slightly as I turned back to face it, eyes already scanning, my blood pumping as this hot-wired feeling coursed through me.
Excitement for battle.
"Why do I feel the need to kill you… worse than even a human?" it muttered, almost to itself, its voice carrying a note of genuine confusion as its grip tightened around the club.
…Huh.
Well, that answers a few things.
Definitely something tied to what I am. Probably has to do with the whole 'used to be human' thing, but what exactly is triggering that kind of reaction?
"Don't worry that ugly mug of yours about it," I said, stretching my arms slightly, a grin spreading across my face as I leaned forward just a bit, anticipation settling into my limbs.
"Let's just get started."
The thing was stronger than me if we were just comparing raw bodies, that much was obvious from the way its muscles bunched and the sheer weight behind every swing, but that didn't really matter when my heart was already racing with excitement and cursed energy was flooding through my limbs.
I didn't bother hesitating.
Cursed energy wrapped around me in a tight layer as I launched forward, the ground cracking faintly under the push of my feet.
Pull.
It was such a simple trick, but the more I used Poltergeist, the more flexible I realise it can be, and instead of dragging something toward me, I hooked onto the curse itself and yanked my own body forward like a slingshot.
My speed increases tremendously, the curse not expecting such sudden speed, can do little as my foot smashes against it's face, sending its head snapping backwards.
I landed lightly in front of it.
It didn't seem that damaged, though blood was pouring from its mouth. It managed to not fall on its back, letting out a growl and swinging the club down at me once more.
It didn't go down, which was impressive in its own way, though blood poured freely from its mouth as it steadied itself, letting out a low growl before swinging that massive club down at me again with all the force it could muster.
A grin pulled at my lips.
I stood unmoving as the club falls towards me.
There was a sharp gust of displaced air as the weapon halted mid-swing, the force rippling outward and tossing my hair back while I stood untouched beneath it.
It couldn't move forward, after all, I was 'pushing' against it.
"Is that all?" I tilt my head while grinning.
The curse blinked, before its eyes narrowed with anger.
The curse blinked, confusion flashing across its grotesque face before its expression twisted into something far uglier.
"You—!" it roared, muscles swelling as it forced more power into the strike.
"Ah," I slipped away just as the pressure broke, the club slamming into the ground with enough force to crack the earth and send vibrations up my legs even from a distance.
Alright, that gave me a decent read on it.
In terms of physical power, definitely a Grade One, I'd probably get my head caved in if I got hit, but in comparison, he's much slower.
In other words, strong enough to be a problem but-
After my battle with Toshi and Yoto, gaining High Talent, gaining Poltergeist, and the few days of constant battle against various curses?
Yeah.
I've got this.
As the club came sweeping sideways to take my head off, I spun with it instead of away, dropping low into a squat as my hands brushed the ground for balance while my hips twisted through the motion.
My leg hooked behind its heel mid-spin, and I didn't stop the movement, carrying through until its balance broke and its massive frame tipped backward.
The moment it hit the ground, I was already moving.
My foot came down hard against its head, driving it into the dirt, and when its hand lashed out to grab me, I kicked its arm away without even looking, keeping the pressure on as I followed up.
A laugh slipped out before I could stop it.
I dropped onto its chest, my knee pressing down against its throat as I brought my fist down straight into its face, the impact sending a satisfying jolt up my arm as something cracked beneath my knuckles.
That felt good.
I pulled back just in time as it twisted violently, rolling its massive body and swinging the club along with it, the weapon slicing through the air right where my head had been a second ago as I dipped under it.
"Hah! That was close," I tease a bit, very sportsmanlike of me.
The curse didn't share the sentiment, judging by the way it glared at me, its face now visibly caved in and uneven, it's breathing was ragged as it leaned heavily on its club to steady itself.
Bursting forward again, I kept the pressure constant, weaving in and out of its range as every attempt it made to hit me fell just short or got redirected at the last second.
Push was enough to disrupt its swings whenever they got too close, just enough force to throw off its momentum and open a gap for me to slip through, while Pull kept tugging at its balance and attention in ways it clearly couldn't deal with.
I didn't even need to say anything or move my hands anymore.
The output dropped without the gestures and chants, sure, but at this level, it didn't matter.
It was still more than enough.
Still, I wanted to try something.
"Push!" I called out this time, putting intent behind it as I stepped in close, my palm slamming into its exposed arm just as it came down toward me.
The limb jerked backward violently, as if its own momentum had been flipped on itself, throwing the curse off balance so hard its entire body lurched.
"Hahaha!" I couldn't help it this time.
Having an actual Technique made everything feel so different, like I'd finally been handed the right tools after fumbling around in the dark.
These past few days have made something clear, too. Jujutsu wasn't just about raw power; it leaned heavily into ritual and symbolism, into the act of doing things a certain way. Like, chanting the attack name increases my output, and using my hands as acts in conjunction with my Technique made it even more efficient.
I wonder if you can shorten these things without losing too much power. Using maximum output while standing unbothered sounded cool as fucking hell.
I clicked my tongue lightly, shaking the thought off as I refocused.
Head back in the game, Mahito.
The curse was thrown back by the force of it, its feet dragging through the dirt and carving deep trenches before it finally came to a stop, its body swaying slightly as it struggled to steady itself. One of its arms hung at an awkward angle.
Seems like that push did a bit more than just shove him away.
Up close, it looked rough. Bruises spread across its body in uneven patches, its cursed energy output had dropped noticeably from the start of the fight, and whatever healing factor it had was sluggish at best, barely keeping up with the damage I'd been piling on.
"Y-you… I'll eat you, piece by piece…" it growled.
I couldn't help the small snort that left me.
That would've landed a lot better if you could actually stand straight.
Before I could say anything back, though, it ignored me entirely, its good hand fumbling at the gourds tied around its waist.
…huh?
The answer came a second later, when it yanked one free and brought it to its mouth, chugging whatever was inside without hesitation. The sharp scent hit me almost immediately.
Sake.
"Aaaaah!" the curse exhaled loudly once it finished, letting out a deep, disgusting belch that made me wrinkle my nose in reflex.
Then it started laughing.
Its dwindling cursed energy surged back to life, swelling rapidly as its output climbed with it, the bruises across its body fading as if they'd never been there while cuts sealed shut in seconds, thin trails of steam rising from its skin as it healed.
Ah.
So that's your trick.
Guess there's some kind of condition tied to it… explains why it didn't start with that.
"You'll regret playing with me!" it roared, stomping hard enough to crack the ground beneath it before launching forward in a heavy arc, its club raised high as it brought it down in a brutal overhead swing.
Yeah, no.
I'm not taking that to the face, I ain't that dumb.
Pulling myself back, I watched as the strike slammed into the ground with a deafening crash, the force of it kicking up a violent shockwave that tore through the clearing, snapping nearby trees and sending dust and debris flying into the air hard enough that I had to squint just to see.
When things settled, the damage was… impressive.
A wide trench carved through the earth, easily comparable to the one from my last clash with Toshimichi.
Yup.
That's a hell of a boost.
But even as it stood there, I noticed it.
Its arms were shaking.
Hahaha!
Your durability hasn't increased, has it?
"C'mon," I called out, tilting my head with a grin and sticking my tongue out, "Weren't you gonna make me regret it?"
"I'LL EAT YOU!" it roared back instantly, eyes bloodshot as its entire body tensed, rage taking over whatever thinking it had left.
Hook, line, sinker.
Time to farm some aura.
"Try it," I shot back, lifting my exposed arm as if inviting the attack, my smile widening into something openly mocking. "I'll finish you in one blow."
"Aaaaaaargh!" Too far gone to think, it charged again like a wild beast, all brute force and fury as it closed the distance.
Makes sense.
At the end of the day, no matter how smart it got, it was still just a curse.
Still, as things stood, Push and Pull alone weren't exactly built for finishing moves unless I dumped a stupid amount of cursed energy into them.
But…
That fight with Toshimichi did give me an idea.
"Extension Technique—"
The concept clicked into place as I moved, my body settling into a stance I'd shamelessly stolen from Yoto, my fist drawing back while cursed energy pooled and compressed along my arm.
The Oni was already in range, its club cutting through the air as it came down.
From the front of my fist, I Pull.
From the back of my elbow, I Push.
Layer cursed energy over the whole thing to keep my arm from turning into paste, and—
"Force Impact."
A bullet was fired.
And force detonated at the point of contact, the shockwave erupting outward as the Oni's body froze mid-motion, its attack stopping dead as my arm drove straight through its torso.
For a moment, everything went still.
Then it looked down.
I was elbow-deep in its chest, my fist having blasted through whatever passed for organs and come out the other side in a spray of blood.
It tried to speak, thick liquid spilling from its mouth as its voice broke.
"Y-you—"
"You won't be devouring anyone anymore," I cut in, not really interested in whatever last words it was trying to push out.
With a wet, tearing sound, I pulled my arm back out, then grabbed it by the throat with my other hand before it could even slump forward, lifting its head just enough to meet my gaze.
Its face… yeah, pathetic was the right word.
"I'll be the one consuming you," I added lightly, my grip tightening as I felt its throat begin to give under the pressure.
Its eyes trembled, something like fear finally flickering through them as its body went slack, whatever strength it had left draining away all at once.
There was nothing it could do anymore.
"Goodbye," I said, tilting my head slightly, "and thanks for the meal."
Then I crushed its head in my hand.
Had to add a bit of Push for that extra oomph, but hey, worth for the cinematic effect.
[Accumulating Belief of set Path: Power – Special Grade Curse]
Analysing…
[Quantified Belief Threshold Not Met!]
That was a decent chunk of Belief right there. Guess it's not that curses can't give it, they just… don't believe as hard as humans do.
Probably tied to intelligence or something like that.
Eh, not my problem right now.
I glanced off into the distance, where the faint pull of clustered souls marked civilization.
Humming to myself, I left the fading corpse behind, following that familiar sense as I headed back toward the city.
It didn't take long for me to stumble onto the next pocket of civilization, though this one felt completely different from the last village I passed through, as it was something closer to a city.
Well… "city" by their standards, anyway.
By mine, it felt smaller, but that was probably my modern bias talking more than anything.
Even then, I wasn't entirely sure it qualified as a proper city. It felt more like a collection of loosely connected districts stitched together without much planning, with open spaces breaking them apart before giving way to clusters of residential homes.
Markets cropped up wherever there was enough foot traffic, and there were entire sections filled with buildings and purposes I couldn't quite match to anything from my previous life.
At least some things were universal.
I recognized the brothels.
…should I go in one?
I paused for a second, genuinely considering it before snorting.
Right. No one can see me anyway.
Getting inside had been easy. The few Windows scattered around were obvious once you knew what to look for, that being their Cursed Energy being higher compared to normal humans, so I simply avoided their line of sight and suppressed my cursed energy until I blended in with the background noise of the city.
And just like that, I was another ghost walking through the streets.
The road beneath my feet was packed dirt, worn smooth by constant use, and people moved around me in a steady flow, each busy with their own business. What caught my attention the most, though, were the tents lining the sides of the street, each one offering something different.
Some sold food or fresh vegetables, others displayed small trinkets, tools, or handmade toys, and a few seemed dedicated to things I couldn't quite place, cultural quirks that didn't have a clean translation in my head.
Still, something about the place felt off.
I tilted my head slightly as I walked, letting my senses stretch outward.
There was a lot of cursed energy in the air.
More than I expected.
Then again, more people meant more emotions, and more emotions meant more negativity bleeding into the environment, so maybe it made sense. Still, it felt just a bit higher than what I'd consider normal.
For now, I let myself wander, taking in the sights of the Aichi district as I moved through it. Apparently, the place was known for an ancestral shrine that had stood for over seven hundred years.
What really kept me entertained, though, wasn't the scenery; it was the people. Moving unseen meant I could linger wherever I wanted, listen in without consequence, and pick up on the kind of details no one bothered to hide.
Turns out, I learned something pretty interesting.
Nobility here worked very differently from what I remembered.
For starters, men held court ranks and were the ones who received income tied to those positions, but they didn't actually own land through those ranks, nor could they claim territory unless they inherited it directly, usually in cases where there were no daughters in the family.
Which meant, in the funniest way possible, that a nobleman with a sister was basically homeless.
On the other side, noblewomen were the ones who inherited the estates and family lands, but they didn't hold social ranks anymore and had no direct income of their own. In fact from what I gathered, most noblewoman literally do nothing but stay in their estates, which I guess is why a lot of them turn to the arts from boredom.
So when marriage came into play, the husband was expected to use his income to maintain the household, while the property itself remained under the wife's ownership. Meanwhile, the woman handled the management of the estate, raised children, and acted as the bridge between her family and her husband's.
Honestly?
It was kind of fascinating.
Also, second and third wives were just… a normal thing.
Like, legally.
And then it got even weirder.
Affairs, within certain boundaries, were apparently accepted for both men and women.
Yeah, modern sensibilities don't stand a chance here.
From what I overheard, it wasn't uncommon for commoners to complain about the behavior of certain nobles, talking about how annoying it was that nobleman could literally satisfy their lust with an unwilling woman.
Which, you know, was rape.
And while there was definitely a lot of curse words abound, and anger directed towards said noble, it was nowhere near the amount that I remember from my human life, in how rape was basically the most unforgivable taboo one could do to a woman.
In fact, it seemed less like a crime of the nobleman, and just something frowned upon.
If anything, there seemed to be a different kind of stigma attached to it, less about the act itself and more about what it said about the man committing it.
If he had to take a woman by force, then it meant he lacked the skill to woo her properly.
Rape was, for all intents and purposes, legal for nobleman, and yet it didn't seem nearly as rampant as it should've been, purely because doing it was basically an open admission that you had absolutely no rizz.
From my modern perspectives, it was absurd.
For my cursed mind, I really only cared about how the rape would hurt the woman.
Ugh, no! Normal human thoughts, Mahito.
Anyways, the point is that this was a whole different world from what my human memories hold, a very interesting society.
It really was incredible how much you could learn just by being invisible. People talked more freely when they thought no one important was listening, their guards down in ways that made gathering information almost effortless.
Speaking of invisibility, though…
I hummed to myself as I stood in front of one of the vendors, meeting his eyes even though he couldn't see me.
There wasn't anyone else around his stall at the moment, so he simply kept up a bright, practiced smile while loudly advertising his goods, holding up skewers of grilled fish that gave off a faint, smoky aroma.
He couldn't see me, obviously, but that also made me wonder.
Only sorcerers can see curses… or at least, that's what Yuna told me during our little chat, which means there has to be some kind of minimum threshold of cursed energy involved.
But why?
Humans are born with cursed energy already present in their souls, so does that mean sorcerers can see curses from the moment they're born? Because if that's the case, then being born into a non-sorcerer family sounds like an absolute nightmare.
And even beyond that… why does cursed energy even allow perception in the first place?
Is it some kind of synchronization? Like, if your soul has enough cursed energy, it aligns itself with the 'wavelength' of curses, letting you perceive something that normally exists outside of human senses?
Then why only sight and hearing?
I reached out and poked the vendor lightly at his side.
"Geh!" He flinched hard, recoiling as he looked around with wide, confused eyes, clearly feeling the contact despite not seeing anything.
Hmmm, their sense of touch seems to be the same, but why?
Oh!
It's because the soul defines the body, so even if I'm a curse, interacting with someone physically still means I'm interacting with their soul, and that gets translated into sensation. It's not about seeing me, it's about the fact that I'm there, making contact.
Which means…
With enough cursed energy, the soul probably develops some kind of expanded perception.
Like adding lenses.
A normal human can't perceive certain spectrums of light, but give them the right tools and suddenly that invisible range becomes visible. If cursed energy reaches a high enough level, then the soul might naturally gain that 'tool,' letting someone perceive the spectrum that curses exist in.
…or maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.
"What do you think, Vendor-san?" I asked casually.
"Some of the freshest catches of Owari right here!" he replied immediately, completely missing the point.
"I agree, Vendor-san."
Truly, a fountain of wisdom.
If this really is about the soul's perception, then I should be able to mess with it, right?
Without overthinking it, I turned my focus inward, trying to adjust myself, though "adjust" wasn't really the right word. Frequency? Resonance? None of the terms quite fit, but it was the closest thing I had to describe what I was trying to do.
Honestly, I was relying a lot on High Talent to carry me through this.
Let's see if it pays off.
I let my awareness spread outward, observing the souls around me as best as I could, watching how their faint cursed energy flickered and how it interacted with the space around them. There was a pattern there, subtle but consistent, like a rhythm I could almost grasp if I just—
"What the—?!"
The vendor's voice snapped me out of it.
I blinked.
He was staring right at me.
"Where did you— Ah, kid, you look horrible!" he blurted out, his face twisting into concern as his eyes ran over the stitches covering my body.
He can see me.
Huh.
High Talent really is cheating.
Also—did he just go "what the—"? I swear I heard a 'nani' in there somewhere.
Anime never lied.
"Hahaha!" I laughed it off, waving a hand dismissively as I leaned slightly to the side, keeping things casual. "Don't worry about it, old man. Had a bit of a run-in with a bear."
The lie came out smooth, effortless.
"A bear?" He squinted at me, taking in the patchwork of stitches holding me together before slowly nodding. "Yeah… I believe it."
Oi.
There was a flicker of Belief there, but when my technique tried to latch onto it, it just… fizzled out, dispersing without doing anything useful.
Guess 'survived a bear attack' doesn't really mean much when I could probably strangle one.
"Huh?" The vendor blinked again, his gaze slipping off me as he looked around, confusion creeping back in. "Kid?"
Ah, dammit, I lost concentration for a second, and my Cursed Energy slipped out of alignment for just a moment, and just like that, I disappeared from his perception again.
So I need to hold that exact 'frequency' for them to see me.
Got it.
What a pain.
Even a small distraction is enough to throw it off, which means I'd have to actively maintain it if I wanted to stay visible. Still, it wasn't useless. If I could keep it up consistently, then interacting with normal people might give me a steady trickle of Belief over time.
And more importantly…
If people can see me, then I'm not just another unseen curse.
That plays right into the whole 'Adversary' thing.
Leaving the still-confused vendor behind, I wandered off, idly reaching out to grab one of the grilled fish skewers from a nearby stall before taking a bite.
I ignored the distant, panicked shouting about floating food.
"…aaah," I let out a quiet sigh.
Still can't taste anything.
…wait.
If normal people see me eating, then they'll believe I can taste, right?
I paused mid-step, a grin slowly spreading across my face.
Nice.
Am I a genius or what?
Rumors spread through the Aichi district like wildfire, growing stranger with each retelling until even the most grounded townsfolk began to speak of them with a mix of awe and confusion.
People whispered about a young man stitched together like some wandering corpse, drifting in and out of restaurants without warning, eating whatever was placed before him without paying a single coin, all while praising each dish with a sincerity so intense it left seasoned chefs visibly shaken.
It wasn't just empty compliments either. The praise came detailed, thoughtful, almost reverent, as if he understood their craft better than they did. More than one cook had been brought to tears by the way he described their food, pointing out subtle notes and hidden potential they had never consciously considered.
He spoke of herbs rarely combined, of preparation methods no one in the district had ever attempted, of pairings that sounded absurd until someone brave enough tried them and found something extraordinary waiting on the other side.
The foundations of a new culinary style began to take root, and the Owari Prefecture would soon become the origin of a new rise in culinary practises.
Naturally, people wanted to know who he was.
Naturally, they couldn't find him.
And at the center of it all, the so-called miracle himself could only stare down at his own hands in utter disbelief.
[Faith Manifest]
I fucked up.
I turn the nashi fruit over in my fingers before taking a bite. The texture is crisp, the juice plentiful, and immediately, my mind floods with information almost faster than I can process it.
Refreshing flavor, good hydration, low calories, ideal for recovery after exertion. High in magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese. Pairs well with pork, complements hard cheeses, works in salads, can be reduced into a syrup—
I pause mid-chew, eyes twitching.
My brain keeps going.
I know exactly how to cut it to enhance sweetness, how to combine it into a drink that balances acidity and sugar perfectly, how to incorporate it into dishes I didn't even know existed a minute ago. It's all there, laid out clean and precise like a cookbook written directly into my head.
All thanks to my newest Trait.
God's Tongue.
An ability that lets me identify ingredients the moment I eat them and understand how to use them to their fullest potential.
I stare at the fruit.
Then at the horizon.
Then back at the fruit.
"…this is amazing," I admit slowly, because it is. I was never much of a cook before, but with something like this, I could probably rise straight to the top without even trying.
…
…
"I still can't taste shit!" I throw the fruit on the ground in anger.
"Raaaaaaaaaaaagh—!"
After that completely reasonable and justified breakdown, I decide it's probably best to get some distance from the city center before I accidentally start a second wave of rumors, this time about a screaming lunatic.
The outskirts are quieter, the noise of the market fading into the background until it becomes nothing more than a distant hum, and while it's still nowhere near the overwhelming chaos I remember from modern cities, the contrast after weeks of forests and wandering curses is enough to make my head feel a little off.
I've been in Aichi for almost a week now, desperately trying to get enough Belief so that I can taste something.
Unfortunately, it seems like the recipes I pulled out of my ass, and the few tricks that I remember from modern cuisine made me more of a chef than a taster.
And after so much effort as well!
Normal people truly don't give enough Belief at all compared to sorcerers, but on the other hand, they can be truly useful in creating Paths.
Still, there's something interesting there, something I've started to piece together as I experiment.
There's a disconnect.
The source of a Path doesn't seem to affect how much Belief it needs to grow. A Path created by some random civilian doesn't feel any weaker or different than one formed through a sorcerer's understanding. The difference is purely in how much Belief gets fed into it afterward.
Which means—
If I want a Path, I can just walk up to some random guy, mumble a bunch of nonsense about being a yokai with a specific ability, and boom. Instant Path.
Sure, I won't get much Belief set towards the Path, but in that case, I can just use the Belief that I accumulate on my Outline.
Leaning back against a tree, I let out a slow breath and glance back toward the city in the distance, its uneven layout and scattered districts now familiar after days of wandering through them.
It's… alright.
Charming, even.
Though I'm pretty sure that's just my modern brain going 'Japan is so Kawaii~' rather than any real objective judgment.
Still, I've seen a decent amount while running around. The shoreline near the port, thick with the smell of fish and salt, the residential areas where nobles live behind guarded estates, watched over by warriors and at least one Window each.
Didn't get inside, unfortunately.
Would've been nice to poke around, see how they live up close, but I'd rather not ruin my break by getting spotted and dragged into another fight.
Because that's the thing.
Right now?
I'm just enjoying this.
A few quiet days before the next group of sorcerers inevitably shows up, and I have to put the mask back on, play the role, and keep building this whole "Adversary of Humanity" thing.
…though honestly, for some reason-
I'm having so much fun.
How weird.
"Hmm?"
Something tugs at my attention just as the sun dips lower, the sky bleeding into shades of orange and red while the first hints of night creep in. It's about time for when Curses starts getting a little more active.
Which is exactly why I've been drifting toward the outskirts.
I could already feel a cluster of them nearby, but before I get there, something else cuts through my focus.
Some loud voices,
The outer streets are mostly empty when light's out, the usual traffic thinning out as people head home, which makes the small group of men gathered ahead stand out even more. They're circling around something, jeering for some reason.
It doesn't take long to spot what's at the center.
A woman.
"Are you lost, little himesama?" one of them sneers, stepping forward with a grin that's more teeth than anything else. "Don't you know someone like you shouldn't be walking around alone?"
Oh my, am I about to witness a crime?
"Don't touch me."
Her voice cuts through the noise; the disgust in her tone is easy to see. That seemed to embolden the man for some reason.
"C'mon, Lady," Another said mockingly, using the 'gimi' kanji, which is normally used to address someone of a higher station than you, but in this case was being used mockingly, "We'll show you around."
Huh.
So they clocked her as a noble.
I glance at her properly this time, taking in the details I skimmed over at first, and yeah, that tracks. Her clothes are cleaner, better made, and her skin lacks the roughness most commoners around here have.
Still weird that commoners are much cleaner and less gaunt than what I expected, but maybe Japan just had a healthier caste system for all I know.
Either way, things escalate fast.
The one I'm guessing is their leader reaches out, fingers stretching toward her arm—
—and then he's gone.
"AAAAAAAA—!"
The scream cuts off as his body sails through the air, slamming into the ground hard enough to kick up dust before he rolls a few times and comes to a stop in a groaning heap, twitching but still alive.
"What the—"
Yeah, there's that phrase again. Definitely the local version of "oh shit."
"Who the hell do you think you are, trying to get close to a lady like me?"
Her voice snaps like a whip, and before the guy can even process it, she casually slaps him across the side of the head.
I let out a low whistle, impressed despite myself.
He did a 360 midair, holy sheet.
Yeah, I said I would witness a crime, and it wasn't gonna be sexual harassment, not from how much Cursed Energy the woman held.
More like aggravated assault.
"Scram before I beat you all," Man, she even has the dangerous smile with a pulsing vein out of anger! Sasuga, Himesama!
The remaining men don't hesitate, scrambling back in a panic, grabbing their unconscious friends along the way as they retreat.
Friendships, truly beautiful things.
I watch them go for a second before my attention snaps back when she turns toward me.
"And you, weirdo over there," she calls out, narrowing her eyes as she points in my direction. "You with them?"
Good thing I've been practicing this whole "visible to humans" trick, because from her perspective, I'm just some random guy standing off to the side, not a curse spectating the whole thing.
"Never met them before," I reply easily, smiling as I bring my hands together in front of me, one sleeve hiding the other in a relaxed posture.
Her gaze drags over me from head to toe. There's a faint crease between her brows, probably because I'm coming out as a normal person to her sense, yet am not scared of her ability to throw a grown man with her bare hands.
Then her face scrunches up.
"You're the ugliest guy I've ever seen."
Ugh!
Critical hit!
Direct hit to my fucking kokoroko.
I physically recoil, staggering back a step as if she actually hit me, because honestly? That might've hurt more.
"Hmph!" I pout, turning my head away with exaggerated offense. "I'm not that ugly!"
Yes, yes I am, but don't be so honest about it, Himesama!
She snorts at my response, a sharp sound that feels completely out of place with the image I had in my head of a refined noble lady.
Then again, she's a sorcerer, and from what Yuna told me, that already puts her in a category far removed from 'normal.'
"And you're just standing there like an idiot because…?" she drawls, folding her arms, completely ignoring my very real emotional damage.
"I was curious about what a sorcerer was doing out here," I shot back immediately, snapping out of it with a bright smile like I wasn't two seconds away from crying.
She stares at me, unimpressed.
"So you do know about sorcerers."
"I do," I nod easily.
Her eyes narrow slightly as she looks me over again, more carefully this time, as if reassessing something. "You're a sorcerer?"
There's a brief pause before she scoffs, turning her nose up just a little.
"Pretty weak, though."
I can't stop the pout that immediately forms. "I'm actually strong, you know?"
Unfortunately, she's already moved on, waving me off like I'm not worth the effort.
"Aaah, this is nothing like I imagined city life to be," she complains, tilting her head back slightly as she sighs, her brown-gold hair shifting with the motion. "I thought big cities were supposed to have fun places, good food… and at least a few decent-looking men."
Oi.
Don't say that while looking straight at me like I'm part of the problem.
I open my mouth, fully ready to unleash something absolutely vile, the kind of insult only someone with too much Akun exposure could come up with—
—and then the air shifts.
The curses I'd been tracking finally start closing in.
My attention flicks past her, eyes scanning the rooftops and dark corners where misshapen silhouettes begin to crawl into view.
"Ah, perfect," she mutters, rolling her shoulders like she's been waiting for this. "I needed something to vent on."
I blink once, a little surprised she noticed them so quickly, before shrugging it off. Maybe I shouldn't be. I don't really have a solid baseline for how my senses compare to other sorcerers anyway.
"What a violent lady we have here," I say, covering my mouth in mock shock.
"Haaah?" Her eye twitches as she shoots me a glare sharp enough to cut. "Keep talking. Let's see how much uglier you can get."
The first few curses start picking up speed as they lock onto us, drawn in by the presence of my soul more than anything else, and I shift my stance slightly, ready to jump in if needed.
She's got a lot more cursed energy than Yoto or Toshimichi ever showed, but that doesn't automatically mean she knows how to use it well.
"By the way," I add casually, glancing at her from the corner of my eye, "we never introduced ourselves."
"Why would I?" she shoots back instantly.
"C'mon, it's only polite, Himesama."
"Ugh." She physically recoils in clear disgust. "Never call me that again."
"If only I knew your name," I sigh dramatically, placing a hand over my chest, "then I wouldn't have to. But since I don't, I'll just have to come up with something."
She rolls her eyes so hard I'm pretty sure she saw the back of her skull.
And she moves.
One moment she's standing there, annoyed and unimpressed—
—the next, she's gone.
Even with my eyes locked on her, I barely manage to follow the blur of motion as she cuts through the space between us and the incoming curses, her robe snapping behind her, the red sash at her waist trailing like a tail as the air itself seems to split around her.
When she appears again, it's already over.
Her hair flows gently as she comes to a stop, and in her hand rests a katana that gleams faintly in the dying light of the sun, its edge catching the first glow of the rising moon.
Behind her, the four curses that rushed us freeze for a fraction of a second—
—and then fall apart into dozens of ribbons.
Their bodies crumble into dust before they even hit the ground.
She glances over her shoulder, catching my expression, and a grin spreads across her face, sharp and satisfied, as she flicks the blade once before sliding it back into a sheath that definitely wasn't there a moment ago.
I take her in properly this time, the silver-blue light of the moon casting a faint glow over her figure, giving her an almost unreal presence as she stands there like she owns the space around her.
"Rejoice, boy!" she declares, chin lifting slightly.
Spoiler: Spoiler~
"My name is Suzuka Gozen!"
Man, is this what it feels like to be on the other end of an aura farmer?
AN: We have reached the first main arc of the Part 1, and the first companion that shall become a member of the core group that makes up Mahito's team!
A bit of a showing in how far he's come since the fight with Toshi and Yoto, and also a bit of filler as Mahito tries to get his mind around the rules and social norms of Heian Era Japan while having the disconnected memories of a modern day US kid.
Also, I had to do so much research for that, it's fucking hilarious. If only I put 1% of the energy on my Uni as I do while writing fics, I would be an academic weapon.
A bit of comedy as Mahito tries to give himself the ability to taste, and ends up backfiring.
And then, of course, an obligatory aura farm for the newest character being introduced.
Think of Suzuka Gozen as a kind of Nobara prototype.
Hope you guys liked it, thanks for reading! Like Quote ReplyReport Reactions:The_Nick_12, Gabriel021, idk152 and 1,164 others