chsdbacks Chapter 20 Southward
Chapter 20 Southward
"I hope that when I'm in my thirties or forties, I can make some money, go to a place where prices are cheap, and idly sing praises to life."
So, for the four years after leaving the vocational college, whether I was asleep or awake, all I could think about was money.
Get wealthy people to deposit their money here, and then make them even wealthier—
This is basically my job.
As for curses, as for sorcerers, those troublesome and endless things—once I have money, they should be none of my business.
That's what I originally thought...
"Transformation through non-action."
"I originally thought that even if I were gone from this world, no one would be bothered by it."
But it was only when I received genuine thanks from ordinary people that I realized I had always longed for work that was "needed" and "meaningful".
So looking back...
Before I knew it, I had already received thanks from many people…
However, just as the real person's hands were about to come together—
Click.
The sound of glass shattering came from above.
The smile on the real person's face froze for a moment.
Yuujin Itadori, having smashed a crack into the outer wall of the barrier, leaped down resolutely with a determined expression.
Nanami's breath hitched slightly, then a smile appeared on her face.
The smile was faint, yet it was as if something that had been suppressed in one's heart for a long time had suddenly been pulled up from the depths of the water.
"Domains" are mostly barriers that specialize in creating a closed effect.
The more a barrier pushes its internal strength to the limit, the weaker its ability to resist external impacts becomes.
In normal circumstances, as long as the opponent is dragged into a technique like "Boundless Emptiness" or "Self-Isolation and Envelopment", the outcome is basically decided.
Therefore, people usually do not choose to forcibly break in from the outside.
But Hisahito Itsuji was an anomaly from the start.
Within him dwells a soul that must never be touched.
"Didn't I already tell you?"
Just as the real person activated the spell, an extremely cold voice descended from even higher.
There will be no second time.
next second.
laugh--!
A huge wound suddenly appeared on the real man's chest without warning.
The slash came without any warning, and blood gushed out. The man staggered back a step, and fear finally showed on his face.
The realm of the real person collapsed with a deafening roar!
Without a second thought, Huzhang charged forward!
He remembered the knowledge about the domain that Gojo Satoru had explained to them—
After the field is completed, the caster will enter a period of "spell freeze" during which they will be unable to use their own spells.
Therefore, the time to exorcise this cursed spirit is now!
But at the same time, the real person's body suddenly swelled up.
That wasn't normal enhancement; it was more like squeezing himself into an empty shell and then forcibly propping it up with magical power. His body instantly grew taller and larger, becoming a deformed and exaggeratedly gigantic target.
Haddō paused for a moment, but he couldn't care less about that now!
He gritted his teeth, pressed the curse power in his hand into his fist, and slammed it down hard on the huge body in front of him!
"Direct Court Fist!"
boom!
The fist landed.
The delayed curse power exploded in the next instant, and the huge body in front of them was like a punctured balloon, leaving only fragments that drifted down.
Tiger Stick was startled.
The feeling of not hitting the target.
At the same time, Nanami had already noticed something was wrong.
"There it is!"
Without the slightest hesitation, he picked up his blunt knife and charged towards the side and rear.
really.
Not far away, a figure, having somehow changed into another skin, emerged from the enormous phallus like a snake shedding its skin and was fleeing rapidly toward the nearby drain.
Nanami took a step closer, and the blunt blade wrapped with talisman paper slammed down!
But that strike only managed to cut through an empty shell.
The real person's body had already slid into the sewer entrance, leaving only one hand sticking out from the dark gap, waving it outwards, with a lingering, nauseating pleasure in his voice.
"Bye now!"
"I had a lot of fun!"
The next second, the hand quickly retracted and disappeared completely.
Nanami's brows furrowed even deeper.
"It's similar to using stored cyborgs as a means of replacing human skin, isn't it?"
He immediately took out his phone and dialed a number.
"Ino-kun, the cursed spirit's true form has escaped through the drain. Please intercept it from the spot where we met up before, heading southeast."
Don't let him get away!
"Itadori-kun, we also..."
However, not far away, Huzhang remained standing motionless, his breathing slightly disordered.
Before him, Xuan Yi's tattered body lay quietly on the ground, his clothes soaked in blood. There was no sign of his breathing or any fluctuation of magical power; he looked exactly like—
Huzhang slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with suppressed emotions.
Nanami remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice:
"I won't say anything nice to comfort you, because that's what sorcerers do."
Many things won't stop and wait for you just because you can't accept them right away. Especially in situations like these, you need to get what needs to be done done first.
He paused, his gaze returning to the distant drain, and his voice lowered slightly.
"The most important thing now is to exorcise that cursed spirit."
Let's chase after them.
Haddō gritted his teeth, his fists clenched until they turned white.
"……yes!"
The footsteps of Itadori and Nanami gradually faded into the distance.
The surroundings fell silent, with only the faint sound of the wind passing through the broken window frame.
Shunping stood there, staring blankly at Xuan Yi lying on the ground.
Finally, I mustered up my courage and took the first step.
step.
Another step.
Shunping staggered to Xuan Yi's side, his legs buckled, and he knelt down, trembling. A suppressed sob escaped from deep within his throat.
"sorry……"
The voice was so soft it was almost hoarse, as if it would shatter completely if it were any louder.
Immediately afterwards, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
pat.
A tear fell onto Xuan Yi's blood-stained face, as if it had pierced through a distant and heavy darkness and plunged into a vast and lifeless lake.
Tick.
On the dark water, a very light ripple finally spread out.
But soon, things returned to calm.
Xu An silently opened his eyes, facing the endless black water.
He just wandered around aimlessly.
It was pitch black all around.
When the sole of the shoe landed, not even the slightest ripple was created.
He didn't know how long he had been walking, but he felt that the things that had happened not long ago were gradually resurfacing in his mind.
"...Am I already dead?"
Xu An stopped and muttered something to himself.
After saying that, he couldn't help but give a wry smile.
"That's really stupid."
After laughing, he gradually calmed down, and even sighed softly, as if trying to comfort himself.
"However... it's not entirely meaningless, is it?"
At least, Shunping and his mother survived.
Thinking this, he decided not to leave and simply sat down on the dark water.
Then, he lowered his head.
The face reflected on the water was no longer that of Genichi Nishio, a handsome and youthful boy.
Instead, it was his own long-lost, lifeless adult face.
"Huh?"
Xu An was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously raised his hand to touch his face.
"Am I... going back?"
As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh.
"These past two days have felt like a dream..."
But this dream was quite enjoyable!
He laughed for a while before gradually realizing that things weren't quite as they seemed.
He slapped himself, realizing he didn't actually feel like he was about to wake up.
All around was still that endless expanse of black water, excessively quiet and deathly still.
Xu An raised his head and looked around.
"Am I still in the realm of the real people?"
He scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.
"This is our birthplace."
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.
You could also interpret it as—your inner world.
Xu An suddenly turned around.
Standing there was a familiar-looking boy who appeared to be seventeen years old.
However, he wasn't wearing Yuta Otsukoshi's conspicuous white uniform; instead, he was wearing a regular high school uniform.
His expression was calmer and gentler than Xuan Yi's before.
"Hello, uncle."
Xu An's lips twitched, then he gave a wry smile.
"You kids these days are getting less and less adorable."
"Shouldn't someone like me, who's not married yet, at least call me 'Big Brother' to be more polite?"
Xuan Yi simply smiled and didn't respond.
The surroundings remained eerily quiet.
Xu An looked at him, then looked down at his own reflection on the water, and finally sighed.
"So? Am I... dead too?"
"In a sense, yes."
Xuan Yi answered calmly.
"After all, uncle, you probably won't be able to regain your original identity in the future."
"What do you mean?"
Xu An frowned.
The boy opposite him remained silent for a long time before speaking softly.
"The time we share this same body is actually very short."
Although they share memories, they don't really know each other yet.
I've been sleeping in this body all along. In fact, if I could, I intended to sleep like this forever.
He raised his eyes and looked at Xu An, his smile faint but sincere.
"Until—I saw how much you did for Shunping."
thank you.
I'm...very happy right now.
As he spoke, his body began to slowly become transparent.
Xu An's expression suddenly changed.
"Wait a minute, what's going on with you?"
"Feel sorry."
Xuan Yi looked down at his gradually fading hand, but his tone remained calm.
"From now on, you may be the only one left here."
However, I will leave my magical power to you. And because of my departure, your own portion of magical power will also awaken.
So even in this unfamiliar world, you're sure to meet many like-minded companions.
"I guess... I won't be too lonely."
Xu An paused for a moment, then seemed to suddenly understand something, and his expression changed drastically.
"Is it because of the real person's technique?"
"You mean, in that field...?"
Xuan Yi did not answer.
But that silence said it all.
Xu An suddenly stood up, his speech becoming jumbled.
"Wait, listen to me, don't disappear yet!"
Aren't our spells inscribed? Can't we replicate any spell that can be perceived?
The same applies to curses, and the same applies to real people's spells!
Hold on a little longer!
Once I recover, I can use non-action to restore you!
"That's right, the people from the vocational high school will be here soon, Miss Shoko, she..."
Ke Xuanyi's body became increasingly transparent, and even his voice grew softer.
"That's possible..."
It's probably impossible now...
"Hey! Wait a minute! Xuan Yi!"
Xu An suddenly took a step forward.
But the boy opposite him just stood there and gave him a very faint and gentle smile.
"I've run away long enough. You've made me realize that even someone like me can be meaningful to others. I'll use my strength to help as many people as possible."
Bye now.
Xuan Yi!