Everyone wishes to be special in the slavery of thoughts; even I am not different from everyone that lives. I have always been a confident person, even though that contradicts my previous statement of being a coward. In fact, it's right to say I am both. There have only been a few occasions that caused me to lose my confidence. One was when my company suddenly started to sink and couldn't make ends meet; the next was when I saw my ex cheat on me with my best friend, and then right now, as I stood against the Finger Bearer Curse.
My body was overwriting the wounds that were caused by the curse in front of me; if not for my Reverse Cursed Technique and my Blinding Vow, which make my cursed energy base 3 to 5 times larger, I couldn't keep up with the curse.
Even then, I was a step lower in power compared to the curse. Even with my Blinding Vow, my physical strength is only just matching him, and I couldn't overpower him. That disadvantage is starting to show in the fight that has been spanning for over an hour.
The only reason my curse energy didn't burn with multiple uses of the Reverse Cursed Technique, Projectile Sorcery and even healing Mei Mei at my side to keep her from immediate blood loss and death is because my binding vow is effectively converting my damage into curse energy.
I am not going to lie, but forming such a blinding was a blessing in my regard, and to think my reverse curse technique can also heal others! Given that it's an external technique, I should have guessed it.
"How are you holding up?" Mei Mei said, breaking through her mouth. Even though I am healing her simultaneously as I heal myself, she is not without injury. But there are no large injuries on her.
"I am good; it feels like I can run a marathon." I joked even though we both know with the fight currently going on, we are going to die. A single moment of carelessness and we will die a dog's death.
In the beginning we are at our peak, but since the fight has been ongoing, fatigue is starting to build up. My Revese technique can only heal physical injury, not the mental tiredness. So with fatigue growing with each minute, it is bound to end in some slight error.
"We need to find a way to defeat this bastard quick. If you have some ace up your sleeve, this is really a good time, Mei," I said as I dodged the bastard's downkick, which formed a crater in the ground.
"Incoming." Mei said as the black bird struck the curse, in which the bird exploded.
Mei Mei's innate technique is Black Bird Manipulation, the ability to imbue crows with cursed energy and control them.
The true value of Blackbird manipulation. Mei Mei uses a binding vow on a bird, forcing it to commit suicide for her in return for exceeding the limits of the typically weak bird's cursed energy. Enhanced by high levels of cursed energy, the bird hurls itself at the enemy, hitting them with a devastating impact capable of exorcising a special grade with a single hit, normally.
But with the finger bared even though she deals a good amount of damage, what good is it if the regeneration brings it back to peak?
"This bastard is durable as a honey badger."
Seizing the chance of explosion, I swing my sword once again; this is a strategy we used countless times with him. But this time it was different; when I charged forward for a down slash, I didn't see the pebble that was on the ground.
Carelessness—That's a nasty one in the middle of battle, combined with fatigue, and the results will be disastrous. And just like I predicted, the curse turned around and gave a hard, direct punch in my stomach, which caused me to go airborne and hit what looks like a tree in this innate domain.
"Naoya!!!" Mei Mei called.
Damn, my insides have been twisted. And damn, I can't keep my reverse technique efficiency up.
"Naoya. Are you okay? Get up." Mei came running into me. Thanks to the early explosion, the curse spirit is currently healing; just like us, I think he also has fatigue, though it is not confined.
"Mei, At the rate we are going, we both will die." I said with a smile, "I can feel my blood starting to rise from the stomach." I gagged a mouth full of blood out.
"Stop joking," Mei said gravely; it was the first time I'd seen her this seriously.
"Run Away, Mei Mei. I will hold him off. Both of us don't have to die today. And for your knowledge, this serious look doesn't look good on you; a businesswoman always needs to keep her smile up."
"I said stop joking and concentrate on healing, and I can't even go, as I won't get paid if I leave you to die. I won't take a loss after this much investment."
"You don't have to worry about the pay; I gave Maki and Mai some cash before I came. Always prepare for the worst; that's my policy. Take some from that deposit as pay, and with the rest of the money, train them so they can stand on their own."
"But..."
"Go. Always be selfish if you want to make it far in this world. There is no sin in prioritizing one's life above others," I said as I gave a small tap on her cheeks and gave a small smile.
"Why are you doing this?"
Hearing her question, without losing the smile, I answered.
"Just because."
~~~
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