The shopping center slated for demolition stood eerily abandoned when the two arrived. Dust coated shattered storefronts while flickering emergency lights cast dim red glows across the massive interior corridors. The entire building carried the stale heaviness of accumulated negative emotions, making cursed spirits naturally gather there over time.
Yuta adjusted the strap of his katana nervously as he glanced toward Toge beside him.
Despite attending the same school for months now, Yuta still found Toge difficult to understand. The older boy remained almost constantly quiet, communicating primarily through rice ball ingredients to avoid accidentally activating his cursed speech.
"Salmon."
Yuta blinked. "…Right."
He still had absolutely no idea what that meant.
Toge calmly walked forward with his hands tucked inside his pockets while Yuta followed cautiously behind. The deeper they moved into the abandoned shopping center, the heavier the cursed energy became. Strange scratching sounds echoed from upper floors while distorted shadows crawled unnaturally along the walls, and then suddenly they noticed a movement.
Dozens of curses poured from the dark corridors ahead.
Small malformed creatures with twisted limbs and oversized jaws rushed toward them in screeching waves, their bodies dragging across floors and walls alike. Yuta instinctively reached for his sword... But Toge stepped forward first and removed the upper part of his Jujutsu uniform, which covered his mouth.
His cursed speech markings spread across his face.
"Blast away."
An invisible force erupted outward like a shockwave.
Toge's innate curse technique is called "Cursed Speech." He possesses the "Snake Eyes and Fangs" seal of the Inumaki Clan on his tongue and around both sides of his mouth. This allows Toge to infuse his words with cursed energy to improve the spirit of his commands, forcing all who hear it to obey. This power can target living beings and inorganic objects.
The more demanding the command, the more of a toll it pays on Toge's body. Weaker curses can be exorcised with powerful commands without backlash, but even less powerful words will consume more energy and stamina when used against opponents with more cursed energy than Toge. Communication devices and voice amplifiers, such as cellphones and bullhorns, do not disrupt Toge's technique, allowing him to project his words and their effects over a longer distance if need be.
Just as Toge uttered the words, every curse in front of them exploded violently against walls, ceilings, and floors as though struck by a speeding truck. Bodies burst apart instantly, dissolving into black mist before they could even reach the boys.
Yuta stared in shock. "…That's insane." It was his first time seeing Toge's technique, and he was impressed.
Toge merely gave a small shrug. "Bonito flakes."
Within minutes, the entire initial swarm was exterminated. The shopping center fell quiet once more, leaving only drifting cursed residue behind. Yuta relaxed slightly, lowering his sword as relief washed over him.
"…That was easier than I expected."
The moment those words left his mouth, the entire building shook.
Talk about raising a flag.
A low growl echoed through the shopping center, deep enough to vibrate through concrete itself. Yuta immediately stiffened as overwhelming cursed energy flooded the area.
Then it appeared.
A massive humanoid curse emerged from the darkness ahead, its body stitched together from twisted mannequins, shattered store displays, and human limbs fused grotesquely into one towering form. Multiple faces protruded from its torso, all whispering incoherently at once.
Yuta's expression hardened instantly.
This thing was vastly stronger than the earlier curses.
Toge stepped forward immediately. "Don't move!"
The command struck the curse directly and failed.
The creature staggered only slightly before continuing forward. Blood suddenly dripped from Toge's mouth as the backlash from attempting to restrain something far stronger than expected hit him instantly.
"Toge-senpai!"
"Run." Though Togi didn't say that with his mouth, his eyes delivered the message.
The curse lunged.
Both boys barely escaped as its massive arm shattered the floor where they stood moments earlier. Concrete exploded outward while the creature pursued relentlessly through the shopping center corridors.
Yuta's heartbeat thundered violently in his chest. Too strong. He thought to himself.
Toge was already injured because of his previous backlash from using curse speech.
"We can't keep retreating!" Yuta shouted desperately.
Toge wiped blood from his mouth before looking directly at him.
For the second time during the mission, Yuta fully understood what Toge was trying to communicate with his eyes.
Trust me. His eyes seem to say.
Yuta tightened his grip on his katana and then nodded.
The moment the curse charged again, Toge inhaled deeply despite the strain destroying his throat. "STOP." The command slammed into the curse with tremendous force, freezing its movement for a single critical second.
That second was enough, and Yuta surged forward.
Cursed energy erupted around his blade as Rika's power flowed into the katana. Months of brutal training with Maki finally manifested in that single strike. His stance remained stable. His timing was precise after all the heavy training Panda and Maki gave him.
The blade flashed purple, and the curse split cleanly down the center, and then the massive spirit dissolved completely into black ash.
Yuta landed hard, breathing heavily while the remains vanished around them.
For several seconds neither boy spoke, then Toge slowly gave him a thumbs up. "…Salmon."
Yuta stared at him before laughing tiredly. "You know, I still don't know what half your words mean."
~~~
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