Right after that, Akira burst forward at full speed. He slipped through the gaps between the weapons faster than their aim could adjust and launched a direct charge at Bale. The distance closed in an instant.
Just as he was about to reach Bale, his footing suddenly slipped. His center of gravity shifted too fast, his body lost balance, and he tumbled across the ground before scrambling back up, looking awkward and messy.
Compared to having his legs blown off, this outcome was far better. During the charge, Akira had sensed an abnormal gathering of Cursed Energy beneath his feet and dodged at the last second. If he had been even a step slower, the best result would have been losing one leg, and the worst would have been losing three.
The Cursed Energy released by the explosion was different from the Cursed Energy used to control weapons. This was the Jujutsu of another core member of Curse User Organization Q, Kron. Meeting Akira's gaze, Kron also used "Revealing One's Hand".
"My Jujutsu is not as impressive as Mr. Bale's. I just inject Cursed Energy to make bombs. Go ahead and guess how many bombs are around you. Five, ten, twenty? You have nowhere to run."
To prove his point, Kron snapped his fingers. The ground less than three meters from Akira exploded, and chunks of concrete flew up and struck his face.
Akira did not flinch. "I guess there was only one, the one you just set off."
Kron froze for a moment, confirming the guess. "You got it right?"
"How did you know?" Kron's voice dropped.
"Because your bombs are made of Cursed Energy. If you really covered the area with mines, would your reserves be enough?"
Jujutsu came in different types. Some were direct attack types with high power and heavy consumption, and Kron's technique fell into that category. Others focused on control, used far less energy, and depended on the object being manipulated, with Bale's weapon control as the classic example.
Because firearms were numerous and powerful, they posed a huge threat. If they were replaced with blades, the danger would drop sharply. Incidentally, when he had been easily defeated by Satoru Gojo years ago, part of the reason was that he had only carried a knife for convenience and no guns.
Give him enough firepower, and aside from beings on the level of Special Grade, most Jujutsu Sorcerer could be killed. With his weakness exposed, Kron fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again.
"I admit it, you are smart and talented. That is exactly why we will not let you go. The rule we placed on the barrier is that Jujutsu Sorcerer are forbidden to enter or leave, so escaping or calling other Jujutsu Sorcerer for help is impossible. Letting prey slip away will not happen a second time."
He was clearly referring to the incident of a third-year escaping, which also showed how deep the Gojo faction's talent pool was. "Is that so?" Akira asked plainly, without much finesse.
Kron was about to mock him for being scared out of his mind when he heard Bale shout, "Watch out."
A rush of force came from behind. Kron reacted on instinct and dove forward, narrowly avoiding a surprise attack from the rear. Bale immediately swung his guns around and fired, but the attacker deflected everything with ease.
Only then did the attacker answer Akira's question. "Yes, that is how it works."
The newcomer had blond hair, a white suit, black Sunglasses, and held a blunt blade wrapped in white cursed cloth. His voice was deep and steady, and his manner calm and confident.
"Se-seven, Kento Nanami!" Kron stared in disbelief as he climbed back up. "Y-you, how did you get in here? The barrier-"
"The barrier has been working just fine. Sorcerers outside cannot get in, and those inside cannot get out. I was already inside, so there was no need to enter."
The barrier's rules did not distinguish between friend and foe, and Kento Nanami did not rush to attack. "I see. Drinking with the supervisor from Tokyo Jujutsu High and everything before that was just a cover."
Bale was completely right. They did go to the bar, but only stayed briefly before leaving through the back door, borrowing the owner's car and heading straight to the meeting point agreed on with Akira. The bar had been chosen by Kento Nanami to avoid surveillance and mislead their enemies.
When the gunfire started, Kento Nanami rushed over from nearby. Everything had gone according to Akira's plan, except for one thing. "Sorry, Akira, my technique is not suited for sneak attacks."
"It is fine. They are not getting away anyway."
Akira never expected an easy win. If Q could be wiped out that simply, the higher-ups of Jujutsu Society would be far too incompetent, and they would not have been able to oppose Satoru Gojo for ten years. As long as the enemies were drawn out and trapped, this round of fishing was a success.
Clap, clap, clap. Bale applauded. "Impressive acting, impressive planning. Even we were fooled. Mr. Kento Nanami, student Akira, underestimating you was our mistake. But if you think this means you have won, you are very wrong."
"Even though we did not see through your act, we prepared for reinforcements. Our targets are two Grade One Jujutsu Sorcerer. Come forth, the combat unit directly under my command."
As Bale clapped and Kron called out, one Curse User Organization Q fighter after another walked out from the Hideout. They were the same people Akira had taken down earlier.
Unlike before, their eyes were dull and empty, and their movements stiff and mechanical, like walking corpses. At the same time, something in Akira's chest stirred again, a faint jolt like a kick from within. The mantis stalked the cicada, the oriole waited behind, the slingshot lay below, but who was the one holding the bow?
"Body Manipulation Curse, and there are other Jujutsu Sorcerer?"
Akira frowned slightly. That should not have been possible, because he had not sensed any unfamiliar Cursed Energy at all. The enemy did not give him time to focus, and after being played hard once, they no longer dared to underestimate their opponents.
Kron waved a hand, and the combatants rushed in at once. Their movements were still stiff, but their speed was not slow at all. The pressure closed in from all sides.
Akira snorted and tightened his grip on the sword, but Kento Nanami moved even faster. The man who embodied reliability stepped in with a one-handed slash, cutting into a combatant from the side. The blade entered the body, yet the sound was not metal meeting flesh, but a sharper, crisper ring.
Kento Nanami exerted force and swept the man away, sending him flying, while his other hand tugged at his tie. "That clears it up." "Indeed."
Akira understood as well. Using the special effect of Cursed Tools, he swung out a cutting arc. The sharp Cursed Energy sliced open the combatant's clothes, revealing densely woven metal threads inside, like a fine net.
"Your Jujutsu is not just weapon control. You can control metal itself. The intel was wrong." Through the metal threads in their clothing, they were able to manipulate the human body, which explained why those beaten to the brink of death by Akira could still move, and move so strangely.
"That's right. My technique is 'Metal Manipulation'!" Bale shouted. The intensity of the combatants' assault rose again, and the number of floating weapons around them increased as well.