Curse Return: Swordsmith Start

Chapter 85 and Kokichi

That's right. Perhaps other students didn't see it clearly, but most level one mages are able to realize what just happened.

The punch from Dongtang just now, that "Black Flash" strike, passed through Yue Ren's body and hit the ground, which is why it caused such a large cloud of dust.

That's why everyone was puzzled before Gojo Satoru explained. Their first thought was that the opponent's speed was too fast, so fast that even in their eyes, it could form a clear afterimage. But that was almost impossible. After all, even the strongest Gojo Satoru could only suddenly disappear from their sight and form a clear afterimage in the eyes of these first-level sorcerers. How fast would that speed be?

Regardless of the explanation, it only proves one thing: this boy may have already reached the threshold of the Special Grade, and is another being like Gojo Satoru, almost unkillable.

One of the biggest reasons why Gojo Satoru is called the strongest is that his lack of limits creates a conceptual gap between him and others.

Almost every sorcerer has heard of the Gojo family's "no limits," but only Gojo Satoru has mastered it to the point of using it 24/7. Now, is Kawasaki Etsuto going to be another one?

In an instant, some were happy while others were sad.

On the scene, Yue Ren, unaware that his technique had been widely publicized by his good teacher, looked at Dong Tang behind him with a solemn expression and smiled.

The fact that the opponent had managed to do this far exceeded his expectations, making this battle anything but boring.

As the smoke cleared, the two figures reappeared in everyone's sight. The students were very curious about what had just happened. Yue Ren seemed to be fine. Did he miss his punch?

"Not bad, I acknowledge your strength. Since that's the case, it's only fair to reciprocate. Take my punch too."

Before the audience could react, in the East Hall, amidst the incredulous gazes of the students and even the teachers, Yue Ren's fist emanated the same black energy.

"Black Flash!"?

A sudden surge of crisis hit Higashido Aoi.

The next moment, the boy flashed to Toudou's face. Knowing that he couldn't take the hit head-on, Toudou Aoi activated the technique "Unjust Game" and swapped places with Yue Ren.

However, this outcome was clearly anticipated by the Yue people.

One of the advantages of having a reaction speed that overwhelms your opponent is that, in the face of dynamic vision that is almost like "bullet time," you can be faster than your opponent even if you are acting later.

Switching positions did not affect Yue Ren's ability to turn his fist.

Thus, with a look of utter defeat on Dongtang's face, the punch landed on his abdomen, sending his massive body flying like a football being volleyed.

A loud bang, followed by a huge crater.

Not far from the Kyoto student audience seats, Toudou Aoi stood there peacefully, unable to rise again.

"The victor is Kawasaki Echijin."

With three wins out of three, Tokyo is on a killing spree.

The teachers were incredulous. How could this fight be getting more and more outrageous, as if "Black Flash" were some kind of common, overused weapon, with both of them using it?

The Yue people remained calm throughout the ordeal.

Don't worry, Toudou Aoi has held back his strength, and he even used a "reversal technique" the moment he was knocked away, so he should be fine.

As for that black flash just now, yes, it was something he created using his imagination.

As for the reason, the "Black Flash Iv6 (Ma)" on the panel skill bar explains everything.

After the last battle, Black Flash appeared on his skill bar. Considering the powerful effect of this skill, Yue Ren wanted to see if he could do it like Itajimaru. So, after investing a lot of experience and practice, he also maxed out this skill.

The effect is also significant. Now, whenever he wants, he has a 50% chance of firing a Black Flash, and after firing the first Black Flash, this probability becomes 100%.

Now, he can also become the legendary Black Flash King.

The other aspect of the technique reversal is also because the control over the cursed power has been improved to another level after the Black Flash was unleashed. Now, he can achieve a kind of intangibility similar to Obito's, making him invisible in the real world.

The next step is to continue practicing and strive to be able to train others.

But no matter what, he now has the means to be at ease.

The fourth draw.

"Zenin Maki vs. Nishimiya Momo"

Having no idea what was going on, or rather, after seeing the result, Nishimiya Momo simply chose to abstain. Her classmates didn't say anything either, after all, the girl she was dealing with yesterday's actions were still fresh in their minds.

The troublesome level-one enhanced cursed spirit was like a child being toyed with in front of this girl who had descended from the sky.

His terrifying strength, speed, and reaction speed... he pushed all attributes except for his curse power to the limit, displaying the most brutal side of himself with his greatsword.

If the opponent hadn't been a cursed spirit, the scene of dismembering the opponent would have been enough to traumatize many people.

Maki was a little unhappy that she didn't meet a suitable opponent, but she didn't show it. So what if there was no opponent? Yesterday's battle was still very enjoyable.

"Panda vs. Mechanical Maru"

The pair's destined connection surprised Yue Ren somewhat. After the interrogation incident, the two had become good friends. In the end, the battle was a draw, and the panda who did not switch forms and chose to give up was defeated, allowing Kyoto to gain the upper hand.

Thus came the final battle.

"Dog-roll Thorn vs. Zen-in Shin'i"

Already a near-first-level sorcerer, his strength became even greater after receiving equipment from the Yue people.

With exceptionally rich combat experience, this dog was not someone that Shin-chan could easily outmaneuver, and it quickly succumbed to the threat of the curse.

With this score of 5 to 1, plus yesterday's victory, Tokyo Vocational College has once again won this sister exchange meeting.

As the sun set, the individual battle came to a close amidst the glow of the setting sun.

Tokyo High School won by a large margin. Although the students from Kyoto School were unwilling to accept defeat, they had to admit that this match showed them the gap between them and also their growth.

Standing on high, Gojo Satoru watched as his students said goodbye to each other, their expressions amicable as they promised to fight again. A satisfied smile curved his lips.

Although it differed somewhat from his expectations of youth, it didn't seem too bad.

That same night, Yue Ren and Jikai Maru appeared in an underground passage.

This is the tunnel leading to the location of the mechanical pill's true form. It is very well hidden, and Yue Ren, being led by someone, has already walked a short distance.

"It must be really tough. Staying in a place like this all year round must be very painful."

Looking at the cursed corpse beside him, Yue Ren casually spoke, trying to ease the cold and lonely atmosphere.

...Thankfully, if it was all for this moment, then it was all worth it.

"So eager to get a real body, are you in love?"

"6

"...You actually noticed that?"

Mechanical Maru could no longer hide his emotions; his voice became quite excited. There was no way around it; Yue Ren's one-hit-kill question was too sharp, instantly piercing through his disguise.

The Yue man smiled like an aunt and naturally put his hand on the puppet's shoulder, acting like a good buddy.

"What are you thinking? I don't have that kind of ability. I just feel it's a possibility. After all, if you want to change someone, this is one of the options, and at our age, it's the most likely."

"I see......

'

Mechanical Maru breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, he lamented that his cultivation was still insufficient, as he had been so easily tricked out.

Immediately afterwards, he looked embarrassed and humble.

"Um, could you please not tell anyone...?"

"What kind of person do you take me for? Don't worry, I wouldn't say something like that. But you have to tell me, is the one you like... one of your classmates...?"

...?

After some coaxing, even the inexperienced Mecha Maru was easily tricked into revealing information by Yue Ren. As expected, he was interested in Miwa.

The Yue man nodded pretentiously, concealing his inner joy.

Indeed, shipping couples can bring joy, especially when you can actually participate in it, which is very enjoyable.

Gradually, I came to control my desire to evade taxes.

Seeing the mechanical ball trembling with embarrassment after being questioned, Yue Ren comforted it with a touch of guilt.

"Don't worry, this is a good thing. Sorcerers are a group of people who are constantly fighting against madness. We need the nourishment of positive energy to ensure that we are not assimilated by madness and become curse masters ourselves."

"It's fortunate that you've found someone you cherish. As your compatriot, I wish you all the best."

"Thanks!"

Feeling the sincerity of the Yue people, Mechanical Maru gradually recovered, and his heart warmed slightly.

The understanding and support from his compatriots gave him more strength to keep going.

During the conversation, we arrived at our destination.

As the mechanical ball opened the old iron door, the only thing in the room came into view.

The iron gate slowly closed behind us with a dull thud.

In the dimly lit and empty room, an old chandelier hanging overhead and the light from the screen of the testing equipment provided a faint illumination to the dim area.

Not far in the very center was a set of equipment that resembled the experiments of a mad scientist, inside something that looked like a bathtub.

Inside lay a mangled body, wrapped in bandages, surrounded by a special liquid and tubing flowing into it from all sides.

Anyone who didn't know better would think this was some kind of horrific human experimentation site.

The Yue people stopped in their tracks.

Even though he was mentally prepared, when he actually saw the mechanical pill in its true form, he still felt his heart tighten as if gripped by an invisible hand.

This is empathy that arises from the huge gap between oneself and the person in front of one's consciousness, after one realizes that the person in front of one's consciousness is just like oneself.

Having a stronger "vision" allows one to better understand the other person's situation, but now he feels that such vision is superfluous.

His body was shockingly thin, his limbs were as thin as withered branches, his skin... he had no skin, no feet, and was missing an arm, making him almost indistinguishable from a human stick.

What's most hard to look at is those eyes.

Hollow, numb, like a prisoner who has become accustomed to the darkness.

But at this moment, those eyes were fixed on the Yue people, and a faint light ignited within them.

"Surprised, aren't you?" Mechanical Maru's voice came from the bed, similar to the voice inside the puppet's body, but without the electrical hum of a speaker, but with a more genuine weariness.

"This is the real me."

The Yue man didn't speak, but slowly approached.

Several bottles of nutrient solution were scattered on the ground around them, and various mechanical parts were piled up in the corner. A faint smell of disinfectant and rust filled the air.

He knelt down beside the bed, looking directly into those eyes, without any other emotion, just the same eye contact he would show to a friend.

Yue Ren spoke, making preparations as he asked in a very soft voice.

"If you could walk, what would be the first thing you want to do?"

Mechanical Maru paused for a moment, then a hint of gentleness appeared in her eyes.

"I want to...go out into the sunlight," he said. "Just stand there, close my eyes, feel the warmth of the sun, and then..."

He paused, and a genuine smile finally appeared on his lips.

"Then I want to see someone. To walk up to her and tell her my name in person."

Looking into the light in the other person's eyes, the Yue man suddenly smiled.

"That's a good idea."

He stood up and stretched his wrists.

"So, are you ready?"

Mechanical Maru's eyes became complicated, filled with anticipation, tension, and fear—the fear of having his hopes dashed.

"Really...is it okay?"

"I said it was okay, so it is."

The Yue man's voice was calm and resolute.

"But this process might be painful, since it involves transforming the soul."

Mechanical Maru took a deep breath, his mutilated body trembling slightly.

"I've been waiting for this day for over a decade." His voice was a little hoarse. "What does pain matter?"

Yue Ren nodded, reached out, and placed his hand on the mechanical ball's forehead.

"Then—let's begin."

[Non-action Transformation] is initiated.

In that instant, the mechanical ball's pupils suddenly contracted.

He felt as if his entire being was being gripped by an invisible hand, and a violent tremor came from the deepest part of his soul.

The feeling is indescribable; it's like being dismantled into countless fragments and then pieced back together under the influence of some kind of will.

pain.

His body arched uncontrollably, a suppressed roar escaped his throat, and his only remaining right hand gripped the bedsheet tightly, his knuckles turning white.

But even clearer than the pain was a wondrous feeling—a sense of consciousness breaking free from its cage, regenerating, and reorganizing the body.

New bones, new muscles, new blood vessels, as if sculpted stroke by stroke by an invisible carving knife.

The intense itching sensation blurred his consciousness several times, only to be pulled back to reality by the even more intense pain.

In reality, it only takes a second or two.

But in the hearts of those involved, it may feel like an eternity.

The pain receded like a receding tide.

Mechanical Maruichi and Kokichi stood up, panting heavily, their bandages falling off one by one.

Then, he slowly raised his right hand.

A complete right hand.

His five fingers trembled slightly in the cold, dim light; his skin was smooth, his nails intact, exactly as he had imagined them to be.

His breathing stopped.

The hand slowly moved in front of its eyes, turning it over and over, as if it couldn't believe it was part of its own body.

Then I tried to take a few steps.

He moved without strain or swaying, as if this was how he was supposed to walk.

He looked down at his legs.

His two legs, from hip to toe, were intact, without twisting or damage, and were functioning normally to support his body.