Chapter 131 Finally Got You!!!
"...They're here?
So slow. I thought you had forgotten about me."
In a distant location, Kokichi Muta, the person Emiya and the others were looking for, slowly propped himself up from a murky tub filled with pipes and needles.
Just as Utahime Iori had said, Mechamaru's main body was severely afflicted by the [Heavenly Restriction]; only his right hand remained among his four limbs. His entire body was wrapped in bandages, with only important organs like his eyes, nose, and mouth exposed.
An ordinary person in such a physical state might not have been able to live through over ten years to reach the present day. All this was thanks to the needles inserted into his body and the strange liquid in the bathtub.
He didn't actually need to worry about his survival, because the Higher-Ups would keep him safely alive until the moment he had to die, if only for his special [Heavenly Restriction] and Cursed Technique.
It is precisely because he is not as obtuse as Itadori Yuji that he can clearly realize that in the eyes of many people, he is nothing more than a convenient tool that won't cause trouble.
No one can endure such darkness, especially when he can peek at the outside light at any time through the effect of his [Puppet Manipulation].
"I would never make that mistake.
You are the one who knows best how terrifying the power of the Restriction is, aren't you?"
At the wide-open doorway, a figure dressed in monk's robes slowly walked in amidst the dazzling light, extending a hand toward Kokichi Muta in the darkness.
"You assist us, provide us with information. And I, in turn, will treat your body with a special Cursed Technique.
I had also wanted you to exert yourself in Shibuya. What a pity."
He certainly wouldn't refuse the opportunity to pull such a special fighting force to his side to enhance the rigor and completeness of his plan.
After all, with such a massive variable appearing, he had to prepare backup plans early to solve all potential problems.
Even though that guy's body holds many unknown possibilities, no matter what, he couldn't easily change the plan he had prepared for hundreds of years.
"After all that talk, didn't you people approach me first? What choice did I have besides cooperation?
Also, the [Vow not to harm Kyoto High students]... you broke that Vow first."
Kokichi Muta certainly didn't have the ability to find the hidden Cursed Spirits directly; they approached him not long ago.
In that situation, fighting alone, what other options did he have besides cooperation or death?
And after being forced to enter into a [Binding Vow], he no longer had the possibility of backing out.
Even if he wanted to disclose the information to others, the power of the [Vow] would perfectly restrain him a second before.
No form of cheating or trickery could bypass this mechanism.
"Don't vent your anger about the actions of other Cursed Spirits on me... I never told them what to do.
A Vow made with others is different from a Self-Imposed Vow. The latter, if broken, only results in the loss of what was gained or the enhanced ability. The retribution of the former is uncertain.
I don't know when or what kind of disaster will arrive... Karmic retribution, there is such a rule governing the world in Buddhism, right?
What a pity. This rule can only be applied to the [Vows], not to what humans consider good and evil... Or perhaps the true definition of good and evil is far broader than the narrow will of humanity?"
In his vision, so-called good and evil should not be restricted by narrow matters like the death of individual life forms.
The behavior that leads the entire species to evolve and survive longer is [Good]; conversely, all actions that impede this evolution are [Evil].
If the species cannot continuously evolve and sustain itself, so-called good and evil become meaningless.
"I don't want to argue with a Cursed Spirit. Just hurry up and heal me, you trash."
Even though he knew his life was still in the opponent's hands, Kokichi Muta left no room for himself in his words.
The situation couldn't possibly get any worse than it is now, and the opponent would definitely not change his view or treatment of him because of his attitude.
Therefore, what difference does it make what attitude he uses to respond to the opponent?
"Yes, yes~
Are you in such a rush to die?"
After getting Kokichi Muta's response, the figure slowly emerged from the light and approached him, then gently extended a hand and placed it on his head.
"[Idle Transfiguration]..."
As the light of the Cursed Technique's activation shone in his palm, the Cursed Power quickly spread to Kokichi Muta's skin and eventually his entire body.
Changing the state of the flesh through touching the soul—that is the essence of this Cursed Technique.
It was proven that even the natural [Vow] like the [Heavenly Restriction] could be corrected by [Idle Transfiguration] through touching the soul.
Kokichi Muta's body, under the effect of this light, immediately shed the bandages wrapped around him, and he slowly stood up in the murky tub.
When the bandages completely fell to the ground, his originally mottled, scale-like skin had returned to the smooth texture of a newborn, and his limbs were so strong it was as if they had never been missing.
This is because [Idle Transfiguration] can directly transform his body into the state most aligned with his soul, with absolutely no discrepancies.
Even after finally gaining the complete body he had dreamed of, Kokichi Muta merely moved briefly to quickly adapt, then stood straight and looked at his opponent.
"Alright, we can discuss the rest after this is over."
The effect of the [Vow] has ended. Now, he does not trust the opponent, and the opponent does not trust him, so there is no need for further conversation.
"Oh? Quite decisive, aren't you?
It's such a pity we can't be partners..."
In the same instant he finished his words, two ugly Cursed Spirits suddenly manifested beside him and lunged at Kokichi Muta with fierce speed.
Boom—!
Several puppets similar in shape to Ultimate Mechamaru also shot out from behind Kokichi Muta, directly colliding with the Cursed Spirits.
These expendable puppets are certainly not as useful as Ultimate Mechamaru, but after all these years, he wasn't so foolish as to wait for death passively.
Dozens of identical puppets quickly ran toward the enemy's position from the shadows behind, looking quite imposing.
Unfortunately, in the next second, an even more terrifying number of Cursed Spirits shot out from around the figure in monk's robes, easily tearing the puppets to shreds while simultaneously closing in on Kokichi Muta's main body in the blink of an eye.
The contest between [Puppet Manipulation] and [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] seemed to result in a crushing victory for the latter.
"Wasn't your Cursed Technique the one from just now? But it doesn't matter..."
The moment Kokichi Muta blocked with his arm, a puppet suddenly dropped from above and adopted the same posture, and then—
Boom!
The puppet's self-detonation stirred up a massive flash and smoke. When the surging Cursed Spirits swallowed the flames, only a crater remained on the ground.
"Escaped?
No, I set up a Barrier beforehand. He won't be able to escape."
Knowing that everything was under control, the figure in monk's robes—known as 'Pseudo-Geto' to the reader, but simply 'the monk' to Kokichi—still stood there smiling, without the slightest hint of panic.
Until the ground beneath him cracked, and an extremely dangerous red light flashed from within—
Bang!!!!
The entire floor, or rather, the entire building, collapsed under the explosion of light. The monk could only transfer to a nearby embankment, surrounded by his Cursed Spirits.
Immediately after, the previously calm water surface beneath them began to surge upwards until a colossal object, approximately sixty meters tall, emerged completely from it.
This was the true ace that Kokichi Muta had accumulated over the years—Ultimate Mechamaru Absolute Form Armor Puppet: Ultimate Mechamaru Prototype Zero.
His [Heavenly Restriction] not only brought an enormous range for puppet manipulation but also an amount of Cursed Power generation that completely exceeded that of a normal Sorcerer.
He stored all this Cursed Power using a certain method, which enabled him to manipulate such a colossal puppet.
Although the process of extracting the Cursed Power was also painful, it was too minor compared to the side effects of the [Vow].
"You secretly produced such a massive toy? Very nice.
But unfortunately, this little trick is completely useless in front of me."
The monk did not feel that things had gone beyond his expectation and merely stretched out his hand casually.
"Did you know? No matter the era, humans have never escaped their fear and powerlessness against the darkness.
Special Grade Imaginary Cursed Spirit, [Dark Wriggle] ."
There was no grand effect. The empty darkness suddenly opened up in front of the massive machine, then instantly expanded into a huge circular void, completely enveloping the opponent.
Both the colossal machine and the terrifying presence it brought were completely obscured under this darkness.
"And now..."
The monk then summoned a long, insect-shaped Cursed Spirit and tossed it into the darkness.
"Go, finish him off."
"..."
He couldn't see. Kokichi Muta in the darkness could see nothing. Even the sounds he made were swallowed by the darkness.
Only the beating of his heart and the sounds of his various organs squirming were so clear in this silence.
Having already endured loneliness, he wasn't too afraid of the darkness, but if he couldn't perceive the external environment, this battle was essentially already lost.
If he couldn't even sense the existence of his puppets, what good was even the most powerful [Puppet Manipulation]?
What should I do? Think, what should I do...
His breathing seemed to be gradually weakening. What's going on? Is it a hallucination, or is this a special effect of the Cursed Technique?
Damn it, I had no contingency plan for encountering this kind of Cursed Technique. Who would have thought that guy's real Cursed Technique was [Cursed Spirit Manipulation]?
No, but how could [Cursed Spirit Manipulation] use another Cursed Technique?
No good, my ability to think is also gradually changing. What should I do...
"Is it already over? That was easy."
Outside the dark void, the monk was still admiring his masterpiece when a faint crack suddenly appeared in the black curtain in the sky—
"What?"
Boom————!
"Finally caught you red-handed, you bastard!!!"
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